Fragments on the Road to Death

Teachers Bane

"Please teach me!" Helena keeled, head held low, palms clenched in the dirt. 

"No," The man sat on the tree stump stretching the wrist he had punched her with.

"Please!" She looked up, tear trails cutting muddy lines through the dirt on her face.

"Why should I take you?" He laughed at her. "I have turned down far worthier applicants," Helena hung her head, tears dripping on the ground. She dug her nails into the soft dirt. Her stomach hurt.

"Please," Her mouth tasted like blood. "Sir... Master... I kneed to get stronger. I need real training!" She looked upwards, teeth clenched. 

"Then get it at the Academy," He leaned into her face.

"I was there," Helena snapped. "They taught me nothing," She met his eyes for a moment then looked away. He laughed. 

"Well at least one of you lot figured that out!" He leaned back and grinned at her. "You want me to teach you so bad, tell me why you 'need' me to teach you," Helena sat up properly and whipped at her face. She took a deep breath and looked at the floor, shaking slightly. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath.

"They killed my friends," Her voice was hollow. "We went hunting for it, and I hid while they died. I WATCHED THEM DIE." She opened her eyes and watched the dust settle. "I want to fight the Demons, I want to be strong enough to kill them,"

"You want to fight Demons?" His face was dark. "Give up kid," Helena took a sharp breath. "You just don't have the fiber for it," He turned his back to her. "Your friends might have had what it takes, they did have the guts to get themselves killed." He paused for a long moment. "Your nothing but a coward," Helena could feel the tears in her eyes. She stood up, and grabbed at her bag. Then she turned and headed down the path. Fuck him and everything he stood for, she would show him. She could fight Demons. She would fight Demons.