The Parables

Zsak - Precinct Fourteen

Zsak - Precinct Fourteen

Clutching the spear in my hand tightly, I take a step forward and thrust it towards the target. The spear shoots through the air at a lightning pace and slams it's pointed end into the centre of the target. I grin with delight, and walk over to retrieve it. Another ten points to me.

"Nice work, Zsak," Educator Elan says, smiling warmly. "You're really going for it today. Out of the fifty possible points to earn so far, you've scored forty-eight of them."

"Oh yeah," I say, pulling the spear out of the target board and resting it against the wall. "What's next?"

"The knock-out rounds," a female voice says behind me. I turn around to see Remma, staring at me with narrowed eyes and a spear in her hand, holding it to the ground. "One-on-one combat. Whoever loses is out and the winner proceeds to fight another."

"I'll see you in the finals then," I counter. Remma grins.

"Oh you won't be fighting me," she says, with a laugh. "No. They need one girl and one boy, for obvious reasons."

"Well I hope to see both of you in the finals," Educator Elan says. "You're both tying with forty-eight points." My jaw drops. Glancing at Remma, I see a smug smile on her face.

"Ciao," she says, then spins around and strides away into a ring.

"Looks like you've got some competition, Zsak," Educator Elan remarks.

I ignore her, focusing my attention on Remma instead. She's already sparring with another opponent. A few blocked punches, a couple of kicks back and a blow to the stomach defeats the opponent, crowning Remma champion, moving her on to the next round.

I sigh. Remma is probably the best person for the Martyr. She can fight anyone and win within seconds of her first punch. I have to spar for ages before I can perform a sneak attack and win. On the other hand, if a boy is picked as the Martyr, Remma can't volunteer, which gives me an opportunity.

Most of the other Precincts don't have training centres for eligible Martyrs. Only Precincts Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen do. We train every single day apart from Sundays, giving us a day to rest our aching muscles. The training is exhausting, varying from one-on-one combat and team sparring to hunting and weapon practice. Working with a spear is my personal favourite, but I can conquer the other tasks without difficulty.

The training centres teach us the five main training aspects of The Parables: strength, speed, stamina, skills and knowledge. Once a year, we're tested on each aspect and given a mark out of ten on how well we do. Today, that is what we have been doing, and I've only lost two marks out of the fifty I could've achieved.

However, there is a final aspect to the training: the one-on-one combat task. The trainees are separated into two groups - boys and girls - and in those groups they are paired up with someone of a similar ability. Each pairing fight it out in the ring, and whoever wins, fights against another winner of the pair, until only one girl and one boy remain. These two become the volunteer Martyrs. If a girl is crowned the Martyr, the female winner will volunteer and if a boy is crowned Martyr, the male winner will volunteer.

So far, Remma is certainly going to be the female volunteer Martyr. She's thrashing her opponents in the ring, knocking them to the floor within seconds of starting. The girls who have lost against her loiter away from the ring, treating their cuts, bruises and black eyes. I wince at the sight and step from side to side nervously. Any minute now...

"Zsak Montessori," a voice shouts. "Please make your way to Ring Three now."

I grumble. Great. Reluctantly, I make my way to the designated ring. My opponent stands in the ring, with his back turned to me. Frowning, I step closer and realise I'm against...