DARK PARADISE//Xaden Riorson

CHAPTER VI - Sparring

"I mean...damn," Rhiannon mutters. "I'm pretty good on the mat. My village is on the Cygnisen border, so we all learned to defend ourselves fairly young. Physics and math aren't problems, either. But history?" She shakes her head. "That class might be the death of me."

"They don't kill you for failing history," I comment.

"I'm probably going to die on this mat." Violet mutters.

Aurelie wraps her legs around Ridoc, pulling him to the ground. She's on top of him, pining him down. She lifts her arm up, throwing it down hard, hitting Ridoc's cheek. Blood splatters the mat.

"I could probably offer some tips to survive combat training," Sawyer says to Violet from Rhiannon's other side. "History isn't my strongest subject, though."

A tooth goes flying. Bile rises up my throat.

"Enough!" Professor Emetterio shouts. Aurelie rolls off Ridoc, standing up and wiping the blood from her split lip. Ridoc let's out a sigh of relief and let's his head fall down onto the mat, spreading his arms out. Aurelie reaches out a hand to Ridoc, who takes it.

"Cianna, take Aurelie to the healers. No reason to lose a tooth during assessment," Emetterio says.

"I'll make you a deal," Rhiannon says to Violet and me. "Let's help each other out. We'll help Violet with hand-to-hand if you and Violet help us with history. Sound like a deal, Sawyer?" Rhiannon looks over to the red haired boy.

"Absolutely." He exclaims.

"Deal." I say, looking to Violet who nods.

A couple of mats over, someone screams. We all turn to look, frightened expressions overcoming our faces when we see Jack Barlowe with a smaller cadet, Jack's arms around the cadet's neck.

Jack yanks the cadet's arms. I hear a crack and wince slightly. "That guy is such an ass—" Rhiannon starts.

My eyes go wide go wide as Jack tightens his hold on the cadet's neck. I hear the snapping of bone and the smaller cadet goes limp in Jack's arms.

"Sweet Malek," I whisper as Jack throws the cadet to the ground, a horrific smile on his face.

"What did I say?" Their instructor bellows. "You broke his damned neck!"

"How was I supposed to know his neck was that weak?" Jack argues.

"Eyes forward," Emetterio orders, his tone kinder than before. "You don't have to get used to it," he tells us. "But you do have to function through it. You and you." He points to Rhiannon and another first-year.

Rhiannon smiles to me as she and the man get into the mat and begin to circle one another.
My mouth falls open as Rhiannon punches the cadet in the abdomen, sending him flying backward. She makes quick work of the cadet, getting him into a position he is unable to get out from.

"Do you yield?" she asks the first-year. I sure hope he yields, I'm not sure he would be able to get out of his current situation.

"No!" he shouts, hooking his legs around her waist and pushing her onto her back. Rhiannon quickly gets up and gets the cadet back into the same position.

"I don't know, Tynan, you might want to yield," Dain says grinning. "She's handing you your ass."

"Fuck off, Aetos!" Tynan snaps. Rhiannon presses her boot to his throat. I don't even think he could manage saying yield.

"He yields," Emetterio calls out and Rhiannon steps away. She reaches out her hand for her Tynan.

He takes it.