Upon arriving we were shown to a giant room with testing dummies and people sparring with them. I noticed that older people were observing the obviously inexperienced and there were weapons’ racks everywhere. The guy that led us to the area was massive, I must say. He was built like a tank practically, and he seemed to barely fit in the cloak. His cloak, by the way had insignia of a black dove on a white back ground.

He spoke in an odd voice that didn’t match his stature, “Sense you guys are human, we can’t screen you properly. We do apologize for the inconvenience, but we do ask that you practice with some of the weapons we have provided,” he gestured to the weapons’ rack, “We do ask you do be careful, we will decide what weapon you show most potential.” With that he gave a swift bow and left us to our own devices.

Gradually, our small group dispersed into random areas of the room, some even went to what I guessed was an explosives and archery range. I kind of gravitated toward a lone dummy with a rack close by. Looking at the rack I take a quick inventory check: various throwing knives, a staff, a spear, a short sword, a Warhammer, and a few daggers. Hmmm, I guess I’ll pick the sword.

Picking up this iconic weapon, it felt… awkward. I know nothing about form but I decide to give it a go. I approach the dummy and give him a quick slash and the sword bounced off it sending unpleasant vibrations up my arm. Well I guess I will not pick up another one ever again.

Let’s see ooh, I guess I’ll try the Warhammer. Rather than being awkward, it was just really hard to balance correctly. So instead on focusing on balance I just put all my weight into a horizontal slash and smashed into the dummy’s side. The dummy swayed but I had received way more damage than the dummy. Trying to stop my teeth from chattering, I moved on to the next weapon.

As I bent down to pick some of the knives I noticed a lovely looking girl training on dummy rather close to mine. She was slender and probably just a few inches smaller than me. She had a sharp chin and a small nose with long, cascading dark hair. If it wasn’t for the knives she was holding, I could see anyone try to hit on her. I took a moment and watch her throw a knife. She threw with such grace I almost forgot to follow the knife to the target. As I followed with my eyes, I saw the knife knock another one out of place and lodge itself at the bullseye with seven other knifes. Whoa was she incredible or what?

Snapping myself out of sheer amazement, I try to copy her stance as I took a knife and quickly toss it at the unmoving dummy and watch as the knife bounce off a few inches before it clattered on the floor. What did I do wrong?

I heard a giggle that sound like wind chimes, but however pretty the voice was, I still freaked out just a bit. Jumping a bit, I narrowly avoid the knives I just dropped out of surprise. I turned around to see the same girl I was mimicking earlier, trying to contain her laughter. My jumpiness proved to be even more amusing to her as she just about doubles over in laughter. I bent over and picked up the knives as her laughter came to a stop.

When she had settled a bit, I asked, “Is it out of your system?”

She stifled a giggle, as she said, “Yes, I think so. I was just observing you and I couldn’t help but giggle.” She had a charming smile that flashed her teeth. Despite being openly laughed at, I could see she was just a joyful person in general. She approached and asked, “I’ll try not to brag but my skills in throwing weapons are pretty good, mind if I give you some tips?”

I scratch my chin as if was contemplating the proposal, “Hmm, I don’t know…” Her smile faltered just a bit.

“Oh, I see, perhaps another time.” She was about to turn around and I caved.

“Yes, please. It would be nice to learn a thing from a pro.” She perked up.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a pro, but I’m not shabby.” She said as she came closer to me. She grabbed one of my knives and held it up by the tip. 

“Lesson one: hold it one inch above the tip of the blade.” She motioned me to step aside as she stared down at the target, “Next, hold the knife at about your ear. For beginners, it helps improve aim if you move other hand in front of you and sing your torso as you throw the blade. Release the blade when you extend the knife throwing hand straight in front of you.” She demonstrated it all in one go and she hit the bullseye.

She stepped aside and indicated that I give it a shot. So that I did, I followed her instructions as best I could. I didn’t hit the bullseye on the dummy’s head but I did manage to get the knife stuck in his head. For that I was proud. “Thank you so much, umm, sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“My name is Karen. Karen Weidenmann. My family moved to the city of Gadopilis, so I don’t much about this place. Mind if I have your name?”

Well, if she is new, then she doesn’t know of my family, “Oh, well my name is Nicola Valentini.”

She paused for a moment, “Valentini,” oh crap, “sounds like Old Italian.” Phew.

Dodging a bullet I confirm that it was before I was tapped on the shoulder. Turning around I saw an elder behind me with a little gleam to his eyes, “Young man, I think you may have some prospects in throwing weapons. I’m going to bring you into the Diligence Core, follow me.” He said he turned around exited the gym. I turned around and shrugged before I jogged off.

Following the old man I was lead in to a room upstairs that had a few other students. The room appeared to be a classroom so I take my seat among the other students and wait for the old man to catch his breath before he started, “I am not your instructor but your recruiter. Not many humans join the Diligence Core but I am glad that you few have taken an interest in throwing weapons. Now you may not be the best at it yet, but with time you will do well. Since it’s the first day of school, this will remain brief. Since you are only humans I will go ahead and tell you what the Diligence Core is. The Diligence Core is a specialization of anti-magicsmen, which specializes in daggers and throwing weapons. Anti-magicsmen graced with the virtue: diligence, are good with throwing weapons and such because it takes a great deal of diligence to master and use this skill in combat. More so than the other weapons. Yes, question?”

He pointed at a kid sitting next to me, the kid stood up and said, “When do we get our insignias?”

The old man nodded, “Tomorrow when you return to this class room with the rest of your classmates. If that is all, then you all will return to East Tower to find out what Dorm room you will be assigned. Dismissed.”

Everyone rose and left the room as we made our way to East. We just have to find out what room our dorm was then we get the rest day off. It wasn’t even noon! When we entered the East Tower Lobby we saw lines forming in front of some desks. I assume these are lines for dorm information, so I hope in line before it gets too long.

Again, since I don’t have any friends, so I’ll just have to sit tight. It was about half an hour before I approached the desk. When I got to desk, there was only lady behind the desk looking so bored. She looked up and asked, “Name?”

She had expression that screamed boredom. She looked more bored than I, which was saying something, I had no friends. Remembering that she asked a question, I fumbled for an answer, “Uh… Nicola Valentini.”

Accepting my answer she flipped through fifty or sixty files before turned to me and asked, “Are you sure you are supposed to be hear?”

“Uh, well, I am actually a magicsman… but I don’t have any magic.”

She looked me over once then twice, once satisfied she looked behind her shoulder at a clock and looked back at me, “They haven’t transferred your paper work yet, and since we still have many students go through, it won’t be in till morning.”

Till morning, huh? I was about to turn around but then I remembered, “What about my dorm room?”

She bit her lip for a moment, took another look at the clock and then at the students, with a scowl she said, “Fine, return before curfew.” 

She could’ve done it earlier all this time? Was she being lazy or something? I nod my head and turn around and walk off.

I exit the lobby and I guess because I had a lot of time to think, I started to brood without noticing. Worst case scenario, my family will find out the results me not having any magical essence, it will turn into a fiasco, they won’t when another election, and I will be ostracized. Best case, they won’t care, society will not notice, I will continue life undisturbed. As much as I want to believe in the best case, the worst case was still weighing heavily on my mind. As I was pondering this, I notice someone had stepped in front of me.

Looking up, I saw a familiar figure of a lovely girl staring at me in curiosity, “Are you ok?” When I nod my head, Karen took it as is and continued, “Hmm, you were spacing out, so I was checking if you were alright. Hey, listen, I’m new here, so I don’t have any… many friends, mind hanging out with me for today?”

I was stunned for a moment, a wild friend has appeared! How should advance? On second thought, I need friends before I look for advancement in relationships. “What a coincidence, I too have no friends!” I say pathetically, I practically died a little from how pathetic it sounded.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

She smiles for a bit before she corrected me, “It’s not that I don’t have any friends, just not many. They are busy visiting other people so, I decided to see if you are available.” She said as she was turning right.

“Well, I was homeschooled until today, so you are my first friend.” I admit.

She glanced at me before she completed her turn and marched toward the gate. “They should be serving lunch today, let’s go before the lines get to big.” With a smile, I follow her to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria is located out of the fortress of a school. From what I gathered from my research of this school, the school doesn’t actually have a designated mess hall, the do endorse a few in Gadopilis. The main one that most students go to is the one that is the closet to the school, of course. The building was only two stories high but it was seven times the space of the West Tower Lobby. It was giant food court full of anything you can think of. It was still half mile walk from the school being that it was located in the commercial district.

Two rights and a left later and we arrived at the amphitheater style cafeteria, The Melting Pot. Entering, we were greeted by many of aromas. Most of the smells were mouthwatering. When I turned to look at Karen, I saw the look of awe. She knew the way, but I guess she never really entered this place before. I waited for the awe to die down from her face before I asked what she would like to eat.

She took a moment, taking in the seen, then pointed at a McKing’s excitedly. Since I don’t mind McKing’s too much and I wanted to make a friend, we make our way to the red and yellow fast food haven. The line wasn’t too bad, there were a few people staring at the menu as if it wasn’t millionth time ordering from this food chain.

As we approach the counter one customer at a time, Karen got more and more excited, she even started to list off some facts. “McKing’s Burgers was established in the year 4895 AD, it was when two restaurants from ancient times decided to join forces to form a joint company. It was a miracle those two chains lasted through two apocalypses, so they decided to call off their rivalry and join hands in a fast food union. Although the two restaurant names had long been forgotten, the Double Golden Arches came from one of the two and no one knows what the other contributed to today’s McKing’s. Some same it might owe part of its name to the deceased restaurant.” She rattled off facts left and right about corporation and what all had been on the menu that isn’t on it now.

Now I was starting to feel my stomach make gurgling sounds indicating it was indeed time to be feed. Just when Karen finished saying something about some of the previous CEO’s policy changes, it was our turn to approach the counter. Karen had already told the cashier what she wanted, loud and clear. Before I tell the cashier what I wanted, I give the menu one more look over, just out of habit. Alright I know what I want.

“I would like a…” I started before there was a huge commotion that interrupted my order. The sound of glass crashing from the windows, screaming and hollering coming from all sorts of directions.

“Everybody get down and stay down!” Everyone immediately ducked and protected their heads while they were on the ground. Is this a robbery?  They won’t get very much, it’s only restaurants here. Moments later I felt a sharp kick in my ribs as I was kicked by one of the crooks.

“I said get over there with the rest of the hostages! Come on, get!” with that, the man kick once more before I was put with the rest of the people in the center of the cafeteria. Chairs and tables had been thrown aside to make room for all the hostages, adding up to maybe 150 to 200 hostages, me being one of them.

Looking around I counted seven bad guys, each brandishing a different weapon. There were was a guy holding a giant hammer, a double handed broadsword, and a crossbow. One had a staff and another had a set of knives in his hands. There was one guy that had a spear. The last didn’t have a weapon but something that looked like a remote control with only one or two buttons on it. I didn’t like the feeling of the one with the remote.

All of them were dressed head to toe in black, they had goggles and masks on. Over the black suit was some kind of armor that might be Kevlar or something. The guy with the spear was the only one in front of us and I think he might be the leader. As if to confirm my suspicion, he takes off his mask unlike the others. His face made him to be about mid-twenties with red hair, dead eyes, and a scar running across the bridge of his nose, at the sight, Karen gasped as if she recognized him. At first he paces the crowd and he looks over us and says, “The people not in robes, get.” When he finished his order he jab his thumb at the door.

When no one budged, he barked, “Get! I don’t know what is clear about it, I said get!” After that, the folks not wearing robes desperately left the group. When the last one left the door, he looked at the remainder of us and smiled an awful smile. He looked back at the door and waited a second or two before we all saw a security drone fly in through the broken window.

Security drones are used for surveillance, usually used for news stories. The man with the scar looked into the drones lenses before he spoke again, “Finally, it’s what we’ve all been waiting for!” He said joyously, “The Inquisition has arrived to the great city of Gadopilis!” he cracked another smile. He looked over the remaining ninety or so hostages and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were bright green. He scanned the crowd and said, “When I point at cha, go that way”, he pointed to the area off to the side.

He scanned each individual briefly and every other person he told to go to the area. When he looked at me I shivered a little, but he moved on. When he was done, he blinked away the green, and the group was split almost evenly. He had his subordinates strategically placed in the crowd I guess to keep us from getting any ideas. The man then walked over to the group and pulled out a boy with brown curly hair. On this boy’s robes was a thorny purple flower insignia which the man ripped off. He showed it to the rest of us, “Pride. Pride is the worst in my opinion, but then again it is the opposite of humility.” He dragged the boy, who had to be only one grade above us, to the center of his stage.

He looked at the drone dead on and said, “This is the first of many.” When he concluded those words he drove his spear deep into the boy’s chest. The boy went deathly still in a moment, the man twist his spear until he was satisfied then kicked the body off his spear. The body slumped unto the ground and did not move past that. There was a scream in the crowd and the rest of the hostages broke out in frantic murmurs.

From beside me I heard Karen say, “I have to do something,” before she could do something stupid I shake my head as if to silently yell ‘no’. “I have to do something; I can’t just sit here and let people die.” She didn’t let me continue my silent pleading. She was just determined to get herself killed, but I won’t let my first friend die on me.

When the man with scar dragged a girl out of the group, practically by her hair and put her beside the body, she was had a justifiable panic attack. She had straight blonde hair and like some of us, had no insignia. Karen bolted straight up and threw her concealed knives at the crossbow wielder. Her immediate action caused me to take course as well, I ran straight for the very surprised leader of the pack. 

He gave me only a glance before he regained his composure and stabbed the girl in the chest as well. As I got within five feet of him, I felt a red hot pain shoot straight through head and I immediately tasted the metallic taste of blood.

Before I knew it, my face was already on the ground, staring at a pair of boots approach my face. When they got in front of me, they stopped and I felt my head being pulled up by the hair. More pain attacked my brain making sure I was awake. The guy picked me up with one hand and turned me to face the crowd. The goon closest to me had a staff with blood on one end. Hey, he hit me didn’t he? In the background I noticed Karen getting subdued by the other knife thrower, who was taking down her knives out the air with his own.

Then the guy turned me around to face the drone, and proclaimed, “This is perfect timing, now I can show you what happens if meet resistance. Since the lady over there is an anti-magicsman, I’ll show some mercy, however you, human, are a conspirator with the Sins. 

Because you tried to defend a Sin, I will not show you any mercy from The Cleansing Virtues.” The edges of my vision were already fading ever so slightly, but when he slammed my head into the ground repeatedly, the pain had dulled and vision went black. And that was the last thing I remembered.