Ch 11 - The Red flaming storm rises

After a couple of seconds of silence Dan, Julius, Azer and Galiene, the other friends members of Gatriel’s party show a bored expression and shrug their shoulders as one walks in front of Grant.

“Senior Lord Grant Rawkin, it’s a honor to meet you at this time but as you are aware we are just returning from a mission. Would you let us rest for a bit so our leader can make up her mind on whether to accept your challenge or not?”

Dan’s word seem to have rubbed Grant the wrong way, he’s staring at Dan with an awfully sharp look. The other people are putting down their luggage and taking out water canteens.

“Ha! It isn’t like you actually completed any of those missions right? Come on a bunch of 3 little girls and 3 little boys must have had help from the outside, don’t give me that ‘we are tired’ talk!”

Aaa aaa now he did it! Aliyah’s face is a whole different world from when they were arriving, my beautiful star is angry beyond words while the other members of Gatriel’s party are just shaking their heads with bored expressions on their faces.

“Grant would you please stop it here, I’m not comfortable in this situation. I’m your friend and all but aren't you taking it too far saying what you want to Lady Gatriel and her friends?”

“Shut up Leo, if you don’t agree with me just step aside and be quiet, I’m the leader of our party and the strongest knight apprentice of the academy, remember your place and don’t ever talk back to me”

Bah! I won’t meddle into this anymore, I’ll just bow down a little to Gatriel and her group and step aside

*bow*

“~pue~ Thanks for your kind words Lord Leo Ihone, would you like to join us watching the demise of this friend of yours who doesn’t seem to know his plac~tsu~*wink*”

I’m melting, she just winked at me! oh I’m in heaven! I walk towards Julius and and the rest and sit down close by with them after greeting them.

“The one who doesn’t know her place is you a lowly noble talking to me like that? The nerve...”

As Grant walked towards us while raising his hand towards Aliyah a blur of red and black happened and his hand was being grabbed easily by Gatriel’s right arm.

“If you dare ever again to raise your hand at my cousin, I swear to the heavens I’ll cut both your arms so you don’t have the ability to do so to anyone for the rest of your pitiful life. It is with me you have quarrel so why don’t you focus on me instead of her Lord Grant Rawkin, self proclaimed strongest knight of the Royal Academy?”

Grant’s eyes were wide open as he moved his head to watch Gatriel and I could see the drops of sweat forming on his forehead, that movement speed was not something a fifteen years old, let alone a woman should be able to perform.

It seemed like he couldn't move from the spot, don’t even speak of releasing his arm from her grip, he was frozen in that place locked and even a bit afraid(at least it looked to me as if he was afraid).

“T, Th, That’s right, let go of my arm and lets get the duel going, I assume you are ok with the normal advanced course practice rules?”

He managed to blurt those words starting with a very shaky voice, he was indeed surprised/afraid? but ended up regaining his composure and forced the rules where bone fractures were allowed as long as they are not life threatening.

Bold move Grant very bold.

“Sir lord Grant Rawkin, I accept your proposition, what should be the limit? Lets avoid being called unfair because of excess of damage”

“Ha! How about arms, legs and ribs? As long as it’s not life threatening you’ll recover in a couple of months”

*hmph*

So you, Grant think you will win, and are planning on breaking Gatriel’s arms and legs, that’s beyond childish and borderline ruthless.

I’m starting to get nervous so I look at Gatriel’s friends and party members and they are all... smiling!!!

Whats going on? Do they think Grant will lose that badly? Hey guys he’s not a weakling, underestimating your enemy is the first sign of defeat. Have you been paying any attention to the military classes?

“Ara ara~ and what could be happening here? Whats going on Dear future sister in law?”

By the heavens! Prince Roxana Reiyah, the current head of the council of students of the Royal Academy shows up! This won’t turn well.

Roxane and Gatriel relationship has improved by leap and bounds in this past years and you can say they are true friends.

“Oh hello there Prince Roxane, glad to see you here, you just saved me the time to go report the success of our latest mission. Galiene dear would you be so kind as to turn over the proof for the request completion?”

With a smile Gatriel started talking while Prince Roxane bowed slightly and receiving the papers that the third female of Gatriel’s group, Lady Galiene Lunet gave her.

“So Lady Gatriel, what’s this about? Is Lord Grant asking you for a duel at last?”

“Thats right, he even allowed me to break his arms, legs and some ribs in the rules! Would you approve of this match? Ms. Head of the current Council of Students?”

“If that’s fine with you and you promise to not incapacitate this arrogant man for the rest of his life. As the rules by the Academy states, I, the current head of the Council of Students of the royal academy, approve of this practice match and the rules stated beforehand in front of all the witnesses present”

Uwaaa! Grant can’t say a word against the princess, he just scoffed *hmph* and started moving towards the practice grounds.

Aliyah started running towards the Knight’s training building and after a couple of minutes she came back hopping like a lovely rabit and smiling.

Not two hour later at the end of classes, the whole student body was walking out of their classrooms towards the training grounds, this is going to be a huge event it seems.

----------------------------------

So here we are, the training grounds are filled from left to right and top to bottom, it’s like we are going to watch the finals of the students yearly Knight’s selection.

Don’t be fooled tho, this is just a practice match!

Oh well, even the teachers are present, it seems this practice match holds great interest even for them. What could they be expecting here? Dan is on my right, talking to Julius and on my left is an angel who’s talking to Lady Galiene on her left.

Uhh sad moment for me! Oh well let’s focus on what’s going to happen now.

“Sir Knight Lord Rouland the Worthy, dean of the Knight’s faculty and teacher of the military arts, present as the first witness of the duel”

“Lady Ella Auelin the Obscure, dean of the Covert arts faculty and teacher of the counterintelligence class, present as the second witness of the duel”

Wow! It’s not any teachers, but two of the deans are going to be the witnesses and judges! This is unprecedented.

For a simple duel between two students you may say this is plainly overkill. Both teachers have personal titles!

You know what that means? They are big game! Big big game in the kingdom!

“As I was informed by the contestants, I may present the rules of the duel, normal advanced training rules apply, both parties have accepted the possibility of both arms, both legs and ribs to be damaged in the duel. As long as no attack leaves crippling damage or kills the opponent, everything is allowed.

As the current head of the council of students. I, the third princess Roxana Reiyah have approved of this bout.”

Grant good luck! I hope everything ends well for you here.

I look at Aliyah and mustered up my courage to ask her a couple of questions I want to clarify for my own peace of mind. It’s not like I doubt their team but it is really hard to believe that they completed those advanced missions themselves.

“Excuse me Lady Aliyah, would you be so kind as to honor me with some answers to some likely impertinent and, maybe even probably even rude questions? I assure it’s not my intent but I’d like you to forgive me in advance in case of being so.”

“~ehe~ I don’t mind at all sir Leo, feel free to ask. ~papan~”

“There are rumors that the first prince has sent help on your missions, is there any truth in those words? Is Lady Gatriel as strong as the Royal guard claims? Are you aware that lord Grant is strong right? Are you not worried about your friend down there? Why are all of your party members so relaxed?”

So beautiful! How she tilts her head, that innocent smile those deep dark black eyes, I could loose myself into them! Oh me, control yourself, don’t stare too much at her chest.. !hey focus don’t stare at her lips either.

“~nee nee~ look me in the eyes yes ~ehehe~”

Busted! So shameful my performance, I hope she won’t hate me, shaking my head I regained my composure.

“~waa~ better! And no, I’m not worried, Gat is the strongest person in this country!”

Uh? Isn’t she overestimating her cousin too much? I would find somewhat easier to grasp her words if she said Academy, but Country? Aren't you way too confident and fooling yourself?

“~ehehe~ you don’t believe me --”

Aliyah’s face changed, what happened?

Here in front of me is like someone completely different possessed her. Her cold voice and demeanor are truly frightening, those eyes are staring at me as if they would swallow me whole, who is this person right now in front of me?

I can't help but shiver a little.

“--then watch how your friend will lose and get crushed mercilessly, he won’t be able to graduate this year. His mistake was to raise his hand to me, Gat doesn’t take that lightly. Your friend will face the horror of the Flaming Storm and might even quit trying to be a knight. Mark my words.”

The next second she just ~tehe~ me with a wink and turned her face up front.

What was that, saying those words to me as if was nothing ‘crushed’ and ‘mercilessly’, who are this girls? ‘Flaming Storm’ is she referring to Gatriel with it?

‘The horror of the Flaming Storm’ those words keep ringing on my mind as I stare with my eyes open wide at Aliyah’s face, she’s not even looking at me anymore.

**clap**

Huh! Ah it’s going to start soon, the whole auditorium went silent the next second after the first clap. I see the teachers taking their positions.

Grant’s shield is already in place covering his front, his right arm is slightly down to his back holding the sword, as if ready to perform a single upper diagonal swing.

So Grant intends to end this fight in a single strike?

**clap**

*kick*-*swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, thud, swish, swish, thud, thud, swish, thud, swish*

*stomp*

“UAAAAAAAGGHHHHHH”

Huh? What the heck was that? What happened? Whats going on, I stood up looking down at the arena.

I can’t grasp what happened just now.

Why is Gatriel’s right foot on Grant’s chest?

Eh? Whats with the posture of his arms?

Eh? Uh? Why are his legs bent backwards?

Whats going on here?.

Why is the Knight’s teacher so surprised? What happened? It hasn’t been 6 seconds you know? Could someone please expl...

“W, W, Wi, Winner, by abiding to the rules of the fight, Lady Gatriel Decebal.”

Winner? what?

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.