Monday afternoon.
I sat at the edge of my seat as I waited in anticipation for the clock tower to toll five times.
'DON'
"Okay, class..."
'DON'
"...I'll see you tomorrow..."
'DON'
"You guys ready?"
'DON'
"Let's go."
'DON'
We made our way towards the training fields where the third years were having their last class for the day. We were halfway there when we heard Darius' clear voice ring out from a distance.
"Senior Nigellus! I, the neophyte Darius, challenge you to a battle to regain my freedom!"
He stood there at the edge of the field, wearing the old tattered nightgown he wore when I met him in the woods. He held the old practicing long sword in this right hand and pointed it at Senior Nigellus. A group of students were already gathering behind him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Grand Knight Alcides glared at him. "You should show your respect to your seniors!"
"I don't see anything wrong here, Sir Alcides," came Senior André's familiar booming voice as he arrived in the field. "His challenge was properly raised. Such is what's to be expected from a brave man full of valor!"
He glared at his brother who was surrounded by his vassals.
"What are you doing here, André?" Senior Nigellus sneered at him.
"I just got an anonymous note telling me that a valiantneophyte wishes to win back his freedom from an abusivementor," Senior André replied with a big grin. "Of course I had to personally witness the challenge. In fact, I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Something tells me, though, that he just wanted to see his brother lose in a fight.
"That is correct," came Prof. Novil's voice as he made his way across the field, several neophytes trailing behind him. "The challenge has been announced, now all that remains is for the challengee to accept or reject it."
All eyes fell on the first prince, Nigellus.
"Then, I shall appoint my champion to..."
"The boy challenged you, Nigellus," André cut him off. "Aren't you his mentor? Why are appointing someone else to fight for you?" He gave his brother a malicious grin. "Are you afraid to lose?"
The people around them began to murmur as Nigellus' face reddened.
"Of course not, little brother," Nigellus replied, his voice dripping with venom. "It just so happened that I am not feeling my best these days."
"Aren't you always?" Andre replied with a snort. "Particularly, whenever I challenge you to a duel."
"Wait a minute..." Cat pulled at my sleeve. "André is Nigellus' brother?!" he asked wide eyed.
"That's right, Cat, André is the second prince, remember?" I replied.
"They were born on the same year but have different mothers," Elliot explained, "Nigellus is older than André by three months, and all of the emperor's sons are required to study here in the academy."
"Damn, if only Senior André was born first..." Arman mumbled.
"If Senior Nigellus really has no capacity to fight me, then I shall allow him to chose a champion," Darius called to the two bickering siblings. "Just let it be known that this challenge is an official one, and that he shall no longer have power over me once I defeat the champion he chooses."
"Of course, we can't just stand here all day, can we?" André said with a loud laugh.
"Then, Grand KnightAlcides and myself shall be the ones to judge the outcome of this challenge," said Prof. Novil. "Would that be okay, Grand KnightAlcides?" he asked the scowling knight who had no choice but to agree.
"Let the challenge proceed," he said begrudgingly. "Name your champion, Nigellus."
"Then I call upon of my royal guard, Doug as my champion!" Nigellus said haughtily.
From the side of the field came a bulking image.
It was the bald knight who caught us when we infiltrated the prince's residence last week!
He was wearing the same gray suit and gray mask that obscured his whole head.
"Woah! Look at the size of that monster!" Arman gasped. "Do you think Darius will be okay?"
"I can't say for sure," I said honestly, "We've seen that guard before, and he's good with a sword."
"Seen him where?" asked Elliot.
"Remember that time I told you we almost got caught?" I told him. "That was the guard who saw us. He would have caught us too, if he wasn't distracted by his companion."
"That's right, he's strong and fast, but I still think Darius is better," said Cat, pumping his fists. "He seems a bit dull in a fight, remember how he just stared at us when we went invisible?"
"Let's just hope that he is..." I said beneath my breath as the two went to the front of the training field to start the duel.
Prof. Novil and Grand Knight Alcides stood between the two, a challenger on either side.
"The Neophyte Darius, challenges the Senior Nigellus, through his champion Doug, in a battle of fists through swords fight," Grand Knight Alcides called out for all to hear. "You shall have one battle, the winner shall be the last one standing, unless one decides to forfeit the fight."
"The challenger's victory would mean that he would no longer be the Senior Nigellus' apprentice," Prof. Novil continued. "Any other challenge to the winner would depend whether the winner would choose to accept it or not."
"Now," Grand KnightAlcides glared at both students. "Let the battle begin!"
Darius made the first to move.
He ran straight at the bulking Doug who guarded with his broadsword, but just as he was a couple feet away, Daruis' image flickered and seemed to disappear, just to reappear behind Doug, but still, the bigger opponent was able to quickly fend off his attack.
Darius immediately stepped back, swiping at Doug's feet, yet his opponent simply jumped out of its way, as if his bulky physique was not an issue at all.
"Hmm, they're both good..." Cat mumbled while rubbing a purple hive on his chin. "That Doug might be bulkier but he moves as fleet as a deer."
"Our Darius is way better! Just look at him charge from all sides!" said Arman. "That monster can't even find a chance to attack him!"
"That's right," said Elliot, "all Doug's doing is defending against Darius' attacks. But with how things are, Darius would be in a disadvantage and end up getting exhausted first!"
"That's right," I mumbled as I watched the battle. "Darius is starting to slow down. He's still not at his best condition, after all..."
"Darius! Watch your stamina!" Elliot yelled at our room mate.
Darius didn't seem to hear him, but he did lessen his attacks and moved at a slower pace. He started circling Doug who remained standing in the same position.
"Hey, move already!" the seniors egged Doug as they waited for him to make a move.
Finally, the bigger Doug raised his broadsword, and in a speed that I could hardly follow, suddenly leapt at Darius!
The clash of metal on metal was deafening as their swords slid against each other, sending sparks around the area. Darius was able to parry it by sliding the sword to his left, but Doug was once again upon him, raining him with strikes, pushing him back a couple of steps.
"Darius! You can do it!" Arman shouted at him.
Several other neophytes began to cheer as well.
"You can do it Darius!" Cat shouted with them in his shrill, childish voice. "You can win this! Go, Darius! Go!"
It was then that Doug missed a step.
It only took a split second, and that split second opening was all Darius needed to aim at the base of Doug's broadsword and disarm him.
The students around us cheered louder, but the fight was far from over.
Quick on his feet, the bulkier Doug lunged past Darius and quickly reached out to grab his fallen sword. Darius was immediately behind him as well and aimed to stab his side.
He was only able to graze him, though, for Doug grabbed his sword just in time, and in a fluid, circular motion, spun on his heels to parry Darius' sword before it could stab any deeper.
Darius' arm flew up in the air.
'Thank goodness for the anti-disarming charm!' I thought to myself. 'If not for that, Darius would surely have lost his sword!'
Darius stepped back once more, trying to catch his breath as he watched his opponent. Doug was standing in a different stance, now, his left knee and body slightly bent forward in a crouching stance, his left arm limp at his side, his right raised at the back with the large broadsword above his head.
He looked like a totally different opponent.
Someone more serious.
Someone more desperate.
"I guess I should be serious myself," said Darius as he fed his sword a part of his soul.
"I-it's sword aura!" the people around him mumbled.
"That first year can manifest aura!"
"No wonder the first prince wanted him!"
"Now, the real fight can begin."
Darius' sword glowed a dark golden hue as he held it.
It was the color of his soul, a usually bright and unwavering light, now tired and desperate.
He knew that he wouldn't last too long, his body was still too battered to do so. Yet this was something that he has to see to the end.
There will be no other chances.
There will be no second takes.
He knows that he would die if he were to go back to the prince's harem.
In fact, he would much rather kill himself.
And he will.
He waited for Doug to make the first move this time.
Doug's stance didn't change, but his sword took on an indigo glow – the color of a calm warrior who protects in silence.
"Doug! Finish it!" shouted Nigellus.
Doug visibly flinched.
Darius took this as a sign to attack, but his thrust was blocked once more, and was met by a rotating riposte as Doug spun in his place to attack him repeatedly.
It was then that I recognized his moves.
The flashy, fluttering attacks that looked like a butterfly in flight.
"What the..." I looked at Elliot who stood beside me.
It seems he recognized the move as well, as both of us stared at Cat whose large blue eyes were glued to Darius' opponent.
"I-it can't be..." he whispered.
"Come on, Darius! You can do it!" Arman cheered on. "Go ahead and kill that bastard!"
I watched Cat flinch and his small body begin to quiver.
Doug's movements were deadly precise.
The flitting blade was hard to avoid – that is, if you were not used to its intricate attacks and fluid movements.
But Darius has been training hard in the baths for three days, and his training companion was no other than our Cathan, whose sword technique was suspiciously similar to what Doug was using right now.
And Darius was a genius with the sword.
'CLANG!'
The students cheered once more as the first prince's champion lost his sword yet again, and this time, he had no chance to retrieve it, for Darius had the tip of his sharp sword pointed at his neck.
"Yield!" Darius shouted.
Doug didn't move.
He refused to even utter a word.
"He did it!" whispered the onlookers.
"He defeated Prince Nigellus' strongest sword."
"Now we have a chance to free all the students locked up in his residence!"
"I said yield!" repeated Darius, a bead of blood dripping down his sword's blade as it sank into Doug's neck.
"Don't you dare!" Senior Nigellus shouted at his champion.
"Would you like to take his place, then?" Darius sneered at him, without taking his eyes off his opponent. "The weak and cowardly have no right to command others around!"
Mumbled voices from around us rose in agreement.
"Yield, Senior Doug, if you value your life," Darwin insisted, yet Doug still refused to speak. "If that is your choice..."
Darius raised his sword to deal the final blow, but it never landed, for suddenly in front of him was a shivering little figure with golden hair.
"He yields!" cried Cat, his eyes brimming with tears. "He can't fight anymore!"
I glance to my side, surprised that he was no longer there.
"Cat! What are you doing there?!" Arman called after him.
"What are you doing?" Darius asked as well.
"This fight is over!" Cat insisted, waving his arms in the air. "D-Doug... can't fight anymore!"
"And who are you to say that?!" came Senior Nigellus' voice. "That Doug is mine, I can do what I please with him."
"T-then, I challenge you to a fight to win him back!" Cat suddenly said.
He ran to the weapon racks by the training field and took two long sword down before approaching Senior Nigellus' group.
Nigellus' vassals quickly stepped forward, their weapons drawn.
"Cat! Don't be crazy!" Elliot called out to him as he made his way towards the seniors with Arman close behind.
"Don't worry, Cat, we're right behind you!" came Gerald's voice.
"We're all willing to challenge the seniors as well!" Andreas and Roo followed suit.
I stayed in my place and simply watched, I trust that Cathan can win this.
His hands no longer shook.
"You insolent neophytes!" Grand Knight Alcides hollered at us. "How dare you act discourteously to the crown prince! To your seniors! This is why I was against those new rules from the very start! Just look how impudent these greenhorns are acting against their superiors!"
"Sir Alcides is right," Prof. Novil finally intervened. "There's a proper way to issue challenge, besides, Nigellus' champion haven't accepted his defeat yet."
All eyes went back to Doug who still stood before Darius.
"I-I..." came his coarse voice, "I yield."
Doug fell to the ground.
He landed on his knees and crumpled there with his head between his large hands.
"You useless Dog!" Nigellus berated him. "You're in for another beat—"
"Senior Nigellus!" Cat cut him short. "You haven't responded to my challenge yet."
Nigellus glared at Cat.
He stood in the same low crouching stance Doug showed earlier, only, he was holding a sword in both hands. Half of our alpha team were standing right behind him, just as the first prince's vassals stood around Nigellus with their swords drawn out.
"Will you name another champion for me to defeat?" Cat asked him in a cold voice. "Or should I attack you directly?"
"You dare attack the first crown prince of the empire?" senior Wein sneered at him.
"Prince who?" Cat replied. "There are no titles inside the campus, just as there are no counts or dukes or barons. We are all the same students, senior, and I, Cathan, challenge you to a duel for my friend Lycan's freedom."
Nigellu's eyes widened.
"So... you're the 'childhood friend'?"
He still had the gall to laugh.
"Do you know why that dog agreed to follow me?" he taunted him. "He made me promise that I won't let anyone touch his precious 'childhood friend'. That I would give you my protection and keep you away from harm."
He looked at Cat's blistered body from head to toe.
"With the way you look, I doubt anyone would want to take you as an apprentice," he snorted, "but with your actions right now, you just poured all of that useless dog's effort down the drain!"
"His efforts are not in vain," Cat replied calmly, ignoring Nigellus' useless taunts. "I know how hard Lycan works and I recognize them all... besides," he added, "it has always been me who's been protecting Lycan. And I always make his bullies pay ten fold."
Silence filled the area.
I saw a bead of perspiration drip down Nigellus' pale temple.
Cat, on the other hand, have not moved an inch from his stance. His muscles were taut and steady, ready to strike, showing not a single opening for his opponents.
Everyone watched in silent anticipation.
"So," Prof. Novil suddenly spoke up, startling most of us. "The winner for the first battle is neophyte Darius who is now free from Senior Nigellus' apprenticeship," he continued. "Now, a new challenge comes from neophyte Cathan, issued to the 4th year Senior Nigellus for the freedom of the 4th year senior Lycan, otherwise known as the Royal Guard Dog."
"Ah," I heard Arman say, "so that's what the name Doug truly meant..."
"Shall Senior Nigellus accept the challenge or will he issue another champion to fight in his place?"
"Let me fight him, your highness!" said senior Norbert, his long nose up in the air.
"Let me be the one to put that arrogant first year in his place!" senior Will piped in.
"Silence!" Nigellus snapped at them. "What do I care about that useless mutt anyway?" he snorted. "That trash is all yours for the picking. I don't plan to waste anymore precious time on something I never wanted in the first place."
Nigellus turned his back after saying that.
He was about to leave the field when Cat called him back.
"Senior. You still haven't answered my challenge."
"I forfeit!" he yelled back. "You can go fuck that dog for all I care."
"You don't understand, senior," Cat replied, his tone so cold, it sent shivers down my spine. "I said I want a duel. And I mean I want to fight you `till the end."
"Cat, your senior has already forfeited," came Prof. Novil's voice.
"That ignorant boy should be given 10 lashes for his disrespect and insubordination!" yelled Grand Knight Alcides.
"What for, when all he did was challenge a coward who couldn't fight for himself!" Senior André said with a loud laugh. "You really surprise me, Cathan!" he said, placing a thick arm on Cat's shoulder. "Are you sure you don't want to join my medic group?"
Cat finally relaxed and held his weapons down.
"I'll think about it, Senior André..." he replied, but his eyes were already looking back at the bulging image who now sat slumped on the ground. "We'll go to the infirmary when after we decide."
"Is it really over now?" Arman asked.
"Yeah, thank the goddess!" sighed Elliot kissing his fingers.
I walked towards them while the rest of the students started to leave the open field.
"Congratulations, Darius!" our classmates greeted the winner of the duel.
"Welcome to the class! I'm glad you're finally going to attend with us!" said Gerald.
"Don't worry, we'll help you catch up with the lessons," Andreas assured him.
"You were really great with that longsword," Kanda praised him, "perhaps we can spar one of these days?"
"You should go to the infirmary first!" Senior André butted in, pushing the rest away as he placed a hand on Darius' shoulder. "I heard you were living in the forest and surviving by harassing students for food," he asked, "but it seems you look much healthier than I would expect."
I felt my heartbeat raise a bit.
"None the less, you still need an overall checkup to make sure you didn't contact any serious diseases while camping out in the woods," Senior André added.
"Y-yes, of course, senior!" Darius replied.
I watched as Senior André half dragged Darius away while Cat knelt beside his friend's side.
"Lycan?"
The bulky boulder by his side winced.
"Lycan, I know that's you," Cat called once more. "I'm surprised that you grew up this big! But you can't hide from me, you know, even if you cover your whole body in gray!"
"I-I... am not..."
"Hey, stop joking already." Cat pouted and slapped his friend's broad shoulder. "I'd know your movements anywhere, even your waiting stance and the one handed broadsword that you stubbornly like to use."
"B-but... I... I f-failed you..." Lycan's voice quivered.
"What are you talking about?" Cat gave him another slap on the shoulder. "You're here, aren't you? You waited three years for me, and now you can make me your apprentice to make sure that I don't get sodomized."
That made Lycan raise his head.
"W-what... what happened to your face?" he motioned at Cat's hives.
Cat laughed and placed an arm around his friend's thick neck.
"You're one to talk! What's with that lame mask you're wearing?"
Cat grabbed the gray mask's bottom and tried to pull it up, but Lycan's hand stopped his before it could get beyond his chin.
I saw two wounds on this neck.
One was bleeding.
"It's okay, Lycan," Cat's gentle voice coaxed him. "Let me see."
He finally let go of Cat's small hands.
I heard Arman gasp as the mask was pulled off.
Pale flesh was beneath it.
Wrinkled flesh from a severe burn that scalded the left half of a young man's face.
Thin tufts of red hair were scattered on his scaly head, partly covering a mutilated ear, while one green eye stared blankly from its socket.
His scarred right eye carried all his pain.
He couldn't even look his friend straight as a river of tears flowed from it. And it was in that right eye that I saw the shy red head friend that Cat told us about so lovingly.
"D-don't look..." he said between each painful sob. "I-I'm hideous!"
"What hideous?" Cat asked with a frown which made Lycan face him once more. "You're still my sweet, adorable Lycan!" he grinned. "See, you haven't changed a bit! You're still such a crybaby! You only got a lot bigger!"
This remark finally made Lycan smile. Just for a bit, before burying his head in Cat's shoulder and bawling like a child.