Mages lined the side of the great hall, not wanting to miss the next round of fighting. Light from the upper windows filtered down on the initiates practicing with their weapons.

  Salamin hung back, watching. The mages watched expectantly, talking among themselves and passing gold coins.

  Paxton clapped his hands, and all activity stopped. The mage stood on the raised dais, looking down at them all. “Initiates, take your seats please.”

  Salamin sat next to Lane on the floor, gazing up at Paxton as he continued to speak. “The victors acquired their weapons." His eyes focused on Salamin. “We have chosen the weapons for the defeated.”

  Lane’s eyes widened as she glanced at Salamin.

  “There are consequences for failure,” Paxton said with a sad smile. “Now, we will have the final battle.” Murmurs came from the mages along the side, and Paxton silenced them with a look. “The mages of the Keep have come to bear witness.”

  Paxton inclined his head. “The first battle will be between initiate Elian and initiate Parric. Both of you prepare for battle.”

  Salamin and Lane stood with the other initiates and moved back.

  Salamin watched as they prepared, both with identical swords, and when they both held them up, they glowed a faint gold color. Energy surged between the swords, with arcing light. They were well matched at first, but Parric began to tire and fall back on his heels. A few feints, and a full blown attach of strength sent Parric’s sword clattering to the ground.

  The mages to the side clapped as Elian jabbed his sword and Parric fell back onto the ground. Holding the tip of the sword to Parric’s throat, the latter called out. “I give,” he raised his hands. ‘I surrender.”

  Applause rippled through the mages. Paxton came down and raised Elian’s hand. “We have a victor. You will have your reward after we are done. Go, observe with the mages at the side of the room, and hold your head high.

  Elian nodded to his friends and then walked away towards the side of the hall, grinning. Parric limped back to the other initiates and Caden greeted him with wide eyes. They both looked shell shocked.

  “The next battle will be between initiate Staya and initiate Lane. Initiates take your places.”

  Lane unsheathed her sword, and Staya grinned as she drew her weapon. It was larger than Lane’s and would give her a tactical advantage. Salamin saw first hand yesterday that Lane was not to be underestimated.

  Staya attacked with an unbridled fury, catching Lane off balance. Her blade struck Lane’s weak side, and triumphantly, she smiled when the blade came up with blood on it.

  Lane did not let on that she was hurt, her face stoic as blood oozed up from her left shoulder and stained her tunic. A faint glow emanated from Lane’s sword, and for an endless moment, they exchanged blows, each parrying and attacking, and keeping an intense focus. It would only take one mistake for one to gain the advantage.

  Staya had the technique with her sword, but her footwork was clumsy. Lane had impeccable form, and her skill with the smaller blade was formidable. Thrusting upward, Staya brought her heavy blade to Lane's right, switching at the last moment, swinging straight across low. It would be an awkward parry from this point, but Lane ducked down as the sword swiped thin air.

  Both backed away a moment for a breather, and Staya whispered a few words under her breath. From her fingers, energy rose from the hilt of her sword, and it glowed a faint emerald green. She smiled at Lane. It was a deadly smile.

  Lane did not react, keeping her face neutral, and holding her sword up in a classic form. Salamin knew she was assessing this new development. Had Lane not chosen a spelled sword?

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  Staya came in for the kill, slashing Lane’s sword outward, as she moved in for the lunge. It would be a deadly lunge, but Lane dodged to the side and caught the sword in her own. The green glow of Staya’s sword poured into Lane’s.

  What was happening? Lane’s sword glowed the same green. Salamin stood transfixed as Lane went on the attack. Her sword had overtaken Staya’s, and she was unstoppable. Staya could not keep up, and Lane was intentionally not landing blows that would harm her.

  Finally, with one swoop and Staya’s blade went flying to the ground. Lane lunged forward, and Staya fell to the ground, her arms raised. Lane had done it. Staya glared at Lane and spat at her.

  Two mages rushed over to break them up.

  Mage Paxton came over and raised Lane’s hand in victory. “Well done, Initiate Lane. Now go to the side and wait.”

  Staya's face reddened. Parric came and gave her a hand up, and they walked to the side together.

  “Now for our last fight between initiate Elian and initiate Caden.”

  “Come,” Paxton motioned for both of them. “Since both of you were defeated, your swords were chosen for you.” He nodded to one of the robed mages to bring the swords forth.

  A mage handed Salamin a sword and then gave one to Caden. More coins were passed by the mages watching from the side.

  The sword was plain iron, with no engravings on it. Salamin studied it and felt the heft in his hands. It was a two handed sword which would help with his right hand, but there was no magic that he could sense.

  He glanced over at Caden, who went through several motions with his sword, bringing it up over his head in classic stance, and thrusting back. It was beautiful to behold, the kata that was taught to beginners. Caden had some training.

  Was Caden’s sword unspelled as well? Salamin knew he’d soon find out. Salamin started in classic position, hailing his opponent by raising the blade and slashing down to the side.

  Caden still appeared uneasy. His eyes appeared hazy, and his movements slow.

  “Begin,” Mage Paxton called from the dais. “May the best warrior win.”

  Silence fell in the hall as all anticipated the fight.

  Caden stood still, his sword out, and to the right. It was the second classic stance. The boy was used to the classics but had little experience. The fight Salamin had witnessed yesterday showed he had no real world experience.

  Salamin circled and then lunged. He only needed to defeat the boy and relieve him of the weapon.

  Everything changed when his sword struck Caden’s.

  A powerful charge surged through Salamin’s sword, and into his hands, shocking him with raw, painful energy. Everything told him to drop his weapon. But he held on. His charred hand absorbed some of the blow, while the rest of the energy struck through, electrifying his nerve endings.

  His hesitation gave Caden the opening he needed. With a quick strike, he caught Salamin on the arm, drawing the first blood. His opponent’s sword surged with a glow as the blood seeped into its blade.

  Sharp pain ripped Salamin, and he jumped away, needing time to refocus. The mages had fixed this fight. He glanced over at them, their faces amused and expectant.

  His opponent knew the classics, had the better sword, but he did not have experience. Salamin would need to fight through the pain to win. He gritted his teeth and went in with a feint to the left.

  Caden took the bait, and Salamin struck him hard in his right arm. This time Salamin’s weapon drew blood, and Caden yelped, panic reaching his eyes.

  It was only a matter of a few well placed blows. Their swords clashed as Caden deflected a blow to his chest just in time. The energy from Caden’s sword was more powerful now, and Salamin reeled at the pain. Focus, he had to focus through the pain.

  Caden saw Salamin struggle and again went into the attack, his sword coming down low towards Salamin’s thigh. He parried in time and thrust upward with all his might.

  The pain continued to surge through him, and Salamin winced, trying to keep his focus. Caden was not ready for Salamin’s upward thrust, and caught him unguarded.

  With Caden’s sword up, Salamin brought his sword straight into Caden’s side. The sword hit home, and Salamin’s opponent fell to his knees, then crumpled to the ground, his sword clattering to the ground with finality.

  Salamin stood over him, catching his breath, chest heaving. The pain from the spell subsiding. It was only then that he saw Caden was not breathing.

  The mages stood but remained unmoving.

  “He needs help!” Salamin called out, looking at the other initiates and then to the mages standing still as statues. Lane stepped forward, and a mage caught her roughly by the arm.

  Salamin knelt by his side and lifted Caden’s tunic to assess the wound. Salamin’s blade did not pierce far into the skin, but perhaps the boy had a different ailment? His lips were turning blue. This was just a child, really. Why were the mages holding back?

  Salamin pressed his hand onto the boy’s wound. “Luna, luna, passus,” he whispered, sending any energy he had left into the wound. Nothing happened.

  Backing away, Salamin looked again at the boy, pressing his hands on his chest. “Luna, luna, passus,” he said again, sending the energy towards the heart. This time Caden jerked, and his chest rose and fell.

  The mage’s hushed voices filled the room. This was not supposed to happen.

  A vision formed in Salamin’s mind and transposed onto the world around him.

  [Blessed One, Paladin, Tier 4]

  [You have obtained lustras]