The medical center was filled with Battle-Twin students and it seemed unlikely they could receive treatment before the bell that marked the next lessons rang. Both Myln and Murn filled the waiting room, many clutched burned patches of skin, or big multi-hud bruises. Skat returned the few greetings that were directed at him with half a heart. They found themselves a quiet seat in the corner of the waiting room. Skat felt satisfaction warming him from inside when he saw Woert sit on another bench across the room. A smile spread on his face, it meant Glima was in one of the treatment rooms and had a wound that needed attending. A wound that was caused by Skat. Unconsciously massaging the black, burned patches of skin on his face, he bumped Gert and gestured with his head at Woert.

“Look at that.” He said, the smile still on his face. “I might have actually hurt that arrogant son of a.. “

He interrupted his sentence as Woert got up and in a few long strides bridged the breadth of the room. In contrast to Glima, who showed nothing but contempt, Woert was always warm and friendly to Skat. He often wondered how these two were such a good team.

“Congratulations on your almost win.” Woert laughed at him and sat down heavily on the already bend bench. “I don't think you managed hit Glima that often before. And in the face!”

Skat smiled wider. Woert never complimented him before. The smile faded from his face when Woert looked around, then waved a large finger in front of his face.

“Glima was furious and determined to make you pay.” The bench wobbled up and down as Woert readjusted his seat. Again he waved his hand to interrupt Skat's spluttering reply. “I know, I know.. he has made more fun of you than you can ever do to him. But he feels like that.”

“It's funny. You guys are so small, but your pride is so big.” Woert grimaced at Gert and then held his hands apart from each other. He tapped Skat on the upper arm with his huge finger which left a painful reminder of his physical strength. “So small, yet you think you are so important. Good thing some of you have us Murn around to keep you with both tiny feet on the ground.”

The smile returned to his face, he gestured towards Skat as he directed the next remark at Gert. "Or in your case, keep them off the ground...Shortly."

Both Gert and Woert roared with laughter at this jest, Gert slapping Woert on the back. The bench both Woert and Skat were seated bent down dangerously as the slaps impacted on Woerts back.

Gert laughed, "They do need some serious amount of supervision."

Skat raised an eyebrow. They both knew the history of the Mumy Pact and what the baseline of their society was. Why they made jokes like that was a mystery to him. The Mumy Pact was based on the crystals of sharing, which allowed the Myln to share the battle-rage of the Murns and direct, guide and even exploit that rage of the Murn. The crystals were meant to make sure that the battle addicted Murn would not go berserk and try to destroy each other on the battlefield or die unnecessary deaths. But no, the Myln needed supervision. He scoffed. Before the Pact the Murn had been a solitary race that almost extincted cause of their battle lust and had needed to be tamed by the Myln in order to not be destroyed. Now the Mumy Pact stood strong cause of the crystals.

Skat swallowed and bit back the sharp remark he intended to blurt out and eyed both of the Murn furiously. He caught a glimpse of expectation in the eyes of Gert and Woert was too engaged by the dirt on his hands for his liking. Obviously, they were mocking him and very much hoping he would take the bait. He would not allow them the satisfaction by biting in that juicy piece they dangled in front of his face. But knowing that, he still could not fully contain his anger, he could feel his cheeks heat up. Any kid within their society knew that the Myln were the glue that held the Pact together. Everyone knew that, but still both of them pretended to be their babysitters with such insolence.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Despite his resolution to not give these big dust-brained lumps of muscle any satisfaction, he spluttered. "Wh, what are.."

Before he could finish, both Murn howled with laughter, holding each other as if they had just won the lottery.

Between bursts of laughter, Gert breathed, "See that reddish color on his cheeks?" he giggled, his voice filled with mirth, "I'm not sure" He entrusted Woert, dropping his voice, "But I think he's angry."

Woert turned toward Skat with a skeptical expression on his face. He edged his face closer to inspect Skat more meticulously. His face lit up slightly as he pointed a large sausage sized finger at Skat's face, his smile barely suppressed. "You mean this spot?"

Skat pushed the sausage-like finger away forcefully, "Yes, He means that spot." He lashed out just as the bell for he next lessons rang "Now leave us before Glima returns.”

The waiting room changed into a milling mass of Murn and Myln that suddenly got reminded of their classes.

“Nice” Skat flailed his arms in frustration and got to his feet. “No healing, no food and now I have to battle Captain Klunt for the rest of the afternoon. This is going to be great.”

Captain Klunt always demanded full effort during the battle-strategy sessions. He stretched, strained and hung Skats mind to dry during the sessions. Though he fully enjoyed the intellectual challenge, he always felt wrong out and completely void of creative energy after the intense battles. Woert stopped in his tracks as he heard Captain Klunts' name.

“Captain Klunt?” A thoughtful, but mostly skeptical expression on his face. “Captain Klunt is your strategy opponent?”

Skat merely nodded an acknowledgment as Woert eyed him skeptically. He shot a questioning look at Gert, who also nodded. A hint of respect flared up in his eyes. Captain Klunt was the oldest commander in the Pact and considered a strategic mastermind. The Captain only battled the Myln with the highest potential and his trainees enjoyed a certain measure or respect. For the Captain to battle a student on a regular basis, was to admit that he was training a commander of his own caliber.

“Maybe if I can get as creative on the battlefield as I was in the sparring yard, I might actually have a shot for once.” Skat laughed bitterly. He hated losing, but the Captain was not one to be defeated easily. He felt confident that he would never beat the Captain, but Woert did not know that. He shrugged as he turned to go. “He says he expects a lot of me, but I only see mass-destruction among my ranks wherever I look. The greatest thing I have shown him, is how I can get overrun or stomped into the ground.”

He snorted and started on his way to the door, but held back and glanced at Woert. "Please don't tell Glima," He asked Woert. "Or anyone else for that matter."

Woert looked as if he was just pummeled in the face by an iron fist. " What do you mean, don't tell them" he demanded. "You are the only senior student at the Battle-Twin academy to even face Captain Klunt in the simulator. You should announce this every day at breakfast. You know, it might stop others from laughing at your sparring training.”

“ You knew this ofcourse. And you never told any of us.” He rounded on Gert who had a sheepish expression on his face. When Gert simply nodded, he continued: “ Do you know the respect and fame that would go along with this? All the other battle-strategy students would be green out of pure jealousy!" His expression delighted at the expected turmoil when that particular piece of information would become public knowledge.”

Skat lightly slapped Woert on the wrist, " I'm already an easy target for their scorn, letting them know I train with Captain Klunt will probaby be the last nail in my coffin. For anyone else, the jealousy would stay an emotion. If they know it is I who trains with Klunt, it might and most probably will, turn into a more physical matter. Please... I beg you, please don't tell anyone." Skats' tone had become pleading towards the end.

He tried to force Woert to give in with sheer will power while he cursed himself for being careless in his haste to get away. He should never have mentioned Captain Klunt and after he did, he should have denied he ever did. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Luckily, Woert seemed to understand why Skat made his request "I will hold my tongue." He turned around and with big strides returned to his seat on the other side of the waiting room.

"You wanted to keep it a secret!" Gert told Skat, "But you got to guard your tongue better if it is to remain like that."

Skat groaned, he didn't need Gert of all people, to explain him he had made a mistake.

"I know," He acknowledged. They both turned towards the door.

"Shall we meet at the sparring ground after?" Gert suggested, "I wanted to try to go through the forms in one go, while you shoot targets at the same time." Without waiting for Skat to respond, he stalked away in the direction of the sparring ground.

"Good luck to me too" Skat mused as he started in the direction of the simulator.