Chapter 3: Combat Class

Aisha's POV:

I'd been going here 3 days already. Things were getting among pretty well, except whenever that baka is present...

During lunch time

"This is delicious!" I exclaimed as I tried one of Rena's cooking. Her food was amazing! We were siting under the tree shade. Around us were a beautiful garden with flowers and trees. Apparently this part of school was banned just because the teachers afraid the students would destroy garden. But hey, it felt nice here.

I liked Rena, she was like a big sister to me.

"Here, try this one," she said as she held out a piece of cake.

"OMG I LOVE YOU!" I exclaimed as I ate it.

"Aww! You're just too cute!" She said as she pulled me into a hug and nearly squeezing me to death.

"R-rena!" I whined as I tried to pulled away.

"Quiet it down you 2," a voice sounded above us. Apparently, we're not the only one here. I looked up to find a certain redhead was sleeping on the branch with his back against the tree.

"Rena... why is there a red squirrel laying on the branch, sleeping?" I asked.

"Hm... a lazy squirrel that is," she said cheerfully, "if you want, I'll called the animal control!"

"Hm..." I said as an idea came into me. I told Rena to pack the stuff up and sneaked over to the school field where there were a group of guards standing there. With my loudest voice, I yelled, "HEY! THERE'S A STUDENT SLEEPING IN THE GARDEN ON THE TREE!"

Quickly, we hid behind the tree as the guards' heads jerked up and they looked toward the direction of the garden. They swiftly ran over as I smiled and sneaked back to where that redhead was for a quick peek.

"Hey! Get down there! What class you're in!?" One of them yelled out. Elsword stood on the tree, looking for an exit as the guards were trying to get to him.

"You'll pay for this, grapehead!" He shouted.

"I'd love to see you try," I smiled, "if you're ever going to get out of there." Rena's giggles soon turned into a laugh as we watch Elsword trapped on the tree. That was when I realized that I had accidentally screamed out loud.

"Uh.. we better run too," Rena said as she glanced behind us. I looked back and saw that 2 of the guards were heading in our direction.

"Yea you're right, let escape," I said as we dashed away from the scene.

"Where do... we go... next?" Rena managed as she panted.

"Um... up!" I said as an idea hit me.

"Wait huh?" She asked, confuse. I ignored her question, grabbed her hand and teleported up to the school roof.

"I hate teleporting," Rena whined as she struggled to stand.

"Yea me, too," I said, "its only for emergency though." Then I felt as if we were being watch, I swiftly turned around with my staff up. Only to be stared at strangely by 2 people.

One was a girl. Her white hair were tied into 2 buns on each side of her head with a white crown on top. Her blue stone were visible underneath her bangs. She wore a strapless white dress with a blue stone at the top in the middle. Her dress was puffy and spread out with white strings and golden decorations on it. She had on white shoes, 2 golden bracelets on her wrists, and a golden necklace that wrapped around her neck. One of her drone was white while the other was black with golden decoration. She was drinking tea with her legs crossed. I recognized her as the Alterian princess.

The other one was a guy dressed in a white cloak, black pant, and a sword strapped by his side. I lowered down my staff once I realized they were just students who go here.

"Hey Eve!" Rena greeted as she hugged the girl in white, "haven't seen you for a while~."

"Same to you too," she said as she pushed the elf away. Her voice was surprisingly monotonic.

"Hi Raven!" The elf said before she dived in for a hug.

"Hey Rena," Raven said as he blushed slightly.

"Why didn't you call me?" The elf pouted as she pulled away.

"Sorry, just some stuff came up," Raven apologized as he gave her a quick kiss on the lip.

Wait whut!? I stared at them as my mouth hanged open slightly, barely noticeable. Rena never tell me that she got a boyfriend!

"Oh, have you guys meet Aisha?" Rena introduced as she walked over and pinched my cheeks, "isn't she adorable?"

"Rena!" I managed as I tried to slapped her hands away.

"Sorry," she giggled as I rubbed my red cheeks painfully.

"Hey," Raven said as he got up and held out his hand.

"I believed we've met this morning."

"Oh right! You're that stranger," I said as I shook his hand.

Rena raised her eyebrow at us.

"Would you 2 like some tea?" Eve offered.

"I just came to delivered a message for Eve," Raven explained. Rena just nodded as I accepted Eve's offer.

"What message were you delivering?" Unable to stopped myself, I asked out of curiosity.

"Engagement plan," Eve replied. Immediately, I spitted out the tea, spilling it everywhere. Good thing I did it after I turned away from Eve... It would be pretty troublesome to spit tea on a princess who offered you those tea.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked as I wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"Didn't you know? We're engage," Eve said as I stared at her blankly. "To make a better relationship between our 2 kingdoms, we had been arranged for an engagement."

"..." was all I can managed to says. Exactly, I was speechless. Chung had never tell me anything about this either.

"Oi, Aisha!" Rena was shaking me by the shoulder.

"Chung... Eve... engagement... what!?" I was trying to figured out what was going on. Things were all too blurry and unclear.

"Oi... think we gonna need Chung for this," Raven mumbled as he let out a small chuckle.

I walked toward class with Rena, Eve, and Raven. Still trying to solved out what had just happened. As I reached the Combat Class, I saw Chung was talking with Elsword. Combat Class was a huge room. 1/3 of it had desks and chairs and books while the other 2/3 had nothing but a big stage and place for training and dual. I grabbed Eve's hand and headed toward Chung. I slammed the book down on Chung's desk, startling him.

"You have some explaining to do," I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh hey Aisha," he said with a smile, "hey Eve." Eve didn't say anything but she crossed over and hugged him. I narrowed my eyes at both of them and rolled my eyes as they pulled apart. "Well, Eve should explain everything to you by now," Chung said, then he looked at Eve, "you did right?" Eve just nodded.

"But seriously? An engagement plan!? Without me knowing about it?" I said.

"Uhm... well-" he started but stopped as the teacher spoke up.

"Alright class, today I'll be assigning you a training partner," Ms. Camilla said, "you'll be fighting against them later on." There were some groaning and whining and complaining all around the room after she had finished. "Silence! Now here's your partner," she said before she started going through the list. I looked around the room instead of paying attention to her.

"-And last but not least, Elsword and Aisha."

I snapped my attention back at the teacher, wondering if I heard it wrong. But unfortunately... I didn't.

"Now go find your partner and start training, you have 5 mins," Ms. Camilla said as she started the time. Ugh, I really have to be with him? I solemnly thought as he headed toward me.

"Ready to lose, grapehead?" He smirked as he pulled out his sword.

"I don't believe so, and I see you'd gotten off of that tree," I smiled as I readied my staff. We stood and glared at each other, waiting for our opponent to make the first move. I charged at him and ducked behind him, firing 2 fireballs. He jumped around and shot a rune at me.

"Cyclone!"

I casted a small tonardo toward him, but he jumped up to avoid it.

"Lunar Blade!"

I used Mana Shield and quickly dodged the attack before I dashed toward him. As he threw a rune at me, I used Statue of Glory to reflected the rune back at him.

"Is that all you got?" He asked as he jumped back.

"Nope," I said, "and what's that fighting of yours? Been taught by a girl?" Sudden he stopped and froze. I frowned as he made no signs of any movement. His bangs fell over his eyes and he didn't even bother to push it aside like usual. "Elsword?" I asked, confused. Then a whistle blew, signaling that practice time was over.

"Alright, lets have Speka and Chloe go first," Ms. Camilla announced as she stepped on the stage. As I was about to headed toward Elsword, Rena came and pulled me away. We sat at a bench on the right as we watched the battle. From time to time, I kept glancing over at Elsword but his back was toward me most of the time. Did I said something that offended him? I thought, puzzled by his reaction.

"Aisha!" Rena exclaimed as I snapped back to reality.

"Huh?" I asked absentmindedly.

"Its your turn!" She said as she pulled me to my feet and led me to the stage. I slowly stepped up and readied my wand. His bangs still covered half of his face, making it hard for me to see his eyes. The whistle blew, signaling for us to start, but none make a move until Elsword looked up. Then he charged at me at such speed I didn't even expected.

I hastily casted Cyclone. However I relaxed too early, Elsword appeared through the tornado and kicked me in the stomach. I was lift into the air as pain suddenly exploded through my body. I started going unconscious before I knew it.

Chung's POV:

What's wrong with Elsword? The aura around him was thick and intense, I thought. I frowned as Elsword made the first move by dashing toward Aisha. She used Cyclone but somehow he was able to get through uninjured. As he kicked her in the air, he used Lunar Blade. Before she hit the ground, he used Phoenix Talon, follows by Storm Blade as she was about to hit the ground. Wait, does his energy even put up with all of those skills at once? I wondered.

Even though this was just a small battle, he was going overboard.

"Elsword!" I yelled out, "stop!" But it was no use, he continued to attacked Aisha. Even Ms. Camilla was trying to made him stop.

Clang!

Before he could slash at Aisha in midair, his sword was knocked out of his hand.

"Elsword. That's enough," I looked over to see Rena with her bow raised, her other hand was on the arrow, stretching out the string, readied to pull it. Her voice was deadly dangerous, causing everyone around to took a step back in fear.

Aisha! Right! I thought as I remembered her. I shoot my Destroyer against the ground and lifted me upward. I caught Aisha and landed in a crouch. She had bruises everywhere. Her clothes was torn and some of the cut was bleeding nonstop. I quickly dashed toward the infirmary with Aisha in my arms.

Oi Elsword, why did you do this? I sighed.