22. Mismatch #2
Aeden darted forwards, only to have Dawson and Vignell step in his way. He slammed a fist into Vignell, whose head snapped sideways a lot more violently than he had anticipated. Aeden then used his weight to barge into Dawson, sending her flying across the mat and into the wall.
Aeden’s strength was far beyond what it should have been as his anger took over.
He launched himself at Kael, grabbed hold of the scruff of his shirt, and scooped him from the ground before slamming him into the wooden wall behind him.
The boards broke under the force as the wood splintered under the pressure.
Aeden gripped Kael’s jaw tightly. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” he said as he saw red. “You wouldn’t know a fair fight if it stood right in front of you.”
There was panic in Kael’s eyes, and Aeden wanted to savour every second as he contemplated what his next move would be.
He looked down to his right. Dawson was groaning in pain and trying to pick herself up from the mat.
Vignell was unconscious in the middle of the room.
Vivienne appeared to be stirring, but Harrison was still.
Serene was kneeling by his side, trying to roll him onto his back.
“Tell me, Harrington, how does it feel to be an orphan? Left by parents that should have been branded like you are?”
Aeden’s rage turned crimson. He wanted to see blood, he wanted Kael’s blood.
Aeden pulled his hand back, ready to pummel Kael’s skull. He didn’t care what happened next.
As he brought his fist forward, he found it stopped forcefully, and he was pulled back away from Kael, who dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.
“That’s enough, Harrington,” Master Storme said as he dragged Aeden away by the arm. Aeden struggled in vain but was reminded by Master Storme’s vice-like grip just how strong he was.
“Let me go,” he demanded, “I’ll kill you!”
Master Storme looked at the rest of the group. “Blackthorn, get your squad out of here, now. Vignell should be fine. You two.” He looked at a distraught Serene and Vivienne who had scrambled to the other side of Harrison. “Take him to the healers wing. He’s banged up, but he should be okay.”
Serene looked back with hatred and contempt in her eyes, but she didn’t respond. If anything, she seemed to be in shock with what had just been allowed to happen.
Aeden felt the same amount of rage and anger for Master Storme as he did Kael, amplified by how nonchalant Master Storme was about Harrison’s injuries.
He tried to pull free from Master Storme, but the man was simply too strong.
His throat burned, and he spewed vitriol and profanities at Kael as he and the other Offence students left the room.
Vivienne and Serene helped a dazed Harrison to his feet, hooping his limp arms over their necks.
Serene’s eyes were large and filled with tears, her cheeks reddened as she struggled to hold Harrison up. Vivienne, on the other hand, looked just as pissed off as Aeden felt. She didn’t even give Master Storme a second glance.
“Calm it down, Harrington,” Master Storme said, his grip unrelenting as Aeden continued to struggle. “Don’t make the situation even worse than it already is.”
“Make it worse!” Aeden cried out as fury washed over him. If his hands were free, he would have happily lashed out at the teacher for acting so nonchalant. “They could have killed him! You’re a teacher here! How can you allow that?” Spit flew from Aeden’s mouth as he spoke.
Master Storme spun Aeden around and slammed him against the wall with incredible force, pressing his forearm against his chest. “If you want to last more than a second on the battlefield, you’re going to have to learn to keep your head, Harrington. ”
“We’re not on a battlefield!” He reached up to grab hold of Master Storme’s arms, attempting to relieve some of the pressure.
“Exactly, and look at you. It is safe to say you failed this test. But let this be a lesson to you. Your actions have consequences. This academy is not here to hold your hand. It is here to make sure you’re ready for the cold, hard truths of war.
And you are nowhere near ready. It’s a miracle you survived being bonded to that runt. ”
“Don’t you talk about her like that!” Aeden said. He stared into Master Storme’s eyes with nothing but contempt.
“Or you will what, Harrington?” Master Storme pressed into Aeden’s chest even harder, gritting his teeth as he growled at him.
Aeden found himself struggling for breath, but he didn’t care. He continued to stare into the master’s cold, unforgiving eyes.
“You have his fight, I’ll give you that,” he said before letting go of Aeden. “Now, get out of here. I don’t want to see you until tomorrow, when you will begin your combat training with me.”
Aeden stood still for a moment, confused by what he had just said. Who exactly did Aeden remind him of? Whose fight did he have?
“I can’t have you in combat with any of the other students in your cohort now, not until they’re bonded with their Aer-Kin. It’s safe to say any advantage you have now will soon be lost once they are bonded, too.”
Aeden couldn’t think of anything worse than training with this brute .
“Get out of my sight, Harrington, and try to keep out of trouble. You don’t want to see your friends being made an example because of your actions again, now do you?”
Aeden didn’t say a word. He simply shrugged his twisted tunic and straightened up before leaving, his hands still balled into fists so tight that his knuckles cracked. One day Master Storme would pay for what he had done to his friends.
As Aeden stormed out of the room, the one thing that ran through his mind was just how much he was beginning to hate being at Aviara Academy.