"Teach me a lesson? On what? how to get your self killed!" the guy said.
"God, why can't you shut up?! I've fought silent guys that have more talk than you." I groaned removing my vest, this got some laughs from the surrounding group. He gave a snarl as he walked to a point for us to square off.
"Stop this now Giom!" Sasha interjected, "Nobility are not allowed to duel within the school grounds!"
"Two things wrong with that rule and how it doesn't apply here." I started.
"I am not fighting nobility, I am fight a dog." Giom said.
"True. Thank god you have some sort of brain. Two; this isn't a duel, just a beat down." I said, stretching my arms.
"Indeed. Of you, of course"
"Please stop talking, the more you talk the stupider you make everyone within a half mile circle" I groaned. This also got some laughs and giggles. That last laugh was enough to throw Giom over the edge.
"SHUT UP!" he roared, "I am going to show you the power of a noblemen!" he waved his wand and the sound of running water was heard from all around us. Then water gathered in front of him like iron filaments to a magnet. They slowly began to form a human shape till it froze itself over into a armor of a medieval European knight wielding a two handed hammer.
"Ice golem. Better known as the Frozen Soldier."
"What the fuck man?" I yelled at him, not showing my obvious amazement, "I thought this was going to be one on one. Not one on puppet master. Do you always run behind someone to do your dirty work?"
"I am a noble, I won't stoup down to fight you." he said and waved his wand.
The golem attacked, making a large overhead swing with his hammer. I instinctively side stepped and went for a right hook to the face. This was something that I did so many times before it was literally second nature.
The down side was that this was second nature. If this was normal person I was fighting, his nose would have been broken due to his momentum against mine. Yet the guy I was fighting wasn't a person but a big block of moving ice and so the result was my fist smashing against a wall of ice. This was not only painful but kinda shocking. I yelled out loud when I connected, clutched my hand and screamed, "Fuck!"
This was enough time for the ice golem to recovered his weapon and take a side swing. This hit me in the ribs, which I could conclude were broken for at least three of 'em. I coughed a bit after I took the blow and gasp was heard from the crowd.
"Hey! Get up peasant. I thought you said you were going to beat me down!" he gloated.
"Don't worry. I am coming for you. Just don't get your panty in a bunch." I said getting, reevaluating my strategy. The golem went for another swing, this time a side swing. I ducked under it, getting a feel for it's speed. As he tried to get another swing in, I shouldered him, forcing him to stumbled backwards. As this happened, I grabbed his hammer and kicked him the stomach area. This caused him to not only let go of the weapon but to double over due to the force.
As I held the hammer, I looked at it for a bit before smashing it into the ground so that it stayed up, tilted at an angle.
"What you doing?" Warde yelled, "Take that and finishes this!"
I didn't listen. I made it a point to not use weapons as, to me, you had to have not only the willpower but skill and a sense of self honor and honor to others. Being a self proclaimed delinquent, I had no honor and only had skill in fighting hand to hand. So picking up a weapon would be an insult to those who has mastered them.
I threw an upper cut kick to get the golem up. His head flew upwards while his body bumped up. I kicked his head hard and he responded by stumbling back. I saw that I was doing damage as there were cracks in helmet. I smiled and threw another kick, this time to the lower stomach area. This caused him to bend over in the same motion as someone throwing up. As his head went down I grabbed it and smashed it down to the ground. I heard a small crack and stepped back waiting for my chance. The golem slowly got it self up on his hands and knees. This was when I struck. I lifted my leg up high, and then brought it down releasing an animalistic roar. A perfectly executed axe kick.
It stuck and the head smashed back down to the ground, breaking into pieces. I smiled at Giom who gave an angry snarl back at me and said, "I am not finished yet." he waved his wand and the golem melting into a giant puddle of water. He waved it again and the water collected back into the form of the armored knight.
"No. No no. Fucking hell no!" I cried as water began to freeze itself. The armored knight was back with his hammer, all brand new.
"Did you think that breaking it would stop it?" he said with a laugh.
"Not entirely, but I was hopping you would turn out to the pussy type." I replied in a 'oh well' manner, "Well. If I can do it once. I can do it again." I went in and dodged his first swing and took him into a over the shoulder throw. Once on the ground I stomped on his chest and head for a bit before I was struck from behind. I fell forward and rolled on the ground before springing back up into action.
Two new enemies had entered the battle, both were metal armor sets resembling a mix between Feudal Japanese armor and Mongolian armor. They both held a sword and shield at their sides and stood up next to the ice golem.
"Here to help boss." said one of the guys next to Giom. He smiled, looking like some sort of dim witted side kick.
"I see you don't have he guts to do this yourself. I actual thought you would be a man and do this yourself but I guess you need your two spare balls to do dirty work huh?" I panted, sticking up my middle finger to him.
"Ok. I believe this is enough" Warde said, "I ask you to please refrain from harming him anymore. I do not want my familiar killed in this manner."
"Well to bad! He started it, and if he can't finish it then I have to." Giom said.
"I ask you again to please stop this now? I don't want my familiar getting hurt any more." Warde said this time more sternly.
"Don't bother, the dick won't listen. Because your aren't respected enough for that." I said, stretching my legs and muscle. He turned to me and asked, "Well then why don't you stop?"
"Because I don't do that. Giving up is something I don't do. Once you start something you finish by any means necessary. Remember that." I replied pushing him aside. I took a little bit of jog and jumped on the ice golem. Then I tried to use that as a means to blind side one of the two. This didn't end well as while I was trying to jump over the on to the right of me, I was struck in the back by the other one sending me rolling on the ground again. As I pick myself up, the three assailants laughed in glee. I wondered why but then I heard what was coming. Trying to avoid it, I jumped to the side, bringing my arms up to protect me body as the ice golem swung his hammer side swipe at me. It connected with my arms, damaging them severally. I rolled again, jumping to my feat for the next assault which came from behind as a sword cut my back. It wasn't deep enough to cause any real damage but it hurt.
"Why do you keep fighting? You could seriously get hurt right now!" Wards yelled at me.
"Because people who want to be respected don't give up on such a simple task" I yelled back at him. With an idea popping into my head I turned to the other three guys who were still laughing and asked, "Ever heard of the saying 'take the head off the snake and the body stops moving'?"
This made the three boys think for a bit, obviously missing the meaning within it. Then I think that Giom put two and two together as his face changed from gloating to a sense of fearful surprise as he raised his wand and shouted, "Get him!" But I had already started a head down full on sprint towards them. The ice golem was first and he swung his hammer down at me. I side stepped it and the grabbed him, spinning so that I could get some momentum for the next part. As I spun I saw that one of the other metal golems had gone to strike me with his sword. As he got close, I threw the ice golem into him, causing him to faulter then collapse under his weight. The last golem that went for me started with a lung which I bent down for and threw him, wrestler style, in the air.
As I got closer to the three soon to be victims, Giom threw his two companions at me. I held my arms out and sprinted faster, catching them perfectly into a lariat, flipping a full 270 degree. Then getting to Giom, I grabbed him by the collar and brought my head back. A pretty audible 'THUD' was heard as I brought my head back down for a traditional head butt. Just after the blow was dealt, the ice golems disintegrated back into a pool of water as the two metal ones started rusting then break apart, slowly melting into the earth.
I dropped Giom's unconscious body down next to his two lackies and smiled. Turning to Warde, I exclaimed in the kind of voice you use to tell somebody about getting a new car, "And that's one way for you to get your well deserved respect!" everybody cheered, laughed and whistled at the win which I had obtained. Warde looked back at me, his face showing understanding and pride. Once I was sure he understood what I was saying, my body gave into the pain and fell forward onto the cool earth. I was out just before I hit the ground.
While I was out, I had a very steange dream. It was very interesting but scary. I couldn't see anything but I heard voices everywhere. The voices were all the same but different, if that were to make any sense. They were all talking to me, but would argue with themsleves every couple of minutes.
"You must find us."'
"If you gather us, you will be strong enough to take on the world."
"Get me first! I closest!"
"How bout you come get me and my bro, were are closer than he is!"
"No! Get me, I have had it being a chair leg!"
"Get me! I belong to you! The man who has me now knows what I am but can't understand I am not for him!"
"I can be obtained after the others. I am comfy here."
"Find us! That is the important part"
"Agreed." then there was a unanimous yell of "Find us!"
Then I woke up with a small yell of surprise. As soon I finished my yell a more, feminine yell echoed mine and I spun around to see a maid that looked pretty familiar. She cowered behind a bed post. Wait, bed post? I don't sleep on a bed. I sleep on the hay that was on the floor.
"Oh y-yo-you're awake? A-ar-are you alight?" the maid asked coming out from behind the bed post.
"I think so." I replied, slowing bringing myself up a bit. Then I winced as I got up a bit. Most of my entire chest was covered in bandages and my left arm was covered in a splint. The maid speed over and placed the tray of food down on the night stand asking, "Oh no! Your not okay? Where does it hurt?" She helped me up and took the covers down to right above my crotches. She looked at my body, checking the bandages.
I froze. I was never one to get close to girls, most of them are usually either pissed at me for beating up their boyfriend or running in terror from me, so it's safe to say that I have never really held a conversation with any girl much less have them up close to me.
"Does it hurt here?" she asked placing her hand on left side of my chest. I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat and shook my head. She moved her hand lower to my bottom ribs and asked again, "How about here?" I winced and she noticed. She went to the tray of food and pulled off it a teach cup of warm water. She opened a pouch and poured out what looked like a mixture of fur, grass and tree bark. As she poured it in, the water began to change color starting from dark green, then becoming yellow and then finalizing to a purple color.
"This was made by Miss Sasha. She said it would lessen the pain." she said handing me the cup. I looked at it suspiciously, then shrugged. What's the worst that can happen? I took sip and couldn't really taste anything and so gave it another go, drinking about half the cup. I was wrong when I said nothing bad would happen, but also right. Nothing bad actually happened, just a terrible taste that would make you want to get rid of both your sense of taste and smell. However, for curtesy's sake, I held down my urge to start spitting and gaging on the taste. Yet past that terrible experience, I felt my body tighten then relax, relieving much of the pain.
"Wow. That miracle stuff does work" I said out loud.
"Miss Sasha is very good a potion making." the maid said with a smile. After this exchange of smiles, I guess we both kinda smacked back into reality as she made a embarrassed squeal and apologized, "I a-a-am so sorry about that. I didn't mean to peak." I threw my hand down to protect my crotch area just incase. Luckily I was wearing my underwear and so resorted to pulling the sheets back up to cover my chest.
"It's fine. Really." I stammered out. Upon looking at her face A bit I realized where I had seen her before and exclaimed "You're the maid that was getting picked on! I'm sorry, I didn't recognize right away. Are you okay? Did they hurt you anywhere?"
"Oh, um, I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. I have had plenty of time to recover. I thank you for your help back then." she said and bowed, "I am Iris Kalliope. I thank you again for your help"
"No problem. Please. I'm Jacs Therdan and I was really only helping out someone who was being picked on. But, um, thank you for bringing me the food. And for nursing me." I stammered out. To be franc this might be the longest conversation I had with a girl who wasn't just insulting for minutes on end.
"Oh yes, the food!" she said, turning to go get the tray. As she turned she tripped over something and began to fall forward. I had just enough strength to get out of bed and pull her back on her feet before she could go the hard way down. She steadied and she gave me a cute smile, which I returned. She had a very nice smile, it was very relaxing. She was also very cute, with her pink hair and almost purple eyes.
Then reality struck back again as we both realized the I was in my underwear. I jumped back onto the bed and threw the covers over me as she turned away from me apologizing profusely. Tentatively, I asked from beneath the bed sheets "Do you think I could get my food now?" she apologized again, giggling as she did so. She gave me my food which was a bowl of soup, bread that wasn't stale, some mashed potatoes with gravy and a couple chicken legs. I began to scarf down the food politely as to not embarrass myself infront of Iris. In between one of attacks on the mashed potatoes, something that Iris had said registered in my head. Confused by this I asked, "Hey Iris?"
"Yes, Mister Jacs?" she inquired. Damn that's cute.
"You said that you had plenty of time to recover, that means that I was asleep for sometime. How long was that?"
"I believe today makes the third day that you were out cold." she said with a bit of thought. I almost gagged once I heard this. Three days. I have been out for three days.
"Mister Warde has been sending me here daily to take care of you." she said picking up the empty tray. Hm so the little pip-squeak is doing something nice.
"Where is he now?" I asked.
"He is in class. Miss Sasha had to convince him to go back to classes, since he was sitting there waiting for you to wake up." she said pointing to the desk in the room. Huh, maybe he is learning to care a little. Then he appeared at the door way with a mix of relief and anger. Iris looked at him and looked back at me and curtsied saying, "Well I hope your recovery is nice and painless. Again thank you for your help, have a nice day." she left, stumbling on the way out. Once she was out Warde looked at me and closed the door. I looked back at him with the same intensity he gave me and asked, "Where are my clothes?"
"You freaking idiot!" he exploded, "What were you thinking? You took on three third year students by yourself and you don't even have any magic! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! If it wasn't for Sasha and her potions you would be dead by now!"
"Got to remember to thank her later. Anyway, can I asked again, where are my clothes?"
"Over there! On the floor next to your bed! I have half a mind to beat you right now! You are such a terrible familiar! You go against your orders, you don't know the classes of magic and you don't know your place in the world! Why, oh why did I get you as a familiar?!" he screamed at me.
I waited a bit, just incase he didn't finish and once I know he was done said, "Okay. 1; I had to do something back there, they were going to hurt a relatively innocent maid, 2; if you haven't already noticed, I am not from around here. To be more accurate I don't even know where I am, and where I come from we don't have magic. And lastly, There is no 'place in the world' ok? Just because you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth doesn't mean that you are better than everyone else. People who have to work to get where they are today are the people who are better than you because they have character, respect and appreciation for hard work. These are things that you lack, and I believe that I am here to beat it into you. So don't go complaining about me and how worthless I am, take a good look at yourself before you go judge the rest of the world." I said sternly without raising my voice. Even though I didn't have to raise my voice, I could tell it got to him as he showed defeat in his eyes. I got up and put my clothes on as he put his books on the desk and sat down.
"Why?" he whispered. I heard him and asked back "Why what?"
"After the fight people kinda stopped making fun of you. They kept teasing me but they weren't mentioning you at all, why?"
"Because I scared them into respect"
"Huh?"
"I beat up three third year students. People now have a grudging respect for me as they know that I can now beat them up with out much effort."
"So you suggest that I go beat up some third years?" he complained, "I got even get the most basic attack spell wrong how can I do that?"
"I am not saying to fight but to win." I said finally managing to my shirt on but realizing that it was pretty dirty.
"What does that mean?"
"Winning doesn't just mean to fight and win. It can also mean to be better than others in things or show them you mean business."
"Again, how? The name they have given me is 'Wimpy Wind Warde' for my abysmal spell casting in anything other than wind magic." Warde asked. I thought about this. I knew that this part would be hard since he still has still in a sense sucks at everything else. Then it hit me and I said, "Why don't you master just wind magic then?" he looked at me confused and I continued, "Like maxing out your profit. Since your only good in wind magic, you should just put all the effort into that one so that you can do things that others can't." he thought about it and nodded, "I think I get it." I gave him an affirmation nod and I looked around and asked, "So where is your dirty laundry?"
"You don't clean my stuff when I tell you too but you go clean when you just feel like it. What is wrong with you?"
"Well no. It's just, I going to go clean my shirt cause it's dirty and sweaty and stuff. And I thought that since I am doing mine, might as well kill two bird by doing yours." I replied picking up a basket and holding it up towards him. He opened his mouth, but then thought better and closed. He picked up his stuff and gave them to me and I went out into the back of the school where I saw maids cleaning there clothes before.
Doing the laundry wasn't eventful. There wasn't anyone there and I was relatively un-interrupted. As I was walking up the stair I heard voices of students talking about some group of roaming bandits. Apparently that had finally reach Tristaine and where going through the country side pillaging villages they passed. It seemed pretty brutal. I resolved to ask about them later.
Before reaching the second last flight of stair leading to Warde room I was stopped by a familiar black panther. I remembered who it belong to and asked, "Are you lost or are you looking for somebody?" the panther responded by walking up to me and giving me a small folded piece if paper. I took it and un-folded it and read the elegant hand writing, "Follow Tabitha" I looked around and asked the panther, "So you're Tabitha. Nice name for you." she nodded and turned to go somewhere. I followed her down one flight of stairs then down a long hallway before reaching a door. Tabitha gave a very low meow and the door opened to reveal Sasha. She looked a bit flustered at first but then saw me and gave a relieved smile grabbing my splinted arm and pulled me in saying, "There you are Jacs. Please come in, I am making some tea would you like some?"
"Maybe. Ow, ow, ow, ow. Sorry to stop your enthusiasm but can you please stop pulling, you hurting my arm." she relinquished me giving an apologetic 'sorry' as she grabbed a tea pot from what looked like a floating flame. She poured to cups and waved her wand and one of them flew over to me. I whistle my impress. She sat down on her bed while I got on a stole across from her and she asked, "So how are your injuries?"
"Not bad. Could have worse been considering they had swords and all."
"True. But you did take them on pretty confidently. I actually thought that once the earth golems arrived you would back down. Instead you handle them efficiently and quickly. Did you know that they all had to head to the nurse too?"'
"I expected that to happen." I said laughing, "This wouldn't be the first time I sent some one to the nurse." she smiled and I felt terribly self-conscious. Crap, that sounded a bit too blood thirsty, I should probably steer the conversation somewhere else.
"So, what are your relations with Warde?" I asked tentatively, hoping not to spark any anger or animosity between us.
"We are siblings." she said taking a sip of tea. I almost spilled some as I was bringing it up. Still a bit shocked, I asked, "Wait. Are you serious?" At this she seemed a little surprised, "Well yes. Do you not see the resemblance?" I was about to say 'no, none at all' when they started popping up. The same eye shape, the same ear shape, the same nose. They were minute and not many but they were there. I grudgingly answered, "Well now that you mention it, I do see a few."
"Well I am his older sister. By one year of course."
"So is his-your older brother here too? The one with the hellhound."
"Which one are you talking about?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"We have about five brothers and sisters not includes each other?" she said counting on her fingers. I gaped at her and she started counting them off. "We have the two oldest, twins Hecator an Jeremiah both boys, then there is our older sister Larudia. Then there is me, then Warde, then there is our little sister Louise, oh I almost forgot brother Whales who older than me by three years."
"Wow, aren't you lucky?" I said with twinge of jealousy in my voice. Luckily she didn't hear it and replied happily, "Yes, you can say so. But other times they could be a very big hassle. Which help me get into my next topic, what is it that you are doing with Warde?"
"Excuse me?"
"What are you doing to him? I can't say anything bad because he is changing in a... Good way." she exclaimed, "He has always been pompous, thinking that he deserves everything he sees and very mean and temperamental. He has been doing this to make himself seem important ike his brothers I think, but since the fight he hasn't been so much so. What are you doing to him?" I laughed a little bit before answering. Knowing who he was before getting him to understand respect and being a man with care was going to be a lot harder then anticipated.
"I am teaching him how to become a man with principals and respect." I said, "Just because I was a delinquent when I got here doesn't mean I don't know how to be respected."
"Well I thank you for this, it seems to be doing him some good." she got and placing her tea cup on the table, "It is getting very late, I do believe that my brother's familiar should return to him before sunrise." I got and nodded picking up the basket with my good arm. As I was leaving for the door she called to me, "Um, before you go, I don't believe we have had a proper introduction."
"Oh, I guess it's my fault. My name is Jacs Therdan, pleasure to meet you." I said giving a small bow.
"Sasha Florenchi, pleasure to meet you as well." she said giving her own little curtsy.