mass. The long sheath now
poised over the eventual blade opening was also beginning to harden and fuse to
the bone, paralleling the edge. Soaking in the cool artesian spring waters that
flowed near the boundary of the practice field was the one comfort they were
allowed to seek to soothe their pain.
A sudden high fever was the second sign. It
signaled the first stage of the change had begun. The blades were ready, now
the body must change. The fever and flood of hormones would make the youths
lethargic. They’d lose consciousness for hours at a time. The combination
elevated their metabolic rate, burning fat for energy at an alarming pace and
turning their giant bodies into raging masses of muscular power. It gave them
the extra strength they’d need to pull their blades out for the first time.
Once the fever broke, what happened next
was almost miraculous, much like the birth of a child as it struggled to take
its first breath. However, for the young warriors, the transformation was
agonizing. As the blades emerged, slicing through a thick outer layer of
protective tissue, the sheaths instantaneously completed their fusion to the
ulna bones. At the same time, marking glands alongside each wrist would
activate and lubricate the opening to ease the passage of the smooth-surfaced
blades.
The marking glands weren’t the only ones
activated. For the first time in their lives, the newly-bladed males would
experience their first erections and subsequent ejaculations. At the mercy of
the chemicals flooding their bodies, they turned into raging, rutting beasts
whose only instinct was to kill or rape. Pain and pleasure for them become one
and the same at that instant.
The young warriors were coached through the
change by older mated warriors known as handlers, who were no longer able to go
to battle due to injury or age. For several minutes after blading, the
transformed warriors were helpless, stunned and exhausted by the physical
exertion. After assisting the newly-bladed to re-sheath their blades, the handlers
would take them into an adjoining room and securely strap them down. Afterward,
the teachers would start the training. They tended to the young warriors’
needs, night and day, for the next month while they healed mentally and
physically.
* * * *
Lydia awoke to Takoora shaking her, urging
her to get up.
“Hurry! We have fifteen minutes. All the
initiates have been summoned to the blading section. The head mistress wants us
to observe.”
Her first full day as an apprentice was
starting out with a huge opportunity. It wasn’t every day they had a young warrior
going through the change. Lydia rushed through her morning routine at record
speed. Finished, she threw on her red robe, slipped on a pair of soft leather
sandals, grabbed her mask and dashed out the door of the bedroom she shared
with her friend. Takoora followed close behind. They both hoped they would be
paired together when their training was complete.
They ran to the blading section. Along the
way, the rest of the initiates joined them in their mad dash. As they
approached a wide door they slowed as a group and proceeded through the doorway
in a more dignified manner. Four teachers met them inside and led them down a
wide corridor. Lydia clutched her stomach when she heard the first painful
howls coming from a location just ahead of them. She and Takoora exchanged
nervous glances. Lydia knew only too well what was about to happen.
Two of the teachers stopped before a thick wooden
door. The other two motioned silently for the initiates to continue walking.
They were led to the next one where they entered a narrow passageway with steps
leading up to an open area. Lydia recognized her surroundings. They were in an
observation room, a balcony overlooking a blading chamber. The two teachers
gave them a signal to remain completely quiet. Lydia had been in this section
once before when Kern had brought her to the citadel. She hoped her stomach
poised over the eventual blade opening was also beginning to harden and fuse to
the bone, paralleling the edge. Soaking in the cool artesian spring waters that
flowed near the boundary of the practice field was the one comfort they were
allowed to seek to soothe their pain.
A sudden high fever was the second sign. It
signaled the first stage of the change had begun. The blades were ready, now
the body must change. The fever and flood of hormones would make the youths
lethargic. They’d lose consciousness for hours at a time. The combination
elevated their metabolic rate, burning fat for energy at an alarming pace and
turning their giant bodies into raging masses of muscular power. It gave them
the extra strength they’d need to pull their blades out for the first time.
Once the fever broke, what happened next
was almost miraculous, much like the birth of a child as it struggled to take
its first breath. However, for the young warriors, the transformation was
agonizing. As the blades emerged, slicing through a thick outer layer of
protective tissue, the sheaths instantaneously completed their fusion to the
ulna bones. At the same time, marking glands alongside each wrist would
activate and lubricate the opening to ease the passage of the smooth-surfaced
blades.
The marking glands weren’t the only ones
activated. For the first time in their lives, the newly-bladed males would
experience their first erections and subsequent ejaculations. At the mercy of
the chemicals flooding their bodies, they turned into raging, rutting beasts
whose only instinct was to kill or rape. Pain and pleasure for them become one
and the same at that instant.
The young warriors were coached through the
change by older mated warriors known as handlers, who were no longer able to go
to battle due to injury or age. For several minutes after blading, the
transformed warriors were helpless, stunned and exhausted by the physical
exertion. After assisting the newly-bladed to re-sheath their blades, the handlers
would take them into an adjoining room and securely strap them down. Afterward,
the teachers would start the training. They tended to the young warriors’
needs, night and day, for the next month while they healed mentally and
physically.
* * * *
Lydia awoke to Takoora shaking her, urging
her to get up.
“Hurry! We have fifteen minutes. All the
initiates have been summoned to the blading section. The head mistress wants us
to observe.”
Her first full day as an apprentice was
starting out with a huge opportunity. It wasn’t every day they had a young warrior
going through the change. Lydia rushed through her morning routine at record
speed. Finished, she threw on her red robe, slipped on a pair of soft leather
sandals, grabbed her mask and dashed out the door of the bedroom she shared
with her friend. Takoora followed close behind. They both hoped they would be
paired together when their training was complete.
They ran to the blading section. Along the
way, the rest of the initiates joined them in their mad dash. As they
approached a wide door they slowed as a group and proceeded through the doorway
in a more dignified manner. Four teachers met them inside and led them down a
wide corridor. Lydia clutched her stomach when she heard the first painful
howls coming from a location just ahead of them. She and Takoora exchanged
nervous glances. Lydia knew only too well what was about to happen.
Two of the teachers stopped before a thick wooden
door. The other two motioned silently for the initiates to continue walking.
They were led to the next one where they entered a narrow passageway with steps
leading up to an open area. Lydia recognized her surroundings. They were in an
observation room, a balcony overlooking a blading chamber. The two teachers
gave them a signal to remain completely quiet. Lydia had been in this section
once before when Kern had brought her to the citadel. She hoped her stomach
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