Chapter 26: A Bird In The Bush

Chapter 26: A Bird In The Bush

"Now." Both team leaders ordered at the same time, and [Guard] barriers went up at the same time that two blinding sword lights tore across the intervening gap, and six red streaks came down from the sky toward the mages' backs.

Karl slashed an uppercut toward the attackers, sending his own [Rend] attack into the incoming sword light. The collision dissipated the claws, but dimmed the light of the sword attacks, before the second [Rend] stopped them entirely.

The warriors on Karl's team smiled in victory as Hawk's attacks took down both of the mages, activating the defensive charm on their uniforms and sending them out of the battle.

"Sonofabitch, what just happened?" One of the attackers shouted, unaware that they had been ambushed.

They looked around frantically, unsure of where the next attack would come from. Hawk was still in the trees behind them, unwilling to fly out and make himself a target if he didn't have to. It distracted them for just long enough that Karl could launch two more attacks of his own, forcing them to defend, while Dana prepared her Magic Missiles.

She took longer than most to cast them, but when she did, her strength was much better than average. The attacking team leaders couldn't do anything about the magical projectiles, as their blades were already out of position from trying to parry Karl's [Rend].

They took the hits, absorbing them with their enhanced physiques, then jumped sideways to dodge the next attack by Hawk.

"That's just low. How did you trick the monsters into being on your side." The boys complained, while Karl's team laughed.

"Didn't they warn you? Karl has a pet Hawk, it's the talk of the first year dorms." Dana joked.

Their banter was interrupted as they were all surrounded by glowing magic, and moved to the staging area where they had started the battle.

"The match is over. I let you chat for a moment, but the victory goes to defence team five." The older mage announced.

"How did we lose?" The attackers demanded.

But if they got to be on his team again, there was a good chance that they would get the extra bonus at least once more this semester. So far, all of their battles had ended in a phyrric victory, with the attackers only having a few remaining students when the fight was over.

The bonus wasn't cumulative, each winning student got the same, unless the teachers decided that they didn't do well enough to deserve it. So having all nine of them get the bonus was a huge victory for their pockets.

"How about we meet at the study hall after we shower? There are some good places to relax and study for the afternoon, if you'd like to join us." One of the warriors asked.

Dana smiled at Karl. "What theory classes do you have? I haven't seen you in any of the magic ones, so it must be a physical attack skill that you use."

Karl tried putting on his best innocent face, but the others caught it immediately.

"You don't have any theory classes handing out homework, do you? Are you in all practical classes?" Dana demanded, with jealousy showing on her face.

"I have skill interception training in the morning, martial arts in the afternoon, and then Sergeant Rita assigns me lessons as she sees fit. It's not really a class, just a bit of study on things I should know, like monster anatomy." Karl explained.

One of the boys laughed. "Well, you've got it better than Dana. She's got theoretical magic and practical skills in the morning across from our classroom, then she's in modern dance and cosmetology all afternoon."

Dana blushed, while Karl gave the cute mage an assessing look. She wasn't the sort of stunning beauty that would grow into a supermodel, but even covered in mud, he couldn't deny that she was the sort of adorable that you just wanted to hug on sight. How he had missed it the first day, he had no idea. Perhaps it was one of the side effects of the Divine Injection, like his extra height.

There was only one reason that she would have to take dance and cosmetology so early in her first year. They wanted to train her to be an Idol, whether she had previously wanted to or not.

"Just be glad it's not you. Those teachers have a lifetime of shattered dreams that they want to live through the students, it's hell." Dana muttered.

"I'm not sure that I'd look good in eyeshadow and lipstick. But I will join you in the search for a good study spot. I've got a bunch of books waiting for me to read them." Karl agreed.