I focused on my studies with dad more than the ones at the academy seeing as I had already been through it once already. Working my way through the next six months to the next test.

I was less excited about this than the first time I had done this, all I thought about was whether or not they were going to fail me again and if I would face another year in this hellish class.

This third attempt was more of a written test, where we had to fill in questions about the knowledge we had learnt throughout the year. I had heard it twice so just sailed through it; I was surprised at how much I remembered considering I had fallen asleep for the really boring stuff.

The second part of the test was on the fighting style the knights used at the academy, using pictures to show which ones were ever right or wrong, again easy, done it all with dad too.

As I neared the end of completing it I felt somewhat excited, but then as I filled in the last question, my eyes widened as my paper began to burn somehow being set alight.

“Agh!” I cried out, grabbing hold of it, and waving it in the air, trying to put the fire out. “No!” Everyone in the class just watched me, not even bothering to help me save my chance of leaving Instructor Willis’s class.

“Fang, sit down.” Instructor Willis came over.

“My paper is on fire!” I shouted, if this completely burned that was it, another year, we were told at the start that we only got one try to complete it. I knew for a fact he would not let me take the test again.

“Larana help,” I through the half burned pages on the ground, brushing dirt I could find on the floor over it, but the flames continued to burn.

“You haven’t mastered my power yet. I would simply make it worst,” responded Larana.

“Try.” I lifted my hands, summoning her power to try to blow out the fire, but before I had even done that I knew it was too late.

“Sorry master,” apologised Larana, she then came to my ear. “The flames were caused by another talisman.”

“What?” I looked at her, someone had burned my test deliberately. I stood up looking around the room, where was the culprit. I caught a glimpse of a fluffy tail, leaving at the window. “No, you don’t.” I dashed for the door, heading outside to catch a glimpse of the one who had taken my chance away, but when I looked around the area there was no one about.

“Did you see who did it Larana?” I asked her, almost in a panic.

“No.” Larana shook her head, just hovering in front of me. “Whoever it was has a very powerful fire talisman, if I had just seen the weapon I could have told you their current master.”

I smacked my fist against the wall. “Another year.”

“Master.”

“Fang get back in here!” shouted Instructor Willis.

I slumped forward. “This proves it. I’m stuck here.” I slowly headed back inside, giving up on the idea I would ever leave it.

“It would seem you’ll be spending another year with me Fang,” said Instructor Willis as everyone else handed in their test results.

“Yeah.” I headed back, taking my seat, watching all the others handing in their papers.

“Someone burned that,” snapped Larana. “He should be able to take it again.”

“I am sorry, but we only had enough for today’s test, it’s not like we can just have another written out just for you.”

“Don’t bother Larana,” I shook my head, she looked back at me then disappeared. She knew more than me what the dark influence did to people and to be honest I no longer cared.

The next year brought no change from the first or second. I began to avoid Tigra ashamed and embarrassed at the situation I seemed to be trapped in.

The fourth year brought a small change but did not give me anymore hope on progressing any further within the academy, but someone to share it with.

Ibiki joined my class shortly after the new year started, he was an Uncia like Master Lance. When I first saw him, I thought he would be the same as everyone else, someone unable to even wield a sword, but I soon found out how wrong I was.

“So, you’re Fang.” He began as we entered a sparring match, set up together in class. “I heard this is your fourth year at the basic’s class, not much of a warrior then.”

“I haven’t been stuck here by choice.” We circled one another, pointing our swords at each other.

“Son of Yamato, wielder of the wind fairy.” Ibiki was smiling at me. “Don’t hold back Fang.” He came at me first, swinging from the right.

I sighed avoiding to the left, stepping behind him, ready to knock him down, but he turned catching his sword against mine. Our eyes met and I saw this keen look them, a look that I had not seen in the others, perhaps I was presuming wrong about his skill, if so why was he here.

“Seems I’ve underestimated you,” I admitted as we circled each other again.

“It would seem you have.” I took more notice in him now, he seemed calm and collective, most probably trained just like I was by his father.

“How did you get stuck here?” I asked curious to his situation, was it similar to mine.

“I made a slight slip up during my test,” he answered honestly. “Shame, it cost me everything, but I guess since your down here too, it won’t be too bad.”

“You have no idea the rubbish Instructor Willis sprouts.” He was in for a treat.

“Are we going to spar or just chat?” questioned Ibiki. I could see his eyes become slits, he wanted to fight.

“Fine, but I must warn you I was taught by the best.” I darted forward.

“So was I.” Ibiki did the same.

Our swords clashed multiple times. I quickly came to realise we were equally matched. I jumped back to get my thrust in my next move, but he chased after me, giving me no chance to do so. His swings were quick and accurate, but so was mine.

Neither of us could land a single hit on the other, I could almost picture Tigra as we were fighting, just like how we used to spar, one difference from them I had Larana, and he said not to hold back. I ducked down low.

As his sword swiped above my head I pushed my free hand forward, pushing him back with a gush of air.

He was surprised for a moment, then smiled. “Not bad.”

Ibiki came at me again, this time I felt a slight chill in the air, ice forming on the tip of his sword, was this a talisman? I shook my head. No, it was something else, perhaps a natural ability similar to Tigra’s.

As his sword made contact with mine, the ice travelled onto mine and I felt a chill run throughout my entire body, I would have to stick to evasion if I didn’t want to become an ice cube. I carried on the fight like I was avoiding the sphere from my training with dad.

We spent the entire class just sparring, fighting with wind and ice ignoring everything else in the room, we kept going until neither one of us could.

After our fight we laid on the ground laughing, it had been a while since I had connected to someone, we quickly became friends through our fight and the fact we were both trapped in the same net.

I felt a strange relief as I made another friend, since Tigra. At least Ibiki didn’t fear me like the others, but what if they began to treat him the same way they did me, I couldn’t put him through that.

“Why does everyone in this class seem to fear you?” asked Ibiki.

“I don’t actually know,” I shrugged. “I think Instructor Willis has something to do with it.”

“Why?” He looked at me.

“I don’t know.” I glanced over to where Instructor Willis was, he was giving pointers to some of the others. “He’s just a puppet.”

“A puppet?” I could tell he was curious about it, but I still did not have any answers to my own questions. “Why don’t you tell me everything, from the start.” I nodded and told him everything, from day one.

“And thus, begins my fourth year stuck in this class.” I finally finished.

“Sounds like someone has a serious grudge against you,” responded Ibiki.

“Yeah, but who? I’ve made no enemies…” I stopped myself, thinking about Dumah, he had been the one who had got me stuck here in the first place. “Have you heard of the Leo Dumah?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Let’s just say I think he’s the one with the grudge.”

“What did you do?” Ibiki had listened to everything I had to say, I felt I could trust him.

“Not telling him where Tigra went.” I answered. “But nothing that would warrant this kind of response.”

“I’ll help you find out if you want.”

“No point.” I shook my head. “Unless we can prove it, which I doubt, and no one would listen anyway.”

“Don’t give up.”

I stood up. “I wish everyone would stop saying that, because I have.” I walked off leaving him there. I’d just had enough of everything, no matter what anyone said or did I was stuck here, might as well get comfy.