Annev didn’t know the full answer to that question, but the first step was obvious: passing tomorrow’s Test of Judgement – at all costs. That would unlock all the doors presently barred before him. He could have it all, but only if he passed, and today that prospect seemed less and less likely.
Annev was the last to arrive at Master Edra’s class. He skirted the edge of the gathered students, sharply aware that he stank of Duvarek’s vomit, and surveyed the crowd. Based on the sleek sparring weapons Fyn and Kenton carried, they had been the first to reach the rooftop. A quick glance around the terrace revealed that most of the boys in brown held a good weapon – a wooden sword, a leather-wrapped axe, a sparring stave. Edra stood in the centre of them atop a raised platform, pairing off the boys who had arrived first and telling them where to fight.
In contrast to the brown-robed avatars, the acolytes in beige generally carried the crudest weapons. Annev spotted Therin and Titus standing apart from the crowd. The former held a dirty coil of rope while the latter carried a small burlap bag. Lemwich, another acolyte from Titus’s class, stood between Annev’s two friends and the larger crowd of boys. Annev jogged over to them.
‘Anything left?’
‘Nothing good,’ Therin said. ‘We just got here.’
‘There’s some chainmail gloves,’ Titus said, pointing to a dark corner of the roof, ‘but the links are broken.’
‘Rusty, too,’ Lemwich said, turning a small knife over in his large hands. ‘Wouldn’t put my hands in them.’
‘Probably couldn’t fit your hands in them,’ Therin said, eyeing the bull-necked acolyte.
‘Probably not.’
‘That’s it?’ Annev asked. ‘Just the gloves?’ Titus nodded. ‘What’s in your sack?’
‘Some throwing spikes,’ Titus said. ‘But they’re wooden, poorly weighted, and once I toss them I’ll be unarmed.’
‘Better not miss then,’ Therin said, punching the boy’s arm. ‘Hey, you think Edra will let us upgrade our weapons as the other boys get eliminated?’
‘Maybe. Probably,’ Annev said. ‘How do you get eliminated?’
‘“Subdue your opponent or strike a blow that would be fatal”. Edra has to see the blow, though, so if he turns away when Titus hits with one of his spikes, Titmouse is out of luck.’
Titus nodded. ‘I think that’s why no one took the spikes.’
‘Makes sense,’ Annev said, eyeing the chainmail gloves in the corner. ‘Guess we’ll have to make do till some better weapons are available.’ He jogged over to the gauntlets, grabbed the gloves and returned to his friends, by which time he’d had an idea. ‘Hey, Therin. What do you think about cutting your rope in half and making some bolas or chain-weights?’
‘By tying the ropes to your gloves?’ Annev nodded and Therin shrugged. ‘Rather have a knife, but a weighted rope is better than a naked one.’
‘Great.’ Annev tapped Lemwich on the shoulder. ‘Hey, Lem, can I borrow your knife?’
The hulking acolyte stared at the tiny shard of iron in his hands. After a long pause, he extended the blade handle-first. ‘You’ll give it back.’ It wasn’t a question.
‘I will,’ Annev said. ‘Thanks.’ He dropped the chainmail gauntlets and began to saw the rope in half. Dull as the knife was, after some work the braided hemp began to give way. Annev watched Edra pair off another group of boys, worried the master would call on him to spar before he had finished. Distracted, he let the knife slip from the partially cut rope and dropped it. Annev swore, grabbed a loop of hemp, and started sawing again, careful to make each cut count this time.
‘Got it!’ Annev said, snapping the rope in two. He tossed a piece each to Titus and Therin. ‘Tie them to the gauntlets. Make sure they’re tight.’ He was about to give the knife back to Lemwich but stopped, another idea forming.
‘Hey, Lem. You want Therin’s chain-weight instead?’
Lemwich’s face scrunched up. ‘That’s a rope, not a chain – and I want my knife back.’
‘You won’t get close enough to use it.’
The larger boy was unconvinced, but then Therin jumped to his feet and extended the weapon he had finished constructing.
‘Give it a swing, Lem! With your strength, you could probably slap someone’s face off.’ He shook the rusty gauntlet tied to the end of the rope.
Lemwich stuck out his chin then slowly reached for the makeshift weapon, uncertain. ‘I’ve never practised with chain-weights – or ropes.’
‘Just swing it,’ Therin said, grinning. ‘If you can get someone tangled up, you can pound them into submission.’
A tiny smile dimpled the larger boy’s face. ‘What if they don’t get tangled?’
‘Then swing it again,’ Therin said, his face impish.
Lemwich scoffed but gathered up the rope and gauntlet. He gave the rope an experimental swing, smacking the metal glove down into the roof with a thump. Annev winced as red flakes of rust puffed into the air and were carried away by the wind. Lemwich lifted the rope again, studying the glove.
‘All right,’ he said, nodding to Annev. ‘Keep the knife.’ The larger boy stepped up to join the throng surrounding the Master of Arms. Therin suppressed a laugh.
‘What?’ Titus asked.
Therin looked at Annev, stlll grinning. ‘You want to tell him?’
‘It might not even break,’ Annev said. ‘You saw how it held just now.’
‘But you cut—’
‘Annev!’
Annev looked up and saw Therin’s laughter had attracted their teacher’s attention. He handed the knife to Therin and took the other rope-weight from Titus. As he jogged over to Edra, he heard Therin whisper an explanation to Titus.
‘Annev,’ Edra said, once he had approached. ‘You’re with Janson. South-east corner. Go.’
Annev went, pushing Lemwich and his weapon to the back of his mind and concentrating on winning.
Janson, he thought. Fast. Wiry. Likes hatchets. He manoeuvred past the crowd and saw his brown-robed opponent standing casually by the edge of the roof. The dark-skinned avatar looked over the crenellated parapet, a short-handled axe resting on his shoulder.
‘Nice view.’
‘Yeah,’ Annev agreed, drawing closer. ‘Can see all the way to the watchtowers.’
‘You ready?’ Janson said, turning. He saw the rope and glove in Annev’s hands and grinned.
Annev tensed, his adrenaline beginning to spike. He needed to win this. He needed every advantage in tomorrow’s test.
‘Let’s go.’
Janson nodded once then swung with his sheathed axe, aiming for Annev’s neck.
Annev ducked and dodged, stepping away as he uncoiled the rope and snapped the weighted end towards Janson’s feet. The mailed glove flew out, snaking around the boy’s calves, and circling back on itself. Annev yanked and the rope went taut, jerking Janson’s legs together before the boy could recover from his wild swing. The avatar’s weight-bearing foot stayed planted even as his back foot snapped forward, throwing him off balance.