3
(Rinday, cont.)
Kri’enden – Joton Shaze Academy
.
Jessten Sipper had seen the building before, of course. It was prominently opposite the arena and the brand new casino that was nearing completion. Joton Shaze Academy was an older three-story building, built of varying colors of bricks, arranged into elegant tribal patterns that some called gaudy due to their brightness. It was impossible to be in Joton for more than a few days without knowing about this building.
Accompanied by Se-orna Jotoln, she stopped outside, admiring the design.
“Once you get to learn the patterns, you’ll know which tribes were involved in the design. This one is from my tribe, the Yeziling. Some consider us part of the Kri’enden, some don’t. It’s best to not get too wrapped up in it,” Se-orna explained. “Just be aware that some people are hostile if you get them mixed up!”
“I'll try to remember,” Jessten promised. She admired the building further. “Large building,” she commented. “Office space upstairs?”
“Some, but a lot of it is lodging. Sometimes visiting instructors or students will live in the upper stories. A single instructor might prefer to live here anyway, taking the modest rent out of his salary,” Se-orna explained before they went inside.
Jessten felt like a new student in an elite school.
“Se-orna. It’s nice to see you back. You’ve brought a friend?” the secretary asked. “Go on in, you’re just in time for the tournament!”
“See?” Se-orna said.
Jessten nodded, but was uncomfortable, feeling singled out as every head in the room turned their direction – and almost every head was male. In the Complex, there would be women as well as all were expected to be proficient in shaze and martial arts.
The sparring room had seating on all sides, even a balcony crowded with non-competitors. Back to the floor, she noticed a group of teenagers and young adults and an instructor, who wore an outfit similar to what Jessten was used to in the Complex, but without a cloak. His skin was fair, like Laisen’s. She banished the blush that momentarily threatened her cheeks at the thought of him.
“What’s this?” the instructor asked when he saw them. “The scintillating Se-orna has brought a fascinating friend to take on our lovely lads?”
Jessten felt herself go into a blush, but stopped it. She could feel Se-orna fighting it too.
“We’re bored,” Se-orna said. “Jessten was hoping to find some new shazes to fight.”
Jessten nodded.
“How good are you?” the instructor asked.
Jessten shrugged.
“I guess you’ll just have to find out,” Se-orna teased.
“Pad up!” the instructor told the two young women. “You’re in luck. We were just about to start our weekly tournament.”
Jessten and Se-orna hurried over to the locker where they were given the sparring pads. Then, they were each handed a training shaze.
“We have shazes already,” Jessten said.
“We all use the same weapons here,” the instructor insisted. “Keeps things fair. Put your shazes next to me, I’ll look after them.”
Jessten and Se-orna took their belts off and set them together near where the instructor sat.
“You first, Irolean,” the instructor called. He called a teen boy to fight against her.
Jessten drew from what had been taught her over the past few months. She met the boy’s strike with a parry, but quickly turned the tables on him to go on the offensive. She used the leya to push and pull as she went, until the boy was knocked into the foam pit. She grinned.
“Your name, Irolean?” the instructor asked, with a smile.
“Jessten Sipper,” she replied.
“I’m Mathis Woodbury,” he informed.
Se-orna’s battle went similarly. “Well done, Se-orna. I’m glad you’ve been keeping it up,” the instructor complimented.
Jessten wondered if the instructor had deliberately chosen weak opponents for their first rounds. She wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or not.
There were other first round clashes which were closer in level, though even Jessten could see that the opponents were making many mistakes.
“Everyone who won that round is through to the second round,” Mathis said, moving them to another part of the room. “The guys sitting here already had byes on the first round, so they’re nice and fresh. You are not.”
Se-orna went second, against a young man who had won his first round match. Se-orna fought well, but eventually fell into the foam pit.
“Careful, he was really good!” she said to Jessten as she sat down. “You’ll get him next round if you get through this one.”
Jessten nodded, then got ready for her fight.
The older teen had the advantage of height and speed. But Jessten knew that she could be more agile and had a lower center of gravity. She worked hard, striking where he was weak. He parried every blow for awhile, and then went on the offensive. Jessten fought back very well until she could finally risk a swipe of the leya under him and he fell. Jessten felt like cheering.
“You’re not done yet, Jessten,” the instructor reminded her. “Take a few minutes to rest.”
Jessten’s next opponent was the one who had defeated Se-orna. He was much stronger and faster than she was. She made the mistake of making a faulty first move, and soon found herself in the pit.
“Good show for your first time, Jessten. I think we can turn you into a decent shaze fighter yet,” Mathis said. “Come back tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is Terraday,” Jessten said.
“We train every day. You come whenever you like, but if you want to win the tournament, you need to come back tomorrow.”
Jessten nodded before joining Se-orna. They returned the training shazes and padding. Then, after strapping on their own shazes they turned to leave.
“Hey!” the guy who defeated her approached and introduced himself. “I’m Frey Rovlin. Can I buy you dinner?”
“Okay,” Jessten agreed. Se-orna gave her a thumbs up as she left the club, leaving Jessten with Frey.
♥♥♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on [Goodreads](coming soon) for me.
Buy at: (coming soon to Books2Read, Scribl, LBRY and Lulu - paperback.)
Other Chapters of this set
Birth of the Neví - Chapter 1 on Whaleshares
Name of the Neví - Chapter 1
Mind of the Neví - Chapter 1
Game of the Neví - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- Kri'enden & Joton - 830 TCE (New/imprived map coming soon)
- Character Guide and Image Credits
- Calendar and Glossary - for Name of the Neví but these two parts are true throughout.
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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blogging on: Steem, Whaleshares, WeKu, Hyperspace
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