System Break

The blades of grass were almost blue and soft to walk on. The quad looked impeccable despite the recent exercise from overzealous adventurers. It was surround on four sides by tall sandstone buildings with diagonally opposite towers. The buildings were detached, and you could access the street from the quad from six different angles. 

But despite the easy access the citizens did not take short cuts through the quad. It was an unwritten rule that it was campus grounds for the adepts only. It was probably fear of some of the most powerful qi users in the city lived and trained here on a daily basis.

Two gravel paths formed a cross which gave the space its name. Four small squares were formed by the pathways within the area. There were a couple of trees and bench seats, but it was mostly open area.

The guild formed a square for us to duel in the corner closest to our building and the activity attracted many green cloaks who came to watch. The youngest adepts wore light red and light green cloaks, and the most accomplished teachers wore dark green cloaks. The other levels wore hues between, the darker the cloak the more talented or knowledgeable you were.

The master I'd seen in the morning was back with a couple of his teachers and what looked like a class of adepts gathered around the square.

I wore my harness although I had no intention of using my knives. I took off my boots, sack and placed them at the edge of the quad next to Waylander to watch over. I spied the old man, but ignored him because I was drawing attention to myself and I didn't want anyone from the red cloak faction drawing conclusions between us and last night's theft.

Fortunately there were no dark red cloaks amongst the crowd, there were only the youngest generation of adepts in light red. Even at this level they were outnumber by the green cloaks by three to one.

"No shoes?" Waylander said.

I jumped up and down on the spot like I was a boxer getting ready for a fight. "The grass is nice," I said with a grin.

I had my trusty rapier in my hand. It was my favourite of the four swords I owned because it was fast and nimble. Gunk's lump was weak, and the finesse weapon suited the qi strike I'd learned from Peppin. As the forest monster I had natural strength and speed to burn but as Gunk I had to rely on my qi skills.

The humbling encounter with the Titan taught me that I had a long way to go in learning the ways of qi.

The Red Queen herself acted as adjudicator. She was enjoying herself; perhaps she felt we were fighting to be closer to her and in a sense we were. I just had other reasons to be close to her which had nothing to do with wanting her.

Jerome glared at me from a chair, and it appeared his foot was re-attached. It was all bandaged up and I had to admire the healer in the infirmary - that was a lot of qi-stitching including nerves, muscles, tendons, bone, and veins.

"We are gathered here for a duel to the death," the Red Queen announced loudly. She smiled at Cerbrus and then me. "Or until one surrenders."

I stood side on and waited patiently while she prattled on for her adoring simps to lap up her every word. While she told everyone how wonderful she was I inspected qi cores to assess talent or other spectators who might be watching from a building in secret.

It was easy to spot a black cloak spy when you could see their core. It was the woman again and she watched me through one of the openings while pretending to be an old woman resting on a bench.

I gave her a little salute with my rapier while the Red Queen prattled on.

"And now we will see who deserves to be at my right hand. Cerbrus who has expertly served me from the beginning or the upstart whom I inspired. Let no one say this position is not based on merit."

She held a red handkerchief high in the air while stand far too close to the centre. 

I flicked my sword in her general direction. "You might want to take a few steps back my queen."

She smiled but otherwise ignored me and the smile did not meet her eyes.

When the handkerchief came down she took tiny steps backwards like she was a ballerina. Cerbrus was in no hurry like Jerome he walked towards me slowly with his katana. It was well made and if it weren't for my qi it would easily break my rapier in two.

My qi flowed to my feet, hands, and head. I didn't need to order it, or call it, it knew I was in a battle and acted on its own. It was as natural as a racing heartbeat or an adrenalin rush. It had taken me time to get to this point and I had the annoying old Chinese man to thank for the inspiration.

I waited for Cerbrus and I flowed. He was within a few yards and I moved like the wind. I wasn't in my fully formed forest lump, but my qi speed and agility were honed to a razors edge.

Cerbrus barely had time to lift his sword four inches by the time I moved past him and with a flick of my rapier I severed his wrist. A well trained protector would have stoneskin, qi barrier and enhanced body techniques. Cerbrus was just an above average adventurer.

I was behind him and waited while he clutched at his stump with his good hand. His sword and right hand lay on the ground while he bled all over the nice grass.

"Do you yield?" I asked. 

He dropped to his knees and screamed, "Fuck."

I lifted my rapier; I could easily severe his head.

"Stop," Waylander yelled. "He's in too much pain to yield."

I ignored him and asked Cerbrus a last time. "Do you yield?"

"I yield, I yield," he grimaced. "How the fuck are you so fast."

I pointed to the green cloaks. "I learn off them and ignore the useless system." It was partly true, and I needed to show them something to hang on to. Vengance was already suspicious, and the Red Queen was smart; I didn't take her lightly. She was a self-centred bitch, but she wasn't stupid.

She ran to me and lifted my hand. "We have a winner." She was taller than me and an accomplished with the sword herself. She gave me a sidelong glance and whispered, "Come to my office later - I want you to teach me how you did that."

Oh damn. Private lessons.

The green cloak teachers were casting me curious looks and were in excited discussion while the adepts clapped and cheered at the gory display. If adventures could give the nobles something it was endless fights to the death.

When the red queen left me Waylander approached with my gear. 

"Thanks," I said.

He nodded. "Whatever you're on, I want some."

His assumption inspired me, and I replied, "Black lotus." I had no idea what rabbit hole I had just sent the poor bastard into.