THE BATTLE
Gen was surprised to see a crowd gathered around the arena. Word had spread of the fight in the short time it had taken him to get ready. Looking around at all the faces, he noticed that the number of his friends present was about even with the number of Aaron's. Then he saw something that really shook him to the core. In the middle of the battleground stood the Headmaster of the schola. As Gen entered the circle, the headmaster raised his hands to quiet the crowd.
"I was made aware of a duel and came to oversee the match," The master said to the crowd that he had silenced. "Gentlemen, you may proceed."
The Master left the circle and activated the magic surrounding it. The spell nullified any new magic from being cast, although it did not affect the magically enhanced weapons. Gen placed his sword in his belt and started his stretches, making sure his muscles were loose and his mind calm. Across the circle, Aaron was doing the same. He actions almost a copy of Gen, if Gen had been half a foot taller and broader of shoulder.
At an unspoken command both stopped and turned to face each other. Gen with scabbarded sword in hand and Aaron with his b*****d sword at the ready, they advanced toward the center of the ring. Both circled each other, looking for weaknesses. Abruptly, Aaron slashed his sword in a powerful swipe for the other's neck. Seeing his opponent's shift in balance, Gen easily ducked under the blow and, drawing his blade lightning fast, struck the backside of Aaron's right knee with the back edge of his katana; then placed it quickly back in the scabbard. Electricity crackled as the magic in the katana sent a shock throughout Aaron's body. Screaming in pain he backed off a step. A mistake. Gen, seeing a way in, thrust his scabbarded sword toward Aaron's arm. Aaron moved his blade just in time to parry the thrust and slashed back. But Gen expected this and moved swiftly to the side. Letting the momentum carry Aaron's arm around, throwing him off balance. He pushed him in the back with his scabbard and watched Aaron's face hit the dirt. Aaron roared in anger and quickly got back up. He shouted an emorian war cry and ran full speed at Gen. Gen stood calmly and a split second before Aaron connected he dropped down and thrust his shoulder into Aaron's gut. Aaron felt faint. All his air had been knocked out of him. He went down to one knee and tried to regain his breath. Gen stepped back and let him. This is too easy. What is he doing? I've seen novices fight better. He's not using his head at all. Just going at it with sheer rage and strength. Gen was brought out of his thoughts when he saw the blond man stand back up and turn to face him.
"You should have struck me down when you had the chance, little man!" Aaron said through gritted teeth.
"Why do you hate me so much, Aaron?" Gen asked while drawing his katana slowly from it's scabbard. He had played it easy with Aaron till now. Hoping not to hurt him too badly. The look in Aaron's eyes glimmered with pure hatred. Gen was tired of this game.
"Everything was fine until you showed up! People respected me. Meeka was my friend. Thomas, that worm, feared me, but then you came! You ruined it all! No one likes me now. They are always saying. "Oh that Gen Hothman, he's so perfect." It makes me sick." Aaron spit on the ground. He grabbed his sword with two hands and made another quick swing for Gen's head.
"I never asked for their attention." Gen said as he ducked the blow. "You could still have been friends with Meeka if you had not been so jealous of her love for me. As far as Thomas is concerned though, you leave him out of this. If anything I owe you a beating for what you used to do to him before I came to this school." Now Gen's eyes lit up with a cold fire of anger. He didn't let it take over though. He knew how to use his anger. It would not control him.
"Liar! You stole her from me! She loved me! Do you hear me! You took her with your charms and fancy words. I will kill you for doing that to me. For taking her!" Aaron's shouts now rang throughout the stands. No one cheered at this contest now. All were silent. This was not just another shoving match. Aaron wanted blood. The Headmaster's lips were pressed into a thin line, but he remained silent. Thomas looked on with fear. Meeka only looked sad. Tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't known how deep Aaron's feelings for her were. She only stayed to watch out of concern for Gen.
"Let's end this here and now. If I win then you will stop this stupid battle between us. If you don't end it after this...I will end it myself." The threat was clear. Gen's eyes went cold. He stared at Aaron, his ice blue eyes boring into the hazel eyes of Aaron's.
"I will end it here." Aaron said with a grin. "I'll end it with your head mounted on my wall!" Aaron again made a sweep for Gen's neck. Gen frowned slightly. "So be it." Gen brought up his blade lightning fast and cut through Aaron's b*****d sword. He kicked Aaron hard in the stomach. Aaron doubled over in pain and dropped his broken sword. "Do you yield?" Gen shouted. Aaron replied with another roar and charged at Gen. Gen stepped back and with two quick strikes came down hard on Aaron's collarbones. Two sickening cracks rang throughout the silent grounds. Meeka flinched and looked away. "Do you yield? I'll not use the back edge again." Gen's tone was quiet. Meeka was unnerved by it. Who was this cold Gen? She had never seen him like this before. Something cold grabbed her insides and she shivered. Aaron knelt before Gen. His arms limp at his sides. His face ran with tears of anger and defeat. "I yield." Aaron said through teeth gritted in pain. Gen nodded and put his sword back in his scabbard. "Now get out of my sight, and think about what happened today. Think of our deal." Gen turned and walked toward Thomas. He heard a dull thud as Aaron fell unconscious to the ground. The Headmaster broke the spell, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Aaron's friends gathered around him. It took four of them to carry him to the healer's tent.
"You ready to start practice?" Gen asked when he got next to Thomas.
Thomas stared at his friend wide eyed. "After all that?"
"Well, I did tell you I would. Didn't I? We still have another hour till the next class."
"Can we wait till the crowd clears?" Thomas asked looking around self-consciously.
"No, they may never leave," Gen said with a smirk. "Come on, let's get started."
Gen turned to enter the arena but stopped suddenly when Master Shingami appeared before him. “I'm disappointed in you.” The words were spoken in Napajian and said in a tone low enough that only Gen could hear them. Gen knelt before the Master and bowed his head.
“I'm sorry Master. Please tell me in what way I failed so that I may not disappoint you again.”
“You should have killed him.”
“Thank you master. I will not make this mistake again.” Master Shingami nodded then vanished. Gen stood and walked toward Thomas that was waiting in the arena.
“What was that about?” Thomas asked when Gen had caught up to him.
“The Master had a lesson to teach me. Are you ready to begin?” Gen's face held a smile but his eyes were vacant. Thomas had seldom seen his friend with that expression.
“Sure Gen, lets go.”
As they started practice, the remaining people left. Except for two. The Headmaster stood silently and watched while Meeka told again what she had said hurriedly to him before all this started. He took in every word then told her to wait for the two to finish. After they were finished with the days classes, they were all, with the addition of Aaron, to come see him.
After a while he left and Meeka found a seat and waited for the two to finish. The cold feeling finally left, when she saw Gen once again back to normal. His jests while training Thomas made her laugh and she put the uncomfortable thoughts away. The hour of training went quickly and as the bells that announced class rang Gen and Thomas headed toward the bathhouse to clean up.
Meeka sat at one of the five small tables in divination class as Gen and Thomas ran in just as the second bells rang. They both rushed over and pulled up seats at the table with her. Gen pulled out his brown leather spellbook and set out the inkwell and quill as the instructor entered. The teacher of divination class was a woman of around thirty years of age. She had straight black hair a hawkish nose, and eyes as black as coal. She wore flowing robes of a blood red color. She took a set at the large desk at the front of the class and sat waiting for the class to quiet down.
"Class, today we will stop with theory and begin practice of the art of divination. Upon each table I have placed a round mirror. Now what have we learned that we can use this mirror for?" Meeka raised her hand.
"Yes, Meeka?"
"The round mirror may be used in spells of far sight and by some, to see images of one's future."
"Very good. Now I want you to each take turns and do a farsight of a city from another continent. I will come around and observe. Begin now."
Thomas had a nervous look upon his face.
"What's the matter Thomas?" Meeka asked.
"I've never been good at this. I've been practicing in my room, but I can never seem to see past this island." Thomas hung his head into his hands. "I'm going to fail this too. I just know it."
"Meeka, why don't you go first and maybe Thomas will pick up what he's doing wrong." Gen said quietly.
"Very well. Watch closely Thomas." Meeka pulled the round glass closer to her and placed her hands to either side of it. She began chanting softly, under her breath, and the mirror quickly went from reflecting the room to showing only a green light. The green light faded and an image of a village in a large forest came into focus. The people in the image seemed to be rushing all around and suddenly one of the thatch-roofed houses lit up in brilliant flame. Soldiers in red outfits marched into the picture and began methodically killing everyone in the village. Meeka sat back and the image in the mirror vanished. Gen looked up to her and saw tears running down her cheeks.
"What's wrong? Where was that?" Gen asked.
"My home. That village was my home." She sobbed. Gen got up and walked around to kneel beside her chair. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.
"I'm so sorry." Thomas murmured.
"What's wrong over here?" The teacher demanded with a stern look that grew instantly soft as she saw Meeka's sobs.
"Meeka saw her village being destroyed by soldiers in red." Thomas whispered to her.
"Meeka, you may go to your room. I'll tell your other teachers that you won't be coming to classes today."
"Thank you." Meeka murmured and stood up slowly. Gen put his arm around her and started walking her to the door.
"You must stay, Gen Hothman." The teacher said coldly. Gen turned and looked at the divination teacher. His eyes burned with a cold fire.
“Go ahead Gen. I'll be alright.”
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Gen asked Meeka.
"I'll be fine. I just need to be alone for a bit. You and Thomas come see me after classes today. We're all supposed to see The Headmaster tonight." She gently removed Gen's arm and walked out of the classroom. Gen waited till she had gone then returned to his seat.
"Gen, Show me the capital of Emoris." The teacher looked down her hawkish nose at Gen. She had always seemed to have a hatred of him, though Gen had no idea why. Gen didn't argue with her this time. He sat down and quickly chanted the words of the spell. The mirror glowed with a silver light quickly before the image of the capital of Emoris came into clear view.
"Very good. Now the capitol of Artoria." Gen nodded and concentrated on the mirror. The image shifted quickly and a different city appeared in the mirror.
"Now, show me the home of the dwarves on this island." The classroom started murmuring quietly. They had not been taught how to see inside a place yet. Gen merely smirked. He chanted a few words and the image once again shifted to show an immense darkness.
"Where is it? Show me what I asked." The instructor demanded.
"It is right there, in the glass. The dwarves do not light torches for they see in the dark as well as we do in the day." Gen stated softly.
"Very well. Show me the elven capital then!" The classroom chatter grew louder. Everyone knew that powerful spells protected the elves from scrying as well as everything else. Gen didn't smirk this time. He nodded and concentrated once more upon the glass. He had never tried this before. He chanted the words and the mirror once more glowed with a silver light. Slowly a fuzzy image formed. All was green but nothing was even close to being in focus. Gen concentrated more. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. He looked to the lines and patterns of magic and sucked in a quick breath. His spell was being slowly unraveled at the center as the spell tried again and again to complete itself. He opened his eyes and looked to his teacher.
"I can not make the image any clearer. The ancient elven magic is something I do not know enough of at this time. My apologies." He bowed his head and the mirror returned to normal.
"The great and all powerful student fails? I am amazed. Well you did better then most. Though I could bring up the image with ease. Enough with far sight. Everyone will spend the rest of class on attempting to see the future. I will show you all how to start. Gen. Let us see what the future holds for you." The instructor sat in Meeka's seat and pulled the mirror closer to her. She chanted a complex spell and the mirror began to swirl with a dark red mist. The mists parted and an image slowly came into focus. A lone figure stood on a small hill. The figure wore robes of pure black. All around lay the bodies of fallen soldiers. The figure raised his hands, the body's burst apart and their skeletons stood up and turned their sightless skulls toward the figure in black. The figure turned his head and looked directly up at the vantage of those looking into the mirror. It was Gen's face but it was vastly different. His cheeks were sunken in, his skin a sickly white pallor and large dark circles were under his eyes. He laughed and his icy blue eyes flashed. He reached up a skeletal hand and pointed directly at the instructor.
"Be careful what you seek to see, oh great teacher." The voice was hollow and mocking, laughter filled the room. Suddenly the mirror shattered and the teacher screamed in terror. Shards from the mirror protruded from her face and blood ran down her cheeks from eyes that were now filled with broken glass.
"Get the healer!" Thomas yelled. A student closest to the door ran out of the room. The teacher screamed and reached for her face, clawing at the shards in her eyes.
"Stop it! You must relax. Don't do any more damage or the healer may not be able to help." Thomas pleaded. The teacher seemed to hear nothing. She continued clawing at her eyes and screaming, incoherently.
"Gen! She'll kill herself! Do something!" Thomas pleaded. Gen stared at his friend blankly. He shook all over. Thomas grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, hard. "Wake up and help her! I don't know what to do!" Gen looked over at his teacher. He felt as if everything was somehow apart from him. As if he looked down upon it all from above. He saw himself chant words and the teacher slumped in the seat, falling into a deep sleep. Then his vision grew dim and he saw himself fall forward onto the table before everything went black.
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