The Magicians

Chapter 22- Fight Training

I had to get to fight training at 10:15, and I knew I was going to be late. I ran behind all of the buildings to get to the far away field.

I saw the glow of The House of Enchantment and ran faster. I made it there at 10:20. "I'm here!" I shouted, out of breath.

Katrina walked over to me looking amused. "You know, you're only a few minutes late, you didn't have to run. It's fine with me." I nodded. "Well I was all the way over at the hospital. Across camp."

I caught my breath. I had forgotten that I had my weapons belt on, it was surprisingly comfortable. "So get out your sword, Rose." I snapped back to reality and pulled my sword out.

"Do you remember all the positions I showed you?" Katrina asked me. I nodded. She went through the list and I did them all perfectly. "Alright, do you want to try to fight me?"

"Um, fight you? I guess." I felt uneasy, I didn't know much about sword fighting. "Don't worry, sword fighting comes easily to magicians. It's in your blood." She explained. I guess that's why she seemed to have so much confidence in me.

Katrina pulled her sword out. It had a long gold blade and a black hilt. The crest was a black bird. "Wow. That's an amazing sword, Katrina. Very elegant and dangerous." She smiled. "As I've been told many times. Now get into first position."

I moved to stand with my left foot slightly in front of my right. I grasped my sword the way Katrina had told me. "Alright, now I'm going to try to stab you with my sword, you will need to block me. Now don't worry, I'm not actually going to hurt you, and please don't hurt me. Got it?"

I nodded. I stood still and she move to hit me in the chest. I ducked and I felt the flat of the blade hit me lightly in the head.

"No, no. If I aim for you're chest, you can't duck unless you hit the ground, the blade is to high up. If I aim for your feet, you jump. Head, you duck. Got it?"

"Yeah." "Alright. Again." I readied my sword and waited for her to come at me. This time she went for my feet. I jumped and the sword missed me, but I lost my balance when my feet hit the ground and I fell over.

Instead of helping me up like I thought she would, Katrina brought her sword down, and I rolled away just in time. I stood up and regained my balance.

Katrina moved to hit me in the chest, but I knocked her sword out of her hand. It clattered loudly to the ground. I placed the tip of my sword at her neck.

I took a deep breath. I hadn't realized how out of breath I was until I had stopped moving. "Nice job!" Katrina said, smiling. Then she winced as the tip of my sword touched her neck. "Now, please put your sword down."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I put my sword down. Katrina took a deep breath and smiled again. "Okay, now lets go again." I nodded and got into position.

*****

Soon it was lunch, and I left the training field. I had beat Katrina by 1, and honestly, I think she was a little upset about it.

We parted ways at lunch, and I went to find Jackson. I was a little embarrassed about breaking down in front of him, and I wanted to hang out just as friends.

I wasn't sure if that was still an option, I hoped it was.

I walked around to try to find Jackson, but he sort-of found me instead. "Rose? I'm surprised I get to see you, you know. I was going to eat a late lunch because of my training, but I was starving."

I rolled my eyes. "Teenage boys. They're always hungry, aren't they?" I laughed. Jackson smiled. "Yeah, well teenage girls are never hungry. Well, except maybe you."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "Oh, I see how it is. I will get you back later." "I'm scared. Terrified." Jackson mocked.

Just friends.

I was going crazy in my head, but I tried to play it as cool as I could on my outside. I fidgeted a little as I sat down at the closest table with Jackson. "I think it's my turn to get lunch. What do you want?" I asked him.

"Oh, you don't have to-" "No seriously, what do you want?" Jackson thought for a moment. "Just a sandwich I guess. Doesn't matter what kind." I nodded and walked over to the long table with all the food.

There were plates stacked with different kinds of sandwiches, bowls of chips, salad, hot dogs and hamburgers, and many other lunch foods. I picked up 2 ham and cheese sandwiches for Jackson, and put honey BBQ chips on the plate.

I put a peanut butter sandwich and chips on my plate as well, and picked up 2 sprites. I half balanced half carried the plates and soda cans back over to the table Jackson was sitting at.

I sat his plate on the table and pushed it over to him. "You must think I'm really hungry." He said. "Teenage boy, remember?" He laughed.

He did eat both sandwiches, and all of his chips. I pointed it out to him, and he said that he hadn't, that there was a few chips left. "Yeah, chip crumbs." He laughed.

I had eaten all but the round crust of my sandwich, and a few chips. I bid Jackson farewell after he threw the plates away. He waved good bye and went on to his advanced training, and I to my beginners training.