Copyright Ⓒ 2018 by B. Bailey All Rights Reserved   

Chapter Twenty - The Bet

Hemming

"What are you staring at bat's for brains?" Donalda hisses, sweat pouring down the side of her face as she presses her feet against the ground, forcing her shield forward, shoving a pair of shades into a glowing silver cage at the edge of the arena.

"A liar, " I state calmly, not moving an inch despite the shouts of my Prime Guardian Vali on the sideline.

"Why don't you go ahead and finish your session, you dimwit. I'm not losing any time to deal with your lame insults."

"I already finished. Unlike you, I didn't triple up on the Shades."

"Hemming!" Vali shouts, stomping out onto the Field. "If you have time to stand around harassing a classmate that you have time to train! Do another set." Vali orders, searching my face to understand why I'm being obstinate.

"I'm waiting for the next stage to begin," I state, staring back patiently.

"You can wait all the same while finishing another set. This time is set aside for Shade Capture and Exorcism and," he points to the shadow on the far pillar. "The time is still going."

I nod, agreeing to fight another set as Vali places both hands on my shoulders. "You're doing great Hemming. I've never seen you finish this quickly before. All of your hard work is shining through!"

I nod again, not saying anything as my Guardian releases another dark, shadowy Shade lose at the other end of the arena. Summoning a seal to draw it in, I prepare my shield as it flies across the field, screwing up my eyes as the screaming builds to the point that my ears start to ring.

I'm not as fast to finish as Donalda is, shoving all three Shades onto her final seal and standing proudly as white smoke trails straight up into the sky, cleansing the dark energy. By the time I get the seal finished and shift the Shade over to it the bell tolls 36 times, indicating our session is over.

"30-minute lunch break and then we start combat training everybody," Thor states, banging the gong over the snack table so hard the columns of the stadium shake.

Normally I dislike hand to hand combat training before the Tournament. It's aggressive and grueling to keep fighting for an hour straight. I prefer a nice ranged fight myself if it is suitable to the situation, which is why I was paired matched up with Vali, arguably the greatest archer in Asgard who is also a great close combat warrior.

We're both versatile, adapting to the situation and, when it comes to it, we have the grit to take matters head-on.

"What is going on with you?' Aisling asks, running up to the table and chugging a chalice of cold water in one go. She places it back on the table, grabbing another one before looking back at me.

"You've been acting strange all day. I know you think Donalda could have done something, but she couldn't have. We both saw the Tellus Sphere. Yes, it was...weird, but you can't go out for revenge without any proof."

"I know her. She's ruthless when it comes to getting revenge. Why was she at the Academy Aisling? I don't believe that she left a present in her room for one of her old friends! She is the most organized person EVER. She plans ahead. That present would have been left at her home with all of the other presents she undoubtedly had set aside."

"Not again Hemming," she pleads, grabbing a red apple and shaking it at me. "Enough already. She did not grab a gift along the way and use it as a cover story! She had already been with the Elves for a few hours. It makes sense that it took a while for her to find her friend, realize she had forgotten to pack that gift for her and head back to the Academy to get it. Everyone gets a little scrambled in the head around the Season, even a genius. Her Prime Guardian probably fried her circuits worse than ours!"

I shake my head, my instincts telling me that I am right. We've grown up together and Donalda has been getting worse every year... She's not one to hesitate.

"What do you plan on doing? Asking her if she managed to lie to the Gods and have her say "Yep. I did and I got away with it Brace Face" I wince as she starts to chew her apple, hating that nickname. I haven't had to wear any brace over my head in centuries, thank goodness. The treatments are all done so there's no need for them anymore.

And I usually only wore them at night over the last millennium, so that moniker did not really apply. Not that it mattered to Donalda. Anyone who opposes her quickly finds their weaknesses exploited. Aisling had better keep her mouth closed otherwise one might make an unwelcome comeback.

"I haven't had-"

"I know," Aisling says, covering her mouth with one hand while she talks. "I know okay? But what do you think is going to happen?"

She'll be furious and, if I can annoy her enough, she might slip up. Her pride may overpower her intelligence. That is her fatal flaw after all.

I leave that thought be as I grab a handful of cookies, enjoying the vanilla filling as I quickly restore some of my energy. Aisling eyes me warily but says nothing, leaving my fate in my own hands as I take a few minutes to dunk my cookies in cold glass of milk.

"Be forewarned," Thor says from the head of the table, his blue cape flickering as lightning flashes across the golden threads when he throws it over of the chair, sitting down and giving us all a wide smile. Lady Sif was so thankful for the golden wig Thor had commissioned the dwarves to fashion for her after Loki shaved her blonde head bald that she wove the golden threads into that magnificent cape displaying his greatest feats when her hair finally grew back. It's lucky that he's tall and the cape wide, for there are many.

He hasn't taken it off since Lady Sif gave it to him. It's as integral to his daily attire as his belt Megingjardir, which doubles his strength.

I keep my eyes on his face as the cape flashes behind him.

"Eat well children and enjoy this reprise. For after this break I shall reign my fury upon you all!" He starts to laugh gleefully, hands over his stomach as he leans back in his chair.

"I love this week."

He's probably the only one here who has any positive sentiments towards this training arena.

I look down the table to where Donalda is sitting, glaring at her as she cuts into a pear. Her instincts, every bit as sharp as the knife in her hand, making her look up, sensing my angry gaze. I don't back down as her own bright turquoise eyes narrow, boring into mine with a vicious death glare. I know you did something Donalda and I am not going to let you get away with it.

She seems to get that message and returns one of her own as she brings the knife down on her pear with more force than necessary, making a quarter of it fly off of the table. Bring it on. I'm not afraid of you.

That's the problem, isn't it? Donalda isn't afraid of anyone. She's so smart that she can skirt the rules and not get into trouble because she usually only skirts. The few times she breaks the rules she accepts the punishment as being worth it or finds a way to get away with it.

Meanwhile, I realize that you have been totally insane to get on the wrong side of Tyr.

There's no logic that can get through her thick skull that I can think of. All she bothers to pay attention to anymore is an obstacle. An opponent.

I've never wanted to be her opponent. Donaldas' like a dragon. She just doesn't know how to hold back her fire.

There's no reason for it. You don't have to go to everyone and everything like it's life or death. I know her family is serious and determined, not uncommon for Adhains, but she's always over the top.

Thor ignores our fight as he cuts a large piece of steak at the head of the table, humming as a Valkyrjor brings in an additional barrel of mead after he drained the first. The other 10 proteges at the table aren't as oblivious.

"Don't do it," Deide warns under his breath. "She'll eat you alive and grind your bones to dust. You're better off waiting for the Tournament and sitting back as the Norns deal her some well-earned karma."

"Not all of the Norns are good," I whisper back, not letting my glare waver for a second.

"No," he admits, "but they have better chances than you. Revenge often means digging two graves. In this instance, I only see one grave that would be made when Donalda pummels you into the ground after you walk up and challenge her."

I turn away from Donalda at last, frowning at Deide as the image he has put into my head plays through my mind. "I am not that helpless."

"You're too laid back Hemming. You only put in as much power as is necessary. A wise strategy," he notes, trying to mitigate the insult," in most circumstances. There is no way you can beat Donalda with that kind of gameplan. You have to give 110% every single second as soon as the bell tolls until the alarm goes off for the end of the fight. Meet her on her level and then wipe her out."

"Meet her on her level?" My honest accusations were blown off. I told her what I thought right to her face and she just walked past me like I was nothing. Can I make myself an opponent that she pays attention too?

Oh no.

I do have to take this to her level. Even if she doesn't answer in words, I've spent my whole life studying body language, so I'll find some answers. It's hard to come up with lies when someone is trying to kill you. Even if she can make the words convincing, I doubt she can back it up while her body is trying to save itself. Survival is an honest instinct. I doubt she can override that will in an instant just to push a falsehood.

I look down at my plate, studying the swirling dragon wings sculpted into the cookies as I try to figure out what I should do.

Standing on the sidelines has yielded squat. Someone has to stand up and slay the beast before she becomes more dangerous. The others might not see it that way, having a view like Aislings', believing that Donalda's simply as hard as a stone but relatively harmless (in regards to severe harm), but I know she went to far this time.

"Thanks," I say to Diede, grabbing another cookie and dunking it.

He frowns at me, his silver eyes reflecting an uncharacteristic uncertainty. As someone who has competed with Donalda often, I value his advice, so this uncertainty sets my nerves on edge, drawing my eyes back up. "You'll have to have killer intent."

If that's what it takes to bring everyone back to the ground safe and sound then I am willing to go for it. I plan on knocking Donalda down to Earth.

"Real intent - not like killing those cookies." he gestures to my plate. I raise my eyebrows, fighting a grin as he manages to keep a straight face. "You still going to try?" he asks quietly, not looking as concerned as before when I nod again.

"Well..." Something between worry and excitement fights in his face before he grins, slapping my arm. "If you're going for it, I have to get a bet going. It's too great to pass up. You, finally going all out and against Donalda of all people!" He starts to laugh, not bothering to hold back as I glare at him.

"Bet?" Thor states from the head of the table. "Did I hear wind of a bet taking place? Dear children, what entertainment do you have in mind?"

Dang. He could hear that over the drowning of his goblet? His mind must be tuned to keywords. Like how he knows where fights will break out before it happens.

"I propose a challenge for the next training session," Deide states, lifting his right hand into the air with his goblet as he stands up. "As one of the Heads of our Year, I think we would benefit the most in combat training if we fought each other. That way we can look at ourselves and have you review our techniques, seeing the way can improve before instructing us with last-minute corrections."

"Hmmm..." Thor rubs his beard, the sun leaving a copper halo around his head as it bounces off of his light red curls (quite a few shades lighter than my own).

"It would save us time and be interesting to watch. I know that you can all push each other to your limits. And I should get back to the Festival with the rest of the Enforcers as soon as possible with how busy the week has been."

It's disturbing to hear Thor admit that he has work to do. He always considered the Festival "entertainment" unless he had to help with a lot of arrests and file the subsequent reports. Then it was work. The Enforcers went public last week with the news that almost 500,000 humans had been arrested for violence, a record that the Station is not happy to hold.

They saved the announcement until they had finished the reports for each criminal, confirming their identities and posting them on the Wall, noting them as criminals who are not longer allowed into Albiones.

A lot of humans from Lower Midgard protested against that. I'm not sure what they meant about it being unfair and risking the lives of those people. They came here and committed crimes against others, not caring for those peoples' safety, but then they expected to not get arrested and simply remain anonymous?

Absolute stupidity.

"Yes. I agree with Lord Deide! That is an excellent idea! And, I imagine, this is a matter connected with the bet?"

"Yes."

"Let us hear it!" He bangs his empty goblet on the table, drawing everyone's attention as he makes a bold introduction. The entire table shakes under Thor's onslaught while the arena echoes around us all with the steady beat. "Lord Hemming," Diede places his arm around my shoulders, forcing me to stand up as he loops under my armpit, "has informed me that he would like to challenge Lady Donalda to a duel!" His other hand sweeps across the table to Donalda, who looks over at me with a shocked expression, a fork with a pear slice held out before her mouth.

She certainly was not expecting this. No one was. Not even Aisling, who has her mouth buried behind her hands, looking as if she just witnessed some terrible accident, her bright blue eyes bulging as she stares between me and Donalda.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Thor exclaims, standing up. "Mortals never cease to amaze me! You've never been one eager to go into a close quarters combat arena, my young friend. Today shall be most enlightening."

"Where do you get off challenging me?" Donalda exclaims for the other end of the table, slamming her fork down, looking furious. "It's a waste of time fighting him," Donalda gestures at me brusquely. "He's not worth my time. I came here to fight a great warrior, not a child."

"Ohh," a lot of people whisper, drawing out the insult.

"You're a kid too you know. We all are." I comment, feeling my face go red. I knew she would be biting in her comebacks.

"You fight like a child, staying away from the real danger. I take the challenge head on and expect to train against the best. In other words - not you." If the disdain flowing from her mouth were to take a physical form, I'm pretty sure the whole arena would be lost under a whirlpool.

"I am a Warrior Donalda. I'm just as well trained as you are."

"That's where the comparison ends. For all of your training you never manage to fight Hemming. Even if someone is in your face insulting you. Why would I see you as a challenge when you don't even defend yourself?"

My jaw drops at the proclamation. I don't get into pointless fights. Slugging someone isn't going to change their minds.

Is this how she sees me?

"You don't have to look shocked," She scowls, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why do you think no one has agreed to be your partner for next semester? We know you won't have our backs when you don't even defend you own."

My stomach sinks to the floor. How did she know no ones asked to be my partner? I thought they were just waiting but...Is she right? Does everyone think that?

"I didn't see anyone on the list for you." I point out, recalling the sheet pinned up by the door of our classroom. Out of the 10 new students only a few aren't partnered up.

She blanches for a moment before her cheeks turn scarlett.

"No one is within my skill level. I'm waiting to see if anything changes and people improve over break before reaching out." she stammers, her face as red as my own.

"Are you refusing the challenge of a duel?" I ask, desperately wanting to change the subject, knowing full well that she cares too much for her image to deny one, whether it wastes her time or not. Diede announced it before everyone, including a God. She would spend centuries dealing with the embarrassment of saying no to a challenge from a fellow classmate in our eyes.

"I accept this challenge on the honor of my ancestors of Clan Gustav." She proclaims, looking much less controlled than she sounds. I'm pretty sure that, if a Guardian weren't at the head of the table, she would have jumped over it and started beating me with her golden lunch platter.

"And the bet?" I hedge, wondering if she'll take the bait.

"State the terms and I shall contemplate my action," Donalda states bluntly, her body tense as she glares at me.

"Capture through physical combat only. Whoever subdues their opponent for 10 seconds by holding them to the ground is the champion. If I win, you have to answer 3 questions honestly, sworn upon the river Styx in Helheim."

A lot of people gasp at that. No one makes a promise on any of the rivers, most especially that river, lightly. Thor's own brows launch up, a stark contrast to his slow ascent from his chair. He leans forward on the table, looking between Donalda and I.

"An oath open the river of parting the energy of life and death? Are you aware of the consequences of breaking such an oath?"

"Yes." Donalda and I state in unison, neither of us backing down.

Thor looks between us for a few moments, not saying anything. "Folly is youth," he states, shaking his head. "Breaking an oath upon that river places a curse upon your soul, following you from life into death if you pass on before it has finished it's course, sealed by none other the three major Norns themselves. You do not make an oath due to a bet children."

"It's not the Bet, it's the principle," I state quietly, trying to explain the situation. "If I can take the risk of fighting her head on, she has to show that she is willing to step up too."

"And if I win?" Donalda draws. "What then?"

"State the terms and I shall...contemplate my action."

She nods her head slowly, not breaking eye contact.

After a few minutes of tense silence, she speaks. "600 years."

I frown, waiting for her to explain.

"600 years" she continues, "the whole of our next School Year. You will fulfill my scavenging, complete all of my scheduled chores and...eat the asparagus from my dinner whensoever it is served. Every last piece."

Ah! She had to add asparagus to it! Fiend.

"A hefty price for three answers Child, on top of the consequences for calling upon the Styx if you should err," Thor states, his brows knit tightly as he stares at me, willing me to think this through.

I cross my arms, weighing my options. I know she did something. I know it. Maybe I should just try to prove it, gather facts and bring them to the Headmaster so he can question Donalda himself.

But...Donalda has been growing more bold and ruthless. If I stand down now, what else might she do? What else could she get away with?

I stare at Thor, shaking my head. The resolve in my eyes seems to sway him, though he does not look at all pleased with these proceedings.

" I accept your terms Lady Donalda."

Her eyebrows shoot up as she stares at me before sharply crashing over the burning spheres of her eyes. "I too accept the terms you have laid out Lord Hemming."

"Just remember to go on the offensive. Defense will get you kicked so hard you'll feel the pain into next Friday." Deide warns, clapping my back as I stand at one end of the arena, Donalda waiting at the other end with Byrg, talking in a casual manner as she straps on her armor; the opposite of Deide and I's tense chat.

Not that Deide is tense. He looks pretty happy, to be honest. I suppose that it's true that I don't go head-to-head often. I hope that he doesn't feel this amped up just to see me get pummeled.

"Have you ever wondered why the Lifthrasirs gave the Barriers' River of Crossing such a strange name? I don't understand why they had to go and make their own language. Viggo said that the musical quality of Gaelic wasn't well suited for the Underworld, an opinion a disagree with. The place could use some music and good cheer. This latin, it's too rigid."

"Yeah, I don't like it either. The way the Dorchadais speak and the names they made for everything is stiff. But they say it works better for their Summonings and Enchantments so I don't think that we can judge them. The Dwarves find us to sing-songy too and I think, and don't dare breathe this to any of them Diede, that the whole of Dwarvish language is a more gruff than proper. Every time I speak it I feel like I'm talking with my throat rather than my mouth."

"Ha ha ha!" he claps a hand on my shoulder while the other goes over his stomach. "That it is," he chuckles. "The trick is enchanting your throat beforehand so it doesn't get sore, although the scratchiness tends to make it sound more authentic."

"Yeah," I agree weakly," that might help if I can remember to keep the tones deep enough to go without the natural weariness. I personally wouldn't worry about the Latin. It will never catch on as Dwarvish did."

"5 minutes!" Thor shouts from the stands. "Prepare your armor young warriors! And that means you, Lord Hemming! Your opponent is already prepared!"

"Give us a good show mate!" Deide laughs, running off to the seating on the sidelines, bumping fists with Gosta and Thurston, sinking into an animated conversation.

I knew it. For as much as we hate to compete (very rarely, but those few times are almost always during the preparation for the Tournament), we all love to watch the fights of others, especially when we get to see one another try something new.

"Why are you doing this Hemming? You don't fight head-on." Aisling says, walking up to me at last. I sigh, turning to her as I use my power lift the rest of my armor off of the table, sliding it over my body while I hold my hands out.

"I already told you Aisling."

"You really think that she'll reveal something as she pummels you?"

"Perhaps. That was my old goal. My new goal is to defeat her and get an honest, straight answer."

"She's been the undefeated champion for the last 2,762 years!"

"It's about time somebody broke that record," I state bluntly.

Aisling shakes her head, looking heavenward. She places her hand over her face, holding the bridge of her nose. "You are serious," she murmurs before looking back down at me.

"May the winds of victory carry you forward friend." And then she holds out her arm to mine. I reach out with a smile, gripping her elbow as we lock hands. "And bless me with a swift victory," I state, completing the expression before she backs away, retreating to the stands.

A gong rings in the distance, signaling the beginning of the Session. Both of us to walk into the center of the Arena.

"You will pay for wasting my time Brace Face." I fight the flinch I can feel pulling at my eyes as she drags up the old nickname, refusing to give her the satisfaction of making me uncomfortable.

"You're getting your due Freckle Faced Wolf," I counter, always hating myself for not being able to come up with anything more creative. Sure calling someone a wolf is one of the most insulting things you can do because we recognize them as a predator that attacks others and defends only themselves. It just feels impersonal (even though it captures her personality perfectly).

Brace Face has always been so offensive. I can't help but wonder if she even knows what it's like to feel truly insulted. The death glare she gives is a touch more intense than her normal glare but that might be more due to her annoyance at this situation rather than my insult.

And it's not like I can make fun of her face that much. She actually has a birthmark in the shape of the Killer Instinct - a popular tattoo of our peoples' ancient traditions, marking a Warrior of the highest class for their skill in combat with clean, precise attacks that kill the opponent in a single strike. You had to be able to kill at least 12 enemies in order to receive it before an Elder on the battlefield (real battlefield or one of the biome arenas of various environments, simulating real-world experiences and dangers).

She was lucky enough to be born with a birthmark in the exact shape of the crescent moon from just outside the corner of her eyebrow to her the top of her cheekbone by her left eye.

Unless she is a reincarnated Warrior. With the way she's always fought, I think she might be, except for the fact that she seems to have no code of honor aside from "I will be the best!".

And that's not so much a code of honor as a terrifying obsession.

The gong rings again and Thor strikes it. I stick out my hand and Donalda grips it so tightly my joints pop. Not backing down, I return the grip, fighting a twinge of guilt as her eyes widen slightly in surprise at my return of the favor.

I'm meeting you on your level Donalda, I think fiercely as I smile at her. You've been the best for a long time. It's time for you to see that some of us have caught up to you.

After the three seconds, we both back away, walking back 12 paces before turning back to each other.

"This battle, " Thor booms from the other end of the arena, "It physical skill only. The First person to subdue their opponent for 10 seconds shall be declared the champion. No magic, understand?"

"What about his prosthetics? In what ways is he allowed to utilize them?" Donalda snaps, glaring at me.

"The same rules of the Tournament apply. Lord Hemming can use them like you can use your own limbs Lady Donalda, sans sending out Shakti for Casting, as I just stated. He can have them in any form he so chooses. Shifting is allowed."

"I was just trying to be clear Thor," Donalda states with a bow in his direction, making the Guardian scratch his curly head.

"I thought that I was but it is always good to ask for clarity Lady Donalda," Thor states, swinging the stick for the gong around his hand a few times before waving at us with his other hand.

"On your Marks," he orders, watching us take our battle stances. After a moment of quick study, Thor hits the gong, starting the session.