Weaponry

Aileen's POV

The afternoon class consists of advance classes about geopolitics of different country, archeology, organic biology, advance study of economics, and Guide control. "Guide control..." Rachel whispered as she look at our class syllabus. Guide control is a matter of command to your Guide and usage of its power, depending on the Guide's ability, you could be weak or strong, but that already could be a given due to ranking. There is also a matter of weapons, the ones that we will be using are swords, bow and arrows, spears, and a scythe. Shields are rather out of the question of armor to use since our ability will be the one to handle that. "Students are requested to visit the armory department whenever we have time" Rachel look at the paper then turn it around, revealing the map towards the armory department. This department, of course, specializes into making 'mana weapons' and altering one when a student already have one. "Have you thought of what weapon would you use?" Rachel cut off my train of thoughts, "ah..I thought I would be excuse to this kind of class so choosing a weapon didn't cross my mind one bit" I replied. While I do have mana reserves, I have no confidence into channeling them into weapons. "I plan on using a sword for now since I originally trained with one" she continues, "your family has been proud users of rapier though" I replied. Goodman isn't only known for their technological skill and power, they also hold the title for fencing champions and even dated back to old times in Britain. "Right, but I never became compatible with a long and thin sword so I choose to wield a wider one" she explained while looking down at the paper and looking around us, "well, I plan to try out a scythe if possible" she added. Scythe is a weapon many are attracted to use yet when they saw how huge it was and when trying to grab the body of it, they immediately backed out. "You have been working out so, I guess you could carry a body of the scythe" I said, "what about you? This is rather mandatory and you haven't trained with one" she stop and folded the paper, "I advise you to use something light weight like a bow or a sword like mine" she added, I nod in response. I look up to see the room sign, it written in calligraphy like a store. Rachel opens the door slowly, revealing a reception room, "excuse us.." Rachel said as she got in first. The room, nearly as large as a three-bed apartment, was filled with silence and cold air sustained by two air conditioners, "why do they need two?" Those were my thoughts but my mouth just said it, Rachel look over, "well, beyond that door is many users of refined mana so the heat will be unbearable, to withstand it, this reception room is built to contain the members and also accept students, that is why they control the amount of visitors to avoid cluster" Rachel explained, and as she finish, the door that she mentioned swings open gently and reveals a girl in a blacksmithing outfit, "and who would you be?" She sternly ask, I flinch in fear as I saw her eyes intensely glaring at us, "I am Rachel Goodman, first daughter of the current head of the Goodman family" Rachel started, bowing in courtesy. Of course, it is customary that, if needed, to bow at someone for respect, especially when introducing yourself or greeting. I snap out of my fear and followed, "I am Aileen Victor" I bow with courtesy, "I see, well, I am Rei Roosevelt, pleasure to meet you" she greeted with a gentleman's courtesy, well, that's a first.

"I advise you to use your sword if you have one, miss Goodman" Rei said as soon as Rachel finished explaining about how she wanted to test other weapon. "Many also said the same thing and ended up backing out since they weren't compatible with the weapons, if so that you will insist, please consider us" Rei added. I guess I could see where they're coming from, this room isn't connected to the training room or testing area, nor is there a portable device to transfer handful weapons into the other area. "Miss Rei, I would consider your advice, but my friend here has not yet tried any weapons" Rachel said back, both of them diverted their attention towards me, "I would like to try weapons, and if transporting the weapons back and forth is what you're worrying about, we would carry it" I said reassuringly, Rei sighed and took a piece of paper, "this is the rules of the testing area, I would get the weapons ready for trial, we would also like to take this chance then, to test our prototypes" Rei stated and gave me the paper. Not only is the rules written, but also the map towards the testing room. Rei stood up and left the room to ready the weapons. "I guess some were just playing around" Rachel suddenly said, breaking the silence of the room, "you mean the students that requested?" I ask, confuse on whom she was referring it, "yeah, who else? Those students probably just wanted to play around, considering this is also a prestigious university, most of us here are probably spoiled" she explained, I just leaned back more, hitting my spine to the back of the chair, "besides that, I wonder if this even could work" I said, "you drank something, right?" She ask, I waved my head around while holding paper, "I did, but somehow, I don't feel a surge of mana that's why I'm worried" I replied. The door swings open the second later, "we put majority of the prototype in and some old models sitting on the table" Rei said, pushing a cart that contains around 10 suitcases, both normal and long sized. "We'll be going then" Rachel started first, standing up then taking the cart by hand, I followed, "take your time trying them" Rei said and bowed to us under the same manner as earlier.

We arrived, looking at a heavy metal door with red lines on both sides, a sign also swing just like the armory. I tried twisting the cooper knob, it's open, then I push the door with almost all my strength. "So, first of all, the testing area can be use as a mana reformation area" Rachel started as we both step into the room, "at the very least, I think you can form something" she added, stopping the cart, "well, how would I do that? I don't have a Guide to begin with, let alone my own mana and essential core" I said, she thinks for awhile then goes to the cart, grabs one of the normal sized suitcase and then opens it and grab its content out, it looks like a husk.

"Let's see..." Rachel examined the husk, "if I remember correctly, around maybe...11 years ago? I think you've done something like this already" she said, 11 years ago? When we were 8 years old? "Wait, you were there?" I ask, bewildered. "There what?" She ask, confused, "when we were 8 years old, the accident that cause a commotion with our family before" I explained, Ailey sighed after hearing it. "right, you forgot about it" she simply said, I look down, what the hell happened?

"I'll demonstrate first" she said and raise the husk, arm extend and just at her chest level, "so, mana weapons are based to your imagination and how can you make your imagination turn reality" she closed her eyes as she said it, then golden light shown to each side of the husk and then continue to extend, creating a bow image, "and about the arrows..." she put up a stance and ready her aim, I step aside. A string later showed and then a long fire arrow formed on to her fingers, she shot it and burned the target, "mana is used as projectiles nowadays, this is a prototype" she added. The form turned back into a normal husk, "then..." I wanted to try to say how could I do something like that but I stop myself, "well, I'm letting you use old models, meaning..." she returned the husk into its suitcase and grabs the long suitcase, "this here is a scythe body" she opened the case, revealing what seems like a staff, "but I still have to get the blade" I said, "that's one, but this can be used as simple as a staff, if one is not used to mana reformation, they simply resort to coating it with mana or imagine that the staff is one of their body and channel mana around it but can't used a scythe blade" as she explain, I grab the staff out of the case, it has a weight into it but I can manage. I tried swinging it around and a few turn around my body. "Since its kinda heavy, I can control its direction pretty well since it's not that fast" I said, "that's great, now if you try to intake a lot of vial, I think you can create a blade anytime soon" she said, she look behind to see the cart, "want to test more weapons?" She ask as she point at the cases, "yeah..." I simply agreed and return the staff-- I mean, the scythe into its case, "you don't have to return it back on the cart, we'll have classes about Guide control tomorrow and weapons are said to be mandatory" Rachel explained without looking at me, I just nod in response even though I know she's not looking.

Chapter 8 end.

To be continue