Young Writers Society

Classes started at 8:30, but Darc couldn't sleep past six. Which was just as well because he promised to meet up with his friend early this morning. He took one of his swords and headed for the training area.

Darc is nineteen-years-old and the year is 2238. He has natural purple hair and purple eyes. Whenever people look at him the first thing they think is he dyed his hair and he wears contact lenses, because no one else has hair or eyes like he does. He usually wears dark colored clothing that matches his hair and eyes. Darc usually stands out from all the other students, one time he overheard a girl saying he was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome, which he thought was probably an overstatement. Although he's popular he only has one true friend.

The school he attended wasn't a normal school, it was a mercenary academy founded for the sole purpose to train soldiers for hire. It's called the Hokuten Academy.

Darc passed by the courtyard, where some Alchemists were practicing plant transmutation. This school specializes in teaching melee combat with swords and other bladed or blunted weapons, martial arts, and Alchemy. Alchemy is the scientific transmutation and manipulation of matter that adheres to the strict theory of equivalent exchange.

Darc has a great talent for forging swords, all the swords he owns are ones he created himself. Darc has no parents to support him so he earns his tuition by forging swords for the academy. If he takes a liking to one of his creations he keeps it for himself and won't hand it over to the school.

Darc went around a corner into another corridor and bumped into someone. "Watch where you're going!" said the guy.

Darc looked up at the guy he bumped into. "Well you seem to be in a good as usual, Adrian," Darc stated, mockingly.

Darc and Adrian have been rivals ever since he first came to this academy eight years ago. He has white hair that comes down to his shoulders and he has dark red eyes. Adrian was always quick to jump to conclusions and had no patience or respect for anyone weaker than him. He is older than Darc by only one year, but both of them were equally skilled with swords. Every time they sparred the fight would either end in a draw or end with both of them going to the infirmary.

Adrian frowned. "Touch me again, Darc, and I'll rip off your limbs." It wasn't a threat, more like a warning, a promise.

Darc smiled, "After what happened last time? The headmaster said that if one of us even throws a punch at each other we'll both be expelled."

His eyes narrowed. "That's only inside the academy. You'd better watch your back whenever you go into the city." Adrian deliberately shoved his way past Darc, pushing him with his shoulder. Darc ignored him and continued toward the training area.

He left the dorm area of the school and arrived at the training area, some people liked calling it the gym. It was a large stage about the size of a football field, set inside an ever larger room. Seats used for special events surrounded the stage, but on a regular school day the doors to those seats were locked.

Zel, Darc's friend, was already on the stage doing warm up exercises with his sword. His sword was thick and curved to slice through hard surfaces, such as metal, with ease. He added a shock generator to give his opponents a jolt of electricity that would momentarily paralyze them. His weapon was what they called a medium weapon because of its weight and size. Darc didn't see much use in having a shock generator installed on anything except a light weapon, but Zel always said it added to his "shocking" personality.

Zel was seventeen-years-old, two years younger than Darc. Immature and arrogant were the words to best describe his personality. His fiery red hair matched his short temper. He wears sandals, baggy knee-high jeans, and a red vest and black shirt.

"Starting without me, I see." Zel stopped his exercises and faced Darc as he climbed up to the stage.

"Good mornin' to you, too." When Darc got closer Zel noticed his baggy eyes and tired expression. "Whoa, Darc, you look like hell!"

"I couldn't sleep last night," he said while he un-strapped the sword from his back. Most of Darc's swords were too big to carry by sheathes, so he had a strap to carry them on his back. The strap was made from belts and clamps, it didn't look like much but it was the best Darc could come up with. "So, how long do we have?"

Zel smiled. He always closed his eyes whenever he smiled. "Two hours, got the whole place to ourselves till class starts."

"Sounds good."

Zel walked over to the control panel that stuck out of the floor in the center of the stage. He punched in the codes for their usually training level. Zel wandered back over to Darc when the panel disappeared into the floor.

They put their backs to each other and brought up their swords. Darc began to make small talk while they waited for the computer to load up the program. "So, new semester. How was your summer?"

"You know me, Darc. Going to parties all night, sleeping in late, summer vacation is by far my favorite holiday. What did you do over the summer?"

"I've been working on a new blade."

Zel looked over his shoulder. "All summer?"

"Yeah."

"Dude, you need to get out more."

Darc changed the subject, "Man, these programs take so long to load. So, what class do you have first this semester?"

Zel answered with a sigh.

Darc knew what the answer was and answered for him, "Alchemy, hu?"

"I suck at that class. I don't know why they bother to teach that subject. I can shape matter just as easily with my sword."

"Well, it's not all that bad, I've got Alchemy for my first class, too. Maybe we'll be in the same class?" Which was very unlikely. The academy had eighteen separate classes dedicated to Alchemy.

"One can only hope." The battle net processor began to use simulated Alchemy to create sentinels on the stage. "Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About the student that got transferred here, Riley I think her name is."

Darc looked over his shoulder in surprise. "Aren't students only transferred to this facility if they're over the state's standard?"

"Yeah, to think a girl would be too good for her own school."

Darc gave Zel a quizzical stare. "Girls can be just as skilled as guys when it comes to fighting."

"I know, but not all females posses the same fight'n spirit as guys. They're not the ideal candidates for mercenaries."

Darc sighed, "If one of the girls in this school heard you say that they'd crack your head open."

Zel smiled. "Which is why they're here in the first place, am I right?"

"I suppose." The computer finally finished constructing the sentinels. They were thick, bulky constructs that had blades for arms. There were four of them in total. "Uh, Zel? What level did you put this on?"

"Level seven."

"Don't we usually fight on level five?"

Zel grinned, "I thought we should try something a little more challenging to, you know, start off the new school year. Look, two for you and two for me."

Darc smiled, "Last one to finish off their sentinels gets to buy the winner lunch."

"Heh, you're on!" They charged after the constructs, their swords hovering just above the ground as they ran.

The sword Darc is using is one of his favorites. It was two meters in length, half a meter in width, and too heavy to hold with one hand. In order to keep the sword's weight balanced Darc had to make the handle half the length of the blade. It was a little big, but it gets the job done, and that's why he liked it so much.

Darc went after the construct to his right first. These sentinels were twice the size of a human. The construct lifted up its left blade and jabbed it towards Darc. He jumped and landed on the flat of the blade when it passed under him. He ran up the robot's arm and lobbed off its head before it had a chance to slash him with its other arm. Darc jumped and landed behind it. These constructs could function without heads, so he swung his sword around and smashed it through the sentinel's legs. The robot fell to the ground.

Darc turned to face the other construct. It lifted back one of its arms and lunged it at him, Darc blocked it with his sword and the sentinel's blade bounced off it. Before the construct had a chance to regain its balance Darc ran up and lunged his sword through its body. When the blade came out the other side it had with it the construct's processing engine. The sentinel fell to the ground when Darc pulled his sword back out of its body.

When he turned around he saw the first construct coming at him, it had no head or legs but it was using its arms to crawl. Without hesitation Darc lifted his sword and plunged it into the robot's body.

Darc watched Zel finish off the last two sentinels before stating, "Well, looks like you owe me lunch."

Zel caught his breath before replying. "Best two outta three."

Darc rested his sword on his shoulder. "Alright, but you're still going to buy me lunch."