Glass Magic REWRITTEN

Chapter 8

         This is where I'll die. I won't ever see war. I'll just die from over-exhaustion or, hey, maybe even shock. I could get impaled again. Maybe shot. Who knows. 

         Shoving my breakfast into my face, manners meaningless, I raced out of the cafeteria just before the stampede showed. Fearing supplement classes twice as much as being crushed to death I shoved my way through the crowd of people who, almost always, were bigger than me. Getting there in time, bag intact and digging into my shoulder, my refusal to take the time to go to my locker between classes definitely coming back to bite me. Even so, I persisted.

       The teachers showed up on time and those that had gotten used to being late getting chewed out mercilessly. Class sweeping by as fast as ever the cruel pace that I was forced to follow seeming to have sped up. Be it running between my classes to lugging around my bag I was already overly exhausted by the time I had gotten to my physical classes.

       So, with my chest already heaving and uniform drenched in sweat, I was left in the very class that had nearly killed me. Literally. I was stabbed right on through. Because that happens when one doesn't have a defense shield.

        "Look, kid, lead or not, you are a rogue. Try fighting like one. And yeah, I get that you don't have a shield to rely on or even decent magic but the thing about glass is it's sharp. Very sharp. And magic shields don't discriminate against magic. It's all the same to it. So, focus on tactics, get around it or break it. Sneak attack for all I care! Face to face is for illiterate barbarians anyway!" The support said crotching next to me. His lead, a barbarian, smacked him upside the head.

      Hard. 

      "Other than spewing stereotypes, he's not wrong. Magic is magic to a barrier of any kind and you've got a lot of mana. Instead of trying to be something you aren't, try feeling out your own standing. I don't care how you do it just... Do it," She sighed looking down at me unimpressed and waving at the mage who was patiently waiting with his hands on his hips.

       "Adrain! Stop being lazy and actually participate! You can't get away with just using your shield!" She barked while he rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Alright! Get up!" Grunting I pushed myself onto my feet and looked at the dark bluish gray drow littered with white spots. Sneak attack? This is a head-to-head situation and the best suggestion I got was a sneak attack.

         He just ruffled the back of his head with a sigh. "Do me a favor and try not to die. I do not want to have to drag you to the healers again." So he's being considerate. Hurray.

        "No promises," I laughed unsurely, I've been just banging on his barrier all period. Yesterday he had literally pierced my stomach. It wasn't entirely his fault I suppose. Neither one of us knew that I didn't have even a basic shield. I had figured I had one because I was a lead. But no. I was wrong. Very wrong.

       With a deep breath, I tried to calm my racing heart and looked at my opponent. I don't know how to get around or break a barrier and I'm confident he's not going to just let me through it. Which means I need to get in it. But it's not like I can manifest something from within, it'd get caught on the shield.

         I could try to go underneath but... I don't really know how to do that either. Running my hand over my messily tied hair I steadied myself. Only one option then. "Go!" Racing forward I leaped over the spike with the very same trajectory as yesterday. 

         Same for him. He can't go under which leaves him with one choice. He's got to open his barrier. Flicking my arm as he sent another the unshaped shard of glass just bounced off, his shield hugging his magic to tightly. Well. There goes my plan.

         "Your back's wide open," He said calmly, his previous spike growing and splitting while I looked over my shoulder with wide eyes. "Sorry about this," He hummed putting one hand back on his hips, not at all taking me seriously, while I threw my arm back, wall after wall of glass coming between me and the spikes but they just continued. Shattering my glass without the slightest hint of slowing.

          Oh, that's not happening again.

           The ground under my feet rapidly rose as I teetered gently on the new platform. That still got destroyed. Clenching my jaw I jumped off the tall glass, right for him and his unfair shield before taking the side of my wrist in my mouth. Why'd I have to get put against an earth mage? Out of all the types I could have gotten, why in the blazen did it have to be the one with brute force?

          "By blood by bone, I stand alone, be it bane be it gain, I offer thy vein!" I rushed a short chant, drawing the circle on my hand at the same time, before I found the top of his stupid shield. My unblooded palm slamming into it, the simple circle on the back glowing while I hissed. The smell of burning flesh unpleasant but my own fault. 

          The purple hue under me cracking while I paled. It just cracked. Goodbye, plan B. Kneeling, his hands fulling on the ground, he sent quite the pillar my way. Suddenly very much so taking me seriously. Oh lovely. Slamming into my stomach and sending me flying the thing was thankfully not pointed.

          Coughing and hacking as I curled around my stomach I cursed, pain radiating through not just my stomach but my spine as well. "Are you done or will you continue?" Why don't you pay attention to your other fifty students and leave me alone?

          "... Continue," I moaned sitting up. 

          "Well then, don't go using blood magic, that's not what this class is for. This is a class of true magic and true magic-" I tune him out as I got to my feet. Alright, only glass I guess. Hissing as I pulled up my shirt I saw numerous small red dots and gently prodded the growing bruise.

          Wait a second... There's always that.

         "Go! Go! Go!" Clapped the impatient support as I grunt and sat back down. "Have you decided not to continue?" He asked as I fell onto my back, my body heavy and a very prominent metallic taste in the back of my throat.

           "I'm continuing," I mumbled folding my forearms over my eyes as a rush of warmth spread through me yet cold began to crawl up my legs.

            "What the fu-" He cut himself off to curse under his breath as a growl found my ears. Guess you can summon in barriers. Good to know. Laughing weakly I coughed, my eyes steadily getting heavier and body colder. So tired...