Code of Shadows

Chapter 13: Magic

Everyone just stared at me. I flicked my gaze from person to person awkwardly. It was only a moment though before Guru forced his way to the front of the group, regaining the frozen fighters attention.

"Class dismissed! Please continue to practice your skills until our next lesson." Guru watched as the group of sweaty and battle worn students filed slowly out of the room through one of the plentiful doors in the room. Once everyone was gone, Guru walked towards me and gave me a welcoming smile.

"So... What was that?"

Guru chuckled. "That was my fighting class. What do you expect me to do all day? Sit around and read books."

I laughed. "No. I just didn't think that you would teach classes to people."

"I think it is pretty predicable of someone in my predicament," Guru said with a wink.

"So how has your morning been going?"

"Um... lets say, interesting," I mumbled. Guru shrugged me off, then decided to move on.

"Today, we will fight, practice Latin and do a little magic," Guru said.

"Ok," I said back while rubbing my forehead. I wish this would be over, I thought depressingly. Guru threw a few cards and muttered under his breath.

Within the second several panels in the walls opened, and a mat and two staffs floated to the middle of the room. Guru walked over to the staffs, grabbed them.  

"Catch." He said throwing one of them to me. I caught, then stepped onto the mat. Guru didn't wait any longer. He pounced on me, and I twisted out of the way.

I smiled. I was finally in my element. I twisted and churned swiping at Guru then retreating as he retaliated.

After one particularly vicious swipe, we separated a few seconds to pant at each other. 

I prepared myself to jump back at him.

I was less than a second away when I heard a voice in my head. Widen your stance, it will prevent him from knocking you over. 

Really Belle? Is this the time? I responded. I widen my stance anyways and attacked.

The training session ended after another hour. It had been hard and grueling, and I hadn't fought one person for that long since my first year of training in Windsdover.

When we separated for a few breaths of air, Guru walked of the mat and called for me to follow.

He walked straight over to one of the numerous doors and waited for me. As soon as I was there I followed him into a small chamber what was completely made of cement. I looked around to find anything of interest, but the room was exactly what I first thought. Only Solid cement.

Guru pulled out a small hand held device, then he pressed a few buttons. I glanced at his curiously for a second before closing my eyes and rubbing my forehead. This already was just too much for one day.

I opened my eyes again and a forest appeared. I stumbled forward as I struggled to reorientate myself. How did I get here?

"Guru? Where are you? What is this?" a note of panic crept into my voice.

"This is a simulator," a voice said from behind me, I turned around, but no one was there. "The simulation will start in three... two... one." I panicked this didn't sound good. I took one step to start running.

Before my eyes the forest in front of me changed to a city screen. I stopped mid stride in total surprise. The city had once been a beauty, but now it was going up in flames. The street in front of me was cracked, glass broken everywhere, random items discarded, and parts of buildings hindering the passage of the road. I sucked in a breath--and almost choked on it--this was true destruction, what happened?