Last stand performance

"Now everyone, let us go outside and practice with some dummies!" the teacher says.

We go outside. "Good. It's the school's priority to not make it a damage contest in front of the parents, so they wanna show off our trained ability. This is a huge win. If everything goes according to plan, I can dominate". As I think that, I realize I'm almost thinking it outloud, as the face I'm making attracts the attention of my parents.

"Is everything okay Rune?" my dad asks.

"Of course, you guys don't mind if I show off a little bit right?"

-"No, no, by all means, do you your thing" my dad replies. There's no suspicion in his tone. I might pull this thing off.

One by one the students stand in front of the dummies and strike it with their dagger. Some of them seem to try and show off different techniques. Some go for a swift cut in the stomach area, some juggle a bit to strike a combo, or even go for the upper part representing the neck.

One kid approaches the dummy. He seems unfazed by all he has seen up to now and takes his dagger. He prepares it in his hand, focuses greatly, and then cuts deeply in the middle of it from side to side, making the upper half pop off completely.

The class is making their impressed "ooh" sounds.

Now Tai, the kid who annoyed me earlier is approaching the dummy. He switches to his battle axe, and stares at me, challenging me with his eyes. He runs towards the dummy and strikes it with all his might from the side in a diagonal angle. It almost cuts it whole, and the dummy snaps into an upper part that is barely attached to its' lower part, hanging.

The class increased their tone with another "Woohooo". I don't think they realize this, but what is impressive about what he just did, is the damage from a weapon we don't usually use. He wasn't bad, I'll admit. But the student before him was able to apply more damage with a weaker weapon. In my opinion he was much more impressive than Tai. Then again, the level is completely different in technique compared to me.

"My turn" I say to myself.

I choose the dagger I got from that cursed goddamn tree boss. I throw it from very far away of the dummy's location. It's a swift throw, accurate. Right to the center of the head area.

The class is surprised and impressed by me, as I am elegantly not trying to show off pure strength, but prefer choosing trained skill instead, knowing they've probably never seen a dagger thrown before. As they can't decide if they are going to indulge in their childish habit of making noise, confused by the prestige of a classy and accurate attack like that, I want to destroy the competition leaving them without much choice. I guess I'm a little bit childish too.

The dagger I picked up from the tree boss had a special one-time-effect I can trigger by striking with it agressively head on. I take my beginner's dagger and throw it in the air. I then jump to use some of the momentum as I grab it mid air and throw it at the same dagger that I threw before. That strikes it exactly accurately, and in turn - is a physical collision with the dagger that was already in the dummy, in a "head on" position. The effect is activated. It creates an insane knockback, basically shooting the effected dagger through the dummy's head, hitting something in the far distance eventually. The beginner's dagger falls on the floor after that, as everybody is left shocked, and the dummy - with a hole in its' head. The effect creates an insane knockback but sacrifices the dagger, so that one is gone I guess.

My parents are speechless. The class is speechless. Even the teacher cannot comprehend what just accured. I barely show any emotion when I pick up the dagger that fell on the floor. They all just tripled their expectations of me. They are completely unaware that I don't even know if I can graduate anymore, since to actual targets - I'll be dealing no damage.

Everyone suddenly makes so much noise! My parents look so proud. The class is shouting my name, treating me like a hero. I'm unfazed. They don't know. They don't know...

This is supposed to be a fantasy scenario, like a dream. They don't realize what a nightmare it actually is.

The day is over, and the parents are leaving. My parents offer to walk me to the dorms but I tell them that I'm going to a coffee shop with some friends. They let me be and leave with the rest of the parents. Some kids are actually going to a coffee shop but I just used it as an excuse and went back to my dorms.

I walk home. I try to get my pace faster. I make it faster and faster. Why does it take forever?

I can't help but count the steps, I can almost feel time itself refusing to pass.

I finally get to the dorms' gate, and I sprint towards the stairs. I jump and skip over a few of the stairs and finally reach the floor of my room. I now walk fast to my room, unlock the door, enter, and shut it down.

As I lock the door, I collaspe on my knees. I put my hands on my head. The dread... I'm about to lose my mind.

"Will Luna... Still care for me?" I ask myself. "Do we still have a future together? Am I even worth it? Wouldn't it be better for her without me now?" I keep shooting those questions, torturing myself.

"I'll do anything for you Luna, I promise. I'll fix it. I'll find a way".

I wake up the next day on the bed, unable to even remember at what time I went to sleep.

"Today, after class, I'm gonna have to visit the guild. I'm doing this". I decide, and leave the room.