I chewed on my bottom lip, eyes drifting thoughtfully over the wide selection of weapons before me. I had been using a rapier since I was roughly eleven, and even my strict, upright mother had admitted that I was suited to its style. However, I was oddly drawn to the crossbow as well…
Finally, I spoke up. “And if I have already learned to fight with one? Can I choose another?”
I raised an eyebrow. This one was full of surprises.
“Only if you’ve mastered the other,” I answered. “Go ahead, pick out the one you’ve learned, and the one you’ll learn.”
Satisfied with his answer, I selected a well-balanced rapier that fit smoothly in my hand. Next I hovered over the crossbows, resting each one in the palm of my hand before deciding on the second smallest, a slim but powerful weapon.
“I’ve chosen,” I told the Prince, angling my body towards him once more.
I nodded at his choice of weapons.
“Set them on the side,” I instructed. “Run five laps around field.”
Once again, I did as I was told and set my newly-chosen weapons aside. Just keep yourself together… this is easy for you.
And in truth, it was. Endurance was something that came much easier to me than short-distance sprinting, and before long, I was coming to a stop in front of Prince Colton after completing his task.
Smart, intelligent and well trained. It seemed I was in luck. My student wouldn’t be falling flat on his face on the second lap.
“Excellent,” I nodded at him. “Fifty push-ups, arms wide. While you do so, I’ll be right back.”
I resisted the urge to reply with a curt ‘yes sir!’, instead nodding and dropping down to the ground. As a dancer and a figure skater, my leg and core strength was much higher than that of my arms.
My arms were trembling by the time I reached my fiftieth push up, but I’d pulled a hard mask of determination over my face, not daring to show any further signs of weakness.
I weight ahead and got weightlifting gloves and shin guards. The purpose of this was to have him carry extra weight. The more he got used to carrying the extra weight, the faster he would become. When it would be his final day to wear these gloves, I assume he would be light on his feet. If he did what I asked.
Once I got back, he’d just finished the exercise. Unlike before, he seemed to be tired, which was expected. I stopped in front of him and let what I got fall to the floor with a loud ‘thud.’
“Wear these,” I ordered. “The only time you’ll be taking these off would be when you’re showering. This will pull you down unless you get used to the weight. I’ll be increasing the weight the more you get used to them. By the time you finish your training, you’ll be light on your feet if you’ve been wearing them correctly.”
I inhaled deeply, shifting positions until I was sitting on the ground in front of the items the Prince had dropped in front of me. I stared at them—a set of gauntlets and shin guards—for a split second, but quickly slapped an unreadable expression on my face and reached for the first shin guard.
“And when I sleep?” I asked Colton, glancing up from where I was buckling the straps beneath my trousers.
"Take them off," I answered curtly. "But wear them first thing in the morning."
I looked around the field, where others had joined. Unlike what I had planned out for Elliot, the other seniors seemed to go easy on their juniors. I scowled before shaking my head and turning my attention back to the boy on the floor.
"We'll start your crossbow training tomorrow," I told him. Once he wore what I told him to wear, I turned my attention back towards the field. "Five more laps."
I very nearly told him ‘yes sir’. Luckily, I caught myself at the last second and gave him a nod as I rose to my feet. Before I began my laps, I experimentally lifted each leg and jogged lightly on the spot. Not too bad. My lower body was stronger than it appeared to be, which would hopefully serve me well. On my arms, however, I definitely felt the weight of the gauntlets, and as I took off at a relaxed pace, I found them quickly tiring.
I finished the lap with my legs aching more than they had the previous time, but the pain was bearable. My arms, however, burned from the effort of keeping the heavy gloves up.
I nodded at him, satisfied with the way he was running. I decided it was enough for today. I didn't want to make him collapse on the first day of training.
"Follow me," I said to him, turning my back on him, Key following me all the while pitying the new kid. As we walked, I decided to question him. "Explain the history of this academy."
I let my arms hang limply at my sides, mentally resolving to start on some strengthening exercises outside of training. “The Academy was founded one hundred and forty-two years ago by a man named Aristos Alainon, also known as the Saviour. Skirmishes between the population at the creatures of the Other Realm had tripled in frequency and severity over the last year, some ending up as full-scale battles. People and creatures were dying without cause. Alainon, who was the son of a Duke, began to stir up movements in hope of instilling peace, but all failed eventually.
“Then, months later, his brother was killed trying to break up a fight between a wyrm and a group of fighters. Alainon went to the King and tried to make him see reason as a result. It took almost half a year, but once he succeeded in swaying the ruler, more and more peace organizations began to rise. Eventually, a formal apology was issued on both sides, and the Academy was founded in hopes of uniting the two Realms. But—“
Here, I faltered. This was where everything had begun to go wrong. When women had been banned from taking the Oath.
“There are varying stories on what happened at this point. All ended with women undertaking the Oath meeting their ends, and so the King decreed that only men were to participate.”
(I’m making this up as I go tell me if you need me to change anything)
I caught on to where he faltered. That was a subject I, too, preferred not to touch upon. Not because it was an insult, as most people believed, but because I didn’t think it was what the stories tell. There were so many blank pages in that story, so many curtains hiding why truly occurred. Having these thoughts, however, will not get you anywhere.
“Very good,” I murmured instead in acknowledgement, leading him inside the school to where the training room was. “Do you know all types of bondmates?”
I let a slow exhale out through my nose, relieved that he hadn’t commented on my brief lapse in confidence. Nodding, I began to count off on my fingers.
“There are three main types of bondmates; Healers, Defenders, and Attackers. But within each category there are several denominations. As far as Healers go, the type changes according to the method of healing at the specific topic they excel at. With Attackers, there’s a sort of hierarchy, like in the army, as well as the Espionage and Scout types. Defenders are also divided into a hierarchy according to how far across the front lines they are.”
“Good,” I answered, finally reaching the room we were meant to go to. “What are the ranks, and what do they symbolize?”
I was impressed with this boy. His knowledge rivaled that of what a prince should know. It seemed like he’d been studying for a long time rather than what a civilian needs, and I was impressed.
(What does he mean by ranks? The hierarchy of the defenders and Attackers that I just made up?)
(The ranks of the bondmates. XD He’s going to sort of talk about Key as well once she explains what she knows about the ranks of the bondmates.)
(Oh lol sorry I was confused)
I followed him inside, eyes trailing along the elegantly papered walls. “There are five ranks, or levels. One is the highest, and therefore the most powerful. Your bondmate’s power reflects your own and vice versa. First-rank bondmates and their humans are usually given the highest positions. Those who are only fifth-rank can definitely do their part, but are rarely elevated to a high status.”
I nodded once more.
“There are some creatures that can power up, or evolve, I should say, but… there’s a 0.1 percent change of that happening,” I continued. “Those creatures are known as A rank. The more you train them, the more they’ll evolve. Key here is an example of that.”
Upon hearing his name, Key jumped out from my hair and enlarged himself, showing off his body. I urged myself not to roll my eyes. What a showoff.
“These creatures start off as rank 1. And as you already know, rank 1 are smaller creatures. Key was merely a baby when I first summoned him. The bonds between yourself and these A ranks are stronger than normal, but because of that, they’re hard to come by. Key is the first since… forever, I suppose. It’s completely unheard of to have more than one in the same lifetime, but I don’t think it’s impossible.”
Key bared his teeth. I paused, trying to think of what I missed.
“This information is not in most books, and although I don’t have a doubt you’ve heard it before, I still decided to fill you in.”
“I’ve only heard bits and pieces of that,” I told the Prince, angling my body in order to face him. “Thank you for the information. I’m glad that I was assigned to you, to have someone so knowledgeable training me is more than I could have hoped for.”
The gauntlets dragged down at my arms, and I began to swing them lightly back and forth, trying to take my mind off of the weight. “From what you’ve seen, what are my main areas of improvement? I want to get to work on them early.”
I looked at him up and down, a bit amused by his comment. It was true that I knew a lot, but he was grateful to have me as his instructor?
“Endurance,” I clipped. “Strength. Currently, I don’t know your progress in hand-to-hand or with your weapons, but we’ll get to that soon.”
We entered another room, weights, training machines, punching bags and all sorts of other training equipment present.
“We’re going to check your flexibility,” I said to him, already walking towards small equipment. “Sit down, straighten your back, bend a leg and push this handle,” I tapped on the yellow thing. “As much as you can. Only once.”
I demonstrated, taking a seat, bending one of my legs, raising my hands in front of me and pushing myself forward, this pushing the yellow handle over the measurement.
“Your turn.”
(Sorry, I have no idea what that thing’s called.)
I took his place in front of the device, straightened my back, and leaned forward until my stomach was perfectly flat against the tops of my legs. The little yellow handle was pushed all the way to the end. Thankful for the flexibility my years of rigorous dance and gymnastic training had given me, I rose back into a normal sitting position, looking up at the Prince to gage his reaction.
I raised an eyebrow, but held back the satisfied expression.
”Wow, the kid’s good,” Key echoed in my mind, looking at Elliot with a rather ridiculous expression. ”You got a good one! This is just like you all over again.”
“All right,” I said calmly, deciding it was enough for today. The teenager looked tired and I knew just by looking at him that the weights were pulling him down. The second I thought that, a bell rang throughout the building. I didn’t flinch. That bell meant I needed to get to my lessons. “Wash up, eat, refresh yourself. Your weapons will be delivered to the dorm later in the day.”
”…seriously, man, you’re far too serious,” Key muttered. ”Loosen up a little! You’re only seventeen!”
I got to my feet, but to my mortification, the heavy shin guards caught me off balance and caused me to stumble as I rose. Luckily, I steadied myself on the nearest desk before I could make a total fool of myself. Cheeks flushing with shame, I nodded my head respectfully and left the classroom.
Once up in my bedchambers, I leaned against the wall, lifting a hand with difficulty and wiping it down my face. I was being taught and trained by the Crown Prince, who also happened to be rooming right next to me. I had been given a crossbow and a rapier, and had performed well over all, but as a result, had received weighted gloves and shin guards to tote around.
Though I was tired, I figured I should do some excersises, work out my weakened arms. So, I did the natural thing, slid a small, smooth ball from my shelf, and began to dance.