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[h3]Chef’s First Taste of [s]Blood[/s] [color=#34A0FF]Combat[/color][/h3][hr]

Amused after the running-and-getting-shot-at ordeal, he still had plenty of energy to spare. While standing with the rest, the blond magus wiggled a finger through the hole Sir Dex’s arrow had made, appreciating the wear’s very first battle scar. Next to him stood Ixius, from who he felt the air shift around in waves, almost feeling indecisive in its nature. A push and pull of... mana? Was Ixius feeling sick, perhaps? It bothered the aura of his own, but he ignored it, settling on making him some chamomile tea after class. The red-eyed boy glared at him with killing intent, but the meaning flew over the blond’s head as he happily raised two thumbs up in return. Right, he just needed some hot tea!

[color=silver]”If you fell behind today, push harder tomorrow. If you truly want to be adventurers you must always push forward, until you succeed or you die.”[/color]

Sir Vermont sure knew how to get his students feeling inspired. Even though the boy had never thought of fighting someone, let alone partake in a fight, the teacher’s words had him more than ready to take people on. Then, the lithe Drow professor, Ma’am Maya, took a step up. Starry-eyed, he was doing his best to keep up with the pace of the demonstration, but ultimately failed. Still, he did pretty well to imagine the in-betweens, the boy’s naivety shining through as he recalled memorable scenes from stories he’d read. In the middle, sparks flew, and their professor was all but a blur. In no time, the giant pieces of wood gave way to the professor’s skill, causing Calven to erupt in cheers and big claps.

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[color=yellow]“Greetings Calven Fallard, would you like to begin the newcomers’ training regiment?”[/color]

[color=#34A0FF]“Hello~”[/color] Calven carefully approached the mannequin, unarmed but in high spirits. [color=#34A0FF]“And yes, but first, look!”[/color] He waved his empty hands in front of him, hoping that this dummy would give him an experience to remember. [color=#34A0FF]“No weapons! And you only have my skill level, so I’ll go easy on you. Together, we’ll have my combat up to par with Ma’am Maya in no time! Alright?”[/color] Almost as if to doubt the plan, the dummy lightly tilted its head. The chef took this gesture and smiled, assuming his opponent understood him. [color=#34A0FF]“Alright!”[/color]

Readying his uninformed stance excitedly, he dusted off his fists, brandishing his weapons for the day. In turn, the mannequin took its position. [color=#34A0FF]“Okay, here I go! Don’t get knocked out too fast, or it’ll be too easy!”[/color] Through the air moved a fist, approaching at the speed of a tired old man. For a moment, the dummy seemed confused. It shook its head. It then proceeded to take note of the boy’s fist, still clumsy in its slow-moving trajectory. If wooden beings could sigh, that's what it did, and then slowly stepped to the side. The chef’s punch completed its route, thoroughly missing the wooden body, granting it a thumbs-up from the boy. Continuing their lesson, the dummy seemed almost tired as it put in effort to match Calven’s painfully naive strikes. On the other side, the chef was happy to be learning combat for the first time!

Just then, a glint of metal flew past, whizzing through the blond’s hair and landing with a [i]thunk[/i] right in between the dummy’s eyes. A knife? Perhaps from one of his classmates trying to help him out? Odd as it was, he decided to leave it there and continue on.

As if a switch flipped, from lax to solid, the dummy tensed its battle stance when it looked back to Cal. [color=#34A0FF]“Uhh… that was a great dodge! Now hit me back--”[/color] It seemed to need no instruction as its foot immediately found a home in the mage’s chest. A rough gasp came from the boy as he was knocked back, wind completely having left him. [color=#34A0FF]“Wait!”[/color] A hand shot up to his chest, feeling to make sure his ribs were still intact, and took this moment to regain his breath. Thankfully, his shock significantly numbed down the pain, but something was clearly wrong. What the hell was going on? This was far beyond his capabilities!

The wooden body readied its stance again. [color=#34A0FF]“Hey! Look at me! I can’t keep--”[/color] Words cut short, his vision suddenly dimmed as the mannequin swiftly retracted a fist from Cal’s face. Though the boy yelped in pain, he could not react before a third hit came in the form of a knee to his gut, sending him back-first to the ground. So powerful was the strike that he laid there motionless for a long while before he rolled to his side and spat out a little mouthful of blood.

The ground provided respite for about two seconds before the mannequin approached him again, slowly yet ever so menacingly. Panicking, the stars floating around in the boy’s vision scattered. A jolt of adrenaline shot through his pained body as the hunk of wood turned its face to the student, glaring actual daggers at him, knife sticking out and all. Still on the ground, he needed to think fast. He stuck out both arms to pull himself forward, willing his legs onward as he crawled his way to one of the professors. Though the dummy was slow, no effort was needed for it to catch the boy’s ankles and drag him back to their post. 

[color=#34A0FF]“Wait! Wait wait wait!”[/color] the chef’s legs thrashed helplessly in his opponent’s grasp, clawing at the ground in a lame attempt for control [color=#34A0FF]“You’re supposed to help me learn! I can’t learn if I’m dead! SO DON’T KILL ME!”[/color] 

[color=yellow]"Calven Fallard, please do not try to exit the training circle. Rest assured, we are not required to kill you. Would you like to take a break?[/color]

[color=#34A0FF]"Huh?"[/color] the student stopped his clawing and sighed in relief. [color=#34A0FF]"Ah yes, please. Give me a moment. And could we perhaps turn down the difficulty? It's like you were fighting somebody else back there..."[/color]