“Wider arcs! Put your full weight into your swings!” Elucard barked.

Koda grunted as he swung his ilrune into a crescent arc that glanced off of Cade’s blade. Koda took a step back, flailing his sword up. The momentum kept him off balance and he fell to his rump on the ground.

“He’s getting better, Elucard,” Cade said. “I can feel his power, but he has the grace of a cow.”

Elucard placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Yeah, we’ll have to work on your dexterity, Koda.” The former Anti-Rogue Op offered his hand to his king.

Koda brushed the hand away and used his sword to prop him back to his feet. “How long have you trained to get to the reflexes of some elite assassin?”

Elucard scratched his neck and gave him a light chuckle. “I’m always training, Koda, but I have been killing White Cloaks since I was thirteen.”

Koda frowned. “Thirteen! I’ve lost a lot of time.”

“Your majesty, you’ve only been at this for a month and it hasn’t been all that you’ve lived and breathed. You can’t compare Black Rabbit training to Arrelion’s regiment,” Cade offered.

“Plus you are using a larger blade than I’ve used. There might have been a reason Legion didn’t train me with the Giant’s Hand,” added Elucard.

Koda let out a meek smile. “I am getting better though, right?”

“You are, my king.” Cade raised his blade once more. “Come, let us continue to spar.”

***

“They say I’m improving…” Koda huffed. He and Raine strolled around the massive fountain that stood at the center of Twin Cliffs. Koda sat down on the fountain ledge and watched the many mages and tourists by.

“But you don’t feel that way?” Raine guessed.

Koda put his sword across his lap. “Elucard and Cade are fine instructors, but I think they are out of their element.”

Raine sat beside her friend and patted his back. “You’ll get it. You’re a fast learner, Koda, and your magic will be stronger for it.”

Koda scowled. His magic might get stronger if Arrelion ever taught anything other than sword fighting. He was a mage, not a warrior! Why did he need to practice sword forms and foot work when he can call forth a rainstorm or burn down a forest with the snap of his fingers? How could sword fighting help him any situation better than just using magic?

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“Yeah, I guess,” Koda grumbled.

Raine patted her stomach. “Up for some lunch—”

“You a silver mage?”

Koda and Raine looked up to find a small group of white mages walking up to them. At the front stepped a tall adolescent. Wavy black hair lined his head in a mohawk and his fierce green eyes laser-focused in on Koda’s ilrune. He rolled up his sleeves and flashed the red tape wraps around his wrists.

“Care for a challenge?” he said.

“Let’s go, Koda,” whispered Raine.

Koda looked at the boy. “Challenge, like a duel?”

The boy grinned in a way that only a shiny golden tooth peeked from his lips. “Yeah, a duel. I want to see a silver mage in action.”

“Koda, be careful. Unsanctioned mage duels have no way of repairing damage done to the city or your bodies,” warned Raine.

Koda bit his lip.

“Let’s sweeten the pot,” said the boy. “I win, I just get the clout of beating a silver mage, but if you win, I’ll throw in some valence. Fifty silver coins sound nice?”

“Watch it, Dak.” One of the other white mage boys prodded. “He’s got five colors!”

Dak pushed away his friend. “I’m not scared of him.”

Koda stood up and shouldered his sword. “What are the rules?”

Dak looked Koda up and down. “Three hits? Your silver magic verse my wind and fire?”

Raine Koda to the side. “You said it yourself, you haven’t learned how to blade channel yet.”

Koda looked at Dak and then back to Raine. “He’s just some punk kid. I can take him.”

“You are going to get hurt if you don’t understand your magic properly,” Raine said with caution in her voice.

“Channel my magic through my sword and fire it at my opponent, how hard can it be?”

Raine smacked Koda across the back of the head. “This isn’t some school battle, you can get killed if you aren’t careful!” Raine stressed.

Koda held silent, now letting his friend’s words sink in.

“What’s the hold up, silver mage? Are we battling or what?” Dak called out.

Koda clenched his fist and pursed his lips. “I want to see what silver magic can do.”

Raine tugged on Koda’s arm, leading him towards the crowd. “You’ll have a better chance at sticking to your training, not dead in the dirt after losing a pissing contest!”

“You saying I’d lose?” muttered Koda.

“You might as well fight with both your hands tied behind your back!”

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going!?” Dak called. A resounding wave of boo’s and jeers rumbled from the crowd of mages and citizens that gathered around the fountain. All waiting to see a student of Arrelion make a rare appearance in a mage duel.

Raine pulled Koda past the crowd and back to Adamant Keep.

Koda lowered his head. “I’ve been at this for more than four weeks and I haven’t learned a thing. A month of any other magic training would have shown results. Arrelion is wasting my time,” Koda moped.

Raine stopped just outside the school gates. “If you think Arrelion is leading you astray, then challenge him. Have him show you what you have to look forward to.”

“Challenge him!?” Koda scoffed.

“You don’t trust his training, challenge him to duel.”

“Hmm…” Koda pondered. “Five colors is nothing to balk at, if he could beat me then I’ll know for sure he isn’t yanking my chain with this training.”

“How else are you going to get convinced?” asked Raine.

“Fine,” said Koda, coming to his conclusion. “You’re right, I will challenge him.”