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Back to "Chapter 12 - Third Times the Charm (1st Pass)"  The next morning, Mia had a message for him from Celia. John, Congratulations! The Head Mistress told me what had happened and I agree with her decision. Cedrick will also be graduating today to Devotee as well. I will meet you at your room at noon. Be dressed in the formal uniform. Celia Tecard John read the message again before tossing it onto his nightstand. Stretching, he yawned. “Everything okay, Master?” “Here, see for yourself,” he handed her the letter. Swinging his feet over the side, he hopped out of bed. Unexpectedly, his legs gave out from under him and he cried out as he toppled to the floor. “What the hell?” he muttered. “It’s because of your wounds, Master,” Mia said absently as her eyes scanned over the letter. “Huh?” She laid the letter back down and helped him up. “Mistress Celia told me that when you heal, it takes up a lot of your physical energy. The worse the wound, the more energy it takes from you. Since your normal workout injuries aren’t bad, you haven’t felt this before. Food in your stomach is the best medicine.” Mia helped John to the table outside and he shivered as the frosty air kissed his skin. It was cold but it awakened him out of his morning stupor. “Hells bells, it’s cold,” he said between another yawned. “It feels like winter. And I’m hungry.” John caught Mia roll her eyes out of the corner of his eye. “Yes, Master.” She roughly pushed him into the chair. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me young lady. This weather is unnatural! And where’s the food?” “Are you this cranky every morning?” she asked tiredly. “Aren’t you suppose to be subservient?” he shot back bitterly. “Not when I don’t have to,” Mia breathed just within his hearing. John had a funny feeling that Mia knew she had. He heard footsteps just outside his door and a click of trays. “Door. Food. Now.” “Yes, Master” Is it just my imagination or is she being sarcastic with me? What happened to the trembling woman I saw a week ago? Mia brought a tray heavily laden with plates of food. Shivering, he eyed the steaming mounds of eggs and bacon eagerly. Just as she sat the tray down, he stuffed his mouth full of whatever he could grab. “I don’t see how you aren’t shivering,” John said between his second and third plate. He was starving. “This is hot compared to winter.” “What do you mean hot? This is bloody winter. How much colder can it get?” Startled, John realized he was about to start on his fourth plate. He didn’t think he had eaten this much before in his life. “Much colder. Some days, the tree’s sap freeze and the trunks explode as if hit by lightening. I will see about getting some hot coals for your bed. The nights are the worst.” Tree’s exploding? Homesickness pained at him like a disease. After breakfast, he shaved and bathed in the blissfully hot pool. Settling himself on the sofa, John picked up a book on the Demon Wars while Mia made his bed. Flipping through the book, he looked for a major battle that Waylon wanted his opinion on. It was then when Cedrick came in with a heavy stones board under the crook of his arm. John hadn’t played in moons but had instantly recognized the checkered wooden board. “The hero of the week,” Cedrick said upon entering. “Hero?” “Haven’t you heard? You’re famous now! I’m surprised you haven’t heard your name being chanted in the halls,” Cedrick exasperated. “You’re funny.” The big man laughed as he laid the checkered board down on the table. “Waylon and I found this in Bower City. I’ve gotten tired of beating him. You do play don’t you?” That’s Cedrick for you. What’s done is done. No need for details. When John nodded, Cedrick pulled out the pieces from a hidden compartment built into the board. Pausing, the Ghourdian said, “I thought you would be out with Nina at this hour.” John looked to either side of him as if looking for eavesdroppers. In a low voice he said, “I had Mia tell her that I’m still getting over my Awakening.” Shaking his head, Cedrick pulled the last piece out, his massive hand engulfing the stone piece. “That explains it. Because of you, she came to me at an ungodly hour asking to spar with her. I had to get Kyla to tell her that I was preparing for my test and that I shouldn’t be disturbed.” Kyla was his slave, something Cedrick was also trying to get use to. He had been too poor to own one. Pulling out a gold crown, Cedrick flipped it up in the air. “Call it.” “Crown.” It landed throne. Grinning triumphantly, Cedrick made the first move. Stones was, with out a doubt, a complicated game. Certain pieces could move forward only so many squares while other pieces could only move up a square. Not only were there rules for jumping forward, but also a completely different set of rules for going backwards. All in all, one game could take days, depending on the tempo of the game. Cedrick enjoyed a fast game, unlike John. “Hurry up,” Cedrick said at a particular point in the game. It was still unclear who was winning but John thought he had the upper hand. “Do you know what this test is about?” John asked as he placed a diamond marked stone down, taking one of Cedrick’s major pieces. Cedrick reached for one of his pieces immediately but paused. “Sneaky little bastard,” he muttered. “Cedrick?” “Huh? Oh, right. No. No clue. I’ve talked with a few Devotee’s and all they could tell me is that it doesn’t have anything to do with spirit.” “Makes sense. I can’t control a wisp if I tried.” Cedrick absently agreed before choosing another piece, moving it right into John’s other trap. Positioning his diamond shape stone back to a new square, John asked, “Have you spoken with Dylon recently?” “You son of a whore,” Cedrick cursed at the board. “Dylon? As a matter of fact, I saw him with Guinavev, if you’d believe that. They were heading to her quarters down in the southwest wing last night. I’d imagine you won’t be finding him in his room this morning.” “No shit?” “No shit.” Cedrick started to move a stone marked with a five pointed star but paused before setting it back down on the board--studying the pieces once more. “And the King?” It was Wes’s nickname, an ongoing joke between them all. “Became Devotee the day after our free day, and I’d swear that one on my mother’s grave. So did the Jester. I hear the Head Mistress had a field day with Slayer Reed and Fal when she heard they graduated them so early. I’ve also heard it whispered about that the test was rigged for them two.” Jester was the other ongoing joke, Baine. His mentor was Fal, a quite Slayer who was normally elbowed deep in books, studying some long dead King or battle. The memory of the two Novices sulking around suspiciously before sitting down with Reed came to him. He now saw them in a new light. And then the next day they were graduated to Devotees? How could this be connected? Could Slayer Reed and Slayer Fal be… Perhaps I should tell the Head Mistress after all. John had played with the idea of the Head Mistress being involved in whatever was going on. It would have explained why the two women were at odds with each other the night, yet… John couldn’t help but feel he was reading too much into something that had a high probability of being a figment of his imagination. Expect everything within your imagination so, when the impossible happens, you won’t be caught off guard. General Briar’s seemingly endless quotes rattled off in his head. The Lieutenant’s eyes that had haunted him the other night came back to him shortly after Briar’s voice died away. Pushing the image away, he watched Cedrick advance a stone into a seemingly defensive move. John double checked his next four moves before feeding Cedrick a stone. Immediately Cedrick took it as if seeing an opening. John feed him another stone, ever so casually, and watched his opponent swallow it whole. With the newly made crack in Cedrick’s defense, John sent one of his pieces into it like a nail. Seeing the attack, Cedrick retaliated, cleverly taking the stone and evading his hammer. Smiling victoriously, Cedrick said, “And you thought you-“ He stopped just as John advanced the diamond piece he had left alone. In three moves John would win. Realizing it, Cedrick cursed. Mia, who had somehow gotten behind John, pointed to one of Cedrick’s stones, “Advance that. You’ll have him in five.” Cedrick did a double take on the board, his eyes trying to follow her thoughts. Suddenly, he cried out in victory- just when John, too, realized she was right. He’d never been so sideswiped before. Glaring at her, she smiled innocently, “Was I not suppose to say that, Master?” “If I say I’m sorry for this morning, will this end?” “Perhaps… Master.” Cedrick looked from one to the other, shaking his head in bewilderment. By noon, they had played three more games, each one lasting longer then the next. Cedrick had tried to get Mia’s help but, thankfully, she refused--saying she had things to do. The last game John won, tying their match, just when a knocked came from his door. Mia opened the door and both Celia and Priscilla entered the crowded waiting room. Celia took in the game that had just ended before looking at them each in turn. “Are you two ready?” she asked when her eyes fell on his. John and Cedrick looked at each other before nodding. To John’s surprise, they were led to the portal in the stables. This time, he knew more about the portal from his late night readings. There were markings along the stone door and, when a certain combination of symbols was touched by energy, the portal would open to a certain location. Priscilla’s energy touched three symbols, each in the right hand corner, before it began to melt. John followed Cedrick through and felt the same conflicting slow rush feeling as he walked though. Catching himself on the other side, John found himself in a small waiting room. When everyone had gone through the portal, Priscilla closed it by touching a symbol that was larger then the others, a kill switch. There was also a locking symbol that allowed the portal to become useless until someone unlocked it from the locked side. It was one reason why the demons couldn’t use the portals, which was one of the Tekal’s biggest fears. Tekal had a very effective system of locking down the portals and using them. “This is the waiting room before the Testing Chamber. Down the hall is the door. John, you are first. Good luck.” That’s it? Great. John gave her a perturbed frown before turning down the hall. Sure enough, a dark red stained door sat looming at the end of the lone hallway. He hesitated only a moment before opening the door and walking in. The moment he stepped in, the door closed on its own accord and he found himself in a pitch black room. Even his enhanced night vision couldn’t catch a hint of light. “John Wyden,” said a deep voice. The Head Mistress? “You have chosen to take this test to become Devoted. Is this on your own free will?” “As much as it can be,” John muttered. The theatrics made him want to roll his eyes. “Yes, or no.” This time, the voice was a bit more threatening. “Yes.” “In this room you are cut off from your spirit. There may come a time in your life that your spirit has become depleted, you are alone, and no aide is coming to help you.” The other Vanguard’s motto came to mind right then, “One Man Army.” They were all trained to complete the mission no matter what happened, even if everyone else was killed. Hearing the speech about being alone and the sensory manipulation was nothing compared to the extensive training he had to go through just to become a Vanguard. Going through Officer Training, compared to Vanguard Training, was like comparing a candle to a bonfire. A sudden swell of anxiety and alarm consumed John before he could master it. That wasn’t natural. “You are alone.” Another swell. A sudden light appeared around him, as if the glow came from the air itself. It prevented him from seeing any further out than a half of a span from his feet “No one is coming for you.” This time the feeling of dread and depression almost overwhelmed him. Wrestling his emotions down with a vengeance, John prepared himself. He had sensed another man in the room, somewhere off to his left. Without warning, a hand holding a dagger appeared within his circle of light just as another swell of depression hit him. Paring it with his forearm, he stepped forward and chopped at the would-be attacker’s throat. He felt his hand make contact and heard a gasp. Another wave. What the hell is this? John shook his head to rid the building emotion in his chest, just as another assailant attacked him from behind. Hearing the second attacker’s soft step, he rolled right, feeling the brush of air against his left side. That was too close. ”Pain is the best motivator you worthless nuggets. Stop your complaining!” His old drill sergeant’s voice blessedly came to mind. Just when he felt another swell start to build, he bit down on his hand hard. Instantly the mysterious feeling of depression faded away just as the second attacker swung at him. He had no weapons and John knew why Celia had asked him to leave them. Being a Slayer was about being resourceful, just like a Vanguard. John was surprised at how familiar the test was making out to be. He blocked another thrust. Grabbing the man’s hand, he pulled the attacker off balance just as his elbow connected with his nose. He caught a glimpse of the man’s face and recognized him as a Slayer he’d seen in the halls. Stripping the knife away, he whirled around and sent his leg into the man’s kneecap, dropping him. A third assailant came at him from his right. Blocking a high kick with the flat of his blade, John sent his other fist into the man’s groin and mentally winced as the faceless man dropped with a cry. The first man who had attacked him recuperated enough to rise to his feet. With a grunt, the man leaped at him; his face still hidden in the blackness. Rolling underneath his leap, John shot up to meet another attack. This time the face came into clear view. Master Nicolas? Oh fun. Their blades locked and Nicolas grinned at him… just before sending his knee into John’s ribs. Cursing for being careless, John tried to roll with the attack but Nicolas had gripped his arm like an iron vice Gasping in pain, John dropped his knife. Slayer strength was a punishment when it came to hand to hand combat. John watched as Nicolas sent the blade to his throat. With his hand pinned, John didn’t see any other choice. He judged the arc of the knife and teetered left, sending the blade into his shoulder. Gritting through the pain, John pushed himself into the knife more, locking the blade into him. With a quick sidestep, he tipped Nicolas off balance just enough to push the shocked man down with his forearm. He fell with him and rolled off the Slayer. John spun at a crotch and attacked the man from behind just as Nicolas was getting up. Gripping the Slayer by the throat, John struggled with the man as the Slayer tried to get up. Sending his fist into the man’s kidney, Nicolas dropped to his knees like a dead weight. “Anyone else?” John growled as he pulled the dagger out of his shoulder with one hand. He embraced the anger as the pain subsided into a dull ache. His other hand was only a thought away from blocking all airflow to the head of the Master Slayer. Already he felt his shoulder mending itself back together in that slow burning tingling sensation. The darkness slowly faded away and John was finally able to see passed the limited circle. Seeing that it was over, he slowly released his grip on Nicolas. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” John turned to the voice and saw the man he had racked--still on the ground. “All three of us? No wonder you wanted Slayers in here instead of Devotees. I should have listened to Gien and said no like he did.” The man winced in pain as he attempted to get up. Nicolas stood up and rubbed his neck, “He used pain to get passed the Despair Stone and he probably knew we could only see him; not each other. Coordinating attacks would have been a different story, I think. Still, I’m going to have to have a chat with General Briar. They train you boys well. Good work son.” John nodded absently as he took in his surrounding. It was a circular room, eight spans from the center to the nearest wall. Two stories up, a wide stoned window overlooked the arena like room. He could just make out the Head Mistress and a row of wealthy looking men behind her. Of course, why should I be surprised? They want to show off their clients the new blood that is coming in. They’ve thought up of everything to capitalize on their Guild. The Head Mistress clapped her hands and many others took up the applause. He felt like one of the Gladiators he’d seen in the traveling shows that traveled around the Empire. John scanned for Tyrn’s face but the windowed area was too dark. “Congratulations, John Wyden. You have graduated to Devotee.” "Chapter 14 - My First Assignment (1st Pass)" |
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