"We will now go to the training field where you will fight in random matches and against random opponents, to show us what your current capabilities are," Headmaster Regin announces.
We all start to move outside to the stands for the last exam. If I can get lucky with opponents, then I may pass in one of the top positions.
I look over at Barin, who still has an emotionless face. I turn to Aryn, who still has a smile as we exit the commons.
5
ARYN
We take our seats in the stands and wait for the first match.
Regin appears after some time of waiting.
"Before the matches start, I must announce that Asteria Marchand will not participate in the fights. Since she has a blessing, she is hereby a graduate. We do ask that she helps our teachers heal injuries after the matches," he announces.
People within the stands start talking, most likely that it's unfair. I look at Asteria, I think she’s sighing with relief.
"These matches will show us how you handle opponents and adapt to different scenarios using your magic and abilities," he says before taking his seat.
A projection appears showing the first match. It's between some goofy looking guy with red hair and a fancy robe, and a scary-looking girl who has long black hair. She’s also tall and has muscles that most knights don't.
They make their way to the stage. The match starts, and immediately scary girl dashes towards her opponent at fast speeds. He dodges, but before he can recover his position, she kicks him and sends him halfway across the stage.
I look closer at the scary girl's body. l see faint glowing lines on her skin.
"Do you like her body that much?" Asteria asks.
I look at her, she's staring at me… she looks mad for some reason. "Well yeah, look at those glowing patterns on her," I respond and point at the scary girl.
The guy gets up, looks like he managed to block the kick. "Forest, pay my heed and entangle my foe, Tangled Roots!" he incants.
Roots shoot out from the ground towards the scary girl. They don't move fast, but they form a large wall that could be difficult to avoid.
She tries to jump over the roots, but one catches her leg and pulls her down to the ground. She rips the root as several more wrap around her and suspends her in the air.
"Looks like she lost," Asteria says.
Most people would assume that; however, I feel the scary girl has more to show us.
The roots start to strangle her and rip her clothes as she struggles. Meanwhile, the guy seems to be snickering.
I really want to punch that guy; if there's one thing I can't stand, it's those who feel indulgent from their power without knowing what an actual battle is.
"Ancestors strengthen my body and fortify my mind. Ancestral Pride!" scary girl incants.
The pattern on her body expands and starts glowing a brilliant azure. She rips through the roots, landing on the ground, bleeding from her thigh and stomach. She doesn't seem affected by the pain at all; in fact, it seems like her presence itself has changed.
In a flash, she dashes in front of the guy, leaving him no chance to react.
With a fierce yell, she punches him in the guts with all her might. The guy opens his mouth, but only a sickening noise comes out… as if his insides were scrambled. He falls to his knees, unconscious, with blood spilling from his mouth.
Regin stands up, "We have a winner. Now we will heal the two candidates and begin the next match."
The healing magicians go down to heal the girl. Apparently, the guy was clinging to life, so they had Asteria heal him.
Right away, the images for the next match appear.
"Oh, it's me this time," I comment.
My opponent is the scary girl; shouldn't they let her rest before she continues? Barin scoffs and motions me to go to the arena. Seeing as the scary girl was already down there, I jump into the stadium from the stands to save time.
"Hey, Headmaster. Isn't this a bit unfair?" I ask, making my way to the judging area.
"This is meant to show how you adapt. You do not always have time to rest after a fight," Regin remarks.
I look over at my opponent; she's glaring at me with intent to win this match.
I walk up to her, and she's even taller than me, only by an eye though.
"Sorry about this," I apologize.
Right away, she goes to punch me, but I dodge it by a hair. She goes on the attack; a flurry of punches and kicks are thrown at me as I weave around each oncoming hit.
I try to get distance, yet she keeps right on me… she's pretty good in close combat. Making sure I have no time to counter, she keeps a steady pace of attacks. The patterns on her begin to glow as her barrage picks up speed, and each time they get closer to hitting me.
She goes for a punch to my stomach that I manage to catch. Thinking I can counter, I go to hit her.
However, she has already thrown a kick at me head that I can't avoid. She hits me, the kick lands with a loud thud.
She then immediately jumps back.
"That was a good kick," I compliment as I rub the side of my head.
She looks surprised that her kick didn't faze me. "What are you made of? That should have split your head apart," she says as she takes her stance.
"Ancestors strengthen my body and fortify my mind, Ancestral Pride!" she utters.
Once again, the markings on her body glow and spread.
She charges with a wide swing of her right. I hook her arm and sweep her leg, knocking her to the ground.
"You're pretty good using the Roanitian style of fighting," I remark.
She kicks my knee as she scrambles to her feet, then proceeds to jump up with a punch. I don't feel like dodging, so I take the hit. Her fist stops as it hits, causing her to step back.
"How? How are you so strong?!" she cries.
I guess I am stronger than most people, but I thought her attacks were plenty strong in her own right. "It's not that I'm overly strong; you're just weaker than I am," I reply. I don't really know how to answer a question like that.
She drops her arms. "You are indeed stronger than me; I will not win this match. My request is that you don't go easy on me and let me test myself against your might," she says before retaking her stance.
I like her determination to face me, though she knows she is the weaker.
"I will honor that request," I say with a smile.
I dash behind her, too fast for her to react. I hit her neck with the blade to knock her out.
She falls to the ground.
This wasn't really a fight; if it had been, she would've gotten hurt. I was glad to see the Roanitian style again though.
I exit the stage to join Barin and Asteria in the stands.
"How did you do that?" Asteria asks with wonder in her eyes.
Before I can say anything in response, she starts checking me for wounds.
"Do you like my body that much?" I ask with a gleeful smile.
Her face gets red as she pulls her hands back. She then lectures me on how I should speak to a lady.
We make our way back to the stands with Barin. I'm not really interested in the other matches. Unfortunately, we are unable to leave until the matches have concluded. More matches take place, but they got so dull, I decided to take a nap instead of watching them.
"Wake up, Barin is about to fight," Asteria states, gently nudging me with her elbow to waken.
I open my eyes to see Barin in the arena. I gaze over to see who his opponent is… across from him stand a group of twenty people.
"This is so unfair," Asteria says. "How do they expect him to fight so many people?" she says furiously.
Personally, I'm not worried about Barin in the fight. When it comes to magic, I have yet to see someone that could compare to him. Even in battle, he can predict the opponent's movements and plan far ahead. I would bet the people Barin are currently fighting would have a better chance of fighting a whole army than him.
&nb
sp; The match starts, and those who are close combat fighters begin to charge in first.
"Wait!" a red-haired guy commands.
He motions for everyone to gather around him. Don't know what they're talking about, but I assume this guy's taking command of the group.
The group disperses into two rows, six in the front and fifteen behind them. The red-haired guy takes the position at the rear.
"Fire!" he yells.
The row of fifteen launches ranged magic attacks at Barin. Each is a different spell, most likely an attempt to keep Barin from countering all at once.
"Majestic Flames," Barin chants.
An unyielding wall of flames erupts in front of Barin. The wall of fire barrels towards the opponents, overpowering their magic. The area the spell covers is too vast to avoid, and those who try to defend are consumed in fire. Screaming fills the arena.
The flames dissipate and reveal all his opponents sprawled out and charred on the ground. Barin leaves the arena while the crowd sits in silence.
"That was so amazing," Asteria says in awe.
Barin makes his way up to us and sits down. "There isn't anyone here who can rival my magic," he boasts.
After Barin's overwhelming win, only a handful of candidates remain.
Regin stands, "Thus ends this day of battles. Return home and rest. For come tomorrow, you will finish this trial," he announces.
We all start to leave the arena; I suppose we should get something to eat. Asteria grabs my hand to get Barin and I to stop.
"Can you come to my house? My father wants to meet you," she asks.
I would prefer to get something to eat and drink, but I can't say no when she looks at me so determined. I agree and ask if Barin wants to come; he says he prefers to drink and eat at Titania’s.
We part ways as I follow Asteria to her house.
"Why would someone like you try to get into Avalon Academy? It makes sense for your brother, who has amazing magic, but you just seem to know only how to punch," she questions me.
"Hey, I'm pretty strong. I'll have you know… I punch people better than anyone," I hastily respond, which makes her giggle.
We reach her house, and she leads me up to the entrance. Before we get to the door, someone opens it.
"Nice of you to return ma'am. Did you have an eventful day?" an older man asks.
He's dressed rather nice in a tailored green suit. He has brushed-back, greying hair and a spiffy mustache. He clearly has a good preference for style.
"Hi Ermes, is father home?" Asteria asks him.
"Sir Bayard is in his office, tending to business matters. If you would wait in the living quarters, I shall tell him you are here," Ermes responds, gesturing to his left.
I follow Asteria into the house as Ermes leads us to a very spacious room. The room is decorated with many beautiful pictures and artifacts. My eyes lead me to a huge fireplace. Above it is the family portrait and a great broadsword.
"Please take a seat, sir," Hermes directs me to a chair.
We wait for some time, making small talk about the day and the activities we enjoy. Eventually, Asteria gets tired of waiting and goes to get her father, leaving me with Ermes.
"So, I suppose that anyone with a house this big would need a butler, huh?" I ask Ermes, trying to start a conversation.
He glares at me. "I am not a butler. I would ask you to not refer to me as one," he snaps back.
Once again, I'm just sitting in silence… with Ermes standing behind me… waiting for Asteria.
I stand and make my way over to the broadsword on the mantle. It truly is a magnificent sword. If I'm taking a guess, I'd say it's an adamantine blade. Since adamantine is the hardest metal, it's near impossible to harvest and to smith with. Usually, only the most important people would have a blade such as that. The handle is big enough for three hands with a dragon twist guard. For some reason, there's a big green gem affixed at the guard. I go to touch it when Ermes grabs my hand. He has a relatively firm grip despite his appearance.
"It's alright Ermes," a bearded man says.
Ermes lets my hand go as the bearded man makes his way into the room. Asteria appears behind him.
"This is the guy I told you about, father," she says, taking a seat.
So, this is Asteria's father, Bayard? With his wavy brown hair and dark eyes, I wouldn't have suspected they were related.
"Asteria told me what you did for her the night she was attacked." Bayard makes his way to me. "I give you my deepest thanks and most heartful appreciation for rescuing my only child," he finishes.
He sticks his hand out so I shake it, but he pulls me in and hugs me. He lets me go after a short time of embracing me.
"Apologies," Bayard says, composing himself. "I am glad that I could have the chance to meet you," he states, taking a seat.
I sit down across from him; Ermes brings out tea and some light snacks. I take a sip of the tea and damn, it's bitter. Apparently, I show my displeasure of it on my face.
"Is there a beverage you would rather prefer?" Bayard asks.
"Sorry, this is probably excellent tea. However, I'm not accustomed to finer beverages. If it isn't too much trouble… perhaps some alcohol or just water?" I respond.
Bayard laughs and gestures for Ermes to bring different drinks.
Bayard asks me to tell him about myself to get to know me more. It seems Asteria wants to know about me too.
I give them a brief summary of how Barin and I got here. I tell them Barin and I heard about Avalon Academy a year ago. At that time, we had just entered the country of Easton, making our way from town to town. On our way here, we spent time with adventurers and mercenary groups to travel and eat. I skip over most of the stories during that time; they mainly involve many deaths and scenes not discussed in light conversation.
When asked why I want to be accepted to the academy, I tell them it was on a whim that we decided to.
"So, you did not save my daughter to gain favor with me, then? So many people try to use her to get to me," Bayard says with an aggrieved look.
Of course, they would. Turns out, Bayard is one of the most influential people in the city. I'm sure that he's continuously involved in political struggles.
"What do you think of my daughter Aryn?" Bayard says after taking a sip.
I look at him…his eyes seem to give off a sense of gleeful curiosity.
"I think she's a rather unique individual. She has mesmerizing eyes like a gem and beautiful hair that looks like fire dancing in the wind. She seems to have an endearing and caring personality, despite her being aloof sometimes. She's amazingly cute as well," I answer.
I glance at Asteria, her face is red. Was she embarrassed by what I said?
Bayard starts laughing. "You're an honest one, I see," he says through the laughs.
We drank and talk for most of the night. Bayard gives me a little schooling in the dealings of the economy and political standings of Avalon.
"So, let us get to the main reason I wanted to meet you," Bayard says with a serious expression.
I was beginning to think he just wanted to have drinks and conversate with me.
Bayard leans forward. "What can I give you as thanks for saving Asteria?" he asks.
I sit back and think about the question. "Well, Asteria already offered me her life," I respond.
Bayard looks shocked. Seems like her doing that was not what he intended. I thought it wasn't common for people to do that.
"You said you would give him your life!?" Bayard yells as he grabs Asteria's shoulders. He looks devastated by the news.
"You're the one who always says trade should be fair. The only thing that I have of equal value to my life is my life," Asteria snaps back.
By the look in her eyes, Bayard can see the same resolve that I did regarding her choice.
"Ermes, grab him," Bayard commands.
Ermes throws me to the ground, pinning my arm behind me. He's remarkably strong for such a meek and ol
d-looking man. Bayard makes his way over to me.
"So, you plan on having my daughter serve you?" he growls. I look up to see Bayard glaring at me with rage.
"Father, wait!" Asteria yells as she rushes to grab Bayard.
Why do people seem to hate me in this city? Are my manners lacking?
I go to stand up, and Ermes tries to force me down by driving his knee into my lower back. Perhaps if he were younger, he could've kept me pinned.
I get up with Ermes still trying to bring me down. At this point, I'm more or less carrying him on my back.
"She gave me her life, so I told her to be my friend…if that's ok with you?" I ask, pulling my arm away from Ermes.
"Do not try to lie!" Bayard shouts.
He throws a punch.
I feel like taking the hit is the polite thing to do, seeing as I'm causing him so much trouble. Bayard steps back, holding his hand.
"He's telling the truth, father!" Asteria shouts. She steps in front of him. "He just wants me to be friends with him. He's made no advances on me."
I nod in agreement. Hopefully, things will calm down now that Asteria is explaining everything.
We sit back down and begin to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Once again, I have to apologize. I struck you with such force," Bayard says, bowing his head.
I think he should be more concerned about his hand than me.
It starts to get late as Bayard tries to convince me to stay at his place for the night. I decide to head back to Titania's. I've had my fill of fun for one day… would prefer just a regular place to sleep. They see me off as I head on my way. I sure hope Barin’s and my stay here continues to be interesting.
6
ASTERIA
Avarice Twilight Page 4
