They were to have their senses on young Tara at all times in the event one of the other students attempts to harass her. Tara's left to her own devices as she enters the large space. It is even grander than the room her grandmother had her stay in. Following the aesthetic of the words Dark Saber, the room has various shades of black furniture with white accents for contrast. The lamps from the ceiling glow a yellowish white as if from candles. The bed is certainly made for someone much bigger than her tiny stature, a black mattress and frame but with a white comforter and white pillows with the symbol of Saber written in black.
Laying on the pillows are two sets of robes. They're black with the symbol for Saber on the back of them written in white. Tara immediately tries both sets on and finds that they were especially made. She feels an unfamiliar energy but can't place it so she notes it for tomorrow morning. Today had been very exciting and though she wasn't tired, Tara sleeps soundly but with great anticipation of the future.
Tara eagerly follows Beiling the next morning after meeting at the headmaster's office. The current students of Eightsword were already in class but the new 500 students initiated yesterday still need to understand how the Academy works. Beiling leads her to a large gym that holds all 500 new students easily. They all wore different colored robes with different cardinal weapon symbols on the back. Tara easily notices some had two or three symbols, representing trainee or master class of that rank.
On the stage where Tara was being led to 12 men and 12 women all wearing darker shades than the students. They all rose and bowed to the Headmaster as she arrived. These were the head teachers of each rank and level. Tara's seated directly behind Beiling who approached the podium.
Tara quickly finds Yaoyang, who ignores her, and Leiana, returning the older girl's wave. Tara can't find her family members in the crowd but could easily sense their auras as if they were aiming in her direction.
"Welcome to Eightsword Academy, I am Headmaster Beiling. Those behind me are your rank and level masters, the highest authority among the teachers within the Academy. For those of you who are nobility, I apologize for my waste of words, as I'm sure you have an understanding of the school rules and regulations."
"However, we have an inspiring amount of wanderers and lower families joining us this year, so I must explain how things work," She pauses to see if there were any objections but thankfully nobody's stupid enough. "We have a market place within the academy. Your family's wealth will not be of any use. Instead, following the template of a sect, each person will be given contribution points. The lowest amount given each month will be ten points to the Fire Swords while Dark Saber's receive one hundred."
"But! Do not despair! There are many ways to gain points, such as passing your tests or winning bouts! If you challenge someone to a rank changing duel and come out victorious, then not only will you change your position within the school but also be awarded five hundred contribution points." The head of Dark Saber's upper ranks comments. Those of the lower ranks burst out into murmurs of excitement, while those within the higher ranks were silent.
"Once that occurs your placement within the true Eight Swords of Death will be different. As you may have heard, we had three students joining your elite ranks. One of which is the youngest student to both attend this Academy and join the Dark Saber novices. Due to overexhaustion she could not take her final test. I'm certain many doubt her abilities for someone so young and would like to offer a chance for someone, anyone, to face her."
Beiling gestures to her, causing Tara to rise quietly and anxiously. Standing next to the headmaster had her nervous but as Beiling had said, her status as a Dark Saber caused many to hesitate and think about their life choices. A single hand was raised from a brown robed Stone Staff student. It was none other than Shepi Char.
If Tara had been mixed in within the other students then he wouldn't have challenged her. But now she had been placed in front of him with a chance to duel her and steal her rank. It's obvious to him that she was getting some preferential treatment.
She must be some far away royalty who had asked to borrow the Hufang name and get into the Eightsword Academy. Her aural reading, her placement within Dark Saber, all must have been taken care of beforehand. Why else would they exempt her from the final test? It had to be because her skills were fake!
The gym was about the same size as the Hufang family arena, with several practice arena squares.
Everyone gathers to the nearest one with Char towering over tiny Tara. Tara inspects his energies with her lunar mind. Char was leagues stronger than Jangi but even both Bria and Sahi, who were formerly singulars, outclassed him. She gives an exasperated sigh as she begins to wonder how often guys who look down at her would keep popping up to fight.
Char activates his aura and pulls out his weapon, a jagged looking shortsword. He was the best of his generation in the Shepi family and though he didn't believe Tara's hype, he would not underestimate her.
"Come if you d--" Char starts to hiss out. He's cut off as a small hand grips his face and the world tilts. His body's wracks with pain upon contact with the arena floor as Tara's force caused spider webbed cracks to appear. He passes out, his eyes rolling back into his head.
"Would anyone of real talent like to step up?" Tara calls out somewhat arrogantly as she drags Char's body off the square. All of the lower ranks took a step back at her words. She hadn't used anything at her disposal, just a simple strike, to take down her opponent. That was too frightening. Tara catches Leiana pulling Yaoyang back and she smiles.
"I'd like to see if I can make you use your true strength," A familiar voice calls, from a Thunder Spear aurator. Tara comfortably laughs at this.
" Are you saying you can push me to that point?" She asks in earnest.
"You make it sound like you're my match!" Neijin declares humorously, stepping onto the stage. His inside joke is lost on those unaware of their relation but Neijin truly did want to see how much stronger she had gotten now as a Blood Directing low tier. They match physical blows first with Tara only slightly stronger really. Then they dance around each other's aural attacks. Though Neijin had more experience with combat, he fought for a few minutes before quitting. Between her hidden stats and her Indomitable Will skill, Tara was constantly getting stronger.
"Your days are structured as such: on Mondays will be lectures, Tuesday will be combat practice, Wednesday will be for auxiliary practice, Thursdays are for research, Friday is group instruction, Saturdays are for personal instruction, Sunday is for meditation, Umbraday are free days. Your leaders will show you to your various study halls and you will use the next few days to familiarize yourself with the campus." Beiling announces.
They're shepherded out as Beiling leads Tara to a smaller practice space near her office.
"Both Yaoyang and Leiana know what else comes with their ranking, and in time the others will find out as well, but I would like to tell you about them personally. The first concerns personal instruction. For those below Thunder Spear, in truth, personal instruction is more like a focused group practice." Beiling comments as she sits on the mat across from Tara, "There are simply too many students to guide privately. Thunder Spear and those above are free to choose their own teacher. I have decided to become yours."
Tara's eyes go wide at this news. Why would the Headmaster offer to be her teacher?
"This is for two reasons. One, with your status, your family will likely become nobility in the near future. Her Majesty has already left to visit your mother. My presence as your instructor will scare off any royal or noble families from interfering." Tara nods at this but tenses at her next words.
"And two, in order to protect you not just politically but personally. It is well known to her that your mother defeated many of your senior martial siblings. I have no doubt that several of them would seek you out to learn what secret she acquired in the ruins. I do not care what the secret is nor what was shared with you and your family. The fact that they lost means they weren't worthy of such gifts in the first place. I am only interested in seeing how you grow."
Beiling watches as Tara relaxes seeing her charge's hidden tail finally wave through the air again. Beiling can easily see through Shuyren's seal but she will wait until Tara feels comfortable with revealing it. Beiling rises with Tara on her heels.
"Now, onto the other perks of being a Dark Saber. Your lower ranking family will first be assigned their auxiliary lessons based on their weak points in order to fix them and then rotate."
"Your trio gets to pick which one or even multiple you'd like to focus on. I've only done a little digging but it seems the Hufang Matriarch attempted to make you well versed in several disciplines?"
"I've learned a little about medicine making, weapon forging, and inscription patterning! Tara nods excitedly, antsy to see what it was like to learn from Academy masters! Beiling had an inkling that what Tara had focused on but hearing her student answer with such confidence meant that she carried some skill in all three.
"Then I shall introduce you to our very best teachers in those fields." Beiling promises as they walk across the campus to a small building. At the desk is a man who is a low tier Blood Directing, leisurely reading a novel. Behind him is a vast collection of six rhombus shaped multi-colored tokens. Beiling clears her throat and he scrambles to right himself.
"Headmaster! What are you doing here?" He looks behind her to see Tara, "Ah the young Serval, I see. Which room would you like to take her to?"
"Give me the keys for all six please. She can later decide what's best for her."
The man immediately collects six tokens, all of them with the number one in the middle, and hands them to Beiling. She nods and sweeps five of the keys into her spatial ring. Beiling steps through an archway to the desk's left and before Tara. Various old inscription patterns all align into interlocking Vs at the center of a large black stone door. Tara feels as if she's seen the middle symbol before but can't place it.
Putting the thought aside, she watches as Beiling places the red key within the center. The stone splits down the middle and pulls inside the walls, revealing a pale red portal. Beiling takes Tara's hand to hold and steps through.
Tara's greeted by a gentle but uncomfortable heat against her face, as if it were an extremely hot summer day.
It's only been several seconds but Tara's already sweating to where she needs to use her aura. Beiling drops her hand and gestures out to the rocky space. Pools of lava are seen with volcanoes in the distance.
"One of the greatest things about the Eightsword Academy is our elemental chambers. The main six elements all have their own chamber with six different levels. Each chamber was created by an ancient array. This one, as you can see, is the fire chamber."
"What's an array?" Tara asks, confused, as the heat sinks into her aura. Even when she bolsters it with the Twin Sphere energy, Tara can't help but start sweating. Beiling notices this and touches the return platform with the same key.
Returning to the key holder for only a second, Beiling switches to a cyan key. The next chamber has waterfalls from nowhere and an ever expanding lake.