The Eye of Elicion: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol 1 (28 page)

“Thanks, the same to you. I’ll see you on the field of battle as they say,” replied Lucy with a smile.

She continued up the staircase. Where it turned, there was Justin.

“Honestly, do you lurk around every corner?”

“Yes, it’s a trick having to do with particles and waves. I have the possibility to be around any corner. Because you see me, I happen to be around yours. However, I wouldn’t call it lurking. Besides, you could always choose not to see me.”

“No, I don’t think I could,” Lucy responded. Justin’s soft brown eyes looked flattered. She was slightly confused by his philosophical reasoning, but did not want to get into it or even really think about it. “Is this kind of like the door trick Eric does? All things are possible until you choose one.”

“Something like that,” said Justin looking pleased that she grasped these concepts. Some people never could, and that always lessened their abilities. “I sense you do not care to discuss the underlying philosophy further.”

“Not tonight. I’d rather get a good night’s sleep before the challenges start tomorrow. I have no idea what they are going to involve, but I’m guessing that being rested for them can’t hurt.”

Justin nodded and asked casually, “So, what did Darren want?”

“I love how you pry in light, conversational ways.”

“Merely conversing on something other than magical theory, which has dominated our every waking moment for the last couple of days,” he shrugged running a hand through his hair.

Lucy looked at him and shrugged back. What did it matter?

“He wanted to know how I was doing.”

“He wanted to know if you were still going to the banquet with him.”

“If you already knew, why did you bother to ask?”

“I didn’t know for sure. I only know that if I were working up to a larger question, I would most likely ask after one’s welfare first. It’s a safe place to start.”

“So, I should be careful next time you ask me how I’m doing.”

“Of course,” Justin said like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Lucy shook her head.

“You’re impossible.”

“Thank you.”

They continued on in silence.

“I assume you told him you were still going with him.”

“You assume correctly.”

“Why?”

“Why, what?”

“He was giving you an out. Why didn’t you take it?”

“I don’t really want an out.”

“Don’t you?”

“Stop that. It could be a pleasant time. Besides, it would be rude to back out now and difficult for either of us to find someone else to go with on short notice.”

“Would you like other options?”

“Why, are there other options? Don’t answer that. That’s not the point! I agreed to go with him so I intend to. I feel like I’m repeating myself tonight.”

Justin looked amused. Lucy glared at him.

“Simply making conversation,” Justin said amicably.

They walked in silence to Lucy’s door. Justin looked like he had worked out the answer to something, and Lucy didn’t care to find out what the question or the answer was. They wished each other good night. Lucy brushed her teeth and wondered if she would ever be able to fall asleep. Despite her worries, she was breathing deeply within minutes of her head touching her pillow.

Lucy awoke the next morning to a knocking on her door.

“Come in,” she said.

Justin entered and Lucy groaned.

“Is it morning already? Go away and we’ll pretend morning is later,” she rolled over and hid under her pillow.

“Get up. Come one. I’ve brought you breakfast.” Justin sat down on the edge of her bed.

“Why?” Lucy asked, her voice muffled by her pillow.

“Because the Dining Hall is scarier now than is was last night at dinner.I thought I would spare you that. Philip’s already fainted once under the pressure. Also, because if you were going to throw up due to nerves, I’d rather know about it now than right before we are going to start our first competition.”

“I have never thrown up due to nerves!” exclaimed Lucy as she sat up and glared at him.

“Good, I’d much rather have you feisty than nervous. Since you are sitting up… eat.” Justin handed her a warm banana muffin and a glass of mango juice.

“How are the others doing?” Lucy asked while taking a bite of muffin.

“Gavin is excited. He was working through his third stack of waffles when I left to come up here. He can’t wait to find out what we’re doing. I think he’s calm because he knows that he’ll excel at any physical challenges and he’s not responsible for carrying the group through any of the magical ones. That takes a bit of stress off it for him. Maya took one look at the mood of the Dining Hall and decided it would be far too depressing to stay there. She grabbed some toast and left to do yoga I think. She’ll be fine as long as she isn’t around too many negative influences for too long. It brings her down. Since we have no idea how you do in these types of situations, I thought I’d come up here and get you going.”

“It’s only a competition,” said Lucy as she finished her muffin.

“I’m somehow relieved and terrified to hear you say that.”

“Well, it’s not like we die if we lose.”

“True, but I’d like to see a bit more of a drive to win if you don’t mind.”

“I’ve been covered in bruises for weeks working as hard as I can to help with this competition. If that doesn’t count as drive, I’m sorry, because it’s the best you’re going to get.”

“Ok, I’ll take it. Come on, get out of bed and get dressed.”

“Rather hard for me to do with you sitting there,” said Lucy pointedly.

“I thought we could run over some basics while you get dressed.”

“I thought you could wait until I was dressed before the lectures began. Really, it’s not fair to lecture someone before they’ve even gotten dressed. You can wait outside the door if you want.”

“Fine, hurry up though. We only have an hour before things get started.” He stood up to leave.

“An hour? Forget it. I’m not getting up and dressed so I can wait around for an hour. I’m going back to sleep.” She lay back down and pulled the blankets over her head.

Justin stared at her for a minute unsure if she was joking or serious and wondering how he should respond depending on which one it was.

“Lucy?”

She threw her pillow at him. It nailed him in the stomach and fell to the floor. It completely caught him by surprise. She picked the pillow up off the ground and hit him again.

“Ok,”
smack
“I’m up,”
smack
“and out of bed,”
smack
. “Get out,”
smack
“and let me,”
smack
“get dressed,”
smack
. Eat hit of the pillow had Justin taking a step backwards towards the door.

“Ok, ok,” said Justin as he backed towards the door with his hands held up trying to block off the blows she so deftly administered with the pillow.

Lucy laughed as she pushed him out the door. She pulled off her pajamas and pulled on some clothing. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. It didn’t make sense to shower now. She was awake enough and she was sure that any challenge they were given was likely to involve sweat or dirt or both. She French braided her hair out of the way and tucked the end under. Lucy opened the door to find Justin pacing.

“Ok, let’s go win a competition,” she said and started down the hallway.

“Splendid, now you’re talking. I was thinking…”

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

“I know, but we all have our flaws.”

“Please, Justin, no last minute strategies, ideas, thoughts, reviews, plans, addendums, etceteras, ifs, alternative options, tactics, or procedural deviations. Let’s just get there and find out what we have to do and then do it.”

Justin sat there for a minute trying to figure out what she might have left out.

“How about encouragement?”

“I’m good thanks. Do you need some?”

“My, you are feeling feisty this morning.”

“I am. So, I’d watch it if I were you. I’m pretty sure I could make my pillow appear if I feel you need to be beaten into place.”

They bantered all the way down to the practice field where all the groups were supposed to meet to find out what their first event was. There they found Maya and Gavin already waiting. Gavin had a broadsword strapped to his back, a shorter sword at his side, a spear in his hand, and no less than 30 throwing daggers of different lengths attached to various parts of his body and sticking out the top of each of his boots. Lucy looked at Justin and raised her eyebrow. Justin shrugged but Lucy could tell by the tightness in his lips that he was doing his best not to laugh. Gavin looked from one to the other.

“What? No arrows?” asked Justin unable to help himself.

“It doesn’t hurt to be prepared,” Gavin said semi-defensively.

“That’s true,” said Lucy trying to keep a straight face, “but don’t you think they’ll explain the competition and then give us time to arm ourselves appropriately before starting?”

“It doesn’t hurt to be prepared,” he repeated.

Maya smiled good morning and rolled her eyes as if to say that she’d already had that discussion with him and hadn’t gotten anywhere. The practice yard was filled with students crowded into groups of four. Off to the side stood the teachers and the rest of the students who were probably not participating but were definitely interested in watching. When Eric felt that it was time to start things, he moved to the center of the practice grounds and addressed the crowd.

“Good morning and welcome. It is good to see so many of you are interested in participating in this event. The first event is rather basic. Your group will battle a physical fight, no magic, with another group. You fight until one group surrenders or can no longer fight. The schedule for this is over on the board behind me.” Eric waved his hand, and a board appeared along with lists of groups. “Once you lose you are out of this part of the competition. You can continue to watch and wait for the next challenge. If you win, rest while you can because you will fight another group. This will go on until there is only one undefeated group. If that means we fight all night, then we fight all night. The next part of the competition will begin tomorrow morning regardless. I’ve partitioned the yard off into four areas so that four bouts can go at once. Check the lists, arm yourselves appropriately, and get to the appointed area as quickly as you can. We will start when both groups fighting are present.”

As soon as Eric finished his speech, there was a flurry of movement. Everyone rushed to get armed and check the lists. Since Gavin was already appropriately armed, he volunteered to check the lists while the rest of them grabbed weapons. They returned from the armory to find Gavin in the section marked 3.

“We fight first,” he said simply. He twirled his spear. “Great way to start out the morning,” he smiled.

Justin smiled back. They were at ease with their weapons and relaxed by doing some warm up stretches while waiting for their competition to show up. There were professors stationed outside each section to announce the start, make sure a fair match was conducted, announce the winner, and administer any immediately necessary first aid. Bumps and bruises would be ignored, but breaks would be mended. The other group arrived shortly thereafter. It was comprised of three guys and a girl. They held their weapons comfortably, but looked rather intimidated. Lucy couldn’t blame them. Gavin had a reputation.

“Good morning,” said Gavin with a smile. “Do you need a minute to stretch or shall we begin?”

“We’re ready,” said one of the guys.

Gavin nodded towards the professor.

“Take your places.” Both groups lined up facing each other. “On the count of three you may begin. One, two, three.”

They stood there, giving the other group a chance to attack first. One of the guys took a swing at Maya, and they took that as their cue to begin. Maya blocked the stroke and followed with one of her own. Lucy disarmed one guy after three quick hits with her short sword, pinned him down, and looked up to see Justin with his boot on one guy’s chest. Gavin had knocked the guy who had attacked Maya unconscious. Gavin and Maya both had weapons pointed at the female member of the group who was also disarmed by that point. She surrendered, the professor declared the winner, and they went to get a drink of water. They were the first group done by quite a bit.

There would be another couple of fights that would need to take place before they could start taking on the winners from the first round so they sat and watched how other groups performed. There was some good sparring going on and plenty of people who were good, but needed more training. Gavin looked relaxed and happy commenting here and there on what an individual was doing wrong. Lucy enjoyed watching Darren’s group with their first round too. They were classmates and friends. Lucy wanted them to do well and, at the same time, hoped that they would lose before they met up with her group. They fought well, but Lucy could see they would not be able to beat her group.

Their second fight went much like their first. By their third fight, they were developing a reputation as the group to beat. Gavin grinned and flexed his muscles. Lucy smiled as one of the female opponents swallowed nervously. Justin took this moment to make an attempt at diplomacy. He took a step forward and bowed.

“We enjoy this, but if you would rather, you do have the option to surrender now and enjoy the day watching the rest of the matches without any more bruises,” he said politely casual.

One of the group members looked as though he was considering the idea. Then he shook his head.

“We showed up to fight. We may not win, but we’d rather lose in a fair fight than surrender without even trying.”

Justin nodded and stepped back, and the teacher counted off to begin. Lucy barely raised her weapon before Gavin had already put two members of the group down. He started on the third while she and Justin worked on the fourth.

“Really Gavin, the rest of us want to play too,” said Justin.

“Sorry,” he said with a sheepish look on his face, “I was getting restless.”

“I know, but they will get harder when we face groups that have won more matches,” said Maya who hadn’t even gotten a hit in this bout.