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Joram Contendo was small and skinny for a freshman at Atraville College, and that was proving to be rather tough for him. This was true the day when he sat in a room full of others wanting to enter the Pravus, a team for Venatio energy fighting. At some colleges it was football, at others it was basketball, or academics, or even the parties. But at Atraville College everyone wanted to be part of an energy fighting team, and the Pravus were the best.
“We don't take micros in the Pravus,” said Briel Gimei, an upper classman who looked something like a rude cross between a monkey and an ape.
“Go easy Briel,” said Todd Vals, smiling. Todd always smiled, Joram had noticed, even while he was stabbing someone in the back. “I'm sure the little micro-proton can fight, can't you? He'll prove himself. If he doesn't, well-”
“You'll do what?” Nick Soek stood in Todd's face. Brawny and big, Nick had been Joram's best friend since grade school, and had always stood up for him. But he didn’t want him to do that anymore.
“No,” Joram croaked so quietly that nobody heard him.
“The big muon wants a fight, does he?” Briel spat, taking up the other side of Nick so that he was surrounded by both of them.
“No!” said Joram louder. He stood and slid between Nick and Briel. “I'll take care of this myself.”
“The micron speaks,” Briel sniggered.
“Joe, out of my way,” Nick pleaded. “I've got you covered.”
“NO!” Joram said louder still. “I want to do this.”
“This calls for a dual,” Todd said diplomatically. “I say tomorrow night in the clearing. It will be Briel and Joram.”
“Agreed,” said Joram, thinking that his life had been spared for at least another day.
Biel laughed openly, “If the skinny little micron's going to fight me, I'm there…”
Chris Venatio swept into the room looking tall and scholarly with an air of honorary dignity amidst murmuring from those around Joram.
“Wow, that’s Venatio!”
“Who’s that?”
“The guy who invented Venatio, you proton!”
“This is quite a turnout,” he began with a steel voice and a hardened face. “That’s good, because we have a lot of work to do.”
“Stop shoving me!” said someone near Joram.
“I can’t see!”
“You’re squeezing me!” complained a girl across the room.
The meeting lasted for a couple of hours, and it was well past dark when the meeting broke.
“You haven't fought before, said Nick as they walked back to their dorm room. “You sure you don't want my help?”
“No, I want to do it.” Joram was emphatic.
“Alright,” said Nick, turning the other way to hide a seriously worried look. “But what will happen if you lose?”
Narration provided by Howard Douglas, based on discussions with Tomma Torstig.
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