Four Months Later...
Piper struggled to keep the levitating chair aloft; it was surrounded by wild red flicks of magic aura, mixed with her purple ones. The force of the powers nearly pushed her back as she tried to maintain control.
"Keep at it, Black!" Her instructor encouraged her with a firm voice. "Focus on your energy!"
Piper wanted to do more than yell at her teacher.
Her opponent could clearly see the strain in her expression, smirked, and cried out. "Cadeira Colpiscila!"
The chair shot forward and struck Piper, sending her flying back. She landed with a thud. Pain shot through her body.
"Winner," the instructor declared, pointing at the opponent. "Ember Starweaver."
The simulation room dissolved, revealing the other squires watching from bleachers. Ember walked up to Piper and offered a hand.Piper relented and took it. She rose to her feet and removed her helmet.
Her instructor, Sir Phineas Nightingale, shook his head at me and stroked his forehead in exhaustion. "You've failed again, Miss Black. I told you the words won't matter unless your energy is in line with your attack."
"Sorry, sir," Piper apologized.
He turned to her classmates. "That'll be all. Next week, we deal with elemental magic. I hope you all like being blasted with water, fire, and pointy rocks."
Groans erupted, and everyone proceeded to leave the hall. Piper turned to Ember, who casually removed her silver helmet, to examine damages. She had curly blond hair and fiery brown eyes.
Piper raised an eyebrow. "Ember, what's your secret? Is it private tutoring or mastering spell intonation?" She asked.
Ember shrugged. "Both parents trained me in the arts since I was a wee one."
Piper's shoulders dropped lower. She would never top that.
But Ember smirked. "Either way, maybe I'm just better than you."
"Ouch," Piper replied. "I don't understand; I study every day, yet I can't seem to get my spells right. It's unpredictable. Could you help a fellow sorceress out?"
Ember stared at her. "Piper, if you want to become better, do the work. Don't ask me to give you shortcuts."
Piper blew a strand of hair away from her face. "Maybe I don't need magic to be a knight."Ember chuckled.
"Lady Kent will be the judge of that." She leaned in with a warning. "Don't forget, failing first year means permanent expulsion."
Her lips curled down as Ember walked away.
As Piper made her way down the hallway, her thoughts bored deep; she had to get better at this. She could barely levitate a book or summon a magic shield for more than a few seconds.During her time here, she learned all kinds of creatures existed: sorcerers, fairies, elves, merfolk, trolls, and ogres.
Everything she read in books as a little girl was true. Mytheria Realm was divided into kingdoms and villages; every creature lived in them, governed by powerful monarchs, each wielding their own unique authority.
Piper stepped into the school library. Vordak sat behind the desk reading a scroll while sipping from a canister.
"Pass?" Vordak asked without looking up.
"Vordak, are you drinking ale on the job?" Piper asked.
"Pass?" He repeated.
Piper drew a long sigh and took out her squire medal. Everyone had their family crest personalized to them; hers was simply a helmet.
The device scanned the medal as soon as Piper placed it on the black square.
ACCEPTED.
"Anything in the mail for me?" Piper asked curiously.
Vordak merely pushed a white envelope with a US stamp on it and her home address.
"Thanks." Piper grabbed it.
"It's not good." Vordak commented. "No recorded death, just sad."
Piper rolled her eyes as she walked away. She murmured. "Thanks for snooping through my mail without permission.."
She hid the mail inside her chest plate compartment and instantly bumped into something hard. She stumbled back and discovered who it was.
"Simon," Piper noted. "Or should I call you Your Highness?"
It was a surprise to learn Simon Valand VII was Prince of Knightsbury; he was the second son, while his brother was heir to the throne.
Simon clutched the textbook under his arm. "I told you whatever you address me as is irrelevant, Piper Black."
Piper glanced at the title in his arm. "Why do you need to learn marine ergonomics? I thought that was an elective for second years."
Simon stood straight. "Only a foolish Knight overlooks electives. Just like how you need to prioritize practicing magic over studying theory for hours."
Piper shook her head. "How do you know my magic is terrible?" Piper smirked. "Have you been keeping tabs on me?"
Simon glared at her. "You can never avoid gossip here in Argentum."
He walked past Piper, and she took a seat to study her notes. She opened The Page, a prominent news publication in Knightsbury. It was mostly political; the Queen was inaugurating a new center for Merfolk cultural studies, and Prince Festus, Simon's older brother, was spotted on a walk in downtown Knightsbury.
PRISON GUARD AIDS PRISONER'S ESCAPE: INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY.
Piper stared at the photo of the former prisoner; in Mytheria, photos appeared like color sketches. She was in her mid-forties, had blond hair and hollow eyes, and was very thin, as if she had been suffering from malnutrition.
She shook the feeling of uneasiness away and tore open her second letter from her dad in months. He didn't seem to care about the ones she had been sending.
This one was shorter than the last.
Dear Piper,
Doing great at your fancy school? By the way, I've sold your computer to pay for the cable subscription. Can't miss my shows.
Thanks,
Dad.
Piper's fingers shook as she read it. Why did she even bother? He would never care about her life here, selling her computer for Cable. Who knows how much stuff he has secretly sold?
A teardrop landed on the paper.
"Hey!" Someone called her attention.She looked up to see a boy by a shelf giving her a look of disapproval. She had apparently made vines sprout from the floors; they slowly snaked back to the ground.She quickly wiped her tear and focused on the task at hand.
* * * * * * * *
Piper swung and slashed her sword; the sound of crickets filled the air. The twin moons illuminated the forest. Piper gazed up; one was bigger than the other. Why were the moons called twins anyway?
She'd never thought to ask.
"Left, right," she slashed. "Swing!"She repeated the movements, made a circle turn, and her sword clashed with another; the sharp clang echoed."What the—" Piper exclaimed as her hand flew to her chest.
"Excellent move," Simon commented and held down his sword.
"You almost gave me a heart attack." Piper pointed.
"It's suppertime." Simon reminded her. "You're not supposed to be out here."
"What are you? A prefect?" Piper teased.
Simon lifted a brow. "What's a... no, never mind."
"I have to at least get good at something." Piper declared. "If I get kicked out, I'd be a loser of both worlds."
"If you're trying to get me to feel sorry for you," Simon said. "It'll never happen."
Piper sighed. "You don't know what it's like, because you're perfect, and you've got your life planned ahead of you."
Simon's expression softened slightly, and for a moment, Piper thought she saw a hint of understanding in his eyes. "Maybe not," he said. "But I do know what it means to have expectations placed on you. To have a duty to fulfill."
Piper shrugged.
"What makes a great knight?" He asked as he watched her.
Piper thought for a moment. "Honor and bravery."
"That's just the school motto, Piper." Simon said. "What does it mean to you?"
Piper struggled for an answer, but before she could answer, Simon raised his sword and took a defensive stance.
"To me?" He said. "Perseverance."
She gripped her sword tightly.
Simon locked his eyes on her. "Show me yours."