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Chapter 4 ~~~~ Prcatice Courts |
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~~~~~Chapter 4: Practice Courts~~~~~
"Felisha! Where are you?" Lia's voice echoed in the hall, lightly populated with students traveling to their own classes.
"Where are you?" Felisha's voice called back, narrowly dodging a group of a particularly slow moving group of students. As soon as she passed through the group, she found Lia simpering at her. Felisha gave her a slightly irritated look and followed Lia to the practice courts.
The practice courts were nothing of what Felisha expected them to be. It was more like a gigantic piece of flat land, with various fences planted in certain areas. Felisha didn't have too much time to look around because she was dragged away by Lia, again.
"Come on, you don't have too much time to look around," Lia said, holding on to Felisha's wrist as if she was some sort of bad dog. "We need to get your stuff and wait in line."
"Okay okay, just please let go of my wrist. Last I checked I am able to walk. " Felisha tried to break free of Lia's grip.
Without a word, Lia dragged Felisha over to a small shed. Lia finally let go of Felisha and sorted through a mass of wooden staves and swords. Felisha stood on her tiptoes and peered over Lia to see what she was doing, but as soon as she did, Lia turned around and held out a staff. Felisha looked at it for a moment and then took it. There was nothing special about it, just that it was made from sturdy maple and that one end was formed to resemble a curved blade that estimated eighteen inches in length. The rod itself was about five feet long and the whole of it to be around six feet long.
When Felisha look up, she saw that Lia had disappeared. Felisha blinked and looked around. She spied Lia a few feet away, waiting for her. She held a wooden sword, about two feet in length from hilt to tip. Felisha hurried after her and they both went over to the other mingling students.
"Hey Felisha, What's the matter? You look utterly confused." Misita asked, her head tilted to the side, blinking.
Felisha chuckled. "That's because I am. I'm always confused." She brushed a hair from her face and took the time to examine Misita more closely. Misita was around her height and very slender. She had blue-hazel eyes and Felisha noticed small red flecks in her irises. Misita wore a light blue blouse with a brooch the right of her shirt with green and blue gems. She wore tan capris and plain brown sandals, her toenails painted purple.
Misita smiled. "Hee, not always. You always look so calm when you practice with your glaive. Me, I'm a klutz with my staff." She held up a wooden staff in her left hand. Felisha didn't notice it before. "You have to show me how you do it! Your moves just..." She paused to think of a word. "Flow."
Felisha smiled. "Oh, thanks! And I'd be glad to show you!"
"If I could remember how..." Felisha thought bitterly, but kept smiling.
"Great! How about after-"
Someone cleared their throat behind Felisha. Startled, she turned, her smile dropped. Behind her was a giant of a man. A great pot-belly was given no care to have been camouflaged, and he reminded Felisha greatly of a genie, complete with a shiny bald head. His beady eyes stared in to hers and Felisha couldn't help but feel intimidated.
"Are you two finished talking?" The giant asked, his voice surprisingly kind.
Felisha blinked at him.
"Uh, yes, Master Jaen," Misita said after a few seconds.
"Good. Well then," Master Jaen called out to the mob of students in front of him. His eyes quickly skimmed the crowd and continued. "Everyone, today will just be treated like a normal day, so don't expect anything new or special. Now, everyone, you know where to go." Master Jaen smiled while the students walked off in different groups depending on what weapon they had. Master Jaen walked with the group which held primarily staves.
Felisha stood there utterly confused once again. She had no clue on where to go. She gripped the staff in her hands while slowly everyone deserted her to figure things out on her own.
"Uh, Felisha?"
Felisha jumped and whirled around. Karlan stood behind her, his gray eyes worried. "Are... You alright?"
"Oh, oh yeah. I'm perfectly fine. It's my brain that isn't alright. Remember when i got knocked out?"
"Oh yeah, I found you lying on the ground... Did it affect your head or something?"
Felisha smirked. "Heh, I don't doubt it. I can hardly remember anything, like in Sprits' class." She blushed. "I even forgot where i was supposed to do. Master Jaen is so vague."
Karlan cleared his throat. "Well, you should come with me then. We have the same class, so if you find it hard to remember anything, just ask me, okay?"
Felisha smiled. "Thanks."
Karlan blushed. "Yeah well..."He cleared his throat. "W-we should get going." Felisha nodded and followed him after all of the class. Master Jaen was standing quietly, waiting for Karlan and Felisha while the other students chatted about something apparently very exciting. Master Jaen nodded when Felisha gave him an apologetic look and clapped his hand loudly to get the attention of all of the students.
"Okay, everyone get a partner," Karlan and Felisha looked at each other, "and get in lines to practice the drills."
Everyone got in two lines, including Felisha who found herself by rote getting in line across from Karlan. She blinked her confusion away while everyone gripped their rods and took a stance, again including Felisha who did so by rote.
"Begin!"
The practice was fairly easy, just a series of basic blocks and hits in succession. They continued on for about 10 minutes until Master Jaen, who had disappeared for a few minutes, called for everyone to stop. The other students joined the staff group and their training masters stood behind Master Jaen.
"Well then, now that we are all warmed up, The other masters," He extended a hand out to three other training masters who where standing behind him, "and I have decided since we are nearing the end of your training, it would seem like a good time to have sparring matches, to test everything you have learned thus far."
Felisha gulped.
"The matches will be picked by the training masters by picking two of our best from each class and randomly pitting them against each other. We have already decided on our best, so next we shall decide who gets to spar with whom. Any questions?"
A hand was raised a few people away from Felisha. "Didn't you say today would be treated like a normal practice day?"
Master Jaen smiled. "I did, didn't I? Well then, I guess I lied." ("I didn't know Master Jaen was capable of lying," a voice behind Felisha muttered.) After receiving a few more questions, Master Jaen turned to the other training masters and the students turned to each other and talked with the closest friend they could find.
Felisha looked around, searching for a bouncing head of black curls, pinching her self in the meantime. She still didn't believe any of this was real, but it seemed much too real. Tired of waiting for Lia, Felisha walked off in search of her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a group of swordsmen and women. Thinking that was where Lia might be, she headed toward it. The ground rumbled for a bit, causing Felisha to lose her balance and bump into a boy. "Oh, I'm sorr-"
When Felisha looked at the boy, she got goosebumps. His red orange hair was pulled back into a short, loose ponytail and his right ear had a large black stone earring. He was wearing a off-white tank top like shirt, showing off is lean muscled arms, whose hands where stuffed into the pockets of his brown pants, his shoes were a plain leather. The boy's eyes were what gave Felisha the goosebumps. The look in his blue eyes was dark, almost enough to suck her in. Felisha could sense that there was a part of the look that he didn't give to everyone, the look of fierce hatred.
The students grew silent around them. The boy glared at Felisha. "Watch where you're going, Karillo." He growled.
Felisha returned the glare. "Watch where you're existing!" She hissed and walked past him. She could feel the poison from the boy's glare on her back. She normally wouldn't have been so rude to someone who had acted like that to her, but she made an exception for him. There was something she didn't like about that boy, she just couldn't explain it.
"Hey, 'Lisha, you okay?" Lia appeared from a group of other sword users, her black eyes worried. "Saw what happened between you and Caspian. He can be a real jerk, huh?"
Felisha grunted in agreement. "Caspian, huh? Got to remember that..."
"Why does he even hate you, anyway? It's like ever since we've met him, he's hated you." Lia remarked, walking with Felisha over to where Felisha was waiting before. "Weird, huh?"
"Yeah," Felisha nodded. "He should change his name to 'Cas-Pain-In-The-'"
Master Jaen clapped his hand loudly to get the attention of the students who had erupted into conversation. He was standing on a large platform of rock which was the cause of the earthquake. "Alright students," The spars have been decided, and first off," He looked at a slip of paper that he had in his hands. "Karlan Myle verses Lia Ruiz."
The students cheered for the combatants. Felisha whooped in support of both of her friends. Karlan, who had ventured over to the opposite side of the group of students stepped from the group of students onto the platform. Lia stepped onto the platform and waved to a group of whooping boys off too the far right.
Felisha rolled her eyes.
Master Jaen guided the combatants to their starting positions and stepped to the center of the platform. "Alright, now let me explain the rules of this match. You are allowed to only to what you've learned in this class, which means no werfing. If anyone is caught, they are disqualified from the match. Which also applies to the audience." His eyes scanned the crowd. "Anyone caught helping will be punished. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Jaen." The whole crowd said in unison.
"Good." Master Jaen stepped off the platform. He held is hand high in the air. "On your marks!" Lia and Karlan shifted into position. Felisha whooped in encouragement. A smirk spread over Lia's lips. "Begin!"
The crowd exploded into cheers heard all the way down to Felisha's house as Lia and Karlan charged toward each other. The spar was amazingly one-sided. Karlan was royally pounded by Lia's swift attacks. It almost looked like she was actually dancing instead of attacking. After three minutes Karlan had to surrender in order to save himself from breaking his neck. The crowd cheered and whooped for Lia, who pumped her fist in the air. The same group of boys from before whistled shrilly. Lia hopped down next to Felisha.
Felisha gave her a hug. "Great sparring! No wonder you're one of the best!"
Lia smiled. "Thanks! I feel sorry for Karlan though. I bet he's never gunna live down losing to a girl." She giggled.
Felisha chuckled. "Uh-huh. A guy's ego is very fragile." She looked to Master Jaen, who was pulling another slip of paper from his pocket. "Whoa, we'd better pay attention." Lia nodded.
Two spars later the students were very worked up because of the adrenaline of the matches. They were chatting excitedly with each other, so loudly that only a few students heard the name of the combatants. Those who did grew silent.
Master Jaen called out to the crowd, "Felisha Karillo verses Caspian Aklain."
Charleze · Sat Sep 09, 2006 @ 07:20am · 0 Comments |
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