✍️Uncertain Believer
The best teacher you can have is non other than EXPERIENCE.
When twilight started to come, Valeriana then felt somehow nervous for a reason that wasn't known for her yet. Good thing now that everytime she was in class and listening in lecture, she can forget of the upcoming challenge that she has to face. But after all, it didn't excuse her to not worry about it. Who wouldn't worry about it really? That the fact was you have to fight a member of the Thirteen Circle, the highest level of organization of students in Crasus Academy.
"Good morning students!" Her booming voice again awakens the students thought and pulled them away from boredom. Seriously? Just to be honest, Professor Agamora Silver was a kind of teacher that was a hottie, probably there's someone in class that trully admired her from her very gorgeous appearance and pleasant attitude. But after all, there's her immature side that made her childish. "Ah," she exhaled. "News trully can't escape from me." Said her and look at the girl.
Valeriana knew what Agamora wanted to say. She just stared down on the ground. She can't cope up with it. Tommorow will be her duel against Blair but she just practice the seven basic guard stances and non other than that. She don't know how to execute also some of the stances and moves that was written in the book that Rowan let her borrowed.
They all started to listen Agamora's lecture, but somehow, Valeriana's mind was out going somewhere. That somewhere is a special place where it can relax and forget the world, that was her imagination. She felt her heart heavy, knowing that she haven't seen Terry Handore after seeing him in the portal going in the academy and worse was, Trelawney didn't even showed up. She haven't get back yet. Andre, Rowan and Tasha keep on inspiring and motivating the girl but words aren't enough to make her feeling stable and be controlled.
The girl cannot focus on the lesson and somehow, Agamora had noticed it too. She then walk beside the girl, "I understand that you are thinking about the duel Ms. Lockwood, but it doesn't excuse you from attending and focusing on my discussion and class." Said Agamora.
"Tch, better be deducted!" Shouted Merula and Arella in chorus which caused all the Wondronix students to furrowed their brows.
"Pardon me Professor." Said Valeriana and get back on tightening her grip of the sword.
"I'll talk to you after this day Lockwood." Said the Professor.
"Okay,"
Valeriana's first subject went off with full of exhausting stances and lessons that wanted to wrecked her brain. She felt her shoulders too heavy at the same time. Stress must've hit her badly.
The girl also decided not to join the three in going to the cafeteria, not just because she wanted to avoid any argument to happen again, but also because she wanted solitude. She want to be alone and to practice whatever she learned and with the use of book also.
Then there came her second subject, it was the History class and sad to say that Professor Amythes Nobleman was their teacher so she had been filled up with a lot of warnings from the woman for she can't focus knowing the greatest nightmare she could ever have would happen tomorrow.
-•-
"Professor Agamora, sorry I was late. I had to asked permission from our brimwisa and beotmaec." The girl excused as she came running and panting to the school grounds where the woman was waiting for her.
Valeriana received no answer from her, then she decided to look at Agamora just to see her looking in sky. It was already twilight. The scenery was perfect to say. The aesthetic pinkish with Violet spice sky and the breeze was just soothing.
"Professor?" Asked the girl. "Why did you told me to meet you?"
Agamora then directed her gaze to the girl. "To practice Valeriana." Said her.
"Huh?" The girl was more confused of what the woman meant to say.
"You know, Blair was a one great Guielpion student, an heir for a duchess position of Prelariun." Agamora stated as she then walk towards the only tree in the school ground.
Valeriana then followed her just to see the same bag placed on the side of the tree. The bag that she saw before which contains the weapons. "Are you gonna help me?" The girl asked.
"Yes Valeriana. I was sure that Blair will use a sword for that was the most powerful weapon she ever mustered to use against you," said the woman as she unzipped the bag and pulled two swords, but guess what? Those were real swords. Their blades were glimmering in as the sun light hits it. "There are a lot of things you need to learn kiddo."
"We're gonna use real swords in the duel?" Asked the girl in surprised and horror. She can't imagine how she would be while using that sword.
"Why yes," said the woman as she then glide those two swords against each other while stunningly staring on their blades.
"But Professor," the girl tried to find the exact reason. "That would be dangerous, someone might get hurt." She insisted to reason.
"That's reasonable one," said Agamora. Valeriana somehow found hope for there's a chance that the woman would complain to Professor Kelber about how dangerous was it. But seriously? They don't think of it before? "And that's the essence of duel Valeriana. It's lose, win, or draw. That's way a lot of students here already died because of duel." Said Agamora calmly and walk towards the middle of the school ground.
She left Valeriana hanging her jaw open dumfoundedly. The girl just can't imagine how cool this woman was. She didn't show even a bit of nervousness after saying what she had said.
Students?
Dead!
Oh hell.
"Well? You want to practice for the remaining hours or just keep your jaw hanging open there?" Asked Agamora as she place a hand on her waist.
The girl smiled bitterly and scratch her head. Valeriana then went to the woman.
"Here," said Agamora as she handed the other sword to the girl.
Valeriana then accepted it, but somehow, she haven't realized that it was a real sword. She haven't redied her arms and hands for it. Just the reason that from her hands to her shoulder then sagged down together with the undeniably heavy weight of the sword.
"Oh geez!" She then sighed as she tried to lift up the sword. Wow! It's like she was lifting three, four to five years old children. That's way too much though. She can't just explain how heavy was it. But after all, she gave all the force she can and lastly, she managed to lift the sword up. "Why was it easy for you to hold that sword Professor?" Asked the girl curiously.
"I told you before, I will not be a professor in Weapons Art when I'm not professional in handling such weapons." Explained the woman in the very same words she did before.
"I will teach you the very essence of this kiddo," she firstly said. "No need to muster those techniques and such moves," she continues. "Just for you to know, four elements were guarding the world of Tierra. The earth, fire, water and air." Said her.
"So? What does that even mean Professor?" Asked her.
"Each elements represents the tactics in fighting. Wild as fire, graceful as water, free as air and firm or tough as earth." Said her in a more confusing way.
"Pardon, but I don't understand any of them." Admitted Valeriana for labyrinth was all in her mind.
She saw Agamora walk towards the tree and then unzipped the bag again, she took out another sword, three swords to be exact. A real one and two wooden swords. "Now here, would you mind, wrecking one of those wooden swords using your real one?" Asked the professor to the girl.
Valeriana get even more confused, but she did. She use the roof guard stance that she learned to gain energy and force, then after that, she used it to cut the wooden sword. She did it. She cut it in half. "There it goes." Said the girl and heaved out a sigh after a series of sweats came trailing down her forehead, probably because of the sudden release of energy she used in lifting and putting the sword in action of cutting the wooden one. "It sure to be cut professor for the target was a wooden one and I used the real sword which has a sharper blade." The girl explained as she was panting.
"Exactly." Said Agamora and showed up her teeth in a smile.
The girl thought of her a little crazy and creepy at the same time. She can't really read what was going on with this woman's mind, well? After all, she don't have the ability too, like what Charles had and Professor Kelber Kranadrous suspiciously bear.
"So? What's that even mean." Asked her, tilting her head sideways.
"You think, can this wooden sword," Agamora then picked the other wooden sword up and drop her own sword away. "Can cut that real one?" Asked her, pointing to the real sword she had took out together with the two wooden swords.
"What?" Asked she girl. No, not for clarification but it was obvious for her. "Of course not. With all due respect Professor, that sword you're holding was a wooden one and your target was the real one, which supposed to mean that, the wooden sword was too weak to cut that real one that was strongly wielded. That wooden sword was used for practicing only, while on the other hand , that real one can definitely kill someone intentionally or not." Said Valeriana in her not-so-long speech and raised a brow at the professor with her challenging look.
But after a moment, Valeriana wanted to wake up from this weird nightmare, well if it is one, when Professor Agamora Silver let out a laugh. "Oh, c'mon," said her as she stopped laughing. She then move away from the target sword. "Hold that sword Valeriana," commanded her.
"What? Are you insane?! What if I'll get another cut when the blade will scatter?" Asked the girl in distress.
"See Valeriana?" Asked her the professor. The girl was confused a little but she was somehow, think and remember of something.
Believe.
"You said a while ago, this wooden one cannot cut off that real sword, but then, when I told you to hold it for me, you refused. You said you were afraid that you'll be wounded when the blade will scatter which definitely mean, you still believe that there is a possibility that this wooden one can cut that real sword." Explained the professor.
Valeriana then realized it at last. "But, can it really do Professor? I mean, it doesn't even include any way I can defeat Blair or just even protect myself." Said the girl.
"When you take the qualification round, why did you believe then?" Asked Agamora.
"You knew it?" Asked the girl.
"We all did Valeriana." Said Agamora.
"I was just afraid professor, what if it'll not work?" She sighed.
"What if it will?" Said the woman. "Now hold that for me," said her. Valeriana, without another word, and with all the trust to the woman, picked the sword up and hold it for as long as she can. "Don't skipped a blink kiddo." Said Agamora as she positioned herself about five meters away from the target.
Agamora then broke into a sprint and in the middle of it, she jumped so high and lunged towards the target. Valeriana didn't blink to witness how was it. It happened so fast. Agamora take a three hundred and sixty degree turn and landed the wooden sword forcefully on the real one.
Luckily any of the scattered pieces didn't hurt the girl. Wait, what? Scattered pieces? Valeriana's jaw hanged wide open when the woman landed gracefully and perfectly on the ground, with the wooden sword supporting her. The sword that was being held by the girl, the real one, was being cut into half.
"Whoa!" The girl gasped without changing her gaze. She was still looking at the half sword she was now holding, but... She has a question though. "But professor," the girl started. "Why haven't I felt any stinging pain or vibration?" She asked.
"There is a vibration Valerian, but I rather used the water element. Being graceful, it usually used to avoid and escape from the blow but, it can also be used to defeat the wild." She said with a wink.
"Now, do you believe?" Asked the woman again.
"Always."
"Well Valeriana, as what I always said in my lesson, keep your focus to the wholesome of your opponent. Every part of her, give attention to it, and the based was the sword and the hand. The sway of her hand Valeriana, don't forget it," she lectured and the girl shook her head. "The element on her eyes young lady, always think about it. Find a way to execute the opposition of the element that your opponent was bearing. Let me teach you how was it." She then smiled.
The two started the 'practical' practice from the basic stances review, the blocking, the avoiding and escaping, the assualt and even the direction of where the sword will sway next.
"Predicting your opponent was hard, especially for a beginner, I hope you will remember this." Said Agamora between the clinging sounds of the two clashing swords of her and Valeriana. "Don't just block!" She exclaimed and with a force, she pushed the girl down, reason for Valeriana to fall butt-first on the ground. "Give a snap kiddo, attacking is one of the important things you need to do in any fight. Don't just block! Don't let your opponent to attack you always. Do it to him or her, attack like you're giving no space for her to breath, but beware Valeriana, don't let your opponent took your breath out." Said the woman as she help the girl to stand up.
"That's too great words professor." Said Valeriana.
"You'll use to it soon," she said. "Now continue." She then let the girl attacked her.
The continue on exchanging blows, blocking assualt, Valeriana being always the loser.
"I can't defeat you professor." Said her and sat on the ground as she was now panting heavily, craving for her breath.
"I want you to defeat those stronger that me kid." Said her as she then sat beside the girl.
"About the cutting scenario earlier professor, what do you mean about it? To cut Blair's weapon into half?" Asked the girl innocently.
"No," Agamora answered with a chuckle. "You really are a Lockwood." Said she and continue on laughing.
"Oh yeah? Like no one said that to me before."
"Pardon," she then slightly stop laughing. "You need not necessarily to cut her weapon into half. I just gave that as an example for you to believe. You are that wooden sword,Valeriana, while the real one was-"
"Was Blair, of course." She cut the professor's word.
"No, not just her," said Agamora. "That sword, the real one was not just one. That symbolizes all the opponent you can encounter. I expect you will not used it only against Blair but also to stand the truth and good, to defeat the darkness that you soon to encounter." Explained the woman.
"Darkness?"
"Oh, pardon, I mean the evil ones."
"Good thinking of helping this Lockwood Professor Silver." Said someone beside them.
The both snapped their head on the direction of the voice in chorus just to see a tough standing woman in her Egyptian blue eyes and the usual cold feature.
"Good evening, Professor Nobleman." Greeted Agamora.
"Good evening professor." Said Valeriana.
"What can I or we do for you?" Asked the woman.
"Professor Kelber Kranadrous needs you on his office, the reason was unknown to me. He said, it has to do with the Lockwood situation." Said the cold professor.
"I'll go now Val. Pardon me if I can't spend the last three hours to teach you." Said Agamora and she then hurriedly run going to the main campus.
That must be a serious emergency, a must and an urgent. But why was my surname being mentioned?
"Now, tomorrow and forever, prove that you believe." That was Agamora's voice.