MAGNUS

The next class was Physical Education with Major Schmidt, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. She didn’t have a classroom, but was actually holding her class in the open air of the training fields. The fields were bordered by a large oval trail for running, and had various obstacles in the center from climbing walls, to balance beams, and bars to swing from. There were also the classic military training tools of wooden pells to strike with weapons, and what looked like trench obstacles.

Major Schmidt stood at parade rest, both hands clasped behind her back as those in her class arrived and lined up before her. Other than my three friends I also recognized the Kono siblings and their dorm mates, but it looked like that would be the extent of the class that I had met already. Though it looked like the entire class had gathered, the Major didn’t speak, but stood silent sentinel staring at us until the bell rang announcing the start of class.

“As I stated in the assembly my name is Major Anne Schmidt. This class is here to make sure you are physically fit, and to give you the basics in self-defense training. Unlike other classes where I will be your instructor this is not primarily a combat course. Now can anyone tell me why physical fitness is important to aether binders?” she began.

A young woman of rugged complexion and dark hair spoke up, “Your body's fitness improves your ability to channel aether.”

“Correct Miss Green, it has been proven that those whose bodies are more accustomed to physical exertion have an easier team with moving their aether, and usually have a larger pool of aether to draw from. We don’t know exactly why, but it is part of the reason those that live in farming communities or those in military service seem to have an easier time at binding. Why else?”

Vara spoke, “Because binders are expected to be the first line if there is a monster wave.”

“That is the primary reason for this course. Monster waves, where aetherical creatures decide to go on a rampage, do happen. When it happens skilled binders are expected to step up and deal with them. Whether that is defeating the beasts, capturing them, or just running to the nearest town and warning of the waves presence you will be expected to act,” she said with a savage grin, “Which means first, we run. So start running, If I pass any of you when I start running you will be running more,”

I started running along the track, that grin reminded me way too much of my grandfathers when he was training me and would have Fenris nip at my rump to get me to run faster. Richard, who had also been subject to a few training lessons with Morgan also started running, soon followed by Jessica, Vara, Tak, and Mai. Tak managed to ask, his breathing easy as we ran, “How bad do you think this is going to be?”

I shook my head and answered, “For some it’s going to be pretty bad. If I’m reading the situation correctly though not horrible for anyone that's reasonably fit. When we start taking combat classes with her, that’s when it’s going to be brutal.”

Tak nodded and kept his pace measured. Something about the way he ran sparked my interest and I let my aether flow to watch him. He was channeling his aether into the air around him and pulling it into his lungs. Was he using his abilities with wind to help his breathing? That was a neat trick. I noticed Mai was using a similar technique, but she seemed to channel it in a slightly different method, which seemed to focus on the primary Talent in her pattern. Did she naturally have the ability to manipulate forces that Tak gained by his soul bond with his dragon? I would have to ask later.

We ran four laps around the field, with the Major keeping an easy jogging pace right behind the group. The only students that were almost lapped were Selena and Ezekiel, both who seemed like they were not predisposed to physical exertions. I noticed that half the class actually started to slow a bit by the final lap and the Major had adjusted her pace down to allow those who were starting to fall short a bit of adjustment time. When she called for a halt both the bookish youths were bent over gasping in breath and Scmidt went to them and said, “Stand straight, take a breath in, hold it for a second and let it out. You will adjust faster that way.”

Good to know, she wasn’t being a drill instructor for this class yet. I could see she was used to training soldiers but wasn’t treating us as such, yet. Then she turned to the class and spoke, “As I said self defense will be a part of this class. Those of you who have training in personal weapons or brought them with you to the campus please step to my right, those who do not please step to my left.”

About ten of the thirty of us moved to her left, while the majority of the class moved to her right. Selena and Ezekiel were on the left, which didn’t surprise me; but both the Kono’s, who did not appear armed in their loose clothing, were on her right as were my three friends.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed two middle aged and grizzled men, with the bearing of retired soldiers, move out from behind one of the storage buildings carrying boxes, barrels, and archery targets and begin setting them up on one side of the field. This was explained a moment later by our instructor who stated, “Those with no weapons training we will begin with archery. Please see the retired sergeants there, who have agreed to help with this part of the instruction. They will help you find either a bow or crossbow that fits you and begin instruction on how to use one.”

Ezekiel warily raised a hand and, at a nod from the instructor, spoke, “Wouldn’t those skilled in spellbinding use that first?”

I saw a flash of anger in her eyes before she covered it with a smooth professional mask, if he were a soldier under her command he would have been in trouble for asking such a question. Her answer was in a calm tone though, “You can only channel so much aether before you need to rest and let your body recover. If you are caught in a city during a monster wave you can still stand on a wall and shoot, or at least reload a crossbow, even when you can’t throw spells. As I stated this is just to give you the basics, not to make you an archer.”

Ezekiel didn’t argue, which surprised me a little, but instead moved off toward the sergeants. Then the Major looked at those students who remained and motioned for us to line up. She went down the line, about a third of us had weapons on hand. Jessica had a set of leg straps that held a pair of long knives or short swords strapped along her thighs, and the two crossbows tucked with the bows folded in alongside them; both her and Vara with her sheathed rapier, were given a nod and the Major moved on. She passed a few other students with obvious weapons before stopping at Richard and asking, “What kind of weapon is that? Do you intend to club a creature to death like you were beating out a new sword?”

Richard drew the two three foot iron bars out and handed them to the instructor saying, “I started out doing that ma’am. I was taught another way of using them that is still effective if I run out of aether to charge the runes.”

The major examined the bars and said, “The runes are interesting, but you obviously can’t use these in training. Will wooden sticks work to train with?”

“Yes ma’am, from what I was told the martial art that I was taught uses just such sticks, I just moved to the iron for my own use,” Richard answered.

“Where did you learn this martial art, and what is it called? I thought I knew of the various martial arts within the Alliance already,” cam her response.

“I think he called it Escrima, but I don’t know where he got the name; and I learned it from his grandfather,” he said with a hand motion to me.

She handed him back the bars and said, “Ah, that explains why I hadn’t heard of it. He does tend to have some outlandish knowledge. Which does bring us to you young Ward. Professor Schneider told me of the weapon you showed him. Do you have any other martial training?”

I nodded and answered, “I was taught Escrima as well since it is good physical training even without the combat aspects. I was also taught a mixture of unarmed techniques by my grandfather, though he wouldn’t give names to them. Or at least the names he used didn’t mean anything to me. He said they weren’t much use against non-humanoid creatures though except the defensive techniques.”

“Well there is a fair number of humanoid beasts, but I can see his point. For now we will have you focus on range time with your weapon and the sticks with your friend rather than try and teach you something new,” she said before moving on to the Konos.

“You two don’t have weapons on you that I can see, but I know a bit of your background. Sri’dat?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. We are both ranked high journeyman in the art,” Takahashi answered.

Morgan had told me of Sri’dat. It was a martial art style created in the Azure Islands that was designed to allow an unarmed combatant to face non-humanoid creatures. Most practitioners used armored hand and leg guards if they used any weapons at all. He told me that it was effective if you were willing to be close enough to taste the breath of something as big as Fenris. I shared his opinion of shooting something that dangerous from a distance.

A few of the students were actually made to run back to their dorms and collect their weapons. I saw her reach into a case on her belt and two soldiers in uniform, armored, and armed appeared to follow those students and ensure they ran. So she was an image binder as well, that was a bit of a surprise.

The rest of the class passed swiftly, with the students moving to more physical training. Richard and I went through training forms with acquired wooden sticks the same three foot length of his bars. Though I also spent some time at the archery range practicing with the pistol I wasn’t very good with it yet, but could usually hit within two handspans of the center at forty yards.

Just before the class ended she called us all together and said, “This is how the class will function for the rest of the week. You will run and I will have you work on martial combat for the rest of the class. Those of you who seek to join the Operative or Military programs will need my blessing. Now class dismissed, you should have time to grab a quick shower before you eat.”

The class broke up, but I remained behind as a question crossed my mind. When the class was out of earshot she asked, “Yes, Mr. Ward?”

“Ma’am, why does the Operative class require your blessing?” I asked.

“Because the job will include catching criminals, not monsters. If you can’t face another person and bring them down you will just be another name on a headstone,” she answered with a pained look on her face.