David Niemitz
patreon
Guild Mage 87
🕑 Added 2025-01-30 20:13:16 +0000 UTCChapter 87: Blunted Blades
In the end, Liv only picked at her food.
A combination of nerves, and, though she didn’t want to say it out loud, the fact that the food simply wasn’t very appetizing caused her to finally give up and push her trencher away. “I really need to talk to someone about getting mana-enriched food,” she said, as much to herself as to either Tephania or Arjun, who were sitting next to her. Cade had been rounded up, along with a whole crew of other older students, to help Professors Norris, Blackwood and Every go through all sixty-seven examinations. She did not envy him in the least.
“Leave it to someone rooming at High House to turn her precious nose up at the food,” a sandy-haired boy three seats down and across the table commented, and Liv frowned.
“It’s not that I don’t like it,” she said. Though, in all honesty, she could cook better: the roast chicken was overdone and dry, while the carrots were undercooked and hard. Liv tried not to think badly of the kitchen staff: cooking for so many people was something of a madhouse, as well she knew. “I’m half Elden. I need to get enough mana in my diet, or I start to have problems.”
“That explains the knife-ears,” a second boy commented, elbowing the first. This one had dark hair, and a thin fuzz on his upper lip that was trying to be a mustache. “You come here to find yourself a real man? I heard Eldish men can’t get it done.” He grinned.
Next to Liv, Tephania gasped, but it was Arjun who spoke up. “That’s a rude thing to say to a woman. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners, Pearson?”
“I don’t need an easterner telling me how to behave,” the dark haired boy said. Pearson, Liv reminded herself, and tucked his name away in her memory as someone to avoid.
Liv extracted herself from the bench and stood up. “Let’s get down to the training yard, then,” she suggested. Arjun stood up, and after a moment of hesitation, Tephania followed. Together, they made their way out of the great hall and outside into the courtyard.
“Those boys are horrid,” Tephania said, as soon as they were in the fresh air.
“Pearson is two doors down from me,” Arjun said. “He’s part of a little crew that are all just as unpleasant.”
Wren, who’d been leaning against the wall of Blackstone Hall, pushed off the stone and strolled over to them. “Thora’s got your armor down at the training yard,” she told Liv. “Are you ready?”
“That depends on what they have us do, I suppose,” Liv said. She and the others followed Wren toward the old, crumbling walls that surrounded the inner campus.
“I’m not,” Tephania said. “I came here to learn magic; I can’t cast any yet. And if they expect us to fight someone, I don’t have a clue what to do.”
“If it involves magic, I’m fairly confident,” Arjun said. “Though, as far as fighting is concerned, I feel about the same as you.”
The practice yard was a large circle of well-beaten earth, surrounded by wooden benches raised in tiers on scaffolding. It reminded Liv of the fencing club in Freeport where she’d gone to watch Matthew and Triss spar - though, in hindsight, she realized what they’d actually been doing was flirting. In their own, strange way.
There was a crew of about ten older students lounging about in the stands, while Thora sat off to one side with a small group of servants, all of whom were watching over the gear of their lords or ladies. As soon as she caught sight of Liv, Thora sprang up and came over with the bag she’d packed the armor in.
“I brought the gold bracelet and rings, also, m’lady,” Thora said. “I wasn’t certain if you would want it, but I thought it would be better to have it and not need it, than the other way around.”
“Keep it aside for now,” Liv said. “But help me get the armor on, please.”
Arjun took a seat with only passing interest, and Wren found a place to lounge next to him, but Tephania watched with wide eyes. Thora began with the cuirass and backplate of white leather; she’d gotten quite good at strapping everything on, over the past few years. For the most part, Liv simply stood there and let the maid work. She did have to unbuckle the leather belt she wore over her dress, so that she could strap the wand back on over the armor.
“I can’t believe you have armor,” Tephania said. Hesitantly, she reached into the bag and lifted out a pauldron. She traced a finger over a scrape that marred the surface. “It’s been used, too, hasn’t it?”
“In the eruption at Bald Peak rift, less than a week ago,” Liv said. “And when I go to visit my father.”
“You fought on a culling team, first year?” An absolutely massive young man ambled over from the crowd of waiting students.
“I have,” Liv said. Thora set to work attaching her pauldrons, accepting the left one from Tephania when the blonde girl handed it over. “You know Matthew Summerset and Beatrice Crosbie? With them.”
The young man nodded, and Liv couldn’t help but stare at the way his neck moved. It was like someone had attached his head to his torso using a tree trunk. “They were here when I was a first year,” he said, and then extended his meaty hand. “Name’s Gamel. Be watching to see what you can do. What’s your name, girl?”
“Liv,” she said, and noticed the main crowd of first year students coming down the road, led by that Journeyman who seemed to have it out for her, Venetia. “How’s this going to work?”
“Master Jurian’ll explain all that, don’t worry,” Gamel said. “Here he comes now, the crazy bastard.” He nodded up the road, and when Liv followed his gaze, she saw Jurian coming down with a gray haired professor that she recognized as Annora. The fact the college’s senior healer was going to be attending this part of the examinations personally did not fill Liv with enthusiasm.
As the crowd of first years milled about the stands, some taking seats, others calling out to their servants to help them prepare, Jurian strode out into the center of the training ground, planted his staff, and raised his voice.
“Listen up!” The ambient noise of dozens of conversations quieted, and when Jurian was satisfied, he continued. “Feel free to continue suiting up if you’ve brought armor, but do it quietly. I won’t repeat myself. This morning, you took your written examinations, and we’ve got all the older students sorting through them now to see what classes you need. I hate sorting through papers. Fortunately, I don’t have to. Instead, with my assistants here–” he waved to the crew of older students who’d been hanging around before Liv arrived – “I get to watch you lot thump each other on the head until someone falls down.”
Tephania seemed to shrink at the professor’s words, and Liv felt a twinge of pity for her. She was fully armored save for the leather helm, now, and waved Thora off. No need to put the thing on until it was time to fight.
“They leave it to me to explain this because I have a loud voice,” Jurian said. “There are three levels of classes here, in every subject. Who can tell me what those are?”
Liv raised her hand. “Beasts, enchanting, grammar and spellcraft, guild law and history, healing, and combat,” she said, confidently. Master Grenfell had made no secret of that: in fact, he and Duchess Julianne had designed her lessons to prepare her for all of it.
“Good,” Jurian said. “If we put you in Remedial Grammar, it means we think you need to start from the beginning. Basic Guild Law and History, that means you’re familiar with about as much as we expect most students to arrive knowing. If you want to be an Apprentice of the guild, you need to finish or test out of every basic course. When you can complete an advanced course in five out of six subjects, you can ask to test for journeyman. By that point, you should know what professor you want to study with.” He paced back and forth as he talked, scanning over the crowd of students and glaring at anyone who looked distracted.
“All of that assumes you’re going to join the guild, of course; if you’re just some noble brat here to learn a little magic, you can take your classes and then move on.” Liv blinked: she wasn’t used to hearing someone talk with such open disrespect about the aristocracy.
“Now my course works a little differently,” Jurian said. “I teach armed combat, magical combat, and tactics, but I only take the top twenty of the school in each of my two advanced classes. Journeymen don’t count, you don’t need to think about that now. That’s forty openings to learn from me personally, and they’re already filled with second and third year students. I save two spots, and only two, for the top incoming students.”
“For the rest of you, what you’re competing for are basic combat spots with my assistants. There are thirty of those open, and sixty-seven of you. That means everyone who doesn’t make the cut goes into remedial.”
A blonde boy in jack of plate raised his hand. “If someone doesn’t make the top two, how do they get into the advanced classes?” he asked. His accent was refined, and Liv pegged him immediately as a noble, not from one of the merchant guilds.
“You challenge for a spot,” Jurian said. “You can make three challenges a month, and my students are required to accept. Beat one of them, and you’re in the advanced class.”
“They make this far too complicated,” Wren muttered.
“It’s because they have so many students,” Liv told her. “None of the professors have time to teach two hundred people, so they have to split things up.”
“My ten assistants here,” Jurian said, “will each run a sparring match at a time. Pairs are drawn randomly. You go until someone submits, someone can’t continue, or your senior student calls it. We begin without magic. There are practice weapons, masks, and padded doublets in the chests.”
“I can’t do this,” Tephania murmured to Liv.
“Then just submit immediately,” she suggested. “You’ve never been trained to fight?” The blonde girl shook her head. “Then it’s better for you to start from the beginning in a remedial class anyway,” Liv explained.
“Apprentice Brodbeck!” Gamel called, from down on the dirt. “Grab a mask and a weapon and get over here!”
“How is she an apprentice already?” one of the boys from luncheon complained – the one who’s name Liv hadn’t caught. She ignored him, tucked her leather helm under her arm, and walked over to the chests of equipment. First, she found herself a rapier with no edge, and a leather tip on the end. Then, she rummaged around for a leather fencing mask. It hadn’t been made to fit her specifically, so she doubted it would be comfortable, and Liv tried not to think about how many other people’s sweat must have soaked into it over the years. Then, she strode over to Gamel.
Liv set her helm and sword down to pull the mask on, and tied the leather cords which held it in place tightly behind her bun. Her first opponent was an overweight boy who couldn’t even hold his sword right.
“Hubert Carver,” he introduced himself. “From the Drover’s Guild.”
“Hold it like this,” Liv told him, once she’d settled on her helm. It took a bit of doing to make it fit with a mask it hadn’t been designed for, but she made it work. She showed Hubert how to adjust his grip.
“You’ve done this before,” he said, and shook his head. “Well, at least it’ll be over soon, then.”
Liv extended her blade in front of her, settled into third guard, and waited.
“Begin!” Gamel called. Liv lunged forward, beat Hubert’s practice sword aside, and took him in the chest. The leather tip of her sword stuck in his padded doublet, and the blade bent in a curve from the force of her thrust.
“Brodbeck’s match,” Gamel declared, after the single hit. It must have been obvious both to him, and to anyone watching, that she had training while the drover boy didn’t. “Carver, put your things back and take a seat. Brodbeck, stay up here.”
If Liv understood correctly, she’d just all but guaranteed herself a spot in the basic combat course. Sixty-seven first years, which meant only thirty-three would win their initial matches. She wondered how they’d handle the odd person out. As she waited for her next opponent, she looked around the yard. Things were going quickly: she saw Tephania walk out to face Pearson and immediately concede.
“I’m fighting the Eldish princess, am I?” Liv recognized the sandy-haired boy from lunch, though she didn’t know his name. Rather than a rapier, he was carrying a practice mace, made of wood rather than steel, and with the round ball at the head covered in leather. In his other hand, he carried a buckler.
“I have a name, and I’m not a princess,” she shot back. But in truth, she was more worried about that mace than his mouth. They were old-fashioned weapons, from a time when heavier armor was common. Liv didn’t have experience fighting against them.
“Mine’s Jasper Teller,” the boy said. “So you know who beat you.”
“Enough jawing,” Gamel said. “Fight!”
Again, Liv lunged immediately - she didn’t want to take a shot from that mace if she didn’t have to. Unfortunately, Teller was well trained and practiced: he interposed his buckler, and her practice sword skidded off to the side. With his right hand, he swung the mace at her head.
Liv leapt back, silently thanking Piers, Matthew, and everyone else who’d ever drilled her on footwork. She was faster than Teller, she could already tell: but he was bigger and stronger. Who was she fooling? Everyone here was bigger and stronger than she was.
She circled to the right, and Teller followed. Over the next three exchanges, Liv was repeatedly rebuffed by the rusted buckler. She was absolutely certain that Matthew or Triss would have no problem with this fight, but she’d never put nearly as much work into learning weapons as they had. If she could use her magic, the match would already be over, she was certain.
Finally, Liv decided that she was going to have to take a hit. She feinted to draw out the buckler, then lunged in, stabbing the tip of her sword into Teller’s fencing doublet, directly above his heart. The padded mace came around again, and Liv threw up her left arm, taking the hit on her leather vambrace instead of her helm. Despite the armor and the padding on the practice weapon, she cried out, dropped her rapier, and grabbed her arm out of reflex.
“Brodbeck wins!” Gamel declared. “Teller, you’re dead. Brodbeck, you’ve got a broken arm. If this were a real fight, anyway. Shake it off while I get your next opponent.”
Liv unstrapped the vambrace, leaving her rapier on the ground, and rubbed at her forearm. She could already tell it was going to have a nasty bruise, but she could circulate her mana that evening to speed up the healing process. Thirty four people - that meant seventeen would make it through the second round of matches, unless someone was too injured to continue. Call it four more wins for her to get into the advanced class.
When she saw the blonde boy who’d asked a question earlier come over, Liv strapped her vambrace back on. “Liv Brodbeck,” she introduced herself.
“I know who you are,” he said, in a hard voice. “Merek Sherard.”
“You’re the princess’ cousin, then?” Liv asked, heart sinking.
“Second cousin,” he clarified. “I don’t care that you embarrassed her, so much; she’s a spoiled brat. But you embarrassed our house, and no one gets to do that without consequences.”
At least he used a rapier, Liv thought to herself. She fell into first guard, and when Gamel called the match on, she managed to get off a parry that prevented Merek’s sword from taking her in the face. It was a bit frightening, even with her mask on: what if he’d gotten her in the eye? Even with a padded tip, he could have really hurt her.
When her opponent retreated, she lunged back in return. Faster than Liv could track, Merek slid inside her guard, got his hand on her wrist, and twisted her arm around somehow, with his other hand on the outside of her elbow. She tried to yank her sword away, but he used his leverage to extend her right arm out behind her.
“Sherard!” Gamel shouted, and Liv felt a flash of disappointment. No advanced weapons class for her. She hadn’t really expected to make the cut, but it would have been nice. At least she was confident about her spellcraft, and she’d have a chance to catch her breath before it was time to show off her magic.
Then, instead of releasing her, Merek Sherard struck the outside of her extended elbow with the heel of his palm, like a hammer. With an audible crack, Liv’s right arm broke, and she screamed.
Comments
Tarrim
Yes the prince isn't a member himself. He also lacks their word. I'm unsure how their current relations are the prince did exile one of theirs to an island but he is also related.
Antony Claughton
House Shephard was the prince’s mother’s house, right?
Alexander Johnson
He absolutely will get his comeuppance. Regardless if it's now, or when his family needs something from Liv 100 years from now when this clown is long dead lol
Piras
My man posts chapters everyday!!! we will see soon enought
Tarrim
They aren't his people. He is not house sherad's head I'm pretty sure. Sure if he did attack Liv like this the deal would at best be on thin ice but it wasn't him and he at least has deniability here.
Andreas Vaage
I guess but does that mean he can hurt them? I seam to remember they have to leave her people alone and let them be at the collage? It does not really matter if it was his doing or not. One of his people did it. It is the price off being a boss, he has to take accountability. Granted I would hope the prince is smart enough to not anger all the eldrish for a stupid thing like this.
Otter Pops
I don't like these chapters because the consequences for the antagonist are never severe enough. He should be expelled, a complaint should be lodged with the king/prince, and there should be compensation to liv/the duchess. Instead I doubt anything serious happens. That's what I hate
Dave N
thank you!
Tarrim
The threats were specific to death. Although she will not be happy about this it won't end the princes and her peace deal I think. I'm guessing this wasn't the prince's doing also.
sings_with_toads
Or, if you release a double chapter, make it kind of a big deal. It would be cutting into your backlog, after all.
sings_with_toads
I think there's something to that... But so long as you don't cliff it at the end of the week, and give fair warning at the beginning & end of the chapter in the Author's Notes (telling folks "this one's got a cliff, and an antagonist you're going to love to hate... But don't worry, you'll see some satisfying resolution soon" then you could likely at least minimize the RR bitch-fest.
sings_with_toads
I think that's got a nice rhythm and logic to it, actually. Usually repeated words can look clumsy, but in this case they're mirroring & setting up the contrast.
John Koor
Well!? Then give us the next chapter!
Nopret
Oh and they promised the dutches to leave Liv and Matthew alone, a promise that was arguably just broken
Andreas Vaage
She should loose, but interesting to se how she reacts. She should not back down from a challenge like this. Tit for tat is an essential skill, and he just did tit so now she have to show that there is consequences. And was not the deal with the prince that they do not harm family of hers? Because that is broken
melchi
It probably wouldn't be the first noble to randomly die at the academy.
Zaeron
So - to be clear this is mostly just me thinking out loud and not like, me making a statement of fact - but I can see the RR crowd being annoyed by the combo of the alternate POV + this. I think there will be a lot of enthusiasm for "Liv is fucking awesome hell yeah" and at this point we're what, 6-7 chapter releases away from the last time Liv was awesome? From a like, normal book pacing perspective, opening the arc by setting up future threads and antagonists makes sense, but from the "people on RR are going to bitch a lot" perspective you've basically hit the trifecta - slow paced arc start, alternate POV chapter, antagonist gets a clear win over the protagonist. I normally think double chapter releases are silly but in this case I think Quas up above might have a point.
william wallace
Perhaps a minor leak or two. Or maybe he suddenly becomes very clumsy and keeps falling down flights of stairs. Very regrettable. A tragedy really. Oh well. Afternoon tea anyone?
Rip Woodham
I think it would be nice if wren put a dagger in him for that.
Grayson
Liz only grandchild of 12 century old demigod--the last of his line. And Jurian and the Archmage should know this--Merek shouldn't be able to get away with this...
Kyle
I actually am pretty happy with how this has turned out. When you introduced the whole reinforcing her bones I was actually a little worried that we'd another spell blade on our hands but that doesn't seem like it's gonna happen. Liv being a monster with her ice soldiers is what I can't wait to see
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter!
Gopard
The second fight you mixed up the names its "gamel blocked" when Gamel was the referee.
n
the cliff hanger is maddening. good shit
zoarian
I hope she freezes his balls off lol
Rip Woodham
To them just resisting is probably a challenge lol.
melchi
And if the royals don't kowtow to the eld then liv should just cut her losses and study at a school that isn't a joke.
melchi
Personally, I think that any deliberate maiming of liv risks an international incident. So, it makes the nobles look uninformed. Julian outranks anyone but royalty. So she could make unreasonable demands for satisfaction. The only one they can appeal to would be the royals.
Maritienna
"to either Tephenia" -> ch 86 had "Tephania" "attacking her pauldrons" -> "attaching" "get to what you lot" -> "watch" "some can’t continue" -> "someone" "Unfortunately, Gamel was well trained" -> "Jasper/Teller" "Liv lept back" -> "leapt" "than lunged in," -> "then" "and twisted them around somehow" -> "twisted it"?
Tarrim
Also the question jurian asks has multiple interpretations either what subjects or what the levels are
Tarrim
“Feel free to continue suiting up if you’ve brough armor, but do it quietly. > Brought Visit my father Visit my father's family “I get to what you lot thump each other on the head until someone falls down.” > Watch
melchi
Yeah this chapter might get some hate on royal road because of how it ends.
Piras
If she lost her first fight I'd be upset, but she is definetly not advanced class level yet, I think you were able to show where her skills are at perfectly in this chapter.
william wallace
Seems short sighted on his part. Now he has a feud with liv, potentially her father/grandfather, potentially the duchess, Matthew, and he potentially pissed off the head of magical combat (who is also liv’s master). The royal family does not seem burdened with an over abundance of brains. Lots of plots and schemes and no thought to the consequences.
melchi
Basic combat training would say use lethal force if the possibility of your life being in danger exists.
william wallace
Or just post this chapter on rr on a Friday and toast marshmallows as the world burns. Lol.
Cryptiddies
Just saw you had "I don't care that you embarrassed her" in the line before - I do think it sets up a nice echo, "I don't care that you embarrassed her, I care that you embarrassed our house," but wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to repeat words.
Simon Hoerder
Depends. If it's to make the Sherard boy look like an idiot, then it's perfectly placed after the fight has been called. Also, it looks like the Sherard boy is probably considered a spare in his house. Their house may have promised him a good piece of land or fancy title to compensate for getting kicked out of the school. If they even kick him out this early. The school might just give him a punishment and make him promise not to repeat it because it's only the second day and they haven't been properly taught yet.
Dave N
I like that.
Dave N
Oh hey I used to wrestle too! He has reason to think he can skate by without being kicked out. More to come next chapter
Grayson
I agree--as she learned with the duel, she needs to stand up for herself or the bullying will only get worse. Break both legs.
lenkite
> But you challenged our house, and no one gets to do that without consequences Should REALLY have conceded, after he said this. It was as obvious as 1+1=2 that he was going to harm her. Not even sure why she even bothered to participate in combat without magic. Now she has to fight with a broken arm. It will be irritating if the 20 year prep all goes away because she can't clear magical combat due to injury. She should really repay him with a broken leg. No need to hold back. Use [Ice Hand] and twist his leg until it cracks. She can't afford to leave him uninjured or else 20 other hanger-ons will be looking to injure her to score points with House Sherard.
Cryptiddies
"the one who’s name Liv hadn’t caught" This should read "the one whose name" .
Grayson
TYFTC. I enjoyed the fight; but would a student really publicly cripple someone AFTER the fight has been called? With 78 witnesses? As a former wrestler, in a public match this would be noticed--you would face suspension/expulsion from any college, plus charges of assault... You might want to change it so it happens during the fight...
Cryptiddies
ALSO, this sets up interesting political consequences for House Sherard. I can't imagine the duchess taking this well, considering her threats toward the prince. But mostly, I want this dude to get his ass kicked.
Cryptiddies
"But you challenged our house" Technically, Millie challenged her. Maybe change it to embarrassed?
Stuart Anderson
Its never been her strong suit, I think it’s fine so long as you don’t have her miss out on advanced magical combat as well, just for drama.
Quasiwani
Would it be worth posting this chapter and the next chapter (or how ever many chapters) at the same time on RR? Might avoid some negativity from readers that way.
Tengerr
Sometimes you have to lose first to win after.
Jacobr365
Idc about the loss. A pure mage beating a skilled warrior w/o magic would be weird. It's the cliff hanger that makes me mad! Thanks for the chapter!
Darastrix
People will complain either way so MC should lose so we get a balanced diet instead of wish fulfillment. Also gj on making me hate the antagonist and good set up for next chapter, MC casting spells with broken arm.
Dave N
This one makes me the teeniest bit nervous to post, because I know RR readers have a reputation for not liking it when an MC loses. That said, melee combat has never been Liv's strong suit, it's a conflict she can lose without death being on the line, and it serves to introduce a new antagonist - for all those reasons, I think it's justified.
