Three weeks into the term the trainings began. And by trainings I mean what were practically a way to lure the students away from their books for a moment and to actually going outside and doing something. There are many such classes at the university. Or more like hobbies, since you don't get a grade for them. You do get a mark on your final report that you'd attended some sports during your time at the academy if you want to, though. And if you have. And most of them aren't just sports as such. There are things like archery, climbing and some sort of fist fighting. So by attending you can actually learn something that might come into handy later if you just put your mind into it. Tauria had talked me into taking one of them, so now I'm sitting in the courtyard, waiting for the training to start.
I've spent the last couple of weeks actually calming down. I've learned I'm able to control the magic in me, meaning I can hide it. And that's good. And when I don't need to hide it, when I'm alone in my room or when I go for a walk or ride out in the woods, I get to practise. I get to find out all the things that I can do. And I can do a lot. I think. Of course I don't know how much exactly the average sorcerer can do, because there hasn't been any sorcerers around for a few decades I could ask. Either way, the magic makes me feel powerful, and it makes me feel like myself. It makes me happy.
There's a bunch of other people milling around under the huge tree in the middle of the academia grounds. A youngish woman I haven't seen before (possibly because I have never attended any of the trainings) appears to the yard with a small cart.
"Advanced sword fighting training starting," she announces around the yard and I see people heading towards her. I get up too, and head for her direction.
The people situate in a row in front of her as she uncovers what turns unsurprisingly out to be swords. Real swords, though clearly made for practising. They're visibly dull. The woman starts handing out the swords to the people in the row and begins to talk.
"I know until now we've been just playing in these trainings. But now you've been here long enough, trained for enough terms. You are ready to move on to, well, more or less real swords. Ok, no person who has any respect for swords would call any of these toys real swords, but they're real steel. They have a more accurate weight, a more accurate feel to them than the sticks you've been practising before. So now you get to play with the big girls' toys. Because this is what these are, compared to real swords, used in real battle. Toys. Even so, I want you to be aware, that these can actually hurt you, and the one you are practising with. So until you get used to their feel, be careful with them. What's more..."
She's just about to hand me the sword, but then turns to look at my face. She stares at me for a moment, thoughtful, arm stopped in the air. I look back at her, a questioning look on my face.
"You haven't been here before. In the trainings. In the sword trainings at least."
"No, I haven't," I say.
"What's your name?" she asks me.
"Knute," I answer.
"Well, Knute, as cute as you think you are coming to this training, you're not supposed to be here. Now beat it."
She makes a shooing motion with the hand she's still holding the sword and turns to the next in the row.
"Could I ask why?" I ask, before she has time to continue with her speech.
"Because this is advanced sword fighting," the woman says, looking back at me, irritated, "And you haven't been in the basic lessons. Come back tomorrow afternoon, and we'll get you in with the beginners."
"All due respect," I say, getting irritated myself, as she tries to turn away again, "I don't belong with the beginners. I belong here."
"Oh yeah?" she asks, "And why would that be?"
I almost sigh out loud.
"Let me show you what I can do, ok?" I say, and put out my hand to get a sword from her. She looks at me for a moment more, doubt in her eyes. Then she hands we the sword anyway, and takes another from the cart for herself. She backs away from the row, and I follow her, keeping my eyes locked in hers.
We stop some ten meters out from the row, and she prepares herself. I lift my sword. A few heartbeats pass, and I realise she's waiting for me to make the first move. Of course. There's no way for her to know how good I am, so she doesn't dare to attack me unless I can't answer what ever strike she has coming for me. So I begin, with something very basic. She looks a little surprised that I even know how to wield a sword properly. Or that my technique is actually very good. She must be a good enough a sword fighter herself to be able to see that from even basic moves.
Me having made the first strike, she starts testing me. First slower, then faster, more complicated, as she realises I truly can hold her attacks back. I love this. I really do. I love swordplay almost as much as I love my newly found magic. And while the steel rings on steel, my sword and hers, I start to wonder if I could use magic in this. I concentrate.
I can feel a difference, I can see it, hear it. My senses heighten and it makes it easier to predict some of her moves. We're both sweating now, streams running down my back. I get a couple of blows through. She looks even more surprised, and starts pressing still a little harder. I can sense her every move before she even makes them.
But I start to get tired, I start to loose grip of the magic, so I let it go. I'll have to train with it more. She's landed a few blows, but now she gets me to trip. I land on my back, letting go of the sword. She stands above me, breathing hard, looking down at me, still a faint look of surprise on her face. Then she offers me her hand, and I let her pull me off the ground.
"Very well," she says, "You can stay with this class. Everyone!" she turns to the row of students I had almost forgotten about, "Take pairs. Go through the movements we did in the end of last term. Get used to the weight of the new swords. Now let's see. Alica won't be here this term. You take her partner."
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Today I don't think I have anything else to say.
Your topic for Wednesday is Fluffy.
Don't ask. I have no idea.
~matu
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