Chapter Three:
The Center
Eight year old Clove stepped into a giant gymnasium. She was wearing a jet black uniform with an electric blue stripe down the side. Other older children were already training in the Center. They were older then her, around fifteen and fourteen. Most were paired up and fighting each other. They were wearing vests over their uniforms so if any one got hit by the flying swords, knives, or spears, they wouldn't be seriously hurt. Clove's eyes went wide, was she supposed to do this; to participate in this? How could anyone think of children doing this?
"Ah, welcome children," a man said jogging up to the group Clove had entered with.
"My name is Asa. I'll be your trainer for the next ten years. Yup, you're stuck with me for another decade," Asa chuckled.
He was a tall, pale skinned man with black hair and a small goatee on his chin. He had on a black uniform like Clove's and the other children's, but instead of a blue stripe, his was lime green.
"If all the eight year olds would follow me please," he said.
The newest additions to the centers followed him through the giant gym and into a smaller empty one. All along the walls of this gym held swords, spears, knives, shields, bows, and different sized weights. Clove's eyes drifted toward all the knives hanging in pretty and perfect little rows. She glanced at the other kids around her. The others were taking in the sight as well. Some whispered to each other but others just stood silently like she was.
"Everyone line up, shortest to tallest," Asa demanded.
The children didn't hesitate to do so. Clove was at the very beginning of the line, due to the fact she was the shortest. She looked to her left, where everyone was standing shoulder to shoulder beside her. There were only a handful of girls in this particular group of eight year olds. Clove counted seven from the two ends of the lines. The other twenty-one were boys.
"I will assign everyone a training partner. This will be your training partner until you all move up a level. So when you're nine, you will have a different partner. Then when you're ten, and so on and so on. Another note, just because you're this persons training partner, doesn't mean you have to like the person or be friends with them for that matter."
Clove smiled a bit at this part of Asa's speech. She wasn't good at making friends and she didn't really enjoy being around other people, so this would be easy for her.
"Now I'll pair you up for the year," Asa said.
He started to walk around-eyeing all the children. Then he would say, "You go with that one," or "You and you."
Finally, there were three girls left and one boy. Asa went up to one of the girls, "You... And this one." He gestured to the other girl beside Clove. The two girls smiled at each other then went and started to test out the tools like the other groups were.
Asa walked over to Clove, "What's your name?"
"Clove, sir," Clove said sharply.
"Since there are no more people in the class, looks like you'll be with him, over there. Is that okay?"
"Yes, sir."
Asa smiled. He motioned for the boy to come over to Clove. The boy had mousy brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was head taller than Clove, but she didn't mind. He shoved his hand her way and said, "Caleb."
She took it with a good grip, "Clove."
After shaking hands, Asa left the two to start admiring the toys hanging on the wall. Clove walked over to the sharp knives. She picked up the smallest one and held it in her hand. This would be her weapon. If she were to be forced to do this-fight with other children-she'd be remembered for these beautiful metals. She twisted the knife in her hand and felt the cold blade at the tips of her fingers.
"Knives," she heard someone say begin her. It was the boy who was her training partner. "Those would be my specialty sweetheart. You can just give that here and I'll show you how it's done. Clove's face flushed with anger as she handed the small knife to the mousy haired boy.
He smirked and step in line with the target. He held the knife close to his ear for a second then wound up and released the knife. It flew toward the target with amazing speed. The target was punctured on the second ring. Caleb turned toward Clove, "You're turn honey."
Clove glared at the boy and then took the biggest knife off the shelf. The blade alone was as long as her forearm and she could barely get her hand over the handle. She lugged the heavy knife up to line up with the target, like Caleb did. She then aimed as much as she could and with all her strength, she hurled the knife into the target. She followed the knife until the tip of it was square in the middle of the target. It was poked into the target, so it just hung there. Clove turned to Caleb, "Call me sweetheart one more time and that target will be your face."
She turned her back on an awestruck Caleb and went to get water from the end of the gym. Asa came up to Clove as she was sipping water from the bottles laid out for all the children.
"That was impressive," Asa confessed.
Clove shrugged.
"Where did you learn to do that?"
Clove sighed, "When my mom died."
"I said where not when, and to add to that, how did you learn that."
Clove stared at the trainer, "I learned it at my house, after my mother was killed by Peacekeepers. I didn't want anything to happen to my father, so I promised myself if they ever come back for me or my dad, I would take them all down. The only thing in the house that was there were knifes, so I threw them."
Asa raised his eyebrows, "You thought you could take down Peacekeepers?"
"I know I can take down Peacekeepers."
Asa chuckled, "No offense, but I highly doubt that."
Now it was Clove's turn to raise her eyebrows, "Whatever."
Asa got up then, "If everyone would please gather."
All the children came running toward Asa and Clove. Asa spoke to all, "Now we will fight. Everyone-with their partners-will pick one weapon and get a vest. Then, everyone will get across from their partners and on my count, will fight. Since it's only your first day, I don't expect you to do much, but if you have an open shot, I would like you to take it. Don't really hurt your partner-that's why we have the vests-just lightly jab."
Clove smiled over at Caleb, who was white as a ghost. The other kids started to get vests, but Clove went over to the weapons and got one of the knifes-this one a medium sized. Then, as all the other kids came to get weapons, Clove backed up toward the vests and put one on. She snapped the buckles together, not expecting the vest to weigh this much. It was at least an extra ten pounds to carry while fighting. She walked over to where Caleb was standing, sword in hand. Other kids grouped up around them each partner facing each other waiting for Asa's command.
"And, fight."
Before Caleb could even swing his sword back, Clove had him on the ground with the knife at his throat.
"One slit and you'd be dead my friend," Clove whispered to Caleb.
Clove got up and then turned to Asa and said, "Can I go again?"
But before Asa could answer, Caleb had grabbed Clove's hair and swung her around. She turned and was faced with the end of Caleb's sword. She smirked at it, "Wow, what a pretty sword... Too bad it's in the hands of a cheap shot jackass."
"You know you're on the bad end of this situation, right sweetheart?" Caleb smeared.
With that word, Clove had kicked Caleb's hand and drawn her knife. As Caleb went for his sword with his right hand, Clove cut a gash in his left. He fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding arm.
Clove then turned to the other kids, "Anyone else wanna take a cheap shot when my back's turned?"
The children shook their wads furiously.
Asa put a hand on Clove's shoulder, "Come with me," he muttered quietly.
Clove turned with Asa, listening to Caleb cry about his arm.
"You won't be with us anymore, Clove. I'd like to ask one of the other trainers to take you on. Not that I don't like you, but you're too... talented for this age group," Asa explained-picking his words wisely.
Clove nodded, "Will they be nine...ten?"
"More like fourteen and fifteen."
Clove smiled, this would be fun.