The Fifth Academy - Fantasy Direction / #Wattys2018

Chapter five. The whisper-boy. By Jason, flashback

Since ancient times there has been one unbreakable law for the White Legion, the strong always help the weak. And if I was one of the best, then my partner Max had to be one of the weakest. But he was a good lad with a kind heart, nice sense of humour and very smart wits. They, and only they helped me to escape regular punishment (I was the champion of troublemaking) and to get good marks in the Fifth Academy. Max was a very sly smart-ass, but teachers hadn't even the slightest guess about him helping me.

In addition to the team and single competitions almost every Firesteel boy took part in duels or fights. These fights weren't legal or very fair, though this was the only way to find real strong leaders among us. I had always been a very bold dangerous fighter, always winning and never losing. Ok, unfortunately not "always winning". Precisely seven years ago I was severely beaten in a close match by a stronger and more experienced opponent. I have no idea at this point why I had agreed to that hopeless fight, I remember my adversary being taller than me by a whole head and over three years older. I was only ten. He had almost pounded me into the ground, I was lying on my back, clenching my swollen jaw and panting heavily, when suddenly I heard a whisper near my ringing left ear. "Jason? Jason!" I slowly opened my heavy lids and stared at the high white ceiling, my jaw aching.

"Hit his right knee as hard as you can? Do you hear me? Hey!" the whisper said. "Are you alive? Hit his right knee! THE RIGHT KNEE!"

And the first thing I did after I got up. To be more precise, I did it with the back of my head. And then a real miracle happened, my foe howled with pain, lost his balance and fell to the ground. Thank goodness! This one little advice from a total stranger brought me the victory and saved not only my crushed reputation but more importantly, my face and bones. The secret had been that not long before the fight, my opponent had broken his right leg and it had bothered him ever since, so I successfully used the injury to my advantage.

After the unfair fight, I had tried to find my saviour by making everyone to whisper into my ears "the right knee" or "as hard as you can". It didn't work, the whispers were very close, they almost sounded right, but it still wasn't my mysterious saviour.

A few days later I was walking alone down one of the longest corridors of the Fifth Academy, not long after a football match with the Highthrones faculty, who had lost mostly because of my two well-directed goals.

"Oh, that's fresh" I mumbled under my breath and made my steps wider, it was unusually cold in the iron Firesteel's tower. "Thank goodness everyone is celebrating. Well, let them cheer up a little bit before the main exams come! I need time to be alone to concentrate and prepare for tomorrow. Maybe I should use a powerful magnet against him. But where would I hide it? In my armour?" All-day long I had been thinking about my opponent in the next fight Vadim The Hard Fist.

"Yeah." I sighed heavily, passing by a row of high ancient bronze doors. "It would be just perfect if someone whispered the answer in my ear again. What can I really do against Vadim's metal right hand? He is going to crush my bones with his steel fingers unless I..."

"Please, don't do this! Please!"

I paused, that wasn't my thoughts... Not at all! I heart the pleading pour from behind one of the doors. Honestly, all doors in the Firesteel tower were massive and made of bronze. "Please! You can't throw me from your squad!" Cried an unfamiliar male voice, almost too high to be considered a male. "Last time we won because of me! I gave you the right clue! Please! If you kick me out, I will be cast away from Firesteels and will have to finish The Academy like a simple Goldstone!"

"Yeah! Like a simple Goldstone girl! We will make for you a nice dolly dress! Just don't cry!" a low masculine voice boomed with mockery, I recognized it instantly, Vadim the Hard Fist. This nickname he received for his right hand that was made of steel from the fingertips to the elbow. I jumped and suddenly remembered that tomorrow's fight would be with Vadim. "Next time we're gonna lose because of you and only you, Max! I can save your gentle ass from fights, but it doesn't work for team competitions! Everyone from my squad must participate in the relay next week! Can you run as fast as a real Firesteel? Can you jump as high as a real Firesteel? Can you..."