The group made their way to the next class of the day which was titled ‘skirmishing’ which Jale told them meant fighting with no rules. It was their last class of the day as they only had two lessons per day to allow time for one on ones in the afternoon, which let the students learn individually how to improve their own techniques.

They walked into the classroom and placed themselves around the large room. A man walked in, and Aron noticed he looked extremely similar to Ronin. Same emerald, green eyes, same lithe, graceful build, same strong jawline, and cheekbones. The only difference was this man’s hair was black, while Ronin’s was blonde.

Aron wasn’t the only one who noticed. The man was staring at Ronin with a strange look in his eyes, and Ronin’s usually passive expression was one of shock. Hazel, however, was looking at the man with hatred, such a strong emotion that led Aron to believe the man was Verran.

The man tore his eyes away from Ronin and introduced himself to the class. “I am David Freeman. I will be your instructor in skirmishing. This class will teach you how to fight in battles. There are no rules in war, it's win or die. Morals are something that need to be reconsidered. Honour will not save you from a sword through the chest. Don’t spare people, because if the time comes, they won’t spare you. There is a time and a place for morals, and it’s not on the battlefield.”

After he had given his little speech, David asked for questions. Andrew of course was the first. “Freeman is the name given to former slaves or orphans. Why isn’t a noble teaching this class?”. Aron was once again stricken by David’s resemblance to Ronin when he turned his impassive gaze on the snobby prince. “Because nobles hide in the back during battle. I have fought in the thick of it more times than I can count. Therefore, I am more qualified to teach this subject than any other.”

“You got your experience slaughtering the Ragali!” Hazel exclaimed loudly. “You are the Butcher of Verra!” David turned around to look at Hazel calmly.

“Yes child, I am David of Verra. I did get my experience during the last war. A war, might I remind you, that was started by your father.” How the famed phantom knew who Hazel was, Aron had no idea, but it made Hazel purple in rage. The expression looked unnatural on her usually cheery face. Ruby? Sure. Hazel? Not so much.

“I will not defend the actions of my father, but the action of Verran troops in the capital left many orphans. Some had their tongues cut out when they tried to scream.” She gestured to Ronin. “Many girls were violated, and many widows and widowers were made. And it was because of you. Verra didn’t stand a chance without you. When you said don’t spare anyone, you speak from experience. You executed many prisoners of war.” Hazel finished her tirade and looked at the instructor, waiting for him to reply.

The man took a second to school his features back into an expression of calmness, but it barely hid the anger cracking through. “I once spared a man, a high-ranking general in your father’s army. I let him go back home, after all, he was an old man. One day, my best friend was captured, taken during a night-time raid. The very same general I spared took my friend out in full view of our army, and publicly executed him, then stuck his head on a pike for all to see. The Ragali gave no quarter, so neither did I. but never did I make an orphan in your city. And never,” he looked at Ronin, “did I violate a woman.” David took a deep breath. “Now, if we are done arguing over a war fifteen years ago, I would like to continue with the lesson.”

Hazel nodded quickly and sat down; all the fight seemingly drained out of her. David nodded back and continued. “I have all of your names in a hat. I am going to pick them out at random and you are going to fight each other. The winners will then spar against me. First up, Jale versus Arlen.” Jale stepped alongside Reyna. David pointed at the great cat. “I will allow your familiar if you fight me, but not against other students.” Jale nodded and Reyna reluctantly walked back to the group.

Arlen was a Roxian noble and from the look of him, he was either a mage or an elemental, the two most common magicks in nobility.

Sure enough, when David called to start, Arlen threw mage bolts at Jale. He dodged to the side and started to hurl his knives. None of them stuck in, but they all nicked him in various places, making him lose concentration and allowing the mage bolts to dissipate. Jale threw another one hilt first and it hit the noble square in the forehead. As Arlen stumbled, casting mage bolts wildly, Jale closed in, dodging and weaving, as agile as his familiar. He got up close and gave the boy a sound uppercut to the chin. Arlen dropped like a sack of rocks.

Jale walked back to the group as the next fight was called. “Aron versus Jessica!” David announced. Aron stepped up to the stage, pondering what he was going to do. Did he want to show his new ability or just soak up her attacks and get up close like Jale did? In the end, he decided he would just bull rush and drew his axes.

The match started and Jessica unleashed a wall of flame, nowhere near as impressive as Hazel’s but nothing to scoff at. Aron dodged the fire and charged right at the girl. She raised up dirt, but Aron used his size to just break through it before she had strengthened it. He got up right beside her and rested his axe on Jessica’s neck. She hung her head defeated as Aron walked back to the group.

Ronin was called up next and he ended it so quickly that Aron blinked and missed half of it. He just blurred forward through the opponent’s shield and put his incorporeal sword through his chest. Aron noticed David had watched the attack wide-eyed. Aron had only ever seen Ronin in action, but from the look on David’s face, Ronin was more powerful than Aron had thought.

Not everyone fought, Ruby and Hazel did not get called, and neither did Andrew or Andromeda.

The round against the butcher of Verra was next. Jale was called up first with Reyna. As soon as the match he started running backward, knowing David would pounce on him. Reyna then jumped straight through the phantom but while his back was turned Jale threw one of his blades at David. In their tests, they had found that all of the weapons Tenkay created were resistant to magic, and that included a phantom’s phasing ability. It didn’t matter though because David dodged and threw his sword at Jale. The pommel hit him straight in the head, knocking him out cold.

Aron and Reyna raced over to Jale and dragged him off the stage. He came to quite quickly. “That guy was really fast.” He said groggily, shaking his head to clear it.

Aron was up next, and he decided that he would use his abilities. He figured that if he could get rid of a spell made of magic, then he could take from the well.

Sure enough, as soon as the match was called, Aron clashed his axe against David’s sword, using the physical contact to pull all of the magic out of the well, leaving an empty hole where the energy used to be. He didn’t worry about permanently taking David’s magic; it regenerated over time. He saw now though that if he so wished, he could destroy the bowl, stopping the sorcerer from using magic ever again.

Aron snapped his attention back to David. The man was clutching his chest, obviously feeling his power being stolen. Aron drew his twin axes and imagined the power he had taken from David flowing through his body. As he felt his limbs strengthen, he silently thanked Sommers. Without him telling Aron about the abilities of a warlock this would have taken Aron ages to figure out.

It turned out that David didn’t need his magic all that much. Even with power running through Aron’s veins he still found it hard to keep up with the instructor’s sword. It ended with David relieving Aron of one of his axes and placing his sword on his throat.

Admitting defeat, Aron allowed the energy he had taken from the instructor back to him.

Other students went up against the legendary phantom, and most did far worse than Aron and Jale, the nobles relying on their magic too much and the commoners lacking the finesse and skill to match him in combat.

Last up was Ronin. He summoned his sword and nodded he was ready. The fight began and instantly their swords clashed. They traded blows, blurring, dematerializing, and dodging. Their swords were moving so fast they were hard to see, the two so proficient with the sword it looked as if they were performing an intricate routine. After nearly ten minutes, an incredibly long amount of time in a sword duel, David slipped past Ronin’s guard and put his blade in his neck only a few heartbeats before Ronin impaled him in the chest. The two stood staring at each other. After realizing everyone was watching, David cleared his throat and motioned for everyone to leave. He looked uncertainly at Ronin. “Ronin I…”. Ronin held up a hand. I will talk with you. But I wish to do so with my friends here. He signed. David nodded. “As you wish.” He took a deep breath. “The siege of Ragalia the capital lasted nearly four years. I was on leave in a town just outside the border. I met a woman there, a girl called Natalie. She was the most innocent soul in the land, she offered me a place to sleep, thinking I was just another soldier. We got close and, I proposed. We got married on the second day of Summer in the First Year of The Siege. I was ready to settle down there and then. I stayed there until nearly the end of the siege. Halfway through, we found that Natalie was pregnant. She had a baby a week before I was called back to the action. We called him Ronin. After the siege ended, I came back to the house to find her dead inside and a small tongue beside her. I flew into a rage. I found the man who did it Ronin, and I did things that would make what I did to the Ragali prisoners of war a pleasant tickle. I scoured the surrounding countryside, looking for my son, I checked orphanages, looking for Ronin Albright. But he was at none of the orphanages. I kept looking, I checked with neighbours, I checked in the capital’s slums, I checked everywhere. I learned sign language when I learned of the vile method the Verran soldiers used to shut children up. Eventually, I gave up believing he was dead. And then, nearly sixteen years later, a phantom walks through my classroom door the spitting image of me and with Natalie’s blonde hair. He happens to be the strongest phantom I have ever met, he’s from Ragalia and he’s the age my son would have been.” There were tears in David’s eyes as he said it, and Aron felt like he was intruding on a private moment. He knew why Ronin wanted them to be there though. It was a lot to handle, and he obviously already suspected it and David had confirmed it. Ronin was the son of the Butcher of Verra.

Ronin was looking at the man, zoning out the others. After a moment, he started to slowly move his fingers. I was three. I didn’t know my mother’s name. I didn’t know my name was Albright. I was always Ronin Freeman. David realized what Ronin was saying and swept him up in a hug, tears falling freely from his face. Ronin stood stunned, then tentatively put his arms around his father.

The group left the two in the room. They had a lot to talk about. They walked in stunned silence trying to wrap their head around the turn of events. As always, Jale was first to comment. “Personally, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.” Hazel slapped him on the shoulder and scowled at him. “Shut it wiseass. Can you believe that Ronin is the son of the most powerful phantom alive? I’m happy for him, he was raised in an orphanage not knowing his father and not being able to remember your surname or his mother’s name.” Hazel had a faraway look in her gaze, the way she did when she was thinking. “This could be perfect!” she exclaimed. “Ronin could heal the rift between Verra and Ragalia. David is technically third in line to the throne, making Ronin the fourth in succession!”. Jale snorted. “Yeah definitely. David’s brothers don’t recognize David’s claim to the throne, him being a bastard and all. Plus, David has clearly expressed he doesn’t want it, he’s a hero in Verra, he could take it any time. Anyway, I wasn’t joking when I said I was hungry. Can we go get something to eat?”.

Ruby shook her head in despair, but Hazel nodded distractedly, her thoughts elsewhere. They made their way to the hall, where a jolly-looking woman was handing out generous portions of sausages. Aron dug straight into them, the day was over, and he was starving. They still had to make Ruby’s conduit, but it shouldn’t take long, and then Aron could go to sleep. It had been an eventful first day and there were six more months of it.

After eating they made their way to the forge, which was in the basement of the classroom tower. The forge was huge. Aron marveled at the scale of the forge; it was easily twice the size of Tenkay’s smithy and way more advanced. It wasn’t just a blacksmith’s, it had tools for Jewelsmith and silversmiths as well. Aron could work in here for hours on end without ever getting bored.

They could hear a hammer pounding at the back of the forge. They followed the sound to a very short and stout man banging on what looked to be a sword. When it became apparent that he was not going to acknowledge them, they waited patiently until he was done, gaping at the marvels around them.

After an eternity of waiting, the stout man laid the sword to the side and turned around to face them. “I thought you would go away quicker.” He grumbled, his voice gravelly and deep. The man’s face was covered in a thick black beard, and the hammer he held by his side with ease looked extremely heavy. He examined them through bushy eyebrows. He grunted, then shook his head. “What is it you want younglings?” he asked. Ruby raised her hand. “I need a conduit. We were hoping we could use your forge to make it?”

The diminutive man stroked his beard thoughtfully. “What did you have in mind? I have made a few, but a conduit has to be unique to the sorcerer. If you have a design ready, we can start on it right away.”

Ruby stopped. “you’re going to help?” she sounded shocked. The small man let out a booming laugh. “of course, I’m going to help girl. Did you think I would just let you use my forge? Who knows what you could break or blow up? Have any of you even stepped foot in a forge?” he scanned them all with a critical eye, seemingly doubtful that they had. Aron stepped forward hesitantly. “I was a blacksmith’s apprentice. I was nearly at the end of my apprenticeship, but I tested as a sorcerer before I got the official license.”

The man quirked his bushy eyebrows curiously. “Is that so? Well, if you wish, you can practice the trade here, just don’t touch my projects.” He turned to the group. “I am Forgehammer. I’m the school’s blacksmith. Now, come with me, let us get to work on your conduit.” With that, the stout man wheeled around and stomped over to another part of the smithy.

The group followed behind eagerly, Ruby at the front. They arrived at what seemed to be a jeweler section. There were many precious metals and stones carefully placed on labeled shelves. All of the shelves were low down to allow Forgehammer to reach them with ease. He reached into a few boxes and pulled out various metals. He laid them on the table for Ruby to look at.

“You are an elf, no?” Forgehammer asked. Ruby nodded distractedly; her gaze fixed on the precious metals on the table. Forgehammer once again rubbed his beard. “You don’t get many elven necromancers. What would you think of using gold as the secondary metal? If you just use stygian iron, then only your shadow magic will be improved. Dwarven gold amplifies magic of all types, and I happen to have some.” Hazel's eyes widened in wonder. “You have dwarven metals!? Only elves, dwarves, and orcs can tough them without dying! Well, the orcs would be able to touch them if there was any of them left” Forgehammer grinned at the eager Ragali through his bushy beard. “Aye, girl. I’m a dwarf, that’s why my work is better than any humans.” He squinted his eyes at the axes strapped to Aron’s back. “Although, it looks like you have dwarven made weapons with you. Let me see those.” He beckoned Aron forward.

Aron hesitantly took his two axes out and placed them on the table. Jale took out his two long knives and did the same. Forgehammer picked one up and sniffed its blade, ran his fingers down it, and hefted it, seemingly trying to find something. As he examined the weapons, he quizzed Aron. “How did you get these boy?” Aron explained how he had gotten the weapons of Tenkay, and when he heard that name, Forgehammer looked up and bent over double laughing. “of course, Tenkay made these!” he chuckled. “I didn’t know he had it in him!” the dwarf continued to laugh, while the group just awkwardly stood there.

Eventually, Forgehammer straightened up and wiped a tear from his eye. “Tenkay is my great-grandson.” He explained. “My son had a child with a human, and then that child had a child with a human. Tenkay came to the Great Forges of the Mountain in Isafjor when he was younger, and he always expressed his desire to become a blacksmith. No one thought he could, because while he could touch dwarven metals, he never showed any promise for dwarven magic or enchanting. Seems like he proved us all wrong, these weapons are magnificent, perfect for magic users of any kind. He’s mixed dwarven metals with normal metals. not just any metal, but mithril! Not many can work with mithril, even among dwarves. Impressive work.” The dwarf nodded in appreciation.

Jale however, looked confused. “If your Tenkay’s great-grandfather, how old are you???”. Forgehammer answered without looking up from Tenkay’s creations. “I’m coming up on three hundred lad. We dwarves live a good deal longer than you humans. I have been plying my trade since before your grandfather’s father was born. I have seen many students come and go.” Forgehammer gestured at Aron. “I am one of the few to have met another warlock, and the only one who has met two.”

Aron wondered how Forgehammer knew of his magic. The rumour could have spread; Aron stood head and shoulders above most, or maybe the dwarf could see what type of magic he had. Tenkay had remarked that he could see Aron’s magic, he just didn’t know what it was. If Tenkay was using dwarven magic, then Forgehammer could likely discern things Tenkay could not.

While Aron continued to digest the information, Jale asked the question on everyone’s mind. “Who was the other warlock?”.

Forgehammer rubbed his beard and looked past Aron, delving into his memory. “Her name was Alysha. She was very powerful and an amazing warrior. When I met her, she was nearing two hundred. She was but a lass when her teacher died, and she became the last of the warlocks, and the most powerful. With her around, there was no war, she settled every dispute fairly and quickly. Her only failing was allowing the orcs to leave. As you might know, the bottom of Cinnowa used to be the orcish homeland. They were a large race; Aron would’ve been considered a runt. They enjoyed fighting quite a lot, but they weren’t the bloodthirsty monsters legends make them out to be. They just lived in the here and now, never looking toward the future. They lived slightly less than the average human, and they wanted to enjoy every second of the life they had. The Cinnowans drove them out and they went to the Black Tundra. Alysha followed them in, hoping to bring them back and she never returned.” Forgehammer finished his story and shook his head. “Anyway, let us talk of cheerier things. I will start on your conduit now girl.”

With that, Forgehammer turned around and started working on the conduit. He zoned out, completely ignoring the group as he worked. He worked for nearly an hour, and the group watched in silence.

When he looked up from his work, he grinned at Ruby. “Well miss, it seems that your conduit is ready for use.” He presented a black necklace accentuated with gold. In the middle was a black sphere with spindles of gold slicing through it. “don’t be letting any of the humans touch this, their death would be quite excruciating.” He warned her as Ruby took the necklace with reverence and clipped it around her neck.

All the shadows in the room came racing towards the necklace, Aron jumped out of the way with Hazel and Jale not far behind. He watched as Ruby’s eyes went completely black and as suddenly as it started, everything went back to normal.

Ruby sported a grin at her friend’s reactions. “ Since necromancers can only manipulate what is already there, my necklace will take shadow from anywhere I am.” Aron nodded mutely. This was something Hazel could quiz Ruby about when they were alone. He wanted nothing to do with it.

Forgehammer spoke to Ruby, oblivious to Aron’s anxiety. “If there are any cracks and suchlike, bring it straight to me, don’t try to fix it yourself. Now, of with you all!” he shooed them out the entrance of his forge. We went back to our rooms where Ronin was waiting for them.

The phantom looked like he had one of the happiest days of his life. Aron thought that he might hold a grudge, but it seemed like Ronin had done quite the opposite. He had a wide grin on his face and was so jittery his signing was hard to understand. He eventually calmed himself down enough to tell them that David had told him stories of his mother and shown him a few phantom tricks. It was going to count as his individual training for the rest of the year.

Ronin Jale and Aron went into their room and went to bed without conversation, thinking about their first day at Cranach Dale.