The Last of the Sages (Sage Saga, Book 1)
Page 6
Chapter 4 - Eidolon
“Did I kill him?” Dominic laughed as Arimus shook James’ shoulder. Arimus gave Dominic a disapproving look and shook James again.
“Man, that was embarrassing,” James muttered as he came to. Waving Arimus’s hand away, he climbed to his feet.
“You’re telling me,” Dominic said in disappointment. “I didn’t even do anything. If this is a preview of things to come, I have to say, you’re just wasting my time.”
“Whatever, you mouth,” James snapped in disgust as he picked up the fallen sword. “I get three days to make one incision. Keep talking like that, and I’ll be aiming for your tongue.”
“What a temper,” Arimus commented.
“What garbage,” Dominic chuckled. “Anyone can talk big. Problem is, if you don’t make the cut, you’ll be just another infantryman, stuck in depression over what could have been.”
“Shut up!” James screamed as he lunged toward Dominic. James’ mind was racing.
With him talking so much, he’s bound to be distracted. I don’t know what an eidolon is or how he was able to knock me out so easily, but I won’t let him unleash it again. The sooner I cut him, the more potential I’ll prove to have.
Dominic pivoted backward as the sword that was aimed for his stomach went to the side. Securely out of the sword’s way, Dominic clasped James’ wrist and bent it to the right. James cried out as he dropped the sword and swung a random left hook—which was blocked easily. James couldn’t believe his eyes when his body was picked up and flipped over Dominic’s shoulder, right onto his back. Dominic punched at an imaginary opponent in the air as he danced in front of James’ fallen body. James tried desperately to catch the wind that was knocked out of him.
“A flip!” Dominic guffawed. “No one ever falls for a flip. It’s so juvenile!”
“You have to have patience with James,” Arimus stated as he helped James to his feet. “He has had no prior training as you did. He comes from the village.”
“What?!” Dominic yelled in shock. “He’s a walk-in? You mean he wasn’t invited to the Academy formally?”
“We are running at low capacity. We turn no one away.”
“Oh forget this. I only did that to play around. I was surprised myself when he actually fell for it, but now I see that he doesn’t have a lick of combat training. This trash doesn’t even deserve to see an eidolon.”
James clutched his sword in anger and determination as the upperclassman spat words of distaste at him. He had been arrogant before, but now it was as if James was less than a human being, as if he were an insect that had tried joining the Academy, and now he had the audacity to think about becoming a Sage. Dominic found it ridiculous and disgusting—blasphemy against everything the Academy stood for, and therefore, he was going to let James feel every ounce of his hate.
“I refuse to pull out my eidolon. I refuse, Arimus. I’m just going to fight him with my bare hands if that’s okay with you. He can keep the sword. I really don’t care.”
“If that’s how you want it to go. I myself admit that if James cannot cut you while you’re unarmed, then he definitely isn’t worthy of becoming a Sage.”
James winced. That definitely hurt. Coming from Arimus, the words pricked his heart like a poisoned arrow.
“I still have three days! Remember?!” James yelled at them as he tried once again to pierce Dominic’s unmovable resolve. Dominic continued talking to Arimus, pushing James aside and sending him clamoring awkwardly to the floor. Again and again James lunged at his foe, each time thrusting weaker and weaker as every bit of strength and energy he threw at his opponent was turned aside with a simple parry. Hours went by, yet he was no closer to passing than when he had started.
“Let’s call it a day,” Dominic yawned finally as he kicked a heaving James to the side. “He didn’t even get close.”
“It is getting late,” Arimus agreed as he put out his hand, motioning for James to give him the sword. James grit his teeth as he stared at the imprints of the hilt in his hand—his own steel grip being the cause as he had swung again and again at the upperclassman. It was pitiable. How could there be such a difference in their skill? How could Dominic have dodged his attacks for hours without breaking a sweat?
What made it worse was that he hadn’t even fought back. Sure, he would throw him to the side or flip him to the ground, but he never threw a punch. It was like James was a child all over again, trying to damage the impenetrable wall that was his father.
“You want to know something sad, James?” Dominic asked, snatching the blade out of James’ hand before he even saw him move. “If you can’t hit me, you’ll never—ever—ever—never—ever become a—”
“Don’t say it!” James screamed and began storming out of the hall. As he left he heard Dominic sneering behind him.
“Tell me, Arimus, what is the disciplinary action for one having a temper tantrum?”
Arimus didn’t smile as he stared at James’ back.
“You know, I wonder…could I beat you, Arimus? I mean, you’re not a Sage either. You don’t have an eidolon.”
Arimus turned slowly and glared at Dominic with calm yet warning eyes.
“I know how you are, Dominic. You won’t rest until you know for yourself.”
“I’m only curious.”
“I don’t play games.”
“It’s not a game, Arimus. I’m serious about this.”
“If Scarlet hears of this—”
“Master Scarlet won’t know a thing, I promise. She’s always telling me not to involve myself with other teachers so I wouldn’t dare tell her. The punishment would be very severe.”
“It is not a good idea.”
Dominic was standing only a foot away from Arimus, plenty of space to make a move.
So he did.
His thrust was precise and calculated, straight and quick, but all it pierced was the air as a single gray strand of Arimus’s hair hovered before his eyes. As he exhaled—his initiative now over—he began calculating a defense when he realized the blade he had held in his hand was now at his throat. Arimus stood unmoving behind him, a powerful arm reaching around Dominic and gripping the entire fist that was enclosed around the hilt.
“I trust you will not do that again. We are not in need of men…that badly.”
Dominic felt the grip lighten and he turned quickly to catch a glimpse of Arimus’s face, but, as expected, he was already gone, out of the very room itself.
“Arimus of the wind,” Dominic whispered. “You truly live up to your name.”
Dominic left the hall, amused yet humbled.