The Fight
THE DAY AFTER RAFAEL’S challenge was Saturday, and the dining hall’s breakfast crowd buzzed with excitement as rumors about it spread through the School’s student body. Most of the upperclassmen were well aware of the last time Rafael and I had fought. It had not ended well for the Disciple of Jade Flame, and it had taken several weeks before he could summon his fusion blade again. While it was strictly against school rules, bets on the new duel’s outcome were fast and furious. From what I heard while loading my plate with bacon and sausage, Rafael was the favorite by three to two.
Either someone knew something about Rafael’s skills that I didn’t, or people were giving way too much credit to his being a year older than me. The Disciple was a strong fighter, but he hadn’t even been able to take me down when he got the jump on me last year. People were nuts to think he was that much of a favorite to beat me in a fair fight.
“I can’t believe you accepted the duel,” Clem said when we’d taken a seat at our usual table. She had a disapproving frown stamped on her face, and Eric and Abi wouldn’t meet her eyes. “It’s stupid and dangerous. You know Rafael will cheat. He’d do anything to defeat you.”
“It’s a sanctioned duel to three touches,” Abi said. “Professor Song will officiate. No one will get hurt.”
“You really believe that?” Clem savagely bit the end off a sausage link. “This is the same guy that tried to kill our friend last year.”
She had a point there. Rafael had ambushed me in the hall one day, an attack that had seemed completely unprovoked the time. I’d later learn that our now ex-headmaster, Grayson Bishop, had encouraged other students to come after me. If I hadn’t destroyed Rafael’s fusion blade and knocked him silly, he would definitely have murdered me in cold blood.
“I’m stronger now,” I said. “He can do his worst, and I’ll beat him again.”
“That’s the spirit!” Eric said, clapping me on the shoulder. “I mean, he’s had as much time as you to get better, but you’ve had more practice, right?”
That wasn’t terribly comforting. Rafael was older than me, which meant he had a full year of training in the martial arts that I hadn’t enjoyed. On the other hand, I had fought hundreds of contenders in the Five Dragons Challenge. That had to count for something.
“All because of that girl,” Clem said with a shake of her head. “I can’t believe Rafael thought you’d do anything improper with his sister. I mean, she’s nice enough, but really. You have much higher standards.”
No one had an answer for that. Clem eyeballed each of us in turn, then returned her attention to her plate. Our conversation dwindled down to nothing, and by the time breakfast was over, the tension among my friends had reached truly uncomfortable heights.
“I need to meditate a bit,” I said. “Cycle my jinsei, get my core ready. I’ll see you guys after the fight, right?”
Clem’s eyes met mine for a moment. There was something troubled in her gaze. Her lips parted slightly, as if she were about to speak. The moment stretched out into a taut line between us. I knew I should say something.
I just didn’t know what.
“Yeah.” Clem pulled a chipper grin tight across her face. “We’ll be there to congratulate you when you beat him.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Clem looked away from me then, her eyes misty, suddenly very intent on the food in front of her.
Abi and Eric wished me well, and I left the dining hall almost as confused as I had been the night before. I’d rather face a whole squad of heretics than go through that weirdness again.
I found a quiet place to gather my thoughts, far from the hubbub of the dining hall. I reached out to rats all through the school, binding them to my core and sending them off on another search for Hahen. I really needed the little rat spirit’s advice. I missed him and wondered if he missed me, too.
A solid two hours of searching turned up nothing. My rat minions didn’t pick up even a trace of Hahen’s scent anywhere in the school. It was as if he never existed.
Sort of like Tycho’s lab.
Disappointed, I released the rats and meditated to center my Eclipse nature. It was restless, churning inside me like a tiger pacing its cage. It sensed what was coming and wanted me to unleash it on Rafael.
There was no way that was happening. I tried to impress upon the dark urge the importance of behaving when there would be so many students and professors watching the duel. If I lost control and something like Singapore happened again, everyone would know I was dangerous. It wouldn’t be hard for the professors to put two and two together and discover I was an Eclipse Warrior.
And that would be a death sentence.
My core didn’t seem to care very much about the danger and was still agitated when it came time for me to head down to the exercise yard. I kept cycling my breath, purging the anxiety and anger aspects from my aura as I walked. I needed to be cool and calm during the duel. Score the points, beat Rafael, and no one had to get hurt.
I reached the exercise courtyard just in time. The area was packed wall to wall with students, the air buzzing with their excited chatter. Rafael and Professor Song were already in the center of the open space, waiting for me to arrive. I hadn’t intended to arrive at the last moment but was glad I did. My late entrance irritated Rafael and put him on edge.
That gave
