The classrooms approached as I maintained a consistent pace, the paper-thin walls did nothing to prevent the glares from reaching me. I instinctively stepped to the door of Dragon class, I reminisced on the fun times I had in the classroom named after a mythical creature. Later I would be surprised to know they could hear me at the door, but at the time I leapt back three paces as the door opened.
“Theodore, you coming to mock your teacher?” Mr Defargo exclaimed as he gave me a sullen stare from the door.
“Mr Defargo, no nothing like that.” I said as I stepped forward realising I was safe within the fortress of a school.
“Reminiscing on the great times you had in my class as you leave for the Imperial Academy of Magic?” He mentioned, hitting the nail on the head as I gave a light cough uncomfortably, “I knew it!” He exclaimed with joy as if he were my age.
“So Mr Defargo, what do you want?” I say bluntly, without a path for escape, I embraced the conversation in full. His old eyes stared me down, as his bright blue irises searched my soul. He straightened his back; he tapped my shoulder lightly as he turned to announce something to the class.
“Come on class, we’re going to have him demonstrate his magic.”
“A spar?” I inquired; the school’s grassy courtyard beckoned us forward as I Mr Defargo guided me toward humiliating defeat. My footsteps quickened as I was coerced into fighting a battle I didn’t want to attempt, Mr Defargo never attended a prestigious academy like the imperial academy of magic. However, all of the teachers fed us tales of his absolute prowess in battle. Mr Defargo, didn’t tell us any stories to induce fear, he merely mentioned them like a fleeting memory. That was what made me fear him, he didn’t need us to know his past to get our collective respect. I feared Mr Defargo but I also respected him. I couldn’t pin the feeling which he gave me, this only served me as a defence from offending the strongest teacher in the villages magic school.
“Here we are Theodore!” He exclaimed, as if he would enjoy tearing me apart in front of the new students of the dragon class. “Before I forget, here’s something my father told me to give you if you left the village!” he shouted, disregarding the entire school as he casually tossed me a blade resembling the crescent moon. Thin engravings lined the edge of the blade, the leather wrapped handle melded comfortable into my hands.
“Old Arcanan?” I ask I attempted to read the writing on the blade.
“Indeed! Even I’m not old enough to understand it!” He shouted across the field, I heard the shuffling of seats and students rushing to the windows to observe the happenings in the courtyard.
Shanon.C