Life - Life & Death Book 1

Chapter 12 - Zivena

    Once we finish our breakfast, Flora grabs my folder to study my timetable.
    "It looks like you have demon studies first up. Tolinka is really good. She is one of the nicest teachers here," Flora beams at me as we walk outside and towards the classrooms.
    "What are the other teachers like?"
    "Oh, they're all just as wonderful!"
    "Right." So, no point in asking Flora if she's just going to say that every single person in the world is wonderful.
    "Wait." I snatch my timetable back. "I thought I had combat training first thing?"
    "Usually you do, but because it's your first day you have to meet up with your teachers, collect your textbooks and all that."
    Flora drags me inside. Brightly painted doors lead to small classrooms that line the hallway.
    Flora shoves me into the room and follows me, "Good morning Tolinka!"
    A woman with dirty-blonde hair - Tolinka, I guess, looks up and smiles from her desk.
    "Good morning Flora. And good morning to you too. Zivena, isn't it? I see you've already made a friend." Her tanned skin shimmers in the warm morning light.
    "Um, yes. She's been," I pause, "friendly."
    Tolinka smiles knowingly. "Now, here's your textbook for the class. You can choose a seat wherever you like." Tolinka hands me a textbook titled Advanced Demon Studies written on the cover.
    Flora finally lets go of my arm. As she's walking through the door, she calls over her shoulder, "I'll see you at lunch Zivena!"
    I shake my head and take a seat at one of the desks in the middle of the room.
    "Flora can be..." Tolinka searches for the word.
    "A pain in the ass?"
    "I was going to say enthusiastic."
    "Yeah, that's one word for it."
    Tolinka laughs. There's a sincerity to it. I like her already. Other people start walking into the room. One, a guy, has flaming red hair and orange eyes; a dark skinned girl with snow white hair and bright red eyes follows behind.
    A third person walks in, and a wall of self-loathing hits me. His hair is short, swept back, and onyx black. His lean muscles are outlined under his loose fitting gray shirt. And his eyes. A stab of surprise hits me as his eyes sweep the room and land on me. They're too familiar. They're the eyes from my dreams.
    "Mictain." Tolinka says, pulling his attention away from me and hands him his textbook.
    He collects it, frowning. As he turns around he avoids meeting my eye but something more startling catches my attention. A scar etched in silver digs into his skin. It mars half of his face, starting from his forehead and ending under his jaw.
    The class starts, but I can't look away.

✲✲✲✲✲

    Tolinka dismisses us after giving a brief run down of what we're going to learn. By the time we've finished, my self-confidence has plummeted into the Underworld - which is apparently a real place.
    I follow everyone to our first combat training session. The gym is decked out with the latest equipment; a boxing ring, gymnastics equipment, high ropes course and I think I can see a sign for a sauna. Torn apart practice dummies have been chucked into a pile.
    Taregan is waiting in an empty space in the middle of the room.
    "Welcome everyone to your first training session," Taregan calls over the noise. He's taller than I originally thought. "In case you somehow forgot, I'm Taregan. I'll be your primary combat and weapons trainer."
    A hush has descended as he does roll call.
    "Now," he says as he throws the list onto the floor a grin spreading across his face, "this is where your training really begins. No one's going to tell you you're the best little Guardian the Council has ever seen. There's no coddling when you scrape your knee or break your nose. This is your chance to show me what twelves years of training looks like."
    Taregan sends the first person, a girl with curly hair, flying to the floor within a few seconds. A guy steps up next. He lasts a bit longer when he jumps twenty feet into the air. Five more people are disposed of in quick succession, like the seeds of a watermelon.
    A crowd has started to form when the girl with white hair volunteers. She's slightly shorter than him but when he tries to hit her she folds out of the way. Literally. She's moving and bending in ways that aren't humanly possible.
    Taregan quickly catches up though, noticing her tells. He punches her in the side and she crumples to the floor, trying to catch her breath. I hear a few people applauding.
    "Well done Lulu. You should all take note. It's good to use your gift like that. Your opponent won't play nice. Learn to use every advantage you can."
    The rounds continue, no one getting close to what Lulu managed.
    "Come on people," Taregan says, egging us on, "Can no one hit an old man? Mictain?"
    He steps up, a hush descending upon the crowd. Mictain approaches with swift moves. First, a jab towards Taregan's stomach.     Then, his neck. I stare as his lean muscles coil, ready to hit our trainer. He lunges forward, his legs tense; his moves, graceful and silent. Taregan maneuvers closer to his opponent, dodging his feints and sending a sharp tap to Mictain's knees. With a grunt, Mictain collapses.
    "Good job," Taregan says as he reaches out. Mictain reluctantly takes it and rejoins the group.
    More people step up, a similarity in how they approach the fight. But as I watch, a plan forms.
    I'm the last one. Show time. As I step forward, I spot Ahren. I can tell he's waiting to see me fall on my face. This is going to be fun.
    I take my place in front of Taregan, his salt and pepper beard twitches as if this is all a joke to him. I know it will be pointless to draw him into a long fight. He will only defeat me like the others.
    I lunge forward. My leg swings up to kick him in the head. Taregan grabs my ankle, yanking me forward. I land on my back, winded. Triumphant.
    Taregan loosens his grip on my ankle, he opens his mouth to start lecturing me. I get both hands, palms down, on either side of my head. I arch my back and flip. My free leg follows me, bumping gently against Taregan's chin.
    In shock, he lets go of my ankle. I land facing my new trainer, an uncontrollable smirk on my face.
    Standing there, legs braced, I watch as the surprise slowly washes off of Taregan's face.
    Then I hear someone calling "That's my best friend!"
    I look over and see Flora jumping up and down in the front row. I shake my head, failing to push back the smile.