Sahri High

Four

L E T I S HA M A N A R I

“Hey! We’re here!” I heard the smiling guy said when I entered the breakfast hall. All eyes were on me. I rolled my eyes and sigh, “Heeeeey!” I can see in their eyes the confusion towards me.

I bet they are all asking why the former member who used to be with that was not around and hanging out with them, and was replaced by a lowlife town girl like me, oh, are they aware? Some of their eyes shouting adoration, to what?

Instead of answering, I just walk towards their direction, I know, even me, I don't want to become part of this group, I don't want to be counted as one of them, my inner self is resisting,. I sighed, and sit at the empty seat near the smiling guy. Sitting with me in the same table was the other two people who came to my house last night.

“Hello! Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself yesterday. I’m Chad, you’re Letisha, right?” he’s so lively as fvck.

“Just call me Isha.” It’s too wordy, with that look I know he will often be calling me.

“Okay, Isha. Why did just order that meal?” I looked unto my plate with Confit de canard, it’s a tasty French dish of duck, for my dessert, I chose Chocolate soufflé. This was the cheapest among the whole menu.

“Nothing. I’m not a legitimate student to feast with your food. Your parents paid for that meal, and not mine, so, shut up.” I said and started to devour my food. I don’t want to eat it cold.

I heard him laughed but I didn’t care. “You better lower your voice, town girl.” Said the lady, I mean someone who’s part of the group.

“Oh, She’s Finesse Vaude. You can call her Fin.” I just nod and continue eating. “And he is Jackson Black, the captain.” I can’t get what he means with that ‘Captain’ thing.

“You have sealing magic, right?” I raised my head and met with his deep captivating green eyes again. “Tell me, what can you do with that magic?”

I put down my utensil and looked at him, “Like what I said, I can open and close things.” I repeated what I have said last night in front of the Headmaster, then eat again, I’m halfway of my food.

“But what and how does that work?” Chad asked instead, I looked at him, saw an almost inch long cut on his hand.

I put down again the knife I was holding and carefully touch his cut, there was a little sparkling light that came out after I touched his cut, and in an instant, his wound was already sealed, and healed.

“Woah! So, you’re a healer too?” he asked again.

“No. I can just open and close things.” I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Isn’t that obvious that she doesn’t want to talk about it, Chad?” Finesse said and rolled her eyes, yeah, a mean girl, but thanks to her, Chad did stop and pout, mumbled things I’m not interested to hear.

The breakfast came out quite and peaceful. Just how I like it.

After lunch, Miss Laurine called us to the training room, and I am now going on my own, this will be the first time that I will be going to the training room. And I’m not afraid to be lost, I mean this is just a small place compare to the forest and town, Cassandra and I are playing and working, this is practically an easy round, and besides, Miss Laurine already instructed me earlier.

It did not took

so long, for me to find the training room. It has a silver room, engraved to the door are the two words, when I entered, it’s a spacious room, on the side of the room, there’s different kinds of knives, kukri, it was a favored weapon used by the Gurkha soldiers in the sixteenth century. Dirk, a dagger-style knife. It came from the shores of Scotland around the year sixteen-hundreds, it was actually designed purely for combat, this blade was made specifically for thrusting in close-quarters, making it the perfect sidearm for boarding enemy vessels.

There was also Pesh-Kabz, one of the most purpose-driven fighting knives in the world, this Elisora blade originated in what is now Serene and was specifically created to pierce through the chain mail armor that had been popularized at the time.

They most often consisted of a long, curved, dagger-style blade with a full tang and a thick spine-especially helpful in adding strength for a stabbing motion. And while the length of the blade was most typically featured a flat ground edge, the tip was usually left a bit thicker, to reinforce it for piercing armor, it was used in mid seventeen hundred.

My eyes almost sparkled when I realized that it was not just ancient blades, there are also knives that was created not so long ago, like this Trench Knife, one of the earliest appearances of this new fighting knife ethos in practice is the traditional trench knife.

Typically, these knives would feature a dagger-like blade, an ergonomic handle, and a wrap-around metal knuckle guard-often taking the form of brass knuckles. Some of them also had a metal-tipped hilt, often referred to as a ‘skull crusher.’

I went straight to my most favorite knife, a Ka-Bar Combat Kukri Knife. A westernized take of the machete-like Gurkha weapon of choice, this blacked-out fighting knife features a high-carbon, powder-coated 1095 steel blade and a slip-resistant Kraton handle. And while this knife is certainly battle-worthy, it also works great as a trail-clearing outdoor tool.

I took a glance to these knives, and I can’t help but to smile, this is freaking awesome. I pulled out my old marine combat knife. This was given by my adoptive grandpa. He loved to use and play with blades and knives. And I love how he do it.

“You must’ve love seeing those.” I almost jumped when I heard someone spoke. I turned around only to see Chad and Miss Laurine. I can see their trying hard not to laugh.

“Whatever,” I turned to Miss Laurine, “Are we starting to train?” I asked.

She nods, “Yes, we can’t just have a slacker day, we have to move,” she said, so I nod and roamed my eyes around the room. I just notice that there is Sahri designed wall clock, a wide glass window, several chairs, training apparatus, and in the middle, a wide space designed for a battle. That must be where we should be standing when the training starts. “Where’s the others, Chad?”

“I don- oh, they are here.” He said, I turned around and saw Jackson and Finesse, entering the room, “Where’s Avery and Luke?” Chad asked.

“Dunno.” Finesse answered briefly then make herself comfortable to one of the chairs, she then looked at me, and rolled her eyes.

“Should we be starting without them?” Chad said and fixed his sleeves.

“They can manage. We can start by training Letisha,” Miss Laurine said and looked at me, “We will be starting with your magic, we wanted to see how your magic works before our eyes, and how you are going to use it in the real battle.” She instructed.

I almost rolled my eyes, but then I saw Jackson, looking at me. I can’t read nor see any emotion in his eyes, they are just staring at me, lifelessly. As if I was his prey. Why the heck is he looking at me?

“Letisha, let’s start.” I nod and just went straight to the middle. “Jackson, you go first.”

Jackson didn’t say anything and just do what he was told. He just stared at me, as if intimidating me through his eyes, so I did that too. He took a couple of steps, until we are only fee steps away from each other, “There is only one rule.” My forehead creased when I heard him spoke. “Cut my cheeks.” He said and pointed out his right cheek.

And I have never been fooled in my life, not until now.

-----

I stepped back, trying to catch my breath, it’s been I think, fifteen minutes since the training started, I’m catching my breath, and wiped the pouring sweats from my forehead.

He’s out of my league, that’s all I can say. He’s not a usual magic user. In fact, for the past fifteen minutes, I never saw him used any magic. He was just blocking me, as if he was just trying hard to control his self not to hurt me badly.

So, I stopped attacking and start to looked at him, he seemed very cold, he was just staring at me, and not saying anything. His rule is very clear. If I can hurt him, even just a small cut, then I’ll win, but why should I follow his words? Why should I aim for his face? And why am I fighting like a p***y?

I step closer to the table where daggers can be found. I grab one, and played it in my hand, it’s a great way to try new kinds of daggers. I’m too familiar to mine. And he will be a good sparring partner to try this one.

He frowned for a while, then came back to his original emotion. Was he born with that face? He is like having the world on his shoulder.

I took a glance with the dagger in my hand. This is the deal he said. If I can hurt him, I will win. I know he underestimated me. I could do even more damage if I wanted to and I wouldn't hold back. I immediately picked up the moves of his feet, slightest turn of his head, down to the tap of his fingers. I studied him quickly, and when I read his next move, I immediately ran around him and threw a dagger one after another. He quickly avoided it, an automatic reflex. I looked down at his feet.

I aimed several daggers towards the upper parts of his body to focus his attention there, then I slid on the floor to injure his leg. The parallel move caught him off guard especially when the dagger touched his foot.

For the first time, he stepped back and smirked, like he discovered something interesting. Is he playing with me? what the f**k? I’m getting pissed off.

“Is that all you’ve got? Why don’t you use your magic? That’s the reason why we’re doing this, anyway.” He said, and I heard it, he’s playing with me. goddamnit!

I did not speak back, and started to attacked him, in the opposite direction, like what I expected, he dodged. I aim my hand, “Sealing magic: box reverse.” And in an instant, his right foot was sealed in the very place he was standing, I saw a glimpse of shock strike in his eyes, but immediately move and strike it with a black smoke from his hand.

I did not let him to be able to freed himself, I made another box, and another, then another, and another, but his moves are just so swift, so fast, so accurate. He is surely one of the most trained, among all the students here.

I was taken aback, when he suddenly vanished on his spot, in just a blink, he was nowhere to be find, out of my reflexes, I jumped back, and my feet are not even landing on the ground when I felt his presence from above, but it was too late, all I can do now is to defend myself.

I waved my dagger to prevent him from coming even more closer to me, he dodged it again, I felt his hand on my shoulder, and in just a second, I felt like my muscles was weakened. I was about to drop my weapon out of so much weakness when I saw him attacking again, I grab my dagger, and waited for him to come closer, when I calculated how high my chance to have a successful plan.

A few inches from me, I aimed to his lower part of his body, “Sealing magic: inverse prison.” I cast my spell.

I know he was expecting it, he was expecting that one is coming. I saw how his lips curled up for a smirk. He doesn’t want to beat me, he just wanted to see how my magic works. He wanted to see it before his eyes. He landed few steps away from me, his hands were tied even his lower body. I can nullify magic through my sealing ability. It was not for everyday use, but I can still use it.

“Sealing magic: Inverse vnar.” I whispered and created a small sharp key like steel and finally cut his cheek.

I won.