5 The Purpose of the Eight

Azemo awoke and saw Agnes already standing in the doorway.

"You missed two meals yesterday and slept for 18 hours what is wrong with you."

Azemo felt like this was a rhetorical question so he decided to keep his mouth shut, instead he went to the dresser and put on his clothes. Or he would have put on his clothes if he was not already wearing them. As soon as Azemo realized he was already dressed he tried to pretend like he was checking if the door of the dresser worked.

Agnes could not have cared less and instead turned to go. "Hurry up you don't want to keep Zaebos waiting."

Azemo kept leveling his only skill as he silently followed Zaebos, he would probably be a max level follower in no time.

The day's breakfast was similar to yesterdays and Azemo ate it at the same break neck speed. After he had scarfed down the food Agnes led him out of the building for the first time.

The outside world was nothing special except that there was nothing man made in miles just an enormous forest that stretched beyond the horizon. Agnes led Azemo into the forest and towards a small clearing. As they approached Azemo saw that Zaebos was locked in combat with Benthar's teacher Cadence. Benthar was collapsed next to a tree looking exhausted.

It seemed like the duel had only just begun because the two warriors were still sizing each other up. The tiny Cadence wielded an axe at least three times her size but she handled it as if it was nothing more than a toy. As for Zaebos his hands were covered in some sort of red energy that looked like some sort of crystalline shard.

Cadence was the first to move, twirling her axe she suddenly jumped towards Zaebos with a mighty downward strike. Zaebos nimbly dodged to the side and the axe sunk about a foot into the ground. However Cadence was not done, leaving the axe blade in the dirt she grabbed the handle and used it like a pole, gracefully swinging towards Zaebos with a ferocious kick.

Cadence had gained enough momentum that even Zaebos was unable to dodge the unexpected move. Zaebos was barely able to raise his guard as Cadence's foot crashed into him sending him flying. Zaebos looked a little comical soaring through the air until he suddenly made his move. He swung his arms back and the red energy pulsed off, looking like arcs of lightning, and Zaebos was no longer moving. He was no longer hurtling towards a tree but instead he seemed to hover in mid air before lightly falling to the ground.

Azemo could hear a low chuckle and saw a smile crawled across Zaebos' shadowy face. Cadence sensing that Zaebos was finally about to attack, could not help but let her excitement flash across her face. The two slowly walked towards one another once again. One step. Two steps. Three. Zaebos flickered out of existence and reappeared at the side of Cadence. Cadence was unfazed and swung her axe at Zaebos. Zaebos once again disappeared but this time Cadence did the same. In a flash Azemo saw the two again as Zaebos blocked Cadence's axe with his hand. Azemo now understood that the two were not teleporting but instead that they were moving at such an incredible speed that their surroundings were still not caught up.

Agnes handed Azemo a pair of glasses and Azemo wordlessly put them on, the atmosphere from the fight was astounding and Azemo was lost for words. The glasses made time slow, Azemo could see leaves stuck in mid air barely falling towards the ground. But Zaebos and Cadence were still locked in combat zooming around the clearing bouncing off trees and throwing strikes at each other. Correction Cadence was swinging her axe like mad, with incredible precision while Zaebos only seemed to block or narrowly dodge. Finally Zaebos struck, the red energy coalesced around his hand and he stabbed his hand towards Cadence.

Cadence had just barely missed cleaving Zaebos in two and there was no way she could raise her axe in time. It seemed like Zaebos had been analyzing every one of her swings waiting for the perfect time to strike. Cadence smiled and took the strike to her head but Zaebos dispelled the energy just before his strike hit. The fight was over.

"I'll get you next time Zae." Cadence turned and easily hefted the massive Benthar before she walked out of the clearing.

"Ah, you were watching." Zaebos had finally spotted Azemo.

"Why were you guys fighting?"

"We were just sparring. Cadence and I like to work on our physical attacks and not just our magycka." It appeared that Zaebos' duel with Cadence had put him in an unusually chatty mood.

Before Azemo could take advantage of Zaebos' friendly mood the Zaebos he knew returned.

"Today we will work on control and endurance." Azemo excited from the fight hoped he would get to learn some fighting techniques but he was sorely disappointed.

"Your body is too small for fighting, we must first train it." Zaebos made Azemo bring out his green gauntlets and run for hours around the demonic building. After the running Azemo had to climb a tree, still with his gauntlets running, while Zaebos casually launched red lightning bolts at him.

"This is the worst." Azemo hit the ground after failing to avoid a lightning bolt. He was tired from continually keeping the weapons that came from the bracelets active, who knew that they would take his energy to work. Azemo opened his mouth to complain.

"Don't speak, do you know what Benthar was doing this morning. Cadence had him running around with his axe while she chased him and hit him with her axe whenever she could." Zaebos chuckled at the memory and Azemo quickly shut his mouth.

Agnes walked over with some food and Azemo performed his regular magic trick, the food was gone in two seconds.

"Tomorrow we do the same thing but in half the time." Zaebos got up and left. Azemo would have cursed him out but he knew Zaebos would somehow hear him and make training even more of a nightmare.

"It's time for classes."

'He had to go to school even as a demon.' Azemo sighed and lifted his aching body to follow Agnes. It's time for more of everyone's favorite, trailing missions!!

The rest of the day was surprisingly interesting. A small old tortoise like demon had taught him about the basic principles of the demons magycka. Magycka had no elements like normal magick and each demon would only have one type of it. Demons could have the same types of magycka but they can never change it. However magycka can evolve, allowing demons to use it in new and more powerful ways. After the lesson the old demon dismissed him and Azemo crawled out of the classroom physically and mentally tired.

Azemo curled up in bed and fell into a deep sleep and thus another chapter ends in Azemo's bed.