"Not that way!" Kyra yelled at the sweat-drenched boy before her.
"I can't do any better," he grouched back at her.
"Well then, you can forget about learning the meandering blade."
Kyra had a strong hand in teaching, and Kael nearly began to regret ever going to meet her. She showed him little leniency and had him practice continuously. Somehow, the technique evaded him and he knew that be had to resort to improving his control with the crystal-forming technique, if he was ever going to please Sir Ginx's champion.
The meandering blade works by simultaneously releasing wind Rek from various body parts in unequal amounts and pressure, making the user appear to be constantly floating. It was the perfect skill for dodging wide attacks, as well as an ideal weapon for initiating one too. Kael had learnt a similar technique before, though it was not as potent since Rek was not used. His knowledge was however of little help to him, seeing as it took him some time to master the first steps.
Kyra herself had her own fair share of troubles. When she was not with sir Ginx or Kael, she shut herself in her room, secretly practicing the basting force. She had no progress at all, as spells, unlike techniques, required channeling Rek into spell paths. Her circuit, having been formed from the potion, contained only one rigid path, making the force spell impossible for her to accomplish.
Meanwhile, Kael did a poor job keeping his secret from Ashviel, when the latter asked for his spell scroll, as he had his suspicions.
"I gave Kyra, in return, she teaches me the meandering blade, a sword technique," he answered plainly.
"Master Vauxall will not be happy with that," cautioned Ashviel.
"The end justifies the means, I'm sure he will understand," Kael said in defense.
"I don't think so," said Ashviel. He went silent for a while then spoke in an undertone. "This training, this technique," said he, "I should want to join you." With a frown he added, "The crystals have not given me a good edge ever since I tried using them."
Therefore, the two novices went together to Kyra, who was very eager to receive another of Master Vauxall's students. The trainings began in earnest, and they did learn more than just the technique from Kyra. During the training, she remarked that Ashviel had a better control over magic, and the latter thanked the crystals for his edge. She was not the best of instructors, but she an adept in combat, with little trouble imparting her skills to others.
The days rolled by and they improved gradually, but Kyra's distressed mind prevented her from being at her best. "I can't produce a basting force, or a spell path," she finally told the two.
"That would be due to the limited paths in your circuit," Ashviel answered as he ducked a blow to his neck.
"But if you both can do it, why can't I?" she asked as they sparred on.
Ashviel was on the verge of answering when rapid heavy footsteps sounded below them, and the three ran downstairs, where a little group of the students had formed.
Three men in horsebacks had ridden violently into the academy. They were dressed more like soldiers than mages, and Ashviel felt trepidation in his heart as he felt they might be from Capricorn. One of them descended from his horse and walked closer to the main mansion. He had a close-cropped hair, with two kiss curls pointing out of them to glue on his sun kissed skin.
"Sir Matador Helsing," whispered Kyra to her two companions. "He's the grandson of Lord Blue Beard."
The two other men followed him, and Ashviel saw that they were women and not men as he had thought. "Dame Ulys and Dame Lena," muttered Kyra. They had a stern face and Ashviel was quick to consider them utterly unapproachable.
Sir Ginx came out to welcome his guests. "You're back earlier than I expected," he said as they two came at arm's length.
"Am I not welcome at the patriarch's residence?" replied Mat Helsing. He had a gentler way about him and though his face was not stern, he spoke in a remote manner. "Anyways," said he, "how's the patriarch doing?"
"As well as you left him," replied the other knight. "He's in the manor hall, with one Master Vauxall."
"Then you have my thanks," said Mat Helsing. He moved on with the dames behind and paid little attention to the cluster of students that observed them with varying interests.
"Well well," said Ashviel, "We can return to our training now, can't we?"
They made back to the backyard, and Lensel, the runty boy ran up to Ashviel. "Lord Blue Beard sends for you," he said, wheezing as if he had just completed a marathon.
Ashviel gave his two companions a quick stare before hurrying to meet the Lord. Master Vauxall had always been with him, only leaving the drinking table when he wants to speak with Ashviel and Kael, which was becoming rarer as the days went by. 'Is the summons somehow related to the arrivals?' he thought.
He hurried up the flight of stairs and met Lord Blue Beard himself in one of the rooms. "Lord," said he, "you asked for me."
"I did?" the Lord inquired oddly. "Oh yes, I did, but not anymore. Hurry and call Ginx for me."
His declaration relieved Ashviel, even if was hesitant to do his bidding. He had always nursed a morbid fear of Sir Ginx, ever since the man openly showed his ill humor towards him.
It happened a stormy evening he had spent at Master Vauxall's chamber in the manor, instead of practicing armed combat with Sir Ginx and the remaining mages. He had returned some minutes before the closing hour, and the instructor had asked for his whereabouts.
"And so what?" Sir Ginx had screamed at the mention of Master Vauxall, with his nostril upturned and his mouth pinched. "I won't have a blue-eyed boy in my circle, no! I don't play favorites." As punishment, he made Ashviel drench for an hour in the downpour. Since then, the lad had always avoided the knight.
Now, faced with the responsibility, he knew there was no way about it; he had to face sir Ginx. When he got to him, he was in a lecture room with Kyra and another of the students.
Perhaps it was his fear of the mage, or a pathetic lack of concentration it was that made his slippery tongue almost cost him his head.
"Ginx," he said, "Lord Blue Beard wants you right away." The knight was quick to take offence to the omission of his title, and felt his pride was hurt. He drew his blade at the apprentice, ready to cut him down, as the two other students watched with anxiety.
Ashviel felt his heart sink as Sir Ginx drew closer. 'Surely, the instructor would not try to kill him, not when Master Vauxall was still around' he thought. The look on Sir Ginx's face however suggested the opposite. At that moment, the door of the room opened and Sir Mat stepped in.
"What are you trying to do, Ginx?" he asked tensely.
"This insolent child thinks that for whom he is, he can address me however he likes. That will not go without consequences," said Sir Ginx.
Sir Mat Helsing looked from Ashviel to Ginx, and then back at Ginx. "He's just a child, barely aware of how to address mages. More importantly, the patriarch asks for your presence." Sir Ginx grumbled a bit, and then followed the other knight out of the room.
Ashviel collapsed to a chair as soon as he could hear their footstep no more.
"That was close," the other boy in the room, Manfred said.
Kael and Smythe also came in, and Kyra narrated the events to them.
"Well now, what ever did I do wrong?" asked Ashviel.
"Clearly you know nothing of the stages of magic," said Smythe.
"There are fledglings, then novices, then knights," began Kyra. "Knights are to be addressed as Sir, if they are males, or Dame, if the knight is female. Above knights are Masters, and are to be addressed as such, male or female. After the masters, there are grandmasters, who are also to be called that irrespective of their gender. Finally, there are archmages with the title 'archmage' before their names too."
"Collectively, masters, grandmasters and archmages are called Lords and Ladies, though the title is used more with grandmasters and archmages," Manfred added.
"Quite understandable," remarked Kael, taking a seat next to Kyra. "Sasha must have felt that you were very important when you called Lord Blue Beard by his name at the gate."
"He did?" asked Smythe, bewildered.
Kyra went on with her explanation, seeing as Kael had gotten more interested. "Mages are sensitive to the way one addresses them, and as such noblemen who are not mages are not called Lords. Instead, they are called Dukes, Marquises and Counts. Then there is the case of masters and grandmasters who are serving another, usually a grandmaster or archmage. These serving masters and grandmasters are called knight-masters and knight-grandmasters respectively, in relation to their grandmasters and archmages."
"How close you two have gotten," said Smythe to Kyra and Kael. "You know Kyra, you used to be cold and snippy, but now you two have grown as thick as peas in a pod." He teased and Manfred chortled at the remark. Kyra shot them a minacious gaze, but decided to bite her words back.
"You must be drunk," she finally said.
Ashviel reclined back on his chair as his companions cavorted for the rest of the day.