Page 3

Three

T he first day of classes could not have been more brutal.

Kamine already sported bruises from combat class. The pink haired woman from dinner—who she now knew was named Roz—had not been gentle during sparring, when they were paired up. Apparently, she had been training for this from a young age. Her father had given her her first black eye, which she’d worn proudly. During their one-on-one practice, Roz got a few hard hits on Kamine before the professor pulled her back, preventing Roz from killing Kamine on the spot. Janina had laughed at Kamine’s battered appearance, while her own lips were split, and stained with blood.

Even though they were allowed to wear protective armor during their Undertaking, the professor did not allow them to wear it during class. A way to grow a hard shell , she’d said. Hence, Kamine had been forced to wear a thin layer of clothes that were too tight on her body like the rest of the cohorts. The black material was foreign to her skin. She had to keep from constantly crossing her arms to cover herself. She already missed the flowingness of her usual linen dresses. She missed the outside air, too.

Now, they entered the classroom where they would learn how to perfect their magic, and make it more precise. At least, that’s what the others would be doing. Kamine would just aim to do something, anything, with abilities meant to be innate, but for her were stubbornly withheld.

There was nowhere to even sit in the cavernous room. It was just a large room with a few rocks, ready to be manipulated. Kamine swallowed down her nerves. Perhaps she could hide in the back and avoid detection.

Janina and Zoya had given her curious looks all day, but did so especially now, as if they anticipated Kamine being so confident with her powers that she would want to show them off. She even heard rumblings from some of the cohorts that they were excited to see her in action—to see what the offspring of a previous Undertaking winner could do.

A tall figure walked through the door, his pace swift, but unbothered by their presence. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his black slacks, and he didn’t even greet them before he started speaking.

“All of you in this room will fail your Undertaking,” he said so simply, with little emotion or care. His white shirt was unbuttoned, and Kamine could just make out two black spots on his clavicle. It was a common tradition that Undertaking participants had stones lodged into their flesh as a reminder of what they had survived.

The man then stared right at her, and Kamine tried not to shrink back at the assessing gaze of his practically black eyes—like two orbs of darkness that could suck her into oblivion. He rubbed his beard, but stopped when he noticed his action.

Kamine recognized the man was the one she had bumped into when she had first arrived. His dark hair was pulled back loosely in a bun, and his rolled sleeves revealed his large, toned, veiny arms. He was a professor ? Aside from his clothes, he looked like he belonged in the infantry, not here.

He paced the room, his hands behind his back. “None of you have the skills needed to save your village yet, which is why over the next few months, I, Professor Grimot, will break you and reform you into the winners you so desire to be.”

Lycaster, whose shaved head had a large scar on it that strangely resembled a hawk, boasted, “My private tutors told me I’m good enough to win it all already.”

Kamine prepared for the worst, but the professor didn’t utter a response. No one in the room moved, the silence settling so deeply that Kamine could have sworn she heard the wind roaring from outside.

All of a sudden, a storm of small pebbles rocketed across the classroom, hitting them all. They ducked, covering their faces in an attempt to shield themselves. Someone whined about one rock hitting their eye. When Kamine unfurled herself from the danger, she saw how the strength of the professor’s powers was enough to draw blood on herself and others.

The professor stepped up to Lycaster. “If you’re so ready, why do you have cuts all over your skin? Someone who was truly skilled would have anticipated the attack, and would have been on the defensive.”

Lycaster spit on the ground, while the professor smirked. Professor Grimot then addressed the whole class. “Anytime one of you speaks without permission, you will all be punished. I don’t have time for childish behavior.”

No one said a word, but they all got the message.

“Let’s test your current abilities.” He pulled out a piece of paper from his shirt pocket. He read it carefully, and Kamine knew the exact moment his eyes landed on her name.

“Kamine.” The cohort parted, revealing her from the back. She supposed hiding wouldn’t last forever. “Let’s see if that magic from your mother was passed down.”

Kamine opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her. “I didn’t give you permission to speak. Do you want more pebbles thrown at you?”

Kamine sullenly stalked to the center of the room. She flexed her hands as if that would finally help her powers come out, as if she hadn’t tried that same tactic hundreds of times before.

He picked up a rock and tossed it to her like he would a ball. She at least caught it with her hands.

“This is magic class, not a game of fetch. I expect you to use your powers.”

He picked up another and threw it harder this time. It hit her in the arm. She flinched slightly, but kept the reaction to a minimum.

“Again,” he said, practically savoring her embarrassment. Her cheeks became rosier with each throw that she couldn’t stop. He ambushed her with rocks that were bigger and thrown with more force. One hit her square in her chest. She stumbled slightly, needing to adjust her glasses as they slid down her nose. He hit her face right as she did, and the glasses fell to the ground. He was now just a blurry figure. Still, Kamine kept quiet, despite the panic rushing through her system. Her heart beat at a rapid pace, and she knew it wouldn’t slow down unless she got out of this situation entirely.

“This isn’t fair!” Janina shouted from the crowd.

Before anyone could blink, pebbles rained down on them all, again. Curses and yelling sounded from the cohort.

“I don’t have time for amateurs who can’t even stop a fucking rock from hitting them when they expect it. What are you going to do once you're in the Undertaking, and boulders are coming down at you and your village? What are you going to do when so many lives are at stake?”

Kamine didn’t know. That was the problem. She had hoped one of her professors would be willing to discuss what her options would be. That seemed very unlikely now.

She couldn’t see him very well, but she felt how his eyes were pinned on her.

“You aren’t even trying, Kamine. At least do something ,” Professor Grimot hissed through his clenched teeth.

She bent down to pick up her glasses—which were mercifully not broken—and had only a second to put her arms out as another rock came her way. It scraped her skin hard enough that she felt a trickle of blood run down her forearm.

“Your hands are not going to be the answer.”

Her eyes began to sting, but she fought to keep the tears back. They would not be productive.

“Can I have a break?” she whispered, as she grabbed for the bracelet that was hidden under the sleeve of her shirt.

“Breaks don’t exist in the Undertaking.”

She couldn't do this, but she was trapped with nowhere to go. She wouldn’t run though. She refused to give him that satisfaction.

“Your mother must have been so ashamed when you inherited her eyes, but didn’t get a lick of her abilities.”

“Don’t you dare—” More pebbles attacked them all before she could even finish.

Kamine could feel the other cohorts growing frustrated with her. Not at the person punishing them, but her—because of her incompetence.

“I’m done for today,” she said with a little bite, her toughness gone now that he had taunted her about her mother. He had stepped past a line, into a space she didn’t have the strength to follow him into. She went to the side with the others, accepting defeat. Janina tried to speak with her, but Kamine waved her into silence. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble for them.

Professor Grimot had a satisfied air to him as he called up his next victim, one who performed much better than her. Kamine spent the rest of the class leaning on a hard, stone wall. Her injuries ached, and when she rolled up her sleeves, numerous bruises began blooming. Luckily, her bracelet was still intact. She anticipated that when one bruise faded, countless more would be added.

She had her work cut out for her.

“He’s a sick bastard,” Janina said from her spot on the couch. A bag of ice sitting on her shoulder matched that of Kamine’s own.

They were resting in what they guessed to be a shared lounge for the whole cohort. There were a few plush couches, fur rugs, and soft blankets. Maybe the school took pity on the students, and provided at least this one source of comfort. Janina, Zoya, and Kamine felt fortunate to have found it. They were even luckier that none of the others had yet.

“He’s a sadist,” Zoya added. Surprisingly, she came out the most unscathed of the three of them. Her own skills during magic class showed there was a skilled fighter underneath her softness. “I’m sure you’ll show him how great you actually really are. You were the tester today, but you’ll be more prepared next time.”

Kamine appreciated Zoya’s optimism, but she figured it was finally time to reveal the truth that she held back for so long.

“I don’t think so.” They both straightened at that admission. “I have never been able to access my powers. I honestly don’t know if they even exist.” She wrung her hands together, touching the damned bracelet for comfort, but a sense of relief washed over her now that she had finally admitted her secret out loud.

“I don’t understand—”

“I’m confused—”

They both started, simultaneously. Kamine couldn’t blame them. She too would have a lot of questions. Hell, she did have a lot of questions.

“My powers haven’t manifested. They never did when I was young, and they still haven’t. I’ve been trying for years just to be able to push a small stone off the edge of a table.” Kamine shrugged, ashamed at the truth. She remembered being a child, reduced to tears because of how badly she just wanted her magic to work. “I’ve never done it.” But she knew they existed somewhere in the deep well of her soul because even if her magic has never physically revealed itself, once—so long ago—she felt a sudden spark within her. Since then, she had been chasing the same sensation, only to be met with failure.

Zoya ran her hand through her blonde hair, wavy from her braids, twisting it at the end around her finger. “But everyone has at least a little power in this court. Maybe you have used your powers, but it was just so small, it was hard to notice.”

Janina added, “You must be doing something wrong.”

Kamine rubbed her temple, the dim lights now less relaxing and more irritating to her vision. She could really use a breath of fresh air right now. “I promise, I’ve tried everything. The teas, the lessons, the research. All of it amounted to nothing.”

“It’s just,” Janina interjected, “your mother was so skilled. There are tales of her being called a prodigy. Gifted with powers as great as the Weather Gods, from Buraza, herself.”

Her mother's story was not a heroic tale, but a tragedy. The Thunder Goddess Buraza might have given her mother her powers, but Kamine had always described it as a curse, not a gift. Her mother’s powers had a mind of their own, one her mother could never quell and control, especially after her Undertaking. Kamine feared Damien’s powers would one day do the same, but if she thought of that too long, she worried she might actually claw her way out of here and run away with her brother to another court, so that he would never feel the pressure of their mother’s past.

“Powers are not something we inherit. My mother’s own parents had average skills,” Kamine said.

Janina hummed, her melting bag of ice now forgotten on the floor. “Your mother found the Heart. I would think the Gods would honor that with strong offspring, which is why I still think there must be something great rumbling under your skin.”

“You know,” Zoya said with fervor. “My aunt also struggled for a long time. She was never chosen as a participant for the Undertaking, but she said that she would inflict pain unto herself, and that brought it out. Like her body subconsciously knew that pain meant danger, and danger meant needing to protect herself.”

“That sounds uncomfortable.” Kamine tightened her lips. “Plus that was exactly what happened this afternoon in magic class. The pain didn’t do anything.”

Zoya thought about it for a second, then responded. “Perhaps because it wasn’t danger that you felt, but embarrassment. Your life wasn’t being threatened, just your pride.”

“It felt like I might die.”

Janina laughed. “But deep down you knew you wouldn’t, because Professor Grimot would have gotten in big trouble.”

Kamine didn’t know if she believed that. He seemed to be the person to take things too far, his emotions uncontrolled. But…he had won his Undertaking for a reason, so he clearly had a lot to teach that could be beneficial to her. First though, she would need to get her powers to wake up.

“So we test this theory then.” Kamine said, finally. She would do anything to prepare herself for the Undertaking—anything to keep her villagers alive. “But what, exactly?”

“Maybe we drown you?” Janina offered.

“ What ?” She couldn’t be serious.

“We can turn one of the baths into an ice bath, and force you to stay under.”

Zoya nodded. “That might work.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

Janina smiled, her teeth still stained with blood from earlier. “Perfect.”

Grimot leaned back on the creaky chair in the empty office. Headmaster Dritoria had one of her lackeys deliver a note to his private room less than hour ago, demanding his presence immediately. Before trekking his way over, he decided to finish off the chapter of his book. He walked slowly to delay his arrival time and was unsurprised to find the Headmaster was not there.

He would give her an extra minute before leaving. Inspecting the clock on the wooden desk, he willed the second hand to move faster. He had a nice drink of alcohol waiting for him back in his room. The first day of class, and already he wanted this to end. The entire cohort was useless. Only Roz and Franciz had shown some promise. Franciz’s small stature and strong powers would benefit him greatly, while Roz’s determination would get her far.

He uncrossed his legs and stood. As soon as he turned to face the door, though, it opened and the Headmaster stepped in. Her dark skin was illuminated by the warm lights surrounding them.

“Please sit,” she said simply, but there was an underlying authority to it that made him slouch back into the uncomfortable chair.

Headmaster Dritoria had hated Grimot since the day he had walked into this school as a cohort member, ready to face his Undertaking. She took one look at him during that first day, sighed exasperatedly, and had been up his ass ever since. It might have had to do with the fact that he used his powers to block various hallways with large rocks throughout the school, creating mass confusion when no other students could find their rooms. Could one really blame him? The school encouraged competition, and he liked winning. That was the reason he had done everything to win his Undertaking, and why he needed his students to succeed. Not only would failing cause the destruction in a village, but it would harm his chances of breaking the curse now bestowed upon him from the Gods. No one could fall behind—which made Kamine a huge problem.

Headmaster Dritoria relaxed in her chair and steepled her hands together. He could hear her tapping her feet.

“I know you know why you’re here,” she said.

Grimot tried not to roll his eyes. “Does it have to do with a student who can’t even defend themselves against a pebble?”

“No, it has to do with you physically assaulting a student,” she said angrily, not taking his shit.

He huffed a laugh. Unbelievable that such an accusation was being thrown at him. “That’s a stretch. It’s class. A demonstration.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t hear about any teaching happening.”

“And who exactly did you hear this from?” He would make sure they suffered.

The Headmaster cocked her head to the right. “I have ears all over this school, don’t try to test me.”

Grimot narrowed his eyes, but said, “My methods are harsh, but effective. A necessity to get them into shape by the Undertaking.”

“What you need is a full cohort to participate. If one of them is killed on your watch, then you’ll be the one a village comes after when there is no one there defending them. And I won’t help bail you out.”

She had a point. As much as he wanted to destroy these students’ spirits, the court needed them alive for the Undertaking.

“I’ll be gentler,” he promised.

“Gentler, and you need to apologize to the student.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him. “No excuses. You are not a child, so I do not want to hear your complaints. I hired you because of your skill. Don’t make me regret it.” She said, sternly. “Now, leave.” She pointed to the door. “If I catch wind of something like this again, I will dismiss you without hesitation.”

If Grimot was out of this job, then he could never prove himself to the Gods. His curse would doom him to a fate worse than death. Damn him; but he couldn’t let that happen.