A loud banging woke Elias up. He heard marching footsteps outside of his room. Somebody was outside of his room.

“All nobody freshman exit your rooms now!” boomed a voice from outside in the hall. Elias rushed over to Will.

“Trouble! Will get up. I think nobles are here.”

“Hurry up you have one minute to appear outside uniform or not.

If you do not comply you will suffer the consequences.” Said the voice again. Will turned towards Elias.

“We really have to go outside? How can they even reach us?” questioned Will.

“I’m not sure Will but I have a bad feeling about this.” Said Elias. They rushed to open their door and stepped outside.

In the hall were upperclassmen. Two of them pushed Elias and Will up against a wall.

“Smart choice nobodies,” said the one holding will. On their collars were crests.

The other two nobles stormed off into their room. “Better pray we don’t find that mask in your room.

Or else you won’t survive the night,” threatened the upperclassman.

“All clear sir,” reported one of the kids who came out of their room.

Elias looked around of the panic induced hallway. Most of the students in his hallways were smart.

However only one room remained closed.

“Times up,” menaced one of the kinds outside of the closed door.

Two other upperclassmen joined the four outside the door.

They unclicked wooden training weapons from their belt.

Elias tried to move forward to see what they were doing.

“Don’t even think about it,” warned the upperclassman who held him against the door.

One of the nobles pulled out a blue key from out of his pocket. Elias’s worst nightmare came true.

The battle weapons store sold offensive and defensive items.

They could get into his door and the two in the room had no way of stopping them. The door unlicked.

Two of the noble upperclassmen kicked the door open simultaneously.

All he heard was shouting and screams of pain.

Two of his fellow barracks men were then dragged out into the hall.

They were bloody and beaten till they couldn’t stand.

“Not here sir” said one of the nobles coming out of their room. T

he man who was the leader of the nobles paced through the hallway.

“Stupid idiots. On your knees filthy dogs,” commanded the noble leader.

As he gave the command every noble who held a student against the wall punched them in the stomach.

Elias and will were forced to fall forward on their knees.

“Listen now and listen well. You may think you have gotten away with it this time but it will not happen again.

Once we find out who you are we will not hesitate to kill you.

If we find out that you do know but do not tell us the identity of the masked man we will kill you.

If you come forward and tell us the identity of the masked man out of honor, duty, and service you shall be rewarded.

Things are only going to get worse from here on out if you continue like this masked man.

If you ever decide to resist us again you will receive worse than your friends here.”

After his speech, the noble marched away without a second thought about the two kids who were lying bloody on the floor.

The nobles followed in suit behind him. The nightmare was over for now.

“Will help me out with these two,” said Elias after he couldn’t hear the nobles anymore.

Elias and William rushed over to the two students lying on the ground.

“Does anyone know where the infirmary is?” questioned Elias in a weary voice.

“I do,” said a largely build student who was walking on his way over to help carry one of the students.

He led them down a couple corridors until they reached a location with a medical symbol over the entrance.

“Doc we got two more,” shouted one of the kids.

He appeared to be a medical student working here in the infirmary of the academy.

“You guys wouldn’t happen to be on the third floor would you?” asked the student.

“Yeah we were the last ones the nobles visited,” said the student who helped Will and Elias carry the two down to the infirmary.

Apparently every floor of barracks C had been visited that night. The search for the masked man continued.

“Thanks for bringing them down,” said the med student.

“If you would please place them on those two beds over there I will be over there momentarily.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

After that you guys should head back to bed. You have had a long day and are gonna need your rest for tomorrow.

The first week is always the most rough.” The three placed the two down on the bed.

These two looked like they weren’t the only ones not to open their doors to the nobles.

“Thanks for helping us out,” said Elias.

He stuck his hand out to shake it with the student who helped them to the infirmary, “My name is Elias.”

“No problem. It is nice to know that there are those who are willing to help others. The name’s Liam.”

Liam shook Elias’s hand. William and Liam both introduced themselves and the three headed back up to the rooms.

They parted and entered their separate rooms. Elias and William rearranged their room since it had been overturned.

Once they straightened back their room Elias looked up at the ceiling and listened to the bells.

In four hours he would meet with the commander to talk about the beginning of the rest of his time here at the academy.

He slipped back into his bed.

Loud bells continued marking passage of time.

He lied there trying to fall back asleep until he had one hour to get dressed and be outside of the commander’s office.

He took a quick shower in the hall community bathroom. No surprise the water was cold.

Nothing like a cold shower to wake you up in the morning.

He hurried back into his warm room and dressed himself in his uniform.

Then he set off to the commander’s office.

“The commander says you can enter,” said the student who exited the office.

Elias entered the office for the third time in the past twelve hours.

“Welcome once again Elias.”

“Good morning Sir.”

“So let’s get down to business. Have you chosen a weapon from the store?”

“Yes sir. I have chosen the ‘S’ curved wazakashi sword. Hand and a half length sir.”

Zacharias flipped through some papers till he found what he was looking for.

“Interesting choice,” laughed Zacharias. “I feel like it will suit you well.

Credits shouldn’t be a problem for you. So have you decided if you want to have a shield or not?”

“Truthfully sir, I have not. However, I feel like I would have a higher fighting ability with one.”

“Do you have a specific style in mind?” Elias took some time to think.

“I’m against a traditional kite shield, tower shield, and buckler sir.

All that leaves left is roundellas, but a completely spherical roundella would be too awkward with my attacks sir.”

“Then that leaves two options. First is the crescent roundella, second is the double crescent.”

The commander turned the screen to show Elias. The crescent roundella looked like a normal spherical roundella.

The only difference is that there was a crescent shape cut out of the right side of the shield.

This allowed freedom to swing your sword further in front. It also allowed blades to be blocked if they came across his body.

The double crescent was the same but it had the cutout on both sides.

Elias figured this removed too much protection from his blind side.

“I feel like the single crescent roundella is more appropriate sir.”

“Ok so the sword is five thousand credits. The shield is an extra seven thousand five hundred.

Would you like me to register these for you?”

“Yes sir”

“Ok we will have these in the armory later today. Next in order of business are classes.

You will be in the bastard sword specialization.

Unfortunately for you, since it can be two handed, there is a parrying tactics defensive class you must take in addition to the general shield use class everyone who has a shield will be in.

Do you wish to be entered in the field tactics course?”

“Yes sir I was planning on it.”

“Why do you want to enter this course then? You are already in a strict offensive course with two defensive courses.

Do you think you can handle all the work? You will receive no special treatment from any of the teachers.”

“I plan on being a lieutenant one day sir.

The course work should not be a problem and I do not expect any special treatment.”

“As you wish and if anyone asks you are now negative battle points.

Your class schedule will be finalized and sent to you soon.

All that’s left is for you to register or join a cell team.

Entries are due by the end of today or else I put you in a squad. You are dismissed.

Please send the next student in.”

“Yes sir,” Elias replie. in a breath of relief. Everything went according to plan.

He wasn’t that surprised the commander allowed him to go along with his goals from what happened yesterday.

Everything from here on out would be up to him. He exited the office and sent the next student in.

He smiled and walked back to his room.

“How’d your meeting go? I take it that it went well,” laughed Eliass.

“Surprisingly well,” replied Will. “The commander was a little surprised at the thought of me dual wielding.

He said it wasn’t very common but it has been done before. Only problem is that I can’t take the field tactics course.

Instead I have to go to two different long sword classes. In each class I’m only allowed to use one arm.

Teachers have been notified in case I decide to cheat and switch hands though. I’m so excited.

I’ve probably walked down to the armory every five minutes to see if they have my swords yet.

How’d it go with you?”

“I’m about the same. I was easily surprised at how easily he let me choose my weapon and shield.

I have two defensive classes compared to your offensive.

One for the bastard sword and one for the shield. The only problem is that now I have negative battle credits.

The shield I chose put me at negative. Besides that I managed to talk him into letting me enroll in the field tactics course.

Hungry?”

“Starving. Let’s go find the barracks cafeteria.”

They walked down to the first floor and found the cafeteria farther down the hall from the armor room.

They got in line and followed the crowd.

Breakfast food consisted of dry eggs, burnt ham, and a glass of milk.

No wonder why they had a food section in the store.

“Well all that’s left now is to find a third for our cell. Got any ideas?”

“The only other person that I can think of that might be our defensive guy is Liam.

We forgot to ask him last night. Think we could head over to his room and ask him?”

“Might as well give it a try.” Will finished his breakfast and they went up to floor three.

They reached door three twenty and knocked.

They heard footsteps behind the door and Liam opened the door.

“Hey Liam how’d your meeting with the commander go?” asked Elias.

“It went well with my size and all,” Liam laughed.

“Most everybody in the hall seems to be in debt now that equipment orders are over.

Even for me I never thought it was possible to be negative in credits but it’s allowed for first year students for a limited time.

Luckily for me I am not too much in debt. So what are you guys up to now?

Everyone seems to be down in the armory waiting for their weapons.”

“We were wondering if you had joined a cell group yet,” said Will.

“I have not. You guys need a large tower shield man with a battle hammer?”

“Exactly what we need,” said Elias. “So what shall we be called? How about the Suicide Kings?”

“You mean like the king of hearts? Sounds pretty bad-ass to me,” said William

“It is pretty ridiculous to me but is defiantly better than anything I could have come up with,” agreed Liam.

“So let’s go talk to the commander.” The three students walked down to the office.

They knocked on the door.

“Come in,” said Zacharias without really looking up. “So you three are a cell squad?”

“Yes sir,” They replied. Zacharias wrote down their names.

“What is your cell name?”

“The Suicide Kings,” answered Elias. Zacharias looked up at them.

“I have some concern with the name. Many nobles might find the name offensive.”

“We based it off of the king of hearts sir. No offense is meant by the name.”

“Ahhh I see. If I was to allow this I assume your cell logo would be the playing card?”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright the Suicide Kings it is.

Since you are one of the first cell groups to register, the wall opposite of your door is open.

Is this where you want me to put your information?” The three agreed.

“Okay. I will enter this into your schedule and plan training time in the training rooms.

Battles will take place every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

I will update your information as well as your record status on your wall every night. If that is all, you are dismissed.”

The three students exited the room and could not contain their excitement.

They were the Suicide Kings. They vowed to go undefeated and become the number one cell in the barracks.

After they left the office they went off to get lunch together.

When they got back to their hall they separated and went back to their room.

Elias sat down and excitedly looked forwards to this year.

He figured he should read the rest of the instruction guide if he wanted to prevent another midnight invasion.