Ruins In The End (We Three Mages, Book Two)

(7)Chapter Twenty One: The Order

"Don't tell your sister," Calvin pulled a shirt over his head.

"Why? Just because you and that chick are getting close?" Jared shook his head. He stared down at Calvin from the top bunk. "It's not like you and Mari are a thing anyways."

"I know, I know. But, I just don't want her to know is all." Calvin blushed slightly. Calvin and Jared were in a small wooden building with three other sets of bunk beds, all empty. The other occupants had already headed out.

"Honestly, it's not like I can anyways," Jared jumped down. "I don't where she and Nadia are so there's no way for me to contact them."

"Seriously? So this entire time you've been bluffing?" Calvin looked at him wide eyed.

"It was fun while it lasted," Jared smiled.

"Whatever, those other guys are all probably waiting on us slowpokes." Calvin threw his pillow at Jared.

"You're the slowpoke, I've been ready for a while now." Jared chuckled.

The bunkhouse was one of four. All carefully hidden within the woods that bordered the field that was to be their training grounds. It had happened yesterday while Thad, Jared, and Calvin were celebrating Calvin's win at the tournament. When Thad left to grab them some more drinks, a large man approached the two and told them to meet him when dark fell outside the arena. When they had arrived, it was fairly obvious that the two had found what they had come for.

Once the two were outside, the sunshine hit them like a fist to a face. There were several other people who had gathered for the special combat training and all were wary of each other. The breakfast that was being served was some sort of stew. Calvin and Jared each only took a little bit.

We'll just catch something later. Jared thought to Calvin.

Agreed. Calvin nodded.

After everyone ate, two people came out of the woods, the large man and the suspicious figure that Calvin had been tracking. The large man had dusty black shaggy hair and a thick, well grown beard. His arms were mostly muscle and he stood in a dignified manner. The figure that had caught Calvin's eye was a girl maybe a year or two older than himself. She had her long, silk like hair pulled back into a pony tail and a stern glare fixed onto her face.

"My name is Boreas Zika!" the large man shouted. "And this is my niece, Zoe Zika."

"She was snooping around during the fights," Calvin whispered to Jared.

"Probably to scout out some potential," Jared whispered back.

"You all have been brought here for one reason and one reason only, to train in a new form of combat and use it for the war efforts!"

"So you're training us to get involved in a war that has nothing to do with us?" a boy shouted.

"It's because the war has nothing to do with everyone here that I've recruited you. If you looked around you can plainly see there is no one here that is Trajarean or Demintrean."

"You're so lucky my spell worked," Calvin snickered.

"Shhh!" Jared quieted Calvin.

"What about that Eestrese?" a girl pointed at Calvin. "Eestri is allying itself with Trajare!"

"He is a long way from Eestri, and besides, don't you recognize him?" Boreas smirked. "He's the winner of Alydenne's fight tournament."

"Heh, I just got lucky is all." Calvin tried to act casual. "Jared probably went easy on me."

"As if," Jared blew some hair out of his face. "Though I am going to demand a rematch."

"When and where," Calvin had a gleam in his eye.

"Silence!" Zoe yelled. "Uncle is not done speaking."

"Thank you Zoe," Boreas patted her head. "I am going to train you all to work as a well-oiled team and then we're going to sell ourselves to the county that is willing to pay us the most."

"So you're going to turn us in mercenaries?" Jared asked.

"Exactly my boy. By the time this war is over, we'll all be rich." Boreas continued his all-knowing smirk.

He is going to so pissed when we leave in a few months. Calvin couldn't help but smile.

"The rules are simple, if there are any of you who disagree with this plan, you will be killed on the spot. Anyone who breathes a word of this to any outsider, they along with the betrayed shall be killed." Boreas's face got very serious. Looks were exchanged all around and no one dared to say anything. They valued uni and their lives far too much.

If he tries, I'll kill him. Jared thought.

"Shall we begin?" Boreas asked after no disagreements came up. He nodded to Zoe who stepped forward.

"First, we shall evaluate your physical condition. Those who fall short will be put through a regiment that will bring you to the minimum we require."

"How ya gonna evaluate us?" someone asked.

"One by one you shall fight either me or my uncle. Let us begin." Zoe got into an offensive stance.

"Not gonna be fighting her," Calvin backed away. "Nope."

"I will then, you go after her uncle," Jared smiled. "After all, she won't be the first girl I've schooled." With no one else moving, Jared stood up and walked up to Zoe. He got into his fighting stance and calmed his breathing. Thad's teaching had been all about controlling one's breathing and matching it to their opponents. If Jared knew when she was going to breath, he knew when she was going to attack. Zoe didn't waste a moment and charged at Jared. She brought back her fist, and was ready to punch Jared when he rolled out of the way and got behind her.

"You have some skill I see," Zoe remarked.

"Didn't come in third for nothing," Jared smiled.

Calvin was having less fun against Boreas. He came faster and harder than anyone he Calvin had ever faced so the best he could do was dance around him.

"You're quick, good." Boreas smiled.

"I was called the Bouncing Rabbit back in Eestri before I left it." Calvin bragged.

"Some name," Boreas timed his next hit with Calvin's landing and managed to kick him in the shin. "We're going to make you live up to it."

Jared's match with Zoe was just about finished. Roughly halfway through it Zoe had completely changed her fighting style and it became harder for Jared to match his breathing to hers. Twice he had almost teleported out her range by accident. The most he could do was dodge and hope an opening would show itself. When it finally did, Jared took it and punched Zoe in the stomach as hard as he could. He just needed one good hit to take her down and that was what he was given. But Zoe didn't go down and Jared soon realized why. Zoe had lessened the blow of the punch by jumping back the same time Jared threw it.

"You get the extra regiment." Zoe told him. "You aren't nearly strong enough."

"Calvin was it?" Boreas looked down at Calvin. "You have skill, but you lack the physical strength, something I noticed in your last match."

"Fair enough," Calvin laughed.

Only Calvin, Jared, and one other trainee had to do the extra regiment. Everyone else passed the minimum.

"You three, we need to take care of those sickly, twigs like mage limbs of yours." Boreas pointed at the three.

Never heard the term Mage used as an insult before, Jared crossed his arms.

"Start by giving me a hundred push up and pull ups each." Boreas crossed his arms and watched carefully as they obeyed his order.

This better be worth it, Calvin groaned inside his head.