Chapter 1 #3
“Begin!” Professor Valrek’s voice boomed across the field. A hundred of us moved at once. I sprinted forward, grabbing the rope, and started up the first wall. My hands burned, my thighs ached, but I kept going. By the time I reached the top, sweat clung to my skin, and my arms trembled.
I climbed down the other side, ignoring the sting of rope-burned palms, and headed toward the balancing beam, just in time for someone to stick out their foot.
I tripped, hitting the ground hard, knees slamming into packed dirt.
The guy who’d done it then laughed, his grin smug as he hopped up on the beam ahead of me.
Anger flared hot in my chest. I pushed myself up, brushing mud from my palms, and stepped onto the beam.
One foot, then the next, steady, focused.
The wind tugged at my hair; the wood creaked beneath me.
I caught up to him, matched his pace for a moment, then gave him a sharp shove.
He wobbled, cursed, and fell backward into the muck.
A smile twitched at my lips as I reached the platform on the other side.
“Maybe next time you shouldn’t push a girl down,” I called over my shoulder, flipping him off for good measure.
Then I turned to face the next challenge: rows of wooden blocks shifting back and forth like unstable steppingstones.
I inhaled deeply, centering myself, and jumped.
One, two, three, each leap landing by instinct until I hit the final platform and rolled to a stop on solid ground.
I grinned, breathless and exhilarated. Now it was time to fight a third year.
My stomach twisted. My father had me spar growing up, but I was never great at it.
And the guy waiting for me? He was massive, at least a head taller, with broad shoulders, muscles straining against his black leather armor.
He smirked as if this was going to be fun for him.
“Great,” I muttered under my breath. He swung first, a wide, confident arc meant to knock me flat.
I ducked, drove my fist into his side, and immediately regretted it.
Pain shot up my arm like fire. He barely flinched.
Before I could recoil, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me backward.
A sharp gasp tore from my throat, then instinct kicked in.
I slammed my heel straight into his balls.
That got him. He let go with a strangled sound, stumbling back.
I surged forward, aiming a punch at his face, but he caught my arm mid-swing, twisted, and buried his fist into my stomach.
Air exploded out of my lungs. I folded over, wheezing.
He didn’t wait; he swept my legs out and slammed me onto the ground so hard my vision flashed white.
Then his knuckles cracked into my jaw. Stars burst behind my eyes.
Pain spiked up the side of my skull. He drew back to punch me again, but this time I caught his wrist. My fingers locked tight, squeezing until tendons shifted beneath my grip.
His eyes widened. I wrapped my legs around his waist, dug my heels in, and with a sudden surge of adrenaline I hadn’t known I possessed, I flipped us.
He collided with the ground hard. I didn’t hesitate. I struck him square in the nose. A sickening crack followed, and blood poured instantly. He snarled and swung at my ribs, the blow knocking a choked sound out of me, but I didn’t let go. I punched him again, harder, right along his jawline.
He tried once more to strike my side, but I trapped his arm beneath mine, pinning it to the ground. I raised my fist, ready to break something else if I had to. He froze. Then tapped the ground.
“Yield,” he muttered, spitting blood. My whole body trembled as I got off him and pushed myself to my feet, sweat dripping down my spine, ribs throbbing, jaw aching.
My chest heaved as I steadied myself, swallowing down the pain.
I turned, searching the clearing before spotting Gia.
She’d just bested her opponent too, finishing with a clean strike that sent him sprawling.
She caught my eye and shot me a grin, shooting me a thumbs-up.
Despite the ache in every bone of my body, I smiled back.
I made it. Gods, my whole body hurt, but I fought with everything I had.
And I won.
Over the next several days, we were processed into Arcanna; paperwork, instructions, and uniforms. All of it blurred together in a haze of soreness and exhaustion. Gia and I were assigned to the same dorm, which was a small mercy I hadn’t realized I needed.
The room was modest but solid, stone walls rising on either side with two narrow beds positioned opposite one another.
A single desk sat against the far wall, its surface scarred with old carvings, and above it a modest window overlooked the training grounds below.
From here, Arcanna felt vast, alive with movement, voices, and steel.
I set my bag down at the foot of my bed. Inside were my alchemy books, a few changes of sleepwear, and the extra pair of leathers we’d been issued upon arrival. The scent of leather and stone filled the room, unfamiliar and heavy. I drew in a slow breath. I was here now.
And I was going to do my best to survive.