The War of the Stories

Preparation

*Angelyn's POV*

The preparation for the war has begun. Everyone's sad of course, but we really have no choice. It's either that, or sit and watch as we're destroyed. People have been running around, grabbing weapons from various racks that line the great hall and trying them out under the supervision of already experienced fighters.

I'm using a dagger. I'm not a huge fighter, but I'm willing to give this whole thing a shot. Maybe I'll be a natural. Nionnien said that would be ridiculous, being able to fight flawlessly for the first time ever when I told her that. She mentioned that Draco was training her, which honestly didn't surprise me. Those two were totally going to hook up. Wasn't sure what weapons he knew how to use, but I decided not to ask.

But I did have to admit that she had a point. How exactly am I supposed to know how to do any of this without any prior training?

After waving the dagger around a few time, it became very clear to me that I wouldn't be anywhere near a natural.

I sighed and left my dormitory, where'd I'd been practicing, and headed towards the Great Hall. I returned to the rack I'd found it on, and carefully returned it to it's rightful position. I turned around, and looked over the Great Hall. It's didn't surprise me that I hadn't found the right weapon yet. The hall had gotten even larger to accommodate the treasure trove of weapons and the various pairs training.

I scanned the crowd, and noticed Olivia examining a rack of spears. Paris was across the hall, talking to Annabeth. I didn't see Nionnien anywhere, so I guessed she'd told the truth about being trained by Draco. Elijah was nowhere to be seen either, which didn't surprise me. He was probably eating Myrtle's ghostly face in a bathroom somewhere.

I walked over to a table dart guns, and picked one up. It just felt wrong in my hands. Someone spoke up behind me.

"That weapon feels wrong, right?" the person said. "Doesn't look like a fit either."

I quickly turned around. The person was Eragon.

"Go on. Try another." he urged, watching me.

Feeling foolish, I walked a little further into the hall and picked up an axe. This one felt even worse.

"No, no, no. That won't work. Choose one that- this is going to sound stupid, but trust me, okay? Choose one that looks special to you."

"And why should I trust you on this?" I retorted.

"Because I'm Eragon. I know my way around weapons." he shrugged.

I snorted and turned away from him to scan the hall for weapons.

"Just- find the one that calls to you. Close your eyes if you have to."

I did as I asked, and closed my eyes. I took a step forward. The another. I moved all the way down the row, then turned right, left, and walked forward a little more. I reached out, and found a rack of weapons in front of me. I smiled to myself, knowing this was completely ridiculous, and opened my eyes.

I was met with a slender spear, made of oak with a sharp, silvery looking spearhead. Unlike the axe or that blowgun, this one felt... right.

I turned around to thank him, but he was gone.

*Nionnien's POV*

"Now, throw that knife at the dummy." Draco whispered in my ear.

Feeling an awful lot like Bellatrix in that one Harry Potter movie, I threw the knife at the sand bag in the corner of the Slytherin common room. I almost missed, the knife just barely sticking the side.

"Clear your mind, just... wish only for hitting that target." Draco said quietly.

I sighed. It was a lot harder to throw a knife in real life then what the movies advertised. But for once, I could do as Draco asked. For once, I wanted nothing more. I was satisfied, happy even, with my life.

So, doing as I was told, I cleared my mind. Then, I thought only of the knife in my hand and the dummy across the room. I raised my hand, and hurled the knife. It flew straight and true, and nailed the dummy right where the heart would be.

I jumped for joy, I had finally hit it!

"Yes!" I yelled.

Draco smiled. I stopped jumping up and down, and before I knew what was happening, Draco's lips met mine.

*Olivia's POV*

I picked up an elegant looking bow from a rack, with the shapes of roses beautifully carved into the wood. I picked up a quiver of arrows, and felt satisfied.

Overcome with the need to fire it, I notched an arrow, and sent it flying down the hall. It narrowly missed a few first year's heads.

Professor McGonagall appeared from nowhere. "Olivia, be sure to shoot arrows at a sand bag, not another student!" she exclaimed. "If you can't do that, I'm going to have to ask you to practice elsewhere!"

"I'll go to another classroom." I shrugged.

"Oh, alright." McGonagall replied. She glanced at the crowd again. "Be careful!" she called out. "Hang on just a moment, Olivia. I need to stop this."

She hurried off into the crowd and returned a few minutes later with Angelyn and Paris. Angelyn was clutching a spear in her hand, while Paris held a heavy looking bronze sword.

"Let me blunt your weapons." McGonagall sighed. She waved her wand, and I watched the rim of Paris's sword blunt until it became rather flat looking. McGonagall waved her wand again, and a shimmery light appeared around the edge. "To prevent bruising." she explained.

"Olivia, take these two with you to that classroom, I'd like to avoid any casualties before the war." McGonagall laughed.

*Paris's POV*

We chose an empty classroom on the second floor. Almost immediately, it became clear that Olivia knew what she was doing. She notched and launched arrows with such grace. Angelyn, despite claiming that she was a first timer, swung her spear with the poise of a master.

Inspired by their proficiency, I tried to swing my sword. It felt right, but it didn't seem like I had enough power behind it. My dad's voice echoed from some long forgotten day in the past, reminding me that I'd never get anything done if I didn't try. I briefly wondered if I'd ever see him again before quickly blocking those thoughts out.

Focusing on his words, I swung the sword, making a clean slice through the dummy in front of me, cutting it into two pieces. Angelyn and Olivia stood in shocked silence behind me.

"Anyone want to um... practice dueling?" I asked, kind of hoping Angelyn would volunteer.

"I will." Angelyn smiled.

We took out our blunted sword and spear and began to duel, an elegant dance of war. We... might just be ready for this. Ready for a war between stories.