Chapter Six

 

Pandora faced four first years with a metal-tipped staff in her hands. They held the curved blades favored by the clans, approaching her in an arc so she couldn't use her sapphire against them all without risking counterattack. Two of them had ambers, not that she cared.

"This isn't a dance party," said Instructor Irina. "If this was a real scrap, you'd have probably been overrun by her allies already."

The first years approached as a group. Pandora shifted towards the side of the circle to keep them from having a direct line, but the other students in the circle wouldn't budge. A few of the older students whispered, "Traitor."

A red rage filled Pandora. As the first attacker lunged in, she thrust the metal tip into his gut and then Pulled herself backwards in a sapphire-aided leap. The contact served as a starting gun, and they rushed her at once. Pandora held her staff horizontally and Pushed it forward, flying at their knees like a moving high jump. Two of them managed to leap it, while the other two were tripped onto their faces.

The two that managed to keep upright looked like the fox cornering a hen until she Pulled and the horizontal staff took them out from behind, slamming the backs of their heads against the concrete. Before the others could reach their feet, she brought the metal tip against their jaws, knocking them out cleanly: one, two.

With her opponents incapacitated on the fighting grounds, Pandora faced the instructor and bowed deeply with a snarl on her lips.

"My apologies that it took me so long."

The pleasure she felt from the comment lasted half a second until Instructor Irina leapt into the middle with a sapphire Push, striding towards Pandora and glowering over her. The instructor had height on her, and stared down as if she were a boxer at weigh-in trying to intimidate the competition.

"What did you say?"

The constant sniping and mistrust had left Pandora with a ball of unresolved anger. Receiving the black pebble from her mother hadn't helped. It'd made her feel like everyone was against her. She maintained the staring contest when she answered.

"I was apologizing that I allowed my opponents to think they had a chance. I should have taken them out in the first two seconds so they understood how important it is to listen to you, Instructor Irina. Better to be embarrassed today than dead in the dark."

Instructor Irina's jaw pulsed as she worked through her thoughts. Eventually she turned and called out in a stern tone.

"Clear the field and fetch me a staff."

As Instructor Irina paced away, Pandora caught looks of surprise from Choo-Choo and Navos. They offered shoulder shrugs and incredulous expressions.

After someone threw the instructor a metal-tipped staff, she spun around and faced Pandora with a scowl. She extended the staff towards her and addressed the class.

"This second year said something very important. Better to be embarrassed today than dead in the dark." She paused, letting her words sink in. "But I should also remind you that she lost to that Razor, an emerald, because she didn't see his line of attack. A lesson that I believe is even more important. Arrogance will lead you to an early grave."

Pandora sucked in a breath as she realized she was about to spar with one of the top waku in the Drops. The instructor was a three stone: amber, sapphire, and opal. The last one wouldn't be important for the fight, which meant it was mostly sapphire against sapphire.

Instructor Irina bowed. "May the shadows keep you safe."

"And the light weaken your enemies," said Pandora as she returned the gesture.

Instructor Irina leapt into the attack, her staff coming like a double bass drum. Pandora blocked most of the strikes, but at least three caught her around the arms and shoulder, until she could blast her opponent away with a heavy Push.

The impacts had left her limbs stinging. Instructor Irina smirked as she approached again; clearly she'd been toying with her. The leaping attack was bolstered with a feet-tangling Push, which Pandora countered with a twist, a combination of Push and Pull on opposite sides of the instructor's body, turning her before she landed.

The maneuver gave Pandora the time to roll back onto her feet, after getting knocked down, escaping to an open part of the circle. A few whistles went up from the other students, impressed that she'd lasted this long.

Instructor Irina growled under her breath as she spun the staff between her hands rapidly, blurring the weapon until it looked like she was surrounded by a silvery ring. As Pandora had learned over the last year, the head of the Drops Academy was a master at every weapon on the rack, and her stones made her second only to Duro as a warrior.

Before Irina could launch into another assault, Pandora threw her staff like a spear, using her Push to fling it at great speed. The weapon flew past as the instructor deflected it with her spinning staff, and before Pandora could Pull it back, using the same maneuver she'd tricked the first years with, Irina used her own Push to throw the weapon outside of the circle.

Pandora had anticipated the response, closing the distance empty-handed and leaping through the air with a Push. Her foot flew towards the instructor's turned head. She was certain that she'd moved faster than Irina could counter, but the staff came around, deflecting her leg so she tumbled past, landing unceremoniously on the hard stone.

Instructor Irina swung the staff around, the tip coming for her when a strong male voice called out: "Hold!"

The staff halted an inch from Pandora's cheek. Instructor Irina looked perturbed until she looked up and her jaw loosened. With the tip hovering before her face, Pandora had to maneuver around to see Duro striding onto the training grounds. The keen gaze of Shadowmaster Duro fell upon them. Instructor Irina spun the staff away, leaving room for Pandora to return to her feet.

"I'm impressed, Irina. You've taught your students well when they can start to challenge you," said Duro with an incline of the head.

The instructor looked like she was searching for the insult, but returned the respectful gesture. She forced a smile that was anything but pleasant.

"We were having a bout of spirited competition today. Though this one has yet to learn the true art of scrapping. There is more to a fight than swinging a blade. One must keep the body in balance."

"Excellent. I'm sure we'll need this new cadre of waku sooner rather than later, but I hope they're in one piece when that day comes," he said.

Irina stiffened as her nostrils flared. "I assure you they will be ready."

"Good, because I need to borrow one of your students for a special project," said Duro.

Instructor Irina inclined her head as she turned towards the knot of fifth years that had been taunting Pandora earlier.

"They'd be honored to join you."

With heavy-lidded eyes, Duro smirked. "It's not them I want. I came for Pandora. She's shown she has a knack for scrapping and isn't afraid of taking chances. I need that kind of warrior for this task."

The request came as a surprise to the entire group, Pandora included. The instructor's shock was followed by another stiffening. The corner of her cheek twitched upward uncontrolled.

"Her? I beat her."

"She pushed you," said Duro. "I haven't seen you fight with that kind of conviction in a long time."

"She's only a second year."

"She's a warrior."

The glance in her direction was filled with simmering anger. Pandora had no doubt that the instructor knew about her raid on the Eights, but it hadn't swayed her opinion, unlike Duro.

"You're the warleader. I'm merely preparing them for the day you need them, but I worry you place too much faith in this one. I would hate to see her thread cut short when she still has much to learn."

The words were respectful, but the pulsing of her jaw and the anger in her gaze told of the simmering conflict between the two lieutenants. It was well-known that Irina wished to be the warleader of the Drops, but not a single member believed she was even close to his ability.

"I assure you I will take the same precautions you have," said Duro with a smirk. He jutted his head towards the dormitories. "Pack your bags, a few days’ worth, including your old clothes. I'll stay and observe the progress of your fellow students’ training."

Pandora bowed and ran towards the dorms as the shouts of effort continued behind her. At first she couldn't believe her good fortune, but she reminded herself that was why she'd taken the chance against the Eights. Instructor Irina would never acknowledge her gifts, but Duro, having seen the duel and the results of the raid, knew she had something to offer. And maybe it would give her a chance to return to the Terreno so she could check in with the Mod.

Back in her simple room, she threw her old clothes from before into her bag along with the other items for a few days’ trip. By the time she returned, the class was moving through a series of maneuvers at great speed while Duro watched, a twitch on his lips. He raised an eyebrow at her return.

"Ready?"

She bowed again, but he waved her off as he turned to leave the Academy while she hurried to his side. "I don't want deference when we're in the city. I want you to listen and learn to anticipate what I want from you. Do you understand?"

"I...think so?"

"Fair enough. You don't know me and I don't know you, but I understand you're a quick learner."

She started to bow again, but held herself firm. "I will do my best."

Outside the Academy, Duro scooped up a black bag and threw it over his shoulder. She'd met him a few times, but had never spent more than a few minutes around him, so she was surprised by his arrogant swagger. But given his reputation as the most fearsome waku in the Undercity, she supposed it was warranted.

"May I ask what we'll be doing in the city?"

"You can ask, but I'm not telling you. Yet." He winked. "Do a good job and you might be invited on more trips like this, which come with certain perks."

"This is a test."

"Everything's a test," he replied. "A lesson I suggest you take to heart. If I were to show signs of slowing, or poor judgement, you can be sure Daraja would replace me as warleader. Probably with Irina. The same goes for her. She might be our clan leader, but only because she's shown brilliance in leadership. The Drops have prospered under her."

"I don't mean this disrespectfully, but in what way? As an Academy student I don't see much other than our training grounds, and the best gossip is about what we're having for dinner."

He chuckled. "This trip will be instructive for you then. Keep your eyes and ears open."

They left the Pajot not to the west, which was what she expected, but to the east towards Razor territory. She knew enough to keep her mouth shut. They moved without light. She relied on her sapphire, while he used his amber and the faint illumination from the fungi that made its home in the Undercity. He took them through strange caverns without clear paths, suggesting their route was an unusual one. At times, Duro paused, listening intently as his amber had a further range than her sapphire. Once he was sure they were safe, or whatever had been nearby had passed, he motioned for them to resume their journey.

During one section they skirted a deep canyon that looked like it'd been cut from the earth rather than created naturally. Her thoughts were confirmed when they passed old mining equipment that was covered in rust, hiding the maker’s name.

It took them about three hours to reach their destination. She probably could have run it in less than forty minutes, but the unusual terrain and constant threat of danger slowed progress. When he reached the middle of an empty cavern, in an area that had scuff marks across the stone suggesting equipment had once been stored there, Duro switched on a small light then pulled a container the size of a matchbox out of a pocket and pressed a button.

Following his lead, she kept her mouth shut, wondering what the button had summoned, or who it had contacted. After a few minutes of waiting, he glanced up and gently pushed her out of the way. Moments later, a metal cage descended through the darkness, landing on the stone with a heavy thump. He threw the accordion door wide and gestured for her to enter, following her into the elevator. Duro pressed a button inside the cage and it lurched upward, bringing them slowly, inexorably towards the city.