Glass Magic

Chapter 12

I'm on a roll~

I think I hate reading. I mean, I've always loved it, since I was a kid, but I've been reading every possible moment I had free. So much so that I was currently nauseous from just how much I had read. Weeks have gone by and I've only broke through an eight of the books and a little more than the basics of Occeanbic. I will say, I have learned how to eat that charcoal they serve.

And after learning that I've also ended up joining the stampede with most the other first years, sleep taking over the majority of our morning to the very last possible second. I was currently in swordsmanship getting whacked with a dull sword and very often losing the grip of my own. I was partnered with a barbarian, I'm a rogue, do you by chance see the major issues going on here?

He was going to beat me to death by the end of class.

"Lilith! Watch your footwork! Don't run from the blade! You have to block it! Stop- YOU CAN'T RUN FROM THE BLADE!" Came the encouraging words of my professor as I completely ignored him and ran from the freaking blade. Do you want me to die? I sure as blazen don't.

"I'm a rogue!" I attempted to explain as I hardly ducked what would have severed my head whether or not that sword was blunt.

"AND I DON'T CARE! YOU'RE A LEAD AND LEAD'S HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO FIGHT WITH A SWORD!" Oh yes, the kindness of my teachers. Almost forgot they were sadists. With a deep breath, I brought my sword up and did as told. I blocked the next swing. I also hit myself in the face with my own blade and went flying.

Oh boy... That was going to hurt tomorrow. Coughing as I sat up I glared at my teacher who was quick to blame it on my footwork while I grumbled about how I wasn't cut out to wield a sword the teacher aid rolled her eyes and walked over with an insulting comment to her lead.

"Why don't we partner up? I'll show you the basics once more," She offered as I wheezed in response still on the ground with my back throbbing from the fall. Chuckling she pulled me to my feet and grabbed my sword. Sending one more comment to her lead as she walked by.

"You're good at getting back up so as long as you do just that the rest should come decently fast," She smiled and I gave a lazy nod stretching my back as it popped. "Your stance is too narrow, and you don't guard your body, you'd rather dodge which is fine as long as you can properly block and parry, which you can't, and your swings are way too wide," She commented pulling her sword from the dirt.

"You're hardly better than an amateur and we've been doing this for almost two months, I'm going to have to suggest makeup classes if you don't start catching up soon." Demon. I thought you were nice, I seem to be mistaken! Grunting I got into my stance, she oh so kindly used her sword to fix it. Because getting my limbs slapped with a metal stick was totally the best possible thing that could have happened right now.

Or for the next thirty minutes.

I was hardly able to drag myself to archery after the beating she gave me on top of the one I had already received. Thankfully, archery was the only tactical class I was good at. As usual, they have a small finely pressed cube of what we eat for every other meal.

I didn't even hesitate to toss it back, swallowing it whole as I downed the small cup that came with it. Shaking my head as my face scrunched up in disgust I cleared my throat and grabbed a bow with its matching quiver.

Rolling my shoulders as my body protested being alive I grunted but went to my work station, expecting to be left alone as I was one of the best shots but was instead redirected in front of a very large rock about ten feet too far from the target to get a decent shot. Figuring they wanted me to better my distance I pulled back the string and-

"No, Lilith, different kind of demonstration," He chuckled as I lowered the bow and kinda just stared at him flatly, I was too tired and hurt too much to be solving riddles. "We asked you to do it because you're the most flexible and agile in class, we'd like you to jump over the boulder in whatever way you'd prefer and shoot as fast as possible after landing,"

What? Why? Can't I just go back to actual shooting practice? What's the point of this? He glanced away, my eyes falling his gaze to find miss H. Is she still worried I'll lose my head? ... They want me to show off to appease her?

Oh my stars let's just get this over with.

Looking at the rock in front of me I counted my steps back, removing the arrow from the string before sprinting towards the rock at full speed. Jumping I twisted my body, with a swift side twirl followed quickly with a roll of a flip I landed and shifted my stance in less than a second. Notching the arrow in the same motion of drawing the string I released it and watched the arrow fly.

Rubbing my lower back as it throbbed at the landing, my arrow striking the edge of the bullseye line I looked at them with a flat look wanting to go back to actual practice. "One more thing," He nodded, clearly seeing what I wanted. "I'd appreciate it if you hit the plates I throw," He raised five while I narrowed my eyes as that was a request that differed on his speed.

"How fast?" I asked and his lips curled in for a moment as he smiled, clearly also wanting to get back to class but having to do as a superior asked.

"All at once," Excuse me? Do you understand what you've asked of me? My speed shotting isn't that good.

"I can try," I sighed pulling five arrows from the quiver and lining them in my hand shaking my head. Your worrying is causing me issues miss H. Pulling back the sting I aimed high waiting for all but a second before he was tossing them up. The moment I released one arrow I had already nocked another and drawn it back, all five arrows flying true as they each hit there target leaving me to grumble as I left, leaving him to pick up the arrows.