As Noble had suspected, wielding two weapons had come with a distinct drawback for Keth. In his fall, he had been unable to catch himself, creating a dent in the self-healing floor.
His eyes seemed to burn beneath his helmet as he got to his feet.
Tamar lifted her sword to finish the job she had begun, but Keth swung his bludgeon at her. The hit brought Tamar's blade down beside his right ear, missing it by mere centimeters. He kicked her in the chest, throwing her to the middle of the ring.
Then a curious thing happened. Having received enough of whatever element charged it, Keth's armor changed subtly. The scion of Aegis Rose stood. Around him, the armor compressed and then expanded, lengthening Keth's jump in both height and length.
Tamar's eyes opened wide as she tried to get to her feet and put her weapon in position. Rising to her knee, she angled the blade toward the ceiling, but that is as far as she got before Keth plunged at her like a meteor.
His curved sword ran the length of her zweihandler, wedging the broad side of her blade and her arm between their colliding armor. Keth pinned the woman to the mat with his body. His aim had been true. He had overcome his opponent.
"Point! Match!" Rock's words punctuated by the sound of metal against metal.
Keth brought down the handle of his bludgeon and the pommel of the curved sword against Tamar's helmet, causing her pain and draining energy from her body.
"I said match," Rock repeated, his expression turning stern.
The young man continued to beat his opponent. His vindictive battle rage was in full swing. He refused to stop.
"Enough!"
The Staff of Sages flew forward, pressing itself between Keth's club and Tamar's head. Noble lifted the man through the air with her levitation, holding him over the far side of the arena as he flailed.
"The match is over. Show some decorum!" Rock's bellow brought the young man back to his senses.
Keth's back straightened, and his weapons dropped to his sides. Noble tentatively set him down. He raised his weapons in the air.
"For the Sword Domain. For Lady Changing Star, Lady Morgan, and Lord Anvil!"
"For Valor!" Many of the voices echoed back.
The stands erupted in cheers and jeers alike. Things were quickly getting out of hand.
"Enough!" Noble repeated. This time, her words were backed by the emotion she felt. She wanted calm. And calm she would have.
The wave of emotion swept out in an overwhelming tide. The Sleepers were unable to combat it, squelching their anger and excitement alike.
But only for a moment. Realizing what she had done, Noble retracted it, wrapping it tightly around her. Had she done permanent damage and created an arena of Zombies?
Thankfully, it did not seem so. The student's emotions began to shift as they had before, albeit less fervently.
Noble rubbed her forehead. Her headache was returning. "That is it for today. Class is dismissed."
The students began to leave the stands. Class was indeed over.
Keth walked past Tamar, looking down on her as he headed to the exit. "If that is what the Queen has to offer, it's no wonder she is so weak."
He sauntered away, welcomed heartily as he entered the hall.
The professor shot Instructor Nezha and those seated with him a meaningful look. They rose from their seats and joined the throng of Sleepers to help keep the peace.
Satisfied that things were well in hand, Noble floated toward Tamar. Rock grabbed her arm to stop her. "Let the girl get up on her own."
The Professor was confused by his words until she saw Fleur and Ray enter the ring to assist the legacy.
The redheaded girl offered her hand as Tamar finally sat up.
Ignoring the outstretched arm, Tamar forced herself to stand. When she faltered, Fleur caught the other girl's elbow.
Feeling the exhaustion leaving her body, Tamar pulled away.
"I don't want your pity."
"What? No! You were hurting, and I wanted to relieve your fatigue so you could heal faster." Fleur lowered her hand and her eyes.
"I will heal on my own." Tamar dismissed her helmet.
The small streak of blood from her scalp had dried across her cheek.
Seeing it, Fleur winced.
"Are you sure you don't want to go and have that looked at? I mean…"
"I'm fine." Tamar tilted up her chin.
"There is no shame in getting some help."
The voice startled the speaker as much as the two women. Neither of them had registered the interloper.
Tamar glanced at the boy and then back at Fleur. "Your friend has an interesting Aspect, but he shouldn't sneak up like that, especially on legacies. If I were feeling better…"
"Oh, no. He isn't my friend! I assumed he must be your friend. I don't know him…" Fleur glanced at the boy, and her brow furrowed. "Wait, you look familiar. Do I know you?"
"I'm Ray, and uh…" Ray rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find the words to continue.
"You two can keep talking. I need to go." Tamar turned to leave as briskly as her body would let her and fled from the scene.
Fleur pressed her lips together, coming to a decision. "I'm sorry, Roy. Tamar, wait!"
The redhead hurried after the injured legacy, determined to try to alleviate, if not the woman's embarrassment, then at least more of her exhaustion.
Ray held up a finger to object, but no words came. With a sigh, the boy tucked his hands in his pockets and filed out with the last few students.
"I see what you mean," Noble pursed her lips as the last of the group cleared the doorway. Rock crossed his arms. "I learned a long time ago that most legacies will refuse help, especially from outsiders. She was annoyed by that girl, but she would have felt humiliated if you had helped her up."
"I see," the professor often wondered at how counterproductive the clans could be.
There was value in being able to be self-sufficient, absolutely. Yet, that pride did more harm than good when the elitist attitude took the place of common sense.
Noble shook her head. "Thank you for the advice and for the use of the arena. Up until the end, I think it was a very good exercise."
"I am willing to try it again whenever you are," Rock held out his hand. "I didn't think it was possible after all these years, but even I learned a thing or two from those Sleepers."
The professor's expression softened. "They teach me things all the time. Usually when they aren't meaning to."
Awakened Nezha reentered with a few of the faculty members who had ushered the students out of the building. He gave Noble a reassuring nod.
"Almost everyone behaved nicely. Only a few terse words, but no thrown punches."
"Thanks, Nezha. I know there's always been competition, but that was another level of hostile." Noble extended her emotional sense to make sure nothing else was amiss.
Nezha chewed on his lip a moment before speaking.
"I have noticed a steep increase in enmity between those who reside in the domains of the Dream Realm. Last Solstice was barely a whisper compared to this one. I hate to think what next year will be like!"
The other faculty with him nodded, murmuring their concerns for the future.
Only Noble remained silent among the predictions and prognostications. She didn't have to guess what would happen.
The faculty would all have much more on their plates than a few overzealous students. The coming year would bring a most unwelcome companion.
War.