Thunder cracks the world bright for only a second as lightning strikes frighteningly close. My body is soaked through from the hours spent in this downpour and if it weren’t for a wide-brimmed hat there’s a chance I could’ve drowned while standing.
I'm currently in the forest with Arvi and Anna on what the two of them called ‘a fun day out’ Yes they are having fun while I suffer. When the rains come it’s a village tradition to go out hunting and foraging with your family, some nonsense about good luck for the new year. As luck would have it Arvi has taken pity on me and my lack of relatives and demanded I join them on this oh so joyous occasion. My mud-logged boots and chattering teeth are so grateful for this opportunity to experience the finer points of village life.
Arvi raises a hand and my complaints are gone the second I see it, he’s spotted something, and knowing him it’s got teeth bigger than my arms. Anna and I crouch down and join him at the front taking care not to spook the would-be dinner. My jaw drops at the sight of what he wants us to kill, not him, me, and Anna, he wants us to kill it alone as a part of our training.
The best thing I could compare it to is some kind of dinosaur kind of like a raptor now this wouldn’t be that bad on its own, except the thing has fucking armor. Actual metal coats its long neck and chest and I’m positive the talons are closer to swords than anything an animal should have. Before I have a chance to voice my complaints Anna is already circling it and making hand gestures for me to pull out my sword. Begrudgingly I do so, my arms feel weak and I know it’s not the rain, im terrified just being able to see it how the hell do they expect me to cut through iron?
The signal as we call it, is just a ball of fire Anna sends straight into the thing's face, a baseball-sized flame that explodes the second it makes contact. A blinding flash, for the beast that is, I knew ahead of time to look away, I’m on my feet in seconds the sword in my hands heavier than it's ever been before. I swing.
A screech fills the air, so loud it threatens to deafen me, as I jump back and splatter of crimson splashes to the ground only to be washed away seconds later with a deep gash along its unarmored side. Another screech and the raptor lunges at me its massive talons sending up a cloud of mud as it moves I only have a second to dodge so I drop to the ground and roll. It's not elegant but an animal won’t follow a pattern when attacked and neither should I. It lands and a second ball of fire collides with its legs scorching the thick flesh black slowing but not by much. It turns to where Anna is hiding the only thing separating her and the raptor is one of those weird ass trees. With its back turned I rush for a second swing before it gets out of range.
Metal strikes metal as the raptor spins to meet me, its iron-coated neck easily stopping my short sword.
“Fuck.”
Those talons are nothing like swords I think as they take across my chest, their closer to scythes with long curved blades meant to rip and tear flesh. Landing on my back I’m grateful that this trip wasn’t as rushed as I made it out to be, my leather chest piece is shredded but only a few shallow lines reached my flesh. More fire crashes against the raptor giving me a chance to stand while it’s distracted id thank Anna but she might’ve made things worse. The sizzling flesh, bloodshot eyes, and bright red armor tell me that this thing doesn’t care if it lives anymore.
It rushes me and instantly a wave of heat rushes into me as I dodge to the side only narrowly avoiding becoming grilled meat. Anna shouts something about mana that I assume means I’m on my own to finish this, no problem. Starring me down I watch as its muscled legs are ready for a charge and in return, I change my stance. We sit for a second neither wanting to move first, thunder cracks and we move. My arms are covered in burns and I can barely stand but a few feet from me lies the mangled head of my first kill.
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Im gonna eat the fuck out of whatever this is.
—{}{}{}{}{}—
Arvi.
I can’t help but be impressed that my little girl is all grown up and killing her own prey now, it brings a tear to my eye. Xavier was half bad either the guy’s not used to how fragile he is yet but that can only be taught through experience until then my training is done. As I approach I lift the corpse onto my back, no sense in wasting their first kill, they look tired and hurt but unbroken.
“You’re ready, no more training, relax until you leave.”
I let them catch their breath before we walk back, Anna wants to protest, to beg me to wait a bit longer but she should know that unless there’s a proper tutor here she’ll never reach the heights her mother did. Knowing what happened to her mother is the last thing I want to have to tell her but if she truly puts up a fight I won’t have a choice. Xavier looks downright miserable and not from the mud still clinging to his clothes, the kill was ultimately his he swung the blade, to take a life even that of an animal is an immense burden. The journey home is silent.
Emma greets us with her contagious excitement and my face is beaming while I work to strip the kill. Xavier and Anna head into the study the light of her mana already returning if a bit dim.
—{}{}{}{}{}—
Anna.
We did it, we practiced our asses off and in two short months we’ll be attending the largest academy in the world. Xavier collapses into a chair by the desk and I follow by example, my mother's tome sits open the last page we studied is still there.
“What do you think the academy is like?”
Xavier’s the first to break the heavy silence.
“Big, it’s the same size as the capital. A whole city dedicated solely to the school at its heart.”
“Oliver said your dad went there when he was training. Is that why he pushed us so hard you think?”
No, he pushed us because of me, because he’s scared I won’t be what mom wanted me, and he’s right. I’m scared, terrified really, Mom died and I don’t know how, all Dad ever told me was that she died with a smile on her face.
“Yeah probably.”
One day Emma will attend as well, she’s already showing signs that she’s a prodigy waiting. If I don’t go, If I make my excuses and push as hard as I can what would Dad do when it’s time for her to go? He'd definitely send Xavier, he wouldn’t joke about that.
Xavier doesn’t look as sad as before but it’s still there buried under the exhaustion and adrenaline, I should be happier too. We won, and we should be celebrating but more than anything I can't stop thinking about the fight. And how I lost control when I saw him get hurt like a veil went over my eyes. I just couldn’t stop myself from casting again and again.
He leans forward resting his arms against his still muddy legs, those piercing black eyes staring at me like he knows all my secrets, especially the ones about him.
“Hey, we did well.
That school won’t be shit compared to us right?”
I can tell that his smile is forced, and I smile back.
“Fuck yeah!”