Reaper Academy: Book One

Chapter Nine: PLEASE REVIEW

CHAPTER NINE

Articus defended off a skillfully executed multiple pronged attack by a hair’s breadth. He had long since stopped going easy on his student.

Nina’s skill had advanced so much that Articus had graduated her to knives. With the aide of Advance Combat class, and with her Reaper body almost fully matured, she was fighting him like she was a level 3, not the level 1 she should be. They had just started dual knives and she had already mastered many of the techniques within the first hour.

Dodging yet another close encounter with her blades, Articus used his right dart knife to cut her fore arm.

Finally, a gory hit. Articus thought with triumphant.

Articus had forgone the wooden practice daggers since both Articus and Nina’s healing ability had grown enough that large bruises lasted minutes. Although they could still feel pain, Articus wanted her to have marks for her mistakes. He didn’t know how long the slashes would last, though. Although Nina’s body had a whole year head start on him, Articus felt his body catching up to her with interest.

The dart knife was the standard knife in the Empire. Between Articus and Waylon, they had enough to supply a small army--no soldier left home without a few on hand. The blade was made from good Ce’lian steel. Flat and double edged, the hand and a half long dagger could be concealed just about anywhere. What made the dagger unique was that unlike most daggers, it didn’t have a crossbar. Instead, the bottom of the flat blade shaped into a leather wrapped steel handle and its end formed into a loop big enough for two fingers. It was designed to be pulled out from the user’s sheath quickly and it was balanced such that it could be thrown. It was one of the most versatile and reliable weapon in the Empire.

Hissing, Nina charged him. At the last second, Articus blocked a thrust for his throat and parried her other knife from his thigh before head butting her in the nose.

“Remember, young one, every body part is a weapon,” Articus said in a cool lecturing tone. To his surprise, he hadn’t broken a sweat yet.

Growling, she jumped back, blood starting to seep down her lip. Not giving her a chance to recuperate, Articus charged her.

Since the other night, before the fireworks display, Articus had felt his whole body changing even more abruptly than before. As Celia had once predicted, everything around him had become ‘lighter’ by the hour and his speed was increasing just as rapidly. Adapting to the new abilities was a struggle. He’d already broken two plates and a chair during breakfast.

Just when he thought he had it down, he felt his body change again. It was very frustrating.

Because she was a Reaper, Nina had the speed to match any Blade Master and only until recently had Articus been able to catch up to her. Thankfully it took more than just speed to defeat him.

When he feigned left, the feeling of time slowing down gripped him as he half leaped for her right flank.

Nina pulled her guard up but was too slow. Her eyes were still staring at where he had feigned left when Articus gave her right thigh a shallow cut.

Snaking his arm around her front from behind her, he pushed the tip of his left dagger up underneath her chin. Using his other knife, he pinned her left hand back between his blade and his arm.

Slightly annoyed at his pupil’s lack of discipline, Articus said, “You know woman, you don’t have to go easy on me. I’m not that much older than you.”

Nina’s body stiffened, “How did you--My thigh! When did you--”

Articus released the would-be dead woman and took a step back.

So I wasn’t imagining it.

Nina stared up at him wonderingly. “I saw you go left but you disappeared after that. How did you do that?”

Articus smiled mysteriously.

Yeah, he was as unnerved as a pregnant man, but it wasn’t often he could surprised his pupil.

“When you reach my level, I’ll tell you it.”

Nina gave him an un-lady like snort. “And I’m a farmer’s wife—“



“Jo-n? Ou oka-?”

Articus’s shook his head slowly as the muffled voice tried to penetrate his conscious. Opening his eyes--he swore he’d only closed them for an instant--he saw blades of grass.

Wha- What happened?

Sitting up slowly he rubbed his head.

“Are you okay?”

Registering the voice as Nina’s, he nodded.

“Aye--I think. What happened?”

“You just fell over. Can you stand?”

“I think so—“

“What happened?” This time it was Celia. Articus rotated his head slowly to see Celia striding their way.

“He just collapsed. He doesn’t look pale or sick...” Nina replied as if he wasn’t there. There was a hint of worry in her voice.

“I felt someone using spirit just a second ago, a large amount.” Celia’s eyes narrowed on Articus.

Nina’s eyes also turned to him. “Wasn’t me--So that’s how you did it! Since when could you manipulate your spirit?”

“What are you talking about?” Celia demanded.

Nina, taken aback by the Reaper’s commanding voice, said, “Uhh, well we were just sparring. One moment he was charging me and the next moment he was behind me--as if he appeared out of no where.”

Celia turned from her to Articus with a thoughtful expression. Tapping a finger to her lips she muttered something to herself. Finally, she pulled Articus up to his feet with one hand. His mentor’s strength always surprised him.

“Seems you broke that block somehow and Accelerated.”

“Accelerated?” they both asked as one.

“By using your spirit, a Reaper can shroud their self with it and do a number of things, one of which is increase their speed. I’m surprised you haven’t learned that in EM yet, Nina. It is a rare ability since it consumes a lot of your spirit, but I’ve seen it done before. You probably went so fast that, to Nina, you appeared to have disappeared but to you, everything slow down. But if you hit your max, you should be out cold…”

She looked even more puzzled at the later. Articus knew if a Reaper used too much of their spirit, they weaken to the point of exhaustion, and it would explain his current condition--at least that’s what he thought.

“That all may be true,” Articus said cautiously, “but that’s not the first time I’ve done that.”

When both women starred at him, he hurriedly explained, “It was during the first attack. I was able to stop the Darkling from shooting his crossbow because of it. I- I thought it was because of my reflexes had been increasing.”

“Oh,” Celia said, her thoughtful face returning. “Darklings have been known to suppress their spirit aura, such that they can’t be detected by Reapers. You must have been close enough that we couldn’t sense you using yours. But that still doesn’t explain why you can’t use yours willingly.”

Articus took a step forward and stumbled. Celia caught him. “Easy there. Is it your strength maturing then?”

Articus shook his head unsteadily. “I – I don’t know. It’s not just my strength but my reflexes and speed. I feel like I could run faster than a horse and lift up a house but-“

“Can’t control it yet? Yes, just as I thought. Nina, help me take him to his room. He needs to rest for the day. Normally a novice matures slowly over the span of months but you seem to be a special case.”

Articus grunted as the two women helped him walk. “Always the special one,” he said sarcastically. He’d been in a mood all morning and it was returning.

“Oh be quite. I wouldn’t be surprised if all your senses started developing soon. You will be out a few days if that’s the case.”

He glared at his mentor as if it were all her fault.

Articus hated being cooped up in one place for too long. The few times he’d been hit hard enough to need serious medical attention; the doctors had to restrain him the moment he could sit up without passing out. He’d always felt like he was trapped in a cage if he wasn’t doing something.

“Since when did you take to walking the training grounds at this hour anyways?” Articus asked in an attempt to forget his last time in a medical bed.

For a wonder, Celia hesitated.

Nina cried out as she took the steps up into the Ring. Rubbing her right leg she glared at Articus. He tried for a look of innocence but it only earned him an elbowed to his ribs.

“My old mentor and I had a--debate last night about your EM training.”

Since Articus kept watching his fellow classmates learn during EM, instead of trying to be the damn river, the teacher had long since given up on him.

Old mentor? Debate? He couldn’t be…

“Master Reaper Nicolas was your mentor?” Articus almost whispered. His head was starting to pound and his eyes were playing tricks on him. He swore he could see the wood grains on the far wall--a hundred spans in front of him.

“You are too sharp for your own good,” she sighed. “He told me about your encounter with those two Darklings. I fear they are becoming bolder and bolder by the day. Another Darkling War might be on the horizon. That is twice in a week that they have out right attacked Reapers and, of all places, here. Even the Head Mistress is getting worried.”

“You don’t really think that do you?” Nina gasped. She looked close to horrified.

The Darkling war must have been bloody

“I really hope not. To be honest, I don’t think we are ready if it came to that. We have grown soft over the centuries.” She sounded as if she had lived those centuries.

When they reached Articus’s room, Celia tried to dismiss Nina. When Nina refused, his mentor scolded the shorter woman, “You have EM soon. Don’t worry about Articus. You can come visit him if Vinn lets you out at lunch.”

Growling, Nina stalked away.

“I think your southern ways are rubbing off on her. She should show more respect to a Reaper. I hope she doesn’t do that with Vinn.”

Articus smiled weakly, “I wouldn’t say that to her face. She’d not only have your hide but mine as well if she thought I was rubbing off on her.”

His mentor looked at the door Nina had stalked out of before giving Articus a bemused smile. Whatever she had been holding against him appeared to have vanished since her talk with Nicolas.

“And taking on a Pupil? I though Vinn was joking when she told me you had taken away her mentor status. You’d think she’d sworn fealty to you.”

He snorted, “And if you say that to her, you won’t be able to sit on a chair for a month. That woman is as proud as you are— and that’s not a compliment.”

Getting elbowed in the ribs a second time, she gently lowered him down on a chair that hadn’t been there before.

Mia walked in right then and Articus had to rub his eyes. She was wearing the choker and bracelet that he had gotten for her. He had waited until after breakfast before he laid the gift it out on the table in the waiting room. It was the first time he’d seen it on her.

Articus was almost glad Nina had left the room. If she hadn’t, Articus would have strangled the woman right there. Mia, if it were possible, looked even more attractive. The jewelry only highlighted her— attributes.

Curtsying deeply, Mia frowned, “Mistress. What has he gotten into now?” It was a tone that Articus had come to learn as protectiveness. Slaves were loyal to their masters, Celia had once said. Articus had begun to see it lately.

Celia’s eyebrow shot up at the slave but Articus suspected her surprise wasn’t only for Mia’s bluntness. The red head really was distracting.

But instead of the lecture on the proper relationship between slaves and masters that Articus had become accustom to, she said, “He will be out for a few days. I don’t want him doing any training until he gets use to his senses. Your master will have to relearn how to live again.” Peering at Articus she said, “And I think all five of your senses will be maturing as well. I must say, I haven’t seen this before.”

Giving up on the subject, she shrugged, “Ah well. Mia, could you fetch us some water and some bread? Thank you.”

Articus was shocked at the Ghourdian’s politeness. She was never polite with her slaves. And no lecture? Celia turned to him expectantly when he gaped at her but he smartly kept his mouth shut.

They were in his bedroom and the small problem of him not having any chairs in his bedroom crept back into his mind. Thankfully, for his sanity at least, he watched the table from his waiting room float in front of him along with another chair. Seeing the bands of spirit, Articus watched them flow around the two objects. The bands appeared to be made of two colors, green and blue. He hadn’t witnessed the flows of energy so closely before.

It was fascinating to watch.

When the furniture settled down in front of them, Celia plotted her body down and started tapping her lower lip with a finger. The habit was getting on Articus’s nerves.

“Since we have time today, I’d like to start up your EM training now.”

“My EM training? --Oh, Nicolas,” Articus groaned. He didn’t feel like ‘being the river’ right then.

“Nothing like that,” she chided. “I’m guessing you haven’t learned much other than the river, right?”

When Articus nodded, she gave a satisfied smile.

“She never could teach. Hmm, where to start…”

Mia came in then with a tray. Setting the tray down, she laid out two empty chilled glasses and a plate of bread. Picking up a pitcher, she poured them their drinks.

“Thank you,” they both said as one. Again, the politeness made him feel… suspicious of the woman.

Taking a bite of bread, Celia continued, “Spirit is the inner energy of a user. The more one has, the more they can manipulate. Everyone must have it to be able to weave anything, it is part of the inborn ability we have. Mages use their spirit to bind different elements to their bidding or, as you have witnessed, use it to manipulate their body to do more than their limits. Being able to sense energy is the second inborn ability we have. Energy is all around us and it is the most powerful of the four elements. Without it, there is no life. It is in everything you see. Everything from the wind, to the light, to even the planet’s gravity can you find energy. Everything that moves or has a hidden force behind it most likely uses energy. Even the air we breathe has it.”

Articus listened with great interested as he tore himself off half a loaf of bread. He hadn’t known that there was a difference between spirit and energy.

“Earth, fire, water, and energy are all usable but, unfortunately, we can only use energy. The mages knew that energy was the most powerful and most abundant element.”

Taking another bite, she chewed slowly before chasing it down with her water.

“Now that we have the history lesson out of the way, can you remember what you did prior to the Acceleration?”

Articus closed his eyes and laid his head back.

“I don’t know. I just…did it. All I can remember was--was wanting to get behind her and fast.”

Celia took on her thoughtful pose again but this time there was a glint in her eye.

“I have an idea but we will have to wait until after you get pass your Awakening. Tomorrow, I’ll come see how you are doing.”

Articus got to his feet unsteadily as Celia stood up.

“Wait just a second. I’m supposed to just sit here?”

“Yup. Think of it as another free day. I’ll be taking up your EM training from now on and you are excused from Advanced Combat until I know you can handle yourself without running through walls. Mia, make sure he doesn’t do anything rash.”

She walked away before Articus could say another word. Growling to himself, Articus glared at the retreating woman’s backside.

Mia looked from one to the other before busying herself with cleaning up after Celia.

He sat back down and tried not to glare at Mia as well. He’d been surprised the woman hadn’t said anything yet about the jewelry and almost wished she had. The woman was too distracting and it only made him more frustrated.

“Did I come at a bad time?”

That voice…

“Guinavev? What in the bloody hell are you doing here?”

“Foul mood today I see. You must be Mia, I’ve heard much about you.” She gave the slave a half bow. “You are wearing it, wonderful. Nina was right, you do look beautiful with it on.”

Mia paused in her cleaning and blinked.

Damn all these pretty women. What I’d give to see just one good well rounded Ce’lian woman right now…

“Mistress Guinavev, I am honored.” She gave the minstrel a curtsy.

“Honor is all mine. Must be hard serving under a southern man,” Guinavev mused.

“Shouldn’t it be the other way around,” he growled at her.

“What’s eating him?” Guinavev asked… not to him, of course, but to Mia.

Do all women ignore me or is it just something they all inherited when they turn thirteen? His mood wasn’t getting any better.

“Mistress Celia told him he has to take it easy for the next few days. He is going through his Awakening,” Mia replied breathlessly. The woman’s eyes could have been the size of saucers. Articus suspected that everyone north of the boarder knew Guinavev.

“That’s great news then Articus! Nina told me about this Awakening. I can win my money back. Surely there is a Toss board around here somewhere.” She peered around the room with a comical eager face.

Looking over his bed, he watched her go into the bathroom.

“By the Gods man! Look at the size of that thing!” Guinavev’s voice went up a whole octet.

Articus’s mood broke and laughter took hold of him.

“You mind keeping me company for the day oh-great-singer-of-the-north? I’m going to need an accomplice in sneaking out of here.” Articus said between fits of laughter.

“On two conditions. First, I want to take at least an hour bath without any interference. I haven’t had a proper bath since I’ve been in Capri.” She was already closing the doors behind her. That was Guinavev for you, she always got what she wanted.

“And the second?” Articus asked with half a mind.

“You keep calling me oh-great-singer-of-the-north. I like that.”