《The Fledgling of Frostholm》


 Chapter 1: The Wind in the Workshop

    <h2>Zenithor, Saturday, Bardus 35th</h2>


    Zenithor Whisperwind stormed around the workshop. His steps were heavy with purpose, and the wind itself complimented his movements. Zenithor was eighty years old, but he was far from decrepit. There was tension building around Zenithor. Today was the day for drastic measures.


    With alacrity, the aged sorcerer gathered alchemical ingredients, spell components, and scrolls from their resting places all over his dusty workshop. The workshop hadn¡¯t produced wonders in fifteen months. As the older man cut through the workshop, his increasingly unstable winds blew the accumulated sawdust and soot swirling into the air in miniature dust devils.


    ¡°Zenithor, you are going to start breaking things,¡± Zenithor¡¯s magic staff, Serenity, told him. The words came crystal clear to Zenithor, mind-to-mind. Her voice was calm and almost motherly. Serenity was his arcane focus. The staff was a long piece of polished Nedra core. The mystically potent wood was the color of ripe cherries. As the wood curved near the top, wooden scales and spines were carved in, culminating into a serpent¡¯s head. Emerald inlays completed Serenity¡¯s soulless snake eyes.


    Zenithor responded with a grunt of acknowledgment. His frigid blue eyes darted around the room, identifying the many things he needed. Today, Zenithor was reaching the apex of his life¡¯s work. Zenithor was anxious and grieving, but the emotion that boiled deep within him was a seething anger. Like a churning volcano ready to blacken the sky for generations.


    The unyielding gale blew unfinished wands, glass vials, and trinkets off the workshop desks. The shattered potions and spilled ingredients filled the air with a sickly rotten smell. Zenithor didn¡¯t care. The only beings affected by Zenithor¡¯s gale were the six and eight-legged creatures seeking cover under the desks or in the corners of the room.


    ¡°Did you want my opinion?¡± Came Serenity¡¯s loving tone.


    ¡°No, but you are going to give it anyway, I¡¯m sure,¡± Zenithor admonished under his breath. Zenithor¡¯s anger was clear in his growling voice and was only stoked further by false compassion in hers.


    ¡°Yes, I just wanted to let you know¡­ I know that you know this spell¡¯s success is unlikely, and then you will be dead,¡± Serenity said, her calm voice tiptoeing through the convoluted sentence. When met with silence, she continued. ¡°And then you will not be able to bring good into the world like you always wanted.¡±


    ¡°I spent my entire life bringing good into the world,¡± Zenithor responded. His mind flashed to his deceased daughter, Lilium Whisperwind¨C Taken from this world far too soon. Lilium was going to be his legacy. She should have become a powerful sorcerer with the power to permanently fix the metaphorical cracks in the world. As Zenithor thought about Lilium, his rage flared, and the winds howling around him lifted an unfinished staff and flung it at the wall. The enchanted trinket exploded in sparks and magical energy.


    ¡°If this does work, I want you to rethink your path. The results of this spell should be constructive, not destructive.¡± Serenity said, bound by the goody optimism a younger and happier Zenithor had instilled in her.


    ¡°Constructive, that is a joke coming from you. I want to be destructive. Not only do I want those kids to hurt, I want everyone to see them perish,¡± Zenithor said. Emotion was thick in his throat. He had to do this now; if he waited another day, he would lose his chance. Blinded by hatred, he continued to gather the materials for the peak-level enchantment he would attempt.


    On the table at the center of the workshop lay a body. It was made entirely of dried clay but perfectly and meticulously shaped. The body had feathery, short black hair. She wore the same outfit as Zenithor¡ªa long gray cloak trimmed with black fabric. Sorcerer''s robes wrapped the body from neck to toe. A sorcerer hat with a wide brim and comically long tip was on the top of the body''s head. Tucked in the band of the hat was a pink lily. He thought internally about his mantra from his youth, but nostalgia did nothing to ease the rage in his mind.


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    Serenity decided not to say anything. Her attempts at calming the old sorcerer had only further stoked his fires, made even more apparent by the small monsoon isolated to the workshop''s interior.


    Zenithor decided to vent further, ¡°My old friend¡­when a child stomps on a flower, they¡¯re prone to feeling a momentary thrill. However, if the gardener catches them¡­¡± He trailed off as he adroitly arranged more components into place. Zenithor continued. ¡°These children chose to step on my Lily, and only my death will stop me from pruning them.¡± He punctuated the sentence with a wave of his hand. A casual gesture that sent a blade of wind flying into the bricks on the far wall¡ªa simple cantrip strong enough to leave deep gouges in the brickwork. ¡°And even then...¡± The old mage muttered.


    When Zenithor accumulated a small mountain of magical trinkets, spell components, and scrolls on the desk, he triple-checked to ensure he didn¡¯t miss anything. There was a thaumaturgical necessity for this spell; beyond any he, or any other magician, had ever attempted. This spell had dozens of component types. It had constrictions from many schools of magic, required a colossal amount of mana, and finally, it also included a component that only existed in theory.


    For a moment, Zenithor reflected on the true value of his soul, and it only reaffirmed his resolve to risk it. ¡°I want to know why they did it first. I want to feel what Lilium felt, what they made her feel. Then, I will make a spectacle of the end of their lives.¡± Zenithor continued. ¡°That is the part I don¡¯t understand. Lilium was so kind. Why did they do it? How can they just go about their lives? How do they have the focus and drive to be accepted into the most prestigious college on the continent¡­While I am left to struggle alone?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone, sir,¡± Serenity attempted, but the psychic connection might as well have been linked to the clay corpse on the table for all the good it did. Zenithor was too focused. He grabbed an extended length of rope for the final stage of the casting. He used dextrous magical fingers to tie the knot perfectly for the loop¡¯s purpose. When the spell resolved, the rope rested irritably against the skin under his collar.


    ¡°Fifteen years ago, my beloved Celia was taken from me. Fifteen months ago, Lilium followed her.¡± With those words, Zenithor began the casting of the spell. He crafted layers upon layers of complex spell circles that floated delicately before him. Zenithor channeled and pulled each layer''s required components and sculpted runes into the spell. The monsoon churning around him this entire time transformed into an updraft gale, and Zenithor felt himself lifted into the air before the clay body on the table.


    ¡°But, sir, everything you are; everything you have built¡­ will never be accessible. You will lose me, too.¡± Serenity said, pleading through the mind-to-mind connection for Zenithor to reconsider.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always hated you.¡± The old mage scowled as he finished the spell. Ten increasingly more complex spell circles and countless runes dissipated into the ether. The winds that had caused Zenithor to fly up into the air dispersed, too, and the master sorcerer fell freely. There was a crack in the rope as it was pulled taut, and a quieter, more delicate crack resulted from Zenithor¡¯s neck breaking. The once raucous room was thick with heavy silence¨C besides the slight creak of Zenithor¡¯s swinging corpse. Zenithor¡¯s staff, arcane focus, and lifelong companion, Serenity, fell to the ground with a loud wooden clatter.


    Silence hung heavy in the room.


    The workshop, Zenithor¡¯s life work, was destroyed. The storm brought on by the end of Zenithor¡¯s life threw everything around the room to the periphery of the workshop. The exception being the body and the table she lay on.


    Aellaria opened new eyes and looked at the hanging corpse before her. There was nothing in the workshop worth salvaging.

 Chapter 2: Neglectful Hitchhiker

    <h2>Marin, Sunday, Fatherus 1st</h2>


    Marin¡¯s hazel eyes were wide with excitement as she walked along the side of the cobblestone road approaching the premiere sorcerer¡¯s college, Spire. Its namesake towered over the horizon, a symbol of knowledge and prestige. Even from this distance, she could see the great stone Phoenix wings that sheltered the sorcerer college and held its flame aloft.


    Marin struggled along with her overfilled pack. She was exhausted but held her holy symbol, which brought her strength. The sacred symbol was twine woven together into the shape of a loaf of bread. This bread symbolized Phoenix, The Father, God of many domains ¡ª including baking. Over her shoulder set one long frayed braid. Her brown hair was wet with sweat.


    Marin was a lottery apprentice. A child from a peasant family who was lucky in that she developed a talent and was randomly selected to attend Spire. This social equity program was called the Economic Adversity in Magic Program, or the EAMP. Her status is technically Lottery Apprentice, but the struggling woman had never been an apprentice to a master in any capacity. She was self-taught, mainly by accidentally throwing doors and windows open with bursts of magical wind. As a poorer resident of Element, she wore simple, filthy traveling robes and struggled to balance as she walked with all her possessions in a heavy and unevenly stuffed backpack.


    Marin had spent weeks traveling the high road to the city of Mistfall, and now she walked on foot to make it the final distance to Spire. There was a steady trail of carriages that passed by her. Most were horse-drawn carriages, but Marin could see some of these carriages moved unaided. Some looked like simple, unadorned hires, but others had heraldry indicating passengers of the noble class.


    ¡°By each and every one of the gods, look at the EAMP!¡± Marin heard as yet another carriage clopped past her. Marin focused on not falling over but raised her head to the voice that taunted from the carriage. ¡°Your struggles are so real. Wow.¡± A head with curly black hair chirped as she looked at Marin. The woman wore hooped gold earrings. At the center of both hoops were massive emeralds.


    A redhead then poked her head out of the same carriage. ¡°The carriage wheel broke, and now we see a real EAMP. This is really starting to feel like an adventure.¡± It could have been Marin¡¯s exhaustion, but both girls sounded like they had the exact same sing-songy voice.


    Marin certainly didn''t feel like her existence warranted the label of ¡®adventure.¡¯ All of the magical colleges had enrolled Economic Advisory in Magic Program participants, and there must have been dozens of people just like her.


    Marin, with effort, stood up straight and smiled at the two young women sailing past her on their horse-drawn carriage. ¡°Hi, my name is Marin of Crowfoot Hill. I am happy to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Yes! You should be; this radiant redhead is Flair of Frostholm. You know, like a burst of fire, but spelled with an ¡®i¡¯ instead of the normal way. Driver! Slow it down; we are talking to someone!¡± The curly-haired woman said. In response, the carriage began decelerating.


    ¡°And this wonderful bitch is Bren Twingrove of the Frostholm Twingroves. Watch out, she bites.¡± Flair said to introduce Bren. Marin noticed that the heraldry on the sides of the carriage had that of two thorn-covered wreaths.


    Both girls started giggling, and Bren playfully slapped Flair on the arm. ¡°We agreed not to bring that up, remember? Anyway, it looks like you¡¯re really struggling. That¡¯s pretty cool.¡±


    Marin was proud of her journey thus far. She smiled as she went to respond, ¡°Yes, I have been walking, taking shared carriages, and sleeping in public rooms for the last couple of weeks.¡±


    Flair wrinkled her freckled nose in disgust, ¡°Eugh! Public rooms? In like taverns? That is gross. They store, like horse food and poop in them.¡±


    Marin started to respond, but Bren cut her off. ¡°I bet I could spend a night in a public room, but only if I was the only one there. I can deal with animal smells, but people smells? No thank you. Anyways, Rina, my dad, voted for the EAMP thing that you¡¯re benefiting from. I told him to do it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I also told my dad to vote for it, but he voted no anyway. It''s like, get with the times, old man!¡± Flair said.


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    Marin chuckled nervously as the two women talked about her and people like her. It made her feel especially small. As she walked with the coasting carriage, her fingers plucked at her sweat-damp braid. She certainly wasn¡¯t feeling confident enough to confront them or insult them.


    ¡°Driver, we¡¯re done now! Take us to Spire!¡± Bren shouted toward the front of their carriage.


    Marin watched in confusion as the well-off women began to outpace her. Had she been lucky enough to have a large carriage, she would have offered a struggling fellow student some help. Marin marveled at the position that some people were in and thought herself fortunate to be in a place where she might be able to be like them someday.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them. You are a threat to them. They want to watch you struggle. They want you to fall to make their lives easier.¡± Said an assertive, feminine voice behind her. ¡°They know how the system works and have already started the politics of breaking the competition.¡±


    Marin started to turn around but was so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t even resist when the raven-haired woman lifted the great pack off Marin¡¯s back and swung it onto her own. When she turned to thank the other woman, Marin was taken aback by her icy blue eyes.


    ¡°It seems the only thing you aren¡¯t burdened with is the knowledge of efficient packing. My name is Aellaria of Frostholm.¡± The taller woman said. ¡±Take a moment and catch your breath. Spire is further away than it looks.¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is Marin of Crowfoot Hill. I am happy to meet you,¡± Marin said again, this time to someone who might understand her struggles. Looking at Aellaria, Marin saw the young woman wearing comfortable-looking gray sorcerer robes. Aellaria also didn¡¯t appear to have any luggage. Finally, on the top of Aellaria¡¯s head was an old-style sorcerer hat with a pink lily stuck in its band. ¡°Thank you for your help, and what did you mean? What competition?¡±


    Aellaria looked confused as she effortlessly walked with Marin¡¯s heavy pack. ¡°Your teacher didn¡¯t tell you? Those girls resent you because of the EAMP. It forced Spire to enroll two more apprentice first-year students than there otherwise would be.¡±


    Marin looks surprised by this. ¡°I-I¡­I only wanted a chance to be a good magician. I didn''t have a teacher¡­¡± Marin stuttered.


    Aellaria continued, ¡°Of the sixty-six students inducted this year, Spire will only ultimately graduate ten of us. It is the most competitive college in Element.¡±


    Marin watched the train of carriages ahead of her in disbelief. Each carriage held at least one student in competition with her. She nervously watched the icy-eyed woman carrying her burden.


    ¡°You are entering a program meant to make you a Master Sorcerer. The very best mages in the world graduate from Spire. The failure rate averages 85%, and the graduation rate is just a hair higher than the death rate.¡± Aellaria explained calmly. As Aellaria walked, the tip of her sorcerer hat bobbed back and forth. It would have been funny to Marin if the news hadn¡¯t already started crushing her like a weight heavier than the unwieldy pack.


    ¡°What do I do? I don¡¯t even know how to cast a spell! Are you telling me I am just as likely to die as I am to graduate?!¡± Marin shouted.


    ¡°Well, if you survive your first year, you can try to transfer to a school that doesn¡¯t aim for greatness. However¡­¡± Aellaria paused to take Marin¡¯s heavy pack off her back and returned it to Marin. ¡°I recommend you make it to Spire before registration ends. Or you will sleep outside and likely be late for the first classes tomorrow. Good luck, Marin of Crowfoot Hill.¡±


    The unburdened Aellaria walked off ahead of Marin. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Marin said, trudging onward despite what likely were impossible odds.

 Chapter 3: The Fledgling of Frostholm

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Zenithor was thriving in the body named Aellaria. She was physically sixty years younger than he was, and Aellaria realized just how much Zenithor had relied upon his aeromancy to live comfortably. Aellaria walked without the assistance of a single gust. Her joints didn''t hurt. She was stronger. If it weren¡¯t for Zenithor being so singularly focused and self-serious, she would be dancing as she entered the Spire campus.


    By the time Aellaria walked into the courtyard past the gate, most of the carriages had arrived and been emptied of their passengers. The gardens looked almost precisely the same as they had sixty years ago when Zenithor attended Spire. Beautiful gardens and natural paths weaved all along the area between the outer walls and the massive tower.


    The wings of Spire were intimidating from below. Aellaria remembered Zenithor¡¯s anxiety when walking through the gardens. It always felt like the great Phoenix wings would fall and destroy everything below. However, even now, the wings still cradled the beacon of Spire.


    Only a handful of students still lingered in the courtyard. Most have gone inside to start touring their new home.


    Aellaria entered the great Spire doors and into The Heroes¡¯ Gallery. This Gallery held replica artifacts, portraits, and even a small library. All of it was dedicated to the deeds of the Master Sorcerers that graduated from Spire. Aellaria was relieved to see nothing on display for Zenithor. Zenithor¡¯s efforts in the shadow and living among the enemy were not flashy enough.


    At the far end of the Gallery was the registration desk. Aellaria produced her identification. This government-issued ID was required of everyone with talent and was a thin piece of slate with a simple enchantment. It stored a mage¡¯s unique magical pattern and tied it to official records. This ID, homemade by Zenithor, tied Aellaria¡¯s pattern to an Aellaria that died over sixty years ago.


    The registration worker checked Aellaria¡¯s ID and compared the pattern of her body to the entry for Aellaria. By Zenithor¡¯s design, the pattern on the ID card matched the one from the body he created. Eventually, she would need to break into the capitol¡¯s records and update them. However, unless someone manually checked the paperwork in the capitol for Aellaria¡¯s records, she would be fine.


    Aellaria felt on edge looking at the woman behind the desk¡ªa middle-aged woman guarding the only route to the higher floors. The woman had unnatural gold-ringed irises and enchanted metal grafted over the skin of her cheekbones. The shimmering enchantments on her robes, facial implants, and jewelery told Aellaria that this person was more than just a desk worker, but someone to take seriously: a Master Sorcerer of Spire.


    ¡°Aellaria huh? Are you named after someone?¡± The Sorcerer asked. She looked at Aellaria closer. Aellaria¡¯s old-style sorcerer hat and name were certainly out of place. Additionally, Aellaria knew her unapproachable expression would be out of place when every other student was wide-eyed and excited to be in the historic and prestigious structure. Aellaria could only dilute Zenithor¡¯s wild anger so far, resulting in a permanent unfriendly scowl.


    ¡°I come from an old family,¡± Aellaria lied.


    The gold rings in the sorcerer¡¯s eyes tightened, and for a moment, Aellaria felt the pressure of this woman¡¯s gaze before it relaxed. ¡°Welcome to Spire. May you rise up,¡± The registrar said before handing her her student identification pin and dorm room key.


    Aellaria nodded politely before continuing into the depths of Spire. She walked up the stairs and into the entry hall. There was a tour line. New students could follow the tour line through the cafeteria, dorms, lecture floors, and sparring arenas. Then, the last stop was meeting your lecturer. Aellaria already knew how slowly time moved for education. Spire was the same institution Zenithor attended all those decades ago, albeit with a younger staff. Instead of all of that extra walking, Aellaria moved to the unoccupied teleport rings beyond and went straight for the finish line.


    Aellaria was comfortable with the sensation of teleportation. Teleportation sickness was typical the first several times anyone did it. The instant shift in physical space resolved, and Aellaria felt no nausea. This thaumaturgical advancement would have been a breakthrough for those who study magic theory, but to Aellaria, it was nothing more than a neat observation.


    As her sight adjusted to the new room, memories came flooding back. The Banquet Hall near the top of Spire is where Zenithor celebrated significant achievements in his academic life, such as winning an appraisal, surviving each year, graduation, and induction. These significant milestones were some of the best and worst memories Aellaria had from Zenithor¡¯s long life. The Banquet Hall represented the pinnacle of what students could achieve at Spire. The only higher places in the tower were the Professor¡¯s Quarters and The Sacred Flame. The stone walls encircling The Banquet Hall had all been enchanted to be transparent. Aellaria saw the Misterran Forests, Son Lake, and even Mistfall from this height. The setting sun in the distance cast an unnatural glow.


    In this historic place, Aellaria realized that these pressures and unnatural feelings were not accurate. It was the lens she looked through. Aellaria was the outsider.


    Around the room, Aellaria saw four desks. Each had a tired teacher, ready to meet their students and answer questions. Her blue student identification card told her that her teacher was blue; this corresponded to the teacher sitting at a blue table.


    The Blue Teacher looked a touch more peppy than the others. He had to be. He was the water teacher¨C the least popular element of magic. It was never flashy, required great mastery to use in any combat scenario, and the other elements of magic tended to make piss jokes at any Aquamancer¡¯s expense. The Blue Teacher had a shit-eating grin on his face as a pair of students piled more hypothetical shit on his plate.


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    ¡°Father said that I would get to be with Bren every step of the way! Why does it say here that Bren goes to the super cool fire teacher, and I am stuck here with the worthless aquamancer!¡± Flair whined. From behind, Aellaria could only see Flair¡¯s radiant red hair and Bren¡¯s brown curls. Both girls were wrapped in expensive silk robes, undoubtedly corresponding to their respective elements: red and brown.


    Aellaria knew precisely what type of girl this person was. They grew up never having to face any adversity. They became best friends with their parents'' best friends'' child. These children got whatever they wanted because their parents would prefer to bend the system over listening to their child¡¯s whining.


    ¡°I understand your frustration, Flair! Might I say that is a fantastic name? I believe your father may have been talking about the dormitory system. You and Bren are assigned the same room, but we do not waver on our class assignments.¡± The Aquamancer explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Niall; I know what my father said,¡± Flair responded. Her indignant fist landed on her hip, and her other hand pointed at the poor teacher. Aellaria thought this action made the young woman look like a teapot.


    ¡°If you would like to try to get this changed, you will need to speak with Professor Rietta, but in my decade here at Spire, I have never seen or heard of assignments changing.¡± The patient Aquamancer responded.


    ¡°Useless!¡± Flair shouted. She then turned around, and recognition hit Aellaria like a runaway carriage.


    Flair was from Frostholm. She was one of Lilium¡¯s classmates. There were flashes of memories of Lilium feeling great pain by the actions of Flair, and a hostile scowl marred Aellaria¡¯s face. Flair¡¯s charcoal eyes ignited a white-knuckled rage in Aellaria.


    ¡°Oh great! I get to be in the same class as fuckface floppy-hat! I saw your hat dongling around for a mile on the carriage ride in, and Bren almost threw up laughing at you.¡± Flair responded, but Aellaria was too busy trying not to get lost in her rage and succumb to the thrumming of blood in her ears. ¡°Also, nobody wears wide-brimmed hats anymore. What are you, homeschooled?!¡± Flair said. ¡°Whatever, just stay out of my way.¡± Flair and Bren returned to the teleportation circle Aellaria had used just minutes before.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t even have time to process the flicker of emotions firing in her mind at seeing Bren, too. Aellaria felt the urge to lunge at Flair. She could not recall any details of what Flair or Bren did to her daughter, but she knew how it made her feel. Those feelings threatened to overwhelm Aellaria until a voice spoke up behind her.


    ¡°I think your hat is quite distinguished! Not the most practical thing, but it makes me feel like I am in the presence of one of the great magicians of yesteryear. My name is Niall, and I will be your teacher these first two years of your adventure here at Spire.¡±


    The Aquamancer, Niall, was handsome and just reaching the end of his young adult years. Aellaria looked closer at her teacher and saw he had an absurd little beard and a pointed handlebar mustache. All visible hair on his body was either dyed or magically altered to be an unnatural blue. The only part of the Aquamancer¡¯s attire that Aellaria vibed with was his popped collar vest. Its sole purpose was style, and the absurd garment helped to gently tug Aellaria from the edge of unbridled rage.


    Aellaria paused to compose herself, then responded, ¡°Niall, what time is the fight tomorrow? I¡¯m feeling tired and wish to retire to my dorm.¡±


    Niall recoiled at Aellaria¡¯s direct question. Aellaria knew this was supposed to be a fun surprise revealed during the induction dinner, but she was tired. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to ask anything about Spire? This is an exciting stage in your development as a sorcerer!¡± Niall persuaded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aellaria responded, leaving as little room as possible for conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being long-winded. I¡¯m used to students being excited for their first days at Spire! If you are feeling tired, I will let you go, but if you need healing after your journey. As an Aquamancer, it is one of my specialties¡­¡±


    ¡°Time, Niall,¡± Aellaria said quite rudely.


    Aellaria saw the water mage¡¯s hurt expression. ¡®This man is supposed to be a Master Sorcerer?¡¯


    ¡°8:00, just after breakfast service finishes. May you rise up¡­¡± Niall responded promptly, meekly adding the words of Spire.


    Without another word, Aellaria left to go back toward the teleportation ring.

 Chapter 4: Cold Roses

    <h2>Callo</h2>


    Callo Goldrose of Frostholm found himself walking along the corridors of Spire in awe. Callo was an eighteen-year-old Cryomancer, the son of a wealthy warmage turned merchant. His father, Mellow Goldrose, was one of the richest men in Frostholm. His father may have been wealthy, but Callo knew he worked hard to get to Spire¡ªthousands of hours with his tutor, practicing runes until his mind felt numb, and sparring with his father until he was weak and bloody. If anyone belonged here, Callo knew he had earned it.


    Callo was one of the richest freshmen of Spire, but despite his wealth, he wore modest silver robes that didn¡¯t even bear his house¡¯s heraldry. He kept his white hair messy but more than made up for it with his toned body and kind face. Callo was effortlessly handsome.


    He had just made his way through the tour for first-day students.


    The Cafeteria smelled of foods from many different cultures. Undoubtedly, master chefs and Culinomancers were in the kitchen preparing for the welcome feast in just a few hours.


    The Fighting Cells were immaculate¡ªno easy feat considering the powerhouses that must have trained there regularly. Callo admired the tiles within the fighting cells, where he would be able to prove himself.


    Then, he was in the men''s dorms. The shared room had activities for students to do together. He watched as a pair of young men were engaged in a heated game of Aero. Aero was one of the six versions of a table game meant to help students hone their skills with each element through camaraderie and competition.


    Deciding to wait until the feast to begin making introductions, Callo went to his room to offload his stuff before continuing the tour.


    Next, Callo went through the lecture halls. There were teachers for each element¡ªheat, cold, water, electricity, earth, and air. Callo lingered in the classroom belonging to the Cryomancer, and he hoped to get instruction from a great Cryomancer. Sheets of ice and frost coated the walls, and Callo could feel the cool water running beneath. He wanted to reach into the ice and begin casting, but he knew this was not his playroom¨Cyet. Excitedly, he bounded into the hall and promptly felt his heart jump in his chest in surprise.


    He almost ran headfirst into a lovely woman whose class pin identified her as Aellaria. She was in the blue class, the same as him.


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    ¡°I, um¡­hi! I am so very sorry!¡± Callo said, momentarily forgetting how to give proper greetings. He shuffled some belongings to offer his hand, but her expression almost made him jump back. She looked at him in anger.


    The woman shoved past him and continued onward toward the dorms. ¡°I hope my other classmates have a bit more class¡­¡± He thought to himself. However, as he watched her leave, he saw the hat on her head. Something clicked in Callo¡¯s head and told him this was a person to watch closely. ¡®That hat-¡¯ Callo thought, but then shooed the thought away as quickly as it appeared.


    The final portion of the tour was when he would meet his teacher. As Callo entered the banquet hall, he saw the table with his teacher, and that was an Aquamancer if he had ever seen one.


    Callo and Niall locked eyes, and a bond formed instantly. Callo knew this man would help lead him to greatness.


    Niall launched to his feet as Callo walked toward his table. Without a word, Niall threw a cantrip at Callo, sending a dozen water bullets shooting straight for Callo¡¯s chest.


    Callo responded quickly, casting a quick cantrip of his own, and the water bullets hit a cold barrier. Callo owned the pebble-sized droplets when they made contact with his wall of cold. The dozen water projectiles simultaneously hit the barrier and bloomed into a bouquet of frozen roses. Callo plucked the roses from the air and dropped the spell.


    ¡°Ice man! You are no slouch. Well done!¡± praised Callo¡¯s new instructor. ¡°My name is Niall. I am an Aquamancer and look forward to helping you through your journey to mastery.¡±


    ¡°Hi, sir. That was so quick; thank you for giving me time to respond. My name is Callo Goldrose of Frostholm.¡± Callo frosted the ice roses and set them down on the table. Callo¡¯s excitement grew at the opportunity to learn under an aquamancer. None of these four teachers were Cryomancers, so this was the next best possible option, and he was delighted.


    Callo noticed that his teacher, Niall, had tears in his eyes. ¡°Professor, are you okay?¡±


    Niall cast a small cantrip to dry his tears, sniffled, and responded. ¡°I¡¯m just happy to have another normal one...¡±

 Chapter 5: The Roommate

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria had stopped by the Aeromancer¡¯s classroom to steal a wand. The theft was so minor that it would certainly go unnoticed. Wands could be used as an arcane focus for a specific magic school, but they could not channel above cantrips and first-level spells.


    Outside of the classrooms, Aellaria bumped into the third person who pulled an intense reaction from her. An Ice mage, one from Frostholm. Aellaria couldn¡¯t remember what this ice mage had done to her daughter. Still, another instant emotional response was born from Aellaria''s connection to Zenithor¡¯s memories¡ªone of hatred and disgust.


    Then, Aellaria made her way to her dorm room. She locked the door and lay down to begin her practice. The dorm room was quite large. It was designed and furnished for two people. Three doors were on the far end, and a bed was on either side of the room. The three doors were two large walk-in closets, and the central door was the shared restroom between her and her roommate. There were enchantments along the walls to allow for the easy creation of mage lights and to make the solid walls appear as windows.


    Aellaria had noticed that none of Zenithor¡¯s magical base had transferred to this new body. She would have to use this time before tomorrow''s fights to practice actively casting some spells. Her mind knew countless runes that combined in different orders to make various spells. She focussed on the cantrip Zenithor was most comfortable with, the one to make the wind blow. It was agony.


    The body had almost no mana¡ªthe mental energy required to cast spells. Aellaria gestured with her hands to make the cantrip spell circle, then pushed the runes for wind through it. When she was Zenithor, this would create a gust of wind that could cut down a small tree, but as Aellaria, it resulted in an impotent little fart of a spell. The spell could probably be used to put a candle out, given it wasn¡¯t burning too hot or further than a couple of feet away. With disappointment, Aellaria realized this magic wouldn¡¯t knock one of the other combatants on their asses.


    Aellaria spent hours casting the cantrip, but it only barely increased potency. Zenithor had always been patient and gifted Aellaria with this virtue. She would cast until she was spent of mana and then meditate to recover. Cast. Meditate. Cast. Meditate. She continued this process until the door opened, and her roommate walked through. It was the poor woman from the road, Marin.


    Marin marveled at the room. ¡°Wow¡­ there''s so much space!¡± When Marin saw her roommate, she had a conflicted expression. ¡°Oh, hi, Aellaria.¡± Marin dropped her heavy pack on the floor, rolling her shoulders in relief.


    Aellaria realized that Marin was nervous about her. Aellaria¡¯s direct approach with the simple-faced woman may have left a¡­bad impression.


    ¡°Good evening, Ms. Marin of Crowfoot Hill,¡± Aellaria responded formally. Aellaria thought Marin would fail to make it to Spire in time. Marin must have commendable willpower.


    ¡°The road, roommates, and we have the same class. I guess Phoenix really shines on our pairing today, huh?¡± Marin said, invoking the god of the sun and baking as the reason for whatever luck brought them together.


    ¡°It¡¯s as if it was destined,¡± Aellaria said in a bored tone.


    ¡°Is that a joke? Are you making fun of me?¡± Marin accused. Marin approached the far wall to start checking where the doors lead to.


    Aellaria sighed, ¡°If I were going to make a joke, it would be about how you smell after your time on the road.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Marin shouted before taking a moment to double-check. She lifted her dirty cloak and sniffed herself, ¡°Yeah¡­ alright. Why is the bathroom in our room?¡±


    ¡°Because that is our bathroom,¡± Aellaria answered simply.


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    Aellaria saw Marin blush. Marin retreated into their shared bathroom, dragging her entire pack of belongings behind her to avoid further embarrassment. The door closed once Marin had successfully escaped the awkward moment.


    Aellaria was briefly reminded of a time many decades ago when Zenithor was an urchin living on the streets of Mistfall. To someone growing up with very little, a bathroom you share with only one other person was the pinnacle of luxury.


    The door to the restroom opened a crack, and Marin¡¯s face peeked out. ¡°How does it work? The water?¡±


    ¡°It is an enchanted stone in the shower head that¡¯s connected to the command stones. You push mana into the command stones to set the temperature.¡± Aellaria explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I. Mana?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Just fiddle with the shiny rocks until something happens. You are a college student. Experiment.¡± Aellaria admonished.


    The door to the restroom closed, and after an almost concerning amount of time, the water finally started.


    By then, Aellaria had already started practicing the wind cantrips again. She worked her mana reserves like a muscle until, hopefully, she could use them to fight. Aellaria crinkled her brow; something was wrong. After sixty years of practicing wind magic in Zenithor¡¯s body, the magic wasn¡¯t coming through effectively. The only answer to Aellaria''s problem was to work harder and practice more.


    ¡°Is that a spell circle? I¡¯ve never seen one so close¡­¡± Marin asked. Marin had changed into a sleeping robe, her hair still wet from the shower. Aellaria thought about telling Marin about the hair dryer but decided it was too much of a bother.


    ¡°Yes, a cantrip circle. It is the base of all structured magic in the world.¡± On her next cast, Aellaria held the circle longer than usual to let her roommate see. It was an ethereal structure brought forth from the combination of Aellaria¡¯s will and knowledge. ¡°So you have only ever cast chaos magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That is definitely the right word. Once, I got excited about one of my mom¡¯s strawberry pies and accidentally launched it out the window. Our neighbor''s pigs were thankful for the surprise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are not more overwhelmed by life at Spire.¡±


    Marin laughed. ¡°I am overwhelmed. I don¡¯t know what to expect, but Phoenix is opening his eye, and with everything that''s happened, I know he will take care of me.¡±


    Phoenix ¡®opening his eye¡¯ referred to this being the first day of the Father¡¯s new moon. Rieth the Bard has closed his eye, and now Phoenix the Father will give us the last heat of the year before winter. Aellaria knows this was mostly superstition on Marin¡¯s part.


    Aellaria cast the wind cantrip again, and it failed again. The resulting breeze was nothing more than a swipe of a single fan blade.


    Despite its simplicity and lackluster effect, Aellaria could tell that the structured casting of real magic impressed the young sorcerer next to her. Aellaria decided not to get too attached. The EAMP recipients assigned to Spire would surely fail out before the end of the first semester, especially after tomorrow.


    Marin climbed into bed, undoubtedly tired after so much walking. ¡°Do you want to be an Aeromancer?¡± She asked.


    Aeromancy was as part of Zenithor as his hands were. No, Aeromancy meant more to Zenithor than his entire body had. ¡°I am an Aeromancer,¡± Aellaria stated with finality.

 Chapter 6: Knowing Where You Stand

    <h2>Marin, Monday, Fatherus 2nd</h2>


    The majority of the space in Spire was dedicated to places where students could safely fight each other. Deep under Spire were even more rooms, including the massive Stadium. All four years of students were required to attend the first assembly of the year, each taking a quarter of the real estate of the seating. Of course, as the classes got older, there were fewer students.


    The Freshman class wore the colors of their teachers. Red, Blue, Light Green, and Brown. There was no sense of camaraderie between the four first-year groups. All the classes were mixed together in the stadium seats, resulting in a random array of colors.


    Conversely, The Sophomore class separated themselves into four neat groups. They wore white robes trimmed with the colors of their teacher¡ªalso Red, Blue, Light Green, and Brown.


    The Juniors wore white robes with no colors.


    Marin glanced longingly toward the Senior class, all wearing gray robes. Even growing up on a farm on the other side of the continent, she knew how much work it took to be a sorcerer about to graduate from Spire. There were only fifteen. To her, those fifteen students could be considered bonafide master sorcerers.


    Marin wore one of the student uniforms she¡¯d found in her closet. It didn¡¯t seem mandatory, but Marin loved the feel of these new robes and found their bright blue colors very appealing. She also loved how heavy and expensive the robes felt. Marin had always been conscious of her weight, and the thick cloth layer made her feel safer.


    Marin could have chosen a Niall-blue tunic or even a vest. The fully stocked closet had many different blue options for her to wear. However, she loved how secure she felt in the classic sorcerer robe and cloak.


    In the space between the four classes was a massive fighting arena. Eleven people stood there. They were the instructors of Spire, Niall standing among them. There were also sorcerers for the other five elements, but Marin didn¡¯t know what the other four teachers would do. The final teacher was Dean Flamescale of Spire.


    The Dean was a heroic figure. He was a paladin of Phoenix¡ªthe strongest paladin of the greatest god in the entire realm. Phoenix was the god of baking and the sun, and seeing Flamescale made Marin stroke the twine loaf of bread in reverence.


    Dean Flamescale wore a simple white tank top and baggy pants. The black tattoo on his left arm¨C the famous tattoo of The Phoenix¨Cgave away who he was. Under his skin, it glowed with the promise of the fire within him. The presence of this world-renowned hero was enough to stoke the fires of Marin¡¯s faith and excite her for the year ahead.


    When the Dean raised some magical device to his lips, Marin could hear him clearly, even at this distance. It surprised her. She expected a gruff, smokey voice, but it sounded like anyone''s old dad.


    ¡°Attention, my name is Dean Flamescale. Freshman, this first day is about you. Here at Spire, knowing where you stand and where you are going is important. You will always be ranked. You will always know who you should strive to beat and who will look to defeat you.¡± With a point, the Dean set a banner on the wall on fire, revealing the rankings for all four classes on the wall behind it.


    The Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes had numbers on their lists, while the Freshman list had sixty-six unnumbered names. Realization dawned on Marin that Aellaria wasn¡¯t lying. Everything about Spire was indeed a competition, and she knew nothing about magic.


    ¡°Since every other class knows where they stand, we will be working to find out where you belong. Those at the bottom will know how much further you have to go, and those at the top will feel the weight of that target on your back. To talk about the specifics of today, I give you Professor Niall.¡±


    Professor Niall stepped forward and spoke into his own magical trinket. ¡°Good morning, students! Today is one of my favorites. You will fight up to three times with different students in your class. Let''s start with some structure.¡±


    Niall spun in a circle, raising one finger. ¡°One. Do not kill your fellow students. Anyone who knowingly enacts lethal force will be put up for review and very likely expelled. To help combat death, you all have your student ID pins on your robes. One of the enchantments in these pins will help protect you from sudden lethal magic. Such as two earth pillars squishing you like a pancake or wind blades slitting your throat.¡± With each gruesome depiction of death, Niall mimes them with his hands. ¡°In some situations, the pin will not prevent these deaths, so just assume it doesn¡¯t work and be relieved when it does, okay?¡±


    Marin gulped. ¡®Just be relieved you don''t die?¡¯ Marin looked to Aellaria and saw no fear in the taller woman¡¯s blue eyes.


    Niall then raised a second finger. ¡°Two. You will be fighting up to three times today. If you need to go to the infirmary, you can, but you may miss your other fights. Also, losing a fight means you are out for the rest of the day.


    ¡°Three. No outside weapons, trinkets, or potions. These fights will be judging combat efficacy only. Two students will fight at a time until one of them can no longer continue. You can cast spells, use enchantments personally made, and any potions you brewed yourself. No weapons are allowed beyond arcane focuses and wands. Anyone breaking this rule will immediately lose any of their matches. Any questions?¡±


    The Freshman class erupted in raised hands and outbursts from the louder students. Marin raised her own. She waited patiently until her teacher called on her.


    ¡°Sir, what if we don¡¯t know how to do any magic?¡± she asked nervously. Giggles and snickers erupted from the students all around her.


    ¡°Oh no! The EAMP doesn¡¯t even know how to use her talent. How embarrassing!¡± Flair said with a giggle. Bren laughed. With each laugh, her brown curls bobbed, and her emerald earrings swung. ¡°Oops, sorry, I didn''t mean to say that out loud.¡±


    Marin shrunk further in her seat and glanced at Aellaria. However, her roommate just sat there with no support to give.


    ¡°Ms. Marin, you will be less likely to win engagements without magic. I sincerely hope you are a fast learner in the coming weeks,¡± Niall responded with genuine compassion for the struggling lottery apprentice. ¡°Let''s get started, everyone. We have over fifty fights to get through by the end of the day.¡±


    Finally, Dean Flamescale stepped forward one more time. ¡°May you rise up like the phoenix from the ashes.¡±


    Marin watched as the very first fights went by. The pattern was whoever had the most magical stamina won. The two fighters would throw magic at each other, then someone would get desperate, and then they would be defeated when they tried to close the gap. The only exception in these early fights was a large geomancer named Gaff.


    Gaff started his fight with an Aquamancer named Kyrine by pulling up the stage¡¯s tiles into natural armor, covering himself from head to toe. The Aquamancer slung water bullets at the armor, but it seemed Gaff couldn¡¯t be moved.


    After throwing two volleys of water bullets trying to destroy the armor, Kyrine smirked. ¡°Are you standing there hoping I waste all of my mana?¡± She posed with crossed arms while watching the armor, then pushed her large glasses up the ridge of her nose with one finger.


    As if in response, the suit of armor dragged one foot forward. The sound of stone against stone filled the arena. The loud grinding noise made Kyrine cringe.


    ¡°You are never going to catch me like that. You might as well give up before you give yourself heat stroke.¡± Kyrine laughed, taking half a step back. She leapt in surprise when she met resistance.


    Gaff was standing right behind her. He had used the noise of the armor moving forward to burrow under her. Now, he quickly grabbed both of her forearms and held them to her sides, ¡°You can give up now or go to the infirmary.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I give up¡­¡± Kyrine said.


    This drew the first reaction from Aellaria that Marin had seen all morning. Aellaria had actually chuckled.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    The next fight took Aellaria by surprise. She would be fighting Flair.


    Flair was in front of her and cheerfully bound down the steps. Even Aellaria could tell she was excited to show off.


    Aellaria stood up; there were five people she needed to confront on the death of her daughter. That she would fight Flair this early was a massive statistical improbability. It was possible, however.


    ¡°Hey, good luck, roomie!¡± Marin chirped.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Aellaria said as she descended the stairs towards the stage. Her traditional pointed hat bobbed back and forth with each step. There was a shimmering barrier at the bottom of the stage that she saw clearer now that she was closer. The barrier must have been to spare the audience from any deadly projectiles.


    Once the two women were on the fighting stage, they both took a fighting stance. Flair was the first to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since we are in the same class. I won¡¯t burn you too bad.¡±


    Aellaria studied the other woman. Flair seemed confident and came from an affluent family. This may be a brutal fight, but Aellaria knew she didn¡¯t need to win. All she wanted was to coast under the radar. At most, she wanted one win.


    ¡°On second thought, your face could probably use a bit of inferno. It would actually solve two problems: your resting bitch face would melt off, and that fucking fashion tragedy of a hat would also be gone.¡±


    Aellaria thought about what Flair must have said to Lilium. Was it banter like this? Did Lilium die in part due to the thousand cuts of this woman¡¯s tongue? Aellaria decided then and there that she would do just a little bit better than coast by. She was going to crush Flair.


    Niall smiled, ¡°Now, a bit of trash talk! How fun. Just remember tomorrow you are both in my class. Fight!¡± Niall gestured with a downward motion to start the fight.


    Flair immediately sidestepped and threw a bolt of fire at Aellaria.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t move, and it hit her in the abdomen, knocking her back. Her blue robes caught fire around her stomach, and she felt the fire already on her skin. A molten core at the spell''s center clung to her skin and robes. Aellaria stared at Flair, then she reached down and, using one gloved hand, grabbed the solid components of Flair¡¯s spell and tossed them to the ground. Aellaria gently patted the fire out, revealing burned skin beneath her burnt robe.


    ¡°You see, Flair. Fire always looks more powerful than it is. When you realize just how inefficient it is, you know it as the weakest of all elements.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°You fucking idiot. Fire is the bark and the bite! It is the envy of all sorcerers!¡± Flair shouts as she prepares two more casts of her fire bolt. She throws them both, but this time, Aellaria dodges between them.


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    ¡°No, and I will prove it to you¡­ by beating you with just one cast...¡± Aellaria responded, continuously changing directions as Flair continued her onslaught of fire bolts. If she was going to defeat Flair with one cast, it wouldn¡¯t be to prove a point. It would be because any effective spell Aellaria cast would be all she could do before she was completely spent.


    Flair was more skilled than Aellaria had thought she would be. First, there was the molten rock component of the fire spell. It meant that she couldn¡¯t just run straight at Flair. A direct hit from close range would stagger Aellaria, creating an opening for more spells. Secondly, there was the frequency of casts. Flair not only memorized the cantrip she used, but she had practiced it extensively. Finally, Flair had stamina. More mana than any eighteen-year-old sorcerer had any right having. Probably thanks to a private tutor who trained her to fight with her specialized magic.


    Aellaria moved to dodge, but Flair had gotten used to Aellaria¡¯s movements. Flair clipped Aellaria in the shoulder at an inopportune time, and Aellaria fell back. Flair pushed the advantage on the black-haired woman, but Aellaria rolled back onto her feet. Standing up, she realized the fire on her shoulder had also leapt to her hat. She put it out and removed the melting rock from her skin and clothes. Aellaria could smell the charred cloth now.


    With the distance increased again, there was a calm until Flair started giggling. ¡°See, homeschool girl¡­ you are going to lose. You are just making it more painful. Oh! Maybe you like pain. Is that why you wear that joke on your head?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know why they used to wear hats like these? The great sorcerers of old?¡±


    ¡°Because they were fucking dumb?¡± Flair responded.


    ¡°Some say it was to show where the sorcerers were on the battlefield. Sorcerers drive terror into the hearts of their enemies. Others say it was to allow more room to display ribbons and accolades. Do you want to know the truth?¡± Aellaria said, pacing around Flair like a tiger ready to strike.


    ¡°I already know the truth. The old wizards were drunk old men with no taste, oh! And they wore dumb hats because they are fucking dumb.¡± Flair said.


    ¡°No,¡± Aellaria said as she finally lunged; the speed with which Aellaria changed course made Flair¡¯s brown eyes bloom in surprise.


    Flair threw two bolts, but Aellaria kneeled and ducked under them. Aellaria began weaving her one spell. While the kneeling mage could tell Flair had been extensively practicing her magic, it was nothing compared to the alacrity of Aellaria¡¯s casting. This one cantrip would take every bit of Aellaria¡¯s mana to cast. Flair saw her moment and threw a final firebolt down at the kneeling Aellaria.


    Aellaria channeled her gust cantrip, putting every ounce of mana into it. She released it, but not at Flair. Aellaria cast it under her knees, causing her to launch upwards and forward¨Cflying over the fire bolt. Flair was out of options.


    Flair started raising her arms to block, but Aellaria sprinted the last step and punched the Pyromancer hard in the face.


    Comprehension slowly returned to Flair¡¯s face, but she was already on the ground. Aellaria stopped above Flair, her cloak tattered, and her robes burned at the stomach. With the wide brim of her hat, Aellaria blocked out the room''s light for Flair.


    ¡°I wear this hat because the only thing worse than being broken and humiliated is being broken and humiliated by a real bad motherfucker in a silly hat.¡± Aellaria snarled at the downed Flair, then raised a fist.


    ¡°I concede!¡± Flair shouted, raising her hands above her head.


    Aellaria lowered her fist and calmly walked over to Niall, ¡°I am going to rest in the infirmary for the day. I could continue another fight, but I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Before she walked away, Aellaria read exasperation on Niall¡¯s features.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    ¡®Aellaria was amazing,¡¯ Marin thought¡­instead of using a wind blade cantrip, a gust to avoid Flair¡¯s attacks, or even a gale to knock her down. Aellaria just punched Flair in the face. Marin knew there was probably more to it, but she was too far away to see any details or hear any talking.


    After another hour of waiting, it was her turn. She was going to fight a mage wearing brown robes named Justice. He was in the Geomancer¡¯s class. Marin thought that it could be that they were a Geomancer, too, like Gaff.


    Marin thought about how she would fight someone like Gaff, bigger and stronger and with more experience. She believed that the only way she could win was by using her chaotic magic experience. If she let them land a hit on her like Aellaria let Flair, it could stir up strong enough emotions to leverage her chaotic magic.


    As Marin saw her opponent, she felt an ounce of relief. The man standing opposite her was even shorter than she was. ¡®I could totally close the gap and give him a good blast.¡¯ Marin thought.


    The Geomancy teacher, was the referee for this fight, and she watched the referee closely for his mark. He was massive, almost eight feet tall, and his skin appeared to be made of shale. On the front and back of his vest were embroidered letters with his heroic moniker, Granite Guardian.


    She was going to annihilate the short man with the stubbly goatee. She didn¡¯t need proper magic to be the best in the class. Marin was toughened by a decade of manual labor on the farm, and Justice looked like he was just out of puberty.


    As the Professor¡¯s large stone hand raised, she watched it with intensity. Here you go, Marin. This is your time to shine, she thought. The hand went down.


    As the referee¡¯s hand finished its arc, Marin felt something strange and went unconscious.


    <h2>Callo</h2>


    Callo walked down the stairs to his fight. He was the last of Niall¡¯s students to have active matches. He had won both of his previous duels pretty handily. However, he was also present for his opponent''s fights and knew that the Aquamancer opposite him was very talented.


    His opponent was a water mage named Samwen. Callo knew this should be an easy fight. Cryomancers were notoriously strong against Aquamancers. Samwen wore light green robes, indicating he was in Professor Aeren¡¯s class. Samwen¡¯s cheek was badly scarred, and the young man¡¯s left eye had a milky-looking iris.


    Callo had mastered one very simple Cryomantic spell. A heatless barrier, cold enough to freeze surface water on contact. Once the water froze, it was then his to command.


    ¡°Last fight, boys. I hope you¡¯re ready; this one might decide the first position.¡± Professor Rietta said, the purple-robed mage refereeing this late into the day.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Callo said.


    Samwen nodded, getting his hands ready to cast.


    Callo sprinted forward as soon as the Electromancer gave the word, not wanting to give Samwen time to think. To his surprise, the mage in the light green robes also sprinted at him.


    Callo summoned a barrier of cold around himself. It was hardly a physical barrier, but it would make someone think twice before touching it.


    However, Samwen was one step ahead of him. Samwen punched toward Callo¡¯s face, coating his hand in water. The water started to freeze, but it insulated Samwen¡¯s hand from the cold. Instead of harming Samwen or giving himself more ammunition, a fist covered in ice was flying toward Callo¡¯s face.


    Callo could only do damage control. He cast a cantrip to make the accumulated ice explode outward. At the same time, Samwen¡¯s fist made contact with Callo¡¯s face, making Callo tumble backward.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never fought an Aquamancer, aye?¡± Samwen asked. He had the touch of the north in his voice. Twin rivers of water began leaking from his hands, coiling around his body like serpents.


    ¡°No, but I¡¯m sure I can figure it out,¡± Callo responded. Blood trickled down his nose, reminding him of the blows his father would land on him when they trained. ¡°Aquamancers belong in the first aid tent.¡±


    ¡°Your shield is quite strong, and I bet it has served you well thus far, aye? ¡®Owever, I think you may be arse backward if you think you ¡®ave the upper ¡®and ¡®ere.¡± Samwen responded. Samwen calmly stepped forward, closing the gap again, gallons of water flowing around his body in two reflected rivers.


    Callo ran forward. His barrier was deadly to the touch. It could freeze a finger in seconds, and if he could close this gap, he could shatter Samwen.


    It did not go as planned. Samwen sent torrents of water his way, and the barrier he created of cold started turning into solid ice. Callo could feel the frozen water accumulating on the barrier''s plane, but he couldn¡¯t immediately think of something to do. All he knew was that the more ice Samwen gave him, the more ammunition he had to fight with.


    Seconds later, every square inch of his spherical cold barrier had turned to ice. Usually, only the slightest amount of ice accumulated from water vapor in the air, but Samwen kept packing sheet upon sheet.


    Callo¡¯s barrier was invisible on its own, and he had control over the flow of heat inside and out. This was impossible now. The ice entombed Callo, a tomb that only got darker and colder. The ice mage was less affected by the frosty interior due to his natural comfort in the cold. Instead of being a shield, the ice barrier was thousands of swords that Callo did not know how to wield.


    Callo needed to make a decision. He summoned all his strength and started to break his barrier. Every crack that formed sounded like a cracking whip made out of metal. TWUNG. Callo had never done this before, and every crack made his heart flutter with fear. TWUNG. TWANG.


    Callo took a massive risk. It may have been dangerous if he struck Samwen hard enough, but it was the only route he saw to victory. The thick ice bubble exploded, shooting massive ice blades out from his central position. The countless shards shot in every direction and embedded themselves into the ceiling and arena tiling. The rest hit the barrier at the arena''s edge, which kept the spectators safe.


    Callo felt a welcome wave of warmth wash over him and then realized that shooting pain accompanied it. He looked around for Samwen. Only to realize Samwen was behind him. Callo saw Samwen had blades of swirling water, which had shredded through his calf muscles and tendons.


    Samwen was unharmed, and Callo fell to the ground, unable to continue the fight.

 Chapter 7: Hitaru鈥檚 Blessing

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria lay in the infirmary, covered in a thick layer of soil. She was recovering from the burns inflicted by Flair and the massive mana expenditure used to cast a single jump spell. The healer on staff was an earth healer. The third-year student that went by ¡®Seis¡¯ had filled Aellaria¡¯s bed with potent healing soil until just Aellaria¡¯s face, lily, and hat brim poked out. Aellaria thought the self-inflicted moniker was silly, especially for a healer, but decided to focus on meditating to recover.


    Another healer on staff wheeled a twitching young woman into the infirmary. Aellaria lost her focus when she noticed this person was Marin. Marin seemed to be okay, mostly. Every couple of seconds, Marin would twitch and spasm involuntarily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marin. Let me just get a read on your baseline, okay?¡± the second healer, Angel, said. She was a fourth year and must have been well on her way to becoming a full sorcerer. Her proficiency with healing showed as she used her command with electric magic to read what storm was happening inside Marin¡¯s brain.


    ¡°AM BI¡­ TO¡­ BEKAY?¡± Marin asked after a couple of seconds of this electrical probing.


    ¡°That was some shock, but you will be fine. It doesn¡¯t even look bad enough to require a higher-level spell. Just close your eyes and let the magic heal you.¡± The fourth-year student replied. Aellaria saw Marin close her eyes and give way to the student¡¯s magical static fingers.


    After minutes, the buzzing next to Aellaria¡¯s bed stopped, and the fourth-year student said, ¡°There you go! You should be as good as new. Just stay here for another hour after drinking the potion, and then you can go.¡±


    Marin opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Before Marin could respond, Angel jogged back out of the infirmary toward her next patient. She turned her eyes and looked at the face peering out of the mound of dirt next to her. Marin couldn''t help but giggle. ¡°You look like a worm.¡±


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Aellaria asked, having had enough meditation for now.


    ¡°Some electricity man named Justice shot me in the brain. If you ask me, that seems like trying to kill someone.¡±


    ¡°Spire wouldn¡¯t dare admit an Electromancer that didn¡¯t already have excellent control. It is bad luck you ran into one. You also have to keep in mind that lethal in Spire means unrecoverable. You would be surprised what brinks the healers can bring you back from.¡± The mound of dirt with a face monologued.


    ¡°I guess that makes sense. I just wish I could have proved myself more. My fight literally lasted the amount of time it took me to faceplant into the ground. I wish I were like you. That was the coolest thing I have ever seen anyone do.¡± Marin said. Marin did seem to be back to her natural self.


    The Geomancer, Seis, brought Marin over a minor healing potion. This little red potion significantly increased the body¡¯s innate healing factor. If Marin presented no symptoms after observation with the brew, then her body had fully recovered.


    ¡°All I did was punch a bitch in the face. I think she deserved it after what she said about you.¡± Aellaria said, hiding the real motive behind her passionate first fight. Aellaria channeled how Zenithor¡¯s daughter used to speak when she was most relaxed around him, and she hoped it sounded at least somewhat natural. She wasn¡¯t comfortable with vulgarity or sass, but she was proficient.


    ¡°Are you kidding? You did something, and the look on her face when she couldn¡¯t hit you was priceless. ¡®Oh no, like, I¡¯m about to get knocked on my flat ass¡¯¡± Marin flew into a giggle fit, and Aellaria let herself smile at the memory.


    ¡°How do you think we did?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°There are sixty-six students in our class. I will fall somewhere in the thirtieth to thirty-fifth range. The teachers won¡¯t like that I gave up after winning, and I won my first fight without demonstrating anything magically impressive. You will be in the high forties only because you got shot down by a first-year Electromancer. Everyone loses to the Electromancers in the first year.¡± Aellaria explained.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I deserve the bottom ten?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Of course not. The professors will save the bottom ten ranks for the cowards and those who make terrible decisions. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if someone accidentally knocked themselves out with their own spell.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid. I had a game plan and thought I was going to win.¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Everyone has a game plan until their brain is turned into pudding.¡±


    Marin laughed, then grinned. ¡°I guess I can see someone knocking themselves out. Once back home, I ran outside because I was late feeding the chickens. When I opened the door, I accidentally put air into it, and it swung back around and laid me flat.¡± There was a hint of embarrassment in her voice. Aellaria began to think that Marin¡¯s stories and simple nature were endearing.


    Aellaria thought of Zenithor¡¯s daughter, her daughter, Lilium. The way Lily would tell stories in the most roundabout way. The way a story about a butterfly landing on your finger could turn into an odyssey of emotions hitherto felt by any other mortal. Thinking of Lilium brought a lump into Aellaria¡¯s throat. She swallowed it. Aellaria shifted within the mound of soil.


    ¡°I think I will go back to the dorm. I¡¯m starting to feel hungry. I¡¯ll make enough for two if you are coming up.¡± Aellaria said, the mound of dirt sliding off the bed with her.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Marin said. Aellaria could tell from Marin¡¯s tone that Aellaria¡¯s sudden departure disheartened her.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    That evening, after healing and watching Aellaria practice, Marin decided it was time to try to come out of her shell. She went to the cafeteria to eat with the rest of the students for dinner service.


    Marin sat alone at one of the booths in the large room. The diners were almost exclusively first-year and second-year students. There was one table with Juniors, but no gray-robed Seniors were in the room. Marin guessed that once you reached those heights, you lose even time for public dining.


    Marin had decided not to be too adventurous and asked the chef to make her a comfort food. Trencher with Stew was a thick slice of bread with stew ladled across it. She ate little bites as she listened to the other groups of students laugh and talk about the fights earlier today.


    She was listening to four sophomores talk about some big names in her class. This included statements like ¡®Of course she is strong, her brother is Professor Aeren.¡¯ ¡®She overheated the stage!¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯m just happy Terra isn¡¯t in our class.¡¯


    Marin thought about what it would be like to be so powerful. Marin wished she could impress people like that. ¡®Ash, I wish I could impress anyone.¡¯ Marin thought. While Marin daydreamed, picking at her Trencher and Stew, she heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°You know, they have like any food you could possibly want here. Why would you choose vegetable stew and a boring old slice of bread?¡± Flair asked. Flair was standing with Bren and a third girl whom Marin didn¡¯t recognize.


    This girl wore blue robes, meaning she was in the same class as herself. The girl also had an oversized long staff strapped over her shoulder.


    ¡°Yes, I thought that maybe it would be nice. I¡¯ve been away from home for three weeks and miss my family.¡± Marin responded, hoping to endear herself to the women enough for them to move on.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just send to them using a sending stone? I will send to Daddy like every day if he answers.¡± Bren responds.


    ¡°By Hitaru¡¯s will, cut the cord already, Bren,¡± Flair teased.


    ¡°Dads don¡¯t have umbilicuses,¡± Bren snaps. Flair starts to giggle at the word umbilicus, and the giggle spreads to Marin and the fourth girl.


    ¡°Umbilicus isn¡¯t a word!¡± Flair squeals, and everyone but Bren laughs uproariously. Marin holds a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle it.


    Bren¡¯s head snaps to Marin, the momentum making her massive emerald earrings swing then sway. ¡°Hey EAMP! Do you think you¡¯ve earned the right to laugh at me? You better guess again. I will lay you flat faster than any lightning bolt, bitch.¡± Bren snaps.


    Marin tried to stop giggling, but the anger on Bren¡¯s face made her nervous. Marin couldn¡¯t help her nerves as the laughter turned into a giggling sob. ¡°I-I-I''m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Hey, ladies¡­. You¡¯re crowding the woman. Give her some space.¡± A deep voice said as a familiar man stepped forward. The Geomancer, Gaff, towered over the trio that crowded Marin¡¯s booth.


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    ¡°Yeah, whatever, I was just trying to be nice,¡± Flair said before she stormed off, Bren and the blue-robed woman walking behind her in formation.


    ¡°Are you alright? My name is Gaff.¡± Gaff sits down at the table. The large man had a tray of all different types of baked goods. A bowl of cream was in the middle of the slices of cakes, cookies, and tarts.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. There is still a lot to learn here.¡± Marin said with a hint of sadness. She caught herself and changed the subject with a smile, ¡±Is that your dinner?¡±


    ¡°Haha, nah. I¡¯m just celebrating with a dessert. Three wins. Only five of us got three wins, you know.¡± Gaff boasted. ¡°About those girls¨CThey have to learn something, not you.¡± Gaff slid his tray of sweets to the center of the table, offering some to Marin.


    ¡°You might be right¡­ But I feel like everything about this place is pushing me out and away,¡± Marin said. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t mean to vent to someone I just met, but I tried with my roommate, and she has the emotional availability of a brick wall.¡± Marin apologized.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Which one is your roommate?¡± Gaff asked. He reached down, dipped the cake slice''s tip into the cream saucer, and took a healthy bite.


    ¡°The one with the hat.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, her. She had that old-timey name, too,¡± Gaff said through a delightful, crumb-dotted smile.


    ¡°Yes, Aellaria. I think she means well,¡± Marin said. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to know how far behind I am, and she weaves spells so effortlessly. You didn¡¯t exactly make your fight with Kyrine look difficult, either.¡±


    Gaff responded with a mouth half full of chocolate cookies, ¡°Most of the students here are from smaller towns and villages,¡± Gaff said before swallowing. ¡°Where there are only a handful of talented individuals. They never saw more than two or maybe three schools of magic.¡±


    ¡°I am even further behind than that. Before Spire, I only saw one other mage. There was a traveling bard who stopped by our farm once. I was eight, I think. He played special Aquamancy instruments, and that was the only time I had ever seen talent before. It was enchanting. He could make crisp and clean notes on the chimes and then use water to shift between clear and muffled sounds. It was beautiful.¡± Marin was suddenly nervous about talking so much.


    ¡°Does that mean you want to be a bard?¡± Gaff asked. ¡°Or did you just want to be a bard when you were young?¡±


    ¡°Neither. When my talent developed, I just didn¡¯t want to be a burden. I broke many things our family couldn¡¯t afford to lose.¡±


    ¡°That is rough. It must have been a tough place to be in for your family,¡± Gaff said with a tone of understanding.


    ¡°It was. My Dad got the priests of the mother, but they were just holy men and didn¡¯t know any magic themselves. On the bright side, I had my own room for about a year until I figured out all of my triggers.¡±


    ¡°That''s the worst. My talent emerged while I was camping. I learned that one of my triggers was squatting. I accidentally collapsed the latrine I had just finished digging.¡± Gaff laughed.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Marin said before laughing herself. At least there was something that could connect her to all of these people.


    ¡°Anyways, if you wanted to continue venting, maybe we could do it in my room. I don¡¯t have a roommate, so you can just say whatever,¡± Gaff said, his broad, chiseled face lit up with a charming smile.


    It was too charming for Marin¡¯s liking. Confident. ¡°I¡­ I should go. Aellaria seemed upset earlier, and I should go check on her.¡± Marin hurried out of the booth and stood up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, hey. Did I say something wrong? I didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± Gaff said, going to leave his seat as well to follow Marin.


    ¡°No, you are cool. I enjoyed meeting you, Gaff, but my mom has a saying: ¡®Don¡¯t let a rooster in the henhouse if you want eggs for breakfast.¡¯ I have a lot to worry about now and don¡¯t want to add to it,¡± Marin explained as she retreated back toward the dorms.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria was standing in her dorm room, continuing to practice. Even when using the Aeromancer''s wand to channel the runes for her spells, Aellaria needed more significant movements to incorporate more mana into the spells. These actions resulted in a session that looked like martial arts but with little puffs of wind here and there following the creation of a spell circle. Aellaria knew that her body was years behind where it should be for Spire. When Zenithor was fourteen, he recalled using Aeromancy to topple an entire cart of apples. Now, she was a college student and would have to use every ounce of energy to push half as hard as Zenithor¡¯s childhood self.


    Marin burst into the room, and Aellaria could tell the young woman was upset. ¡°You okay, bud?¡± Aellaria asked casually. Aellaria hoped to put the bare minimum into this interaction so that she could move on and focus on practicing.


    But Marin had other plans. ¡°No! It¡¯s not okay. First, I was just trying to eat, and those girls decided to bother me again. Then, I thought someone was trying to help me, but all that brickhead wanted was to bed me. I am supposed to start learning magic from the beginning, but Hitaru¡¯s blessing starts tomorrow, too. I am so far behind. Everyone else sucks, and I suck worst of all.¡± Marin said as she paced back and forth next to her bed.


    ¡°What is Hitaru¡¯s blessing?¡± Aellaria asked, wondering what the goddess of family and blood had to do with anything. ¡°Pregnancy?¡±


    Marin collapsed onto her bed and shouted a muffled ¡°No!¡± into the pillow.


    ¡°Hmm. oh¡­ OHHH.¡± Aellaria said as realization dawned on her.


    ¡°Yeah, at first, I was happy that I wasn¡¯t going to get it while I traveled, but now I am neck-deep in water, and tomorrow, the sharks circle!¡±


    Aellaria wrinkled her brow. ¡°I wasn¡¯t raised with this many euphemisms. Can you try to speak plainly and calmly for my sake?¡± Aellaria said. Aellaria, being a woman now for only three days, could not handle this tier of verbal substitution.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I''m just so frustrated.¡± Marin said, tears in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. If I go home, then Mother was right about me.¡±


    Aellaria sighed. She sat on the bed next to Marin. ¡°There are spells that can ease that. I know you can¡¯t cast them, but the healers might be able to help. Maybe there is a pile of dirt you can sit in to fix your period.¡± Aellaria joked and smiled. Having had a teenage daughter, Zenithor knew many magical arts could help with this problem.


    Marin, to her credit, let out a sob-chuckle. ¡°I know, but even then, it is still another thing I must do, and it will be so embarrassing.¡± Marin rested her head against Aellaria¡¯s shoulder, and Aellaria let her.


    Seconds passed, and Marin stated, ¡°Pregnancy is Tillia¡¯s blessing. Periods are Hitaru¡¯s blessing. It¡¯s tongue in cheek.¡±


    ¡°Right, my family never put much stock into religion,¡± Aellaria lied. Zenithor¡¯s wife Celia would often sing The Jester¡¯s songs to Lilium as a baby. ¡°And don''t start going on about Phoenix¡¯s radiant light, or I swear you''ll wind up on the rug.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Marin said. ¡°But the stories are nice, and I always wanted to be a cleric or paladin of the father or mother. Do you have any aspirations?¡±


    Aellaria thought for a moment. Zenithor discovered the existence of the soul and its use in spellcasting. All Aellaria had to do was write a single arcane thesis and become the greatest sorcerer of all time. ¡°I probably aspire to remove my uterus altogether before it becomes a hindrance,¡± Aellaria responded thoughtfully.


    Marin paused, then laughed¨C a raucous exhale hard enough to make her fall back onto her bed.


    Aellaria continued to consider her more serious goals. She would have to use the pattern of her new body to look into Lilium¡¯s treasures to understand how Lilium felt. However, she would have to become stronger first. Her body couldn¡¯t cast the level two spell to start her investigation.


    Aellaria stood up and went back to practicing her formations and casting. As she moved, she said, ¡°Tomorrow, you will learn your efficiencies. If you are fire or earth, you could say it is destiny for you to be a cleric of your beloved Phoenix or Tillia.¡±


    ¡°Why does everybody tease me?¡± Marin asked almost dreamily as she stared at the ceiling while on her back.


    The question resonated with Aellaria. It made her think about Lilium again. Lilium was slow to develop and socially stunted after Celia¡¯s death. Thinking about Zenithor¡¯s dead wife and daughter hurt, of course, and caused Aellaria to retreat into her practice.

 Chapter 8: What About My Ember?

    <h2>Flair, Tuesday, Fatherus 3rd</h2>


    Flair and Alyviah, Flair¡¯s new Aquamancer friend, were the first to enter Professor Niall¡¯s classroom for the first morning of classes. Flair was so excited to have her efficiencies read. Not even the idea of being taught by Niall, the water mage, put a damper on her mood.


    She took in the Aquamancer¡¯s room, which had a certain charm. The constant sound of running water radiated throughout the room from the dozens of fountains and water constructs. There were four rows of four desks, separated into two equal groups by a large fountain running the room length. Flair realized that one desk was missing.


    ¡°Teacher, did you know a desk is missing?¡± Flair asked.


    Niall was thumbing through a hefty tome. He set a cantrip to hold his spot and gently closed the book. ¡°Yes, apprentice Lukas decided this was not the school for him. He left the program.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± the young Pyromancer squealed. Flair decided that the best seat was front and center, so she pulled Alyviah to sit next to her.


    Within minutes, all fifteen of the young students had found their chairs. When Aellaria walked in, Flair couldn¡¯t help but grimace. ¡®She won¡¯t even acknowledge me. Like she thinks she¡¯s better than me.¡¯ Flair thought. ¡®Bitch.¡¯


    At exactly 8:00, Professor Niall pushed the door closed. As it stopped, Flair realized that the flat pane was made of liquid water instead of glass and shimmered with the sudden stop. ¡°Good morning, my precious young stars. Look at you¨C just beaming with potential. Now, we teachers have concluded the status of every student here, and we decided on this:¡±


    Four lists of names appeared at the front of the room, each belonging to the four teachers who taught the first-year students.


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Alyviah whispered. ¡°I¡¯m at the bottom.¡± Whispers and mutters filled the room as everyone saw where they were and commented.


    ¡°Next time, if you don¡¯t drown yourself, you''ll only go up, okay?¡± Flair said, trying to console her new friend a little bit. Flair had made friends with the struggling Aquamancer while they waited for their respective fights the day before. Flair tried not to cringe, remembering Alyviah¡¯s accident.


    ¡°Freshmen, as you can see, there are only fifteen names in this class. Lukas decided that he could not take the heat. If the thought of fighting is too much for you, then I encourage you to leave now. Spire is a difficult and demanding place. If you aren¡¯t giving your all, you don¡¯t belong here. The sorcerers of Spire don''t bow down; they¡­¡±


    ¡°Rise up¡­¡± murmured the class.


    Niall walked in front of his desk and gestured with grand sweeping motions. ¡°No Freshman! I won¡¯t be happy with mediocrity. I won¡¯t tolerate dropouts from here on out. Some teachers here at Spire press their students until they break, but not me! I believe you will all make it to next year if you try hard enough¨C if you put in the passion! What do we do here at Spire!¡±


    ¡°Rise up!¡± The class shouted.


    Niall beamed at the students. ¡®He''s like a kid.¡¯ Flair thought. Flair looked at the list closely before saying, ¡°Excuse me, teacher, but if Aellaria beat me, why is she only four ranks ahead? Shouldn¡¯t she be like¡­ higher?¡±


    ¡°During Aellaria¡¯s only fight, she hardly cast any spells. She won but chose not to try to continue. I¡¯m sorry Aellaria, but most teachers thought you have low drive.¡± Niall apologized


    Flair grinned and turned in her seat to see Aellaria¡¯s devastated reaction. ¡®You went through all that hurt for nothing. You-.¡¯


    Aellaria just sat there. She looked bored! Flair¡¯s grin melted away as she turned back to Niall.


    ¡°We will never replace the lost students, so you have only lost competition here today. At the end of the year, anyone ranked below forty will not be advancing.¡± Niall took a moment to lock eyes with the five students at the bottom of his class.


    ¡°What do we do if we are at the bottom?¡± Alyviah asked. Alyviah was the only one who brought such a bulky arcane focus to class. It was a full-length staff with a rounded end painted blue. It was taller than Alyviah was, and she awkwardly held it aloft while sitting.


    ¡°That is a great question, Alyviah. Once per week, you can challenge anyone above you to a duel. Those at the top shouldn¡¯t get comfortable because those at the bottom will aim to dethrone. They have less to lose.¡± As Niall walked back and forth, he would make wide gesticulations with his arms. At the very least, he was a spirited and lively teacher. ¡°Additionally, your ranks will be affected by the mid-year and end-year appraisals.¡±


    ¡°Finally, none of you have to leave my class this year. You can easily make it into the top forty if you all work together and work hard. Any questions?¡±


    Fourteen hands raised. Of course, the only person to not raise their hand was Aellaria. The bitch seemed to be asleep. She had her arms crossed, and her eyes were closed.


    Niall pointed to Flair for her question. She smirked and said, ¡°Aellaria is asleep. Is that like, okay for such a great institution?¡±


    Without looking up, Aellaria responded, ¡°Niall, I am not asleep. I am in W.I.¡±


    Niall brightened up at Aellaria¡¯s response. ¡°Wonderful! That is dedication. That will be fine if you can maintain focus and demonstrate the basics. Flair¡­ snitching on a fellow blue is disappointing. I only just got done saying you should all work together! I want us to be like a family, and I suspect if you saw Aellaria as family, you wouldn¡¯t have felt the need to tattle.¡±


    Flair scoffed again and said under her breath, ¡°She was the one that was sleeping.¡± The unexpected admonishment made her sink in her chair.


    As the question well started to dry, Niall continued with the day''s second goal. Teaching basic magic. "Magic has two forms, chaotic and formation. Today, I will teach you how to use your mana to craft cantrips of your efficient schools."


    Niall gestured, cast a spell, and a diagram floated in the air. "There are six elements. Six base formations of mana."


    "All of you think back to when your talent emerged. You felt your element overflow and manifest in a multitude of ways, but did you know that the element that came naturally might not be your most efficient?" Niall summoned an image of a drop of water and then a second of a bolt of electricity. The water droplet shimmered as it floated, and the lightning bolt crackled and danced with life.


    "To find efficiency with mana, there is this tool, the mana siphon." With a flourish, Niall produced a six-sided box. Niall held the box in his hand, and then one side of the cube glowed a deep blue. "I am most efficient with water magic, but my talent actually emerged as¡­¡± Niall turned the box to show off a dark purple side existed. "My mana is perfectly efficient with Water but only mostly efficient with Electricity."


    "Today, we will be finding your efficiencies. Multiple efficiencies are rare, but we need to know if you have them. Knowing your efficiencies will make your training more effective and give you more options in combat. We will start with Paris and make our way down the list. You will each receive elemental wands for the efficiencies you display."


    Paris was a very handsome young man. He had sweeping dark brown hair and striking ruby-colored eyes. Pinned to his blue tunic was a pin for his class ID, and on the opposite side was his family crest. He swaggered forward from the back of the class. When Paris put his hand on the cube and pushed mana into it, the purple and red sides both lit up brightly. The first ranked in the class smirked.


    Niall handed Paris the purple and red wands that would allow him to cast Electric and Heat magic. ¡°Congratulations, Paris! You are perfectly efficient with heat and electricity.¡±


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    Paris held his smirk and addressed the class¡°I knew already, but now you all know I am better.¡±


    Callo let out a good-natured laugh at Paris¡¯ antics. It made Flair swoon. Then Flair immediately scolded herself. ¡®You''re not a little girl. Get over him.¡¯


    Callo was the next highest-ranked in the class. He stood up, wearing a simple blue vest with his class pin. Flair couldn¡¯t stop herself from admiring his bare, strong arms. His muscles had filled out since they graduated from the academy three months ago. The cube said that Callo was perfectly efficient with ice magic.


    Next up was a strange-looking boy named Behngi. He had a lithe build, pink hair, and long, pointed ears. ¡®An elf? What is a fucking elf doing at Spire?¡¯


    One at a time, the class made their way to the front of the room, had their efficiencies read, and then returned to their seats. After Paris, everyone had only one efficiency, as expected. That was the case until it was Aellaria¡¯s turn. The bitch with the wide-brimmed hat trudged her way to the front of the class.


    Flair started to get up and walk to the front of the class. She was next. However, Aellaria was stalling. Flair looked at the cube in Aellaria¡¯s hands, and not a single side lit up. A dim brown light was hardly visible on one side, and the other five seemed devoid of light. Flair could see the readouts from this distance. Aellaria¡¯s efficiencies seemed to all read as scarcely efficient.


    The freak with the black hair smiled while she looked at the cube, and then she started to laugh.


    ¡°Oh no! The sheltered girl is having a panic attack, teacher!¡± Flair shouted, standing right behind Aellaria, ready to get her reading from the cube.


    Niall studied the cube and wrinkled his brow. "Are you alright, Aellaria?" He asked with genuine confusion and worry.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I just thought of something funny.¡± Aellaria responded.


    Niall watched Aellaria and said, ¡°Please stay after class, Aellaria. Here.¡± Almost as an afterthought, Niall handed Aellaria a wand for Geomancy, which was technically her primary element.


    After Aellaria, Flair learned she was Fire efficient. Flair already knew, but this confirmed she was perfectly efficient, higher than she had hoped. ¡°That''s right! I burn bright, bitches! Oh, sorry for cursing, teacher. Also, I don¡¯t need the stick. I have my own.¡±


    Then, it was Marin''s turn. She pushed her magic into the cube, and the results were resplendent. She turned to Niall. ¡°Teacher, is it broken?¡± Marin asked.


    When Marin turned and held the cube out to Niall, three of the cube''s sides glowed brightly, and a fourth shimmered faintly. Marin was perfectly efficient in Aquamancy, extremely efficient in Cryomancy and Aeromancy, and partially efficient in Pyromancy. The only dark sides were purple and brown.


    Niall gently took the cube back and reset it to show his efficiencies with water and lightning before handing it back to Marin. ¡°Go ahead and try again.¡±


    When Marin tried again, this time, she pushed even more mana into it, hoping to get an accurate reading. The results were the same. As the cube glowed on four sides, the class watched in awe.


    Flair burned with a jealous intensity. The EAMP was fresh off the farm and, by lucky coincidence, was over three and a half times better at magic than she was. ¡°Wow, that is so nice for you. You must feel so special to be born this way.¡±


    Callo laughed again, responding, ¡°We had the same tutor, Flair, and she was not cheap. You would be in the top ten if you put as much effort into your studies as you did pretending you were better than others.¡±


    Flair turned her head to glare at the owner of the familiar voice, ¡°Frick you, Callo. You¡¯re just salty that Bren and I both turned you down. Tip: salt and ice don¡¯t go well together.¡±


    Callo smiled at her display as if she had said something funny. His reaction made Flair deflate in her chair. It wasn¡¯t any use. Flair knew she was defensive. Even if she thought she was flirting, Flair knew that Callo thought she was a bitch. ¡®Stop fucking doing that!¡¯ She thought, berating herself.


    Niall stepped forward to take control of the situation. He smiled, took the cube back from Marin, and handed Marin the four wands she showed efficiency with. ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s return to our seats and move on to the lesson for today. We are starting an exciting chapter of your lives, but now it is time for the boring thaumaturgical basics.¡±


    One student stood in front of Niall still. Her face was red with embarrassment. Alyviah stood there awkwardly, holding onto her oversized staff.


    Surprise spread over Niall¡¯s face for a split second before it melted into a charming smile, ¡°But only after we get Ms Alyviah¡¯s readings, of course.¡±


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    The rest of the class consisted of students showing their proficiency at creating cantrip spell circles. Marin was the only student who didn¡¯t know how to create the circle. Each student demonstrated their ability to make a mental circle and cast a cantrip to give the circle the form of their respective element.


    Marin started to think that the class would turn on her for being behind. She thought that at any second, Flair or someone else would ask the value of teaching just one student today¡¯s lesson when they could move on and become more effective as a group. Instead, someone else spoke up.


    Behngi was an elven ward from Arcane. The elves were mysterious and dangerous, but Behngi seemed to have the patience of a saint. He sat next to Marin and said, ¡°When you will the circle into existence, you are trying to draw the entire diagram with your mind. That is too difficult. Simply picture a dot in your mind, and then will the dot to grow into the spell circle. Like a sprout rapidly growing into a tree.¡± As Behngi explained, he created a dot out of electricity that he pulled out wider to become the cantrip spell circle.


    This simple lesson clicked with Marin. She poured her willpower into a single point and then imagined that point growing into the spell circle. However, she couldn¡¯t quite prove it was real since she couldn''t manifest it with an element. ¡°I¡­ I think I have it¡­¡±


    ¡°Then push your mana through it. Nothing more than a stream.¡± Callo said ahead of her.


    Marin closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and willed her mana into the circle she hoped existed. There was a cold sensation as her mana pushed into the ring and manifested into the world as snow. Unfiltered, the dominant air, cold, and water mana blew forth from Marin¡¯s hands as a gust of snowflakes. The miniature flurry blew upward and started to land next to her, mainly onto Aellaria¡¯s hat.


    The entire lesson plan was the majority of the class helping Marin learn the elemental runes for her four efficiencies and then watching as she made each of those basic cantrips.


    A kind, stout woman named Chlora taught Marin to form the most basic water rune and use that cantrip.


    Callo and Badnel showed Marin how to form Cold.


    Olyza and Ozzy showed Marin how to form Wind.


    Finally, the Pyromancer, Syn, showed off her proficiency with Fire and helped Marin form the cantrip for Fire. Fire came out the weakest of Marin¡¯s attempts, but she almost cried because of how kind and patient all her classmates were.


    <h2>Flair</h2>


    On the road to Spire, Flair initially saw Marin as an easy target. She just knew maybe this year wouldn¡¯t be as challenging as the tutor said. At the very least, she was better than the poor little EAMP. However, there was a special little ember in this EAMP that teacher Niall and all her classmates would nurture and protect. ¡®What about my ember?¡¯ Flair thought.

 Chapter 9: As Bad as Heartbreak Gets

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    It was official. Aellaria had little to no efficiency with all of the magical schools. After all that practice, the issue wasn¡¯t her mana pool; it was how effectively her body utilized the mana she had. It was equal parts amusing and disappointing to Aellaria because of the name Zenithor chose for the body he created. It had an emotional connection to an old friend but was also the perfect name for a great Aeromancer.


    The trinket showed that she wasn¡¯t going to be a great Aeromancer. The opposite was true. Aellaria would have to invest twenty times more mana into an air spell to get the same effect Zenithor had. Aellaria was going to be a poor Geomancer and a terrible Aeromancer.


    Zenithor had known how to cast spells using the five other elements, but the base for magic his entire life as a sorcerer had been air. Aellaria would have to completely relearn magic from this element¡¯s new perspective and would still be inefficient with her mana.


    Aellaria wasn¡¯t devastated, far from it. This challenge was exciting and welcome.


    On top of that, Aellaria realized this was the most significant thaumaturgical finding since Zenithor published his findings on manufactured intelligence and enchanting decades ago. Aellaria had conclusive evidence that the soul and mind did not determine mana efficiency. The arcane discrepancies between Aellaria and Zenithor could fill multiple tomes, but Aellaria would not be sidetracked from her primary task.


    At the end of the class, Aellaria stayed behind for her meeting with Niall. Marin stayed behind for a second to thank Niall for the lesson and let Aellaria know she would visit the infirmary.


    Once it was just Niall and Aellaria, Niall picked a chair and sat beside his student.


    Niall looked concerned. As if he was about to start his lecture with, ¡®I¡¯m not upset with you.¡¯ Instead, Niall said, ¡°Aellaria, you have almost zero magical talent. How did it even manifest?¡±


    Aellaria told a half-truth. ¡°When I was younger, I tried to steal some bread from a bakery. I got so nervous that the bread exploded in my hands from chaotic wind energy.¡±


    Niall studied Aellaria, looking for the truth below the wide brim of her hat, ¡°Who was your tutor? Who approved your recommendation for Spire?¡±


    Aellaria responded again without the spirit of truth, ¡°Zenithor Whisperwind of Frostholm wrote my recommendation.¡±


    ¡°Zenithor? He''s still alive? I see it now! The hat!¡± Niall laughed while tracing an imaginary brim in front of his head.


    ¡°Zenithor died four days ago,¡± Aellaria said, trying to imbue her voice with a calm sadness. ¡°He wanted to give me some of his legacy but had grown too old to see it through.¡±


    Niall shook his head empathetically. ¡°That is a shame. Zenithor was one of the greats, but he hasn¡¯t published anything since I was a boy. I am surprised he took an apprentice so late in life.¡± Niall responded.


    Aellaria had slowly felt these fake emotions turn real in her stomach. Aellaria felt her heart grow heavy and didn¡¯t know if this was because of the conversation, reflecting on Zenithor¡¯s life, or an anomaly caused by inhabiting the new body, ¡°I think he- he became more sentimental in his older years.¡±


    ¡°Dean Flamescale likely wouldn¡¯t have taken you in had he known you had no talent, Aellaria. With what we saw in that cube, I don¡¯t think you have a future here at Spire.¡± Niall explained to the emotional student in front of him.


    ¡°No, I do have a future here, Niall. I proved it already with my fight with Flair,¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°Your fight with Flair proved you have spirit and can cast one cantrip. However, the students below you will learn your limitations and climb past you to secure their own safety. I don¡¯t want you to end up hurt. What would Zenithor say about where you are at?¡± Niall said.


    ¡°He would tell me to get off my ass and figure out how to break each and every person that tried,¡± Aellaria responded, smiling at the level of honesty in her words. Zenithor was still in her. His passion burned deep inside her like an undying furnace.


    Niall laughed heartily. ¡°Fine, but you have to prove to me that there is something worth teaching here. I want you to put everything into the casting of one spell. Impress me, and this won¡¯t become a factor in my judgments of you going forward.¡±


    Aellaria thought to herself for a moment. According to the cube, her best element was earth. It''s almost twice as efficient as Air. Aellaria debated pushing everything she had into a Wind cantrip, but the great sorcerer Zenithor wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less than the flashiest of examples. Aellaria decided on a course of action and stepped onto the table.


    Exertion was necessary for a great exhalation of mana. Aellaria would have to perform a feat of physical prowess to empty her reserves and cast with an element that was not habitual.


    Niall watched on. Aellaria could tell he was taking this moment seriously.


    Aellaria sprinted the length of the table toward the center of the room. There was a fountain between this desk and another desk on the far side of the room. When Aellaria ran the length of the desk, she leapt into the air. As she jumped, she cast an earth cantrip with everything her mind and body could give. A massive wedge of stone erupted from the floor under the fountain, cleaving it in half and sending water flying. Aellaria twirled through the air, firmly setting a hand on the tip of the wedge of stone before pushing off of it and safely landing on her feet atop the table on the other side.


    Niall looked at the giant axehead of stone Aellaria had pulled from the floor of his classroom. Aellaria read awe on his face. A student with zero efficiencies should have been almost useless magically. However, Aellaria¡¯s lithe performance was commendable, and if any student underestimated her, they would surely leave the arena with a loss.


    Aellaria climbed down off the desk. Exhausted, she breathed heavily. She couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡¯Factor that into your evaluations, whelp,¡¯ She thought.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    During lunch, Marin ate with some of her new friends from Niall¡¯s class. Callo, Syn, and Behngi. It was one of the most ordinary moments of her life since she arrived at Spire. It felt like she was back home with her brothers and sister.


    Syn and Marin bonded over their holy symbols to the god of the sun. Marin learned that the blonde woman with the muscular build wanted more than anything to become a paladin of Phoenix and always had a beautiful ruby and gold necklace around her neck, stylized as the phoenix.


    When Marin produced her twine loaf of bread, she was prepared for Syn to make fun of her. However, when Syn inspected it, she first said, ¡°Your Ma or Pa really made this for you?¡±


    ¡°My mother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool! Ain¡¯t no way we coulda made mine,¡± She hooked a thumb under her amulet¡¯s chain to draw attention to it. ¡°My Ma had it commissioned by the Craftin¡¯ guild in Pyrelight so that I could use it as my focus. Maybe if you¡¯d some topaz, you could fit those in and use this for your focus.¡± Syn said, a tinge of excitement in her voice.


    Callo swallowed a bite of celery to chime in, ¡°Don¡¯t use topaz. You want to use something with a bit more flash and arcane acuity. Like amethyst or sapphire.¡±


    Syn looked insulted at his response. ¡°What?! Who¡¯d ever heard of purple or blue bread? Bread is golden brown, or it is an insult to his radiance,¡± Syn responded. ¡°Also, amethyst ain¡¯t more flashy than topaz.¡±


    ¡°Purple is my favorite color,¡± Callo responded sheepishly.


    Behngi chimed in here. His voice sounded practiced, as if he strained slightly to maintain accentless common speech. ¡°Your Phoenix is a knight of common birth. I find it unlikely that he would be insulted. I think he would be charmed at the novelty.¡±


    Syn thought briefly, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m overthinkin'' it then, but my family always strove to prove ourselves to him. When I think of the paladins of the father, my mind goes to the Dean. Wait, Behngi, is that insensitive?¡± Syn looked worried momentarily, hoping not to insult her new friend.


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Behngi said with a smile.


    Marin needed clarification at this exchange. ¡°Why would Behngi be insulted by you talking about Dean Flamescale?¡±


    Callo answered, ¡°Behngi is a ward from Arcane¨C one of the many brought here after the war with Arcane. Dean Flamescale was part of a decisive push to end that war. Some Arcanists believe him to be a war criminal.¡±


    Behngi expanded on Callo¡¯s answer: ¡°And still, many Arcanists believe Dean Flamescale is a war hero for helping us broker peace. We love our home and our trees, but most Arcanists can recognize that charred land yields the most growth.¡±


    Marin started to think about her life so far from anything else. By the western sea, nobody even talked about a war with Arcane. She wondered what else she didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Do you have gods in Arcane? Are they the same gods but look different? It would be weird for you to worship some commoner knight born a human.¡±


    Behngi smiled, ¡°Yes, of course. High elves like me believe in Zobu. She is the most beautiful person in the world and is the goddess of nobility and wisdom.¡±


    Syn chuckled to herself.


    Behngi turned to Syn, and he seemed worried he had said something wrong. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°In the gardens at home, Ma kept statues of all fourteen gods and goddesses. Zobu was b-e-a-utiful.¡± Syn emphasized.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lesbian?¡± Callo asked.


    Syn giggled like a schoolgirl. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t before seeing that statue, I was after, I''ll tell you what.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a lesbian?¡± Marin asked, which caused all three heads of her schoolmates to snap towards her. The look on their faces was enough for her to break character. She burst into laughter, and all three new friends followed suit.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria prepared for the physical activity required for gym class. She changed into her blue tunic and wrapped her chest tightly. Aellaria had the advantage of having a body pre-made to be a heroic sorcerer, except for that pesky lack of mana efficiencies. She also had the benefit of having experienced Hell Week before.


    As Aellaria effortlessly ran along the newly sculpted track in the gymnasium with thirty-one other young women, she also practiced spellcasting. She sprinted and alternated between small puffs of frost to cool her warming body and trickles of water to drink. Aellaria only put the bare minimum of mana into these two spells, but she found her limit a half hour into the run.


    The track ran the perimeter of the sizeable warehouse-shaped room. In the center of the room were sixteen designated spaces for fighting and one larger stage for official matches.


    Of the thirty-two women running the track, only Terra and Aellaria appeared not to be struggling. Aellaria looked at the woman running in the red vest and wraps. Cryomancers and Pyromancers had more control over their body heat, which was evident in Terra''s composition. Terra¡¯s training started well before she got to Spire.


    ¡°Let this be a lesson, ladies. Bind your chest while you are training. Bind your chest before fighting. Unless the mother sculpted you to be as flat as the lilypads in her garden, save yourselves the struggle. I am going to put you through enough pain as it is.¡± Coach Tilly shouted.


    In the afternoons, the four teachers responsible for the first-year class taught their respective Sophomores instead. So the women went into Coach Tilly''s loving hands, and the men went to Coach Berry.


    Tilly was a tyrant. Without warning, she made them start running. They would run for as long as they could for an hour. Then, they would do weight training for thirty minutes, acrobatics for thirty minutes, and close out with an hour of sparring. There were fifteen-minute breaks between each of the blocks. Only thirty minutes into the run, it was clear most women had not expected the intense bootcamp.


    Tilly had black hair tightly tied up in a braid knotted in on itself many times. The woman had a punchable face, but Aellaria knew anyone who played that game wouldn¡¯t walk away from the challenge. ¡°Marin, are you hearing me? Because I worry when you stop bouncing, you¡¯ll give me a repeat performance of your fight yesterday.¡± As Coach Tilly ran alongside the struggling Marin, she mimed the action of falling over.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Tomorrow, when you come into class, wear the right clothes, and maybe you won¡¯t feel and look like you are dying,¡± Tilly said, commenting on how Marin was wearing the sorcerer robes she had grown attached to over the last two days, and not the tunic or vest.


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Marin shouted.


    Aellaria, to her credit, had planned to warn Marin about Death Week, but Marin did not return to the dorm room after class. They called it Death Week because, by the end of the four days of working out, you felt so sore you could die. It was also Death Week because it had the highest dropout rate before first-year finals.


    The worst thing about Coach Tilly was that she knew how to do her job too well. She was like an expert ringmaster. She used her words as a whip to keep the women who were underperforming right at their body¡¯s limits, not letting them relax but knowing just how far to push them while not exhausting them completely.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Marin was far from the least fit in the group. There were apprentices in the group who were unwarned of Spire''s physical standards, and there were more who knew and thought they could handle it. Many of these apprentices were learning the hard way; they couldn¡¯t cut it.


    At the end of the run, Aellaria sat down to meditate, and Marin collapsed beside her. ¡°How¡­ did you¡­ do so well¡­¡±


    ¡°Magic,¡± Aellaria replied. Despite her composure, she was out of breath. She knew she would be doing herself a disservice if she failed to push herself as hard as everyone else.


    ¡°But the cube, it said you can¡¯t do magic,¡± Marin said, struggling to speak past her beating heart and heavy breathing.


    ¡°I can do magic. I just can¡¯t do magic well.¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Are you hoping my handicap will make me drop out so you can have the room to yourself?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, the silence¡­ might drive me more insane¡­ than having a roommate.¡± Marin wheezed. ¡°Can you teach me your secrets? You passed me, like, a million times. You and that Terra woman are insane.¡±


    ¡°Teach you my secrets?¡± Aellaria started. She opened an eye to look at the struggling young woman lying on the stone next to her. ¡°To get started, you have water and frost efficiencies. Learn to get your body temperature under control and keep yourself hydrated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡± Marin joked. She tried casting a basic Water cantrip on her face, but only half hit her target. The other half flew over her shoulder and hit another woman.


    Bren squealed when the icy cold water hit her in the back. When She recovered from momentary embarrassment, she shouted, ¡°Who threw that?!¡±


    Marin shrank as small as possible, but some girls glanced toward Marin nervously. That was all the evidence Bren needed to storm up to the sitting woman.


    ¡°You think you can just splash people with freezing cold water? This is Spire, not whatever whorehouse your dumb EAMP-ass slid out of to get here.¡± Bren accused.


    Marin hid her face in embarrassment. ¡°I ¡ª I''m sorry. I was just thirsty, and I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. I di-didnt mean anything by it,¡± Marin confessed.


    ¡°You can make it up to me by challenging me to a duel. You can be a woman and challenge me now, or I will break you the second you step foot off of campus,¡± Bren threatened. Only the weaker student could challenge the stronger student, and Bren must have known that an unsanctioned fight on campus might get her expelled.


    ¡°I can''t¨C¡± Marin started.


    Aellaria heard a new voice come from behind Bren. ¡°If you wanna fight, I¡¯m happy to oblige you. Or do you only feel comfortable fightin¡¯ someone fifty ranks below you?¡± Syn said. The Pyromancer¡¯s eyes burned bright, ready to go to blows for her new friend. Syn was the tallest girl in class, and despite only being ranked twenty-seventh, she had an imposing figure.


    The tension in the room loosened at the sound of a real fight challenge. Some of the more prone to shit-stirring classmates let out a small chorus of ¡°oooohs.¡± Some theatrically covering their mouths, eyes darting between the two.


    ¡°What are you, part orc?¡± Bren accused. ¡°You look less like a woman and more like the beast that burns a village and takes some poor helpless man to her cave.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your daddy,¡± Syn responded, ¡°Fun fact, he was a bitch too.¡±


    Bren was flabbergasted and clearly about to lose her shit.


    Luckily, Coach Tilly returned to the Gym, ready to continue Hell Week. Flair managed to pull the hot-tempered Bren away from Syn. Syn reached down to help Marin to her feet, and the class continued with a grueling hour of weight lifting and stretching.


    The last and longest stretch of the day was sparring. Roommates fought each other without magic. Teachers learned that roommates typically had a sense of camaraderie at this point, and grudge matches between friends were less common.


    Of course, this meant that Aellaria would have to spar against Marin. Aellaria took a fighting stance, and Marin raised her hands, mimicking Aellaria¡¯s pose.


    Aellaria had to consider the best method for this stretch of training and decided to loop in her sparring partner. "Do you want to be a better fighter?"


    Marin considered the question, "I want to be a powerful sorcerer. I have only had to scrap against my little siblings, though. Is fighting that important?"


    "A sorcerer can be a genius, talented, and hard-working. Just having one means you fail. You are talented, but you haven''t pushed your body to its breaking point, and you haven''t grown up with enough money and foresight to be a prodigy." Aellaria answered.


    "So unless you can punch brains into me, you are going to push my body to its limit?"


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Aellaria said.


    Marin ran at Aellaria and used this moment to raise a leg into a thrusting kick. A kick that Aellaria sidestepped and grabbed. As Marin stood there with one leg caught by Aellaria, she flapped her arms to keep her balance like an injured bird. She went to pull herself free, but Aellaria had already swept her remaining leg out from under her before she could try.


    Marin fell to the sparring area mat, and Aellaria offered her a hand. Marin wasn¡¯t too proud to take Aellaria¡¯s assistance. Marin looked frustrated but was met only with Aellaria''s professional patience.


    ¡°Keep trying. I won¡¯t let you strike me, but even when you miss, you will learn something.¡± Aellaria said.


    Marin closed the distance and threw a flurry of punches, aiming to land a solid strike on Aellaria somewhere, anywhere. However, Aellaria¡¯s movements were subtle and graceful. She was redirecting direct hits and shifting out of the way of glancing blows. Eventually, Marin wasn¡¯t trying to get a decisive blow. She was swiping furiously just to try to get a hit on her opponent.


    Marin overextended her reach and saw what was coming too late. Aellaria hit her directly in the nose with a swift elbow strike, hard enough to stun Marin. While looking incredulously at her roommate, Aellaria did not let up. Aellaria struck Marin in the sternum with an open-palmed strike that floored her again.


    Aellaria went to help Marin up again. Marin asked, ¡°You hit me?¡±


    ¡°I did tell you there would be pain, didn¡¯t I?¡± Aellaria asked. She still had no mana, or she would try to stop the bleeding of the young lottery apprentice¡¯s nose. Aellaria reached into a small pouch on her waist and offered Marin a cloth patch.


    Aellaria noticed Marin¡¯s resolve when Marin was ready to spar less than a minute later.


    Marin was highly efficient with water magic, but Aellaria moved with a mystical fluidity as they fought.


    Marin tried harder not to overextend herself, and Aellaria found fewer openings in Marin¡¯s defenses. Around them, the sounds of blows landing and grunts of effort continued. During the fight, Marin noticed fewer women were in the room than had started. Half of the sixteen training arenas were empty. ¡°Where did everyone go?¡±


    Aellaria stepped back from the fight and responded, ¡°Some girls went to the infirmary for injuries. Some went to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°But, aren¡¯t you supposed to stay for the entire class?¡±


    ¡°Four hours of training can be overwhelming if you don¡¯t expect it. I am surprised you haven''t given up, given your outfit and how our sparring has gone.¡± Aellaria responded.


    ¡°Because you aren¡¯t teaching me pain. You are teaching me self-discipline. You are teaching me to control my emotions in a fight.¡±


    Aellaria scrunched up her brow. ¡°I¡¯m not your master, trying to teach you the martial arts secrets. I am fucking exhausted and putting in the bare minimum to stay on my feet.¡±


    At the end of class, only eighteen girls, including Flair, Bren, Terra, Syn, Marin, and Aellaria, were left. All the women looked spent and drenched in sweat; some even spent these last moments of class lying down. All of the women¡ªexcept, of course, for Terra. Terra sat at the front of the class as calm as when she entered.


    ¡°Good job today, ladies. I am surprised so few of you are still in class. This must be one of the weaker years¨C¡± Coach Tilly started. Her muscular build towered over the tired women.


    Terra spoke up calmly. ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing. It won¡¯t work on us this year.¡±


    Coach Tilly smirked at the student, ¡°Oh? Did your brother, little Professor Aeren, tell you what to expect?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I know that you have more bark than bite. You get us to work ourselves tired to trick us into having undeserved authority. You are a coach and not a Master, after all.¡± Terra observed with apathetic grace.


    Coach Tilly laughed, ¡°Your brother must love you less than you thought. Any day of the week, I can break you, child.¡±


    Terra went to stand up, ready to back up her words with actions, but Coach Tilly cut her off. ¡°How about this? You get some rest, and we can settle this in front of the class tomorrow. Whoever is left. If you beat me, I will let you manage your own time and give you the respect you deserve. However, if I win, I get to be the coach for the year, except you all will call me Master Tilly.¡±


    Terra settled back down. She showed more emotion than she had all day training. To Aellaria, it seemed Tilly¡¯s words had affected her.


    ¡°Finally, gym class will be where you act on your challenges for the year. If you want a ranked match, you will do it under my loving and watchful eye. Remember, you can challenge one of your higher-ranked classmates once weekly, so if you want a rematch, you better be prepared to wait.¡± Tilly explained. ¡°Now go get some rest. You are in for more of the same tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Terra said.


    ***


    That afternoon, Aellaria was recovering in bed from the intense workout. Despite the ability to physically prepare her new body, its muscles still had to fully adjust to this demanding new reality. However, that wasn¡¯t what went through Aellaria¡¯s mind. Aellaria focused on the limitations of her new body and the ultimate goal of coming to Spire.


    When Lilium died, Zenithor searched for the answer to his daughter¡¯s death by reaching into five items that meant the most to her. Each of these five items brought faces and emotions to Zenithor. However, his body did not have the correct pattern to read Lilium¡¯s experiences thoroughly.


    Aellaria held one of these five items, her fingers tracing over the familiar patterns. It was a simple gold locket with a picture of Lilium¡¯s mother.


    Aellaria wanted more than anything to cast the second-level spell required to experience the events that mattered most to the previous owner. She wanted to understand wholly why Lilium felt the way she did. Why would people like Bren, Flair, and Callo hurt her so much? However, Aellaria didn¡¯t have sufficient mana for a level one spell, much less level two. Aellaria¡¯s mind buzzed with routes toward the casting of the spell. It was anguishing being this close to the truth but unable to do anything about it.


    Marin cut through the fog, saying, ¡°Aellaria, are you okay?¡± Marin was lying on her side, looking across the room at her roommate. ¡°You¡¯re looking at that locket like it owes you a purse of silver.¡±


    Aellaria lay on her side. She changed her focus to the lottery apprentice in the other bed. ¡°I had someone close to me. I gave them this locket a long time ago, and eventually, they had no use for it.¡±


    ¡°You had your heart broken,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aellaria confirmed.


    ¡°Was it bad?¡±


    ¡°It was as bad as heartbreak gets,¡± Aellaria said. She studied Marin¡¯s empathetic expression. Aellaria hoped that her roommate never had to experience the mind-shattering heartbreak that accompanies the loss of a child.


    Aellaria briefly wondered if it was worth telling these half-truths. A part of her wanted to tell her simple roommate and her enthusiastic teacher to ¡®fuck off and mind themselves.¡¯ However, Aellaria knew she was stuck with people like Niall and Marin for the foreseeable future. They didn¡¯t deserve the after-effects of her mourning.


    Marin asked, ¡°Is it something you want to get off your chest?¡±


    Aellaria briefly imagined what it would feel like to tell Marin the truth. What caused Zenithor¡¯s pain? The societal, ethical, and magical taboos Aellaria demolished, and the bloodthirsty vengeance that corrupted her. ¡°No. Thank you, Marin.¡±


    Marin sat up in bed, having had enough time to rest her sore body. ¡°Then I will get us something to eat. Something salty for supper and something sweet for dessert. I owe you for helping me with training and your advice about my shark problem.¡± Marin groaned as she pushed onto her feet.


    ¡°Thank you, Marin,¡± Aellaria repeated.

 Chapter 10: Something to Prove

    <h2>Aellaria, Midstday, Fatherus 4th</h2>


    The next day, Aellaria¡¯s body had only gotten more sore. The first thing that Aellaria did was walk with Marin to the infirmary. The healers there would still be setting up and could help with the muscle swelling that caused their post-workout soreness. The lead healer of Spire met the request. The Cryomancer was a very sleepy and very old man named Professor Cryonalon. Aellaria thought that the elder mage may even have been older than she was.


    When face-to-face with Cryonalon, Aellaria second-guessed this decision. The old man didn¡¯t say anything to their request. He just sat the two young women down and stared at them like a grizzled old town guard seated across the table from a pair of petty thieves.


    ¡°You were not here yesterday,¡± the old mage accused. His voice was soft and scratchy, as if his throat was lined with felt.


    ¡°No, Master. I assumed you would be too busy with the other students.¡± Aellaria explained respectfully.


    Cryonalon yawned before returning to his interrogation, ¡°You chose to come for healing before breakfast and not before your gym class.¡±


    ¡°Right, Master. I thought you could help us now since you will not need to cast healing spells for a couple more hours,¡± Aellaria explained. She picked the perfect time so that the healers had as few excuses as possible.


    Cryonalon leaned back, ¡°Your instincts were good to come to me. However, it is a principle of mine this week not to heal growing pains. You freshman will learn to live with the pain or fail. I¡¯m sorry. Honestly, the pain of my students is my pain. Next time your nose breaks or you are in too much pain to move, my door will open for you.¡±


    Marin rebutted, ¡°But what about healing potions? Can we ask the other healers?¡±


    The octogenarian in the ice blue robes smiled, ¡°Unless you can learn to heal yourself or make potions yourself. No. You will struggle to find someone on Spire staff willing to help you¡ªespecially my healers.¡±


    Aellaria and Marin limped out of the infirmary. There may have been healers in the Freshman or Sophomore classes who were not bound by the promises made to the healing professor. However, Aellaria and Marin had no leads, leaving the breakfast service aching and sore.


    Once in Niall¡¯s classroom, Niall gave the bad and good news. After the first day, three students left the sorcerers program¨C lowering their competition but signaling the departure of friends of the students that remained. Everyone in Niall¡¯s class from the day before were still there.


    The lessons for the day were more basic runes. Elemental cantrips could be modified using these basic movement runes. Specifically, they learned the push, pull, left, right, lift, and drop runes.


    The runes all had somatic components; in practice, the actions looked like a form of sign language.


    The students learned to cast these spells with the runes for their specific element. The students gifted with more proficiencies had multiplicatively more work for their learning. Paris had to learn twelve new spells, and Marin was tasked with a daunting combination of twenty-four. Aellaria felt sympathy for the overwhelmed lottery apprentice.


    Aellaria had a different problem. As Zenithor, he had always cast spells starting with the rune for wind. His body instinctually went to cast wind cantrips, and Aellaria had to unlearn a habit formed over six decades. Wind magic wasn¡¯t just inefficient for Aellaria. It was the least efficient. Aellaria would get almost four times the effectiveness with Geomantic spells.


    ***


    This time, during Physical Education, everyone knew to take it seriously. Over half of the students winced and croaked with every movement, and every woman in the class wore the appropriate clothing for the intense physical activity ahead. All the women were seated facing the stage at the center of the room. Standing by the door was an onlooker¨Ca member of the senior class wearing beautiful gray robes.


    ¡°Terra, I made a promise to you yesterday. Today, we will be fighting to see if you truly deserve the respect you want to command.¡± Tilly said, wearing a black vest. Aellaria knew that this meant that Tilly had earned the title Master Sorcerer.


    Terra leaned forward, using the slightest amount of momentum to stand, her body portraying none of the pain from yesterday. ¡°I want to be able to cast spells while we fight,¡± Terra stated.


    ¡°Done. You can cast to your heart''s content.¡± Coach Tilly said without hesitation, ¡°Not only that, but I won¡¯t have my authority challenged by every stubborn girl in the room. I want the rest of you to stand up, too. I will take you all on now and be done with it.¡± Coach Tilly¡¯s demand left no room for negotiation, and all twenty-nine of the remaining women stood in opposition to the authoritarian coach.


    Except for Aellaria. Aellaria calmly walked over to the track and began running laps. She had no interest in getting crushed by a master sorcerer.


    As Aellaria ran clockwise around the track, she could hear the sounds of the fight starting in her left ear. The acoustics of the gymnasium were fantastic as the louder cries of pain echoed, bringing cringe-inducing stereo.


    Coach initiated and went first for the short woman with the oversized staff. With no effort, Tilly plucked Alyviah¡¯s staff away and then used it to land a swift blow to her forehead. Alyviah went down hard, and Tilly watched as the five nearest girls tried to dash at her in response.


    Tilly moved at almost inhuman speeds. Her skin appeared to lose all hydration, and Tilly was casting numerous spells that nearly all the students present couldn¡¯t recognize.


    Tilly used Alyviah''s long wooden staff to dispatch three more students, including the surprised Marin.


    The class tried to collapse as a tide every time Tilly moved to a new area, but it wasn¡¯t working. Flair was the first one to try voicing a strategy.


    ¡°Ladies! Backs to backs and prepare your spells!¡± Flair shouted as she pushed her back against Bren.


    However, Tilly was on her in a flash. This time, not whacking her with the staff but using a spell to launch her and Bren up into the air with a pillar of stone.


    By the time Aellaria finished her first lap, the talented coach had dispatched half of the women. Back in Zenithor¡¯s day, few positions at Spire commanded as much respect as the drill coach, but times must have changed, and this breaking ritual was added to Hell Week¡¯s curriculum to command full respect from the entire Spire staff. It would also help root out weaklings who gave up when confronted with overwhelming odds.


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    Aellaria finished her second lap, and only Terra and Coach Tilly were left standing. To Terra¡¯s credit, her stoic expression never wavered, ready for whatever Tilly delivered. Terra smiled as she squared up against Tilly. ¡°You took them down in reverse order of rank. You didn¡¯t cast anything more than a cantrip¡±


    ¡°Whatever, child, are you ready for your medicine?¡± Tilly raised one craggy, dehydrated fist.


    ¡°I''m going to get what I want out of this,¡± Terra said, standing straight.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to beat me,¡± Tilly said as she rushed forward, her punch landing squarely on Terra¡¯s raised forearm. Terra had blocked the attack of a martial master. From the perspective of the fight, it didn¡¯t matter. Even Aellaria could hear the breaking of bones in that forearm.


    Aellaria took notice. Terra wasn¡¯t trying to win. Terra wasn¡¯t the prideful idiot she portrayed herself to be yesterday. She was trying to make a point. The only gulf in power more significant than the one between Terra and Tilly was between Terra and her classmates.


    With a second blow, this time to the bicep of the same arm, Terra was also brought down.


    The Senior who watched the fight went into action. Aellaria finally recognized her. The Electromancer worked as a healer; her name was Angel. The electromancer started triaging the injured students and healed them as needed. Since Tilly was a talented fighter, she had gauged almost all of her enemies perfectly to stun or disable with one hit, but she didn¡¯t put so much force behind anything as to injure them seriously.


    While the healing continued, Tilly jogged over to Aellaria, following her along the inner ring of the running track. ¡°You must think you are very wise, but running away only makes you a coward.¡±


    ¡°No, Master. A wiser woman would have taken that licking to get the healing potion for her sore muscles. We all have something to prove here,¡± Aellaria said. Even Aelaria knew the reason was pride. Aellaria never wanted to be defeated. The perception of perfection would allow her an easier path. She could maintain the delicate balance of undefeatable and unnoticeable.


    In a typical year, Tilly could break the students and mold them into perfect fighting specimens. Terra and Aellaria both proved in their own ways that they would be tougher to break than any students Tilly had trained over the last decade. Tilly grinned as she sat down and watched the last woman standing run around the track.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    The recently healed Marin was a new woman compared to the day before. Her soreness was gone, and she wore the correct clothes for today¡¯s workouts. Sure, she was terrible at binding her chest and didn¡¯t like how the tunic showed off her bare arms, but it was much easier to work out in than the heavy robes she loved so much.


    As the two women sparred, Aellaria held the advantage in technique, but Marin was refreshed and revitalized. This day, Marin landed more than one blow on the better fighter.


    ¡°You must be tired. You¡¯re moving like a zombie.¡± Marin joked.


    Aellaria laughed at Marin¡¯s silly joke, which was surprising as Aellaria seldom laughed at her jokes. She responded, ¡°I could still put you in your place if you wanted me to.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t have the upper hand today.¡± Marin accused. She went in for a strike, but Aellaria sidestepped her and punched Marin in the gut. ¡°Nope¡­ Nope. Maybe we go back to our normal dynamic?¡± Marin coughed out.


    ¡°You have a real independence streak growing in you. A part of me expected you to follow me when I went to jog.¡± Aellaria said as they continued to exchange blows.


    ¡°I was just confused,¡± Marin said honestly. ¡°One moment, I was standing up with the class, and the next, Master Tilly was bonking my off button.¡± Marin pointed to a point on the top of her skull.


    ¡°What a colorful expression,¡± Aellaria observed.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Marin accepted. She dashed forward, not fully committing and missing her next strikes and avoiding a return from Aellaria. ¡°Say, why didn¡¯t you fight? Did you know Master Tilly was strong enough?¡±


    ¡°Anyone employed as a teacher here at Spire is a Master Sorcerer who graduated from this program. However, that isn¡¯t the reason. The truth is that I am at a disadvantage in fights with my limited magic. I cannot be seen to lose, or I will need to waste my time fighting for my spot against weaklings like Flair or Alyviah.¡±


    ¡°Or me?¡± Marin asked, also coming in below Aellaria in the rankings. She knew that if she wanted to, she could challenge Aellaria to a duel.


    Aellaria smiled at her roommate. ¡°Of course not. I already have to waste my time to put you in your place.¡± Aellaria taunted.


    The taunt didn¡¯t work on Marin. On the contrary, Marin considered Aellaria a friend, and as her friend, Marin thought she would try to help Aellaria come out of her shell. ¡°How about we talk about something more fun? A group of us are celebrating making it through the first week. We¡¯ll visit the falls of Mistfall and enjoy the sight of the lake and stars.¡±


    Aellaria¡¯s expression suggested she would politely decline the offer. However, Marin saw her reconsider and respond: ¡°I think I¡¯ll take you up on that. Who is going?¡±


    Marin pushed forward for another round of exchanges. With each name, it was growing more evident in her voice how much energy she had spent in the sparring session. ¡°The elf¡­ Behngi,¡± Marin ducked a blow and swung again, missing. ¡°Syn, the one from yesterday,¡± Marin thought she saw an opening and tried to take it. ¡°And Callo, the Cryomage.¡±


    At the same time that Marin mentioned a friendly outing with Callo, Aellaria had a sudden burst of martial competence. As if in self-defense, while Marin cleared the gap, Aellaria struck Marin in the sternum, punching the wind out of the young lottery apprentice.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Marin shouted silently, her body confusing inhaling and exhaling, resulting in neither getting done.


    ¡°Oh gust¡­ you okay, Marin?¡± Aellaria asked, invoking the domain of wind out of concern.


    Marin silently nodded. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­ you got me good¡­¡± Marin lay on her side and took the fetal position to recover for a moment. ¡°What do you say, partner?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, alright, I better keep you out of danger,¡± Aellaria said.

 Chapter 11: Phoenix鈥檚 Radiance

    <h2>Aellaria, Friday, Fatherus 6th</h2>


    Thursday and Friday carried on much the same. It was a crushing weight that kept getting heavier, especially for Aellaria and Marin.


    The classes with Niall were painful for Aellaria. Although she was comfortable using magic, she had zero margin for error when proving her understanding of concepts. She knew that her class performance could taint Niall¡¯s opinion of her, and her plans for her time at Spire could be shot down by Niall¡¯s opinion of her. Aellaria took care to ensure that Niall respected her, if not feared her.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin struggled with the pain that accompanied the gym courses. She felt lucky to have someone like Aellaria to push her to be better but not absolutely destroy her. Many of her other classmates couldn¡¯t control their strength or landed blows that were too severe. When this happened, the injured would have to stop training until they were healed in the infirmary and then observed.


    The only new part of their lives that the women of the first-year class hadn¡¯t faced was a duel. As of yet, most people were too afraid to take action on these challenges. However, one did go through as tensions simmered among the girls.


    As they ran laps, Bren made hurtful comments in Marin¡¯s ear every time she lapped her. ¡°Wow, you are so slow.¡± ¡°Did you dress yourself today?¡± ¡°What is the point of you trying?¡± Then, with every additional lap, Bren would just say the word ¡®again.¡¯ ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Really? Again.¡±


    Syn, the Pyromancer with the muscular build, had hit her limit and slowed down to Marin¡¯s pace to relax a little bit at her friend¡¯s pace before pushing herself. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize the pattern in Bren¡¯s statements. ¡°Pardon me, skank, what¡¯d you just say?¡±


    Bren slowed down as she jogged alongside Marin and Syn. ¡°I have just been making a note of every time I pass Marin. She doesn¡¯t belong here, and she should know that and give up before she hurts herself.¡±


    Syn responds, ¡°You¡¯re just scared ¡®cause your pals Flair and Alyviah will likely get cut this year, and you are taking it out on MY friend.¡±


    ¡°Face it, the weakling can¡¯t hack it. She should go back to bumblefuck hill, and plow the fields like the simple donkey she is.¡± Bren said.


    ¡°Excuse me, girls. Am I sensing drama, or am I tingling all over for no reason? Separate or make a challenge.¡± Tilly demanded. Tilly¡¯s motto was, ¡®If people had time to talk, they certainly were not pushing themselves hard enough.¡¯


    Syn stopped running, and Marin pleaded for Syn not to escalate it further, ¡°Syn, no, please¡­just let it go.¡±


    Syn formally stated, ¡°I challenge Bren for her rank.¡±


    Since Syn was a lower rank than Bren, Bren had no choice but to accept. Bren seemed annoyed that she had to defend her position at all. ¡°Yeah, okay. Whatever. Easy enough.¡±


    Within minutes, the jogging stopped, and everyone gathered around the central arena. Syn and Bren stood in the middle of the fighting ring. Coach Tilly stood between the women, ready to referee the interaction.


    This whole thing was embarrassing for Marin. On the one hand, she was happy to have a friend willing to defend her, but the diminutive Marin would have preferred just to apologize and move on. Even if all she did wrong was exist. Now, pride was involved, and Marin worried it would get worse.


    Tilly started with the rules for everyone to hear. ¡°We have a challenge between the seventh-ranked Bren and twenty-seventh-ranked Syn. Syn will not be able to challenge again until next week, and Bren will not be able to be challenged for the rest of the day. Of course, you can use magic during these fights, but refrain from trying to kill each other. It is a lot of paperwork when there are attempted or successful killings, so please don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Also, you can only use wands, your magical focus, and any items you prepared yourself,¡± Tilly added.


    Tilly looked at both women, who were ready to fight. The other women in the room were happy to relax for a moment to watch.


    ¡°Yeah, Bren, go fucking get it!¡± Flair shouted, ready to cheer on her best friend.


    ¡°Ready? Fight,¡± Tilly said from the side of the central arena.


    Bren immediately started by casting two earth cantrips that pulled two tile slabs up and into each other.


    Syn dodged back out of the way of both slabs, but as they shattered, Bren cast another spell on the floating pieces, launching them in a scattergun pattern on the already off-balance Syn. Jagged fragments of ceramic-like stone cut into Syn¡¯s exposed flesh on her stomach, shoulders, and face. Blood wept from these wounds, but to Syn¡¯s credit, she did not give up.


    Syn took the initiative and sprinted past the debris to close the gap. Bren pulled up another large tile from the floor to try to smash Syn into it, but Syn used a cantrip to create a controlled explosion that launched herself over the piece of stone. From above, Syn threw a cantrip that hit Bren in the knee. Bren¡¯s shorts caught fire, and the impact burned her skin.


    The fire did not faze Bren. Bren used the pull cantrip on the lifted piece of tile. The tile was launched with such force as to act like a giant flyswatter, hitting Syn from behind and taking Syn to the ground with a loud shatter.


    There wasn¡¯t any movement from Syn, indicating the end of the fight. Tilly ran over and cleared the debris of the tile that had swatted Syn. Underneath the tile, Syn was stunned but alive.


    It looked like Syn¡¯s legs took the brunt of the impact, and immediate life-saving healing was unnecessary. A third-year healer was present for the fight and loaded Syn up onto a floating granite disk for easy transportation to the infirmary.


    Marin ran to Syn¡¯s side. She was breathing but unconscious.


    When Syn was loaded up and taken away, Marin overheard something that made her lose her cool.


    ¡°Ugh, that fat bitch singed my shorts and calf. I''m going to have to requisition a new pair, which is so fucking annoying, " Bren said to Flair and Alyviah.


    As a fire mage, Flair added, ¡°Good thing she didn¡¯t have any like, talent. She could have downed you if she put any real heat on that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it does sting a little bit, like when a little ant bites you,¡± Bren said¡ªgiving Flair a little pinch and making her laugh.


    Marin, feeling the heat of embarrassment and anger, lashed out. She stormed over toward the trio of girls.


    ¡°Marin¨C¡± Aellaria said to try to calm her roommate, but there was no effect.


    ¡°This should help,¡± Marin said as she cast a cantrip to push icy cold water onto Bren¡¯s legs, which made the unsuspecting girl yelp in surprise.


    ¡°Oh, you EAMP Cunt!¡± Bren shouted. She started casting a spell but heard Coach Tilly¡¯s voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, ladies. Make a challenge, or put your dicks away.¡± Tilly said simply. Between the girls involved, they all knew how fast the coach could floor them if need be.


    ¡°Alyviah, challenge that bitch and beat her down with your stick,¡± Bren said, and all eyes turned to the young woman holding the oversized staff.


    Alyviah looked around nervously. She looked at Marin, Tilly, and then her two new friends. Lastly, Alyviah looked at the big stick she carried as an arcane focus.


    Alyviah closed her eyes, putting her weight on her magical focus, before she decided. ¡°Marin¡­ I have to challenge you for your rank.¡±


    Within minutes, the two new girls were in the main combat ring of the gymnasium. Tilly used a higher-level spell to restore the fighting area to its previous status. Once a new healer arrived, it was time to fight.


    Marin and Alyviah squared each other up. Alyviah walked with the assistance of the large staff in her hands.


    Marin was the first to speak. The emotion coursing through her mind and body caused her voice to shake, ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight me on someone else¡¯s behalf.¡± Marin¡¯s emotions were still raw from the over-the-top defeat of a friend who wanted to protect her honor.


    Alyviah held the staff tight in one hand. Marin could tell she was nervous. Alyviah repositioned her staff, which struck the tile with a loud wooden clank. Alyviah said, ¡±What¡¯s about to happen¡­ it''s not personal.¡±


    Neither woman would back down despite their irreconcilable differences having nothing to do with each other.


    Tilly marked the beginning of the fight with the wave of her hand.


    Alyviah held her breath as she summoned forth water. She could hardly control it, so it formed a bubble from her core until Alyviah stood in a sphere that swallowed her whole body.


    Marin watched Alyviah as the dozens of recently learned magic runes buzzed through her mind. Marin tried pushing a wind wall at the growing ball of water in front of her, but Alyviah¡¯s spell was so heavy that the wind had no effect.


    When Alyviah finished summoning the water around her, she started lobbing massive globs of water at Marin. The watermelon-sized balls of water arced up and toward Marin.


    Marin dodged out of the way of the first one, but there were too many for the inexperienced Marin to avoid successfully, and the water bludgeoned the lottery apprentice. The salvo was strong enough to press Marin to the ring''s floor. Pain radiated from her sore muscles with each heavy impact.


    Marin looked back at her opponent. Water completely engulfed the water mage, and only Alyviah¡¯s head peeked out of the sphere. Alyviah panted from holding her breath so long before breathing in again and holding as she summoned more water for another salvo.


    Alyviah launched more watermelon-sized orbs of water, and Marin saw that when Alyviah cast, her eyes were closed. Marin knew that this was the opening she would need.


    Marin committed to a direction, straight at Alyviah. She clumsily dodged past the orbs falling overhead. The water weighing down Marin¡¯s clothes hindered her movement. Just one hit from Alyviah had completely soaked through every scrap of clothing, and her shoes squished wetly with each step.


    As Alyviah finished casting, she had thrown enough water for her head to be visible again. Alyviah gasped for air and opened her eyes. The Aquamancer¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise as Marin closed the distance quickly.


    Marin punched, ready to take victory from the other mage, but Alyviah reacted too quickly.


    Alyviah jumped back and put everything into the push-water cantrip. The water surrounding Alyviah surged forward in a massive wall. However, the water around Alyviah wasn¡¯t the only water affected.


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    Marin was tossed up and back twelve feet into the air by her soaked garments. Alyviah accidentally launched the clothing with enough acceleration for them not to survive the journey.


    Marin could have kept fighting. She wasn¡¯t defeated. Not by the rules of the fight. However, she sat there on the floor of the gym class with thirty sets of eyes on her topless form.


    ¡°By all of the gods, the spicy little EAMP has a birthmark on her boob. It looks like an Areola speech bubble! How embarrassing.¡± Bren cackled. Flair started laughing, too.


    Marin was overwhelmed physically and emotionally. Her nudity was too much to bear. Marin covered her chest and tummy as best she could and jogged toward the exit. She was shattered.


    Seis, the Geomantic healer meant to heal in the event of physical harm, respectfully averted his gaze and held out a towel, which Marin took and wrapped around herself as she fled the room.


    ***


    Marin sat inside the walk-in closet of her room. She changed into the heavy Freshman robes that had brought her comfort throughout the week. Her mind was a storm¡ªA hurricane of boots she used to kick herself for being weak mentally, physically, and emotionally. The one time she tried to stand up for herself this week¡­she was humiliated. This proved to Marin that the chicken with the longest neck was the next destined for the chopping block.


    Marin didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when she distantly heard the door open and close to the dorm room. Aellaria¡¯s distant nature made Marin feel like a burden already. She hoped Aellaria wouldn¡¯t figure out she was in here.


    There was a knock on her closet door, and the wood slightly muffled Syn¡¯s voice. ¡°Marin, y¡¯alright?¡±


    ¡°No. I want to go home.¡± Marin said.


    There was the sound of something metal clattering, and Marin could hear that Syn was sitting down against the door on the other side. ¡°If you wanna go home, why have¡¯ncha yet?¡±


    ¡°Because then I would have to leave the closet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. but the closet doesn¡¯t have Phoenix¡¯s radiance.¡± Syn said.


    ¡°It would if I lit everything in here on fire and then died,¡± Marin said melodramatically.


    ¡°You kinda suck at fire magic, though. Maybe you should let me in, and I¡¯ll help you.¡± Syn said.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Seconds later, Marin opened the door, and Syn scooted into the closet, leaving the door open. Marin got a better look at her strong friend. Syn moved stiffly and with no grace. As Marin¡¯s eyes adjusted to the intrusion of light, she noticed that Syn¡¯s leg was coated in flaky ceramic. ¡°Is¡­ your leg broken?¡±


    ¡°Kinda? Some injuries take multiple sessions to heal. I''m not supposed to move it, but I think it ain¡¯t broke no more.¡±


    ¡°I was scared for you,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Yeah, scared enough to get your butt kicked by the lowest rank in the class.¡± Syn accused.


    Marin reflected on the feeling of being tossed into the air. If her clothes hadn¡¯t torn, it could have been even worse. However, Marin would have preferred falling into a crumpled heap than what happened. ¡°I¡¯m the lowest rank in class.¡± Marin corrected.


    ¡°You know, more human boobs exist in the world ¡®n humans.¡± Syn said, hoping her simple, silly statement would get a smile out of Marin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Marin responded. Syn was trying to tell her that it was normal. It didn¡¯t feel normal. ¡°Not a single woman in that room would have reacted differently than I did. Bren even commented on my birthmark.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but Bren sucks. She throws overwhelmin¡¯ power into a spell, hopin¡¯ it don¡¯t kill her opponent. Plus, she¡¯s just jealous she''s not rockin'' your body.¡± Syn said, trying to comfort her friend.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stomach the idea of being in the same room as them¡ªany of them,¡± Marin confessed.


    ¡°Even Aellaria?¡± Syn said. Marin hadn¡¯t seen Syn talking to Aellaria and knew that Syn wouldn¡¯t understand how she was.


    ¡°Aellaria doesn¡¯t care. She''s probably out there somewhere meditating or moving that cube of rock around in the air.¡± Marin said. It seemed to be all Aellaria was interested in doing. She never went out of the room to spend time with classmates and hardly talked to Marin unless Marin pushed her.


    ¡°Of course, she cares. Who¡¯d you think told me to come here?¡± Syn smiled.


    This statement had a profound effect on Marin. She thought Aellaria would have picked out a better sparring partner and practiced her fighting techniques. However, Aellaria showed enough concern to remember Syn was the right person to try to cheer her up.


    Syn perked up despite her casted leg. ¡°You know what Aellaria told me?¡± Syn added.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, Alyviah passed out from mana exhaustion immediately after you left.¡±


    Mana exhaustion was glossed over in their first weeks of class since the body naturally avoided it. The body knows it draws from a limited well every time it uses mana. Similarly to holding your breath too long, mana exhaustion can cause death but will typically knock you out first.


    ¡°So if I had endured it for a little longer, I would have won?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Exactly. You don¡¯t belong at the bottom, and we¡¯ll find a way to get ya back up there by the end of the year.¡± Syn said in a calm tone.


    Marin furrowed her brow, ¡°I mean it, I really don¡¯t know if I can stomach being in the same room as those three, but especially Bren. Then there is the fact that I will be teased about this for the rest of my life.¡±


    Syn chuckled. ¡°We are learnin¡¯ how to become the most powerful bein¡¯s in the world. This ain¡¯t the first time this is goin¡¯ ta happen, and people are goin¡¯ to make a bigger deal about some dude¡¯s pants burnin¡¯ off and showin¡¯ his pecker to the class. With fire magic, it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± Syn produced a little flame on her finger as if to say it was normal.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the clothes be enchanted not to do that?¡± Marin asked.


    Syn thought for a moment, ¡°Yeah, probably. Maybe we can find you some new wraps that are fireproof, waterproof, and tearproof,¡± With each new enchantment, Syn cast a cantrip to make a flame hover over the finger she raised. ¡°Breathable¡­ You know what, maybe we should just get dimensional pockets that will send your boobs to another dimension.¡±


    Marin imagined magical clothes that effectively made boobs travel to a pocket dimension, and it made her giggle. She smiled as she said, ¡°Even I know that dimensional pockets are like¡­crazy expensive. Not even you could afford one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not yet, but after working out for twenty hours this week, it''s startin¡¯ to sound like a good investment. Seriously though. What you went through is normal. Nobody is goin¡¯a remember it by this time next week. Don¡¯t worry about Bren, either. She will get what¡¯s comin¡¯ to her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you rechallenge her unless you know you will win. I mean it. I will kick your ass if you do that again.¡± Marin threatened.


    Syn smirked as she tried to get up, ¡°I heard about what you do when you try to kick someone''s ass. I wouldn¡¯t mind seein¡¯ that.¡±


    Marin punched her friend in the upper arm but knew the more muscular woman could easily take it.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Marin¡¯s experience and Syn¡¯s injury caused the group to delay the trip to Mistfall to Saturday. Syn already covered both the opinions that boobs were normal anatomy and were cool to look at. Marin didn¡¯t need to hear it again from Behngi and Callo, respectively.


    After too long, Aellaria entered the room and sat at her desk. Aellaria closed her eyes and began meditating.


    After waiting for Aellaria to acknowledge them, Syn said, ¡°Howdy, Aellaria!¡± Her voice dripped with sarcasm.


    ¡°Hi, Syn, Marin,¡± responded Aellaria.


    ¡°She just gets like this. Recover mana, spend mana. Rinse and repeat to infinity.¡± Marin said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I must work ten to twenty times harder than you for the same result. If you know of a way to give me the same efficiencies you have, I will indulge you with more mundane lectures than you could handle.¡± Aellaria explained.


    Syn sighed, ¡°I see what ya mean, Marin. She doesn¡¯t exactly radiate a comfortin¡¯ presence. Aellaria, there ain¡¯t never been a master sorcerer with no talent. Isn¡¯t it a waste of time to even try? If it were something anyone could achieve, someone with money would have already done it.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s going to have to be someone rich and hardworking,¡± Aellaria said. In truth, Aellaria didn¡¯t care about becoming a master sorcerer again. Aellaria had already spent sixty years with that title, and it didn¡¯t really matter in the end. Wealth, fame, righteousness, and acclaim were the ideals of a young Zenithor. Not of a young Aellaria.


    ¡°Wait, but didn¡¯t you walk to Spire? Why would you do that if you were rich?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I did walk to Spire after using the teleport rings from Frostholm.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Syn and Marin both said in unison.


    Not only did you have to be deeply connected to the Archmage¡¯s guild to use the long-distance spell circles, but you also had to pay a staggering fee for convincing one of the sorcerers to open the circle. ¡°That¡¯s crazy expensive. Is your dad the Archmage?¡± Syn asked.


    The Archmage of Element lived in Frostholm. Aellaria cringed, thinking of the prideful young man who sat atop his tower. Spire was a testament to the power of learning, but the Archmage¡¯s Tower of Frostholm was a phallic symbol of one child''s pride. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Aellaria has a dad. She just popped into existence as an overly self-serious person.¡± Marin teased.


    ¡°¡®Course, Aellaria¡¯s got a dad, but she did pop free of the womb meditatin¡¯.¡± Syn joked.


    Aellaria smiled and threw a pebble from her practice brick at both women.

 Chapter 12: You Can All Watch Me

    <h2>Aellaria, Saturday, Fatherus 7th</h2>


    That Saturday evening, Aellaria wore her blue sorcerer¡¯s robes, hat, and lily. She looked out the carriage window as the wheels rolled over the cobbles of the high road. The sound of metal straining against wood and hooves on stone was a constant distractor from her meditation. As the horses hauled the carriage forward, the forest lazily scrolled past her.


    Syn sits next to her and makes a kind-hearted joke about how hard Aellaria works, and Aellaria politely smiles and nods along, not paying attention. Aellaria did her best to meditate and recover after using her mana that morning.


    The specific reason for Aellaria¡¯s intensive meditation and practicing was due to a process called Will Isometrics. Will Isometrics was the practice of spending your entire pool of mana and recovering it rapidly. It was a workout for your soul, mind, or wherever a person¡¯s real mana source was.


    The issue with Will Isometrics was twofold. Firstly, it is not very effective. The yield of mana, or willpower, was negligible. You would have to empty your mana reserves and recover them hundreds of times just to see a noticeable increase in your casting ability.


    Secondly, the process of recovering mana by meditation requires a mind at peace. Aellaria¡¯s mind was seldom at ease, especially in moments of self-reflection. Even if Aellaria could reach a state of absolute tranquility, it would not be a fast process. In the week Aellaria held the body, she could only complete thirty-five cycles of Will Isometrics.


    The amount of Will Isometrics performed would have been acceptable if Aellaria could cast spells efficiently. It wasn''t even a lesson taught in the first semester of classes, as sorcerers typically reached the ability to cast first-level spells just by living in their bodies after their talent appeared.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t join this outing to celebrate their first success. Aellaria went to the falls for the Mist Primrose.


    Mist Primrose was a bouquet of azure petalled flowers with deep blue stamen. These flowers were the base alchemical ingredient to potions used to restore mana. The flowers could be eaten raw for a less potent effect. The Mist Primrose grew in moist environments around Mistfall and was in high demand by alchemists and herbalists.


    Aellaria planned to play along with the festivities, let the kids get it out of their system, and gather as many Mist Primrose as possible while they were distracted or sleeping.


    Aellaria felt eyes on her from the furthest corner of the carriage. It was Callo. The Ice mage was studying her. It made Aellaria feel sick. This young man was one of the ones responsible for Lilium¡¯s death, and since she was so weak, her only course of action was to exist in his repellant presence.


    To the other three in the carriage, Callo was a skilled young Cryomancer who was equal parts goofy, intelligent, and endearing.


    Spire¡¯s gates closed at night, and any students late to curfew had to wait until the following day to be let in. However, the summer falls were magical at night, and the four young sorcerer apprentices decided it would be best to camp under the stars. They had invested enough time in Spire for this week, and they could leave it behind for one night to enjoy being kids.


    Each sorcerer apprentice knew they would only get increasingly busy as the weeks passed. Spire expects them to rise to more challenges to prove themselves. They would have to cherish nights like these while they still had them.


    It was Syn¡¯s idea to bring alcohol to the outing. The other students only realized when the horse-drawn carriage had a large barrel with an inebriated apple painted on its side labeled ¡°Misterran Cider¡± strapped into the storage compartment.


    As they approached the falls, the sound of running water intensified to a roar.


    Shortly after, the driver indicated that they were at the cliffs overlooking the falls, and the five students were unloading tents, bedrolls, supplies, and a barrel of alcoholic cider onto the stone cliffs.


    Aellaria could tell Marin was having the time of her life just being gifted a bedroll and tent, and she had marveled at the carriage ride with her friends. Syn was wealthy and seemed to enjoy spreading that wealth to affect her economically unfortunate friend.


    Before long, there were five tents fully stocked and five comfy chairs positioned perfectly to enjoy the sight of the churning waterfalls and the cozy campfire. Aellaria set herself up on one far end to be as far from Callo as possible. Then Marin, Syn, and Behngi sat in the middle.


    Along the cliffside were other fires, indicating they weren¡¯t the only ones wanting to take advantage of the beautiful night. High in the sky was the waxing crescent of the Father¡¯s moon.


    Then Syn tapped the barrel of cider, and the comforting smell of fermented apples filled the air. Syn, eager to get everyone comfortable with one another, poured drinks into mugs. ¡°The Falls was a lovely inspiration for the great city''s name, but Mistfall is most famous for its orchards. The cidery too, a¡¯course.¡± Syn said. ¡°Thousands upon thousands of barrels just like this one migrate from here to the furthest reaches of Element.¡±


    Syn seemed most excited about Marin¡¯s reaction. Aellaria noticed that Syn¡¯s eyes kept darting to check on Marin, not like a girl trying to impress a prospective lover, but like a friend trying to impress upon another the finer things in life.


    Marin seemed to cringe slightly at the taste. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a drinker, but I can tell you, I like it more than the beer my dad let me try.¡±


    That was good enough for Syn, who then gauged everyone else¡¯s responses.


    Callo pretended at stoic indifference, ¡°Thank you, Syn. It is quite nice.¡± However, as Aellaria¡¯s eyes studied Callo when the Cryomage thought no one noticed him, she could see the stoicism slip to childish excitement.


    Behngi very much enjoyed the drink. One of the few benefits of being a ward of Element was experiencing the curiosities of human culture. Drinking is one of them. ¡°Back home¡­ you would be shamed for drinking this. Only a fool¡¯s child dulls their mind.¡± He took a slow sip and added, ¡°It is a delightful taste.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Aellaria added. The cider taste brought her back to Zenithor¡¯s time as a student. Aellaria was not entirely prepared for the nostalgia she felt: his first love, his struggles, and his triumphs. ¡°It tastes like apple,¡± she said simply.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Syn sat down after handing out drinks and lay back in the comfy chair. ¡°A couple of years ago, I had many friends over. I wanted to be a good host, so when my family was asleep, my friends and I snuck into the cellar and tried everything. Ciders, Meads, Wines, Beers. We would have moved on to the spirits, but we had already drunk enough to pass out in the middle of the cellar. I had always wanted to drink Misterran Cider again. It was my favorite, but I was severely punished.¡±


    ¡°Your parents punished you?¡± Behngi asked. ¡°It sounds like a failure of parenting. They should have been punished, not you.¡±


    ¡°My ma, yes. She made me sleep outside for a month after that. We opened some costly bottles and barrels while we were down there.¡± Syn said.


    Callo shifted in his seat uncomfortably. ¡°Wait, your Mom made you sleep outside? That seems a touch harsh for just being a curious kid.¡±


    Syn was unfazed. ¡°I guess it was a strange punishment. When my talent came forward, I accidentally caused the fire that burned down our old home. When Father was alive, he built it for us.¡± The darker tone of what Syn talked about wasn¡¯t visible in her expression or mannerisms, but Aellaria¡¯s insightful eyes could see Syn¡¯s pain. ¡°So I spent a lot of time outside after I turned twelve. It made it easier on my family, and the gardens were actually pretty nice. That''s when I first started actually praying to Phoenix instead of pretending to for my mother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong. If I had to sleep outside on the farm, I would have been terrified by the lack of security. The road along our farm was famous for its highwaymen.¡± Marin added.


    Callo looked contemplative, ¡°I¡¯m pretty lucky my talent manifested as cold. All I did was put out the fireplace by accident. Fire must be a rough one.¡± Callo said, but Aellaria could tell that mistruth lay behind his repulsive smile.


    Syn looked like she had an idea, ¡°Wait, you had the same tutor as Flair, right? Do you have any embarrassin¡¯ stories about her? She and that Bren girl have been monsters in our class.¡±


    Callo took a long sip from his cider, ¡°I wish I could help you. Even if there was something to tell about Flair and Bren¨C I-I am probably more afraid of those women than you are. Sorry, Syn.¡± Callo apologized.


    Marin waved it away after finishing her sip. ¡°It¡¯s no worry. The only solution is just to avoid them, right Syn?¡±


    Syn rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, okay. I¡¯m sorry for escalatin¡¯ things. I guess I just burn a little hot bitch.¡± Syn said, mimicking Flair¡¯s emptyheaded excitement.


    This joke got giggles from everyone except Aellaria, who was, as usual, both in her own world and taking everything in. Syn took a moment to refill everyone¡¯s mugs.


    ¡°Callo, Aellaria, you both come from the capital. What was it like growing up in Frostholm?¡± Behngi asked.


    ¡°Aellaria, you¡¯re from Frostholm? I thought I connected with everyone from home,¡± Callo asked. Aellaria could feel his purple eyes investigate her appearance, and a part of her wanted to blind him.


    ¡°It is a big city. There must be some women there you haven¡¯t slept with¡­ or even met.¡± Aellaria jabbed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a virgin,¡± Callo admitted quickly and defensively. ¡°I plan to be until I graduate. This mind and body is on one track, and I will be the Archmage one day.¡± Callo promised.


    Aellaria was slightly affected by her drink and scoffed audibly. This response caught her off guard. She didn¡¯t want Callo to see her opinion of him, and her open disgust with him may have been radiating from her. Aellaria set the remainder of her cider on the ground for the ants to claim.


    Syn started to laugh. ¡°We ain¡¯t about to divulge our sexual histories, are we?¡±


    Marin and Behngi both responded with a swift ¡°Nope.¡±


    Off in the distance, along the cliff overlooking the bay, someone dove into the waters of the fall. The group momentarily watched this person with interest as the waters went calm almost two hundred feet below the cliff. ¡°Well, they¡¯re dead,¡± Syn said before being proven wrong by the surfacing cliffdiver.


    In the moonlight, the five apprentices watched as the cliffdiver cast a spell and flew back toward their camp, a jet of water in their wake.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯d have been dead if they were normal,¡± Syn said, feeling the need to explain herself.


    ¡°Must be a Sophomore or older?¡± Marin asked, not knowing how talented you must be to survive a fall like that.


    ¡°I think you are right,¡± Behngi added.


    Callo had a slightly inebriated optimism. ¡°I could probably make that jump.¡±


    ¡°Only a skilled acrobat with water magic could survive that drop. If you tried to do it, you would just go splat.¡± Syn giggled.


    ¡°I could make an Ice Ramp!¡± Callo explained. He used his hands to demonstrate how he would fall and redirect his trajectory with ice.


    Behngi explained things as calmly as he could, not being sure if Callo was joking or not. ¡°With the water rapids being as unpredictable as they are, you would likely freeze an uneven surface and make a human cheese grater.¡±


    Callo smiled proudly, ¡°Then I vow to figure out how to survive that jump by this time next year. You can all watch me.¡±


    The four youngsters continued to enjoy their night, and Aellaria pretended to join them. Deciding that she had been too openly harsh on Callo, she used every ounce of willpower not to outwardly judge him further.

 Chapter 13: Behind The Shimmering Curtain

    <h2>Callo</h2>


    Callo¡¯s mind was alight that night with excitement. One of the only redeeming qualities of his father was his ability to tell stories of fond times in his past: Drinking with friends, doing stupid stunts, and being young. Callo loved having the freedom to be young. He loved the stars, the view of Son Lake, and the sound of the roaring falls.


    Callo loved the company, too. His elven roommate Behngi was different but gentle and kind. Syn was hot and excitable. Marin had a sense of wonder that heightened the beauty of the night. Then there was Aellaria.


    Aellaria made Callo nervous¡ªnervous in the best possible way. Sure, she seemed to have a distaste for him and openly derided him. There was something there, though¡ªsomething that made his mind light up in a billion sparks. After dealing with Flair¡¯s antics last year, nothing about Aellaria could¡¯ve pushed him away stronger than she drew him in.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    When the others had returned to their tents, Aellaria snuck off to begin the search for Mist Primrose. Aellaria was frustrated when the investigation was not very fruitful. As a magical flower, it bloomed regardless of the time of day, but the familiar azure petals evaded Aellaria for fifteen minutes before Aellaria understood why.


    Herbalists and clever Spire students must have already gathered any Mist Primrose in the area. Aellaria decided she would have to be bolder to get the flowers she needed.


    Behind the roaring falls were pockets of air and small cave systems. Given the danger of falling into the roaring waters below, students and herbalists would likely not venture there. Aellaria made her way to a less severe dropoff and climbed over the cliff''s edge.


    Using subtle earth cantrips, Aellaria made hand and footholds as she descended the cliff to line up with the falls. About twenty feet below, a ledge seemed to tuck under the falls. Aellaria slowly and cautiously made her way toward the ridge. Her muscles started to burn from the controlled descent, but Aellaria was experienced and confident in her abilities. She set her feet down on the ledge and tested her weight.


    Aellaria took the risk and was rewarded almost immediately. Tucked in the shallow cave behind the falls were several stalks of Mist Primrose. Each had dozens of azure flowers that subtly glowed with magical potential. She went to one of the stalks and gently plucked one of the flowers from the stalk.


    She popped the brilliant little flower into her mouth and began chewing it. The stress in her mind from forming all of the hand and foot holds on the way down started to fade. It felt like a fountain coming to life in her mind, and within minutes, her mana stores were prepared for the return trip.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t have access to the means to rehome the magical stalks. Instead, Aellaria started to strategically cut back the flowerheads and tuck them away in a pouch under her robes. Aellaria snipped away just enough flower heads to keep the plant healthy but gathered as much as possible to make the coming week easier.


    As Aellaria worked, she heard something behind her. She turned around and saw someone in a blue robe coming toward her. Phoenix¡¯s crescent moon above provided very little light, but she could see who it was. Callo was climbing down the cliff face using the very hand and foot holds that she made.


    ¡®Why is he coming here¡­¡¯ Aellaria thought. She knew the cave was too shallow to hide, and even with access to Geomancy, she did not have enough mana to move enough stone to hide herself and protect the mist primrose.


    As Callo approached the cliff in the dead of night, he reached out and pulled from the waterfall to create an ice railing to make the ledge much safer. On the other side of his impromptu railing was an almost 150-foot drop to the water below. He shimmied forward and realized he was looking at Aellaria.


    ¡°Callo. Why are you here?¡± Aellaria asked. Her voice was cold, colder than even the Cryomancer looked comfortable with.


    ¡°I was worried about you. I saw you drop over the edge of the cliff. When you didn''t return, I followed to ensure you were alright.¡± Callo said. He looked over Aellaria¡¯s shoulder and saw the Mist Primrose.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I heard about the caves behind the falls. I wanted to see if it was as beautiful as people say.¡± Aellaria lied. There was a part of Aellaria that recalled the fading echoes of Lilium¡¯s memories. Aellaria knew that this boy bore some responsibility. Everything in Aellaria¡¯s mind screamed at her to take action now.


    Callo took a tentative step closer to the safety of the shallow cave. He looked out at the water falling beautifully past them. Along the stones in the cave wall were a handful of flowers, creating an almost tranquil glow. ¡°It is beautiful¡­ You don¡¯t strike me as someone who would risk their life just to smell the roses, though.¡± Callo smiled at his clever albeit mild double entendre.


    Aellaria desperately tried to recall what Zenithor had learned when he tried to read Lilium''s emotions imprinted on the locket that held Celia¡¯s picture. She remembered pain, Callo¡¯s smile, friendship, and betrayal. Callo¡¯s presence made her feel bile in the back of her throat.


    Aellaria smiled, putting all her will toward getting this boy away from her before things escalated. ¡°When alone, I reflect on the beauty around me.¡±


    Callo sighed and leaned against the cave wall. ¡°I wanted to ask you. Did I do something wrong? Ever since I first saw you outside of Cryonolon¡¯s class, I felt like something was off between us.¡±


    ¡®Of course there is, you frosty little troll.¡¯ Aellaria thought but had gotten better at hiding her distaste for the Cryomancer. ¡°No. I guess I felt I didn¡¯t belong that first day. I¡¯ve been told I have a resting bitch face, but that¡¯s just me being in my head. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Callo smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wish I had the freedom to express myself with no inhibitions. My father is one of the world¡¯s best merchants¨Cone of the world''s best liars and people readers. Spending so much time around someone like that makes me feel pressured at all times to wear the perfect face. Mellow Goldrose always knows when someone is lying.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°That must be hard,¡± Aellaria said, but internally, she felt no pity for the child of one of the wealthiest men in the capital.


    ¡°Honestly, it isn¡¯t hard. There is a small pain when I realize I am lying to myself, though.¡± Callo said with a cringing smile before adding, ¡°There was something I wanted to ask you.¡± He stood straight as if the question in his mind was so heavy he had to brace himself.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ Does the name Lilium mean anything to you?¡± Callo asked. Callo¡¯s voice cracked on the word ¡®you.¡¯ He was off-kilter. He was nervous.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t dare move a muscle, not even a twitch in her eye. She felt her voice, Zenithor¡¯s voice, demanding punishment just for Callo saying it. Lilium. ¡®Kill him. Just kill him. Do it now. No one would ever know you killed him.¡¯


    Aellaria looked contemplative momentarily and said, ¡°No, is that your girlfriend back home?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that. Lilium wore a hat like yours sometimes, with a wide brim. I thought you might know her,¡± Callo said. To Aellaria, he sounded guilty.


    No one would hear him screaming over the roar of the falls. She thought.


    Aellaria took a half step toward him, ¡°It sounds like this person,¡± my daughter, ¡° meant a lot to you.¡±


    Callo reached back, scratching his head, ¡°Yeah, No. It¡¯s tough... Lilium killed herself last year. For a while there, she was a friend, then she was distant, and then she was gone.¡± Callo said.


    Aellaria hugged Callo beneath the waterfall. She held Callo between the shimmering curtain and the luminescent flowers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. The death of a friend so young is a tragedy.¡± Aellaria rested her head against Callo¡¯s chest. She could feel his nervous heart. She could feel the way his breath shook when he exhaled. Aellaria was surprised at the heat baking off the young Cryomancer.


    ¡°You seem to know¡­¡± Callo inhaled a ragged breath. ¡°What it feels like.¡± He closed his arms around Aellaria, returning her comforting embrace.


    She didn''t say anything. Callo felt a nod against his chest. Aellaria¡¯s cheek rubbed against his chest, and the wide-brimmed hat fell to her back. Aellaria felt the Cryomage rest his cheek against her scalp.


    They stood there and embraced for minutes. Aellaria felt Callo¡¯s breathing return to normal. His racing heart slowed. The embrace made Aellaria feel fear. It was almost familiar. This fear was not Zenithor¡¯s but Lilium¡¯s. The fear was a remnant of the glimpse Zenithor had made into Lilium¡¯s past.


    ¡°We should go back now. If the others wake up, they might worry or get ideas.¡± Callo said. He pulled back and smiled at her. There was pain behind that smile.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Let''s go back. Thank you for coming down. It does mean something to me that you worried.¡± Aellaria said, but her body was slack and defeated.


    After the minutes they were together, the railing Callo put into place on the ledge had already eroded and fallen. He reformed it and returned to the handholds Aellaria made on her way down.


    Aellaria followed behind him, hovering her hand over the icy cold railing in case she lost her balance.


    Callo started to climb back up the cliff face using the natural ladder. Aellaria watched as Callo carefully climbed and flexed. He used his strong muscles to grasp a handhold and pull himself up the cliff face. Grasp, pull. Grasp, pull. Grasp¨C


    Aellaria took in a breath, and the world slowed around her. Aellaria leapt as high into the air as she could; when she landed, she expelled every ounce of mana she had into one spell.


    The handhold Callo grasped¨Cthe handhold that held his entire weight¨Cgrew longer and jettisoned out from the rock. Aellaria saw the open-mouthed surprise on Callo¡¯s face as he fell. Callo formed his frosty barrier, but there was no water for him to freeze. Aellaria saw Callo¡¯s eyes plead for help as he fell past her. His eyes begged for pity that wasn¡¯t there.


    Aellaria watched the events play out exactly as she had hoped. Callo didn¡¯t have the combat effectiveness to save himself. Callo didn¡¯t have the magical proficiency to save himself. The only thing in the world that could save his life was the enchantment on his student badge. It held a flexible and powerful enchantment that could rescue a student from all sorts of magical dangers.


    Aellaria held Callo¡¯s student badge in her hands. By the time Callo impacted the water''s surface, he was out of range of the enchantment that should have saved his life.


    Aellaria knew that the last thing Callo saw, besides the rapids rapidly rising to meet him, was her silhouette on the ledge above, capped by the wide-brimmed hat. That thought did not give her relief or comfort.


    The wind blew against the tear trails on her cheek. Aellaria held Callo¡¯s student badge with shaky hands. ¡®You didn''t even know.¡¯ She thought. Aellaria looked past the badge to the waters below, her vision blurred by the pooling tears.


    Aellaria tossed Callo¡¯s student badge over the ledge and scoured the cliff face for any evidence of her presence on the climb back up to camp.

 Chapter 14: Lies and Mimics

    <h2>Aellaria, Sunday, Fatherus 8th</h2>


    Callo was not in camp the following day, and Aellaria woke up from a restless sleep to the sound of Marin crying out. ¡°Callo? Callo! All his stuff is still here¡ªa tent, bedroll, and a change of clothes. Maybe he went out for a walk. Should we look for him?¡±


    Aellaria pulled herself from her bedroll. Outside her tent, she could hear the roar of the falls and the calls of Mimic Crows. Mimic Crows were uncommon. These crows copied each other¡¯s calls and often playfully copied human speech. However, each response from every subsequent crow mimicked what it heard, and as time went on, the calls became erratic and haunting.


    ¡°Callo!¡± she heard from the trees just outside the campsite. ¡°Callo?!¡± Another mimicking crow croaked.


    Aellaria slipped her robes over her undergarments and left her tent. The presence of the crows had already put her in a worse mood.


    Syn investigated the campfire¡¯s remains and made a discovery. ¡°Who drank the rest of the cider? I was going to have some as a little treat tonight.¡± Syn pouted.


    Marin, Behngi, and Aellaria sidled around, looking off into the forest for any hint of Callo¡¯s location. None of them confessed to the minor inconvenience, leading Syn to say, ¡°Maybe Callo kept drinkin¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Cawro!¡± Another crow said, interpreting the previous mimic as best it could. ¡°Cawro, Cawro!¡±


    Behngi squinted and tried to look further out into the woods. ¡°He tried to play it off but was a quite eager drinker. Gods! I wish I had better eyes.¡±


    ¡°Cods!¡± shouted another crow.


    ¡°You think he was eager?¡± Aellaria asked. She knew this question was a gentle pivot toward the outcome she wanted them to think of independently. The manipulation made her sick, but it was necessary.


    Behngi responded with an affirmative hum. He continued to scan the trees. ¡±With the river, lake, and the cliffs. I would be shocked if it was possible to get lost in these woods. You can hear the falls carry in the air for miles. I am not saying anything happened to Callo, but we should inform our teachers and Mistfall officials if he is not back before the carriage arrives.¡±


    ¡°Cods?¡±


    This only made Marin look more worried. She approached the cliff''s edge and looked at the churning lake below.


    Seeing the worry on her friend¡¯s face, Syn walked up to Marin and put a comforting arm around her, ¡°Hey, he also could have gone for a jog. He might have even wanted a mornin¡¯ workout by joggin¡¯ to Spire.¡± Aellaria watched from the center of camp.


    Behngi tentatively walked over to Aellaria and spoke softly. ¡°I have to ask you a favor.¡±


    ¡°How can I help?¡± Aellaria asked. Her face contorted with concern.


    ¡°Caw!¡± The call of the crows resets to their original song.


    ¡°When we get back to Spire, and, Zobu forbid, something has happened to Callo- Can you be the one to report it?¡± Behngi asked.


    ¡°Why would you want me to be the one to report it?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Behngi sighed. ¡°I fear that if my face is the first one seen when reporting a missing Element resident¨C¡±


    ¡°Then maybe the search won¡¯t be as objective?¡± Aellaria finished. ¡°If you hide from this, it would only look worse for you if something did happen.¡±


    ¡°That''s why I want it to be you and not them,¡± Behngi said, his green elven eyes darting toward Marin and Syn. ¡°You listened to every level of the conversation and were the first to stop drinking last night.¡±


    Aellaria thought for a moment. Behngi was more perceptive than she had thought. She would need to be careful around him. ¡°You aren¡¯t exactly filling me with confidence that you have nothing to do with this.¡± This statement triggered anxiety in the elf, and Aellaria relented. ¡°I will be the one to speak with our teachers. I will tell them everything I know. I am sure that- I am sure that there is nothing to worry about.¡±


    Aellaria reached out and put her arms around Behngi to comfort him. The elven man seemed to worry about being implicated in Callo¡¯s disappearance. Still, he was primarily worried about his new friend¡¯s health and safety.


    ¡°Callo?!¡± shouted one of the birds in the trees. ¡°Callo!¡± another responded. Aellaria detested the creatures, reminding her of memories best left in the past. ¡°Callo,¡± Another crow taunted.


    Aellaria checked to make sure Marin couldn¡¯t see the scared Behngi. ¡°Now, put your face together. The carriage will be here soon.¡± Aellaria used an old Elvish proverb to say ¡®act natural¡¯.


    Behngi nodded and turned toward the treeline.


    Callo¡¯s absence weighed heaviest on his murderer, of course. However, over the last year, Zenithor and then Aellaria were adept at hiding the tempest of emotions that swirled below the surface. Aellaria knew that there was a chance Callo was innocent. What if the negative emotions and experiences Zenithor read from Lilium¡¯s locket were normal? What if Callo Goldrose had absolutely nothing to do with Lilium¡¯s state of mind?


    A part of Aellaria was afraid of herself, but that part was locked away as the morning went by. Zenithor¡¯s mind palace closed off most of the memory of Callo¡¯s death, and Aellaria¡¯s emotions were detached and distant. This compartmentalization had served Zenithor well when preparing for the spell to give him his chance as Aellaria. To Aellaria, murdering Callo became a distant event.


    While Callo¡¯s death was potentially unwarranted, Aellaria knew that a guilty conscience would do nothing for her now. Going forward, she would have to control herself when faced with the other students from Lilium¡¯s memories.


    Callo wasn¡¯t there when the carriage arrived. Callo was not at his dorm, nor had anyone seen Callo since he left with the other four first-year students the night before. Immediately, the four Freshmen went first to Professor Niall¡¯s office.


    After he heard about his missing student, Niall acted with urgency. He brought the students to Dean Flamescale. Aellaria droned out the story of Callo¡¯s disappearance again.


    Aellaria read the disappointment on Marin¡¯s face when Dean Flamescale responded not with optimism but with despondency, ¡°We used to try to enforce the drinking of you Freshman harder. We discovered acceptance below Phoenix¡¯s wings is better than rebellion in the forest and by the falls. You come here excited to be away from home and get carried away trying to outdo your contemporaries. Normally, it is unsanctioned fights at parties that cause the deaths of Freshmen, but accidents like this aren¡¯t unheard of.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be sayin¡¯ this type of thang is normal. Callo is one of the top ten students of our class¡­¡± Syn pleaded passionately.


    Flamescale¡¯s face turned to show an empathetic half-smile. ¡°Syn, this is our top priority today. I will send Niall and Granite Guardian out to check the waters and forests around your campsite. If there are any clues to Callo¡¯s whereabouts, they will find him. I will personally report Callo as missing to the Mayor of Mistfall to widen our search further.¡±


    Aellaria knew that having the Aquamancer Niall search the waters of Son Lake likely meant the Dean assumed Callo was dead.


    ¡°Additionally, we need your official statements for that night. We have to rule out your involvement with Callo¡¯s disappearance.¡± Dean Flamescale said.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Syn, Behngi, and Marin were nervous. The four of them were now suspects in the disappearance of a fellow student.


    Aellaria wasn¡¯t nervous. After all, Zenithor had been trained to lie his entire life.


    ***


    Aellaria walked into the little interrogation room and wasn¡¯t surprised by the person sitting at the table. Professor Rietta ¡°Sparkweaver.¡± Professor Sparkweaver was the teacher of those who decided to become rogues¨C sorcerers trained to be spies and assassins.


    The first thing Aellaria noticed looking at Sparkweaver were her gold-rimmed brown irises and golden metal plates running along both cheekbones. The enchanter had magic prepared in her eyes that could rival Zenithor¡¯s deception. Aellaria was humbled and knew it would be wise not to give Rietta a reason to activate this magic-aided perception.


    Aellaria gave Rietta a nervous smile before approaching the opposite end of the table. Rietta wouldn¡¯t just be recording Aellaria¡¯s words¨C this would be an interrogation. Aellaria would make it a performance.


    The Sparkweaver smiled. She wore elaborate dark purple robes that shimmered with magic in the low light of their room. Her brown eyes glowed with magical enhancement. ¡°Hi, Aellaria. I heard you had a tough night; I am here simply to get your testimony.¡±


    Aellaria nodded and took a seat.


    ¡°First, I must introduce you to our tool for these testimonies. This is an Intent Prism,¡± Professor Rietta said. She pulled out a Triangular Prism trinket. Aellaria already knew what this device was. It was a trinket designed to detect when someone lies.


    Aellaria looked down at the little triangular device. Each face was about the length of her hand, and it was placed so the pointed end faced upward. ¡°You want to ensure I don¡¯t lie?¡± Aellaria asked.


    The teacher smiled, ¡°It isn¡¯t just about lying and the truth. The mind holds information that language sometimes fails to communicate. The Intent Prism will let us know when, even in candid conversations, a sincere opinion is expressed.¡±


    Aellaria watched the device. ¡°I have heard of this trinket before. I put my hand here, and when I make a statement, there is something on the far side to signal the intent of my statement.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is right. Before we get started, do you need anything to eat or drink?¡±


    ¡°No, I am anxious to get everything on paper,¡± Aellaria said before gently setting her hand on the Intent Prism and taking a deep, nervous breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dive into your mind then. I know you must be in a hurry to help us know what happened to your friend,¡± The Sparkweaver said.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Aellaria said. As Aellaria formed the words, the Intent Prism glowed green on the far side. Aellaria knew that this meant that the Intent Prism identified that the ideas formed in her head and those formed with her words were completely aligned.


    ¡°We will start simply to make sure your mentality is settled enough for this meeting,¡± Rietta informs kindly. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Aellaria,¡± Zenithor said, and the trinket indicated the truth.


    ¡°When did you meet Callo?¡± The Sparkweaver asked.


    ¡°I first ran into Callo on Monday, six days ago,¡± Aellaria said. Her voice was nervous, but this game she played was a simple one. The prism indicated that it was the whole truth. ¡°However, we only properly met before the trip yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Callo went to the School of Elemental Promise in Frostholm. Did you meet him there or know him then? I ask since you are from the capital as well.¡±


    ¡°No, I had never heard of him before coming to Spire.¡± The prism on the table indicated a murky brown color. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Aellaria asked.


    ¡°It means that you have more to tell.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I had heard of Callo¡¯s father and knew his father had a son. Callo¡¯s father is a famous merchant.¡± The prism indicated green. The prism wasn¡¯t designed to get the truth from someone like Zenithor. He graduated from Spire as a master rogue before the Sparkweaver was a glint in her father¡¯s eye. The apprentices of Spire would fail this simple test, but Zenithor knew almost immediately that the Sparkweaver would have to try harder to get the truth out of Aellaria.


    ¡°You saw Callo as a friend that night?¡± Rietta asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aellaria said, but the prism again indicated maroon, a half-truth bordering on a red lie. This was part of the game she played. Rietta only asked open-ended questions, which is bad practice for a rogue trying to get the truth.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Rietta asked, her calm demeanor demanding the whole truth from Aellaria.


    Aellaria gulped nervously and paused for a moment before saying. ¡°I guess¡­ I was enamored with Callo. He was a hard worker and charming.¡± Aellaria lied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t truthfully say my intentions for him were just friendly.¡± The prism glowed a bright green. Aellaria nervously pulled her hand away; the gesture was just a part of the act.


    ¡°I know this must be especially difficult for you then. Please recall what happened, and keep your hand on the prism.¡±


    Aellaria went on to tell the story of the exciting fireside chat between the five of them, about how she felt overcome with emotion toward Callo and decided to stop drinking. Aellaria described how excited Callo seemed to be about being able to drink with friends; it seemed new and exciting to him. Aellaria stated Callo drank almost as much as Syn and said he was the last to go to bed. Aellaria described the missing alcohol in the morning and how all four of them worried for Callo as they waited for the carriage to return to pick them up.


    Aellaria again left out the part where she murdered Callo, covered up the evidence, and then emptied the barrel of cider to give the others the impression that he had drunk a lot more than he actually had.


    The prism indicated that Aellaria was honest throughout the retelling of last night''s events. Aellaria knew that if the Sparkweaver continued not to take her seriously, she was about to get away with it.


    ¡°Do you think he is dead?¡± Professor Rietta asked.


    ¡°He is dead, missing, or went to Mistfall proper without telling any of us,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Given the facts, I-I think he is dead,¡± Aellaria said, her voice shaking with nervousness.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because with the falls so loud, getting lost in the forest is almost impossible. I didn¡¯t know Callo for long, but I also think it is unlikely he left camp intentionally without telling us. Which means he went over the edge or was kidnapped.¡± Aellaria explained.


    Aellaria saw Rietta¡¯s face turn from empathetic and compassionate to professional and clinical. She said something that made Rietta doubt her. Now, Aellaria knew that doubt would be like a little sibling tugging Rietta¡¯s sleeve. ¡°That is a pretty impressive deduction. You must think you are quite intelligent.¡±


    Aellaria knew that to calm these doubts; she had to be authentic. She had to ease the master rogue¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m terrified for Callo because, in my mind, I see him falling. I feel powerless and don¡¯t see any other truth. Im struggling, just to find another scenario. Another option¡± At the same time, Aellaria knows that the truth in her statement is almost exclusively in the ¡®yes.¡¯ ¡®Yes, of course, I am intelligent.¡¯ Aellaria thought. The prism glowed a bright green.

 Chapter 15: A Rift Forms

    <h2>Marin, Monday, Fatherus 9th</h2>


    Marin, Aellaria, Syn, and Behngi didn¡¯t hear back from anyone on Callo¡¯s disappearance all of Sunday. Marin was surprised that Aellaria was stressing less about spending every moment of free time practicing. Marin guessed that Aellaria may have taken Callo¡¯s disappearance hard. They both came from Frostholm.


    The four students arrived at Niall¡¯s class and saw a simple, albeit significant, change in the classroom. Initially, the classroom had sixteen desks for sixteen students, but now there are only thirteen. All the students sidled toward their desks and waited for Niall to announce the changes to their class.


    ¡°Good morning, students,¡± Niall said, his exuberant demeanor now calmed and measured. ¡°I have some bad news, so please take your seats.¡±


    The newer arrivals looked around, trying to identify the missing students. Flair was among them. ¡°Hey, uhh, where¡¯s Callo? Don¡¯t tell me he couldn¡¯t hack it.¡± Flair giggled.


    Professor Niall took a chair and flipped it around, resting with his chest against the backrest as he straddled it. ¡°Team, there is no easy way to say this, but we have lost two students over the weekend. Mason has decided to leave the program, and Callo went missing while camping at the falls. At this time, Callo is presumed dead.¡±


    There were gasps of surprise from the class. Syn hid her face in her hands, and Marin¡¯s heart dropped.


    ¡°Like¡­ what? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Callo is fine.¡± Flair said, her voice dripping with condescension as something seemingly impossible confronted her.


    ¡°I found Callo¡¯s student badge at the bottom of Son Lake. From the evidence available, we believe he had too much to drink and tried to dive from the cliffs overlooking the falls. Callo¡¯s death is no one¡¯s fault¨C¡±


    Flair stood up, and the chair she was sitting in tipped over. ¡°Fuckin stuff that! Callo isn¡¯t an idiot. Only a fucking idiot would do that.¡± Flair looked around the room and pointed toward Syn and Marin. ¡°They were there! How can you presume shit when the orc and the EAMP should¡¯ve been with him?¡± Flair shouted.


    ¡°Flair¡­ I am sorry. Anyone who knew Callo and was close to him can take the day off to grieve; please report to the infirmary now, Flair.¡± Niall said as Flair glared at the four students who sat behind her.


    To her credit, Flair didn¡¯t take the free time off from class and gym. Instead, she reached down, picked up her chair, and sat down.


    Marin knew what grief looked like. Callo was more than a classmate to Flair, and a part of Marin was crushed even further. Callo¡¯s death affected more students than just herself, Behngi, and Syn.


    The rest of the class was more practice in basic elemental cantrips. The point of these first classes was to make casting with your element instinctual, as well as the learning of the runic language. Marin struggled to concentrate. Her mind wandered to the last time she saw Callo, just before she closed the flap of her tent. He had grinned, waved, and raised his mug in her direction. Marin tried to shake the memory away and focus on her practice.


    Runic was the language of magic, and students were taught with accompanying hand signals to demonstrate each rune. This doesn¡¯t mean that casting magic required free hands, but the physical movement of the hands helped to will the flow of mana. It was far easier than attempting the vocal casting of runes.


    These lessons were still lessons everyone in the class knew and had practiced, except for Marin. With each new cantrip, she felt more and more overwhelmed. She felt pressure to stay and study. She wanted to catch up to her class, but her grief pressured her, too.


    Last week, Marin decided to focus on one element of magic going forward: Cryomancy. With Callo¡¯s disappearance, the frost she conjured left her conflicted. Each crisp spell reminded her of Callo¡¯s white hair. It immortalized Callo in her mind, and the reminder still stung.


    The sting came from the fact that Syn likely wouldn¡¯t have decided to show off if it weren''t for her. She caused every element: The cider, the carriage, the campsite, the view, and the falls. None of it would have been present, and Callo would still be alive. It was too much.


    Halfway through the lesson, Marin left the classroom. She reported to Master Cryonolon in the infirmary, and he gave her leave to grieve for the day.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    With Marin gone, Aellaria had to spar on her own. She practiced her form when her imagination filled the gap and manifested Zenithor. Zenithor looked exactly how he did the day he died. His age-scarred face contorted in anger. Zenithor didn¡¯t critique Aellaria¡¯s form or technique. After all, there was only one difference between the old mage¡¯s mind and Aellaria¡¯s.


    Zenithor was frustrated. He didn¡¯t even play along and help her practice sparring. Zenithor even manifested the bruising around his neck in an attempt to throw Aellaria off, ¡°How dare you externalize me, child.¡±


    The vision followed Aellaria as she left the gym.


    Aellaria thought in response, knowing verbalizing the conversation would make her look insane to other students in the halls. ¡°I didn¡¯t externalize you. You externalized yourself. Because you know you are wrong.¡±


    Zenithor huffed. ¡°I¡¯m not wrong. I just don¡¯t have proof I am right yet; there¡¯s a difference.¡±


    Aellaria didn¡¯t respond to the hallucination. She didn¡¯t need to tell the mage what he already knew.


    Zenithor added, ¡°Did you see how upset Flair was about Callo¡¯s death? Maybe we will get lucky and have a two-for-one.¡± Zenithor joked darkly.


    Aellaria glared at Zenithor as she stepped into the teleport circle for the teacher classrooms. ¡®We weren¡¯t supposed to kill him until we knew he was guilty!¡± She thought angrily.


    Zenithor laughed as the teleport started and then resolved. Aellaria moved to a completely different space in Spire, but Zenithor stood in the exact same spot in her vision. ¡°He was saturated with guilt, you naive mimic.¡±


    ¡®How dare you call me a mimic. You were so blinded in rage that you only saw the guilt. There was so much more to that boy than his guilt.¡¯ Aellaria stood at the edge of the hallway. She pretended to practice a spell as other students walked past. Internally, however, Aellaria fumed, and her heart drummed in her throat.


    Aellaria looked into Zenithor¡¯s eyes and saw the calculations being done. For the first time, their minds were not in sync. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said.


    Aellaria thought back, ¡®We can¡¯t be killing without proof. No more, Zenithor.¡¯


    The visage of Zenithor left, and at the same moment, Aellaria felt doors close in her mind. Being locked out of her own memory was jarring, and Aellaria put her weight against the wall and felt nausea.


    A face entered Aellaria¡¯s field of vision. The concerned face of the Spire Alchemy Teacher. His vest was the same over his robes, proudly proclaiming him to be Granite Guardian. ¡°Cry is already in the infirmary; let''s get you to him.¡± This Granite Guardian was almost a full foot shorter than her. Just the same, the Master sorcerer held Aellaria¡¯s weight effortlessly.


    Aellaria shook her head and stood upright. ¡°I am fine, actually. I came to see you. I want to be an alchemist.¡±


    ***


    A week''s worth of Mist Primrose sat in Aellaria¡¯s room. The flower would accelerate her development significantly. However, if she turned the beautiful little flowers into mana potions, they would last much longer and be more efficient.


    The reason Aellaria didn¡¯t purchase mana potions before the trip was a simple one. Aellaria didn¡¯t want to travel heavy, and anything with a biological component acted funky in dimensional pockets. Any amount of time spent in a dimensional pocket could, in reality, be any other time. A potion could last for hundreds of years or just seconds. There was no way to tell how time would act, so the risk was best avoided.


    Instead, Aellaria kept an absurd amount of gold and gems in her dimensional pocket. Precious metals and gemstones never tarnished in the dimensional spaces outside of conventional reality. The only other residents of the dimensional pocket were some magical knickknacks and the five stories locked away in Lilium¡¯s treasures.


    Aellaria¡¯s goal for tonight was to use the apothecary¡¯s storeroom to brew the many potions she would need to create and then sneak back up to her room. She knew that possession of the Mist Primrose would be suspect, as her story and her fellow students'' stories did not mention Aellaria gathering Mist Primrose that night or that day.


    Alchemy was not the cool kid''s science, especially since Spire was renowned for producing world-class talented mages. In comparison, Alchemy was an almost mundane profession.


    If Zenithor had known his new body would be mystically impotent, he would have packed a mortar and pestle, alembic, cauldron, and even enchanting supplies.


    The Alchemy professor was a Geomancer named Granite Guardian. The concerned older man guided her into the classroom and offered her one of his student seats.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t care what his real name was. She just hoped that the man going by the name the common folk gave him in his glory days was too proud to see through her lies. When teaching or working officially, Granite Guardian had tough skin made of stone and stood almost eight feet tall. However, the Granite Guardian summoning water into a glass for her was a 5¡¯3 stout bald man wearing loose brown fighting robes.


    The class smelled of dozens of natural herbs and alchemical ingredients. Each inhale brought a new perfume from the magical ingredients lining the lecture area.


    ¡°Welcome to my second home. The smell never gets old for me. Aellaria, is it?¡± GG asked. He set the glass of water before her. ¡°Are you ready to step foot into the world of alchemy?¡± He asked enthusiastically.


    Aellaria nodded, but the nod carried the weight of a student in mourning. ¡°I know that Alchemy can be used to help fix maladies without the use of healing magic. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help Marin. She is feeling particularly affected by Callo¡¯s disappearance,¡± Aellaria performed.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    GG winced a little bit at the tonal shift. ¡°Umm¡­ yes, but we try not to encourage the use of alchemy for short-term mental stress,¡± GG said before realizing he was about to turn away a potential student to his beloved profession. ¡°However, alchemy has amazing benefits that can improve your life.¡±


    ¡°Like your transformation?¡± Aellaria asked, knowing full well that Granite Guardian did not use alchemy to transform.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ well¡­ no¡­¡± GG said nervously. Aellaria could see the man struggling to prepare himself to convince her that alchemy was worthwhile mentally. ¡°However, you can get past the healing potion limits Cryonolon puts if you make them yourself. I could even teach you how to make Liquid Lava right now.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t lava already a liquid?¡± Aellaria asked, feigning ignorance of the benefits of alchemy.


    ¡°Well, Liquid Lava is a combination of herbs and oils that, when mixed in an airtight vial, will create a liquid that heats up rapidly when exposed to oxygen in the air. It is pretty safe to make if you store the vial securely afterwards.¡± GG said, pulling out a tray of alchemical equipment. He also retrieved a couple of bottles and a fistful of a leafy herb.


    Aellaria took one of the students'' chairs and sat across from GG at his desk and workstation.


    The teacher excitedly poured one part of one oil and then another part of a second oil. He weighed fifty grams of the herb before crushing it and wrapping the resulting dust in a dissolving paper. ¡°Then you just drop the paper and the herb into the oils of the flask and pop the stopper on. Then shake.¡± GG then shook the vial, and the clear liquid turned a light sparkling orange color as the herb mixed in.


    GG set the vial of Liquid Lava down in front of Aellaria, and Aellaria picked it up to inspect it more closely. There was no air in the vial. ¡°It won''t explode now?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, the oil pushed out when the stopper is put on helps ensure there are no air bubbles; thus, there is no way to trigger the reaction. Until you open or break the vial, of course.¡± GG said.


    ¡°Can you show me?¡± Aellaria asked. She could tell that this was a given. Without the demonstration, there wouldn¡¯t be a hook for her to realize how much she should love alchemy. Aellaria knew that in Granite Guardian¡¯s mind, he was about to condemn her to a life of glass vials, alchemical proportions, and shortcuts to advancement. For the next part, however. Aellaria knew she had to feign disinterest.


    GG used Geomancy to summon a pyramid-shaped sandstone rock on his class floor. He then set the vial of orange liquid at the tip and opened the stopper.


    Immediately, the liquid started to react with the oxygen in the air, and it heated up significantly. The volume of the liquid didn¡¯t increase, but after five seconds, the glass melted, and the liquid began running down the four sides of the pyramid. However, the fluid got thick and extremely hot, burning rivulets into the stone and pulling the stone into itself.


    The Liquid Lava took some time to get going, but an unsuspecting victim could be disabled or surprised by the simple application of the concoction. Aellaria decided it might be a good idea for her to take advantage of concoctions such as Liquid Lava. Alchemy didn¡¯t require her to have an expansive pool of mana, at least not yet.


    ¡°That is pretty impressive,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sold. How much for an introductory book on alchemy and alchemy supplies?¡± Aellaria didn¡¯t need the book but knew she had to ask for it anyway.


    ¡°Five silver, and five more silver for the oils and sawleaf.¡± Granite Guardian said.


    That price shocked Aellaria. Alchemy must have been even less popular than it was when Zenithor was a student. GG offered Aellaria an almost 90% discount to get started.


    Aellaria put a hand into her dimensional pouch and adroitly produced a single gold coin. ¡°That sounds fair. Is there any other material I should have plenty of if I want to learn some of the recipes here?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Of course. More Barren and Tether oils. Plenty of resin. Heartwreath for the minor healing potions. It is a bit more advanced, but you''ll want to try to make it eventually.¡± GG said as he went around the edge of the classroom, pulling the more common ingredients of alchemy and the Heartwreath into the box with the alchemy set and book. Aellaria watched as the teacher went above and beyond to select what she would need to practice the new craft. Granite Guardian was passionate about learning. Aellaria expected his room to be empty, but here the man was making time for someone who wasn¡¯t even his student. Aellaria looked around the room; sure enough, the Geomancy Teacher still had sixteen desks for his students. He hadn¡¯t lost a single one to Hell Week.


    ¡°How much for all of that?¡± Aellaria asked, gesturing at the growing pile within the box.


    ¡°It... well. How about a second gold, and we call it even.¡± GG said, giving Aellaria another 90% discount.


    Aellaria, playing the role of the uninformed student, smiled and handed over the second gold piece. ¡°Thank you so much for everything, Professor Guardian. Also, I know you were a part of the search party for Callo. Thank you for going out there and trying.¡±


    ¡°I will always give it my all for my students. I hope to see you in my class next year for the real alchemy course. Oh! And if things get out of hand with any of those concoctions, just put a bunch of rock on it. After all, I would only trust one of these kits with a fellow Geomancer.¡±


    The short teacher waved kindly as Aellaria left the room with enough alchemy ingredients to craft a month''s worth of mana potions.


    ***


    Aellaria set the box of alchemy supplies on her desk. Marin was gone, so this would be the perfect time to start the mana potions. Aellaria began by crushing the shimmering blue flowers in a mortar. Aellaria was somewhat relieved once all the beautiful pieces of evidence were crushed into an unrecognizable paste.


    The creation of Mana potions was a three-step process. First, crush the flowers. Then, mix the resulting paste with bone meal over high heat. Finally, stir the resulting blue dust into a water and Tarrow oil suspension in a flask. The resulting potion resembles a vinaigrette, with a shimmering blue liquid beneath the light Tarrow oil.


    Aellaria had used her fire magic to mix the mist flower and bonemeal and could use a top-off. She took one of the twenty-one flasks she prepared, thoroughly shook it, and cautiously sipped. The mana exhaustion, a pressure that builds in the mind, slowly relieved as she drank a sip of the tasteless liquid.


    Marin entered the room. She was wearing her workout wraps and was drenched in sweat.


    ¡°Good evening, roommate,¡± Aellaria said. She set the partially drunk bottle of potion on her desk.


    ¡°Hi, Aellaria. I just went to the gym for a workout.¡± Marin said while walking over and giving Aellaria a half-hug. ¡°I forgot what it felt like to actually hit what I¡¯m trying to punch.¡±


    Aellaria smiled at her roommate and started to pack up the alchemy supplies.


    The clinking of glass vials, bottles, and tools drew Marin¡¯s attention. ¡°What is that stuff? Are you going to become a potion monger?¡±


    Aellaria continued organizing the alchemy supplies and responded. ¡°I¡¯m working on some supplementary potioncraft to help cover some of my weaknesses in combat and spellcasting. Are you feeling any better?¡±


    Marin sat down at her desk across the room. ¡°Honestly, I do. I was working out, and Dean Flamescale talked to me. He told me about his time at Spire and about the accidents he was involved in. He told me about war, too.¡±


    Aellaria slid the box of supplies under her desk. Then looked a little confused, ¡°All you needed was a pity party with your hero?¡± Aellaria accused, knowing that it couldn¡¯t have been that easy. Marin was physically weak, but she wouldn¡¯t have given up for the day had it been nothing serious.


    ¡°No. It was nice hearing that someone else had gone through similar things. The Dean reminded me of Phoenix¡¯s teachings¨C Everyone¡¯s life is like a bonfire. Some burn bright and hot. Some carry on for a century. Some are just a flash, but¡­when the fire is done, all that remains is ash.¡±


    ¡°More of Phoenix¡¯s teachings from the Master Paladin himself?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Marin smiled again. She was slightly embarrassed speaking freely about something that impacted her, but she felt she had to finish the thought. ¡°Flamescale believes that grief is what happens when Phoenix takes those ashes and spreads them to the lives touched by the deceased. Grief can smother you, or it can inspire you. Make you burn brighter. It¡¯s a lesson that things can be bad, things can be gone, but nothing ever stops.¡±


    Aellaria took the potion she had sipped from and set it on her bedside table. She sat on her bed and started practicing Geomancy again. A ball of rock shifted around her body as Aellaria made the necessary hand signals to cast the cantrips controlling it.


    ¡°See! That''s the spirit. I never thought I would be relieved to see you focused on your practice. It was super creepy last week, but I welcome it back.¡±


    ¡°One day, you will learn about advanced casting and Will Isometrics. Seeing your face when you realize how much time you wasted will be a gift.¡± Aellaria said, a teasing smile lighting up her face. She knew this was her way of clueing Marin in on one of her few advantages. So what if she helped Marin?


    Marin looked at Aellaria, frowning. Marin then summoned a small orb of water, froze it, and practiced her casting as Aellaria did.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go telling anyone else about this. It is one of my few advantages to get ahead of you talented bastards.¡± Aellaria warned. ¡°If I start seeing Syn juggling balls of fire, I will stop holding back in our sparring sessions.¡±


    Marin tried to talk but focused intensely on casting the spells to change the direction of the ball of ice. ¡°Secret¡­ safe¡­ with me.¡±


    Aellaria watched Marin practice. Her control was terrible. She would lose focus on the position of the ice when she cast the next cantrip. However, to Marin¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t give up.


    The two women practiced for the rest of the night. When Aellaria was spent, she would take sips of the mana potion and slow down her casting to compensate. By the end of the night, the vial was empty, and Marin had a notable increase in her control.

 Chapter 16: The Hatchling

    <h2>Zenithor and Lilium, Four Years Earlier:</h2>


    Zenithor waited excitedly for Lilium to return home from her first day at The School of Elemental Promise. Today was Lilium¡¯s first step toward becoming a powerful sorcerer, and Zenithor couldn¡¯t have been happier.


    The likelihood of children born to sorcerers inheriting magical abilities was higher, but the manifestation of such talents ultimately depended on their upbringing rather than innate traits. Even then, there were no guarantees.


    Lilium''s magical aptitude surfaced when she was thirteen, which was older than the typical age for most mages. Lilium was frustrated while doing the dishes; she had forgotten about them from dinner the night before and broke a spatula. The metal snapping with a loud ¡®twang¡¯ had scared her, causing her to summon enough water in the kitchen to fill a bathtub.


    The outburst was a scary moment for Lilium, but for Zenithor, it was one of his proudest. He had always tried to hide the hope that she would develop talent, and that happiness came bursting out of the older mage when he saw the destruction in his kitchen.


    Today, Zenithor could hardly contain his excitement as his pride and joy walked down the side of the country road toward their home just outside the capital. The tip of Lilium¡¯s hat bobbed back and forth with each step.


    There was something wrong with the picture, however. Lilium wasn¡¯t smiling, happy to come home and tell her father of her day''s adventures. Lilium hid her face behind the wide brim of her hat by looking down. She turned to walk up to the house.


    ¡°Lily, are you okay?¡± Zenithor asked.


    Lily walked past him and toward her room. She was on the verge of tears. Zenithor used his wind magic to pass air through a flute on the wall, playing the familiar melody of ¡®Jest¡¯s Dance.¡¯ Lilium¡¯s mother would sing this song to her as a baby. Zenithor used it now to let Lilium know that he was there.


    It was enough for Lilium to turn around and run to her father. She wrapped her arms around his aged frame. She continued to hide her face, but Zenithor could tell Lilium was sobbing.


    ¡°Hey, pretty little dude. It¡¯s alright.¡± Zenithor said as he comforted his daughter. He would often refer to her as his little dude because it was guaranteed to make her giggle when she was younger.


    Father and daughter made the short journey to the living room, a safe place where the small family would sing, dance, and practice simple magic together.


    ¡°What happened, bud?¡± Zenithor asked as they sat in the cozy but familiarly messy room.


    Lilium took moments to compose herself before wiping the tears from her cheeks. She didn¡¯t like looking weak in front of her father. They were all each other had, and Lilium never wanted to feel like a burden, but some events were so upsetting that she couldn''t hide them.


    ¡°When we were in class¡­ I thought I had made a bunch of friends. All the girls and the teacher were so nice to me all morning. When we were learning the push cantrip, I was the only one in class who couldn¡¯t form the spell circle right, and I got overwhelmed¡­¡± Lilium was on the verge of tears again.


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    ¡°So you had an accident?¡± Zenithor guessed. He knew that she was still prone to accidents as she hadn¡¯t fully learned to control the torrents of chaotic magic that swirled inside her in stressful situations.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Instead of misting the air, I accidentally made a big bubble, and when it hit the ground, it made everyone''s shoes wet. Everyone laughed at me. The boys, my new friends, and even the teacher hid his face so I couldn¡¯t see his smile. We had to take an early lunch because the floor needed to be dried¡­¡± Lilium said.


    Zenithor smiled with twinkling eyes. This was far from the first time Lilium had an accident like this. However, he knew that part of the reason he sent Lilium to Elemental Promise was to help her control her outbursts. ¡°That must have been scary. On the bright side, it was just water. You didn¡¯t accidentally knock a student out. There was no fire, no structural damage.¡±


    ¡°That''s part of the problem, Dad! It''s one thing to be a loser Aquamancer, but it¡¯s even worse being the loser Aquamancer who couldn¡¯t control themselves in class. For the rest of class, the girls kept looking at me and giggling.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lily,¡± Zenithor said as he leaned forward to put a hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kids can be the cruelest people, but they don¡¯t know any better. How about you tell me about these giggling girls, and I will obliterate them and their dads.¡± Zenithor said as he lifted the brim of her hat to look into her eyes.


    Lilium shook her head.


    Zenithor continued, ¡°Cause I could. I¡¯m the strongest, fragile old man in the world.¡± He joked as he smiled at his daughter.


    Lily looked into her father''s eyes, seeing his effort to make the situation normal for her. She knew the direction the conversation was going. She would tell him how she wanted to avoid the embarrassment altogether. She wasn¡¯t built like the other students. She was weird. Her father would tell her that it is expected to be weird, but at the very least, she should go to school to learn to handle her chaotic magic better. While she is at it, she might as well study hard and apply for Spire, too. ¡°Thank you for the offer, Dad, but you can¡¯t just kill people you don¡¯t like.¡±


    Zenithor¡¯s face scrunched up in faux deep thought, and he stroked his beard exaggeratedly, ¡°But that¡¯s how I got through my twenties!¡±


    Zenithor hugged Lilium and then gently plucked Lilium¡¯s hat from her head. Lilium looked up to watch her father. His free hand was weaving a spell. Lilium recognized the rune for color and knew it was finally happening. From root to tip, blonde hairs in a stripe began changing color. They were blue, her special color. Lilium was ashamed of her limited element, but it was hers. Water magic was weaker, and right now, she felt weak. It was just who she was. Once the spell resolved, the strip of hair delicately fell between her eyes, and her eyes crossed to look at it.


    The father smiled at the silly excited expression on Lilium¡¯s face and warned, ¡°A mage that¡­¡±


    Lilium interrupted with a giggle, ¡°I know. A mage that displays their limitations is a fool.¡± Zenithor had told Lilium ¡®no¡¯ to changing her hair color many times. For her stubborn father to relent was a big deal.


    Zenithor hugged her again, ¡°But you''re still growing up. If perfection is not possible, I will settle for happiness. I love you.¡±


    Lilium smiled a pained smile. He tried so hard for her. She would continue to try for him. ¡°I love you too, dad.¡±

 Chapter 17: Best Friends

    <h2>Aellaria, Saturday, Fatherus 28th</h2>


    The weeks carried on. During this time, Aellaria would walk to Mistfall for alchemy supplies every Saturday before sunrise. She would discreetly climb to the shallow cave behind the falls on the return trip. This week was particularly tough, as immediately after pulling herself back up the cliffside, a Death Mongrel confronted her.


    Death Mongrels were monstrous dogs that died with feelings of unfinished business. They were uncommon since, in life, dogs are extraordinarily trusting creatures. In death, the Death Mongrel holds onto a grudge imprinted on its soul, typically due to a betrayal from a previous master. It takes a particularly evil action to cause a dog to demand retribution within its soul, not just for a single human but all of humankind. As with every monster in Element, the Death Mongrel doesn¡¯t exactly have the body of the retributive dead dog. The unrestful spirit of the dog manifests a new twisted body to express its anger and fear.


    This Mongrel had long grey fur that looked painfully matted. The creature didn¡¯t look emaciated; on the contrary, it looked bloated and smelled of rot and dead leaves. The most striking feature of the monster were its blood-red eyes, which were slit like a cat¡¯s.


    Aellaria looked at the Mongrel with pity. She wondered if the little monster had actually managed to enact its vengeance on anyone else. Aellaria said, ¡°You don¡¯t belong here, pup. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The dog¡¯s origins didn¡¯t matter so much to Aellaria. This creature wanted her dead, and it was an abomination anyway. She used Geomancy to pull a stone hook out of the ground, caught the beast with the hook, and pinned it to the ground. Aellaria finished the writhing creature off with a stick, harvested its bones for bonemeal, and opened the earth up to swallow what remained.


    ***


    The crisp winds of autumn came early for Spire this year, and below the windows of the common room of their dorm, Aellaria and Marin could see the forest changing color. Time trickled by slowly for the friends, and every day required every ounce of energy they had¡ªphysically for Niall and Tilly¡¯s classes and emotionally for the constant stress put upon them by other students.


    Flair and Bren were tough to exist alongside. It became clear that Flair and Bren blamed Syn, Aellaria, and Marin for Callo''s death. Their loud and public outbursts caused a further chilling effect, making it difficult for the three girls to make new friends.


    Aellaria remembered the anguish on Flair¡¯s face when Niall announced Callo¡¯s death. A part of her reveled in Flair¡¯s pain. It served her right for whatever she did to Lilium. However, as the weeks went on, Flair became unbearable. Any remaining part of Aellaria that sympathized with Flair¡¯s pain died, as she took every moment to be a colossal bitch.


    Bren wasn¡¯t much better. To Aellaria¡¯s annoyance, the woman used higher-level casting to listen to her conversations. For the deceitful Aellaria, this meant that she would have to be even more careful with how she spoke because Bren could be listening in and would use these conversations for barbs down the line. Aellaria knew she wasn¡¯t perfect, and under constant scrutiny, she could let information slip that would make Bren curious about who she truly was.


    Aellaria and Marin practiced their casting in the common area while they waited for Syn and Behngi.


    Marin perked up slightly, ¡±Aellaria, have you gone on your walk this week?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I went this morning,¡± Aellaria responded as she casually swirled the stone around her.


    ¡°Aro¡¯s bust!¡± Marin cursed. She invoked the human goddess of love. Marin opened up as she became more comfortable with Aellaria¡¯s presence and the oddities in Aellaria¡¯s behavior. She had an inappropriate streak, especially when it came to cursing.


    Aellaria raised an eyebrow and looked at Marin, ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to know how much it would cost to get some small gemstones for my arcane focus. We are running out of time to have our arcane focuses ready. I didn''t want to end up with a gnarled old staff like Alyviah.¡± Marin whispered Alyviah¡¯s name to avoid invoking the wrath of the three girls.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Syn want to buy you gemstones?¡± Aellaria asked. Syn was somewhat wealthy, and Aellaria could tell that impressing the lottery apprentice was one of Syn¡¯s favorite activities.


    ¡°Of course she does, but I don¡¯t want anyone to give me things like that. Experiences are fine, but I would feel like I owe her if she gave me jewels or jewelry. I was going to try to get a loan from the market,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to provide them with something of value. The bankers will see right through a little town lottery apprentice like you.¡± Aellaria warned.


    Marin slapped at the armrests of her chair in frustration. ¡°What has value? I don¡¯t even know what I can do for money. I mean, did you hear Kyrine is escorting for money? Maybe I could do that¡­¡± Marin said. Kyrine was an Aquamancer in Professor Aeren¡¯s class. Kyrine was also one of the four names on Aellaria¡¯s list.


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    ¡°Did you want my opinion?¡±


    ¡°Desperately,¡± Marin admitted.


    ¡°I think you should avoid selling yourself for money,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°I think that sounds like a bad time for everyone but the client.¡±


    Marin stared at Aellaria, pleading for more options. As an afterthought, she meekly added, ¡°Thank you?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I have a baggy full of precious gems. You¡¯ll need four, one for each of your efficiencies. You¡¯ll also need a jeweler to cut the jewels and fit them into your bread,¡± Aellaria said, pointing to the twine around Marin¡¯s neck.


    Marin gave a pained grin and responded, ¡°I just said I didn¡¯t want a gift. I don¡¯t want this weird power imbalance thing getting between me and my friends.¡±


    ¡°Then it will be a loan. I need someone to sell my excess potions, poisons, and concoctions. I have been meaning to sell them. We can split profits, and you can pay me back whatever the jeweler says the gems are worth. Tell me what you want, and you can have it.¡± Aellaria said, knowing that any four gemstones from the collection living within her dimensional pouch were just a drop in the bucket of her wealth.


    ¡°Really? You would give me a job? ¡°Marin asked hopefully, but then his expression changed to stern. ¡±But that''s a power imbalance.¡±


    ¡°Walking to Mistfall and bulk selling to an apothecary isn¡¯t much of a job, and you know I won¡¯t hold it over your head if you don¡¯t do it. It just doesn¡¯t matter that much to me.¡± Aellaria responded.


    Marin thought for a second. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll do it. But only because the lines I draw for you are different from those I draw for Syn.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Aellaria asked.


    ¡°You have this whole detached thing going on, and I trust you when you say it doesn¡¯t matter to you.¡±


    ¡°What gems do you want?¡± Aellaria asked before simply reaching into her dimensional pouch.


    ¡°Emerald for Aeromancy, Sapphire for Aquamancy, Ruby for Pyromancy, and Amethyst for Cryomancy,¡± Marin said.


    Aellaria raised an eyebrow and looked up at Marin from under her wide-brimmed hat. ¡°Amethyst is purple. Wouldn¡¯t you rather have a diamond? It¡¯s harder and a better conduit.¡± Aellaria explained.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sentimental thing. Callo said purple was his favorite color,¡± Marin said heavily.


    Aellaria reached over to Marin and handed her the four gems Marin wanted.


    These four large gemstones were more than big enough for Marin¡¯s needs. The Purple, Blue, Green, and Red stones shimmer beautifully from the light streaming in from the window they sat beside. ¡°You just had these on your person? Wait, is that a dimensional pouch?¡±


    Aellaria didn¡¯t say anything. However, there was no other explanation for Aellaria nonchalantly handing over exactly what Marin needed. It would also explain why Aellaria was so lightly packed on the road to Spire that first day.


    Aellaria saw a realization light up Marin¡¯s face, and Aellaria knew she made a mistake. She had casually revealed that she was the wealthiest person Marin had ever seen in real life. If she could afford a dimensional pouch, maybe she was even more wealthy than any of the teachers, including the dean.


    Aellaria gave Marin a look that said, ¡®This is one of those advantages that you are allowed to know but not speak of, or I will hit you.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. You hold more secrets than Jest¡¯s robes.¡± Marin said, invoking the god of trickery, mimicry, and joy.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a virgin, but a dick isn¡¯t exactly incomprehensible,¡± Aellaria said. She felt satisfaction whenever she had these little moments to tease Marin for her faith.


    Marin almost immediately became flustered. ¡°That''s not what that means!¡± she shouted, whispering. ¡°And I¡¯m not even a virgin, so stop saying that!¡± Then, it was a sudden revelation that embarrassed Marin. ¡°You¡¯re teasing and tricking me again. You really do belong in Jest¡¯s temple.¡±

 Chapter 18: Unsettling Read

    <h2>Syn</h2>


    Today was the best day for Syn since the day before Callo¡¯s disappearance. For the weeks since he went missing, she had to worry about when she would enter and leave the shared women''s dorm space and who would see her.


    If Bren, Flair, or Alyviah saw her alone, their eyes always had such hatred. She tried to coordinate when Marin and Aellaria left their rooms, but it wasn¡¯t a perfect system, and she had been confronted by the trio twice. Syn¡¯s temper wouldn¡¯t hold out much longer.


    This day was so good because Behngi¡ªlike the saint he is¡ªoffered to share his dorm room with her. Behngi had a fear of being alone, and Syn was a lesbian who wanted to be as far from the class bullies as possible. It took weeks, but Rietta approved the request to change rooms, and Syn hastily moved into her new room in the men''s dorms.


    Behngi gave the good news to Syn that morning during breakfast service at the cafeteria. She knew right away because he grinned when he slid into the last spot of their cafeteria booth. Syn, Aellaria, and Marin had already started on their breakfasts. ¡°I have it!¡± Behngi said excitedly.


    Syn lets out a happy gasp, ¡°Really?! I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    Behngi held something out to Syn. It was a flat piece of stone with a number¨Can enchanted key to access their shared room. The room number was on one side of the flat stone; on the other, it indicated her enrollment date and gender. ¡°Professor Rietta enchanted it and gave it to me herself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± Syn said, even though she was holding a second almost identical stone with a different number and dorm carved into it.


    Marin smiled, feeling excitement for her friend. ¡°That''s amazing. It still makes you a traitor, though.¡±


    Syn kicked her friend under the table, ¡°If it was feasible to triple up inside your dorm room, I would do that. Boys are going to be perverts, but Bre-¡±


    Bren stepped into position, blocking Behngi and Syn from escaping the booth. She moved like a waiter trying too hard for a tip. Standing in formation behind Bren were Flair and Alyviah. Bren waved a hand, and her curly brown hair flicked outward with magic. ¡°My ears must have been burning. I could have sworn the orc was just about to say my name.¡±


    Syn smirked at the women blocking her and Behngi in their side of the booth. ¡°You can say whatever you want, Bren, but you ain¡¯t goin¡¯ ta ruin my day. I finally get to be free of listenin¡¯ to your ridiculous laugh every day. Also, I always hear moans comin¡¯ from your dorm room. It will be nice not to hear a donkey comin¡¯ when I just want to get some rest.¡±


    Flair smiled, ¡°So the orc is going to live with the boys? I guess what passes for a boy in Arcane, at least.¡± Flair said, mocking Behngi¡¯s elven features.


    Aellaria finished the bite of waffle she was nibbling on. ¡°It¡¯s really quite embarrassing that you sit at your table and use long ears to spy on other students, Bren. Shouldn¡¯t one of the top-ranked students of our class have something better to do?¡± Aellaria took another bite with a satisfied look on her face.


    ¡°Fuck you, homeschool. You¡¯re just some nobody from Frostholm. If you were a serious mage, you would have gone to Elemental Promise,¡± Bren retorted. ¡°You probably got Callo drunk because you felt threatened by him.¡±


    ¡°Is that what your long ears spell tells you when you spy on us? Or do you just hear people being sad about losing their friend?¡± Aellaria accused. ¡°You can grieve in your way, but if you keep listening in on my life. I will put you where you belong.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you have been spying on us?¡± Marin asked.


    Flair stepped forward, standing over Marin. ¡°You can return to your porridge EAMP. The adults are talking.¡±


    Behngi intervened. ¡°You two have no respect. I am not afraid of either of you. You can back down, or I will challenge you, Bren, and you will have another loss on your record.¡±


    Bren pushed her chest out, trying to look more intimidating as she stood over the lower-ranked students at the table. ¡°All of you can challenge me at any time. Honestly, it gets a little lonely at the top.¡±


    ¡°You are ranked seventh. If you think you are at the top, you¡¯re delusional. Terra could kill you in her sleep.¡± Syn responded. ¡°You dopey donkey.¡± Syn then made a braying sound, loud enough to get the attention of other students eating in the area. ¡®HEEEE HAAAAWWW!¡¯


    Bren prepared to throw a punch, but Alyviah caught her elbow before she could commit. ¡°Bren¡­ you might be removed from Spire. Don¡¯t let her get to you.¡±


    Bren shook off the rage that overcame her. ¡°You¡¯re right, babe.¡± She threw up an accusatory finger and pointed at the students sitting at the table.¡± You four are going to get what''s coming to you, and I promise it will be worse than a broken leg.¡± She threatened.


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    Behngi stood up, looking Bren eye-to-eye and making her step back to give him room, ¡°We are almost the same rank, Bren, and yet I know with certainty you are on shaky ground. Your talent is immense, but you think you''re already among the best. That''s the difference between us. You think you are the best. While I know I must improve, everyone at this table knows they must improve. If we fight you right now we might lose, but we aren¡¯t judged by our starting points. We are judged by who we are at the end of each year. So while you will be the same person you were when you first entered the Heroes Gallery, we will have made ourselves better mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I sincerely hope when you are cut, or when you drop out this year, or the next, that you self-reflect on my words today and try to become a kinder person. You have shamed yourself, but the sun will always rise again.¡±


    Bren scowled. Hatred burned in her eyes before she turned and stormed away.


    ¡°Hell yeah, Behngi!¡± Syn said excitedly in a hushed tone before offering the elf a high five. Marin and Syn laughed genuinely. Behngi had only ever been a perfect gentleman, and the comment surprised them.


    ***


    Syn felt weird about the new dynamic in her new bed that night. The gender difference between her and Behngi was not the cause but the distant memory of Callo. It was just a month ago, and Syn and Behngi only knew Callo for that first week at Spire. This bed had spent more time empty than belonging to Callo. Syn tossed and turned on her mattress.


    Behngi was the first to bring words to their feelings. ¡°Are you okay, Syn? Is it too weird for us to sleep in the same room?¡±


    ¡°Naw¡­ that''s not it. It¡¯s just weird this bed used to belong to Callo. It kinda makes it feel too big for me. Like¡­ somethin¡¯ is off.¡± Syn said as she adjusted again. This time, she felt something poke her, like a loose spring. Syn unzipped the protector of the mattress and pulled out a book. It was a leather-bound journal that looked almost brand new.


    ¡°Is that a journal? Callo¡¯s?¡± Behngi asked. Syn didn¡¯t even bother trying to hide from the other student. She knew his elven eyes could see in the dark as well as she could see during the day.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it looks like it''s new,¡± Syn said, cracking it open briefly. ¡°There are only five entries.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t read it. We should give it to Professor Rietta,¡± Behngi said.


    Syn sat up and activated the light enchantment on her bedside table. Her nightgown shimmered in the low light of the room. ¡°You ain¡¯t the slightest bit curious about his final recorded thoughts?¡± Syn asked.


    ¡°It feels wrong,¡± Behngi said before mirroring Syn on his side of the room. He wore comfortable-looking silk robes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Father Phoenix and Professor Rietta judge me,¡± Syn said as she opened the journal to the first page. ¡°On the first day, he was excited. He was happy to have you as his roommate and excited to have Niall as his teacher. He definitely writes like a boy.¡±


    Behngi closed his eyes and listened to Syn summarize his dead friend¡¯s perception of his last week alive.


    ¡°On the second day. He was especially excited to see Flair get knocked down by Aellaria. The pyro was a disruptive force in his last year at their old school, so he sees her losin¡¯ her fight as well earned. He¡¯s also impressed by how you fight, Behngi. You really made him feel lucky to have you as a roommate. He says he wanted to surround himself with strong people.¡±


    Syn looked at Behngi and saw him smile contentedly. ¡°On the third day, he talked about meetin¡¯ me and Marin. How astoundingly scarce it is that someone has as many talents as Marin. How strongly I was built, and¨Che talks a little about my body. I¡¯ll just uh¡­I¡¯m gonna take it as a compliment. He says how excited he is to spend time with all of us the upcomin¡¯ weekend. He¡¯s nervous about being around Aellaria, but he wants to be close to Aellaria ¡®cause he knows she is a strong fighter.¡±


    ¡°On the fourth day, he just made a drawing. He drew us all graduatin¡¯ with our respective masteries: Marin and I, paladins of Phoenix; you, as a master Electromancer; himself, as a master spell sword. He even drew Aellaria. Huh, Callo even did her flower.¡± Syn thought it weird that Callo would draw Aellaria. At this point, he hadn¡¯t even met her.


    ¡°Finally, he wrote about my fight with Bren and Marin¡¯s fight with Alyviah on the fifth day. Callo is a little bit of a pervert, but honestly, it¡¯s not that bad. He is happy that we all made it through Hell Week and looks forward to meetin¡¯ Aellaria properly at the falls.¡± Syn finished, closing the journal. It had enough pages to fill an entire year with entries, but only two pages had even been written on. The empty journal is another reminder of Callos'' promise and potential never being lived up to. This last observation is what made Syn angry. Angry at herself for taking everyone to a dangerous place and making everyone drink. Angry at Callo for jumping off a cliff. Angry at Behngi just for being nearby. Syn closed her eyes and forced distance between herself and her anger.


    ¡°That''s¡­ not an amazingly comforting read. Thanks Syn.¡± Behngi said. He laid back down in his bed, dismissing the light enchantment on his side.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe it¡¯ll help Professor Rietta. At the very least, it should be returned to his family.¡± Syn said. Syn set the journal down on the bedside table and dismissed the light enchantment.

 Chapter 19: Window To The Soul

    <h2>Niall, Monday, Merchantus 9th</h2>


    Niall¡¯s thirteen students were all in attendance the day they were to submit their arcane focuses. An arcane focus was used to channel all magic. Niall told his students they could provide their arcane focus, but there were requirements.


    First, the arcane focus had to be made of a material that could channel higher-level magic. Precious stones and metals were the most common arcane focus, but magic-infused woods, such as Elemental Willow or Core of Nedra, also worked. Alyviah¡¯s staff was made from Elemental Willow.


    Second, the arcane focus must be unenchanted. Enchanters at Spire will add pattern defenses to prospective focuses. These enchantments prevent mages with different patterns from using or casting against another mage¡¯s arcane focus. A sorcerer could easily be disarmed if their focus was unprotected against opposing magic.


    Finally, Niall recommended that there be enough components inside the arcane focus to cast all of the elements of magic that students needed. For example, Marin¡¯s arcane focus required her to be able to channel four different schools of magic.


    Paris was the top of Niall¡¯s class, and he was the first to step up with his proposed arcane focus. The first Electromancer held what looked like a sword handle with two massive gems embedded into each side of the crossguard.


    Niall was excited by the development, ¡°I¡¯ve yet to see you fight with a weapon. You will only get this enchantment done for free once. Are you sure you want it done to such a bulky item?¡±


    Paris smirked, ¡°If I were allowed to use my sword that first day, I would be ranked higher than eighth. Once I get this back, I think I will challenge Terra for the top rank.¡±


    Niall clapped once excitedly, ¡°The passion on this man! It makes my hair stand on end. Is that Ruby and Amethyst?¡± Niall asked.


    ¡°Ruby and purple diamond,¡± Paris boasted. The following two in the class would be Electromages, and Paris knew neither of them could afford such an extravagance.


    ¡°Someone is going to steal that thing, and it might even be me,¡± Niall said with a hearty laugh. ¡°Thank you, Paris. I will give it back to you next week.¡±


    The next student was Behngi. Behngi had a core sampling from a Nedra tree, a wand about a foot long. The sample had been split down the middle and then molded back together with gold.


    Niall took the unenchanted wand from Behngi and closely inspected it. ¡°This wood, does it hold an importance to you?¡±


    Behngi nodded, ¡°The core is from a Nedra tree, and the gold is for Pride.¡± He explained, invoking both the elven goddess of medicine and the elven goddess of nobility.


    ¡°Wonderful. Behngi. May Nedra and Zobu bless this pairing,¡± Niall said as he set the unfinished wand next to the sword handle.


    Drakon, the most formidably built man in the class, was an Electromancer who fancied himself a musician. His arcane focus was a tambourine made of Elemental Willow. It had the checkered pattern of Jest scorched throughout the wood.


    Badnel, a quiet young man with sandy blonde hair and a slim build, was a Cryomancer. He and Drakon sat next to each other in class and always practiced together. He brought up a silver amulet with a modest sliver of Aquamarine.


    The fifth-ranked in Niall¡¯s class was Olyza. Olyza was beautiful. She was one of the few of Niall¡¯s students who had decided to retrim her robes. The unflattering sorcerer robe that the other students wore was trimmed and rehemmed into a tight-fitting dress. Like Niall, Olyza had also dyed her hair. Her stylish hair was swept to one side and almost glowed a beautiful mint color. Her arcane focus was the guiding candle of Ozyid, the god of travel. It was a pendant, and the candle''s flame was a latticework of beautiful small gems.


    Syn was next, and she had her beautiful silver Phoenix holy symbol encrusted with rubies. The Phoenix wings cradled a beautifully cut ruby that shimmered at any angle.


    As Niall held the beautiful piece, he acted like he was sobbing at its beauty. ¡°It is so beautiful. Elegant. Phoenix would be proud to have a paladin wearing this around her neck.¡±


    Flair whispered something in front of the class, making Alyviah smile and giggle. Alyviah covered her mouth when Niall glanced pointedly at the two of them.


    Syn closed her eyes, and Niall appreciated the Pyromancer¡¯s patience. ¡°Thank you, professor.¡± The strong woman said before walking back to her seat. She made a point of not looking at Flair or Alyviah.


    Phia was next and stepped up, handing over an unassuming wand. Phia was one of the few students in the class who wore her hood up, and she didn¡¯t wait around for Niall¡¯s comments on her Elemental Willow stick.


    Chlora, who goes by Cohly, was the opposite and skipped forward to the front of the class. Her bubbly personality showed with every step. Her arcane focus was a simple blue glass bulb securely fastened to an amulet.


    Olyza¡¯s twin brother Ozzy was an overweight Aeromancer who wasn¡¯t nearly as flashily dressed as his twin sister. He clumsily stood up and shuffled his way to the front of the class. He offered another holy symbol of Ozyid. This time, it was a three-foot length of woven silk ropes. At two points in the rope, golden rings bound the strands together.


    Aellaria produced a custom-made trinket¡ª A Lily. The flower fit in the palm of her hand and was made of rose gold. Three sepals and three petals held inlaid gemstones. Each petal represented an element, and the opposite sepal was the opposite element. Air, Cold, Water, Earth, Heat, and Electricity.


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    Niall took the beautiful trinket and held it in his hands. Paris'' sword handle was the only arcane focus worth more than the precious bundle of gems in his hands. ¡°You want all six focuses? That is quite a bit of work for the enchanting guild. Especially considering you¡­¡±


    Flair shot a hand up, saying, ¡°Professor Niall, you might as well let her have it. This is going to be her only year at Spire. It¡¯s like a souvenir for her.¡±


    ¡°Flair¡­¡± Professor Niall warned with a stern glance. He turned back to Aellaria. ¡°You have demonstrated ability with earth magic. I can¡¯t approve the full suite of enchantments. I¡¯m sorry, Aellaria.¡± Niall went to dismiss Aellaria, but she had a different idea.


    Aellaria cast a series of cantrips. Five spheres appeared. Three were made entirely of water, and two of stone. The class watched as the five orbs started to orbit each other. After casting more cantrips, one of the orbs of water froze, and one of the stones glowed red hot.


    Aellaria cast verbally because her hands were too busy casting cantrips, holding all the balls aloft. Niall could see that Aellaria was beginning to show signs of mana deprivation.


    Next, sparks began flying from the next orb of water, demonstrating an understanding of five schools of magic all at once.


    Finally, Niall realized in wonder that there were six. At the center of the showcase was a vortex of swirling air. The Master Aquamancer had never seen anyone use their natural abilities to simultaneously display their competence and control over all six elements of magic.


    To punctuate the spells, the vortex of air in the middle began dropping each of the orbs at Niall¡¯s feet. Niall was forced to summon water to cool the chunk of molten rock.


    Aellaria put a hand to her head and held it. She gasped for oxygen. Niall went to catch Aellaria, but she pushed him away. ¡°Niall. Don¡¯t you dare limit your student of her potential,¡± Aellaria chastised, referring to herself in the third person.


    Niall couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He looked down at the beautiful trinket¨C The lily. He nodded and gently set the prospective arcane focus down with the rest. ¡°You can go visit the infirmary if you need to.¡±


    Aellaria shook her throbbing head and walked back to her seat. Niall¡¯s perceptive eyes caught her subtly sipping from a mana potion.


    <h2>Flair</h2>


    Flair¡¯s anger was boiling on the surface, but there was more to it than that. She was hurt. She felt pain at Aellaria¡¯s flashy display, Aellaria¡¯s beautiful arcane focus, and Aellaria¡¯s dominance over her in every way. Flair was always unique. She was the richest, the most talented, the cutest. Back in Frostholm, she was a bright burning star, but now there was nothing special about her. She wasn¡¯t even the best female Pyromancer in a class of thirteen students. If she counted Aellaria, then she was third.


    Flair felt Aellaria punching her in the face all over again, and she felt fear swim in that space between her eyes and mind. ¡®A real bad motherfucker,¡¯ Flair heard again and couldn¡¯t yet discount the claim. Then she realized she was next. She shook with anger as she stood up; not anger¨C terror. The terror that she didn¡¯t belong. The terror at realizing she wasn¡¯t as exceptional as she always thought.


    Flair went up to Niall and handed him her beautiful ruby necklace. It was worth a small fortune but nothing compared to Paris and Aellaria¡¯s beautiful pieces.


    Niall looked excited for some small talk, but when he saw the look in Flair¡¯s eyes, he just set the necklace down and said, ¡°It is very beautiful, Flair.¡±


    Alyviah went to comfort Flair, but Flair shook her off. Alyviah walked forward, holding her giant painted staff. She handed her cousin¡¯s old arcane focus to Niall.


    Distantly, behind the haze of fear, Flair heard Niall talking to Alyviah. ¡°Ahh, Alyviah. You cannot use someone else¡¯s arcane focus as your own. It must be exclusive to your pattern.¡± Niall said, having expected Alyviah to bring her familiar staff up to him.


    Alyviah smiled under the hood of her robes. ¡°My cousin never got the pattern enchantment for his staff,¡± she said, longingly looking up at the long piece of painted element willow.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alyviah said. Knowing full well the oversized staff might be a hindrance.


    Finally, Marin went up to the front of the class. She had her holy symbol, but it was completely retouched by a professional jeweler in Mistfall. Shimmering resin reinforced the twine, and tasteful golden trims were added for the gem inlays. The four scores atop the bread loaf held four perfectly cut gems.


    Niall smiled at the holy symbol of the god of the sun and baking. ¡°What a charming little piece. Wonderful, Marin,¡± he said supportively.


    Niall opened his arms and said, ¡°The arcane focus is a window to the soul.¡± He then pulled out his focus, a two-foot-long gnarled club made of enchanted roots. The tip of the root looked like a whale, with two gems for eyes. ¡°We push our willpower out from it, and if we lose it, we are naked and weak. Your arcane focus will become a part of your mind and body. Please remember that lesson, students. These will be enchanted, and I will give them back next week. Then we can start discussing your midterm appraisals.¡±


    Flair waited in her seat for the rest of the class to leave¡ªeven Alyviah. Niall went to comfort his student, but she rushed out of the room.

 Chapter 20: Mundane

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Behngi, Aellaria, Syn, and Marin sat in the men¡¯s common room that evening. They sometimes relaxed in the men¡¯s shared spaces because the men of Spire kept more to themselves than Bren, Flair, and Alyviah. Except for Marin and Aellaria¡¯s weekly walks to Mistfall. The four students had been locked away in Spire, like princesses in the old romance fairytales.


    The four were discussing the direction of their education. If they made it to the third year, they would have to decide what type of sorcerer they would commit to being. There were seven colleges of sorcerer: bard, healer, paladin, rogue, ranger, spellfighter, or wizard.


    Of course, as Phoenix devouts, Syn and Marin hoped he would choose them as his paladins. However, paladins were the most sought-after college, and since there was a component of willingness from the god involved, there was always a chance no deity would accept them.


    ¡°I am so anxious to be accepted by Phoenix. I have been praying every night for guidance. It would be heartbreaking if he didn¡¯t accept me as one of his chosen. I really hope that I get to be Dean Flamescale¡¯s student, too.¡± Marin said. She went to touch her holy symbol before realizing it was gone.


    Syn had a worried expression, ¡°Wait, you pray every day? I only pray if things get bad. I worry he would get annoyed if he heard from me so often. Honestly, I forget sometimes, too.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t pray just when things are bad. I am sure Phoenix wants to know about all the things you love. The sun doesn¡¯t just set; it rises, too,¡± Marin said, another of Phoenix¡¯s platitudes.


    Syn seemed nervous about this conversation¡¯s trajectory. ¡°What about you, Behngi? Did you want to be a Paladin of Zobu?¡±


    Behngi already knew he wouldn¡¯t be worthy of being her chosen. ¡°Zobu is the goddess of pride and nobility. As a ward of Element, I am about as far away from the nobility as I could be. No, I think that with my build¨C maybe it would be best for me to be a rogue or ranger.¡±


    ¡°You would make a great rogue!¡± Marin said cheerily. ¡°You need to work on your serious face, though. When Rietta questioned me, it felt like her eyes were boring through me.¡±


    Behngi jokingly gave Marin a smokey, intense expression.


    Aellaria scoffed. Behngi had the build, but the naive lottery apprentice didn¡¯t consider the political ramifications. ¡°Element nor Spire would let a ward from Arcane become a rogue. Teaching a potential political enemy how to be a spy is too risky. No offense, Behngi. You are a good guy, but I don¡¯t trust Spire or the Elemental Government to see that.¡±


    Behngi smiled with a pained expression. ¡°I guess I could be a ranger, then. It¡¯s just¨C I know my eyes are so inferior to the wood elves. It feels like I could never be a great ranger.¡±


    Syn leaned forward and firmly clapped Behngi on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With how much effort you put into everything you do¨C I believe you¡¯ll be great no matter which path you walk.¡±


    Behngi visibly cheered up but was happy to move on to someone else. ¡°How about you, Aellaria?¡±


    Aellaria contemplated the question. Zenithor was a rogue, a spy who had lived among the elves of Arcane for decades. However, Zenithor didn¡¯t want to be too on the nose. Nothing is more suspect than a talented rogue. ¡°I think I will become a bard.¡±


    Aellaria becoming a bard seemed like a joke to the other three. Behngi, Syn, and Marin all burst out laughing. In truth, Aellaria¡¯s words were honest. Lilium always wanted to be a bard. A magical musician of Jest that would go from town to town brightening the days of mothers, fathers, and soldiers; everyone loved a good bard.


    Syn caught her breath and said, ¡°So the wiggling thing you do with the hat, that is so you can brighten everyone¡¯s day with laughter?¡±


    Aellaria crossed her arms. ¡°It¡¯s a design feature. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Syn laughed even harder.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    As the group laughed, a man wearing brown robes walked over. Marin and Behngi recognized the short Electromancer. He handed everyone in the group a small paper flyer. ¡°Hi friends, will you be going to the harvest festival? Most of the men in our class are going, but drinking with a bunch of dudes sounds like a bad time.¡±


    Marin smiled and looked at the rest of the group to see if this was a good idea. She recognized the mage in brown robes as the same one that kicked her ass. Justice¡¯s presence made her nervous¨Cshe could almost still feel the static shock buzzing in her skull.


    Syn eventually nodded, ¡°This might be just what we need. I feel like I¡¯ve been trapped in Spire for weeks. As long as you boys don¡¯t mind some competition.¡±


    Justice laughed. ¡°If enough mundane women show up, I won¡¯t feel threatened.¡±


    Marin felt uncomfortable with the implication that those without talent were ¡®mundane.¡¯ However, she didn¡¯t think it was her place to challenge the top of Granite Guardian¡¯s class. Also, with the remarkable lives led by the other students here, she almost felt ¡®mundane¡¯ and didn¡¯t want to show her offense at the term.


    Syn smirked competitively, ¡°The top of Granite Guardian¡¯s class bedding a mundane woman? How the mighty do fall.¡± She shook her head as if it was a great shame.


    Justice reached out to formally introduce himself. ¡°My name is Justice of Tyr.¡±


    One at a time, everyone else introduced themselves.


    When Justice realized who Marin was, he scratched his head nervously, ¡°Oh, Marin, I remember now. I am sorry if my attack harmed you in any way. I got you a bit better than I planned to.¡±


    Not being able to hold a grudge, Marin responded with a kind grin, ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t see it coming at all. No hard feelings. Promise.¡±


    Aellaria read the flyer closely, but something didn¡¯t quite make sense. ¡°Why would the local farmers host an alcohol-fueled harvest celebration?¡±


    ¡°The farmers like to get in our good graces because today''s students are tomorrow''s enchanters¨C and if they can¡¯t get reasonable prices on excavation, harvesting, and sowing trinkets, their work increases tenfold,¡± Justice explained.


    Behngi responded, ¡°It sounds like fun. Count me in.¡± Then Aellaria, Syn, and Marin agreed.


    ¡°I will see you all there, remember¨C Next Sunday!¡± Justice said as he walked off, likely to the cafeteria.


    When Justice walked away, Marin felt a little more comfortable in the presence of her friends. ¡°Is it really normal to call people without talent mundane?¡±


    ¡°Mundane is the polite word for it. Some mages with less class call those without talent simple, dull, or witless.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°In Arcane, elves without talent are called ¡®Inconsequential,¡¯¡± Behngi said.


    Finally, Syn nodded, ¡°There are worse terms, but typically, you refer to those without talent as mundane. Just know that people who don¡¯t have talent sometimes take offense to it.¡±


    Aellaria added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about mages looking down on people. They outnumber us in numbers and force. Our enchantments and medicine have changed the lives of the ruling and working classes for the better.¡± To illustrate the point, Aellaria lifted the Harvest Festival flyer.


    Marin nodded, ¡°I am just thinking about my family and how they would feel. Maybe the harvest festival is exactly what I need, too.¡±

 Chapter 21: The Lies Our Eyes Tell Us

    <h2>Aellaria, Sunday, Merchantus 15th</h2>


    Aellaria was frustrated when that next Friday came around; her arcane focus still wasn¡¯t ready. Everyone except for Paris, Marin, and her had their arcane focuses distributed in class by Niall. Aellaria knew that the more enchantments on the focus, the more work required, but she had reached the point where she felt confident enough to cast a second-level spell this week. She felt anxious that time was being wasted. It wouldn¡¯t have been had she hired her own enchanter when she was in Mistfall rather than trust in the enchanters of Spire.


    Then, on Sunday, the day of the harvest festival, Aellaria debated purchasing an unbound arcane focus but decided it wouldn¡¯t be worth the money. She just needed to wait. The arcane focus would be done the next week, and then she could finally get some answers.


    When she left the herbalist''s shop, Aellaria filled her backpack with herbs she could use to make potions, poisons, and concoctions. Any products she made with a shelf life that she didn¡¯t use would then go to Marin to sell. Aellaria profited from this arrangement, at least until Marin finished paying her back.


    Marin showed surprising initiative when dealing with the jeweler who made her arcane focus. Instead of paying the jeweler with the scraps of the gems cut, Marin convinced him to make ten rings with the excess. Of these ten rings, the jeweler took five, and Aellaria would get four. Marin decided to make a band out of amethyst, the least valuable of the rings. She wanted to send it home for her father to give to her mother.


    Aellaria thought the naive and ignorant Marin would get scammed by the jeweler, but she managed to find a way to make sure everyone in the deal left with the most value possible. She mitigated her debt to Aellaria by hundreds of gold pieces.


    Aellaria¡¯s final stop would be at the falls, and then she would make her way to the harvest festival. However, as she approached Mistfall¡¯s east gate, she felt eyes on her. Aellaria wasn¡¯t naive. Zenithor was a rogue who made it to his eighties. Even young rogues could tell exactly when they are being watched.


    Aellaria adjusted her pack and used this subtle moment to scan the surrounding town of Mistfall. She was just outside the market district, and there was more traffic due to the preparation for the harvest festival. Then she saw him. A young man with snow-white hair. Their eyes locked on each other. Aellaria was too shocked to continue pretending the maneuver was simply adjusting her pack. Something unprecedented had happened.


    When Zenithor assassinated someone¨C that person never came back. And yet, that was Callo standing within 100 feet of her. After a single heartbeat, Callo was gone.


    The pulse of hope was followed by a constant thrumming of frustration. Aellaria glared at the spot where Callo had stood, but nothing happened. The specter didn¡¯t reappear. It was gone.


    Aellaria cursed herself for her weakness. ¡°Dar¡¯s cunt¡± she muttered. Why had she felt any hope when she saw the ghost of her victim? If he were alive, then he would have told the authorities about the attempted murder. Callo¡¯s visage should have wrought anguish. A living Callo meant her plans were ruined, and that was something Aellaria couldn¡¯t abide.


    Aellaria half expected a dramatic confrontation when she went to the falls. However, the descent and ascent were as normal as they had always been.


    Now fully stocked on her training supplies, she packed everything securely and left it in a hidden place where she could find it when she eventually walked back to Spire.


    ***


    Aellaria was the last to arrive at the harvest festival. The Misterran Cidery had erected the largest booth, and the crisp night air was saturated with the scent of fermented apples. The only larger structure was the raised earth stage, where Spire Sophomores were already setting up for the first magical demonstrations. Geomancers had excavated tiered seating radiating away from the stage at the center. There were large booths for food, spirits, trinkets, and tools. At the periphery of the festival were the smaller booths where farmers sold a wide variety of autumn produce. The clearing was well lit, not by the filling Merchant¡¯s moon above but by an array of pastel-colored mage lights.


    Honestly, Aellaria looked forward to taking a break from practicing just to drink and listen to people talk. The real work would begin next week, which would be her last moments free of conspiracy and plotting. Aellaria found that this was another of the breaks between her and Zenithor. Zenithor would have been happy to plot and conspire until his brain bled.


    Aellaria was tempted to wear her black robes for the outing but decided against it. A Freshman wearing black robes wouldn¡¯t have been seen as badass; it would have been almost suicidal. Any Seniors who took a moment out of their busy schedules to enjoy the harvest festival would have cut her arrogant ass down to size.


    Thinking of clothes, Aellaria had decided she liked her new, slim build. If Zenithor had been this flexible, nothing would have ever stopped him. Strength can easily be supplemented with magic, but agility and reflexes are more complex. She decided that some dresses and slimmer-cut robes were acceptable for special occasions like this. Holidays, graduating to the next year, the deaths of her enemies: Celebrations and tradition mattered to Aellaria.


    ¡®Maybe it was finally time to celebrate the end of Callo¡¯s life?¡¯ Aellaria thought. A tradition to provide some closure. The first of five that had no right to thrive after Lilium¡¯s death. As the harvest festival rolled to a start, Aellaria sped ahead, finishing four shots of Faerie''s Nectar within the first hour of her arrival.


    Syn ran up to Aellaria, putting a hand on her lower back out of concern, ¡°Woah, Aellaria? You are going a little heavy today. Those are hard spirits. You should stick with some cider!¡±


    Aellaria smiled at Syn. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± However, when she spun her head, she realized that maybe she wasn¡¯t. ¡°But, I should sit down for a while,¡± Aellaria conceded, smiling.


    Marin offered Aellaria her other arm, and the three women approached rows of fallen logs overlooking a raised earth stage.


    ¡°The sophomores of Spire are running a talent show. I hear the top of Niall¡¯s sophomore class is a bard. He¡¯s supposed to be gorgeous and carved like Rieth himself,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you even hearing this gossip from? We are like all of your friends?¡± Aellaria slurred.


    Marin pouted, ¡°I have ears and needs, Aellaria.¡±


    ¡®Pfft,¡¯ blew Aellaria. She was at a good level of drunk. She might actually enjoy tonight.


    Behngi found the women and took a free seat next to them. He handed out mugs of cider. Syn cautiously handed Aellaria a mug, and when Aellaria only slowly sipped at the beverage, Syn relaxed.


    The night''s first performance was an Electromancer and an Aquamancer dancing and feigning combat. The Aquamancer couldn¡¯t harm the Electromancer because he was too quick for her water to catch. The Electromancer couldn¡¯t harm the water mage because she could redirect his electricity away.


    The common folk of the audience were astonished by the display of magic. Ooohs and aahs followed almost every magical feat.


    The two performers then decided to fight with just their martial prowess. They were ducking, diving, and rolling past one another in displays of agility and acrobatics that few in the Freshman class could manage. Aellaria kept giggling. Aellaria recalled a memory from Zenithor when he took Lilium to a similar show. It was the happiest he had seen her his entire life.


    Eventually, the two mages stood on stage, breathless and panting for air as they stared each other down. The performance ended with the two locked in a passionate embrace, kissing each other with unbridled desire. The crowd started cheering and whooping, including Syn, who clapped loudly.


    There were more dances, a magical play, and many combat showcases. However, the crowd seemed to hush at the next performer. He was wearing enchanted white robes with blue trim. He was part of the Sophomore class, specifically Niall¡¯s student.


    The man was holding a guitar and half sat, half stood against the stool. With the way his robes were trimmed, he showed off his abs. Aellaria mentally conceded that with the amount of work the bard put into them, he had the right.


    The apprentice bard on stage smiled at the audience. ¡°Everyone¡­ for this song, I will need five volunteers. Do I have any?¡± He smiled, and his teeth glowed brighter than the magelights above him.


    Marin raised her hand, and Syn laughed at her friend¡¯s enthusiasm. Marin and four other women were selected, and they all made their way on stage.


    The women stood behind the mage per his direction. Marin was on the far left and nervously waved to the crowd. ¡°Ladies, do you know who I am? Have we met before?¡± The apprentice bard asked.


    The women shook their heads in the negative. Marin heard rumors of the talented bard but nothing more.


    ¡°Everyone, my name is Barra, and I will show you some real magic today. Not just throwing a fireball or summoning electricity. I am going to show you the true power of magic. Ladies¡­ could you dance for me? Nothing too lascivious, please, just have fun.¡± He drawled.


    Marin was nervous in front of an entire crowd but could already tell that if this man commanded it¨Cshe would easily dance until the sun rose. Then, she would have an excuse to ask him to carry her back to the tower in his strong arms.


    The women all started dancing, but it was discordant, and they quickly stopped.


    The man center stage smiled, ¡°Oh right, you need music, don''t ya?¡± The crowd laughed at the young man¡¯s blunder and charm. His fingers started their dance up and down the strings, creating both rhythm and melody. ¡°Now¡­ you can dance.¡±


    The five women started dancing as he played the melody. Then, as he played, there were small explosions of electric light in the air above the crowd. The explosions were timed, with the music adding percussion to the enchanting melody. Finally, the man on stage started to sing.


    Through a turbulent mind came many thoughts,


    His money and lies and those he lost,


    then the dagger thrust, with venomous brew,


    Left them wondering, "Can this be true?"


    The verse was slow and beautifully played. The Electromancer played the guitar, sang, and cast all at the same time.


    Aellaria watched in fascination as she noticed that two dancers, swaying and rotating almost randomly, were now making identical movements. Two untalented women were now moving with precision and beauty. Then, the chorus kicked in.


    ¡°It''s not enough to renounce yourself,¡± The crowd would chant.


    They carried swords and spears. Abdication is here, ¡°Let us in.¡±


    The lord ran, but the commonfolk were a tide. In unison, they rant


    ¡°You can sprint, and you can flee, but it is time to take your medicine.


    The crowd started to realize what was happening, and by that point, all five women on stage moved as one. Marin still smiled awkwardly as if dancing on her own accord. She hadn¡¯t realized that the bard was manipulating her.


    Through the Panicking mind, came many thoughts


    Of the times it cried, and those he lost


    Then the dagger thrust, the venomous brew,


    Then everyone knew, the killer was you.


    Something was unsettling about the display. The music was cheery, and the magic was impressive, but the song chosen was about the public execution of a murderous lord. Paired with the unsettling display of manipulative magic, it made Aellaria feel sick. The women chosen by the bard to dance, including Marin, were dancing as if to a much different song.


    Aellaria saw Marin¡¯s eyes glowed with the happiness she felt from the attention of her performance.


    The lord ran to a cabin in the forest! The crowd ¡°Let us in.¡±


    He bar the door against the chorus! The crowd ¡°Let us in.¡±


    His barricades crumbled and shattered all. ¡°You will let us in!¡±


    He backed away, and to his knees, he falls, ¡°how can I even begin?¡±


    ¡°It is time for you, lord, to take your medicine.¡±


    The crowd cheered, and Marin gave them a bow, then hugged Barra before running off the stage and back toward her friends.


    Aellaria left, stumbling back toward the road. Something was off in her head. Alarms were blaring that something was wrong. The crowd''s cheers became distant, and Aellaria barely registered the concerned words of Marin, Behngi, and Syn as she walked away.


    Aellaria was too drunk. That had to be the problem. The Faerie''s Nectar had a magical component, and it overwhelmed her alcohol-intolerant body. The solution was in the pack she left by the road. Inside her recently purchased alchemical supplies were a half dozen mana potions and a healing potion. That healing potion would increase her body¡¯s natural healing factor and end her drunkenness.


    But this sense of weakness, this sense of danger, wasn¡¯t coming from her dulled perception. Somewhere, a genuine danger lived, but she couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°Aellaria, wait!¡± Marin said as she jogged to catch up. The drunken Aellaria moved with purpose as they approached the edge of the harvest festival. The two women drew the attention of some of the farmers, partygoers, and workers, but Aellaria continued on. Marin reached out to grab Aellaria¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aellaria, what''s gotten into you? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong¡­ I need my potions.¡± Aellaria said. The adrenaline slightly sobered her, but not enough to understand what her instincts were screaming at her.


    Marin kept her hand on Aellaria¡¯s shoulder, letting the raven-haired woman know she was there to help. ¡°Aellaria, you can¡¯t walk alone all the way to Spire like this. Let me come with you.¡±


    Aellaria, stumbling, put her weight on Marin. She couldn¡¯t continue like this. ¡°I left my backpack by the road, behind the big oak,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Healing potion...¡±


    Looking confused at Aellaria, Marin asked, ¡°You need a healing potion from your pack?¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Aellaria nodded.


    Marin took Aellaria to the edge of the forest by the trail. The sounds of the festival fade with each step. ¡°Let me go get that for you. Southeast or Southwest corner?¡±


    Aellaria tried to remember, ¡°Southeast. Thank you, Marin.¡± she said, genuinely grateful for the help.


    Aellaria tried to rest her head against the rough bark of the tree she sat against. Minutes passed, and luckily, the dulling of her senses didn¡¯t get any worse.


    After ten minutes, the lottery apprentice still hadn¡¯t returned. Aellaria began to worry.


    She wished she had her arcane focus to purge her body of this poison here and now. Aellaria used the tree to stand. She scanned one more time and that''s when she saw him. Back toward the festival was a man wearing blue robes. A young man with messy white hair. This is who set off her alarms. Callo was staring at her.


    She stepped forward to confront the cryomage, but she couldn¡¯t move. There was soil over her feet, rooting her in place.


    ¡°Not good¡­¡± Aellaria thought, but it was her last thought before something hit her hard. Dazed, she felt her body dragged along the forest floor, further into the darkness, further from the light of the festivities.


    Aellaria looked around, trying to get at least some information, and saw Marin lying unconscious on the ground. ¡°Bren, let me go¡­ you bitch.¡± Aellaria said.


    Suddenly, Aellaria¡¯s world flipped 90 degrees, and she was sitting half-buried. Her arms and legs were trapped beneath rock and soil. Standing in front of her were Bren, Flair, and Alyviah.


    Bren had that smug bitchy look on her face, and it made Aellaria even more sick. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will. You see¡­ I told you that the two of you had this coming. Now it¡¯s time for you to take your licking, and maybe we¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    Flair stepped forward. She was wearing her red Pyromancer robes, apparently not wanting to wear Niall¡¯s colors when taunting her classmates. ¡°First, you''ll tell us exactly what happened to Callo.¡±


    Aellaria, surrounded by soil and stone, wobbled back and forth. Each movement made the floppy tip of her hat bounce back and forth. ¡°We have told you a thousand times. What did you do to Marin?¡±


    Bren sauntered around the immobilized Aellaria. ¡°Not enough, but we will fix that when she wakes up. I thought the EAMP needed a bit more punch, but no. She is even weaker than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, princess, what do you want me to say,¡± Aellaria said in a low growl.


    Instantly, the rocks in her pile shifted, but not in the way that the body was designed to move. One of the bones in her right forearm snapped. Aellaria screamed out in pain, but her eyes never left Bren¡¯s.


    ¡°Bren! Don¡¯t go too far. You¡¯ll be expelled!¡± Alyviah warned¡ªthe woman with the large staff looked around nervously for reactions to the scream.


    ¡°Yeah, Bren, you¡¯ll scare Alyviah if you keep this up,¡± Aellaria hissed. Luckily, being drunk slightly dulled the pain.


    Flair walked up and punched Aellaria in the face. The impact was dazzling. Aellaria gasped in pain and breathed in some of the soil surrounding her torso. She coughed and tried to regain her composure.


    Flair asked, ¡°What did you do to Callo that night?¡± The Pyromancer looked satisfied to get that punch in.


    Aellaria closed her eyes as if she were trying to recall the events. ¡°How about this? As soon as my story changes. I will let you know. Honestly, the first people that deserve to know are my local dumb bitch detective service.¡±


    Bren cast another severe cantrip, and the rocks broke her left forearm. Aellaria winced at the pain, but this time, it wasn¡¯t a surprise.


    ¡°Callo¡¯s dead. He went over the edge. We may never know. Unfortunately, he is dead and can¡¯t tell us,¡± Aellaria said, grinding her teeth in pain.


    Bren stepped in front of Flair and smirked. ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong. Callo is alive.¡± Bren said.


    Aellaria glared into the bitch¡¯s eyes and saw the worst thing possible. Smug satisfaction. Bren couldn¡¯t hide that she knew something that Aellaria didn¡¯t. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Flair responded. ¡°Callo was brought into Spire today. He didn¡¯t die after he fell.¡±


    Aellaria blinked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s good. What does that have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°I talked to him,¡± Flair said. ¡°Do you know what he said?¡±


    Aellaria wanted to believe these were lies, but her ability to read people, to read the self-satisfied expressions on their faces, told her they weren¡¯t lies. ¡°The suspense is killing me,¡± Aellaria snarled.


    Aellaria was cornered, and both of her arms were broken. Another way to cast would be verbally, but then the women could react. There remained only one option.


    Aellaria knew componentless casting. The runic language begged to be gestured or said aloud, but the expert sorcerers learned how to project the runes with their minds. Aellaria prepared to jettison the rocks from the pile and use them to bludgeon the girls before her. She just needed to hear what the girls had to say first.


    ¡°Callo says he was drunk. He remembers going over the edge. He remembers clinging to the cliffside and begging for help. He begged and pleaded, but none of you listened.Callo says he clung until he was falling, and when he looked up, someone was looking down at him.¡± Flair said, glaring angrily at Aellaria.


    Aellaria was astonished. This dumb bitch was telling the truth. But that truth diverged from factual and fictitious events swimming in Aellaria¡¯s mind. He didn¡¯t fall. He was launched. He never shouted, begged, or pleaded. At least not until he was already falling. Callo was never stuck on the cliff. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Aellaria accused, but her mind flashed to the image of Callo in Mistfall. He was at the Festival.


    Bren responded this time. ¡°Flair wouldn¡¯t lie about Callo. She has the biggest crush on him. Besides, I saw him myself. He is a husk of who he once was after you two let him down.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re both delusional, which is way more believable than Callo falling over the edge and coming back almost two months later.¡±Aellaria¡¯s mind raced. The Callo she had seen looked the same as he did that first week. If he was broken or emaciated, that means she was seeing things. ¡®Could both be true?¡¯ Aellaria thought.


    Being ever unable to deal with insults, Bren decided to react in the extreme. She reached into the ground with her magic and pulled forth a boulder. She raised it up over her head, right in front of and over Aellaria¨C as if she was about to brutally add the head to the most shit snowman ever created.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Marin asked, regaining consciousness faster than the three women expected. Bren was the first to respond, tossing the boulder to the side and trying to grab the woman with the soil


    It was too late, though. Marin realized what was happening, summoned a magelight, and threw it into the air with all her strength, leaving Bren¡¯s influence before she could react.


    The act of defiance left Marin open for Bren to capture. Within seconds, she sat beside Aellaria, planted in a similar pile.


    ¡°You two brought Callo out to the woods.¡± Flair accused.


    ¡°You got him drunk, and even knowing how under the influence he was, you let him stay out alone,¡± Bren added.


    ¡°Then he pleaded for your help, and you were all too drunk to give it to him.¡± Flair finished.


    Alyviah whispered a stern warning. ¡°Someone is coming!¡±


    Light filled the entire area, like a spotlight on their location¡ªa powerful magelight. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± a voice shouted that she recognized from the performance moments earlier.


    Aellaria¡¯s eyes adjusted to the light, and she saw that the caster was the apprentice bard. Behind Barra were Behngi, Syn, Gaff, and some other Freshmen.


    Bren glared at the people who dared intrude on her interrogation. However, she realized she was outmatched. Bren strutted off toward the main road, and Flair followed. Alyviah looked scared but chose to follow her friends, hurrying after them.


    ¡°Hazing?¡± Barra asked. Under the spotlight, his smile looked even more charming.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Aellaria responded. She knew she¡¯d rather escape the situation and figure out what was happening. Her priority was finding out exactly what Callo had told the teachers.


    ¡°Wait. No!¡± Marin said, outraged. ¡°That wasn¡¯t hazing. They tried to kill you!¡±


    Gaff was present and used a combination of Geomancy and Aquamancy to gently extract Aellaria from the stone and soil.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t going to kill me,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°They were all bark.¡±


    ¡°Your arms are broken,¡± Gaff said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°I did that myself while trying to get free.¡± Aellaria countered. ¡°It hurts like you wouldn¡¯t believe, though.¡±


    Barra, the top of the Sophomore class, knelt before Aellaria. He pulled out his guitar, and none of the students watching questioned his authority.


    A flower in the garden, a bloom most fair


    Passionate stalk, brought low by wear


    With hands and voice loving, I help you mend


    Healing every wound, your new loyal friend


    By the time his spell had finished, Aellaria¡¯s bones had set back into place, and the pain faded to a dull discomfort.


    ¡°There you go, lovely. Can I pick this flower?¡± The bard said, offering to pluck Aellaria from her earthy prison.


    Aellaria watched the apprentice bard and stood up of her own will. She tried to bat away the dirt sticking to her robes but winced in pain.


    Barra went to catch Aellaria, but she waved him off. ¡°Alright then. You''ll want to see a proper healer. Those breaks are far from 100 percent.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir bard. Your services are appreciated, especially by her,¡± Aellaria said, gesturing toward Marin, who was being freed from her own earthy prison. Aellaria then walked toward the main road where her pack was stashed.


    Marin looked embarrassed when Barra looked at her with a heart-flutteringly handsome smile. ¡°Yes, your services are very nice.¡± She said nervously before chasing after Aellaria.


    Syn and Behngi followed.


    Syn stormed up behind Aellaria, ¡°What in Phoenix¡¯s Ash are you doing?¡±


    Aellaria wanted to find out the truth. Was Callo genuinely alive? Was he going to ruin everything for her? What had he been doing this whole time? Will she have to run? Aellaria walked and considered the question, responding with a version of the truth. ¡°Reports can wait. They said that Callo is at Spire, and I believe them.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Syn said. ¡°Bullshit, clovers, and ashes.¡± Syn cursed again.


    Aellaria walked over to her pack but worried she might not have healed enough to lift it. ¡°Behngi¡­ can you get the healing potion out of the large compartment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aellaria, but what do you mean? Callo?¡± He said as he effortlessly lifted the pack, fishing through the packed vials for the familiar shimmering orange liquid. The thoughtful elf even removed the stopper for Aellaria before handing it over.


    Aellaria drank the potion and could feel her body start to counteract the remaining alcohol and mend her broken bones. She let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t know any more than you do. Let''s go to Spire and learn the truth. I need to rest my head.¡±


    Aellaria sobered up as she walked toward Spire with Behngi, Marin, and Syn. Aellaria¡¯s friends didn''t dare think that Callo was alive and well. They had already extinguished that spark, and letting it reignite just to lose it again might hurt more.


    Aellaria hadn¡¯t felt this much agony since Zenithor died. There was a storm in her head of what-ifs. What if Callo survived the fall? What if Niall couldn¡¯t find his body in the lake? What if he survived these weeks? What if he remembers what you talked about? What if he knows you killed him?


    If he knew¨CAellaria would be dead. Callo would have told Flair, and Flair or Bren would have tried harder to kill her. Callo would have told Niall or Rietta, and they would have brought her to justice by now.


    Then how does he not know?


    Aellaria was almost sure that he didn¡¯t know. However, she didn¡¯t want to start jogging his memory. She decided that she would leave the confrontation to the others. They would see him. They would be happy.


    When the four students arrived at Spire, Aellaria dismissed herself to her dorm, citing feeling unwell after the confrontation with Bren. They didn¡¯t question it. It was certainly a traumatic evening.

 Chapter 22: Quiet Conflict

    <h2>Marin, Syn, and Behngi</h2>


    Marin, Syn, and Behngi caught the Dean on his way out of his office. Flamescale told the trio that Callo had retired to his dorm room, an empty room on the Sophomore floor. The Dean thought it unfair to force Syn to move again. After all, the room was more hers now than it was Callo¡¯s then. The Dean told the trio of concerned students that they should see their friend. It might do him well to see friendly faces.


    Behngi would be the one who nervously knocked on the door to Callo¡¯s new dorm room. The shared space of the second-year men''s dorm was quiet, only setting their nerves further on edge. It was true if the Dean said it was true, but it would only be believed when they saw him.


    The door opened slowly, and a skinny man stood in the doorway. He had sunken purple eyes and snow-white hair. It was Callo.


    Syn rushed past Behngi and gave Callo a hug. He was thin, and she felt his bones even through the blue robes he wore.


    ¡°Callo!¡± Marin said excitedly. She beamed at the man, but he just looked confused.


    ¡°Oh¡­ hello. Who are you all? Did I know you?¡± Callo said. His voice was raspy and weak. To Behngi, it sounded like talking must have been painful.


    Syn pulled away and looked up at him. She had tears of joy on her cheeks but now looked surprised. ¡°It¡¯s me, Syn. Marin and Behngi, too.¡± Syn said, trying to explain.


    ¡°It''s you guys. I see. Thank you for turning in my journal.¡± Callo said. He is almost emotionless. If Syn had to pick one word to describe him, it would be ¡®awkward.¡¯ Callo felt awkward to meet his friends.


    ¡°I was your roommate that first week at Spire. Do you remember me?¡± Behngi asked.


    Callo gave Behngi a weak smile. ¡°I wish I did, man. I don¡¯t remember much of anything from that week. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember standing up to Flair for me and teaching me Cryomancy?¡± Marin asked. There is a note of heartbreak in her voice. Her pain came from the fact that these were moments that meant the world to her, and he might never be able to connect with her about them.


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    Callo just shook his head. Syn took a step back, her excitement melting away to pity.


    ¡°What happened? Where were you?¡± Behngi asked.


    ¡°Niall believes that I followed the Glace current to the outlet to Daughter Lake. I floated on the Glace until a fisherman pulled me from the river. I woke up a week later in a shack. The fisherman and his wife helped nurse me back to my feet. Eventually, they learned about my disappearance from the falls. Then they helped me get to the other side of the lake. Now I¡¯m here.¡± Callo said.


    The story was short and concise. Behngi realized he must have told it half a dozen times by now. Callo was being brief because he didn¡¯t know who they were. It made him avert his gaze from the thin remnant of Callo.


    ¡°That must have been tough,¡± Marin commented.


    ¡°Nah, I was mostly just hungry and tired. From what Flair has said, you all must have had a tougher time making it in this place than I have.¡± Callo said. ¡°Anyways. I hope I get to know you all better. Thank you for checking in. I should go to bed.¡±


    Syn tried to muster the strength to say something, but the door closed before she could.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria pretended to be asleep when Marin returned to the room. Light poured into the dark room from the open door.


    ¡°Aellaria?¡± Marin asked and sighed softly, but Aellaria did not respond.


    Aellaria felt relief when she heard the sadness in Marin¡¯s voice. Her heart went out to Marin, but the truth was Callo¡¯s memories would have sunk her. Marin¡¯s sadness is a beacon of hope. A beacon that told her that Callo was broken enough not to remember Marin or what Aellaria did to him.


    The beacon of hope dulled from the emotions pouring from Marin. Marin let out quiet sobs as she prepared for bed. She even heard Marin praying softly to Phoenix.


    Aellaria lay there, knowing she did this. If she had just killed him right the first time, Marin wouldn¡¯t be feeling this pain right now.

 Chapter 23: Shortcuts

    <h2>Aellaria, Monday, Merchantus 16th</h2>


    The following day, Callo didn¡¯t meet them at the booth. He had joined them there almost every day of Hell Week. After he didn¡¯t answer the door to his room, they knew there was no reason to expect him to show up. But they didn¡¯t expect him to walk into the cafeteria on Flair¡¯s arm. One constant during Hell Week was Callo taking their side over Flair¡¯s whenever she picked a fight with them. However, something changed in Callo, and all the friends knew to do was let him heal.


    Then, when they made their way to class, there were fourteen seats again. Callo was sitting in the front row with Alyviah and Flair. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t sit in the third and fourth row with his friends if he didn''t remember them.


    The beautiful Olyza was in front of Callo, her beautifully custom-trimmed Freshman robes opening at the neck to reveal more of her chest than the uniform robe was originally designed to. ¡°Excuse me, Callo, you actually sit in the fourth row. That is my brother¡¯s seat.¡±


    Ozyid stood awkwardly beside his sister, letting his twin confront this inconvenience.


    Flair waved her off, ¡°Figure something else out. Callo needs help as he readjusts, and that help is coming from me.¡±


    Olyza looked at Flair incredulously. Instead of returning to her seat, she strode up to Behngi, her candle pendant of gold and gemstones swinging with each step. As Olyza walked away, Flair grinned.


    The beautiful Aeromancer smiled at Behngi, ¡°Behngi, can I take your spot so I can sit next to Ozzy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, Miss Olyza,¡± Behngi said formally.


    Olyza took Behngi¡¯s hands in hers. ¡°Thank you, may He fill your sails and pockets.¡± She said, blessing Behngi with the words of the god of travel, Ozyid.


    Everyone settled into their new seats, and Niall addressed the class. ¡°Students, we have some excellent news today. Of course, you have noticed seats disappear over the semester, but never in my time working as a Professor, have I added a seat. Welcome back, Callo. Your presence fills me with warmth.¡±


    ¡°Welcome back, Callo,¡± The class says haphazardly. The students'' tones were a mix of exuberance, apprehension, and disappointment.


    Flair lets out an excited whistle. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a bit more than a fall to challenge the top of Frostholm¡¯s Elemental Promise!¡±


    The more polite in the class clapped kindly at Flair¡¯s outburst. This included Behngi, Marin, and a reluctant Syn.


    Niall called on a raised hand in the class. ¡°Miss Cohly, you don¡¯t need to raise your hand to speak. Although, I do appreciate your courteous behavior.¡±


    Cohly beamed at Niall¡¯s kind words. ¡°Niall, does this mean that rankings are changing? Even I could probably beat Callo in his state. No offense Callo¨Cyou still look hunky, just a little worn.¡±


    Callo smiled and lifted a hand, waving off the mild insult.


    Niall looked at Callo and then Cohly, ¡°What a great observation. You will go far with forethought like that. The other professors, the Dean, and I have decided to leave Callo unranked. I know. We made a big deal about always knowing where you stand. This situation is a little more delicate than that. We will decide where he belongs based on his performance in the upcoming appraisals.¡±


    Niall stepped out in front of his desk and started pacing the front of the class. His arms make their usual broad, sweeping gestures. ¡°It isn¡¯t unheard of to have unranked students. Students who are affected by permanent illness or going through long-term recovery have been unranked in the past. Often, this means they are likely to leave when it is time to make cuts. However, Callo has a long time to go until the end of the year and has the spirit to go the distance!¡± Shouting the word ¡®distance,¡¯ Niall pointed beyond the back wall.


    ¡°You better step up your game for midterms and start challenging the other classes. My heart will break if I have to cut even a single one of you.¡± Niall said. Niall¡¯s excess of drama couldn¡¯t be helped for the bard. He was a performer, and he cared for his students. ¡°Now! I have three beautiful arcane focuses to hand out: Aellaria, Marin, and Paris. Each more beautiful than the last.¡±


    Paris strutted forward and was the first to take his new arcane focus. He held the sword handle in his hands and cast with it, his spare hand forming the runes for a magelight. A blade made of light pushed forth from the handle until the sword was complete.


    ¡°You are now ready to slay shadows and shades, my promising student,¡± Niall said excitedly.


    Aellaria knew that the magelight the young man was pretending was a blade was ethereal and harmless.


    Aellaria and Marin also retrieved their arcane focuses. Marin looked relieved to regain her beloved holy symbol, but Aellaria wasn¡¯t relieved. She had everything she needed to get answers, and it was time to get to work.


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    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin worried that it would be particularly rough that day during fitness. Marin thought that Tilly¡¯s watchful eye would be the only thing keeping Aellaria and Bren from tearing each other apart. However, it seemed that Aellaria still hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the trauma of the night before. Marin remembered seeing the torture chair crafted by Bren and Aellaria¡¯s broken arms.


    Not only did Aellaria seem disinterested, but Bren was not her usual assertive self. As the women ran around the track, no words were whispered in passing ears. There wasn¡¯t a single physical or verbal barb.


    When they eventually went to spar, Marin decided it would be best to take it easy on Aellaria. Aellaria didn¡¯t get the heads-up that today would be a more relaxed sparring session, and within seconds of combat, Marin was thrown to the ground.


    ¡°Marin, focus up. I will down you every time you underestimate me.¡± Aellaria said.


    Marin coughed and sat back up. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take it easy? You were tortured last night. Something is going on with you. If you aren¡¯t going to tell a professor, you should at least rest.¡±


    Aellaria was already back in a fighting stance. ¡°Until you can cast the silence spell, I would rather discuss private matters in private,¡± Aellaria said. Aellaria had said this dozens of times over the last weeks. Marin guessed it had something to do with Bren.


    Marin tried throwing a couple of punches, getting into the comfortable dance they usually performed during the sparring hours of fitness class. Marin overextended again and had her wrist grabbed by the superior fighter. Marin countered with a twist, but Aellaria read that movement in time to deliver a swift kick to Marin¡¯s hip.


    Marin turned around and hissed in pain, ¡°Aellaria, this is ridiculous. If you tell someone what Bren did to you, she will be expelled.¡± Marin said in a hushed tone. She then added. ¡°I can''t cast the silence spell, so don''t give me that shit again.¡±


    Aellaria moved around the mat, positioning herself to read Bren in her periphery. The Geomancer was off on the far edge of the training space. She was focused on her training with Flair. ¡°Bren is still a child. A scared child. She doesn¡¯t deserve to lose her chance at being a powerful mage who helps people because of a misunderstanding driven by inebriation and emotion.¡± Aellaria lied. ¡°She trapped you, too. Why don¡¯t you say something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she was drunk, and I¡¯m not saying anything because¡­¡± Marin trailed off. ¡®Why aren¡¯t you just saying anything? For Callo? Because Bren might seek retribution?¡¯ Marin pondered. Then, she realized that her father had ingrained something in her.


    Bowin of Crowfoot Hill had always said. ¡®Those that steal firewood will always freeze. You only worry about how much your neighbor has when they don¡¯t have enough.¡¯ Bowin used this saying when speaking of envy, but not only then. He would also dust off this proverb when discussing revenge.


    Marin realized that she didn¡¯t want to hurt Bren¡ªnot because Bren might hurt her back, but because having this type of destructive relationship with anyone was wrong. However, what happened to Aellaria was different, and Marin replied, ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to hurt her. I just don¡¯t understand why you don¡¯t want to hurt her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt her because private discussions should be held privately¡ªuntil you manage to cast the privacy screen spell,¡± Aellaria said for the thousandth time. ¡°It¡¯s like you want trouble and attention.¡±


    Marin stepped forward, trying to sweep Aellaria''s legs from under her. ¡°I just want to¡­ help!¡±


    Aellaria backed out of the way, and as Marin scrambled back up to her feet, Aellaria hopped forward and swung, displaying she could have knocked Marin out. ¡°I don¡¯t need help. You do, Marin. Focus on your training: Not on me, not on Bren, not even on Callo. You are starting from so far behind that you hardly belong here. Mind your business, and don¡¯t get complacent.¡± Aellaria said harshly.


    Marin frowned. ¡°A paladin of Phoenix is the sun that warms hearts. A paladin of Phoenix is the shield that protects. A¨C¡±


    Aellaria cut Marin off by finishing her own sentiment. ¡°A paladin isn¡¯t a paladin if they are cut as a first-year for falling behind.¡± Aellaria sighed and relented. She cast a cantrip, producing a small trickle of water to drink. ¡°Marin, I am an adult and a stubborn one. If you see Bren as such a threat, you are going to have to just get strong enough to kick her ass yourself. I am no snitch.¡±


    These words rang in Marin¡¯s head like a bell. ¡®Did I hope for a shortcut to have Bren out of my way?¡¯ Marin thought. She realized that it was true. At least partially. While she was worried about her professional and academic future, she also knew that Bren was a raging bitch with the potential to hurt those in her way.


    After the short respite, Marin approached Aellaria, ready to push herself. ¡°You may be right, but that doesn¡¯t mean I am wrong.¡±

 Chapter 24: Everything I Am

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    While Marin ate with Syn and Behngi that night, Aellaria sat in the quiet dorm room with five of Lilium¡¯s most beloved belongings: her hat, arcane focus, first wand, ring, and pendant. Trapped within these items were stories¡ªstories of the five people who wronged Lilium from The School of Elemental Promise in Frostholm¡ªfive people who, despite the death of their friend or victim, managed to flourish and be sent to Spire. Five people who needed to own up to their responsibility.


    Aellaria¡¯s attention was always drawn to the pendant first. Within the pendant was an image of Celia, Zenithor¡¯s wife and Lilium¡¯s mother. This item held a story of pain¡ªpain brought on by the Cryomancer, Callo. When Zenithor first reached his mind into the pendant, he felt searing heartbreak. He felt like a bird¡ªa bird that soared on the breeze and suddenly broke its neck upon striking a glass pane.


    Aellaria almost didn¡¯t consider the other four items an option. Callo was weak. He would be a threat when he was stronger. He could remember what Aellaria did to him. Above all else, Aellaria had to know if he deserved the fall. Aellaria killed a man on the surface emotions Zenithor read from the pendant. With Aellaria¡¯s thaumaturgical pattern, she could, with great pain, read Lilium¡¯s history with that item and the impact Lily¡¯s emotions had on it.


    The reason against choosing the pendant first was that Callo would be a suspicious target. If Aellaria set up a scenario where Callo died¨C that would mean his death would likely be closely investigated. Not even the great Zenithor¡¯s deceit could go hidden if under the fullest scrutiny of a master rogue.


    Memories from the wand, ring, and arcane focus were tied to mages who were not in her class. To manufacture a tragedy would require her to challenge them to a duel. She would have to save Bren, Fassand, and Kyrine for later. Their deaths needed to happen organically.


    That left Flair. Flair would be part of the free-for-all that is the midterm appraisal. So much could happen, and students are famously clumsy. Confirming Flair to be Aellaria¡¯s next victim was an intelligent choice. The hat was smooth against her fingers but wasn¡¯t the right choice for Aellaria.


    Aellaria¡¯s mind always wandered back to the pendant. Callo. Callo would be in the chaos, too. Aellaria opened the pendant and looked into Celia¡¯s eyes. She was so beautiful. The shimmering silver pendant should be purged of the negative emotions living within. Those emotions could live inside Aellaria instead.


    Callo. Aellaria needed to know if he deserved her wrath. Did she lose control, or did he genuinely deserve the pain she had brought him? Does he deserve more?


    Aellaria put the other items in the dimensional pocket.


    The Object History spell was a level 2 spell. Until a couple of weeks ago, Aellaria lacked the mana capacity to cast it. This would have been a trivial barrier had she been able to cast with the efficiencies of Zenithor, but Aellaria had to make do with what she had. Luckily, her body had mana capacity to compensate for a sliver of the shortcomings of elemental efficiencies.


    Aellaria steeled herself for the pain that would soon flood her body. When Zenithor tried to read the emotions of the items, it was a sharp pain. Lilium and Zenithor¡¯s patterns were so different that he almost killed himself just to get the names. Object History would take the item''s experiences, allowing the caster to live life as the person whose emotions it captured.


    No mind was designed to experience the memories of others, at least until Zenithor created Aellaria. He made a body with a similar enough pattern to experience the history of these objects and survive.


    Aellaria focused on emotions related to Callo as she started to cast with one hand. With the other hand, she shook a mana potion. The shimmering blue juice mixed with the oil before Aellaria drank the entire vial.


    Aellaria manifested the spell circle. She then signed cantrip runes, level one runes, and finally level two runes with her hand and sent everything through her arcane focus. The spell was exponentially more difficult with each layer of magic, but Aellaria had mastered the casting of level-two spells a lifetime ago. Her fingers weaved the spell flawlessly as she slowly lay back in bed, holding the pendant to her chest.


    Externally, Aellaria appeared to be asleep, but internally, her mind felt the full range of emotions belonging to a young teenage girl.


    <h2>Lilium</h2>


    Lilium held her pendant tightly, seeking her mother¡¯s comfort as she surveyed the classroom. It was her second day of school at Elemental Promise, and the day before, she had accidentally summoned water and forced a temporary class evacuation. Some girls giggled when they saw her, but she noticed not everyone cared she was even there. Maybe things weren¡¯t as bad as she thought they would be. Lilium reached her assigned seat and demurely set her stuff on her desk, using her hat¡¯s wide brim as a shield from the eyes of everyone around her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lilium heard a hushed yet high-pitched voice beside her. She turned her head and looked into the eyes of a boy with white hair. His eyes were a mesmerizing deep purple. Callo smiled kindly and tucked his head like their correspondence was a secret. ¡°What you did yesterday was so cool! And I love the stripe in your hair!¡±


    Lilium was still trying to steel herself for the embarrassment of existing. She wasn¡¯t even ready for words yet, much less dealing with compliments. Lilium shook her head ¡®no¡¯ as if to say, ¡®Of course it wasn¡¯t cool. I made a fool of myself with chaos magic.¡¯ As she shook her head, the brim of her hat rotated, and its floppy tip swished back and forth.


    Callo leaned closer, empathetically, knowing not to draw attention to their conversation. ¡°I mean it. You created so much water. It made my feet wet, and pushed my desk. You must have so much mana.¡± Callo said reverently.


    Lilium smiled shyly. She didn¡¯t think of it like that. She was just embarrassed at the awkward display of chaotic magic. ¡°Thank you¡­ It was an accident, though,¡± Lilium said.


    Callo smiled with his whole face, ¡°We all have accidents. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. I guess I¡¯m lucky I create cool winds and frosty air, huh?¡±


    Lilium couldn¡¯t help but feel better looking at Callo¡¯s smile. His face had a genuine way of drawing you in. ¡°Ice magic is pretty. You¡¯re lucky Paph blessed you with such a strong talent.¡± Lilium said, implying that water was worse and her lack of control was something to be embarrassed about.


    Callo looked around, and then he responded, making his voice sound really deep and cool. ¡°Of course, Ice magic is the best, and when I get bigger, my muscles will be huge, and my voice will be deep and awesome, but,¡± and then he did something she didn¡¯t expect. He changed his voice to a slightly higher pitch than normal and cracked his voice loudly, letting out a sound akin to a goose honk, ¡°hohh- RRRight now I am still just a learning child!¡±


    Callo started laughing loudly at his display of how puberty affected him, and some of the class even laughed at the funny noise he made. Lilium even heard the familiar whispers of girls in class discussing the embarrassing outburst. Even then, it was like water off a duck''s back, and Callo was still smiling.


    Lilium smiled painfully. She felt eyes shift toward them, but if Callo could be happy after that, then maybe she could learn to be more at peace like him. ¡°Shhhh! You are making people look at us!¡± she whispered.


    Callo chuckled, ¡°They will always look. We are mages now; we will be masters of magic one day. We can only get there with a curious mind.¡±


    Lilium watched the way he talked. Thinking about what it would be like to explore magic with an almost innocent curiosity. Her father, Zenithor, always said magic was a science to be learned and done right. To Callo, magic was a toy you played with and learned from. There was value in every mystical mistake, even one done publicly and embarrassingly.


    ¡°Hey, Lilium, Ice and water go together super well. We should be friends.¡± Callo suggested.


    This simple idea surprised Lilium. It can¡¯t be that easy to talk with someone and become friends. Lilium always felt different from other kids¡ªeven before her talent emerged. ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said softly, finding she wanted to be friends with Callo and learn from him.


    ***


    As Aellaria felt the memories of the pendant fill her mind, the connection drained her of mana. Each memory taxed her mind. The more she experienced, the more danger she was in, but she had to know.


    ***


    Weeks passed, and Lilium and Callo would spend most of their time in school and even quite a bit of time out of school together. Ice and water did, in fact, go well together.


    Lilium was still embarrassed by her outbursts, but Callo had a solution.


    One day, Lilium was expected to display the basic cantrip again in front of the class. However, instead of being alone this time, Callo joined her at the front of the class.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Young apprentice Callo, this is Lilium¡¯s presentation.¡± The teacher said in admonishment. The teacher¡¯s voice was distant and hazy in the memory. Callo was the only crisp thing in the room.


    ¡°That''s right, teacher. We should let her focus,¡± Callo said simply. He stood next to Lilium. ¡°You got this!¡± he said encouragingly.


    Callo¡¯s presence beside her was comforting but also made her more nervous. Having eyes on her was one thing, but having eyes within feet of her, watching her try to cast the spell, was another problem entirely.


    Lilium began pulling open a spell circle and then focused on that point. She felt her wand in her belt, using it to focus her magic, but the pressure was overwhelming. Instead of casting a minor magic cantrip, her chaotic magic flowed freely from her. Her efforts resulted in a melon-sized ball of water right above her head.


    Lilium could feel it. The water escaping her mind and manifesting into reality. She couldn¡¯t stop it. She just wanted to push it to the spell circle, but that simply wasn¡¯t how magical law worked. As emotion took over her body, tears flowed from her eyes and gently flew up to the accumulating ball. If she stopped channeling, the water would fall on her, and if she kept going, it would only ever come out as chaos magic and become larger.


    Callo¡¯s voice pulled her out of this terrifying loop. ¡°I got it, Lily,¡± he said, and Lilium looked up at the chaotic ball of water she was forming. The brim of her hat pointed straight up to the truth of what was happening.


    As the water manifested in that spot, Callo was freezing it. It was Callo¡¯s magic now. She didn¡¯t need to hold it. She cleared her mind, and the ball stopped growing. Callo grabbed the giant ball of ice, easing it onto the floor.


    He whispered to Lilium, ¡°Try again. You can do it.¡±


    Lilium then focused her mind as Zenithor had always taught her. She did her very best to reset her emotions. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a full reset. There was an embarrassed joy from Callo¡¯s efforts that she held on to. Lilium realized she was holding her mother¡¯s pendant with one hand while weaving the spell with the other.


    Lilium tried the spell again, creating a slight mist in the air this time. It was the most basic cantrip, but enough to prove she could do it in front of people she wasn¡¯t comfortable with. She let out an excited cheer as the mist fell over the front of the classroom. She turned to Callo, and Callo already had his hand up. She slapped his hand victoriously.


    ***


    Aellaria felt these memories like dreams. She was in someone else''s mind. The connection was painful, but it provided context. Callo and Lilium had been friends for over a year. They weren¡¯t just friends but best friends. Callo was Lilium¡¯s rock at school, and Lilium provided a complementary match for Callo that let him practice Cryomancy.


    However, there was an incident midway into their second year at the academy.


    Callo and Lilium would spend more time outside of class. Aellaria was distantly aware of her daughter lying to Zenithor about time spent with Callo. There was an incident where Callo and Lilium were caught kissing at school. The school informed Zenithor of this incident. Zenithor confronted Lilium about the kiss, but she lied to him. It hurt, but he knew this was a private matter, and discussing your feelings with your father would be scary. Aellaria remembered Zenithor telling Lilium that it was natural to have these feelings.


    Aellaria now knew how much this moment meant to Lilium. Zenithor taught Lilium the dangers of love but trusted Lilium to make good choices. This made Lilium cry, and she loved her father more. Aellaria could feel the memories from both Zenithor and Lilium¡¯s minds, and they were overwhelming.


    As Aellaria dreamed, tears started to form in her eyes. Lilium and Zenithor''s tears streamed down the emotionally wrecked body.


    Zenithor learned who this other student was from the teacher but decided it was innocent young love. Zenithor remembered the women he loved over his long life. Aellaria, Xenadas, and Celia. The lessons these women taught him made him a man, and he wouldn¡¯t take those lessons from his daughter¨C even if some of them hurt.


    ***


    Things went wrong after that. Callo was distant from Lilium. There were no more stolen kisses in their rare private moments. Callo seemed to make sure there were no more private moments between Lilium and him.


    Callo¡¯s sudden absence hurt. Lilium was in pain, and Aellaria felt the pain too. Pain that went through the psychic connection to Aellaria¡¯s mana-starved body.


    Lilium tried so hard for Callo. She tried to spend time with him, but he would give her the cold shoulder and surround himself with the men of the class.


    Callo was her support, and that support was gone out of nowhere. Lilium had no one else in the class and still had trouble approaching others. Lilium loved Callo. She thought he loved her, too. What they had together was so good. Why was he acting like this?


    She still sat next to Callo, but he might as well have been on the other side of the world. Her heart skipped a beat, hoping to hear his voice talk to her again, but he never spoke to her.


    Lilium decided it was because she needed to give him more of herself. Callo needed a grand gesture of love, and then he would love her again and be her support again.


    Lilium waited at the park for Callo. It was on his way home from school, and Lilium knew that if it was a private moment between them, she could convince him to love her again. As she watched Callo, she felt emotions rising in her throat. Lilium held onto her pendant for comfort, and she readied herself.


    Callo saw her but didn''t approach. Lilium expected this, so she walked up to him.


    Callo waved her off, ¡°Lilium, I have to go home. I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    Lilium grabbed his forearm and held it. ¡°Callo¡­ it''s okay. It¡¯s just us, we can talk. I''m sorry.¡±


    Callo scoffed, annoyed at Lilium¡¯s antics. After only a year, he was taller, his voice deeper, and he blossomed into a strong young man. ¡°Lilium, I¡¯m not able to play games with you anymore. I need to take life seriously.¡±


    His words impact Lilium and Aellaria like a punch. ¡°I- I am serious. I love you, Callo. I just want an opportunity to show it.¡±


    Callo turned around and looked at her. His purple eyes burned with alien anger and fear. ¡°No, Lilium, you are not serious. You are among the weakest in class, and I can¡¯t spend my time lifting you up while you drag me down.¡±


    Lilium sobbed, unable to control her emotions. ¡°I¡¯m not pulling you down¡­ how can I help? How do I give you what you need? How do I become enough?¡±


    ¡°You can start by not following me home! What are you crazy?!¡± Callo shouted.


    ¡°I need you in my life, Callo¡­ I need your magic in my life.¡± Lilium cried. As the two walked, she tried not to be a burden. Even now, she struggled to appear normal when everything in her life was on fire.


    Callo put a hand on Lilium¡¯s shoulder. She looked up at him, hope kindling in her eyes. ¡°Lilium, it is finished. You have nothing to offer me. You are a burden on my future.¡±


    Lilium¡¯s world shattered as the two teenagers stood outside Callo¡¯s estate. Those words made her body shake, unraveling Lilium¡¯s mind. ¡°Callo¡­ please¡­. I can give you everything I am. I can give you my magic. My lips are yours. You are my heart¡ªI need you inside me¡­¡± Lilium begged, knowing she was offering Callo her mind, soul, and body for as long as she lived. Even so, the distasteful desperation in her voice made her hate herself even more.


    Callo looked down into her eyes. Time stilled; this moment lasted an eternity. Aellaria and Lilium look at Callo. This moment was everything. Aellaria¡¯s body was completely out of mana. She was suffering from mana suffocation. Aellaria was dying, but she needed to know Callo¡¯s answer. Aellaria needed to understand what this man did to her daughter.


    Callo¡¯s lips parted for a response. Lilium yearned for those lips, but Callo¡¯s gentle voice was passionless and distant, ¡°Lilium, I don¡¯t have time for the weak. I have a future and won¡¯t throw that away for a child with no promise. I don¡¯t need your lips. I don''t have the energy to be your heart. I don¡¯t have time for your body. Goodbye, Lilium.¡±


    Lilium collapsed, but Callo turned away and walked up the drive toward his family¡¯s estate. It was over.


    As Lilium¡¯s pain wreaked havoc on Aellaria¡¯s body, the color drained from her eyes. Then, light faded from her world. What was left was the sound of Lilium sobbing¡ªsobbing and darkness. Even then, the sobbing dulled to faint chokes of emotion. Aellaria wasn¡¯t alone in this dark space. She looked out into the void, and a single set of massive glowing predator¡¯s eyes opened and stared back.

 Chapter 25: Struggling

    Chapter 25: Struggling


    <h2>Marin, Monday, Merchantus 16th</h2>


    Marin discovered Aellaria. When she first entered the room, she thought Aellaria was asleep¡ªtaking a nap with the lights on. However, when Marin started preparing for her shower, she saw something was wrong. Aellaria was shaking and gasping as if entirely out of breath.


    Aellaria¡¯s eyes were closed, but tears flowed freely from them. Marin ran over and began shaking Aellaria. ¡°Aellaria! Wake up! It is just a dream!¡± Marin said assertively. She shook Aellaria and felt how cold her roommate¡¯s skin was.


    It wasn¡¯t just a dream.


    Marin tried opening Aellaria¡¯s eyes, but they just wouldn¡¯t focus. Soon, the shaking started slowing down, which scared Marin even more. Marin opened the door and shouted for help. She had seen enough to worry about Aellaria¡¯s life.


    Marin leaned in and picked Aellaria up. After two months of Tilly¡¯s training, she only slightly struggled to carry the taller Aellaria. Aellaria¡¯s hat fell off, and the pendant dropped to the floor.


    When Marin turned around, the number one ranked in the class, Terra, stood in the doorway. She ran in. ¡°Overdose? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know!¡± Marin shouted. ¡°I found her like this.¡±


    Terra ran over and took Aellaria in her strong arms. Terra sprinted out of the room with Aellaria, and Marin followed. From behind, Marin could only see Aellaria¡¯s pale face and black hair hanging down.


    Some other girls watched from their rooms. Marin only really recognized and remembered Olyza.


    Marin followed Terra into the teleportation circle to the floor of the Main Gymnasium and infirmary. Terra was already moving and pushed through to Cryonolon¡¯s domain.


    Terra found an open bed and shouted, ¡°Someone help! She''s going cold!¡±


    Professor Cryonolon and a gray-robed healer entered from the back room. Cryonolon went over to a shelf and shouted at the student. ¡°Elzo, triage.¡±


    The student, Elzo, went to Aellaria. Marin and Terra watched the Senior cast a cantrip, pushing air into Aellaria¡¯s lungs. With his other hand, he cast a higher-level spell before responding. ¡°Mana suffocation.¡±


    Cryonolon grabbed a mana potion off of the shelf. ¡°How in Paph¡¯s wings does a Freshman get mana suffocation? Close airways.¡± Cryonolon approached the unconscious student, shaking the mana potion.


    Elzo and Master Cryonolon worked together to keep Aellaria breathing, processing mana, and, most importantly, keeping her heart beating. After a couple of moments, the heart continued beating on its own.


    When Elzo and Cryonolon stepped away from the pale woman on the table, Marin asked in a concerned voice. ¡°Is she okay? What happened?¡±


    Master Cryonolon looked to Elzo to explain. His hair was shaved on one side and curled over stylishly. ¡°Your friend here must have cast a spell their body wasn¡¯t ready for. They ran out of mana, which I had never seen before. Was your friend taking any strange potions or powders?¡±


    Marin looked nervously at Aellaria and then at Cryonolon. ¡°Only one. Like the blue one you gave her. Is it bad?¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.  Elzo smiled, ¡°Your friend wouldn¡¯t be in trouble for taking a mana potion, but why do they need it?¡±


    Cryonolon answered, ¡°This is the girl with no efficiencies. Is that right?¡±


    Marin''s expression was vacant for a second. Then, after she replayed the words in her head again, it clicked: ¡°Right, she has talent but no efficiencies.¡±


    Elzo raised an eyebrow, ¡°What is a child with no efficiencies doing at Spire?¡±


    ¡°Struggling. It looks like.¡± Cryonolon said.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    About ninety minutes later, Aellaria¡¯s eyes fluttered open. She registered new surroundings and looked around. Aellaria saw three people in the room with her: Terra, Marin, and a healer from the Senior class. ¡°I¡¯m sick,¡± Aellaria warned before her stomach churned. She gagged and struggled to keep the mana potions down. Her empty stomach made the moment even worse than it was.


    ¡°Aellaria! You¡¯re alive!¡± Marin shouted as she crouched next to her friend. ¡°What were you doing? You scared me to death.¡±


    Aellaria looked at her friend with a slightly glazed expression. Her voice was as soft and gentle as butterfly kisses, ¡°Practicing.¡±


    Elzo was organizing the alchemical stores for the week, ¡°What in Tillia¡¯s Garden did you take to force yourself to practice to the point of mana exhaustion? Not mana exhaustion, mana depletion. Death,¡± He admonished.


    Aellaria giggled. ¡°It''s not the first time I died¡­ or the second.¡±


    Marin felt uncomfortable. It was almost like this wasn¡¯t Aellaria. Her voice was different, and it took Marin a moment to understand. This Aellaria was girly. Aellaria was always composed, calm, and collected. This person giggled like a child until sleep claimed her again.


    This display made Marin worry even more. ¡°Elzo, what is wrong with her? Why is she acting like this?¡±


    Elzo walked over and scanned the unconscious Aellaria with a spell. ¡°The elements of her mind still need to balance. Sleep can help this process. Let her rest, and we will check back with her when she wakes up. You can stay here if you want, but if she is ready to be discharged at any time, I will have a sophomore guide her back to her room.¡±


    Terra sat with her arms crossed, and Marin turned to look at the intimidating Pyromancer. ¡°I can stay here longer if you want to return. Thank you for your help.¡±


    Terra stood up and straightened out her red robes. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Marin walked over to Terra. The intimidating presence of the top of their class dulled somewhat by the powerful aura radiating off of the upperclassman in their presence. ¡°You were so quick to come to help. I mean it. Thank you so much.¡±


    Terra looked coolly into Marin¡¯s eyes. ¡°You two don¡¯t belong here, but I vowed to protect the weak.¡±


    ¡°I¨C¡± Marin begins, but Terra continues.


    ¡°This makes it particularly frustrating when the weak insist on putting themselves in danger. Just know that I will only save the lemmings I can see approaching the cliff.¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t know what to say. If Aellaria didn¡¯t belong, then surely she didn''t. Aellaria proved every day in their sparring sessions how much better she was. Terra didn¡¯t give her the chance to respond. She had already left the infirmary.

 Chapter 26: Too Strong

    Chapter 26: Too Strong


    <h2>Aellaria, Tuesday, Merchantus 17th</h2>


    Aellaria did not properly wake up until lunchtime the next day. She looked around and saw Seis, the third-year Geomantic healer. He wore beautiful white robes that comfortably hugged his large frame.


    When Seis saw Aellaria stirring, he looked down at her. ¡°Mana suffocation sure is a rocky road, ain¡¯t it?¡±


    Aellaria looked at Seis. ¡°Soil, man?¡±


    Seis performs a spell to check on Aellaria. ¡°Hey, I knew you would be a satisfied customer. That''s right, but I prefer ¡®Seis¡¯ as my moniker.¡±


    Aellaria felt particularly spicy that day¨C her head pounding and stomach starving. ¡°Has anyone told you how ridiculous that name is? It sounds like Size, like your weight.¡±


    ¡°People keep sayin¡¯ it is weird, but you know, when people feel me soil them. They ain¡¯t got a care in the world. They just feel better.¡± Seis said. ¡°You¡¯re good to go, by the way. Get some lunch.¡±


    Aellaria realized that this man was doing everything on purpose¡ªhis silly name, his silly healing spells, calling it ¡®soiling someone.¡¯ Aellaria burst into a fit of childish giggles. There was almost a melody to her laugh, making her want to shout at herself. She left the infirmary as fast as possible.


    ***


    Aellaria returned to her room. Her consciousness slipped into fulfilling a checklist. She opened the door, retrieving her hat, arcane focus, belt, and dimensional pocket, and replaced the lily in the brim. Aellaria then collected the locket from the floor and put it into the dimensional pocket.


    Aellaria reached into her prepared potions and pulled out a stamina potion. Stamina potions could replace a meal. The tasteless brown liquid was unsatisfying, but her body needed the nutrients and energy it provided.


    Finally, Aellaria took a shower and wrapped herself before walking toward Coach Tilly¡¯s domain.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin didn¡¯t realize Aellaria had joined the class joggers until she was passed by the woman wearing the wide-brimmed hat. Both Syn and Terra came to the same realization, surprised that the woman who died the previous night was not only back in class but back in Tilly¡¯s tile-paved lair.


    Tilly ran alongside Aellaria, ¡°You''re late, fool.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. I was in the infirmary.¡±


    Tilly let out a sadistic little series of grunts. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me in the infirmary, you better beat half these girl¡¯s laps, or I will spend all afternoon kicking your ass myself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, coach,¡± Aellaria said before picking up the pace even further to compensate for lost time in the workout.


    When it was time for strength training, Aellaria didn¡¯t take it easy. She was pushing her body with heavier weights with more extended sets. Marin said worriedly, ¡°Aellaria, you died last night. Slow down.¡±


    Aellaria just glared at Marin in response. Aellaria¡¯s icy, cold eyes made Marin recoil. It seemed like Aellaria was an entirely different person. The child in the infirmary worried Marin, but this person with hostile eyes terrified her.


    When it was time for the sparring, Aellaria was ruthless. The sparring wasn¡¯t the dance they usually performed¡ªa combination of workout for Aellaria and fair training for Marin. Marin went to start the familiar exchange, but this time, Aellaria went straight at her. Marin was caught off guard but quickly raised her arms. Aellaria jumped, and her shin connected with Marin¡¯s head. The blow was only slightly blocked by Marin¡¯s raised forearm.


    Marin fell hard, dazed. ¡°Wha- why?¡±


    ¡°Good shot, fool! I may have underestimated you!¡± Coach Tilly shouted.


    ¡°Get back up, Marin. This time, block, duck, or dodge.¡± Aellaria growled. Marin looked up at Aellaria, trying to shake the stars from her vision. She saw Aellaria¡¯s hand pump open and closed. Her fist was shaking.


    As soon as Marin stood and squared up, Aellaria dashed forward again. Aellaria appeared to be going for a thrust kick, so Marin prepared to dodge left and counter. However, at the last second, Aellaria pivoted on the foot she was meant to kick with and delivered another sweeping kick that hit both where Marin was and where she tried to dodge.


    There was no cushion or half-block this time. Marin fell hard.


    <h2>Syn</h2>


    Aellaria looked over to Tilly, ¡°I need a stronger opponent.¡±


    Syn saw the third-year Aquamantic healer wearing white robes jogging forward to help Marin. Within moments, Marin was suspended in a water bubble and taken to the infirmary.


    Tilly smirked. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get you one. Terra! Your services are needed.¡±


    However, that wasn¡¯t the only Pyromancer approaching Aellaria¡¯s sparring space. Syn stormed over. ¡°Aellaria, I saw that! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You coulda killed Marin with that kick!¡±


    Aellaria looked up at the intimidating fire mage. ¡°I know how strong I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re outta control. Back off, Terra. I¡¯ll fight her.¡± Syn said. There was a manic bravado in her energy she couldn¡¯t control. The passionless dispatching of Marin played over and over on repeat in her memories.


    Tilly stepped up to the mat where the three women shared personal space¡ªclearly enjoying the moment. ¡°Now, this is why I love first-year students. So passionate and stupid. Syn, you don¡¯t have a choice here. You aren¡¯t fighting unless Aellaria challenges your rank.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ unless I get an apology for what she did to Marin.¡± Syn countered. ¡°Marin needs to hear it too.¡±


    Aellaria crossed her arms and glared at Syn. For a moment, Syn saw Aellaria¡¯s eyes dart around the room. Syn read this as fear.


    ¡°You¡¯re gon apologize now and explain your shit, or I¡¯ll fuckin¡¯ give you a reason to feel fear.¡± Syn threatened.


    Tilly got ready to remind Syn of the rules, but Aellaria said, ¡°Then I will make this simple, Syn. I challenge you for your rank.¡±


    Aellaria walked to the proper ring at the center of the room and pulled herself upright. At this sight, the other women gathered around to watch. Syn jumped from the edge of the ring into the center, launching and landing with small explosions of fire.


    ¡°Alright, girls, wait for Ty to come back, and then you two can beat the shit out of each other,¡± Tilly said.


    As Syn and Aellaria watched each other, ready to come to blows, a voice erupted from the crowd: Flair. ¡°Is there trouble in paradise for the lesbians? That''s a shame. You two were so cute together.¡±


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    Neither Syn nor Aellaria responded.


    Syn broke the silence between the two. ¡°You¡¯re sick, Aellaria. You shouldn¡¯ta been here today.¡±


    ¡°I am sick,¡± Aellaria admitted. ¡°The remedy is a cathartic release, and I am done pretending to be feeble.¡±


    Syn sneered at Aellaria, ¡°I ain''t gonna go easy on you just ¡®cause your head¡¯s not on straight. I ain¡¯t gonna hold back ¡®cause you¡¯re talentless, neither.¡± Syn just kept hearing the sound of Aellaria¡¯s kick landing on Marin¡¯s skull, and with each play, she got more and more enraged.


    Once the healer arrived, Tilly marked the beginning of the fight. Aellaria stood still, watching for how Syn would start the duel. Syn immediately ran to close the distance, knowing her superior size and oppressive magical abilities would be enough to dominate Aellaria.


    Aellaria held her ground until she saw Syn charging forward. Syn raised one hand to hold a wall of flame, and the other performed the runes necessary to cast the spell.


    A chip of stone, no larger than a playing card, darted toward Syn, striking her in the hand as she was casting. The strike takes Syn by surprise, and she is now sprinting toward Aellaria with nothing but an open palm and a failed spell.


    Aellaria threw a punch at Syn as the Pyromancer backpedaled. Syn reacted by pulling up a stream of fire to block, but Aellaria was not deterred. The punch broke through the flames and hit Syn square in the cheek. The flames weren¡¯t hot enough to burn Aellaria for the brief contact.


    Syn was pissed and tried to use her now broken hand to weave another spell, but it failed. Syn pushed forward to close the gap again and swiped for Aellaria.


    Aellaria was faster than the large woman, however. She ducked so fast between Syn¡¯s arms that Syn couldn¡¯t even grab Aellaria¡¯s hat. Aellaria delivered two quick jabs to Syn¡¯s abs before sidestepping away.


    Syn turned and punched with her bleeding right hand, but Aellaria cast a level one spell to block with a metallic floating disk the same size as Syn¡¯s hand. Something gave in Syn¡¯s wrist, and she howled in pain.


    Aellaria used this distraction to kick at Syn¡¯s legs, but the athletic woman¡¯s center of gravity was too solid. It was like trying to kick the legs out from under a brick house, and Syn knew it.


    This failure left Aellaria flat-footed. She hopped back as Syn stomped forward. The small hop bought her a second, but Syn simply raised the other foot.


    ¡°That won¡¯t work on me. I. AM. TOO. FUCKIN¡¯. STRONG.¡± With each word, Syn stomped where Aellaria was.


    Luckily for Aellaria, each footfall was where she was and not where she would be. Aellaria read Syn¡¯s emotions like an open book and would barely dive out of the way. With a final roll, she hopped up to her feet


    Syn¡¯s casting hand was broken, and the burly woman was not skilled enough to cast with her voice or mind.


    Aellaria was out of mana from jettisoning a single rock and using a metal disk to block one attack. The two of them were both unable to cast.


    Aellaria reached into her pouch, shaking a mana potion as she watched the fuming Syn. Syn was confused about why Aellaria would hurt Marin, but after being turned at every attack, the situation escalated just short of murderous intent.


    Aellaria drank the potion as she watched Syn try to formulate a new plan. ¡°What is that? Dragon¡¯s breath? What are you planning!¡±


    ¡°Come at me and find out.¡± Aellaria bluffed.


    Syn was smart enough to see through this. If Aellaria had told her to close the distance, it would have been best to press any advantage she had. However, Syn decided to play it safe. She used her functioning hand to cast the runes necessary to push flames at Aellaria. Flames roared forward, shooting fifteen feet away in a massive arc. Her control at this range was weak, and Aellaria backed further and further away from Syn¡¯s arc of flame.


    Syn walked forward slowly, using the arc of fire to try to corner Aellaria. She needed to move slowly, not because she was cautious, but to check where Aellaria was, continuously recasting the push flames spell.


    Syn was worried that she might push the boundaries of lethality. For a split second, she dropped the channeling of her spell to make sure Aellaria wasn¡¯t getting roasted¡ªAellaria dove from the corner and away from Syn again.


    With this new space, Aellaria said, ¡°You can¡¯t touch me. I always know what you are slowly casting. I can read your punches with ease. Yield before I show you how weak you actually are.¡± As Aellaria talked, she reached down to where she had pulled the tile out earlier. She plucked out a chunk of stone and held it in her fist.


    Syn was done talking. She ran at Aellaria, certain she could win if she just got her hands on the raven-haired woman.


    Syn sprinted, raising her uninjured left hand to bring it down hard on Aellaria. Then, all of a sudden, her legs were out from under her, and she was falling. Syn was falling forward, and she tried to use explosive magic or her hands to catch herself, but the magic wouldn¡¯t form with her broken hand, and it exploded in pain when she used the broken hand instead to catch herself.


    Aellaria had lifted a single tile with all of the mana she could spare, and it was just high enough to trip Syn.


    Aellaria swung with her stone-weighted hand, pressing firmly against Syn¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡¯re finished, child.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t done! I AIN¡¯T DONE WITH YOU!¡± Syn shouted as she tried to grab forward with her left hand. Syn tried to grab Aellaria, but a powerful rock formation began growing around her arm and shoulder.


    ¡°Your friend just saved you a world of hurt. You are done, Syn. You got outclassed.¡± Coach Tilly said. ¡°Ty! Syn needs a heal.¡± Coach Tilly shouted. ¡°Congrats on your safety rank, Fool.¡±


    Aellaria left the central fighting ring and stepped toward Terra. ¡°It¡¯s time to spar.¡± Said the new twenty-sixth-ranked in class.


    <h2>Terra</h2>


    Most of the class watched the fight, thinking that Syn could have grabbed Aellaria at any moment, and the fight would¡¯ve been over¡ªeveryone except for Terra.


    Terra was in awe of Aellaria from the beginning of the fight. By now, everyone in the class knew that Aellaria was without magical talent, and Terra thought she was easily the weakest of the bunch. This fight changed her mind completely. Not only did Aellaria beat Syn without taking a single hit, but Terra caught that Aellaria did something unique. That first spell was the chip of rock that injured Syn¡¯s hand. ¡®She cast without signing. She cast without talking.¡¯ Terra thought.


    Terra watched in awe as Aellaria sauntered toward where they were meant to spar. Aellaria beat Syn, the biggest physical threat in class. Terra also knew that until she mastered mental casting. ¡®She could be better than me.¡¯

 Chapter 27: Bing Bang Bosh

    Chapter 27: Bing Bang Bosh


    <h2>Marin, Midstday, Merchantus 18th</h2>


    Marin felt like she was losing friends left and right. First, she lost Callo twice, and now Aellaria hardly acknowledged her. When Marin asked what she had done, Aellaria replied coldly, ¡®You didn¡¯t do enough.¡¯


    Terra told her she didn¡¯t belong. Aellaria said she wasn¡¯t enough.


    Her source of comfort, Syn, said she was enough, but now Syn was ranked low enough to be cut. Marin felt the only voice she could trust was Behngi¡¯s. Behngi wouldn¡¯t lie to her.


    When they were alone, Marin asked Behngi. His response was eye-opening. ¡°Marin, you have the potential to be the best sorcerer to ever live. If I were a spy for Arcane, I would slit your throat before you woke up and realized who you could become. You are at the bottom of the class. So throw some punches; You can only get better¨C if you don¡¯t die.¡±


    Behngi was a good man, and he helped Marin realize that she wasn¡¯t the problem. Whatever happened to Aellaria that night was. If Aellaria were cold, then Marin would learn to weather the blizzard.


    Syn and Behngi made Marin feel like she wasn¡¯t alone. She still had to become better.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    The following day, Aellaria entered class and sat beside Marin. Syn gave Aellaria a death stare, but Aellaria only acknowledged it long enough to let Syn know she got the message. Luckily, Flair had almost entirely backed off from her. Not snitching on her the night of the festival and not trying to win back Callo¡¯s friendship was enough to slip off of the bitch¡¯s radar entirely.


    Callo sat in front of Aellaria now. Aellaria had to spend the entire class staring at his snow-white hair. It took every drop of willpower not to drive two spikes of earth into his neck one after the other.


    At one point, he turned in his chair when Ozyid asked Niall a question. She saw him say, ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy to be your heart.¡± through lips that hadn¡¯t moved. She knew it was only in her mind, but her reaction was visceral, and the look on his face told her he saw it. The fucker registered Aellaria¡¯s distaste; he smiled.


    ¡®He still smiles with every muscle in his face¡­¡¯¡¯ A voice said in Aellaria¡¯s mind.


    Aellaria ignored it and cast an electrical cantrip on the bones in her left hand. Aellaria didn¡¯t let the electricity leave the hand, letting the burning pain and the spasming muscles keep her present. If she didn¡¯t focus on that feeling¨C she would scream. She would kill him¨C for good this time.


    Aellaria couldn¡¯t look away. There was a brief but tangible connection. She felt the message spell connect with her mind, Like a grappling hook pulling taught on a sieged wall. ¡°I see you there¡­¡± Callo whispered through this connection.


    Aellaria felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡®...a child with no promise,¡¯ she heard¡ªnot magically, but in his voice nonetheless. The dull heat in her hand became a jolt of pain, making Aellaria wince. She broke eye contact, and time went back to normal. Aellaria stopped casting the cantrip burning her hand from the inside out.


    Looking down, Aellaria hid her face behind the wide brim of her hat, afraid that none of these voices were real. She feared she detached her mind from reality. Hidden beneath her hat, Aellaria used the rest of her mana to cast the most basic healing magic. Aellaria wished there was something she could do to fix her scattered brain.


    Marin reached out and set a hand on Aellaria¡¯s right knee. Aellaria could feel Lilium¡¯s memories like acid in her brain. Marin¡¯s contact catalyzed the reaction further, destroying who Aellaria thought she was.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Aellaria focused her entire attention on the unwanted contact, but it wasn¡¯t indignation building in her heart. It was gratitude. Lilium just wanted a connection. Aellaria focused on the hand invading her bubble. It was real. It was enough to tell Aellaria she was here. It wasn¡¯t alright, but it wasn¡¯t oblivion.


    Marin kept her hand there. Then, after about thirty minutes of this contact. Aellaria set her hand on Marin¡¯s in a gesture that said gently, ¡®That is enough.¡¯


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Throughout the week, Marin struggled with who she would challenge for their spot. It took all of her courage to choose to do it, but the decision also required her to find a target. Marin decided that she wouldn¡¯t pick someone from her class or someone she knew.


    Marin¡¯s new sparring partner was Terra¡¯s previous partner. She was a kind ice mage from Professor Aeren¡¯s class. Her name was Rone. Rone had silvery blonde hair and delicate, almost elven features. Rone was ranked twenty-eighth in the class, and on their first day of sparring, Rone kicked Marin¡¯s ass. However, as the two women started getting to know each other better, Marin realized there wasn¡¯t much of a gap between them. At least not compared to the one between her and Aellaria.


    Marin briefly considered challenging Rone for her rank but decided that this woman was likely much more talented in magic than Marin was ready for. From what Marin learned of Rone¡¯s easygoing nature, she would probably be understanding instead of angry.


    As the two women sat during their break between the hour of sparring, Rone asked Marin a question. ¡°You seem like you are about to say something. Do you want to let it out, Marin?¡±


    Marin looked at Rone, sighed, and told the truth. ¡°I need to challenge someone. I feel like I¡¯m behind the curve and need to fight with my magic to get any better. I¡¯ve been sparring for months, but I am just treading water. I want to get out of the pool and take a fucking nap. You know?¡±


    Rone giggled, ¡°I think so. It just kinda feels like the walls are closing in on you. I felt the same way when I met Terra. I won a fight, but then for almost two months, she kicked my ass up, right, and center.¡±


    ¡°After sparring with Aellaria, I¡¯m surprised I have any ass left.¡± Marin agreed. ¡°Now, after sparring with you, I realize that¡­ not everyone in class is Aellaria.¡±


    Rone raised an eyebrow, ¡°Am I not supposed to have any pride? Ouch, bitch.¡± Rone whispered the word bitch, still not used to the culture of cursing existing in Spire.


    The two women laughed.


    ¡°Not everyone in the class is Terra or Aellaria. You should just pick another girl near the bottom and climb up. Make a list of names and cross them out. Bing Bang Bosh. Just leave me off it. I am enjoying my time outside of the pool.¡±


    Marin realized something. ¡°Rank fifty-seven is a boy named Garrus. Is there any rule against challenging the boys? Honestly, the women in this room scare me.¡±


    This made Rone giddy with excitement. ¡°Really? I saw him fight on the first day. He accidentally broke his leg. He''s just an Aeromancer. I bet you could bop him one good. Also, I doubt there would be a rule preventing women and men from fighting. Otherwise, how are the boys able to get the top-rank spot?¡±


    Of course. Marin smiled. She had a plan and a target. Now, she just needed enough of Phoenix¡¯s fire to execute it.

 Chapter 28: A New Strategy

    <h2>Aellaria, Friday, Merchantus 20th</h2>


    Aellaria did not cast the spell again since learning of Callo¡¯s sins against her daughter. Zenithor¡¯s daughter, she amended. The minds of Zenithor, Lilium, and even a hint of Callo had been thrown into the mortar that was Aellaria¡¯s mind, and no matter how much she ground at the experiences¨C Aellaria felt like a different person.


    Aellaria mainly had felt like a mind influenced by, but different than, Zenithor¡¯s. However, Aellaria struggled to differentiate her original thoughts from the words of Lilium, Callo, and Zenithor. Four bards all singing at once and over each other.


    No. She could not cast the spell again until she could cope with the person the spell made her: Lilium¡¯s fear, Zenithor¡¯s rage, Callo¡¯s cold stare. Aellaria wanted to extinguish all of them; she wanted a moment to think clearly.


    Aellaria only left the dorm room for classes. Every time she saw the real Callo, she panicked. After his fall, he looked twenty years older than the boy who had crushed Lilium¡¯s heart, even though it had only been two. Aellaria focused on the differences between the old and new Callos. He was taller and thinner, and his skin was still paler than it should have been. These subtle differences made Callo a different person than the one responsible for his daughter¡¯s death.


    After four days, her emotions were raw, and her mind was tired. The mind could only grieve and panic so much. She knew Callo by his legs, and she learned to use the wide-brimmed hat as a shield, not from the eyes of others, but to stop herself from seeing him.


    The only reprieve was when she would spar with Terra. Terra wasn¡¯t as skilled in technique as Aellaria, but Terra had already begun infusing her element into her being. Terra didn¡¯t overheat; her body seemed inexhaustible. Worst of all, Terra still had a young mind filled with ideals. This matchup was exactly what Aellaria needed. When Aellaria fought Terra, the raven-haired woman could go all out with every action and was humbled four of every five times.


    Sparring with Terra had a dual effect. Terra was undoubtedly the strongest of the women in the class, and by quite a bit. Seeing Aellaria best her, even twenty percent of the time, was enough to prevent challengers in the lower half of the class. A part of Aellaria was happy to be safe, but another part cursed Zenithor for his arrogance.


    A big announcement came at the end of Niall¡¯s class that Friday: ¡°Before my precious Freshman leave, I must tell you we have decided on a format for the upcoming midterm appraisals. You will be tasked with escaping from the deepest dungeons of Spire, a place where daylight is a distant memory. A place where only one of the strongest from each professor¡¯s class will emerge. You fourteen will be locked in a desperate cage match for not only your future here at Spire, but your very lives.¡±


    Drakon, Niall''s lowest-ranked Electromancer at sixteenth, commented, ¡°You are going to lock us in a dark basement cell, and it will be a free-for-all until one student remains?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more of a labyrinth¡­ really, but yes, that is basically it.¡±


    Olyza, the stunning Aeromancer ranked just ahead of Aellaria at twenty-fifth, said, ¡°What are the rules for these fights?¡±


    ¡°Questions like that put the wind in my sails, Olyza. Magic is allowed, but only with implements you prepare yourself. No enchantments you hadn¡¯t cast yourself will be allowed, with the exception of your arcane focus. Finally, we will be able to figure out murderous intent, so if you try to kill each other, you will be removed from Spire permanently. If the enchantment on your student card fails, you lose.¡±


    Flair was the next to ask, ¡°Are there going to be like¡­ enough healers? I¡¯m gonna light this bitch up, sooo¡­¡±


    ¡° All Spire¡¯s healers, including myself, Cryonolon, and his Juniors and Seniors, will be available for the fight. Our class will be the first to fight at 6:00 in the evening on Scribalai thirtieth. You have seven weeks to prepare; your opponents are every other student in this room.


    Most students scoped out the other students, sizing each other up. Who could they beat? Who should they avoid? Only Paris looked confident as he scoped out the competition. Aellaria saw he had an expression like a hunter standing before a canyon filled with legless deer.


    Aellaria looked down before she accidentally looked into Callo¡¯s deep purple eyes. The tip of her hat flopped forward.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She expected a variation of the classic free-for-all. She looked at her hands. The chaos of the midterm appraisals would be the perfect time for her to kill Callo. Callo¡¯s life was on a seven-week timer, and no fisherman would nurse him back to health this time. Not even the healers of Spire or deities of Element could stop her.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    At lunch, there was a strategy meeting among the three friends at their regular booth. Behngi raised a privacy bubble to allow them to discuss strategies for the midterm appraisals. Their thoughts were scattered, and they hardly knew where to start.


    Syn looked at her two friends, ¡°We hafta work together, right? There''s no way I¡®m gunnin¡¯ for y¡¯all if I can help it. Unlike Aellaria, I take no joy in hurtin¡¯ my friends.¡±


    Marin responded in a whisper despite the privacy bubble. ¡°Give Aellaria a break, she died on Monday.¡± The sounds of dozens of other students were completely mitigated from their little world.


    ¡°We will not be able to avoid her if she decides to fight us in the Midterm,¡± Behngi noted. ¡°Regardless, the two of you have something bigger to worry about.¡±


    Syn and Marin watched the elf, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°Electromancers dominate from day 1. We dominate year one because no one knows how to deal with us. We cast faster than you; our spells are devastating, and if an Electromancer gets to Spire, they already have control. There¡¯s a reason only Six Electromancers are at Spire.¡±


    Syn smirked, ¡°Easy. The Aquamancer in the Sophomore class was able to redirect electricity. We just have you n¡¯ Marin practice that, and I¡¯ll be safe between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Syn, you are just as likely to find Drakon or Paris as you are to find us. Plus, Aellaria has potential with electrical magic.¡± Behngi said. ¡°Factor that in, and with the right situation, she could probably knock either of you out if you aren¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    Syn rested her head atop a fist and replied, ¡°Well, how do we counter ¡®em then? Does it matter if they are stronger than us anyway?¡±


    Marin answered, ¡°We need to have the best possible performance. We only get so many opportunities to be on equal footing and show the teachers what we can do. Every advantage counts this time.¡±


    ¡°This is precisely why, Syn, we need you to buy us leather helmets and vests. If that is something okay with you.¡± Behngi said.


    Syn thought momentarily, ¡°That should be pretty doable, but is somethin¡¯ so simple going to make that big of a difference?¡±


    Behngi laughed and smiled. ¡°Being an Electromancer is difficult. We know how much electricity shocks, how much stuns, and how much is close to the edge. If the amount of energy is thrown off, it could mean making the fight last or allowing you the upper hand for your counterattack.¡± Behngi said. ¡°If you lose to Paris but take a couple of hits, it will look much better than beating Flair or even Ozyid.¡±


    Marin seemed to have an idea, ¡°What about Cryomancers? There are three in our class, all ranked pretty well.¡±


    Syn giggled and responded, ¡°Babe, you¡¯re the Cryomancer here. You are supposed to tell us.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Marin said softly.


    Behngi agreed, ¡°I lost to Pierce in my third fight. Whatever strategies I thought I had for Cryomancers are out the window. We might be able to watch some fights or practice our sparring. We should use most of the afternoons after sparring to practice and study.¡±


    A real plan made Marin hopeful. She could finally feel like she wasn¡¯t just treading water. Between Niall¡¯s lectures, Tilly¡¯s calisthenics, and Behngi¡¯s training, Marin felt like she might actually make progress. She would either be pulled under or rise to the occasion.


    Syn slapped the table with an open hand. Outside of the privacy bubble, nothing was heard as Syn shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s fuckin¡¯ go!¡±

 Chapter 29: The Voices

    <h2>Marin, Saturday, Merchantus 21st</h2>


    That Saturday, Marin woke up at the same time as Aellaria. She continued the routine of organizing Aellaria¡¯s various brews from the week so that she could take them to Mistfall to sell.


    Aellaria exited the shower wearing her blue robes and cloak, ¡°Your debt is paid, Marin. I will sell those.¡± Her voice was matter-of-fact.


    Marin finished packing the numerous vials into the custom-made alchemist pack. The countless little pouches and containers made organizing and carrying the dozens of vials easy. She looked at Aellaria, annoyed, ¡°My debt is far from paid. I still owe you like four more weeks¡¯ worth.¡±


    Aellaria sat down next to Marin at the desk. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have kicked you either time. I¡¯m sorry. I want to keep my distance from you, and this is part of that.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯ve enjoyed doing this. I think I like trading. If you want to forgive my debt because you made a mistake, you can. Don¡¯t fire me, though. It would change my family''s life if I sent even half of this money back home.¡± Marin pleaded.


    ¡°I understand. Next time, I will label them by their quality, value, and effect.¡± Aellaria then left for her own trip to Mistfall.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria just wanted to leave. The money meant nothing to her; she just didn¡¯t want someone as weak as Marin so close. There were tightly coiled springs in her mind, heart, and hands, and Aellaria felt she could explode at any moment.


    This far into the first semester, the Mistfall herbalists at Tillia Remedies, a kind older couple named Jacks and Melindra, had become comfortable with Aellaria. At first, the herbalists didn¡¯t know what to think of the young student purchasing many hazardous alchemical ingredients. As the weeks went on, however, Aellaria kept coming back alive.


    Melindra excitedly waddled up to Aellaria with her arms out. ¡°Oh, dear! You made it! I was beginning to think you weren¡¯t going to show!¡±


    Aellaria gave the stout woman a half-hearted hug. ¡°I¡¯m earlier than usual. Your compassion means a lot, though, Melindra.¡± Aellaria said. In truth, she didn¡¯t care much for Melindra¡¯s compassion and wished this was more of a transaction than a relationship.


    The man behind the counter, Jacks, had already prepared her ingredients in a leather herbalist¡¯s. Each of the raw ingredients were properly tucked away and ready for pickup. Aellaria awkwardly shuffled around the white-haired woman and unpacked an identical bag she brought of its completed potions. Finally, Aellaria cautiously added these potions to the new pack and left the old empty bag for the couple to fill up for her pickup next week.


    Jacks whispered to Aellaria as Melindra started to continue her work. ¡°By the way, we have an order of red dragon¡¯s tongue coming in. It might be a little above you and dangerous, but so is everything else you do. Just don¡¯t tell¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what? Oh, you! You can be a real weed in Tillia¡¯s garden! You¡¯re trying to offload dragon¡¯s tongue on an apprentice!¡± Melindra slapped Jacks¡¯ arm with her leather apron.


    The red dragon¡¯s tongue wasn¡¯t actually a dragon''s tongue. It was more of a pine cone. A rare seed that could be used to make a dragon¡¯s tongue potion. This potion was used to help a body prepare itself for elemental infusion. It also had the interesting side effect of letting the drinker exhale fire for a few minutes.


    Aellaria nodded. ¡°I would like two, then¡­ do you sell incubators?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jacks and Melindra said simultaneously.


    ¡°No, Aellaria. We don¡¯t sell incubators, and we don¡¯t sell expert ingredients to novices.¡± Melindra said.


    Jacks responded to his partner, ¡°You have wanted to upgrade your incubators for years. Don¡¯t you think Aellaria and her master are responsible enough to decide what they need?¡±


    Aellaria hadn¡¯t directly said she had a master, but she had implied it so the older couple would let their guard down around her. ¡°We have enough gold for the incubators, dragon¡¯s tongue, and¡­ I will also need a bundle of Ptene leaves, too.¡±


    Jacks smiled at Melindra smugly, the way only a loving spouse that has had countless conflicts over dozens of years could.¡± See? She already knows what she needs. Granite Guardian must be training her himself.¡±


    ¡°Please send me an invoice for the two incubators and next week''s ingredients, and I will courier you the gold,¡± Aellaria said. She knew that her dimensional pouch had enough gold for the transaction now, but showing off the dimensional pouch would have been an extravagance that would make Aellaria stand out further than she was comfortable.


    Melindra waved her husband off and approached Aellaria, ¡°Be careful, darling. They put you all under so much pressure at that school, and then they just hope you don¡¯t explode. We have had students like you, bright and wonderful, get worn out before. It only takes a single mistake with a potion like dragon¡¯s tongue to end your life, okay?¡±


    ¡°I understand, Melindra,¡± Aellaria said. She didn¡¯t want to betray just how much pressure her mind was under.


    ***


    Aellaria continued her routine. The next stop was the Falls for the Mist Primrose. Over the weeks, she ventured through the caves behind the waterfall and found enclaves of primrose, allowing her to gather even more of the precious flower.


    Aellaria was looking forward to an incubator to put the beautiful Mist Primrose into. With the proper enchantments, she could produce enough flowers to never have to return to the falls again. However, until that was finished, she would have to keep climbing down under the falls to cut back the plants by hand.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Once Aellaria had enough Mist Primrose for the week, she left the cavern and started the climb back up. Looking over the cliff''s top and back toward the road, she saw something that stopped her heart.


    The white-haired Cryomancer Callo was sitting at the campsite, less than 100 feet away. His purple eyes were staring out at the lake below, but when Aellaria¡¯s hat peeked over the cliff''s edge, his eyes were drawn to her.


    Aellaria watched Callo cautiously as she pulled herself up. This was her private stroll, and the heartless bastard was in her way again. It felt eerily similar to the confrontation with the Death Mongrel. Aellaria¡¯s heart beat heavily in her chest, and she was already steeling herself for the confrontation.


    Callo didn¡¯t stand up. He just watched Aellaria lazily, like a well-fed and tired lion. ¡°You hate me.¡± He announced.


    Aellaria almost growled her response, ¡°Why are you here? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want to understand you, Aellaria. I was so excited to get to know you better. You didn¡¯t even try to reach out after I came back,¡± Callo said, sounding hurt.


    Aellaria tried to reign in her anger, but it poured out of her eyes as she stared at the man who shattered Lilium¡¯s heart. ¡°I have no use for friends like you. You have the instincts and self-control of a child. You have never struggled in your life. Next year, you will fall behind, and not even your years of training will save you as everyone develops stronger talent than you.¡±


    Callo showed his teeth when he smiled. Aellaria hated how that smile made her feel. Zenithor wanted to kick his teeth in, and Lilium swooned. Callo said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy¨Cacting like you are better than everyone else. There is one thing I remember from that week. Do you want to know?¡±


    Aellaria felt trapped. Callo didn¡¯t move a muscle, but he knew how big his presence was here. In his life, Zenithor hated being outmatched more than anything. The old man in her shouted at her to leave, while Lilium just wanted to hear a couple more words. ¡°I don¡¯t care to know. Stay away from me, Callo. If you try to corner me again, you will regret it.¡±


    Callo crossed his legs and sat back. ¡°I remember that week¨C more than anything, I wanted to know what thoughts you had under your hat. I wanted to be close to you. I wanted to understand you.¡±


    ¡°You can start by not following me out to the woods. Keeping your memories and hands to your fucking self.¡± Aellaria said, and as she said those words, it felt like the nerves in her mind were being played like a violin string. Aellaria could smell heat and frost. Her vision was going red.


    ¡°Ice and water go together super well. We should be friends.¡± Callo said. His face twisted into a parody of himself as he quoted his words spoken to Lilium long ago. Aellaria realized Callo¡¯s teeth were sharp like a shark''s.


    Aellaria¡¯s heart beat faster and faster, and she realized she wasn¡¯t breathing. Aellaria felt Lilium start to scream. ¡®He¡¯s not real! He¡¯s not real! He¡¯s not real!¡¯ over and over in her head.


    Now, Callo was standing, and Aellaria watched in terror, as it wasn¡¯t Callo¡¯s genuine smile. The smile promised the world. It promised love. It promised forever friendship. However, the eyes. Callo¡¯s eyes. They promised destruction. ¡°I need you in my life, Aellaria¡­ I need your magic in my life.¡± Callo mocked. As Callo advanced, his smile widened. Ear to ear. Rows and rows of sharp teeth ready to rip flesh and muscle from bone.


    ¡®Run, you fucking brat!¡¯ Zenithor screamed at Aellaria from behind her.


    ¡®HE¡¯S NOT REAL!¡¯ Lilium screamed in terror. The scream was so loud in her head that it felt like a chisel hammered against her skull.


    Aellaria sprinted toward the trail. Aellaria needed to leave. Run or die. He¡¯s not real. Run or die. He¡¯s not real.


    Behind her, Aellaria could hear the Callo thing laughing. Aellaria turned on the road back to Spire and saw a robed figure walking away. Marin.


    Aellaria sprinted up to Marin and turned around, expecting to see the thing pretending to be Callo, but there was nothing to see.


    ¡°Aellaria, you ok?¡± Marin asked. She had an empathetic but cautious smile on her face.


    ¡®She¡¯s afraid of you,¡¯ Zenithor chastised.


    ¡°I-I know.¡± Aellaria stammered back at Zenithor, but then Aellaria realized again. He¡¯s not real.


    ¡°What?¡± Marin asked.


    Aellaria closed her eyes. None of them were real. They were memories. Zenithor, Lilium, and even Callo were nothing but dreams swimming around in her head. ¡°I meant to say ¡®I¡¯m okay¡¯,¡± Aellaria said. The only thread of reality was Marin, and Aellaria planned on holding onto it before her mind fell apart. ¡°Can I join you on your walk back?¡±


    Marin¡¯s face showed a touch of fear toward Aellaria, but Marin didn¡¯t have the self-preservation necessary to abandon even an ex-friend. The kind and simple mage offered Aellaria a hand, and Aellaria took it.

 Chapter 30: The Clearing

    <h2>Marin, Monday, Merchantus 30th</h2>


    Magical sparring outside of official matches was not permitted on campus. The punishments for casting aggressively on campus varied from food rationing to expulsion. Since magic had deadly consequences, most students avoided using it outside of personal training or official matches.


    Behngi, Syn, and Marin were desperate for more practice but didn¡¯t want to die or risk expulsion. To be more specific, Behngi and Marin didn¡¯t want to risk death. Syn apparently wouldn¡¯t have feared being on the receiving end of Behngi¡¯s sparks or Marin¡¯s flurry of elements.


    The trio decided on a two-pronged approach to their practice. They would spend equal time reviewing records of how mages fought in wars and any other recorded battles in the library. They would also go to the vast forest around Spire to test spell accuracy and potency.


    Today was one of those days when the three mages went into the forest and practiced spellcasting at full power. Of course, since Behngi and Syn could quickly spark the fallen leaves and light up the entire forest, some precautions were taken.


    Marin was the first to practice. She made a canteloupe-sized orb of water and threw it with the push spell to hit a tree at the trunk. Next, Marin closed the distance on the tree and pushed cold. Marin was slow to cast and slow to approach the tree, resulting in a slow freeze of the water trickling down the bark.


    Syn clapped at Marin. Practicing two schools of magic and successfully casting two spells with any synergy was terrific. This combination of spells could be devastating in an official match against an Aeromancer or Electromancer. Behngi had a more productive response.


    Behngi reviewed the iced tree trunk and then smiled. ¡°You could be more effective if you put more mana into the ice spell. It would increase your range and potency.¡±


    Marin scratched her head. The ice spell and the cooling temperature of fall made her stressed sigh visible. ¡°How do I do that?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Until you can control elements with your will, your body is the best way to increase mana flow. Be prepared to put out a fire. I will demonstrate.¡± Behngi warned.


    Behngi focused on the frozen tree. He gestured a cast to push electricity, and a bolt of electricity burst out from his palm and struck the ice on the tree. ¡°If you just cast the spell and stand still¨C your mind will be complacent with the flow of mana, and it will be weak.¡±


    Behngi began casting the electricity spell again, but he cradled it in his palm first. As he cast the push cantrip, he rocketed his hand forward. This time, the bolt of lightning struck the tree with enough force to create a small explosion of sparks. ¡°When you move your body with the spell, your mind tells your mana stores that the spell should be stronger, so it is. This is why the coaches have us spar for two hours every day. The more effort put into your movement, the more mana can be put into a spell.¡±


    Syn added, ¡°So if you punch the spell out, it will be stronger, and the harder you punch, the bigger the spell is.¡±


    ¡°The downside is mana loss?¡± Marin asked, thinking she understood.


    Behngi nodded his approval. ¡°Yes, but the mana goes into the spell. It is only lost if the spell becomes stronger than you wanted.¡±


    Marin returned to the tree and threw water at it. Then, instead of sprinting forward, she cast cold and pushed it out with a solid, practiced punch. The water struck the tree, and then, as it splashed out, the cold spread over it. The cold froze the water on the spot, creating what looked like an exploding knot of Ice.


    ¡°Paph¡¯s Staff, dude. You got it first try! Woahwhee!¡± Syn shouted. ¡°You do that to a limb, and that person won¡¯t be able to dodge anythin¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I feel like I need a nap, though,¡± Marin said, sitting down and beginning to meditate like Aellaria had demonstrated those first weeks at Spire.


    ¡°Take a rest. I will do a controlled burn for a bit. After a few days, we will have a nice clearing to practice in.¡± Syn said excitedly.


    Behngi nervously added, ¡°Try to be ready if there is a fire, Marin. Syn seems a little too excited to burn some trees.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Behngi! I ain¡¯t that excited. My control has gotten pretty good.¡± Syn said, but she couldn¡¯t hide her wide smile.


    In fact, Syn¡¯s control was pretty good. Instead of lighting an entire tree on fire, Syn localized a fire into a concentrated point near the base. Once the base was weakened, she summoned enough effort for an explosion on the opposite end. After some cracking, the tree fell safely away from the trio.


    Marin looked at Behngi. ¡°I''m sorry if this is insensitive, but don¡¯t your people cherish trees and nature?¡±


    Behngi nodded, ¡°Humans raised me, but even in elven society, only the wood elves cherish the trees. The deep elves of Arcane even look down on the ideals of wood elves. I am a high elf or a pride elf.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you for telling me,¡± Marin said. She appreciated how Behngi explained things simply without making her feel ignorant or stupid.


    After about three trees, Syn joined Marin and Behngi, her own mana also running low. ¡°I have a new idea!¡± Syn declared as she sat down next to Marin. ¡°How about we have a bonfire with the cool kids from our class? Maybe you could introduce me to that Rone girl you¡¯ve been sparring with.¡±


    ¡°That could be fun¡­ Maybe as a reward to ourselves for practicing adequately?¡± Behngi suggested.


    ¡°Yeah, I will introduce you to Rone if we can go next week without burning something down,¡± Marin added.


    Syn cheered. ¡°Whoo! Then, I will get another barrel of cider. We can have some real fun.¡±


    Marin sighed. ¡°Is it smart for us to be drinking? During a bonfire?¡± The last couple of attempts at social drinking had ended poorly.


    ¡°All you can do at a bonfire is drink. What else would you do?¡±


    Marin chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Our patron deity is the god of fire. You could pray for strength and luck.¡±


    ¡°I think Phoenix wants us to have some fun. There ain¡¯t nothing more fun than flirting with cute girls. Phoenix would be grateful I am doin¡¯ it all before the flame,¡± Syn said in a sing-songy voice.


    Marin gasped, ¡°That is sacrilege! You think Phoenix is a pervert?¡±


    Syn laughed loudly. ¡°Of course. Phoenix was a human man, and all human men are perverts. Most women are perverts, too!¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t immediately respond. She actually hadn¡¯t thought about it that way. Does a god still even feel like a human after they ascend? Marin had always believed that Father Phoenix, Mother Tillia, and the rest of the human pantheon of gods were above their basic human desires. ¡°I don¡¯t think gods think the way people do. At least, I don¡¯t think there is any evidence of that.¡±


    Behngi chimed in. ¡°Aro¡¯s the goddess of love, lust, and attraction,¡± he said.


    Marin took a moment to understand Behngi¡¯s point. If human feelings didn¡¯t exist for gods, their domains would be meaningless. Marin responded, ¡°Love has to start somewhere. Aro is the spark that starts the lifelong pairing.¡±


    Syn blew a raspberry, ¡°Have you seen the priestesses of Aro? Those women ain¡¯t about lifelong pairing, and I appreciate that attitude.¡± Syn said, strutting around, pretending to billow imaginary skirts.


    Her antics made all three of them laugh. ¡°I have never seen a priestess of Aro like that. Are you sure?¡± Marin asked.


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    ¡°Definitely, I have studied the subject extensively,¡± Syn said before giggling herself breathless. She leaned against Marin¡¯s tree, requiring its support to sustain her through her fit of laughter.


    After Syn finished taking down the third tree, the three apprentice sorcerers decided to rest. Marin still needed to improve at clearing her mind, and Behngi was not comfortable practicing Electromancy with a clearing that was this small.


    The air became increasingly crisp as the sun approached the horizon, but Marin wanted to get at least a bit more practice before she called it. ¡°Maybe I could try to push these trees with the wind off to a side in the clearing?¡±


    Behngi made some mental calculations. He ultimately decided that Aeromancy was not the efficient solution Marin hoped for. ¡°You would want to use Aeromancy for movement, flying, dispersion, and with weaponry. Air isn¡¯t the best with raw power. If you made a blade of ice and started trimming, it could make rolling those logs more manageable.¡±


    Marin thought for a moment. She decided Aeromancy could be practiced much easier at Spire and was not a good choice for this session. ¡°I''ll give it a shot¡­¡± Marin said as she approached the felled logs. She cast the simplest cantrip to form some water and then spent an almost embarrassing amount of time freezing the water and creating a blade. Marin could feel how sharp and brittle the little knife was.


    Marin thought this could have combat potential if it didn¡¯t take her thirty seconds to form water, freeze water, and then shape the ice. However, her efforts were rewarded when she ran the length of her ice knife against the log. Using a cantrip, she magically commanded the blade to run along the tree''s base. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Marin said victoriously.


    ¡°Well done!¡± Syn said.


    The ice knife wasn¡¯t the greatest tool for working with the tree. The blade chipped and shattered, and Marin had to keep reforming it. The practice was needed, so Marin kept at it.


    Marin was so engrossed with the task that when the bolt of lightning hit where she was working, she just stood there confused. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked over to ask Behngi why he did that, but Syn was already upon her.


    Syn charged Marin and picked the smaller mage up and onto her shoulder. There was a sound like the crack of a whip, and Marin felt warmth on her cheek.


    Marin looked on in horror as a bark-encrusted monstrosity crawled out of the tree. It was about three feet tall, and now it was staggering its way in between Behngi and where Syn was holding Marin. It had a long wooden limb that slithered back into its bark-covered form. ¡°A monster?¡± Marin said, her voice dumb with surprise.


    Marin heard another burst of electricity and saw that Behngi was trying to get its attention to stop it from chasing Syn. The light from the lightning landing made it easier to see the size and form of the creature. It reminded Marin of a crab. Its carapace was about six feet wide, and instead of claws, it had a pair of barbed whips. The last thing Marin noticed was that it moved using dozens of stubby wooden limbs that wriggled almost randomly beneath its frame.


    Somehow, this wriggling resulted in efficient and dangerous locomotion. After being struck by lightning, the monster lashed out at Behngi and wrapped a branch around his ankle. With a quick movement, the barbs along the flexible branch tore at the skin on Behngi¡¯s ankle, and he fell back.


    ¡°What is that thing!¡± Marin shouted. When she realized Behngi was injured, she screamed, ¡°Behngi! Syn! Behngi needs help!¡± Her cries for Syn¡¯s attention were accompanied by slapping the shoulder of the girl carrying her away.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Syn shouted. She stopped running and set Marin down. Syn then started casting her own spells and threw a couple of small bolts of flame toward the creature. It recoiled, but only long enough for Behngi to limp further away.


    Knowing one of its prey was injured, the creature didn¡¯t change targets again. It instead followed Behngi. The dozens of wriggling legs pounded the dirt with each shift of the giant creature¡¯s flat body.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nature revenant!¡± Behngi shouted as he futilely hobbled away from the advancing creature. Despite its apparent wooden form, Syn¡¯s fire wasn¡¯t catching on the creature. She had to get even closer to unleash a hotter spray of fire.


    Marin ran through the forest to get to Behngi to help him run. She focused on the situation, knowing that this was the type of threat she would face if she became a real master sorcerer.


    The wooden revenant swung one of its long arms toward Behngi, but Behngi ducked, and the limb wrapped around a birch tree instead. As the monster violently pulled its limb back, birch bark exploded from the tree.


    Syn closed the gap, opened her palms, and bathed the revenant in flames. The bark started to catch this time, and the wooden creature screeched with an unnatural whistling sound.


    Marin grabbed Behngi and helped him get a little bit further. Standing between Behngi and the monster, she formed an ice knife before launching it at the creature. The blade ineffectually shattered against its tough bark.


    Syn¡¯s major weakness with her casting was her lack of visibility. The cone of fire completely blocked her vision, and she didn¡¯t realize the creature had her until it was too late.


    The barbed limb wrapped around both of Syn¡¯s ankles and pulled Syn¡¯s muscular legs closed, throwing her off balance, and she fell while it bound her tighter. The shock caused her to dismiss the fire, and Syn instead used her limbs to try to kick and drag herself away from the monster.


    The monster glowed where Syn¡¯s fire had caught. Making it look like an angry chunk of glowing charcoal. The only indicator of this creature having a front was when its maw creaked open as it pulled Syn closer. It was going to eat the Pyromancer, and as it pulled Syn closer, it wrapped more of its barbed limb around her legs. Each successive bind snuffed embers of hope that Marin clung to¡ªhope Syn would make it out alive.


    Behngi and Marin kept casting. Knives of ice and bolts of lightning struck the creature, but nothing worked. It had a single goal: It was going to eat Syn.


    ¡°No no nonono¡­¡± Behngi said as he stepped forward; this time, he gave it his all on a full cast of lightning bolts. He threw an open palm at the creature, and many arcs of lightning landed, sending electricity scratching across its front and side.


    It was not enough.


    The revenant glowed even brighter now, and Syn turned to try to cast something. As she raised her hands to cast, the other revenant limb wrapped around them. Syn was effectively hogtied, and as the creature pulled her the last couple of feet, Syn struggled futilely. The whistling noise emanating from the creature''s core got louder and louder as its jaws opened.


    Behngi was out of mana. He gave it his all, but he couldn¡¯t save Syn.


    The revenant pulled Syn''s arms and legs away from each other. In her fear, Marin imagined the creature looked at Syn like a hungry child would look at a well-seasoned buttered ear of corn.


    Syn wasn¡¯t what entered the creature¡¯s mouth, however. Marin sprinted forward and threw her hands down with all of her might. Just before the monster tore into Syn, a massive ice wedge entered its maw. Marin put so much effort into the push spell that it didn¡¯t just keep its mouth full. The wedge drove deep into the creature''s body before passing out the far side in an explosion of wood and ice.


    <h2>Syn</h2>


    The crab-like monster went limp, and Syn collapsed onto a bed of dried fall leaves and dirt. Behngi limped over, watching the creature. It was dead. He began helping Syn unwrap from its flexible branches. ¡°Syn, are you okay?¡±


    Syn¡¯s hands came free easily enough, but her legs were covered in deep cuts and scratches. She could stand, but somehow, her legs were more functional than Behngi¡¯s torn ankle.


    ¡°Marin, that was absolutely insane. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m alive¨C¡± Syn said as she turned to thank Marin. However, Marin had put so much effort into the spell that she was sleeping on the forest floor. Marin had been taken by mana exhaustion.


    Syn tried to ignore the pain in her limbs as she leaned down and picked Marin up for the second time that evening. Syn then led Behngi as they cautiously started walking toward Phoenix¡¯s flame that glowed atop Spire.

 Chapter 31: Blessed Silence

    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin woke up in the infirmary. Cryonolon, the master healer, was still there and was more than happy to repeat the lecture he had given Syn and Behngi earlier. Marin was embarrassed at realizing that if it hadn¡¯t been for her being so caught up in her practice, she would have been aware of Syn and Behngi warning her about the impending danger emerging from the fallen trees.


    ¡°Until you are certified for monster hunting, always run.¡± Cryonolon chastised for the third time. ¡°How did you upset a revenant anyway? What were you doing?¡±


    No one replied immediately, but Behngi and Marin looked to Syn to explain. Syn hid her face in embarrassment for a second before responding. ¡°I was just practicin¡¯ fire magic on some trees. I only did three trees! How was I supposed to know some bark crab was gonna try to eat us!¡± Syn seemed almost on the verge of tears when she finally asked, ¡°Are we in trouble?¡±


    Cryonolon sighed and stroked his beard, ¡°No, you aren¡¯t in trouble. You are adults and made choices you thought you needed to for learning and practice. The tree revenant was an unlucky unforeseen circumstance, but you must know that this is a risk you take with old forests like the ones around Spire.¡± Cryonolon sat down on one of the beds as he finished his explanation.


    ¡°Master Cryonolon?¡± Marin asked before the old Cryomage looked down at her. ¡°Where did it come from? How do we know where monsters like that are?¡±


    ¡°Young Miss Marin, monsters can be almost anywhere for any reason. They are the souls of the departed who hold onto the hatred from their lives. They can¡¯t move on, so they anchor themselves here. The romantic old soul in me wants to speculate that this revenant was a student of Spire who died. They loved the forest here, but they hated something else more. Something like reckless young students who destroy nature.¡±


    Marin responded, ¡°But I saw it almost rip a tree in half.¡±


    Master Cryonolon stood up. ¡°Let this be a lesson to you, Miss Marin. It would have been happy if it had killed you and burned down the forest in the process. Hatred isn¡¯t rational. That¡¯s why we call them monsters. Sip on your potions, and then get some rest, kids.¡±


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria couldn¡¯t deny one simple fact. Marin was a comforting presence. As much as Aellaria disliked sharing the space. As much as Aellaria hated when she had to hold herself back for Marin, as much as she hated Marin¡¯s weakness, it didn¡¯t matter. Not once, but twice now, Marin had brought Aellaria back to reality.


    There was something about Marin¡¯s country innocence. Marin had an almost infinite pool of patience regarding Aellaria, even when Aellaria didn¡¯t deserve it.


    Aellaria was caught between Zenithor¡¯s fury and Lilium¡¯s fear. One moment, she just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. These feelings of Lilium¡¯s only stoked Zenithor¡¯s anger. The next moment, Aellaria needed to open the dorm room door and hunt Callo down like an animal. On top of that, Aellaria kept seeing, hearing, and feeling things that weren¡¯t real.


    Aellaria¡¯s only coping mechanism was Marin. Marin was just so simple. So real.


    Aellaria hated this feeling. This need to rely on something else was revolting, and why Aellaria brewed her first poison for herself. Until now, alchemy was only for concoctions, potions, and poultices. It was the crutch that would harden Aellaria into the vision Zenithor had. However, Lilium¡¯s memories were breaks in her hull and threatened to sink Aellaria¡ªdespite their love for Lilium, Aellaria and Zenithor had to forget to continue.


    It was called the forgetful poison, designed to force the body to forget the bad memories the mind focused on. This poison was commonly used to help mitigate the ¡®realness¡¯ of trauma.


    Now, the batch of poison-filled tubes sat in front of her alongside an empty journal, quill, and freshly prepared glue.


    One final painful hurdle stood in front of Aellaria: the journal. She had to relive Lilium''s memories one more time and record every detail.


    Aellaria drank the first vial and started thinking about and writing Lilium¡¯s memories: what it felt like to meet Callo, what it felt like to be protected by Callo, how Callo made Lilium feel normal, and how Callo made Lilium feel special. Aellaria wrote every detail, putting it out in the journal. As the memories were recorded to the page in ink, the poison acted as an eraser¡ªscrubbing all traces of Lilium from Aellaria¡¯s mind.


    It was risky, but Aellaria felt that the poison was wearing off. She downed another vial and wrote quickly.


    Tears flowed from Aellaria¡¯s eyes as she relived what it felt like for Lilium¡¯s heart to be shattered by Callo. Aellaria transcribed every heartbreaking word from Callo¡¯s lips, every plea made by Lilium, and every thought as Lilium lay destroyed outside of Callo¡¯s estate.


    Then Aellaria thought of the moments that hurt her personally. When, in her rage, she sent Marin to the infirmary and publicly defeated Syn.


    Before it was all gone, Aellaria turned to the blank page before the journal entry and wrote a straightforward line to title the passage.


    ¡®Callo deserves a painful end.¡¯


    As the memories faded and the tears began to dry, Aellaria watched those words. The words spoke an undeniable truth, but they no longer carried the pain. It was euphoria. The voices of Lilium and Zenithor were finally calmed. Aellaria couldn¡¯t feel Lilium at all anymore.


    Relieved, Aellaria dipped a finger into the glue and ran it along the edge of the pages¨C sealing Lilium away. Once the glue dried, Aellaria dropped the journal into the dimensional pouch and relaxed.


    It felt like Lilium had died again. The rational part of Aellaria knew that Lilium was just an echo of memories being relived, but it was so real. Aellaria took most of the night to reflect, and even the feeling of Lilium¡¯s death faded to a silhouette in her mind.


    When she looked at Lilium¡¯s memories of Callo, Aellaria knew that something profound affected her, but all that remained was the knowledge that it hurt enough to need removal. That Callo deserved his fall and more.


    Zenithor was still there¡ªthe most brilliant mind in spell crafting and thaumaturgy ever to exist. However, now it felt like there was a crack in her brain. Aellaria¡¯s mind used to be Zenithor¡¯s. Lilium changed that with the invitation of her memories. Aellaria was Zenithor, but now Aellaria knew she wasn¡¯t just Zenithor. Maybe something new was created the day Aellaria woke up.


    By now, Aellaria could write a treatise on souls that would forever change how the world viewed life and death. However, Aellaria knew it didn¡¯t matter if humans learned from Zenithor¡¯s soul. It was human destiny to find the most efficient route toward catastrophe. Nihility wins.


    Aellaria recalled Zenithor¡¯s life before marrying Celia. After living among the elves for decades, Zenithor returned to Element, intent on teaching everyone everything he had learned from Arcane¨Cabout enchanting artificial intelligence, enchanted tattoos, and creating teleportation circles.


    These should have been magical discoveries that changed the world. They should have been launching points for magical discoveries over the next century. They weren¡¯t.


    The artificial intelligence enchantment affected the caster. Rather than creating an arcane assistant to help with spell casting and running down creative paths, most sorcerers used the arcane assistants to develop friends or worse. Emotionally connecting with a manufactured mind easily caused mental collapse, and the whole practice was considered taboo.


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    Enchantment tattoos may have been the most significant real success story. Runes of spells used to enhance the body, like flight, stone skin, or way of water, could be tattooed on the skin for faster casting. If the tattoo was made with a special ink by an enchanter, it could significantly save on mana use. However, this was an uncommon practice due to pattern restrictions since it would require a person to tattoo themselves. Those tattooing magical runes on their body were prone to mistakes, and many mistakes when working with enchantments were extremely deadly.


    Finally, there was the teleportation circle. The teleportation circle would allow hubs to be created for instantaneous permanent travel. This should have changed the trajectory of humankind forever. However, sorcerers and the Wizards College deemed it too much of a security risk for these to be created, activated, and maintained for free. Due to the rarity of properly trained sorcerers and wizards, this required expensive fees for anyone to even use the rings. The only people rich enough to teleport were royalty and the merchant class, who could manipulate markets.


    Human lust, fear, and greed poisoned the gifts Zenithor spent forty years decoding from the elves. After these failures, Zenithor decided it was time to focus on his own happiness. He had just enough of his life left to start a family and try to pass these wonders on to a better generation.


    Aellaria had lost track of time and almost jumped when Marin entered the room. When Marin closed the door, Aellaria said, ¡°Good evening. You are quite late.¡±


    Marin fell into bed and smiled at Aellaria, ¡°I killed a monster. It was really¡­ scary. You feeling better?¡± Marin asked, her face reading surprise.


    Of course, she would look surprised; Aellaria had just spent weeks mostly ignoring Marin. Now, she was up late, initiating conversation with the lottery apprentice. Aellaria returned a surprised look of her own. ¡°You killed a monster? What was it?¡± Aellaria asked. Monsters were rare around Spire since it was essentially a factory for future monster slayers.


    Marin sat up against the wall, crossing her legs and arms proudly. ¡°I killed a Nature Revenant.¡±


    Aellaria laughed. Mirroring Marin¡¯s posture, ¡°I killed a Nature Revenant, Then I killed a troll. By Phoenix¡¯s ashes, I swear on my way home, I slayed a dragon.¡± Aellaria said, laughing hard enough to make the tip of her hat sway back and forth.


    Marin scooted forward on her bed and whined, ¡°I did! It was going to eat Syn like corn, so I impaled it!¡±


    Marin¡¯s tone and response only made the situation funnier for Aellaria. The floppy hat fell off and rolled onto the floor as Aellaria tried to slow the runaway carriage of her laughter. ¡°It could have been a stump!¡±


    ¡°No! I almost died. I had mana exhaustion, and if I hadn¡¯t killed it, I would¡¯ve been gobbled right up.¡± Marin pleaded.


    ¡°Did you get it¡¯s core?¡± Aellaria challenged. She felt joy and expressed it with a playful smirk. ¡°If you killed a nature revenant, you should have its core.¡±


    ¡°Core?¡± Marin asks.


    Aellaria felt better. Teaching was Zenithor¡¯s passion, and being able to teach someone something new made her feel more at peace, even if just a little bit. ¡°Cores are believed to be the remains of the person''s soul that caused the monster. A Nature Revenant should have had one.¡±


    ¡°What does the core do? Why do people think it''s the soul?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°The only proof of a soul, or an existence after the body, comes from two places¡ªthe existence of monsters and the ascension of gods. Monsters don¡¯t use the physical body of the deceased, but we know from the monster¡¯s memories that they were people. Gods don''t have physical bodies either, at least not the ones they had when they were people.¡±


    Marin nodded, but Aellaria felt most of this was in one ear and out the other. Then Aellaria chastised herself for thinking poorly of Marin. ¡®She wasn¡¯t dumb, just uneducated.¡¯


    ¡°We think cores are the remnants of the soul because they only appear inside monsters, and we know that they contain memories from generally troubled people already dead.¡±


    ¡°Who are ¡®we¡¯?¡± Marin asked. ¡°Are you a Soul scholar? What do the cores do?¡± Marin asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It''s a bad habit I got from my master. The correct term is Spiritual Thaumaturge.¡± Aellaria paused briefly. Cores are precious little marbles inside monsters. They are valuable because if someone with talent absorbs them, they can awaken the innate chaotic magic in that person¡¯s body. This is why there is no way you could kill a Nature Revenant and leave its body in the woods. That core could be worth tens of thousands of gold.¡±


    Marin looked like she was about to cry, and that is when Aellaria became certain Marin¡¯s story was not a Jest Tale. ¡°How in the world did you kill a Nature Revenant?¡± Aellaria asked. Unless Syn became a much better fighter than Aellaria remembered, there shouldn¡¯t have been any reasonable way for the trio to defeat the mighty monster.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you can help me get that core,¡± Marin said, knowing that thousands of gold was enough to bring prosperity to her family¡¯s farm.


    ¡°I will help you get the core if you tell me how you defeated the monster.¡± Aellaria countered. She trusted Marin but wanted to know precisely how a weak mage could perform such a feat before committing to a nighttime adventure.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Marin said. She then retold the entire afternoon''s events. Practicing with water and cold, Syn burning down trees, and fighting with the Nature Revenant.


    Aellaria thought for a moment. ¡°Can you show me the technique you used?¡±


    Marin took a moment to summon a small amount of water before freezing it. She then cast the push spell to drive it down into the carpet. ¡°Like that, but it was¡­¡± Marin mimed, holding a box that was a couple of feet wide.


    ¡°Well, I got to see this for myself,¡± Aellaria said, sitting up. She reached down and scooped up her hat. When Aellaria looked up, she saw that Marin had an excited look on her face. ¡°What?¡±


    Marin looked like she was about to pop. She hopped to her feet. ¡°A midnight excursion with my favorite roommate¡­. I thought you hated me, and now we are going on an illicit adventure.¡±


    ¡°We are adults, Marin, and we are allowed to leave at night. Nothing about this excursion can be described as ¡®illicit.¡¯ We just can¡¯t come back in until sunrise.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°Illicit adventure with Aellaria,¡± Marin said again happily.


    ¡°Stop saying that.¡±


    ¡°If I say it again, will you not go on the adventure with me?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°If you keep saying we¡¯re going on illicit adventures, I will kick you right in your ass.¡±


    Marin could¡¯ve died that night, but still, Aellaria saw pure joy in the young woman¡¯s face as she debated internally whether an injury was worth teasing Aellaria. Finally, Marin nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m ready for Aellaria¡¯s Illicit adventure.¡±

 Chapter 32: Aellaria鈥檚 Illicit Adventure

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Guarding the front gate was the responsibility of one teacher on call, four Junior students, and a dozen guards patrolling the gardens inside the wall. The front portcullis had two of these Juniors, and they were wearing their white robes.


    One of the Juniors, a man covering his face with an enchanted cloth mask, stopped Aellaria and Marin as they approached to leave. ¡°Freshmen, go back to your dorm room. The gate is locked for the night.¡±


    Aellaria led Marin forward, ¡°Curfew is only for letting people back inside. We are allowed to leave as we wish.¡±


    The Junior with the facemask scoffed, the movement making the mask billow out as the breath became visible in the cold night. ¡°Freshmen should stay where it is safe. Death dwells in the dark. You have no reason to make it too easy for your classmates to advance.¡±


    Aellaria responded simply, ¡°We are willing to take the risk.¡±


    The Junior pulled back his hood to scratch his head, showing off a pair of enchanted goggles protruding from a bed of curly orange hair. ¡°You are willing to put in the risk? What is worth that?¡±


    Marin chimed in, ¡°Howdy, I am Marin of Crowfoot Hill. It¡¯s nice to meet you. We are going on Illicit Aellaria Adventures.¡±


    The other guard laughed, an unassuming man with brown hair.


    The man with the goggles chuffed and responded, looking at Marin, ¡°You going to fuck someone¡¯s grandma in the forest?¡±


    ¡°My name is Aellaria.¡± Aellaria stated.


    The goggles on the man''s eyebrows raised with his expression, ¡°Oh¡­. Hello, grandma.¡± He flirted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hit on Freshman. It¡¯s in bad taste, Jeff.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to call me that! I will be a rogue someday, and you can¡¯t just use a rogue''s name,¡± Jeff shouted. ¡°Also, you¡¯ve had the same girlfriend in Misftall since before the academy. Must be easy for you to turn down fresh blood when you aren¡¯t looking, Lunas.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also easy to turn them down when they are lesbians looking for privacy,¡± Lunas responded calmly. ¡°And Fresh Blood? Control yourself, my guy.¡±


    Aellaria hid her face. The whole conversation was so much more than it needed to be. Aellaria wasn¡¯t sure if it would be more effort to correct the record or to just lie for the easy win. She decided to glare daggers at Marin, standing there with her innocent face, grinning ear to ear.


    Marin said again, ¡°Lunas, Jeff, can we go now?¡±


    Jeff turned his attention to the girls, ¡°We won¡¯t be allowed to let you back in until the sun rises in six hours. Unless¡­¡± He tapped his goggles. ¡°You submit to a magical inspection on your return.¡±


    Lunas added, ¡°Save yourselves the hassle, ladies. I¡¯m pretty sure it sees through clothes. Get some rest, and go on a romantic weekend at the falls instead.¡±


    Jeff shouted back, ¡°It sees through everything, including skin. It¡¯s policy. I¡¯m not some degenerate.¡±


    Aellaria said, ¡°Professor Rietta has you use enchantments to let people into the gate despite curfew?¡±


    Jeff responded, ¡°Yes. I made this enchantment myself, and Master Rietta approved it.¡± Aellaria knew that the apprentice rogue may have been goofy, but he could craft solid enchantments if the goggles did what Jeff said they did.


    Aellaria looked at Lunas, and he nodded, ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Lunas begrudgingly added, ¡°Despite his attitude, he is not, in fact, a degenerate.¡±


    Seeing the responsibility and childishness in the two young men reminded her of Zenithor before everything that happened to him. She hoped that the reality in the world didn¡¯t hit them too hard. Then she hoped the two young men wouldn¡¯t graduate and enter the real world as master sorcerers.


    Marin stepped forward beside Aellaria, ¡°I think we¡¯re both ready to go.¡±


    The two Juniors raised the portcullis of Spire¨Crather quickly now¨Cand Marin and Aellaria stepped through.


    Aellaria could hear the two men bickering as Marin summoned a magelight and guided Aellaria toward the recently established clearing.


    Aellaria thought about offering Marin money for her marble. It was a rare find, and the slightest advantage could help Aellaria achieve her grisly goals. However, a part of Aellaria also felt terrible for hurting Marin. She wanted to make it up to Marin through this act of service. If Marin were going to commit to selling the marble, then Aellaria would be ready to purchase it, but only if that was the choice Marin already made. Aellaria didn¡¯t want to influence her friend.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin was excited by the nighttime excursion. However, she became uneasy as they entered the woods. Her magelight bounced with her steps. One of the few reassurances of the darkness around them was the great fire atop the Spire looming overhead. Ozyid¡¯s eye was almost entirely closed above. The Merchant¡¯s moon waned to a sliver and was ready to give way to The Scribe.


    ¡°Can you make it a little brighter?¡± Aellaria asked. ¡°I¡¯m too inefficient to keep a magelight up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Marin said as she increased the mana flow to the magelight. The trees and their shadows cast an eerie effect, making it seem like creatures are dashing around the forest. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t such a great idea.¡±


    ¡°When you slay a monster, you deserve the spoils,¡± Aellaria said.


    Aellaria pressed a hand to Marin¡¯s chest, stopping her.


    The magelight stopped bouncing with Marin¡¯s steps, and Marin was surprised. She looked down to where Aellaria touched her sternum. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Aellaria nodded and pulled out three potions from her belt: one blue and two orange.


    As Marin approached the three downed trees and the dead Nature Revenant, the light continued to play tricks on her. Marin squinted and realized that it looked like the creature was moving. Then Marin saw that Aellaria¡¯s caution was warranted. Something was moving.


    Aellaria stepped toward the movement, prompting Marin to make an urgent little squeak of disapproval.


    Marin tried to see what was happening. It looked like the nature revenant was wiggling, but it didn¡¯t make sense. Maybe something was digging inside of its body? Maybe Cryonolon decided to come out treasure hunting? Then, the movement started to make sense. The trickery of light and perspective started to become understandable. It was two revenants. One was dead, and a second was alive. It was rooting through the body of the dead one with its long barbed branches.


    Marin stood there, panicked. She didn¡¯t even know how she killed the first one, and now there was a second one? She wanted to run away, but Aellaria kept creeping closer. Marin couldn¡¯t properly shout at Aellaria, or the monster would react. For the second time that evening, it felt like Marin was going to see a friend get eaten.


    Marin tried to remember what exactly she did to kill the first revenant. She could feel how the spell drained her before. Marin knew she hadn¡¯t recovered enough mana to hope to be able to conjure a wedge of ice big enough.


    Aellaria only crept closer before casting a spell. Marin caught that it was a wind-based spell. As Marin watched, the revenant opened its mouth and stopped its movements.


    ¡®This is it, it¡¯s about to attack her.¡¯ Marin thought in a panic.


    Then, the creature began making an excited whistling noise. The same noise Marin heard just before the first nature revenant was about to bite into Syn. The creature turned to look at the interloper and seemed to watch Aellaria with its open mouth. The whistling intensified momentarily before Aellaria tossed one of the orange potions toward the revenant. Aellaria cast a second wind spell, and the potion rocketed into the creature''s mouth and shattered. Aellaria turned then and ran back toward Marin.


    Aellaria shouted, ¡°Run!¡± She pulled the stopper off of the mana potion and started drinking it. Marin turned and sprinted back toward the main road, but it was a long way to go, and the creature''s eerie whistling only got louder and closer.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it!¡± Marin shouted, and she realized that Aellaria was faster than her. ¡°Wait! Help!¡± Marin shouted as she saw Aellaria run ahead of her.


    Marin focused on Aellaria¡¯s hat, but the whistling noise only got louder and louder in her ears. Marin¡¯s mind felt the air stirring behind her. The revenant was going to get her. Aellaria disappeared into the darkness ahead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop!¡± Aellaria shouted from somewhere up ahead.


    Then Marin felt it. A lash covered in thorns dragged across her back, throwing Marin off balance. She hopped on her right foot twice, praying to recover her balance, before crashing hard into the forest floor. The magelight floated above her as she was forced to look back at the revenant. Its mouth glowed an angry orange, like a murderous living jack-o-lantern.


    The revenant shifted its mass back, preparing to grab Marin with its long lashes. Then, two stone hooks piston from the ground on either side of the revenant before sinking back in.


    Marin crawled backward, and as she crawled, she bumped into Aellaria. ¡°W-w-where?¡±


    Aellaria looked down at Marin, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Then she tossed the second orange potion into the raging creature''s mouth.


    Marin realized that Aellaria had pulled the creature¡¯s strong, thorned arms deep into the ground¡ªlike two sewing needles treating the monster''s lashes as thread. The monster thrashed against its binds, futilely gnashing its glowing and seeping maw at the two women.


    The orange liquid caught fire in the revenant¡¯s mouth, and the burning liquid spilled out. The whistling noise was literally drowned out as its maw was filled.


    Aellaria tapped Marin with her boot. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I think it hit my back,¡± Marin responded. As she said that, she reached back and felt the torn fabric, but there was no pain.


    Marin stared at the creature as its struggles became weaker and weaker. The glow faded from its body, and many of its legs stopped moving.


    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°How is your back?¡±


    ¡°H-How?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Your back?¡± Aellaria asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I mean. How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Liquid Lava,¡± Aellaria stated as she approached the revenant.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Marin sighed. ¡°Lava is a liquid,¡± She observed dreamily.


    ¡°Come on, Aellaria¡¯s adventure isn¡¯t over. Let¡¯s get those marbles.¡±


    Marin watched in awe as Aellaria cooled the Nature Revenant''s corpse and then pulled a little marble from its body. ¡°How did you kill it?¡±


    ¡°It''s the power of alchemy,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°You should ask Granite Guardian.¡±


    ¡°That''s not what I meant,¡± Marin said as she leaned forward and stood up. Her thoughts started flowing clearly in her head. ¡°I mean. It didn¡¯t act like when we fought the other one earlier.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Aellaria looked at the marble closely and then locked eyes with Marin. After a quiet moment, she sighed and responded, ¡°Monsters like the Nature Revenant operate on instinct. There are ways to trick and trap them using their strengths against them.¡±


    Marin nodded, but as always, it felt like there was something that Aellaria was leaving out.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    It took some encouragement, but Aellaria helped Marin find the original revenant. The clearing was far enough from Spire for the beacon not to provide any significant light, so they continued to rely on Marin¡¯s magic to illuminate the grisly sight.


    Aellaria spoke as Marin searched through the corpse of the revenant for her prize. ¡°It¡¯s still there, and monsters are drawn to the marbles. Some afterlife bullshit that no one understands.¡±


    ¡°You are going to explain things without me asking now?¡± Marin asked, feigning shock. Before Aellaria could respond, Marin added, ¡°Thank you. Please keep going and keep an eye out. I am so scared.¡±


    ¡°No problem¨C will do. Naturally, you would think that this means monsters are drawn to each other and would kill for each other¡¯s marbles. However, the monsters avoid confronting each other for the most part because marbles only form upon death.¡± Aellaria explained.


    Marin found an additional burned-out alcove near the wet exit wound she had created earlier. She must¡¯ve climbed halfway into the revenant¡¯s mouth to reach it. After scooping through some moist ash, she found the marble. ¡°Eugh¡­.I know it¡¯s just wood, ash, and water, but I would take a hard day in the stables over fifteen seconds rooting around in that thing¡¯s mouth.¡±


    Marin walked back to meet up with Aellaria, examining the marble in the magelight. Marin¡¯s robe was coated in wet ash and dirt. ¡°So what exactly does it do?¡±


    Aellaria looked at the marble between her fingers. It seemed so mundane, but it had an undeniable magical lure. As she turned it between two fingers, she saw it was a milky white color, reflecting the magic of the magelight. ¡°It reflects our true selves. What lies behind the chaotic curtains within our pattern.¡±


    Aellaria looked up and saw Marin wanted the less poetic response. Aellaria began walking back toward Spire and waited for Marin to be back at her side before continuing. ¡°You know how there are six efficiencies of elemental magic?¡± Aellaria asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, there are more than just six efficiencies for mana. There are dozens. For emotions, you feel. For the faith you hold in the divine. My body has mana, but I am inefficient with any base elements. It could be that my mana is more potent with one of these other efficiencies, but it would take me years to study and find which ones and how even to begin casting spells with them.¡±


    ¡°Is there¡­ like, a best one?¡±


    ¡°It depends on what you want. A synergy with an element you are efficient and comfortable with is fantastic.¡± Zenithor¡¯s chaotic magic emerged as wind, further enhanced when he used his marble. ¡°However, healers will make the most money by far, and the domains that typically enhance healing are Life, Light, Faith, and Love.¡±


    Aellaria popped her marble into her mouth like a piece of candy.


    Marin looked at her milky white marble as they walked. She only barely caught the tail-end of what Aellaria must have just done. ¡°That¡¯s dirty! Gross!¡±


    ¡°It was just in a tree.¡±


    ¡°A gross dead-person tree!¡±


    ¡°You come from a poor family. I bet you used wooden cooking utensils all the time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different! You can¡¯t just put undead monster marbles in your mouth!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how the body does it. You need to absorb it with willpower, and your body does that easier with ingestion. Unless you learn to manifest your will.¡±


    ¡°I can''t imagine putting this thing in my mouth. I will probably sell mine. The gold would change my family¡¯s lives forever. How much do you think this one is worth?¡±


    ¡°They are all worth the same, and that is whatever some rich asshole will pay for it. Probably enough gold for your family to buy more land and hire workers to build a tower and manor. Then they would still have enough money to hire labor for ten years. However, you would be doing a great disservice to the arcane if you sold it to some lord that probably has no magical capabilities anyway.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work for some people?¡± Marin asked, looking up from her magical marble as they walked through the woods.


    ¡°Right, you need some capability with the arcane to use it. Humans manifest these with the chaotic magic that emerges through puberty. However, some people see these orbs as a second chance at magic when mundane, even when it is implausible.¡±


    ¡°How did you know you had talent then?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°My master saw it in me.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Your master must have been a great sorcerer.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ He had his troubles.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°This would likely not be good use if I sold it then. Except for the money.¡±


    ¡°That is right. There is a chance your body will manifest magic so crazy that you could succeed in school or get rich anyway. Some people like Coach Tilly can run at inhuman speeds or turn their skin to rock like Granite Guardian. This marble is an opportunity that most mages never get.¡±


    Marin looked conflicted as they approached the gate. It was so easy for Aellaria to make the decision, but Marin knew Aellaria had money. ¡°Should I ask Jeff and Lunas?¡±


    ¡°As Juniors, they have probably already enhanced themselves. It couldn¡¯t hurt,¡± Aellaria decided. The slightly older young men acted immaturely but weren¡¯t malicious.


    ¡°Hi! Jeff! Lunas!¡± Marin shouted as she approached the gate.


    ¡°Welcome back, lovebirds,¡± Lunas said casually, waving through the portcullis.


    Marin sauntered to the gate, ¡°Sorry about our deception, but we ain¡¯t lovers. We are monster hunters!¡± Marin shouted triumphantly, holding the marble up as proof of their victory.


    Aellaria looked shocked again. ¡®How does Marin so easily find the worst way of approaching a conversation?¡¯ She asked herself. ¡°By Jest¡¯s testicles, Marin.¡±


    Jeff almost knocked his goggles against the portcullis as he leaned in to get a better look. ¡°Woah! That is pretty fuckin impressive, ladies. What did you bag? A banshee?¡±


    Marin casually looked at her fingernails, eyebrows raised. The mud and soot plastered to her robes betrayed her casual expression. ¡°Just a little Nature Revenant. Nothing too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you peed, Marin.¡± Aellaria taunted, leaning against the wall out of sight of Jeff and Lunas.


    ¡°I did not pee!¡± Marin shouted.


    ¡°Pee, no pee. It is quite an achievement. Congrats. You shouldn¡¯t go monster hunting alone at night, though.¡± Lunas said.


    ¡°Yeah, this will be the last time. It was pretty scary.¡± Marin said, her false bravado disappearing into the frigid night air. ¡°Aellaria thinks I should use the marble. Should I? I was thinking maybe I should sell it.¡±


    ¡°If you have talent and the option to enhance yourself, then you should always use it,¡± Lunas said without hesitation.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t use it, and it turns out you have some amazing chaotic ability, you are missing out.¡± As Jeff talked, his body turned invisible. He then appeared about ten steps back shortly after. ¡°I can turn invisible without casting a single spell and for about ten seconds.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that seems like it would be super useful to a rogue¡­¡± Marin noticed.


    Jeff stood back, making a heroic pose. Just making it to Junior year was a massive feat in the eyes of Freshmen. Now, he was a step above that in Marin¡¯s eyes¡ªa super useful Junior.


    ¡°What can you do?¡± Marin asked Lunas.


    ¡°Well, at the end of my Sophomore year, I still hadn¡¯t slain my first real monster yet. So, I went out to do contracts around home during the summer. I killed a harpie, and its orb allowed me to see outside the eyes of birds I manifest. He closed his eyes, and a tiny hummingbird appeared in front of Marin, hovering in place. Marin saw it turn its head left and right curiously.


    ¡°Aww, it¡¯s so cute!¡± Marin said.


    When Lunas opened his eyes, he smiled. ¡°An earthquake hit my home village not long after, and since I¡¯m not a Geomancer, I had to rely on this little guy to help me find survivors among the rubble. I wouldn¡¯t trade it for all the money in the world. There are many people alive today that wouldn¡¯t be if I had decided to give it away or sell it.¡±


    Marin still seemed unsure but was moved by Lunas¡¯s tale. She gently placed the marble in the pocket of her robes. ¡°Thank you. I will think about it, I guess.¡± Marin knew that everyone was overwhelmingly pointing her toward using it, but she couldn¡¯t commit right now, especially when she was this tired. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get scanned, then I want to rest.¡±


    Jeff didn¡¯t approach. ¡°Are you sure? You don¡¯t want to try them on first and see what they do?¡±


    Marin gave Jeff a playful smile, ¡°I¡¯m having such a good night. I wouldn¡¯t mind whatever you saw.¡±


    Jeff walked up to the portcullis and slid the goggles into place. He looked carefully at Marin. ¡°This one is clean,¡± Jeff reported in a forced professional tone as if he were a mindless drone to the machine that was Spire. ¡°And you?¡± he asked toward Aellaria, who was still out of sight against the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I have a thing about being scanned with unknown enchantments.¡±Aellaria said.


    ¡°I am only checking for magical enchantments and cataloging weaponry. You can see through them if you want,¡± Jeff said. Aellaria started thinking he was proud of his toy and wanted to show off.


    ¡°You said that it sees through skin and stuff. No thanks.¡± Aellaria said.


    Marin looked back at Aellaria. ¡°Are you sure? We have class tomorrow¡­¡± Marin said, not wanting to wait behind with Aellaria but not wanting to leave Aellaria out in the cold.


    ¡°Go on, Marin. I will spend the night on guard with Jeff and Lunas.¡±


    Marin smiled and walked over to Aellaria, embracing her in a hug. The hug was visible to Jeff so that he could confirm nothing was being smuggled into the campus under the cover of friendship. ¡°Thank you for everything tonight, Aellaria. When you aren¡¯t beating the shit out of me, you are the best.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Marin. Have a good night.¡±


    The portcullis raised, and the proud Marin sauntered back into Spire. Aellaria could have sworn she saw Marin give Jeff an encouraging look as she made her way to the great doors of Spire.


    Aellaria spent the rest of the evening with Jeff and Lunas. It wasn¡¯t for any modesty reasons that she stayed behind. She knew that if Jeff or Lunas saw the dimensional pocket on her waist, it would need to be searched. There was a lot of money on her person, and surrounding this gold was evidence of who she was, what she would be doing, and what she had already done.

 Chapter 33: Tilly Cries

    <h2>Marin, Friday, Merchantus 34th</h2>


    Marin spent the rest of the week mentally preparing to confront Garrus, the Aeromancer. She studied everything she could about Garrus, listened to everything Rone could tell her about Garrus, and interviewed the mage who defeated Garrus on the first day of classes. Marin even prioritized countering Aeromancers when studying with Syn and Behngi. Garrus was the first step of many that Marin would need to take to stay at Spire.


    There was always a reason not to take that step, always an unknown she wanted to prepare for. Garrus was a myth built up in Marin¡¯s mind. Finally, Marin gave Rone the wrong excuse as the two women sparred: ¡°I can¡¯t fight Garrus. I would have to do it during gym, and there¡¯s no way Tilly would let me.¡±


    Rone smirked and raised a hand. Today, she wore green wraps around her chest, the same color as her class robes. ¡°Coach Tilly?! I have a question!¡±


    Tilly turned to face Rone and shouted, ¡°Yeah, what is it?¡±


    ¡°What do we do if we want to challenge a boy for their rank?¡± Rone asked innocently.


    ¡°Fuckin! Crush ¡®em!¡± Tilly shouted back, punching a fist into her palm


    ¡°Can we do it now?¡±


    This question visibly piqued Tilly¡¯s interest. At an inhuman speed, she sprinted over. She huddled up with Rone and Marin on their sparring mat. ¡°Rone, I would love you forever if you were the first this year to strut into Coach Berry¡¯s class and knock one of his dildoes down a peg.¡±


    Marin hid her face, waiting for the inevitable response.


    ¡°See, Marin, nothing is stopping you from going across the hall now and challenging that boy,¡± Rone said cheerily.


    ¡°You got a goal, little gal?¡± Coach Tilly asked Marin.


    Marin felt too small for this, but the social pressure was too much for her. ¡°I want to challenge the next lowest rank so I am no longer at the bottom.¡±


    ¡°Then answer me this, Marin.¡± Coach Tilly grabbed Marin by the shoulders and stared at her with intense auburn eyes. ¡°Are you fucking ready?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am?¡± Marin responded, unsure.


    ¡°Now, you are going to do me a favor, and kick that boy¡¯s ass, and tell me the look on Berry¡¯s face when you do it. If you come back a failure, your lap count increases by fifty, and you will spar an extra hour with me.¡±


    Marin thought she would cry, but Tilly guided her to the door. The coach didn¡¯t leave her domain but stared at Marin intently, waiting for her to step across the hall to the other gym where the first-year boys were sparring.


    Marin stepped forward, and Tilly gave her an encouraging clap. ¡°Get some!¡±


    Marin entered the boy''s gym class and was quickly met by Coach Berry. Coach Berry was quite handsome, and the first thing Marin noticed was how his smile looked on his perfectly chiseled jawline. As Coach Berry closed the distance, she realized she would have to look almost straight up to see his piercing blue eyes.


    Behind Berry¡¯s formidable sculpted frame were young men mirroring the sparring done on the lady''s side of the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m Coach Berry. What do you have for me?¡± Berry asked of Marin, but then he saw Tilly across the hall smirking. ¡°Oh, Hi Tilly. Is today the day?¡±


    ¡°You bet your ass it is. She said she wants to obliterate your lowest in class.¡± Tilly says, pointing at Marin.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Marin started, but the rival coaches had already begun to banter.


    ¡°Then that means this is your lowest in class.¡± He looked down at Marin again. ¡°Not the most impressive fight to start the year off Tilly. No offense.¡±


    ¡°None taken¡­¡± Marin whispered.


    Tilly spoke over Marin, "If you want an interesting fight, then convince Samwen to find the courage to take on Terra or any of the five men sitting just below her.¡±


    ¡°Let''s make this exciting then,¡± Berry said with a charismatic grin. ¡°Bring your girls over here. Let them watch the fight.¡±


    ¡°Nice try, Berry. My girls are doing real sparring here. To the fucking limit. That''s why you¡¯ll be seeing your boys leaving at the end of the year. The first domino to fall will be the boy Marin mercilessly mangles.¡± Tilly made a motion implying disfiguring and breaking bones with her hands.


    Berry laughed and left Marin standing in the doorway as he ran off toward a short man wearing a green tunic. The bald and underweight-looking boy then ran over to the edge of the class and started collecting some items.


    Berry shouted to Marin from the central stage, ¡°Mary, was it? Get over here. Men gather around. We have a duel.¡±


    The large sparring ring at the center of the class looked more intimidating than the one in Tilly¡¯s class, despite being the same. Marin instantly regretted this choice. It was a foreign room, and the men of her class looked at her like they were appraising her value. Marin locked eyes with Behngi, and he gave her a reassuring thumbs-up.


    Marin and Garrus watched each other as they approached the central sparring ring. Marin saw that Garrus held a wooden hollow tube about four feet long. It looked like a massive flute you could stick your arm inside¡ªlike one of those tubes that scribes would use to store scrolls and paintings.


    Seeing the challenge, the rest of the men slowly made their way to the ring''s edges. The sounds of sparring had entirely faded and were replaced by the idle chatter of a crowd growing with excitement. Even if these were the two lowest ranks in the class, there was a narrative here. Who was the least deserving Freshman?


    Marin hopped up onto the raised platform and watched Garrus closely. He looked sleepy. Now, they just needed to wait for a healer, and it would start.


    Marin was the first to speak, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this. I just need more experience.¡±


    Garrus responded with a gentle and wispy voice. ¡°You should¡¯ve aimed higher. I really don¡¯t want to have to hurt a girl.¡±


    Just that simple exchange started to humanize Garrus in her mind. He wasn¡¯t some mythical figure. He wasn¡¯t a hurdle for her to overcome. He was just a guy with a stick. As Marin watched Garrus, she could finally tune out the new atmosphere, the eyes on her, and the impending struggle. Marin countered, ¡°I will cut off limbs and still sleep like a baby tonight.¡±


    Garrus laughed hoarsely, ¡°Yeah, okay. I won¡¯t feel so bad for this then.¡± He lifted the giant flute-like tube.


    ¡°No casting until my mark.¡± Coach Berry warned. He activated some kind of magic that encased the raised platform.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Marin asked, pointing to the shimmering barrier.


    ¡°It¡¯s a protective barrier to ensure stray projectiles or spells don¡¯t hit the rest of the class.¡± Coach Berry thought for a moment. ¡°Surely, Tilly is using the barrier for every match the girls have had?¡±


    Marin shook her head. Marin wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Tilly thought an onlooker who wasn¡¯t prepared to dodge an attack deserved to get hit. Marin felt thankful to have learned that lesson with the comparatively compassionate Coach Berry in the boys'' classroom.


    A healer entered the gym shortly after. The Junior¡¯s white robes were stained red with blood on the sleeves. However, Marin didn¡¯t have time to contemplate why the woman would be covered in blood.


    ¡°Mary, are you ready?¡± Berry asked.


    ¡°Marin is ready,¡± Marin corrected.


    ¡°Garrus, are you ready?¡± Berry asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Garrus said, holding his large tube in both hands.


    ¡°Fight!¡± Coach Berry shouted.


    Marin and Garrus cast simultaneously. Marin pulled up a thick sheet of water and placed it between her and Garrus.


    At the same time, Garrus cast a wind spell, and Marin felt pain in her calf. She dropped to her knee in pain and Garrus cast again. Marin¡¯s water shield was up in time, and the projectile exploded through it, losing almost all momentum. Marin looked down quickly to see the projectile, a wooden ball the size of her fist.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Marin flexed her injured leg and winced. She didn¡¯t think it could hold her weight right now. She was trapped.


    Marin used one hand to hold the water shield in place and then used her other hand to begin freezing a fist-sized ball of ice.


    Garrus had her wounded. He just needed to get around the shield. ¡°You can yield.¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t!¡± Marin shouted as she launched the hidden, frozen ball from the shield she had created. It surprised Garrus; the center mass hit was enough to wind Garrus. He backpedaled away from Marin, but she was already preparing more ice.


    Garrus instinctively tried to push himself out of danger using wind but wasn¡¯t fast enough to dodge the onslaught of ice chunks. The next hit his shoulder, but the force wasn¡¯t enough to disarm him.


    Freeze, Push, Freeze, Push, Freeze, Push. Marin continued to weave with her right hand. With each push, she punched forward, forcing the chunk of ice with all sparable effort. Marin used her shield as ammunition as she crouched behind it.


    Garrus fired another ball from his tube, striking the freezing ball Marin was preparing. Shards of ice and freezing water erupted from the shield, pelting Marin''s face, fist, and chest. Marin was surprised and dazed. She stopped spell-crafting with her right hand and instead pumped more and more water into the shield she was holding.


    Marin chanced a moment to look down at her leg. It felt wet, which was no surprise with the amount of water she had summoned, but the water below her was pink, and the pain in her leg was becoming too much to ignore.


    ¡°An Aquamancer and a Cryomancer. You surprised me with that ice, but now I can use it against you.¡± As Garrus spoke, he watched Marin and slowly cast a wind spell to pick up one of the spent wooden balls that had rolled back toward him. Garrus dropped the ball back into the tube.


    Garrus didn¡¯t see that after Marin beefed up her water shield, she set her right hand back on her calf. The bone was pressing into muscle, and when Marin pressed to it, the pain was a white-hot spike. Marin felt immediate relief from the pain as her hand glowed and healing flames poured over the wound.


    Marin did decide to use the marble, but only after a lengthy internal debate and thorough washing. It was an intensely spiritual experience. Shortly after, it was like a sixth sense woke inside her. Without casting at all, her mana turned to flames that licked coolly against her skin. Aellaria then taught Marin how to use it to heal.


    Garrus stalked Marin, looking for an opening, a weakness. ¡°That water looks heavy. Swiveling it and holding it like that will tire you out.¡±


    That''s when Marin realized Garrus¡¯s most vital weakness. She thought back to why arcane focuses needed to be enchanted to the pattern of the wielder. Garrus¡¯ weapon, the ball launcher, was not his arcane focus. It was a tool to help Garrus use his Aeromancy, but it wasn¡¯t enchanted¡ªit was a tube with balls.


    Marin pushed sections of her water shield out, splashing Garrus with it.


    ¡°Hey! Stop that!¡± Garrus said, retreating.


    ¡°Make me!¡± Marin said, splashing him again, soaking his green tunic.


    Marin attempted to splash him again, but as the shield weakened to launch the water, Garrus launched another ball with a loud, airy WHOOT sound. Marin rolled to the side and moved her shield just in time to catch the next projectile. WHOOT.


    ¡°How many balls do you have left?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°More than enough,¡± Garrus responded.


    He rushed forward, but Marin hopped to her feet, surprising him, and she threw the entire water shield at him.


    Garrus instinctively raised his hands to block and tried to back away as fast as possible, now soaked head to toe in water. Garrus felt a chill but distanced himself from Marin. Garrus shook the water out of his eyes and glared at Marin.


    The frozen tube slid from Garrus¡¯ grasp as Marin pulled the ice to herself. The tube clattered to her side of the arena, and Marin picked it up. She knew that Aeromancers were somewhat useless without their weaponry. Marin took a moment to study it. ¡°How do I use this thing, Garrus?¡±


    Garrus shook his head and got into a readied stance. He responded, ¡°You don¡¯t. You have to be an Aeromancer to¨C¡±


    WHOOT-CHH


    The contraption exploded in Marin¡¯s hands as she cast the push air cantrip on it with as much effort as she could muster. A ball flew free from the chamber and struck Garrus while the rest of the ammunition rocketed out of the back of the tube.


    Garrus collapsed, holding his chest. He let out a choked scream.


    ¡°Oh, ashes!¡± Marin shouted as she ran to him. She summoned a dagger made of ice and pointed it down at Garrus. ¡°Concede, and I will help you,¡± Marin shouted.


    Garrus was writhing around in pain, rolling back and forth. He locked eyes with Marin. ¡°I yield!¡± He shouted.


    Marin dropped to her knees and started trying to heal Garrus with her cool flames. Garrus was almost driven into hysterics until the flames were pressed against his skin and immediately began to relieve the pain.


    Coach Berry and the Junior healer with the bloody robes hopped onto the platform, but by then, Garrus sighed in relief.


    The healer knelt next to Marin and started to triage Garrus¡¯ wound magically, and they looked on in wonder. ¡°You¡¯re healing him.¡± The healer noticed.


    ¡°He was in pain. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Marin said.


    ¡°No, honey, please keep going. Your healing is better than what I was going to have to do. Do you need more mana?¡± The blood-covered healer asked as she pulled out a blue vial and shook it.


    ¡°You want me to help you?¡± Marin asked, surprised. She took the potion and drank it.


    ¡°Yes, by Hitaru¡¯s claws, please. That rib is broken, and my healing can¡¯t set it. It would be a long, potentially messy process if I were to heal him.¡± The healer said, gesturing to the blood on her otherwise pristine robes.


    With the junior¡¯s guidance, Marin used her cool flames to penetrate Garrus¡¯ body and heal his wound from the inside out. The bone popped gently into place, the blood flow returned to normal, and the pain faded within minutes.


    ¡°You okay, Garrus?¡± Marin asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your thing. I wanted to try it but didn¡¯t know how much force to put into it.¡±


    ¡°Physically, yeah, and don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s one of the replaceable things I lost in this fight...¡± Garrus responded. ¡°Good fight, Marin.¡±


    ¡°Good fight,¡± Marin said with a smile before everyone stood up together. Marin excitedly gave Garrus a hug and then another one to the healer.


    Coach Berry smiled down at Marin with his unfathomably handsome face. ¡°Congrats, Marin. You are now ranked fifty-seventh in the first-year class.¡±


    Marin noticed that Coach Berry called her by her correct name, and she shouted out in happiness before retreating to the girl''s gym.


    When Marin entered class, she grinned and jogged over to Rone. ¡°I did it!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°I knew you could!¡± Rone said back before clapping Marin on the back.


    ¡°So you made it back in one piece and with just a little limp to show for it,¡± Tilly said with a grin betraying even more excitement than Marin had. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Garrus had this tube weapon, and I took it from him and broke one of his ribs with his ball. The tube exploded, though, and I feel bad about it.¡±


    ¡°Ohh?¡± Rone said, raising an eyebrow.


    There was silence, and Marin looked at Tilly. Tilly cried out a laugh and wiped a running tear from her cheek. ¡°That is the best thing you could have told me today, Marin. Thank you.¡± Tilly said before jogging off to the doorway, presumably to gloat over Coach Berry about Garrus and his broken tube.

 Chapter 34: The Slayer

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    After Marin¡¯s victory and the end of gym class, Aellaria watched as Marin and Syn headed off to get some dinner.


    Aellaria was an Aeromancer in her past life and knew all the potential world-class Aeromancers could have. One of the unique advantages of Aeromancers was their ability to use contraptions. One of these gadgets, a box the size of a light book, would be her gift.


    Aellaria typically used a stamina potion for food and continued her training, but a part of her wanted to congratulate Marin on the victory properly. Aellaria made her way to the cafeteria, looking forward to having an authentic meal for once.


    Distantly, Aellaria remembered avoiding Syn but couldn¡¯t remember why. Then, she felt out of place when she approached Syn and Marin. Syn glared at Aellaria with disgust.


    ¡°Hi, Marin. Syn,¡± Aellaria said cautiously.


    ¡°Hi, Aellaria!¡± Marin said excitedly.


    Syn did nothing but seethe in silence.


    Aellaria recalled something happening but didn¡¯t know why Syn would be so mad. Aellaria looked at Syn, confused.


    ¡°Good job getting out from the bottom of the class. I wanted to give you a gift.¡± Aellaria presented Marin with a simple wooden box with a grip on the spine.


    ¡°Woah¡­ what is this?¡± Marin said excitedly. She took it and flipped it over in her hands before gently opening the box. Inside the box were six darts and some type of spring mechanism at the bottom.


    Aellaria picked the box up, closed it, and held it by its spine. ¡°It¡¯s a dartbox.¡± Aellaria slid a front panel down, revealing a dark square opening on the front of the box. She then put her hand on the top of the box and pointed it down at the table. With the cast of a cantrip, a dart launched out of the front opening and embedded itself into the table. ¡°Aeromancers can use tools like this for weaponry. Just make sure you don¡¯t overdo it or it¨C¡±


    ¡°Will explode!¡± Marin shouted cheerfully. ¡°I learned that today fighting Garrus. This is perfect. I love it!¡±


    Aellaria wasn¡¯t frustrated with the way Marin excitedly cut her off. On the contrary, she found it endearing. ¡°That isn¡¯t even the best part,¡± Aellaria said excitedly. ¡°The darts are hollow, and you can add poison to them.¡± Aellaria then pulled out a vial of black liquid.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Marin said curiously, plucking the dart out of the table and looking at it.


    ¡°This is a local anesthetic. If you can get it into someone¡¯s hand or leg, it will be much easier to freeze them. It should remain good, at least until our next Appraisal. However, you won¡¯t be able to use it unless you can prove you can brew the poison yourself.¡±


    Syn scoffed, ¡°After what you did, why would Marin trust your contraption, darts, or poison? As far as I am concerned, we should just toss the whole thing to the bonfire.¡±


    ¡°Syn!¡± Marin chastised. ¡°Aellaria is the student of a great Aeromancer. I will learn as much from her as I might from the theory books in the library.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, Syn. Why are you so mad at me?¡± Aellaria asked, confused.


    Syn raised her eyebrows and straightened her back, pushing her chest and arms out aggressively. ¡°Excuse me, bitch? Do you not remember kickin¡¯ Marin in the head and sendin¡¯ her to the infirmary? Breakin¡¯ my fuckin¡¯ hand? Sendin¡¯ me to the bottom twenty of class? If I don¡¯t kick some serious ass, I am up for elimination because of you.¡± Syn shouted.


    As Syn started her rant, Marin cast the level 1 spell and channeled a privacy bubble.


    As Syn outlined everything Aellaria did to piss her off, Aellaria started to remember blurred details: coming back to class angry, sparring with Marin and taking it too far, and brutally punishing Syn in an arguably embarrassing way. ¡°I¡­¡± Aellaria started, but she stuttered as the memory flooded back about what happened that day in gym class.


    ¡°Yeah, it fuckin¡¯ sucks, and I expected that shit from Flair or Bren, not from someone I thought was my friend!¡± Syn growled.


    ¡°Syn, Aellaria was¨C¡± Marin started.


    Aellaria interjected, however. ¡°I didn¡¯t consider you my friend, Syn. What I do know, is that you didn¡¯t deserve that, and Marin deserved what I did even less. I was in a dark place after I exhausted myself, and I felt like there was a pressure crushing me, and I did everything I could to relieve it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    A fist gently rapped against Aellaria¡¯s shoulder, and she realized Behngi had approached the table with his food. He entered the bubble of silence but tried not to interrupt the severe conversation he could see as he approached.


    Syn stared angrily up toward Aellaria, then, as simple as that, let the anger go. ¡°I¡¯m probably not going to trust you after that. It¡¯s super fuckin¡¯ weird you forgot what you did, but I accept your apology and appreciate your fuckin¡¯ honesty. Thank you.¡±


    Aellaria looked to Behngi next, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you too, Behngi. You have been kind to me, and I have avoided most of you for a while now.¡± Aellaria locked eyes with Behngi and recited the elven words of dishonor. ¡°My negligence has lowered my head, and I take no pride in my behavior.¡±


    Behngi was taken aback by the formal elven custom displayed so far from Arcane. He responded, ¡°Raise your head again with eyes toward the horizon.¡± It simply meant, ¡®You made a mistake, try not to again.¡¯


    ¡°And Marin¡­¡± Aellaria started.


    Marin cut her off. ¡°Aellaria, you already apologized to me. Like two weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Marin nodded. ¡°You were distancing yourself and tried to convince me to stop selling your potions. You apologized and said we were even, but I needed the money.¡±


    Aellaria had no recollection of this. She distantly remembered going to town and picking up supplies. Ordering the incubators, but most of the morning was fuzzy. The Forgetful Poison hadn¡¯t just made her forget the hurtful memories related to Lilium. The poison also affected memories that caused her pain since then¡ªat least many of them. If hurting Marin and Syn caused Aellaria pain, then Syn and Marin must have meant something to Aellaria, or at the very least, Aellaria regretted hurting them.


    Aellaria turned around to leave, feeling too awkward to eat, but Marin grabbed Aellaria¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You can stay and eat with us. You have to teach me how to use this thing.¡± Marin said, pointing at the box.


    ¡°I will,¡± Aellaria said.


    Syn added, ¡°Just not for any strategy meetin¡¯s. We are going to kick your ass if we see you durin¡¯ the Appraisal. You deserve it.¡±


    Aellaria smiled and responded, ¡°Deal.¡±


    <h2>


    Marin</h2>


    Marin had decided on her comfort food. The chef¡¯s stew wasn¡¯t exactly like her mother¡¯s. It had more texture, flavor, and spice diversity. Marin worried that she wouldn''t appreciate Mom''s stew when she went home at the end of the year.


    It wasn¡¯t just about the stew. It was the culture of living closer to a city and having gold, the comfort of the expensive robes and tunics provided by Spire, and the convenience of hot water enchantments and magelights.


    ¡°Congrats, Slayer.¡± A young mage wearing the light green of Aeren¡¯s class said to their table as he walked past, his tray empty of any food.


    What Marin loved most were the intricacies of memorizing Aellaria¡¯s prices for potions, poisons, poultices, and concoctions. Then, she pretended she knew what she was talking about when bulk selling to the local apothecary¨C Haggling. She haggled with the jeweler who made her arcane focus. Marin enjoyed negotiating for discounts on couriering letters and packages back home.


    Marin knew that every copper piece mattered back home. She marveled how easy it was to spin up a believable narrative where a seller, buyer, or service provider could reasonably be talked away from their asking price. It was exhilarating.


    Marin daydreamed about returning to the apothecary the next day and getting to haggle again when a second student, this time the large Geomancer Gaff, said, ¡°Well done. You really rocked it today, Slayer.¡±


    Gaff¡¯s statement pulled Marin out of her somewhat trance. ¡°Huh?¡± She asked. However, Gaff had already continued toward the front of the cafeteria. ¡°Why did they call me slayer?¡±


    Behngi responded, ¡°You used your healing flames¡­chaos magic. They must have figured out you killed that Nature Revenant. Did you go out the next morning alone for that?¡±


    Marin started telling the story of Aellaria¡¯s Illicit Adventure, but a glare from Aellaria said multiple things: first, to simply say Aellaria helped, and second, to play down the danger. So, Marin told a simplified and idealized version of the events¡ªone that didn¡¯t mention the second Nature Revenant.


    ¡°I shoulda remembered to get that for you.¡± Syn said, ¡°You put yourself in a lot of danger goin¡¯ back out.¡±


    ¡°I had Aellaria,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°No offense, but you¡¯ll need someone who hits a little heavier on your side if you¡¯re goin¡¯ to risk facing another monster,¡± Syn responded.


    Marin wanted to say what Aellaria could do. Aellaria killed a Nature Revenant in the dead of night using just three cantrips and two concoctions. It took Syn, Behngi, and her every ounce of effort to kill one, and even then, there was definitely luck involved. Marin didn¡¯t say anything. If Aellaria was happy with her secrets, then she could keep them.


    Marin thought of the word Slayer. It rolled around in her mind. She wasn¡¯t a slayer. She struggled and got lucky. Aellaria was a slayer, not her. Marin thought about what it would look like wearing a vest like Granite Guardian, but instead of a heroic moniker, it just said ¡®The Struggler¡¯.


    There was a partition between their booth and an identical booth. A familiar, albeit unwelcome, head of curly brown hair bounced into view. ¡°Congrats, Slayer! I would feel terrible, but maybe I underestimated you.¡± Bren said cheerily.


    ¡°What do you want, Bren?¡± Syn asked.


    ¡°What do you mean? Why should I feel terrible?¡± Marin asked.


    Bren let out a derisive, petty little chuckle. ¡°You targeted the weakest boy in our year, outclassed him, destroyed his weapon, and healed him yourself. I thought I had a sadistic streak, but you went and humiliated that poor boy from every angle.¡±


    Marin shook her head, ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything like that. I broke the tube by accident. I didn''t know. The healer said my healing would help. You weren¡¯t even there.¡± Marin struggled out. She was throwing argument after argument about why it wasn¡¯t THAT bad. However, Marin knew what it was like being at the bottom of the class. It was that bad.


    Bren smiled. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is, thank you. If you keep chewing up the class like you did with Garrus, then none of us will have to even worry about Appraisals this year.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t chew up Garrus. We fought, and honestly, it was close. If he had hit me again, he would have won.¡±


    ¡°From how Callo tells it, you were in control the entire time. You healed your leg. Then you tricked Garrus into trying to get around your shield, stole his weapon with your ice, blew it up, broke Garrus¡¯ rib, and then healed it for him.¡± Bren listed Marin¡¯s accomplishments.


    Marin thought about those words and wanted to contradict them, but she had planned out much of the fight. She did trick Garrus. Marin disarmed him on purpose. It was an accident to break his weapon, but she humiliated him using his specialty. ¡°I¡­ I guess. Garrus will be fine, though.¡±


    ¡°Not at Spire, he won¡¯t. He¡¯s already quit.¡± Bren responded. ¡°Thanks for the favor, Slayer. Less competition has made Alyviah and Flair feel better about the year.¡±


    Marin¡¯s heart dropped. She wanted to climb up one rung of the ladder. Not climb up and kick the loser off. Immediately, she stood up, ¡°Where is he now?¡± She asked Bren, Syn, and Behngi.


    ¡°I don¡¯t actually give a shit,¡± Bren said as she shimmied away from the group.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s packing in the boy''s dorm?¡± Syn suggested.


    ¡°If he plans on leaving for Mistfall tonight, he might be waiting for a carriage already,¡± Behngi said.


    Marin put her hands together and pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be responsible for someone dropping out¡­ can you all help me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the front gate, Marin,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Syn and Behngi can go to the male dorm, right?¡± Aellaria asked.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Syn and Behngi both nodded in the affirmative.


    Aellaria and Marin left for the hallway of the front gate, taking the first local teleportation circle to be free and headed to the Heroes Gallery and out the front door of Spire.


    Sitting atop a trunk just below the steps of Spire was Garrus. He wore class robes, and the green fabric seemed almost too long. Garrus looked over and saw Marin and Aellaria. He turned away.


    Marin bounded down the steps, still wearing her tunic and wraps. ¡°Garrus, you can¡¯t just quit.¡±


    Garrus looked at Marin. ¡°I can just quit. When I told Professor Aeren, he said it was a simple thing. All I have to do is leave.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave,¡± Marin said. ¡°I just wanted to practice and was so scared to fight you. I spent so long telling myself to do it. The worst thing that could happen is I lose, but learn from the match¡­¡±


    Garrus looked into Marin¡¯s eyes. ¡°So much for cutting off limbs and sleeping like a baby, huh?¡±


    Marin nodded. ¡°The worst thing would be hurting you and stunting your growth. I didn¡¯t really know what I was doing today, and I can understand why it would look so bad. Why it would feel bad.¡±


    Garrus shifted on the trunk, making a second seat on the makeshift bench. ¡°It isn¡¯t just you, Marin. I know you¡¯re a lottery apprentice. Those girls outed you early on. It helped me go under the radar. I tried hard, but I¡¯m surrounded by people who are better than me. At least I was the best Lottery Apprentice in school, but you killed a monster. You used three elements like it was nothing. You even healed me, Marin¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a lottery apprentice too?¡± Marin asked, shocked.


    ¡°Yeah. My family couldn¡¯t afford to send me to the academy, but I guess I got ¡®lucky¡¯ with the Lottery Apprentice draws. My mom cried when she learned I would attend the most prestigious sorcery university.¡±


    ¡°My mom said that I would be better off finding a well-off boy, and you know. My dad was the one that thought this was going to be an opportunity, but it is just so tough,¡± Marin said. She reached over, offering to take his hand. ¡°It is tough. I couldn¡¯t even cast any spells when I got here. I was useless. Aellaria made me practice daily and hammered me into a better mage.¡± Marin said, gesturing to the still-standing Aellaria.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t force you to practice, and I certainly didn¡¯t fight you on the weekends.¡± Aellaria clarified.


    Marin looked between Aellaria and Garrus, ¡°Yeah, well¡­ I guess I just mean that it has meant a lot having strong people like Behngi, Aellaria, and Syn nearby to kick me into shape.¡±


    Garrus sighed. ¡°I guess there is a part of me so worried that the others will discover that I don¡¯t belong.¡±


    Marin put an arm around Garrus. ¡°You don¡¯t belong. Neither do I. Not until we make ourselves belong. You know?¡±


    ¡°You think that with an attitude adjustment, I can start outperforming everyone else in Aeren¡¯s class?¡± Garrus said in disbelief.


    ¡°We will never really know if we belong until we make the choices that clinch it. This place is so full of opportunities to learn and grow.¡± She whispered in Garrus¡¯ ear. ¡°To get real coin.¡±


    This is the first thing Marin had said that caught Garrus¡¯ interest. ¡°You¡¯re earning silver here? How?¡±


    ¡°Aellaria here is making potions, and I am selling them in Mistfall. Soon, I will be getting almost 150 gold per week that I can courier back home. My parents are going to actually have to tithe this year because of how much I am sending back.¡±


    Garrus looked at his hands as if he were just realizing something. ¡°You¡¯re right, Marin. This is an opportunity I can¡¯t waste. If I go home now¡­¡± Garrus breathed in deeply and exhaled. ¡°I should be cutting off limbs and sleeping like a baby.¡± He repeated.


    ¡°Everyone else can choke in the ashes while you rise up,¡± Marin said, trying to hype Garrus up enough not to leave. ¡°Also, there will be a kickass bonfire in a couple of weeks, and you¡¯ll miss it if you leave now.¡±


    Garrus smiled at Marin, ¡°Would you like to go with me?¡±


    ¡°I already have a boyfriend, but I would happily invite you to our study group. Since you¡¯re in another class, Syn won¡¯t see you as competition.¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I will. Thank you, Marin.¡±


    ¡°One more thing¡­¡± Marin started. She slyly showed the box of darts to Aellaria. Aellaria just nodded. ¡°I really am sorry about your stick. I hope you will accept this as my apology.¡± Marin said, handing off the little box and vial of poison.


    ¡°By Hitaru¡¯s claws¡­ Is that a dart box?¡± Garrus responded, invoking the goddess of blood. Garrus opened the box and looked at the darts within. ¡°I accept your apology¡­ this is beautifully crafted.¡±


    Marin watched Garrus admire the craftsmanship of the box. She looked at Aellaria and mouthed, ¡®thank you.¡¯


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Behngi and Syn emerged from Spire shortly after. Syn offered to help Garrus lug his trunk back up to his dorm room, and the remaining three stood around the rings waiting for Syn to return.


    Aellaria looked at Behngi and Marin. ¡°You have a boyfriend?¡± She asked Marin.


    Marin smiled nervously, ¡°Not really, but my mom says that any chicken that wanders from coop to coop deserves the wolf¡¯s teeth.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Behngi said, taken aback by the human expression.


    ¡°It''s not literally wolves'' teeth. I think it means sexually transmitted diseases,¡± Marin explained.


    Aellaria started to laugh. The implications of Behngi thinking Aro¡¯s own, the sluts of the world, were being thrown to the wolves by people like Marin¡¯s mom was too funny to let pass.


    Behngi and Marin joined in.


    Everyone was still laughing when Syn teleported into the gallery with them. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Behngi looked a little embarrassed, having so much trouble with what should have been a simple human expression.


    Marin responded,¡± Nothing, just a cultural misunderstanding.¡±


    Aellaria smiled deviously, ¡°You didn¡¯t miss the most exciting part. Marin was just about to tell us which coop she has been visiting.¡±


    Syn looked like she still wasn¡¯t caught up on the joke but looked for Marin¡¯s response.


    Marin looked at everyone in the group one at a time. Aellaria could tell she was looking for an out, but none of her three friends were giving it to her. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m not embarrassed. It¡¯s nothing serious, but I have been seeing Jeff, the junior on guard that night.¡±


    ¡°The creep with the goggles that can see through clothes?¡± Aellaria asked.


    ¡°A Junior?¡± Syn asked.


    ¡°Not really¡­ and yes,¡± Marin responded, blushing with embarrassment she just said she wouldn¡¯t feel a second ago.


    ¡°That explains why you have been getting back so late on Tuesday and then again on Thursday,¡± Aellaria said.


    Marin slapped Aellaria¡¯s arm, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell them my schedule, too!¡±


    ¡°I would be getting Junior dick, too, if I wasn¡¯t such a throbbin¡¯ lesbian,¡± Syn said. ¡°Juniors are already in the money. Just be aware of the power dynamic, and have fun.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a physical thing,¡± Marin said. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of you to read too much into it.¡±


    Other students teleported into the Gallery, and Marin raised a privacy screen out of embarrassment.


    ¡°While I am proud of you for learning to do that. I should let you three meet up with Garrus and start your practicing.¡± Aellaria said, going to dismiss herself.


    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t get to go off for free after opening up my sex life. You lose something for that.¡± Marin said, regaining her composure.


    ¡°Take your best shot. There is nothing to embarrass me with.¡± Aellaria responded.


    Marin looked at Behngi and Syn, then said, ¡°There was a second revenant that night when Aellaria and I went out. I was scared witless and almost died again, but Aellaria killed it on her own. She is much stronger and smarter than anyone gives her credit for, and her competence makes me scared for my future.¡±


    Aellaria looked at Marin and gave her an annoyed glare. That wasn¡¯t embarrassing. Aellaria would have been shouting her own praises in a world with no other goals.


    Syn didn¡¯t say anything, shocked.


    Behngi responded, ¡°How? You have no magic. Did you use enchantments?¡±


    ¡°All she did was cast three little spells and use two concoctions, and it was a melting, bubbling mess¡ªlike a jack-o-lantern with a volcano inside.¡±


    Aellaria shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t make enchantments yet. Not enough mana.¡±


    Behngi responded, ¡°You could have bought enchantments, though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time or money on things I can¡¯t use in official matches and appraisals.¡± Aellaria countered.


    It was the truth. Aellaria probably could have purchased expensive enchanted weaponry to let her make easy work of monsters, but that wasn¡¯t the point. Aellaria wanted to outclass, embarrass, and kill the people who harmed Lilium. Murdering with a purchased enchantment or scroll would tie the action to Aellaria¡¯s purchase, and worst of all, it would be unsportsmanlike.


    Behngi thought for a moment and remembered something odd. ¡°Why did you stop at one win on the first day of classes? You should be higher than me if you can kill a Nature Revenant.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like losing; when you test your limits, you lose eventually,¡± Aellaria said. Zenithor was a proud man, and Aellaria remembered all those decades when Zenithor was the most brilliant and strongest man in the room, no matter the situation. ¡°I want to make it through Spire without drawing too much attention¡­ My fight with Syn was impulsive, and I regret it.¡±


    Syn shook her head, ¡°Not yet, you don¡¯t, but I¡¯ll change that during the appraisal.¡±


    Aellaria wondered why she was even entertaining any of this. She should go back to her room or track Callo. Then she looked at Marin and saw the partially apologetic, nervous grin on her face, and she knew she was doing it because Marin was her friend. ¡®Marin is my friend.¡¯ Aellaria thought again. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had the thought. Aellaria wondered if this resulted from whatever fractures existed in her mind. Zenithor wouldn¡¯t have been this weak. If she were just Zenithor, she would be practicing, preparing, and visualizing what needed to be done to Callo and the rest.


    The silence held, and Marin walked up to Aellaria. ¡°You are welcome to join us for the bonfire, even if you aren¡¯t going to be on our team during the appraisal.¡±


    ¡°I would love to join you, Phoenix worshippers, at your bonfire. I hope you can live up to his radiance.¡± Aellaria thought for a moment, unsure if she wanted to kick the hornet''s nest that little bit. ¡°It¡¯s okay if Syn doesn¡¯t want me on the team. I know she¡¯s probably a glutton for punishment and wants another taste of what I already gave her.¡± Honestly, Aellaria would avoid Syn if possible, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to stoke the Pyromancer in the name of friendly competition.


    This taunt had the desired effect. Syn didn¡¯t lose control or overheat. She grinned at Aellaria. ¡°I hope those healers react fast enough. I might not let go when I get my hands on you.¡±


    Aellaria turned to leave, and Marin dismissed the privacy spell.


    Aellaria turned around and offered one more friendly threat to Syn, ¡°The only reason you wouldn¡¯t let go would be because it¡¯s a death grip.¡± Aellaria saw the smile hold on Syn¡¯s face, as genuine as possible. The last thing Aellaria heard from the trio was a question from Behngi, immediately followed by a loud slap.


    ¡°Is this courting?¡±

 Chapter 35: The Bonfire

    <h2>Marin, Saturday, Scribalai 14th</h2>


    When Garrus joined the study group, the trio became a quartet. Garrus didn¡¯t provide much practical arcane knowledge, but he had some valuable insights for the upcoming fights once he thought as a team. Garrus provided insight into how to fight Aeromancers, how to use the wind to make fire spells more effective, and even how to make Syn a better fighter.


    His presence also immensely helped when preparing for the bonfire. Syn felled trees, Garrus cleared brush, and Behngi and Marin chopped the wood.


    Throughout the ten days leading up to the bonfire, the quartet distributed flyers for the event, even to Bren, Flair, and Alyviah. Syn ultimately decided that not inviting the trio would likely cause more problems than their presence.


    On bonfire day, the four students cleared a portion of the forest of trees, brush, stumps, and flammable debris. Marin put the excess fuel to the edge of the clearing and used Aquamancy to pull much of the moisture from the wood. The final touch for the bonfire was Behngi artistically arranging the wood he had cut into a replica of Spire, including the great wings of Phoenix that wrapped protectively around it.


    Syn handled getting refreshments for the gathering: Barrels of Cider, Beer, and Mead. Behngi requested that Syn avoid spirits, and Syn begrudgingly agreed not to bring any hard liquor.


    Some students showed up early throughout the morning. The first were Gaff (ranked third), Gallier (ranked fifth), and Barrakaz (ranked thirty-seventh). All three wore red clothing, indicating they were in Professor Kaira¡¯s class. Each man was more burly than the last. Barrakaz was an incredibly formidable physical specimen. His tunic was too small, leaving much of his sculpted abdomen on display.


    Marin thought that a man as terrifyingly built as Barakaz didn¡¯t even need to cast magic to win a fight against most of the students at Spire.


    The next group to show up were all from Granite Guardian¡¯s class. They all wore brown clothes: Justice (ranked fourth), Chennu (ranked tenth), and Velatha (ranked forty-eighth).


    As the students showed up, they helped set up for the bonfire. Gaff used Geomancy to make proper seating a safe distance from the fire. Velatha was an Aeromancer and improved on Gaff¡¯s uncomfy chairs by cutting fresh pine boughs and using them to make cushions.


    By the time the sun started to set, there were almost forty Freshmen in the clearing, including Terra (ranked first), Rone (ranked twenty-eighth), Rone¡¯s friends Kyrine (ranked forty-first) and Misla (ranked forty-second), Bren (ranked seventh), and the entirety of Professor Niall¡¯s class except Paris.


    The sun started to dip below the horizon, and the clear evening sky cooled in color to match the biting early winter air. Syn stood up to be the master of ceremony. ¡°Fellow apprentices, friends, bitches, and bastards. Tonight, you have been invited here so that we can relax a bit before the brutality during the appraisals.¡±


    There were cheers from the audience, and Marin heard Kyrine shout, ¡°Light it up! I¡¯m going to freeze my tits off.¡±


    Syn laughed and gestured to Terra, ¡°How about our number one does the honor?¡±


    Terra stood up and walked over to the wooden replica of Spire. She gestured to a young Cryomancer named Amile (ranked fourteenth), and Amile started to play a simple ballad on her flute, ¡®The Fire Maiden¡¯s Hair¡¯. It is a ballad about sailors exploring forbidden waters for the treasures beneath a blood-red sky.


    Terra moved with the gentle, happy melody of the song. As the song''s second line settled, she cast a fire cantrip, and a glow began at the base of the wooden replica. Terra¡¯s movements were fluid, and her casting was swift and part of the performance. As each bar of the happy melody resolved, another floor of Spire glowed from deep within.


    The Fire Maiden¡¯s Hair picked up pace with the chorus. Terra cast subtle and beautiful spells as she danced, bringing life and light to the center of the forest clearing. When the second chorus finished, lights flickered within the wooden Spire''s windows. The bridge of the song was suddenly slow and somber. The part of the song where it¡¯s revealed that a terrible fate had befallen the enterprising sailors. Terra¡¯s movements were improvised, but she moved with the music perfectly.


    Amile played her heart out when the chorus erupted again, and Terra¡¯s body glowed in the firelight. As the fire grew stronger, so did the radiance in her movements. She threw her body around and gracefully caught herself each time. With a final leap, the burgeoning flame roared and exploded upward. The wings of the wooden phoenix burst into flame, and the flame''s heat spread physically and spiritually over the gathered Freshman.


    Marin watched the burning phoenix in awe. It almost looked like the licking flames were flapping wings and flaming feathers. Marin realized she was holding her holy symbol. High in the sky, Darluke¡¯s Moon waxed. Marin hoped The Scribe recorded everything tonight. She worked hard and wanted everything perfect for her growing new family.


    The class applauded the two women''s performance, and the talented women both gave a bow. With the arrival of the phoenix, Syn finally tapped the barrels of alcohol, and the night began unraveling into chaos.


    <h2>Flair</h2>


    Flair fell into the cups of sweet mead quickly. She had been practicing hard lately, pushing her sparring with Bren to the limit every day. Yet, Flair still had lingering doubts. Her mind wandered as it often did to the memory of Aellaria¡¯s fist closing in rapidly. Every other person in class was competition, and Flair was aware of this more than any other student. Almost every other girl there was ranked higher than her. They all deserved it more, too.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re still a bad bitch,¡¯ Flair thought to herself.


    Then Flair saw the woman that is a bad bitch. Terra¨C ranked first. Flair filled her mouth with the sweet mead once again, hoping the burning of the alcohol could dull her thoughts. ¡®If you were truly a bad bitch, you would be the top Pyromancer.¡¯


    Flair tried to stay close to Callo. He would keep her on track and take care of her. Callo was the guiding star she needed to make it through this night and the rest of the year. He would guide her if she stayed close to him, and no one else would steal him from her.


    Cassen ranked eleventh, and Amile ranked fourteenth.


    If Flair failed, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stay with Callo. Callo was going all the way. He would only actually show her his love when they both graduated. Callo was stubborn like that. If she dropped out, another girl would spend the next three years by his side, and Flair would be a burden. Flair didn¡¯t dare say it because that negativity would make him push her farther away, but she could feel him slipping away regardless. His perfect purple eyes weren¡¯t for her, and he would never look at her how she wanted.


    Olyza ranked twenty-fifth, and Rone ranked twenty-eighth.


    Flair refilled her mug.


    ¡®I¡¯m not a badass. I am weak and sickly-looking. When Aro sculpted me, she forgot the tits and ass.¡¯ Flair thought with venom. Bren was by her side and told a joke. Flair laughed because Bren is always funny. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s Bren¡¯s fault¡­ I spend too much time around someone so much better than me¡­¡¯


    Phia ranked twenty-ninth, and Chlora ranked thirty-fifth.


    There were more of them. Women that didn¡¯t need the reprieve. Women that Flair didn¡¯t know. Alyviah leaned in and asked if she was okay. Flair nodded and returned to her drink. Her mug was empty again. Those women would be the ones staying¡ªthe ones with talent, tits, and tenacity.


    She refilled her mug again, and¡­she saw Aellaria.


    Aellaria ranked twenty-sixth.


    Flair still felt what it was like to be dazed and destroyed by Aellaria. The words Aellaria said that day haunted Flair still. ¡®...broken and humiliated by a real bad motherfucker.¡¯


    Flair knew deep down that her status had never been earned. She was close to Bren, which kept her afloat, but Flair wasn¡¯t real. She wanted to be a burning fucking comet. She was a shadow.


    Aellaria ranked twenty-sixth.


    Flair went to sit down, but her legs didn¡¯t move like she wanted, or maybe the chair wasn¡¯t where she thought it was. She fell onto her flat ass, and the refilled mug fell to the dirt, spreading sweet mead everywhere. Bren puts a hand on her shoulder. Bren is standing above her, silhouetted by the flames of the bonfire. It solidified the fact in her mind further: she was a shadow.


    Flair remembered reading Callo¡¯s journal. Callo was excited to get closer to Aellaria. Callo thought the hat was fucking cute and quirky. He was even happy to see me hit by Aellaria. Flair started to cry. Why couldn¡¯t Callo get past that fucking Lilium bitch? She died two years ago. Move on!


    Flair felt herself being helped to her feet by Bren, and Bren started leading her back to Spire. She looked and saw Aellaria, ranked twenty-sixth. With her fucking hat. ¡®A REAL bad motherfucker, not just a shadow drowning in the night¡¯


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria sat in her chair next to Phia. Phia was the only other person in class who preferred watching and listening to speaking, which made her the ideal drinking company. Phia and Aellaria watched the people of the party in peace.


    Aellaria reveled in Zenithor¡¯s memories of similar events from his youth. Those years at Spire were some of the best in Zenithor¡¯s life. They were some of the few memories that Aellaria welcomed. Some of the songs played by the apprentice bards and musicians of the first-year class were the same as they were sixty years ago. Amile and Barakaz were performing a rendition of the lively drinking song A Copper for Each of Us.


    Then Aellaria watched as Flair fell on her ass and stewed in her own spilled alcohol. Aellaria felt a deep pleasure in Flair¡¯s fall. Aellaria wondered when she would be comfortable reading Lilium¡¯s history with Flair. The Pyromancer deserved the struggle if it was anything like her own.


    Bren picked Flair back up and walked with her toward the edge of the clearing, back toward Spire. As they walked past, Aellaria realized Flair was crying and failing to hold back sobs. The situation left Alyviah and Callo confused, alone together, likely discussing whatever had just happened.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Once Flair cleared the treeline, Phia softly recited, ¡°When drowning sorrow, I have two tips.¡±


    Aellaria finished Rieth¡¯s saying, ¡°A steady pace, and only sips.¡±


    The two women took small sips of their respective alcohols of choice. Then, Behngi walked over and softly settled into the free chair beside Aellaria.


    ¡°Are you finished dancing with your roommate?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Behngi leaned into the stone seat. ¡°Syn has built enough courage to let Marin introduce her to Rone. I will save Syn a seat if she needs it shortly.¡±


    The trio watched as Syn talked to Rone and Marin closer to the fire. Marin spoke first, then Syn, and finally Rone. Syn looked embarrassed, an emotion Aellaria hadn¡¯t seen on the stoic, silly, and strong woman.


    Amile and Barakaz finished ¡®A Copper for Each Of Us,¡¯ a new student pulled out a guitar and started to play their rendition of the slower song, ¡®Let¡¯s Make It Two.¡¯


    Then Rone looked embarrassed. Marin stepped away. Syn and Rone then held hands and became one of the first couples dancing in the clearing. Aellaria caught Marin and Garrus dancing slowly as friends as well.


    Aellaria noticed Behngi visibly relax. She was surprised by how much the elf invested emotionally in his friends. ¡°You put a lot of stock into your friend¡¯s human interests.¡±


    Behngi responded, ¡°Syn is my friend. Would you not care about your friend¡¯s interests?¡±


    Aellaria clarified, ¡°It is unusual for an elf to have so much empathy for human feelings.¡±


    Behngi nodded, ¡°It is, but I am not an elf. I am just a half-elf.¡±


    Aellaria felt a pang of sympathy. Half-elves were abominations to elven society, especially high-elven society. Great battles were fought over the existence of half-elves. Yet, the half-elf sitting next to her was almost entirely indistinguishable from the full elves Zenithor spent decades living among. ¡°That is a tragedy,¡± Aellaria said with slight sorrow.


    Behngi took his eyes off Syn and Rone dancing to look into the eyes watching him under the wide-brimmed hat. ¡°What do you know of it?¡±


    Behngi¡¯s straightforward demeanor took Aellaria aback. ¡°Just that I have taken too many sips. I do not mean to offend.¡±


    Behngi did not relent. ¡°No. Seriously. What do you know of it?¡±


    She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead softly. Behngi still didn¡¯t take his eyes off of her. She thought about how to respond, but the pause stretched on too long.


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about elven culture. What does it mean to you?¡±


    Aellaria sighed, ¡°I just mean that¨C it is a tragedy to be a ¡®ward¡¯ when humans are probably more accepting of who you are than elves are.¡±


    Behngi¡¯s assertive demeanor melted back into passivity. ¡°Yeah. Humans just see an elf, and elves just see a human. Element has me as a ward, but the more accurate name would be exile.¡±


    Phia added, ¡°That¡¯s rough.¡±


    Behngi looked at the two women before continuing. ¡°It isn¡¯t. My father always loved me more than my mother ever attempted to show. I am lucky to feel how humans feel. I can tell it isn¡¯t exactly the same, but I couldn¡¯t imagine living life with the dull emotions of an elf.


    Aellaria felt for the half-elf. Before she could stop herself, she comforted him: ¡°I think your mother loved you just as much as your dad did. Humans, even half-humans, don¡¯t have the patience for elven emotions.¡±


    ¡°What makes you the expert on elves?¡± Behngi asked again.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t answer that question. She continued to explain her previous point. ¡°It¡¯s like a child growing up on cheap and easy food, unable to taste the intricacies behind certain flavor profiles, spices, or textures. Humans have¡­ a different emotional palate than elves. The emotions are still there.¡± Aellaria said, a hint of mourning in her voice.


    Behngi took his eyes off Aellaria and returned to watching Syn and Rone dance. Marin and Garrus stood off to the side like excited chaperones. Behngi closed his eyes and responded, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Aellaria wasn¡¯t sure if he was still fishing for more of her story or wanted comfort. Aellaria decided to only address the latter. ¡°No one ever knows, not until you feel it¡­ Parents can¡¯t always communicate their love for their children, but never assume it doesn¡¯t exist just because you don¡¯t feel it.¡±


    Behngi seemed deep in thought as he watched the young couple dancing in the firelight. Marin put even more wood on the slowing fire, and Behngi never responded.


    Then Aellaria felt intuition shouting at her again. Something important was happening, and she needed to see it. Aellaria instinctively looked over to where Callo was. Intuition and Lilium¡¯s forgotten memories told her that Callo was just bad news, and what she saw felt wrong.


    Callo held Alyviah close to his chest, and they now danced to some soft song written by the bard with the guitar. Aellaria watched like a hawk, feeling something was wrong with this picture. But any memory of Callo was blurred, fuzzy, or wholly paved over. As Aellaria watched Alyviah and Callo, she saw Callo gently lift Alyviah¡¯s chin until she was looking him in the eyes. Alyviah¡¯s expression was conflicted. Callo¡¯s was not. He leaned in and kissed the Aquamancer with the oversized staff. Then, Alyviah returned it.


    This kiss was taboo¡ªanother wrong moment. Aellaria thought back to the page in her journal. ¡®Callo deserves a painful end¡¯. Then she thought to herself, ¡°What is this piece of shit up to?¡±


    As Callo and Alyviah made out and swayed to the song, Aellaria saw Callo¡¯s eyes open and look straight into hers. Aellaria looked around, but Callo was undoubtedly locking eyes with her as he kissed Alyviah. Then he winked, broke the kiss, and pulled Alyviah back to his chest.


    As Aellaria¡¯s mind spun, she watched Callo and Alyviah spin in their dance. Aellaria¡¯s mind settled on one memory. The night of Callo¡¯s fall, he said, ¡®I am a virgin. I plan to be until I graduate. This mind and body is on one track, and I am going to be the Archmage one day.¡¯


    The body language of Callo and Alyviah did not shout, ¡®planning to be a virgin.¡¯ Then the embrace broke, and Callo led Alyviah toward the edge of the clearing. Further into the forest and away from Spire.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Phia commented.


    ¡°What is interesting?¡± Behngi asked.


    ¡°Alyviah just gave Callo ¡®fuck me¡¯ eyes, and they just went into the forest¡­ away from Spire,¡± Phia said, her soft voice dripping with interest in the potential drama.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that is interesting,¡± Behngi said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call it a night,¡± Aellaria said. ¡°Thanks for the company, Phia.¡± Aellaria then leaned down and hugged Behngi.


    Phia nodded back in her hood, still watching the spot where the couple had disappeared, and Behngi returned the hug.


    Aellaria walked toward the real Spire, but once in the cover of the forest, she changed course. A part of Aellaria felt like Alyviah was in danger. The parts of her mind scarred by Forgetful Poison.


    Aellaria had no way to track where Callo and Alyviah were. At least she wouldn¡¯t if she hadn¡¯t killed the Nature Revenant. Where the marble awakened healing flames for Marin, it had chosen to give Aellaria a better gift: information.


    Intuitively, Aellaria felt the innate elements that mages control. She searched the forest for the cool frost and flowing water mana. Aellaria could feel the mana of all the students in the clearing but focused instead on Callo and Alyviah¡¯s mana.


    She could feel them together still a bit further out into the woods. Aellaria channeled Zenithor¡¯s history as a rogue and snuck toward where she could feel the couple. Adrenaline ran through Aellaria¡¯s body, and her eyes and ears became hypersensitive. She picked up on a noise as she slinks through the forest''s shadows. Getting closer only made the sound clearer and clearer.


    It was the sound of flesh slapping on flesh. Then, she heard male and female whimpers and groans of pleasure¡ªthe consensual sounds of two lovers enjoying themselves.


    Aellaria was befuddled. ¡®Why would I even care about this? What is wrong with you?¡¯ Aellaria cursed at herself. Aellaria heard Alyviah shout out in unmistakable pleasure as the couple¡¯s rhythm continued.


    She snuck away from the noise of coupling. ¡®So what if Callo lied the night he fell? Virginity doesn¡¯t actually matter to him. Or maybe he changed his mind. This is dumb and not something I need to know.¡¯ As Aellaria returned to Spire, she couldn¡¯t help but think something was significant in that mess of events.


    Aellaria couldn¡¯t help but catastrophize what these feelings meant. Did Callo force himself on Lilium? Did Callo use Lilium and abandon her? Then Aellaria made a realization. Alyviah was an Aquamancer like Lilium. Could it be that Aellaria was just feeling protective of the young water mage?


    ¡®Stop being so fucking stupid.¡¯ Zenithor growled within her. But she ignored the voice.


    Aellaria went into her room, sat down, and stopped processing.

 Chapter 36: Midterm Appraisal

    <h2>Aellaria, Monday, Scribalai 30th</h2>


    Before the trials began, each student had to get their gear searched and approved. This was done privately, where each student would start their appraisal. Aellaria stood in the stone room on a raised walkway. Next to her was a pedestal with manacles. It was dark, and the only light source was the soft blue glow of Niall¡¯s magelight floating above his blue hair.


    A professor performed this search and confirmation; in Aellaria¡¯s case, it was Niall.


    Niall grinned at Aellaria. ¡°You are full of surprises, huh? Are we hiding anything under that hat?¡± Niall asked. He sounded like a parent trying to find where their three-year-old hid a cookie.


    ¡°You are a strong enough mage to see any enchantments I carry. Do you really need me to remove my hat?¡± Aellaria asked.


    Niall shook his head, ¡°The other professors get called Master this, Mistress that. The esteemed company of Master sorcerers¡­ and you call me a ¡®strong enough mage.¡¯ What have I done to deserve this, my beloved student?¡±


    Aellaria knew it was an act. Niall didn¡¯t need validation. He wanted to lower her guard. He wanted her to open up. ¡°If you must see,¡± Aellaria said. She pulled off her hat to show off her flat black hair, a ring indented around her head from the consistent placement of the sorcerer hat.


    ¡°Your hair is so beautiful, but it is good to see the old culture, hey?¡± Niall asked.


    Next, Aellaria opened each compartment on her belt, showing the various potions. One is for healing, two vials are for mana, and two are orange vials.


    ¡°You have potions? I cannot allow these¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you tired of me telling you you¡¯re wrong, Niall?¡±


    ¡°Aellaria, every moment I am wrong as a teacher is a blessing.¡± The charming Aquamancer said.


    ¡°I made these. I have been making them throughout the year. GG gave me an alchemy book, and I have already shown him my capability.¡± Aellaria said. She had shown The Alchemist her proficiency with every vial she brought in today.


    ¡°I will corroborate and move on. I see a glint of silver in this pouch.¡± Niall said, moving on to the next piece.


    Aellaria pulled out the locket with Zenithor¡¯s wife¡¯s image in it. ¡°It is a sentimental locket.¡±


    ¡°No runes¡­ that is a beautiful piece. I have to pat you down or give you a magical inspection.¡±


    Aellaria opened her arms and planted her feet. ¡°You¡¯ll know everything that happens here. Why are you so strict on what¡¯s brought in? If someone brings in an enchantment or a potion they didn¡¯t make themself, can¡¯t you wait until after?¡± She asked. Luckily, she had removed and hidden her dimensional pouch and carried no other banned materials.


    Niall scratched his head. Then, as he began patting at Aellaria¡¯s robes for additional potions and feeling for arcane signatures, he responded, ¡°A handful of times over the years, students have felt desperate to stay. They bring enchantments they don¡¯t quite understand, and then these new unknown limits kill students, especially first-year students; we like to remain vigilant.¡±


    Niall stood back and looked at the multicolored lily hanging from Aellaria¡¯s neck. ¡°I am quite happy you convinced me to have that enchanted. Good luck, Aellaria. May your flower bloom radiantly in Tillia¡¯s garden.¡±


    Aellaria knew that anyone wearing natural iconography, such as clovers, flowers, or vines, was almost always a follower of Tillia. Of course, the lily wasn¡¯t in Tillia¡¯s honor¡­but in Lilium¡¯s memory. In Lilium¡¯s memory, Aellaria would find a moment to kill Callo. The moment has come¨C to hunt.


    Aellaria felt the manacles click into place.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin brought nothing but clothing and her holy symbol. She stood in the dark with her hands locked by the manacles. The nervous lottery apprentice stood in the middle of a room with a walkway above it. She was directly under the walkway in an archway. Atop her head was a leather helmet meant to help insulate her from attacks from the electromancers in class.


    There was some type of spell suppression, and her mana ignored her gestures to summon a magelight.


    Professor Rietta had said she would know when the trial started, but as she stood in the dark, she didn¡¯t know which was worse: waiting in the dark or knowing she would have to fight at any moment.


    This room had at least two entrances on her floor, and there was probably a way out from the walkway above. Potentially, there are four places other students could come from.


    It was nerve-wracking, and when the manacles suddenly clicked open and off, it made Marin jump. The chains fell from her wrists and clattered against the pedestal. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Marin thought, holding her chest.


    ¡®Prove you belong. You can do it.¡¯


    Marin summoned a magelight and walked toward the exit on her right. It was as good a place as any. Marin walked through a curved tunnel and into a large and open room. It looked like one of the fighting arenas from that first day. She pushed mana through her arcane focus and into the magelight spell.


    A second light entered the room, but it was not a magelight. It was fire. ¡°Syn?¡± Before her opponent responded, the room filled with blinding light. Her eyes adjusted slowly as she watched the approaching mage.


    Marin¡¯s heart dropped. It was the only other Pyromancer in class. Flair¡¯s perfect teeth centered in the curl of a sinister grin. ¡°Marin¡­ You¡¯ll be lucky if the only thing spilling out after this fight is your fat chest, EAMP.¡±


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    As soon as the manacles dropped, Aellaria felt for those other Freshmen moving around. She needed to find Callo before someone stronger than Callo found him. However, if she was too quick, it increased the likelihood she would be interrupted before she killed him.


    Aellaria focused on the nearby mages and was surprised to feel a Cryomancer walking toward her. They were moving toward her but were below her. Aellaria realized the person approaching her must have been sprinting, and she lay flat on the stone walkway.


    Soft footfalls entered her room, but Aellaria knew they couldn¡¯t see her from below. The sprinting slowed to a walk, and a flash of light appeared and disappeared below her. The Cryomancer hesitated momentarily before continuing through and out the other side of the room.


    ¡®It couldn¡¯t be Callo already hunting her.¡¯ Aellaria thought, but the Cryomancer moved away toward an Aquamancer.


    Aellaria decided to chase the lead. She rolled to the walkway''s edge and dropped the fifteen feet to the path below. She carried her momentum into a roll before popping up and following the fleeing Cryomancer.


    Whoever this person was, they were incredibly aggressive. They didn¡¯t break from the sprint they were in, and Aellaria only caught up to them because they were already attacking one of the other first-year students. Aellaria rounded a corner and saw a large room. She heard a nervous voice. It was the most curious mind in her class, the bubbly Aquamage, Cohly.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight¡­. We would make a good team, and you know some others will be teaming up.¡± Cohly said, backing away from the short person advancing. Cohly was holding a magelight, and it was just enough for Aellaria to see it wasn¡¯t Callo, but Phia. Phia approached Cohly aggressively.


    ¡®Ice and water go together super well,¡¯ Aellaria heard echoing through her mind. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ She thought.


    ¡°Summon your water¡­ make this easier on me,¡± Phia said before increasing her pace to a jog, rapidly closing the distance.


    Cohly responded by clapping both arms forward and casting multiple water bullets. However, Phia dodged, catching many of the projectiles with her cold.


    As Phia closed the distance, she pushed the bullets of ice back toward Cohly.


    Cohly instinctively raised a shield to slow the incoming projectiles, but the shield froze rapidly.


    Once the shield was frozen, Phia aggressively shoved it back against Cohly. A battle of wills ensued as they both tried to push the frozen wall of ice toward the other, but Phia never stopped running forward, and Cohly didn¡¯t expect it when the shield moved with no resistance, and Phia was already upon her.


    With no hope of blocking or dodging, Phia unleashed the rest of the arsenal of hail she had stolen from Cohly¡¯s earlier attack.


    Cohly raised her arms to shield her face, but Phia was relentless. The more petite woman leapt on Cohly and kicked a knee into her stomach.


    Aellaria watched as Phia pinned Cohly and pushed cold, not into water, but directly into Cohly¡¯s body. As Phia pushed, Cohly cried out in pain until a golden glow emanated from Cohly¡¯s student pin.


    The golden glow emanated from Cohly¡¯s student ID card pinned to her uniform.


    The softspoken Phia said, ¡°You¡¯re dead. It¡¯s over, Cohly,¡± before shifting back onto her feet.


    ¡°What?¡± Cohly said, patting her body. It seemed she was trying to ensure everything was all in the same place. Cohly appeared surprised nothing in her body shattered when she moved.


    ¡°Better luck next time, bubbles,¡± Phia said before continuing her frantic search for more victims.


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    Aellaria followed Phia¡¯s trail loosely. All other mages were too far away, and Aellaria knew that keeping tabs on any Cryomancers would be beneficial, so she didn¡¯t ¡®rediscover¡¯ Phia later in the appraisal.


    Aellaria waved to the confused Cohly while a healer emerged from the wall to extract her and ensure her injuries weren¡¯t severe.


    <h2>Flair</h2>


    Marin raised her hands, ¡°Flair¡­. We¡¯ve had a good thing going for a while now. Let¡¯s not make this too personal.¡±


    Another flame appeared in Flair¡¯s other hand, and Marin responded by raising her shield of water.


    Flair chuckled, ¡°EAMP, this isn¡¯t personal. I¡¯m simply your better. It would be easier if you just fell to your knees now and admitted it. Also, that leather bondage thing on your head looks ridiculous, and you should be ashamed to be seen with it on.¡±


    Marin stalked toward Flair, using magic to hold the heavy water shield.


    Flair tested Marin by throwing one of the flaming coals in her hand at Marin''s shield. When it was expelled from the shield, the fire snuffed out, and the remaining coal clattered to the tile below. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to burn you, bitch.¡±


    Marin froze portions of her shield and launched them at Flair, but Flair was far too talented to be caught off guard by chunks of ice. By the time the ice reached Flair, it had already melted. The water that did strike Flair evaporated rapidly.


    Marin continued to step forward. A surge of anger flared in Flair¡¯s mind. ¡®This bitch thinks she is stronger than me. She thinks she can beat me with her fists.¡¯ However, there was an underlying current beneath the anger. A flavor of panic chased that anger. The last time she let someone get too close in a fight. ¡®A REAL bad motherfucker.¡¯


    Flair backed away from Marin. Retreating along the edges of the arena. ¡°You can¡¯t hold that shield forever, and you can¡¯t hit me with your ice.¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t speak back. Flair wondered if it was because she was simple or because Marin knew she was actually better than Flair.


    Flair saw through the shimmering wall of water that Marin had begun casting and the entire shield of water arcs into the air towards her. Flair thought to run back, but Marin was already sprinting toward her.


    The water in the air would hit her if she ran, so Flair dropped to a knee instead and threw both of the flaming coals in her hands. The pushed balls of fire both hit Marin dead center in the stomach. But instead of burning Marin¡¯s skin and clothes, Marin cast a spell, and both balls were extinguished.


    Marin¡¯s ice and Flair¡¯s fire would have minimal effect on the other, so Flair braced herself as Marin closed the distance.


    Marin and Flair began exchanging blows and danced with fire and ice magic. However, it became clear to Flair that they both commanded an equal domain in temperature. Flair committed to a punch at Marin¡¯s face, but the fat girl was surprisingly quick, and she dodged out of the way.


    Marin retaliated with a punch to Flair¡¯s stomach, which landed. As Flair inhaled, trying to stabilize herself, Marin cast again, and a massive gust of air threw Flair across the arena. Flair hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop.


    Flair looked up at Marin and saw her pushing the advantage. Marin dashed forward, raising a fist. ¡®It¡¯s happening again.¡¯ Flair thought. ¡®I¡¯m going to lose¡­¡¯


    ¡°NOOOOO!¡± Flair shouted, raising both hands and screaming as she cast a spell to push heat as hard as she could at Marin.


    The fire was blinding, catching Marin off guard. The push didn¡¯t continue, and Flair held the fire on the lottery apprentice. Flair couldn¡¯t see Marin but ran toward where she was last. The fire was everything Flair had. All of her passion. All of her pain.


    ¡°I am a fucking STAR!¡± Flair shouted as she pushed the torrent of flames down upon Marin. The only thing telling Flair she was doing it right at all was the cold and water splashing over the heat she was using to overwhelm Marin. Suddenly, Marin started shouting in fear and pain. The shouts turned to screams. Flair didn¡¯t stop. Mercy meant failure. Marin would defeat her if she dropped the spell for even a second.


    Suddenly, a brilliant light was in the room, and all the fire disappeared. ¡°Huh?¡± Flair thought, but then she looked down at Lottery Apprentice on the ground. The student ID pinned to Marin¡¯s chest had lost its enchantment.


    Flair¡¯s confusion held, but Marin didn¡¯t move. Flair looked down at Marin, still batting at her charred robes. Beneath the charred robes, Flair could see she was wearing a leather vest. Marin was hyperventilating. And as soon as she realized she wasn¡¯t on fire, she looked up at Flair. There was fear in her eyes.


    A flood of relief overwhelmed Flair, and she almost expressed it to Marin, but she caught it first. Flair didn¡¯t realize that she could have been killing Marin. She could have killed Marin if the enchantment hadn¡¯t dispelled the effects of the fire. Once she regained her composure, Flair taunted, ¡°There wasn¡¯t any doubt, Marin. After all. I am your better.¡±


    Flair smirked at Marin. Marin looked panicked.


    Flair sneered, looking down at Marin. Flair had lost control and didn¡¯t even have Marin¡¯s submission for it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be sending you your friends shortly. You won''t be alone for long.¡±


    <h2>Niall</h2>


    Niall closely watched his fourteen students'' movements with the other four teachers. Cryonolon was healing and was standing closer to the action in case his services were needed. There were sixteen fighting chambers and sixteen smaller rooms that were nexus points. It wasn¡¯t a labyrinth, but it was confusing until one noticed the pattern.


    ¡°Three wolves,¡± Professor Aeren noted. He monitored the movements of the students carefully with the sympathy screen. Aeren said that three students in Niall''s class were wolves¡ªhunters¡ªstudents who pushed forward and considered their safety secondary to the goal of finding and destroying other students. Professor Aeren took these appraisals more seriously than the other five professors. He was only feet away from the map showing the positions of every student in Niall¡¯s class.


    ¡°Eleven pups? Tough luck, Niall.¡± Professor Kaira smiled. Her red robes shimmered faintly with enchantments. ¡°Some of us actually weed out the pups, but if you would rather baby them, Niall, Gran, that is your style.¡±


    Professor Granite Guardian pulled one of the larger boxes of the central table to the edge. A feed of images appeared, showing the events happening within the room. Paris stood at the far end of the room, waiting just outside the doorway where Niall could see from the larger map that Olyza was about to appear. Olyza was moving slowly, cautiously.


    ¡°Four wolves.¡± Professor Rietta corrected.


    Aeren chuckled. ¡°I know the wolves when I see them¡ªcharging forward. What are you saying I missed? Paris, Callo, and Phia. Three wolves.¡±


    As Olyza cautiously stepped into the room, she didn¡¯t immediately see Paris, who was flush with the wall next to her. Olyza was smart enough not to use a magelight to give away her position, but she was not perceptive enough to avoid Paris¡¯ trap. Paris tapped Olyza¡¯s ankle with his sword, and there was an explosion of electrical energy. Olyza, one of the top-ranked in Niall¡¯s class, was forced to yield as Paris brought his sword to her throat.


    ¡°Niall knows who it is,¡± Rietta added. She stood behind the rest, taking in every detail of the room.


    Niall nodded. Rietta knew that Aellaria was a wolf, too. Not charging headlong into battle, but not passively searching around or avoiding fights. Aellaria seemed to be hunting Phia¡ªWolf hunting wolf. ¡°Aellaria,¡± Niall confirmed. ¡°Say, Gran, Aellaria said you approved her potions, even the healing potion. Is that true?¡±


    Granite Guardian smiled and pulled up the next feed just in time to see Phia knock down Chlora. ¡°Ruthless¡­ She awaited the enchantment to tell her the fight was done,¡± Gran said about Phia before addressing Niall¡¯s question. ¡°I approved all of Aellaria¡¯s brews: healing, mana, and lava. She even brewed a dragon¡¯s breath potion in front of me. She is a magnificent alchemist with the hands of a surgeon.¡±


    Granite Guardian had a soft spot for Freshmen. The big guy had zero dropouts for a reason. Instead of hammering his class to find imperfections and excising them, Niall knew Gran hardened his class and empowered those who thought they were too weak. However, this wasn¡¯t a case of Gran being too kind or covering up for a student. Niall could tell that Aellaria had actually impressed the master alchemist.


    Another feed appeared, and Callo had already cornered and immobilized Ozyid, Olyza¡¯s brother.


    ¡°Aeren, how does it feel to see Aeromancers completely eliminated in the first 5 minutes?¡± Kaira taunted.


    Aeren didn¡¯t move a muscle. He was still in his ¡®studying¡¯ pose. ¡°There is still one more Aeromancer in Niall¡¯s class.¡±


    Gran then brought up the ongoing fight between Flair and Marin. The teachers watched Flair unleash fire on Marin and pushed until Marin¡¯s student ID dispelled Flair¡¯s fire, indicating Marin¡¯s loss.


    Kaira started to laugh. ¡°Thank the Father for blessing your sister with fire and not wind,¡± Kaira said, mocking Aeren for the success of the top student of the first-year class. Her student.


    Aeren shook his head. ¡°Terra¡¯s success is more my doing than yours.¡±


    Granite Guardian interrupted the rivals. ¡°Your students are going pretty hard this year, Niall. Two uses of potentially lethal force in just four fights. What do you think, Rietta?¡±


    ¡°The Phia girl was careful in her freezing: no pressure or deliberate targeting of vital systems. Flair was uncontrolled and deserves a warning,¡± Rietta, the expert on intentionality, said.


    Niall exhaled a sigh of relief. A warning was fine. He has had deaths in his classes. He has even had murders. Losing students to dumb decisions and lines crossed under pressure were the worst things that had ever happened to him. Seeing an unrecoverable body. Confronting the killer. Informing the friends and families of the killer and killed. It was the worst pain he had ever felt.

 Chapter 37: Explosion of Sparks

    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin could still smell her flesh cooking. She covered herself in cold and water, but the fire was all-encompassing. She couldn''t protect everywhere. Marin could feel the fire burning the skin on her legs. She could hear her own fat crackling.


    Then, like waking up from a dream, it was over. Marin didn¡¯t believe it. She patted at the fire. She could still feel it roasting her. However, when she ran her hands over those places, it was just her skin. Smooth and unburnt.


    Marin watched Flair, waiting for the woman to lose her temper again and continue to fight. Marin was going to be ready. There was no way she would die to this bitch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will be sending you your friends shortly. You won''t be alone for long,¡± Flair said.


    Marin let out one long, shaky breath. ¡°You are insane. Do you really think you¡¯re strong? You¡¯re out of control.¡±


    Flair watched Marin with wide eyes. Flair sneered; her upper lip was pulled back above her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous. I proved once and for all that you don¡¯t fucking belong!¡± Flair shouted. ¡°Fucking EAMP.¡±


    The sound of stone grinding on stone made both Flair and Marin jump, and Marin took her eyes off Flair just long enough to see Cryonolon emerge from the wall. The old mage looked at Flair and Marin and gestured to Marin. ¡°Come along. The battlefield is no place for those without shields.¡±


    Marin cautiously made her way to her feet. She crossed her arms to keep her robes together. The full-length robes had burnt open on places she failed to protect or forgot to save with cold. It effectively made her robes a high-cut dress that covered her thighs and torso. Underneath Marin¡¯s dress, a leather vest was visible.


    The fear was gone, and the panic and pain had faded. Marin looked toward Flair, and her primary emotion was pity. ¡°You need help, Flair, and I hope Phoenix blesses you with the insight to see that.¡±


    Marin turned away and walked toward Cryonolon. Flair shouted, ¡°I hope Aro blesses you with even more ass so you have something to fall back on when you fail out this year, FUCKING EAAA-¡± Flair¡¯s taunt was cut off prematurely, and the last thing Marin saw was a petite woman pushing Flair down onto the stone floor.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    From the opposite end of the magelight-lit room, Aellaria watched Phia systematically disable, disarm, and defeat the distracted Flair. When Flair was on the ground, Phia pushed cold into Flair¡¯s primary hand.


    Flair shoved Phia back but couldn¡¯t follow up fast enough due to, presumably, frostbitten fingers.


    The small mage threw three punches into Flair¡¯s stomach, and as Flair struggled to regain her composure, Phia cast cold into Flair¡¯s other hand.


    ¡°Get the fuck off me, you gremlin!¡± Flair shouted, but Aellaria could see her hands strike impotently against Phia. The strikes only caused Flair to immediately cry out in pain.


    Phia then cast a spell and seemed about to press it into Flair when Aellaria heard Phia shout. ¡°Yield!¡±


    Aellaria saw Flair struggle, rolling back and forth to try and throw Phia off of her, but her attempts were cut short as she howled out in pain. ¡°Fuck you!¡±


    ¡°Yield!¡±


    ¡°Fine! I fucking yield, bitch.¡± Flair shouted.


    Aellaria wanted to continue admiring Phia¡¯s work. She was fast, ruthless, and seemingly inexhaustible. However, through her enhanced chaotic connection to magic, she felt the use of cold magic elsewhere in the labyrinth. Aellaria left Phia to her next quarry and ran toward whom she hoped was Callo.


    <h2>Syn</h2>


    Syn quickly realized she was in over her head. Badnel and Drakon were in the top four of Niall¡¯s class and had decided to work together.


    Syn was wearing her leather vest and helmet, but that would only help against Drakon, and only if the electromancer was careless.


    Syn anxiously watched as Badnel and Drakon tried to surround her, but Syn still had a door behind her if they tried to fight. As the tension rose and a decision had to be made, Syn knew she was outmatched. ¡°Are y¡¯all too afraid to fight me one on one?¡±


    Drakon smiled as he continued to sidestep. With every step, his tambourine hanging from his hip jingled with a light sparkling noise. His muscular and imposing body hunched forward like a tiger, ready to pounce. ¡°Of course we are¡­ This is our future we are fighting for.¡±


    Badnel mirrored Drakon¡¯s movements, creating an obtuse angle with Syn in the middle. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to risk hurting you. Please yield.¡±


    Syn was now forced to move her head to track both men simultaneously. ¡°Why don¡¯t I fight one of you, and the other can jump in then? Fightin¡¯ just one of you will lower the risk of applyin¡¯ lethal force. After all, your future is important, ain¡¯t it?¡± She said out of desperation. Even before Aellaria took her down, both men were above her in the ranks.


    The two men stopped their stalking and looked each other in the eye. Badnel set a fist in his palm, and Drakon mirrored the movement. Over the next few seconds, the two adult men played Rock, Paper, Scissors to find out who would fight her. Syn wanted to laugh derisively but controlled her emotions. She didn¡¯t want to celebrate the small victory prematurely.


    Syn¡¯s heart dropped a little when she saw Drakon was the victor. The field would have been equal against a cryomancer, but against an Electromancer, Syn would be lucky to even get a chance to cast.


    The two men stood still, but Drakon spoke first. ¡°I will fight you then¡ªa mostly fair fight. I just need you in the center of the room. Or we can knock you down when you try to run.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but if I step forward, I want Badnel over in the corner.¡± Syn countered.


    ¡°Let''s not waste time,¡± Badnel said, stepping back. Syn could tell he expected her to move forward while he moved away.


    Syn looked toward Drakon and slowly moved away from the only possible exit. She hated the idea of running¨C Syn wasn¡¯t a coward. True to their words, Badnel slowly retreated to a corner of the large room, and Drakon squared up against Syn in the center of the room.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Drakon asked.


    ¡°Ready,¡± Syn said.


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    As soon as the fight started, Syn poured all her heat into a wall of flame This was one of the techniques Garrus recommended she try. If she obscured his vision, it would allow her to get close and use her stature to her advantage. Also, she knew that heat could offer some resistance to powerful electrical blows.


    However, Drakon was faster, and a bolt of electricity hit Syn''s center mass, causing her to drop hard.


    ¡°Syn, no!¡± Behngi shouted from an open doorway adjacent to Badnel. Badnel was swift and started toward Behngi.


    At the center of the room, Drakon also saw the opportunity and decided to grab it. He rushed forward to disable the newly arrived Behngi, but Syn was only knocked flat. She was still conscious. As Drakon ran over toward Behngi, he was surprised by a sweeping kick from Syn. Syn felt the satisfying give of Drakon¡¯s center of gravity as the kick landed on his shin.


    Drakon went down, landing on his stomach. Syn swiftly rolled over and leapt on top of him. Drakon is inarguably stronger than she was, but that doesn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t do what she was best at. Syn punched Drakon in the shoulder as he threw her off.


    Meanwhile, Behngi spotted Badnel and struck him with a swift lightning arc, leaving the Cryomancer spasming and leaning against the wall.


    Drakon began weaving another electricity spell, but as he threw the arc at Syn, it suddenly juts off to the right. Behind Drakon, Behngi was preparing another spell to catch Drakon¡¯s.


    Syn noticed Behngi clearing the distance and decided to force the advantage. Syn cast her wall of fire and then sidestepped. Drakon forced another arc of electricity out, but this time, it juts straight down, exploding against the tile and cracking it.


    Drakon roared in frustration, looked over his shoulder toward the incapacitated Badnel, and approached Behngi. ¡°Syn, you¡¯re the one that agreed to a one-on-one.¡± Drakon accused.


    Drakon rushed Behngi, but Syn emerged from the wall of fire faster. With her right hand, she punched Drakon twice and cast two explosive fire spells with her left.


    ¡°A two on two is just as fair, darlin¡¯,¡± Syn responded.


    By mixing the arcane and martial, Syn could clear the power differential between herself and Drakon. Drakon was thrown five feet back onto his side with the second strike.


    Syn rushed Drakon again, and he retaliated with a spreading blast of as much electricity as he could muster. However, Behngi was more talented with electricity, and he again forced the electricity into the ground.


    Syn¡¯s hand glowed as she prepared to hit Drakon again. He blocked but took the entire force on his forearm. There was nowhere for the energy to transfer, and Drakon cried out in pain. Syn only gave him the slightest reprieve as she hit repeatedly, using most of her mana to keep delivering the punishing explosive blows.


    After the third strike, Drakon raised his left hand, open-palmed. ¡°I yield!¡±


    Syn looked back toward Behngi and then further back at Badnel. Only to see that Badnel was already limping through the doorway at the room''s far end. ¡°Behngi! He¡¯s running!¡±


    Syn hopped to her feet, having officially defeated Drakon. She sprinted after Badnel, and Behngi followed.


    Syn ran through the tight passage into one of those smaller rooms with the pedestal in the middle. Syn sprinted to the opposite side, knowing Badnel didn¡¯t have time to climb up. After running through the next winding corridor, Syn was surprised to see an active fight in this room. The magelights already being on indicated at least two people.


    Paris had already gotten to Badnel; it was less of a fight and more of a slaughter. Badnel tried to freeze the air around Paris by pushing an arm forward, but Paris used his sword to give him the extra reach he needed. The sword tip slapped against Badnel¡¯s palm and surged with electricity. Badnel¡¯s muscles instinctively clenched and grabbed the blade, causing the sharp blade to cut into the Cryomancer¡¯s palm.


    Paris effortlessly kicked Badnel onto his back and locked eyes with Syn. ¡°I¡¯ll be right with you, Syn.¡±


    Syn realized that Behngi wasn¡¯t with her, and she retreated through the winding corridor, where she heard more fighting.


    Maybe she could handle Paris with Behngi, but it was impossible alone. She had as long as Badnel¡¯s pride wore out to get away.


    Syn entered the next terminal room and saw why Behngi wasn¡¯t with her. Phia had pinned him to the ground. Instead of trying to understand the situation, she hopped forward and kicked Phia off Behngi with as much force as she could muster.


    Syn felt fatigued from constant sprinting, panic, and mana deprivation. She leaned down and helped Behngi to his feet. ¡°Paris¡­ comin¡¯¡­¡±


    Phia held her head as Syn and Behngi left her behind for rest and recuperation.


    The pair returned to the room where they had fought Drakon. He was already gone.


    Behngi took the lead and picked one of the two other hallways. ¡°This way¡­¡±


    Syn kept Behngi in her sight this entire time and realized he was cradling his right arm to his chest. ¡°Y¡¯okay?¡±


    ¡°She targeted my casting hand¡­ She was so fast.¡± Behngi said. Syn and Behngi stopped in the next terminal room, knowing they wouldn¡¯t be ready if they charged into a fight. Syn looked at Behngi¡¯s hand, and it looked healthy. ¡°I-I can¡¯t feel it,¡± he said.


    Syn felt desperate and wanted to help. ¡°Should I try to heat it?¡± Syn whispered. Maybe the heat would undo some of the damage from Phia¡¯s cold.


    Behngi shook his head and sat down. ¡°I need a healer¡­ it can wait until after I tap out.¡±


    Syn tried her best to clear her head of adrenaline or panic; both wrestled for control. She closed her eyes and felt Behngi take her hand in his remaining good one.


    ¡°Thank you, Syn,¡± Behngi whispered.


    Syn chuckled and tried to relax, ¡°Yeah, that was pretty cool, wasn¡¯it?¡±


    Their short rest, thankfully, went undisturbed.

 Chapter 38: Wolves

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria was surprised at Phia''s competence. Phia had only just caught on to Aellaria following and tracked her from room to room as Aellaria made her way toward the other Cryomancer. However, the other Cryomancer wasn¡¯t Callo. It was Badnel. Aellaria cursed her luck. ¡®He couldn¡¯t already be gone¡­¡± she thought.


    Phia had found other prey somewhere behind her, and Aellaria could slow her search and focus on the remaining prey.


    Aellaria sat down on the catwalk in the terminal room. Next to her, a stone slab closed and prevented continuing in a specific direction. That made sense. As fewer students remained, they would need to corral everyone toward the central fighting arenas. Below her, one of the other doors closed, which meant she was in a corner. Standing atop the walkway next to her was Zenithor.


    ¡°Go fucking kill him already. You know where he is. You know the route.¡± Zenithor said.


    ¡®Yes, master Zenithor,¡¯ Aellaria thought. She dropped off the walkway and took the other route back toward the center.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me attitude, and don¡¯t externalize me, pup. Lily was your daughter, too.¡± Zenithor appeared beside her. He was an illusion, part of whatever coping mechanism her new mind had created to handle the stress of being Zenithor¡¯s mental successor.


    Aellaria thought back at the voice, ¡®She was my daughter, but that wasn¡¯t my fucking choice.¡¯


    Zenithor aggressively walked alongside Aellaria, his hat gesticulating anger for him as he moved exaggeratedly. ¡°Yeah, your choice was to drink a forgetful poison to fuck my mind up. Because you were too weak and scared.¡±


    Aellaria glared at Zenithor and thought, ¡®I chose you and your mission with that poison, you ungrateful husk.¡¯


    ¡°You chose yourself with that poison. How are you supposed to feel conviction without feeling the pain?¡¯ Zenithor demanded.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t respond. She knew that Lilium¡¯s memories were in that haze. Aellaria knew what he said was true. She was too weak to handle it.


    ¡°You¡¯re running out of time. I know you can feel them all now. Only six others left. Do you want that conviction, or will you continue making excuses?¡± Zenithor shouted.


    Aellaria thought back to the illusion of Zenithor her mind created, ¡®I don¡¯t have the journal. I can¡¯t remember.¡¯


    ¡°Hah! Do you think you can make ME forget with that low-grade sludge?¡± Zenithor asked. Aellaria could feel the portion of her mind with Zenithor¡¯s memories. The doors in her mind palace locked behind Zenithor¡¯s willpower rattled in their frames.


    Aellaria picked up the pace, moving toward the far end of the Labyrinth. She could feel Callo¡¯s cool mana. ¡®I want to kill him,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Then take your memories back and go for that fucking kill.¡±


    With each step, Aellaria could feel Lilium¡¯s memories coming back. The doors within her mind palace blew open, spilling memories to the forefront: the love, the growth, and the heartbreak. Tears began to fill her eyes. She had Lilium¡¯s pain, Zenithor¡¯s fury, and her conviction.


    <h2>Syn</h2>


    The next room had to be a trap. After walking down another snaking path, Syn found she was stepping into inch-deep water. When the room opened up, Syn and Behngi saw the culprit. The magelights in the room began to glow, showing at least two students, but there were three.


    Alyviah stood in the center of the room. She had absolutely filled the room with water. A puddle spanned from the doorway she emerged from all the way to the door at the far end of the room. There were no other ways into this arena.


    ¡°You okay, Alyviah?¡± Syn asked, stepping through the shallow water toward the young mage.


    ¡±Don¡¯t step any closer¡­ This is my water, and I want to make it to the end,¡± Alyviah warned, holding her staff tightly.


    Behngi whispered to Syn, ¡°I can¡¯t cast effectively in here. We should go back.¡±


    Syn whispered, ¡°Alyviah is the weakest in class. We should just knock her and move on.¡±


    Alyviah pushed the water around her away and up. Since she wasn¡¯t touching the water, it would be tricky for Behngi to make a shot.


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    Syn realized that she held the advantage in this fight. Fire could boil water, and Syn was a hell of a lot stronger than Alyviah.


    Syn strut forward toward Alyviah.


    ¡°Stay back, Syn,¡± Alyviah warned. ¡°I just want to get far. I don¡¯t want you to hurt.¡±


    The water soaked Syn¡¯s shoes as she stepped closer to the center of the room. Syn¡¯s head still throbbed from mana exertion, but she knew she had enough in the tank for Alyviah, at least. ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me. Do your worst.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Alyviah said, ¡°I am just his instrument to play.¡±


    Syn felt a pain in her stomach, and she looked down. A foot-long shard of ice was protruding from her stomach. Syn¡¯s eyes saw the source of the magic, obscured behind the water protecting Alyviah. Callo, the Cryomancer, was standing in the far doorway. He froze another sliver and pushed it at Syn.


    Behngi ran toward the center of the room, and the next shard hit him once Syn dodged.


    Syn shivered from the cold and rage. She ignored the shard. Callo was the threat. With this much water, he could defeat the entire class. Callo was using Alyviah. Syn sprinted around Alyviah, dodging the following few shards thrown at her by Callo. Alyviah didn¡¯t even react when Syn ran past her.


    Syn punched at Callo after closing the distance, but Callo pulled up a shield of ice. Syn broke the shield, but Callo was already backpedaling through the water.


    ¡°Are you okay, Syn? You aren¡¯t casting.¡± Callo asked. There was a smile on his face. He knew how much of an upper hand he had.


    Syn shivered again from the cold. ¡°I¡¯m f-fine,¡± she said as she attempted to swing again. This time, the punch wasn¡¯t strong enough to break the barrier. The barrier began to grow horizontally, and Syn realized he was trying to trap her. She punched it again, this time using more of her dwindling mana reserves. The fire broke through the ice.


    ¡°You have nothing left, Syn.¡± Callo taunted in a sing-songy voice.


    Syn smirked and looked toward the center of the room. Behngi had already broken through Alyviah¡¯s defenses, unleashing a blast of electricity strong enough to pacify the water mage. The water rippled out from the center of the room. ¡°You l-lost your support,¡± Syn shivered.


    ¡°So did he,¡± Callo said as he cast push on the ice in Syn¡¯s stomach, and the pain was enough for her to collapse. Syn lay in the cold puddle of water.


    ¡°Y-yield!¡± Syn cried out. The pain was like nothing she ever felt. She went to try melting the ice sticking deep into her abdomen, but as she did, the cold took her, and she lost consciousness.


    <h2>Behngi</h2>


    Behngi wanted nothing more than to sprint toward Callo. He wanted to prove himself. However, Callo looked pristine, and after Phia¡¯s ambush earlier, Behngi knew he was in bad shape.


    Behngi decided that the best option was to wait a moment to think of a better option. He ensured Alyviah wasn¡¯t drowning in her own water and stood over the young woman to guarantee Callo didn¡¯t initiate an offensive. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until they are clear¡­¡± Behngi said.


    ¡°Fine by me.¡± Callo said, ¡°But what about her?¡± pointing behind Behngi.


    Behngi turned his gaze and saw Aellaria standing in the doorway from which he had emerged minutes earlier. She looked even better off than Callo, except for an intense look on her face.


    Aellaria said, ¡°Get out of here, Behngi. I would rather not go through you for this one.¡±


    Behngi shook his head. They are friends, and this had to be close to the end of the Appraisal. ¡°Aellaria, we can work together, I promise.¡±


    From the room''s edges, Healers from the upper class slowly removed the unconscious Syn and Alyviah. One was wearing the white of the Junior class, and another was Angel.


    Aellaria shook her head. ¡°Behngi, you don¡¯t understand. This isn¡¯t your fight. Go rest.¡±


    Behngi knew that he needed more options. He needed to fight Callo on more even ground after recovering just a little bit. Behngi winced at the pain in his frostbitten fingers on his right hand. Behngi retreated toward Aellaria, as this room only has two entrances.


    A part of him was surprised that Aellaria just walked past him. Maybe she knew he had his guard up, or perhaps she just trusted him. ¡°Good luck¡­¡± He said in elvish.


    Behngi wasn¡¯t surprised when Aellaria responded in Elvish, ¡°Many thanks.¡±


    Behngi looked back at Callo and Aellaria in the water-filled arena. Syn and Alyviah were clear, and he vowed to the goddess Zobu to come back to defeat the winner.

 Chapter 39: The Worst Torture She Deserved

    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Aellaria stalked into the room, staring daggers at Callo. She pulled out one of the orange potions and drank it. The red dragon tongue potion burned her throat like poorly made, high-proof alcohol. The potion made breathing difficult, and Aellaria could feel the innate connection with fire grow stronger.


    Callo smirked, ¡°No potion can save you from what''s coming.¡± He was standing near the far entrance from where Aellaria entered. Using the water in the room and a single powerful cantrip, Callo froze the doorway behind him to block a route of escape.


    ¡°What''s that,¡± Aellaria said, her voice was unnatural and breathy. The air before her eyes shimmered like heat baking off the sand in a desert.


    ¡°Bitter defeat and an awakening,¡± Callo said.


    Aellaria stalked circles, and Callo mirrored her movements. She knew he wanted to cut off the other exit, and she wanted to let him. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll run?¡±


    Aellaria watched as Callo then closed off the other entrance. Each spell took some of the water he could use in the room. ¡°Let''s keep this a one-on-one. Then I can follow Behngi.¡±


    The next step was destroying the eye in the room. The eye was an invisible enchantment on the wall or ceiling that the teachers would use to watch them.


    This is precisely when Callo does something that surprises her. A simple spell that made her heart drop. Something that made her eyes widen in fear and make even Zenithor feel the need to retreat. She planned to cut off the feed that let the teachers watch, yet Callo pulled up a blade of ice and launched it toward the corner of the room. A corner that looked like any other, yet when the ice made contact, it chipped the stone and broke the lines on the enchantment.


    A leaking enchantment was an unpredictable thing. The magic can simply expire. Sometimes, it glowed and increased in temperature. This time, when the eye enchantment was destroyed, it exploded with a thunderous report. Tiles fell from the ceiling, and the shallow water rippled violently.


    Callo smiled at her, a relieved and euphoric smile. Like an uncomfortable and scratchy mask could finally come off.


    Aellaria wanted to run. By Phoenix¡¯s ashes, even Zenithor and Lilium wanted to run. She looked at both of the entrances¨C frozen solid. She could breathe fire on it and cast another spell, but that could take all of her magic, meaning there would be nothing left to use when Callo collapsed on her.


    Callo''s voice was wrong. It sounded like he was singing.¡°There''s that look¡­ I loved seeing that look. That day by the cliffs when you thought I was an illusion or a monster,¡± Callo said.


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the man you killed. The one you pushed off that cliff. The one you shattered. You looked down at me as I struck against the shale and spattered,¡± Callo said. He continued using his unnatural sing-songy voice.


    Spattered. That implied a gruesome death. That wasn¡¯t possible. Callo was still a shit apprentice. Aellaria knew he understood cold and could fight hand-to-hand, but there was no way he could survive anything from that height, especially if he didn¡¯t even hit water. ¡°You are lying. I didn¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Callo walked in the same spiral, circling her. ¡°Aellaria¡­ We don¡¯t have a lot of time for this. Not only did you kill me, but again, you want to cast me into the abyss.¡± He said.


    Aellaria¡¯s breathing intensified. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who you are. You certainly aren¡¯t Callo.¡±


    Callo¡¯s eyes twinkled like purple diamonds as he smiled. He threw his arms open. ¡°That''s right! You are very smart. Certainly, though, not born with a heart. Why did you kill Callo?¡±


    Aellaria hated, more than anything, being outmatched. The heat escaped her lips with each exhale, and her heart beat intensely in her chest.


    ¡°Why did you kill Callo?!¡± The Callo thing demanded.


    Aellaria shouted back, fire escaping her mouth mimicking the fury she felt. ¡°Because he killed my daughter!¡±


    The fiery display didn¡¯t bother Callo. In fact, he started laughing. ¡°Callo was the best thing to ever happen to that daughter of yours. You don¡¯t understand because you are an inadequate father, Zenithor.¡±


    Aellaria sprinted forward. No brakes, only hate. ¡°You don¡¯t know shit, child!¡± Zenithor shouted from within her. As she called and closed the distance, she breathed fire, but Callo pulled a sheet of ice out of the water. Aellaria shoulder-charged it anyway, breaking through the slab for another mighty exhalation.


    Callo didn¡¯t retreat a step. He wasn¡¯t dodging. He didn¡¯t even keep the ice shield up. Before Aellaria could exhale fire, Callo, lightning-fast, grabbed her jaw. He was stronger than she expected and lifted her into the air.


    Aellaria spat out, boiling saliva through gritted teeth. ¡°What do you fucking want then!¡± Aellaria prepared to cast but felt the cold embrace of ice take her hands.


    ¡°I want you to keep going. I want you to push harder. Meet your goal. I want you to go farther.¡±


    Aellaria glared at the fake and cast a wind cantrip with her mind. A liquid lava concoction rocketed from her belt and struck Callo in the face with enough force to break.


    ¡°Oh, Zenithor¡­ that¡¯s going to hurt. I want you to win, but I will have to punish that sin.¡± The Callo thing said as the concoction began reacting to the air. It started boiling against Callo''s face, turning red hot.


    Callo didn''t wipe away the liquid lava. He did nothing to mitigate the damage it did to his skin. He even appeared to feel relief as his skin bubbled and glowed.


    Aellaria felt her vision going dark at the edges. She could feel her body breathing, but it also felt like suffocation¡ªlike she was being pulled away from her body. She wanted to return to her life but was trapped in a current she couldn¡¯t escape. The fire in her throat faded. Then, the light in the distance was gone. All that was left was the darkness, the current, and foreign anxiety.


    <h2> Callo</h2>


    Aellaria looked out of unfamiliar eyes¡ªthe eyes of young Callo. Callo was struggling with anxiety. Aellaria could feel the pressure in Callo¡¯s head from the buzzing of the thoughts, like a hive filled with angry bees realizing that a hungry bear was targeting their home.


    ¡®Maybe it will be okay.¡¯


    ¡®No¡­ of course it won¡¯t be okay. This is the last thing father wants for me.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe Mr Kellam won¡¯t tell.¡¯


    ¡®No¡­ he said he would.¡¯


    ¡®What will Mr Zenithor do?¡¯


    ¡®Is this punishment going to hurt?¡¯


    Aellaria realized these thoughts came from Callo on his walk home the day he was caught kissing Lilium at school. Aellaria briefly thanked the mind she was experiencing for not focusing on Lilium¡¯s kiss. That would be the most disturbing thing the Callo imposter could show her.


    Callo finished the long walk up the carriageway of his home. The Villa Callo grew up in was usually warm. Still, his anxious thoughts made the crescent-shaped structure overlooking a beautiful courtyard and garden look like a colossal monster¡ªa monster that waited to chew him up as soon as he walked through the front archway.


    Callo even held his breath as he stepped through the archway, but nothing closed around him. Nothing jumped around the corner to attack him. Callo¡¯s guard was up, and every breeze, exhalation, or stray thought sent shivers coursing up and down his spine.


    ¡®It''s okay. There is always the other side of the tunnel.¡¯


    Callo stepped up to the door leading to the kitchen. It was open, and Callo could smell dinner cooking¡ªroast goose with vegetables. Callo struggled with his confrontation of the open door. Another portal to what is to come. Callo thought, ¡®I don¡¯t have to go through.¡¯


    A thought that only lasted for seconds as he heard his father, ¡°Come inside, Callo.¡±


    Callo obediently stepped through the door. He focused not on his father to his left or the lack of staff in the kitchen during dinner prep but on the vial of red liquid sitting on the counter. That was enough to tell him everything he needed to know.


    ¡°We will be sparring in the pond. You can use your magic, and don¡¯t hold back.¡± Mellow Goldrose said.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Callo responded. He looked down at the floor, unable to meet his father¡¯s intense purple eyes.


    Callo¡¯s mind was blurry as his father walked forward and picked up the vial. ¡°Put your studs on. I only want you falling when I make you fall.¡± His father commanded.


    His studs were next to the back door¡ªshoes with metal studs designed for gripping ice. Callo didn¡¯t even remember walking to the backdoor, but it was open, and he saw his father''s imposing figure. Father set the red vial on a pedestal just outside the back door. Callo picked up his studs, and his breath hitched as he saw the brown stains from last time.


    ¡°Hurry up, son, we better be done by the time dinner is,¡± Father said.


    Callo had his studs on, and the grating feeling of metal on cobblestone set his nerves off. Callo started to shake.


    ¡°Freeze the water,¡± Father demanded.


    Callo cast the cantrip to push cold into the water. As he froze the surface, he stepped out onto the pond. As a boy, there used to be fish in this pond¡ªall different colors. Callo remembered when his talent was emerging, he fell into the pond. He killed those fish as he panicked and flailed in the rapidly freezing water. The fish were beautiful, a luxury; then they were dead. Callo could still see the water freezing around his eyes as he panicked and the floating fish the next day after the pond had thawed.


    Father stepped onto the ice. His heavy footfalls left indents from the spikes on his boots. Callo saw that his father had his battle staff.¡ªa long wooden stick made from the core of a Nedra tree, with iron on either tip. Father had multiple enchanted staffs. He needed them since he wasn¡¯t talented. Most of them had beautiful ornamentation inlaid with gold and gems. This staff had no ceremonial value. At least, not for any ceremony the nobles of Frostholm would attend. This staff was just for Callo. It let Father manipulate ice, too.


    Callo followed Father onto the ice, and they took their stances. Callo knew he was inviting the pain by just standing in this fashion. He knew he was telling his father, ¡®I¡¯m Ready,¡¯ when he knew he wasn¡¯t.


    Callo cast and pulled a spike of ice out of the pond. Father hit it with a heavy blow from the iron-tipped end of his staff.


    The young ice mage then pulled a second spike up, and it struck his father¨C right on the sole of his right foot. Father crushed it as he stomped forward, using the momentum to strike Callo in the cheek with the hardwood.


    Callo reached up and saw on his fingers he was bleeding already.


    ¡°Your casting is slow. Do you know how much it costs to ensure you get the best education a mage can get?¡± Father accused.


    ¡°Yes, sir¡­ I will try to be faster.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should be practicing more, son.¡± Mellow accused.


    Callo cast with both hands, aiming for Father''s legs, this time with the ice spikes. Father pushed one of the spikes with the Cryomancy in his staff and stepped out of the way of the other.


    ¡°Your eyes are still telling me your movements. You know this.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, Father. I will try harder.¡± Callo responded.


    Callo stepped backward, and this time, he pulled up a spike thick enough, cold enough, that there would be no dodging, no breaking. However, Father used his Cryomancy staff to make the hazard a step to close the distance with Callo. The heavy metal end struck Callo hard on the shoulder, and Callo gasped, falling to his knees and crying out in pain.


    ¡°You are meant to be learning to cast fast and hard. What is this weak shit, son? I am trying to make you the best; all you ever do is be a step behind. A step too slow, a step too weak. Your mother said you have talent, but this isn¡¯t talent. These are the actions of a distracted and useless runt.¡±


    Callo could hardly breathe through the pain in his shoulder. He tried to raise his arm and screamed. Something was broken in his shoulder, and he could feel blood running down the inside of his sleeve down his unresponsive arm.


    ¡°On your feet, Callo,¡± Mellow demanded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Callo said defiantly. But as he said the words, his eyes went wide. He could see the words floating away, unrestrainable and sealing his fate. He didn¡¯t say that. He didn¡¯t mean to say that.


    ¡°On your feet, Callo. We aren¡¯t done. This is your chance to show me that you are fast and strong. You are a second-year academy student. You should be learning something. You should be useful. Maybe your mind is elsewhere when you are meant to focus on your spellcasting?¡±


    Callo began casting again, but Father was just faster. The shard of Ice Callo meant to fight with was pulled from his control and shattered against his knee. Callo was caught off guard and tried to balance with his broken arm, causing shooting pain there, too. It didn¡¯t matter whether Callo regained his balance or not. He could see his father¡¯s eyes. He dared to look into them that night for the first time. His father had no remorse or pity, and the metal end of the staff shattered the bones in Callo¡¯s leg he was using to support his weight.


    Callo howled in pain and curled into a ball on his side. The ice was the only comfort. His leg and arm radiated the most excruciating pain he ever felt. Callo looked back into his father¡¯s eyes, but there was still no remorse.


    ¡°You know what you did wrong. Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I only kissed a girl¡­¡±


    ¡°You kissed a worthless slut. Everything I have prepared for you would fall apart if you got that little trollop pregnant. I¡¯ve worked to give you everything, and I have NOTHING to show for it.¡± Father said. He was now walking in circles around his sobbing son.


    Blood leaked onto the ice from Callo¡¯s broken leg. Callo could feel the blood freezing, becoming part of his little domain. ¡°I¡¯ll be better,¡± Callo whimpered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want better. I want the greatest fucking sorcerer of all time. I want you to go to Spire. I want you to rule this kingdom. That''s what I am building. But you are ruining it with your mother''s fucking complacency!¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Callo felt Father¡¯s boot launch him into the air, and he landed on the cobblestone walkway, striking his head and dazing him. Callo could taste blood in his mouth. When he landed, he bit his cheek. Callo felt his back against something hard. It was the pedestal Father had placed the healing potion on.


    ¡°If you ruin my plans for you, you won¡¯t be my son. I am telling you now; focus on your practice.¡± Father said before he stepped back toward the house. He took his large studs off and walked inside. Father left the broken Callo alone in the backyard.


    Callo reached up with his remaining functional arm and took the healing potion. One would think that the sweet potion would taste like relief. That is what Zenithor and Aellaria associated the healing potion with. When Callo felt the potion cascade down his throat, he couldn¡¯t help but taste it. He was forced to remember the half dozen other times father hurt him so badly that he needed the potion. It was almost enough to make Callo vomit.


    Aellaria lived in Callo¡¯s head as he struggled to push Lilium away over the coming weeks.


    Lilium tried so hard, and Callo pretended not to see the effort. Callo forced himself to pretend not to see the need that lived in her or acknowledge his own.


    Callo wanted to hold her again, but he didn¡¯t dare. Father always knew when Callo lied.


    Lilium desperately pleaded to him. ¡°I can give you everything I am.¡±


    Callo responded, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for the weak.¡± Though, Lilium couldn¡¯t tell when Callo was lying. Honestly, Callo had all the time in the world for Lilium. It took every ounce of his effort not to wipe the blue streak of hair out of Lilium¡¯s streaming eyes. However, he needed to cut it off now and in this way.


    Like with the death of his mother, Callo knew hope hurt more than loss. He lied to let Lilium move on. He walked away and heard Lilium sobbing. Callo was crying, too, but he hoped that with this break, he could at least let Lilium find someone she deserved. Someone better than he was.


    Aellaria continued to feel what it was like living as Callo, even on the day it was announced in class that Lilium was dead. It was a sad announcement to many, but an announcement that killed what remained of the little boy who made goose noises in class. The little boy that thought, ¡®Ice and water would go together super well.¡¯


    Callo couldn¡¯t think about Lilium. His mind struggled to cope with her absence. Aellaria knew Callo felt exactly like Zenithor did after Lilium¡¯s death. Callo mourned as best he could while working to be as strong as possible.


    From that point onward, he put everything into working on his defenses. Callo worked to have complete control around him until he created a constant barrier of cold that not even his father could get through.


    Aellaria could feel time passing within Callo¡¯s mind. Graduation at the academy. Being accepted into Spire. Aellaria knew what was coming and sat resigned to watch it play out. She could hear the waterfall in the distance and knew no amount of paddling could save her. Aellaria felt a twinge of pain when she saw Callo recognize her wide-brimmed hat for the first time.


    Behind the shimmering curtain of the Mistfalls, Callo finally allowed himself to grieve Lilium¡¯s death. He felt a kinship with Aellaria. Callo finally suffered as Aellaria held him. Callo finally had comfort in his life. Callo finally felt seen... The mist from the waterfalls hid his tears, but Aellaria felt them now.


    Inside Callo¡¯s mind, Aellaria could feel the healing being done as Callo held the misguided Aellaria. Aellaria felt hope begin to bloom again in Callo¡¯s mind. Worst of all, he actually cared about Aellaria¡¯s loss, too. He wanted to be her friend and heal together. He wanted to let down his defenses and have a future as her friend.


    A future and hope that died while Callo fell. Aellaria saw now that he didn¡¯t even make it to the water. She was alone in Callo¡¯s dead mind now. His body was completely destroyed when it struck the rocks far below where Aellaria launched him from. As Son Lake lapped at Callo¡¯s remains, blood and viscera were pulled out into the water.


    Aellaria felt as numb as Callo¡¯s corpse. Callo was the only person in the world that Aellaria knew mourned Lilium¡¯s loss anywhere near as intensely as Zenithor did, and she had killed him.


    Son Lake slowly took Callo¡¯s corpse as Aellaria felt the current take her back to her body. Aellaria had a glazed-over expression as she looked at the glee-filled melted face of whatever was puppeteering Callo¡¯s likeness.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    Callo¡¯s face had stopped burning by now. Callo¡¯s entire mug was a ragged field of bone, muscle, and sinew. Aellaria was defeated, but there were no judges to call the match. The warmth from the dragon''s breath potion was the only thing that kept her conscious and undamaged from the ice locking her in place. Distantly, Aellaria felt the melting ice on her hands dripping down her arms. ¡°Why¡­¡± Aellaria begged.


    ¡°Why? Like I said, you made me feel pain. Tit for tat, it¡¯s all the same.¡± Callo said, pacing back and forth in front of Aellaria. The fucking thing didn¡¯t even seem to be in pain, and yet, it condemned her to the worst torture she deserved.


    The Callo thing walked around her. ¡°Zenithor, I¡¯ve been watching you for a long time. You tried so hard your entire life. You gave it everything, no matter what. Then you killed your beloved wife. I wrote you off. Your climax was finished. Then hatched this plan and showed me what real sin is.¡±


    Aellaria cried. Feeling Callo die. Seeing what she did to him. Seeing the torment he went through for Lilium. She could hardly focus on the words Callo spouted at her.


    The Callo imposter walked faster and faster around her as he continued to rant. ¡°Aellaria is boring. I see the trajectory of your quest. You learn to love again. You help your very best friends. No, no, no, no, no, NO! I''m here to watch you murder some fucking kids. I¡¯m here to see you blow your lid.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°You came into this room to see Callo die. I will grant you your wish twice. However, this Aellaria shit is not going to fly. Zenithor was my masterpiece. Do you think people want to see a Phoenix rise out of the ash? No, they want the ash raining down from the sky. Nothing interesting ever came from a time of peace.¡±


    Aellaria could feel Callo¡¯s fear as he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Though those weren¡¯t the words she chose for herself. ¡°Finish it, then.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Aellaria. It was a pleasure killing ya.¡± Callo said as he pushed cold directly into Aellaria¡¯s brain¡ªa targeted strike that severed neural pathways.


    It was surgical, and Aellaria felt stabbing pain and numb tucking and plucking. Aellaria could feel herself forgetting herself. Moments that Aellaria had learned to cherish from the first semester of school were being stolen. Her memories were being killed.


    There was one particularly loud sound, and Aellaria feared she was dead, but Callo released his grip on her neck. ¡°Fuck! Why did you have to make me do this? Now I have to remove a witness.¡±


    The sound was the shifting and falling of ice. Aellaria turned her head and saw what it was. Who it was.


    Paris held his sword. He surveyed the room with astonishment written on his face. The water on the floor. The rubble from some massive explosion. ¡°What the fuck happened here¡± He demanded. ¡°Rieth¡¯s hammer, Callo¡­ what are you doing, and what¡¯s with your face?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dangerous!¡± Aellaria shouted, but more ice wriggled around her. These tendrils held her still, and one tendril froze her jaw in place.


    Paris raised his sword. ¡°Leave it to me, Aellaria. I¡¯m not even close to beaten.¡±


    Callo walked toward Paris. His walk was almost a dance as he pulled the water from the floor in the form of ice. The ice rolled into long, massive icicles.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way, Callo. You didn¡¯t have nearly this much control when I saw your fight with Samwen.¡± Paris said.


    One of the ice spears flew forward, but Paris quickly parried it with his sword.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have much to say, Callo?¡±


    ¡°You are interrupting something, Paris. I won''t show you a fight that fair is.¡±


    ¡°Is that a riddle?¡± Paris said, smirking. ¡°I don¡¯t care what I am interrupting. You, my friend, are next on the list. So far, I have knocked out four students; you will be five. Then she will be six.¡± Paris changed his guard and sprinted forward, preparing to strike defensively.


    Callo launched spear after spear of ice, but this was all just a game for the talented young swordsman. As he ran, Paris changed his center of gravity, alternating between dodging and slashing at the invading projectiles.


    The puddle Callo had been standing in started drying up, so he retreated toward the far end of the room past Aellaria, where the water was a little deeper.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to take your medicine, my lord!¡± Paris teased as he caught up to Callo. The dig undoubtedly poked fun at Callo¡¯s very wealthy upbringing.


    Paris goes for a downward swing but is forced to push himself to the side as dozens of spikes sweep out from under Callo.


    ¡°You¡¯re fast, but it won¡¯t last,¡± Callo responded


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s called lightning, and you aren¡¯t the first to misjudge my staying power,¡± Paris said as he cut down the crystals between him and Callo. Paris hadn¡¯t cast a single spell. He managed to keep up with the imposter using only his natural speed and martial ability.


    Callo slowly stepped back, retreating to more water.


    Aellaria panicked, knowing it was a trap. Callo was about to get the upper hand. Aellaria used her remaining mana to create a strong fire that weakened the ice around her jaw. She used all the strength in her neck to crack the ice and make it fall away.


    ¡°Paris! It isn¡¯t Callo! Run!¡± She shouted. As she roared, she unleashed fire onto the ice below her. The mana exhaustion threatened to take her at any moment, but she only needed one more free limb.


    It was too late. All of the destroyed ice in Paris¡¯ wake slowly lifted. Paris didn¡¯t even know it was happening. ¡°Of course, it is Callo¨C unless Ozyid lost some weight.¡± He joked. The first of many icicles and apple-sized pieces of hail begin rocketing toward Paris.


    Paris responded too slowly to the onslaught of ice but did not truly appreciate the danger he was in. Paris foolishly closed the distance with Callo and swung the blunt end of his sword as countless ice shards began striking him in the back.


    The sword landed on Callo¡¯s arm and exploded with electrical power channeled by the talented spell fighter, but the devastation to Paris¡¯ back was worse.


    Callo and Paris both collapsed, and Aellaria struggled against the ice. Finally, it gave. She reached down and quickly drank the mana and healing potions at her waist.


    Aellaria heard the sound of metal on stone as a wave of ice rippled and pulled Paris¡¯ sword away from the bleeding and battered man. Callo chuckled as he pulled himself to his foot. Aellaria could see that Callo wasn¡¯t putting weight on his right side, where Paris had struck.


    Callo¡¯s laugh was far too joyous for the damage done to his body. ¡°Ohhh¡­ You made me feel pain, young electro. I have a policy for those who ¨C¡±


    An explosion of electricity emerged from Paris¡¯ prone form. It was his only card. His body was devastated, and Callo took his sword. All Paris could do was focus his magic into its natural chaotic form and push out as much as possible. The force of the electrical explosion dislodged all of the shards of ice in Paris¡¯ back. Aellaria could see the blood weeping from countless wounds.


    Callo wasn¡¯t expecting this, and the explosion launched him back into the wall. Callo crumbled to the floor and stopped moving.


    Aellaria cautiously walked toward the unconscious Callo, but to her surprise, Paris was not done. The mage with the shredded back slowly stood up. The explosion had dislodged all the ice, but the wounds were evident, and his blue robes were saturated in blood. ¡°Paris¡­ you need a healer.¡±


    ¡°Okay, number six¡­ It¡¯s time. Where¡¯s my sword?¡± Paris said, looking around. Paris eventually spotted it, but it was embedded in thick ice. ¡°Oh. Well, you don¡¯t have magic anyway.¡±


    Aellaria ignored Paris and walked toward Callo. Callo wasn¡¯t moving. Aellaria knew this did not mean he wasn¡¯t a threat.


    Paris ran forward and, to Aellaria¡¯s surprise, was much more intact than she had suspected. He punched her stomach, and she was forced to block. The block didn¡¯t matter as Paris had summoned a blast of electricity into his fist, and it was just enough to make Aellaria¡¯s arms spasm. It was an amazing talent to have so much control of chaotic magic. Almost any other mage would have been weak without their arcane focus.


    Aellaria disengaged. She would have to eliminate the delusional Electromancer before she could finish Callo.


    Paris closed the gap, but Aellaria always dodged or parried unexpectedly. Blocking Paris¡¯ strikes would only serve to wear her down. Paris was fast, punching madly in a flurry of blows, knowing he only needed one to hit to win. Considering the mage''s passion, she feared how strong he would be at full strength.


    Aellaria gave Paris a false opening. Paris tried to finish Aellaria off, but Aellaria summoned a metal plate. The plate exploded with electricity that Paris thought would connect to his opponent. Aellaria used all of her remaining mana to push the plate toward Paris.


    Before Paris could react, Aellaria¡¯s other arm punched below the floating metal plate, connecting with Paris¡¯ chin. The injured Paris went down hard, and Aellaria saw that he was now on his back, crying out in pain. Aellaria put one foot on his wrist and pressed the other against his forehead.


    ¡°You..win,¡± Paris said between labored breaths.


    Aellaria bolted over to Callo''s unconscious body. She knew he lay there like a biding shark, waiting for his moment to kill everyone else in the room. Aellaria stared at the unconscious Callo carefully as she stomped on the melting ice and pulled forth Paris¡¯ sword.


    Aellaria started to notice something was off. Callo wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°Stab his throat. Do it now. Kill him.¡± Zenithor said. He was external again, just behind her shoulder.


    Aellaria held the sword. Paris wasn¡¯t looking. He might not even be conscious. Aellaria felt her knuckles crack, and her fingers ached from how tightly she gripped the sword. Aellaria raised the blade.


    ¡°He¡¯s a threat,¡± Zenithor said, demanding the death of whatever inhabited Callo¡¯s form.


    Aellaria stalled, however. The sword became heavy. She heard the sword splash and clatter into the tile beside her, but she didn¡¯t even remember dropping it. Then Aellaria collapsed.


    Moments later, Aellaria was being picked up by someone. An Angel. More accurately, the healer, Angel. Aellaria stuttered to the woman, ¡°I-I need to s-see it.¡±


    Angel walked with Aellaria in her arms. ¡°Hey, darling,¡± the gray-robed healer said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s over. It''s time for us to heal you up.¡±

 Chapter 40: The Angel

    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin waited for the rest of the class to arrive in the observation room. Throughout the appraisal, Marin could see who was going against whom. She was able to see Syn and Behngi fight Callo and Alyviah. Professor Niall took on the responsibility of doing an almost play-by-play of what was happening. Once more and more of his students entered the room, he started to let loose.


    Ozyid, Olyza, Chlora, and five teachers were inside the room. Shortly after Marin¡¯s arrival came Badnel, Drakon, and Flair.


    Flair pointed at Marin angrily, ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You distracted me instead of just leaving!¡±


    Marin looked confused, ¡°I only told you what I think you needed to hear.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a liar! You fucking tricked me and let that little goblin sneak up on me!¡± Flair whined.


    Niall sidled between the girls before things escalated any further. ¡°Flair, my brilliant student, I cannot condone violence, especially when Marin doesn¡¯t have her protection. I personally don¡¯t think that Marin was acting deceptively. However, even if she was, working with another student is not against the rules. As long as she left promptly.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, that isn¡¯t fair. She lost, and she stuck around. You can¡¯t work together with someone else if I can¡¯t hit you.¡±


    ¡°Those are good points, and everyone¡¯s performance will be under ethical review to ensure everyone acted safely and sportingly,¡± Niall warned.


    This warning was enough to draw heat to Flair¡¯s cheeks. She knew she was in the wrong when she enacted lethal magic on Marin that had to be dispelled.


    On the screen pulled up by Granite Guardian, everyone could see Alyviah and Callo fighting Syn and Behngi.


    ¡°My money is on the Cryomancer. Callo has very advanced control.¡± Kaira said.


    Aeren crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. ¡°Teachers can¡¯t bet, and the Dean would have your hide if he were here.¡±


    ¡°My metaphorical gold on Callo, then,¡± Kaira said with a smirking side-eyed glance. Marin couldn¡¯t help but admire the Pyromancer¡¯s beautiful enchanted red robes that seemed to flow in a spiral all around her body.


    ¡°Then I put my metaphorical money on Paris,¡± Aeren responded. On the screen, Phia was now being defeated by Paris. Marin couldn¡¯t judge good swordplay, but the top-ranked of their class seemed like he knew what he was doing.


    ¡°Yeah! Fucking get it, Paris!¡± Flair said. Marin shook her head. She knew that Phia losing earlier would result in a worse outcome for Flair. Flair was unwise to root for Paris, but Marin knew she did it to spite Phia.


    Kaira kept the game alive and asked the professional rogue, ¡°Rietta?¡±


    ¡°Likely Paris,¡± Rietta stated. ¡°It is Niall¡¯s class, however.¡±


    Niall watched closely as the final confrontations were drawing up. ¡°I agree. Paris is promising, but Callo is demonstrating control I would expect from a Junior.¡±


    Granite Guardian watched the four students on the board closely before speaking up. ¡°Aellaria has displayed the talent of a professional alchemist. The two top students of this class aren¡¯t Paris and Callo, maybe one of them, but Aellaria is certainly going for the win.¡±


    Kaira laughed. ¡°Gran, you¡¯re delusional. The talentless girl that snuck into Spire and tricked Niall into letting her stay is surely going out this year.¡±


    Marin heard Flair give out a soft chortle at Kaira¡¯s comment but didn¡¯t hear her say anything.


    ¡°It looks like Behngi will fight Paris while Aellaria fights Callo. Maybe Behngi will surprise us¡ªWait. What was that?¡± Niall asked.


    Marin saw that one of the feeds became inactive. Gran stepped forward and tried to pull it up. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I will try to get the last moments.¡±


    On the wall, everyone could see the ongoing fight between Behngi and Paris, and then shortly after, a second feed of the last moments before the magic faded. The teachers and students watched as Callo blocked off the escape from the room. Then, the images just suddenly stopped.


    ¡°It just goes out... Maybe it wasn¡¯t properly enchanted?¡± Granite Guardian suggested.


    Rietta¡¯s brown eyes glared at Gran. ¡°I personally check my enchantments. Could it be that your tile failed the enchantment?¡± Rietta countered.


    ¡°It could be. Should we do something?¡± Granite Guardian said.


    Rietta smiled, having had the critique of her competence rescinded. ¡°We will interfere if we see anything from their vitals that worries us.¡±


    Niall let out an awkward grunt, and Rietta responded. ¡°I will send Cryonolon to be close. An intervention at a bad time could cause a fatal mistake.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I am going to get closer so I can scry. Fatal mistakes are inevitable with freshmen.¡± Niall said before hastily leaving the room.


    On-screen, Paris defeated Behngi and continued through the only open door of his arena toward Aellaria and Callo.


    Seeing Professor Niall worried made Marin anxious herself. Aellaria could handle herself, but accidents happened, especially with a sword involved.


    Niall was no longer there to fill the silence, and everyone just watched the three remaining enchantments indicating the three remaining students, hoping nothing wrong would happen.


    After minutes like this, chaos erupted. Marin didn¡¯t understand. The information on the wall wasn¡¯t something she had been taught. All she knew was something terrible had happened.


    Rietta was the first out of the room, sprinting. Aeren and Kaira followed. Granite Guardian began calmly herding the eight students toward the dorms.


    Flair immediately broke out of line. ¡°Fuck that. What''s happening? Is my Callo okay?¡±


    Marin added, ¡°What about Aellaria?¡±


    Gran sighed and gestured for the other six students to go to their dorms. ¡°Flair, Marin, come with me.¡±


    Gran led the unlikely pair to the teleportation rings and then to the infirmary.


    <h2>Aellaria</h2>


    The Electromancer in the Senior class was named Angel. She was gently guiding Aellaria toward the infirmary. Aellaria was too distraught to think much of anything and followed her shepherd without fuss. The halls of Spire felt different, and Aellaria felt raw and frayed. Something about being led around like a toddler by the healer brought peace to Aellaria and made her nervous. Nerves that she wouldn¡¯t act on. Right now, everything was strange.


    As Aellaria entered the infirmary, she saw Behngi and Phia sitting in the waiting area. Alyviah, Paris, and Syn were on nearby beds.


    Something fired in her mind. Aellaria saw the five students but felt an emotional attachment to Syn and Behngi. She didn¡¯t know why. Syn was a Pyromancer who slept in the men''s dorm. Behngi and Syn were friends. Syn was ranked in the twenties, but Aellaria fought Syn. She looked at these two people and knew they were supposed to be friends, but she only saw a collection of facts, and few memories were attached.


    Behngi walked over to Aellaria, who was sitting on her bed. ¡°Aellaria, are you okay? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Are we friends?¡± Aellaria asked. She knew there was an emotional bond between her and Behngi, but she couldn''t understand why for the life of her.


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Behngi instead asked Angel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think the Electromancer may have hurt her in the fight. I will need to diagnose what is happening inside that head.¡±


    Aellaria shifted stubbornly to get up. ¡°No, no¡­ not in my head. I took a health potion. I will be fine.¡±


    Marin entered the room with a panicked expression. Aellaria saw the simple-looking girl. Her square face. ¡®That is my roommate Marin¡­ My roommate. She means a lot to me.¡¯ Then Aellaria realized what the Callo thing had been doing. He had been stealing Aellaria¡¯s most precious moments. Stealing them so that Aellaria wouldn¡¯t exist anymore. Aellaria knew that Marin meant a lot to her. ¡®But¡­ I don¡¯t remember a single thing about her.¡¯


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    Aellaria remembered what the Callo imposter had said. ¡°Aellaria is boring¡­ Goodbye, Aellaria.¡±


    ¡°Let me take your hat for you¡­¡± Angel said calmly before gently plucking the wide-brimmed hat from Aellaria¡¯s head and setting it on the empty adjacent bed.


    Marin was by her side, focusing on Aellaria. Her face was painted with sympathy. Aellaria just looked at that concern and felt broken. None of it mattered anymore. All Aellaria wanted at that moment was to understand why this person cared for her. Could any memories in Marin¡¯s head bring Aellaria back from killing the real Callo?


    Aellaria laid back, defeated. She needed a rest. If they found out about Zenithor and his secrets, she would accept her punishment for her crimes.


    Distantly, Aellaria could hear someone screaming. Flair. Angel began using her magic to check the health of Aellaria¡¯s wrinkled skull meat, then came back even more concerned.


    ¡°Aellaria. Honey, please lay on your side.¡± Angel ordered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aellaria responded and rolled to her side.


    ¡°Aellaria, what happened to your head?¡±


    ¡°The cold,¡± Aellaria responded.


    ¡°Umm¡­ okay. You¡¯re sure it wasn¡¯t electricity?¡± Angel asked, but Aellaria just wanted to be done with it. Aellaria looked at Marin. Marin was holding her hand.


    ¡°Am I going to be okay?¡± Aellaria asked the person who cared.


    Marin nodded her head but asked, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°I killed Callo,¡± Aellaria said with a sob. She started to cry. It was all too much. All she could think about was the boy that Lilium loved. The boy who saw the light behind the shimmering curtain. The only person who knew the pain of losing Lilium.


    ¡°You are going to be okay, Aellaria,¡± Marin said. Aellaria could feel Marin¡¯s hand squeezing hers.


    Aellaria responded with deep sobs of anguish. She gasped for air as her lungs and heart battled for room in her chest. Then she felt Angel¡¯s sleep spell hit her, and the last thing the conscious Aellaria felt was Marin¡¯s hand around hers.


    <h2> Zenithor</h2>


    Zenithor woke up in his workshop. When Aellaria left this place, she left his body. She had left his destruction. There was no destruction now. No dust, not even a single broken vial. The table where the Aellaria body had been was gone, too. All that was left were two chairs. One of the chairs was occupied.


    Lilium sat in the chair opposite him. She still had the blue streak in her hair¡ªthis was the Lilium from the day Callo rebuked her advances.


    Zenithor sat down, facing his daughter. ¡°We have to reconcile this. You are making me lose control. You are going to ruin my investigation.¡±


    Lilium shook her head. ¡°This wasn¡¯t an investigation. If my last act thwarted your plans to kill my former classmates¨C then I am doing the right thing.¡±


    Zenithor responded. ¡°You aren¡¯t Lilium. You are a snapshot of who Lilium was from the context of Callo and the emotions imprinted on your locket. You don¡¯t know who deserves what.¡±


    ¡°I know Callo didn¡¯t deserve what you did. Callo didn¡¯t deserve death for turning me down. It didn¡¯t even matter his reasons.¡± Lilium retorted. She crossed her arms and leaned back into the wooden chair.


    Zenithor countered by leaning forward. ¡°You don¡¯t know that Lilium. Callo¡¯s rebuke could have instigated the problems that plagued you when you¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°When I killed myself?¡± Lilium finished.


    ¡°If that is what happened, you don¡¯t even know that,¡± Zenithor countered, adding, ¡°I am your father. You will let me conduct my investigation.¡±


    Lilium smiled, knowing she had the upper hand. ¡°You know that never worked on me. I can see most of what you know. You are wrong. What did the imposter mean when he said you killed your wife.¡±


    Zenithor looked Lilium in the eyes and then looked away. He couldn¡¯t lie to Lilium, not even a memory of her. However, that didn¡¯t mean he had to tell the truth.


    ¡°What happened to mother?¡± Lilium asked. ¡°I was too young. You said she had a mental condition.¡±


    ¡°Shortly after you were born, your mother degenerated cognitively and then died,¡± Zenithor said.


    Lilium shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t have you running around doing your murder spree. I will keep letting Aellaria connect. Then she won¡¯t let you either.¡±


    Zenithor leaned back. ¡°You were always good at ruining my plans and getting your way. Even as a baby¨C You were always finding ways to get around my defenses.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t change the subject by talking about me as a baby,¡± Lilium said. ¡°I don¡¯t care what I did as a baby. I care about what you are doing now. I care about what happened to my mother.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about Celia,¡± Zenithor muttered.


    ¡°Fine, then I am going to kill Aellaria myself. The last thing I want is your unstable rampage because of what happened to Mom, because of what happened to me.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill Aellaria. I won¡¯t let you.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I hate to break it to you, but I am better at killing myself than you are at stopping me from killing myself.¡±


    ¡°That''s not funny,¡± Zenithor said, but he cracked a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lilium said. ¡°But it hurts seeing you out of control. I miss my dad. The man who always had answers. The one that loved me even when I made mistakes.¡±


    ¡°I am in control. I won the midterm appraisal,¡± Zenithor said, his arms crossed with fake pride.


    ¡°I know you regret killing Callo. You were wrong. I saw it. I can feel your regret and pain.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m not in control. I make decisions that hurt me. I get excited, anxious, or enraged. I make choices that hurt those that don¡¯t deserve it. What do you want me to do about it?¡±


    Lilium stood up, still wearing her wide-brimmed hat. She walked over to Zenithor and leaned down, hugging him. ¡°I want you to be right, Dad. I want to see you feel your feelings, but make the right choice. I want Marin to be successful. I want Aellaria to be her friend. Did you feel it?¡±


    Zenithor started to actually remember Marin¡ªthe lottery apprentice who puts everyone else before herself, even when she needs help. Zenithor remembered Marin holding Aellaria''s hand when it felt like everything was coming apart. And then Zenithor remembered it again and again. Zenithor was surprised that it was what he wanted, too. He wanted the crass young mage to become a master sorcerer. He wanted Marin to get everything she wanted and deserved.


    ¡°I felt it,¡± Zenithor admitted. He hugged his daughter back. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, but you know I need the truth.¡±


    ¡°Then find the truth and help Marin. Be the person you are supposed to be and not the one you want to be seen as.¡±


    ¡°Lilium, why did you do it?¡± Zenithor asked. Tears in his eyes, his hands shaking against the memory¡¯s back.


    Lilium pulled back from the hug and looked Zenithor in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t there when Lilium thought those thoughts, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been an open book about it either.¡±


    Zenithor didn¡¯t like losing. He had never lost as much as he did when he found Lilium. It hurt him viscerally to fail, and he failed as a father. He sought Lilium¡¯s comfort again, but he couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°I will do better.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡± Zenithor heard from all around him.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Zenithor responded to the quiet, empty memory of a room.

 Chapter 41: Cold Soup

    <h2>Aellaria, Tuesday, Scribalai 31st, </h2>


    Aellaria¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the dorm room. Reality slowly came to Aellaria¡ªthe events of the appraisal. The confrontation with Callo, Callo¡¯s life before his death, and Angel putting her under. A part of her was surprised that there were no magical suppression manacles on her wrists.


    There was movement in the room, and Aellaria looked to see Marin. Marin was holding Aellaria¡¯s hat in her lap. ¡°Hey,¡± Marin said with a light smile.


    ¡°Last time I woke up like this. I went to class and kicked you in the head.¡± Aellaria said. She guessed the reason that Marin had a cautious expression.


    Marin smiled, showing her slightly crooked teeth. She let out a soft laugh when she said, ¡°You remembered! Angel and Cryonolon said your brain was damaged in the fight. Behngi said you didn¡¯t know who he was.¡±


    Aellaria lay on her side, facing Marin. ¡°What time is it?¡± Her body felt groggy and destroyed. Aellaria thought about drinking a stamina potion, but the idea turned her stomach.


    ¡°It¡¯s the afternoon. Professor Kaira¡¯s class is doing their Appraisal now.¡±


    ¡°It''s been an entire day?¡± Aellaria asked, but that made sense, given the damage to her mind. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be watching the fights?¡± One of the perks of being the first class to undertake the appraisal was that you could watch the subsequent appraisals.


    ¡°You have woken up a couple of times, but you¡¯ve only been responsive now,¡± Marin said. ¡°I wanted to be here if you woke up. I wasn¡¯t here last time, and I felt bad.¡±


    Silence hung in the room awkwardly. Something was on Marin¡¯s mind, and Aellaria suspected what it was. Eventually, Marin asked. ¡°What did you mean when you said you killed Callo?¡±


    Aellaria looked at Marin and felt her heart drop at the memories. A part of her wanted to tell the truth. ¡®I murdered your friend in the first week of class because he said the wrong thing when we were alone. Oh, and now I know that he didn¡¯t even deserve it.¡¯ or, ¡®I hit Callo in the face with a lethal concoction because he seemed to be a puppet of some powerful necromancer.¡¯ Aellaria inhaled deeply and responded. ¡°I hit Callo with a potentially lethal concoction. He didn¡¯t concede the fight. Is he okay?¡±


    Marin seemed to think about things momentarily, ¡°Are you hungry? I can go get you some food.¡±


    Aellaria pressed the question. ¡°Is Callo okay?¡±


    Marin just shook her head in the negative. Callo was dead.


    Aellaria changed the subject, feeling Marin¡¯s pain. ¡°Some food would actually be really nice. Please.¡± Aellaria said, sitting up. Marin started to turn around, but Aellaria stopped her. ¡°How did you do?¡±


    Marin ran a nervous hand through her hair. ¡°I lost to Flair. I didn¡¯t win any fights.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marin. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do a lot better next time.¡± Aellaria started to get up, but Marin stopped her.


    ¡°You should stay here,¡± Marin said. She handed Aellaria the wide-brimmed sorcerer hat.


    Aellaria took the hat and settled it on her head. Her fingers then checked for her arcane focus. The lily still hung from her neck. Aellaria still didn¡¯t have her dimensional pouch, but she assumed it was still inside her closet where she left it. Aellaria cautiously looked at Marin, wondering why it would be best for her to stay in the room. ¡°Why should I stay here?¡±


    Marin looked nervous.


    ¡°Marin?¡±


    ¡°Flair saw Callo¡¯s body. She saw what happened to his face. She blamed you. Alyviah and Bren haven¡¯t been any better about it either.¡±


    Aellaria thought about the physical relationship between the Callo imposter and Alyviah, and a part of her felt terrible for Flair. Bren hardly seemed to need an excuse to hurt people, which probably made her even more dangerous than the other two. ¡°I understand. I will stay here.¡±


    Marin left and returned shortly afterwards with a big bowl of soup. Marin also brought company. But not the welcome company of Syn and Behngi. Professor Rietta and Niall entered the Freshman dorm room.


    Aellaria stood up for a moment, only to collapse at her desk. Professor Rietta, a master rogue, instantly affected how Aellaria evaluated a situation. Aellaria¡¯s guard went up, and she exaggerated her head pain, pretending to be more approachable. ¡°Professors.¡±


    Marin gently set the soup on the desk. It seemed colder than normal, so she cast a gentle heat cantrip until the soup began steaming again.


    Aellaria gave Marin a wincing smile and croaked out. ¡°Thank you, Marin. You are the best roommate I could ask for.¡±


    Niall took Marin¡¯s desk chair and brought it to Aellaria¡¯s side of the room. He sat down. ¡°Hey, Aellaria. Are you doing okay?¡±


    Aellaria read sympathy from the master water mage, which was a good sign. ¡°My head hurts. I¡¯m having trouble remembering things from the last couple of weeks,¡± Aellaria said, but to her recollection, she remembered everything.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, my old-school friend,¡± Niall said compassionately. ¡°We need to know what you do remember. There were moments from your fight with Callo that we don¡¯t quite know what happened. Can you tell us about that?¡±


    Aellaria nodded. ¡°He had a bunch of water in the room. He used it to lock me into place and prevent me from using my dragon''s breath potion. He cast a spell on me to make me yield, and things started getting fuzzy. It was¡ªI just remember feeling fear and pain.¡±


    Professor Rietta stepped forward. Her eyes observed Aellaria cautiously. The enchanted gold metal on her cheeks glowed softly as she said, ¡°Niall could scry into the room for part of the fight.¡±


    Aellaria didn¡¯t react to this new evidence. She took a sip of the soup. There was a lot from the fight, a lot of words said that would give away her game. However, if Rietta had known that, she could have dug deeper into her mind when unconscious. ¡°What happened? Why did Niall have to scry?¡±


    Niall went to respond, but Rietta stopped him. ¡°Do you remember striking Callo in the face with the Liquid Lava concoction?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes, I struck him before I was immobilized. I thought that he would be okay as a Cryomancer. I thought he would yield, but he didn¡¯t.¡± Aellaria said, mostly lying. She knew if she was caught lying about the time after Niall scryed, she might be in trouble.


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    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that when we asked?¡± Rietta pressured.


    Aellaria shook her head. ¡°Details about the last week are coming to me pretty weirdly. What happened to me?¡± Aellaria redirected.


    Niall gave his classic charming fatherly smile. ¡°You¡¯re okay. Some damage was done to your mind by some type of frost spell. The type of magic that spits in the face of our ethical guidelines.¡± Niall then shook his head, disappointed in his deceased student.


    ¡°You said to Paris that it wasn¡¯t Callo. What did you mean by that?¡± Rietta said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t remember much after I was restrained.¡± Aellaria lied. ¡°Callo hurt me, and maybe. I don''t know.¡±


    Niall nodded, understanding. ¡°Someone you thought of as a friend restrained you and hurt you in an excessively brutal way. I could understand feeling betrayed,¡± Niall said, and Aellaria could see that it undercut Rietta''s truth-seeking.


    Rietta looked at Niall, annoyed.


    ¡°Callo wasn¡¯t a friend to me, but I did think he was a good person,¡± Aellaria said.


    Rietta asked her next question. ¡°Afterward, while in the infirmary, you said that you killed Callo. Why would you say that?¡±


    Aellaria was annoyed at Rietta¡¯s insistence, but being close to Callo¡¯s death not once but twice made it a required follow-up. ¡°I think I knew how reckless it was to hit Callo with the Liquid Lava.¡±


    Niall shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°It was reckless. The enchantments meant to dispel damage done by spells cannot be applied to chaotic magic or poisons and concoctions. Do you remember what happened after Paris entered the room?¡±


    Aellaria shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s spotty. I remember seeing Callo¡¯s body.¡±


    Niall continued. ¡°Paris fought with Callo and was disarmed of his sword. Paris used chaotic magic that killed Callo. We don¡¯t believe at this time that your concoction was responsible in any way. After Paris accidentally killed Callo, you beat Paris in mostly magicless combat, where Paris continued to use chaotic magic.¡±


    Aellaria wrinkled her brow. ¡°Paris? Is he going to be expelled? I won?¡±


    Niall sighed and scratched his head. ¡°Paris will get a warning. He shouldn¡¯t have acted so rashly, but given that Callo had pierced Paris¡¯ back, legs, and scalp with dozens of ice shards¨C It was reasonable he could have feared for his life. Evidence suggests Callo was in a sort of manic state and was not thinking clearly.¡± Niall gave a bard¡¯s smile, relieved he had some good news to talk about. ¡°That is right. You won the Appraisal. This will set you up well for the rest of the year if you can defend your position. Congrats, Aellaria.¡±


    Marin seemed happy for Aellaria but not giddy.


    ¡°Who won today?¡± Aellaria asked, knowing the teachers wouldn¡¯t be here if the appraisal continued.


    ¡°Your sparring partner. Tilly is very proud of the pair of you.¡± Niall said, and Aellaria imagined what the foulmouthed coach would have said about the women¡¯s performance this year.


    Rietta put the conversation back on track, asking finally. ¡°Did you notice any explosions in the room?¡±


    Aellaria was surprised. This was a detail she missed in her retelling. Callo destroyed the scrying enchantment in the corner of the room, and it caused an explosion. If Aellaria had started to forget at the point that she did, she should have been able to comment on this.


    ¡°There was an explosion, and tile fell from the ceiling. I thought maybe it came from one of the other rooms.¡±


    ¡°Did you see Callo do anything that may have affected the scrying enchantment in the room?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing that.¡± Aellaria lied. ¡°I remember an explosion and the sound of Paris cutting through the Ice, but much of that fight is just gone. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Niall seemed almost annoyed with his superior¡¯s insistence on questioning the nineteen-year-old student. ¡°I knew you had potential that day you showed me your Geomancy. Know that Tilly isn¡¯t the only one that is proud of you. I am, too. Even Granite Guardian is singing your praises.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Niall. I have worked hard for this.¡± Aellaria admitted. This time, there was minimal deception. She used much of what Zenithor was to get this far, but she worked very hard for it. Aellaria felt proud of her accomplishment, even if it was stained by the torturous session with the fake Callo.


    Niall stood up, ¡°We should get going. You have victory soup to eat. Rest well.¡±


    The two teachers vacated the room. A part of Aellaria felt nervous that Rietta may plan on pursuing the investigation further, but thought she did an excellent job at misdirecting where appropriate and misremembering when necessary.


    Marin walked over and ducked under Aellaria¡¯s hat to hug the mage. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to protect you, so you better be more careful next semester.¡±


    ¡°I will be. Are Syn and Behngi okay?¡±


    ¡°They are okay. They were watching the fights. They are probably eating now.¡±


    ¡°I will be okay now and next semester. Thank you for looking after me. I really appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get rid of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I plan on recovering after I finish this soup, and you should be gossiping and having fun with Syn and Behngi. There might be some weak links in Terra¡¯s class you can get the scoop on now.¡± Aellaria said.


    ¡°That is¡­ an excellent point. Thank you, Aellaria. Rest well.¡± Marin said before leaving the room.


    Aellaria didn¡¯t go for the soup. Instead, she went for the closet. Inside the closet behind her robes was the dimensional pocket. She tied it around her waist and pulled out the journal inside.


    It was still there, and the pages were still glued shut. Aellaria ripped out the pages that were glued. Now that she remembers everything. There was no reason to keep them. She then burned them. Aellaria destroyed one of the few damning pieces of evidence left of her crimes.

 Chapter 42: Troubled Saint

    <h2>Aellaria, Friday, Scribalai 34th</h2>


    Aellaria was sick from grief. Grieving the loss of Lilium. Experiencing Lilium¡¯s pain. Experiencing Callo¡¯s life. It was like she was stabbed in the gut long ago, and every time before the wound could close¨C something inevitably ripped it back open. The following days were a struggle to process this grief. However, the saving grace this time was that it wasn¡¯t just Zenithor. Marin was always close by. Behngi and Syn were a comforting presence, and the judgmental memory of Lilium was there, too. Aellaria also became more aware of her own compartments in her mind that weren¡¯t directly mapped from Zenithor. Compartments that allowed her to cope with the decisions made by Zenithor¡¯s influence.


    Zenithor became even more external than he ever had been. Aellaria got to reign free over her own wing of the mind palace, borrowing Zenithor¡¯s history without him holding the keys to every memory. Lilium¡¯s honesty and pressure were the only things that calmed the rage that lived in Zenithor¡¯s heart.


    His rage was very much still there. If anything, the list of those who needed punishment had increased, which made Aellaria nervous but excited.


    The four classes finished their appraisals. Aellaria knew that today was Niall¡¯s final lecture. Syn, Behngi, Marin, and Aellaria sit at their booth. The four friends didn¡¯t talk much, primarily because with Aellaria here, there was an increased level of scrutiny from Flair and friends. Aellaria constantly felt the Pyromancer''s eyes on her, and even Marin had situational awareness enough not to talk about it.


    Aellaria wondered if there was a graceful way to handle the situation. Of course, Flair was on The List, but Aellaria wasn¡¯t ready to tackle Zenithor¡¯s list yet. It would require her to dig into the memories of another object, and that process was something she wasn¡¯t prepared for mentally, physically, or emotionally. With that said, Aellaria had second thoughts about tackling some of the names on The List. This semester showed Aellaria''s independence and exposed Zenithor¡¯s fallibility.


    The quartet made their way to Niall¡¯s class, which was now down to thirteen desks and thirteen chairs. The death of Callo¡¯s mimic further lowered competition.


    Niall stood before the class, and the rankings were sitting behind him. The Master bard had set up a curtain rig to block out the rankings. As Aellaria found her seat, she appreciated the effort and showmanship shown by her teacher.


    As they waited for the other students to find seats, Aellaria counted Flair, turning around to glare at her six times. Even Alyviah looked at Aellaria with disgust.


    Paris wasn¡¯t present, but his chair hadn¡¯t been removed. A part of Aellaria wished that she could tell Paris that he didn¡¯t kill a fellow student. However, there was no way to give this information to Paris without revealing just how much she knew.


    As the twelve students settled into their seats, Niall pulled out his trusty chair and flipped it around, resting his head in his arms and straddling the backrest. ¡°Students, I have the appraisal results. I think these results might be controversial, so I will be here to discuss them so we can go into Passing break knowing exactly where we are and why. Most importantly, I want you to all look at these results without complacency.¡±


    Complacency, that word rang through Aellaria¡¯s mind like discordant chimes. There was a silence as the students anxiously watched the curtains for Niall¡¯s action. Since almost half of the room had been defeated by Paris, almost everyone was anxious for a negative outcome.


    ¡°Does anyone have any questions before we get started?¡± Niall asked.


    No one responded.


    Niall stood up and made broad sweeping gestures before casting a series of electrical cantrips that struck the curtains and caused them to burst into small fireballs. This trick was very similar to the one used by the Dean on that first day of the year.


    Aellaria knew that Niall¡¯s display resulted in one part magic, one part alchemy, and one part illusion. However, it was still fantastical enough to illicit an ¡®ooh¡¯ from Marin sitting beside her.


    Once the roaring fire wound down, the class could see the standings of the fifty-seven remaining students in the first-year class and, most importantly, the thirteen remaining students in Niall¡¯s class.


    There were murmurs in the class, but the loudest reaction was a scoff from Flair.


    Niall looked at Flair. ¡°This is an open forum. I won¡¯t have anyone¡¯s rankings a secret. Is there something you disagree with?¡±


    Flair rolled her eyes. ¡°Uh, yeah. You gave the two murderers the top ranks in the class. Aellaria and Paris killed Callo, and not only did you let them get away with it. You rewarded them for it!¡± Flair shouted.


    Niall shook his head. ¡°On second thought, maybe we should have this discussion privately, Flair.¡±


    Flair jumped to her feet and slammed her hands down onto the desk. Her chair rocketed backward and fell over. ¡°No! Fuck that! What reasons do you have to reward Paris and Aellaria after they killed Callo? Why am I only three places ahead of Marin?!?!¡±


    ¡°Flair, we believe that Callo may have been going through some type of episode. He referred to Paris as a ¡®witness¡¯ to what he was doing to Aellaria, spoke in an unnatural cadence, and tortured Aellaria.¡±


    Flair opened her mouth to shout something else, but Alyviah beat her to it. ¡°Callo was a great man. He would never torture someone. I don¡¯t believe you, and I don¡¯t believe whatever story Paris and Aellaria told you!¡± Tears streamed down the mage¡¯s face, and when the sentence finished, Alyviah took a shaky gasp to try to pull herself together.


    ¡°Flair, Alyviah. This isn¡¯t about how good or bad Callo was. The other professors and I concluded using solely information from my scrying and Cryonolon¡¯s medical opinion on Aellaria¡¯s condition.¡±


    Alyviah sobbed loudly and ran out of the class, crying. ¡®Poor girl,¡¯ Aellaria thought. Alyviah was another person whose life would be better with the truth. Aellaria knew it wasn¡¯t on her, though. It was The Necromancer¡¯s fault for using Callo¡¯s body.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. I think Aellaria is a fucking sneak and is playing you like a fool.¡± Flair howled.


    Marin responded, ¡°Flair, you¡¯re just upset because you failed the appraisal recklessly and are taking it out on Aellaria because she¡¯s better than you. It¡¯s exactly like I told you when you tried to kill me. You are out of control.¡±


    ¡°How insightful.¡± Flair looked at the front of the class to reference the board. ¡°But I don¡¯t need advice from the forty-eighth ranked in the class about where I belong. Especially from a fat, simple-faced, novice-caster, EAMP, bitch!¡±


    Niall cast a privacy bubble between himself and Flair. Aellaria read their lips.


    ¡°Flair. I¡¯m sorry for your loss. Before you leave to return to Frostholm, I want to have a private word with you.¡± Niall said.


    Flair responded, ¡°I don''t want to. You¡¯re part of the problem.¡±


    Niall nodded, not accepting the premise but understanding his student¡¯s pain. ¡°Things aren¡¯t okay now. I know, Flair. Please come by after class is out. I will be here all afternoon. Alright, my radiant student?¡±


    Flair nodded, looking defeated, and left the room.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Niall dropped the silence spell. ¡°Does anyone else have any concerns?¡±


    Ozyid spoke up. ¡°Did I do that bad?¡±


    Niall smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ozyid. You will have opportunities to show your martial and arcane prowess before the end of the year. On that note, five of you here are ranked below fortieth in the class. You all need to think hard about how you will end the school year at a higher rank. You can make it. Phoenix feathers, Aellaria has no efficiencies and has never been defeated, only one of three students to have no defeats on their record in your class.¡±


    At that moment, Marin, Syn, Phia, and Behngi applauded. Aellaria nodded politely to acknowledge Niall¡¯s acknowledgment, the tip of the floppy hat lolling forward. The rest of the class applauded courteously but not enthusiastically.


    Phia raised a hand but said immediately, ¡°How did Callo die?¡±


    Niall returned to his sitting position, putting himself on his student¡¯s level. ¡°Callo disarmed and injured Paris. Paris responded with chaotic magic since he couldn¡¯t access his arcane focus. It isn¡¯t possible to dispel or reverse the effects of chaotic magic, so Callo¡¯s student ID card didn¡¯t save him. This is why you must never lose your arcane focus and keep backup wands just in case. Only ever use chaotic magic as a last resort, and try to avoid using it when against classmates. Paris has been given a warning, so this is a mistake he will never make again.¡±


    Syn asked her question next. ¡°I moved up quite a bit¡­ why?¡±


    ¡°Because you kicked Phia,¡± Niall said simply. ¡°Three students acted truly as a team and helped their team. Behngi, Syn, and Alyviah. You had your marks improved for looking out for your teammate. Keep this in mind for future appraisals, Drakon, Badnel.¡±


    The rest of the class was an open discussion on tactics¡ªwhat people could have done better and what decisions could have been made to increase their scores. Eventually, Niall loosened up further and spent most of the class pointing out students'' flaws in the other classes, especially when it came to students who were only just safe enough to make it through to next year.


    Aellaria recalled Zenithor¡¯s first year at Spire. How much he struggled to get even close to making the cut. Aellaria wished his mentor from back then was as invested as Niall.


    <h2>Marin</h2>


    Marin felt energized. She was no longer the bottom of the barrel. She was part of the decay that rested just atop the bottom of the barrel. Not good enough, but not the worst. As the day wore on, it became increasingly clear that she might spend most of Passing alone at Spire.


    Syn was going to go home to celebrate with her family.


    Behngi would be gone for weeks to spend time with his father.


    Even Garrus was only a couple days carriage ride from his home village.


    Marin knew that Aellaria didn¡¯t talk much about home. When she saw Aellaria packing, Marin looked concerned. ¡°Aellaria, I thought you might be staying with me here this winter. Behngi might not even be here to help me celebrate Passing or The New Year.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to check on at home. Some alchemy thing that might be very interesting if I can get it to work.¡±


    Marin thought about everything Aellaria had told her about Frostholm. All Marin knew was that Aellaria had a bad breakup and that her master had died. ¡°Are you going to see some family?¡± Marin asked, hoping to get that rare glimpse into Aellaria¡¯s past.


    ¡°Nope. If things go well, I might return within a couple of days. It will likely be about three weeks, though.¡± Aellaria said, smiling.


    ¡°Do you have any family?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°No. My parents died when I was young, and Master Zenithor died earlier this year. Why are you digging, Marin?¡±


    Marin felt nervous like she was breaking a rule by asking these questions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t mean to pry, but I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Aellaria stopped packing and then sat on her bed opposite Marin. ¡°I know. Sadly, there isn¡¯t much to tell. There were many things I used to love in Frostholm, but they¡¯re all gone now. Honestly, there are things I want to say to you, Marin, but I¡¯m not quite ready yet. I may never be ready.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Marin asked, giving Aellaria a cheeky grin. ¡°Is it about Illicit Aellaria time?¡±


    Aellaria threw her hat at Marin like a frisbee, and Marin giggled. ¡°You focus on your Illicit Jeff time and keep me out of it.¡±


    ¡°Even Jeff is going back home. You better hurry back. If I am sitting here alone during Passing celebrations, I am going to flip a tit.¡± Marin whined merrily. The coldest time of the year was when her tight-knit village gathered closest¡ªpooling resources for the most festive time of the year. Marin tossed Aellaria¡¯s hat back.


    Aellaria smiled and said, ¡°There is something I will need you to do for me, though.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need you to continue my pickups from the herbalists, and I¡¯ll also need you to keep water in the incubators so my plants keep growing.¡±


    ¡°Ummm, I think I can do that. Yeah, I would be happy to.¡± Marin said. It was the time of the year to put others first and pick up the slack when others needed help.


    ¡°I think this will be enough for labor costs. ¡°Aellaria said, pulling out a wooden chest the size of a large breadbox. She opened the box, and a dozen gold coins poured from the overflowing chest.


    ¡°Aellaria! That is too much! I cannot accept.¡± Marin shouted.


    Aellaria closed the chest, not bothering to return the coins that spilled to the floor. ¡°I hope your family has a great New Year.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Marin started, but the fortune being offered to her was overwhelming. Marin knew that Aellaria knows she wants to help her family in her village. The emotions were conflicting.


    Aellaria set the chest next to Marin¡¯s bed and leaned down to hug the tearing-up lottery apprentice. ¡°Marin, you will never owe me. Thank you for your friendship.¡±


    Marin wiped away a happy tear and then returned the hug. ¡°Thank you. This is going to mean so much to my family. You are amazing, Aellaria. Thank you. Thank you.¡±


    Marin truly believed that Aellaria was a troubled saint, a guide sent to her by Phoenix himself. What Marin didn¡¯t know was that Aellaria had a List in her head¡ªa List with six names on it¡ªa List that Aellaria would travel across the continent just to make one name shorter.


    Kyrine


    Flair


    Bren


    Fassand


    The Necromancer


    And Mellow Goldrose