The Prophecy ( The Replacement Trials #1)

Chapter 1

Aura's POV

"I should've killed her when I had the chance." I grumble to myself as I watch my competition reload her bow and fire at the five targets lined up in front of her. Of course, much to my chagrin, she hits every single one of them and the other archers take note of her technique. Everything from her form to the type of arrow she uses is taken into consideration for these new recruits. I could've been the one teaching them had she not shown up, but of course, little miss perfect elf had to make an appearance just a few years before my graduation and due to her skill, she was put in the same year as me. It's not like shooting a few targets with some arrows was this god given gift, I figured it out in a few months, and she isn't even capable of sword-fighting half as well as I can. Every time I see her train, I see a skill that I haven't been able to fully master due to my issues with bows of any kind. I stand and watch as she pulls the string back and the muscles in her back flex before she releases the arrow, her eyes are trained on the target, so she is unaware of the awe that has taken residence on the faces of her trainees. I don't know why they try to figure out how to master that specific weapon when it's clear that the only paladin that is a true master is their mentor. They follow her as though they'll be able to get to her level but she's grown up fighting with one kind of weapon and then learned the others, whereas the trainees are unfamiliar with the majority of weapons given that the entrance exam only deals with hand to hand combat and then they just run drills with the weapons, not having to seriously fight with anyone to be granted passage.

"Aura!" I hear one of my trainees yell out. What could they have possibly done in the past ten minutes that they've been training that they could need my direction for? I instructed them to fight until one of them was fully disarmed, which, had they listened to my lessons, should have taken at least a half hour. When someone puts up a fight, it's harder to get them in a position where they are helpless, and you hold all the power.

Looking over my shoulder, I see that she's been pinned to the ground and has a sword held to her throat; she's done the one thing I instructed them not to do. The first rule of sword fighting is to never lose your weapon, given that most soldiers don't like to carry other weapons if they have a sword because they believe that it's the only thing that they'll need to protect them. However, they're wrong. Something I was taught when my brother and I ended up here after our fathers' death was that you should carry at least three weapons with you, it could be a dagger, a sword, throwing stars, a bow, a hatchet, it didn't matter as long as you had several back up plans. It seemed that my students had difficulty listening during my lectures so it's time for them to see what would happen if they were to go into battle without another concealed weapon. Patting my thigh, I double checked that my dagger and whip were secure before I motioned at the kid who was pinned.

"Let her up. We've got some lessons to learn before we can continue on." Each and every one of my trainees stood at attention, standing in three perfect rows. "What's the first rule I taught you?" I question, flickering my eyes between the petrified gazes of the sixteen-year old's in front of me. I understand that they're unprepared but fighting is what they're here to do and if they are unable to get over their petty fears, they'll never be able to survive at the Academy. They ranged all the way from fae to witch and their expressions made me smirk, so unaware of the potential they hold and how easy it will be for them to fight in just a few years. If they follow my rules.

Seeing a young warlock raise his hand, I point him out.

"You. Kid with the curly hair." I don't have the patience to remember all their names and there's no telling if they'll all make it through the end of year exams. Should they fail, they're going to be kicked out anyway so why bother going to the trouble. I'll be sure to learn them when the groups get cut down to those who will survive until graduation.