Twist of Fate

Chapter 17: Irresistable

"Have you thought of what kind of weapon you want?"

I shook my head, stifling a yawn. "I've never used a weapon before. I don't know what kinds they have in the armory."

Raifa and I were currently on our way to the so-called armory. I had gotten my uniform and training clothes earlier--strangely enough, they had my measurements completely accurrate--so all that was left was a weapon. It was early, before even dawn, as we walked through the empty halls of the South wing of the Academy. It was my first time going through the wing since I attended no classes there.

"What do you use, Raifa?" I questioned curiously. Raifa had a slim, firm, and tall body. I couldn't tell what kind of weapons she used, though I'd assume they'd be along the lines of the rapier I'd seen before.

"Can't you tell," she asked with a sideglance. "I can use most weapons, haven't you seen the collection in my closet? Besides the rapier, my main skill is with hidden weapons. You know, daggers, knives, throwing stars, etc."

I looked at her in surprise. "Really? You must be hiding them pretty well. I can't see any at all."

Raifa reached into her jacket and pulled out a long, sharp blade I had no idea fit there. "Not even this one?"

I stared, trying not to gawk. The blade, a dagger, was at least seven inches long. How could she have hidden that in her jacket? "You were hiding that?" And carrying it around like it wasn't important? It was so different in Zestiol. "Where I'm from, if you carried that around at school, you'd be expelled."

Raifa blinked curiously. "Really? What kind of school is that?"

"Er, it's not important," I said, waving my head. "It's just big on safety." And in another world.

Raifa didn't question me any further, though I could tell she was curious. It was almost as if she could tell I didn't want to talk about it anymore. It was probably because it was known some who came to the Academy came to escape their pasts, as pasts had nothing to do with what occurred inside of the Academy. Maybe she understood how it felt to be unable to speak of certain matters.

"Hey," I said, turning to her. "This has nothing to do with weapons, but do you remember when I said I didn't know much about the legend? Could you tell me about--"

"Ah, there you are Kouríeó."

I gritted my teeth and glared at the owner of the voice. That irritating man who always seemed to interrupt at the most inopportune moments. He came striding down the hall from behind with his over-the-top indifference as usual. He was giving me a blank stare that said he heard what I was beginning to ask before.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned, returning his stare.

"What's with that tone?" Zulén asked. "Who's the higher ranked here?"

I raised a brow. "You are, Lord Second Ranker. But that doesn't explain why you are here, does it?"

"I'm here to help you choose a weapon."

I looked up at him inquisitively. "And why is this?"

Zulén didn't respond.

"There's the armory," Raifa said in a cheerful voice, apparently ignoring our conversation.

I turned my gaze ahead of us to see open double doors twice as tall as all of us. They were made of some kind of thick black metal and decorated with estranged designs of dragons, perhaps dravyrns, and other mythical creatures I had no names for.

"Good thing their open," Raifa sighed in relief.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"That thing is heavy!" Raifa skipped forward to a door and knocked her knuckles against it. The knock echoed loudly through the empty hall.