Cassandra

When I looked at her closer I noticed that she had numerous scars and lacerations covering her arms and legs. On her face there were several bruise marks and her black hair was matted and dirty.

"This girl is Cassandra." Taven said, leading the girl in front of me.

As she neared I noticed that she shrunk in front of me and was trembling slightly. Frowning I gently grabbed her trembling hand causing her to look up at me in fear.

I gave her a happy smile "You don't have to be afraid around me Cass. I saw how lonely you looked up there and I got you so I could be your friend." Her eyes widened at me with confusion.

The guard next to standing to the side gave a slight grunt at my words "The innocence of a child perhaps?" He mumbled.

Taven turned to the guard, "Thank you for watching him." He extended his hand placing a gold coin in the guards' pocket.

The guard nodded "My pleasure Sir." He went back to the area that he was assigned returning to his post.

I continued to hold Cass's hand looking at Taven "Thank you."

"Yeah yeah. Now let's hurry, we still need to get you registered." Taven said, turning and walking towards the next gate.

I followed Taven with the girl in tow behind me looking both bewildered and frightened.

"This is the third district and is home to the various academies as well as low class nobles. This is also where you will be staying in Demrian." Taven said, turning to me.

After seeing my acknowledgement Taven led us down the central path until we reached a crossroad. Following Taven as he took several turns we eventually reached a massive building. It was practically a small fortress inside of the city.

Though the academy didn't have walls, the building itself was imposing. Taven again motioned us to follow, snapping us out of our astonishment. Following him into the massive building.

As we entered a finely dressed man stood in front of us inspecting me and Cass the most. He turned to Taven saying "It is good to see you Inquirer." He turned to look at me "and this must be the young boy you messaged the council about."

Turning to Cass he curled an eyebrow "This young lady however I do not remember."

"Indeed, she is a slave girl this boy wanted and I got her for him. Thus, here we are. In all honesty I see no problem with her being a server for the boy. It also means less staff are needed." Taven said frankly.

"Hmm very well. I see no harm in it. In fact, this young boy will be in seclusion away from the other boys and girls so we can have this young lady train to be a personal sword for him as well." The man nodded at his own words.

"He is to be alone in his training?" Taven said, stunned.

"The council decided with his potential no method of distraction should be allowed." He nodded, "In fact you getting this girl for him is advantageous because she will most likely be his only companion for these next nine years."

"I-I see." Taven looked down towards Demrian frowning.

"Now then Inquirer Taven your task is complete and I'll be taking it from here." The man looked pointedly at Taven "You may go."

Bowing slightly "Yes sir." Taven said.

As Taven left he put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze "Work hard my boy."

"Now it is time to bring you two to where you will be staying. Follow me and do not wander." The man turned and started walking down a corridor with a brisk pace.

We exchanged glances with each other and quickly ran after the man and followed him through a series of winding corridors and sharp turns. The amount of turns and twists eventually made me confused, unable to keep track of where we could be or how to go back.

After a mind-boggling amount of turns and twists and stairs we reached a brown studded door. Opening the door and holding it for us, Cass and I walked into the room and marveled at the space.

The room was completely empty aside from the torches in the dark areas. In the center was a dirt area that was illuminated by the sun. To the right of the area was a door similar to the one we had just walked through. To the left of the area was another door similar to the one on the right.

"This will be where you are staying. The middle area is where you will practice magic and fighting. The door on the right is where your instructors are staying and you are never to enter unless told. The door on the left is your bedroom. Though since we only thought there would be one person here there will only be one bed. So, you two will share the bed from here on out." The man laid out tactually.

I nodded, being fine with everything. Sharing a bed was no issue for me. I had often shared my bed with either my brother or my sister when visitors came. I looked at Cass and saw that she was staring at me with her eyes wide open and mouth slightly agape.

"Y-you are fine with me sharing a bed with you?" Cass said incredulously.

I nodded giving her a big smile "I have a big family at home so sharing is no issue for me."

"Well I hate to interrupt such a touching scene but your first class starts in 5 minutes and you two will both be participating." He said turning to leave "Oh and my dear Cassandra though you don't have any magic talent you will be trained how to use a sword and you will be a vassal to Demrian. Do work hard to make sure you qualify as one." With one last thin-lipped smile the man turned and left, leaving us in an empty room.

We turned to each other and stood in awkward silence nervously fidgeting. I opened my mouth several times to ask her about how she became a slave but stopped. 'Mother always said it was best not to pry into the lives of a stranger lest you be seen as rude.'

"U-uhm" A quiet voice brought his attention back to the present. "Are you really fine sharing a bed with me?"

I gave her a large happy smile "I am! I just hope you don't kick while you sleep!" Cassandra giggled at the joke.

"N-no I don't kick while I sleep."

"That's good! My brothers and my sisters are all kickers when they sleep. I wake up bruised every day!" Cassandra giggled some more.

The creak of a door opening stopped their conversation. They looked and observed that it was the door that lead to the teachers room. From the room out came two different people. One a man in a robe who looked to be in his mid-forties with black hair with some gray in it and the other a Red headed woman in leather armor carrying two wooden swords with a hawk-like face and hawk-like eyes.

The woman looked at me and Cass and yelled "Get your asses over here!"

Stunned we tripped and fell over each other to get in front of her where she indicated. We stood in front of her with our backs straight and looking forward to make sure she was happy.

"Hmm I heard that I was getting a new student but I didn't think that they would be so scrawny." She looked at Cass with disdain. Straightening herself she spoke "I am Instructor Julia and this here beside me is Instructor Thomas. You will either refer to us as Instructor or not at all."

Looking at us with her hawk-like eyes scrutinizing us. It was unsettling; it felt as if she was looking through all of my secrets with a single glance.

Finally, after finding what she had wanted she threw a sword at Cass's feet. "Pick it up girl. I will teach you and the boy about swordsmanship and you get to be first." Instructor Julia's eyes gave a dangerous glint as she swung her sword forward, slapping the sword out of Cass's hand.

Cass cried out in pain as she clutched her hand that had lost the sword. I ran to help her before being stopped by a wooden sword pointed at my throat. I looked upward to see Instructor Julia looking at me menacingly.

Helplessly I stood there while Cass held her hand in pain until she slowly got up moving over to where her sword fell and picking it up with a grimace heavy on her face. Instructor Julia gave a big smile "Good! You're a tough one. Now that I know you can handle pain, we can start teaching." She looked over at me "You will learn with Instructor Thomas and learn magic and then you will switch to me when he is done with you." She said turning back to Cass yelling out numerous instructions.

"Ah I am afraid she is always like that my child." I heard a voice over my shoulder. I turned to see the man smiling at me. "Now, it's time for you to learn but first I want you to get into a pushup formation."

I looked at him in confusion. Shrugging I got into a pushup position.

"The first magic we will learn is body magic. That is the magic I excel in and I will engrave it into you." He waved his hand and I felt the weight around me get two times heavier making me struggle to stay up.

"Now the first spell you will learn for body magic is Enforce." He said in a lecturing tone "All you have to do is focus your mind on the whole of your body and scream in your mind Enforce. A think to keep note of is that most people imagine their skin as hard as a wall. Here in 30 or so seconds I want you to try to use the spell."

He waved his hand making a chair appear out of nowhere. He sat down facing me and motioned me to try.

Nodding under the strain I focused my mind and counted. Finally reaching 30 I screamed internally Enforce! I felt a trickle of power fill my limbs then die out and disperse.

"That was good! Now you will stay in that position until either you master the spell or your body gives out from pure exhaustion." He said making a book appear "Oh and I am a Body mage so I know if you are faking the collapse. So, try not to fake it or I'll make your life a lot harder." He gave me a hard stare then turned to his book and started to read with a slight smile on his face.

Enforce! A trickle then came and went. Enforce! Slightly more fading slower than before. Over and over I kept yelling enforce as my body trembled under my own weight. Every minute felt like an hour and each attempt made my brain more and more tired.

After what felt like eternity I finally collapsed falling to the ground unable to move.

"You lasted a good amount of time boy." The man said with a smile. He placed his hand on my back releasing a strange energy that filled my tired body with strength just enough to barely sit up.

He looked me up and down "Good! Your body has recovered nicely now again!"

I looked at him with my mouth agape. I swallowed the thick saliva gathering in my mouth and took in a big breath. Getting myself back into the pushup formation I continued. I collapsed 4 more times after that each time Instructor Thomas refilled just enough energy to go again for around an hour before I would collapse again.

After the fourth time he smiled "Good! Now your training with me today is done! Go over to Instructor Julia and begin your sword training."

I nodded, I stood with great pain walking over to where Cass and Instructor Julia were fighting. I looked at the instructor and saw that she hadn't even broken a sweat while Cass was covered in bruises and scrapes.

Instructor Julia, noticing me walking over, stopped the training with Cass "Cassandra you are finished for today go into the bedroom and rest before dinner." Cass nodded with her eyes glazed over and left as if in a haze.

I watched Cass walk towards the bedroom opening the door slowly with great effort before finally entering and disappearing from sight. Instructor Julia turned to me "Now, pick up that sword boy, it's time for you to learn." She said with a wide grin.

Knowing what pain awaited me I picked up the sword and steadied myself trying to copy the way Instructor Julia was standing. Before I could react, her sword smacked my temple, throwing me to the ground, separating my sword from my grip.

She stood above me and asked "Do you know what you did wrong?"

I shook my head confused.

"You let go of your sword. Letting go of your sword in battle is the same as losing your life!" she said with a snarl "Now I will teach you a lesson for losing your blade."

She brought her wooden sword down onto my body over and over smacking against each and every limb on my body. All I could do was lie there screaming until my throat grew hoarse.

Finally, she stopped stepping back. She looked at me and pointed to the sword that was on the ground.

I crawled to the sword in extreme pain, grabbing it in my hands while slowly standing up. I turned to face her, unable to react again to her strike to my temple yet again throwing the sword from my hand.

I suffered another beating for letting go of the sword. I tried again and again until eventually my vision grew blurry and my body numb. A sword crack against my head throwing again making my mind and body collapse in sync with the world blacking out.

Blackness. I couldn't see anything. I tried lifting my arm to find that it wouldn't move. Panicked, I tried speaking but found my voice was gone. The blackness was absolute and never ending. I looked everywhere I could with my eyes unable to move my head looking for someone to help me.

In the dark I made out a slight figure moving towards me. I was overjoyed as I tried to call out to the figure. My happiness started to grow more and more until I noticed how big the figure was. It was massive and it was still far away from me, a testament to how big the figure was. It got nearer and nearer with giant lumbering steps reaching one of its massive hands and a malicious miasma coiling around it reached for me. As it drew near I felt myself get yanked away from the darkness surrounding me and into what I assumed was the real world. I sat upright in the bed I was laying in my whole body sweating profusely while I gasped for air.

In the process of waking up in a panic I felt the next to me in the bed stir. I looked to see Cass looking at me with a tired and confused expression.

"Sorry." I said with a mock smile "I had a bad dream, I didn't mean to wake you." I looked around in confusion.

"Where am I? Wasn't I training just before?"

Cassandra shook her head "The instructor knocked you out and you wouldn't wake up for the time being so you were sent to bed.

"Ohhh." That explains why my body really hurts.... I gave Cass an apologetic smile "You can go back to sleep."

Cass looked at me with hesitation as if she was going to say something. But in the end she nodded her head and laid back down, returning to sleep. With as much care as I could manage as to not wake her up I got out of the bed and studied the still dark room I had woken up in. The bed I just got up from hugged the wooden wall on the right side of the room. A normal unadorned wooden desk sat opposite the bed. Just above the desk was a window that was covered by drapes blocking out what seemed to be the now rising sunlight.

I went to the door, opening it as slowly and quietly as possible. I moved through the door silently continuing to make sure I didn't wake Cassandra from her sleep. After slipping through the door I closed it behind me just as slowly with extreme strain feeling my body groan from the previous days bruises and the heaviness of the door.

Finally extricating myself from the room, I moved in relative silence toward the middle of the room. Sitting in the dirt I relaxed as I heard the sounds of birds chirping in the morning. I leaned back, my hands holding me up from behind. Curiously I felt something under my right hand that wasn't consistent with the ground.

The wooden sword! Remembering the previous day and the torture I had gone through sent a shiver down my spine. Sighing to myself I got into a pushup position and started where I left off with Instructor Thomas with my bruised and sore body.

Enforce! Enforce! Enforce! Endlessly screaming in my mind demanding my body to be stronger and gain energy. I grit my teeth as I felt myself about to collapse, I screamed 'ENFORCE!' angrily and loudly in my brain. My tired limbs exploded with energy and the previous fatigue I had before was gone like it had never existed.

"Very good!" I heard a man's voice and clapping come from behind me "You have learned what enforce is used for!"

"What is it used for?" I asked. Looking behind me to see Instructor Thomas sitting in a chair smiling happily at me with an open book resting on his lap.

"Yes, indeed you can only use enforce when your body is on the verge of pure collapse. If used when at full strength there is a good chance your muscles will explode and your internal organs will rupture, killing you instantly." He said with a chuckle "So, do try to avoid that."

I nodded vigorously in confirmation. "Good!" he said, closing his book "You will now learn the spell Fortify! It's very simple to use. It's the same as Enforce except you imagine a part of your body becoming impenetrable and yell "Fortify in your mind."

I nodded and set myself to practice but before I could, Instructor Thomas stopped me with a wave of his hand. "You will practice while I hit you with that wooden sword. Your goal is to harden your body before the sword strikes. Now please hand me that piece of wood."

I went to pick up the wooden sword but found that the once strong vigorous energy in my body disappeared. I fell forwards landing on my face.

"Hahaha." The instructor Thomas laughed wildly while pointing at me. "And that my dear boy is why mages can't cast spells all day everyday."

I looked at the Instructor with confusion. He smiled "When you use magic it means you are drawing nature's strength into you. And by doing so you gain great strength. But nature is fair. For every strength you gain a weakness shall be inflicted. The duration of weakness is generally as long as the use of the spell." He paused, "You understand?"

I nodded, feeling slightly helpless at the learn and find out teaching method.

I gathered myself and stood up once more. I then picked up the wooden sword and handed it to him with great trepidation. "Good." He glanced at the blade then back to me "Prepare yourself. Though I don't hit as hard as Julia I still hit rather hard."

The wooden sword flashed towards my body. It smacked my right arm heavily I groaned in pain. I felt it hit me again on the side of my leg making me groan in pain again. Forcing myself to concentrate I saw the sword approaching my left arm. Screaming in my mind Fortify! The sword impacted my arm as I cringed waiting for the pain. Incredibly it never came looking back at my arm. I saw that the wooden sword had indeed hit my arm but my arm wasn't in pain.

It worked! I did it! Suddenly I felt blinding pain on my shin toppling me to the ground.

"Tsk Tsk. Boy you did indeed stop it but you need to always pay attention." Instructor Thomas scolded "Now that you got one right you must successfully block ten sword hits from me in a row with Fortify."

Paling slightly at the amount I had to block I nodded standing up preparing myself mentally for the beating I was about to receive.

Countless bruises and what felt like an eternity later the training was over. Instructor Thomas lowered the wooden sword and gave me a wide smile. "It is time for us to stop! I am getting rather hungry."

He walked over to the door to leave the main room.

A loud bang sounded, slamming the door wide open. A giant of a man on the other side. The man had massive trunk-like arms and long curly red hair. His smile was wide and joyous, nearly taking up the man's whole face.

"Ah! It is food time! My favorite time! Hahaha!" The man said with a boisterous laugh.

"And why would you be here lumbering oaf?" Instructor Thomas said with a frown written plainly on his face.

"Come now Tom, there is no need for that attitude. We are friends!" the man said, giving Instructor Thomas a pat on the back nearly knocking him over.

A deeper frown etched itself into Instructor Thomas's face as he straightened his robe "That is not an explanation Sendren."

"Ahh you were always so uptight around me for some reason. Wait! I know why it is because I am married to your sister!" Sendren said, shaking his head with a mock frown.

"Why you!" Instructor Thomas sputtered in rage jumping at Sendren.

"Hahaha! Old friend you are too much sometimes!" Sendren grasped Instructor Thomas holding him in place. "Now let's get some food, shall we?" He waved his hand towards the door and numerous maids flooded into the room with food platters.

Behind the maids came two butlers carrying the pieces of a table assembling it in the middle of the dirt square under the sun. The maids placed the platters of food onto the table then promptly left without a word the last one closing the door behind her.

"Demrian my boy, go wake up Cassandra she needs food just as much as you do." Sendren said looking at me with a lop-sided grin.

I nodded as I turned to eye the numerous food plates on the table in longing, my belly rumbling furiously demanding that I shovel as much food into my face as possible. I ran quickly to the bedroom door yanking it open "Cassandra! There is food!" immediately rushing back to the table after completing my task.

I grabbed a loaf of bread, tearing off a piece and greedily shoving it into my mouth. I heard tentative footsteps approaching from behind. I turned to see Cassandra walk towards the table warily, constantly glancing from me to the table behind me.

Realizing that she was mistreated in her past I gave her a big smile and waved her towards the table of food. Walking past me Cass gave me side glances as if I would suddenly turn on her. Reaching the table of food, she reached out grabbing some food taking small bites each bite less and less wary until she started to shovel food down in much the same way I had before.

A boisterous laugh sounded out "Such trepidation from a girl that was said to be very resolute. How interesting." Sendren lumbered towards the food table taking one of the loaves of bread and cooked veil.

"S-sir I don't mean to be rude but why are you here?" I asked.

"Ah right Instructor Julia is on a mission for the order and I am to take her place in training. From now until she gets back I am your sword instructor. You will call me Sendren. I don't need the honorifics." Sendren said with a wide smile. "I will make you the damn best sword masters this world has ever seen!"

Sendren gave me a heavy slap on my back, throwing me to the floor. "Get up boy, we have training to do. First thing we must do is make you sturdier! Hahaha!" With a single hand he hoisted me from the floor placing me on my feet.

"For the next three years my boy you will be doing be training your weak body, practicing body magic, and sword training. At the end of the three years you will receive a test to show your progress. Be warned however if you fail to receive adequate marks you will be removed from the academy." Sendren said with a serious tone. "Now let's begin!"