Author's Preface
Alistair’s hands moved faster than Casimir’s eyes could register and assaulted Professor Deadeye with several beams of light. Deadeye leapt out of the way, but Alistair did not let up, blasting light streams that tracked her movements.
Casimir watched Deadeye flee from six glowing projectiles that followed her wherever she went. A homing attack of that caliber… “That is a nasty attack.”
Merritt shrugged. “Eh, a well-placed barrier can easily block it. Too bad she can’t fight back, yet.”
Deadeye circled Alistair and ran straight at him.
Alistair fired two more streams of light. They missed her completely as she effortlessly twisted her body around them, without losing a step.
Alistair swept his hands and created a light barrier that sparkled with volatile energy.
Instinctively, Deadeye jerked her body out of the way. It was too tight a turn for the light beams, and they all plowed into Alistair’s barrier.
Alistair gritted his teeth. He spun around, but Deadeye overtook him.
Deadeye weaved a semi-circular pattern, and a gale-force wind sent him flying into the protective barrier.
Alistair crumbled onto the ground, and his face tasted the stone floor.
“Man! That got to sting!” Merritt smiled, savoring Alistair’s defeat.
Casimir glanced at Bryson, who appeared to share a similar reaction. I guess they both wanted to see him get knocked down a peg.
Casimir watched Alistair rise to his knees and shake off the pain. “I think it is his pride that hurts the most.”
“I don’t know why.” Merritt laughed. “Was he delusional like you and believed he could beat a Master Weaver?”
“Tsk.” Casimir passed air through his teeth.
Alistair rose to his feet. His eyes narrowed with the look of annoyance plastered on his face, then he sighed and gave Deadeye a slight nod.
She smiled. “Good control, but you need to be more creative with your attacks. No need to worry, we will go over various battle tactics in this class. ”
“Yes, Professor.” Alistair rolled the cricks out of his neck.
Merritt failed to suppress his smile when he saw Alistair drawing near. He raised his hand to give him a high-five. “Hey, Alistair, not bad. I think you impressed her.”
Alistair furiously grabbed him by the wrist and raised his hand in the air. “Professor, he would be honored to go next!”
Merritt’s laugh turned into panicked protests. “Hey! What are you doing!” He struggled to break free, but Alistair slipped behind him and wrapped his arm around his neck.
“Absolutely, honored!” Alistair hissed.
“Oh, is that so, Shields?” There was a facetious tinge in her voice.
“N—” Alistair’s hand around his mouth cut him off.
“Step forward and get your gambeson from Rodrick.”
When Alistair released his grip, Merritt’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He turned to Alistair, irritated. “You are such a prick.”
“The professor is waiting.”
“Tsk.” He sulked his way up to Rodrick and accepted his armor.
Casimir noticed a mischievous smirk appear on Alistair’s face. Petty, but he deserved it.
He watched Merritt position himself across from Deadeye.
“Ready!” Deadeye gave him a thumbs-up.
“Yeah, ready.” Merritt rubbed the back of his neck, and his head turned away from his opponent. His eyes scanned around the crowd. They lingered on Casimir and Alistair, and he gave them a sly sneer.
What is he up to?
Merritt spun on his toes and launched a fast-moving 10 by 10 ft wall of blue energy. “Ha ha!”
Deadeye dashed out of the way of Merritt’s barrier.
He raised his hand. A blue glow appeared underneath her feet.
Deadeye hopped out of the way before the energy could envelop her in a box.
Casimir watched Deadeye leap and dart her way out of Merritt’s attacks. That pattern is easy to telegraph, and it seems most effective when the opponent is distracted.
Merritt used his last move to form a barrier around himself. Deadeye weaved a square pattern and hurled a maelstrom of light into his shield. He flinched when his barrier shattered on impact. Merritt resigned with a shrug when he saw the disappointment on her face.
Deadeye tilted her head and crossed her arms. “Lack of motivation.”
After all the students completed their duel with Professor Deadeye. Rodrick came around and gave them each a handwritten note from the Professor.
Casimir squinted his eyes. “Is that an ‘u’?”
“No, that is how she writes a’s,” Rodrick replied.
Her handwriting is atrocious. “Uh huh?”
Rodrick smiled and wrote on the back of the note. “What is important is that she wants you to learn Shining Wave, Dimensional Fishing, and Body Blow. Have you heard about any of these?”
“I have, but…”
Rodrick gave him a knowing look. “But you are trying to perfect the moveset you already have.”
“Yes,” a little bit of embarrassment seeped out into his tone.
Rodrick nodded. “We did notice that you drew in and expelled an excessive amount of Aether, but since you are not keeling over, she believes it will sort itself out over time.”
“Right. I’m still working on it.”
“Anyway, she wants you to have a passable understanding of Body Blow by next class. It is a non-elemental pattern that allows a Weaver to use their Aether to repel targets imbued with Aether. She used it on you when she elbowed you into your ice pillar. ”
“Seems like a useful skill. I will do my best.”
“No problem.” Rodrick moved on to the next group of students.
Casimir folded up the note and stuffed it into his pocket.
Merritt gave out a loud yawn. “Do you think she is going to let us out early?”
Casimir looked at Deadeye, happily giving a pink-haired student her critique. “I don’t know?”
Merritt groaned before sitting down on the floor.
She and Rodrick look about finished with student critiques. We should have our answer soon.
Deadeye scanned over her class of exhausted students, and she turned to Rodrick. “How much time do we have left?”
He checked his watch. “About forty minutes.”
“Perfect, we are great on time. Bryson, step forward.”
“Me?”
Deadeye gestured for him to come closer. “Yes, please help Rodrick with a demonstration.”
She ended up asking him instead. Casimir glanced at Rodrick, who looked just as confused.
Bryson joined Deadeye and Rodrick up front. She positioned Bryson across from Rodrick.
“We will go over proper stances. The first one will be the Earth Stance. In which your feet will be spaced out and placed firmly on the ground. Your hands will remain at your side, and you will gather Aether into your core. Now, Bryson, follow Rodrick’s lead.”
“Uh, yes, Professor.”
Merritt rubbed the back of his neck. “Ahh, this is baby’s first self-defense lesson. Do we really need to go over this? Almost everyone seems to know this already. ”
Casimir glanced at Alistair, whose eyes were filled with contempt. Why is he bearing such a grudge? This has to be more than the deer incident.