Providence by Dwa-vi Deslouches (bts book recommendations .txt) 📖

other two boys after seeing their superior bested hesitated before charging in unison. Jumping up Karin wrapped her legs around one’s neck and snagged the other in an iron headlock tumbling to the ground holding both of them. On the ground Malikay was close to his objective. The knife just pressed on Xzander’s chin letting blood trickle down his neck.

 

         Suddenly Xzander felt a weight lift off of him as Malikay was hoisted bodily off of him cursing and spitting. Enoch jabbed hitting thin air as his two opponents were grabbed in crushing bear hugs and lifted off their feet. Unfortunately for Karin one of the two boys freed himself and gave her a sharp kick in the stomach before being knocked out by a gauntleted fist to the temple. She was then detached from her second victim and held in place. Everyone was silent with the exception of Malikay who still howled profanity.

         “Shut him up,” drawled a familiar voice “And someone give me a report.” All assembled shared a groan of exasperation as Jacob Saarzin, son of the academy’s director strolled into the pavilion like a prince into a seedy tavern. A tall boy in red and gold, Jacob’s troupe colors, jogged over to him and began his report. Jacob set his dissatisfied lazy gaze on the first years and shook his head in disappointment. “You first years were appointed to us for being some of the best and brightest of the Kahran union young. I guess we got the wrong group” he mocked sourly “how are we supposed to present this rabble in the graduation battle if you can’t even have enough discipline to govern yourselves. You’ll never make second year at this rate.” Xzander bristled under his assessment. Jacob and his friends were second years on their way to the magical academy finishing school for fighters as part of the military’s vanguard project. As a result they ruled over the first year like aristocrats over peasants, taking the choice supplies and land for themselves.

 

         “Who was the assailing party?” Jacob Queried. All eyes hit the ground, as the students were suddenly very interested in the rocks beneath their feet. Jacob scowled before nodding.

 

         “Fine then ten laps on the track for everyone” he ordered “forget your food and get a move on”. The assembled students all stared at him before he roared “Now!” Startled by the sudden noise the recruits set off back down the path to the training ground to start their run.

 

         After about two hours off dragging himself through the run Xzander finished gratefully at the dining pavilion. Dropping himself to the ground he groaned in appreciation of the break. spotting a pair of boots beside his face he stood back up. A boy stood with a bucket and some rags. He looked at Xzander with a bit of respect that was quickly dispelled and said, “Clean up this mess, Dishes stacked on the serving table and clean the tables.” Xzander nodded grimly before taking on the task, moving slowly in his exhaustion. By the time anyone else showed up he was putting the rags away and dropping down onto the newly cleaned seats. When about twenty students had gathered Jacob came strolling in with two of his closest men and boomed “This week is now a survival week, do what you want but no supplies will be coming in and we will be hunting you down. Avoid us and death and you get to have a meal with the second years in the barracks.” The assembled all seemed to forget their exhaustion and began stretching to run away.

 

         It was a tall boy who spoke up he asked “What of the others, the ones who haven’t gotten here yet?” Jacob gave them an evil smile and said, “They should have ran faster.” Then he touched a horn to his lips and blew it. After a moment of silence they heard the loud clanking of the beast gates and the roars of their inhabitants. Jacob stared at them his eyes observing hungrily before he said in a whisper “Begin”.

 

Chapter 2

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       Karin, hearing the horn turned off the track and began climbing a tree.

 

         “Looks like nature girl’s lost a few of her coins if you catch my meaning” Mocked a black haired boy as he strolled with his friend. She bristled under the comment but continued her progress. At the top of the tree she stood and picked out the scents around her. When she adjusted to her surroundings she took the cloth that Xzander had given her and used it as a comparison to his scent. She then shut her eyes and tuned to the energies around her. When she was assured of her assessments in her mind she could see lines signifying scents, strongest being the darkest and so on, and her surroundings in dull gray pulsating with energy. Climbing her way back down she set off following Xzander’s scent into the woods.

 

         Enoch had been following Karin since the beginning of the run to help her if Malikay and his thugs tried to get revenge on Xzander through her. Now he was struggling to follow her through the dense woods without her noticing him stalk her. It was difficult going as she was so attuned to her surroundings. He was coming around a tree to follow her and couldn’t find her. Before he could react she dropped down on him from above pinning him to the ground in a headlock. Not knowing who had dropped onto him Enoch panicked striking the pressure points in in her arms with the deft touch of an expert. They fell limp at her sides as she staggered back in horror. He whipped around and cried aloud in alarm when he saw that it was her that had dropped down on him.

 

         “Why would you do that to someone?” he cried indignantly regaining his composure.

         She looked at him incredulously and retorted, “I could ask you the same question.” He put up both hands and approached her slowly. She held still but he could tell her muscles were taught in case she needed a hasty escape. He grabbed her right arm first pressing the pressure points between his thumbs and index finger. He then quickly moved to the left and repeated the process. As soon as he finished and Karin had feeling in both of her arms she punched him in the jaw with her right hand. He stumbled back and stared at her slack jawed.

 

         ‘That’ll teach you to stalk and immobilize me” She growled angrily.

         “No, that will teach me not to give you feeling in your right arm first next time” He muttered sourly. Karin went rigid with anger and stomped toward him stopping fist raised when he put his hands up in submission and mustered a taut smile.

 

         “I’ve actually been following you since the fight to make sure that you didn’t get jumped by Malikay and his thugs alone” Enoch confessed hastily adding, “Not that I wouldn’t have done the same for Xzander it’s just that he held his own…” his voice trailed off as Karin was again glaring at him.

         “I held my own just as well as him!” She stormed angrily.

         “Yes I- that’s what I was going to say” chuckled Enoch nervously. “At any rate I think we should go and find him I don’t know what’s going on but I think you do.” Said Enoch. She nodded still wary of veiled insults and began tracking the scent again.

         “I heard the beast gates open and a battle horn. Last time I heard that was survival week, and they let all the monsters loose on survival week. So we have to find Xzander and make sure he doesn’t get himself eaten ok?” The false perkiness of her explanation accentuated the grim undertones of her words and Enoch felt a darker side to this cheery girl. As they walked Enoch noted her long black hair and tan skin. He pondered what province she hailed from. The Kahran union was among the largest nations now and stretched across what was known as the Americas up until thirteen P.C (post creation) and Karin could have come from any one of the costal cities that made up the union. From her complexion he guessed she was from one of the southern provinces but, of course, he could be wrong.

 

         Karin stopped abruptly and Enoch being preoccupied bumped into her winning him a withering stare. She held her index finger to her lips and pointed to her ears. The message was clear, don’t talk and listen. The two crouched stock-still waiting and listening. Suddenly Karin sprang to the side nocking Enoch flat. Before he could protest a cow sized spider web flew overhead and slammed into a tree with a heavy thud. He drew a breath to talk and she covered his mouth eyes wide in fear. Using her fingers she counted down from three before pulling him up and running for cover.

 

         The second they came up Enoch spotted the creature. The Gargantuan Wood Stalker could only be described as a giant spider, boasting eight log thick legs and a green mottled scorpion tail. Its seven eyes were spaced in a ring around its head and the creature’s maw presented bone-crushing pincers. Enoch faintly heard Karin say something about acid when he spotted the projectile. A small fist sized web was flying toward him and at the last minute he drew his cape across his torso and bore the strike. The impact was like a bull slamming into his side as he turned and he was nocked off his feet by the shock. He quickly rolled out of his cape slashing the restraining strap from his torso and neck with a dagger realizing the stench of acid burn. Diving to the side he narrowly avoided another clump of acid web and rolled into a bush beside Karin.

         “Enoch we need to get out of the woods.” She urged frightfully “These things hunt in pairs and we don’t want to meet this things mate!” Enoch nodded and tried to stand. His whole world swam and his knees buckled under him. Quickly Enoch reached into a hidden pocket in his vest and pulled out two red vials. He silently cursed himself, as he had not labeled his tonics in his haste to be on time to the training grounds that day. One was a potion that cured any bite or non-magical poison and the other, a deadly poison. He smiled at the irony. Right now he held life and death and yet he was at the mercy of a bug. He laughed aloud and tipped back the contents of the vial in his left hand.

 

         Karin, looking over at Enoch saw him drink something. His eyes rolled back in his head and he was still. She fought back a sob that she had no idea where it had come from. She barely new this boy and now he slumped dead or close to it and she was to scared to move her legs. She saw him shudder violently falling on his side and writhing around before going still