The Weaponsmaster

Chapter 19

            “What’s going on?” She felt like she was being ripped out of her body. It was painful as the migraine sprang up.

            “You’re waking up. Your body’s pulling your mind back.” Korena stepped towards her. “Don’t resist Andrea. I’ll see you tonight.”

            That’s when Drea found herself sitting up in her desk, Mr. Devon leaning over her with an irritated look. She looked around to see everyone staring. Literally everyone. “What’s going on?” asked Drea, feeling stupid.

            “You wouldn’t wake up Ms. Swift, and you shouldn’t be sleeping in my class anyway.” That look of annoyance could’ve turned her to stone if he was trying hard enough. Drea had had enough of this. There was no reason she should be singled out and was tired of being looked down upon, even if she had been “sleeping.” She had no desire to relive the childhood humiliation and embarrassment her classmates instigated due to her quiet demeanor either.

She was about to say something when the twang of Lori aura hit her. There was one close by, so close that she didn’t have time to argue with the snake-tongued teacher.

            “I guess I’ll just leave then,” Drea said with attitude as she grabbed her stuff and walked to the door.

            “Ms. Swift!” Mr. Devon said with that stern teacher voice. He seemed pretty mad this time, judging from the enunciation of his words. She turned on her heels to face him, a sarcastic look on her face. It was almost fun to be a bad kid. Then he came up to her and grabbed her by the arm. Roughly. “You will not be getting out of my class again. I am tired of your blatant disrespect. Now sit so I can continue.”

            Drea hesitated, but Mr. Devon turned her around and stood in front of the door. How am I supposed to get out of this? She wasn’t a troublemaker, and despite her attitude, she didn’t like the way he treated her. She was going to turn around when a voice at the door said, “And who do you think you are?”

            It was the most cocky, most disrespectful, and most mocking voice Drea had ever heard, and she knew exactly who it belonged to. Her eyes widened when she saw the red hair and black suit standing in the doorway. Zen!  She hadn’t even summoned him, or she thought she hadn’t.

            “Excuse me?” Mr. Devon did not like to be questioned.

            “You treat her like she’s done something absolutely horrendous. It’s not like every other kid here wasn’t bored, they just never put their heads down.” Giggles and laughs echoed through the classroom. Mr. Devon had met his match. He was about to say something else when Zen continued, “You don’t know her business. I doubt a jerk like you cares anyway.”

            Mr. Devon hesitated. He didn’t know how to respond to that. “I need to borrow Andrea though.” He smiled devilishly. “We’re distant relatives. Family issue.” She stepped over to him and they walked out.

            As soon as they got a few feet away from the room, they started running down the hallway. “Thank you,” Drea said with a sideways glance and a smile.

            He looked over to her with a devious smile. “Eh I don’t like that guy. He wasn’t teaching anything important and you needed a way out.” Zen chuckled a little and began to dissolve as they ran. “Now go kill that Lori.” And he was gone.

An instant later, Drea felt a burning in her shoulder and pulled up her sleeve. A swirling black mark the size of her hand was burned into her shoulder. It looked like living black flames that shimmered and expanded in the light. They seemed to climb down her arm as she watched. Zen… That was his mark.

We are bonded. Anytime you need me, I will protect you, she heard him whisper. The mark blended into her skin and disappeared.

Thank you. She turned the corner and down the stairs, rushing to make up lost time.

Back at the classroom door, Karen stood watching. The red headed man who had spoken with them outside the school had come to get her, but how else did she know him? She went with him like this was something normal, but it wasn’t. She never slept in class either. Then the strangest thing happened. As Karen watched them run down the hall, the man disappeared. He just dissolved into dust and surrounded Drea. Then she lifted up her sleeve to look at something and ran down the stairs.

Karen had known that something was weird, but this confirmed it. It was time to do some checking around. To do that, she would need some help, and she had the perfect person in mind.

      *          *          *          *          *

Drea had arrived to see a huge Lori, one as big as a small shed. She couldn’t decide which weapon to use with so many new options. She could’ve used Danny’s knife if she wanted, since she kept it strapped to her leg. Even though she had an infinite amount of weapons, she wouldn’t get rid of that one. She just ended up using the needles Korena used to test them out. They were certainly a tactical weapon, and while they weren’t the easiest to use, they had a nice feel.  

As Drea walked away and changed back to her school clothes, she began to realize how good she had gotten with these weapons. She’d only been training in her dreams for a few nights, but with all the previous memories of Weaponsmasters piling in her head, she felt like she’d known to use them for years. Her confidence was rising as she learned more and more about each weapon.

Hopefully that meant she was becoming a real Weaponsmaster, for with each day that went on, Drea felt like she was losing more and more time.