THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: THE QUEEN I

After lunch, Sagiri made his way to the fourth-year training grounds, still sore, still tired, but determined not to fall behind. He was feeling a little energetic after eating all the three servings. The team combat training was going to take place in the broken pillars arena or the shadow colonnade arena. It was known by two names both fitting to its structure. The Shadow Colonnade stretched across a wide stone basin carved into the academy’s lower grounds, a battlefield sculpted from towering pillars and fractured platforms. Hundreds of stone columns lined its uneven surface, some smooth, some broken at jagged angles, rose in uneven rows creating a maze of shadows and pillars. Light filtered down from slit-like openings in the ceiling, casting long, shifting beams that turned the arena into a place of half-seen movement and sudden ambushes. The floor wasn’t flat; it dipped and rose in subtle ridges, forcing fighters to adjust their footing while navigating narrow gaps, abrupt drop-offs, and hidden corners. From above, it looked like an ancient battlefield, but inside it looked like a battlefield designed by someone who hated comfort, high walls, uneven floors, broken pillars, narrow bridges, and shifting platforms suspended by thick chains. Everything looked dangerous, but still good for putting distance between the enemy

Miss Lakiya was already waiting at the center of the arena where it was flat and a clear gathering spot. Her dark blue coat flapped behind her her tall and thin frame making the picture look like a piece of art, like a queen rising from the ruins behind her

”Form ten lines,” she ordered. The fourth-years moved instantly. Sagiri joined at the back, earning a few glances but no comments. They must have wondered why he was being allowed to join. Miss Lakiya paced in front of them with her arms behind her back as she watched the now perfect ten lines.

”Team combat,” she began, ”is about coordination, not individual talent. If you are a brilliant fighter alone but useless in formation, you will die first on an actual battlefield. I was not happy with how you boys played yesterday. Your team work is still lacking.” she said those words especially looking in kaka’s direction.

She stopped walking at one end before she announced.

”Today, we will practice that.” She lifted a small whistle hanging from her neck.

”Just as you are standing in ten lines, Form teams of ten. Each row is a team,” she said, and the rows started moving forward and aside, falling into teams which formed twenty-five teams in total. ”One of you will act as the Queen. The remaining nine will form a rotating defense formation around them,” she finished. The class already knew the drill. They split into groups quickly, and only Sagiri hesitated at the end, unsure where to go. Maybe it was because Kaka happened to be standing at the back with Kiuga and N’varu Neni, who were the cream of the best. He could already smell Kaka’s distaste and Kiuga’s excitement at Kaka’s expense. He remained standing, not daring to move. It was truly an unlucky day for him. It started with the hell pool, and then, he landed in Kaka’s team.

”New one. Here,” instructor Lakiya pointed him to the team where Kiuga pulled him, putting his hand around his shoulder.

”Kaka, your rival is finally on our team,” He teased, and Kaka’s breath hitched. Sagiri knew that this was the most unfortunate pairing. The strongest guy in the team with the weakest in physical form.

”If you drag the team down, I will kill you myself.” Kaka sneered, going to stand as far away as possible. Miss Lakiya continued:

”The objective is simple. Protect your queen. Eliminate the queens of other teams. I will give a white sash to each queen. Your queen’s sash is taken, you are out, and the team with the biggest number of sashes wins.” She pointed to the arena. ”You will fight within the obstacle field. Every corner, height, shadow, and surface can be used. Use the terrain. Use formations. Use movement patterns.”

She blew the whistle once.

”These are the rules: If your queen is even touched you lose a member if he loses the sash, your entire team is out. If you leave your queen unguarded, you are out. No strikes above the neck. No full-force attacks. The only goal is to get past the knight and steal the sash from the queen. Cooperation over aggressiveness,” he said, looking at Kaka again. ”I don’t care, which means you use as long as you don’t breach the rules. She folded her arms and posed as if to let the information sink in.

”And remember... the queen is not allowed to run more than five paces away from the defensive circle. If your formation collapses, so does your team.” The teams shifted uncomfortably. This wasn’t strength training, this was formation intelligence.

”Choose your queen,” Miss Lakiya said. She could have just named the protected, A King but she just loved to do things how she saw fit.

”Kaka, would you like to be the queen?” Kiuga teased and kaka sneered at even being referred to as, a term meant for a woman. He looked like he was about to kill kiuga but instead he just ignored him and kept his eyes on the other teams with hostility as if he couldn’t wait to smash them. His eyes held a promise of pain.

Sagiri’s team immediately looked at him. He was still far behind in combat and physical prowess, so he could only settle for being protected. He nodded before going over to pick up his sash. Once every queen received their sash, Miss Lakiya blew the whistle sharply.

”BEGIN!”

The Game began, and immediately the arena exploded into movement as the teams moved deep into the arena to find strategic positions before they attacked. Teams scattered between the tall pillars and jagged platforms. Sagiri’s team tightened formation immediately, three in the front, two on each side of him, two at the rear, and three even further out in a triangle formation around the team to scout the surroundings as they moved

”Keep the queen in the center! Rotate with the terrain!” Miss Lakiya shouted from above. She had already climbed to the highest pillar using her hooked rope that always stayed at her waist. She was now crouched, taking in the whole arena. Sagiri’s team moved like a turning wheel, adjusting their formation as they navigated through broken staircases and slanted ground. He stayed in the middle.

A shout echoed from the far side of another team charging.

”Left side incoming!” Ulekai, a boy in the team on the outer triangle point yelled.

Kiuga shifted instantly, getting in position to guard him. Two opponents rushed between the pillars, aiming straight for him. Kaka appeared in a blur, he was among the leading three. The other defenders interlocked shoulders, forming a curved protective line. The enemy was first they were twins from class B and they were acting alone without a team, They did not back down at the sight of kaka but circled as if looking for openings, tried to slip through from the rear moving in unbelievable speed evading and hiding, it was uncanny how much they looked alike and how in unison they moved, but the defensive wheel rotated, cutting off every angle. The queen stayed shielded.

”Don’t give chase Kaka, they are just trying to lure you out because you are the strongest, so their team can attack while you are gone.” Kiuga made a deduction quickly and Sagiri was starting to realize why he was a top student. He was a funny character but his observations were on point. He would be a lethal opponent in a battle. Kaka, who was almost charging, stopped and returned to his position.

”Childish.” he cursed.

They advanced deeper into the arena, ducking under hanging beams and crossing narrow platforms. The sound of combat filled the arena as teams fought in different corners, some collapsing already, their queens tapped out, their members forced to step aside.

”Two teams eliminated,” Miss Lakiya shouted from her tower. ”Apply Pressure drills! Surround, break, reform!”

Sagiri’s team tightened instantly. They moved for a bit before they found a high position where shadows were plenty.

”You. stay behind that pillar and don’t move.” Kaka said to him and sagiri stood behind a pillar, the sash tied around her head as it was instructed. Kaka then stayed in a watchful position waiting for a team to attack. Kiuga was giving instructions about how to stay positioned and when to attack. Having kaka on their team was both an advantage and a disadvantage because it made them a threat that needed to be eliminated. The two opposing teams fought each other for a second at a distance then noticed Sagiri’s group in the distance. With Kaka as an opponent one team wasn’t enough and so they formed temporary alliances and rushed together.

”Here they come!” kiuga yelled. He had divided the team into three triangles. ”The outer triangle you have to run in and attack but you wait till I give command, the second triangle you stay hidden when they are close move in but make it as if you are going for their queen.

”Wont that leave our queen open.” Ulekai asked, he was now in the inner triangle.

”The first three will help break the momentum and they are all strong fighters, you on the other hand are good in aerial battle as you can move first using the train to propel you. That will scare them and force half of them to move back and protect their queen. Your role is to apply pressure. Then me, Kaka and N’varu Neni will hold back the other half.” he said confidently and Ulekai nodded and waited for the command.

Two full squads charging at once. Sagiri tensed and the power inside him finally stirred as if it was an extension of his feelings. When they were close enough, Kiuga finally gave the command.

”First team go! The second team, wait.” The first three were strong but against twenty it was impossible and they were getting over powered. ”Go now.” kiuga said and sagiri finally understood why. The three boys were fluid in movement and they needed just a tap of their hand to a pillar or a raised surface to propel themselves so far forward like their bodies were made of wind as they advanced as if they were going for the two queens. It worked just kiuga predicted and half the teams fell back to protect their queens. An opponent after all cannot be underestimated. The other half advanced while the other six kept the first half busy and at bay. The eight boys approached quickly, eyes set on sagiri and the three boys fell into defensive positions. They needed to keep the eight at bay while still protecting sagiri.

The clash happened fast.