"I say, we go big or go home," Jeff said back to him.
Brad agreed, nodding his head. Looking over at his team, he kept calculating the odds of his plan working.
Brad was their largest recruit, massive biceps, like the guy had grown up eating rocks for breakfast. Jeff wasn't as bulky, but he could pack a mean punch and knew his way around a weight bench. Joedan had packed on a good amount of muscle in the last couple months of training as well. He had been lean and strong already, but now, he was almost on the line of someone you wouldn't want to meet on the other side of a battlefield.
The match in front of the trio ended with the defenders holding off for the remaining time. The offense had hit a stand still and had been unable to make any more progress before the timer ran out. Joedan and his group stood at the ready. The defensive team also stood. The captain from their team looked over at Joedan.
"Stupid farmer," he said, as he spat on the ground.
Joedan and the guy had never gotten along the entire time he was at the academy. He was a nobleman's son. He had an air about him that thought peasants belonged anywhere other than where he was. Lionus was his name. His two companions guffawed along with him, chuckling like a couple of hyenas.
The other two teams stepped off the field and the instructor stood taking center stage again.
"What a match, am I right?" Willis said as he engaged the crowd of spectators.
"Good job defending, defenders." The instructor clapped his hands.
"We've got one more match, folks. Let's see if the offense can have any better luck against the defense this time around," the instructor laughed as he walked back to his position on the edge of the arena.
Joedan and his team approached the weapons. Jeff was the best archer they had, so he naturally went for the bow, and a sword. Joedan grabbed a sword and a spear. Brad went with the same. The defenders all went for bows and a sword.
Lionus looked over at Joedan, a sneer on his lips. "You sure you know how to hold that spear? Wouldn't you prefer a pitchfork?"
The defenders marched over towards the castle wall and climbed to the top. Confident they had already won the match. Joedan and his team headed towards their starting point.
"You know if you embarrass him, he's never gonna let you hear the end of it," Jeff said as they walked along.
"Who cares," Brad said. "That little pompous jack-off deserves to be humbled. I say let him have it. Someone's gotta show him he puts his pants on just like the rest of us."
Joedan laughed at his two companions. He really liked his new friends. They had gotten close over his time in the academy, eating most of their meals together. They pushed each other in training and both had taken to Joedan as a natural leader. It humbled Joedan greatly to have these two friends consider him in such regard.
"Alright, guys," Joedan said as they hunkered down behind a wall, the match about to commence.
"You see, that metal lean-to." Joedan said as he pointed to said lean-to. They both nodded.
"That's our shield." Joedan said as he smiled. Brad looked at the lean-to and back at Joedan, his eyebrow raised.
"That thing's gotta be at least 400 pounds," Brad replied.
"Well then we're lucky we've got the strongest recruit on our side," Joedan said smiling at his friend.
"Jeff, provide cover fire from behind that object as we move it forward." Jeff nodded, understanding his role.
"What're we gonna do once we get near the wall?" Jeff asked.
"You'll see." Joedan said as he motioned for his two friends to get ready.
The battle kicked off and the defenders drew back their bows right away, arrows at the ready.
Jeff pulled back his bow and aimed high as he loosed his arrow, testing his range. The arrow arced downward and caught one of the defenders in his shoulder. The defenders were already down to two.
Lionus was furious.
He was shrieking at his downed teammate, which only made it worse when he turned on his other teammate and proceeded to tear into him. Division amongst the ranks already, thought Joedan.
Joedan and his team launched out from their cover seeking the next obstacle to hide behind. Brad drew back his arm and took a running start as he launched his spear at rapid acceleration. It struck so hard that there was a resounding smack as the spear stayed lodged in the castle wall. All three teammates were hunkered down, Joedan looked for the lean-to which was only a few more yards from where they stood.
Amelia and the others were out there watching him. That only added more pressure. He and Amelia had grown closer in the last couple months. Both hinting at feelings but holding back. He didn't know what the proper procedure was. He didn't want to put her in an uncomfortable position. He thought she was interested, but would a duke's daughter really go for a farmer's son? Could she even? Joedan shook his head as he brought his focus back on the battle in front of him.
Lionus and his teammate continued firing arrows but Joedan and his team made it behind the metal lean-to. Joedan pushed against it to test its weight.
"Brad, you were right." Joedan said.
"We need to pick this up and use it to advance," he said to Jeff and Brad.
"Jeff, you're gonna be our primary offense with your arrows."
Joedan and Brad grabbed the edges of the metal lean-to and lifted. It took a bit of strength to get it to break free from the ground but they were able to raise it up.
"You guys ready?" Joedan said, straining his voice.
Brad grunted his assent and Jeff notched an arrow as he raised his bow, nodding to Joedan.
They took a step forward moving in sync. Lionus was screaming again, pointing down at the trio and yelling at his teammate to shoot them. Lionus drew back his bow, firing another arrow but it glanced off the metal shield and buried in the ground beside the group.
Jeff came around the side and let his arrow fly, narrowly missing Lionus's other teammate. With rapid fluid succession, Jeff had another arrow notched and came around the other side of the shield releasing the second arrow. This one found purchase and Lionus's teammate fell to the ground.
Lionus was all on his own.
He was beet red from his team's incompetence. Joedan and his group stood within 10 feet of the castle wall. Joedan and Brad set down the shield for a moment to catch their breath.
"Alright, guys, here's where it gets risky." Joedan said to the others.
"Here?" Jeff asked, rolling his eyes. "What ya call what we've been doing up to this point?"
"Well, just watch," Joedan said as he smiled at his friends.
"Jeff, you're gonna switch with me. You two will pick up the metal shield. But we have to time this just right. I'm gonna stay back a little ways so I can get a good running start."
Both of his friends dropped their jaws. Not believing what Joedan was suggesting as his plan.
Joedan slapped them both on their shoulders, "Come on, this is gonna be awesome. When we get close enough, lower the wall flat enough to where I can get on it and raise me up. I'll jump the rest of the way."
The two companions shook their heads as they adjusted to Joedan's idea. Their friend really did have a few screws loose, but finally they both nodded.
Brad and Jeff each grabbed a side of the metal shield as they started to step forward. Joedan hung back a little and waited for the right moment. Looking back, both made eye contact with Joedan as he nodded. Joedan held his spear at the ready as he took a running start.
"Now," Joedan yelled as the two lowered the shield.
Joedan's feet made purchase and he pressed off as they stood underneath him. Launching several feet into the air, Joedan made eye contact with Lionus, who's jaw had dropped. The hesitation is what cost Lionus the match. The next moment had a spear soaring through the air as it slammed into Lionus's shoulder.
Joedan's hand held the ledge of the castle wall as the entire crowd had gone quiet. Joedan flung himself over the wall and reached for the other team's flag. Holding it high in the air, the crowd broke out in cheers. Joedan stepped down the wall and joined his teammates as they took a bow before the spectators.
The instructor walked over to their group. "Just what I expected from my favorite recruit," he said quietly so the crowd couldn't hear. Turning away from the group the instructor looked out towards the audience, "What a match!"
He was met with even louder cheering. The faces of some of the noble's however were not in alignment with the other members in attendance.
"Well, there we have it everyone. The team portion of the exam has concluded. We will break for now and the single bouts will be conducted tomorrow. Be sure to come back and support us." Willis said as he turned back to the trio.
"Y'all are in a world of trouble," he said quietly. "There's gonna be some backlash from some of the nobles."
Joedan knew by winning against Lionus, it was going to ruffle some feathers, but he wasn't about to start playing politics now. Every man rested on his own merits. That's what his father and mother had taught him. If Lionus couldn't win on his own, he certainly wasn't going to just because he was noble and it was expected that a peasant shouldn't outdo him.
Joedan turned to the instructor, "I didn't come here to make friends with everyone."
Clapping Joedan on his back, the instructor started walking with them back towards their section. "I get it, truly I do. I'm proud of you boy, all three of you. That was good tactician skills out there and phenomenal team work."
The instructor left them as they started to go their separate ways. Joedan walked down the tunnel that exited the arena, heading for Amelia and the others.
At the end of the tunnel, Amelia stepped away from the wall where she had been leaning, "Hey farmer boy," she said as she smiled and approached him casually.