"So what's the game plan?" Excalibur asked.
Zayn awkwardly stands on the training grounds, shakily grabbing her sword as she watches Kevon readily himself to attack, clearly looking very pleased to be the one to fight her--wow, what a hater.
"We like fight?' Zayn asked, very unsure herself, "this is like fight number 2 for me--so I'm kind of just--you know?"
"I-right but-how are we suppose to win if we have no game plan," Excalibur snorts, huffing very closely to Zayn's ear drums--is that even possible? "Like I don't think it's too smart to go in blind--isn't he like a trained fighter?"
"He definitely is," Zayn said eyeing her sword--is she holding it right? "And I'm so not, but I'm hoping I'm either really lucky or like--I-I don't know?"
"Focus on doding," Excalibur said, sounding very annoyed, "and please, try not to break anything."
Kevon smirks, eyeing Zayn and unsheathing his sword before he lunges forward, grabbing the hilt of his sword and readying it to swing at Zayn's face.
"I make no promises!" Zayn exclaims, gulping and side stepping the attack, invading the sword by a millisecond, "b-b-but I'lltryomgthatwassoclose!"
"Use your sword, you twerp!" Kevon said, launching another attack, to which Zayn raises her sword to block, causing Kevon's hand to shake on impact. Surprised, Kevon eyes Zayn's sword, watching as the metal begins to crack before it breaks, splitting and breaking before his very eyes.
Panicked, Zayn steps back to avoid another swing of Kevon's sword, but the elder man is ruthless, continuously swinging with force, aiming at Zayn's face as she steps back to dodge each swing. Kevon, annoyed at the constant dodging, raises his sword to Zayn's chest, but Zayn counters, using one of her metal forearm's to block the attack. She clenches her fist, shuts her eyes, and swings her fist, aiming her fist to Kevon's face.
There's silence until Zayn open's her eyes, first meeting eyes with the flabbergasted recruits, a pale-faced Amur, and Chase, who has a hand covering his eyes in despair. Zayn meets eyes with Ramon's, who's slowly moves towards her right--where Zayn follows to see a large crater--the hole so big, Zayn can see the blue skys from outdoors-- in the row of seats besides the group of recruitments--with Kevon limply hanging face-down-and-ass-up on one of the seats.
"S-sorry," Zayn said, shakily raising her hands, dropping the remains of her broken sword, "t-that was by accident! I-I'll clean that up!"
"Oh Zayn," Amur wallows, covering her indigo eyes with each of her palms, "that looks so expensive!"
"I-I know! I'm sorry!" Zayn speaks out, holding her hands to her chest, "I-I'll clean it up, I-I promise-!
"Zayn," Chase said, standing up in his chair, "forget that! Look out, dodge!"
Zayn quickly turns her head, dodging a blade that was inches from her face. Zayn stares at the blade in horror, shakily pointing a finger at it before she turns around, Kevon inches from her face, his big fist raised to swing at her.
Zayn staggers, stepping back to try to dodge, but she doesn't have to try too much, because next thing she knows, a large, obsidian sword--the size and length unmatched to anything she's even seen, swings--the sword's flat side hitting Kevon in the chest and sending him flying back across the room.
Zayn trips, landing on her butt, staring at the large sword--taller than 200 centimeters--stuck in the middle of the training grounds. Zayn slowly looks to her side to see Clarke--who looks very annoyed at the disaster before her--and of course, her eyes meet with Jeremiah's--who looks beyond pissed--his bright green eyes glowing like the room is enclosed with darkness.
"I leave you alone to handle the recruits," Jeremiah said, glaring at Kevon, who's slowly standing up, holding himself with shaky hands as he nervously meets eyes with Jeremiah, "and you do this?"
"I-I-well," Kevon said, keeping his eyes to the ground, "C-Captain."
"Enough," Jeremiah said, "I'll deal with you later. Recruits--my most sincere apologizes—we will finish this up later, please get lunch and take a break. You are dismissed."
The recruits stand from their seats, nervously bowing and clearing the auditorium. Jeremiah eyes land back to Kevon before he watches Chase, Amur, and Zayn try to leave.
"You three, stop there." The three assailants nervously freeze, standing in place.
"And Squadron Leader Kevon," Jeremiah said, eyeing the man down, "I'll have the decency to let you polish up before I meet with you to discuss what's going to happen next."
Kevon, frightened and nervous, quickly nods his head, wobbling out of the training room--of course, not without glaring at the trio in stead.
"B-before you get to yelling," Amur said, wiggling her arms, "this was so not our fault-."
"I know," Jeremiah sighs, eyeing the large crater to his right, "we're going to have to get that fixed-."
"On it, Captain," Clarke said, waving and smiling at the trio.
"Good," Jeremiah said, "I didn't come here to reprimand you--I came because there are some things we need to discuss--come."
Jeremiah turns--Clarke in steed as they head out of the destroyed training room. Zayn, Chase, and Amur all share a look before they follow after Jeremiah.
"This'll be fun," Excalibur said, "you're so screwed, though! And I told you to be careful!"
"Yeah, yeah." Zayn said, sulking as she hops over a large pile of rumble, "I know. I'm working on it."
...
"What did you just say?!"
Amur holds Chase back and Clarke holds Amur back and Zayn, Zayn just stares as Jermieah calmly drinks his cup of tea, clears his throat, and softly puts his teacup down.
"I need Zayn to join the expedition coming up." Jeremiah said, "that is what I stated."
"No way! Why?!" Chase asked, "Z-Zayn and us, we-we just got here-."
"Right," Jeremiah said, rubbing his temples, "and I do understand you're frustration--but this expedition comes with a purpose, and it's vital that Excalibur's owner is there."
Chase rolls his eyes, folding his muscled arms on his chest, "Zayn is barely ready to dual--what makes you think it's a good idea-?"
"Because right now, in order to maintain peace with the gods," Jeremiah said, "a good step would be to have Zayn with us--you know, holder of the holy sword?"
"T-that's but--" Amur said, grabbing Zayn's arm and squeezing it tight, "where are you going? With whom? How long? How will you get there-?"
"Those are all things only people going on the expedition need to know," Jeremiah said.
Amur opens her mouth to retort, but Jeremiah raises his hand, singling that he isn't done.
"Prove to me that you both belong on the expedition team," Jeremiah said, "and I'll give you those answers."
Amur and Chase look at each other, before they both salute to Jeremiah, nodding their heads with bright eyes.
"Totally will!" Amur said, "we so are amazing enough and really skilled and-."
"She means that we will be able to prove that," Chase said, "thanks, Captain."
Jeremiah waves them off, "you have until before Zayn's coronation ceremony."
Amur and Chase look at each other before they stare down Jeremiah, who looks away, sipping his tea.
"C-c-c-c-c-c-cornotation?" Chase stutters out, pointing at Zayn, "w-when we're we suppose to know about this?"
"It's a royal tradition," Jeremiah said, "out of my hands--but they need to crown the new hero, so."
"R-right," Amur gulps, "ahahah, um can we maybe not do that-?"
"No," Jeremiah said, "have to, sorry."
Chase slaps a hand on his face and Amur whines, throwing her hands up.
"Who do we have to talk to cancel this wretched tradition?!" Amur said, flailing her arms, "there's no way we can have Zayn do that-."
Jeremiah sighs, "The prince-."
"Well, Zayn, make sure to keep that helmet on, eh?" Amur grins, giving Zayn a thumbs up. Jeremiah rolls his eyes, beckoning Amur and Chase away.
"Clarke, please lead them to their rooms," Jeremiah said, "I need to have the rest of this conversation with Zayn in private--please."
Clarke nods, grinning while Chase and Amur whine and try to stay in the room, but Clarke is strong, and she kindly smiles while dragging the two of them out of Jeremiah's office, shutting the door behind her.
"Where were we?" Jeremiah said.
"Yeah uh," Zayn nervously smiles, clearing her throat, "where were we? Right."