Bab 25: Twenty-five
Once back at school, the teacher had gone back into the classroom and for me it was too late to go to the cafeteria. I had rather had a good time at the bar, but I had been too far away from Zara.
She probably wouldn't be too happy that I wasn't there for lunch, but it wasn't too bad. Our next course was swordsmanship, which was one of my favourite classes. We often had duels in this class and my level was simply very good. I had a natural talent for sword fighting, and I enjoyed the thrill of combat.
I walked through the corridors which were a bit empty, the students here were very serious, they always arrived early for class but I always took my time, which annoyed Zara a bit every time. She liked to be punctual and respectful, while I liked to be relaxed and adventurous.
Once I was in front of the gym, I opened the door and headed straight for the changing rooms. There was no-one inside, they must all have changed already. I quickly put on my swordfighting outfit, which consisted of a leather vest, pants, boots, and gloves. I also strapped on my sword belt, which was empty for now.
I returned to the combat zone, which was a large hall with wooden floors and padded walls. There were several racks of swords, only wooden. All the students were gathered in the centre, waiting for the teacher. I saw Zara, who was a little away from the others, and joined her. As soon as my eyes met hers, her gaze was harsh.
"Where have you been? I've spent all lunch on my own," she said angrily, her eyebrow furrowed.
I didn't necessarily want to apologise, but I'd better not upset her any more. She made this clear thie morning that she could kill Zoé if she wanted to.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't see the time go by," I said, trying to sound sorry even though I wasn't. I had a lot more fun in the bar than in the cafeteria.
"Next time you stay with me, don't forget you're my fucking bodyguard," Zara finally said, before the teacher arrived. She had a sharp tongue today.
The teacher was a tall and muscular man, with short black hair and a scarred face. He had a stern and authoritative voice, and he commanded respect from everyone. He was a master of swordsmanship, and he taught us everything he knew.
He had a box with real swords today, usually we had wooden swords to avoid getting hurt, but today it looked like it was going to be different. He placed the box on the floor, before starting to speak.
"Today you'll have two opportunities, the first is to fight with real swords, and the second is to have 3rd years with you," he said, before the door opened.
About twenty students entered the gymnasium, and I spotted two who had an incredibly powerful aura. They were 3rd years, and they were the top students of their class. They had come to challenge us today.
The first one was a girl with green hair, glasses, and very fair skin with a few freckles on her face. She had a slender and graceful figure, and she moved with elegance and precision. She was holding a long and thin sword, which looked like a rapier. She had a confident and calm expression, and she scanned the room with her keen eyes. She sure was a genius of swordsmanship, and she specialized in speed and accuracy. Her name was Lila, and she was the leader of the 3rd year class.
The second one was a boy with red hair and brown eyes, he had pointed elf ears and his skin was pale. He had a muscular and athletic build, and he moved with power and agility. He was holding a broad and heavy sword, which looked like a claymore. He had a fierce and wild expression, and he grinned with his sharp teeth. He was a prodigy of swordsmanship, and he specialized in strength and endurance. His name was Remy, and he was the ace of the 3rd year class.
These two students seemed to be the strongest in their class , and I couldn't help but smile when I saw them. It had been a long time since I'd met a good opponent. I felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. I wondered who I would face, and how I would fare. I hoped it would be one of them, and I hoped it would be a good fight.
The professor moved closer to me before speaking. He had a smirk on his face, as if he had something interesting to tell me. He looked at me with a mixture of admiration and curiosity, as if he wanted to see what I was capable of.
"This student is probably the best of the first years, Lila, you should probably take her on, it could be interesting," the teacher said confidently and I couldn't help but smile. He was talking about me, Aaliyah, the new transfer student who had impressed everyone with my swordsmanship skills. I had arrived at this school a few weeks ago, and I had already made a name for myself. I was eager to face new challenges, and to prove myself to everyone.
"Why… " Lila didn't even have time to finish her sentence before Remy cut her off. He had a loud and arrogant voice, and he didn't seem to care about anyone else's opinion. He stepped forward, pushing Lila aside, and pointed his finger at me. He had a cocky and defiant look on his face, as if he wanted to provoke me.
"She's not going up against the strongest girl in the class, I'd rather be her first opponent," he said, running his hand through his hair. He had a habit of doing that, as if he wanted to show off his red locks. He was handsome, in a way, but he was also very annoying. He was always boasting about his strength and his achievements, and he never missed an opportunity to flirt with the girls.
This guy looked really pretentious and then I turned to the right and saw a fan club made up exclusively of girls, they all had T-shirts with Remy's face on them and even fans with his image on them. They were cheering for him, and they looked at me with envy and hostility. They were his loyal followers, and they worshipped him like a god. They were also very loud and obnoxious, and they made me want to cover my ears.
"You're the strongest Remy, no one can beat you" they shouted in unison, as if they were chanting a mantra. They sounded like a bunch of sheep, and I rolled my eyes. They had no idea what they were talking about, and they had no respect for anyone else. They were blind to Remy's flaws, and they were deaf to his insults.
The teacher sighed before saying. He looked annoyed by Remy's interruption, and he shook his head. He knew that Remy was a troublemaker, and he didn't like his attitude. He also knew that Remy was a good swordsman, and he didn't want to waste his potential. He tried to be fair and impartial, but he also had his preferences.
"Well then, Aaliyah, you'll have to face Remy first and if you win you'll be able to face Lila," the teacher finally said, then motioned to me to go and get a sword from the box. He was giving me a choice, and he was also giving me a chance. He wanted to see how I would handle Remy, and he wanted to see how I would compare to Lila. He was curious about my abilities, and he was also testing my limits.
I nodded, and I walked towards the box. I looked at the swords, there were all sorts, big and small, long and short, curved and straight. They were all made of metal, and they all looked sharp and dangerous. They were real swords, and they could cause real damage. I felt a thrill of excitement, and I felt a surge of adrenaline. I loved the feeling of holding a sword, and I loved the feeling of fighting with a sword.
I decided to choose a more basic sword, a simple and sturdy one that suited my style. It had a steel blade, a leather grip, and a cross guard. It was not very fancy, but it was very effective. It was a sword that I could trust, and it was a sword that I could use. The first years we didn't have any swords assigned to us, but from next year we could choose or make our own. I had a dream of having a custom-made sword, one that would reflect my personality and my power. But for now, I was happy with this one.
Hadiah
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