(Deposit Photos Edited With Canva by Author)

The Legend of Man: Book One: Destiny Awaits

Chapter One: Missing Masters (Part Two)

Disclaimer: I had to break each chapter down as I was told by SOME people that they were WAY too long (pfft), so each chapter will be broken into three parts.

Once they left the classroom, Alixia and Cayaison walked down the large hall toward their next class.

The halls were enormous. They had large archways spanning from one side to the other.

Light shone in from the tops of the ceiling down to the floor from small openings lining the walls.

Large mosaics of Mages dueling evil Wizards or Mages battling giant fiery demons lined the walls in stone.

Hand-carved dragons made up door archways for some classes; others depicted serpents, spiders, or friendly gnomes and dwarfs.

Many students had got lost in the halls staring at these pictures and craftsmanship. They would stare for hours, forgetting about their classes.

Cayaison found that one of the carvings was a colossal carving that he traced down the entire length of a hallway. It had taken him one whole week to look at it thoroughly.

Like most older students, Cayaison had tired of looking at the pictures and carvings, but he still stood in awe at the massive staircase leading up to the council’s chambers in one of the towers.

“That was the best class I ever had!” Alixia said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them since they had left the classroom.

Cayaison smiled. Even though Alixia was a younger student than him, he found her funny, which was why they had become close friends.

She was taller than him, probably one of the tallest women in all Heavstat. Her hair was long and curly brown. She did not draw many looks from the other students, mainly because she was taller than most men and boys.

“It was the first class of this year. You are going to have plenty more,” Cayaison shrugged.

“We’ll have you had many classes like that?” Alixia asked.

“No, I have not,” he answered, knowing this was a setup.

“Well, it stands to reason that this was your best class, too,” she spun around on her heels.

They soon reached the main hall, which was circular with winding stairs. This was the primary way to get up and down Heavstat.

Every hall leads to this one. Flowing through the center of the staircases was a swirling purple light. The rumor around the school was that if it ever stopped, Heavstat would fall.

They stood at one of the many landings scattered up and down the stairs. Many students stopped on these large landings to read, try some of their skills, or play games.

One young teen came up to them. “I am looking for The Magical Arts class. Do you know which floor it is on?”

“Go up to the fourth landing then look at the marker, and it will tell you how far you have to go down the hall,” Cayaison answered.

“Marker?” the teen asked.

Alixia pointed to a giant stone Mage standing just inside the archway of the hall behind them. In his right arm, he held a large book with the names of classes found in that hallway and which room.

“Oh, I have never noticed them,” the teen smiled, then ran up the nearest stairs.

“What class do you have next?” Cayaison asked her.

She picked out a roll of parchment and looked it over. “Earth Magic,” she said, smiling.

“That’s a good class,” Cayaison nodded.

The loud bell chimed only once, which meant if no student was on their way to class, they had better be on their way.

Students began to rush everywhere.

“What class do you have?” Alixia shouted over the loud ruckus that had begun.

“Physical Defense,” he said.

She laughed. “Have fun,” she turned to run down the stairs.

“Hey, Alixia!” Cayaison shouted.

She turned to look at him as he moved his hands next to a potted plant. A small dirt hand waved at Alixia from the soil.

“Show off!” she shouted, then ran down the stairs.

Cayaison was going to be late again. He ran up the stairs to the fifth landing as he got up to the desired level. A young man was standing there waiting for him.

“Hey Dawain,” he said as he joined the young man.

“How is Alixia?” Dawain asked.

Dawain never would admit that he had a thing for Alixia. He did not want to pursue anything mainly because he knew she liked Cayaison. On the other hand, he knew she was out of his reach.

He was short, not just short, but very short. At least he wasn’t pudgy or fat, he always told himself. His hair was a dark blonde.

Cayaison and Dawain had hit it off right from the start. They had joined the same week. Cayaison first, then Dawain.

“She is good, I just saw her off to her next class,” Cayaison answered.

They began to walk down the halls together.

“Looking forward to our class?” Dawain asked.

“Whoever looks forward to Physical Defense Classes?” Cayaison asked sarcastically.

Dawain nodded his agreement. They made their way slowly to their class, where a line of students was just outside the door.

“Well looks like we made it in time,” Dawain said.

“Master Wong was with Master Merladio downstairs just before first class. They looked like they were in a hurry,” Cayaison said.

Just then, the door opened, and the students began to enter.

Cayaison and Dawain were the last to enter.

The room was circular. On the walls, some torches filled the dark room with a faint orange glow. The room sank downward by a set of rings; on each of these rings were benches, and students began to sit on these benches.

The lowest part of the chamber was a semi-circle. The floor was made up of wood chips and gravel. On the far wall, there was a dark black hole. The teacher stood in one of the lowest rings as the students settled.

“Welcome to the class. My name is Tunadas,” he said, smiling.

Cayaison immediately recognized that he wasn’t a Master by the color of his robes. He looked a little older than Cayaison, but his face was thin, his hair a light blonde, his eyes light blue, and he had a very arrogant demeanor.

“Where is Master Wong?” a student asked.

“Master Wong is away. I will be taking his class until he returns,” Tunadas grinned. “Where did he leave off? Can anyone tell me?”

Cayaison could tell that he would not like this teacher. His grin and smile told Cayaison he was not to be trusted.

“This guy is going to be a pain,” Cayaison whispered to Dawain, who stifled a laugh.

“Dawain, isn’t it?” Tunadas asked immediately.

“Yes Sir,” Dawain answered.

“Why don’t you come down here and show us how to defend ourselves against an Orc Invader?” Tunadas asked, smiling.

“But sir, we haven’t reached the Orcs, yet we are still on …” a student began to say.

“A high-class man like Dawain can handle himself against an Orc Invader right Dawain?” he said.

Dawain began to descend the rings.

“Right,” Dawain said with a worried voice.

Cayaison shot an angry glance at Tunadas, who returned it with a smile.

Tunadas sat on the lowest ring. Dawain readied himself. He stood in the pit, looking at the vast black hole before him.

“Let me know when you are ready,” Tunadas said with a smirk on his face.

Dawain nodded back at him.

“Here it comes,” Tunadas smiled.

Dawain’s heart was beating out of his chest; he had not faced an Orc Invader. He had read all there was about beating them, but never encountered one.

There was a loud grunt from the black hole and a glint of light.

Dawain took a step back. The most ferocious opponent he had faced was a Bearaman; he had spent most of the following week in bed, bruised.

A large green Orc came from the hole, heavily clad in armor and carrying a broad ax.

The whole room took a deep breath. Tunadas smiled, looking back up at Cayaison. Cayaison stared down at his friend.

“Weak spot is its back… weak spot is the back,” Dawain whispered.

He could quickly do this using magic; a simple confusion spell is all he would need.

The Orc roared at him and then charged, swinging its ax. Dawain parried the first swing and ducked as the Orc spun around with another swing.

“Good move Dawain,” Tunadas shouted. “But avoiding it won’t defeat it,” he added.

“Yes sir,” Dawain responded through gritted teeth.

He was running out of options. Soon, the invader would go berserk and swing his ax harder and faster.

The invader roared at him as it rushed with its ax held in both hands high above his head; this was Dawain’s chance. He blocked the high incoming attack with his staff, then kicked the invader in the chest, pushing it backward.

The angry Orc rushed once more with a downward swing, but Dawain rolled out of the way, quickly lodging his staff between the Orc’s feet, forcing it to trip.

Dawain moved fast, jumping on top of the Orc, grabbing his staff, and then holding it on both sides under the chin of the Orc. He began to pull back as hard as he could until he heard a loud pop.

The Orc let out a loud scream, and then its body fell limp.

The class began to clap and cheer as Dawain slowly got up, still watching the Orc’s body for any movement.

“You can relax, Dawain!” Tunadas said. “Class, once an Orc’s back has been broken, its whole body will go limp. Essentially, it is still alive but unable to move or attack,” Tunadas added.

Dawain climbed the stone circles until he returned to his seat next to Cayaison.

“Good one!” Cayaison applauded, greeting his friend.

“I thought it would chop my head off when I did that roll!” Dawain said, visibly shaken.

“Came pretty close,” Cayaison smiled, pushing his friend.

They both knew they couldn’t be mortally hurt in this class, but they could be severely wounded. If the ax did make contact, it could break the skin and cause bleeding. But it couldn’t kill.

“Who is next?” Tunadas asked as the Orc’s body disappeared.

There were no volunteers.

“All right then, I will pick someone,” Tunadas said as he looked around the room. He then pointed to a scared young kid to his right.

The kid slowly rose and walked down the stone steps to the pit.

Cayaison recognized the kid and raised his hand. Tunadas looked over at him but did not acknowledge him.

Cayaison got agitated, “Mirnadun is a second year he cannot take on an Orc. He is still fighting Grobucs!” Cayaison said aloud.

“Cayaison is it?” Tunadas asked with his now devilish smile.

“Yes sir,” Cayaison replied, watching Mirnadun quivering in the pit. “Let me teach my class, or you can leave,” Tunadas said, facing Mirnadun. “You ready?” Tunadas asked the frightened child.

But before the kid could answer, Tunadas sat down and focused on the hole.

Mirnadun was scared. He had never battled anything as big or as violent, and he was still learning how to parry attacks from classmates.

Soon, the giant Orc came out of the hole, roaring at him.

Cayaison looked at Dawain. “We have to help him,” he whispered.

Dawain nodded his approval.

“When I give you the signal, you know what to do,” Cayaison whispered.

Tunadas, still focusing on the Orc, did not notice their conversation.

Cayaison began to focus all his attention on Mirnadun, who was running in circles, trying to evade the Orc.

“You will only make it go berserk that much faster by running,” Tunadas said with his usual snide voice.

Mirnadun began to cry, and his tears filled his eyes when he heard.

“Duck!”

Mirnadun immediately ducked.

“Cayaison!” Tunadas turned and shouted at Cayaison, who was standing.

“If you interfere again, I will remove you from this class!” Tunadas, visibly annoyed, said through gritted teeth.

Cayaison slowly sat. He knew he could not help Mirnadun from outside the class.

Mirnadun took this time to wipe his tears to clear his eyes.

“Shall we continue?” Tunadas asked as he began to focus on the Orc, who was standing still and breathing heavily as Tunadas started to focus again.

The Orc began to move again.

Mirnadun looked up at Cayaison, and that is when Cayaison smiled. He had him.

“Mirnadun,” he said, lower than a whisper.

Mirnadun heard Cayaison inside his head.

“Do not be scared. Follow my instructions, and I will help you out of this,” Cayaison said.

Mirnadun nodded his head. Cayaison watched the Orc. He had Mirnadun. Now, all he had to do was avoid the Orc.

“Raise your staff in front of you,” Cayaison directed.

Mirnadun raised his staff slowly in front of him.

“Remember the Parry techniques?”

Mirnadun nodded.

“That is all I will have you do,”

Mirnadun smiled. This he could do, he thought to himself.

The Orc rushed him, swinging the ax.

“Left Parry,” Cayaison thought.

Mirnadun quickly reacted, parrying the attack to the left.

“Back away,” Cayaison ordered.

Mirnadun slowly backed away.

The Orc grew furious. It charged at him.

“Bull Charge,” Cayaison thought.

Instantly, Mirnadun tucked his hands into his body tightly and spun around.

The body of the Orc passed Mirnadun by only a few inches.

Mirnadun, now feeling bolder, smiled at the Orc.

Cayaison smiled. “On the next charge,” he whispered to Dawain.

Dawain nodded, looking at the Orc.

The Orc span around it was berserk, and its eyes glowed a bright red.

“Do not be scared,” Cayaison assured Mirnadun. “Get ready do exactly what you saw Dawain do when you see the opening.”

Mirnadun nodded. The Orc charged again.

At this, Dawain lowered his hand close to the floor and waved. The ground beneath the Orc shifted, causing it to fall face-first.

“Now!” Cayaison ordered.

With quick reflexes, Mirnadun jumped on top of the Orc, swinging his staff beneath the Orc’s chin. He began to pull back with all his might until he heard the loud pop.

At this, the whole class erupted in cheers and claps.

Cayaison and Dawain looked at each other and smiled.

Tunadas was furious. He looked up at Cayaison and Dawain, who clapped with the class.

“Good one, Mirnadun. It was fortunate the Orc tripped,” Tunadas said, still looking at Dawain and Cayaison.

Mirnadun climbed the stairs to his seat.

“Yes sir, I got lucky,” Mirnadun answered as his friends patted him on his back.

“Well, class, that was eventful,” Tunadas said, dismissing them earlier than usual.

There was no dispute from the students as they began to spill out of the room.

“Cayaison, could you stay? I would like to talk to you,” Tunadas said.

Cayaison nodded to Dawain, who stopped in the doorway. He turned around to face the teacher.

Tunadas looked the student over. “I just have a few questions I would like to ask you?” Tunadas asked. His face showed his annoyance, but he still smiled.

“Yes sir,” Cayaison answered if this teacher was going to be sarcastic. Cayaison knew that Tunadas was no match.

“How did you like the class?” Tunadas asked as they sat on one of the benches.

“It was good, not like one of Master Wong’s classes, but you are just learning the students, not like Master Wong, who knows all of us,” Cayaison said with a smile.

“How do you suppose the Orc tripped?” Tunadas asked.

His patience was growing thin with this student.

“It is documented that Orc’s while being powerful and almost unstoppable during a berserk rage, have been known to make mistakes,” Cayaison again smiled, answering the question with a straight face.

“Liar!” Tunadas shouted, standing up. He could not help himself. He was furious.

“Sir?” Cayaison answered. His straight face was making matters worse, and he knew it. He was counting on the teacher’s anger to cloud his judgment.

“You tripped the Orc. I was controlling it!” Tunadas said this student would not make him a fool.

“Then maybe you made a mistake, sir. You are not a Master, and I have seen Master Wong make mistakes so…” Cayaison began to say before he was interrupted.

“I did not make a mistake!” Tunadas shouted, “And I do not need you to remind me that I am not a Master.”

“Well, sir, if you think I tripped the Orc, you could make a truth stone,” Cayaison said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Yes… I will do just that!” Tunadas said, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a stone.

He chanted, holding the stone, then placing it into Cayaison’s outstretched hand.

“Now, if you lie, the stone will go red hot and burn you!” Tunadas smiled.

“And if I tell the truth nothing will happen,” Cayaison added.

Tunadas shrugged this off. He was smiling. He finally had this student beat. He knew he had not made a mistake, which meant this student had tripped the Orc.

“Did you trip or cause the Orc to fall?” Tunadas said, staring at the stone.

Cayaison smiled. “No, I did not,” he answered.

The stone stayed its standard color.

“Leave my class!” Tunadas yelled, turning around.

“Sir?” Cayaison said cautiously.

“Go!” Tunadas shouted.

Cayaison left the room.

Thank you for reading my story. I hope that you liked it enough to give me a few claps (holding the clap icon down) and leave a comment.

You can also find my other links and social media here.

[embed]List: The Legend Of Man | Curated by Alistair Sutherland | Medium The Legend Of Man · 1 stories on Mediummedium.com