The halls were now packed with students. Gwyn hadn't known where her next class was, but she knew it was called "Strength".
After roaming around for quite some time, she eventually found it, not later than most of the other students. It was the size of a gymnasium, but in the style of a dojo. A large mat covered nearly the entire floor. Weights, training dummies, targets and weapons were scattered all over the room.
"Welcome to Advanced Close Quarters Combat Training!"
The teacher greeted each student as they entered the room.
"Thanks," Gwyn said kind of awkwardly.
The teacher was definitely older than most elves. She had wispy hair covered by a large hat. Her ears drooped down, almost to a "U" shape. Something about her was off-putting to Gwyn, but she couldn't tell what.
"Come in! Come in! Lots of new faces this year!"
Lots of students of every shape and size filled the class. Gwyn observed them all, and some were definitely smaller than her, which was surprising. But then she saw something confusing. A tall, beautiful blonde woman was also in this class as well.
Anastasia? Two classes together? That can't be a coincidence.
The teacher, despite her age, gave an enthusiastic bow.
"Welcome, Class! I am Mrs. Bellbottom."
Most of the students were tight-lipped, for Mrs. Bellbottom had a reputation as a teacher one should avoid.
The silent response did not faze Mrs. Bellbottom.
"Okay! So, in today's class, we will be doing a bit of a benchmark, just to see your abilities." The teacher moved to the center of the large mat that occupied most of the room. "This will be physical sparring only, no magic allowed!"
A student raised his hand and said, with an annoyed tone.
"Why are we not allowed to use magic? In what situation would we not use our magic?"
The teacher laughed like she had lost her wits.
"Young and ignorant child. Sometimes you'll be in a position where you find yourself unable to use magic. Knowing some basic grappling and close-quarters combat techniques can save you in a pinch."
The class nodded in agreement, but only to get on Mrs. Bellbottom's good side.
Anastasia clearly wasn't paying attention to what the teacher was saying. She was just staring at Gwyn, and she was smiling at her pleasantly.
Gwyn furrowed her brows and gave a slight wave to her before turning her head.
Why is she acting like this?
"But I don't know how to fight!" One student shouted.
Gwyn thought the same. She's never really been in a fight, except with her older sister, but they were just messing around. Except when she punched Ana earlier, but it seemed she had forgiven Gwyn? The Chosen One was unsure.
Why was I in the advanced course anyway?A basic course followed by an advanced course? That doesn't make any sense.
She then supposed that the Dean wanted to be rid of her as soon as possible, and this conclusion satisfied her curiosity.
"This is just to see your knowledge and combat prowess," Mrs. Bellbottom said firmly. "Now, I'll assign your opponents." She looked at two students of about the same build. "Grendol and Vello. You two go first."
Her voice held a certain creakiness.
Vello cracked his knuckles.
"This will be cake."
Grendol seemed not to be as excited as his opponent. When they went on the mat in the center of the room, they stood on opposite ends of a circle.
"First to submit loses. You can also throw your opponent out of this circle that I am standing in."
She stepped off to the edge of the ring, and both students went on opposite sides of the circle. The teacher raised her hand high into the air and brought it down quickly.
"Begin!"
Vello lunged at Grendol, and Grendol cowered, causing him to hit the mat hard. Vello put Grendol in a rear choke, which caused him to tap immediately.
"The match is over!" The teacher shouted.
Wow, that lasted maybe fifteen seconds. This might not be so bad after all. I'll probably get my ass kicked, then I'll tap, and it'll be over.
This thought reassured the Chosen One.
"Next, Leo and Henderson!"
Leo?!
Gwyn looked, and the boy from the Wilds field trip was walking on the mat. His blonde hair with the blue streak was instantly recognizable. Gwyn wanted to wave, but she didn't want to distract him.
Again, Mrs. Bellbottom raised her hand and brought it down once both contestants were ready.
"Begin!"
Henderson took a defensive stance. Yet, Leo raised his hand.
"I concede."
"Winner, Henderson!" Mrs. Bellbottom shouted.
Cool, I can just instantly concede. I'll just do that then.
Leo looked bored as he walked off the mat and next to Gwyn.
"There is no point in overexerting myself on the benchmark. I suggest you concede as well." Leo said. "Hello, Chosen One, long time no see."
"Hey, Leo, and thanks for the advice," Gwyn said. "You've noticed Anastasia here, right?"
He nodded.
"That damned egomaniac keeps staring at you."
"I know."
Mrs Bellbottom was then handed a note by Anastasia. When she read it, a wicked smile crossed the teacher's face.
"Next, Gwynevere and Anastasia!"
Gwyn rolled her eyes. She'd seen this coming.
Ana walked up to the mat. Stretched her arms and legs as she tossed her robe to the side.
Gwyn did the same.
Ana approached Gwyn, hand outstretched.
"Ready, Chosen one?"
Gwyn raised her fists.
"I'm not shaking your hand. Let's get this over with."
Ana shrugged, then made her way to the other end of the circle.
"Whatever you say."
"Contestants ready? Fight!" The teacher shouted.
"I concede." Gwyn dropped her arms. Ready to not participate, but no sound was uttered from her mouth. "Hey! I can't-"
Wham!
Straight to the mat, Anastasia had Gwynevere pinned with the Chosen One's face firmly into the mat. The ring on Anastasia's finger glowed softly.
Gwyn tried to put up a fight, but it felt as though she was trapped under a boulder.
"You think you're so fucking smart, Gwynevere," Ana whispered with a hiss. "Take my boyfriend, right from under me? Do you know how long I was waiting for them to break up?"
Gwyn couldn't move her hand to tap out and forfeit the match, no matter how hard she tried.
"I'm going to see what's in that pretty head of yours."
Anastasia put her hand on Gwyn's skull, a lurching pain shot through the Chosen One, as though Ana was scalping her. But she was forcefully extracting memories, forcing Gwyn to see her past.
"What do we have here?"
A memory of Gwyn sitting at the dinner table as a little girl, her father and mother across from her, laughing and holding hands.
"Oh, what a sweet family you have. What else is there?"
In Gwyn's mind, her memories leapt forward. She was in middle school soccer practice, kicking the ball and scoring a goal.
"An activity of some sort?" Ana mumbled.
"Stop."
No sound came out.
Gwynevere finally got her hand out from under Anastasia, and she furiously tapped it on the mat.
But a winner was not declared.
"Sorry, Chosen One. Did I forget to mention you have to audibly say, 'I forfeit'?"
A plain face that hid an evil smirk.
"I forfeit!" Gwyn screamed, but again—silence.
Students looked scared and uncomfortable.
"Hey, stop the match!" Leo shouted, approaching the mat.
"You interfere, and I will fail you, Mr. Dynamo!"
Anastasia pushed harder on Gwyn's skull. To Gwyn, it felt as though she would split in two.
"You're trapped here as long as I want. What else do you have?"
Gwyn's mind was suddenly black. She couldn't see anything. But she heard pleading, grunting, and muffled cries for help. Gwyn was powerless again. Unable to do anything to help anyone, including herself.
Anastasia seemed perplexed by that memory.
A blinding light appeared, and Ana saw a face stained with tears, yet an unimaginable joy and relief painted Henry Grim's face when he discovered that his daughter was unharmed.
Anastasia was suddenly furious.
"Aww, did your poor family die?"
Ana punched Gwyn in the side of the head as hard as she could. Gwyn swore she felt a bone crack.
"Stop..."
Gwyn pleaded, but no words could be heard.
But Anastasia could feel her pleading. Her desperation. She did not need to say as much.
"Not until you've learned your lesson."
Ana looked a little further and saw Gwyn hugging her father. Somehow, despite that tragedy, it only seemed to bring them closer together.
This sent Ana into a rage.
"Still have happy memories despite losing your poor mommy? I bet she was a whore. Just. Like. You."
She hissed and punched Gwyn again and again. During this time, Gwyn managed to hit Anastasia once or twice, but her blows were ineffective. This only caused Anastasia to pin Gwyn to the mat with more abandon than before.
The pressure was unbearable, and it was difficult to breathe. Blood painted the side of Gwyn's face.
"Anastasia!" Leo shouted.
Mrs. Bellbottom held out her catalyst and pointed it directly at Leo.
"The match isn't over! Don't interfere." The teacher commanded.
A lot of the students looked uneasy.
"Please..."
No noise present except for the fight itself.
"Want me to stop? How about you stop fucking up my life."
She put Gwyn in an arm bar. Gwyn now tapped furiously with her other hand as Ana bent her arm back into an increasingly uncomfortable position.
"You think because you had a loving family back on Earth that you're better than me? If it wasn't obvious, Chosen One, you are never going back."
More pain as the tension in her arm grew.
An audible snap rang through the room.
Gwyn collapsed as a burning pain shot up her body. Anastasia had broken her arm at the elbow.
"Opponent incapacitated, match is over! Gwyn gets zero points for never making contact with her opponent."
Anastasia stood from Gwynevere.
"She hit her, I saw it!" Leo shouted.
"I saw no such thing. Gwynevere Grim. You have failed this sparring session and receive a zero."
A smug look of satisfaction on the teacher's face.
Ana spat on Gwyn.
"Stay away from my boyfriend. You can have that pink-haired whore though. You're perfect for each other."
Anastasia left the class without another word.