HBWnovel Chapter 58: Dueling
Chapter 58: Dueling
Chapter 58: Dueling
As we stood across from the opposing academy, two men wearing the crests of the mage academy entered. They dictated the rules, which were very similar to the qualifiers. The largest difference was that killing someone intentionally would result in a ten-year sentence as an indentured. Guess I wasn’t going to kill Leon today. Although the mage had said intentionally killing....
We had an hour to warm up as the stands filled. It was mostly family members, and watching the exhibition match was free. I saw a few faces I recognized from our little town. The disturbing trio was Loriel flanked by Bylura and Isla. Her large Wolfguard bodyguard was standing behind her, and many seats were empty around them. I just hoped Loriel didn’t cheer loudly for me. I was already regretting letting the young woman into my social sphere. I didn’t see any Bricio’s in the stands. At least none that I recognized. My mother arrived with Freya, and I waved to them. Father was on a skyship guard route.
I stretched with the twins, Mia and Gareth, in a corner. Gareth spoke first, “So what is the plan, Stormy? Should we give them a false sense of hope before crushing them?” He followed this with his best evil laugh that sounded ridiculous.
Fera, who was fighting 11th, asked, “Storme, do you really think we can win? You and Gareth can win, but us? I mean most of those,” she indicated the other academy students on the far, “have had trainers since they were able to walk.”
She should have asked Gareth for a confidence boost but had asked me. Why was everyone deferring to me? “Yes. Your staff skills are remarkable, Ferra. Just hold your strength ability in reserve. If you need to use it, do it on a parry and then use the opening to get a cranial strike.” This was the tactic that she had worked on with Gareth. Her strength of the ox ability allowed her to double her strength temporarily. It was a relatively weak tier 1 ability. A better tier 1 strength ability was the lion’s might. This gave a passive 30% increase in strength.
Mia asked, “So how are you ranked third in our academy Storme?”
I laughed, “A favor from Callem. He used my duel with Pascal when I used Gareth’s broadsword to rank Pascal ahead of me. Being 3rd allows me to match against Leon. He was the one who stabbed me in the alley.” The twins looked at me sharply with narrowed eyes. They had heard of the incident but didn’t know the attacker was known.
Mia looked over at Leon, “He really tried to kill you? I guess it makes sense he got away with it. Half his extended family are guards in Solaris.” Mia being from the city, was familiar with many other kids around her age.
“Callem has been working to see his family feels some pain for what he did. A bunch of his cousins were called to serve in the lowlands. One of the dungeon towns, I think. His father was also assigned to a small town on Deepwell Island.” I said.
Mera interjected, “Deepwell? The water island with the massive lake. But there are only a few fishing villages and one water-themed dungeon.”
“Exactly!” I said. “Callem still has some friends. Wynna told me he tried to bring charges against Leon and his older brother, who was a guard from the attack. Unfortunately, the matter was buried with no witnesses and the truth seekers unwilling to pursue his inquest.”
Gareth asked his question again, “So should I draw it out, Storme, or just drop him?”
“Your call Gareth,” I said, and he rolled his eyes at me.
The pairings started with the top pair and worked down to thirty-three. There was a point system that we were informed of. The higher the ranking, the more points you get for a win. What was on the line? Apparently, 89 gold in funding for the winning academy. Not a lot, but it would cover food costs for a thrifty academy for the year.
The first match started. Gareth danced and played with his opponent for a good twenty minutes before disarming him by breaking his wrist. The boy had a healing ability, but it was too slow, and Gareth’s sword at his neck caused the mages to intervene and end the match. Pascal’s match was entertaining as it was a match of equals. Pascal had his teeth shattered when his opponent smashed his hilt into his face. Pascal fought on, ignoring the injury. Pascal won when he cut deep into his opponent’s calf muscle, effectively ending his ability to dodge.
Pascal’s face was a mess, with missing teeth and blood all over himself as he smiled at us. I congratulated him as he headed to the healers to get new teeth grown. My match was next, and Leon and his fellows no longer looked cocky. I entered the ring with staff twirling. Leon was now wielding a spiked mace. The wrist strap on the weapon made me slightly weary. It was too worn and thick to be for just making sure he didn’t drop his weapon.
I decided to needle him, “Have you had trouble yanking yourself since I almost took off your arm?” I had been wielding a saber in that match and now had a staff.
Leon’s face hardened, “I am going to smash your balls up and into your mouth to shut you up.”
I just grinned, looking forward to this. When the fight started, his trick became evident. The strap-on mace was magical and allowed him to change the mace’s direction instantly. I got caught in the rapid back-swing and intervened with my staff, but the fingers on my right hand were crushed. Leon smirked, but when I didn’t cry out in pain or retreat, he looked baffled.
It was much harder to manipulate the staff, but I had trained physically and mentally to work through the pain. My mend flesh worked on my hand. Definitely some broken fingers....and my pinky was missing. Oh, it was stuck to his spiked mace. That was an extraordinary enchantment on the mace. Changing directions like that instantly....some type of inertia change. I would have to ask Aldon about it.
I did the math, and 15 rooms currently unassigned equaled 600 gold a month. I had talked with Wynna, and she thought if I rented the apartments three or four gold a month reasonable. Of course, I had no intention of profiting from the rooms. They were to house my delve team and eventually the crew for my skyship.
“I am sorry, Loriel, but I am still uninterested,” I said clearly. I decided to lighten up my aggressive stance. “I have other plans for the rooms.”
Loriel sat straighter. “Your funds are not bottomless, Storme. How will you finance your skyship?”
Everything clicked into place. Loriel was helping me generate funds for the skyship. I guess if she looked at the building plans, it was not difficult to figure out the hanger and large doors were intended for a skyship.
I tempered my reply, “I will figure things out in time. I am in no rush. I have done you favors, and you have done me some. Our scales are balanced, and I wish to remain out of your orbit.” Bylura eye’s widened, and Isla looked at Loriel for her reply.
Loriel gripped her cup tightly. She clearly had plans, and I was messing with them. “Agreed. Neither of us owes the other a debt at this time. I will let you know the price when you require a favor from me. Bylura with me. We return to the capital.” Loriel rose and left in hard steps. Bylura chased after her. That just left Isla and me at the table.
“Can I walk you back to Hen’s Hollow?” I asked the woman, who seemed a bit shocked at everything.
“Yes, yes, you can. You know she was only trying to do you a favor. A big favor.” I looked her in the eye as she gathered her things.
“It is not a favor if it is expected to be returned in the future at a much higher cost. I do not need Loriel,” I said, walking toward the exit. I think I heard Isla say, ‘She needs you,’ in a whisper, but I couldn’t quite make out the words clearly.
On the walk, we turned to business. She updated me on the construction, furniture, and all the little things she was keeping track of. We will be visiting the warehouse tomorrow, on the 7th day, and I was excited to see the progress. She even had a meeting scheduled with the artist. I walked her all the way back to the inn in Hen’s Hollow before turning towards the woods. My aether pool was full, and I wanted to level up my lightning reflexes spell.
It was extremely late when I got back to my room. Gareth had decided to sleep elsewhere. I cleaned the room and fell into my bed. Level seven and two evolutions. It had taken 6 hours and a lot of chasing of small wild animals, but I had gotten excellent results. At level five, I increased my speed to 66.6%. At level seven, I took the controlled deceleration. For one, I had run into two trees in the night and had to heal my injuries. But also, I think this aspect of the spell might counteract the change of inertia enchantment that Leon had used on his weapon. Maybe I could use such an enchanted weapon with no backlash!
I couldn’t sleep in my privacy cocoon as I was extrapolating all the options of being able to use such a spell in combat. That coupled with my 66% enhanced speed....maybe I could beat Callem. It was all dreams of fancy, and when morning arrived, Gareth was not back. I had to meet Isla at the skyship platform. I was slightly worried about my friend. Maybe it was time to get my communication stones.
I was cooking breakfast when Gareth entered, following his nose. Where did he come from? Was he back with Brianne? “Morning, Stormy! What are you making us for breakfast?” I had only gotten enough to make myself breakfast, so I indicated he needed to get the ingredients himself.
When he returned, I asked him. “I noticed you didn’t return last night. Where did you make your bed?” I whispered so no one could overhear. His eyes panicked just for a second before he answered.
Slowly he said while watching for my reaction, “I slept in the twin’s room.” It was a little bit of a gutshot. I liked the twins. Mera had said she had a crush on me.
“I am sorry, brother, but after we had dinner in the city and got back here, we were hanging out in their room, and I just kind of fell asleep between them.” He looked guilty and continued, “We just got a little handsy....and kissed a bit.”
My stomach knotted as I was definitely upset, but I tried not to show it. “Gareth it is fine.” I calmed myself, “They both respect you a lot and are good people. Just don’t hurt them.” What was I saying? I was giving my friend the blessing to pursue two women. I needed to get out of here. I finished making the baked breakfast quiche and packed a bunch in my bag. I left to meet Isla at the Skyship pad.
Isla was waiting for me. I was happy to have this distraction today. What did I care if Mera and Gareth were getting intimate? I still had Mia, Aelyn, and half a dozen other women who made advances on me. I was also in the middle of a growth spurt and approaching 6’. I also had my magic. That would be my true mistress to keep me warm at night.
The skyship landed, and we boarded. I sat inside the passenger cabin instead of watching the land pass below. Isla sat next to me with her overstuffed satchel. She could sense my mood because we didn’t talk the entire trip. As we approached Aegis City, I moved to the bow to see my building as we landed. It was something substantial and had permanency.