A class refers to the amount of power a Venefica has, regardless of skill.”
“Meaning what?” Keither asked.
“Meaning your class has nothing to do with your ability. You can be a class five and not know what magic is,” continued Sara. “Classes one and two humans can attain, usually just one. Next, Iumenta and Elves can reach up to class five, and I know dragons are higher, but that’s it.”
Arkin looked pleased. “Very good. To ‘Ascend’ is to become a dragon. Only a class five can do this, and even then only a rare few. When someone ‘Ascends’ they will be classes six through eight. Now, the difference in each class is large. There is a gap between them as far as power goes; meaning that if you are a strong class two you are still relatively weak to a class three. The same is more so for Ascending. The difference between classes five and six is like comparing a mountain lion to a kitten. Class sevens are extremely strong and class sixes are closer to them, relatively speaking, but class eight…” Arkin shook his head.
“What?” Kovos said.
“It’s like there should be a class or two in between seven and eight, but there are no eights left from my understanding,” Arkin answered.
“Why not?” Sara asked.
“That is another lesson,” Arkin answered with a warm smile. This was starting to get on Legon’s nerves. There was one secret after another. What possible threat could he be? Hadn’t they proved that they were no friend of the empire? Also, what was going on with this new ability to sense emotions?
“What class are you?” he asked.
“I’m a class two.” He was a two? Well, maybe if Legon was a three or four he could overpower Arkin if need be. He was out-classed in skill so he still might lose, but still this was a small comfort.
“Ok, so what all can magic do?” Legon asked.
“A lot of things, and there is still more and more being learned about it. Basically, magic is the lynch pin in the war between the queen and the free lands.”
“You mean the resistance?” Keither asked.
“They’re hardly that.”
“What do you mean? They fight the Queen, don’t they?” asked Keither.
Arkin responded. “Just because they fight the Queen doesn’t mean that they are a group of rebels. In fact, they’re the opposite. The Elves are their own nation, and for that matter the humans are too. You see, when the Queen took over she just took control of an existing nation.”
“Yeah, but there was a war with the Elves and free humans, right?” Keither asked.
“Yes, the Elves defended their territory and the humans fought for independence, and that’s what they got, for the most part. The war has never really ended,” Arkin responded.
“Ok, but what about magic?” Legon said, not wanting them to go off on a tangent.
“Sorry. Yes, magic. Well, like I said, it works much like a muscle, but it can do things that your muscles never could. For example, you can use magic to alter the physical attributes of those around you.”
“Like how?” Legon asked.
“Here, I will show you. Kovos, will you be so kind as to show us the progress you’ve made teaching Sasha to fight?”
Kovos looked confused. “I thought you were going to show us how magic affected stuff?”
“I am.”
Now Sasha looked confused but, to his surprise, she stood and walked to her tent for her stave.
“No, not with the sticks. You will use real swords tonight. Sasha, you will use mine,” Arkin instructed.
They both paused and Sasha began to fidget with her hands. Legon knew what she was thinking. Sasha was learning how to fight, but it wasn’t her thing. She could shoot a bow, but she was having issues with the blade. She walked to Arkin, who stood and presented his blade out of the sheath. He placed a guard on it. Kovos pulled his blade out and they stood apart from each other. Sara had an amused look on her face. What did she think was funny? She and Sasha were friends. Did she want to see her lose?
Kovos nodded his head at Sasha. ”Remember what I’ve taught you.”
With that he lunged forward, swinging at her side. Sasha barely parried the blow as she stepped back. As she blocked hit after hit, Legon noticed that with every blow her blade moved closer to her body; she didn’t have the strength to stop it. In fact, the only thing keeping her from getting hit with her own weapon was that Kovos was not hitting full force. She tried a thrust, but Kovos flicked the blade away almost lazily. Arkin started to talk.
“You see how this is going? It’s not just that Kovos knows what he’s doing, but that he is faster and stronger then Sasha. Now let’s see what can happen with magic.”
Kovos again slashed at her side, and to everyone’s surprise Sasha’s blade flashed up to block his in the blink of an eye. Kovos’ sword stopped dead on hers and both looked open-mouthed at the point where they touched.
“Woo! Yeah, Sasha! Kick his butt!” Sara yelled with a wide, knowing smile.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Kovos said. He brought his sword above his head and down. This time Sasha side-stepped in a flash and swung. There was a loud clang of metal on metal as Kovos blocked her blow. He stumbled back a bit.
“How on earth…?”
Sasha smiled. “I’m winning, Legon. Do you see this? I’m winning.”
Kovos gave a loud laugh. “Oh, heck no!”
No one took sides but everyone cheered them on as the fight progressed. Sasha was still a sloppy fighter, but she was moving so fast and with so much power that Kovos was having a hard time getting to her. Even though she was going to walk away with more than a few welts, she was still doing great. Arkin looked pleased, and Legon noticed a bead of sweat forming at his brow.
“Are you all right?”
“Ok, that will do,” Arkin said.
Kovos and Sasha separated and both sat back down around the fire. Sara put her arm around Sasha. “I knew you could do it.”
“Yeah but how did she do that? I’ve never had anyone fight like that.” Kovos asked
“That is because I used magic to make Sasha faster and stronger. This is one of the many applications for magic in combat.”
After that, Arkin spent the next few hours talking about how magic could be used to make things better. It was late by the time they were ready for bed.
“Sash, what tent is ours again?” Legon asked.
“Oh, it’s the one over there, but I was going to stay with Sara if that’s ok?”
“Sure, you’re fine, so long as you feel ok.”
She looked at him for a moment. “You know what? I think I will be.” She hugged him and followed Sara.
Legon turned to Arkin. “Well, looks like you get to sleep with me, Arkin. How do you feel about that?”
“Ha! Don’t get your hopes up. That’s going to take more than ginger tea.” Arkin walked to the tent, leaving Legon alone.
“What was that supposed to mean?”
Sasha closed the flaps to their tent and began to get ready for bed. It had been a long day, but she wasn’t feeling all that tired. It was so good to have Sara with them. She looked like she’d been through a lot. She had lost a lot of weight since they had last spoken back home, but she was happy now that she was free. As they both lay down, Sasha looked at the flickering firelight coming through a small crack in the tent flaps.
“I know you have questions, Sash. Are you going to ask them?”
“I want to, but at the same time you seem so happy. I don’t want to bring you down.”
“You always did put others ahead of yourself. I’m glad to be with you and Legon again.”
“We’re happy that you’re here too. Can I ask about today?”
Sara chuckled. “Yes.”
“What happened?”
Sara took a deep breath. “Legon took my pain.”
“He what?”
