Chapter Three

Classes were assigned. Everyone started off with the basics; Martial Arts first thing in the morning, then came Natural Magics, Beginer Casting, lunch, and then the afternoon was filled with whatever extra-curriculars you enrolled in and homework.

No sooner had Petra reached the 'Dojo', a large outdoor area with patterned stone pavement, than she was confronted with a familiar face.

"Hi Petra! Is it true about the test?"
"Yea, I killed him."
"And you used magic? I could feel it all the way outside."
"It was an accident; I didn't really mean to kill him. He knew he was guilty and I sentenced him accordingly. I didn't realize it would actually kill him."

Chesi was awestruck. Petra had expected a more condemnational view towards her having just killed someone.

"It takes a really powerful mage to kill someone and not even leave a body, or did they take it out before I got in there?"
"It was like these things tore through space to kill him. They didn't leave anything behind it."

If Chesi could have gotten more awestruck than she had been before she would have.
"Summoning!' the pitch of her voice began fluctuating in her excitement "That's year four magic, even just for items."
"So, pretty good then?" Petra's droll tones were unaltered, not even hinting at her inceasing intrest in the subject.
"Pretty good? It's, if you'll pardon my language, It's gosh darned amazing!"
"That's not.. nevermind. I'm glad at least one of us has any idea what I did; I'm just glad I didn't get expelled."

"So you're the little warlock that's got Miss Prevance in such a huff."

Petra and Chesi turned to see the new voice. They looked a little high and missed the wizened Ga-Vok at first.
"Down here firebloods."
"Oh I'm sorry, I assumed.."
"That I was Nielda. Typical of your kind, never a thought towards the possibility that some of the finest instructors in the universe aren't Nielda."
Petra's lack of impulse control got the better of her.
"Aren't we a little SHORT today?"

It took Petra about five minutes to figure out what happened next. Because when she regained consciousness she was slumped against a wall about fifty feet away from where she last remembered being.

"Anyone else have a problem with me or my teaching this class?"
"No sir."
"Good. My name is Otan. I will be instructing you to defend yourselves when magic fails." He began pacing in front of the gaggle of frightened students. "I will also be teaching you to keep your bodies strong. Many of you may think to yourselves 'magic can get me whatever I need; so I'll just sit back and let it work for me.' You would be wrong."
He stopped next to Petra, still dazed from their last encounter. He reached down and picked her up by her collar.
"Since Petra here has volunteered herself to be made an example of before I see no reason she should stop now. As many of you know, our witty friend here has already performed a feat of powerful magic. However, when she encountered a trained opponent all that magical power did her no good. She could not defend herself; worse still she was not strong enough to endure a simple series of blows."
He dropped her unceremoniously to the ground, and continued talking as she pulled herself back into the class.

"She is what has been called 'a glass cannon' Very powerful on the attack, but no way to defend herself. My job is to make sure that even those of you with no talent for physical combat are able to avoid or endure assault by those who do have that talent. And if you do have a talent for this sort of fighting, I recomend you pick up one of our more advanced classes when you reach the appropriate levels."

Petra rubbed her head. She hated to be humiliated like this. One of these days she'd get him back, but for now she'd just have to keep learning.

"Any questions?"
The eternally eager Chesi threw her hand into the air instantly.
"Miss Chesi, I am always honored to see a Rhinslader. Your brother is in my advanced class, surely he's answered all your questions by now."
"Mostly, but I was wondering when we'd get to pick our weapons?"
"Excellent timing Aounat'Bato. Class, Behind me is a collection of weapons. Swords, axes, spears, knives, maces, and everything in between; try a few out for size, figure out what feels most comfortable to you. You have an hour; practice with the golems."
Chesi walked over and picked up a two handed hammer, then waited for Petra by the golems. 'She probably knows how to fight already.' Petra thought to herself, but she was not having as much luck picking her weapon. Swords were to ordinary, everyone and their uncle had a sword. Axes were nice but too short, she didn't want an enemy that close to her before she could attack them. Spears didn't cut, and nothing appealed to her about repetetivly thrusting a pointy stick at people. Then she saw it, not with the rest of the armanents but behind the golems resting against a shed.

"Chesi, I need to get to that shed."
"Sure, but why?"
"I picked a weapon."
"'Kay! Stand back."

For as cheerful and happy a girl as she was, Chesi was fierce. The golems, animated, lightly armed scarecrows, were no match to her hammer. As each one drew near it's weapons were smashed under its weight, and her follow-through almost always left the ersatz warriors broken or knocked back. Petra just waded through their shattered ranks to her desired prize.

"Petra, that's not a weapon."
"It has a blade, I can make it a weapon."
"You can make a holoprojsector a weapon if you try hard enough. That doesn't mean you should."
"Watch me."

Petra readied her new instrument of violence and picked a target. One of the straw soldiers was charging them, he made a perfect victim. She drew back the curved blade and measured the distance with her mind. Then with both hands she struck.

"That doesn't make it a weapon."
"What does it make it?"
"The same thing it always was, a way of cutting tall grain bearing plants."
"Your just jealous because you didn't think of something this cool before I did."

Chesi looked down and nudged the scarecrow's freshly harvested body with her foot.
"A little. Ok, I suppose it is a pretty cool weapon. But don't complain if people start making 'grim reaper' jokes, it comes with picking a scythe as a weapon."
"I won't. And I'll try not to make quips about your enemies getting 'hammered', but no promises."
Chesi giggled. Petra offered one of her rare smiles. Her head might be sore for the rest of the day, but she felt pretty good.