Hildegard — our instructor for Stavemanship — radiated satisfaction for the rest of the class. After everyone got the chance to exchange blows with her, the instructor gathered everyone for the groupings.
"Group A is Dina and Vera. Group B is the rest of you."
Shocked sounds of confusion arose from everyone. One managed to speak over the clamor to ask the question in everyone's minds. "Why?"
"Group A is for those with potential for stavemanship. Group B is for those who just need it to get by."
"What's the difference?"
"The purpose. Your purpose for learning stavemanship. All of you in Group B are rear combat majors and support majors, are you not? You're here to learn how to survive with a staff, not fight with one."
A hush settled in the hall.
Her piece said, she started leaving the hall. "Class dismissed."
Vera and I quickly jogged after her since we had to inform her about our schedule as a general major. She accepted it without any problem when we told her we would only be able to attend class on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Swordsmanship class after that was more of the same where we were grouped after a short bout with the instructor. This time, however, there were multiple groups and were grouped by proficiency, ability, and history.
There was about fifty total students in this class alone, and, unlike stavemanship which only had one class, it had multiple classes.
Archery was much the same as swordsmanship, while the elective Offensive Magic was incredibly boring — through no fault of the instructor. A lot of it was spent on just talking and talking and discussing. I couldn't blame the instructor either because when I brought it up with Professor Ilmarë, she said that was normal for the first few classes since not everyone could use their mana by this point.
Just like that, the most exciting class of the week finally arrived — Team Combat. The three of us — Me, Vera, Reina — arrived at the designated field after having lunch together. We were the first to arrive, which wasn't really that surprising when you consider the fact that there were only two teams for our Team Combat class. We really could only be either first or last.
The instructor and group one arrived not long after, along with a person dressed in a healer's outfit.
"Aight. It's team combat so what's your team names?"
"What?"
"Ha? Didn't I mention it?" He shrugged. "Well, now you know. I'll give you a minute or two, so decide now. It can be a temporary name for now, and just tell me your permanent team name by next week."
The three of us shared a look. "Any suggestions?"
Reina was the one to come forward with an idea. "Snow."
I raised an eyebrow. "Vera's a snow elf, a part of my last name means snow, and you're uh."
"I'm uh?"
"You lived in Lumisade and there's snow there."
"That's really all I get?"
"Yes." Reina's answer was straightforward and Vera nodded in agreement. My protests for a better name was overruled by the power of democracy.
"We're ready." Reina called out to Berthard.
"Your name?"
"Snow."
"Group one! Name?"
The group quieted down and they silently pushed each other to the front. Not a single one of them wanted to be the one to speak up.
The four of them shared a look and nodded. All together, they spoke out their team name. "Elfman."
I couldn't stop my palm from hitting my face and I started rubbing my face in disbelief. Surely not? Surely, they were able to come up with a better name. All of my earlier disagreement to the name of 'Snow' felt incredibly unwarranted having seen this horror of a name.
The two humans and two elves that made up the team at least had enough decency to look embarrassed about the name of their team.
Berthard, for his part, merely guffawed at the name. "Sure. Elfman it is."
"Aight! All Team Combat classes will begin and end with, you've guessed it, team combat! Grab a preferred weapon from the shed."
"Can we use magic?"
"If you can, then yeah, sure. Why not."
Vera and I both took a staff while Reina grabbed a pair of gauntlets. Elfman had two stave wielders — the support and rear combat majors — and their close combat majors had a sword and shield and a rapier and dagger.
"As this is the first bout, the bounds of this fight will be this entire clearing. In the future, I'll be making you fight in different environments. You can fight hard, this missy here will heal you up good and new."
We took our positions. Reina took point. Vera and I slightly behind her, on either side of her.
We've already discussed possible formations and tactics over lunch the past few days so there was no confusion in our respective roles in combat.
Reina takes the lead, I support her with my range. Vera supports us with magic. However, since Vera and I didn't have much magic in our repertoire, we could only rely on our staves. While sure, we could use Methodical Magic in combat, but it was too unreliable with how easy it was to dodge.
If we don't use Methodical Magic, we needed enough magic control in order to actually do something. Unless...
"Begin!"
"Acclimatize!" I shouted to Reina as she started running towards the enemies. She nodded and Vera and I ran after her.
Their rear combat major — the male snow elf — readied his bow and fired at Reina.
In a surprising show of dexterity, she ducked under the arrow with her left foot planted forwards. Using her left foot as a pivot, she turned clockwise all the while catching the arrow with her left hand. She landed her right foot with a stomp as she finished the three-sixty degree turn with a mighty throw.
Her movements were extremely precise. She did say she's been training since childhood, so I guess with the augmentation that mana circulation gives her, she becomes even better.
The arrow was blocked by the male human carrying a sword and shield. Reina used that moment of impeded vision to dash and crouch in front of him. Her burst of speed, enhanced by mana and unimpeded by Professor Ilmarë's mana field, was frighteningly fast.
"Lando!" Their shouts of warning was already too late.
He felt the thud of the arrow being blocked and was about to let down his guard when Reina's hand gripped the edge of his shield and pried it away. She did a quick palm strike to his solar plexus with her free hand, shifted to an uppercut, and then a back kick to topple him backwards.
The rapier-armed female forest elf rushed in to cover Lando while he was off-balanced, but Reina already jumped backwards as Vera and I jumped forward.
Acclimatize was one of the codes we came up with during our lunch sessions. We told her that Vera and I had minimal weapon handling experience and combat experience in general. She was the only one in our team to have been training to fight since childhood.
Acclimatize was pretty much cut and dry. It was a strategy to help Vera and I get hands-on experience in combat with Reina acting as support for our missteps. Reina would take first contact, do a rapid assault and cause chaos, and then back off leaving the rest to us.
The forest elf went through her with her charge, thrusting forward with her rapier. Vera tried to parry the thrust, but a sudden off-hand dagger put her efforts to rest. With the rapier quickly homing in towards me, I wasn't good enough to block that single point with my staff.
I had a stupidly long range-advantage and wasn't able to make use of it. I crouched underneath her thrust, barely making it in time. I swung my staff to her side, but before it could land, I rolled backwards. Her leg was extended all the way to where I just was.
That's the same thing Instructor Hildegarde did.
I stood back up. She couldn't move forward to reach me due to Vera's pressure on her dagger, but, with me away, she could now focus on Vera alone.
"Liltissë!"
At that shout, she jumped backwards as an arrow flew.
Reina took this moment to step in as she swiped the arrow from the air.
"You good?"
We both nodded.
"I'll handle her and draw the arrows. Take care of the human." Reina took the lead and chased after Liltissë who was moving back to regroup.
By now, Lando had already recovered and steadied himself, acting as a bulwark for his back line.
Reina was fearless in her charge as she dodged arrow after arrow. She didn't run straight at them, rather she was off to the side drawing all their attention, insuring that we had a free path towards the group.
As I watched her move, I realized it.
Ah. I know what my problem is.
I stopped thinking.