Guilded

Guilded - Chapter 3

I was taught everything from various parries to different blocks. I was quickly getting the hang of it. At one point I was even challenged to a duel by the Emperor himself. Of course, I lost, but it didn't bother me.

The time for the second training eventually rolled around and it went just like before, without the flag ceremony. I made it through the quiz and was able to continue the training. We did a listening part where we were told to do something and we would do it to see how quickly we would react. Then we were taught the positions for raids.

There are three positions, two flag guardian positions, which defend the flag; five inner guardian positions, which take down anyone who gets through the gate; and everyone else is positioned on outer guard, which prevents the enemy soldiers from entering the fort. We learned that once we tag our target, they must walk with their sword in the air to the designated graveyard, where they must sit for one minute before getting up for a second chance. If all enemy targets are in the graveyard or we hold the flag for ten minutes, we win. If all ally soldiers are in the graveyard or the enemies hold their flag on our post for ten minutes, we lose.

We were supposed to start a game, but some soldiers of a different army came in, there were about ten on them and seven of us and they declared a practice raid.

"Who wants to do a practice raid, based off of what you've all learned?" Saheim asks.

I raise my hand with the majority of our soldiers.

"Alright. Head to the pavilion for a quick briefing. Sir Paul, stay and brief the visitors of our raid rules."

We obey and march to the pavilion.

"I'm assigning posts, so listen up! Ania and Ava will take flag guardian. Dante, Davis, and Lev will be taking inner guardian positions. It will be the three of you, since the others aren't here. Everyone else will be outer. The graveyard is the parking lot on the East side of the block. Now get to your places!" Saheim orders as I watch everyone scatter.

Ania and I lock eyes and we head to the flag together. "You make sure they don't get their flag on the pole, I'll back you up from behind," she tells me. I nod and hide behind a bush behind the flag while she hides behind a giant rock on the hill.

There's silence for a moment before a loud yell is heard followed by the clanging of metal. It had begun. Ania and I sit there for what seems like forever before we finally hear footsteps. She steps out before me, pulling out her sword.

"Not today, boys!" She taunts as I jump out from the bush.

There's two of them, both about our age. One holds a purple and gold flag, hiding behind the other with his sword drawn. I watch him take on Ania first, but I notice how she doesn't run at him, she stands there, waiting for him to advance her. He runs at her, leaving the boy the with the flag unguarded, and I take my chance, pulling out my own sword and lunging at him. He spins to his right, a move I recognize from flag football, and I miss. I hear a grunt as Ania is hit, though I keep my focus on my current target.

I hear Ania's footprints marching on the gravel as she makes her way to the graveyard. Then I hear the footprints of her attacker coming at me from behind and I duck, rolling to my right. I stand up, but too quickly, and he hits me on my left shoulder, hard. It hurts and I know I'll have a bruise there in the morning. I put my sword in the air and run to the graveyard as quickly as I can. I pass Lev, noticing for the first time that he now wears a High Rank sash. Then I run past Saheim and he yells to me.

"Thirty seconds, Ava!" He informs me.

The time for graveyard must've been lowered since we have small numbers. I turn the corner and see Ania in the distance, watching a large LED clock, the kind you see in gymnasiums, that sits above a garage entrance. It marks the time, including seconds. Ania, along with a couple of other soldiers, watch it closely, a few of them run off at random times. I finally get there and note the time: 19:38:29, military time.