COBALT: The Sovereign's Stratagem (Book Two)

Chapter 4: Obliteration Ball (Part 1/4)

          Carcinos hadn't quite hit the canopies as Káel struggled through an unwanted early morning walk. One of his extra-curricular credits wanted him up two hours before class with his combat suit. It was by far the worst thing the Council had done to him, and the name of the game didn't help in the slightest. 

          'Obliteration ball' didn't exactly scream safe sports.

          Sora said they were heading to tryouts, which gave Káel the hope that he'd be cut off the bat and spared the exhaustion - and injuries. He'd visited Ms. Metulas enough times for his forearms to permanently smell like her sapvine healing spreads. And if he survived the morning, he had theatrical arts and his first Council session to look forwards to.

          The trail was shorter than most of the ones that snaked through the forest, ending abruptly at the skirt of a large stone structure. It didn't fit Cobalt's style at all, a fresher looking piece of architecture that gave away its purpose off the bat. It was an arena. 

          The school seemed to have everything but a swimming pool at this point.

          "Did you see the tournament listings?" Sora mused, bumping Káel's arm to keep him from gawking at the giant colosseum. "This thing's nothing. I've got to show you the old Karkillos arena in Frigusilvrum some time. Oh! Or the Crown of Venus, that one's in Fairez Stella!"

          Káel followed Sora in through the side of the structure, a few students loitering the hall, and the rest of them in the stretch of grass inside. He tried to suck in all the clues to know what he was walking in on, an iron archway without any kind of netting planted to either side of the long field of kept grass. "Is this some kind of soccer?"

          Sora made a drawn sound as she slowly shrugged. "It's got nets I guess. You know that Earth game where everyone throws balls at eachother?"

          "Dodge-ball?"

          Sora snapped her fingers with a nod. "And then that one where you grab a stick and smack a ball? Baseball?" She poised herself as if she was holding a bat, slowly swinging for a phantom home-run. "It's like soccer-base-dodge-ball. Does that help?"

          Káel smiled sarcastically. "No."

          Sora's laugh drifted to a cackle near the end, her eyes twinkling with excitement as she noticed Mrs. Vienta walking into the arena. "You're gonna have fun, just stay close when you can."

          The students were already starting to cluster around Mrs. Vienta before she filled the area with a cattle call to round them up. When she had an audience, she stepped on top of a wooden crate that the two elites behind her had rolled to the middle of the field, pulled up the lock to let its hatch on the side fall open and scatter a cascade of fat dulled swords onto the grass. "Tryouts have started, grab a paddle, sign your name under your house colour, and grab a ribbon that is your house colour." 

          Káel and Sora knew better than to go right for the orders, watching the hoard of students like they were trying to squeeze onto a bus, shoving, ripping and sneering for something everyone would have eventually. Káel eyed the few students hanging back with them, channeling his surprise into a discreet wave when he noticed Talli shrinking at Alestra's side. As the crowd thinned Káel prepared to enter the fray with Sora, his journey cut short by a random student that presented him with a silver ribbon, paddle sword, and short Fairez Stellan salute. 

          Káel considered skipping the clipboard to seal his fate, but he'd made eye contact with Sev who was holding the silver house's clipboard, and if his lineage didn't make him immediately recogniseable, dragging a nomad dragon into his room in the first year definitely sealed the deal.