Side Story - Raphia - Chapter 2

Side Story - Raphia - Chapter 2 Conflict

“What!?” Cornelius exclaimed.

“I thought that was obvious,” William said in a monotone voice. He didn’t seem surprised.

“But how did you beat her then? No offense, but I doubt you could face an army… are the songs just all made up?” Cornelius said.

Dany laughed nervously, trying to stop her friend from going on.

“It’s quite alright,” William told her. “You will have to learn to discern people’s abilities and strengths. We were not fighting to the death, nor was it even a bout that you saw.”

He paused and sighed, looking at the four adventurers that had invaded his office.

“There is indeed an organization. I doubt it makes sense to pretend otherwise at this point. However, Lilith wishes for that not to become a well known fact quite yet,” the man spoke, his purple eyes piercing.

Cornelius only nodded, seemingly a little less sure about the whole thing now that it was confirmed to him who Lilith was.

“I want to join them,” Raphia said and flinched when the teacher glanced her way. “I mean… your training is go… good… it’s j…,”

Dany interrupted her. “Why was this never an option?” she asked bluntly. “We were entrusted to you by Ilea. I would think we’d be the first to be considered amongst new students.”

William’s gaze softened a little. “It’s true… Trian did inquire about you… and other new Shadowguard members. I simply thought it unwise.”

“Why?” Raphia asked.

“Because it’s an experimental organization. Ilea…,” he paused, thinking about his words before he continued. “I wanted to wait until I ask you.”

“You think we’re not ready,” Cornelius said, apparently over his inexplicable surprise.

William looked at him. “I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Ilea gave me the responsibility to train you, make you into Shadows. I think you’re on a very good way to get there. Your progress is incredibly fast and I doubt you’re going to stop suddenly,” he said. “Why do you want to rush it like that?”

“Philly accepts your offer,” Dany said. She ignored the look the ice mage was giving her.

“We know the training will be dangerous and… painful. You remember we trained with her before,” Dany added.

“You might have to give up one of your Classes,” William said.

“My second Class isn’t exactly the best around,” Cornelius said.

“I don’t have one,” Raphia said and smiled.

“What? You still haven’t decided? You already have good options,” the man said.

“Eh… there are just so many… none of them seemed… good enough,” Raphia admitted. And I want to be like her!

“Philly is that true?” William asked, looking at the girl instead.

She nodded.

“I see. You know, I didn’t mean to break up your team with that offer. I didn’t expect you to agree so quickly,” he said.

“And still you offered it,” Dany said. She didn’t seem particularly annoyed.

“I don’t intend to face creatures fifty or more levels above my own,” Philly said. “The fights we’ve been in already scared me…,” she looked down.

Cornelius shook his head before he was punched by Raphia.

“Don’t do that,” she said.

“Don’t punch me,” he snapped back.

“Asshole,” she said.

“Little shit,” he replied.

“You’re just three years older. At least behave like that,” Raphia said. She wasn’t scared of him anymore but still felt her heart pumping faster.

“Stop it,” Dany said, both of them quieting down instantly.

“Fact is, Philly won’t be part of this team anymore. As it sounds, that would have happened at one point or the other anyway. I know you just have the best for us in mind but we want this,” Dany said.

“They’re quite capable for their level,” Philly said, barely looking at them still.

He considered for a while.

“I think it would be best if you gathered some more experience first. To be thrown in to an organization like that is… difficult,” he said.

“We know it’s difficult, that’s why we want to do it. How do you think all of them got healer Classes this quickly… and not the kind Dany has,” Cornelius said.

“They were all specifically chosen… I don’t know if you simply wanting it is quite enough,” William said.

“Then let us try at least,” Dany said.

“It wouldn’t hurt. No?” Raphia asked. “If we fail, we go back to adventuring. Let us try on our own!”

William looked at her and sighed.

“I will contact them,” he finally said.

Raphia rejoiced and even Dany allowed herself a smile.

“However,” William added. “Your will undergo an initiation test. Not an easy one either.”

“Wow! This is huge!” Raphia exclaimed, following her friends into the large training hall. Most of it was just crude stone, the floor too. Magical lights shone from the ceiling and parts of the walls.

“Trian will be here in a little while. Until then, we’re going to have a little fun,” the woman who brought them here said. She had long brown hair, bound in a single braid. She wore what looked like a comfortable white and gray battle dress, the partially armored fabric reaching to just above her knees. Below she wore gray pants and boots.

Raphia thought the woman was having fun but she didn’t seem particularly friendly. She looked at them with a smile but not in the way her mother would look at her. Looks like a monster, she thought and smiled back.

“Before he comes, I will evaluate you,” she said and vanished.

Raphia couldn’t see anything and turned to her companions with a confused expression.

The woman appeared suddenly and she stumbled back, watching as Cornelius was punched in the face. The boy was lifted into the air before he landed with a hard thud.

Dany didn’t hesitate, drawing her blade before she attacked.

Raphia was unsure how to proceed, finally running to Cornelius and helping him up.

She heard a few yelps and turned her head, seeing Dany with her own blade sticking through her arm.

What?

Her eyes opened wide as her vision became a little blurry. She let go of the complaining Cornelius and focused on her magic.

Wood formed in front of her hand, ten spikes that seemed to vibrate and shrink. She sent them at the woman who approached Dany again.

Raphia was already running when three of her projectiles rushed out. She didn’t send all of them, knowing that the woman could teleport. Instead she ran towards Dany, intending to help her.

The healer gritted her teeth, ripping out the blade with a spray of blood before she moaned in pain, the wound closing slowly.

Raphia was focused, sending another two spikes at the woman when she appeared.

“Wood creation… impressive magic, girl,” she said and teleported back. “Are you not going to help her?”

Raphia had stopped between Dany and Cornelius. She knew that Dany would be fine and she wanted to protect both of them. More wood was already forming around her, roots growing out of her, thorns and spikes ready to impale the woman should she decide to appear behind her.

Her teammates joined her carefully as soon as they got over the shock of their injuries. They formed a small circle, only Raphia looking towards the woman.

“You’re not as inexperienced as I thought. My name is Sidney. I’m one of the combat instructors here,” she said and rushed them.

This time the projectiles were simply dodged and deflected, her armored dress easily enough to deal with the wood magic.

She paused for a moment when dust swirled around the whole group but pushed on nonetheless.

Raphia lashed out with her roots to keep the woman at bay, finding herself unable to keep track of her before something smashed into her left leg.

Bones shattered immediately, some of it sticking out of her flesh.

She looked down and stumbled, one of her roots moving between her teeth before she bit down hard, tears forming in her eyes as she fought against the pain. She still tried to look for the woman, hearing a dull noise from her right.

Cornelius grasped at his throat, a dent showing, the boy unable to breathe.

Dany was occupied, keeping Sidney at bay with her sword in an entirely defensive stance.

“Sorry!” Raphia said in a muffled voice, snot flowing out of her nose before a spike of wood punctured through Cornelius’ throat, allowing him to breathe again.

He kept focused and moved more and more dust towards Sidney, forcing her back slightly.

Raphia ignored the feeling of healing magic flowing through her, screaming as she pushed the bones back in with a wooden root to make the process faster.

They had experienced enough accidents and injuries by now to know how to support Dany in her healing. The woman had taught them what she knew about non magical medicine and first aid too. With her wood magic, Raphia had some ways to feel out certain herbs as well, as soon as she knew what to look for.

“Hmm,” Sidney mused as two blades appeared in her hands.

Raphia immediately extended her roots outwards to compensate for the increased range. Cornelius did the same with his dust, spreading it around the area while the woman considered.

Dany cried out when one of the blades cut through her arm near the elbow. A hit with the hilt smashed one of her eyes before she went down.

Wood and dust only managed to pierce through air.

All her roots formed a protective sphere as she went down to check Dany. Thin roots moved around her arm slightly above the elbow before they pressed down hard, stopping the blood flow from the open wound. The arm was gone anyway.

She checked the eye but didn’t know what to do exactly. It was bloody and unfocused.

“I don’t know what to d… do!” she cried out.

“Leave her for now and help me!” Cornelius said before he slammed into the wood.

Raphia instinctively opened the roots up and attacked everything in front of him.

The boy entered her protective sphere with several wounds on his arms, shoulders and legs. He looked angry.

“Can you stop the bleeding?” he asked, his voice surprisingly calm.

Raphia did what she could while he attacked the gray warrior outside of the sphere, barely seeing anything.

“Are you alive?” Sidney asked a moment later.

Raphia checked Dany’s pulse. “We are!”

“Not for long if you c… continue this!” she added.

Cornelius stayed quiet, going to one knee as he still focused on his spell.

“You can stop now,” Sidney said.

“And who’s to say you won’t just kill us?” Cornelius asked.

“I do,” a new voice said before sparks of lightning vaporized the wooden sphere protecting them.

A group of people appeared immediately, healing mana flowing into Raphia stopped her from attacking.

“Why didn’t you wait?” the man asked.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t start with my swords and they have a healer,” Sidney said.

He looked at the three of them and nodded. “I see.”

“She nearly killed us!” Cornelius shouted.

One of the healers snickered, drawing the boy’s attention.

“What?!” he snapped.

All of them were at a lower level but Raphia knew that didn’t mean a lot. They were mostly calm, their movements confident.

“She didn’t want you dead. That’s why you’re not dead,” one of the girls said.

The four people all vanished and appeared close to one of the walls as soon as they were healed.

Raphia slapped Dany’s face a few times until she woke up. “Danger,” Raphia said and focused back on Sidney.

The healer stood up quite quickly, only glancing at her severed arm. Her sword she held in her remaining hand.

“My name is Trian. Welcome to your evaluation,” the man said with a slight smile.

Raphia couldn’t help but smile. “We survived!” she called out and looked at her friends. They didn’t seem quite as joyous about that.