Bastial Explosion (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 3) (39 page)

“What’s going on?” Steffen asked. “Do you think it’s war?”

“I think it’s best not to assume,” Reela suggested.

Luckily, they didn’t have to speculate much longer. The Redfield bell chimed twice.

Perhaps it was because Effie was at home and the bell was in the center of campus, but this was the first time it didn’t startle her.

It was strange to see everyone in the stadium in normal attire and without weapons. Announcements at Redfield always had been in the middle of battle training. But it seemed as if everyone had been given the opportunity to change and leave their training weapons behind. Effie couldn’t help but take it as a bad sign.

“We’ve received some news,” Terren bellowed from the center before everyone was seated. Those still filing into spots hurried to get settled. Then everyone went quiet. “First, some of you may have felt the recent shaking. There was an explosion beneath Tenred. The Slugari found trapped Bastial Energy, and after a decision by the King’s Council, it was lit on fire and burst up through the ground, causing major destruction to the Tenred castle.”

Many people applauded.

“King Welson was preparing to follow up with an attack, though there have been reports that an army of Krepps is marching toward us from the northeast.”

Effie wasn’t the only one in the crowd who gasped.

“We’re still not sure of their exact target,” Terren continued. “Because they’re coming from the east, they don’t need to pass through the Fjallejon Pathway, which means they may strike one of our cities instead of the Academy. For this reason, none of the King’s Guard will be sent here until we know for sure the Academy is the target. If we are, then our walls and our archers and mages will serve as protection while we wait for reinforcements from Kyrro City.”

Terren didn’t have his usual enthusiasm that uplifted Effie’s spirits. She started to realize there was a lot he hadn’t told them yet, like how many Krepps were coming and when they were going to get there. Surprisingly, her pulse remained steady as she waited.

“Battle training has been canceled to make sure you’re all rested and in good condition. We’re expecting the Krepps to reach us before sunset.”

“Today?” Effie whispered to no one in particular. Other flutters of panic circled around the stadium.

Alex placed his hand on hers.

Terren raised an arm as he continued. “Even if we’re not the target, we must stay within these walls in case Tenred sends an army through the Fjallejon Pathway while the Krepps are attacking from the east.”

This seemed to alarm the crowd more than anything. People jumped from their seats and started shouting. Effie couldn’t understand what they were saying from where she sat, but soon her own worries made her realize what the shouts must’ve been about.

We’re supposed to sit here and wait while our families are being overrun by Krepps?

“The King’s Guard will defend your friends and family!” Terren shouted. “We cannot leave the Academy…” Effie couldn’t hear the rest of what he was trying to say, for the noise of the crowd had taken over.

A chant had begun somewhere on the other side of the stadium. People started standing and stomping their feet along with the rhythm. Effie couldn’t hear what they were shouting, though she could tell it was spreading.

Soon the chants were thundering against her from both the left and the right. She could hear the voices clear enough now.

“Fight. Fight. Fight,” they chanted, stomping their feet.

She joined in, hearing some claim they’d jump off the wall and run to defend their city if a guard wouldn’t open the gate for them.

Terren held out his arms as he screamed. It looked as if he was trying to calm a wild animal.

It wasn’t long before other instructors had joined him in the center, each gesturing and shouting. But Effie couldn’t hear what they had to say, not that she wanted to in that moment. She was prepared to chant and stomp as long as the crowd did—it was her life force in that moment. She would follow them anywhere, do anything they did.

Her blood ran hot, making her yearn to fight. The Krepps’ arrival by sunset was too long to wait. She was ready now.

Soon, she noticed the instructors giving up, smiling at each other and shrugging.

Terren raised his hand again for silence, this time nodding to show he understood.

Finally the chanting stopped.

“Never before have we witnessed such a display of disobedience.” Terren’s tone was excruciatingly disappointed.

Effie wanted to stand and yell, but she refrained. Others didn’t, though. The majority of students in the crowd gesticulated to show their anger. But Terren continued before it became too loud.

“And never before have we been so proud!”

Those previously angry began to applaud and cheer as Terren went on.

“We can’t stop you from fighting, and we won’t try. But hear this!” Terren threw out his palms. “The Academy may be attacked by Krepps. We can’t say whether we’ll be the only target, but we cannot leave these walls undefended until we know for sure that our enemies’ focus will purely be on the cities south of us. Stay within these walls until we know. When you leave Redfield, you’ll return to your campus house, equip your armor and weapons, and then report to your instructor for positioning.

“It’s time to let your seed of anger sprout. Remember the torment our enemies have caused us and let it fuel you. I cannot wait for this battle, and I sincerely hope it comes to our walls. The Krepps underestimate us. Our scouts have reported that battering rams and rope are the only tools they've brought to break through. The lone worry I have is that they’ll flee before they make it—before I have a chance to slay them with my sword.”

Effie could feel the same emotion within her. The urge to kill burned so hot, she practically was shaking in anticipation.

“Stand and put your hand over your heart,” Terren said, doing the motion himself.

The whole stadium mimicked him.

“Everyone has a reason to fight. It may be family, love, friendship, whatever it is—we fight for each other. The Krepps fight for hate. They want us eliminated so they can enslave and feed upon the Slugari race. Now, I’m not going to let that happen. Are any of you?”

“No!” the stadium boomed.

“They want to break down our walls and destroy the school. Are you ready to let that happen?”

“No!” Effie shouted with everyone, adding a silent curse for Brady.

“They want to storm through our cities and kill not only our friends, but our families as well. Are they going to succeed?”

“No!”

“They must think we’re weak to come into
our
territory with no siege weapons but battering rams and ropes, but are we?”

“No!”

“This is why I cannot wait for battle!” Terren thumped his chest with his knuckles and then shouted again. “I cannot wait. Say it!”

“I cannot wait,” the crowd echoed.

“I cannot wait to kill a Krepp!” Terren yelled.

“I cannot wait to kill a Krepp,” Effie and everyone repeated.

“Fight. Fight. Fight.”

Terren started the chant again. Every man and woman shouted and stomped their feet.

Someone let out a howl, then others started whistling. Effie felt chills down her back when the deep chant was replaced by cheering.

“Now get out of here!” Terren screamed at the top of his lungs, driving his fist into the air. “And let the bastards come!”

Chapter 34:

ZOKE

After Terren’s speech, for the first time Zoke felt too much like a Krepp. He admitted this to Warrior Sneary in hopes he could wear something so that he wouldn’t be confused for an enemy when his race attacked.

Zoke started to regret his comment when Sneary looked at him with a strange face, as if he was about to unleash a noxious fart.

“What is that expression?” Zoke asked, taking a step back.

The instructor’s usual scowl returned. “I was smiling.” He shook his head as he mumbled something. “Anyway, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to convince you to wear it until now. But we had a boiled leather tunic made just for you. Come with me.”

Zoke jogged beside Sneary to his house. Zoke would’ve thought it to be strange they weren’t walking, but the instructor hadn’t been seen walking anywhere since the war was announced. Alex was the first Human to comment on the weight Sneary had lost, but Zoke had heard many more comments from others.

When Sneary presented the tough blue tunic, he said, “It should be wide enough around the chest for you.”

It fit nicer than any shirt Zoke had worn before—which hadn’t been that many. His arms were mobile, his chest unrestricted.

Looking down, he noticed the design of a gold crown outlined in silver. On the blue tunic, he knew the symbol represented Kyrro.

“Now you’re truly one of us,” Sneary said, holding his hand out to be shaken.

Zoke had done it enough by now that he felt confident in the amount of pressure to put into his handshake. Sneary made the same face as before—a smile.

When Steffen, Effie, and Reela saw him enter their student house, they straightened their backs with pride.

“It looks like it fits,” Effie said, running her hand down the front of it.

“It does,” Zoke admitted. Then he noticed that each of them had the same light blue color with a gold crown outlined in silver on their chests.

Steffen had on a boiled leather tunic just like Zoke’s, though it was about half the girth. But Effie and Reela had no armor. Their dresses were blue and came down to their ankles. From the curves of their bodies, Zoke knew there was nothing sturdy underneath to protect them from a glancing strike, which was about all his tunic was good for. Still, he wouldn’t disregard that advantage.

“They don’t give armor to women?” Zoke assumed.

“It’s not because we’re women,” Effie answered. “It’s because I’m a mage and Reela is a psychic.”

“If a sword is going to strike us, then it’s going to strike us hard,” Reela added. “There’s no point in wearing armor because we don’t have any skill in defending ourselves. So we do away with the extra weight.”

“If we can’t stop them with magic or psyche before they get to us, there’s nothing armor’s going to do to protect us,” Effie said.

“But Steffen has a tunic,” Zoke said.

“I’m trained to fight,” Steffen said. “All chemists will engage in combat using potions and swords. Though our priority will be keeping distance and treating injuries of those who’ve fallen, if the battle goes on long enough.”

Vithos entered through the front door. He had on a blue robe that wasn’t much different from Reela’s except his sleeves were shorter. “I don’t like dress,” he commented. “I don’t understand why I need wear it?”

Reela giggled. “So everyone will know you’re on our side.”

“Won’t they see me kill Krepps?”

Zoke answered him in Kreppen. “It’s a matter of pride.”

“You’re proud to wear that?” Vithos asked in the same language.

“I am.”

“Then I will be, too.”

“Settled?” Reela asked in common tongue.

“Settled,” Zoke answered.

“I’m sure there are a lot of preparations that need to be done,” Steffen said. “We should be meeting with our instructors.”

“Where are you supposed to go, Vithos?” Reela asked.

“Terren. I want see you all first. Say…” He transitioned to Kreppen. “
Jektik
. How do you say it in common tongue, Zoke?”

“Fight hard,” Zoke said it for him.

“Fight hard,” Vithos repeated. “
Jektik
.”

“
Jektik
.” Reela smiled as she said it.

“
Jektik
,” Steffen and Effie spoke in unison.

As they left the house, Zoke’s thoughts turned to Zeti. Every time he thought of his sister, the image of her standing before him was sweeter than the first gulp of water after hours on Warrior’s Field. But now the image evoked nothing but dread. His greatest hope was she wouldn’t be part of the army marching toward them.

Chapter 35:

EFFIE

Effie was lined up alongside her fellow Group One mages, looking out over the wall. Her instructor had told her that the parapets of the Academy’s walls were designed to protect mages from arrows. She wondered if this information was what kept her at ease as she waited for the Krepps to come from the east.

The walls themselves were ten feet tall, though there was some concern that the Krepps would be able to jump high enough to grab on to the tops of them and climb up, even without rope.

“Where are the Slugari?” Effie asked.

“There wasn’t enough time to reach them, from what I understand,” Penny said. “They’re tunneling into the King’s designated areas within Kyrro and can’t be reached until that’s finished.”

No matter,
Effie told herself.
We don’t need them to win this.