Chapter 32.

PART 1.

Neshma trains with the dummies, the multiple opponents who don’t feel any pain or have any feelings. She has neglected her skills in recent times, because people seem to be unable to keep up with her. The feeling of safety infected her mind, and when Zeko easily split those boulders and pierced another one with such casual ease, something which she can’t do despite hours of trying, lit a fire in her belly. She has also cranked up Hatori’s training.

If the boy becomes comfortable with his skills, then he will be eaten by the monsters in the future, and they won’t even take a burp after eating him.

PART 2.

After his scare last week, Hatori has stopped going outside completely, because each time he tries to go for a walk (something which used to bring him a lot of joy) he remembers his helplessness. How he was trapped outside, and was unable to do anything about it.

Better to stay inside instead of inviting trouble by going outside. Though the strategy is sound, the boy doesn’t realize that that is no way to live. If you hide from danger in your home, it’ll find you in your home. I know, I have personal experience. Anyway, Zeko is furious with his sudden cagey behavior. That is why he is coming at him to send him outside, since again, this is one of those off days for plot convenience… oops!

“What are you doing?” asked Zeko, taking the chair in Hatori’s room.

“I’ve just got done stretching.” He said.

“I’m not talking about that. You used to go out every time you had a chance. So why have you stopped? What are you doing here, cooped up in your room?” asked Zeko firmly.

“I’m tired. That woman has increased the pace of my training for some reason.” Muttered Hatori.

“Don’t give me excuses, boy.” Thundered Zeko. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

Hatori remains quiet.

“Well?” Zeko said, when it is clear that no answer is coming.

“Yes!” Hatori shouted. “I’m scared that some monster from this house will stop me from coming in, trapping me in the rain outside. Is that so bad?”

Zeko smiled. “No fear is bad or good.” He said. “But you will go out tonight, regardless of the danger.”

“But, but,” Hatori tries to protest.

“No buts. A boy of your age shouldn’t stay cooped up in a house. Now, move it!” said Zeko.

Once he saw Hatori to the outside, he turned to a wall. “Did you need to scare him so badly?” He asked the wall.

A face suddenly appeared on the wall. “That is surprising. Have you gone soft? Do you need a remedial lesson?” asked the face.

“As if. The boy hasn’t grown up here. He doesn’t understand what is expected of him.” said Zeko.

“And he won’t, if you coddle him. let us do our job, for which we were designed.” Said the face, and disappeared.

Zeko grumbles, and sits down on the sofa of his hall. There’s a reason why he doesn’t like to work with children below the teenage years, and he hates his duties sometimes.

PART 3.

Hatori goes out for a reluctant walk. He checks the door one last time before leaving. The clouds were rumbling this afternoon, and though they might be quiet, Hatori can smell the strong possibility of rain tonight.

Hatori goes to the same place where he met Nandan last time, and much to his delight, the boy is still here. “Well, well, look who showed up?” said Nandan, helping his father.

“Is this the boy you told me about?” He asked.

“Yep. One hell of a wrestler, even at his age.” His father smacked him.

“Language! Do consider the age of him.” He said.

“Whatever. I’m sure by the time he returns from the academy, he’ll be swearing a blue streak.” Said Nandan with a chuckle.

“We’re done here. You can talk to him if you want.” said Nandan’s father.

Quickly taking this chance of getting away, Nandan puts one hand on Hatori’s shoulder, and quickly runs away. “Thanks for doing me a favor.” He said. “I was getting bored with packing bananas. There’s only so many times you can see the shrinking spell performed on your organized pile.”

“I wouldn’t know anything about it.” said Hatori, now walking beside Nandan.

“Say, I hear you practicing dueling. Is master Zeko teaching you?” asked Nandan.

“Nah, there’s this woman…” Hatori trailed off, while Neshma sneezed.

“I bet that boy is talking behind my back.” She grumbled.

“Apparently, I’m too young for his methods.” Said Hatori.

“Makes sense. Once he starts, he doesn’t relent. At your age, you won’t survive his training. Your body and magic is not up to it yet.” Said Nandan.

“But why talk about boring future? Let’s have a duel right here, and now. Let’s see what you’ve learned.”

“What’re the rules?” asked Hatori.

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“Just try to tag each other with Knockback spell. Should be harmless enough. Whoever tags the other person with it three times will be the winner.”

“Sounds like three falls of wrestling.” Said Hatori, making Nandan chuckle. “I’m in.”

The duel didn’t last long. Despite being done in an open place, Nandan and Hatori remained in the same area during the entire duration of the duel. Hatori managed to tag Nandan twice, though he failed to make him hit the ground. The older boy tagged him three times quite fast.

The third was particularly harsh, making him sprawl on the ground. “Are you okay?” asked Nandan, giving him a hand.

“Yeah, fine.” Hatori didn’t mind Nandan not apologizing for the harsh hit. They both agreed for it after all.

“You have a lot of potential for this thing.” Said Nandan. “Though you do need to improve your reaction time, especially during an attack. You don’t want to give any time to your opponent to prepare for your next move.”

“I’ll work on it.” Said Hatori. “Say, how are the rules for an official competition?”

“To win, you have to incapacitate your opponent, or capture their foci. At younger ages, certain spells are not allowed, but as you go up in ages, you can pretty much have the freedom to use whatever you like.” Said Nandan. “I must say that you cast the Knockback quite fast, even without a foci.”

“I don’t use a foci.” Hatori reveals, shocking Nandan. “Zeko doesn’t let me use it for more than two hours a day.”

Nandan shook his head. “I don’t know at what angle he’s playing at. But you won’t be able to continue like this forever.”

After Hatori returns from his playtime, he cautiously senses the entrance. When he sees nothing, he tries to walk in. But before he could do that, a tall, humanoid-shaped shadow barred his path.

The shadow lunges for him, and Hatori has to scamper away fast to avoid the grip of the shadow. Hatori tries to damage it with Piercing spell, but the shadow batted it aside, and replied with a Knockback spell of its own, sending Hatori sprawling to the ground for the second time this day.

Failing to beat the shadow, he tries to sneak into the house.

He waits for a while, and after feeling that the shadow has put its guard down, he tries to sneak inside. Sneak. Sneak. He senses to the right. Sneak. Sneak. He senses to the left. Sneak. Sneak. The shadow is looming over him suddenly, and after picking him up, it throws him out once more.

“This isn’t fair!” Hatori whined. “A child is not supposed to be trapped outside of the house in the night.”

Then, the rain starts. “Oh, just great.” Thoroughly dejected, Hatori takes shelter in the gardens shed. Apparently, the shadow doesn’t mind that.

He would like to have a fire here, but he doesn’t know how to light one. He did handle the fire on the camping trip under the strict supervision of Neshma and Zeko. The mages who play with dangerous magic don’t like children burning themselves with the mishandling of fire. Who knew?

Thus, he has no option but to shiver for the entire night, all the while the shadow guards the entrance.

PART 4.

While Hatori is having his own problems, some thousand kilometers away, Porus sits on his throne, contemplating this latest issue. The throne doesn’t like when people go against its authority. It certainly doesn’t like people harboring plans to create another country right in its territory. And it positively despises someone who manages to do that successfully.

Though Porus has practice in quietening its voice at the back of his head, this time, the issue was big, and Porus couldn’t afford to ignore it. A mage after gathering the cult-like following, has claimed some land in the city of salt. All attempts at negotiations have failed. The only thing to consider is, whether he should go by himself, or send his general.

“A king never lowers himself by facing such rabbles.” Porus agrees with the throne, and calls general Sundar to his office, while leaving his throne room.

PART 5.

Hatori manages to survive the night, shivering for the whole time. Even when the rain stopped, the air was cool, and he didn’t have any thick clothes to wear to protect himself. He tries to sneak inside once more, but the shadow grabs him. He got away after piercing its palm. Unfortunately, that bit of damage was not enough to make it disappear.

“Wow, what happened to you?” asked Nandan, seeing Hatori warming himself.

“I can’t get in to the house.” Said Hatori.

“Why?” asked Nandan. “Did Zeko punish you?”

“No. there’s a shadow outside of the entrance.” Explained Hatori. “It won’t let me enter.”

“What? Shadows don’t do that.” Said Nandan. “Let’s see. Holy crap a module monster.” Said Nandan, after seeing the shadow.

“Module monster?” asked Hatori. “Never mind. I’m cold, I’m hungry, and that thing is the cause.”

“Do you know any damaging spells?” asked Nandan.

“Piercing and Cutting spells.” answered Hatori.

“Hmm. We can work with those.” Smiled Nandan. It is not very often that he gets to teach someone.

(End.)