Chapter Five: A Friendly Duel

Nysana must showcase her skills in the dueling class.

"Who's Nysana Merethil?" a boy's voice asked behind her.

"I am," she said as turned.

"Oh." He gulped and gave her a pitying look. "Have you met him?"

"Yes."

The awkward silence between them was broken as Helena rushed up to them.

"You look cross. Who did you get?" She peeked around Nysana's shoulder and her jaw dropped. "Othriel's blood!"

"Watch your language," the boy warned.

"Or what?" Helena gave him a sassy shake of one hip. "You going to spank me?"

The boy turned bright red. "No, I think it wouldn't really be punishment."

Helena gave him a knowing smile. "You'd know all about that wouldn't you?"

"All flirting aside, I am still here."

"And facing a horrible crisis, I'm sorry." Helena waved Valia over. "We can ask the Grandmaster to switch you with someone else."

"That someone else would have to really want to get in her pants for a favor like that."

"Valia!" the boy snapped.

"Oh shut up," she retorted. "Just because you were raised that women should act like princesses all the time, doesn't give you the right to dictate what we actually do."

"Valia, play nice," Helena said with a forced smile. "He is my boyfriend after all."

"I'm Eremus by the way since introductions never happened," the boy said with a small smile. Nysana returned it and nodded at him.

Her friend gave a soft growl before turning to Nysana. "So you and Nathron, huh? My condolensces."

"What's so bad about him?"

"Seriously?" Valia looked at Nysana like she'd grown another head.

"She doesn't know," Helena chided.

"Know what?"

"You've got Dueling tomorrow morning first like all senior students," Eremus stated. "Professor Fauler likes to have Keiron volunteer a lot. Just watch and you'll see exactly why he's useless."

Valia patted Nysana's shoulder. "Don't worry. Everyone knows that the names are random. No one will shun you for being forced to participate in the Evaluation with him."

"Don't you think you all are being a little hard on him?" Nysana asked.

"You'll see," Valia said. "Your soft heart is cute, but it won't help you get the allies you want."

Nysana's heart slowed. "What do you mean?"

"Come on. The first Battle Witch here after two centuries? Of course you're here for allies. That and to convince Goldbeard to invite more Battle Witches."

"Goldbeard?"

Valia rolled her eyes. "About twice a year, he turns his beard solid gold for a week at a time. Just out of whimsy."

"That is weird."

"Trust me," Helena said. "That's a normal part of him. Eccentric is putting it mildly. He's an ancient dragon so he's getting on in years. Eventually they all go mad, you know?"

"I've heard that," Nysana lied. What would happen if a dragon went mad in Valmystaal? Could the other dragons and Professors protect them?

"Anyway, come on. We need to show you the quickest way to get to your classes. Then we'll go back to the Gardens and give you a proper tour."

"Sounds fun," Nysana said. She couldn't quite shake the feeling that tomorrow would confirm a number of things, and none of them would help the growing dilemma that was her mission.

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Nysana strolled into the classroom and quickly found a seat near the middle of the rows of desks. People were more likely to be called on in the front and rear of the rooms. The middle was the safe haven.

A man with short white hair and a slightly unkempt mustache rose from his desk and clasped his hands behind his back. "Good morning. I am Professor McDunn."

"Dueling," he began. "As you all know is an advanced art and takes and advanced mind to properly execute. You can know all the spells in the world, but if you fail to use them properly, you will lose--every time."

Nysana found herself nodding. It wasn't anything she hadn't already heard before, but it was a relief that the Professor had the same mindset as the Battle Witch trainers.

"Some of you," he said, pointedly locking eyes with her for a second. "Are already experienced with dueling. Ms. Merethil, could you please stand up?"

Of course, she thought as she stood.

"I understand that as a Battle Witch, you have been dueling for at least a year?"

"We begin controlled duels at the age of 10, Professor."

His brow furrowed. "Controlled duels?"

"Duels where we are choreographed to use one spell to react to another spell and how to step to avoid hexes and curses," she answered.

"Well, that's not proper dueling at all! Let me show you how it's done."

"Professor, I didn't--"

"Oh, of course," he interrupted. "It would be improper for a dueling champion, such as myself, to duel a student even if she is a conceited Battle Witch."

Nysana felt her cheeks heat up and couldn't resist the urge to clench her fists. "Name a student then, and I will do my for such a 'conceited Battle Witch', sir."

McDunn smirked and nodded. "An excellent idea. We'll start slow, shall we? Nathron! Come here."

All eyes turned to the young man in the corner who was writing furiously in a leather-bound book. He made no move to show that he had even heard Professor McDunn."

"Nathron, don't try my patience."

Keiron continued to ignore him, pausing from his writing for just a second, muttering silently to himself.

"Nathron, do you have something that you would like to share with the whole class?" McDuun asked with a smug smile.

"That would be a waste of everyone's time. Yours, because you think that it will humiliate me. Theirs, because the writing are in Draconic and therefore, beyond their ability to process. Finally, a waste of my time which is better spent translating."

"You will stand."

"I won't."

"I will fail you for this class and you can explain to the Grandmaster why you have to stay for extra lessons this weekend."

Keiron let out a resigned sigh, closed his book and strode to the front of the class.

"Now, in a traditional duel, you may use whatever spells you want, but since we are just practicing, let's keep them to non-lethal. Especially considering your opponent." He chuckled at Keiron's glare.

Nysana bowed and Keiron copied her.

"Ready?" When both gave him stiff nods, said loudly, "Begin!"

Without a second's hesitation, Nysana stretched out her hand and blasted Keiron back into the wall. He made no move to defend himself and even though he looked in pain, he didn't throw up a shield or attempt to hex her back.

"Excellent use of a blasting hex, Miss Merethil." He rounded on Keiron. "Mr. Nathron, lack of participation is the same as refusing to get out of your seat. If you do not attempt to duel, you will receive no credit for today's lesson."

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

Keiron's entire body relaxed but his eyes smoldered with a quiet rage. "Yes, Professor."

McDunn nodded, unaware that Keiron was far more dangerous with his anger cold than if he was shouting at the top of his lungs. She had seen more than one opponent underestimate her when her cold anger allowed her to focus on their weaknesses.

"Again! Begin!"

Nysana fired the same blasting hex and was not surprised that Keiron dodged it. Another blast struck his left shoulder, but he continued to advance on her. 

A white shield shimmered in front of his outstretched hands, deflecting her follow-up burning hexes. A sizzling lightning curse which was borderline non-lethal broke his shield and caused him to land hard on his back. As he did, something strange happened with the lightning. Instead of dissipating across his body or into the floor, it redirected back at her. Only her training allowed her to throw up a non-conductive shield and even then it was a near thing.

It would have been an impressive feat if Keiron hadn't been passed out.

"Such a strange spell effect," McDunn commented. "Ah well. Who's next? And someone move Nathron out of the way."

The casual way that they rolled him over onto the dirty floor gave her all the confirmation that his treatment was universal. How should she react? Should she stand up for him and alienate herself from her allies?

"Ms. Merethil?"

She looked up and noticed that another young man was standing ready to duel her. Cold fury washed over her and focused it into the willing participant of her venting.

"I am ready," she said.

Five more duels later, Professor McDunn held up his hands. "I think we should stop before Ms. Merethil breaks any more bones. Everyone who can, get back to your seats. The rest, hold tight and I will heal you one at a time."

"I can help sir," a pretty girl with straight brown hair offered.

"Hmm? Oh yes, come along then."

The girl paused, glancing at Keiron. "Should we attend to Keiron first since he was struck first?"

"What? No of course not, Ms. Dryden. He is fine. His ailment can't be cured. Come help me with Dudley. I think his shin was splintered."

Nysana couldn't contain the smile of pride at her handiwork. She was interested in why the girl was concerned for Keiron. Could there be some that cared about him? Her body language didn't suggest a romantic interest. Who was this girl and why was she trying to get to Keiron first?

The girl looked up and their eyes locked. To Nysana's surprise, she didn't find anger or eagerness to please the Professor. Instead, there were two eyes filled with a deep sadness. And was that guilt?

A scream of pain followed by a snap of bone as it healed itself broke the moment. The young girl, who couldn't have been more than 14, moved on to the next opponent that Nysana had nearly maimed. She did not look up again.

Nysana frowned and leaned back in her seat. She had come here for answers, and all she had were more questions.