"It is very good. Strong," Master Shingami said between sips.
"Thank you, Master," Meeka replied, blushing. They drank their tea in silence, then the three men went back to work. Meeka cleaned up and made ready to leave but Shingami stopped her. "Wait till we are finished please," was all the Master said. So she returned and sat by the fire where she lost herself into the flames. Two more hours passed until she heard Master Ambern sigh. "It is done!" He picked up the scabbard and handed it to Gen. "Try it out." Gen held the scabbard up to the light and examined it. It was straight and the mahogany had been stained to such a dark red that it looked black, almost the color of dried blood. The bottom cap was made of silver and was done in the form of a great black dragon that wrapped about the scabbard almost eating its own tail. The metal at the top of the scabbard matched the motif, though this dragon was a bit kinder looking. He took the curved blade and slowly slid it into the scabbard. It fit, though the sight of doing it boggled the mind a bit. It looked almost as though the blade straightened as it entered the scabbard, though Gen knew that was mere illusion. He turned to Master Shingami and bowed to him deeply. Then he turned to Master Ambern and bowed to him as well. He then walked over and handed the sword to Meeka.
"What do you think of it?"
Meeka took the blade and examined it as well. The handle was wrapped in black cord over ray-skin that was as well somehow black. There was no tsuba and when the blade was in the scabbard it looked like an expensive walking stick. She placed her hand upon it and the cording bit into her hand slightly. She gently pressed her thumb against the scabbard and pushed it open. Slowly she drew the blade that magically appeared to re-curve itself. It was very light. Much lighter than she anticipated. She made a single slash in the air with it and it seemed to cut through the air. It moved quicker than she had intended and it swung back and hit Gen in the leg. She drew the blade back at once. And turned to Gen. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Gen looked down at the fine cut in his robes over his leg and reached out his hand for the sword. Meeka handed it to him quickly. He pulled up his gray robes and held the blade down under where Meeka had bumped him with it and pressed the spot a bit. The cut opened itself up and blood poured out of it onto the blade. Gen grimaced then chanted a quick spell that sealed up the wound. The blood on the blade stayed there for a bit then was oddly drawn into it. Meeka looked away from it, disturbed.
"It has tasted your blood now. It will no longer thirst for it. Just make sure you don't give it any more," Master Shingami said softly. Gen nodded in reply and placed the katana back in its scabbard. Gen leaned on it slightly and bowed once more to the masters.
"May I leave now? I have grown tired and wish to sleep," Gen stated.
"Yes, you may go. Bring the blade to practice tomorrow. We will learn more about it then," Master Shingami said in dismissal.
"Come walk me back to my room, Meeka," Gen ordered oddly. Meeka nodded and followed him out the door. Once the door had closed behind them, Gen almost collapsed.
"What's wrong!" Meeka exclaimed in concern.
"I just feel a bit light headed. Please help me get to bed." Gen pulled himself back up leaning upon the cane-katana. Meeka placed his other arm over her shoulders and walked him back to his room. When they got there, she helped Gen down upon his bed. He leaned the katana against the corner post and fell instantly to sleep.
Shaking his head to clear it of the past, he looked over the blade once more. Satisfied, he slid it home and left for the arena.
VII
The Duel
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 Headmaster said to the crowd that he had silenced. "Gentlemen, you may proceed."
The Headmaster 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, his actions almost a copy of Gen's, 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 bastard sword at the ready, they advanced toward the center of the ring. Each circled the other, looking for weaknesses. Abruptly, Aaron slashed his sword in a powerful swipe for Gen'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 Eremian 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 its 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 bastard 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. No, maybe she had, long ago. 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 will never yield," Aaron said through teeth gritted in pain. Gen nodded and raised the blade above his head. His arms rushed down but stopped dead just as it touched the flesh. Meeka's shouted command still echoed in the silence of the arena. Gen pulled the blade back and slid it slowly back in the scabbard. A small line of blood appeared at the side of Aaron's neck where the blade had touched it.
“Remember that today, Meeka saved your life. I am not so kind.” 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 Nipanguian 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 who 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 cold. Thomas had seldom seen his friend with that expression.
“Sure Gen, let’s go.”
As they started practice, the remaining people left, except for two. The Headmaster stood silently and watched while Meeka again told him 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 seat 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 far sight 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.