A Shiv

It's been only one day and life at Ixtal became more hectic. It was nearly the end of the autumn and it was getting colder day by day. Lue didn't feel right as she walked into her ancient school, which too to her astonishment still had not fallen. The fight with Adrina caused Lue a lot of damage. This spreading purple with yellow blotches is all over her body, every muscle has seized up. Her body is struggling to recover, to repair the damage. Unable to move with any grace, her movements are jerky. Her jacket was tightly done up and her eyes searching for Eve. The ground was bustling as she spotted a familiar figure.

At first glance, he seemed like any other normal sixteen-year-old. Nothing in particular about his physical appearance was striking. His facial features were smooth, rounded, and unassuming. In subtle ways, however, he looked a bit unusual. He was a little shorter than average. His hair was dark and soft. He didn't cut it as short as most boys did. Instead, he allowed it to grow thick enough to develop natural waves and curls. He wore a plain solid-colored shirt and pant-nothing 'loud', nothing 'low', nothing bearing any sort of design. Just simply plain. That's Beric.

Lue waved to him. Their eyes met, Beric hesitated and looked around to check if she is waving to him or someone else. He finally pointed a finger at himself, Lue nodded, as he hesitantly waved back. As Lue made her way to him, he got stiffer and stiffer but Lue gave him a soothing smile.

"Hey!! Where were you yesterday? I couldn't even get a chance to thank you."

"I..." he diverted his eyes, "I had a...few things to deal with, so...," he paused for a brief moment and continued, "and I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." He finished while looking down and playing with his fingers.

Lue waited, checking and re-checking if he have anything else to say, she finally stated, "Anyway, Thank you for yesterday. Eve told me you are good with medicines and you even did the bandaging for me," she rolled her sleeves up, "see, I tried changing today and..." she gestured at the clumsy bandaging while looking at him, "It's not that bad, is it?"

He chuckled. Covering his mouth with his wrists, maybe this was the second time he is having this long conversation with some girl. The first one was not too long ago, not to a surprise it was yesterday only.

"Mention not. I can do it for you again...later...if you are okay with it."

Despite the smiles and exchanging glances, he could feel a silent terror seeping inside of him, causing his face to blush bright red. His heart raced in silent terror, sending warm blood to his smooth face and he feared that he looked an unsophisticated fool, especially when he saw Lue pfft subtly his way.

Before anyone of them could say anymore Eve jumped and put both of her arms around each of their necks.

" Whatcha talking with Beric?"

Lue said while removing her arm from her neck, "How do you even know him? You are seriously universal, you know everyone."

"We met yesterday," Eve looked at him mischievously, "as he was trying his very best to hide from Mr.Kael, so, he won't have to do the sparring."

He blushed.

Eve turned back to Lue and continued," and as you know, I have a big heart so I helped this poor soul."

"Well... I don't have muscles," Beric spoke in his defense while tidying his collars, "and..."

Beric was interrupted by the sound of the loudspeaker.

"Good morning! Students in tenth grade are to assemble at the sparring area. Today we will be doing weapon practice. Be there in five minutes."

Students started running toward the other part of the ground, and so did the other three. Though later Lue and Eve got separated from Beric as students gathered and lined up according to their sections in front of Mr.Kael they saw something unusual. Several tables were kept there and had dozens of knives on them. A knife training?

Mr.Kael cleared his throat and stomped towards one of the edgy tables kept on a few paces. He picked up one of the knives and said, "You all must be eager to use your weapons but to inform you, the cadet test will only allow knives this time. That's why we have prepared a quick session on using knives."

He picked two more knives from the table, swinging them in an infinity sign and then in a circular, threw them in the air, and grabbed it like a professional.

"Now, ATTEN-TION," he shouted, "I will only explain once."

"All knives fall into three categories of mechanism or lack thereof. First, FIXED BLADE, these knives are one fixed piece; there are no moving parts to break or fumble with before use."

He throws the three knives on some other table while searching for some other knives on the table in front of him, students stared at him in silence, not being able to remove their eyes from the different knives that are visible to them. He finally took a sharp, yet beautiful knife out of its cover.

"These blades are strong and have a good life span," he showed them the knife while turning it side to side, "holding up to even centuries of use and sharpening just like this 'SILVER KRIS DRAGON DRAGGER'."

This dragger draws its presence not from magic or any other sort of thing but its amazingly detailed appearance. The blade is asymmetrical, possessing a wave shape that features jagged, serrated teeth on the back edge of the blade. Etched onto the blade is also a black dragon design, and the guard is an upward curling fin that features three slanted spikes on its top. The handle possesses a silver grip adorned with intricate black designs, as well as a decorative pommel that depicts a roaring dragon head.

Lue was mesmerized by it, the draggers she had were plain and common ones, it was her first time seeing such a beautiful dragger. Mr.Kael placed the dragger with care and picked another one and continued, "Second one, FOLDING BLADES, the sharpened portion of a folding blade, or 'folder', folds into the handle. Folding knives can be quietly opened by hand or with a flick of the wrist and may have a mechanism that aids in revealing the blade faster. Well..." He put it down and moved towards the other table, "and finally we have OTF knives, Out The Front knives."

"These knives, such as switchblades, reveal the blade utilizing spring activation if the blade appears out the front of the handle, it is, you guessed it, an out-the-front knife. These blades are safer to carry than a fixed blade, faster to open, and a handy secondary defense blade. Unfortunately, they are also easier to break."

He took out an OTF knife with care and all the students can see the smirk on his face. Mr.Kael pointed out, "You see this, it is called 'GLADIUS SPEAR' this is an extremely well-made automatic OTF knife with a unique color-changing blade. This knife is big, heavy and it is an absolute beast, and it is Badass."

Students were wonderstruck, as they were seeing so many new and expensive knives for the first time.

He kept it inside a bag and started searching for a few students to carry out the tables and distribute the fixed blades to everyone. He pointed out a few students and the staff helped them in carrying out this task.

This was something new to most of the students out there. Even though this was the first time Eve is using a knife, she mainly goes with spears. But to Lue, this was what she used for half of her life. She knew she would do better in this, confidently.

Mr.Kael cleared his throat yet again and stated, "Students, whose actual weapons were knives will come to me, I will train them separately. Others will be taught by the staff. And the last thing," he turned around and announced "Those who will do their best in all these training sessions will be granted an exclusive reward. For example," he smiled, "GLADIUS SPEAR."

That line made everyone's enthusiasm shoot up to its max. The bustling, chattering, howled the ground.

Eve whispered to Lue, "Well, well, well, looks like you will be having some real fun with him"

Lue saw her with dead eyes, just thinking about the special session makes her tired.

Every student checks out the knife, wondering if they are real or if they have been punked. As they checked out its blades with the slight touch of their fingers as they moved it upward and downward again, slightly in the wrong direction and it cuts.

These knives were a real deal. Without any delay, the staff members split the students in the pair of two, telling the basics, from holding a knife to slitting someone's neck.

Except for those nine students, who followed Mr.Kael. The twins, Ayaan and Kayan, Beric, the besties for life, Rika and Ella. The bratty trio of Waylen, Gael, Rowan, and finally Lue.