Child of Earth

17

Everyone in the room was staring at me with either regret or anger on their faces, many of the twelve children started murmuring amongst themselves about how dangerous this would be.

It really wasn't my fault if anything I was helping.

If my Godly sister Peramia could only appear in that area of the forest and no-one was there she would have to come back later therefore giving us less time to complete our quest.

So they can groan and complain all they want but we have a responsibility to save the earth from evil and this scenario was included in that list.

Hazel ushered every one out of the room so she could talk to the Councillors in private.

All of a sudden everyone was talking over each other about how unfair, cruel, impossible and dangerous the quests were compared to the others.

I sighed. "All right everyone shut it!"

They all stopped talking to glare at me but they were silent so I kept talking.

"Everyone we're going to get into a buddy system and then you're going to teach your buddy something they might need to survive and then they're going to teach you something, after lunch go to your room and pack what you're going to need and might need for your quest then go back to the dining hall, meet up with your buddy and continue teaching and learning."

Almost all of the students were looking at me like I was a leader... well, all but two; Martin and Nathan.

Martin looked like I was a really big pain in his gluteus-Maximus and Nathan looked like he was concerned for my health and impressed with my assertiveness at the same time.

Either that or he felt constipated (but you can see why I would go for the first option).

I realised no-one was talking so I sighed again. "Go! Go, go!"

I clapped my hands and pushed some of them towards the back door and that got them moving.

Everyone was in a pair now. Krystal and Ebony, Harry and Ron, Georgia and Sarah, Dakota and Holly, Martin and Nick and I was with... Nathan.

Inwardly I sighed but outwardly I said "Oh Nathan I found your jacket in the medical bay but I left it in the meeting room, you think of what we can do first and I'll go get it, wait here."

I turned around and knocked on the door of the meeting room. Lloyd opened the door and let me in.

I ran over to the armchair with the jacket resting against it I picked it up and ran back to Nathan who was holding a pair of swords.

"Hey." He said.

"Got your jacket."

I passed it over to him and he passed me a sword.

"So," Nathan said tying the jacket around his waist "What do you know about swords?"

---

Half an hour later I could slice, block and swing a sword like a pro.

So with fifteen minutes until lunch Nathan and I decided to spar together in the basketball building (which was full size with a row of benches on the left side)

We each had swords made of wood so that way if we hit each other we wouldn't cut off any limbs.

We stood about five metres apart and we both held our swords in defensive positions, it was all about who made the first move.

We started circling like wrestlers until without warning, Nathan rushed me.

He raised his sword for my left side which was unprotected. I moved my sword to intercept and I slipped my blade down to his hilt, we struggled for a while before I swung our blades anticlockwise, Nathan lost his grip and his sword fell to the ground.

I kicked it behind me and I held my sword to his throat.

"Check. Your move" I said smiling as he refused to hold up his hands in surrender. "What 'cha gonna do now?"

He gave me a wink and then tried the crouch kick I had used on him a few days before.

But I saw it coming.

I jumped his legs, did the kick myself and he landed flat on his back.

I stood over him with my sword against his neck and tried not to laugh "Well that didn't work now did it?" I said with my right hand on my hip.

"No..." he said "But this will!"

He kicked my ankle with his left leg and I fell to the floor with a big "Oof!"

I lay there staring up at Nathan as he said in the cockiest voice I have ever heard in my life "Check Mate. You're dead."

I don't know why but my sides started shaking with laughter and Nathan bent over laughing as well. We stayed like that for a few minutes before we regained control and Nathan helped me up.

Then we went again. This time it was all about stabs and parries.

As our swords knocked against each other our feet never stopped moving.

I was backing Nathan into a corner but he turned to the left suddenly so I was facing the wall.

He started to slash and jab with renewed energy and I was gradually being herded towards the corner.

I was less than a metre away from being beaten when I had an idea.

I stopped moving backwards and I threw a long swing for Nathan's neck, he jumped back but it gave me the room I needed to try my idea.

We stood there panting and sweating for a second, just estimating how long we could keep going and then I made a deliberate glance for the ground underneath Nathan's splayed feet. I could tell he noticed me but he didn't look instead he tensed his leg muscles slightly thinking that if I tried to slide under him he could fall on top of me but I was faking it.

I bended my knees slightly and then I slid one of my feet under his legs.

He immediately dropped his legs but he did it too soon, landing on the floor I jumped over him and turned with my wooden blade centimetres from his neck.

"Gottcha!" I said as he stood slowly and raised his arms in surrender.

Just then Krystal ran into the Basketball court and said "Lunch you two!" and then she ran out again.

I sprinted for the door and so did Nathan. I was faster and I had a head start so I reached it first but we returned our swords to the armoury cupboard behind the blacksmith together and walked inside.

I decided that I was cool with Nathan, he was a funny person and he seemed to think I was okay too.

And to be honest, that was important because we were going on the same quest and if I could trust everyone on my team, then it made it so much easier to get along with everyone.

We passed through the blacksmith area before arriving at the armoury where we stored our weapons. Then we turned around and headed for the dining room.

"What should we do next?" I said as we reached the front door.

"You can choose." He said. Opening the door and standing to the side to let me pass.

"Such a gentleman." I said walking past him backwards and giving a mock curtsy.

"Well, I think archery is an important skill to learn properly," I said, heading for the dining hall in front of us. "So until you can master it I'll teach you."

"Sounds good to me Hawk eye." He said coming through the door himself and letting it close behind him.

Ilaughed and punched him lightly on the arm. "Sure it does Gandalf."ss4XtMCn3uzYtPn