Stravos Vortaris
"Did you get it?" An elegant voice from my communicator asked.
I bit the inside of my cheek, staring at my spatha that leaned against my bedroom wall.
"Hello," the voice said.
Squatting, I let my fingers glide across the long blade before I answered.
"I did not."
"So you failed the test?"
I felt my teeth grind as I forced the words out.
"There was an unforeseen circumstance. A minor setback, nothing more. I'll figure out how to get it."
"You'd better, because I don't foresee a better way for you to obtain what was taken from you."
"Understood. I'll keep you updated."
"Fine," the voice said, canceling the connection.
Now I was alone with my thoughts. The only thing that could dull the disappointment of losing the final test was training.
The little skirmish with the proctor proved I still had a long way to go. But I was confident that I would reach the level of power I desired in no time. I needed to; there was no other option for me.
Surprisingly, the Headmaster left me with a warning. He seemed to understand the clan beef between the proctor and I, and why I didn't trust the proctor to watch my body.
When I stepped out of my dorm, the isle was quiet, still, like the calm before two warriors drew their blades.
I relished the weekends. The only time when ants didn't hoard around me.
Grabbing my spatha, I headed toward the makeshift ring I made on the far northern end of our isle. At the edge of the isle, the chilling breeze brushed against my skin, shocking my nervous system, waking me out of my grog.
I watched the cosmic tattoo etched into my shoulder glow a radiant silver.
"Come," I said, commanding my titan to manifest before me. It towered over me, covered in metallic synthetic flesh and red eyes that pierced right through me.
"Like last time," I said, taking my stance. The titan shook its head, took two steps back, and transformed its arm into a wide three-foot blade similar in length to mine.
A few calm breaths left my body before my titan charged me. Augmenting my legs with cosmic energy, I met my titans' attack with my own.
Our clash sent a gust of wind through the woodland behind us. I felt my feet dig into the rock underneath as I absorbed the blow of the Titan's blade.
Quickly, I took a step forward. I invaded the space between us, negating the reach advantage, and thrusted the butt of my blade into the abdomen. The titan slid back, but not enough to deal real damage. Immediately, I launched into an array of strikes: a sweeping horizontal slash that transitioned into a diagonal arc aimed at the chest.
My titan parried no problem. Of course it would. It was connected to my thoughts; it knew my every move. A physical vestige of my very own mind. But this is the thrill I chased.
Being pressed and forced to come up with new ways to counter my own counter. This would be the only time I would let myself struggle, for what is a blade without a whetstone?
My titan charged me again. Throwing several feints from varying angles, moving at speeds one would need augmented sight to see the true path of the attacks. A couple got through my defenses, angering me, causing me to release more cosmic energy.
My retaliation was swift, bending back to dodge an upcoming slash to my shoulder. Not allowing the titan to sense my next thought, I kicked the blade away, pinning it to the ground, rotating my body as if I were a top, only to stop my blade right before it cut through the neck of my titan.
"Checkmate," I said to my titan. Only to realize the battle ended in a stalemate.
I thought the titan was going to be honorable, but it decided to transform its other arm at the last minute to a blade, aimed at my abdomen. My father's words echoed in my mind; to expect deceit is to survive, to believe in others is the path of a dead man.
I pushed the thoughts to the side because I was annoyed that my titan was starting to reject some of my commands to fulfill its own needs. But then again, it does get cranky when it's hungry.
With our spar finished, I dismissed him. Watching its essence dissolve before me, traveling back to my astral tattoo. Now that I think about it, I'm starting to feel hungry, too.
Checking my watch, I noticed that lunch was about to end. So I made a mad dash to the cafeteria.
When I made it over, the number of students present was low, which was perfect for me. But there was a single person I was excited to see. It was Kuru sitting alone in his dark tunic, eating a sandwich.
I sat next to him, spooking him out of whatever he was reading.
"Could you at least announce yourself?" he said, picking up a tomato that slipped out of his sandwich.
I gave him a firm look.
"Relax with the glares. It creeps me out."
"Good," I said, taking a sip of my drink.
"Do you need something?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because you have never hung out with anyone on our team… Unless you need something."
I took a moment to ponder the statement.
"I guess you're right."
"So what do you want?"
"I need you to check something for me," I said, my gaze firm.
"What's in it for me?"
"Nothing. This will benefit our team going forward."
"That is?" Kuru asked, his eyes narrowed.
I slid him a piece of paper.
I didn't want a potential hidden microphone or another student to overhear what I had planned.
His eyes grew wide as he read my note. Lifting his head to match my gaze, "I can definitely do this."
"Good, but if you tell anyone, I will kill you."