A World Above (To Be Rewritten)

Chapter 9: To fear or not to fear

Estrea returned to the Tutor, clearing her throat and regaining her composure. She walked over to me and petted my head.

"It's good that you know to protect your Master, Doggy."

I scowled at her but she glared back, prompting me to shrink away.

"Estrea." Wol'N said sternly, prompting Estrea to stomp away. "Now then, we're going to run some basic drills, specialized for each of you."

Our Tutor snapped her fingers, calling upon three separate slimes. I had never seen slimes here. . . Or, slimes like these in general. One slime was a salmon color and took a humanoid form and wore a mage's robe, complete with a staff. Another slime, metallic and beastial in appearance, wore heavy armor. The last slime appeared to be a normal slime, except for its deep purple coloring, dotted with specks of white.

"These slimes will be your companions for the duration of your lives. They will show no quarter during training, except for when you are about to fall. Can't have my students dying, afterall."

She motioned for the slimes to come forth. I watched as the purple slime jumped onto Estrea's head, causing her to freak out. Xera and the armored slime merely stared at one another. As for me? The humanoid slime scooped me up in it's gelatinous arms and we immediately took to the center of the arena. The other two were pulled aside.

"Well, I was going to let today be a day for you all to get to know your companions, but it seems Maycelia wants to get started immediately."

"Oh goodie. Now I have deal with this disgusting blob while Dog gets her ass kicked. . . Again." Estrea held her slime out in disgust.

Maycelia flew back, readying itself for combat. I tried to do the same, but I was given no time. Maycelia unleashed a flurry of basic dark spells, each with the tracking modifier. I barely got my weapons up just in time to block three of the spells, but would be staggered by the following two. Maycelia then rushed forward, unleashing a powerful burst of mana right in my face.

The force of the blast threw me several feet back. I tried to land on my feet but I lost my balance, falling on my ass and tumbling backward. Once I stood back up, Maycelia locked me in place and began launching bolts of darkness at me from all directions. I tried to hide away, this was too much for me, but it didn't stop. Each bolt punched through me, almost literally, it felt. I tried knocking them away, but there were too many of them. The attack went on for what felt an eternity.

Once it was over, Maycelia disappeared into a summoning stone, which Wol'N, now standing over me, held. She helped me up, dusted me off, and tended my bruises.

"Remember the pain and humiliation you felt today, Young Myribel." She said. "The others have already gone back to their dorms. You should too."

Wol'N gave me Maycelia's summoning stone. I looked at it for a moment, wiping tears from my bruised cheek. I sheathed my weapons, put away the summoning stone, and started back to my dorm.

~~

"Myri?! Are you okay?!" Aratae yelled, jumping out of her bed.

I nodded while changing into my casual clothing. Aratae didn't say another word as she brushed my hair.
Angela healed my bruises, well, as well as she could.

"So, what happened?"

"I have more work to do. . ."

"Myribel."

"Can you leave me alone for right now, please?"

Angela and Aratae looked at one another for a moment before heading back to their beds. I sighed and called Maycelia from its summoning stone. Maycelia sat down next to me and patted my head.