Thousands of years ago a war broke out on a distant island, splitting its occupants into factions. Alifero, Cornucopia, Querencia and Aranea. The tension between them that has been unyielding for centuries only grows when their precious water starts...
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"Time's up!"
The juveniles turn their attention from the mock duel to me as I step up to the combat mat. Panting is the only sound in the room as the young girl and boy let their muscles relax after the intense fight. The girl, Jess, stands first getting out of the position she had her opponent pinned in. Begrudgingly, the boy, Henry, takes her hand to be helped up. I smirk a little, he had always had a bit of an ego and it was about time he got it checked.
Light flooded into the classroom through several long windows that covered the east wall that overlooked the academy courtyard. Outside the older students in their free period were enjoying an early lunch on the grass or on the wooden benches and tables. Mats we had used earlier during the warm-up time were stacked neatly by the supply room waiting for a janitor to put them away later.
Combat classes are some of my favourites, it's fun to see the perspectives of the twelve-to-fifteen-year-olds that I teach. As the school year inches closer to the holiday break, I have to prepare them all for their end-of-year examinations. The combat exams are split into two parts. Section A is a classic fencing duel, but section B is hand-to-hand combat. In the elytrian-dominated classes, hand-to-hand is their weakest point. Points are awarded for a number of categories, but winning the fights and prolonging the duels' durations add stupid amounts of points to their overall performance scores. It's toxic, but it's what we've got for the moment until the school board finds a better system.
I raise an eyebrow at the pair as they glare at one another.
"Finish up," I remind them. Though Henry remains indignant, he bumps forearms with Jess ending their mock examination.
"Ok," I say coming to stand between the two of them on the combat mat. The rest of the class sits on the wooden floor facing us attentively, colourful sets of wings sprawled out on the sides of each student.
"So, what do you guys think went wrong with Henry's technique?" I notice Henry look down at the floor next to me, his macaw-like wings tensing. I have never been a fan of putting my students on the spot, but I found that it was the best way for them to pick up new techniques. The kids tend to take things more seriously when it comes from their classmates.
Feeling sympathetic, I put a hand on Henry's shoulder to offer some comfort. He would be especially embarrassed for losing. Jess and Henry are some of my best students. I chose them purposefully so that the class could see what a high-marking performance would look like. On my clipboard I had estimated percentage scores for the two of them, both achieving over eighty per cent. Excellent results in any class.
Nobody raises their hand. Each student seems to be fidgeting or looking away, unwilling to try and answer the question. They weren't used to seeing either Jess or Henry lose.
