The Ritual of Blood and Bone

Chapter Thirty-Two

Seraphina lets out a small scream as she's thrown to the ground again for the fourth time in the last two minutes. 

"Do you yield?" her opponent asks.

"Yes," Seraphina replies breathlessly. Immediately, the weight on her back that was pinning her to the ground leaves. Seraphina groans, her whole body aching. Slowly, she stands back up and stretches her muscles.

She looks over at her instructor, Lieutenant Colonel Thorne, who is the head of all military departments and security at the academy. Seraphina hadn't realised this before, but all those in the academy who are studying any sort of military subject, are automatically part of a battalion called the First Erudition Battalion. This is the same for every academy across Narenna and all together, they make up the Erudition Brigade. This brigade is considered a reserve group in the Narenna military. As Lieutenant Colonel had told them at the very beginning of their first lesson only an hour ago, it means that if the worst comes to worst, and Narenna goes to war, even the students can be called upon to fight.

That had made Seraphina's stomach drop and her mouth hang open in shock. He had laughed seeing their reactions.

"Do not worry," he said, "it isn't until your third year when you are considered competent enough to be deployed. Until your third year, when you'll get put in your specific companies and platoons, you're just military students."

That hadn't made Seraphina feel any better.

"Seraphina!" Thorne calls, interrupting her thoughts. She jumps and then straightens her body.

"Yes, sir?" she asks. He gestures for her to approach. She gulps, her mouth drying, and does as he says.

"The person I am seeing today is not the same girl I saw in the Colosseum," he says. Seraphina's eyes widen. She hadn't realised he had watched. "I put you into class two because I thought you had a lot of potential and could keep up with the Ethereals also in this group. Was I wrong? Do you need to be placed into class three?" he asks, his dark brown eyes piercing into hers.

The thought of going down to the lower class has her hanging her head in shame. Calla taught her better than this. She needs to be moving up, not down.

"Sir," she begins, "can I have permission to speak?"

He nods his head, gesturing for her to do so.

"Since the Colosseum, I have not had a chance to train. It is true, I am feeling a little rusty, but if you could give me a few weeks, then I can assure you, I'll be back up to scratch. Even if it means I do extra training and fitness sessions, I will ensure that I return to my previous level if not surpass it."

He nods his head and frowns thoughtfully.

"You have three weeks," he says. "That is when we will have our first of many tournaments. If you are still getting your arse kicked by then, you will be demoted."

"Yes, sir," she agrees. 

"Alright, listen up!" he shouts, his booming voice hurting Seraphina's ears. She steps back quickly and stands alongside her classmates.

"In three weeks, we will be having our first tournament. This is important as this tournament will help me decide which of you will be this year's student leaders. Now, not only will I be looking at your physical performance, but I will also be having discussions with your strategy and magical defence tutors."

Next to her, a boy puts up his hand.

"Yes, Casek," he asks.

"Could you please explain the groupings our year group will be in?" he asks.