The Blessed

CHAPTER NINE

Wallace went on the offense with a battle cry and an aggressive horizontal swing. Jennifer timed the attack perfectly. Before the chains could touch her, Jennifer cartwheeled to the right and landed in a crouching position. She sent a horizontal attack of her own.

However, unlike Wallace, she was aiming for his legs. The chain in her right-hand grazed Wallace's ankle. But before a full collision, he leapt into the air, letting her chains slice past.

Jennifer, however, displayed amazing control of her weapons by pulling on the chain in her left hand, forcing it to snap back. This time Wallace was too slow, the chain wrapped around his left calf and locked onto itself. Before she could knock him off his legs, Wallace coiled his chains around his fists and attacked the chain around his leg. Jennifer's chain was separated into two pieces, one long and one short. The piece that was around Wallace's leg exploded into a cloud of black-orange smoke. Jennifer was knocked off balance, stumbling towards her opponent.

Wallace leapt into the air, the smoke below rising and partially concealing him from Jennifer.

Judging by the way she looked up, her eyes wide and searching before her, Jennifer couldn't see well. But from where I was sitting, I saw Wallace's weapons follow him in two wide arcs as he prepared to bring them like the reigns of a large beast.

Jennifer yanked on her right chain and swiped up through the dispersing cloud. Her other chain was materializing from the point it had been broken. Wallace emerged from the smoke, streams of smoke trailing behind him like a crash-landing fighter jet. Jennifer covered her face with her forearms, bracing for impact with Wallace's knees. However, Wallace's weapons preceded their user and coiled around Jennifer's forearms.

He flew overhead and landed behind her, his feet just a few inches from the white line. Behind him, Jennifer's arms were stretched out in a crucifixion-like pose. As if to give her time to process her defeat, Wallace paused…

Then he pulled on his weapons, forcing the small girl onto her back. He stood up, his chains dispersing.

He walked over to Jennifer and helped her up.

"Good stuff Wallace. At least someone has been paying attention." said Mr. Hulio.

"Jennifer, you see what I meant when I said initiating aerial combat successfully gives you an opportunity over your opponent?"

"Yes sir." she said.

She hobbled over to the bench, her hand on her back as she winced with each step.

"Right, who's next?"

There was only one question in my mind.

Am I expected to learn that?

***

After weapons training, we went for our History lesson.

The classroom very spacious; however, I didn't let a large distance grow between Daniel and I.

We walked to the back of the class. Daniel sat down but I just stood there.

"Take a seat man."

There was an empty chair next to his.

"Doesn't this belong to someone?"

"Nah bro, it's a first come first serve thing here."

"Oh, well…Okay."

The classroom filled slowly as students lazily occupied the chairs and desks.

A middle-aged woman with a generous bosom run-walked into the classroom. She was the one I saw when Ms. Luceal gave me a uniform. Her coat fanned out behind her like a chicken attempting to fly.

One of her hands was anchoring her hat while the other gripped a stack of books and paper.

"Soooo sorry class! sorry for being late."

"Morning Ms. Hernandez."

Ms. Hernandez threw her papers and books on the desk. As she fanned herself, what I feared happened again.

She looked at me and smiled.

"And you're the new student I presume?"

I said nothing as everyone turned in their seats and looked at me.

This isn't doing anything to ease my anxiety.

"Come up front and introduce yourself sweetie!"

Maan…

I rose from my seat and walked over to the front of the classroom. My heart was pounding in my chest and my ears were ringing.

"My name is David Pakati."

"Nice to meet you, David. My name is Ms. Hernandez and I'll be taking you for your first-year History class! Yaaay! Where are you from?"

"Harare, Zimbabwe."

"Ooh where is that now?"

"It's in Africa."

I noticed the lack of recognition on the multi-racial faces in front of me.

"Wow, that's nice, very exotic indeed. You can take your seat Dave."

I did.

"Okay, so where did we leave off in the last lecture?"

A physically fit guy with a crew cut blue hair raised his hand.

"Yes, Soo Yung?"

"We were about to move on the Kumlei Angwa's background."

"Ah yes! Can you open your books to..."

She flipped open one of the books on her desk,

"Page 1145"

"Uhmm..."

Ms. Hernandez scanned the classroom,

"David, why don't you read for us."

Damn.

Daniel handed me his textbook.

“Kumlei Angwa was dubbed the father of the Blessed's Association.”

The black and white picture next to his background was that of a middle-aged male with the usual coat and hat.

“Angwa is said to have rejected being a Blessed wanting to be a priest instead. This sparked a sour relationship between him and his mother, a great-sword user. However, one day while praying at a grotto, Kumlei had an encounter with a Renchi that almost ended his life. According to his journals, this changed his beliefs and perception of life itself. He began training with his mother's weapon and quickly excelled in his fighting techniques. While on a mission in the veil against an S class Oklodopus, Angwa claimed that the Renchi killed him. However, he was brought back to life…”

I was cut off by a sharp siren sound that penetrated the class. A large number of coats flew past the corridor window, boots sounding like a hail storm. I caught sight of Franny and Duke.

“Oh my, must be a big one hey!” said Ms. Hernandez.

“What’s going on?” I asked Daniel.

“That siren is an alarm. It sounds off whenever a squad is deployed to go and take care of a Renchi.”

“Come on now that's none of our business. Let us return to our lesson.” ordered Ms. Hernandez.