Flames of Ashes

Chapter Ten. Instructor.

"Stand for what is right, even if you stand alone. Withal, how can one know when to stand for what is right?"~Cadvere.

***
"You had an early start, any tip we should know?" Benjen said with a mischievous smile.
"We were just conversing on minute things."

"Are you ready for combat training?" Celia asked me.
Oh boy. "Ready is an interesting choice, I just hope I don't die."
"You won't die, Eritrea is the one that, 'fucking wants to kill you." We all laughed. Where was even Eritrea?

"Just make sure to practice well since we have The Melee. I don't take kindly to losing." Celia said seriously.
"That's still ages away." Tamsin rolled his eyes. "Besides if Xarian can't handle it, I'll be more than happy to show her the ropes." He slung his arm around my shoulders.

Celia rolled her eyes and Benjen hit his head.
"Squad Aerith!" Kimoji announced and we all lined up according to our sections, at ease.
"To arms!" We all banged our left feet and the sound felt like the earth shook with it.

"Stand at ease, Soldiers! We are Squad Aerith named after one of the five fearless warriors who fought alongside the gods in the Immortal War." He stood in front of us, pacing back and forth. His hair was very tiny, growing on his head, and his hands were behind his back.

"You will remember this in whatever you do because we have to be the best, so there is no room for slackers. If you fail to meet expectations," he stopped scanning each of our faces, eyes narrowed with a chilling smile that made my head tingle, "consider yourself an offering for Davikon."
"If we don't meet expectations, we could get kicked out," Tamsin said softly, dread dripping in his voice.
If we get kicked out and we want to go home, Eldor knew what lurked in the wilderness.

"You will start combat training, recruits. As time goes on you will advance to using weapons, so for now, you will be trained for hand-to-hand combat." He turned to face the other years, "The rest of you will continue with weaponaries and weapon maintenance. Dismissed." He waved his hand.

The second, third, and fourth years had gone to another side of the field leaving only the recruits here to start combat training. We lined up horizontally, still at ease.

A man in leather apparel, bald, with a gold nose ring and eyes as black and foreboding as this place stood before us, hands in his pocket.
"Before you came here, you must have learned the basics of hand-to-hand combat which are stances and footwork, so we will start with your striking techniques. It's not-"

"Sir, what about those that were picked by the Flames and had trained to be in another Hood?" I would have asked if a beeline honey-haired girl hadn't beaten me to it.

Our instructor set his eyes on her, with a humorless smile. "The fact that you asked that shows that you are not fit to be a Knight." he continued, "It's not necessary to dwell so much on these techniques, so we might only just spend a few weeks on them and-"

"But Sir we haven't learned-"
"Do not speak when I speak, recruit!" His voice was low and four. The anger in his eyes made the girl stiffen. She was standing beside Tamsin, who was standing beside me.

He smiled again, the same creepy smile, "Since you are hell-bent on learning these techniques, why don't you come up here, I'll be glad to show you."
"I... I...."
"Don't be shy, come up, here," He even offered his hand.
Don't take it, don't take it.

She took it and he led her to the front.
"You there!" He pointed at the tall, overly muscled male. "What's your name?"

"William." His voice was just like him, manly and tough.
"You?" He asked the girl.
"Maya."