The Remembrance

Chapter Fourteen

Physical training wasn't all it was cracked up to be. In order to maintain a well rounded magic user, you need to stay physically strong. Magic is very physically draining, so it is important to train.

Mr. Kelly didn't seem very nice either. Chase's outburst in the dining hall didn't make him have any sympathy for him. Luckily, they didn't do too much.

In history class, their teacher, Ms. Harris, a psychic magic user, told them what they would be learning the next couple of weeks. It wasn't anything special. History could be a blown class if it was put into technical terms. The history of the Thunder Gods, Legend Gods, and Guardian Gods was not something you needed to know to fight.

After there history class, the group dragged their way to their living complexes. It was time for free time. The thought of it didn't seem to good though. Everyone was tired and done with this new learning environment already.

George wanted to nap in their small room, but Chase dragged him out. The two were going to meet with Mina, Chloe, and Lilliana. As they went to meet them at the front gates, Jagger and Uriel came running down the complex stairs waving their hands.

"Wait were coming too," they yelled at the two. They wouldn't want to stay with Ja'Sheim in the complex anyways. Everyone knew that he would definitely use the down time to show who was boss like he always did.

George and Chase didn't mind them tagging along at all. They welcomed them to their tight group.

Spotting the girls at the front gate, The four buddies ran across the dirt path towards them. When they caught up, Chase introduced the three girls to their new friends.

"Mina, Chloe, Lilliana, I would like to introduce you to our new friends, Uriel and Jagger," Chase said grinning at his companions.

"Nice to meet you," Chloe said putting out her hand towards Uriel. The chubby boy blushed and giggled to himself. He had obviously never had any experience with pretty girls before. He shook her hand nervously.

After their informal greetings, the group decided to just walk around the inside of the God Guild. It was quite the large place anyways. It didn't seem to have any end to its massive structure. The bamboo buildings all looked frail, but when George's curiosity caused him to knock on a building it felt hard as a rock.

"Why is it so hard?" he whined. Thinking it would be softer, the curious boy punched it forcefully. His knuckles were already showing red from where he punched the hard structure.

"Apparently, grass magic users here fortify the buildings so that they are ten times harder than they look," Jagger replied. George, rubbing his hand, rolled his eyes after the response. He muttered something under his breath that Jagger noticed wasn't very kind.

The group headed across the pavement to find a group of kids running somewhere. They looked at each other, and without a word spoken between themselves, they rushed after the kids. They rounded a corner to find a crowd of kids. It wasn't clear who they were surrounding.

The jeering of the crowd absorbed anything going on in front of them. As Chase moved forward, he found the situation more clear. There stood Ja'Sheim. He was towering over a small girl. The girl looked frail and wiry. She was short and had square-rimmed glasses. Her hair was unkempt in certain areas and was in need of a good grooming. She was laying on the ground and looked as if she was trying a great deal to regain her footing.

Ja'Sheim loud voice projected over the crowd as he shushed them. "This is pathetic," he bellowed, "I haven't been here long and I am already better than this wretch." He kicked at the girl. She took it in the stomach and crumbled to the ground in a fit of weakness.

Furious with the actions, Chase pushed forward only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Jagger pointing to the far side of the crowd. A group of adults were marching their way towards the squabble.

Ja'Sheim, who didn't notice the approaching adults, continued his grand speech of victory. "This feeble being attacked me with her pathetic magic. And that is why I have chosen to fight her in the Zone in five days time."

The girl whimpered at the words and the adults who Chase thought would do something were just standing at the edge of the crowd nodding their approval. "Unbelievable," Chase mumbled to no one in particular.

Jagger was taken aback by the adults' decision to do nothing. He felt ashamed he couldn't do anything now. It was too late. Once you get chosen for a fight in the Zone, there is no turning back.

"Do you accept my challenge?" Ja'Sheim asked the girl.

It was the most pitiful squeal that Chase ever heard. It was so heart crushingly sad it made Chase want to break down into tears. The poor girl's voice quietly, yet audibly, said, "I acc..."

"ENOUGH," a familiar voice yelled.

Everyone turned to Rider who strode into the throng with purpose and courage. Stacy was following at his heels. He stepped a couple yards from Ja'Sheim. In between them lay the exhausted girl. Whatever had happened had clearly weakened her to that of an upside down turtle.

"Are you actually beating on a girl who is completely defenseless!" It was more of a declarative statement then a question. "This girl here shouldn't be treated like a piece of trash."

"She is worthless. She can't even use her magic. The first thing you learn is how to summon magic."

"You aren't like her you dunce. All those who got here late have all used magic before or are familiar with it one way or another. People like her need months just to get her mana flowing to their will."

"I'll admit you have a good point their buddy, but I might like to add that she attacked me while I was aimlessly walking around."

As the fight got more and more heated, more and more people joined to watch. Chase, who was getting furious with the confusion, asked Jagger why the adults weren't helping end the fight.

"I guess it's because the rule is true," he answered.

"What rule?" Chase asked curiously.

"All students most end quarrels amongst themselves. If they need to fight then they have to do it in the Zone. It's a battlefield made for organized fights like that. Zone is something both sides most say agreement to. Then they organize a time it takes place, normally a Saturday. If one side objects before the time, then there will be no fight. If you do cancel, then you look like a coward though."

"That's retarded," George replied who was listening in on their conversation.

"It is, but the rules are the rules. The adults here can just heal you from the worst of wounds anyways, so they find there to be no point in adults stopping fights," Jagger added.

"Look," Mina said. In front of the crowd, Rider and Ja'Shiem were shaking hands in agreement. There was to be a fight in the Zone. Rider versus Ja'Shiem.