4.

  Angelica tried to slide up next to Cole as the group of students made their way to the academy armory, “So you’re getting a Claymore, right?” she asked.

  “I’ll get what I get,” Cole said.

  “And what you’re going to get is a Claymore,” she said, “I’m sure of it, your father, all your brothers, you’re a Claymore family, it’s in your blood, to use the weapons of the mightiest hunters,” she said, “I should know, as an angel I’ll likely be wielding a Sword and shield, one hand to fight for the works of the divine and the other meant to protect the innocent,” she bragged, “All I care about is protecting the innocent,” she said.

  “I know you’re an angel, we all do, you really need to stop bringing it up, some people are getting annoyed by it,” Cole said.

  “Are you getting annoyed?” Angelica asked, every attempt she made to put herself in alignment with this destined hero felt as if it fell on deaf ears. Probably the influence of that Tavalia Girl he had been seen consorting with. As an angel, it was her duty to protect and guide the forces of the Divine, men like the great legend Cole Longdren could be if he were protected from temptation.

  “You know? I bunk with her,” Angelica said.

  “Who?” Cole asked, feeling like he already knew the answer.

  “Tavalia, that Tav girl,” Angelica said, “She’s kind of a bitch.”

  “Being that you’re an angel I’m sure your judge of character is right on point bitch wise,” Cole said.

  “She never studies, she doesn’t even seem to care that she’s in these hallowed halls. She’s not a devoted student like we are,” Angelica said, trying to pull Cole away from the seductions of that Betrayer’s daughter, “I doubt she’ll even get a weapon,” she said.

  “We’ll see,” Cole said, as he saw Benny and Gregor and thanked the divines of Angelica’s birth for a lifeline, “Looks like my dormmates are up, I got to go,” Cole said.

  Angelica huffed a bit as Cole left her for his friends, “Weapon day, you guys ready?” Cole asked.

  “I saw some hunters using weapons, they’re supposed to fly to you right?” Benny asked, “Like I just hold my hand out like this and think really hard, and a weapon is supposed to fly into my hand,” Benny reached his hand out and a moment later there were screams as students jumped out of the way as a giant great hammer flung itself through the air and landed in Benny’s hand.

  “Woah, that was insane,” Benny looked up, “Sorry everyone,” he said, looking over the weapon in his hand. A massive head with, a carved blade on the back of it. A handle as long as his arm. The Face of the hammer was stenciled with an articulate ram’s head and the body of a ram on either side of it. He admired the craftsmanship then turned to Cole, holding his massive weapon with pride, “This is cool, yeah I’m in the right place,” he said.

  “Who took a weapon from my armory without permission!” The Professor shouted as he fought his way through the crowd. He was a man who looked to be more well-versed in the crafting of weapons than wielding them. This was Simon McMaster, the greatest smith in both the Mortal world and the Demon Hunters. He had found some such success for himself as the host of a mildly popular metal-working show on the History Channel. That was his day job, by night and in the off-season, he crafted the finest wears the students of the East Coast Demon Hunter Academy could ask for.

  He approached Benny, and inspected the hammer, “Didn’t think anyone would actually get this, it’s a massive and unwieldy thing, I kind of made it as a joke. You know, to challenge myself,” he laughed, “You’ll find some challenge wielding this,” he said, “But you could also find a share of glory,” he smiled.

  “Wait, so this is mine? I can just have this,” Benny held the heavy weapon up, “This thing looks expensive,” he said.

  “What’s money, we’re demon hunters, all of us,” McMaster looked up to the class, inspecting the students, “You kill one demon, and you would make enough coin to buy this outright from me if I sold it to you at cost,” he said.

  “Why did it fly to me?” Benny asked, taking a few practice swings with his new weapon.

  “Weapons choose their hunters, we hunters have access to the lost ancient art of Damascus steel, a form of metal invented in the east, with magical properties that aided men in the war a thousand years ago. While its secrets are lost to the mortal world, we Demon Hunters have kept the secrets of its smelting and use it in all our weapons,” he turned to the class and began his lecture.

  “For nearly a thousand years men of our profession have used Damascus,” he said, “A true Hunter can attract a bonded weapon of Damascus to their hand if the weapon so chooses,” he said.

  “Before you is a collection of weapons almost as mighty as the museum of the Great Hall of the Divine, Mr. Longdren your father’s sword rests there, it has since he retired,” Angelic said, perking up and injecting herself into the conversation.

  Cole rolled his eyes and Professor McMaster noted her input with a nod, “Right, but do avoid interrupting my class Ms. Cherbum” he said, “So today you will enter this Armory, and you will call a weapon to you, and it will be the first of many arms you take in the never-ending fight against the forces of the below,” he turned to Cole, “You, Longdren boy, I worked weapons for three of your brothers, you’re a Claymore family, go on, go get your sword,” he said, motioning his head to the Armory.

  “You never know, some other weapon my chose me,” Cole said as the students separated into two lines making a gap for this mighty hero’s weapon to come to him. Cole held his hand out and closed his eyes. He thought for a moment about a weapon other than a Claymore coming to him, and in all honesty, he was afraid of the idea. His entire family used Claymores, if he drew a mace or an axe, even if he drew a one-handed short sword, he may never hear the end of it. His father may understand, but his brothers would be so disappointed. “I get what I get,” he said to himself as a weapon flew through the air and landed in his hand. He opened his eyes, a Claymore, a long blade with a handle and crossed hilt, it was heavy in his hand, but the sword had great balance. It really was a well-made blade, “Of course,” Cole said.

  McMaster laughed, “Mighty blade, one of the finest under my care, wouldn’t expect anything less from a Longdren boy,” he smiled.

  “Can you make it light on fire?” One of his classmates asked.

  “What?” Cole asked, already knowing what he was talking about.

  “That’s what your dad did in battle, and they say all your brothers do it too,” he said, “That’s your family’s whole claim to fame, charging headfirst into battle with mighty flaming swords,” he said.

  “That would be awesome to see,” another student chimed, “Come on Cole, Flaming sword!” he pumped his fist up and the crowd of students started to chant as they backed away giving Cole some room, “Flaming sword! flaming sword!” they chanted.

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  Cole let the praise for things he hadn’t even done yet roll off his back, “I’ve never tried that before, I’m not sure how to do it,” Cole lied, growing up his brothers would always invite him to train with them. They tried to tell him what he needed to do to make a sword light aflame, let him borrow their weapons, and tried to coach him to summon the great fire that seemed burned into their family’s lineage.

  If there’s ever been a time for me to do this, it’s now, Cole said to himself as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to focus. Feel it in your blood, know that you can already do it, the words from his brothers went through his head, then came the voice of his father, When you need to, you’ll be able. Cole gripped his new weapon with both hands, he turned the blade and admired the craftsmanship in it. It wasn’t as nice as his father's, of course. Bruce Longdren’s sword, The Metatron, was forged by the angels themselves. His brothers all had mighty swords, but none of their weapons could come close to the might of that great and holy weapon.

  Dad, I really could use this right now, Cole closed his eyes, and held tight to the sword, trying to feel the power in his blood. He took a deep breath, and a few faint sparks erupted from the base of the blade.

  “Is that it?” Morgan Reynolds said.

  “Maybe the whole flaming sword thing is a metaphor,” Theo Bennett said.

  Cole snapped, “It’s not a metaphor, I just need some breathing room,” Cole held the blade out, held it tight, gritting his teeth, and trying to focus on it as a few sparse flames darted from it. He turned to the, rather disappointed, crowd, “I think I need to be fighting a demon to do it, I got to be in the moment,” he shrugged his shoulders, “Sorry to disappoint,” he said, trying to laugh the failure to perform off.

  McMaster spoke up, “This isn’t some box social, we’ve got work to do,” he pushed his way through the students, “Whose next, whose next?” he turned to Angelica, “You, pretty blonde,” he smiled, “Been a while since I armed an angel, most think they’re too good for man’s weapons,” he said.

  “Well, as a half-angel, it’s my responsibility to bridge the gap between the divine and the mortal world, I’m sure I’ll be able to wield one of the academy’s weapons with pride,” Cole stepped back as Angelica stepped up. She held her arm straight, her hand out fingers with perfectly manicured nails lifted just high enough to catch her weapon. Two weapons flew from armory shelves. Angelica caught a short sword in her right hand, and while doing a dervish twirl to the left she caught a round mid-sized shield on her left arm. Angelica smiled, “Sword and shield,” she gloated, “As an angel, I not only attack,” she held her weapon up, “but I also defend,” she turned and held her shield to the crowd.

  Everyone cheered save for three, Cole, Benny, and Tav, Cole looked over to Tav and saw her rolling those pretty brown eyes.

  “Your beauty is second only to your purity, gracious daughter of angels,” McMaster said, “Next up, you there,” he pointed to Tav. She pulled herself from the side of the room and walked up to the center of the room.

  “I know you, I’ve seen those eyes before,” McMaster said, “Yes, I armed your father, he took a great spear from my armory, heard he stuck with it, then had it modified with a custom job from John Rose, he was my mentor actually. Spear masters can be very powerful, though it’s a very challenging weapon,” he said.

  “I’m not my father,” Tav said, “Whatever weapon I get, I get,” she said, looking to Cole and sharing the same sentiment he had.

  “We’ll see what you come to the table with, the calling of one’s first weapon shows a lot about a hunter, about what they’ll be, about what they can be, go on, call your weapon,” McMaster said.

  Tav put her hand out and closed her eyes. Cole watched as she held her hand out, her fingers with their black painted nails open to catch her weapon. He heard some rustling, and there was a pause as if she was pulling a weapon from far in the back of the armory, a weapon forgotten and not thought of enough to display upfront like the other weapons seen here today.

  Cole turned to the armory to try to see what Tav would summon, he leaned over a bit too far, and a long shaft of metal flew forward, just barely weaving around him as he dove back, he thought it looked like a spear, but it blurred by him so fast.

  “And the lady gets-” McMaster’s eyebrows raised as he saw the weapon Tav ended up with, “Oh my, interesting,” he said.

  Tav opened her eyes and looked at her weapon, a long shaft of metal with a grip at its base and halfway down it, at its apex, it split into three points, a long one in the middle and two slightly shorter on either side of it.

  “Very interesting,” McMaster said.

  The Murmurs were already starting.

  “She got a pitchfork?” Penny Dillon asked.

  “That’s a demon weapon,” Juliet Lowe blurted out.

  “Is it true what they say about her dad?” another ignorant student asked.

  “Hey now!” McMaster scolded the gossipers, “It’s not a pitchfork you naive, it’s a trident, a mighty weapon, this girl must have very advanced abilities if that weapon chose her, I haven’t seen a student able to wave a weapon like this in over a decade,” he turned to Tav, “Be proud of yourself, you have got a very unique weapon, very interesting indeed,” he smiled.

  Tav looked at her weapon, looked at the three-pointed spear, the trident, the pitchfork, and just sighed. “I don’t suppose I can take a mulligan?” she asked.

  “You didn’t choose it, it chose you,” McMaster said.

  “Don’t remind me,” Tav said as she took her weapon and went back into the crowd to give room to the next student.

  The rest of the class was an array of flying weapons, maces, hammers, axes, flails, scimitars, spears, and swords. Once their weapons were received the students would group together and compare what they got. Each tool had great care put into it and showed the marks of true craftsmanship.

  Cole met up with Benny and Gregor. Gregor had received a fine rapier, a weapon of finesse that matched the skills he had developed in the mortal world. He was showing it off to Gregor and taking a dueling stance showing off a few of his nearly Olympic qualifying moves, “You see, a weapon such as this is not as clumsy or random as a great weapon like you or Cole wield, it takes finesse and skill,” he said, making a few practice lunges.

  Benny took a few swings himself, the great hammer feeling so light, “You slash them all fancy-like, and I just bash them, either way, they’re getting hurt,” he said, “This thing is so light, what was the metal it’s made of again?”

  “Damascus,” Cole said, holding his sword, “It’s a metal that the Mortal World hasn’t been able to recreate for hundreds of years. When the recipe for it was lost, the Hunters did everything they could to get as much of it as possible so they could research it and recreate it,” he said, “It has magical properties when crafted with the right ingredients, Hunter Weapons aren’t anything like the conventional swords and armor that have been used through history,” Cole said, “Using these weapons in tandem with magical power gives us abilities for combating demons,” he said.

  “What was all that about you lighting your sword on fire, can anyone do that? Can I do that?” Benny asked, excited at the idea of something as cool as a flaming weapon.

  “It’s complicated, my ancestor, at least like four great-grandfathers back, he helped an angel or something, and in return, his line was gifted with the power to use divine force, channel it into their weapons. My dad, and brothers, when they go into battle they can call divine power. Their weapons light t ablaze, it doesn’t really do anything, it’s just a show,” Cole said, trying to look like the fact he couldn’t get his sword to light didn’t bother him.

  With the entire class armed and ready, McMaster came to the center of the crowd, “You can compare arms on your own time,” he said, “These weapons, while yours, are property of the Academy until you graduate, if we see any horseplay, nonsense, or wild waiving, we will strip you of them and you will face penalties up to, and including, expulsion from the Academy,” he was dead serious, but then a smile came across his face, “Not that a friendly sparing between friends wouldn’t hurt, how else are you going to learn how to use these arms if you don’t get any experience with them,” he said. “You will be expected to carry your weapons to class, carry them in your studies, and let the Damascus craftsmanship of them grow their bond to you. Soon some of you, if you’re worthy, will be able to summon your weapon from over a mile away, “For your first class you will be putting your weapons back on the shelf, and practice summoning, summon facing the other way, with your eyes closed, try summoning it to your off-hand, you will never know when your work as a Demon Hunter will require a weapon, so you will need to be able to summon it under a myriad of conditions,” he said.

  The students all looked at each other, and Cole was the first to walk back to the armory and put his sword back, “How far do you want me?” Cole asked the professor.

  “Twice the length you pulled it from,” McMaster said, “Twice and turned around,” he looked to the class, “Do stand back, that sharp blade is going to have to make some wild turns to reach its goal,” he smiled as Cole turned his back on the armory, going twenty paces and keeping his back to the weapons as he held his hand out, and summoned the great sword to his left hand.

  “Good show Longdren,” he said, turning to Angelica and Tav, “You ladies, next,” he looked to Angelica, “Let’s see how Divine your talents really are,” he smiled.