The sun had already cleared the eastern horizon when I joined the young mages on the training ground, gathering in a ragged crescent around their trainer, Hawyn. I purposely avoided looking toward Ewyn, but nonetheless felt his eyes burning into me.

"You're late." Hawyn growled at me with a frown. "Where have you been?"

"Completing the task you gave me, ma'am." I handed her the metal rod, not only straight and true, but free of rust and tarnish. A fellow blacksmith at the weapons forge was kind enough to lend his tools, even pumping the bellows for me, and we both enjoyed discussing the finer points of our art.

Hawyn furled her forehead as she examined the rod, spinning it in her hands. When her narrowed eyes turned up, I detected more confusion than disapproval. With a nod towards the group, she said, "Take your place, Tomas."

She led us to a large circle scribed into the sandy soil, about five times my height in diameter, and much like the crude wrestling rings where I competed in my home province. Hawyn addressed us. "Today, we shall play a simple game. Two will enter the ring, but only one will walk out victorious. To win, you must force your opponent out of the ring or to the ground. There is one rule: kinetic attacks only, no elemental magic."

Just like wrestling, only with Magic. Which, unfortunately, I had none.

A sly grin came over Hawyn's wide face. "As an additional incentive, the winners shall be excused from the physical conditioning exercises this afternoon, and the losers shall do double. Now who--"

Magus Obeus interrupted her selection as he walked into view with a long wooden staff. As chief among all mages, he garnered all attention. His signature white beard contrasted with the long black robe of his station.

Hawyn bowed her head. "Magus, sir. How may we assist you?"

Obeus dipped his head in return. "I wish to observe our new mages in action, Master Hawyn. Please continue."

With a wave toward the ring, she called out, "Anna! Clavis! You're up!"

The two youngest of the students shuffled into the ring. With lips pressed tightly together and wide eyes, they looked sideways at their instructor.

"Begin," Hawyn said.

For a moment, the contestants did nothing. Then the boy lifted his hands high and let a blue glow emerge around them, growing brighter. He flung his hands forward, launching a pulsing blue orb at his opponent. The girl crossed hands and formed a shimmering shield. Magic met magic as the orb burst upon the shield, disintegrating in ringing showers of blue sparks. With that, all hesitancy was forgotten, and the battle began in earnest. Back and forth they went, flinging and blocking among flashes of bright blue. It soon became obvious that the girl had better command of magic as she pushed the boy to the edge of the ring. With one final magical push, she forced him out and on to his back.

"Next!" Hawyn ordered.

The next match ended much quicker. After only a moment, an older boy upended his opponent with a blue pulse to the legs. His opponent landed with a thump, then limped away with head dipped down.

My gut tightened when Hawyn announced, "Tomas, you're next."

As she turned to select among the remaining contestants, Ewyn raised his hand and stepped forward. "Let me face him."

"Very well."

I gulped. This is just great.

Ewyn's cohorts slapped him on the back as he sauntered into the ring with chest puffed out and a confident grin on his face. As I entered the ring, I glanced toward Obeus, who cocked an eyebrow as if to say, 'let's see how you handle this'.

"Begin." Hawyn said.

Ewyn danced back and forth on his feet. "What will you do now, common boy?" He stopped and held his hands up, as if to surrender. "I'll be fair and let you make the first magic attack. Well, go ahead. Anything?" His friends snickered from the sidelines.

I crossed my arms. "Are we going to do this? Or are you going to bore us with more inane drivel?"

I probably should not have said that.

Baring teeth, Ewyn brought his arms down, shooting one hand forward to launch a pulsing blue globe of concentrated magic. I spun to dodge. It passed within a finger's width of my chest, traveling on to strike one of his friends, who tumbled backwards with a yelp.

A strategy formed in my mind, but to implement it, I had to get closer. "Missed me," I taunted.

Hissing, he attacked, flinging magic like throwing a ball. I dodged again, then yet another, each time taking a step closer.

The Fury woke within me, boiling up and seething as it reached outward. No! Not now, I told it. Stay hidden.

Ewyn changed tactics. Instead of attacking with concentrated magic, he cast a wide pulse of blue. This one I could not dodge. The pulse slammed into me much like a swinging door, and I staggered back. Dazed, I nearly toppled over, only just regaining my balance by bending down and placing a hand on the ground.

"Not so strong, are you, common boy?" he mocked. "I told you, training can be dangerous."

Anger burned through me like a wildfire. The Fury responded in-kind, raging like a trapped beast, snarling and snapping. Stay within, I ordered again. I turned my eyes up to Ewyn, casting a scorching glare.

Ewyn held up a hand and formed a dazzling blue sphere within it, so bright that it cast its own shadows even in the morning sunlight. The intention was obvious, to score a decisive and painful final blow. Grinning, he cast a sideways glance at his cheering companions.

Now was my chance. I charged, bolting from a three-point stance. Halfway there, Ewyn's eyes shot full open as he turned his head back to me. Two steps closer, he flung the sphere wildly toward me. Bending low, the magic attack streaked just above.

He grunted as I grappled him, wrapping his waist and lifting. In a familiar wrestling take-down move, I twisted and extended a leg, upending my opponent and pounding him to the ground.

The contest was over.

I stood over Ewyn as he sputtered in the dust and grit. "You were right, Ewyn. Training can be dangerous." Then, with a satisfied grin, I walked away.

Staggering to his feet and holding his gut, Ewyn called out in a wheezy voice, "He cheated! He didn't use Magic."

Hawyn frowned with her arms crossed as I made my case. "The rules were kinetic forces only, and I was the kinetic," I explained.

Snarling, Ewyn raised a hand and formed a blue swirl of magic. I crouched, waiting for the revenge attack. But instead, a pulse of blue burst against his chest, hurling him back again onto the ground.

Hawyn approached him and allowed the blue halo around her right hand to fade away. "Stand down, Ewyn!" she ordered. "The match has ended, and you lost."

Obeus strolled into the ring, taking all eyes with him. "There is an important lesson here, my young mages. You are not invulnerable, even to those who cannot channel magic. In battle, as well as life, complacency is your enemy." He nodded toward the trainer. "Carry on, Master Hawyn."

"Show's over!" she yelled. "Next in the ring."

Ewyn rose and stomped out of the ring with clenched fists.

Obeus came to my side and said with a smirk, "How did you manage to create such a powerful enemy in only two days?"

I shrugged. "It's a gift."

*****

The evening brought me to the dining hall, feeling particularly refreshed from not having to do the afternoon's physical training, a spoil of victory. Apparently, news of the triumph preceded me, since several enlisted soldiers offered congratulations. As soon as I sat down, Ebelle appeared with food, ale, and a smile.

"I have something special," she whispered while placing a sweet jam roll on my plate. "The cook made them for the Nobles, but I took one for you."

I replied with a grin. "The sweet was sweet of you, Ebelle. Thank you. Sit with me for a moment?"

While grinning at my lame joke, she shook her head. "Alas, I cannot. Much work I have to do." She turned away toward the kitchen, but then looked back over her shoulder while lifting an eyebrow. "Maybe... Later? After cleanup?"

"I look forward to it," I replied with a smile.

My smile dropped immediately as I took in a venomous glare from across the dining hall. Ewyn drew his eyes into thin slits, the rise and fall of his chest speeding up as he seethed. His uniform was covered with sweat and dust, and his hair tousled. Unlike me, he was not at all refreshed, likely from doing twice the afternoon physical training. I put on a wide smile and wiggled my fingers at him in an obvious, sarcastic greeting.

*****

The sunset surrendered its last stroke of color when I met Ebelle outside of the dining hall. She accepted my offer to walk her home under Ulmar's golden light. Low on the horizon, the moon provided just enough illumination to find our way.

"Tell me about yourself, Ebelle," I said as she took my arm. "What led you here?"

"After my parents died, I came to live here with my aunt and cousin, just outside the city walls, and was fortunate enough to find work. I grew up in a small town far away in the Western Province. Grenwell, it was called. You likely would not know of it."

"Oh, but I do. I come from Welde, just over the Green Mountain Pass. My father and I traded sometimes in Grenwell. Perhaps at one time, we met?"

She stopped within a caress of subtle shadows, turning to look up into my eyes. "If more than passing, I would have remembered you--"

Black cloaked figures leaped out of the darkness. Ebelle yelped as someone grabbed her waist, pulling her away. With heart pounding, I reached for her, but an arm snaked around my neck, squeezing. Spinning in my assailant's grasp, I ducked my shoulder and threw him to the ground with a thud. But then three more were upon me, punching, grasping. Rough burlap hooded my face, and something hard smacked my head. The thump echoed painfully within my skull, and I slumped down, dizzied from the blows. Ebelle yelled out my name, again and again, but her voice became ever more distant as my consciousness faded away.