-------------

  ~8 hours later

  -------------------------

  I felt something, whilst exploring my new aptitude, trying to move my physical body. Did someone finally dismiss me? Somewhat hopeful, I exited my mind palace with a hurry. Only to be face to face with a being that I would have punched if I had the power to. At least I tried. It was my instructor. Her stern face didn’t even twitch as she stopped my fist mid air with a flex of her magical will. “For the eternal service, at ease, young master” she stated with indifference.

  “You will now follow me to the training ground for disciplinary measures for assaulting a guild supervisor with the intent to kill” as she finished her command, she turned on a micro-cog and stormed out of the dining hall.

  I followed, and fast. From what I perceived, it was roughly 2 o’cog in the morning. I’ve been standing there, waiting to be dismissed for roughly 8 hours. Suffice it to say, that was child’s play compared to what I’ve been through.

  “Anything goes, my student” my supervisor commanded as we entered the reinforced, magic resistant dome bigger than my father’s Ars metallica. There was metal scrap everywhere. Nothing new, since this has been my training ground when at the castle since I was roughly 6 years old. Old enough to use magic.

  No second later, I was encased in metal head to toe, the next second my head was ringing from a physical blow directly to where my temple would have been bludgeoned by my instructor’s signature move: a metal encased fist.

  I pushed my magical will outwards, fighting a will so dense that I still could never see what my life old enemy was doing. I pulled myself backwards with my metal manipulation skill while pulling more miscellaneous metals towards my body to further lessen the chance of needing to get healed by this….. Respectable woman. Waiting for any sign to react to, never daring to try to see with my eyes, since I had learned my lesson years ago for doing that, I felt it.

  Pushing my magical energy outward with a force I would have never been capable of yesterday, I saw it coming. Faintly.

  Quick as was possible, I grappled onto her outstretched arm and wrapped myself around her arm, trying to take her down with the sheer weight of the metal I now carried on my body. I just floated there, held aloft, I heard something I had never experienced from this vile woman.

  A single laugh.

  “This is the first time you’ve ever seen me coming, You broke through, didn’t you?”

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  The entire world went one way while I went the other. The wall hugged me, keeping me there.

  “Just means I can be rougher with you, pup” her malicious voice sounded out from beyond my metal tomb.

  I exerted my will. The wall crumbled, surprising me. I performed a frontward somersault, kicking upwards into her sternum/neck area.

  CLANG

  Ouch, still not powerful enough.

  My entire body felt like I just got stepped on by the empire class mobile cog: Her wrath, long may she reign.

  I was flung to the ground as she retaliated by backhanding my legs with her metal fist.

  I got up, this time I started flinging metal shards and sheets at her, trying to make distance, only to see them get sheared apart before getting turned into needles, thus, getting sent back at me.

  I defended myself.

  Or for lack of a better term, I tried to defend myself.

  THUNK

  Every needle she sent back at me hit me all over, all at once, going straight through my improvised shield, taking over my will and using that also as a projectile.

  PAIN. SHEER PAIN.

  I dared myself to continue. I started flying, trying to flee to get a better striking position. That’s when I detected what was akin to the entire room moving.

  I willed myself. I spread my will outward to accompany the entire room to see what was going on. Suddenly, I got stunned by something in my fourth cog, nothing harmful, but something new. Something profound enough to make a huge enough difference that I was unable to act.

  LEAD POISON YOU, HARLOT!!!!!!

  WHAM

  —-----

  6 hours later

  —------

  I woke up.

  I willed myself to the calmness of an adamantine cog.

  I spread my will outward, checking my surroundings. She’s still here. But who is that?

  Another female, but I do not recognize her magic signature. Older than me, but not by much, stronger than me, but less practiced in discipline due to her crass and unbecoming words.

  “YOU INCORRIGIBLE SWINE BRED WHORE OF A UNFORGIVABLE TRAITOROUS BASTARD, YOU, IN YOUR INFINITE RETARDATION ALMOST KILLED MY SOON TO BE HUSBAND!”

  Huh, I don’t sense anyone else in this room, so she’s gotta be talking about me. Mother must have done something, I guessed with an assumption.

  Rotating that away from my attention and for a later Erec to deal with, I tried to sit up.

  That didn’t work very well. Am I in a full body cast? Lead make her suffer, she must have really got me good.

  “Have you any idea how much magic will would have to be expended to heal his injuries?” She asked with a demanding and accusatory tone.

  “No, my lady, I do not” The insufferable wretch stated with reverence.

  “YOU WILL HEAL HIM, OR DIE!” The lady shouted.

  “Yes, my lady, it will be done” that she devil stated.

  “I will be back, he better be in better shape than when you picked him up before your little lead brained, low cow, bluster up you acted out early this morning.” She commanded her.

  “Yes, lady Cerys, it will be done.” That inhuman sore upon the eyes said.

  Wait, her name is Cerys, she’s of royal birth as denoted by her ‘ladyship’. Don't tell me it’s who I think it is.

  “Ah, my fiancee, you’re awake.” Cerys said with an uncharacteristic worry.

  “If awake is whatever state this could be is, then yes, my lady Cerys, I have returned from the great all work alive” I tried to add a grin in jest but got just a pain response that easily went up into my top ten list of lead attributed, mercury assisted pain levels ever reached.

  I felt a sadness envelop the room, one that couldn’t be from that sin causing institutionalist. “Hush now, let yourself be healed, I will be right here to be fully sure she does it right, for if she doesn’t, death will be the last worry she has.” She said with a gentle tone, one opposite to how she talked earlier.

  I was inwardly panicking. For I would never allow myself to show such an unsightly display to someone such as either that manticore look alike or the great Lady Cerys.

  Cerys then turned to the nearly murderous swine. "Heal him with care now, you know what would happen if you don't." She warned.

  “As you say, my lady.” The aforementioned dog kin stated.

  “Let it be so, get to it.” Cerys said with finality