Valkyrie Black

Chapter 22: Classrooms

One year later.

[System Analysis update]

Age:14

[Coin: 284,000 Dret  ]

[Costs: 5000 dret per week for training ]

[Missions completed: 48 ]

[Scáth Demons Captured: 506 since entering training ]

[Current trade value of Scath plasma: 2,000 Dret per unit ]

[Strength +6 ]

[Perception +6 ]

[Endurance +12 ]

[Charisma +5 ]

[Intelligence +12 ]

[Agility (Parkour +7, rapid stab +7, speed +8, reflexs+6) ]

[Luck +5]

[Sneak: Stealth +5, light foot +5, backstab +7 ]

[Sword: +5]

[Pistol: +2]

[Dagger: +7]

[Barter:+6]

Val sat in a classroom with her face resting in her palms. The teacher was droning on about world politics and how anyone who wanted to do anything in the world needed to be versed in how the world worked.

“Val, do you have anything to contribute?”

Val snapped out of her momentary daze and squinted at the teacher. “To what exactly?”

“How to handle a business transaction when the other party is refusing to negotiate. How would you convince them to meet at the negotiation table?”

“I would likely hold a knife to his throat and tell him his options were to sign the damn deal as written or I could have his replacement sign over the rights to the whole business to me after he passed.”

The class burst into laughter. Val had become well known for her rather forceful habits of gaining compliance. She was taller than most girls her age at five foot eight inches, with a powerful lean build. While the boys loved to test her, many had learned the hard way that she was not one to take lightly.

Master Dronidus tsked. “Not the diplomatic answer I was hoping for. Compliance through violence rarely leads to lasting success in business, partnerships, or any other style of leadership. Some military scholars insist it may be the only way to break down an enemy, but it has been proven time and time again that the most successful leaders in business, war, or even criminal enterprises are those who can foster a sense of belonging in those who serve them. It is a strong reverent power that instilled the most faith in followers.”

“So, I can't just break his arm and demand he fulfills his side of the deal if he wants to still have a hand free to wipe his ass?”

Master Dronidus sighed. “Perhaps when dealing with a thief you can employ such tactics, but with the upstanding members of society, such action would bring undue attention from the city guard. What I understand that Master Crowley may suggest that if you have enough influence, such things can be forgiven or overlooked, none of you possess such powers of influence. A magistrate will gladly sentence you to life in the prison minds of Andover.”

A pin drop could be heard in the class, as everyone considered Master Dronidus’ words. They had all learned about the slave mines and Andover was the worst. In the far west, there was an underground mine surrounded by high walls. Soldiers lined the battlements, but their guns aimed in more than out. This was not a gold mine or some other valuable place that might attract thieves. Andover was a salt mine over eleven stories under the plateau. Prisoners slept in the tunnels they dug, gasping on salty air until their bodies mummified them alive.

“Now that I have your attention…”

A peeling chime sounded out in the courtyard and the kids jumped to their feet in a rush to escape the confines of the classroom.

“You coming to the close-quarters training today?” Cade asked.

Val looked at the tall boy who was one year her senior. At sixteen, Cade towered over most of the students and was all toned muscle and broad shoulders. His sandy brown hair lay just above his eyes as he looked down at her with a playful grin.

“I am matched against Varius today. I know how much you love to see him beaten.”

Varius Djall was the son of chairman Djall, one of Leona province’s rich businessmen who ran a very successful business in the capital city of Parlim. Making an enemy of him could make life in Suria very difficult. Inside the halls of Fort Lorelis however, Varius had to fend for himself, which he did with sadistic pleasure.

He chose to flaunt his father’s status anyway and had gathered a decent following of hangers on’s. His lackeys may be sons and daughters of the elite and legacy members of Surian high society, but most had ambitions to have profitable lives back in the surrounding towns and cities once they left the basic schooling provided here. Surian family each sent their kids here for their mandatory four-year military service. The mountain forts did have some of the best master’s money could buy and were deemed relatively safe. Students could train for their entire four years and never see anything worse than a winter patrol across the mountain tops.

However, Val was quick to realize that money only bought access. It was up to the pupil to actually retain any of the lessons. Val normally only had to train with a master for one month per level of mastery, often working with several masters of various skills at the same time. On the other hand, students like Varius and his lackeys, Griffin, Kane, and Asura had to repeat lessons often. For some skills, they had spent upwards of three months just on the first levels of the skills. It was not uncommon for these four to be assigned four to five repeat rounds of training before they mastered a skill.

Despite this lack of proficiency in the skills, they seemed to excel at domineering over the younger students and extorting them for money, cheating on testing days, and any other way they could think to charge rent for merely daring to exist in their presence. 

Val considered her handsome friend, “You go on. I have already gone through Breanna’s form of training. I think she is tired of me beating her students to a pulp. Besides Healer Jespia’s anatomy course is at the same time.”

“Never would have pegged you as one to want to learn about healing.” Cade said rubbing his neck.

“Anatomy is very important to know. I know where every blood vessel is and how fast they bleed. I also now know how much pressure is required to break various bones.” Val stated a glint in her eye.

“And I am sure Alexa being in class with you is a nice bonus.” He quipped with a smirk. “Give the dark haired goddess my love.”

Val smirked, “I will at least tell her you said hi. Anything else you can try to tell her yourself.”

There were few that Val talked to openly here in the mountain community. Cade was one, and Alexa was the other.

Alexa was a year older at fifteen, and her figure was an aching temptation for many of the boys, and no few of the other girls for that matter. She was Val’s twin in this life, her opposing side of the same coin. They were both tall beauties but where Val had silver-white hair, Alexa had raven-black hair. Where Val was dark and loved shadow, Alexa was sunshine and blessing. Val was cold and ruthless while Alexa was one to contemplate and rationalize.

However, despite any outward appearance of being a black-haired green-eyed angel, Val knew that Alexa was her twin in her passion for justice, to the point that breaking a few legs or using a stiletto to end a murderous life was well within Alexa’s abilities. What most did not know was that while most of the Order’s children were learning geography or basic fighting skills, Val and Alexa were training with Mistress Morgessa.

While they did spend an hour will healer Jespia, the rest of their day was spent with Morgessa deep in the hidden chambers of the mountains.

Val slipped down toward Healer Jespia’s classroom in search of Alexa.

A figure slipped up behind her, wrapping Valkyrie in a tight hug.

“Hello, Reaper,” came the sweet voice of her dark-haired friend.

“Do you have to call me that?”

“It is what you are, Reaper of the Shadows.

“I thought you were my shadow.” Val quipped.

“I am. Perhaps you can reap me later.” Alexa said with a wink before slinking down the hall, her black hair fading into the shadows of the hall. She then called over her shoulder, “For now, Morgessa left word. She has another for us to practice on.”

Val chased after her and linked arms as they walked down into the bowels of the mountain.

Alexa smirked and asked, “So, what do you think we have this time? A mass murderer? I hope it's not another sap who the regents just think needs to get knocked off. Those guys are boring.”

Alexa was silent until they reached the large iron door that guarded their training room. “Val, this one deserves it.” She opened the door and vanished inside.

Val followed after her shadowy sister-in-arms, trying to see through the gloom of the dark room. In a moment, her eyes adjusted and black and white images began coming to her. This room had almost no light. Only a thin glow around the edges. However, thanks to Mistress Morgessa’s lessons, her vision had improved as she learned to understand the variations in temperature. Now the room illuminated as if any heat source was white energy. Bodies glowed to her sight especially well against the cool stone walls.

 It has cost her dearly to convince Desmond to bring her back some shadow plasma. Their quarterly trips with Morgessa barely covered her tuition let alone the thousands needed to feed her spark. Most of the training she had been doing enhanced her natural abilities, but if she could supply her spark with the needed plasma, so much more of the training would click into place.