Ryan woke up with the first rays of sunlight creeping through his window.
His night had been restless. He hadn't slept well. Every time he closed his eyes, images of fire, the prince, and the pit of flames returned to him. He got up anyway. He had no other choice.
"New day. New classes."
He dressed quickly and headed to the dining hall, where he met Edan. Edan looked tired too, but he smiled when he saw him.
Edan asked.
"Ready for today?"
Ryanreplied coldly.
"I'm never ready, But I'll do it anyway."
Edan laughed. "That's the spirit."
They had a light breakfast, then headed toward the first hall.
********
First Period: Combat Strategies (Theory) – Hall 5
Ryan and Edan arrived at the hall a few minutes before the lecture began. The hall was nearly full of students, but they found two seats in the fifth row from the back. Ryan sat down, placed his sword on the floor beside him, and looked around.
The hall was spacious, its floor of white marble, the large windows overlooking the back garden where autumn leaves were slowly falling. The seats were arranged in stone tiers, capable of holding over two hundred students.
Unlike the previous class where students had been chatting loudly, today the atmosphere was much quieter.
Edan whispered:
"I heard that Professor Darius used to command an entire battalion in the Kingdom's army before he retired. They say he never lost a single battle for fifteen years."
Ryan repeated.
"Fifteen years?"
"Yes. Until his injury to his left leg. They say he could have been a higher commander if he hadn't been wounded."
Ryan didn't reply. He was thinking about the girl who had bowed to him in the corridor yesterday. About her green eyes. About the three boys who had been harassing her.
Before he could find an answer, the main door of the hall opened.
Professor Darius entered.
He walked to the podium slowly. His stern face was marked with old scars that his clothes couldn't hide. His bare arms were covered in dark tattoos. He didn't smile, didn't welcome. He simply looked at the students with his cold grey eyes.
Complete silence.
Then he spoke in his deep, rough voice:
"Last week, we talked about the basic rules. Today, we move on to something more practical."
He picked up a piece of chalk and began drawing on the board quickly and skillfully.
"Today I will teach you three intermediate-level combat strategies. Not for beginners, but not so complex that you can't understand them. I will explain each strategy theoretically, then show you how to implement them practically."
The students sat up attentively, some quickly preparing their pens and notebooks.
********
Strategy One: The Hammer and the Anvil
Professor Darius drew two parallel lines, then drew an arrow between them.
"This is one of the oldest and most effective strategies. The idea is simple: part of your forces (the anvil) pins the enemy in place, while another part (the hammer) strikes them from behind or from the side."
He explained in detail:
"The anvil must be strong enough to withstand the enemy's attack without collapsing. Its goal is not to attack, but to hold. The hammer, on the other hand, must be fast and powerful, striking the enemy when they are occupied with the anvil."
He looked at the students with his piercing eyes.
"How do you implement this practically? First, you need troops that know their roles perfectly. The anvil does not attack, only defends. The hammer waits until the enemy advances further than they should, then strikes. Timing is everything. If the hammer strikes too early, the enemy will retreat. If it strikes too late, the anvil might collapse."
He drew a circle around the hammer.
"The most common mistake here is that the hammer forces become overexcited and strike prematurely. Patience is the key. Wait until the enemy is fully committed to their attack, then strike them."
*******
Strategy Two: The Moving Ambush
Professor Darius erased the board and began drawing zigzag lines.
"This strategy requires suitable terrain – forests, hills, or a city. The idea is to set an ambush for the enemy, but instead of staying in one place, you move as the enemy moves."
He explained:
"Imagine an enemy marching through a valley. You hide on the surrounding hills. You strike them from one direction, then disappear. When they reorganize and try to attack you, you strike from another direction. You keep doing this until their morale crumbles and they become confused."
He raised his voice slightly:
"How do you implement this practically? You need at least three groups. One group strikes then withdraws. A second group strikes from a different position. And a third group observes and determines the next strike location. Communication between groups is the secret. If you lose communication, you become chaotic."
He looked at the students with sharp eyes.
"This strategy has killed more armies in history than any other. Why? Because the enemy feels surrounded from all sides, even if you are fewer in number. Fear and confusion are weapons stronger than swords."
*******
Strategy Three: The Ring of Fire
Professor Darius drew a circle on the board.
"This strategy relies on using your elements to create a barrier around the enemy. Not necessarily real fire – it could be walls of earth, fences of ice, or even thick fog."
He explained:
"The idea is to trap the enemy in a confined space, then attack them from all directions. A trapped enemy becomes frightened, loses their ability to think clearly, and begins making mistakes."
He drew an arrow emerging from the circle.
"How do you implement this practically? First, you need at least two elementalists who can create the barrier. Second, you need assault forces to strike from within. Third, and most importantly, you need to leave a false escape route for the enemy – because if they feel there is no escape, they will fight ferociously. But if they see a way out, they will try to flee, and at that moment, they are weaker."
He smiled a cold smile.
"This strategy requires high coordination. If the barrier fails, the enemy will escape. If the escape route is too obvious, the enemy will suspect it. Balance is the key."
********
Professor Darius spent the rest of the period explaining these three strategies in greater detail. The students were fascinated, especially when he spoke about how he used the "Hammer and Anvil" strategy in the Battle of the Dragon's Pass twenty years ago.
Finally, he said:
"And of course, these strategies are just the beginning. We will learn many more strategies and we will try to apply them all."
When the class ended, Ryan had taken many notes. He left the hall and headed with Edan to the next class.