Becoming Master

Chapter 3

That afternoon she didn’t get her bed. The moment Noble had gotten situated on it he wouldn’t budge an inch, leaving Clair to lay down on the old couch she had in the corner of her room. It was on its last legs, and the stuffing had fallen out of the tears many years ago. Ever since she had arrived years ago this room had been for her alone and she had prided herself in that, because unlike everyone else who had to share a room with three others she was able to use all the space for herself, but no more.

Noble, dressed in only his underwear, laughed when Clair groaned. “You better get rid of that couch before the bed gets here tomorrow or else there won’t be any room for you to sleep.”

“Me? Oh no, you’re sleeping on the new bed, that one has been my spot since I was six, and I’m not moving now.” The bed was placed in front of the window, with the long side leaning against the wall.

“Ten years without moving this? You need to move, for your sake.” He sat up on the bed and looked out the window to the dark outside.

“A child that reaches my waist is not going to start giving me orders; you sleep on the new bed, period.”

“Tell me about yourself,” he said immediately after, not wanting to pursue the subject

“Why are you so curious?”

“That’s the way I’ve always been,” he looked at her with sad eyes.

Clair lifted an eyebrow, “Are you pulling something again?”

He turned away so that Clair couldn’t see his face then softly replied, “No.”

“Stop being so bipolar, it’s creeping me out.”

Noble’s laugh rang through the room, “I’m not bipolar.”

Clair ran her fingers through her hair, muttering a stream of curses. Then, deciding to follow along, she got comfortable on her couch and began. “I used to live in a city between the mountains, my parents basically abandoned me and the Headmaster took me in,”

“The academy wasn’t as big as it is now; there were only Twelve of us, and four of which were teachers. I struggled to understand the concept that I could use magic, but Don taught me how to locate the strength and channel it.” The words began to stream out of her lips, “he was my support in every form possible, it was because of him that I pulled ahead maybe even the reason that I’m still alive.”

Wind swirled around her, spinning her hair over her face and preventing her from seeing clearly. Her body vibrated with energy, feeling the adrenaline in her veins.

“Spread your legs and bend then more!” someone barked from behind, “Listen to any sound.”

She turned her head to see where he stood, but another command stopped her.

“Fight me with your senses, feel my movement, hear it, smell it.” Something cold touched her calf and began to trail up her leg, it was his sword. “Block me with all you’ve got.”

She closed her eyes and let the sword reach her thigh before spinning around, and with her own sword, hitting it away from her body. As he had told her earlier, she remained with her eyes closed.

He stepped back with a smile, “Perfect, now use your magic to feel the movement around you,”

“Perae Hocte” her body beat to the rhythm of her heart as she spoke, then, like a river over rocks, she began to feel every bump and dip in the ground; every insect and plant… every human. She could see him, she could sense him smirking, getting ready to strike at any given moment.