The Lost Battle Student

Prologue

"I'll miss you." She sniffed as she hugged him tightly.

"I don't have to go, mum." Jerome said, trying to convince his mother to let him stay. She shook her head.

"No! This is a once in a life time chance for you. I'll never be able to save that much money again." She exclaimed.

"All the more for me to stay! You can beg for your money back from the Baron." Jerome pleaded. His mother shook her head once again.

"You'll do fine, Jerome. You'll be a knight in no time." There was no way out of it. Within two hours, he was lined up with his fellow first year cadets in the Redmont battle school hard as Sir Rodney the battle master inspected them. Once he dismissed them, two boys in Jeromes year approached him.

"Looks like you need a friend or two." The first one spoke. Jerome smiled.

"That would be great." He said.

"Good, I'm Alda, and this is Bryn." He said, gesturing to his friend. Jerome smiled and held out his hand in greetings.

"Jerome. Nice to meet you."

***

"What are you lazy bums doing in bed?" A shrill voice shouted. Only three weeks into battle school, and Bryn, Alda, and Jerome had already made enemies with some second year cadets. They made it their job to make their lives miserable. Bryn was like Jerome, his parents had bought their sons way into battle school, though Alda had made it in on skill. Sir Rodney had seen Alda fighting with his brother before recruiting cadets and thought Alda would make a good addition. But with the two second year bullies, the three of them were too exhausted to put up with them and all their battle school duties. The second years would pull them out of bed in the early morning or late at night and humiliate them and make them preform back aching tasks. They were fed up with them all.

"It is lights out." Bryn said smartly. The second year cadet grabbed him by the collar of his night shirt and hauled him out of bed.

"Ten push ups! Now!" He demanded. Bryn began his first pushups, only to have the second year place his foot in between his shoulder blades to make the task harder.

"Leave him alone!" Alda said standing. The one not occupied with Bryn, turned his furious gaze on Alda.

"You dare question us?" He asked. Alda's eyes widened and he turned to Jerome for help, who was slowly pulling back his bed sheets and standing. The two of them stood side by side to seem larger. The second year cadet let Bryn free and the three of them made it even more intimidating.

"You better watch it, babies." One sneered. Jerome rolled his eyes.

"Is that the best you can come up with?" He retorted. "Just leave us alone!"

"You'll regret this." He sneered. Alda laughed sarcastically.

"We don't need you making our lives miserable." He said. The two of them almost looked offended. They stormed out of the dormitories. Alda smiled.

"We need to make sure that doesn't happen to us again." Alda said.

"How do we do that?" Bryn questioned.

"If we take over, then it won't happen to us." He suggested.

"Take over what? Teasing?" Jerome scoffed.

"Think about it, Jerome. We'll be safe from bullying." Alda said, trying to convince him. Jerome and Bryn both looked doubtful, but in the end agreed.

"I guess we can give it a go."

***

Okay, so this is a Rangers Apprentice fan fiction, and it is based off of one of the three bullies in the Ruins of Gorlan. If you haven't read Rangers Apprentice, you haven't lived. I hope you like this book, I thought I'd try something different. Please comment and vote your opinions, I'm open to all feedback.

~Avis