Electracademy

Chapter 32

  "Heads up!"
 
I immediately jump back as an arrow whizzes past. I look at Paige, who is holding her bow. "Really? Try to aim for the target next time." I tell her playfully.
 
"It jerked." She says, picking up her arrow.

  "Sure." I say, rolling my eyes. It's in the morning. Normally it would be Electra Classifaction, but since Professor Anil has dissappeared, and our substitute was evil, we sort of have this class free. Unsurprisingly, it is now an extra weapons training in the clearing, which is now being called The Yard. Whoever came up with the name is really creative.

  I turn my focus back to my training. I have barely improved. The bow is still to big and I hardly ever hit the target. I take an arrow from the quiver and set it in the nock. Closing one eye, I watch the target. Unfortunately my aim started to waver from holding the bow and my shot went off to just skim the edge of the target. I scoff and head to retrieve it. Since I don't know how to make arrows, I have to retrieve every one. Besides, I won't need to use them all. Right?
 
I'm startled out of my training by someone tapping my shoulder. I turn around to see Alice.
 
"The melee practice tournament is about to start. You wanna watch?" She asks, casually twirling a knife.
 
I raise an eyebrow at the thought of letting Alice attack people and not get punished for it.
 
"Don't worry," Alice says. "We had all the weapons blunted." I hear mutter something that I can't make out. "Well, most of them."
  
"Sure,why not?" I say, shrugging. "Besides I could use a break." I roll my aching shoulders and find a spot that is still some safe distance away. I sit at the base of a tree nearby the open area for the practice tournament.
  
"Okay, the tournament will begin!" Professor Gates yells. Technically this isn't a class, but he still supervises. "If you want to participate come in front of me. If your too chicken, then stand aside." 
  
He waits until a few people step out. "We do have a few rules. First: melee only, no archery is permitted. Second: all weapons have to be blunted. Lastly: you are allowed to use your arms and legs to kick or hit, but go easy." Here he pauses a little to stare at Alice. "I am not taking anyone to the infirmary."
 
Someone raises their hand. "Are we allowed to use our Electra?"
 
"Yes." Professor Gates answers, "But once again, no wounding." He glares at Alice once more then says. "Starting positions!"
 
Instantly, all the kids jump to positions. Alice twirls her knives. Isa points her rapier. Grayson draws his broadsword.
 
Professor Gates takes a look at all the kids. "Remember this is practice....Go!"
 
At the yell, all the kids jump to their positions and start their  moves. Isa is fencing with someone with a similar weapon as her. The two of them pace around, parrying each other's blows. Grayson attracts a lot of attention as he swings his sword with both hands. Normally, having a heavy weapon would slow your movement, but Grayson does not seem to have that problem. He rains blow after blow on his opponent, who can only desperately parry. Grayson makes a feint, leaving his opponent open for an attack. I watch as Grayson raises his sword for an overhead blow. He swings, but stops it an inch away from his opponent. The boy, seeing he had lost, shakes his head and walks away from the practice battle.
 
A bunch of kids yelling rises over the sound of swords clashing. I see Alice locked in battle with another girl. Alice is using both her knives to block the girl's curved katana. The girl growls and spins, swinging her katana. Alice catches the end of it with her knife. The two weapons clash with a loud ring.
 
Alice's opponent holds her katana with one hand. She uses her other hand to smack Alice's knife out of her hand. Alice gasps as the knife flies into the air, spinning as it descends, and sticks in the dirt nearby. Now Alice only has one knife. Unexpectedly, the girl uses her katana to wrench Alice's last knife away from her. It lands on the ground nearby the other one.
 
This means Alice is out of the fight. Instead, she gives a sly, wolfish, smile. I see her cast a look at Professor Gates, who nods slightly. Quick as a flash, Alice grabs the girl's blade. I gasp as I see that Alice's fingers end in sharp claws. Alice pulls the girl's sword out of her grasp. She tosses it to land on top of her knives.
 
Alice's opponent crosses her arms. "That's it. Now we're both unarmed."
 
Alice grins and holds up her hand showing off her claws. "I'm not."
 
The girl huffs and stalks off. She pauses only to retrieve her katana and glare at Alice to leave.
 
"Wow. Alice is harsh."
 
I turn around see Isa sitting down next to me. "Oh yeah, it almost kind of scares me. I didn't know she could do that thing with the claws."
 
"I did." Isa says.
  I look at the battlefield. "You out of the game?"
 
"Yeah." Isa says, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "That last one got me with a surprising backwards slice."
 
I nod, not quite knowing what she's talking about. I turn my attention back to the battle. Now there are only a few left, Alice and Grayson among them. Everyone is paying attention to the battle. That's why no one notices, when a black arrow streaks into the clearing. Shortly afterward, a black figure comes running into The Yard. It's Owen and he's come to retrieve his arrow. He takes a quick glance and grabs his arrow. Just like that he goes back to the woods he came from.

No one seems to notice him. That leaves me to wonder. What is Owen doing training by himself? And that arrow came from far away. It's a way better shot than I could dream to make. Is Owen a better archer than we all think?