Tachys For Speed

Raewyn barely managed to raise her own sword just in time as Alice's own clashed into hers. They were face to face, swords locked in-between. Her soulless eyes looked deep into Raewyn's, searching deep for that which she herself lacked. Abruptly, Alice pulled back and dashed backwards. She shook her head.
"Too slow, much too slow. You'd never survive an attack from one of my kind." Alice blinked behind Raewyn and slashed at her neck, ready to decapitate.
Duck! Libys' mental voice rang out. The bloody bitch isn't aiming to hurt, she's trying to kill!
Raewyn numbly obeyed and made a sweeping cut under her legs. Alice wasn't even there anymore. Raewyn looked all around the chilly room.
"Come out Alice! I don't want to fight you! Why are you even trying to kill me?"
Alice blinked into existence several metres in front of Raewyn.
"I'm not. What makes you think I am? I would never kill you, Raewyn."
She blinked out of sight once more.
"Well, I don't know! Maybe its this whole sword fight thing, or maybe its the fact that you almost cut my head off! Oh, dear me no, it must have been your sudden lack of hair, yeah?" Raewyn shouted into the damp and clammy air.
"Maybe." Alice's voice was a whisper, right above her. "But I already said I'm not going to kill you." She dropped down and right behind Raewyn, sword held high and ready to deal a death-blow. Raewyn dodged to the side as the sword hit the stone floor and thrust her own at Alice's chest.
"If that isn't trying to kill me, I don't know what is!" Alice easily parried it and pushed Raewyn to the floor. Raewyn scrambled to get up but Alice's bare foot pushed against her back and forced her down.
"It's called training, sweetheart, not killing." Alice stabbed the sword down into the concrete just beside Raewyn's head, hard enough to crack it, pierce through and embed itself blade first. Alice shook her head. "No, you definitely wouldn't live."
"I didn't want to hurt you."
"Remember, we are Doppelgangers. Any of my kind you face will probably take a shape of your friend or someone close to you and taunt you. You have to be stronger than that."
"And why in the Archon's name do I need to face Doppelgangers?"
"Because of that sword I just gave you."
"I don't even want it! I've got Utrennyaya and she works a beauty on anyone i face!"
"Hmph. You still have to take it with you."
"Why? You're not even listening to me!" Raewyn was more indignant by this stage than scared.
"It's a real work of art. My people's artificers really knew what they were doing when they made it. You have to take it with you because of what it is."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not any ordinary sword. It's a bonded sword. And I'm not sure what special quality that one has, it only makes it known to its owner. And it's bonded to you."
"What? No, it sure as hell hasn't bonded to me!" By this point, Raewyn had got up and was examining her sword.
"It has. Speak to it, much the same way as you would to Libys."
She's right you know, I can feel the presence of the sword. Your mind sure is getting rather crowded. Libys' voice echoed in her thoughts.
"Prove it, Alice."
"Look at the blade. There's a symbol carved in it. All of our swords have a different symbol. Only the owner can read the rune. It is the name of the sword."
Raewyn held it up and examined the flat of the blade. There was indeed a symbol in it, but she could not underst- She gasped as a bolt of pain lanced her head. Aida. A voice trailed on the wind. The last thing Raewyn heard before she fell unconscious was Libys screaming incoherently at someone.

Tachys Exam Results 9048. The words stared out at the group from the paper they all gripped. Excitement, fear, anxiety, indifference, the entire gamut of emotions would be run. Just three more days left before they were forced to make a choice. However, they were virtually the only ones who hadn't fully decided what combinations to choose and thus were the only ones agonising over it while the rest of the school was having fun. Cocytus and Kestrel were playing chess with Lethe spectating. Phlegyas and Acheron were discussing what he should take and Styx, once again, was no where to be found.
"But you don't actually like Higher Languages, right?"
"Well, not exactly, I don't hate it but I also have no deep-set hatred for it."
"Well, your grades are more than enough to get in. And you mentioned Higher Engineering?"
"Umm, it seems kind of fun."
"But your Engineering results is kinda bad."
"Ok, fine, then what do you think I should take?"
"Are you interested in Magic?"
"It's ok, I guess."
"You're fine with everything."
"Yes."
"Then I give up. Flip a coin or something." So saying, Phlegyas went over and joined the other three in their chess game.
Yeah, brother, that went totally well. You're sure decisive. Acheros' mocking voice said.
Like you aren't. Go hunt some roadkill or something.
"Hey, isn't anyone worried for Styx?" Phlegyas asked.
"I don't know, she's been in the practice room all the time these days and coming out so tired and all. We keep calling her through our link and she doesn't even deign to respond." Cocytus stated.
"Yeah. Archon knows, we've tried. But I think it's just a phase. She'll get over it and come to us." was Kestrel's feminine conclusion.
Three days left, and Styx was still locking herself in the combat room, no choice being made.