《The Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy》 1 - Her Name Is... Chapter 1 Her Name Is... ¡°LUCY HARDTVELT!¡± A voice boomed from the head of the enormous room, where an aged man with a beard sat behind an unnecessarily tall court bench. With fervor, he punctuated his shout with the hard slam of his fist to the bench, causing the decorated nameplate that readHeadmaster Falkto topple over. From where he sat, the echoes of his shout reached the ears of the other Schoolboard members, all of whom were seated up high in a rising series of pews on both the left and right sides of the room. Each of them, including the Headmaster, wore a brilliant purple robe laced with gold trimming. Two other figures were present as well. One stood close to the base of the Headmaster¡¯s bench, while the other stood near the entrance on the opposite side of the room. Both of them wore black cloaks with hoods drawn and faces concealed. And in the middle of all this, standing before the Headmaster¡¯s bench with every one of these eyes upon her, stood the aforementioned Lucy Hardtvelt¡­ a pitifully terrified look on her face. ¡°This is the fifth time you¡¯ve been summoned here! Five times! In thetwomonths since the academic year started! This is an unprecedented record in the history of this academy! How do you defend your position here!¡± Headmaster Falk barked once again. Lucy fixed her frightened gaze onto the Headmaster, doing her best to keep his intimidating presence from completely destroying her nerves. ¡°W-well, you see Headmaster,¡± Lucy began to stammer. ¡°I was only trying to practice a spell for my upcoming sorcerer¡¯s match¡­ and I, well¡­ messed up¡­ just a bit.¡± Lucy¡¯s voice trailed into a whisper at the end as she thought on something¡­ there is no way destroying an entire lecture hall ceiling can be passed off asmessing up. Headmaster Falk slammed his fist onto the bench once again. ¡°THERE IS NO WAY THAT DESTROYING AN ENTIRE LECTURE HALL CEILING CAN BE PASSED OFF AS JUSTMESSING UP!¡± A surge of wind created along with the Headmaster¡¯s shout tackled Lucy, almost throwing her off her feet as he continued his rant. ¡°You should consider yourself lucky that none of the other students were injured because of your antics! Had Professor Farland not been present to control the damage, I daresay that half of our first year students would currently be on leave due to serious injury!¡± Lucy looked up to the pews to her right, spotting the Professor who was responsible for saving everyone from the trouble she herself had caused. There was a cold look in his eye. Lucy brought her gaze slowly to her feet, trying her best to hide her discouraged expression as the Headmaster let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I wish I could be as lenient with this matter as I have been before, but with this scale of damage and irresponsibility, I daresay expulsion is certainly not an unreasonable-¡° ¡°No! Please!¡± Lucy pleaded. ¡°I really am sorry that I caused so much trouble, but I was only trying to practice a spell for my upcoming sorcerer¡¯s match, because-¡± Lucy hesitated, looking down at her feet again before continuing. ¡°Because¡­ if I lose again, Rosseau might not want to be my partner anymore¡­¡± Lucy felt her heart sink at the reality of her words. However, she quickly lifted her eyes to meet the Headmaster¡¯s. ¡°So please, I¡¯ll accept any punishment. But please don¡¯t expel me!¡± Murmurs had begun to pass around the room while the Headmaster¡¯s eyes remained focused on Lucy. ¡°You say that you were practicing for an upcoming sorcerer¡¯s match,¡± he held his hand out beside him as he spoke, where a large envelope fell into out of nowhere. Gently removing the papers it contained, he read through them. ¡°Tell me, out of the four matches that you have participated in, how many have you succeeded in winning?¡± ¡°¡­N-none, sir.¡± Lucy stuttered. ¡°I see,¡± the Headmaster replied with pity. ¡°It also appears that you are struggling with your academics. I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell you this, but scraping by with barely passable scores is no way for a student to behave¡­¡± Done with the papers, the Headmaster placed them onto the desk. With a subtle drag of his fingers on the surface next to them, the papers moved back into the envelope which then sealed itself shut. Another moment later, the envelope had vanished. ¡°Look, Lucy. I know better than anyone how determined you are when it comes to your studies. And I cannot imagine how it must feel to face such overwhelming obstacles here after¡­ well, wanting to follow in your Mother¡¯s footsteps. But, with all of this evidence against you¡­¡± The headmaster let out a heavy breath. ¡°Lucy, do you firmly believe that you have what it takes to become a mage?¡± Lucy lowered her head, her shoulders noticeably shaking. ¡°¡­As I thought. Perhaps it would be best to-¡° ¡°AREN¡¯T YOU BEING A LITTLE TOO MEAN!¡± Confused expressions occupied the room as everyone focused upon Lucy, the young girl whom they figured was about to break down and cry, but now was throwing an aggressive stare at the academy¡¯s Headmaster. ¡°HOW CAN YOU SPEAK LIKE THAT TO A FRAGILE YOUNG GIRL YOU MEAN OLD MAN!¡± Lucy whined as the whispers of the school board became increasingly audible with phrases such as, ¡°She said old man,¡± and ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± ¡°Wh¡­why you insolent little¡­ howdareyou speak to your elder that way!¡± The Headmaster yelled, flustered. Lucy replied in turn by sticking her tongue out at him. Needless to say, the tense debate that had been taking place had turned into a childish fiasco. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Donning a more serious expression, Lucy stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s true, I haven¡¯t won a single match since the tournament started, and I also haven¡¯t been getting the best grades¡­¡± Lucy clenched her fists as she took yet another step forward. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m incapable of becoming a strong Mage!¡± Though her manner was strong, Lucy couldn¡¯t help it as a trace of a tear fell from her eye as she finished her pouting rebuttal. The headmaster gave an irritated expression at her apparent childishness as he spoke. ¡°Even so, the fact remains that your presence here threatens the safety of the other students, and it would be in everyone¡¯s best interest to remove you from the campus.¡± ¡°But-¡° ¡°That being said,¡± the Headmaster interrupted. ¡°I do believe that you have the determination, and with a great deal of hard work can overcome your current incompetence in the magical arts¡­¡± Lucy gave a confused look, trying to figure out if here situation was becoming worse or better. ¡°However, in my current position I am still expected to give you an appropriate punishment. So¡­¡± The Headmaster flicked his wrist upward, causing a blank piece of parchment to appear floating in the air next to him. ¡°I propose an ultimatum¡­¡± As he continued to speak, words began to appear on the blank piece of paper next to him. ¡°If you can succeed in winning your upcoming sorcerer¡¯s match, then I will see it as evidence that you are indeed a potential asset to this academy, and you will be allowed to stay.¡± Lucy gave a hopeful smile upon hearing the Headmaster¡¯s condition. But her smile soon lessened as she realized what the alternative meant. ¡°However, should you be unsuccessful in winning the match, then I am afraid that you, Lucy Hardtvelt, will no longer be welcome to study magic at Greidwhen Academy.¡± The Headmaster finished, giving Lucy a solemn look to make her understand the seriousness of her situation. A nervous look on her face, Lucy looked up to notice the previously blank sheet of parchment float down towards her. Studying it closely, she saw that it was a contract written with the terms for her punishment the Headmaster had previously stated. All that was left was a blank line for Lucy to sign in agreement. ¡°Well, do you accept these terms?¡± The Headmaster asked. Lucy looked long at the space where her name was to be signed, a look of fear bordering in her eyes. However, she managed to put on a confident face before speaking up to give her answer. ¡°Yes. I accept.¡± Upon giving her answer, the blank line had filled itself with her name and the contract had been sealed. Immediately it floated back up to the Headmaster who gave another flick of his wrist to cause it to disappear. ¡°Now then,¡± The Headmaster said, his patience worn thin. ¡°GET OUUUUUUUTTTTTT!¡± The force of the Headmaster¡¯s yell swept Lucy off of her feet, pushing her back towards the hall¡¯s entrance whose doors had swung open from the booming command. Paralyzed by shock, Lucy couldn¡¯t help it as she continued to slide by the heels of her boots past the doors which slammed shut before her. The magical force accelerated, continuing to push Lucy through the lengthy corridor that had led to the Headmaster¡¯s hall. Lucy managed to look behind her, wincing at the sight of another set of doors she figured she would be slammed into. The doors opened, however, and the force of the Headmaster¡¯s yell finished Lucy off by tossing her past them and flat onto her back. ¡°¡­Ow.¡± Lucy groaned as she stared upwards at one of the Academy¡¯s magnificent chandeliers. ¡°¡­I take that it went well?¡± A rather handsome, blond haired boy asked, standing beside Lucy who was still lying on the stone floor. ¡°Rosseau!¡± Lucy shouted with delight as she jumped up to her feet, throwing herself into him. ¡°Oh, Rosseau it was terrible! The Headmaster is so mean! I thought for sure I was gonna be turned into a crab this time!¡± ¡°A crab? I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s just a rumor meant to scare the first-years.¡± Rosseau said as he tried to calm Lucy down. ¡°But more importantly, what happened in there? I can¡¯t imagine that the Headmaster left you off without any punishment.¡± ¡°Oh¡­uh¡­well¡­¡± Lucy hesitated to tell Rosseau about the deal she had made with the Headmaster, to win her next match or face expulsion. ¡°He said¡­ that¡­ I¡¯m to be given a week¡¯s worth of cleaning duties. Yep, that¡¯s what he said! From morning to night¡­ except for classes of course!¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s no good. How can we be expected to practice for our next match if you¡¯re busy all week.¡± Rosseau began to move towards the door which Lucy had come flying out from. ¡°Perhaps I can make an appeal to the Headmaster to have your punishment postponed-¡° ¡°NO!¡± Lucy yelled, causing Rosseau to face her with a confused look. ¡°I mean¡­ he said that I can practice as well for a few hours a day. So there¡¯s no problem, yep, no problem at all.¡± Lucy forced a laugh. Anything to keep Rosseau from learning about her deal with the Headmaster. Rosseau let out an irritated sigh. ¡°You should have said so then. You understand our position right? We¡¯ve already lost our first four matches. One more and we have no choice but to win every single one after. Otherwise it¡¯s over. We can¡¯t afford to not-¡° Rosseau paused, noticing Lucy¡¯s depressing expression and the harshness of his own voice. ¡°¡­Sorry. I can¡¯t imagine how much pressure it is to be a Lead Sorcerer, but I know you¡¯re trying your hardest.¡± Rosseau spoke sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Lucy managed a weak smile, which Rosseau returned. ¡°Now then, we should head out if we don¡¯t want to be late for our next class.¡± Rosseau said as he grabbed a pair of leather bags off of a nearby bench, handing one off to Lucy. Taking it, Lucy slung the bag¡¯s strap over her shoulder as Rosseau led the way to another set of brilliant wooden doors, where the two of them passed through into the main grounds of Greidwhen Academy. 2 - Mean Girl Chapter 2 Mean Girl
It was cold, which was to be expected considering that the entirety of the campus grounds was located on a high plateau, in the midst of the continent¡¯s largest mountain range. It also didn¡¯t help that winter had only ended just last week, though many of the students were quite disappointed that there wouldn¡¯t be any more snow falling every other day as it had been for the last two months. Now, instead of being coated with a layer of beautiful, powdered snow, the ground was simply wet, which only made it slightly less dangerous for Lucy and Rosseau to be cantering down the steps leading from the Headmaster¡¯s Court. Lucy glimpsed ahead every few steps, the sight of a few, scattered students who were pacing down the cobblestone paths, trying to find their respective buildings had caught her eye. For a moment, Lucy thought a bit low of them until she realized that without Rosseau, she herself would probably be lost on how to find their classroom from here. The campus itself was vast with open space, and the architecture of the buildings so beautifully constructed¡ªtheir dark lavender roofs particularly outstanding without the snow to hide them away. Lucy and Rosseau continued to make their way to class, cutting across a field of grass towards the colonnade which made up the whole western border of the campus. Pacing through it, Lucy could see between its columns the miles of plains extending away from the mountain¡¯s base below. She could also see the expansive village which most of the students journeyed to during off-days. It was really the only place to go when one wanted to get away from campus, though Lucy herself had never felt such a need. No, seeing all this, Lucy was only reminded of how much she loved being here. But this time her excitement was short-lived, the deal she had made with the Headmaster loomed ever present in her mind. It had only been two months since she arrived, but there was still so much to experience at Greidwhen. The jarring sound of Rosseau opening the door before them brought back Lucy¡¯s attention. Heading through, Lucy recognized it as the correct hallway that lead to their class, though it was the first time she had come through this way and not from the main foyer as usual. Turning a corner, Lucy noticed Rosseau¡¯s breath of relief upon seeing the classroom doors still opened. The lecture had not yet started. Coming upon the doors, Lucy noticed as a few other late-comers seemed to glance at her, trying their best to stifle a laugh as they passed into the room. Rosseau picked up on the group¡¯s peculiar behavior as well, speeding up his pace towards them, but before he could pass into the room to confront them, a faint blue glow coming from the other side of the door had caught his eye. Rosseau grabbed the door and swung it closed to see what was on the other side. Catching up, Lucy studied the glow as well, realizing it to be a message charmed onto the face of the door¡­ WARNING Lucy Hardtvelt is in this class! Leave immediately if you don¡¯t want to be blown up by another one of her rogue spells! Lucy felt her stomach drop as a few trace laughs from behind the door caught her ear. Were they laughing about her? Surely everyone had seen the message? And worst yet, the fact that it was still here meant nobody at all had felt the need to erase it. ¡°This has Nora written all over it,¡± Rosseau stated, flustered. With a fast wave of his hand he caused the message to dissipate. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it Lu¡¯, you know Nora is as arrogant as they come,¡± he tried to console her. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lucy managed to mutter, her gaze lowered away from her partner. Helpless to say anything else, Rosseau moved to open the door, trying his best to keep Lucy from feeling pitied as well as managing his own anger. Before he could even move it however, a voice called out to them. ¡°Yoo-hoo~! Lucy~! Rosseau~!¡± Further down the hall, a girl with long, snow white hair and a proud yet devilish smile on her face approached the two. Her eyes were like jewels and her face, flawless, though to both Lucy and Rosseau she might as well have been the ugliest girl in the academy. ¡°Nora¡­¡± Rosseau spat bitterly, closing the classroom door with a hard, audible slam. ¡°My-my Rosseau, is something wrong?¡± Nora asked with a sarcastic innocence. ¡°Ah, Lucy!¡± she turned her attention. ¡°I never got to thank you for cutting our morning class short today! Much better than your work in the girl¡¯s restroom last week!¡± ¡°It was an accident!¡± Lucy pleaded. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for that to happen!¡± Nora gave a dumbfounded look. ¡°Oh? And here I thought that you had felt the same way I do about Professor Farland¡¯s lectures. Honestly, always going on about how anyone can become a strong mage with hard work and practice. He doesn¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like to be born to a powerful family¡­ not like we do, right Rosseau?¡± Nora looked to Rosseau, who could well sense the cunning behind her innocent demeanor. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that.¡± Rosseau tried to remain calm. ¡°But more importantly, apologize to Lucy.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Whatever for?¡± Nora kept up her facade. ¡°For that awful message you wrote about her! There¡¯s nobody in the school who would stoop so low except you!¡± ¡°My, Rosseau, I never thought you¡¯d be one to throw around harsh accusations like that. You¡¯ve always been so calm ever since we were children. I¡¯m a bit hurt that you¡¯d think of me in such a way.¡± Nora attempted to put on a distressed face. ¡°And honestly, do you really think no one else in our year could have written that message on the door? Especially after everything our little prodigy here has done?¡± Nora¡¯s words cut into Lucy. The thought of the previous laughter she had heard from inside the classroom began to etch at her heart. But it was nothing compared to what Lucy began to feel when she realized that there was no noise coming from the classroom at all now. ¡°Thats not-!¡± ¡°Miss Hardvelt!¡± an aged voice interrupted Lucy from behind. Lucy and Rosseau both turned themselves around, immediately giving their attention upon recognizing who it was. ¡°Professor Borden!¡± Lucy squealed from shock. The old professor made an odd noise with his throat as he moved one shaking hand to adjust his spectacles while holding on to few books and papers with the other. ¡°I¡¯d hope you to remember that while I might be running late, there are still other classes taking place at this moment. And it would be courteous to keep your voice at a respectable level.¡± The old man ended with pursed lips and raised brows. ¡°Yes¡­ of course, sir. I apologize¡± Lucy replied, keeping her head low as to avoid the Professor¡¯s awkward stare. ¡°And as for you two,¡± Borden turned his lecturing gaze to Rosseau and Nora, ¡°knowing where you come from, I should expect you both to conduct yourselves in a professional manner.¡± ¡°Of course sir.¡± Nora was quick to absolve herself of any wrongdoing. Rosseau remained silent, a heated feeling rising in his stomach at the professor¡¯s remark which was only a few words short of being a direct remark about Lucy¡¯s social class. ¡°We were just having a lighthearted exchange as rivals,¡± Nora followed up. ¡°Seeing as we¡¯ll be opponents in our next Sorcerer¡¯s match,¡± Nora finished with another smile. Lucy and Rosseau both had shocked looks on their face. ¡°Wait¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Rosseau asked hastily. With a bubbly smile, Nora procured an envelope from her robe, holding it out to Lucy and Rosseau. Rosseau quickly snatched it from her hand and surveyed it, recognizing the wax seal as the official one from the Tournament office. Throwing a cautious glance at Nora, Rosseau began to open the envelope. ¡°After our lecture was cut short this morning, I figured I¡¯d go to the Tournament office to see if they had finished setting up the next set of matches,¡± Nora spoke proudly. ¡°And when I found out that my next opponents were you two, I just had to tell them what good friends we were, and that I¡¯d love to personally deliver your Match Statement to you.¡± Having finished opening the envelope, Rosseau read over the letter that was contained inside. Looking it over, his expression hardened. Nora wasn¡¯t lying. Rosseau handed the letter over to Lucy, neglecting to look her in the eye. ¡°Well isn¡¯t that just kind of you Miss Straughtvern,¡± Professor Borden remarked. ¡°If I am correct, winning this match will qualify you for the next segment of the tournament, no?¡± ¡°Yes sir, as one of the few participants who has won every one of their matches so far, I only need one more to qualify. I was just wishing Lucy the best, and asked that there be no hard feelings no matter the outcome.¡± Lucy barely processed Nora¡¯s story as she read the match statement herself. Nora was strong. It was a quality of hers even Lucy had to admit, even if she didn¡¯t like her. But to have to face against her in the next match- Lucy¡¯s heart suddenly dropped. The next match¡­ the one that she had to win or otherwise be forced to leave Greidwhen. This had to be a cruel prank. ¡°Lucy¡­?¡± Rosseau spoke up. ¡°Magnificent sportsmanship,¡± Professor Borden commended them. ¡°But alas, it is now time for me to begin my lecture. Come now-¡° The professor was cut short by Lucy, who let out a crying gasp and began to sprint down the hall away from the group. ¡°Lucy!¡± Rosseau moved to chase after her but found himself unable to take one more step. ¡°Now, now, Master Lambourgh, I won¡¯t have two students running out on me.¡± Rosseau managed to turn his head, seeing a single one of Professor Borden¡¯s fingers pointed directly at him. ¡°What about Lucy?¡± Rosseau struggled to remain polite. ¡°Nothing can be done about it today,¡± He answered flatly. ¡°Now then, come inside.¡± As the professor withdrew his finger, Rosseau found himself able to fully move again. ¡°Now come.¡± Professor Borden said as he walked into the classroom, with Nora following behind with a smirk. Rosseau thought about running after Lucy once again, but now knew that the professor wouldn¡¯t hesitate to stop him. The thought of Borden¡¯s blatant disregard for Lucy¡¯s well-being made Rosseau sick as he begrudgingly found a seat in the classroom. Taking his seat, Rosseau looked over to the empty one next to him. He wasn¡¯t stupid, he knew the moment Lucy had come back from meeting the Headmaster that something had happened. But it was clear that Lucy didn¡¯t want him to know, and he accepted that. But now, Rosseau wondered if he was right in keeping his distance on this one. Rosseau¡¯s thoughts were soon interrupted however, as Professor Borden began his lecture on the different applications of Arcanic Totems and Diamets. Taking notes, Rosseau could only hope that his suspicions were unfounded, and that things were not at all as bad as they seemed¡­ 3 - The Boy in the Library Chapter 3 The Boy in the Library
Lucy ran aimlessly down the halls of the main building, keeping her head low so as to hide her eyes from anyone who might see her. Though, of course, no one was present at the moment. Another period of classes had begun, and the halls were empty. Lucy was alone. As she ran, the weight of her deal with the Headmaster continued to press itself against her mind. Win her next match, or be expelled. And to make matters worse her opponent was Nora. Entitled, stuck-up, pampered, Elefrian-blooded Nora! Lucy stopped herself only a few steps from the building¡¯s exit, her head hung low, aware of what she had just thought. Nora being an Elefrian had nothing to do with this, even if it was one of the things Nora used as an excuse to bully others. Nora was Nora. Strong with magic, but for whatever reason, cursed with a rotten personality. Lucy refused to stoop to her level. But still, it wasn¡¯t fair. For the Headmaster to make such a deal¡­ did he know that her next opponent was someone she had no chance against? Was the deal they had made just an opportunity for him to seem merciful and still get rid of her? ¡°¡­¡± No. She shouldn¡¯t think like that. The Headmaster was a good person, and thoughts like that would only make her feel worse. Lucy walked the rest of the way, passing through the building¡¯s exit and to the outside. Of course, nobody was here either. A surge of mountain wind caused Lucy to shiver. She couldn¡¯t stay outside, it would be too miserable. Looking around, she looked for some options. Back to her dorm? No. It was too far, and surely she would be found out along the way. Somewhere closer, she figured. And then she remembered. ¡°The library¡­¡± Lucy thoughtlessly whispered. The campus library was in clear view from where Lucy stood, its lavender shackled spires made it stand out at any point from the campus. Lucy quickened her pace, passing in front of another building of classrooms to get to the library¡¯s entrance. Thankfully for Lucy, the windows on the faces of this building didn¡¯t belong to any of the classrooms¡ªthose were all on the opposite side¡ªso she didn¡¯t have to worry about being spotted. Soon enough, Lucy made it to the library¡¯s entrance. Lucy awed at the consistently awesome architecture of Greidwhen¡¯s buildings. The doors alone were a nice, deep brown finish, both carved with an intricate pattern of shapes while the wall itself had several scenes from history sculpted into its surface. Lucy gripped one of the door¡¯s brass handles, pulling it hard with both hands. She wasn¡¯t used to having to do this¡­ usually the doors just sat ajar. Though to be fair, she had only been to the library two or three times since the year had started¡­ an admittedly bad record. With a heavy drag, the door was open, allowing Lucy to slip inside before it shut behind her. The inside was magnificent. The opposite wall was probably five-hundred feet away, while the walls to her sides were even farther than that. Walking further in, the entrance¡¯s low ceiling opened up, revealing the brilliant series of cathedral windows that let in the entirety of library¡¯s light. A long balcony ran along the walls of the library, acting like a second floor, and any part of the library¡¯s walls not occupied with structural integrity was plastered with bookcases, all rising higher than any person could normally reach. Using the stairs near the entrance, Lucy went up to the second floor with the intention of getting a better view. Because the library¡¯s tall walls were occupied with books, the ground floor itself was merely a vast spread of tables. Some of the tables had dividers for privacy, and others had none at all to allow for group work. Lucy found herself mesmerized by the way the light shone down onto the main floor, but her attention was soon broken by the apparent movement of a shadow down below. Lucy quickly focused on the shadow, tracing it to its source. It was a person¡­ sitting alone and reading with a rather sizeable stack of books on a trolley behind them. She couldn¡¯t tell much about them, the hood of their robe was drawn, completely concealing their face. Was it another student? Or perhaps¡­ Oh no! Was it one of the Academy professors? Not taking any chances, Lucy instinctively ducked. Sure, there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with being in the library¡­ but the small detail of her not being in class might be enough to warrant a meeting with the Headmaster, which Lucy couldn¡¯t afford at the moment. In the midst of Lucy¡¯s panicking, a commotion began to sound from another side of the library. The sounds were faint, until the boom of a door being slammed open shocked Lucy, whom could now see three boys chasing down a fourth to the center of the library. ¡°C¡¯mon Wiggs! Don¡¯t be scared,¡± the apparent leader of the three, a tall, red-haired boy, shouted at their lone victim whom seemed to stumble into every table that crossed his path. ¡°You should be proud, giving me a chance to practice my latest spell!¡± ¡°Make it good Colin!¡± One of the other two boys cheered as they continued to pursue the lone boy, Wiggs, as they called him. Finally though, Wiggs tripped to the ground with a thud, having only enough time left to turn his fearful gaze towards the others. ¡°That¡¯s it, now hold still.¡± A gross smile on his face, the red-haired boy, Colin, brought his hand back, where a colorful aura began to crackle violently at its palm. Unable to bear the ruthlessness of what was happening, Lucy moved to stop them, but hesitated upon an unfortunate realization. She had left her bag back in the hall outside her classroom, and with it her totem necessary for casting spells. Lucy was helpless to stop them now. In a last ditch effort to defend himself, Wiggs took out his own totem, a wand, pointing it back at his attackers. The three boys all broke into laughter. ¡°Just leave me alone Colin! Please!¡± Wiggs pleaded. ¡°You know that¡¯s not going to happen, Wiggs!¡± Colin shouted, throwing his violent lightning spell towards Wiggs. At the same time, a surge of wind shot from Wiggs¡¯s wand and met the ball of lightning with a thunderous clap, diverting it to the balcony where Lucy was hiding. The lightning exploded as it met the balcony railing, forcing Lucy to shield her eyes from the dust while the remnants of Wiggs¡¯s wind spell merely caused the three boys¡¯ robes to sway. ¡°Fighting back now? That¡¯s new.¡± Colin said. Wiggs didn¡¯t respond. In fact his attention seemed to be occupied elsewhere as Lucy noticed him cradling a stone in his other hand that wasn¡¯t there before. The stone¡¯s color appeared to pulse with blue light in a strange pattern, almost like it was speaking. Speaking? The thought caused Lucy to instinctively look over to the hooded figure she had seen earlier. Just as before they were sitting alone, drawing no attention to themselves. This time however Lucy noticed them resting a hand over their jaw, where another pulsing light could be seen barely shining between their knuckles. Noticing the light from the figure¡¯s fist to beat with the same pattern, Lucy confirmed her suspicion. It was something she had learned during her first week at Greidwhen. The hooded figure was using a whispering stone to talk to Wiggs. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore us Wiggs!¡± One of Colin¡¯s lackeys shouted. Wiggs expression was more confused than fearful as he looked over to his attacker. The stone in his hand, the one hidden from the other boys¡¯s views, pulsed once again. A moment later Wiggs stood up, still neglecting to answer Colin, choosing rather to point his wand towards the other boys, all of whom burst into laughter once again. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you Wiggs?¡± Colin started, ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten about our deal have you? You let us get in some real practice with our spells, and we promise not to make it hurt too much.¡± Wiggs remained still while the stone¡¯s light continued to pulse in his hand. After seeing him making a hard swallow, Lucy knew that the hooded figure had just told Wiggs to do something outrageous. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be a part of that deal anymore¡­¡± Wiggs stammered. Colin looked at Wiggs with a bit of shock but quickly showed an arrogant smirk. Carefully, he began pacing around one of the library tables near him, hiding the ring shaped totem on his right hand that began to glow¡ªsignaling a build-up of magic within it. ¡°I see¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just have to stop¡ª¡± Colin took a final, hard step that echoed throughout the library. ¡°Holding back!¡± Colin turned swiftly to face Wiggs, bringing his arm back to throw the spell that had begun to crackle at his palm once again. Lucy let out a yelp, cursing her helplessness to stop him. In a flash however, Wiggs stomped forward, releasing a bullet of wind at Colin that was far bigger and faster than the one he had released before. Before Colin had realized it, the bullet of wind clashed with his body and launched him several feet backwards. Colin hit the ground with a thud. Wiggs¡¯s eyes grew wide in surprise at the power of his spell, though neither of Colin¡¯s friends could notice it as they shrieked, scrambling over to their friend who had just been tossed into the air like a ragdoll. ¡°Colin!¡± ¡°Oh man, Oh man!¡± ¡°Get him up!¡± ¡°Is he breathing!?¡± The two boys ceased their panicking to listen for a sign of life from their friend whom hung practically limp between them. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­hnnnnng¡± ¡°He¡¯s alive!¡± ¡°We gotta get him to the infirmary!¡± The two boys ran for the closest exit, carrying their dazed leader whose heels dragged across the floor as he continued to groan. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay Colin!¡± ¡°What the heck is wrong with you Wiggs!?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get you back for this!¡± The boys continued to shout at Colin, Wiggs, and each other as they headed out. Lucy, who had managed to remain hidden from everyone involved, was trying her best keep from breaking into a fit of laughter. Finally, however, the library was calm again. Lucy looked over to Wiggs, whom, to her surprise, was standing face to face with the hooded figure from before. The figure stood at the same height as Wiggs, and as he drew back his hood, the youth of his face revealed that they were near the same age as well. ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re the one who spoke through the stone?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be needing it back now.¡± The boy said flatly, holding his hand out to Wiggs. ¡°Ah¡­ yes of course.¡± Wiggs fumbled with the stone, giving it back to his savior. ¡°Those adjustments you gave¡­ I¡­ the¡ªthey were really great. I didn¡¯t think I was able to use a spell that strong.¡± Wiggs found it difficult to maintain eye contact with the other boy, who seemed not the least bit interested in speaking with him. ¡°It was nothing¡­¡± The boy placed the whispering stone into a satchel that hung from his belt where Wiggs caught a glimpse of several other stones. Some of them he knew of¡ªothers he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Wiggs was caught off guard by the sudden end of their conversation. Already the other boy had turned away and was walking back to the table he had been at since the beginning. ¡°W¡ªwait!¡± Wiggs started. ¡°May I have your name?¡± The other boy stopped, letting out a annoyed breath just quiet enough for Wiggs to miss. Lucy noticed it however, and continued to watch as the boy procured a pair of mustard colored glasses from his robe pocket. Putting the glasses on, he turned to Wiggs with a solemn look in his eye. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked. Wiggs¡¯s eyes suddenly widened with fear. Lucy noticed and was quickly confused at Wiggs¡¯s sudden change in attitude towards the other boy. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡± Wiggs tried to speak, but found it difficult come up with anything. His frightened gaze remained locked on to the other boy. ¡°I have to¡­ have to¡­¡± Wiggs neglected to finish speaking, breaking into a brisk walk towards the library¡¯s main entrance. Lucy watched him until the last edge of his robe rounded the corner. Just like that he was gone¡­and Lucy was left with nothing but questions. Footsteps echoed in the library once again. The other boy¡ªthe one who had apparently done something to help Wiggs and in the next minute leave him terrified enough to leave¡ªwas making his way to the library wall just under where Lucy stood on the second floor balcony. Careful not to be seen, Lucy leaned in to get a closer look. Something was up with this boy. Clearly he was responsible for Wiggs¡¯s fantastic wind spell earlier. Yet why did Wiggs leave in such a rush after the boy put on his glasses? Lucy couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. Yet there was one idea that intrigued her. If he helped Wiggs cast a stronger spell, could he do the same for herself? Just the notion of such a thing distracted Lucy enough to carelessly lean onto the balcony railing where Colin¡¯s previous spell had struck. Damaged from the spell its support was weak, and Lucy was too late to notice before it gave out with a loud crack under her weight. Suddenly, she was falling. But there was just enough time before hitting the ground for her to look down towards the boy¡­ whom was looking straight up at her and standing in the landing zone. The debris of the broken railing hit the stone floor with a clash. After everything had settled, Lucy opened her eyes. Luckily enough it appeared that she was completely fine, at least for someone falling twelve feet to the ground. Looking down, however, Lucy realized why she had such a soft landing¡ªshe had landed right on top of the other boy, whom was lying under Lucy and looking up at her with a bewildered stare. ¡°Oh my goodness! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Lucy leaped up effortlessly. The boy grunted, having a harder time just trying to sit himself up. ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± Lucy asked. The boy breathed in short huffs while he began pressing around his body to check for any damage. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t think anything is broken¡­ Ah¡ª!¡± The boy winced after feeling a sharp pain near his ribs. Lucy stood there helpless, not knowing what to say. Surely a simple, ¡°Sorry I fell on you,¡± wouldn¡¯t suffice. The boy opened his satchel of stones and fumbled through them, mumbling to himself about what Lucy figured were insults directed at her. Finally he procured a yellow stone. It was far larger than the whispering stone Lucy had seen in Wiggs hand. Carefully the boy held the stone up to his wound where it began to glow. Instantly the boy¡¯s breathing steadied and his wincing expression was relieved. After applying the stone quickly to a few other areas, the boy looked up to Lucy with an unimpressed expression. ¡°Look¡­¡± The boy said, lifting himself up, ¡°I don¡¯t know you¡­ and frankly I¡¯m not interested in getting to know you.¡± Lucy suddenly felt insulted, though a small part of her wondered if that feeling was justifiable given the circumstances. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re not interested in being anywhere near me,¡± he added as he fixed his glasses. ¡°So¡­ can we just pretend this didn¡¯t happen?¡± Lucy stood there, dumbfounded. She¡¯d never had encounter like this, and before she had any time to think of a response the boy had already started walking away. ¡°W¡ªWait!¡± Lucy shouted. The boy turned to face Lucy again, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Um¡­ can I ask?¡± Lucy scrambled for something to say. ¡°Actually, let me first say that¡­ I¡¯m really sorry about falling on you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I walked in earlier before all that¡­ stuff¡­ happened. And then the railing got hit by a spell. Then I leaned on it just as you walked under it, so¡­¡± The boy continued to look at her with a bored expression. ¡°So¡­ it was an accident! If you¡¯re going to be upset at anyone it should be that Colin guy!¡± Lucy finished her opening statement, which had taken an unintended accusatory direction. If it was any consolation however, the boy no longer had a bored expression and instead was just confused. ¡°Uh¡­ sure,¡± he replied, walking away yet again. ¡°Wait! Can I ask you something?¡± Lucy asked. The boy sighed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­You were talking to that one boy through the whispering stone. Did you say something that helped him cast that last spell?¡± The boy seemed hesitant to continue the conversation. His eyes showed a hint of skepticism. ¡°¡­I gave him some adjustments to make on his technique. His back wasn¡¯t straight enough and was hindering the deep breath you need to take for that spell. Also¡­ he needed to widen his stance to absorb the recoil and keep the spell from diverging.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lucy marveled, ¡°You could tell all that from where you were sitting?¡± ¡°Anyone can do it if they learn what to look for.¡± Lucy couldn¡¯t tell, but the boy¡¯s eyes had begun to show much less of an annoyance with her than before. ¡°Then¡­ do you think you could teach me how to cast spells like that?¡± Lucy laid her intentions out clearly. It was all she could think to do. The boy was surprised at Lucy¡¯s request, though he soon looked solemnly at her as he gave his reply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to decline.¡± Lucy felt a tightening in her chest¡ªsomehow she had forgotten about the possibility of being rejected. ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Lucy said, trying to hide her disappointment. ¡°Sorry, it was probably rude of me to ask you out of nowhere like that¡­ especially after causing you trouble.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s¡­ well I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s in your best interest¡­ to be taught by another first-year, I mean. There are plenty of professors who would provide better help than me.¡± Lucy felt that something was off, remembering back to Wiggs¡¯s strange reaction earlier. Though she figured it would be rude to inquire about it. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Lucy said, trying to give a sincere smile. ¡°Um, can I ask¡­ will you be here again tomorrow?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh! No, I won¡¯t bother you about teaching again! It¡¯s just that¡­ there¡¯s a class I¡¯d really rather not go to. It¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here right now as well.¡± Lucy said, somber. It was bad enough having to remember her encounter with Nora earlier. She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do if they met again. The boy gave a look as if he was about to regret his next words. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be here. But if you¡¯re going to come, you can¡¯t bother me too much. Okay?¡± Lucy smiled, ¡°Thanks.¡± Giving each other one last look, the two turned their separate ways. Lucy headed back to the library¡¯s entrance, figuring she would just go back to her dorm until her next class started. Before she left for good, however, she remembered something and looked back to the boy whom was back to sitting down at his table. ¡°Hey! My name is Lucy!¡± She shouted out to him. ¡°Cedric,¡± The boy said back after a long pause. He didn¡¯t sound too enthusiastic, but it was still a response she was happy to hear. Satisfied, Lucy turned back and headed out of the library. For some reason she felt just a little bit better about the whole day. The cold air seemed less miserable and a small confidence filled her as she thought about her upcoming practice with Rosseau later that day. Heading towards her dorm, she realized she would have to come up with an apology to Rosseau for skipping class today¡­ and another for skipping on him tomorrow as well. 4 - Second Impressions Chapter 4 Second Impressions
Lucy awoke with a yawn¡ªrubbing her eyes to get rid of the morning blurriness that always came with waking up. Sitting up in her bed, she looked beside her to the other one across the room. It was empty, and its sheets were in a messy bunch at its foot¡ªa sign that her roommate had hastily left early yet again. Lucy sighed. What was her roommate¡¯s name again? It was difficult to learn when they actively avoided you. Though she didn¡¯t blame her. She was well aware of her own status among the other students, and every morning her roommate¡¯s absence only served as a reminder. But things were looking up, if only a little. She had finally found the one person besides Rosseau that didn¡¯t avoid her like the plague. Cedric, she intently remembered his name. Sure, he still seemed agitated with her¡ªprobably due to her dropping ten feet on top of him¡ªbut it was a far cry from how her other classmates treated her. Was he a classmate? Lucy sorted through all her memories of her classes¡­there was no recollection of a scowling boy with mustard-rimmed glasses. Maybe he was in a different year and just wasn¡¯t familiar with her reputation? That seemed unlikely. But then again¡­with that Wiggs boy¡¯s mysterious reaction to him¡­it seemed like Cedric had his own reputation that she wasn¡¯t aware of. She¡¯d have to remember to keep an ear open for more information on the reason behind that, but for now it was time to get ready for homeroom. If there was one thing great about attending an accredited magic academy, it was learning all kinds of spells that made trivial things easier with the proper amount of practice of course. Grabbing the spare wand she always kept at her bedside, Lucy pointed it towards the open closet where her academy robes draped from their hanger. A magical pressure rose in her chest¡ªa standard part of any spell-casting¡ªwhich she channeled and transformed through her body in the necessary way for this spell. What followed was an invisible burst from the wand; only discernible from the recoil that nudged her backwards. In a blink, the robe disappeared from its closet, appearing overhead where it fell into her outstretched arms. Inanimport was the shorthand name for this particular spell. Teleport any inanimate object from one place to another. It was one of the most useful and basic spells any person could learn, though it took her an admittedly long time to finally get the hang of it. One particular attempt involved teleporting the whole closet outside the window behind them where her clothes fell into a pile of dirty snow. It was also the same day she decided to learn the spell for drawing water out from clothes to dry them out. Neither of these spells were useful for combat, however. Inanimate objects weren¡¯t abundant in a Sorcerer¡¯s match, and relieving yourself from the sweat that soaked your clothes didn¡¯t provide any meaningful advantage over your opponent. No. Winning a match required experience with combat spells, which were an entirely different class of spellcasting. Lucy thought it was incredible what some of her previous opponents could do. Spells that travel so fast, they hit you before you can blink. Ones that explode when you dodge and still hit if your escape was too narrow. And then course there were combination-spells which took you out in the most creative, unlikely ways possible by applying two different spell types into the same casting. Rosseau tried to help her learn these spells as best he could during their practices, but he himself wasn¡¯t too great at them either. Sure, with enough time, she could concentrate hard enough to manipulate her magic correctly to cast one¡­but in the heat of battle, and facing a strong opponent, it seemed that there was never enough time to cast a proper spell. It was one of the larger differences she knew separated her from the winners. She just wasn¡¯t fast enough. It was the main reason her fire spell went out of control yesterday too. She had tried to cast it too quickly and she lost control. Ugh¡­and now she¡¯d have to show up to homeroom today after causing that mess. It wasn¡¯t something she looked forward to. For the first half of the school day Lucy did her best to stay under the radar, but unfortunately that was impossible. Upon Professor Farland¡¯s arrival into their temporary homeroom, he called on her to stand before the entire class and apologize for the trouble she caused yesterday; and despite wishing to avoid Nora and her friends, every now and then her gaze would find them all stifling their laughter at her. It was times like that which made Lucy appreciate Rosseau¡¯s friendship. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Nora, and when things like this happened, he either heckled them back or helped her disregard their presence. Rosseau was her best friend at Greidwhen¡­and she knew that if she ended up getting expelled from her deal with the Headmaster¡­having to say goodbye to Rosseau would be the hardest part of it all. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Rosseau tore the girl from her thoughts while they were headed to their next classroom. Secretly he was hoping she would open up about whatever she was hiding from him. ¡°Hmm? Uh, yeah¡­just that¡­I think I¡¯ll be skipping Borden¡¯s class again today.¡± She avoided Rosseau¡¯s eyes and instead studied the red rug under her footsteps¡ªan unfortunate quirk which confirmed to Rosseau that she was withholding things again. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? Our first test is coming up in two weeks.¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s only questions about handheld totems, right? If it¡¯s nothing more complicated, then I think I can skip it a few times.¡± ¡°A few times? What¡¯s going on that you have to skip so much?¡± ¡°Oh¡­just going to the library. I¡¯m hoping I can find some better spells for our upcoming match with Nora.¡± ¡°Ugh, I almost forgot about that.¡± Rosseau made an unpleasant face. ¡° I can¡¯t stand her, but she is incredibly strong. Maybe I should go with you.¡± Lucy threw a glance to Rosseau, contemplating bringing him along to the library to meet Cedric. For some reason it didn¡¯t feel like the right choice to make. There was something peculiar about Cedric, and she didn¡¯t want to risk her best chance to connect with him by brining one of her own friends, unannounced. ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯ll come along with you if that¡¯s okay-¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Lucy interrupted, pausing her trek to Professor Borden¡¯s classroom. Determinedly, she looked ahead to her teammate whose own steps down the hall trailed to a standstill as he turned to face her. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t explain why, right now. But I need to go by myself...¡± Rosseau looked at her, noticing the unfaltering gaze she directed at him. She was being honest¡­even though she was admitting to keeping something from him, she was finally being honest about it¡­and that was enough for Rosseau, who smirked with an amused breath. ¡°Alright then. I trust you. Make sure you learn something we can use to shut Nora up once and for all.¡± Lucy smiled, Rosseau¡¯s confidence rubbing off on her. ¡°You bet I will.¡± With that, the two went their separate ways. Rosseau down the hall towards Borden¡¯s classroom, and Lucy outside towards the library. There wasn¡¯t any reason to hide on the way there this time. Classes hadn¡¯t started yet so it wasn¡¯t strange for a student to be outside right now; people would simply assume she was on her way to class like everyone else. She couldn¡¯t use the library¡¯s entrance this time, however, considering students were supposed to be leaving it. So she went around to the smaller, side entrance that Wiggs and his antagonists entered through yesterday. Peeking through its door, Lucy waited as the last of the stragglers left through the main entrance until there was nothing but silence inside. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Hesitating to enter, she looked across the library to the corner table she had seen Cedric sitting at yesterday. He was there again, reading another book taken from the trolley beside him. When exactly did he arrive? He was a first-year student¡ªhe said so himself yesterday. Didn¡¯t he have his own classes to attend? Not to mention he should have been present in their homeroom this morning¡ªbut she didn¡¯t see him at all. And now that she thought about it, he remained in the library yesterday even after she left. Could it be that he spends the whole day in here? It was a mystery that didn¡¯t add up¡­but she decided to follow through with their meeting anyway¡ªafter all¡­he did help Wiggs cast that incredible wind spell. ¡°Hey!¡± Lucy shouted, making her entrance. Cedric looked up from his book, where an exhausted look formed on his face before turning back to it. ¡°Hey,¡± he barely mustered. ¡°What¡¯cha readin¡¯?¡± ¡°Just some old dissertations on spellcasting variance based on the caster¡¯s physique.¡± Cedric said without taking his eyes off the text. ¡°Uhh¡­what does that mean?¡± ¡°Well, as we know, magic inside a person is like a spring. If you take some out of the body it will eventually fill back up, but it will always cap at the same level. And after we learned that everyone is essentially born with a different cap, mages began counting how many times they could cast certain spells to try and get an estimate of their magic capacity to compare to others¡¯.¡± Lucy took a seat across from Cedric, a bit amazed that he seemed to be talking about something quite complicated, but in a way that she could sort of understand. ¡°So¡­did it work?¡± ¡°At first it was believed so, but then inexplicable differences began to emerge. For instance, one mage could cast Inward-warmth more times than another, but then cast Outward-warmth less times than the same opponent.¡± ¡°Oh! I know this one. Some mages weren¡¯t as experienced with certain spells so their consumption of magic wasn¡¯t optimized, right?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no. Though that is something taken into account when comparing spellcastings, in this particular account the two mages were both masters and the difference in their techniques was so small it practically didn¡¯t exist at all.¡± ¡°But then how was it possible to cast the second spell less times? Shouldn¡¯t the mage with the greater capacity be able to cast every spell more times?¡± ¡°It was the length of their arms.¡± Cedric punctuated by locking eyes with Lucy. ¡°What!? How!?¡± ¡°Well, Inward-warmth is a spell that begins and ends in the chest of the caster, helping to keep them warm, obviously.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°But Outward-warmth is a spell that¡ªafter beginning in the chest like every other spell¡ªgets channeled through your body and towards whatever object you¡¯re using as the catalyst. And because one mage had shorter arms, channeling the spell from his chest to the staff in his hand demanded less magic consumption than his opponent doing the same thing.¡± ¡°Really? I can¡¯t believe spellcasting depends on something like that.¡± Lucy said, sliding out a textbook from her bag to get comfortable. ¡°How long ago was that¡­account?¡± ¡°Eight-hundred years ago¡­¡± ¡°WHAT!? You''re reading a book that¡¯s eight-hundred years old!?¡± ¡°Well, this book isn¡¯t that old¡­just its content. And it¡¯s not any different from what you learn in that book. The foundations for spellcasting that first-years learn are even older than this.¡± ¡°Uh¡­yeah I guess that¡¯s true.¡± Lucy reprimanded herself. ¡°So how significant were these findings for the mages?¡± ¡°Oh¡­they were negligible.¡± Lucy was nearly at a loss for words. ¡°Um¡­but you made it sound like it was a big deal¡­¡± ¡°The principle of it is a big deal. Any discovery that furthers our understanding of magic is...¡± ¡°But¡­a normal person doesn¡¯t really have to worry about it¡­!¡± Lucy¡¯s expression turned shocked, realizing too late the rudeness of her statement which was compounded by the briefest twitch in Cedric¡¯s eye. ¡°No! I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean it rudely!¡± She waved her hands across the table in defense. Cedric looked at the clumsy girl. His jaded expression unbothered. Still, Lucy sensed his apparent annoyance after he silently went back to reading his book. Feeling pitiful, she slumped herself onto the table. It was going so well too¡­
The class period was coming to an end soon, and Lucy hadn¡¯t managed to muster another word to Cedric. He, of course, remained silent too¡ªthe periodic flip of the page was sound he made. It made her feel so awkward that she could barely concentrate on reading the textbook in front of her. Beginner¡¯s Combat was the section she had randomly opened it up to. And even further coincidentally, it opened up to the exact page detailing the spell she messed up yesterday¡ªthe one she accidentally blew up the lecture hall¡¯s ceiling with. ¡°Urgggg¡­¡± Lucy groaned, reviewing the details of the spell¡¯s casting once again. It seemed to make sense reading it, but she had also felt the same way last time...and look what happened then. ¡°Fire-shot?¡± A voice broke her concentration. It was Cedric talking to her, of course. But Lucy still couldn¡¯t help but look up at him in slight disbelief. ¡°Uh¡­yeah,¡± she collected herself. ¡°I was dumb enough to try casting it in class yesterday¡­and¡­let¡¯s just say it didn¡¯t end well¡­¡± Cedric looked pointedly at her. ¡°That was you?¡± He asked with abnormal volume. Lucy wanted to die of embarrassment in that moment. But hiding her face in the desk and groaning loudly felt like a good enough compromise to deal with the anxiety it brought. ¡°Yes¡­it was me¡­¡± Her muffled voice sounded from under her crossed arms. ¡°I thought it was just a joke started by the other first-years. It¡¯s pretty stupid to try casting a combat-spell during lecture. And a fire-based one no less.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for it to go all the way! But it came together so fast that by the time I realized what was happening it was too late and I had to release it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t get expelled for that.¡± Lucy didn¡¯t rebuttal, Cedric¡¯s words only reminded her of what she had been distracting herself from all morning¡ªthat she was in danger of being expelled from Greidwhen unless she managed to defeat Nora in their upcoming match. Lucy reclined quietly into her chair, averting her eyes from Cedric. If only she hadn¡¯t tried to cast that spell yesterday. If only she hadn¡¯t been so bad at magic that she felt compelled to practice it in class then she wouldn''t be in this horrible situation right now. ¡°You still cast it correctly though, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Lucy looked at him, a mix of sadness and confusion on her face. ¡°That spell. With the damage I heard was caused, it must have been cast very well.¡± Cedric said, turning his attention back to his book. Lucy looked bewildered towards Cedric, the meaning of his near-cryptic statements steadily becoming clear. ¡®DING~ DING~ DING~¡¯ The Academy¡¯s bell tower rang loud. A sign that the current period of classes was over. ¡°I think I¡¯ll head out for the day,¡± Cedric said, gathering his things. ¡°I¡¯ll be here tomorrow morning¡­you¡¯re welcome to come.¡± Receiving no response¡ªnot that he expected one¡ªCedric left towards the library¡¯s main entrance. Its doors bustled opened as groups of students began to enter to enjoy the first break of the day. In a seemingly instinctive move, Cedric removed his glasses and pocketed them into his robe. His expression remained unchanged still as he weaved past the crowd until finally he was gone. Lucy remained in her seat, however, completely unmoved since Cedric''s comment a minute ago. She didn¡¯t know when it started, but her eyes were hot, and her cheeks, wet. But rather than sadness finding her face¡­it was a quivering smile which her tears trailed over. 5 - A Plea For Help Chapter 5 A Plea For Help
¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re gonna be late!¡± Rosseau announced, glancing quickly over his shoulder towards the girl lagging further down the hallway. ¡°I can¡¯t get the stupid book back in my bag!¡± Lucy whined, fighting the enormous sandwich of pages as it tried to tip out of her bag, onto the floor. ¡°Why are these things so BIG!?¡± ¡°Just carry it!¡± Rosseau aggressively whispered as he drew near the door to their temporary homeroom. Hearing the muffled voice of Professor Farland behind the it, his face turned frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s too late. He¡¯s already started. I told you we shouldn¡¯t have practiced that fire-spell one more time! ¡± ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Lucy joined in on the whispering, ¡°That last try was the only one where I managed to cast it correctly.¡± Her breathing was heavy thanks to their canter over from the practice fields, and her forehead dirty from wiping the sweat off it so many times¡­but her smile was excited. She had gotten the hang of a pretty strong spell¡ªFire-shot. Rosseau carefully nudged the door, taking a peek inside. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can get in without him seeing us¡­¡± ¡°I can take the heat, for you,¡± Lucy huffed through her deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first, and when he¡¯s dealing with me, you can sneak in and find a seat.¡± ¡°What? No I¡¯m not letting you do that-¡° ¡°Too late!¡± Lucy laughed, pushing him aside and thrusting open the door. A part of her figured that Farland wouldn¡¯t punish her, considering he was aware of her deal with the headmaster. But another part of her was just too excited to think clearly. ¡°With the damage you caused¡­that spell was definitely cast the correct way.¡± It was those words Cedric uttered yesterday which drove her to practice casting it last night, and again this morning. And after successfully performing it not ten minutes ago, she felt invincible. ¡°Lucy. How nice of you to be late.¡± Farland¡¯s commanding voice bellowed, prompting the other students¡¯ heads to turn and face her. ¡°I hope you have a good reason for being so.¡± Lucy glanced frequently between Farland and the other students. Okay, maybe she wasn¡¯t feeling invincible enough for this. ¡°Sorry¡­I, uh¡­overslept.¡± Lucy bowed her head in apology. Farland gave an unimpressed stare. ¡°So that wasn¡¯t you I saw in the practice field while I walked over here?¡± A collection of hushed giggles resonated through the rows of first-years. ¡°Uh¡­y-yes that was me.¡± Lucy submitted. Farland let out a pitied sigh. ¡°No matter. Take a seat so we can move on.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lucy apologized, quickly moving to find a seat. ¡°You too, Rosseau.¡± The young man Farland called out tensed up, still behind the door. He didn¡¯t even have a chance to try and sneak in.
The rustling of books and papers signaled the end of Farland¡¯s homeroom lecture as everyone packed up to head to their next classes. Rosseau and Lucy tried hard to ignore the passing laughs and whispering comments of the other students as they exited. Still, it wasn¡¯t too bad. It was more embarrassing than anything. And Lucy was still riding the high from her successful Fire-shot cast this morning. ¡°So are you skipping again today?¡± Rosseau asked. ¡°Yeah. Being there today is more important than ever, I would say. If it¡¯s alright¡­I think I¡¯ll head straight there.¡± Rosseau paused for the briefest moment, contemplating asking her more about what she was doing at the library. But considering the inexplicable confidence she showed up with yesterday after being there, he thought it was best to just let her be. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m glad you seem to be getting something out of it. I¡¯d be worried otherwise.¡± He smirked. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see you afterwards during break, probably.¡± Lucy smiled before taking her leave through the small door near the entry to homeroom which led out closer to the library. There wouldn¡¯t be any need to hide at any point this time¡ªshe had a good ten minutes to get there now that she wasn¡¯t accompanying Rosseau to Borden¡¯s class. Again, Cedric sat at the corner table of the library, the same trolley of books organized behind him. ¡°Hello~¡± Lucy hummed. ¡°Hey,¡± Cedric replied, as callous as ever¡­but at least this time he offered a fleeting glance at her alongside it. ¡°I practiced that spell again,¡± Lucy began as she took her seat across from him. ¡°Last night and this morning. And I actually managed to cast it successfully just before homeroom! Though I was late because of it.¡± She said with a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Cedric said, turning another page. ¡°What will you do next?¡± Lucy fidgeted nervously at the thought of her next statement. ¡°Well¡­I was actually wondering if you had any suggestions¡­? You seem to know a lot. What do you think is a good spell for me to learn next?¡± Cedric pulled himself away from his book to look her in eye. ¡°I-I¡¯m not expecting you to help me learn it! I just thought you¡¯d have a good idea on what I should learn next¡­so¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, hesitant. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try to think of one.¡± Cedric said, turning back to his book. Lucy breathed a mental sigh of relief. She¡¯d never felt so nervous in front of someone her own age before. He may have been a boy with a trolley of books, but his presence was so intimidating. And his reactions were so¡­indifferent¡­no matter what she did. But somehow he knew so much more about magic than anyone else their age¡ªat least that was the impression she had developed. Even Rosseau¡ªthough he was smart and quick witted¡ªnever gave her a reason to believe he knew much about magic beyond what they had been learning in class.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Thanks.¡± Lucy said. It was the only word she could muster from her racing thoughts. But it was one of the most sincere thanks she¡¯d ever given.
The students in Borden¡¯s classroom were in the midst of settling in, waiting for their professor whom was almost always late to show up. Most of the students were chatting with their friends, but one girl in particular was staring focusedly at the empty seat near Rosseau for the third day in a row. ¡°She¡¯s not here again¡­¡± Nora said, unamused. ¡°Probably too embarrassed after Farland¡¯s scolding in homeroom this morning,¡± one of her friends said with a forced laugh, hoping Nora would join in. She didn¡¯t however. Her gaze remained focused on the seat where Lucy should have been. ¡°This is the only other class we share¡­she¡¯s definitely avoiding you.¡± Another girl commented. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Nora replied. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s something else¡­¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think she could be studying a way to beat you in your upcoming match, do you?¡± Nora smirked at the unbelievable thought. ¡°Maybe not. But regardless of what she¡¯s doing, I think we should should find out. It would be bad if a commoner like her starts thinking she can hide something from me.¡± Nora stood up and gathered her things, heading for the classroom¡¯s door. Her posture was grand, and her steps, graceful; so much so that several students in the room couldn¡¯t help but take passing glances towards her as she exited. Her friends¡ªcloser to lackeys in her eyes¡ªfollowed suit; moving with much less grace¡­and as they approached the classroom¡¯s door the three of them were stopped by the sudden appearance of their Professor beyond its frame. ¡°Ah, Miss Straughtvern,¡± The old man spun his gaze around the hall he stood in. ¡°I daresay you weren¡¯t trying to leave my classroom so early¡­were you?¡± The two girls behind Nora panicked, but still knew to better than to let it show. Nora herself was calm though, as most Elefrians were in the face of those who weren¡¯t the same as them. ¡°Oh, Professor!¡± Nora spoke in her fake, bubbly tone again. ¡°I know we shouldn¡¯t be leaving, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice that our dear friend, Lucy, has been absent for the past two days.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so¡­¡± Borden scratched his chin. ¡°Yes. And unfortunately she¡¯s not here today either. I think she¡¯s upset that we¡¯ve been pitted against each other for our next match. We were just so worried that we wanted to bring her back and let her know that we¡¯re here for her. And if you would be so gracious as to let us bring her back, we¡¯d be evergrateful.¡± Borden smiled proudly¡ªhis wise face clearly just for show. ¡°My goodness. If you are not just the perfect embodiment of the spirit we try to produce in this Academy. Of course you may bring your friend back.¡± Borden began edging his way past the girl, into the classroom. ¡°And remind me to write a letter of commendation for the three of you. The school board must absolutely know of your selfless actions.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you so much, professor. We¡¯ll try not to be gone too long!¡± Borden nodded happily before closing the door before them¡ªthe muffled sound of him calming the rest of the class down coming from inside. Nora let out brief but exhausted sigh, flicking her flawless, snow-white hair back pompously. Immediately, her bubbly smile became arrogant once again. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go find our dear friend, Lucy¡­¡±
¡°Why do you need to learn spells outside of your regular classes?¡± Cedric asked, catching Lucy off guard. He had been quiet for several minutes now, which she assumed was because he was thinking for a spell to recommend her¡­but a question like this was the last thing she expected. ¡°Uh¡­well¡± Lucy averted her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m competing in the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament, and I have an upcoming match on Saturday. And¡­well¡­me and my teammate haven¡¯t been doing well so far. Actually, we haven¡¯t won a single match at all.¡± Lucy gave a pitiful smile. ¡°How many matches have you had so far?¡± ¡°¡­four.¡± ¡°So then¡­if you lose two more¡­¡± ¡°Then¡­that¡¯s it¡­¡± Cedric hesitated, feeling sorry. ¡°Well, there is always next year. You¡¯ll have learned a lot by then. Very few first-years make it far in the tournament anyway¡­so you¡¯ll naturally have a better chance in your second or third year.¡± Lucy¡¯s body tensed at Cedric¡¯s words¡ªa detail that didn¡¯t go unnoticed by him. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± She stuttered, her fingers fidgeted with the corner of the book she had been reading. She wondered if she should tell him about the stakes she was facing in her next match. If she lost, there wouldn¡¯t be a next year like he put. What could be the harm in telling him? Maybe if she did, he would feel sorry enough to teach her personally? Yes, she told him that she wasn¡¯t expecting that kind of help from him; and for a while she herself felt like things would work out without it¡­but the truth was hard to ignore. If she wanted to have her best chance at beating Nora in three days she would need his helpentirely. But¡­it wasn¡¯t right. It wasn¡¯t right to manipulate someone like that. Especially someone she barely knew. She could only ask for his help. ¡°Um¡­can I tell you something¡­?¡± Lucy asked, her gaze rested on the table between them. ¡°I lied to you earlier. Well actually that might not be right way to say it.¡± Cedric looked at her, puzzled. ¡°I lied to myself¡­thinking I was fine like this. Meeting with you and, hanging on any advice I could get. But the truth is¡­I need to win my next match and I don¡¯t think I can do it without your help¡­¡± Lucy lifted her gaze fully to meet Cedric¡¯s¡ªthe confidence she received after their meeting yesterday embodied perfectly in her expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone else here who can help me, so please¡­please, teach me! If only for a few days!¡± Lucy¡¯s empowered voice echoed throughout nearly empty library. Nearly¡­except for a trio of girls who entered a few seconds ago, watching undetected from the main foyer. ¡°She wants to learn magic¡­from him?¡± Nora whispered, her eyes quivering with astonishment. ¡°Who is he?¡± One of her friends asked, worried by the reaction Nora gave. Lucy, meanwhile, stared determinedly at Cedric¡ªthe only person she felt could save her from her predicament. The coldness of his expression hit her ten times harder; though she couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of him, or her own nerves. She then flinched, seeing him sit up as if ready to say something. ¡°This was a mistake,¡± he said. ¡°Wh-¡­.why?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice cracked as she watched him begin to gather his things. Cedric paused himself, averting his own gaze from her this time. ¡°It¡¯s¡­nothing you did. Just, trust me. It will be better this way.¡± Gathering the rest of his stuff, he made his way toward the library¡¯s exit without another word. Lucy couldn¡¯t accept it though. Not being given such an inexplicable reason. ¡°Tell me why!¡± She shouted¡ªthe harsh scraping of her chair across the floor as she stood up echoed throughout the room. Cedric stopped, giving an exhaustive sigh before looking back. It lasted only a moment, but Lucy felt like she saw the briefest glimpse of regret in his eyes. ¡°Why can¡¯t you teach me?¡± She asked once again. Nora¡¯s group, meanwhile, kept hidden near the foyer. ¡°He¡¯s going to come this way!¡± One of the other girls whispered, anxious. ¡°What¡¯re we gonna do?¡± The other looked to her leader, helplessly. She was caught off guard, however¡­as she noticed that Nora looked so excited she was about to laugh. ¡°N-nora?¡± The Elefrian girl kept her composure, however, and showed a cocky smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We don¡¯t need to be here after all,¡± Nora said, retreating from the wall and exiting through the library¡¯s enormous set of doors that were skewed open by one of her spells. The two girls followed suit, completely dumbfounded as to what was happening. ¡°I can¡¯t teach you¡­because¡­¡± Cedric began. ¡°Nora!? What¡¯s going on? Who is that guy?¡± One of the girls said as they walked down the wide, cobblestone path leading away from the library. Nora smirked. ¡°Surely you heard the rumor, right? That one of them was attending this year? Sporting a pair of yellow glasses?¡± Nora said, almost disgusted. But still, her face let on that she was excited by the development. For Lucy to think he could teach her anything. It was laughable. The poor girl truly lived up to her nickname among the other students. ¡°It¡¯s because¡­I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°That boy¡­he¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Magicless?¡± Lucy echoed, and then a wave of fear overcame her. A fear unlike any she had experienced before. 6 - Cursed Title Chapter 6 Cursed Title
Lucy took a step backwards, accidentally bumping into the table behind her. She barely noticed, however, as her sole focus was on Cedric¡ªhis same cold glare, which she had become indifferent to, now put fear into her. Magicless. The word sent a shiver through Lucy¡¯s body, for there were a few truths about that cursed title which everyone was taught from birth. First, there was no such thing as someone born without magic. Second, the only way to lose it was to have it taken away from you after being judged by the governing council of mages. And last, the only crime heinous enough to warrant having your magic taken away¡­was to murder someone else with it. No matter how far you traveled and who you spoke to, it was somethingeveryone knew¡ªmagicless equals murderer. Lucy eyed the library¡¯s exit behind the magicless in front of her. It was no longer a mystery why that Wigg¡¯s boy ran away the day before. Somehow, he realized what Cedric was. She didn¡¯t know how, but now her instincts were leading her down the same path. She had to get away from him, but her thoughts of escape were interrupted by Cedric taking a step towards her, causing her to flinch backwards. ¡°You think I¡¯m a killer?¡± Cedric asked, his unfaltering gaze directed towards her. ¡°Of course you do¡­why wouldn¡¯t you.¡± Lucy looked at him, confused but still fearful; and before her mind had a chance to explore either of those emotions, Cedric left towards the library¡¯s exit. She watched him intently, the edges of his robe swaying with every step. She wondered what she should do if he turned back towards her¡ªbut he never did. He had left her alone, allowing her to release the breath she unconsciously held in. Lucy collapsed into the chair behind her, bewildered by the unexpected development. To think she had been coming to meet a magicless for the past two days. She felt like a fool. It certainly explained why he was so different from everyone else. How was somebody like him even a student at Greidwhen? Did the Professors know? What about the Headmaster? Surely it was impossible for one of them to be accepted into a magic academy. What reason could he possibly have for being here? Lucy pondered further. Maybe he wasn¡¯t a student at all? That might explain why he was in the library during classes. But, no¡­he talked like he was one¡ªhe even said he was a first-year like her. He also knew so much about using magic, which raised so many more questions. However, amongst these, one question began to loom larger than any other. Why did he tell her? It didn¡¯t make sense. She knew that if it was her who bore that cursed title, she would have kept it secret with how hated they all were¡ª! Lucy¡¯s halted that thought. Hate. Did she hate Cedric? Nonsense, how could she, she didn¡¯t know anything about him. She was afraid, though, because he was magicless. He was somebody meant to be avoided. ¡°¡­¡± Lucy¡¯s expression hardened at that word. Avoided, just like she was in her own classes. However, she at least had befriended Rosseau; and if she ever went back home there would friends for her there as well. But here at Greidwhen, who would a magicless like Cedric have? The likely answer to that question put a heaviness in her heart. But still, he was a murderer¡ªa judged criminal. It was his own fault for doing whatever he did. ¡°You think I¡¯m a killer?¡± Lucy recalled Cedric¡¯s last statement to her. She dwelled on it for a long moment. Was he implying he wasn¡¯t a killer? Impossible. Killing somebody with your magic was the only crime punishable by having it taken away. But, then again¡­what if somehow he wasn¡¯t a killer? Lucy wrestled with her conflicting emotions and reasoning, and now she wondered if she was too quick to jump to her previous conclusion. She didn¡¯t¡­couldn¡¯t know the truth surrounding Cedric being a magicless. She couldn¡¯t ignore that she knew nothing about it. And more importantly, there was something else that stood out to her about him. It was something she had noticed on that first day they met. That he was willing to meet with her¡­and willing to speak with her¡­which was more than any of her peers, save for Rosseau, ever offered her. A new resolve inside her, Lucy began to pack her things into her school-bag. She still felt a tinge of fear for the position she was about to put herself in, but her desire to know the truth outweighed the ones telling her to leave it alone. She was going to find Cedric and ask him directly about his being a magicless. This had nothing to do with her upcoming match, nor her deal with the Headmaster. She only wanted to know the truth. With a sling of the bag¡¯s strap over her shoulder, she rushed outside to begin her search. The campus was empty as Lucy saw from the steps of the library¡¯s main entrance. Classes were still in session, and would be for almost an hour. It was going to be difficult to search for Cedric without being caught ditching class. But then again it should be hard for him to go anywhere without getting noticed too. Where would she look, though? As far as she knew, the library was the only building that was empty during class except for the dorms. But if he had gone to there, she¡¯d have no chance of finding him as the buildings had complex charms put in place to keep girls from entering the boy¡¯s dorm and vice versa. Maybe if she went fast enough, she could catch him. But then again, the dorms were pretty far away. He was probably going somewhere a lot closer. Lucy rubbed her temples, sifting through her extremely limited knowledge of Cedric to try and guess what he¡¯d do. What did he enjoy? Reading textbooks on magic? Being alone? Lucy felt bad about that second one, but it was probably true. Though¡­he didn¡¯t seem to mind her being in the library with him now that she thought about it, so maybe that one didn¡¯t apply. No, in fact, if there was one person he wanted to avoid right now, it was probably her. Lucy felt a thrill at what seemed like clever reasoning. So then where would he go to avoid her? She pondered again for an answer. A place where he could avoid her amongst all these lecture halls and classrooms. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Lucy spoke to herself, surprised. It couldn¡¯t be. Did she ever mention it to him? She couldn¡¯t remember, but it was her best lead, and she had to move quickly in case she was wrong. Settling on her decision, Lucy trotted away from the library¡¯s entrance, down its cobblestone path, and towards a familiar building. It was the one where her Totems and Diamets class was held. There was no way he would actually come here, right? As she entered and drew closer to her classroom¡¯s door, the idea of Cedric being there felt more and more ridiculous. It was worth a shot though. Carefully, Lucy opened the door a crack and peeked inside. Luckily it led into the back of the room, giving her a good view of the class and also lessening the chance of her being noticed. Dancing her gaze around the room, it didn¡¯t appear that Cedric was there. She could see Rosseau in the middle row, and Nora¡¯s group further behind him, but just when she was about to give up looking, she spotted a certain someone¡¯s chestnut-colored hair in the corner of her eye. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Cedric was there. She almost didn¡¯t recognize him as he wasn¡¯t wearing his glasses, but by his brooding expression it was definitely him. He was in the furthest row from the front, in the farthest seat down; which pretty much put him directly across from the door Lucy hid behind. The back row was typically empty, as Borden would haggle any students who sat too far away, but Cedric¡¯s innate talent for being unnoticeable must¡¯ve allowed him to take a seat there in the middle of Borden¡¯s lecture. Lucy felt proud that her hunch was correct. A little too proud, though, as she accidentally allowed herself to make a creepy, excited smile just as Cedric looked over and noticed her in the small crack of the open door. His eyes widened in horror¡ªa reaction she wasn¡¯t used to seeing him make. Lucy herself felt embarrassed but, rather than retreating, she propped the door open just enough to squeeze through and scurried into the seat next to him. At this point, Cedric stared at her with an expression that could only be described as confusion towards her and worry for himself. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He whispered hastily. ¡°I was looking for you.¡± Cedric flashed a surprised look before assuring himself that Lucy¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t good. ¡°Do you enjoy antagonizing others?¡± He said, turning his attention back towards the front. ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing!¡± Lucy softly pounded the desk in frustration. ¡°Sure.¡± Lucy wanted to hit him, but of course that would have the opposite outcome she was going for. Instead, she took deep breath to calm herself down. ¡°I just want to ask you something.¡± ¡°Something offensive I¡¯m sure.¡± WHACK! Lucy punched him in the shoulder. ¡°Agh! What the hell!?¡± Cedric yelped, his volume a bit too loud. ¡°Will you stop being difficult!?¡± Lucy pestered. ¡°You think I¡¯m the one being difficult!?¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°I only want to ask you a question!¡± ¡°Well good luck getting an answer out of-¡° ¡°AHEM.¡± Borden cleared his throat from the front of the room, startling the two kids. He eyed them both for a moment, but turned his attention back board, continuing his lecture. They both remained frozen, keeping their focus on the old Professor until it seemed like he wasn¡¯t watching them anymore. Lucy moved her embarrassed gaze downward, not wanting to catch the eyes of any classmates who were guaranteed to be looking over their shoulders at her. Cedric, meanwhile, let out a quiet but irritated sigh. ¡°Fine¡­ask what you want after class is over.¡± He stated. ¡°But please just leave me alone after it.¡± Lucy didn¡¯t respond, but she was glad he was giving her a chance. Assured for now, she turned her attention to Borden¡¯s lecture which seemed to be about the different materials magical totems could be made from. The information didn¡¯t quite fall on her ears, though, as she was merely waiting for the moment his lesson would finish so she could talk to Cedric in peace. It felt like an eternity, but the moment finally came when their professor dismissed the class just before the academy¡¯s clock tower resounded thunderously on the hour. Everyone began to pack their things and leave, save for Lucy and Cedric who remained where they were. Cedric kept his gaze fixed outside the window next to him, while Lucy awkwardly made and broke eye contact with several of the students as they passed by their row to get to the door. Amongst them was Nora¡¯s group, who all stifled a teasing laugh upon seeing her. Lucy averted her eyes, wondering how much longer she would need to wait, until a familiar voice called out to her. ¡°Lucy? You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh!¡± She exclaimed upon recognizing Rosseau who was already shuffling his way towards them. ¡°What happened to the library?¡± Rosseau asked, throwing a glance to the boy beside her that he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Umm¡­yeah well some things happened and¡­we ended up here.¡± Lucy felt awkward, wondering if she was supposed to introduce the two boys to each other. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you wait for me outside? There¡¯s something we need to talk about alone?¡± She nodded her head back towards the boy behind her. ¡°Uh, okay?¡± Rosseau answered awkwardly. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll just wait outside.¡± Lucy felt bad as she watched Rosseau leave through the door along with the last of the students. By chance, it was closed by someone, leaving her and Cedric completely alone. ¡°I¡¯ve never killed anyone¡­¡± Cedric said. Lucy tore her gaze from the closed door, turning quickly to face Cedric. He wasn¡¯t looking at her, though, and kept his gaze turned towards the window¡ªfocusing on nothing in particular. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted to ask, right?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Silenced passed as Lucy thought about what this meant, and what she should say next. She thought for a moment about asking why he was magicless if not for¡­well committing the one crime that led to one being so¡­but it didn¡¯t feel right to ask that. No, there was something else she needed to say first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­for the way I reacted.¡± She finally said, looking shyly into her lap. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You reacted no differently than anyone else would.¡± Another statement that was difficult to respond to, Lucy thought. For some reason it made her laugh, though¡ªa gesture which finally prompted Cedric to look at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lucy put a hand up in defense¡ªthe awareness of how rude she was being, helping her to regain her composure. ¡°It¡¯s just that I feel like an idiot who can¡¯t think of anything to say.¡± Cedric¡¯s looked surprised. Well, as surprised as someone who always kept a callous face could look. Still, he wasn¡¯t annoyed with Lucy. He was simply at a loss for how to handle her peculiar reaction. For that reason, he didn¡¯t respond to her laughter and, instead, looked away as a familiar regret began to rise in his chest. ¡°You really should leave me alone.¡± He said. Lucy felt the lighthearted moment she accidentally created slip through her fingers. If Cedric had been mad, then she might have been able to come up with a response. But she could tell he wasn¡¯t, and she was also starting to understand why he told her that he was magicless at all. ¡°Now then, I answered your question. So¡­¡± Cedric rose from his seat, passing behind Lucy who sat quietly without bothering to look at him. However, that did not mean she had nothing to say. ¡°If I don¡¯t win my next match, I won¡¯t be allowed to stay at Greidwhen anymore.¡± Lucy finally confessed¡ªher hands on her lap clenched into frustrated fists. ¡°I haven¡¯t won any matches so far¡­I¡¯ve never even so much as scored a point off the other team, it¡¯s always been Rosseau.¡± Cedric remained still before the closed door. His hand loosely gripping its knob as he listened to Lucy¡¯s words. ¡°My grades are terrible. I don¡¯t know any useful spells. And to top it all off, my next opponent is someone who hasn¡¯t lost a single match so far. There¡¯s just no way I¡¯ll be able to win if I keep doing the same things.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to distance yourself because you¡¯re worried that others will treat me worse¡­you¡¯re too late because everyone already avoids me. It¡¯s been that way since my first day here. So please, if that¡¯s the only reason why you won¡¯t teach me, then please reconsider!¡± Lucy pleaded. Silence fell between them as Lucy looked broken-heartedly towards Cedric, who still refused to turn himself to face her. He was thinking¡ªabout everything she had just confessed. He pitied her. He really did. But he already decided on his answer back in the library. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± was all he said. And before he could allow himself to hear another plea from the sorry girl behind him, he left¡ªthe door closing behind him with a harrowing thud. Lucy didn¡¯t move, she didn¡¯t even know what to think right now. She only stared at the door in disbelief. Cedric had denied teaching her once and for all, and now she felt like there was truly no hope for her to win her next match. No. She shouldn¡¯t think like that. Learning from Cedric may have been her best chance at preparing to face Nora, but she could still try practicing by herself. She would just have to try harder, and not waste a single moment. She wasn¡¯t going to give up. Not here. There wasn¡¯t much time left in the current break, but she¡¯d get all the practice time she could out of it. And after enlisting Rosseau too, that¡¯s what the both of them did. And not just for this break, but even in the ten-minute gaps between classes¡ªwhich eventually turned to twenty-minute gaps as they began to neglect arriving on time. The two of them had decided on practicing barrier-magic, as it was a major pillar in the matches and didn¡¯t require much room to practice. During their short sessions, Lucy frequently considered telling Rosseau about her deal with the Headmaster, but she still didn¡¯t want to burden him. For now, she wanted him to remain in the good mood that her ¡°sudden¡± motivation put him in. At lunchtime the two made a sprint for the practice fields, reserving one so Lucy could continue to hone her latest fire spell. Her anxiety made the first few attempts nearly blow up in her face, but after calming herself she managed to start casting successful ones. Her casts were too slow for an actual match, however, and that¡¯s what she decided to focus on improving until lunch ended¡ªwhere she then went back to practicing barriers on the treks between classes. This continued throughout every spare moment the two of them found. And after all their classes had finished for the day, they returned to the practice fields¡ªremaining there until late into the night. ¡°Okay, Lucy. I¡¯m swamped.¡± Rosseau fell to the ground with, his breathing exhausted. ¡°We¡¯ve been at it, for six straight hours.¡± Lucy remained standing, her own breathing much heavier than Rosseau¡¯s. He was right, they had been practicing non-stop in the fields since their last class ended. But, even so, she didn¡¯t want to stop. She couldn¡¯t stop. Because any time not spent practicing brought her closer to the worst outcome. ¡°We can pick this up tomorrow morning.¡± Rosseau wheezed. ¡°Alright. We can stop.¡± Letting out a final sigh of relief, Rosseau picked himself up. ¡°You did really well, today. You¡¯ve almost got that wind spell down. At this rate we can learn a few more in the next couple days and give Nora a run for her money.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± ¡°I think so¡­are you ready to head back to the dorms?¡± ¡°You can go ahead. I need to catch my breath.¡± Lucy said, plopping herself onto the grass. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± With a final wave, Rosseau exhaustedly moseyed his way off the field, passing through the magic barrier that kept any spells from escaping the inside. Lucy watched as he strolled down the cobblestone path¨Cdimly lit by the oil lamp posts alongside it¡ªuntil he finally disappeared from view. Assured that Rosseau was truly gone, Lucy stood herself up¡ªstruggling a bit to do so. Her body was sore, and she had used up nearly all of her available magic. But if the lights were still on, and if there was still some magic inside her to use, she was going to keep practicing. Lucy again took her stance for the wind spell she had been practicing, staff in hand. It was her totem of choice for matches in the tournament. After a certain distance, wands became very dependent upon precision. Staves, however, cast much broader spells at the usual cost of traveling slower and consuming more magic. They did, however, double as a blunt weapon¡­not that she ever had the opportunity to use it that way. Channeling her magic, Lucy braced herself for the thrust of the spell coming from the staff. It took her over ten seconds to finish channeling, and then a harsh burst of wind shot out towards one of the straw practice dummies at the other end of the field. Up close, the spell would certainly devastate an opponent, but after only a few meters the wind dissipated into a modest breeze as she could tell from the sway of the grass under it. By the time it reached the dummy, only the frayed ends of straw fluttered in the wind. Another failure. ¡°You¡¯re holding the staff wrong.¡± Someone called from behind her. Immediately Lucy turned to see them, her eyes already wide upon recognizing the voice. It was Cedric, with his signature, dull expression. ¡°Hold the staff again as you had it.¡± Cedric ordered, snapping Lucy out of her racing thoughts about his sudden appearance. She fumbled with the staff for a moment, setting herself up for another cast as he instructed. ¡°Here,¡± He grabbed her hand that was furthest down the staff and forced it even further down. ¡°Now bring this hand next to your hip with a slight bend in the arm, and extend your other arm out so the top of the staff is centered between your eyes and the target.¡± Lucy continued to follow his command, and after a few more adjustments, her stance was completely different from before. It felt more powerful, as well as comfortable. ¡°Now, straighten your back, take a deep breath, and cast.¡± Lucy gave Cedric a hesitant look, but obliged. She began to channel the spell again¡ªtransforming and churning it the way the book instructed. However, it was going much faster, and after only few seconds it burst from her staff and traveled across the field with a violent whirl. To Lucy¡¯s excitement, it hit the dummy, and exploded it into a million pieces of fluttering straw. Lucy couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The spell from their textbook that she and Rosseau had been practicing for hours¡­it seemed so trivial now. Was it really that simple all along? Regardless of the answer, Lucy couldn¡¯t help the smile that plastered her face as she turned to Cedric who was still taking in the view of the spell¡¯s resulting damage across the field. ¡°Th-thanks.¡± Lucy stammered, her body trembling from excitement at the spell she had just cast. Cedric, meanwhile, gave a rare, apologetic look to her before quickly averting it. Lucy got the hint, though. ¡°So¡­what brings you here this late at night?¡± She asked, a bit awkward. ¡°I was¡­just passing by on my way from the library.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I see.¡± Lucy said, not wanting to push him. The seconds passed by as both of the stood in silence. It was a bit uncomfortable, but Lucy didn¡¯t want to bother Cedric anymore than she already had. She could tell he was thinking, too, and that she should probably wait for him to say something. ¡°I saw you here earlier¡­after classes ended. You¡¯ve been practicing all this time?¡± He finally asked. ¡°Y-yes. I mean¡­it¡¯s all I can do, right?¡± Cedric looked at her without reply. ¡°¡­I¡­I¡¯m sorry about earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have laid all my problems onto you. It wasn¡¯t right.¡± Lucy added. ¡°Maybe¡­but if what you said is true, then I wouldn¡¯t feel right just sitting by without doing anything?¡± Lucy gave a hopeful look. ¡°So then¡­do you mean¡­?¡± Cedric looked her clear in the eyes. ¡°If it really is a matter of you having to leave Greidwhen¡­then I¡¯ll do my best to help you win your next match.¡± Lucy¡¯s heart leapt with joy, a dazzling smile showing on her face from the sheer happiness she felt. ¡°Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!¡± She said, bowing her head several times. ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t have to go that far.¡± Cedric awkwardly raised his hands in defense, prompting Lucy to instantly stand up straight as if she was now his pupil. Cedric sighed, wondering what he had just gotten himself into. ¡°So, what would be a good time to start?¡± He asked, thinking about tomorrow. ¡°Right now would be PERFECT!¡± Lucy shouted, jubilantly. ¡°What? That¡¯s not-¡° Cedric tried to say, but was too late to stop Lucy as she took the same stance he showed her earlier; casting another, brilliant wind spell out from her staff, blowing up another straw dummy at the end of the field. 7 - Lessons in Charms Chapter 7 Lessons in Charms
It was Thursday afternoon, or exactly forty-eight hours until Lucy¡¯s match with Nora. Under normal circumstances, the lunch bell would have served as a grim reminder of this to Lucy, but today the bell meant something else. Today it meant that she would finally get be taught again by Cedric¡ªthe magicless boy who was somehow incredible at teaching magic. At first, she asked if they could meet up again in the morning¡ªafter forcing a lesson out of him last night¡ªbut Cedric asserted that he would rather spend it getting familiar with how matches in the Sorcerer¡¯s tournament worked. Lucy didn¡¯t think there was much else to know besides the basics, though. This wasn¡¯t even the official tournament yet, but rather the qualifying blocks meant to reduce the number of official contestants. In a qualifying match, there was no big audience. You didn¡¯t get to face anyone outside your own school, and¡ªperhaps the most important difference¡ªyou didn¡¯t have a full six-man team. Instead, the lead sorcerer fought alongside a single knight who was only allowed to battle with non-magical weapons. In Lucy¡¯s case, her knight was Rosseau¡ªand he was very good at it. He was considerably athletic, and skilled with swordplay. Many nobles were. Of course, Rosseau insisted that his family was at the very bottom of that hierarchy. But even so, he still had much more exposure to combat than a farmer¡¯s daughter such as herself would ever get. She felt lucky to have him as her knight and she didn¡¯t want to let him down anymore. ¡°So, what¡¯s this surprise you keep telling me about?¡± asked the very boy who had been occupying her thoughts. ¡°Hmm? Oh! I wonder if I should tell you?¡± Lucy teased, walking alongside him towards the practice fields again. Rosseau smirked, returning her playfulness. He was glad to see her finally acting herself again. ¡°I bet it¡¯s a new spell.¡± ¡°That could be a part of it. But it¡¯s not the full surprise.¡± ¡°Oh really? A new spell and something else? I can¡¯t wait to find out.¡± He humored her. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to wait any longer, we¡¯re here!¡± Rosseau found himself being left behind as Lucy broke into a jog to the middle of the grassy field they had finally reached. He didn¡¯t have to wonder for too long what she was doing as he looked ahead of her, where he saw the same boy she was with yesterday standing by himself, waiting for their arrival. Rosseau stopped at the edge of the field, hesitating. He hadn¡¯t heard the rumor of there being a magicless student at Greidwhen until yesterday¡ªwhen Nora took it upon herself to inform him about the boy he had left Lucy alone with in the classroom. At the time, he didn¡¯t have any other thought except that Nora was lying and trying to put a wedge between him and Lucy. But this morning he asked Professor Borden about it, and he confirmed Nora¡¯s information with a distasteful tone. At the moment, Rosseau didn¡¯t know what to think. His instincts were telling him to keep Lucy away from him, but from what Nora had told him, Lucy also knew the truth. She knew he was magicless and yet¡­she was running towards him with a smile. A smile that was just as bright and friendly as the one¡¯s she would show to him. It was for that sole reason that he decided to continue forward. He may not have trusted the magicless, but he did trust his teammate. ¡°Rosseau! This is Cedric!¡± Lucy shouted from across the field. ¡°He¡¯s gonna be teaching us magic to use for our next match!¡± Rosseau¡¯s guarded mentality shattered upon hearing Lucy¡¯s words. Teach? A magicless who can teach magic? Impossible. Lucy must have lost her mind. And the magicless boy, Cedric¡­what could he possibly have to gain from such an absurd claim? ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Rosseau replied, wanting to see how the lesson from the magicless would play out. Lucy, meanwhile, whispered to Cedric. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t tell Rosseau about my deal with the Headmaster. And don¡¯t worry¡­I haven¡¯t told him about...you know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep bringing it up. I won¡¯t say anything. However...I¡¯d say that he already knows about me,¡± the ever-stoic Cedric replied. Rosseau¡¯s hesitant pause earlier didn¡¯t escape his notice. It was clear that this other boy, Rosseau, knew. Cedric always recognized when someone knew. ¡°What!?¡± Lucy said in a low whisper, her eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. As long as he¡¯s willing to cooperate.¡± Finally catching up to the pair, Rosseau got a good look at Cedric, who returned it right back. ¡°Uh¡­s-so this is Cedric. He¡¯s the person I¡¯ve been meeting in the library,¡± Lucy stuttered, worried that the boys weren¡¯t going to play nice. ¡°Ah. So you¡¯re the reason my teammate¡¯s been skipping our second period,¡± Rosseau laughed. ¡°Nice to meet you-¡° ¡°Let¡¯s cut the pleasantries,¡± Cedric interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s only forty minutes left in the break,¡± he said, eyeing the southern face of the clocktower from afar. ¡°Have either of you seen this girl, Nora, in a match before?¡± ¡°No. You Rosseau?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°I see. Here, surely you¡¯ve seen one of these before.¡± Cedric rummaged through his bag, pulling out a polished chunk of crystal that spanned his palm. Lucy looked at it curiously, while Rosseau recognized the item. ¡°A recording crystal.¡± Rosseau said. ¡°Of Nora¡¯s last match.¡± Cedric finished. ¡°Recording what?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°It¡¯s...well I¡¯m not sure how it works, but here I¡¯ll show you.¡± Rosseau grabbed the crystal excitedly, holding it out and channeling magic into it. Soon after, it began to glow while a miniature arena drawn with light hovered above it. ¡°Wait¡­is that¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the arenas for the tournament qualifiers,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°And look.¡± He nodded towards a pair of figures also entering from the edge of the display. ¡°It¡¯s Nora and her teammate.¡± ¡°Oh, wow! So is this thing is a recording of her match?¡± Rosseau and Cedric both looked at Lucy, expressionless at her playing catch-up. ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t have enough time to watch it right now, but you should both find time to watch it later, and study the spells she uses.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s very helpful, Cedric. Thanks!¡± Lucy cheered. Rosseau stopped channeling magic into the crystal, causing the display to cut out. His gaze was focused on the crystal chunk, but his thoughts were elsewhere. This magicless¡ªno¡ªCedric, was more clever than Rosseau gave him credit for. ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± Rosseau said. Cedric didn¡¯t reply, but gave an acknowledging nod before heaving an absurdly thick book out from a separate bag on the ground beside him. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Lucy asked, worried. ¡°It¡¯s the official rulebook for the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament. Latest edition, of course.¡± Cedric said, almost sounding proud. ¡°Have you read this?¡± Lucy and Rosseau both shook their heads slowly, shuddering at the thought of trying to read that monstrosity.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Well, I rummaged through it this morning to get an understanding of how a match works and a particular section stood out to me.¡± He looked at Lucy. ¡°The part that says you can begin each round with up to two charms in place on your persons¡­what do you use?¡± ¡°Oh. That rule,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Well...¡± She glanced to Rosseau, feeling embarrassed. ¡°We don¡¯t use any,¡± Rosseau said, not wanting to make anything more of it. ¡°I see¡­¡± Cedric got the hint. ¡°Then that¡¯s the first thing we should work on right now.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s so many different charms. Which one¡¯s do we even pick?¡± Rosseau asked. ¡°Well, I looked through some match records for previous tournaments, and a popular one looks to be Staughsen¡¯s Triggering-Barrier charm.¡± ¡°Eh¡­what¡¯s that?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°A perimeter charm that detects when a high velocity attack passes through it and promptly creates a barrier to protect the caster.¡± ¡°Sounds complex.¡± Rosseau rubbed his chin. ¡°Are the prep-periods between rounds long enough for her to cast it?¡± ¡°For a beginner? Just barely.¡± ¡°But what about the second charm?¡± Lucy chimed in. ¡°Maybe two easier charms would be better than a difficult one?¡± Rosseau thought that Lucy made a good point, but could also tell Cedric had something more to say. ¡°No, this will take up both charms. You¡¯ll be casting it for the both of you.¡± Rosseau and Lucy both looked shocked. ¡°What! Won¡¯t it take twice as long to cast, then!?¡± Lucy exclaimed. ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Cedric said calmly. ¡°The adjustments necessary for extending a charm¡¯s cast to another target should only add a few extra seconds. It will require twice the amount of magic used, however.¡± Rosseau was, again, bewildered by Cedric¡¯s knowledge. These weren¡¯t the kinds of things a first-year student knew. This could be third-year, or even graduate level course-matter. ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­¡± Lucy said in awe. Rosseau had to agree. It was amazing. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go for it!¡± Lucy threw her fist into the air, excited at the idea of learning her first truly advanced spell. Rosseau smirked at his teammate¡¯s gusto, while Cedric completely ignored the girl¡¯s cheer. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s get started.¡±
It had been twenty minutes since the trio had begun their actual practice. It started with Cedric reviewing charms, and how they were simply dormant spells that could be activated at a later time. From there, however, the lecture began to increase in complexity. But, as Rosseau and Lucy realized, Cedric made it surprisingly easy to follow. ¡°A charm at this level is really just a chain of simpler ones: shaping a perimeter, detecting foreign magic, and creating a barrier. In fact, shaping and detecting are essentially the building blocks for many popular combat charms, and it¡¯s only the spells following that make them different.¡± Cedric then went into a rough overview of the concept known as spell chaining. ¡°Now, unfortunately, there isn¡¯t a single catch-all spell for chaining the major spells of a charm together. Thankfully the second-simplest solution does hold true¡­and it¡¯s that for any two spells you want to chain, a spell exists that can chain them together.¡± It was a simple lecture that glossed over many of the specific intricacies that made a charm this complicated possible, but Cedric knew it was the bare amount of information the two needed to try and cast it. And now, after finishing his overview, he was guiding them on how to cast the first chain in the charm¡ªperimeter and detection. ¡°Eeeek!¡± Lucy cried, the rebound from her latest failed attempt threw her backwards onto her butt. ¡°Ugh, just tell me the secret to this already!¡± she whined. Cedric gave her a scolding look. ¡°If you think every failed spellcast can be solved with some posture correction, you¡¯re wrong. You still have to channel your magic correctly.¡± Lucy groaned. Channeling was the hardest part of spellcasting. Of course, each spell¡¯s channeling process typically only needed to be learned once¡ªand then you just needed to remember it¡ªbut learning the process for a new spell was always frustrating, especially for a spell as complicated as this. Scrambling to her feet, Lucy tried again, closing her eyes and focusing with her staff held out in front of her. As usual, a pressure rose in her chest from drawing out her raw magic. She tried to move and shape it as the spell book described but she couldn¡¯t maintain control and promptly found herself flying backwards from another rebound. Lucy hit the ground with a thud. ¡°Hmm¡­it could be that you are trying to force it too much.¡± Cedric approached Lucy who looked quizzically back at him. ¡°Force what?¡± ¡°The magic into the channeling pattern.¡± Cedric said, thinking hard for a moment. ¡°Tell me, when you tap into your raw supply of magic, it seems to flow like a stream of water, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I guess¡­?¡± Lucy answered, having never thought about it. ¡°And much like how a stream will spill over if it meets a sharp turn, so will your magic if you try too harshly to manipulate it¡ªthat¡¯s when rebounds happen.¡± Cedric pointed back towards where Lucy had been thrown from. ¡°So, perhaps, instead of viewing the steps in the book as how you should move your magic, view it as a path that you are digging to gently guide its natural flow within you.¡± Lucy glanced to Rosseau, who shrugged back with an intrigued look. ¡°Al¡­alright. I¡¯ll try it¡­¡± Lucy stood up, not knowing if she truly understood Cedric¡¯s instructions. Draw a path for the magic to flow through? No, draw a gentle path, she corrected, otherwise she¡¯d end up getting tossed across the field again. Trying once more, Lucy drew out her magic, trying to guide it in the way Cedric explained. It wasn¡¯t something she had considered before, but her raw magic did seem to have its own, natural flow after drawing it out. Focusing on that feeling, Lucy tried to draw a path for it, one that her magic¡¯s flow wouldn¡¯t fight against. And after ¡°guiding¡± it through the first channeling movement, the raw magic pulsed¡ªa sign that it was transforming. ¡°WOAH!¡± Lucy shouted, surprised that it had worked. Her loss of focus caused her to lose control however, and she found herself flying backwards for a third time. ¡°Lucy!¡± Rosseau rushed over, frightened by how much harsher this last rebound was. After rushing to her side, though, his fears were put at ease as he noticed the ecstatic look on her face. ¡°That was incredible, it worked! Or, well- it was working¡­but still!¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes beamed with excitement. ¡°You should have told me sooner that there was another way to channel magic!¡± she teased, smiling. Cedric didn¡¯t reply. She was wrong about it being another way to channel magic¡ªit was merely a different way to think about it. But he didn¡¯t want to risk affecting her progression, so he remained silent. Lucy continued to make steady progress, her failures this time being due to simply not having a grasp of how to channel this spell. There were no rebounds anymore, however. Instead, her failed attempts simply fizzled into gentle breezes out of her staff. Eventually, though, one of her attempts didn¡¯t fizzle out and the channeling process had extended far past any one of her previous tries, ending with a strong pulse of magic and followed by the appearance of a distinct circle of light on the ground around her. ¡°I think- I think it¡¯s HAPPENING!¡± Lucy shrieked, unsure if she was allowed to move. ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Rosseau said, equally excited. Pulling his wand out, he pointed it towards Lucy and shot a weak burst of wind magic directly at her. As the waft of magical wind passed into the circle, it¡¯s lighted edge flashed briefly¡ªa fact that made Rosseau pump his arm excitedly. ¡°It worked, Lucy! It detects magic!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± The girl yelled back, still stiff as a board as she clung to her staff. ¡°You can relax. The charm was completed so you don¡¯t have to worry about manipulating it anymore.¡± Cedric said. ¡°Try walking around.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lucy replied, unable to help her immense smile. Relaxing her body, she took a few steps forward and noticed something peculiar¡ªthe circle was moving with her. ¡°Incredible!¡± Rosseau awed. ¡°A charm that detects magic and follows the caster. Something like that hasn¡¯t even been touched on in our classes so far!¡± Lucy trotted around the field, watching with an excited smile as the circle followed her around. The pain from getting thrown several feet across the field from the rebounds, the frustration from the spell fizzling out whenever she came close to completing the cast¡­it was all worth it for this. The clock-tower¡¯s bell resounded, a signal for the group that it was time to end their practice. ¡°We¡¯ll pick up from here when classes are over.¡± Cedric said, his two students nodding in agreement as they all gathered their stuff. ¡°I¡¯ll do some more research in the meantime. I¡¯m interested in the matches of past tournament winners so I¡¯ll see if I can find any information on them.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Rosseau replied, anxiously trying to get his next words out. ¡°And, thanks. For your help, I mean.¡± ¡°Yeah! This was great! I can¡¯t wait to start again!¡± Lucy exclaimed, excited. Cedric was caught by surprise. He wasn¡¯t used to being thanked, especially by his peers. It made him somewhat uncomfortable, but also somewhat pleased. ¡°Glad I could help,¡± was all he could muster. The cobblestone paths on the edges of the training fields began to swarm with students all heading to their next classrooms. ¡°Alright then! We¡¯re gonna head out. See you after class!¡± Lucy waved goodbye to Cedric as she turned to leave down the field. Rosseau gave a last, courteous nod before joining her. Cedric watched as they both walked off to class, smiling and laughing with each other until their figures finally disappeared amongst the droves of other students. Eventually, the crowds finished passing through, and Cedric walked back to the library, alone. He didn¡¯t feel like he was alone, however. And though he would never tell the two¡­he looked forward to meeting up with them again, too. 8 - Barriers and Barriers Chapter 8 Barriers and Barriers
¡°That¡¯s it, maintain control!¡± Cedric ordered, intently watching while Lucy approached the final channeling step of the charm. He had to shield his eyes from the dust and grass that was violently thrown by the torrent of wind surrounding the girl. It wasn¡¯t unexpected, though. Wind like this was a sign of an oversaturation of magic in the spell-cast. In other words, she was using too much magic, and the excess was being released as a manifest of wind whose direction changed with every step in the channeling process. What¡¯s more, because she was in the center, Lucy was taking the brunt of the gust¡¯s impact. Most of the time it was only a strong breeze making it difficult to concentrate or maintain balance, but every now and then a surge came out strong enough to kick up a clod of dirt that would hit her in the face. ¡°Don¡¯t give up, Lu¡¯!¡± Rosseau encouraged. It had been three hours since they picked up practice again after classes finished. It was evening now, and by Cedric¡¯s count this was Lucy¡¯s forty-seventh attempt to cast the complete charm they had been working towards. Rosseau had tapped out his entire magic reserve after twenty-nine attempts, unable to finish casting the charm. His number of tries compared to Lucy wasn¡¯t unexpected, however. Girls naturally possessed around four times as much magic as boys, and it was the reason over ninety-five percent of Lead Sorcerers in the tournament were girls as Cedric had learned after some more research. Even so, Lucy was still wasting far more magic than Rosseau had, and if she didn¡¯t have a breakthrough soon, she would have to stop without learning a single spell. Lucy could feel her magic running out. And being this far in the channeling process it was as if her magic had a mind of its own. She had to be careful. Too little magic and her spell would fizzle out, but too much and she¡¯d be hit with a rebound much more violent than any she had experienced¡ªCedric made sure to mention that to her. And to top it off, the understanding that she only had one more day after this to practice made it difficult to focus. The fact that she had to face Nora, who hadn¡¯t lost a single match, was also becoming unnerving. Did she really stand a chance against her? Even with a protection charm? The wind began to die down, and Lucy realized too late that she had distracted herself from providing an adequate amount of magic for the channeling. Defeated, she relaxed her arms¡ªfeeling a stinging soreness in her shoulders from holding her staff up for so long. She then took a deep breath and let it out. Another fruitless attempt. Cedric gave a hard look. He had already taught Lucy everything he could for this spell. At this point, it was only a matter of her finding a way to follow it through. It didn¡¯t feel good, but there just wasn¡¯t anything else he could do to help her. ¡°Well¡­I can only try again, right?¡± Lucy said, turning to them with a weak smile that failed to hide her frustration. The boys looked at her, both silent. It was painstakingly clear how much her attitude had regressed. In the beginning she gave an air of invincibility after each failure, showing no hesitation to try again. But after Rosseau had run out magic and couldn¡¯t practice alongside her, her mood became more and more discouraged. Lucy was too embarrassed to look at the boys for long. Their pitying expressions only made things worse, though she could never tell them that. Turning away, she took the proper stance again, and tried to channel her magic one more time. ¡°Wait!¡± Lucy heard Rosseau yell. Her loss of focus caused the gentle breeze from her magic to die out. Cedric, too, was shook by the boy¡¯s abrasive call, and turned his attention as well. Rosseau stomped over to Lucy, who was a bit frightened as he promptly halted himself right in front of her. His expression was one she had seen before. It was the expression he made every time they lost a match. Disappointment. But as she had learned from spending time with him, it was never directed at her. No. It was the face he made when he was disappointed in himself. A face she hated seeing him make. Without warning, Rosseau placed his hands onto hers¡ªa move which caused Lucy¡¯s brain to explode. He had never made a gesture like this before, she didn¡¯t know if she should pull away or not. Cedric was caught off guard also and wondered if this was a moment that would demand more privacy. The question of if they were together had crossed his mind before. Was this evidence of that? Fortunately, before Lucy and Cedric could act on any assumptions, Rosseau spoke up. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t just be on the sides watching,¡± Rosseau said, his face serious. ¡°Is there anything in the rules that doesn¡¯t allow us to be in contact while she casts the charm?¡± Rosseau turned to Cedric. ¡°Erm¡­no. Nothing that I read anyway,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Good,¡± Rosseau said, firming his grip onto Lucy¡¯s hands. ¡°Then, let¡¯s try it like this.¡± Lucy saw the adamant look in his eyes, but still couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. In the two months she¡¯d known him, she learned that Rosseau tended to be straightforward, sometimes to the point where it made others uncomfortable. ¡°R-Rosseau, you don¡¯t have to-¡° Lucy began to say, but was cut off by the boy. ¡°I know that¡­something is going on,¡± Rosseau spoke, softly. His eyes fell onto the pair of hands he held in his own. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. You¡¯ve clearly been bothered ever since your meeting with the Headmaster.¡± Lucy lowered her gaze onto Rosseau¡¯s hands which gently gripped hers. It was disheartening. She hadn¡¯t done a good job of keeping her anxiety a secret from him after all. Causing him worry was the last thing that she wanted. ¡°Listen¡­if it isn¡¯t something you want to tell me then I¡¯ll accept that. But I want you to know that you¡¯re not alone in this¡ªnot at all.¡± Rosseau showed a reliable smile, which Lucy had come to recognize as one of his best quirks. He was an unusual boy. Blunt. Straightforward. But in a uniquely considerate way. Lucy remembered how intimidating that aspect of his personality was when they first met. But, gradually, she had come to appreciate it. Especially now. ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucy smiled back. And just like that, the fatigue she felt from their non-stop practice seemed to disappear. Cedric meanwhile remained silent on the side, his calculating eyes studying the two teammates, and processing what had just happened. Sure, he recognized that Lucy was approaching a dangerous level of demotivation, but he hadn¡¯t the slightest clue of how to address it. And then in came Rosseau who, with a careful gesture and a few tender words, completely turned things around. It made Cedric feel uneasy. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to try again,¡± Lucy said.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Rosseau nodded in agreement and kept his hand on top of hers while she raised the staff up for one more try. And then he felt an intense pressure surround them. It was an incredible thing. And Cedric wondered if Lucy was aware of it herself¡­that in a few seconds she had managed to cast the first half of the charm. Lucy¡¯s eyes were closed, but Rosseau could see the circle of light on the ground surrounding them. The wind began to churn back and forth violently and Rosseau had no choice but to close his eyes from dust being tossed around¡ªthe occasional clump of dirt scratching uncomfortably across his face. It made him realize what Lucy had been enduring for the past three hours. Why hadn¡¯t she said anything? Lucy focused intently¡ªon both the spell cast and the feeling of Rosseau¡¯s hands cradling her own. If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that she didn¡¯t want to let him down anymore. Two months ago, they were simply strangers until a random lotto paired them up for both lacking a teammate, and ever since then he had been kind, encouraging, and supportive. He was the first friend she made at Greidwhen. It was hard to tell, but the wind began to throw itself around much less violently. Its randomness of direction and speed now moved in a pattern which matched her influence in the spell cast. And though Lucy didn¡¯t notice because she was focused on channeling her magic, Rosseau and Cedric realized that she wasn¡¯t wasting as much magic now as she had before. A mere forty seconds in, Cedric estimated that Lucy was now in the final phase of the channeling process. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer now. Maybe another fifteen¡­twenty seconds tops if she could just follow it all the way through. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Cedric muttered under his breath. The wind picked up again, its strength much greater than it had at any point so far. Rosseau and Lucy both winced, the sound of rushing air completely enveloping their ears. Lucy felt as if she could lose control at any moment, but she continued to wrestle the seemingly unstable, nearly transformed magic inside her. She compressed it, churned it, twisted it, and finally guided it, and in a single electric movement it shot from her chest, through her arms, and into her staff. The wind promptly died, and Lucy, with her eyes still closed, was left wondering if it was because she succeeded or failed in casting the spell. ¡°Open your eyes, Lu,¡± she heard Rosseau say, feeling his hands let go of her own. She was afraid to look, but the sound of a hollow hum coming from every direction intrigued her to take a look. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of a circle of light surrounding them just as before. ¡°Did it work?¡± Lucy held her breath. It didn¡¯t look any different from the earlier version that could only detect magic. A loud chiming sound then surprised her from the left, accompanied by a short-lived flash of light from the corner of her eye. Immediately she looked over, and noticed a fading ripple of light, its edges rebounding off the invisible impression of a rectangular pane that stood as tall as her. It was then that she noticed Cedric a few yards directly past it rolling a smooth stone in between his thumb and finger. There was a rare smirk on his face, and without warning he threw the stone straight at her, causing her to flinch. The chime sounded again, and this time Lucy noticed the cause. It was a barrier. A barrier had appeared and stopped the stone before it could reach her. The charm had worked. ¡°Incredible,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°You did it!¡± Lucy reached out to where the barrier had been just moments ago. There was nothing there. It was just as Cedric had said¡­a barrier that only appears when an attack was passing through. ¡°I-I did it¡­? I did it!¡± Lucy finally realized her achievement, her eyes wide with excitement. ¡°Quick! Throw something else at me!¡± Rosseau laughed. ¡°How about an actual magic attack?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Lucy happily said. Putting some distance between them, Rosseau pulled out his wand. He didn¡¯t have much magic left at the moment, just enough for one, basic burst of magic which only took him a second to cast from his wand. It may have been weak, but it traveled fast. Lucy couldn¡¯t help but brace herself for the attack¡¯s impact, but just before it got close enough for her to consider dodging, it exploded against another barrier that appeared. The attack dissipated across the barrier¡¯s face, and Lucy noticed parts of it creep past the barrier¡¯s edge and waft into a puff of air that she could feel hit her. For a moment she was confused, thinking the charm was supposed to keep everything out. But then she remembered Cedric¡¯s explanation. It only blockedhigh velocity attacks. ¡°This charm can¡¯t protect me from everything, can it?¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Cedric answered. ¡°A smart opponent would adapt and try using spells that don¡¯t trigger the barrier to hit you. It¡¯s also rendered completely useless in close combat. It can stop a charge, but if they can close the gap without prompting the barrier¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here, though,¡± Rosseau interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to handle anyone who tries to get close.¡± Lucy looked thankfully at Rosseau. ¡°And besides,¡± Rosseau continued. ¡°With this charm we¡¯ll be able to focus less on defense and more on attack. Nora won¡¯t know what hit her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely accurate,¡± Cedric said. ¡°While the charm clearly helps with protection, you should still try to avoid having it triggered as much as possible.¡± Lucy looked confusingly at him. ¡°Why?¡± Rosseau sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right, I forgot. Charms like this have a fixed pool of magic driving them, and each time it¡¯s triggered it takes from that pool so it can perform the next step.¡± ¡°So, every new barrier makes the pool smaller?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Yeah, until it¡¯s all used up. The charm is still useful of course, but it¡¯s a limitation we need to be aware of.¡± ¡°Oh! So, then it probably also uses up more magic the stronger the attack it¡¯s blocking¡ªjust like a normal barrier, right?¡± Lucy excitedly added, remembering that fact from one of their classes. Rosseau looked surprised. He hadn¡¯t thought of that fact himself. ¡°That¡¯s¡­probably true. Isn¡¯t it?¡± He looked to Cedric, who nodded. ¡°It is.¡± Cedric said, intrigued. His two students didn¡¯t know it, but he was currently measuring the depth of their knowledge. As far as he knew, there were three things to consider when using this charm in a match: charm expiration, attacks that could bypass it, and a final, crucial consideration. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s probably not a good idea,¡± Lucy muttered to herself, catching Cedric and Rosseau¡¯s attention. ¡°What isn¡¯t a good idea?¡± Rosseau asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucy looked up, broken from her concentration. ¡°I was just thinking that I could add a bunch of magic to the charm during the cast, and then we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the magic pool issue. But¡­¡± ¡°But¡­?¡± Rosseau said. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re lucky enough to not get hit for a point, and the charm lasts through multiple rounds, it will still probably have a chance of running out of magic in the middle of round¡ªleaving us wide open. And if we do get hit for a point, then the charm will automatically expire anyway, and all that magic goes to waste. So¡­¡± ¡°So, the best amount is the one that barely lasts us a round, and then you can just dispel it and recast it again in-between.¡± Rosseau finished her sentence. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. Cedric?¡± Lucy looked over to her impromptu instructor, whose gaze was already fixed onto her. He was a bit astounded. Instead of knowing the last important principle of a charm like this, Lucy had casually deduced it herself. ¡°You¡¯re correct. Imbuing the charm with just enough magic to last the round is crucial. Too little and your defense will be crippled. Too much and you risk wasting it if your opponent gets a good shot at you.¡± ¡°So how do we figure out the right amount?¡± Rosseau asked. ¡°Research,¡± Cedric said, adjusting his glasses. ¡°Which is what I¡¯ll be doing tonight. There¡¯s plenty of records of matches where this charm is used. I¡¯ll pull some out and see how the charm held up against certain attacks. Then I¡¯ll study another recording of Nora¡¯s match to see what her spell arsenal is like and compare. It¡¯s impossible to give a perfect estimate, but I believe I can get close.¡± Lucy and Rosseau were amazed at how callously Cedric laid out his complex itinerary for the night. Lucy especially felt a bit ashamed. She could barely stand three pages of written homework much less a night of research. She had known this for some time, but Cedric was in an academic league of his own. ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°We¡¯ll still practice the charm a few more times though, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Ah, good. Can I ask you something about casting charms in general? Just a quick question.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As Cedric and Rosseau continued back and forth, Lucy stood by and took in the sight of them both. Two months ago she didn¡¯t know Rosseau. Three days ago she didn¡¯t know Cedric. Rosseau came from a noble family far in the north, She herself came from a small farming town in the west, and Cedric¡­well, who knows. And yet, somehow, all three of them had found each other, and both of the boys were doing their best to help her out. The feeling of support overwhelmed her, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a giggle. ¡°What was that, Lu¡¯?¡± Rosseau asked, he and Cedric sharing a questioning look. Lucy smiled. ¡°Nothing. Now cut the chatter and let¡¯s practice it again!¡± 9 - The Fruits of Training Complement an Evening Picnic - (1 of 2) Chapter 9 The Fruits of Training Complement an Evening Picnic
¡°What? She learned that advanced of a protection charm? We¡¯re talking about the same Lucy, right?¡± Nora paused from brushing her hair, looking incredulous at the reflection of her two subordinates in the mirror. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± ¡°We saw it!¡± ¡°One moment there¡¯s nothing there, then a barrier appears!¡± ¡°Not to mention we also saw her use some kind of fire spell! That one looked pretty powerful!¡± ¡°What are you going to do, Nora?¡± Nora looked back at herself in the mirror. She had been ordering her lackeys to do reconnaissance such as this since her first match, but this was the first time their findings surprised her. By the description, it sounded like Straughsen¡¯s Triggering Barrier charm. It was a spell that would give anyone an edge in the tournament. She herself had practiced it before, but to no avail. It was just too complex, and she instead opted for an easier, less impressive barrier charm for her matches. But if she couldn¡¯t learn it, how could that pink-haired peasant who couldn¡¯t cast a proper hand-drying spell do it? It had to be a mistake. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t Rosseau who cast it?¡± Nora asked, setting the brush down to flick her hair back until she was satisfied with how it sat. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± one of the girl¡¯s replied while Nora stole a quick glance at her short, unkempt hair and fought a smirk. ¡°Well then. It sounds like our little darling, Lucy, has been doing well with her latest practice sessions. Too bad it will all amount to nothing. Hmph,¡± Nora finished with a cocky breath. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right! You¡¯re undefeated so far in the tournament! There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll be able to beat you!¡± ¡°Oh, I have no intention of letting her have the honor of facing me,¡± the beautiful Elefrian girl smiled deviously, her two lackeys both confused and fearful at her words. ¡°Also, it turns out our lovely little farm-girl has been hiding something surrounding the consequences of our match. Something I plan to take advantage of that will put that peasant in her place for good.¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s that?¡± Nora smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a secret. But let¡¯s just say that our own little luckless mage won¡¯t be at Greidwhen for very much longer¡­¡±
Lucy and Rosseau yawned and walked down the cobblestone path from the dorms to the campus. The crisp morning air nipped at their cheeks. The day¡¯s classes wouldn¡¯t start for two hours, but last night they had all agreed to meet up in the morning to strategize in the library¡ªan agreement that came with regrets for the two groggy looking kids as they moseyed along with eyes half open. ¡°Cedric probably has it a lot worse, with doing his research and all,¡± Rosseau mumbled as they walked up the library¡¯s steps. Lucy grunted in agreement while she rubbed her cheeks, looking forward to escaping the cold, outside air. As Rosseau opened the door for her, she promptly dashed in and made a pleasant face as the warm air enveloped her. ¡°That¡¯s so much better!¡± she exclaimed. At first glance the library was empty, but Lucy knew exactly where to look at this point to find Cedric. Sure enough, in the back-right corner table of the library, there he was surrounded by stacks of books, currently slumped over and digging through one of them. ¡°Morning!¡± she said, jarring Cedric out of his deep concentration. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Did you watch those recordings of Nora¡¯s matches?¡± ¡°You bet,¡± Rosseau replied, catching up to the two of them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we didn¡¯t think to do that for our other matches! Now that we know what to expect from her, we can start forming a strategy!¡± As she and Rosseau set their bags down to settle in at the table, Lucy took a more careful look at Cedric¡¯s research station. It was an inarguable mess. Stacks of books and parchments were strewn about¡ªnot just on the table¡¯s surface, but also on the seats and even the floor beside him. There were also a number of worn-down, graphene pencils and even an abacus, beside which lay another sizeable stack of parchment with collections of calculations and notes scrawled onto them. Then there was Cedric himself, who glanced back at her with heavy eyelids and a drained expression, and immediately Lucy could tell that he had been here all night. ¡°Here,¡± Cedric said, pulling a few sheets of parchment from under his current book, presenting them to Lucy. ¡°I¡¯ve detailed the process for optimizing the charm¡¯s lifespan based on Nora¡¯s spells.¡± Lucy took the sheets in her hand, orienting them to get a proper look at their content. The writing on it was much cleaner than on the one¡¯s with the notes and calculations. The instructions on this one were numbered and pleasantly spaced out, making it easy to read. There were even some rough illustrations of how Lucy and Rosseau were supposed to space themselves out. One drawing in particular made her stifle a smile as it clearly had erase-marks around the head that showed an abandoned effort to draw the hair buns that rested on the sides of her face. It was a cute detail which made her happy, but she was more overwhelmed with happiness from how far he was going to help her. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.
¡°Inner Warmth. Fire shot. Draw water. Wind Blast. Inanimport¡ªthat¡¯s an interesting one,¡± Cedric read from the list he had asked Lucy to prepare last night. Though their goal for the day was to have Lucy get more consistent with casting the barrier charm for herself and Rosseau, Cedric¡¯s plan for the morning was to perform a complete review of every spell she currently knew. Running through the list, Cedric found that many of these spells weren¡¯t useful for combat. He expected as much, though. It was normal for someone to know more spells that helped with everyday tasks rather than than one¡¯s meant for combat. Ideally, Lucy could learn a couple more combat spells¡ªhe even had some ideas of which one¡¯s¡ªbut there wasn¡¯t enough time to guarantee she could learn even one before the day was over. No. He had to find a way to strategize with the one¡¯s she knew now. That combined with a consistent protection charm would at least grant her a fighting chance against Nora. Flipping the sheet around to make sure everything was accounted for, Cedric did a double take at the huge list of spells on the other side. ¡°You know all these?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh no! I don¡¯t know the one¡¯s on that side. They¡¯re just one¡¯s I¡¯ve tried practicing but never got the hang of. Sorry, I thought it would be a good idea to include those, but¡­¡± ¡°No. This is good information,¡± Cedric said, surprised he hadn¡¯t thought of asking her to do this himself. The second list had a good balance of everyday-use and combat spells, though none of them were particularly outstanding. However, one spell at the bottom stood out from the others. ¡°Telepathy?¡± He asked. ¡°I imagine that was a short-lived attempt.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucy signed. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t understand how to maintain the link. It would immediately break every time we connected.¡± Cedric suddenly tore his attention away from the sheet to look at Lucy. ¡°Well it is a graduate level spell,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°Probably wasn¡¯t realistic of us to expect to cast it correctly. You did a lot better than me, though,¡± he laughed. Lucy giggled in reply, but Cedric remained silent where he stood. Rosseau was correct. It was a graduate level spell. But the spell¡¯s difficulty didn¡¯t come from having to maintain the telepathic link. The real hurdle¡­the reason it was classified as a graduate level spell¡­was the incredible difficulty it took to even establish the link in the first place. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Cedric heard Lucy call to him, breaking his train of thought. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± he replied, distracted by the countless questions flooding his mind. He had never had the opportunity to work with Telepathy before, and he never expected to any time soon. It was a spell that delved into the arduous subject of Mind Magic¡ªa branch of magic that found little exposure at a preliminary Magic Academy such as Greidwhen. His scholarly instincts were pushing him to inquire more about Lucy¡¯s experience with the spell, but he knew it wasn¡¯t what they needed right now. Calming down, he reminded himself of the reason they were all there. ¡°Right, now let¡¯s get to work.¡± Strategizing magic for use in combat was an unfamiliar territory for Cedric. Lucy and Rosseau had attempted it themselves for every one of their matches, but a dismal spell arsenal, slow casting times, and a lack of information on the opponent didn¡¯t bring any tangible results. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t see it before,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°The protection charm doesn¡¯t just help you with defense, it also gives you more time to cast your own spells!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lucy thought for a second before the reasoning clicked in her mind. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! Nora¡¯s own charm can¡¯t do that if I remember correctly? From the recording?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Cedric answered, pleased that Lucy had observed such an important detail from the recordings he gave them. ¡°Her charm is a crude downgrade compared to the one we¡¯ve been practicing. It lets her put unchanneled magic into it to activate, but she can¡¯t cast anything while the barrier is up. You¡¯ll probably see her dodging more spells than she blocks with her charm.¡± A nervous excitement rose in Lucy¡¯s chest. It was hard to believe that she would actually be going in with a protection charm stronger than Nora¡¯s. It really began to feel like she could win this match after all.Stolen story; please report. The rest of their morning session focused solely on analyzing Nora¡¯s tactics from the recording. Looking for ways to exploit the ones that had openings. Discussing ways to defend against the ones that didn¡¯t. Nora didn¡¯t use any complicated spells, but she still had a balance of close, mid, and long-range attack spells. What stood out the most was how gracefully she fought¡ªher movements in close-quarters combat especially dazzled Lucy. Thankfully, she shouldn¡¯t have to worry about facing her that close¡ªthat¡¯s what Rosseau was for. Nora¡¯s knight wasn¡¯t anything special either according to Rosseau. ¡°His movements are sloppy. He has training, but he uses a lot of wasteful movements.¡± ¡°If Lucy can perfect extending the barrier charm onto you, I say you¡¯d have no problem annihilating this guy in two seconds¡ªthere¡¯d be nothing he or Nora could do to stop you.¡± ¡°We should probably start practicing right away, then.¡± Lucy said, nervous. ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but it¡¯s important to do this first. The more we know, the better chance we have of winning,¡± Cedric said, catching himself afterwards. We, he had said. When had he begun framing it that way? Lucy and Rosseau had caught it as well¡ªthe former, smiling embarrassedly and the latter smirking. Neither made a deal of it, though. They were grateful to Cedric for the help he was providing, and hearing him include himself in the stakes made them happy. The morning eventually passed, and the time came to end the strategy session and attend classes. Their strategizing had been fruitful, though, and Lucy purposed herself to review everything they had gone over rather than paying attention in class¡ªafter all, there wouldn¡¯t be a point to learning the information if she lost tomorrow. She also found herself dealing with a nervous sensation that slowly grew throughout the day. Today was their last chance to practice¡ªand her last chance to find a way to stay at Greidwhen. Her anxiety wasn¡¯t as unbearable as it was in the beginning, though. Thanks to Cedric, she had learned a spell that promised to give her an incredible edge against Nora. She also had Rosseau, who was already fantastic in battle, and had been graciously patient with her shortcomings. She wouldn¡¯t let him down anymore. Thankfully for the trio¡¯s training agenda, classes ended at twelve o¡¯clock on Fridays, and the final bell signaled a return to the training fields for all of them. Lucy and Rosseau walked over together as usual, and Cedric¡ªas usual for him¡ªshowed up from wherever he spent his time while class was in session. Lucy knew it wasn¡¯t the time nor the place to inquire about his enrollment at Greidwhen, but if she was fortunate enough to still be here tomorrow it was at the top of the list of things she wanted to poke her nose into. The time had come to resume practicing the barrier charm. As a warmup, Cedric had Lucy focus on casting it for herself only. The first couple of tries failed with a fizzle, but on the third try she got it. ¡°About eight seconds within the timeframe,¡± Cedric said, referencing the short window of time Lucy would have in between rounds to cast the charm. Ideally, she would cast it fast enough to allow for more strategy discussion after a round, but for their purposes right now any progress was good progress. Half an hour later they moved on to extending the charm to Rosseau. Lucy had already done it successfully a couple times last night¡ªout of a dozen tries¡ªbut failures here were more critical than ever. Extending the charm to Rosseau required twice the amount of magic to be put into the spell cast, so a failed cast wasted twice as much magic as before. Again, there was nothing more for Cedric to teach her at this point. She had managed two successful casts already, which showed that she knew the process, but as he already told them¡ªknowing a spell¡¯s process is only the first step in casting it consistently. Rosseau¡¯s presence seemed to help again, though. For whatever reason the young, blond noble was not bashful at all when it came to placing his hands on top of Lucy¡¯s while she cast the spell. She was shy about it, though. After all, Rosseau was a handsome boy¡ªshe had always thought that¡ªand he had been a constant pillar of support for her all this time. She felt lucky to have him, but she didn¡¯t appreciate the distracting thoughts that flooded her head whenever their hands touched. She only wanted to focus on how much she appreciated that he was there. And¡ªunbeknownst to herself¡ªit was thoughts such as that which made these complicated spells seem trivial to complete. CHING! A familiar chime resounded around them and Lucy smiled, having no doubt as she opened her eyes to see her work. The charm was active. ¡°You did it!¡± Rosseau cheered, looking down at the two, overlapping rings of light on the ground. One centered around Lucy, and the other around himself. Cedric sneaked a short sigh of relief. There was still plenty of work to be done today, but a start like this in only an hour should bode well for day¡¯s end results. The hours passed one by one, and after Lucy showed an acceptable consistency with casting the charm onto herself and Rosseau, Cedric moved them on to optimizing the amount of magic to put into it. As always, he began with a short lecture that covered the underlying concepts behind the topic¡ªthis time concerning magic measurement. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen this in class before, but the first thing we need to understand is that magic is incredibly difficult to measure. Whether it¡¯s measuring the amount of raw magic an individual holds, or how much magic a charm needs to sustain itself for a period, there are too many factors that keep us from getting a perfect value.¡± Lucy shot her hand up from where she sat, ¡°Like the varying lengths of people¡¯s arms!¡± ¡°Err, yes that is one example,¡± Cedric said, nearly rolling his eyes as he watched Lucy smugly cross her arms with a self-satisfied smirk. ¡°Because of this, no single-instance method has been found to measure magic. However, we can use carefully planned processes that will approximate whatever measurement we are looking for.¡± Rosseau raised his hand. ¡°So, this is kind of like the Inner-Warmth-Index? How caravan traders used Inner-Warmth so regularly that it became a way to size up each other¡¯s magic-reserve?¡± Lucy smiled and gave Cedric an acknowledging glance. It was exact same story he had introduced her to the first day they met up in library. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s probably the most well known measuring process for magic. However, an entirely different one is required for our needs¡ªa process that you have an important role in,¡± he said to Rosseau.
¡°Here comes another one, Lu¡¯!¡± Rosseau shouted from the other end of the field. ¡°Right!¡± Lucy answered back. Her protection charm was active, and there were noticeable scorch marks on the grass around its perimeter. Taking a deep breath, Rosseau channeled his magic and shot out a burst of fire from his wand. The violent, curling flame sped across the field towards Lucy, closing the distance in a few seconds. On cue, a few barriers appeared at the last second to protect her, and the flaming mass exploded against them, dissipating to reveal an unharmed Lucy. ¡°That¡¯s ten, so far,¡± Cedric mumbled to himself, looking back at his notes for the measuring process. The plan was simple, but lengthy, as he had explained to them earlier. ¡°The process to figure out how much magic you should put into a charm like this is to decide how many attacks we want it to last through, see how many attacks it currently survives, and adjust the amount of magic you cast it with accordingly.¡± Eleven. That was the number of attacks Cedric had decided on after his extensive research last night. But not just any attack¡ªnot all attack spells were equal of course. Lucy¡¯s charm had to block eleven hits from Nora¡¯s favorite spell, which he ascertained from the recordings to be a combination of Make-Icicle and Throw. The combination was also supported by Nora¡¯s second charm that she used for matches¡ªLevitate¡ªwhich helped her stylishly keep an arsenal of icicles beside her, ready for throwing. Cedric held his breath as he watched Rosseau fire an eleventh instance of Fire-Shot towards Lucy. While Rosseau didn¡¯t know how to cast an icicle and throw it, Cedric had calculated that Fire-Shot hit just as hard. Their near-equal destructiveness did raise concerns, though. Nora¡¯s combination should require more magic to use. Did she not know this? Did she use ice because she liked it? The lapse in optimization bothered him. Hopefully it would just be another mark for the small tally of advantages they had against her. Rosseau¡¯s spell clashed with Lucy¡¯s charm for the eleventh time. It would be a miracle if the charm broke here and Lucy happened to cast the charm with the exact amount of magic they needed. If that was the case, they could spend the remaining time perfecting other spells. But as the smoke and dust cleared, the charm¡¯s perimeter of light could be seen, and its barriers faded then disappeared as usual¡ªready to intercept the next attack. Lucy let out an irritated breath, looking at the perimeter of light that continued to surround her. That was the attack Cedric wanted the charm to break with. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t take too many more attacks to break it. If it was even one or two more over, Cedric said that would be acceptable. But any more than that and they would have to bring that number down. The process of hitting the barrier with Fire-Shot continued, and finally the charm broke after the nineteenth attack. ¡°Not bad. I was worried it would get into the high twenties,¡± Cedric said as they gathered together. ¡°So, now I have to try to cast it with less magic?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Yes, and this is where it gets difficult. There¡¯s no real way to define how much less magic you¡¯ll need to cast the charm with. We¡¯ll just have to keep adjusting and see how many attacks it can handle each time.¡± ¡°And then we move on to doubling it, so it can be extended to me,¡± Rosseau confirmed. ¡°Yes-¡° ¡°Double?¡± Lucy interrupted. There was a puzzled look on her face. ¡°Err¡­yeah. Because we have to extend the charm onto me.¡± Lucy began to fidget, hesitant. There was something there, an observation putting itself together in her mind. It felt obvious, but if Cedric and Rosseau weren¡¯t speaking up¡ªperhaps it wasn¡¯t anything after all? ¡°Isn¡¯t¡ªumm...isn¡¯t nineteen already pretty close to twenty-two? That¡¯s almost enough to cover me and Rosseau for eleven attacks,¡± she finally said. Cedric looked at Lucy, a look of unbelief taking over his expression as he began flipping through his notes. Rosseau himself looked intrigued, reading along over Cedric¡¯s shoulder, eager to see if Lucy was onto something. ¡°Y-you¡¯re right,¡± Cedric said, his tone astounded. Lucy had cast a charm that blocked nearly twice the amount of attacks he specified. If she used just a bit more magic for the version that covered both herself and Rosseau, the result should be a charm that protected them from the exact amount of attacks they needed. It was so simple, but it was an outcome he hadn¡¯t considered, and he realized why. During his research, he wrote off having them start with the extended charm because of all the magic it could potentially waste. So, when he laid out the measuring process, he became fixated on not doing the extended charm until they had perfected the normal version. The possibility that Lucy would cast the extended charm with nearly the exact amount they needed completely escaped him. Cedric fought a smirk. ¡°We¡¯re moving onto the extended charm. Lucy, I think you already know what to do?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Lucy said with a jubilant nod, standing herself beside Rosseau for the charm. ¡°Pretty good catch,¡± Rosseau commended. ¡°Oh, it was nothing!¡± Lucy smiled brightly, closing her eyes and beginning the the cast before Rosseau even had a chance to get ready. In no time at all, the charm was cast onto them both, and the two teammates spaced themselves out to see how many attacks it would survive this time. A few short minutes and some violent fireballs later, the results were in. Both charms blocked eleven attacks exactly. Cedric was astonished, though he hid it better this time. If Lucy hadn¡¯t realized what she did about the charm, right now he would be taking them through the long, arduous method he laid out in his notes. With this new development, though, they would be done with this part in maybe another thirty minutes. Cedric looked carefully at Lucy, watching as she frolicked towards him with a delighted smile on her face. It took him awhile to admit it, but he was enjoying teaching her. When was the last time he had felt that way? Still, there was something in the back of his mind whispering to him that it wouldn¡¯t stay like this¡ªthat it would end the same way it always did. Continued in part 2... 9 - ?The Fruits of Training Complement an Evening Picnic - (2 of 2) Chapter 9 The Fruits of Training Complement an Evening Picnic
After perfecting the charm for another hour, Cedric allowed Lucy and Rosseau to train whatever they wanted. He recommended a few attack spells which Lucy attempted, but¡ªas he figured¡ª they were just too new and different from what she was familiar with. She would need more than a day to get a successful cast, so, instead, she and Rosseau sought to polish the spells she already knew. The afternoon came and went, and as dusk came to an end, Rosseau began to gather his things. ¡°My family requires that I check in every week¡ªgive them a review of how my academics have been going, listen to inter-family politics, those sorts of things,¡± he told Cedric, who had inquired about his premature departure. ¡°It¡¯ll be a few quick hops through the Gates for me to get there, but I won¡¯t be back until early morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be late for our match tomorrow,¡± Lucy joked, handing him a handkerchief. ¡°And clean your face, you look like a mess.¡± Rosseau laughed, wiping his face with it. ¡°Thanks, Lu¡¯. And you as well, Cedric. Thanks to you, I feel that we have more than a good chance of beating Nora tomorrow.¡± ¡°I...hope it was enough,¡± Cedric replied, still not used to receiving gratitude. Rosseau smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll see you both tomorrow,¡± he finished and left the training field. Lucy and Cedric watched his figure pace down the cobblestone path until he rounded a building¡¯s corner out of sight. The night was quiet, save for the faint sounds of a few other students practicing in the other fields beyond their¡¯s. Cedric glanced over to Lucy, whose gaze was still fixated on the corner where Rosseau had disappeared from. ¡°There¡¯s still a couple of hours left in the day. Was there anything else you wanted to practice?¡± Cedric asked. Lucy continued to stare out to where Rosseau had been, a hint of concern in her eyes. ¡°Do you think I should have told him?¡± She asked, softly. ¡°How would I know the answer to that?¡± Lucy broke into a fit laughter, caught off guard by Cedric¡¯s bluntness. ¡°What kind of answer is that?¡± She laughed even more. Cedric felt relieved seeing her reaction. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel anxious about the stakes she was facing in tomorrow¡¯s match. It would be up to him to keep her distracted though. At least until curfew. Lucy finished her giggling, letting out a long, relaxed sigh at the end. ¡°I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ve done so much today. I¡¯m nearly out of magic, too. And I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah it would be a good idea to eat. The dining hall is still open, did you want to head over there?¡± The thought tugged at Cedric¡¯s stomach, reminding him that he hadn¡¯t eaten for the past seven hours either. The food in the dining hall was always a treat, and Fridays especially because the bakery- ¡°Nope! I actually brought something for us to eat!¡± Lucy said, excited as she stooped down to rummage through her schoolbag. A moment later she procured a handkerchief-wrapped bundle, untying it to reveal a steel container, which she pried open to reveal the assortment of goodies inside it. There was a large parcel of steak jerky, three wooden bowls each with a mixture of pre-steamed rice, carrots, and peas, half a loaf of sourdough bread, and a handful of sweet-corn muffin bits. ¡°I completely forgot to tell you both before it was time for Rosseau to leave, so it looks like we¡¯ll have to take care of this meal ourselves,¡± Lucy laughed, taking out a thin, cork-sealed vessel which she opened and poured its contents into two spare cups. ¡°Tea?¡± she asked, holding the drink out to Cedric. ¡°Sure-¡° ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Lucy drew the cup back, almost spilling it. ¡°Sorry, just one moment,¡± she said, closing her eyes and bringing the cup close to her. By the pace of her breathing, Cedric could tell she was channeling magic. A second later, Lucy released a deep breath, and steam began to rise from the cup¡¯s mouth. ¡°Here, now it¡¯s ready,¡± she said, letting him take the cup from her. ¡°A cup that can be used as a totem for magic, I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± ¡°They sell them in the town below, I thought they were neat, so I bought a few.¡± Cedric took a sip of the warm tea. Its temperature was perfect, though he wasn¡¯t familiar with the flavor. It was refreshing, he thought. Delighted that Cedric seemed to enjoy it, Lucy warmed her own cup up, and then did the same for the bowls of rice and vegetables, putting torn bits of jerky on top after it was done. She only realized it now, but it was the first time she was using more than one of the bowls and cups at a time. ¡°You can probably tell, but this is the only part that I made myself,¡± she said as she handed him the warmed bowl. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s good.¡± Taking the spoon, Cedric scooped a moist chunk from the rice, jerky, and vegetable mixture and stuffed it in his mouth. He was caught by surprise. It was good¡ªa point he made clear by making a positive grunt. Lucy showed a pleased smile, digging into her own bowl. The bread was a nice complement to the main dish, even if it was a day old. They just made sure to leave the hard crust alone and take only the firm bits in the center. After finishing his share of the main course along with half of Rosseau¡¯s, Cedric took a couple of the sweet-corn muffins, recognizing them from the dining hall¡¯s bakery from a couple nights ago. They were well kept, moist, and just as delicious as they had been a couple nights ago. The two kids didn¡¯t speak much throughout their meal, and they each realized that the resulting awkwardness had risen to an impalpable level, though both did have something they wanted to ask the other. More than the telepathy spell, there was something else that Cedric had remembered from last night¡¯s research session¡ªan intriguing revelation that he happened upon which concerned the girl in front of him. Lucy too, was teeming with questions regarding Cedric being a magicless. She no longer believed that he had killed anyone with his magic¡ªbut then why was it taken away? And even more, why was he so incredible at teaching it? She couldn¡¯t muster the courage to ask him these things, though¡ªbut Cedric wasn¡¯t so shy. ¡°Why enter the tournament in your first-year?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Most first-years know- I mean¡­assume they can¡¯t make it far in the tournament. In fact, only about five percent of first years even try,¡± Cedric said, sharing one of the many statistics he had collected from this week¡¯s research. He wouldn¡¯t share the other statistic that weighed on his mind, though¡ªthat less than one percent of all tournament winners had been first-years. ¡°Oh¡­well¡­¡± Lucy fell quiet, staring at the near-empty cup she held in her hands. Of course she had a reason, but it was one that she wasn¡¯t too eager to share with others. She had only told Rosseau a couple weeks ago, and though she was grateful to Cedric for all of his help, it didn¡¯t feel like the right time to tell him. She didn¡¯t want to completely lie to him either, though; so instead she would only tell him a part of it. ¡°Well, you know what happens after you win the tournament, right?¡± Lucy asked, preparing her half-truth. ¡°¡­you get the honor of facing the Celestial Mages. ¡®A single match to earn eternal glory¡¯,¡± Cedric answered, taking a quote from one of the books he read concerning it. ¡°E-exactly! And I¡¯ve always wanted to face them ever since I was little!¡± Lucy let herself get excited. ¡°It¡¯s such a rare opportunity, only a handful of people ever get to do it. And this group hasn¡¯t been defeated yet, so-!¡± Lucy caught herself almost slipping up and tried to calm down. ¡°And¡­I¡¯m sure you know that after they¡¯re defeated, they don¡¯t come back for another few years, so this year really is my best chance to face them. Even if I lose I¡¯d like the chance at least.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t respond. This group. His mind dwelled on those words. It was exactly as he had suspected. ¡°You know, it¡¯s been twenty years since the Celestial Mages were last defeated,¡± Cedric said, seemingly innocent. ¡°Apparently, many have come close¡ªthough it¡¯s hard to know how close when the matches are private¡ªbut we¡¯re currently in the longest losing streak ever had against the Celestials.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Y-yes. Professor Farland says we¡¯re living in a historic period of the tournament.¡± ¡°He¡¯s certainly correct about that. Especially given who the last team was to actually defeat them.¡± Lucy¡¯s chest tensed, but she didn¡¯t let it show on her face as Cedric continued. ¡°¡­the heroes who last defeated the Celestial Mages, and five years later sacrificed themselves to save us from a cult of Dark Mages. The famous Bleu-Cambre Mages led by Champion Sorcerer, Lorena Blanchette.¡± Lucy remained quiet with a tense look on her face that cause Cedric to rethink what he was doing. Perhaps it would be best to leave it for another time and allow her to focus on tomorrow¡¯s match. Yes, that¡¯s what he would do. Cedric took in a deep breath and let it it out in a huff, trying to break the tension he had caused between them. ¡°Anyways, it certainly is a historic period-¡° ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, you know.¡± Lucy interrupted, surprising Cedric. Though her tone may have been abrasive, her expression was delicate¡ªas if she could break down at any moment. ¡°You know already, don¡¯t you?¡± she said, her voice unsteady. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Cedric ran a hand through his hair, annoyed that he had not handled this as delicately as he should have. He looked back at her with intent, realizing his position. If he didn¡¯t answer her now, it would be a disrespect to her. ¡°Historically, the Celestial Mages are known to be the spirits of past mages who did incredible things to influence the world,¡± he continued, noticing Lucy¡¯s expression tighten ever so slightly. He moved his gaze away from her, deciding it best to continue this way. ¡°It¡¯s taboo to talk about their identities, but after Lorena and the others¡­saved us, it was certain that they would assume the mantle and become the next Celestial Mages. And¡­well.¡± ¡°Well, what?¡± ¡°¡­If there was even a whisper of a chance that it was true¡­nobody would think it strange that you of all people would want to use that opportunity to meet them. Because¡­¡± Cedric took a last, careful look at the girl in front of him and realized what a selfish fool he had been. Her shoulders were trembling, and her eyes were glossed with tears, ready to spill over. However, he had no choice but to continue, and he took a deep, quiet breath to prepare himself for what he was about to say. ¡°Lorena¡­was your mother. And you simply want to see her again.¡± Hearing those words, Lucy buried her face into her hand and let out the crying whimper she had been fighting to hold in. It was no use, though, and quickly her whimpering grew into muffled cry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­overstepped my bounds,¡± Cedric said. Lucy lifted her head, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. ¡°No,¡± she choked. ¡°If you knew, then I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t hide it.¡± Lucy took a moment to compose herself as best she could. Sniffling and wiping the rest of her tears away. One minute and a wet handkerchief later, she was mostly back to her normal self, taking a deep, relaxed breath. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°Last night when I was reviewing previous tournament winners, I came across an old news-piece written after Lorena¡¯s victory. Somewhere in it, the surname Hardtvelt appeared, belonging to a man named Grisham.¡± Lucy looked faintly surprised. It was her father¡¯s name, but as far as she knew he had never been a student at Greidwhen. ¡°The article described him as being a close friend of Lorena¡¯s team, and it talked about a rumor that he was romantically involved with one of the members.¡± Lucy almost gave an endearing chuckle. She knew very little of her parents¡¯ younger days. It was warming to hear about something like this. ¡°So, you figured it out just from that?¡± she asked. ¡°Just that your mother was on the team, not that she was Lorena herself. That part took another hour of digging through other articles that were released¡­well¡­that were released after what happened five years later.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lucy said, pensive. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Sorry. Eventually one of them talked about her family, and that¡¯s where Grisham¡¯s¡ªerr, your father¡¯s name appeared again.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Lucy murmured, processing all of this. Cedric had found out her secret all on his own. Should she be mad? It wasn¡¯t as if he did it by invading her privacy. He simply happened across a small hint, deduced the truth, then verified it with some investigating. It was how he approached everything as she had come to learn. He was smart, practical and calculating. So, no, she wasn¡¯t upset in the slightest. In fact, she found herself wishing she could be as smart as him. ¡°Say,¡± Lucy finally spoke up. ¡°Do you think you could show me that article you came across? The one after Lorena won?¡± ¡°Now? I mean, the library is still open. So, yeah we can go and pull it out if you want.¡± Lucy smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Packing up everything, Lucy and Cedric headed to the library. While there, Cedric showed her the article he spoke of, as well as several others from the year Lorena Blanchette¡ªa second-year of no special origin¡ªtook the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament by storm. For two hours, Lucy read through all the articles about her mother¡ªsome of them multiple times. Cedric meanwhile found himself dealing with more than he bargained for with Lucy. Sometimes an article would leave her cheery. Other times she would get quiet or even teary eyed. She was unpredictable, though he understood the reason why. At the very least, he was pleased he had found something practical for her to spend the rest of the night with, rather than worrying about the match tomorrow. Eventually, night had settled in completely, and it was time for them to end the long day ¡°Do you think someone like me can win the tournament?¡± Lucy asked, walking beside Cedric as they headed towards the dorms together. ¡°Perhaps, with enough practice and effort.¡± ¡°Is that your way of avoiding a statistical answer?¡± Lucy jeered. Cedric didn¡¯t answer. She was right on the money. ¡°Hmm, then let me ask this. Do you think I have a chance to win tomorrow?¡± Lucy came to a halt in-front of Cedric. She was higher up than him now, and he realized she was partway up the stairs leading to the side-entrance of the Girl¡¯s Dormitory. She was looking at him intently, and he traced the glistening reflection of the lamp¡¯s firelight in her gentle, rose-colored eyes. ¡°With you and Rosseau together¡­I know you do,¡± he answered. For reasons unknown to him, Lucy didn¡¯t respond, but continued to gaze at him for a short moment. ¡°Well, I should get to bed,¡± she finally said, heading up the last few steps and creaking open the thin, wooden door. ¡°You¡¯ll¡­be there tomorrow, right?¡± she gave one last look to Cedric, who looked faintly surprised. ¡°I¡¯ll be there. Have a goodnight.¡± The corners of Lucy¡¯s lips curled ever so slightly at his answer. ¡°Goodnight,¡± she responded, prompting Cedric to give a final nod and leave towards his own dorm. Satisfied, Lucy headed into the dorm and paced down its dimly lit hall to reach the stairs. The muffled voices and girlish squeals from the other rooms were a reminder that curfew had arrived. All the noise fell on deaf ears however. Lucy¡¯s mind was elsewhere, but she didn¡¯t quite know where. Her heart was beating fast, and she wondered if it was from a lingering anxiousness about tomorrow¡¯s match.
¡°Where is he?¡± Lucy muttered to herself for the dozenth time. She paced back and forth at her end of the gymnasium arena, the ends of her lavender combat robe fluttering as erratically as her mind. The match was in ten minutes, and both Rosseau and Cedric had yet to arrive. The only consolation to her sanity was the fact that Nora hadn¡¯t arrived yet either. It was still nerve-wracking, though. Right now, it was just her and the two arena refs in the enormous room. The refs wore tattered black cloaks with drawn hoods to conceal their faces. They also wore decorated, ceramic half-masks which covered the upper half of their face. It was an accessory that always made her uneasy. CLUNK! The bolstering echo of a door opening perked Lucy¡¯s attention. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t the door behind her that opened, which would signal the arrival of Rosseau, but it was still the next best thing. ¡°Cedric!¡± Lucy shouted, seeing him come through one of the observer¡¯s entrances. ¡°Hey,¡± Cedric said, meeting Lucy on the other side of the arena¡¯s short fence. ¡°Where¡¯s Rosseau?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! He¡¯s never been this late before!¡± Lucy said. Cedric looked at the flustered girl in front of him. This is exactly what he wanted to avoid. Anxiety like this would only hurt her performance in the match, even if Rosseau did show up now. Where was he? CLANK! Another, loud bash of a door being pushed open filled the room. Cedric and Lucy both turned their gaze towards the source¡ªwhich unfortunately came from the other side of the arena this time. ¡°Nora,¡± Lucy whispered. Her voice quaking. Surely enough, Nora entered through her team¡¯s designated entrance on the opposite side of the arena. Her smile was proud¡ªprouder that it had ever looked. Her strides were elegant and her posture grand¡ªeverything about the way she carried herself showed the marks of her upbringing as an Elefrian noble. Nora¡¯s eyes were fixed on Lucy from the moment she entered, sending a chill down Lucy¡¯s back. Nora smirked, then took a glance at Cedric. The sight of the magicless boy made her want to laugh. ¡°Rosseau, where are you?¡± Lucy whispered desperately. Then her eyes went wide as she saw someone following Nora. Lucy didn¡¯t believe it at first, shaking her head and closing her eyes before taking a second look. But her eyes weren¡¯t deceiving her, and her mind, heart, gut¡ªeverything dropped at once. It was Rosseau following behind Nora, and there was an incredible sadness in his face. ¡°What!?¡± Lucy heard Cedric chide through gritted teeth. Lucy¡¯s knees began to shake. She didn¡¯t quite understand, but she had an idea of what it all meant. Cedric, meanwhile, understood the implication at once. Rosseau had come through the same entrance as Nora. He belonged to Nora¡¯s team now. ¡°Now then, I¡¯ve been soooo~ much looking forward to our match, Lucy." Nora smiled grossly. "I hope you¡¯ve prepared as well as I have.¡± 10 - The Sorcerers Knight (1 of 2) Chapter 10 The Sorcerer''s Knight
¡°You are going to leave your current team and accept Miss Straughtvern¡¯s kind invitation to join hers.¡± Rosseau stood at the end of the table, his mouth agape as he listened to his mother¡¯s words. Only a minute ago he had stepped off the carriage home¡ªfilled with excitement and optimism about tomorrow¡¯s match. But as he arrived, he had suddenly been summoned to the main dining room, and the sight of Nora along with her parents made him realize what was about to happen. Rosseau jerked, about to say something, but held his tongue and clenched his jaw. His mother¡¯s gaze was stern, and after glancing at the decorated clothes his parents wore, and the eloquent feast they were about to indulge in, he knew it was futile. Nora¡¯s family was in charge after all; his parents would do anything to satisfy them if it meant they could climb up the social hierarchy. ¡°It will be just like old times, Rosseau. Remember how much fun we had playing as children?¡± Rosseau turned his gaze to Nora. Her face was disgustingly innocent. ¡°Oh, Miss Straughtvern. How lovely this must be,¡± Rosseau¡¯s mother said, placing her hand inspiringly over her heart. ¡°Now come, Rosseau. Take a seat, and let¡¯s all celebrate this union that is sure find victory in this year¡¯s tournament!¡± She held her chalice gracefully in the air, followed in cheerful agreement by everyone else at the table. ¡°Our two stars must sit together,¡± Nora¡¯s father said before Rosseau could take the chair that would put him furthest from Nora. ¡°Come, let¡¯s put these two at the head of the table!¡± A short shuffling of everyone around the table, Rosseau now found himself directly beside the ecstatic Nora. As the meal progressed, the adults began to converse with each other on matters beyond Rosseau¡¯s care to understand. He didn¡¯t even try to touch his food. He merely sat their¡ªhis fists clenched and shaking ever so slightly. ¡°How¡­¡± He whispered, catching the attention of Nora beside him. ¡°Hmm?¡± She hummed with an exaggerated cuteness. ¡°How can you do something like this?¡± Rosseau didn¡¯t look at Nora for a response, but in the corner of his eye he could see the nasty smile on her face.
¡°¡­Lucy! LUCY!¡± A voice broke through, jolting the girl out of her daze. It was Cedric calling out to her desperately. ¡°You have to confront Nora! She could be breaking the rules!¡± He told her once again, hoping for a response. ¡°Will both Lead Sorcerers please congregate to the middle,¡± one of the referees called from the center of the arena. Lucy shot a panicked gaze back and forth between Cedric and Nora, unsure of what exactly she was meant to do. ¡°Please congregate now, or be disqualified,¡± the ref repeated. Trying to choke a response to Cedric and simultaneously obey the ref¡¯s command, Lucy tripped over her own feet and fell to the arena¡¯s dirt floor, prompting a laugh from Nora which Lucy could well hear. Scrambling to her feet, Lucy dusted herself off and clumsily walked over to where Nora and the ref were waiting. ¡°Where is your knight?¡± the ref asked her. His decorated white mask partially hidden by his hood unsettled her even more. ¡°He¡­ I¡­¡± Lucy muttered, her eyes drifted over to Rosseau who looked back at her from Nora¡¯s side of the arena. The regret in his eyes told her everything. He didn¡¯t want this either. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have one,¡± Nora said smugly. Lucy¡¯s eyes flared with rage. ¡°Because you stole him!¡± she whined. Nora expression remained cool. ¡°If you¡¯re implying Rosseau¡¯s transfer was not within the scope of the rules, I assure you it was perfectly legal.¡± Nora looked to the ref who had become a border between the two girls after Lucy¡¯s outburst. ¡°Look at the team rosters if it pleases you. It was all handled by the tournament office early this morning.¡± The snobbish Elefrian punctuated her argument with a smile, worrying Lucy. ¡°Very well,¡± the ref replied. With a snap of his finger, two slim folders fell from nowhere into his hand. ¡°However, I will be the governing body in this discussion. The next one of you who speaks out of turn will be disqualified.¡± Lucy appreciated the glint of annoyance the ref¡¯s statement had caused Nora, but held her breath as the ref investigated the issue. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with Team Straughtvern,¡± the ref said, double checking he had opened the correct folder. Flipping through a few sheets, he came upon the roster inside. ¡°Team: Straughtvern. Lead Sorcerer: Nora Straughtvern. Knight¡­Dominic Burgress.¡± Lucy¡¯s heart leapt with relief. Rosseau wasn¡¯t Nora¡¯s Knight after all. The news made her want to laugh in Nora¡¯s face, but she would settle for her own smug look instead. However, when she looked at Nora, there wasn¡¯t a trace of distress in the Elefrian¡¯s expression. Instead, she was smiling cleverly. And Lucy soon found out why. ¡°Reserve member,¡± the ref continued, reading from the final slot of the roster. ¡°Rosseau Lambourg.¡± Lucy¡¯s jaw dropped, and the ounce of relief she felt earlier was now being swallowed up by grief. This wasn¡¯t fair. What had she done to deserve this? What did she do to warrant Nora¡¯s bullying? To be so hated by someone that they antagonized you to this extent? Lucy¡¯s eyes became hot. She wanted to cry. To hide. To leave. But¡­in her heart, she also wanted to stay. To remain a student at Greidwhen. To remain at the place her mother had learned to use magic. To compete in the same tournament Lorena had won. The same tournament that might allow her to finally meet the mother she never knew. It was slipping away, though. Had slipped away. Without Rosseau she would be disqualified. Her agreement with the Headmaster would be enforced, and it would be then end of her enrollment. It was too cruel. Too cruel. ¡°Next is Miss Hardtvelt¡¯s file,¡± the ref said, closing Nora¡¯s file and swapping it with Lucy¡¯s. ¡°Let it be clear to both Lead Sorcerer¡¯s, if the roster inside has no assignment to the position of Sorcerer¡¯s Knight as her opponent claims, Miss Hardtvelt will be disqualified, and the match will go to Miss Straughtvern. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Absolutely~¡± Nora said. Lucy didn¡¯t respond, her cheeks had already begun to drip with a few tears, and she couldn¡¯t so much as choke out out a simple ¡°yes¡±. Instead, she hung her head low and waited for the ref to announce her loss. ¡°Team: Hardtvelt¡­¡± If only she hadn¡¯t miscast that fire spell in homeroom.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Lead Sorcerer, Lucy Hardtvelt.¡± If only her opponent hadn¡¯t been Nora. ¡°Sorcerer¡¯s Knight,¡± If only something had been different... ¡°What!?¡± Nora suddenly exclaimed, shocking Lucy. ¡°Who is that!?¡± Confused by the outburst, Lucy wiped her eyes and nose and looked to the ref who held her opened tournament file in front of him. ¡°Sorcerer¡¯s Knight, Cedric Leonarch,¡± he repeated, realizing that Lucy had missed it the first time. It took a second, but the meaning of the ref¡¯s statement managed to overcome all the grief in her mind, and the realization dawned on her. Cedric? Cedric! Lucy frantically turned back to look at the only person she knew by that name. To her surprise, he had just as confused an expression as she, but it also told her that it was indeed his name in the roster. She didn¡¯t know how it happened, but she had somehow been saved from disqualification. Nora, meanwhile, was furious. That peasant wasn¡¯t supposed to have a knight to fight for her. Outraged, she looked behind her at Rosseau, who smirked smugly back at her. ¡°So, you have a knight after all,¡± the ref said to Lucy. He closed the files and made a motion as if to put them onto a high shelf, prompting them to vanish from his grasp. ¡°You should get organized. The match begins in ten minutes.¡± Nodding to the ref and taking a last glance at an irritated Nora, Lucy turned and rushed over to where Cedric stood. With every step closer, the meaning behind Cedric¡¯s hesitant expression became clearer and clearer. He knew what she was about to ask him¡ªand he wasn¡¯t looking forward to doing it. ¡°You have to fight with me!¡± Lucy said. Cedric took a reflexive step back, startled from the closeness of Lucy¡¯s face after she propped herself onto the arena¡¯s short fence to lean in towards him. She didn¡¯t say anything more, but her eyes were pleading to him, and he noticed the drying trail of tears that ran down her cheeks. Her pleading behavior¡ªwhether on purpose or by habit¡ªwasn¡¯t necessary, however. Nothing would change the decision he reached after hearing his name being called from the roster. ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice, do I?¡± He answered. Lucy gave a grateful smile, knowing that was Cedric¡¯s unique way of saying yes. Swinging her legs over the fence, Lucy landed outside the arena with him. ¡°We¡¯ll be back!¡± Lucy shouted as a formality to the refs. Then, without asking, she took Cedric¡¯s hand and pulled him along, rushing him over to her¡­their team quarters, where all the equipment he was required to use for the match could be found. It didn¡¯t take long for them to get ready. Because of his lengthy research sessions on the tournament all week, Cedric was already quite familiar with the Knight¡¯s equipment. When it came to armor, there were two sets one could choose from: steel and leather. One could even wear set that was a mixture of both¡ªsuch a choice was popular amongst knights the tournament. Cedric, however, opted for a near complete set of leather. His only piece of steel would be a standard set of chainmail beneath the leather and ceremonial tunic. Finishing up with his boots and gauntlets, he felt incredibly vulnerable. It wasn¡¯t that he chose leather because it was the best decision. It was the only decision for him. If his physique had permitted it, he would have gone for a full breastplate of steel at the very least, but he was weak, and moving in such a thing would exhaust him long before the match¡¯s end. His weapon too would have to be chosen with the same things in mind, and suddenly, Cedric wondered if Lucy even had a chance to win with him as her knight. He didn¡¯t know what he would do if they lost because of his athletic shortcomings
¡°Please hurry¡­¡± Lucy muttered under her breath. Alone, she stood at her end of the large, oval arena. She glanced at Nora, who was chastising her own knight who had only recently arrived. It seemed careless of him to be so late, until Lucy had figured out why. Nora¡¯s plan was to have her disqualified before the match even began, so she foolishly told her own knight there was no reason to show up¡ªRosseau¡¯s presence as a reserve member would be enough to satisfy the rules. But now, Lucy had a knight, and Nora had been forced to cast a messenger-bird to notify her own knight that the match was happening. ¡°Uh, hey,¡± Lucy heard a voice call from behind her. Turning around, she saw Cedric, clad with a set tattered, leather armor on top of a blue tunic and chainmail. He was also equipped with a steel short sword and a wooden shield. The former hung from his belt, protected in its sheath, and the latter dangled awkwardly in the grip of his left hand. ¡°No helmet?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°None of them sat well with my glasses,¡± Cedric answered. Lucy smiled nervously. She wouldn¡¯t tell him, but Cedric didn¡¯t exactly look as capable as Rosseau did in his own knight outfit. ¡°Will each team please take their positions for the casting of the tournament charm,¡± The ref¡¯s magically enhanced voice bellowed throughout the gymnasium. Hearing the command, Lucy surveyed the ground for the circles of crimson dirt she and Cedric were meant to stand inside. There were six in total on their side of the arena. As usual, she took her place in the one at the head of the group, closest to the arena¡¯s center. Cedric, too, was aware of where he should be from his readings and took his place in the circle beside Lucy¡¯s, just a bit further back than hers. He noted how the circle¡¯s crimson outline of dirt remained undisturbed even after he kicked some of it away with the tip of his boot¡ªit was an interesting application of magic he¡¯d never seen before. Meanwhile, Nora and her knight took their positions on their own end, and when everyone was correctly situated, the circles around each of them began to glow. Cedric quietly marveled at what was happening, appreciating it more than anyone else on the field. This mechanically intensive charm made the entire tournament possible¡ªat least how it was known today. The charm was a multiplex of several others: protection, tracking, triggering, teleportation¡ªall of them working to protect the match¡¯s participants from severe injury and keep this tournament from becoming an unsightly deathmatch. Cedric moved his gaze to the two figures in black cloaks and ceramic white vizors¡ªthe ones responsible for casting the incredible charm. To the uninformed student, the two figures may be mistaken for ordinary mages who had the unfortunate responsibility to play referee for a bunch of kids, but Cedric knew¡ªeven before his research¡ªthat only one degree of mages were trusted to cast a spell that was so critical for the student¡¯s safety. Magistrates¡ªmages who had proven themselves so wise and capable that they were depended upon by countries to advise and govern in matters that dealt with complex magic. SCHWING! The sound of the charm finishing its cast chimed loud. Cedric looked around at his feet and then at Lucy. Interestingly, the charm had no visual presence around either of them, probably to keep things as close as possible to a real fight as Cedric figured. ¡°Now, will both team¡¯s Lead Sorcerers please congregate to the arena¡¯s center for the pre-match ceremony,¡± the ref in charge announced. Lucy¡¯s heart beat fast with anticipation, and she threw an anxious glance towards Cedric and handed her staff to him before heading off to meet Nora. Cedric looked back at her, astonished as he noticed that Lucy¡¯s hair and eyes had both turned a dark shade of brown. It made sense to him after a moment, though. Pink hair and eyes weren¡¯t natural, and from their first meeting he figured that she used magic to make them that color¡ªit was something several girls did at Greidwhen. However, in a match, no combatant was allowed to enter with magic that was already acting on them, so Lucy had dispelled her unnatural hair color before the magistrates had cast the match¡¯s monitoring charm. The change in Lucy¡¯s hair didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Nora either¡ªit even seemed to please her. Another smug smile formed on her face which Nora punctuated with a flip of her own, natural white hair that all Elefrian¡¯s were proud of. Eventually, the two girls met in the center once again.. ¡°This is, both of you, your fifth match in the tournament preliminaries, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well familiar with the etiquette expected of you. Leave any grievances you might have with each other outside of this field, and remember that we compete not to glorify ourselves, but to honor those who fought before us. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± both girls replied. ¡°The match will run for sixty minutes including the ninety-second preparation periods between rounds¡ªonly stopping for extended preparation requests of which you both have two. The base amount of points for winning a round is five, and extra points forexquisite displays of skill and strategy will be graded at the discretion of the head referee. Now¡­¡± The ref lifted his hand into the air and snapped his finger. Instantly, two bundles of fabric appeared in the air, each over one of the girls and falling into their hands. ¡°Present these to your knights.¡± As the bundles settled into the girls¡¯ hands, the magic that kept them from unfolding dissipated, and the bundles unfurled slightly in their palms. Ceremoniously, Lucy and Nora turned themselves around and approached their knights. This part was always embarrassing, Lucy felt. Even doing it four times with Rosseau didn¡¯t make it any easier. This time, however, Cedric was her knight¡ªa fact she hadn¡¯t quite gotten used to yet¡ªbut now she would have to do this for him too. Finally reaching him, Lucy stood squarely in-front of Cedric and gently unfurled the purple fabric to reveal it as a banner. Carefully, and bashfully, she lifted it over his head and draped it along the back of his neck so that it¡¯s ends hung over his chest. Evening the ends, she took the one on her right and used the length from the end to the shoulder to tie it to a leather strap near his collar. After a check to see it was fastened properly, she took the other end and pushed it back behind him so that the entirety of the banner draped from behind his shoulder. Finally, it was over, and Lucy let out a relieved breath as she took her staff from Cedric and positioned herself in her spot once again. Nora finished as well, standing in her own spot. The refs had already taken their stance on two separate podiums outside the left and right sides of the arena which gave them a high view of the entire floor. Everyone was in position. There were no charms allowed to start with in the first round. No hum of magic to fill the silence. The head ref, visible to both parties, lifted his hand slowly into the air. He paused, and both teams promptly focused their sights on the opponents a hundred feet away from them on the other side. The ref¡¯s hand chopped down the air in front of him, and he shouted something that Lucy and Cedric didn¡¯t quite pay attention too. All they knew, was that the match had begun. 10 - The Sorcerers Knight (2 of 2) Chapter 10 The Sorcerer''s Knight
Cedric¡¯s heart raced much faster than he anticipated. Before he could unsheathe his sword, a set of icicles cast by Nora were already on their way. Cedric stumbled to dodge, figuring there was no way his flimsy wooden shield could hold them off. Trying to pull his sword out at the same time, he tripped to the floor¡ªinadvertently allowing the frozen projectiles to fly over him but also earning a distant laugh from Nora. Lucy, meanwhile, handled the situation by casting a barrier in front of herself to intercept them. A couple icicles missed her altogether, but two others connected, and Lucy winced as they shattered violently against her magic. She should have cast a barrier for Cedric too, she realized, seeing him get back up in the corner of her eye. But then another figure¡¯s movement caught her focus from downrange, and she realized too late that her loss of focus in the battle at hand was a much bigger mistake. It was Nora¡¯s knight, Dominic. He had advanced upon them during their muddied defense. He ran fast at them, short-sword in hand, and shield abandoned to give himself a faster step. In a few more seconds, he would reach them, and he had Lucy right in his sights. There was no time to cast an offensive spell, so Lucy cast a wide barrier with the intent to shove it right into him. As soon as the barrier appeared, though, Dominic pivoted his direction and raised his sword. He was going for Cedric now. Cedric saw the attack coming, and instinctively raised his sword to meet it¡ªa foolish decision as he soon realized. The first swing from Dominic hammered Cedric¡¯s sword downward, out of his grasp, and the second swing cut upwards and slashed his chest. It was an odd sensation. As Cedric anticipated, Dominic¡¯s blade didn¡¯t pierce his body. Instead, it scratched against a barrier that layered his body as a result of the charm the referees had cast. It still hurt, though. More than he expected. Like he had been whacked with a blunt rod rather than slashed with a sword. A sound like shattering glass erupted amidst Dominic¡¯s attack, and Cedric disappeared from the arena¡ªlooking as if he had exploded into shards of light. It didn¡¯t worry anyone except Lucy, however, as he reappeared in a spectator¡¯s box at the outside edge of the arena. Cedric stumbled backwards, disoriented, even though he knew what had happened. It was another function of the tournament¡¯s charm. Dominic¡¯s attack was powerful enough that it was considered a lethal blow, so the charm had teleported Cedric out of play. He had been defeated so quickly, and now all he could do was watch from the bench as Dominic advanced on Lucy. Frightened from seeing Cedric get taken out so effortlessly, Lucy tried to ready herself. Her opponent dashed left, trying to get around the barrier she had cast. Lucy moved it accordingly, keeping it between them. In a moment she would throw the barrier out towards him. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to shatter him from the arena, but it might give her enough time for a follow up attack- CRASH! Lucy heard the familiar sound of ice shattering, this time accompanied by an abrupt pain on her left side. She had been hit by one of Nora¡¯s icicles. The impact from the attack swept Lucy off of her feet. Glancing towards Nora¡¯s direction, Lucy had just enough time to see the second icicle before it smashed into her face. The icicle shattered Lucy, and she reappeared in the sideline box, falling to its floor alongside Cedric. ¡°Assaut rapide, six points,¡± one of the refs announced. To his left stood Nora¡¯s scoreboard, which¡ªlike Lucy¡¯s to his right¡ªhad three rows of nine crystals embedded into them. After his announcement, though, the first six crystals in the first row of Nora¡¯s illuminated with light. Cedric grit his teeth. Assaut rapide. It was one of the grades that determined how many points a team received for winning a round. The standard was five points, but Nora and Dominic had taken them out so quickly that they were awarded a extra point. ¡°Let¡¯s cast the charm,¡± Cedric said, looking over to Lucy. ¡°Huh? Oh, right¡­¡± she replied, dazed. As she picked herself up off the floor, she noticed her breath was uneasy, and her legs shook¡ªalmost causing her to stumble. Finally getting up, she brought her staff up to cast the charm as she had done many times before, but this time when she closed her eyes to focus, her mind was met with the image of Nora¡¯s ice crashing into her face. ¡°Lucy?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she replied, setting herself up for another attempt. Again, she closed her eyes and focused on the spell process, and this time the image of Nora hitting her with a barrage of icicles flashed in her mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cedric asked, worried. Lucy didn¡¯t answer as she continued with another attempt. She put everything she had into this one, but her mind became distracted with another harrowing image of Nora¡¯s ice. Suddenly, the spell-cast rebounded violently, and Lucy found herself being thrown across the sideline. ¡°Lucy!¡± Cedric rushed over to her. The girl sat herself up, her breathing was erratic. ¡°I *hic* can¡¯t cast it!¡± she choked out.
¡°Looks like we won¡¯t have to worry about her protection charm after all,¡± Nora said, looking over towards Lucy from her team¡¯s own dugout. CHING! The sound of Nora completing her own charm resounded around them. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better,¡± Nora let out a satisfied huff. ¡°The first round always feels strange¡ªnot being allowed to use charms and all. Though I wonder if I¡¯ll even need them for this match. After all, they¡¯re meant for ones where the rounds last longer than ten seconds. What do you think, Rosseau?¡± At the corner of their team¡¯s sideline, Rosseau sat quietly¡ªonly there because he was required to. He didn¡¯t answer his new leader, though. He didn¡¯t even look her way. ¡°It was quite the shock when that magicless¡¯s name was called from the list. You always were clever¡ªeven when we were kids.¡± Rosseau sat still, continuing to ignore the rotten girl beside him. ¡°Fine, continue brooding if that¡¯s what you want. You¡¯ll get over it¡ªas soon as that peasant loses and is expelled.¡± Rosseau¡¯s eyes suddenly went wide and he had no choice but to jerk his gaze towards Nora. ¡°Expelled?¡± He asked. His voice trembled. Suddenly, two circles etched into the ground began to glow before Nora and Dominic, who took their positions inside them. Pillars of light began to bubble upwards from each of the circles, slowly surrounding the two of them. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you such an important thing? She told him.¡± Rosseau looked at Nora in disbelief, until the perimeter of light hid her from view. He then looked over to Lucy and Cedric¡¯s box¡ªcatching a brief glimpse of Lucy looking back at him before she became hidden by her own light as well.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Once everyone was covered, four other pillars of light sprouted from the crimson circles within the arena. Then, suddenly, every one of them shined intensely before disappearing in an instant. Both teams were now in their original arena positions. The second round was about to begin. Cedric watched Nora intently. Unlike before, the ref wouldn¡¯t be signaling the beginning of the round anymore. Nora¡¯s team won the previous round, so the current one wouldn¡¯t begin until she or Dominic made a move, or until twenty-five seconds had elapsed without them doing anything. Without hesitation, though, Dominic charged forth, and the second round had begun. Cedric took as appropriate a battle stance as he could figure and glanced at Lucy. To his dismay, she was visibly frightened. Her failure to cast the protection charm may have left them wide open, but Cedric¡¯s biggest fear was that it had also devastated Lucy¡¯s spirit. And, unfortunately, the fear in her eyes all but confirmed his worries. He had to do something. Recognizing that hesitation would be their greatest enemy, Cedric ran in front of Lucy and brandished his shield forward¡ªprepared to intercept Dominic who was already halfway towards them. Looking beyond his immediate opponent, Cedric could see Nora already prepared with an arsenal of icicles hovering around her. She hadn¡¯t sent any out yet, but she surely would once his clash with Dominic began. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the protection charm,¡± Cedric said, keeping his gaze forward. ¡°There¡¯s more to your abilities than just that.¡± Lucy stared at Cedric, bewildered by the vulnerable positions he had taken before her. As she looked closer, though, she could tell his legs were shaking. He was nervous, too. Lucy didn¡¯t have any more time to dwell on Cedric¡¯s actions, though, as Dominic finally reached him. Cedric braced himself, doing his best to watch Dominic and Nora carefully. He had to think, to calculate. How does a sword-fight work? More importantly, how does a sword-fight with spells supporting your opponent work? He had a guess at what Dominic and Nora¡¯s strategy entailed, but he would prefer an absolute answer. Raising his sword, Dominic went in for a strike. Cedric stepped back, ignoring the opportunity to meet Dominic¡¯s sword with his shield¡ªand when his opponent followed his swing through with a low crouch, Cedric knew his guess had been right. As Dominic crouched, he revealed behind him a set of rapidly approaching icicles sent by Nora. Cedric appreciated the coordination such a tactic must have taken. Nothing Nora did suggested she¡¯d thrown any them, and Dominic¡¯s near miss of them himself demonstrated how perfectly timed the attack was. Knowing his shield couldn¡¯t handle a direct hit from the attack, Cedric tilted it at an upward angle and swatted at the ice. The shockwave and sound of them bouncing off the shield¡¯s hardwood gave him a jolt, but he was glad his inexperienced deflection of them had worked. He couldn¡¯t dwell on his cleverness for long, though. Dominic was already stepping forward with clear intent to slash upwards at him. Cedric wouldn¡¯t be done-in with the same attack as last time, though. Liking the result of his last tactic, Cedric stepped back again and let the swing miss him. If he could, he¡¯d do this forever, but he knew he had to retaliate at some point, and that was the part he had zero confidence in. The short sword weighed heavy in his grasp, and the strength required to deal a lethal swing was compounded by the complete lack of muscle in his body. It wasn¡¯t a surprise, but it was irritating. He was a reader, and his body wasn¡¯t trained for combat. Seeing Dominic go in for a horizontal swing, Cedric stepped back again. He was caught by surprise, though, as his opponent didn¡¯t follow through with the swing, but instead made a quick step forward at him. A feint, Cedric realized. He had heard about them before, but it was a completely different experience seeing it happen before his eyes¡ªmore so being on the receiving end of it. With nowhere to run, Cedric brought his shield up, absorbing a strong, rightward slash from Dominic¡¯s sword. The force from the hit made Cedric¡¯s shield-arm swing outwards, exposing his body for a follow up that he now realized Dominic had purposefully set up. Exposed and having no time to intercept with his sword, Cedric waited for the next strike that would spell his defeat. Suddenly, however, a large piece of wood with a crystal embedded into its head extended forth from behind Cedric and smashed itself right into Dominic¡¯s face. ¡°Get away from him!¡± A familiar voice yelled from behind Cedric. The voice was familiar, but the tone wasn¡¯t. Still, Cedric didn¡¯t need to wonder who was responsible for saving him. It was Lucy¡ªwho came into his peripheral view with a mightily pissed off expression. The attack shattered Dominic from head to toe, eliminating him from the fight with an explosive sound. ¡°RAHHHHH!¡± Lucy shouted victoriously, lightly scaring an unassuming Cedric. Suddenly he felt a wind manifest around them, and he watched in awe as Lucy proceeded to shoot out a sizeable fireball from the end of her staff towards Nora. ¡°LET¡¯S GO!¡± Lucy ordered at Cedric before charging towards the opposite end of the arena. Cedric complied and charged along with her¡ªafraid of what the repercussion might be if he didn¡¯t. ¡°Why are you yelling!?¡± he asked, trying to make sense of her confusing manner. Lucy glanced briefly at him but didn¡¯t answer. It felt as if it was the only response he needed to understand, however. Her eyes held shame in them. Shame that she let herself get paralyzed with grief while Cedric, with no combat experience of any kind, didn¡¯t hesitate to throw himself out there to protect her. That was his guess, anyway. ¡°Duck!¡± Lucy said, seeing Nora throw another series of icicles towards them. Both of them dodged the projectiles with ease and continued their advance. Cedric didn¡¯t know if Lucy had a plan upon reaching Nora. In fact, he expected that she didn¡¯t. Still, having them both close in on Nora would put them in a better position to take her out. Cedric looked carefully at Nora. There was a cool look on her face as she threw another set of icicles at the two. Again, they dodged without trouble. It wasn¡¯t a complex attack. It was almost too easy to dodge. It made Cedric uncomfortable, and the suspicion intrigued him enough to look back behind himself. He only caught a glimpse of it, before the icicle struck his left shoulder blade. The hit threw him off balance and he tripped onto the floor, his momentum causing him to roll over a few times. Lucy saw what had happened in the corner of her eye, but it was too late to take action as she felt herself get hit with an icicle from behind as well. Lucy fell to the floor as well, a trail of dust puffing in the wake of her impact. Neither of them had been shattered from the attack, but they each had enough time to look up and see another set of icicles thrust into their chests. The explosive sound of magic encompassed them, and their view from inside the arena changed in a blink to that of their sideline view. They had both been shattered, and Nora had earned another round for herself. ¡°Assaut norme. Five points, Straughtvern.¡± Nora¡¯s scoreboard changed to reflect her total of eleven points. She looked at it, satisfied, while Lucy and Cedric viewed it with grim eyes. ¡°Defense Aut. Two points, Hardtvelt.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lucy said, watching in confusion as her own scoreboard changed to reflect an amount of two points in her name. ¡°It¡¯s for taking out Dominic. Even if you fail to take out the Lead Sorcerer, you can earn a couple points by taking out their Knight.¡± ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t know it counted if I was the one to take them out. I always thought it had to be Ross- erm the other Knight,¡± Lucy said, shyly looking away. Why did she hesitate to say Rosseau¡¯s name? Cedric noticed her fumbled words but chose to ignore it. Nothing useful would come from digging into it. Right now, what they needed was to focus on the match. ¡°Do you think you can cast the charm now,¡± Cedric asked, hoping he didn¡¯t sound too insistent. ¡°All I can do is try,¡± she answered, forcing a smile that Cedric saw through immediately. Holding up her staff, Lucy closed her eyes to try the cast the charm. Unfortunately, her doubts from before began to show up again. Doubt in her ability to cast the charm. Doubt that she could to win the match. Even the inspiration she received after seeing Cedric try his hardest didn¡¯t help her here. She wanted to succeed¡­wanted to prove that she belonged at Greidwhen. But when she thought about all the obstacles she was facing, it seemed impossible. Then, Lucy felt a gentle touch on her hands. She opened her eyes and saw Cedric. He stood much closer to her than before, and looking down, she noticed that he had placed his hands carefully on top of hers. ¡°I¡­know I¡¯m not very good at this,¡± Cedric said. ¡°The odds of you winning with me at your side are a far throw from winning with Rosseau. I know that. But¡­I also know that none of that changes what you are capable of. I¡¯ve seen you cast the charm hundreds of times before¡­I know you can cast it here.¡± Lucy looked into Cedric¡¯s eyes. She was at a loss for words, but her heart felt warm. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hundreds of times,¡± Lucy whispered, looking away bashfully. ¡°Perhaps. But I thought it made the speech sound better,¡± Cedric said bluntly. Lucy let out a laugh, wiping away the tear she thought was in her eye. She smiled at Cedric and closed her eyes for another attempt, focusing on the comforting pressure of his hands on top of hers. The wind around them surged. And almost as quickly as it had come, it left¡ªleaving behind a pair of glowing rings around the two kids. ¡°Perfect. Now let¡¯s go show Nora what you can really do.¡± 11 - Playing Dirty Chapter 11 Playing Dirty
¡°Oh, looks like she was able to cast it after all,¡± Nora said, sounding amused. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject!¡± Rosseau yelled. ¡°What did you mean before about Lucy being expelled!? Is that really going to happen if she loses!?¡± Rosseau looked irate and attempted to grab Nora¡¯s shoulder to make her face him. Dominic dashed between them, however, and wrestled Rosseau to the ground, subduing him painfully by the arm. ¡°Hmph. Dom¡¯ may not be as skilled with a sword as you, but he¡¯s quite good at things like this,¡± Nora said, snuggling up to Dominic to caress his face. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s quite true. I overheard her mention it herself.¡± Rosseau looked up at Nora, hoping this was another one of her lies. Unfortunately, it helped explain much of Lucy¡¯s recent behavior. And what reason would Nora have to tell him a lie like this? She didn¡¯t¡ªat least not one he could find. ¡°You¡­you have to lose Nora. If it¡¯s true, then please!¡± he pleaded. ¡°Oh, Rosseau. You know a purposeful loss would be against the rules,¡± Nora took his arm out of Dominic¡¯s grasp and knelt down to meet his face. Slyly, she cast a spell without Dominic¡¯s notice, and whispered into Rosseau¡¯s ear. ¡°Although¡­I might consider it if you cooperate and truly become my knight.¡± Rosseau threw an anxious glance at Dominic who smirked unexpectedly. It then became clear to Rosseau that Nora¡¯s spell had made Dominic hear something different. ¡°Something for you to think about,¡± Nora breathed on to his ear and lingered her hand on his upper chest. Before her intentions could become obvious to Dominic, she pushed herself up from Rosseau and gave a sigh. ¡°Sorry, Rosseau, but it would take a miracle for that girl to defeat me. Even with her cute little charm, a girl like me has her own tricks as well.¡± Nora confidently flipped her hair and motioned for Dominic to step onto the rune alongside hers for the next round. The rune beamed out another pillar of light, and disappeared to reveal Nora and Dominic transported into the arena. Lucy and Cedric appeared on their side as well, and Nora glanced at the lights circling each of them. Their charm wouldn¡¯t matter, she would break it and defeat them all the same. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself get shattered so embarrassingly again,¡± Nora said, refusing to take her eyes off Lucy. ¡°Now, Go.¡± Upon hearing the order, Dominic took the privilege of starting the round and dashed forward. Before he could get ten steps, however, a series of fireballs from Lucy forced him to strafe right. The fireballs didn¡¯t stop coming, but the long gap between their casts made them easy for Dominic to dodge. ¡°That stupid girl is just casting without any strategy,¡± Nora muttered to herself. It was frustrating to watch such inelegance, but if the peasant was so eager to leave her defenses open, then Nora would gladly take the opening. Having a few icicles ready, Nora combined them to form a larger one and threw it directly at Lucy. Lucy didn¡¯t move. She didn¡¯t even look Nora¡¯s way and instead continued to shoot fireballs at Dominic. Nora prepared another set of icicles and watched as her attack was on the brink of clashing with Lucy¡¯s barrier. Before it could, though, Cedric stepped in front of it and allowed the chunk of ice to shatter against his own protection charm. Nora wasn¡¯t phased in the slightest. She expected some kind of last minute effort to stop the attack, but now she was sorry she had expected a more fantastic plan. Nora shrugged. It wasn¡¯t worth wasting another thought on strategizing against such amateurs. In a few more seconds, Dominic would close in on Lucy, and her charm wouldn¡¯t be able to stop his close quarters swordplay. It was a simple strategy, but against these two it should be quite foolproof- THUUM! A hard slamming sound boomed from across the arena, and Nora¡¯s eyes caught something being thrown high into the air. It flew with intense speed, making it hard to ascertain; but as it reached the peak of its rise, Nora¡¯s mouth went agape. It was Dominic. He was at least thirty feet in the air¡ªa near miss from the gymnasium ceiling. A second later, he crashed into the ground and his figure shattering against the arena floor. Nora hadn¡¯t a clue at what had just happened. ¡°That was a great idea, staggering wind-shots between the last few fireballs. He didn¡¯t see it coming!¡± Lucy laughed. ¡°Well, you did good following through with it,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Now we just have to figure out how to take out Nora.¡± Lucy looked over towards Nora who was surrounded by an absurd amount of icicles and had an angry expression on her face. The sight lessened Lucy¡¯s excitement. ¡°You run at her, I support?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Maybe not. From the recordings, she¡¯s fairly strong with close-quarters spell combat.¡± ¡°Okay, I run at her and you support¡­¡± Cedric looked at Lucy, unamused by her sarcasm. ¡°Heh¡­how about we both just run at her?¡± ¡°Alright, but I¡¯ll take the front,¡± Cedric said. It wasn¡¯t a great plan, but if they stayed here, Nora wouldn¡¯t break a sweat picking them off. Taking a few steps to get in front of Lucy, Cedric took a deep breath before breaking into his fastest sprint. ¡°You call that running!?¡± Lucy said, following behind him. ¡°I¡¯m tired from the last round,¡± Cedric said, trying to hide his annoyance at the comment. At last, the next set of icicles from Nora¡¯s arsenal were on their way, and Cedric wondered what their strategy should be. ¡°Make a barrier in front of me!¡± Cedric said. The icicles closed in, and Lucy scrambled to balance casting a barrier and running at the same time. By the time she succeeded, two of the icicles had already passed where the barrier spawned and shattered against Cedric¡¯s protection charm. The three that followed broke against her newly formed barrier. Five hits so far, Cedric figured. Maybe six if the large cluster from earlier managed to hit harder than he thought, but he shouldn¡¯t have to worry now that Lucy¡¯s barrier held up. Lucy and Cedric crossed the center of the arena and Nora sent out another barrage of ice which slammed against the barrier Lucy created. This time the ice didn¡¯t shatter. It exploded into a vast cloud of powdery snow and completely obstructed their visibility. Immediately, Cedric recognized the tactic from one of Nora¡¯s recordings. ¡°Run left! As far as you can!¡± Cedric shouted, making a dash to get out of the blinding powder. When they emerged, Cedric looked above and confirmed what he had anticipated. A barrage of ice centered above the snowy cloud rained down. With a desperate leap, Lucy and Cedric barely evaded the attack, and the sound of crashing ice thundered behind them. Cedric scrambled to his feet. ¡°That attack used all of her ice. We should advance now,¡± he said, taking off again towards Nora. Lucy followed behind and cast another barrier in front of Cedric. ¡°I can¡¯t cast anything else if I hold this in front of you!¡± ¡°Drop it when I say, then back me up with some wind.¡± ¡°Wind!?¡± ¡°I have an idea.¡± Nora looked at her two opponents with dismay as she prepared more icicles. The magicless boy had quicker wits than she anticipated. If he hadn¡¯t been so quick to figure out what was happening, the attack would have ended the round right there. There wasn¡¯t any point getting riled up about it, though. Soon they would be in close range¡ªa foolish decision on their part. Wanting to appear desperate, Nora threw a few more icicles which were easily blocked by Lucy¡¯s barrier. The magicless then discarded his shield and took his sword in both hands. Seeing this, Nora began to channel magic for the stalagmite of ice she planned spring from the ground and impale him with. In just a few more seconds, she¡¯d shatter him clean from the arena floor- THUMM! The familiar slamming sound from before boomed loud before Nora, and she was stunned to see that the magicless¡¯s slow dash had developed into a speedy lunge. Cedric clenched his jaw, doing his best to ignore the pain from Lucy¡¯s bullet of wind that had slammed him forward so quickly. Though his cool face gave the impression that he was in full control of his trajectory, Cedric knew he was flying uncontrollably at Nora. Suddenly, he saw sharp column of ice shoot up from the ground, but he safely passed over it before it could fully extend. Pleased with his luck, he looked at Nora, who for once in the match had a genuinely distressed look on her face. With the speed of Lucy¡¯s wind still carrying him, Cedric readied his sword and let out a roar. He hoped it would frighten Nora into keeping still, and it seemed to prove effective. Finally, the moment came where he was completely upon Nora, and it was too late for her to do anything to stop him. Cedric swung his blade¡ªits power amplified by the speed Lucy had granted him. In one swift movement he slashed Nora, and the sound of the tournament¡¯s charm shattering behind him signaled the round¡¯s end. ¡°Assaut Rapide. Six Points. Hardtvelt.¡± The wind finally dying out, Cedric landed into a sliding halt and looked at the scoreboard which now reflected a total of eight points for their team. He didn¡¯t expect getting a bonus point for taking Nora and Dominic out quickly; but, seeing as the grading was up to the ref, it wasn¡¯t something he was going to worry about. Now, they were a mere three points behind Nora. ¡°That was incredible!¡± Lucy cheered, catching up to Cedric. ¡°It was lucky.¡± Lucy cocked her hip and pouted. ¡°Give yourself some credit! Sure, plenty of things could have gone wrong, but luck didn¡¯t make all of it work out.¡± ¡°It made enough of it work out.¡± ¡°Ugh, c¡¯mon!¡± Lucy gave an exaggerated scoff and stamped her foot. ¡°Next round¡­¡± Cedric muttered. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°For the next round, I have a plan that won¡¯t be attributed to luck at all.¡±
Rosseau leaned over the arena wall and watched Cedric and Lucy banter away. He couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying¡ªnot with Nora¡¯s shouts at Dominic drowning everything out. He did notice something peculiar, however. Lucy was smiling. In the middle of a match no less. He hadn¡¯t seen her do that since their first match together. ¡°It would take a miracle for that girl to beat me¡­¡± Rosseau echoed Nora¡¯s statement in his mind and pondered something as he shifted his gaze towards Cedric. ¡°Ugh, whatever! Let¡¯s just stick together in the next round!¡± Nora shouted in a huff, moving on to her charm preparations. Once again, everyone was in the arena, and Cedric began the round by dashing from his position. Lucy followed suit. Then Nora and Dominic made their own charge as well.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Watch her carefully this time,¡± Nora said, following close behind Dominic while preparing some icicles. ¡°Are you sure this will work?¡± Lucy said, concerned as she ran beside Cedric. ¡°No strategy is foolproof, but I think our odds are good. Now break left!¡± With a hesitant expression on her face, Lucy obliged the order and branched away from Cedric to get a clear line of sight on Dominic and Nora. Channeling her magic, she fired a strong blast of wind at them, and its gust created a visible trail from the dirt it picked up. Nora and Dominic evaded the attack easily, and as it passed by them Nora wondered what the purpose of such a simple attack was. Suddenly, however, the wind they had evaded exploded behind them, and Nora found herself being thrown forward from its force in a direct trajectory towards Cedric. Nora¡¯s figure shattered in an instant against Cedric¡¯s sword¡ªthe impaling attack requiring no work on Cedric¡¯s part. In the moment that followed, Dominic shattered as well, though it was no surprise to Cedric. Once the Lead Sorcerer was struck down, all of their team disappeared as well. The round was over, and it was another win for Lucy. ¡°Assaut Magnifique. Eight points. Hardtvelt¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Magnifique!? I never dreamed I would earn a grade like that!¡± she yelled, catching up to Cedric with an incredibly excited look on her face. ¡°You pulled it off very well,¡± Cedric said without any excitement. ¡°Thanks, but how was this plan any less lucky than the previous one?¡± ¡°Because instead of me being thrown forward uncontrollably it was Nora.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lucy hummed exaggeratedly wanting to appear unconvinced, but as light wrapped around them to transport them to the sideline she couldn¡¯t help but break into a smile. After all¡ªit was thanks to Cedric that they were now in the lead by five points. Appearing in their sideline, Lucy looked down and realized that the protection charms from the previous round were still active. Cedric noticed as well. They hadn¡¯t taken a single hit in that round, and the realization caused his eyes to glint with opportunity. ¡°Hey, since you don¡¯t need to cast the charm this time, can you try something for me?¡±
The round was begun by a charge from Lucy and Cedric, matched by a lone charge by Dominic. Lucy and Cedric kept an equal pace so that neither passed up the other, and Dominic scoffed at the structure of their approach. Perhaps they figured it was better to take him on together in close-quarters. It was an expected strategy that he and Nora had an answer for. As the three of them were on the brink of clashing, Dominic confirmed that his path was clear and dropped into a slide. His lean frame slipped between Lucy and Cedric, and he went for a strike at Cedric¡¯s leg. Cedric hopped sideways to avoid the blow and watched helplessly as a barrage of ice sent by Nora struck against he and Lucy¡¯s protection charms. Wanting to take advantage of Dominic¡¯s flanking position on the other side of Lucy and Cedric, Nora made a charge at them. Lucy sent a few large blasts of fire towards Nora to slow her advance, but all of them were easily dodged. In the same moment, Dominic spun around and sprung himself up from the floor. He dashed at Lucy and raised his sword for a lethal blow. Lucy turned around to face Dominic, but was in no position to cast an attack at him. Instead she only raised a hand in defense, and Dominic grinned at his apparent victory. Then, just as his sword met the tip of her finger, it disappeared from his hand. The sudden weightlessness of his swing threw Dominic off balance and caused him to stumble past Lucy. Prostrated on the arena floor, he began to pick himself up and glanced at his empty sword-hand, completely bewildered at what had just happened. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it though, for not a second later he felt himself get run through from behind by Cedric, shattering and eliminating him from the round. ¡°That was close,¡± Cedric said, regrouping with Lucy who cast a fresh barrier in front of them. ¡°For a moment I thought he would be too quick for you to disarm.¡± ¡°Give me some credit. I¡¯ve been using Inanimport for a while.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lucy and Cedric looked through the translucent barrier towards Nora. Despite losing Dominic, she continued her advancement and made a motion with her staff. Suddenly, the sound of moving earth crackled loud in front of Lucy and Cedric, and a thick column of ice crept forth from the arena floor and extended over the barrier Lucy had created. Digging her boots into the ice¡¯s surface, Nora began to ascend the length of the column, making the difficult trek across its slippery face seem effortless. ¡°Back up,¡± Cedric said to Lucy as he brandished his shield. Lucy followed the command and scooted back defensively while keeping an eye on Nora. Seeing her reach the peak of the ice, Lucy dispelled her barrier to let loose a burst of wind, hoping it would catch Nora and toss her high into the air. Nora stepped back to let it pass in front of her and promptly swung the butt of her own staff at the tip of the ice pillar. With the help of some magic, Nora broke a chunk of ice from the pillar¡¯s tip and flung it a Lucy. Having no time to dodge, Lucy watched as the huge chunk exploded against her protection charm, its shards of ice ricocheted in every direction. Seeing that the charm was still active, Nora growled and began to break more chunks off the pillar she stood on, throwing all of them down at Lucy. Lucy cast another barrier to stop the barrage. However, when the ice hit, it exploded into another cloud of snow and blinded her and Cedric. ¡°Left agai-!?¡± Lucy tried to say, but she was interrupted by a harsh tugging on her back collar. The tug then turned into a forceful pull and she found herself being tossed backwards by Cedric. She felt offended at first, but the feeling subsided when a set of massive spikes of ice descended and tore into the ground where she had been standing. She was relieved that Cedric had saved her, but her relief was short-lived as she watched a second set of ice break through the haze of snow and ice, crushing and shattering Cedric. ¡°No!¡± Lucy said. She landed on the ground and tucked into a clumsy roll backwards, narrowly dodging a third set of large icicles. Standing up, the cloud of snow still blocked Lucy¡¯s view of Nora. Desperate, she fired another burst of wind into the haze, and its torrential power managed to dissipate the snow to give her a clear view of Nora rushing at her. Lucy attempted to dodge, but Nora¡¯s thrust with a short spear of ice managed to cross the perimeter of her protection charm. The charm activated, and a barrier appeared to stop the attack, but it promptly shattered along with Nora¡¯s weapon. A mixture of ice and barrier fragments glistened around the two sorcerers, and both gripped their staves and swung at the other. Their staves clashed with a loud clap, and, for a moment as they pushed against each other, both girls traded glances. Lucy cowered at the aggressiveness of Nora¡¯s expression and gave a grunt from the strength it took to push back against her. ¡°You should have just accepted expulsion. It would have been a much less humiliating departure for you,¡± Nora said. Her face became smug. ¡°Wha-? How did you?¡± ¡°Hmph. Eavesdropping isn¡¯t so difficult when you have actual talent for magic.¡± Not wanting to hear another word, Lucy tried to step back. Nora wouldn¡¯t tolerate the retreat, however, and followed with her own step forward to continue digging her staff into Lucy¡¯s¡ªrelishing the strained look it caused on her face. ¡°You know, it¡¯s quite humorous that the Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy would lean on a magicless for help.¡± ¡°Huh? Luckless what? What are you talking about?¡± Lucy said, still struggling to push against Nora. Nora scoffed. ¡°Hah! Of course you wouldn¡¯t be aware! It¡¯s the lovely title that Greidwhen¡¯s students gives to the first-year with the worst magical ability!¡± Lucy¡¯s face curled, and again she tried to retreat, but Nora stuck to her with every step. ¡°I admit, others were hesitant to decide it so early, but after your work in Professor Farland¡¯s homeroom the other day, there was no doubt that you deserved the title. So, congratulations! You¡¯re the first Luckless Mage in Greidwhen¡¯s history to be christened so quickly! You¡¯ll also be the one expelled the fastest as well!¡± Lucy looked at Nora with a terrified expression. She didn¡¯t know what to think. Was it true? Was it a lie? Why? Why was Nora telling her this? Pleased by the fear in Lucy¡¯s eyes, Nora sneered as she began to channel magic into her staff. Lucy noticed the change in pressure around them and recognized Nora¡¯s incoming attack, but she was too distraught to prepare a defense. Before the Elefrian could finish, however, both girls found themselves being consumed by pillars of light. In the next moment, they were each in their respective sidelines, and Lucy was left wondering what had happened. ¡°Penalty. Unsportsmanlike conduct, Straughtvern. Five points, Hardtvelt,¡± the head ref announced. Lucy then saw him disappear from his podium and reappear in front of Nora¡¯s sideline. He was saying something to Nora, but Lucy couldn¡¯t hear what. ¡°Do it again and you will be disqualified. Understand?¡± The ref said to Nora. ¡°Yes. My apologies,¡± Nora answered. Her arms were crossed, and she avoided his masked gaze with disinterest while he teleported away. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go a little far, Nora? You could have just wiped her out and won us the round?¡± Dominic said. Nora kept her uncaring look fixed elsewhere. ¡°No, they can have this one.¡± A shrewd smile showed on her face. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be winning the remaining ones from now on.¡± Seated at the far end of the sideline bench, Rosseau threw a concerned glance at Nora and then at Lucy, and he wondered what horrible thing Nora had just done.
¡°Looks like we managed to catch a break,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Did she get carried away with her insults? Whatever wins us a round I suppose-¡± Cedric paused himself after turning and seeing Lucy. She was crouched on the floor, and her face was buried underneath her crossed arms. Cedric fought off a reactionary scrunch of his brow. This girl, she always seemed to be laughing one minute then crying the next. ¡°Cedric. Have you ever heard of this¡­Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy?¡± Lucy said softly, keeping her face buried. The question surprised Cedric. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­heard of the tradition, yes,¡± he said, immediately noticing Lucy¡¯s fists and shoulders tense up after. ¡°Is¡­¡± Lucy lifted her gaze to meet Cedric, revealing a trail of tears running down her face ¡°Is that really what everyone thinks of me?¡± Cedric was at a loss for words. So that¡¯s what Nora had been penalized for telling Lucy. Her mood made complete sense now. He didn¡¯t know himself if it was true or not that Lucy was this year¡¯s target of that horrible hazing tradition, but it didn¡¯t matter. Even if it wasn¡¯t true, it was quite possibly the most destructive thing Nora could have said to her. Lucy, meanwhile, was battling a mess of turmoiled thoughts. What was the point? What was the point of even being here anymore? She had wondered why her classmates had seemed so much colder lately, now she knew. They hated her. Hated the incompetent mage that she was. Nobody wanted her here. Nobody. Even Rosseau abandoned her. Why? He didn¡¯t have to resign. He could have stood up to Nora. He could have said no and refused to sign himself over to her team. Now she was going to be expelled for his decision. Lucy wanted to go home. To go back to her father, and the farm she used to help him tend to. This wasn¡¯t where she belonged. Not at all. Not like her mother did. Her mother was gifted. Talented. And because of it, she was surrounded and loved by her peers and teammates. That was the difference between her and Lorena. That¡¯s what she had learned after reading those articles Cedric showed her last night. The truth now seemed painfully explicit to Lucy: she wasn¡¯t meant to become a mage at all. ¡°You know¡­Lorena¡¯s final opponent of the tournament was the favorite to win. In fact, the odds were stacked against her five to one.¡± Cedric said, softly. Lucy kept her face buried, but Cedric could tell she was listening intently as he continued to speak. ¡°In an interview before that final match, Lorena was asked, ¡®What is your biggest fear going into this fight?¡¯. And Lorena answered with, ¡®My biggest fear in any fight has never been that my opponent would be too strong to beat, it¡¯s that I would believe they were unbeatable and give up before the fight was over.¡¯¡± Lucy lifted her teary eyed gaze from under her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t remember reading any article like that,¡± She said. Her voice cracked. ¡°I can show it to you after we win this match. The point is, if you give up now it really will be over.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s the point of winning if nobody even wants me here?¡± ¡°You said it yourself. This year is your best chance to win the tournament and meet Lorena.¡± Lucy traced her pitiful gaze across the stone floor, contemplating if such a dream was even attainable anymore. ¡°And, if you¡¯re wondering about somebody who wants you to stay here¡­he¡¯s right in front of you.¡± Lucy tore her gaze from the floor and her eyes locked with Cedric¡¯s. He was standing before her with his hand offered out. His eyes were sincere, though a stranger might mistake it for his usual, indifferent look that he always seemed to have. But he and Lucy were no longer strangers, and she was overcome by the subtle tenderness of his gaze and the mindfulness of his words. Taking Cedric¡¯s hand, Lucy let him help her up, though she hid her face behind her other arm. She didn¡¯t want him to see the ugly scrunching of her face and the tears that ran down it. Though these tears weren¡¯t due to feeling isolated as the previous were. They were tears born from the hope and happiness Cedric¡¯s words gave her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lucy said, doing a poor job of wiping the snot and tears away with her robe sleeve. ¡°There¡¯s a restroom outside the main door,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Go ahead and clean up. I¡¯ll ask them to extend the prep period so you have time.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucy said, opening the short door from their sideline to leave. With Lucy finally out of sight, Cedric let out an exhausted sigh. ¡°You know you got that backwards, right?¡± A new voice called out from behind. Cedric turned his surprised face to see the assistant referee on the other side of the short fence that separated the sideline and arena. The ref¡¯s hood was drawn, but his stern frown was visible below the white mask that covered the top half of his face. Cedric¡¯s expression quickly became cool. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± The ref crossed his arms. ¡°Lorena was the favorite to win the final match of the tournament, not her opponent. That quote came from her opponent as well¡ªa lot good the sentiment did her when Lorena wound up walking away with the champion title¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s entire body tensed up. ¡°So, did you accidentally get the roles mixed up or what?¡± The ref asked, tilting his head curiously. Cedric relaxed himself and sighed. ¡°I changed the parts necessary to get my teammate back on track. That is all.¡± ¡°As I understand, she¡¯s Lorena¡¯s daughter. I get it. Was everything you said just a ruse to motivate her?¡± Cedric didn¡¯t answer, aware of what the man was asking. ¡°Never mind it¡­I only wanted to clear any confusion you may have had about that match with Lorena,¡± The cloaked man said as he turned to walk away. However, Cedric felt inclined to stop him. ¡°How do you know so much about it?¡± The ref turned back to Cedric and flashed a smirk. ¡°Lorena¡¯s final opponent in the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament was Annaise Vermilithew, and I was her knight in that match twenty years ago.¡± Cedric looked at the man, bewildered. His mind was suddenly filled with questions. ¡°It would be against the rules for a referee to give advice to one of the teams,¡± the ref said, reading Cedric like a book. ¡°Though, I will say this. While I¡¯ve seen plenty of sorcerer¡¯s break down in a match and be consoled by their knights, I have never seen a knight lie to comfort them. It¡¯ll be interesting to see what comes of it.¡± The ref grinned one last time before teleporting back to his podium, just in time for Lucy to return and find a dumbfounded Cedric standing by himself. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Your hair is pink again,¡± Cedric said, trying to hide the nature of his bewildered expression from her. Lucy¡¯s cheeks turned red. It was always embarrassed when people pointed out her unnatural hair color. ¡°Y-yeah. It helps me relax sometimes,¡± Lucy said, fluffing her two hair buns. ¡°It looks good on you,¡± Cedric said without any real thought put into it. ¡°T-thanks,¡± she said while fidgeting her fingers. She didn¡¯t know what to say to Cedric next. He had confessed that he wanted her to stay at Greidwhen, but she couldn¡¯t help but wonder exactly what he meant by that. A part of her also wondered if he said that just to help her calm down. Knowing Cedric that would be the most likely reason that he- ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lie you know.¡± ¡°Wha-?¡± Lucy was broken from her thoughts by Cedric¡¯s words. ¡°When I said I wanted you to stay here. It wasn¡¯t a lie,¡± Cedric said, his tone was insistent. Lucy was at a loss for words and in the next moment she was sorry she ever doubted him. Of course Cedric wanted her here. They were friends, after all. Lucy smiled. ¡°I want to stay here too,¡± she said, finally demonstrating the confidence that Cedric had been waiting to see. He felt relieved; and for the first time in a long time, the whispering thought that this friendship wouldn¡¯t last was held at bay by a brighter feeling of hope. ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Cedric said, a clever glint in his eye. ¡°And you¡¯d better be ready to prove that resolve...because I have some new ideas for how to defeat Nora.¡± 12 - Turning Point Chapter 12 Turning Point The rest period was still underway, having been extended to ten minutes after Cedric used one of their two extension requests, and now each team was busy preparing for the next round. Every now and then Nora threw a glance over to Lucy¡¯s side, fantasizing about how broken and discouraged she must feel. The Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy. What a wonderful weapon Nora¡¯s upperclassman had given her. It made these past two months of flirting and flattering them well worth the trouble¡ªespecially after she was able to convince them that Lucy should be their target this year. Now, it was only a matter of suffering through the rest of this match until everything would come together. Nora would qualify for the main tournament, and the only obstacle keeping Rosseau from becoming hers would be gone. It was perfect. Nora gave a pleased smile after casting the last of her charms and focused her confident gaze onto Rosseau. He wasn¡¯t looking as chipper as before, and his daggering glance at her betrayed that he was suspicious of what Nora had said to Lucy earlier. It wasn¡¯t fair, Nora thought. Why was he always concerned about Lucy? Nora sighed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of fighting like this, Rosseau?¡± she said, taking a seat besides Rosseau and scooting closer to him. If Dominic had been present, she wouldn¡¯t have made such a move, but he was currently taking a much needed bathroom break.. Nora stared at the blond boy, appreciating his handsome features. He didn¡¯t respond to her question, though. He didn¡¯t even look her way. It made Nora¡¯s heart sting. ¡°What is it about that girl that captures your gaze?¡± Nora asked. Rosseau reacted to that question, much to Nora¡¯s displeasure. He still kept silent, though; and after letting the question linger for a few moments, Nora stood up and turned to leave, figuring he would never give her a reply. ¡°Because she¡¯s not a scoundrel like our families are¡­like you are,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°Like I am¡­¡± he added with a mutter. ¡°You¡¯re beginning to sound like a commoner,¡± Nora huffed. ¡°We¡¯re nobility, Rosseau. We aren¡¯t scoundrels. We¡¯re simply blessed, and the unblessed will always hate us for it.¡± Rosseau didn¡¯t respond. He¡¯d had this argument numerous times already with his own family. He didn¡¯t buy into their reasoning for a second. ¡°Do you really desire to be like them so badly?¡± Nora continued. ¡°How unsightly. Your blood may be half human, but don¡¯t forget where the other half comes from. Even a Half-Elefrian should be proud of the strength their heritage offers.¡± Rosseau abruptly stood up and stepped towards Nora. His gaze was furious. ¡°I know exactly what ¡®gifts¡¯ come with Elefrian blood! Rottenness, self-absorption, an insatiable desire for power and control! Our families pretend that we¡¯re all vested in each other¡¯s interests but they¡¯re all secretly plotting to make each other fall! It¡¯s a world I don¡¯t want to be a part of anymore! One I don¡¯t want to grow up in!¡± Rosseau looked angrily at Nora, his breathing agitated. Nora was unperturbed. The look in her eyes was calm and missing the usual arrogance that was always hidden behind it. ¡°How na?ve,¡± Nora said flatly. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be free from the high families¡¯ influence just because they don¡¯t concern themselves with a marriage unless there¡¯s-¡° Nora suddenly stopped, and her face looked as if some incredible truth had suddenly struck her. Rosseau watched nervously as the girl¡¯s eyes seemed to dart calculatingly, and his chest tensed when a crude smile suddenly formed on her face. ¡°You¡¯re using her, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Using? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t realize it before. You think if you settle down with a commoner, you¡¯ll be left alone.¡± Rosseau swallowed hard and his brow furrowed. ¡°That- that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Yes it is!¡± Nora said, her tone was full of delight. ¡°Because the high families typically don¡¯t care about a marriage without a pure-blood involved, you want her because she¡¯s human¡ªnot to mention her caste is so low it almost guarantees their indifference.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Rosseau said angrily, his fists clenched. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t even realize it yourself! You think your feelings are earnest, but that¡¯s your true motive for getting close to her!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Rosseau reached his hand out to grab Nora, not that he had a plan for what to do afterwards. Neither did he have a chance to figure one out as another body suddenly tackled him to the ground from his blind spot. ¡°Be careful with him, Dominic,¡± Nora said, watching as Rosseau struggled to fight against another one of Dominic¡¯s holds. It was futile of course, and after tiring himself out, Rosseau lay helplessly on the floor with his arm contorted painfully in Dominic¡¯s grip. Rosseau¡¯s breathing was labored and his face was covered with dirt from the stone floor. He looked up at Nora, and his stomach turned at the sight of her jubilant smile. ¡°Oh Rosseau, you really are a scoundrel after all¡­¡±
The next round was about to begin, and both teams were already in position inside the arena, waiting for the referee to announce the round¡¯s start. Nora looked back to her team¡¯s box, studying the sulking Rosseau in the corner seat hunched over with his head low. She then turned her gaze to her two opponents. To her delight, Lucy looked just as devastated as she had fantasized. The girl¡¯s head hung low, and her staff was held loosely at her side in a fragile grip that looked like it could let go at any moment. There wasn¡¯t even a circle of light around her feet to show that the protection charm was active. The magicless beside Lucy didn¡¯t carry himself so weakly, however, not that it surprised Nora. One of his kind should be a cold-feeling snake, and Nora began to wonder if she could get under his skin before the match¡¯s end. Getting rid of Lucy and cutting the first threads of Rosseau¡¯s attachment to her would remain as the highlights of today¡¯s match, but wiping that disrespectful indifference off the magicless¡¯s face would be the cherry on top of it all. And if he didn¡¯t learn his place today, there would always be tomorrow. The ref slowly raised his hand into the air, letting it hang in the air while he took one last look at both teams. ¡°Begin!¡± he shouted, chopping his arm forth. Nora took a thrusting step forward, conjuring an icicle three, four, then five times the size of her usual cast, and hurled it towards Lucy. An icicle of this magnitude would shatter the girl quite magnificently. Dominic remained still, not bothering to rush forward. What was the point when your opponent looked as defeated as this? Cedric braced himself but didn¡¯t take a step. He only glanced anxiously between Lucy and the attack coming her way. And then there was Lucy, who didn¡¯t even seem to care what was happening. Her gaze was still downturned, and Nora could only imagine the hopeless expression that was hidden underneath those dark brown bangs. The icicle closed in, a mere stone¡¯s-toss of ground left to cover, and Nora smiled at her cemented victory. Then, Lucy¡¯s gaze shot up. Nora saw the girl¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t comprehend its expression. It wasn¡¯t broken. There wasn¡¯t even a semblance of hopelessness. In fact, it was the complete opposite. It was fierce, and it was frightening. In the same second that Nora¡¯s mind told her not to worry, that the ice would shatter the girl as planned, the ice vanished before Lucy¡¯s fiery gaze and reappeared in front of Nora, hurtling towards her now. And before Nora could even begin to consider conjuring a barrier or dodging out of the way, the massive icicle crashed into her face and shattered her whole. ¡°A-Assaut Magnifique,¡± the ref said, his mask hiding the double-take he did to make sure his eyes weren¡¯t playing tricks. ¡°Eight points, Hardtvelt.¡± Nora scrambled to her feet after being dumped into her team¡¯s box. Her legs felt like jelly, and the disorientation caused her to stumble forward onto the short fence for support. There was a disturbing pressure pulsing across her face. It wasn¡¯t physically painful¡ªno headshots were in the tournament¡ªbut the terror of seeing a frozen stalk of ice accelerate into your head made if feel like something painful had happened. It was terrible, Nora thought; and she couldn¡¯t believe it had come from her own attack. ¡°What sort of cheating move was that?¡± Nora snarled through her teeth while trying to hold herself up. Furiously, she fixed her gaze onto Lucy and was surprised to see the girl looking right back at her with her own aggressive stare. Nora didn¡¯t understand. Lucy was supposed to be broken after the previous round, but instead the girl¡¯s eyes were fiery and intense. As both girls stubbornly stared each other down, their line of sight was finally broken when a column of light shrouded Lucy, and Nora was left by herself with a bad taste in her mouth. Lucy appeared back in her team¡¯s box with Cedric beside her. ¡°That was good,¡± Cedric said without a hint of excitement. Lucy promptly hunched over and let out a huge breath of relief. ¡°Scary is more like it,¡± she gasped between her nervous breaths. ¡°I figured that too, but you did an great job. Starting without the charm to bait Nora, then sending the attack back at her with Inanimport¡­ I wish I could have thought of all that myself.¡± Lucy managed a smile, happy that she apparently had some talent worthy of praise. She remembered how hesitant Cedric was to go along with this plan. After all, Inanimport was a weaker derivative of the standard Teleport spell, and¡ªwith the tradeoff of requiring less magic to use¡ªit wouldn¡¯t work on people or magical objects. If Nora¡¯s ice had been imbued with any kind of magic then Lucy¡¯s spell would have failed, and she would have been shattered on the spot. Thankfully, that wasn¡¯t the case; and now Lucy wouldn¡¯t have to explain to Cedric that she lied about her skill with using Inanimport on moving objects. An embellishment really, but it was the only way to convince him to go along with it. ¡°Nora¡¯s sure to be more hesitant with her icicles until she figures out what happened, not to mention that she¡¯s probably irritated that her antagonizing didn¡¯t get to you. This was an important round, and we¡¯ve gained some advantages thanks to you,¡± Cedric said unabashedly. ¡°Th-thanks, I¡¯m glad,¡± Lucy muttered, averting her bashful gaze. She wasn¡¯t used to being praised so much or so openly. As Lead Sorcerer, she was certain that she was supposed to be the steadfast one, but right now she felt like a little kid. Cedric¡¯s brazenness certainly did have a strange effect on her, she thought. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Cedric said, pulling taught the laces of his leather gloves. ¡°I think we¡¯ll go with one of my tactics for the next round.¡±
The next round began with a pair of wind-blasts from Lucy that Nora and Dominic both widely sidestepped in case it exploded. The two then charged towards Cedric and Lucy. To Lucy¡¯s unsurprise, it was just as Cedric had predicted: Nora wasn¡¯t preparing any icicles and was instead focusing on making an advance with Dominic to close the distance. ¡°She¡¯s trying to get in range for her stalagmites,¡± Cedric said while trying to recall any information about Nora¡¯s range with them from her match recordings. ¡°What are the chances that Inanimport will work on them?¡± ¡°Probably zero. They aren¡¯t exactly the same as her icicles,¡± Cedric answered shortly, not wanting to get into the specifics of how the stalagmites were likely an application of Nora¡¯s Ice-make spell. If that were the case, Inanimport wouldn¡¯t work because the ice was being actively transformed with magic to make it sprout from the ground. Cedric cursed Nora¡¯s adaptiveness, but also strangely respected it. A lesser opponent would hesitate to use the stalagmite for fear of the attack being turned on themselves again. And even though Nora probably didn¡¯t know they were impervious to Lucy¡¯s mysterious spell, it didn¡¯t matter. What Nora clearly did know¡ªwhether through experience or quick deduction¡ªwas that the speed inherent with close-quarters combat would make it vastly more difficult for Lucy to turn them against her. ¡°This girl won¡¯t let up,¡± Cedric whispered under his breath. ¡°How¡¯s it coming?¡± Lucy, with an incredibly focus eye, continued to send off pairs of exploding wind-blasts but to no avail. ¡°I haven¡¯t figured out the timing yet,¡± she said with a slight panic. Cedric watched as Nora and Dominic crossed the halfway point, both of them effortlessly weaving past all of Lucy¡¯s attacks. Thankfully, Lucy¡¯s attacks had forced them to split their advance on each side of the arena, but it seemed the result he was looking for wouldn¡¯t come this round. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± he said, unequipping his shield and handing it to Lucy. ¡°We¡¯ll go with plan B.¡± Lucy sighed, taking a hold of the shield. ¡°This seems mean.¡± ¡°And that bothers you?¡± Lucy looked hesitant at Cedric, pouting her lip until she exposed her deceit with a wicked smile. ¡°Not at all." Cedric didn¡¯t react to Lucy¡¯s playful ruse, much to her disappointment. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget to keep Nora distracted, and don¡¯t get distracted yourself,¡± Cedric said. He then charged towards Dominic, thankful that Lucy had been able to wedge the brute away from Nora. If Dominic and Nora had been allowed to advance together, Cedric didn¡¯t know what he would do to stop them. Cedric tightened his grip around his sword, knowing that his novice charge must look ridiculous to an experienced swordsman, while Dominic rushed with his own, much more practiced charge. Stealing a glance to his right, Cedric was relieved to see that Nora was indeed occupied with Lucy¡¯s attacks¡ªnow he just had to hope that Lucy didn¡¯t forget her second task.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Dominic took another rushing step forward. One more and the gap would be closed. His eyes darted between Lucy and Cedric, watching their every move carefully. He had anticipated some kind of attack from the girl, but after that window closed with his last step, he saw no reason to hesitate with his advance. With aggressive determination Dominic lunged forward, having already decided on the movements he would use to defeat the magicless. Then, just as Dominic readied his sword for a strike, something appeared in front of his face. It was large enough to eclipse his view completely, but that was only because of how close it was. Dominic surveyed its splintery surface, noting the patches of dark brown wood and dingy teal paint scattered across its face, accompanied by a more careful pattern of metal rivet heads in its center. A shield, Dominic deduced; and then his face connected with it, knocking himself clean onto his back and exposing his belly which Cedric readily plunged his sword into. Dominic shattered in an instant. Nora watched the glittering specks of light that used to be Dominic flutter at Cedric¡¯s feet. Now, the magicless was looking at her¡ªand the matter-of-fact look on his face made Nora¡¯s blood boil. ¡°You insolent little-¡° Nora tried to gnash under her breath, but a sudden hit from one of Lucy¡¯s wind spells shut her up. The attack sent Nora flailing backwards several feet, then onto the ground into a pathetic tumble. When she had finished being tossed, she tried to get up and get a sense of direction, but it was already too late. Cedric had caught up with her, and his sword sliced straight through her neck. Nora¡¯s face went white and she let out a yelp just when the attack shattered her, and the brief image of her glittering figure appearing decapitated looked gruesome to everyone in the room. Nora was fine, of course, immediately appearing back in her box where she collapsed onto the floor and desperately grabbed at her neck to make sure it was there. ¡°Assaut Norme. Five points, Hardtvelt.¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Nora yelled and slammed her fist into the wood fence beside her. The loud clap it created quaked up and down the line of old cedar boards. ¡°What is this farce?¡± Nora whispered to herself with a cold bite. ¡°What spell is she using!?¡± ¡°Beats me,¡± Dominic said while avoiding Nora¡¯s gaze, hoping with all hope that she wouldn¡¯t bring up his blundered attack. Nora nearly hissed through her teeth as she scrambled to pick herself up. It was outrageous. Outrageous that she was losing to the lowest talent at Greidwhen Academy. Nora stomped her foot onto the fence this time, the sensation of its bending frame barely satisfied her. There was no being calm about this situation¡ªno settling of her nerves to invite rationale. Nora was angry, and she was going to feed off that rage for every round from now on.
¡°You think she¡¯s mad!?¡± Lucy shouted, her worried eyes didn¡¯t know where to focus. The next round had begun not ten seconds ago with a pair of wind shots from Lucy, and Nora had immediately answered with a barrage of icicles that were now hurtling towards her and Cedric. ¡°I can¡¯t send all of these back at her!¡± ¡°Just do what you can to minimize their contact with the charm,¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dodge them!¡± Cedric and Lucy both ran opposite ways to escape the attack¡¯s wide range. At the last second, Cedric abandoned his shield to lighten his load and help him escape every icicle. Lucy, meanwhile, slowed by the weight of her heavy staff, managed to inanimport the last two icicles on her side to avoid every one of them as well. She fumbled with where to release them, however, and the two icicles reappeared, pointing towards Nora¡¯s side but completely missing her by a wide margin. It annoyed Lucy that she didn¡¯t aim it better, but she didn¡¯t have any more time to reflect as another barrage was coming directly at her. Its coverage was too wide to dodge left, and the arena wall kept her from escaping to the right, and there were too many to attempt an inanimport. At the last second, Lucy created a barrier to protect herself, she couldn¡¯t let her protection charm take damage. Nora¡¯s ice crashed into the barrier, then, as Lucy somewhat anticipated, the ice turned into Nora¡¯s favorite cloud of snow. Lucy struggled to see anything outside the dense, chilling haze of snow that surrounded her. She considered all of her options for escaping. Hold the barrier in front of herself and rush back to Cedric? Let the barrier down and blast the haze away with her wind? If only she had practiced how to create a sustained barrier that she didn¡¯t have to actively put magic into. Lucy heard more icicles collide with her barrier, and the haze became thicker with the snow that their remains added. Though she was standing still, Lucy felt like there was a weight pushing against every subtle movement her legs made. Then she looked down and realized why. The snow was clinging to her. At first it was just patches of thin powder on each leg, but the patches began to expand until all their ends met to form a complete, thin layer of snow that started moving up her body. Lucy tried to brush the creeping snow off in a panic, but it had already hardened into a rough layer of ice that her fingers scratched at helplessly. Realizing it was hopeless to keep clawing at it, she tried to step back, planning to run away. Unfortunately, she was too late to realize that her feet were frozen to the ground, and she fell backwards from the sudden imbalance after trying to move. The ice around her knees cracked and shattered under the weight of her fall, but it quickly reformed to keep her from moving. The ice as a whole was moving quicker now, and its layer on her body became thicker by the second. Lucy¡¯s heart raced, and it became harder to breath after the ice fully covered her torso. Lucy nearly screamed as the ice felt like it would creep up her face and over her mouth, but it stopped just short of her jaw and only continued to grow its thickness. ¡°Cedric!¡± she cried out instinctively. She didn¡¯t expect that it would do any good, but her expectation was shattered after a familiar body came trampling into the cloudy haze. Cedric, equipped with his sword and shield, bustled into view with a more nervous look on his face than Lucy was used to seeing. Cedric stood still for a moment, clearly thinking about what he should do, but his concentration was broken as an icicle shattered against his protection charm. ¡°My barrier isn¡¯t up anymore,¡± Lucy cried, realizing that she had broken her connection with it when she fell. Her eyes then went wide as she glanced at Cedric¡¯s legs. ¡°It¡¯s getting you too!¡± Cedric looked down at the tiny patches of snow that were forming on his legs, and he immediately shifted his feet to make sure he wasn¡¯t stuck. Another set of icicles smashed against his charm, and Cedric immediately rushed to Lucy¡¯s staff hand. Getting on his knees, he dropped his sword, brought his shield up into the air and with both hands slammed it down onto Lucy¡¯s wrist. Lucy winced at the sight of the shield¡¯s banded edge crushing down on her arm, but it managed to shatter the ice around it with little pain. Cedric followed up quickly with hits at her elbow, then shoulder, freeing her entire arm. ¡°Cast some heat!¡± Cedric didn¡¯t need to ask twice as Lucy quickly lifted her staff, preparing to cast the one spell every kid was taught to use whenever winter¡¯s chill bit past their blankets¡ªInward Warmth. Lucy cast the spell and raised her body heat to a degree higher than she ever had before. The thin ice that was already trying to re-encumber her joints turned to slush, and thin streams of water flowed from underneath the larger pieces of ice that still covered her arm. Cedric shifted his position, not allowing the ice that was still spreading on his legs to settle around his joints or freeze his feet to the ground. He was incredibly cold, though, a detail Lucy didn¡¯t miss as she watched him crack the rest of the weakened ice around her with his shield. Eventually, Lucy was completely free, and the shattered shell of ice that had covered her body peeled and tumbled wetly to the floor as Cedric helped her up. ¡°Thanks-¡± Lucy tried to say, but she was cut short as Cedric¡¯s legs suddenly buckled. Thinking quickly, she threw her arms under his, catching him gently and letting him lean against her. ¡°You¡¯re cold,¡± Lucy said, now able to feel the incredible rate of his shivering. The cloud of snow must have gotten colder since earlier. Another set of icicles crashed against their protection charms, hitting Lucy¡¯s for the first time and probably bringing Cedric¡¯s to its final limit. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Cedric said through his chattering teeth. With her staff in hand, Lucy created a barrier in front of them and backed out of the chilly haze, still supporting Cedric. When they finally exited, Lucy took Cedric into her arms once again and the two of them dropped to a kneel. ¡°Just stay like this for a while,¡± she said, letting the remnants of her enhanced body heat warm him. Cedric would probably berate her for dispelling the barrier to cast a warming spell for him, so this was all she could think to do. It only took a few seconds for Cedric¡¯s shivering to stop before he pulled himself away from Lucy. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said flatly, rubbing his hands and breathing into them to bring in the last bit of warmth they needed. He looked over to the cloud of snow that was only a few feet away from them, and Lucy could tell by his hardened gaze that he was already analyzing their options from here. What she wasn¡¯t ready for, however, was how wide his eyes went, and how suddenly he sprang from his kneeling position to lunge at her. ¡°Get down!¡± she heard him shout as he pounced and forced her to the ground. Her face was surprised at the suddenness of his actions, but she was even more surprised by the sword that came slashing out from the snowy haze, barely passing over Cedric¡¯s head and also shattering the remains of his protection charm. Dominic suddenly broke through the haze, and his fleeting image passed before Lucy¡¯s eyes, stumbling onto the other side of her and Cedric and kicking up a mess of dirt. He quickly got back up, but he was too late to strike as an unarmed Cedric tackled him to the ground. Fist fights weren¡¯t exactly looked favorably upon in the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament, but they certainly weren¡¯t illegal. The first punch into Dominic¡¯s face felt incredibly satisfying to Cedric, and though it wouldn¡¯t physically hurt his opponent, he knew the tournament¡¯s charm would fog his mind and vision for a second or two. Unfortunately for Cedric, Dominic didn¡¯t need to see or think in order to fight back; and after a seemingly instinctual set of movements from Dominic, their positions ended up completely switched, punctuated by Cedric getting clocked in the face himself. ¡°Get off him!¡± Lucy shouted, sending a ferocious fireball straight at Dominic. Her jaw dropped, however, as she witnessed him expertly roll backwards and throw Cedric into her spell by the collar of his tunic. Cedric shattered amidst the violent flame, and before she could finish processing the fantastic maneuver, Lucy heard a deep splitting of the ground from behind and turned just in time to see a stalagmite of ice spring from the ground and into her side. The next thing Lucy knew, she was inside her team¡¯s box, and the ref was announcing five points for Nora¡¯s team.
¡°That should bring her down a peg,¡± Nora said after appearing back in her box. Her tone was unsatisfied, though, as she noted the eighteen-point gap between her and Lucy that was displayed so gaudily on the arena¡¯s scoreboard. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to use that spell until later in the tournament,¡± Dominic asked. He rubbed and patted his jaw cautiously, trying to make sure the tournament¡¯s charm had done its job protecting him from Cedric¡¯s punch. ¡°I kept the cloud up so that it couldn¡¯t be seen in the recording. A lot of good it did since it also slowed the spell¡¯s progress.¡± Nora thought about how she had to keep feeding the spell with icicles so that the haze wouldn¡¯t disappear. ¡°If that wasn¡¯t such a necessity, it would have shattered her in a matter of seconds.¡± Neither Nora or Dominic saw Rosseau¡¯s head perk from that statement. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no matter. We¡¯ll continue with this strategy for now,¡± Nora said, flipping her flawless white hair behind her. ¡°We won¡¯t be caught by their teleporting tricks anymore.¡± ¡°And why, precisely, were you falling for these tricks in the first place?¡± an older woman¡¯s stern voice called out from behind. Nora¡¯s eyes went wide with shock, recognizing who it was before she even turned around. ¡°Mother?¡±
¡°Sorry about that fire spell,¡± Lucy said, holding Cedric¡¯s chin and checking his cheek for any swelling. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? That hit looked painful.¡± ¡°I told you, the tournament charm absorbs traumatic hits. It dulled my senses for a moment but I¡¯m fine now. More importantly, you should reconsider announcing your presence before sending out an attack.¡± Lucy laughed, much to Cedric¡¯s surprise. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t make that mistake again,¡± she said. She brought her hand back down and smiled before casting the protection charm back onto themselves in just under half a minute. ¡°You¡¯re soaked by the way,¡± Cedric pointed at her clothes. ¡°Might want to dry off.¡± Lucy looked down at her combat robe and couldn¡¯t believe she had missed such a detail. The once bright purple robe and pink sash she wore had turned shades darker from being logged with water, not to mention that everything hung heavier now that she noticed. Luckily, Lucy had studied a spell just for such occasion, Draw Water¡ªthough last time it was her entire closet that was soaked with water after she had accidentally Inanimported it onto the snow-laden lawn outside her dorm window. Effortlessly, Lucy drew the water out of her robe, sash, and thermals and collected it into a wriggly blob that was bigger than her head. For a second, she thought about splashing some at Cedric, but she wasn¡¯t sure his serious personality would appreciate it. Instead, she led the sphere to the stone floor and let it collapse there without incident. ¡°Pretty good control,¡± Cedric said, watching the water flow along the mortar paths that branched between each stone. ¡°Thanks. I just hope we don¡¯t get caught in whatever spell that was, again,¡± Lucy said. She thought back to the image of a shivering Cedric and tensed up. Why did Nora have to use such cruel ice spells? Why couldn¡¯t she use something more gentle like this water? A horrifying image of Nora holding a sphere of water on someone¡¯s head to suffocate them suddenly flashed in Lucy¡¯s mind. Okay, maybe Nora wouldn¡¯t use it so gently. But still, at least Lucy could probably use Draw Water to escape it. It¡¯s not like she could do the same with- Lucy¡¯s eyes went wide, and she drew up her hand to cover her agape mouth. ¡°What is it?¡± Cedric asked, intrigued by Lucy¡¯s expression which screamed¡­ ¡°I think I have an idea.¡±
¡°Mother? Father? What are you doing here?¡± Nora asked, swallowing hard and hoping that her tone hadn¡¯t sounded too worried. Then she noticed Rosseau¡¯s parents behind them, but was too slow to address them as another voice called out. ¡°Mom? Dad? What¡¯s going on?¡± Nora¡¯s mother gave a silent but visual scoff, and her father¡¯s brow hardened at the informal way Rosseau addressed his parents. Rosseau noticed his parents react to it too, clearly suppressing embarrassment from the undignified manners their son was displaying. He would have to play along, he supposed. That¡¯s all he was ever expected to do. ¡°Lady Straughtvern. Lord Bermouth,¡± Rosseau addressed Nora¡¯s parents with a graceful bow. ¡°To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?¡± Lady Straughtvern smiled proudly. Her perfect white hair¡ªthe symbol of her Elefrian heritage¡ªdraped behind her. Its cut was even longer than Nora¡¯s. ¡°Oh, do raise your head, Rosseau,¡± Lady Straughtvern said. ¡°A bright and talented young man such as yourself need not grovel for the sake of custom.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Rosseau replied with a glaze over his eyes. The beautiful older woman smiled pompously once again before moving her gaze to Nora. ¡°I felt it would be a treat to witness your qualifying match for the tournament. Surely you must be in a fantastic lead already.¡± Nora held her breath as her Mother¡¯s delighted gaze danced towards the arena scoreboard, her expression turning blank as she focused on it. ¡°Nora, am I mistaken? You are currently behind by eighteen points?¡± ¡°A minor setback, Mother,¡± Nora said quickly, though it didn¡¯t ease the suspicious glare her mother aimed at her. ¡°W-we actually just won the previous round. Dominic did a magnificent maneuver to shatter their knight¡ªonly after I cornered them both with my spells, of course.¡± ¡°Dominic?¡± Rosseau¡¯s mother chimed in, studying the red banner with gold embroidery that draped behind Dominic¡¯s back and signified his position as Nora¡¯s knight. ¡°I thought you were Miss Nora¡¯s knight, Rosseau?¡± Rosseau kept a cool face and threw a blank look to Nora. Her face told him that she was prepared for this, however. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Madam Lambourgh, I know you must have been looking forward to seeing us compete together, but Rosseau and I just haven¡¯t had an ample amount of practice yet to fight together,¡± Nora said. Her apologetic tone was completely exaggerated. ¡°I promise, as soon as we¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll make sure you receive an invitation to see our first match together.¡± Rosseau¡¯s mother breathed disappointedly but seemed to accept Nora¡¯s reasoning. Rosseau wasn¡¯t surprised; instead, he was more interested in Dominic¡¯s reaction. Everything about the visit could suggest that Nora intended to replace him. But, despite all of that, Dominic¡¯s cool attitude was completely unshaken. From the smirk he smugly flashed at Rosseau, it was clear he believed that he wasn¡¯t going anywhere, and maybe he was right. That was the most unsettling part of Nora¡¯s talent for lying¡ªhow artful she was at finding ways to keep people quiet, despite any suspicions they held. For Dominic, it must have been a promise that he wouldn¡¯t be replaced. For Rosseau¡¯s parents, it was the rare chance to rub shoulders with Nora¡¯s highly respected family. And for Rosseau himself, it was the knowledge that, no matter what evidence he gave, or how well he argued, his parents would never support an accusation against the Straughtverns¡¯ precious daughter. The runes on the floor beside Nora began to glow, demanding to be stepped into to begin the next round. ¡°That¡¯s our cue. Please watch, Mother, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see that there is nothing to worry about.¡± Nora and Dominic stepped into the runes, and Nora surprised Rosseau with a confident grin before the rune¡¯s light swept her away and into the arena. Rosseau looked back to his parents, and then at Nora¡¯s who looked upon him with pompous eyes. ¡°Lady Straughtvern, may I ask that you allow me to speak with my parents alone?¡± Rosseau said, giving a short bow. It didn¡¯t take much else to flatter the nobles, and Nora¡¯s mother obliged him with a short reply. Rosseau hoped the round would last long enough to say what he needed. He couldn¡¯t leave the box to speak with his parent¡¯s, so it would have to happen here. If class politics was the only thing this gross family of his responded to, then that¡¯s what he would use to make them listen¡­
Nora sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting the arena¡¯s cool air calm her senses. The round was hers to begin at her discretion, and she was fully intent on letting all twenty-five allowable seconds tick by before starting¡ªand there was plenty to think about during that time. The stakes had changed. Her mother was watching now, and it would shameful to offer her anything short of witnessing the total annihilation of her two opponents. Nora breathed in deeply again¡­ And again¡­ And finally, for the last time. Then, shards of ice materialized around her in an instant, and as soon as they had started, the runes at everyone¡¯s feet ceased to shimmer, and a magical chime resonated throughout the room signaling that the round had begun. It took all of two seconds for Nora to finish conjuring her icicles. They were imperfect and jagged, and too brittle to do as much damage as her more carefully crafted ones could. But these icicles weren¡¯t meant for that. A split-second later, Nora sent them off, throwing her full weight into the throwing spell that launched them. The icicles flew at Lucy, and Nora was already wondering where she would have to throw the second set after she dodged. To Nora¡¯s surprise, however, Lucy wasn¡¯t dodging. Instead, she was staring down the ice coming at her. Was she planning to stop them with a barrier? That was fine by Nora. The cloud of snow would manifest from the debris, and this time she would make sure it took Lucy out quickly, even if it revealed the nature of her strongest spell in recording. The ice flew at bewildering speed towards Lucy, a short second away from hitting her. Nora braced for explosion that was sure to result, and prepared the spell that would manipulate the snow to freeze onto Lucy. Strangely, though, the explosion of snow never came. The lack of a cloudy haze at the opposite end of the arena confused Nora, and she focused her eyes hard on the purple robed figure to see what had happened. That¡¯s when Nora saw it. The icicles were stopped dead in the air in front of Lucy, and Nora¡¯s mouth fell agape as Lucy flashed a nervous smile before whispering¡­ ¡°It worked.¡± 13 - A Chance to Save Everything Chapter 13 A Chance to Save Everything
A trickle of sweat ran down the side of Lucy¡¯s face and past her thrilled smile. A moment ago it felt like her heart was going to explode from staring down Nora¡¯s attack, but now that fear had transformed to excitement. All of Nora¡¯s icicles had stopped dead in the air before Lucy, and she could feel every one of them through her staff¡ªwaiting to move at her command. It seemed obvious now, and Lucy wondered how she hadn¡¯t thought of it before. Ice was only a different form of water, and controlling water was one of the few things she had become decent at in her short time at Greidwhen. There was a difference in the way all the shards stirred under her control, though. They felt coarse and uneven; as if there wasn¡¯t as much freedom in what she could do with them compared to water. Lucy knew she didn¡¯t have the time to learn the best way to use the ice, so, with a wide swing of her staff, she hurtled the shards right back at Nora. Lucy didn¡¯t think much of the attack and already began to channel for a blast of fire. Cedric paid close attention, however, and was intrigued when he saw Nora block the ice rather than regain some type of control on it. ¡°We should rush her,¡± Cedric said, earning a puzzled gaze from Lucy. ¡°Nora has no idea what¡¯s going on, and if she thinks her stalagmites are going to help her like last time, then we should take advantage of that.¡± ¡°Are you saying I can stop her stalagmites too?¡± ¡°One-hundred percent provided you can react fast enough.¡± Cedric expected Lucy to show some hesitancy, but he was surprised by the confident look she returned. It was a jarring difference when Cedric compared it to Nora¡¯s current, nervous expression. It was peculiar. Somehow, the attitudes of both Lead Sorcerers had completely swapped. The round didn¡¯t last much longer after that. Lucy and Cedric charged down the arena floor, throwing back every icicle that Nora tried to stop them with, and when the time came for her stalagmites, Lucy was able to stop them too, just as Cedric had said. The whole experience felt exhilarating to Lucy, and when Nora finally slipped up and left an opening on herself, Lucy was more than happy to roast the girl with a blast of fire. ¡°¡­Six Points, Hardtvelt.¡± The faint echo of the ref¡¯s declaration fell on Nora¡¯s ears while she collapsed to the floor. She was now behind Lucy by twenty-four points. ¡°Like I said¡­¡± Nora heard Rosseau mutter. She turned her flustered gaze to see him discussing something closely with his parents. All of them briefly sided eyes at her before turning back, and a short, ¡°Agreed¡± from Rosseau¡¯s mother fueled Nora¡¯s irritation even more. What was Rosseau scheming? ¡°Nora,¡± a shrill voice called out. ¡°What in heaven¡¯s name was that display?¡± Nora¡¯s shoulders dropped, and a chill ran down her back as she turned to see her mother returning with a rash face. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nora said, keeping her gaze low and trying her best not to stammer. ¡°I¡­she¡­ something unexpected happened.¡± Nora¡¯s mind replayed every one of her ice spells being stopped by Lucy¡ªeven the stalagmites. ¡°Excuses. Is this the type of behavior Greidwhen has instilled you with? I knew I should have sent you to Northorn after all. They teach their students to adapt when plans go awry, not stand there exposing their defenses.¡± Nora winced and put all her effort into avoiding meeting her mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Nora said. Lady Straughtvern looked at her daughter with suspicious eyes. ¡°I should hope so¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use something besides ice?¡± Dominic asked, and before he could register the offended reactions of everyone around him, a sharp column of ice broke through the stone floor and stopped just short of his neck. ¡°Right¡­sorry,¡± he muttered and gave his throat a quick rub while the column crackled and collapsed into a mound of snow at his feet. Nora held in a huff, unable to believe what Dominic had just said. She had told him dozens of times what ice magic meant to the Straughtvern family. Nearly every know ice spell originated from the early roots of their ancestors. The cold element was their legacy¡ªand to suggest giving up on it was the same as declaring that it was a legacy of weakness. ¡°Forgive him, Mother. He didn¡¯t mean it as an insult, but as a strategic option. An option I won¡¯t reduce myself to consider.¡± Nora bowed, knowing the flattery would be enough to satisfy her mother for now. The runes in their box began to glow, prompting relief from Nora that she would be able to distance herself from the judgmental gaze her mother was aiming at her. However, as the rune¡¯s light bubbled up and wrapped around her, a new knot of fear twisted her stomach. One that came from knowing she had no plan for dealing with her ice being stopped by Lucy.
The next round begun with another charge by Lucy and Cedric while Nora rummaged her mind for how exactly she was going to handle her ice being stopped so effortlessly. Her mind flashed back to the mound of snow in front of Dominic¡¯s feet, and Nora realized there was one thing she hadn¡¯t used against Lucy¡¯s trick. Desperate, Nora began crafting as many icicles she could while dodging and blocking Lucy¡¯s long-range blasts of fire and wind. If she was going to do this¡ªshe was going to do it with as much ice as possible. ¡°I don¡¯t like all those icicles,¡± Cedric said, losing track after counting forty while he and Lucy advanced across the arena¡¯s midpoint. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Have you figured out the deflection yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucy shook her head, watching Nora and Dominic evade another pair of wind blasts that failed to do what she wanted. ¡°The timing is impossible.¡± ¡°Well, it may be our only option right now. If she turns all of that ice into snow, then we might be done for.¡± ¡°Why? I can just take control of it?¡± Cedric shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure,¡± he said just as his prediction came to fruition. Every one of the icicles floating beside Nora exploded into snow, obscuring her and Dominic from view with its snowy haze. ¡°Just great,¡± Cedric said, sliding to a halt. Lucy checked if she could control the snow just as she did with the ice, but nervousness began to seep in when she realized she could only grab a small fraction of it. The cloud was too immense. And not only that. It was moving¡ªtwisting itself in different directions that kept her from maintaining ahold of it. ¡°I can¡¯t control it,¡± she said while already firing the blasts of wind she knew Cedric would ask her to try out. However, even with their violent, gusty explosions, the wind only carved out a small fraction of the haze, whose space immediately closed back up. ¡°Barrier. Now,¡± Cedric ordered. Lucy obliged, casting a barrier between them and the haze. ¡°Is it just me, or is it getting closer?¡± she said. Cedric noticed as well. Slowly but surely, the haze¡¯s tall edge was drawing towards them, and the ground it passed over was being consumed by a thick layer of frost that followed along with it. ¡°I don¡¯t think warmth is gonna be effective this time,¡± Cedric said as he and Lucy began to back away. But, before they could put any distance between them, the cloud accelerated and blew past them¡ªblinding them with its glittering, periwinkle haze. Seeing the ice already begin to form on them, Lucy quickly cast warmth on them both. The ice didn¡¯t slow or turn to slush, though. It was just as Cedric had said. ¡°The cold is too overwhelming,¡± Cedric huffed through his shivering breaths. There was only so much heat inward-warmth could provide before it became dangerous. And its limit was being completely beat out by the cloud¡¯s chill this time. Lucy heard Cedric mutter something unpleasant while the ice spread quickly around the rest of his body. From the look of it, the ice was being focused to take him out first, and Cedric wondered if that was Nora¡¯s intent, or if she simply couldn¡¯t tell him and Lucy apart inside the haze. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter. He couldn¡¯t move, and the ice that had grown thickly around his entire body began to squeeze him. A second later, he shattered. ¡°NO!¡± Lucy cried out to Cedric¡¯s glistening remains. She couldn¡¯t dwell on his departure for long, though, as she could feel the ice on her body work faster to take her out in the same way. ¡°Stupid! Stupid! Ice!¡± Lucy shouted between the whacks of her staff against her frozen ankles. ¡°Just when I thought I could control you-!!¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes widened, and an idea immediately formed in her head. She didn¡¯t know if it would work, but she had to believe there was some consistency to the spell¡¯s rules. Hoping she could make it in time before the ice stopped her from moving completely, Lucy took her staff into both hands and cast the spell that had allowed her to stop solid ice once before¡ªDraw Water. The spell¡¯s magic pulsed through Lucy¡¯s body and into her staff, and immediately the ice¡¯s crackling movement across her body quieted to a halt. It had worked. But¡­what was she supposed to do now? Lucy tried to get the ice to bend to her will. Crack? Move? She would take anything at this point, but it wasn¡¯t responding. In fact, it felt like the ice was resisting her. Lucy felt like she could hear Cedric chiding her that the ice was still under Nora¡¯s control, which made sense. It was just like when she interfered with Nora¡¯s stalagmites earlier. Lucy could stop them, but that was all she could do. She couldn¡¯t turn them back on Nora like she could the icicles. ¡°The mechanics are different,¡± she imagined Cedric say. It was clear to Lucy, now. She was in a battle against Nora for control of the ice, but neither was gaining any ground. It was an effective stalemate¡ªuntil a fast patter of crunching snow began to draw near her. A shadow came into Lucy¡¯s view. One she wasn¡¯t thrilled to see. It was Dominic, and he was charging straight at her. Lucy released her hold on Nora¡¯s ice and cast a fireball which Dominic narrowly juked, and what came next wasn¡¯t much of a surprise to Lucy. Free from her control, the ice enveloped the rest of her body, and before it could finish her off, Dominic took the opportunity to swing his blade straight through Lucy¡¯s neck.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The next thing she knew, she was on her back and looking up at a discouraged Cedric. ¡°This might be a problem,¡± he said.
¡°A marvelous six points,¡± Nora¡¯s father applauded as she and Dominic appeared in their box. ¡°You see Freida, our daughter knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± Nora glanced anxiously at her mother, whose expression still gave an air of suspicion. ¡°Perhaps,¡± the beautiful woman finally said. ¡°It was quite the display. And with the spell we taught her, no less¡­¡± Nora looked away nervously as she began to cast her charms for the next round. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s hope she can keep it up.¡±
¡°I was able to stop it. Until Dominic showed up and I was forced to let go,¡± Lucy told Cedric, who looked to be listening intently. His eyes stared at nothing, but they darted calculatingly. ¡°That¡¯s good to know, but our biggest concern is finding a way to stop Nora from gathering all of that ice together in the first place.¡± Lucy looked at the floor. ¡°The deflection, right?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the only thing we have that can stop her,¡± Cedric answered. But despite his attempt to not highlight the root of the issue, Lucy knew it was her own fault that it was their only option. There were plenty of spells that could keep Nora from focusing her magic for so long¡ªones that had even been covered in their classes¡ªbut she didn¡¯t know how to cast them. Lucy could feel Cedric pitying gaze, and she tried to show him a confident face. It wouldn¡¯t do any good to think about how things could have been better. All she could do was try with the abilities she had now. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
The next round was as relentless as the previous. Despite the dozens of attempts to hit Nora by deflecting one blast of wind off the other, her aim always fell short. The only saving grace was that Nora appeared unwise to their strategy¡ªprobably from focusing all of her attention onto creating ice and dodging spells. It was the last attempt that came the closest, but after it missed, Nora exploded her ice into another vast haze of snow; and, again, Lucy and Cedric had no answer for its slow but inevitable takeover of the air around them. The ice appeared to focus first on Cedric again, and despite Lucy''s attempt to keep it from spreading on him, another appearance by Dominic forced her to break her hold on it. It was a fruitless effort to defend herself from Dominic, though. Cedric was helpless to give any assistance as the ice covered him, and Dominic had no issue evading Lucy¡¯s simple blasts of fire and wind. Even her effort to surprise him with another shield to the face fell flat after he expertly ducked under it the moment it appeared. There was only one other thing Lucy could think to do as Dominic closed the gap. Channeling Inanimport, she aimed it at his sword, figuring it would at least give her an extra moment to think. Her hopes were dashed, however, when the spell failed to make his sword disappear. The cocky smile on Dominic¡¯s face told Lucy that it wasn¡¯t random chance that his weapon was still there, and she didn¡¯t have time to theorize on the reason why as he finished her off with a clean slash across the chest. The ref announced another six points for Nora, and Lucy realized that in the last ten minutes, her twenty-four-point lead had shortened to a mere twelve points. ¡°They¡¯re imbuing his sword with magic,¡± Cedric said after Lucy explained what happened with Dominic. ¡°They were being cautious of after all. If they weren¡¯t sure we were using Inanimport before, they are now.¡± ¡°So it can be countered that easily?¡± Lucy asked softly. ¡°Unfortunately. Inanimport was designed to be an optimal method of teleporting inanimate objects. As a consequence, it fails completely if you use it on anything else.¡± Lucy gave a frustrated look. ¡°But a sword is inanimate.¡± "Normally, yes, but it had magic in it at the time, classifying it as animate according to academic definitions.¡± Lucy grunted out of frustration. Every time she thought she was beginning to understand something, a new caveat seemed to appear. Stalagmites were animate when they were shooting up from the ground, but not when they had finished growing. Icicles were animate while they were forming, but not after being thrown. And now, apparently, any object could be imbued with magic, nullifying Inanimport¡¯s usefulness completely. ¡°We haven¡¯t lost all our options. We still have Draw Water..¡± ¡°Except, I can¡¯t even use it against her crazy ice cloud.¡± ¡°A cloud she is only using because you¡¯ve cornered her into using it.¡± ¡°And now she¡¯s going to win because there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop her-!¡± ¡°Attention! Team Straughtvern has requested an extended preparation period. The match will resume in ten minutes.¡± Cedric watched the clock stop on the arena¡¯s scoreboard. Seventeen minutes left¡ªmore than enough time for Nora to close the gap and overtake them in points. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lucy said, taking a seat on the bench. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­.I know you said not to give up. And I¡¯m not. But¡­I¡¯m just scared of losing.¡± Cedric looked carefully at Lucy. He wasn¡¯t surprised that she was feeling the weight of her deal with the Headmaster now that the match was approaching its end. He had hoped a larger lead would make her feel more at ease when they reached this point; but even their previous twenty-four-point gap wouldn¡¯t have helped while they didn¡¯t have a plan to stop Nora¡¯s new strategy. Cedric took a seat beside her, folding his hands as he leaned forward in thought. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being afraid of losing. I wouldn¡¯t expect anybody in your shoes to be callous about it. But, we still have a twelve point lead. Our chances aren¡¯t hopeless¡­¡± ¡°¡­And what if we lose that lead without finding how to stop Nora?¡± Lucy whispered. Cedric took a long pause, thinking again. ¡°If it does comes to that¡­it¡¯ll be more important than ever that you don¡¯t give up¡­¡±
¡°I won¡¯t¡­I promise.¡± Lucy¡¯s mind echoed her answer to Cedric as she cast another pair of wind blasts, trying to hit Nora with one deflected by the explosion of the other. At this point, she could probably deflect it to hit a target that wasn¡¯t moving, but Nora was more than happy to demonstrate how light on her feet she was. Lucy fired another pair off, trying to anticipate where Nora would move. At the very least, each blast that Nora dodged was another second added to the time it took to conjure her ice. Cedric had mentioned before the round started that they should focus on stalling her as long as possible. It was the same reason he and Lucy had remained at their end of the arena. When the time came that Nora created her immense cloud of snow, Lucy and Cedric could only watch as it drifted towards them. The cloud spanned the entire width of the arena and left no gaps for them to pass safely through. ¡°When it gets close, cast as large a blast of fire as you can straight into it. We may be able to run through the tunnel it creates.¡± When the haze was about to completely descend upon them, Lucy did what Cedric asked, and the two sprinted into the cotton-looking tunnel that was already closing around them. Cedric wondered why he didn¡¯t see an opening on the other side, only to come upon a wall of ice that was bordering the rear edge of the haze. ¡°Can you break through it with Draw Water?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°I¡¯m a little- *Gah* occupied right now!¡± Cedric turned to find Lucy batting away at some ice that had managed to cover past her ankle. Her quick wit led her to stop it¡¯s advance with Draw Water, but when she realized that Nora wasn¡¯t giving up control, Lucy decided she should chip herself free. Cedric began to run over to help her, but his attention was broken by the sound of a heavy thump and metallic clanging from behind. ¡°Look out!¡± Lucy yelled. Even without her help, though, Cedric knew what was happening, and he promptly brandished his shield with both hands just in time to block a strike from Dominic. Dominic laughed, digging his blade into Cedric¡¯s shield. ¡°Abandoning your offense, I see.¡± He eyed Cedric¡¯s sword that lay between them. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in making banter,¡± Cedric replied before pushing Dominic off his shield and putting some distance between them. Dominic shrugged, and said nothing more, choosing instead to let loose a flurry of slashes against Cedric¡¯s shield. Each hit reverberated painfully through Cedric¡¯s arms, but he had to hold on and keep the round going for as long as possible. It was the only strategy he and Lucy had in this situation. Cedric backed off after absorbing another set of blows from Dominic who seemed to enjoy witnessing his struggle. He couldn¡¯t afford to pushed back anymore, though. If he did, Dominic would have a clear shot at Lucy who was still occupied with the ice around her foot. ¡°I¡¯m almost free!¡± Lucy said, still whacking at the ice around her ankle. Then it broke suddenly; but not from her chipping away at it. Rather, the ice stopped resisting Lucy¡¯s control, and the pressure she¡¯d been exerting with Draw Water caused it to shatter. Lucy was about ready to cheer, until she realized something. If Nora gave up control, then she was probably preparing something else. ¡°Lucy!¡± Cedric yelled, alarming the girl. Turning her focus on him, she saw her fears realized by the sight of ice covering Cedric¡¯s body. Lucy desperately tried to stop it with her magic, but it had already frozen Cedric¡¯s feet to the ground, leaving him unable to move while Dominic ran him through with his blade. Seeing Cedric shatter, Lucy ran for it. She didn¡¯t get far, though, as the ice froze her foot to the ground again, allowing Dominic to shatter her without incident. When she appeared in the box again, the ref announced another five points for Nora, as well as another extension of the prep-period per Nora¡¯s request¡ªstopping the clock just before it could fall below twelve minutes. The next two rounds played out nearly the same. Lucy failed to deflect any blast of wind into an unsuspecting Nora who eventually cornered them with her cloud of snow after a few minutes. Lucy carved another path through the haze with her fire, hoping there would be enough time to try blasting through the icy wall at its rear, but Nora¡¯s haze was too efficient. Running quickly through it didn¡¯t help. The ice stuck to her either way¡ªmanaging again to freeze her to the ground so that she couldn¡¯t attempt to blast out of the haze. Dominic appeared again, enjoying his one-sided fights with Cedric way too much. And again, they were bested¡ªgiving up another five points to Nora in both rounds. Now, less than two minutes remained, and Nora had turned her twenty-four-point loss into a three-point lead. ¡°We request an extended preparation,¡± Cedric said quickly, prompting the ref to stop the time and announce the ten-minute extension. He then turned his attention to Lucy, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. She sat quietly on the bench and completely avoided his gaze. This was it. This was their last chance. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Cedric asked, immediately thinking how lame his question was. ¡°Oh, y¡¯know¡­ just mentally preparing for the round that will decide if I get to stay here.¡± Lucy punctuated with a fake laugh. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Cedric was caught off guard by her question. He had been so focused on keeping her stable that he hadn¡¯t considered his own view about everything. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure.¡± Lucy fidgeted with her robe¡¯s pink sash, trying to find any release for her nervousness. ¡°Well, look on the bright side. If I leave, you won¡¯t have to deal with my pestering for lessons anymore.¡± Lucy gave another fake laugh, not really thinking about what she said. She was only trying to ease her nerves, and maybe a part of Cedric knew that, but another part of him didn¡¯t enjoy the statement. ¡°That¡­isn¡¯t even close to a bright-side in my opinion.¡± Lucy¡¯s fidgeting ceased, and she raised her surprised gaze to meet Cedric. For once, though, he was averting his gaze from hers. Lucy¡¯s heart fluttered, and her eyes began to water. She brought her gaze down quickly, not wanting him to see. It happened so fast. Her face was scrunched, and tears were pouring down her cheeks. Cedric shifted anxiously, not sure what he should do about the girl crying before him. Between her whimpers, though, he could hear her try saying something. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say goodbye,¡± Lucy finally managed to choke out. ¡°It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not. Why did we have to meet like this?¡± Cedric remained silent while Lucy rubbed face of tears and snot to no end. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up¡­but how can I fight when I know what losing the match will mean?¡± Lucy continued to sniffle, failing to stop her tears from spilling out. She promised Cedric she wouldn¡¯t give up, but nothing prepared her for how hard it would be to enter arena knowing that she was one mistake away from losing everything. Lucy¡¯s mind began to fall blank, not wanting to accept the reality she was facing. And suddenly, it all faded, as she felt a warmness wrap around her hand. Lucy lifted her messy gaze to see Cedric kneeling before her¡ªher hand taken into his. ¡°You¡¯re doing exactly what I asked you not to,¡± he said without a trace of elegance, earning a dumbfounded look from Lucy. Turning Lucy¡¯s palm up, he unfurled a handkerchief from his pocket and lay it in her hand. ¡°I know it must feel like you don¡¯t have a chance¡­but, just think about how far you¡¯ve actually come. Five days ago, it would have been impossible for you to stand toe-to-toe with Nora¡ªand now here you are going into the final round with a mere three-point gap between you.¡± Lucy sat still, captivated by Cedric¡¯s sincere gaze as he continued. ¡°You asked how you can fight knowing what there is to lose¡­but, I think that¡¯s the reason you should fight. It isn¡¯t a chance to lose everything you love. It¡¯s a chance to fight against it being taken away¡­¡± Cedric paused, and his eyes turned downward as if he was remembering something until he faintly shook his head and returned his gaze to hers. ¡°¡­a fight you won¡¯t have to make alone¡­because¡­¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes glossed with fresh tears while Cedric helped wrap her fingers onto the handkerchief he gave her. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not ready to say goodbye either.¡± 14 - The Resolve to Fight (Match 1 Finale) Chapter 14 The Resolve to Fight
For the final time, the pillars of light vanished to reveal everyone in their starting positions. Nora was back to her old self, smiling arrogantly, while Dominic carried his usual air of indifference. ¡°It isn¡¯t a chance to lose everything you love. It¡¯s a chance to fight against it being taken away.¡± Though her eyes and cheeks hadn¡¯t quite recovered from her crying, Lucy aimed a determined gaze at Nora, dwelling on the words Cedric spoke to her. In the end he was right. It was an opportunity to fight for what she wanted. She understood how important that was, now. It was thanks to that realization that her mind was calm. And because of that calmness, the sudden sight of Nora conjuring icicles failed to break her nerves. And so, the final round began. Lucy fired off several pairs of wind blasts, determined to finally hit Nora with a deflection of one off the other. If there was one thing Lucy had learned in the match, it was that Nora¡¯s dodges weren¡¯t erratic. Rather, they were careful and planned out. It certainly demonstrated Nora¡¯s greater experience and talent for battling with magic, but it gradually exposed a pattern¡ªone that Lucy had been studying for the past few rounds. That was why Lucy was certain this next one would hit. She was sure of where Nora would be after dodging this set. Every subsequent step Nora took to dodge the attacks played right into Lucy¡¯s prediction, until finally she dodged the last one, landing herself right where Lucy had wanted. On cue, the last spell that Nora dodged suddenly exploded behind her and deflected its counterpart back her way. It didn¡¯t look like Nora was wise to it either, and Lucy fought an impulsive cheer so she could prepare a follow up spell. The blast of wind exploded against Nora, and the loose ends of her robe and hair whipped forward violently from its force, but Lucy and Cedric were shocked to see that Nora herself wasn¡¯t thrown forward by the blast. Instead, the Elefrian took only a soft step forward to keep balanced from the sudden gust. Lucy didn¡¯t understand. She finally managed to deflect her wind spell at Nora, so why wasn¡¯t she flying through the air right now? Then she grit her teeth, noticing something come into view as the dust behind Nora settled. It was a barrier¡ªcast by Nora to block Lucy¡¯s attack. ¡°She knew what we were doing after all,¡± Cedric muttered, keeping to himself how bad an outcome this was for them. Lucy realized herself how bad things were. The one tactic they had left to defeat Nora¡ªthe one they had been trying for several rounds to make work¡ªcompletely failed against her. Nora smiled gleefully and conjured the last of her icicles, exploding them into a blizzarding cloud that obscured her and Dominic from view. This was bad, but it wasn¡¯t the end. Not as long as she didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Should we rush at them?¡± Lucy asked, earning a dumb look from Cedric. ¡°What? Will there really be a difference if we wait for that thing to come get us?¡± Cedric sighed, glancing at the haze that was already drifting towards them. ¡°Probably not.¡± Lucy looked at the haze as well. A bead of sweat ran down her face. This was it. In a minute or two the match would be decided. She didn¡¯t know how she was going to pull off a win, but she had to believe there was a way. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucy and Cedric broke into a sprint towards the cloud that spanned the entire width of the arena. There were no gaps to pass through. The only way was to charge in and hope they could make it through. ¡°Here we go!¡± Lucy shouted, carving a path with a blast of fire and casting warmth on her and Cedric. Together, the two ran into the tunnel that was already collapsing around them. Lucy cast several more blasts of fire to keep the path ahead clear, and she could see each one of them exploding against something far ahead. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Cedric muttered. At first he thought it was the same wall of ice Nora used to border the haze¡¯s rear, but with how far they had run, and considering where they entered the haze, Cedric realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Cedric slid to a halt and grabbed Lucy¡¯s arm to stop her. ¡°What¡¯re you-¡° ¡°That¡¯s the arena fence.¡± ¡°Wha- where are they, then?¡± ¡°They could have gone around us,¡± Cedric said, glancing around the blinding haze before tugging her along. ¡°We need to double back.¡± Lucy took the lead, shooting another blast of fire to fend off the curling wisps of snowy haze that threatened to grab them. The fire traveled a ways down before exploding against something again, alarming Cedric and Lucy. Cedric clicked his tongue as they came upon the cause. It was Nora¡¯s wall of ice, bordering the side they had entered through. ¡°Can you break it with Draw Water?¡± he asked frantically, watching the space around them begin to fill with the haze. Lucy raised her staff to cast the spell, all the while trying to ignore the knot in her stomach. She was granted some relief, though, after she realized she could feel the wall of ice through her magic. ¡°I can feel it, just give me a second- Woah!¡± Lucy took a fast step backwards, barely dodging an attack from the figure she saw jump down from the top of the wall. They landed with a heavy thump, armor clanging, and sword embedded into the ground. It was Dominic. Lucy thought it looked like he had something snarky say as he settled into a fighting stance, but even he must have had some discipline seeing as he charged at her instead. Cedric threw himself between them, blocking Dominic¡¯s slash with his shield. ¡°Abandoning your sword again?¡± Dominic said, eyeing the blade Cedric left behind. ¡°You don¡¯t really get how a swordfight works, do you?¡± Cedric grit his teeth, struggling to push against Dominic¡¯s sword. He couldn¡¯t waste any time. The haze had nearly filled the surrounding air, and soon it would begin to freeze onto either him or Lucy. Dominic drew back his sword and executed a flurry of slashes against Cedric. His strikes were hard to keep up with, and Cedric just barely managed to handle blocking them. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold out for much longer, though. They had to take him out now. Cedric threw a glance to Lucy after blocking another strike. ¡°A little help would be nice!¡± he shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hit you!¡± ¡°There are more pressing concerns at hand here-!¡± Cedric and Lucy¡¯s bickering was interrupted as Cedric¡¯s shield was knocked out of his grip. Dominic smiled and raised his sword over his head, ready to deliver the final blow. However, something caught his eye that unsettled him. The magicless had a smile of his own, despite his defenseless position. Then, before Dominic could register it¡ªthe undersides of his arms were slashed with a sword. A sword? How did the magicless get a hold of his sword? It had been abandoned on the floor, hadn¡¯t it? Dominic released his own blade and his arms fell limp at his sides¡ªa product of the tournament¡¯s monitoring charm since his arms were technically gone now. ¡°H¡­how?¡± he asked. Cedric didn¡¯t reply, but the sight of his shield appearing in his grasp from nowhere gave Dominic the answer¡ªthe girl had returned his sword to him with Inanimport. Not wasting any time, Cedric drew his sword back and thrust it up between the plates of Dominic¡¯s armor. ¡°Ah¡­da-¡° Dominic muttered, unable to finish before his body exploded into light. Cedric stumbled forward through Dominic¡¯s glittering remains and traded a satisfied look with Lucy. Now there was only Nora left to deal with. Their satisfaction didn¡¯t last long, though, as they both noticed the ice begin to creep up Cedric¡¯s body. Lucy ran over and cast her magic to fight against the ice that threatened to consume him, but Cedric gave her a hesitant look.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Go. You can make it out while Nora is focusing her ice on me.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Lucy said, shaking her head. ¡°We stand a better chance together!¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ve lost that option. You can¡¯t cast warmth while fighting the ice, and we¡¯ll be pulled out by the refs when it becomes too cold for our safety.¡± Lucy frowned, not enjoying Cedric¡¯s sound deductions for once. He had to be wrong, just this one time. If only she knew more useful spells¡ªones that could do something about this haze around them¡ªbut, she didn¡¯t. Lucy¡¯s eyes trailed down to the large rings of light surrounding them. Even this protection charm, which she had suffered through violent whirlwinds of dust and debris to learn, couldn¡¯t¡­help them¡­here? Lucy gaze froze, and her eyes began to dart to and fro in deep thought. Cedric looked at her curiously, about to ask why she looked so shocked when suddenly she raised her staff and dispelled her protection charm. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Cedric asked, feeling the ice begin to move on him again. ¡°Setting it up the only way I know how¡­¡± Lucy said, getting as close as she could to Cedric. He recognized the stance she took, but he didn¡¯t understand why she dispelled the charm just to cast it again. Then, the air around them began to cyclone. Cedric¡¯s mouth went agape, watching the haze around them get pushed to the edges of the whirlwind. Immediately he felt he ice on him stop moving, no longer having anything to feed itself with. ¡°Incredible,¡± he whispered. This wasn¡¯t like her previous failures when practicing the charm. Lucy had control of the torrent¡ªpurposefully keeping the charm stuck in the middle of the channeling process. To push the haze further out, she poured more magic into the spell, which forced the overwhelming amount of magic to escape from her staff in whirling, explosive bursts. Soon, Nora¡¯s haze was pushed completely out to the very edges of the arena and obliterated as it was minced against the arena¡¯s protective barrier. Satisfied, Lucy finished the charm¡¯s process, calming the stirring outpour of magic and prompting the charm¡¯s ring of light to surround her once more. Everyone outside the arena looked bewildered from the spectacle, and Rosseau had to fight a reflexive cheer so that Nora¡¯s parents wouldn¡¯t know he was rooting against their daughter. Lucy looked around and was equally amazed at what she had accomplished. Nora¡¯s wall of ice was completely visible now, and she was surprised to see that it didn¡¯t stretch the entire width of the arena. It was taller and thicker in the center, but its structure became dismal as it went further down, stopping well before it reached either arena wall. ¡°I should have realized,¡± Cedric said while Lucy broke the ice around his legs. ¡°It would have taken way too much effort to span the entire length.¡± Lucy thought about telling Cedric not to blame himself, but a more pressing question surfaced in her mind. ¡°Where¡¯s Nora?¡± The arena was oddly still, until Cedric¡¯s eyes went wide before he grabbed Lucy and pushed her as far as he could from the wall of ice whose center exploded into snow. ¡°Cedric!¡± Lucy screamed, witnessing the snow engulf and harden into ice around him. Thinking quickly, she cast Draw Water to stop it, and she could feel it fighting against her to crush him. ¡°Tch. I was hoping it would hit you,¡± a beautiful, unsatisfied voice called out. Lucy looked beyond Cedric to see Nora emerge from the settling dust and snow. Like Lucy, she had her staff fixated towards Cedric, battling for control of the ice that covered him. Nora smiled. ¡°What say we ignore your knight for now? Make this a one on one?¡± Lucy released a chide breath. ¡°You¡¯ll crush him the moment I let go¡­¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll set him free the moment I let go¡­¡± Both girls looked unwaveringly at each other, but Nora¡¯s eerie expression began to unnerve Lucy. Nora fought a reflexive glance towards the head ref. She¡¯d rather that she didn¡¯t have choose her words so carefully around them, but she was used to even stricter conditions. ¡°You know¡­I believe I owe you an apology. Despite what the other students may think, you¡¯ve proven to be a capable opponent.¡± Lucy tensed up as her mind echoed the mocking title she had been labeled with by everyone. The worst student amongst the first-years. The Luckless Mage of Greidwhen Academy. Nora suppressed a gross smile after noticing Lucy¡¯s focus waver. Then she put on a distraught face and clutched her chest. ¡°The circumstances you have with the headmaster are terribly regrettable, but I have no intention of losing on purpose like Rosseau suggested.¡± Nora looked over to Rosseau, and then to her mother. ¡°I have my own expectations to measure up to after all.¡± Lucy looked distraught and glanced at Rosseau, hoping his expression would tell her that Nora was lying, but his downturned look only confirmed Nora¡¯s words. It made her heart tense. Why would he ask that? Did he really have such little confidence in her ability to win? She tried to shake her head free of these thoughts, but her mind couldn¡¯t help as it flashed to all the times he defended her¡ªall the times he stood up for her. Maybe a part of her understood why he would ask that, but it didn¡¯t make it hurt any less. Nora showed a gross smile, relishing in her successful breaking of Lucy¡¯s resolve. In a swift move, she exploded another chunk of the wall into snow, and directed it a Lucy, wrapping her in it while she was too distracted to defend herself properly. At the last second, Lucy managed to focus her magic onto her own ice to stop it from crushing her, but she was alarmed at the opening it would give Nora elsewhere. Thinking quickly, Lucy used her free arm to direct her magic at Cedric¡¯s ice, barely making it in time to fight against Nora¡¯s control on it that was about to crush him, ¡°Oh? How clever of you to see through that,¡± Nora said. ¡°However, you¡¯re both frozen now, and it¡¯s only a matter of which one of you I break first.¡± Cedric grunted from the ice that squeezed tightly around him, and he could feel it rustling back and forth between Lucy and Nora¡¯s control. Only a little more pressure and he¡¯d be a goner, and the same was probably true for Lucy. Still, he had to do something. ¡°You¡¯re just full of cheap tricks like this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cedric said to Nora. Nora looked unimpressed at the magicless. ¡°Says the one trying to distract me and buy time?¡± Nora redirected her magic at Lucy and began to squeeze, but Lucy responded quickly enough to stop it. In turn, Nora backed off and pretended to aim for Cedric, but instead retook control of Lucy¡¯s ice a second later. Nora was surprised, however, when she realized Lucy was keeping the same ice under her control. ¡°My, my¡­you¡¯re quite the mind reader¡­¡± Nora said, enjoying the tease of her impending victory. ¡°Unfortunately, the situation is in my favor. I only need to win this little game once.¡± Lucy became distraught when she realized Nora was right. Even stopping her ice indefinitely wouldn¡¯t bring her any closer to winning. Nora suppressed a laugh, reminding herself to be careful about her conduct before the refs. It was over though. Her victory was certain. Lucy watched Nora, waiting for her next move, but her heart began to feel jaded. There was no chance anymore. This was it. ¡°Not¡­until¡­it¡¯s over¡­¡± Cedric grunted. His chest was squeezed so tight that he could barely breathe. Even so, he was determined to support Lucy. To keep her from defeating herself. Swiftly, Nora redirected her magic at Cedric, but Lucy managed to do so as well, earning an annoyed huff from Nora. Lucy looked at Cedric, captured by the determination kindled within his usually stoic eyes. Don¡¯t give up¡­ Not until it¡¯s over¡­ It¡¯s not a chance to lose everything¡­ It¡¯s a chance to fight from it being taken away! Lucy felt his determination spill over into herself, and she was filled with resolve. Nora felt a tinge of nervousness at the fierceness of Lucy¡¯s expression, and tried to calm herself. There was nothing the peasant could do to escape. Nothing at all. Lucy meanwhile, brainstormed for an option. An attack? No. Nora would dodge it and shatter one of them after. She had to think beyond that. There was a shell of ice on both of them. Draw Water? She was already doing that. Another muddied cast of the protection charm? What good would that even do? Inanimport? Lucy¡¯s mind replayed how Dominic had been caught off guard several times by it. Surprise¡­ Off guard¡­ But how could she use it in this situation? Teleport the ice away? Maybe. If she could predict one more time which ice Nora wasn¡¯t going to control. But then that person would have to face Nora alone, and what were the chances they would last against her? Not good in the least. Not good. Not good. Inanimport is a dead end, she thought, causing her mind inadvertently flashed to the time when it failed to make Dominic¡¯s sword disappear. ¡°They¡¯re imbuing his sword with magic¡­it was designed to be an optimal method of teleporting inanimate objects.¡± ¡°But a sword is inanimate!¡± ¡°I know, but it also had magic in it¡­classifying it as animate¡­¡± Something fuzzy began to connect itself in Lucy¡¯s mind. Magic¡­ Animate. Not magic¡­ Not animate. Not magic¡­ Magicless. Magicless¡­... ...NOT ANIMATE. Lucy¡¯s eyes went wider than they ever had before. It seemed impossible. It seemed stupid. But it was the only idea she had. Jerking her head up from her concentrated daze, Lucy put her staff forth and shot the spell. Nora reacted by taking control of Cedric¡¯s ice, thinking that Lucy might be feinting and still protecting herself. Even if she wasn¡¯t though, it would just be another stalled moment for her inevitable victory. Surprisingly, Nora felt her control of Cedric¡¯s ice move uninhibited. Without holding back, Nora squeezed the ice as hard as she could, causing it to explode from the pressure it exerted. Glittering shards fluttered in the air above where the ice had been, and Nora looked up to bask in the magicless¡¯s remains. What she saw, though, wasn¡¯t his remains. It was him. He was directly above her, whole and unscathed, with his sword raised up and a bewildered look on his face. Nora¡¯s mind went blank, and she watched, helpless, as he donned a look that frightened her and descended with a roar, striking his blade clean down the center of her body from head to toe. ¡°Huh?¡± Nora said, shattering in the next instant. The ice around Lucy crumbled, and immediately she and Cedric traded looks of unbelief. ¡°Inanimport...on me¡­?¡± Cedric muttered, but Lucy didn''t respond. Instead, her eyes went wide, and then they felt hot as she collapsed to her knees while the ref¡¯s final words fell on her ears. ¡°Assaut Magnifique. Match Set. Lucy Hardtvelt.¡± 15 - Reckless Reasoning (Bonus Sketch Inside) Chapter 15 Reckless Reasoning
¡°Assaut Magnifique. Match Set. Lucy Hardtvelt.¡± Lucy fell to her knees, and her eyes felt hot as she stared at the scoreboard. Her mind didn¡¯t believe it. It was impossible to conceive. But a second later the board changed with a flash to reflect the final score and confirm the reality Lucy was doubting. Nora had been defeated. It was her victory. Lucy buried her face into her hands, and, all at once, the emotions she had been struggling all week to bottle, came pouring out. Tears streamed messily down her wrists and between her fingers, and her cries wailed loud despite her best efforts to muffle them. She had won. She had really won. Several meters away, Cedric saw her and hesitated to approach. He figured he should try to to congratulate her and lift her spirit, but his mind was more interested in the revelation at hand. He stared at the spot where he had been trapped in ice, and then at his feet where he had landed after appearing over Nora. He couldn¡¯t believe it. An actual person had been transported with Inanimport. Never before had something like this been observed. And if his theory on why it worked proved correct, it was a discovery that would require amendments to several, longstanding definitions of magic that hadn¡¯t been touched in hundreds of years. Another whimper from Lucy told Cedric that his investigation should wait, but while he began to walk over, he found himself outpaced by the head ref who teleported before Lucy. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re alright,¡± the man said delicately, kneeling down to her level. ¡°Here, use this.¡± Lucy lifted her messy gaze to see the man holding out a handkerchief, and when she took it with a thankful grunt, he showed a cheery smile. ¡°People often think that winners should always be smiling. But rarely are they familiar with the emotions that come with victory.¡± The man paused, and his smile became tender. ¡°Although, today I find myself unable to imagine what you must be feeling. There aren¡¯t many who have fought under the same circumstances you had to today.¡± Having wiped most of her face clean, Lucy looked at the hooded, half-masked man with her glossy, red eyes. There was something oddly familiar about him, but the olive tone of his skin and the handsome smile below his mask didn¡¯t strike any memory in her. Then, just as she was about to ask him about it, a distant shouting broke the silence. ¡°This is outrageous! She¡¯s a cheat!¡± A rattled voice yelled. Lucy turned her gaze along with the head ref to see the cause of the commotion, and Lucy looked surprised when she saw Nora glaring wildly from her box and pointing an accusing finger at her. ¡°You think that peasant knows how to teleport someone!? It¡¯s a trick! I demand an investigation of everyone involved¡ªincluding the refs!¡± Nora shouted. She then leaned on the arena¡¯s short fence¡ªlooking ready to jump over and tackle Lucy. Lucy looked at Nora with fright, but her nerves were calmed a bit when the head ref teleported right in front of Nora, startling the girl. ¡°Young Miss Straughtvern, though I can understand your frustration with the match¡¯s outcome, you would do well not to let it cloud your judgement,¡± the man said sternly. ¡°No blacklisted spells were used, and no aid was given by an officiating magistrate, of which our duties include monitoring our peers to preserve the integrity of the match.¡± Nora clenched her fists so hard that her nails stabbed into her palm. And while it looked like she would resign her anger, a sudden point of her finger in the ref¡¯s face showed that she wasn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°Who do you think you are talking to!? You stand before the heir to the Straughtvern legacy, and my family won¡¯t stand for such insolent-¡° SLAP! A spot of twinkling mist appeared from nowhere and struck Nora, dissipating quickly as it bounced off the harsh red mark it left on her cheek. Nora looked shocked, and then fearful as she recognized the freezing sensation left on her face. ¡°Foolish girl,¡± Lady Straughtvern chided. ¡°Do not sully our name further than you already have.¡± ¡°But, Mother-¡° ¡°Enough! One more word and I¡¯ll have you moving into Northorn¡¯s dorms by this evening!¡± Nora seemed to choke back a reply as her body visibly tensed. Her mother¡¯s eyes were locked onto her, and the resolve behind them was unwavering. Still, Nora looked at her with desperate eyes, hoping she would reconsider. But she knew her mother could never be persuaded once her icy glare emerged. A moment later, Nora begrudgingly slumped her head in submission. It was over. Lady Straughtvern turned to her husband. ¡°Darling, why don¡¯t you take Nora home. I¡¯ll join you both shortly.¡± ¡°Certainly, my dear. Come along, Nora.¡± Without a word, Nora followed as her father led them out the gymnasium¡¯s large double doors that closed with an echoing thud. ¡°Allow me apologize for my daughter¡¯s ill manners,¡± Lady Straughtvern said while directing a short bow to the head ref. ¡°It seems she hasn¡¯t quite understood our¡­expectations of her behavior in the tournament.¡± The head ref paused, seeming to contemplate the woman¡¯s careful wording. ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°It is not uncommon for the children of such nobility as yourself to have trouble adjusting to the academy¡¯s¡­non-traditional structure.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard.¡± Lady Straughtvern said. ¡°Despite the renowned graduates Greidwhen has proven to produce, I know plenty of families who harrow at the thought of enrolling their children here. They find the mixture¡­distressing.¡± Listening from within the arena, Lucy glanced at Cedric and wondered if he was beginning to feel as uncomfortable as she was, but his expressionless stare didn¡¯t give her an answer. She then glanced at Rosseau, who looked completely jaded¡ªas if he had heard all of this before. ¡°Of course,¡± The head ref said. ¡°And it is a distress we hope to ease with every passing year. As for Nora, I believe that there is no finer place for her to grow than here at Greidwhen. I hope we can continue to witness her talents for magic develop, despite this frantic moment.¡± ¡°We certainly hope to see that too,¡± she said with a flat smile, which Rosseau suspected was offered more out of politeness than agreement. Giving another bow, Lady Straughtvern gave her goodbyes to Rosseau and his family, and gracefully took her leave. As she approached the gymnasium¡¯s double doors, two glittering swirls of icy mist appeared and wrapped around their long brass handles. With a wave of her hand, the mist yanked the doors open, allowing the royal looking woman to exit commandingly though the center of their gap. When the last trace of Lady Straughtvern¡¯s figure disappeared behind the closing doors, everyone was surprised to feel the room¡¯s air become noticeably warmer. ¡°Well, I expect we won¡¯t be seeing an after-match handshake,¡± the assistant ref said, deadpanned. The head ref shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s quite unfortunate. Victory should be congratulated, not antagonized. I would purpose all four of you to remember that going forward.¡± Reflecting on the man¡¯s inspiring words, Lucy subsequently made a curious face as she wondered who the fourth person was. It wasn¡¯t until she looked past Rosseau that she noticed an awkward looking Dominic standing in the box¡¯s corner. ¡°Is it okay for me to leave too?¡± Dominic said, earning a hefty laugh from the assistant ref, and a half smile from the head. ¡°Of course,¡± the head ref said. He then passed glances at everyone and raised his voice in announcement. ¡°This match is officially concluded. And the winner, by no means of any luck, is Lucy Hardtvelt.¡±
Cedric plopped onto the worn wooden bench in the men¡¯s half of their team quarters and let out an exhausted breath. Now that he wasn¡¯t running around, the soreness was beginning to settle in all over his body. He didn¡¯t look forward to waking up tomorrow. For a whole minute, he simply sat there, letting his body rest while his eyes wandered and studied the antique design of the equipment-room. The floor and walls were made of stacked cobblestone, braced by beams of old wood that connected into the ceiling for support. There were several sets of weapons hung from rusted metal racks which were bolted into the stone wall, and crates of armor were strewn about in no organized manner. It was the ugliest room he had seen so far at Greidwhen, and yet he felt such a significant weight being in it. How many generations of students had sat in this very spot before him? How many of them had their dreams end right here? Not even getting a chance to fight in the grand arenas of the later tournament sections. It was uncomfortable to think about, but it was also intriguing. A tournament can only have one winner, and yet, every year, thousands of students across the world would sweat, cry, and bleed themselves to become that one person.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. It was a statistical improbability that you would win. The chances were astronomical. And yet that was probably why they tried so hard in the first place. Cedric heaved a heavy sigh again, rubbing at the corners of his mouth while contemplating. That wasn¡¯t the kind of mindset he could get into. Nor, thankfully, would he have to. By some miracle, he and Lucy had won together¡ªbut he decided it would be the last time. Now that Lucy was remaining at Greidwhen, Rosseau would likely resume being her knight, and Cedric could sit comfortably on the sides, supporting them while they chased their dreams. Yes, that was the way things should be. After all, this isn¡¯t what someone like himself was meant to do. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could make a sulky expression like that.¡± Jolted from his thoughts, Cedric quickly shifted his gaze towards the room¡¯s only doorway, where he saw Rosseau leaning casually against its frame. ¡°That was an incredible maneuver at the end there. Did you teach Lucy how to do that?¡± Cedric sat his weight forward and fiddled his thumb into his palm. ¡°No. She did that on her own,¡± he said, feeling proud of that fact. ¡°I¡­assume you¡¯ll be coming back to her team now? Don¡¯t worry, we both know you had nothing to do with Nora¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°Thanks to your victory, my family has agreed to let me do what I want.¡± Rosseau smiled, grateful that everything worked out, but his smile faded as he remembered something. ¡°I had to tell them about you. To frame it as evidence of Nora¡¯s¡­ inferiority if she lost. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Cedric said quickly. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be coming back then-¡± ¡°Did she ever tell you why she entered the tournament?¡± Rosseau interrupted. Cedric kept a cool face as he shifted uncomfortably, praying that Rosseau wasn¡¯t about to take this conversation into a mistaken direction. ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. A long pause followed between the two boys, one that made Cedric feel completely awkward as he waited for Rosseau to establish some set of ground-rules for being around Lucy. It wouldn¡¯t be necessary, though. He couldn¡¯t care less if Lucy and Rosseau were a thing. He only wanted to continue seeing them. Rosseau let out a grievous sigh. ¡°I really thought I could be the one to take her there¡­¡± he said. His tone carried some grief, which along with his statement, caught Cedric off guard. ¡°After losing our first couple of matches, she told me how she was aiming to reach the Celestial Mages. To reach, well¡­you know.¡± Her mother, Cedric reminded himself. ¡°Before that, I didn¡¯t think much of the tournament. I was simply answering to my family¡¯s expectation to participate. But, after learning Lucy¡¯s goal, I found myself wanting to support her.¡± ¡°However, it turns out resolve doesn¡¯t mean anything if you don¡¯t have the skill to beat your opponents. Lucy always felt it was her fault we kept losing, but it¡¯s not like I was doing anything useful to help her outside of swinging a sword around. Nothing useful like you did.¡± Cedric¡¯s brow hardened in disagreement. ¡°The charm I recommended may have helped the odds, but it still feels lucky that we won at all. It would have been much better if you had been the one by Lucy¡¯s side. Speaking of which¡­¡± Cedric paused, and glanced at the violet banner that Lucy had tied to his collar at the beginning of the match. It was the only ornament required to be worn in the tournament, worn solely by those who served the role of Sorcerer¡¯s Knight. Hesitating for a moment, Cedric untied it from his armor¡¯s collar and furled it into a tight bundle. ¡°Here,¡± he said, tossing the bundle of cloth at Rosseau who caught it. ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, we won¡¯t have to rely on miracles to win.¡± Rosseau nearly chuckled as he studied the bundle of cloth. A miracle. That¡¯s what Nora had said it would take for Lucy to defeat her. Little did Nora know, that miracle was fighting beside Lucy in the arena the entire time. It was there to inspire her every time she felt weak or vulnerable. It was there constantly strategizing to counter Nora¡¯s playbook. And it was there to deliver the final blow that won Lucy the match. Cedric was Lucy¡¯s miracle, at least that¡¯s what Rosseau thought. In all honesty, it made him happy knowing Lucy had the potential to go further in the tournament, but it also felt painful knowing what he would have to do to give her that chance. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who can take her there,¡± Rosseau said somberly. ¡°Hmm? What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means there¡¯s someone far better suited to be Lucy¡¯s knight than me.¡± Cedric gave a disappointed look. ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t suggesting that someone is me?¡± ¡°Who else could I be talking about?¡± Rosseau shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the one who led her to victory¡ªand against Nora, no less. Meanwhile, I failed four times against opponents far weaker than that. The difference is obvious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some reckless reasoning,¡± Cedric shook his head. ¡°It was a disadvantage that I had to fight in your place. All I¡¯m good for is helping you both prepare for a match¡ªnot trying to fight in one.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t true at all.¡± ¡°And how do you figure that?¡± Cedric asked, sounding annoyed. ¡°How about your incredibly adaptive strategies, for one? I couldn¡¯t have come up with half the things you did. And don¡¯t try to lie. I know Lucy didn¡¯t think of sailing you at Nora with a blast of wind.¡± ¡°A move that relied on too many variables. Most of all, luck.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you adapted it, and sent Nora flying at you the second time. And because of that, she was forced to keep a close eye on Lucy¡¯s wind spells from then on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°True,¡± Rosseau asserted. Cedric paused, folding his hands and leaning forward in deep thought. Why was Rosseau being so persistent about this. It was ridiculous. This isn¡¯t what he was cut out for. Not one bit. ¡°I saw the look on your face when you appeared over Nora,¡± Rosseau said. ¡°Lucy probably couldn¡¯t see from where she stood, and it wasn¡¯t something anyone else would have thought significant, but¡­¡± Cedric tensed up and waited for Rosseau to state the fact he had been trying to ignore since it happened. ¡°You were smiling. Just for a second, it looked like you were having fun.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t say anything as his eyes traced the stones peppered into the opposite wall. ¡°And I know Lucy was having fun too, despite how tense things got in the end. I haven¡¯t seen her like that since our first match together.¡± Rosseau smiled, remembering it fondly. ¡°She truly enjoyed fighting with you. And I¡¯m sure¡­if she had to choose¡­¡± Realizing his somber gaze had drifted to the floor, Rosseau glanced at Cedric, who was now wearing a contemplating expression and touching at the corners of his mouth. Unfurling the banner, Rosseau tossed it into the air above Cedric, where it fluttered down and draped over the back of his neck. Pulled out of his deep focus, Cedric grabbed at the cloth and shifted his astounded gaze to see Rosseau already halfway out the door. Rosseau turned his head, passing a final glance at Cedric. ¡°Quit trying to find an excuse. It¡¯s okay to do what you want. And I¡¯ll help you with any training you need.¡± Cedric continued to look astonished at Rosseau. His mind was telling him to protest, but the words were failing to come out. ¡°It¡¯s your responsibility now. You¡¯re the only one who can help her reach the Celestial Mages.¡± Rosseau said, passing through the doorway. ¡°I wish I could have done more¡­but she¡¯s already chosen you.¡±
After Rosseau left, Cedric remained still for several minutes, thinking about everything. There were too many questions to consider. Too many avenues for his mind to explore from this. Despite Rosseau¡¯s suggestion, Cedric didn¡¯t know if this is what he wanted, and he certainly didn¡¯t know if this is what was best for Lucy. All he knew was that a huge responsibility had been thrust upon him. Still, in the end it depended entirely on what Lucy wanted. ¡°She¡¯s already chosen you¡­¡± Cedric mused over Rosseau¡¯s last words to him, not quite sure where he got off making such a claim. It didn¡¯t matter though. Cedric decided he would find Lucy, and ask her directly if she wanted Rosseau back. Finding some semblance of resolve, Cedric changed out of his armor, and back into his normal clothes. When he returned into the gymnasium, he was surprised to find it completely empty. Not even Lucy was in sight. There was no way to tell if she might be in the girl¡¯s half of the team quarters, or if she had left to give her update to the tournament office in the next building over. Either way, Cedric wasn¡¯t one to wait around, so he left the gymnasium and headed for the foyer to leave the building for good. When he entered the foyer, though, he was surprised to find Lucy waiting for him¡ªher hair and eyes turned back to their pinkish hue. Seeing Cedric enter, Lucy let out a nervous sigh and smiled. ¡°There you are. I thought you might have left without saying anything.¡± ¡°Sorry. I was¡­taking a moment to rest up. My body hasn¡¯t had to move like that in a while.¡± Cedric almost winced at how lame that sounded out loud. And Lucy fought a teasing smile while thinking the exact same thing. ¡°Are you¡­fine?¡± Cedric asked. Lucy let out a spitting laugh. ¡°You mean, ¡®am I going to break down and cry again¡¯?¡± Lucy laughed, though she couldn¡¯t help rubbing her eye again. The whites of her eyes were still a light shade of red as Cedric noticed. Calming down, Lucy averted her eyes and smiled warmly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, now. Everything feels completely different. Like I was falling before, but now I¡¯ve gently landed.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to hear that. You certainly earned your place here after all the hard work you put in this week. What will you do now?¡± ¡°Hmm? I wonder.¡± Lucy said, averting her eyes even more from him. This was it, Cedric thought. She was going to let him know that she needed Rosseau to come back. ¡°Well,¡± Lucy muttered, now fiddling with her fingers. ¡°I was hoping you could teach me more spells for the next match.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cedric said, masking his satisfaction at Rosseau¡¯s misjudged claim. ¡°Though you¡¯ll have to be my guinea pig every now and then for some spells I want to see tested.¡± ¡°S¡­sure,¡± Lucy said shyly. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing dangerous. They just might not be useful for you or Rosseau in matches.¡± Cedric noticed Lucy tense up immediately. Her gaze was now completely fixed at her feet, and her face was curled nervously as she fidgeted her foot into the marble floor. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± she said. Cedric suddenly felt nervous himself, though his face didn¡¯t show it. But then Lucy turned her eyes up at him, and when he saw the way the window¡¯s afternoon light glistened inside them, his nervousness gave itself up. ¡°I wanted to ask if you would remain as my knight in the tournament.¡± Cedric¡¯s mouth nearly went agape. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Rosseau was right. Once again, a million questions exploded in Cedric¡¯s mind, but amongst them all, there was one he knew should be asked. The only one that mattered. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lucy looked up at him, and there was a seed of hesitance in her eye that even Cedric could see. She shook it off however, now giving him a look that was completely earnest. ¡°Yes.¡±
Lucy Hardtvelt tossed and turned in her bed that night, unable to fall asleep. It probably had something to do with the fact that curfew was still an hour away¡ªevident by the lively noises of several students in the yard outside the dorm¡ªbut she figured she should turn in early to recover from the weeks-worth of anxiety, and the physical exhaustion from fighting in the match. The match, Lucy thought as she rolled onto her back and plopped her arms on top of the comforter. She replayed every detail of it in her mind. It was her first win in the tournament. Even now, she couldn¡¯t believe that it worked out. But it did¡ªand she was determined to go even further than this. That was the reason she asked Cedric to remain as her knight. She had thought his instruction leading up to the match was helpful already, and she was truly grateful for it. But he was even more incredible in the match itself. The way he strategized. The way he calculated¡­ The way he supported her every time she broke down¡­ Lucy swallowed nervously at that last point, and she could already hear the voice in her head telling her not to make anything out of it. It sounded a lot like her father. Two loud knocks suddenly thumped on the dorm¡¯s door, which couldn¡¯t have come at a better time, Lucy thought. While she got up to answer, a muffled voice called out from behind it that Lucy couldn¡¯t make out. Using the spare wand on her nightstand to create some light, Lucy opened the door and was greeted by a half-masked woman whose silky brown hair poured forth from the bottom her drawn hood. It was another magistrate. One whose mask Lucy didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Lucy Hardtvelt,¡± the woman announced. ¡°You are being summoned to the Headmaster¡¯s Court. On the pretense of using a spell incompatible with the tournament¡¯s charm.¡± 16 - Anomaly and Trial Chapter 16 Anomaly and Trial
¡°Settle down, all of you. Settle down.¡± Headmaster Falk said once again from behind his absurdly tall desk, motioning his hands up and down to hush the crowded pews on each side of the room. Standing in the center floor, Lucy glanced between each group. The Headmaster¡¯s order seemed to fall on deaf ears as everyone continued to pass whispers to each other. Then the whispers became murmurs, and then full-fledged conversations. The mess of voices quickly became suffocating, but it was nothing compared to the feeling Lucy got every time she caught someone passing a suspicious glance her way. Why did things like this keep happening to her? ¡°SILENCE!¡± Everyone in the room winced from the sudden shout, and the conversations died out as all eyes fell onto Headmaster Falk. Surveying the room for any further challengers of his authority, the headmaster brought his wand away from his lips and looked down to Lucy. He then directed his eyes at the Magistrate who stood by her side. ¡°Has Miss Hardtvelt been informed of the situation?¡± ¡°Only of the general dilemma. Not of its nature,¡± the masked woman replied. ¡°I see.¡± Headmaster Falk stroked his beard and looked back at Lucy. The poor girl had another nervous look on her face. ¡°Am I¡­in trouble?¡± Lucy asked. Headmaster Falk passed an apprehensive look to each side of the room and spoke with dissatisfaction. ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± The old Headmaster leaned back in his chair and grabbed carefully at the empty air beside him. Drawing his hand back, a thick, leather-bound book faded into his grasp. When he released it onto his desk, its cover and pages fluttered open, settling on a page that the Headmaster looked quite interested in. ¡°By your hand, a combatant was teleported with an unrecognized method, and there are some within the school board who feel that disqualifies your victory-¡± ¡°What!?¡± Lucy¡¯s desperate voice cracked. ¡°However,¡± The Headmaster spoke over her. ¡°Their presumptions would be baseless, seeing as the magistrates who monitored the match, themselves reported that there was no observable interference with the tournament¡¯s charm.¡± Irate voices suddenly hounded amongst the hooded figures in the pews, but they all hushed when one among them stood up and pointed accusingly at the headmaster. ¡°That report has no credibility given the circumstances. You yourself-¡° A flash of silver light suddenly exploded at the room¡¯s ceiling, astounding the man and everyone else while the light¡¯s glittering remains fluttered towards the ground and faded. Lucy rubbed her eyes instinctually, but she was surprised that the harsh flash hadn¡¯t blinded her in any way. When she looked back up, she was unsettled to see that everyone¡¯s eyes were intently fixated on something. ¡°Be mindful of the things you say, Mr. Dewart.¡± A dark-skinned woman stood in the pews opposite the man and lowered her wand where it had been aimed at the ceiling. ¡°You have no jurisdiction to divulge such information in the presence of a student. If you do, the council will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions, even against someone as tenured as yourself.¡± The room fell deathly silent, and when Lucy studied the woman, she couldn¡¯t believe she hadn¡¯t noticed her before. Unlike everyone else¡¯s purple robe, the woman wore a flawless white robe embroidered with silver threads and clasped together by a chain of silver. Lucy¡¯s eyes fixated onto a small medallion that hung decoratively from the chain. She could barely make it out the symbol etched into it, but it was exactly what she figured¡ªa twenty-pointed star, nesting a set of three others inside itself. This woman was an emissary for the governing council of mages¡ªThe Council of Eighty. ¡°Hmph. Cocky council reps,¡± the man who had just been yelling a second ago, grumbled under his breath and begrudgingly took his seat. For a moment, Lucy thought things might not be so bad with this woman here. But when the woman fleeted a suspicious look at her, Lucy¡¯s heart sank back down. ¡°¡­Thank you, Emissary Liostra,¡± Headmaster Falk said. ¡°Though, I¡¯m confident Mr. Dewart wasn¡¯t going to say anything reckless. I would appreciate if you could trust Greidwhen¡¯s school board to observe such basic rules.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to adhere by the council¡¯s strict methods, you shouldn¡¯t have requested their presence for this hearing,¡± the woman said flatly. She then looked unimpressed at Lucy. ¡°Though I fail to see why this circumstance warrants their attention. Without interference, there is no basis for revoking the girl¡¯s victory. And there are already prescribed protocols for anomalies with the tournament¡¯s charm. See them through and be done with this.¡± The headmaster gave a cheeky smirk. ¡°You¡¯ll see in a moment, Miss Liostra, that it¡¯s precisely the circumstance of this anomaly that warrants the council¡¯s interest.¡± The woman emissary raised a curious eyebrow and opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by the low, rustling drag of the court¡¯s main doors opening at the back of the room. The doors opened fully to reveal another magistrate, a man apparent by his large frame and broad shoulders that his cloak draped over. As he entered, Lucy felt there was an air of irritation in his step, but her interest in why was evaporated when she saw a boy towing behind him. He had unkempt, chestnut hair, and was sporting a pair of mustard-colored glasses over his tired eyes, and a book-bag over his shoulder. ¡°Cedric,¡± Lucy called out thoughtlessly. She didn¡¯t know whether to offer a frown or a smile given the circumstances. ¡°My apologies for the late arrival, headmaster.¡± The magistrate took his place beside the other and bowed. ¡°This young man refused my offer to transport him here.¡± ¡°As is his right to do so,¡± the headmaster replied without missing a beat. ¡°Forgive our intrusion on your studies, Mr. Leonarch. But this matter is of immediate significance as I¡¯m sure you are aware.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Of course,¡± Cedric replied. His expression was uninspired. ¡°Leonarch?¡± the council emissary said, sounding astonished. Lucy noticed the woman look cautiously at Cedric. The headmaster looked gravely at the dark-skinned woman in white. ¡°Indeed, Emissary Liostra. Mr. Leonarch is the center of this anomaly¡ªinstantly transported six meters by none other than the elementary level spell, Inanimport.¡± ¡°Inanimport?¡± the woman said. ¡°How can that be?¡± Lucy watched awkwardly as several members of the schoolboard shifted uncomfortably in their seats. The question hung dead in the air, and soon even the council rep looked like she regretted asking it. Observing the entire room¡¯s nervous display, the headmaster gave a quiet sigh, figuring he should be the one to say it so they could all move on. ¡°Because I¡¯m a magicless, obviously.¡± The entire room froze, and Lucy nearly choked on her nervous swallow. She couldn¡¯t believe Cedric was the one to say it¡ªwith his signature, dull expression, no less. The headmaster fought an amused look, seeing his faculty and the council rep squirm, but the liveliness in his eyes faded as he remembered a time when the young boy before him wouldn¡¯t have been so brazen. ¡°So, you reached that conclusion as well?¡± Falk said. ¡°Yes. But only after Lucy made the initial deduction herself. Without her, we wouldn¡¯t even be having this discussion.¡± Lucy¡¯s cheeks flushed lightly as she threw a shy glance at Cedric. ¡°Well, if it is indeed true, may we see a demonstration?¡± the emissary asked. The headmaster showed a look of interest at the woman¡¯s request and looked back to Cedric. ¡°If Mr. Leonarch is willing.¡± At once, every eye in the court locked onto Cedric, whose face remained indifferent. Lucy thought it was incredible that he could be so calm in front of Greidwhen¡¯s entire school board and a representative for the council. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do much good to refuse,¡± Cedric said. ¡°We can do it.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± the elegantly robed council rep said and teleported before Cedric in an instant. With an eager face, she brandished her wand and aimed it at him, but her expression became confounded when she saw the boy raise a rejecting hand up to her. ¡°Not you,¡± he ordered. Lucy¡¯s eyes went wide in shock, as did everyone else¡¯s, and immediately whispers began to pass amongst the crowds¡ªalong with the sound of a few stifled laughs. ¡°Excuse me!?¡± the council rep shrilled. Her face burned with irritation and embarrassment, but Cedric didn¡¯t give her reaction a second thought as he walked past her, arriving at Lucy. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Eh?¡± Lucy looked surprised at him. ¡°Are¡­are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you do it, than anyone else here.¡± Hearing that statement, Lucy¡¯s cheeks were ready to flush an embarrassed shade of red, but when she looked closely at Cedric, she completely forgot her feelings. She couldn¡¯t be sure, but she swore he looked uncomfortable. Lucy passed a look to the council emissary behind him. Could it be because of her? ¡°A-alright,¡± Lucy said softly. She then looked at her empty hands and pondered. ¡°Is it alright if I get my staff?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll retrieve it immediately,¡± Lucy¡¯s accompanying magistrate said. With a subtle motion of her hand, the air around the woman began to whirl as Lucy could feel, and a moment later she disappeared, leaving behind a short gust that quickly died out. ¡°Hmph. I suppose I¡¯ll cast a monitoring charm in the meantime,¡± The council rep announced. ¡°After all, I¡¯ll need proof that the spell you are using is indeed Inanimport.¡± ¡°That goes without saying,¡± Cedric replied. The council rep threw a short look of irritation at Cedric, and then extended it to Lucy, who wasn¡¯t at all thrilled to be included under the woman¡¯s scrutiny. Thankfully, the awkward wait didn¡¯t last long as the magistrate re-appeared with Lucy¡¯s staff in-hand. ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucy said, taking her staff. Receiving a confirming nod from Cedric, the two spaced themselves out on opposite sides of the room, where the emissary¡¯s casting of the monitoring charm ended with a resounding chime. ¡°Whenever you two are ready,¡± the emissary said. Lucy looked anxiously at Cedric, who nodded for her to go ahead. Taking a breath to steady herself, Lucy brought her staff forth and aimed it at Cedric. The room had gone silent, save for the creaks that came from several viewers leaning forward intently in their seats to watch the display unfold. Lucy tried to ignore their prying eyes, and taking another deep breath, she channeled her magic and released the spell with a bigger burst than she planned. Cedric betrayed a nervous look as he braced for the invisible spell to hit him, and in the instant it connected, gasps resounded throughout the crowds at his disappearance. Their wonder didn¡¯t last long, however, as they all looked dumbfounded at where Lucy had transported the boy who now had a panicked look on his face. He was three meters in the air, directly over Lucy¡¯s head. Lucy looked up, realizing her mistake too late. She hadn¡¯t thought properly about where to transport Cedric like she did in the match against Nora. As a result, she had put him in the same spot she put everything else she used Inanimport on¡ªdirectly overhead, ready for her to catch. Cedric landed on Lucy with a harsh thud. ¡°Ack! What the hell are you doing!?¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± Cedric scrambled to get off the girl as fast as possible, all the while trying not to think about the unsolicited sensations and smells that came with being so close to her. He had to collect himself. Like hell he¡¯d get ensnared so simply. Thankfully, for him, Lucy was too distracted by the pain to notice his rare, flustered face. ¡°Erm, you alright?¡± He asked. ¡°¡­No,¡± Lucy winced, rolling side to side while cradling several different areas of herself. ¡°Is this what it felt like when I fell on you?¡± She then smiled and gave a short laugh which put Cedric at ease. Surely this was some form of destined payback for falling on him first. Oh well, at least she didn¡¯t need to apologize for it anymore. ¡°Incredible,¡± the emissary said with astonishment while Cedric helped Lucy to her feet. The white robed woman glanced between where Cedric had been transported. ¡°This discovery¡­it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Groundbreaking,¡± the headmaster finished. The emissary sighed whimsically. ¡°So little magic was used compared to the standard methods. I can see why you requested the council¡¯s attention on this matter. I¡¯ll be sure to report it in the highest possible priority.¡± ¡°I appreciate as much, and please allow me to provide some further details once we adjourn here, before you go.¡± The emissary responded with a curious look, but soon figured what these details might concern as she fought a reflexive glance towards Cedric. ¡°Agreed,¡± she said. ¡°If I may, headmaster,¡± a new woman from the crowd stood up¡ªa member of Greidwhen¡¯s board, apparent by her violet robes and gold trimming. ¡°The discovery is all well and good, but there is still the matter of its compatibility with the tournament¡¯s charm. Though there was no interference as the magistrates reported, I¡¯m hard pressed to believe it guarantees the spell¡¯s safety. What would we do if the charm failed even once to protect this young man?¡± Lucy¡¯s chest tightened uncomfortably at the woman¡¯s suggestion. Failed to protect him? Had she really put Cedric in such a dangerous position? ¡°Hmm. You raise a fair point,¡± the headmaster said, scratching his beard thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose a thorough analysis of the spell¡¯s compatibility is the most responsible measure to take. How long would that take your office to complete, Thomas?¡± The headmaster directed his gaze towards a separate man, who stood up in response. ¡°Six months, at the least.¡± ¡°My¡­ that long. I hope that isn¡¯t due to any deficiencies in our experience with this sort of dilemma.¡± ¡°Not at all. We do an exhaustive drill twice every year. Six months is the standard amount of time to vet a new interaction. Like Eleanor suggests, we can¡¯t afford to miss anything.¡± ¡°I see. Well, that is regrettable. No doubt it would have been an exciting tactic for audiences to witness. I would have liked to see it in action, myself.¡± Lucy felt her heart sink. After she had cast Inanimport on Cedric in their match, she was excited at the thought of how useful it could be for their other matches. But now, she wouldn¡¯t even get to use it a second time. The only advantage she had come across had been taken away so quickly. ¡°We¡¯ll finish with a vote for the following measure,¡± the headmaster announced. ¡°Blacklisting the use of Inanimport on Mr. Leonarch until the tournament office concludes their six-month investigation. At that time, should the office deem the spell be of no threat to Mr. Leonarch¡¯s person, the ban will be immediately lifted. All in favor-¡± ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± a dull voice called out, interrupting everyone in the middle of raising their hands. All eyes turned to Cedric, who was standing firm in the center floor with a sharp look in his eyes. ¡°An investigation won¡¯t be necessary. The spell is compatible, and I can prove it.¡± 17 - After All Chapter 17 After All
¡°The spell is compatible, and I can prove it,¡± Cedric said, standing firm in the center of the headmaster¡¯s court with a sharp look in his eyes. Murmurs resounded amongst the crowds once again, along with a few glares that didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Cedric and Lucy. ¡°Settle down, everyone,¡± Headmaster Falk said, successfully taming the crowd thanks to the lingering threat of his blowing up at them. He then looked inquisitively at Cedric. ¡°That is quite the claim, Mr. Leonarch. What evidence do you have to support it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason Inanimport didn¡¯t interfere with the charm when Lucy used it.¡± Cedric opened his bookbag and began to rummage through it, eventually procuring a thick collection of papers. ¡°It¡¯s because Inanimport is a derivative of another teleportation spell¡ªone that already works with the tournament¡¯s charm.¡± Cedric held out the papers, where they floated from his gasp and into the headmaster¡¯s. Giving them a quick look-through, the headmaster was surprised to see that every page was hand-written and professionally laid out, and he was even more impressed seeing that the final page was a collection of citations from over a dozen books in Greidwhen¡¯s library. He couldn¡¯t help a proud smirk. He would be hard pressed to find even a third-year who could compile this level of research. ¡°This is a significant amount of material. How long have you been working on this?¡± the headmaster asked. ¡°Since the match¡¯s end,¡± Cedric answered. The headmaster¡¯s brow raised in surprise. That was only eight hours ago. ¡°Rothmeyer¡¯s Teleportation is it?¡± the headmaster mused while studying the first page. ¡°Her method is indeed compatible with the tournament¡¯s charm. But how does Inanimport being a derivative of it guarantee its integrity with the charm?¡± Cedric adjusted his glasses with a confident look. ¡°Put simply, the tournament¡¯s charm identifies spells as complex as teleporation by detecting precise segments of their channeling process. In the case of Inanimport, the segment it adopts from Rothmeyer¡¯s process happens to be the same one the tournament¡¯s charm is configured to detect. As a result, its response to Inanimport being used on a combatant is the same as its response to Rothmeyer¡¯s Teleportation.¡± Further whispers passed throughout the room while Lucy tried to keep her head from spinning at Cedric¡¯s explanation. She didn¡¯t fully understand it, and if that was the simple explanation, she couldn¡¯t imagine what the normal one was like. Intrigued by the argument, the headmaster sorted through the papers once more, giving them a more careful read while everyone waited with held breaths. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t in his expertise to confirm the conclusions drawn in research. Eventually, he lifted his eyes from the papers and back to Cedric. But, before he could voice his next thought, another woman from the school-board drew everyone¡¯s attention with her lone scoff. ¡°Forgive my brashness,¡± the woman held up an apologetic hand. ¡°But are we honestly about to lean on the whims of a student for such an important decision?¡± The woman looked sternly at Cedric from where she sat, then surveyed the rest of the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s unbecoming to suggest his findings outweigh opinions and experience of our own offices. And even if the information holds some merit, we should study it alongside the standard protocols, rather than open ourselves to liability because a risk went undisclosed.¡± Lucy grew worried as mutters of agreement passed amongst everyone, and she herself began to wonder what the right choice was. The last thing she wanted was to put Cedric in danger, but six months was practically the end of the tournament. Who knows if they would still be competing by then? There had to be a way to convince everyone to let her use it. There had to-! Lucy paused herself, and suddenly she realized what a horrible thing she was suggesting. How could she even consider risking Cedric¡¯s safety for her own benefit? That wasn¡¯t what a friend was supposed to do. And that¡¯s exactly what she and Cedric were. Weren¡¯t they? Lucy looked at Cedric, shamed by her own selfishness. ¡°Maybe we should forget about using Inanimport,¡± she whispered to him. ¡°It¡¯s not worth the risk.¡± Cedric turned his stone gaze towards her, causing the girl to shyly avert her eyes. It had been more embarrassing to say than she thought. It didn¡¯t help that Cedric was holding a long silent look at her, but she hoped this was enough to make up for her brief moment of selfishness. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯refalling for this nonsense,¡± Cedric said before stepping forward and grossing the attention of the entire court. ¡°None of those points just made are relevant. The charm¡¯s response to Inanimport is exactly the same as Rothmeyer¡¯s in every instance. Every detail on why is listed in there.¡± Cedric pointed to the papers in Falk¡¯s hands. ¡°There is no undisclosed risk waiting to be uncovered, and my position as a first-year has nothing to do with the evidence¡¯s integrity.¡± Cedric narrowed his gaze onto the woman who had voiced her opposition. ¡°And of course you should show the findings to your research offices. They¡¯ll be sure to understand its content immediately. After all, we wouldn¡¯t want to rely on the whims of someone without any knowledge on this sort of thing.¡± The woman¡¯s mouth fell agape. ¡°Wha-? Excuse me!?¡° ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± the headmaster interjected. His voice carried an unnatural strength that churned the room¡¯s air, unnerving everyone. Well, almost everyone. The headmaster fixed his stern gaze onto Cedric, who returned the look with unwavering resolve. Falk was surprised. Typically, the boy¡¯s face was one of genuine disinterest, but that wasn¡¯t the case now. There was a spark in him. A reflection of vigor brimming in his eyes. ¡°Perhaps we should test that theory of yours,¡± the headmaster said, concealing his interest for his fresh-conceived idea. ¡°Thomas, if you would read through Mr. Leonarch¡¯s findings here and now. Please inform us if the claims and evidence are accurate, and if any further investigation after the fact would be facetious.¡± Loosening his hold on them, the papers floated out from the headmaster¡¯s and traveled towards the left-hand pews, settling into Thomas¡¯s grasp. The man swallowed and nervously glanced around the room before accepting the duty bestowed upon him and beginning his reading. For the first minute, the school board watched with glazed eyes as they waited for Thomas to crack a laugh or show a smile. Such a reaction would give all the proof they needed for the research¡¯s discredit. But one minute turned to two. Then two turned into ten. And by the count of how many times the pages had been shuffled, many of them knew that the tenured expert was already on his second read-through of the material. The room had fallen deathly quiet by time Thomas finished his second pass. The man¡¯s eyes stung from the buildup of sweat on his face, and he rubbed them thoughtfully while muttering a quick couple words that no one beside him could discern. He swallowed uncomfortably, passing a glance to the headmaster, and then to Emissary Liostra. ¡°How late is Meredith working tonight?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°Why would she need to be involved?¡± Liostra said. Her voice was worried. ¡°I need¡­a second opinion is all.¡± Watching the exchange intently, Lucy¡¯s face perked with interest. So far, the man hadn¡¯t said anything about the research being wrong. Could that mean...? ¡°Hold on.¡± The belligerent woman who adamantly opposed Cedric earlier, said. ¡°Surely you are not suggesting that the boy¡¯s research is credible?¡± Thomas stroked his jaw, taking a moment to review everything in his mind. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting that a second party look at this. Objectively, if possible.¡± He looked at Emissary Liostra once again. ¡°Is Meredith available right now?¡± ¡°Possibly. You know how she overworks herself.¡± Whispering an affirmation to himself, Thomas searched the breast of his robe and procured a leather sleeve whose contents he emptied beside him. Carefully, he slid Cedric¡¯s papers into it and floated the sleeve over to Emissary Liostra. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to show up,¡± Thomas said. ¡°Just have her read it and get her analysis in writing. Oh, and don¡¯t let her know who wrote it.¡± He passed a guilty look at Cedric. ¡°For objectivity, of course.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you deliver it to her, yourself?¡± the council emissary asked. Thomas smiled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯d¡­rather not.¡± The emissary eyed the leather slab that floated in front of her and passed an annoyed look at Thomas. She wasn¡¯t keen on playing messenger. But besides Thomas and herself, she knew that the woman in question likely would not give anyone else here the time of day. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡± Pinching her robe¡¯s medallion between her knuckles, the emissary channeled her magic into it and disappeared in a shimmer of silver light. Lucy was surprised at the stylish disappearance. She never knew the medallions could be used for spellcasting. ¡°Hmm, this will probably take a few minutes. Let¡¯s consider this a short recess,¡± Headmaster Falk announced. And before his statement even finished, several of the school board members were already loosening up and chatting with each other about everything that had transpired. ¡°Why don¡¯t the both of you take a seat over there,¡± the headmaster said to Cedric and Lucy. ¡°I¡¯m sure it must be exhausting to stand for so long without having a proper rest from your match.¡± Following the direction of the headmaster¡¯s motioning point, Lucy looked over to see a short, neglected bench positioned along the rugged stone wall. Her eyes sparkled with relief. Being in the headmaster¡¯s court had been exhausting¡ªfor more reasons than one. And when she sat down on the cushion-less bench, its hardwood seat still felt like a small gift. Never again would she take hardwood benches for granted. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty happy face for such a miserable seat,¡± a voice called out. Lucy broke from her blissful trance and looked at Cedric who took his seat beside her. His eyes were tired, and his body moved rigidly from soreness. But when he finally settled into his seat, even he couldn¡¯t help a comfortable breath after getting the weight off of his feet.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Lucy smiled devilishly. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to sit, you know. I¡¯ll be happy to turn this bench into a bed if you aren¡¯t using it.¡± Choosing not to oblige her teasing, Cedric relaxed another long breath, settling further into his seat while Lucy pouted at his refusal to play along. A long pause lingered between them, and Lucy could tell he was thinking hard about something. ¡°Sorry, if I sounded coarse earlier,¡± he said, thinking back to Lucy¡¯s suggestion that they give up on Inanimport. ¡°It was just¡­frustrating. To think that their baseless fears were going to overshadow the facts.¡± Lucy thought about the nature of everyone¡¯s resistance up till now, and it made her heart sink. It was probably more than just Cedric being a student. She was sure there was resistance because of something else. ¡°No, I should apologize,¡± she said, not wanting to finish that depressing thought. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you know more about this than me. I should have supported you. After all¡­¡± Clasping her hands together, Lucy fidgeted them anxiously against her legs. ¡°More than teammates¡­ we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Lucy¡¯s cheeks went red while she kept her gaze fixed onto the floor in front of her. A part of her wanted to know what kind of face Cedric was making right now, but it wasn¡¯t worth exposing her own stupid face to find out. However, when the seconds ticked by without a reply from him, she managed a shy glance his way, only to find that he had fallen asleep. ¡°Are you kidding me!?¡± she exclaimed, jolting the boy awake. ¡°Wha- wha-?¡± Cedric mumbled nonsensically. His tired eyes opened and looked at her unbelievably¡ªa look she returned, with a pout for good measure. ¡°Ugh, nevermind,¡± Lucy huffed and turned away from him. Her face had begun to turn redder than before. Now she really couldn¡¯t let him see. ¡°S-sorry,¡± Cedric muttered, adjusting his position again. Reaching behind for his hood, he pulled it as far over his face as he could and hoped the subtle shade of red that brewed on his cheeks would disappear quickly.
The minutes ticked by in the headmaster¡¯s court, and the distant, soft-spoken conversations of everyone else put Lucy into a near slumber while she waited patiently for the hearing to resume. The soft snores from Cedric beside her didn¡¯t help either. Her eyelids had never felt so heavy. Thankfully, before she could lose the battle against sleep, the court¡¯s tall doors swung open, and their low, dragging rumble jarred her and everyone else to attention. Coming into the room, an older, fair-skinned woman with graying-blonde hair and white robes caught Lucy¡¯s eye. For a moment, she thought it was another emissary from the council, but after studying the robes closer, she realized her mistake. The woman¡¯s robes were laced with golden embroidery, rather than silver, and its collar was clasped together by a chain and medallion of pure gold. Lucy was in awe. This woman wasn¡¯t an emissary for the council. She was a member of the council itself. ¡°Where is that rat, Thomas?¡± the woman yelled, reaching the center of the court. The grandeur of her entrance was so compelling that Lucy almost didn¡¯t notice Liostra following after her. ¡°Oh, Meredith. You¡¯re here.¡± Thomas¡¯s voice cracked. The councilor locked onto the man. ¡°You incorrigible fool. I apprentice you for six years, and you still require my approval for something like this!?¡± The woman held up and waved the leather sleeve that emissary Liostra had been sent away with. ¡°Think about how this makes me look! When my own pupil is handed a complete study but can¡¯t bring himself to sign off on it. I didn¡¯t raise such a soft-bellied coward, did I?¡± The room fell silent as everyone waited for Thomas to respond. It didn¡¯t appear that he would though. His face was nervous, and while he kept trying to say something, only jumbles of half words came out. Lucy wondered if this was the effect of being under the woman¡¯s tutelage for half a decade. ¡°Ahem,¡± the headmaster cleared his throat. ¡°Councilor Veletta, how gracious of you to make an appearance in our humble academy.¡± ¡°Please call me by my name, Falk. You know how I despise the high formalities.¡± The woman crossed her arms and looked pointedly at him. Lucy tensed, wondering if she was about to witness a showdown between the two short-tempered figures. She was surprised, though, when Headmaster Falk barked a laugh instead. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to be a councilor, you should have been more careful about becoming the greatest spellstician of our time.¡± The councilwoman smirked. ¡°Well, the resources I¡¯m allowed with the job aren¡¯t so bad a perk. I¡¯m just sorry that the prot¨¦g¨¦ I left you wasn¡¯t apt enough to approve a simple study.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. About that study,¡± the headmaster said, more serious. ¡°What exactly is your judgement of it?¡± At once, Meredith¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. As if she were a parent witnessing her child cast an illumination spell for the first time. ¡°It stands as the most clever application of spell theory I¡¯ve seen in years. The Inanimport revelation aside, the content perfectly considers the four pillars of spell detection to detail why it requires no configuration to the tournament¡¯s charm to use.¡± Once again, murmurs passed amongst the crowded pews. ¡°Err, yes. That did seem to be the case-¡° ¡°And yet you still didn¡¯t have the courage to approve it,¡± the councilwoman cut off her former apprentice. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll get away with this. Once this hearing is over, you and I are going to have a thorough council about your future in this field.¡± The middle-aged spellstician sighed, but his face carried a smile. ¡°That seems to happen every time our paths cross.¡± Seeing that things had gotten off track, the headmaster leaned forward, taking advantage of the obnoxious creak his chair made to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Meredith, but it was a bit unclear for myself, so allow me to rearticulate.¡± He fleeted a look to Lucy and Cedric who remained in their bench off to the side. ¡°Given the research, is inanimport safe to use on a magicless combatant during the tournament?¡± Intrigued by the headmaster¡¯s choice glance, Meredith looked suspicious and stole her own at the two kids off to the side. They were first years, apparent by the robes they wore. The girl with the ridiculous pink hair returned a nervous look which didn¡¯t impress the old councilwoman, but the boy¡­ the boy had patient eyes. Eyes which betrayed that he did not struggle to understand the complex subject being discussed. Eyes which seemed to be waiting¡­ expecting, her next words. ¡°Yes,¡± Meredith began, shaking off a sudden discomfort. ¡°Given the research, there is no doubt that the spell is compatible with the tournament¡¯s charm.¡± Arguing voices overwhelmed the room, and the headmaster couldn¡¯t help but smirk as he witnessed his colleagues become disparate with each other. The school board had been shaken. From what he could see, one half didn¡¯t want to believe the verdict, and the other half¡ªwhile likely sharing the sentiment¡ªknew better than to challenge the judgement of someone as esteemed as councilor Veletta, and each side was trying to convince the other. It made him want to laugh, but he knew he shouldn¡¯t. If only his old friend knew just who¡¯s research she had so passionately validated. It would give her quite a shock. A first-year student¡ªa magicless first-year student¡ªhad managed to prove in one night what Greidwhen¡¯s best offices would have taken six months to ascertain. Having no interest in trying to shout over everyone again, the headmaster channeled his magic and pushed two gusts of wind into each crowd, forcing everyone to cease their bickering and hold onto their seats to keep from falling over. Once the wind died down, they all looked at him. Their once well-ordered robes were now creased and ruffled. ¡°I am quite disappointed at the lack of manners being displayed. Not just before two hands of the council, but before two of our own students as well.¡± The headmaster looked pointedly at a few of the most noticeable troublemakers in the crowd. ¡°We should be celebrating this achievement made by one of our own students,¡± the headmaster continued. ¡°After all, Greidwhen was founded as an institution to cultivate talents of the untraditional; the likes of which Northorn and Amareste refuse to accommodate. We have always aimed to be more open-minded than them. Has that purpose truly been lost to the board under my own nose?¡± The guilty members of the crowd averted their eyes. Many of them looked ashamed as Lucy noticed. She wondered what Cedric must be feeling right now, but she didn¡¯t dare look his way. She didn¡¯t want him to think she was pitying him. And she herself didn¡¯t know what to make of all the feelings battling inside her. The only thing she knew for certain, was how proud she was to have Falk as their Headmaster. ¡°Mr. Leonarch, it appears your research was accurate after all,¡± the headmaster said, looking at Cedric. ¡°As such, I believe this hearing has reached its final verdict.¡± The headmaster surveyed the room, and held his head high as a blank parchment appeared beside him. ¡°Let it be officially documented, that by the research compiled by Greidwhen¡¯s own student, Cedric Leonarch, and it¡¯s validity defended by Meredith Veletta, the use of Inanimport on magicless combatants will be recognized as a legitimate tactic. And that its use in the tournament does not threaten the integrity of the tournament¡¯s charm. If there is any member of this court with significant reason to oppose, speak now.¡± Everyone watched as the decree manifested onto the previously blank parchment, where only the last line was waiting to be filled in with the headmaster¡¯s signature. To Lucy¡¯s surprise, many in the crowd had agreeable eyes at this point, and she was surprised to see that one of them was Professor Farland; her homeroom instructor who she only just noticed was in attendance. ¡°Very well. Then I hereby establish this as the official verdict of the court.¡± At once, the empty line on the paper filled with the headmaster¡¯s signature. A second later, it rolled up and was bound by a thick violet ribbon whose origin Lucy didn¡¯t catch. The rolled-up document then flew into the headmaster¡¯s hand, where he filed it away into the void space beside him. ¡°Now then. This hearing is adjourned. You are all dismissed.¡±
Sitting on the outside steps leading up to the headmaster¡¯s building, Lucy breathed in deep and sighed for what was probably the thousandth time that night. The crisp, night air was a welcome change from the heat and dank of the headmaster¡¯s court. In fact, when she stepped outside and remembered fresh air, she resolved to avoid rooms stuffed with fifty irritable adults as best she could from now on. Nothing much stirred in the Academy grounds, but Greidwhen proved to have even small beauties at this time of night. Dim orange lights flickered in a scant number of windows, and the trees beside them swayed gently to the rhythm of the wind that blew down from the higher mountain peaks. Many of the less important paths had their lamps dimmed, bathing those areas in a near darkness, but those paths that remained brightly lit would surely be put out in the next hour. Curfew had passed only a few minutes ago, as Lucy could read from the illuminated face of Greidwhen¡¯s clocktower. That was the one light that wouldn¡¯t be put out; and from what Lucy heard, the sight of the glowing clocktower was quite famous in the towns below the mountain. Truly, Greidwhen was a dazzling place. Lucy sighed, trying to enjoy the view as best she could. She thought she would be happier after the ruling that they could use Inanimport, but now she found new discomforts to dwell on. She didn¡¯t forget the faces some of school board made in there. Not directed at her, but at someone else. She didn¡¯t like it. She didn¡¯t like the way they looked at Cedric. And more selfishly, she didn¡¯t like that it reminded her of the way she looked at him not so long ago. For the last few days, it had begun to feel that his being magicless didn¡¯t matter at all. That he was just as normal a boy as she was a girl. But now, reality had reared its ugly head. Cedric was a magicless, and there were plenty who would revile him for it. ¡°I told you not to wait for me,¡± a dry voice called out. Lucy turned to find Cedric standing atop the stairs behind her. The light from the porch¡¯s lamp behind him made it hard to read his shadowed face, but Lucy could tell by his voice that he was beyond exhausted. ¡°I wanted to wait,¡± she said, turning her attention back to one of the last windows with flickering orange inside it. ¡°Who else is going to make sure you don¡¯t take off to the library when you should be resting?¡± Lucy winced as the last word left her lip. Her tone had sounded a smidge harsher than she meant it to. ¡°The library is closed. If you¡¯d spent a proper amount of time there, you would know that.¡± Lucy stared blankly at Cedric while he descended the steps past her. Each instance of his boot scraping against stone matched the pace of her face becoming more bewildered as she tried to process what had just happened. Was his comment serious? Or¡­did he actually tease her back for once? Not wanting to miss this rare chance, Lucy side-eyed him and exaggerated a pout. ¡°I was in the library plenty this week, wasn¡¯t I?¡± she grumbled. ¡°Hmm. I suppose that¡¯s correct,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Guess it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± Holding a look at him, Lucy tried to uphold a defiant appearance, but it proved impossible. Cedric¡¯s bored and unwavering face broke her, and she gave up a smile. Without another word, she rose up from her uncomfortable seat on the steps and took her place beside him, and they left towards the dorms together. Her troubled thoughts hadn¡¯t left her completely. And while there were plenty of things she wanted to ask him regarding them¡­ it didn¡¯t need to happen all at once. She was content just having this simple moment talking with him and receiving his short but sincere replies. She wondered what it would be like from now on. Two misfits. Taking on the Sorcerer¡¯s Tournament. She wasn¡¯t sure of what they were in for, but perhaps it wouldn¡¯t matter as long as they were together. After all, they were friends. Weren¡¯t they. Volume 1 Epilogue Epilogue First
Emissary Liostra¡¯s face looked serious as she ascended the staircase whose entrance she had remembered at the end of one of the many halls extending from the lobby of the headmaster¡¯s court. The rising passage was narrow and lit dimly with yellow glow stones nestled into brass sconces. The stones would need to be imbued with more magic soon. Their light was nearly too dim to see the steps before her, but not dim enough for her to concern herself with imbuing them herself. Eventually, she reached the rustic cedar door at the top, and opened it to reveal a narrow hall that was much less decorated than any that could be found in the first floor. There were no vibrant banners on the walls, or rugs on the floor. And the low ceiling felt uncomfortably close when compared to the cathedral ceilings that were usually found everywhere else in Greidwhen Academy. More brass sconces cradling glow stones attempted to light the hall, but some had died and left the hall¡¯s light unbalanced. Liostra touched the few dead stones as she passed by them, pouring enough magic in them to at least match the level of the others. The action wasn¡¯t so much out of necessity as it was a rehearsal of good manners. One was always expected to light a stone that had gone out. Such was a lesson she and most others had been taught since childhood. There was even a rhyme for it; one whose melody usually hummed in her mind every time she revived a dead stone. The tune was difficult to entertain at the moment, however. Her thoughts lingered elsewhere; so much so, that she barely realized she was already opening the heavy wooden door at the end of the hall. The door dragged outward, scraping its bottom edge against the shaggy, crimson carpet inside. The sound of a crackling fireplace in the left wall tickled at Liostra¡¯s ears, and the warm air brushed welcomingly against her skin as she entered the royal looking room. It wasn¡¯t a large room, only a smidge bigger than her own office in the council¡¯s headquarters, but the overwhelming collection of furnishings and ornaments lended that it was a room whose organization was years in the making. The clank of a tea-cup being set on its plate alerted Liostra, and her eyes met her two associates seated around the desk at the head of the room. Headmaster Falk and Councilor Veletta. ¡°Ah, Emissary Liostra. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me,¡± Headmaster Falk said as he lifted the ceramic teapot in front of him and poured a cup for the woman. For once, the hood of his robe was left undrawn, giving a clear display of his not so wrinkled face and curling gray hair which fell to his shoulders. Liostra was surprised. She knew that he wasn¡¯t terribly old, but his handsome complexion and full head of hair were something she¡¯d be hard pressed to find in other men his age. ¡°Of course,¡± she replied, taking her seat in the chair beside Veletta¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s clear that there is much to discuss. I couldn¡¯t even fathom a complete list of actions that need to be considered by the council on my way here.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Falk said, sinking back into the cushions of his chair after handing Liostra a cup. ¡°Veletta and I were discussing such, as well.¡± He splayed his hand towards an open notebook in front of Veletta. Its current page was penned with a bulleted list of items. Liostra made out a few of the entries, and they seemed to match well with some of her own thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second you can change the subject, Falk.¡± Veletta said, offering a short glance to Liostra. ¡°I¡¯m still quite offended that you withheld who had authored this research. Did you honestly believe I would sabotage the analysis because it was compiled by that magicless boy?¡± Falk looked hesitant at Veletta. ¡°It was Thomas¡¯s suggestion that it be kept hidden. Though, I do believe it had some calculated merit on his part. Too many on the board were rooted in their resistance, and they would never have been convinced by someone in the room, no matter how long we debated. They needed the opinion of an objective, third party. Someone unaware of the social complexity and who could give an honest evaluation of the material. It¡¯s no surprise that a pupil of yours was clever enough to surmise all of that and elect you for the role. Clearly his master raised him well.¡± Veletta sat back in silence, contemplating Falk¡¯s theory. After a moment her cheeks flushed red, and Liostra wondered if the woman was already drafting an apology for her outburst against Thomas in her head. ¡°Well, if that is the case. Then I suppose I can drop the matter.¡± Falk chuckled, grabbing the teapot to pour himself another cup. Liostra tried to share in the man¡¯s lighthearted manner, but she could only manage an uneasy smile. There was still too much on her mind. Too many unpleasant things to consider. ¡°Who would have thought the boy would make such a profound contribution back when his enrollment was considered,¡± Liostra said, softly. ¡°Well, I somewhat expected interesting things from his presence here,¡± Falk said. ¡°But to think it would be born out of a friendship with Lorena¡¯s daughter¡­¡± ¡°So that¡¯s who the girl was,¡± Veletta interrupted. ¡°I found myself reminded of Lorena while looking at her, and not simply because of the ludicrously colored hair. She has the same face. I thought if she let her hair down they would look completely identical.¡± Veletta smiled, revisiting fond memories from decades ago. ¡°How has her performance been so far?¡± The headmaster sat up straight and heaved a deep, hesitant breath. ¡°She is having some difficulty. There were a few¡­ regretful incidents of negligence on her part, and my hand was forced. Fortunately, she¡¯s proven herself in these past few days and has been permitted to remain.¡± ¡°Oh my! That would have been devastating for you! To be known as the headmaster who had to expel Lorena¡¯s daughter!¡± Veletta laughed and nearly spilled her tea while setting it down. ¡°I daresay¡­ you didn¡¯t fudge the outcome, did you?¡± Falk looked unpleasant at the crafty, old woman. ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s a tragedy having to expel any student,¡± Falk said, doing a poor job of hiding his annoyance. ¡°And the board wasn¡¯t shy about their qualms with my involvement either. They claimed I was susceptible to granting favoritism because of her relation to Lorena.¡± Veletta calmed her laughter and settled for an amused smile. ¡°Well, I certainly don¡¯t believe you would have influenced the results, Falk. But we all know Lorena was your favorite. She was all of ours¡¯.¡± She turned her gaze. ¡°You might know, Miss Liostra. You were enrolled in the same year. Were you both well acquainted?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t quite in the same circles of friends. Though, I did pay attention to her performance in the tournament during our second year. She was incredible¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, she was. Her entire troupe was impressive. Although, those two Samphriders of hers were rascals in my class.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Falk smiled, seeing Veletta¡¯s scrunched face. ¡°Florence and Jillian? I do remember you sending them to Headmaster Mayer¡¯s office one or two dozen times. Her husband confessed that they may have been the reason she retired so early.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then perhaps I deserve a thanks for your early promotion.¡± Falk chuckled at Veletta¡¯s comment, but his amusement quelled at the sight of Liostra. Her eagerness to get the conversation back on track was clear on her face. ¡°And now we have a new generation to raise up,¡± Falk said softly. ¡°The magicless boy, being the most concerning of all.¡± Veletta hummed in agreement. ¡°He seems well adjusted. At first glance, anyway.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Liostra said. ¡°He was demonstrably abrasive. Both with myself and a member of the board.¡± Veletta scoffed. ¡°Abrasive? Have you dealt with teenagers before? If that¡¯s all he is then our troubles are small.¡± Veletta paused, appearing deep in thought. Her eyebrows then raised as she looked at Falk. ¡°How is he with the girl?¡± Falk shuffled in his seat, sitting up straight and folding his hands onto the desk. ¡°Gentle¡­ is a way of putting it.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­ Love?¡± ¡°Who can say? According to his mother, he was quite tender and reserved until recently.¡± ¡°It must be friction from the other students,¡± Liostra said. ¡°Has the student body been educated of his circumstance?¡± Falk looked hesitant. ¡°Mr. Leonarch himself requested that nobody be told.¡± ¡°And you obliged?¡± Liostra said, astounded. ¡°He¡¯s only a kid. How can you expect him to make sound decisions for himself?¡± ¡°Because such declarations were made before in his home village and it never made a difference.¡± Liostra looked stunned as the last word left Falk¡¯s lips, and an uncomfortable silence lingered between everyone. ¡°The boy¡¯s reasoning is sound to me,¡± Veletta said, watching as Liostra reclined into her chair without a single word of reply. ¡°At best, his peers might treat him no different than anyone else. But¡­ at worst¡­¡± ¡°A target is painted on him.¡± Falk finished. ¡°We cannot monitor him every hour of every day, and we cannot effectively discipline every student that antagonizes him.¡± ¡°I have no doubt the nobles enrolled here would be the most troublesome should they get involved,¡± Veletta added. ¡°With a harsh-enough incident, the board would be put in an egregious position. Sacrifice the well-being of a single, magicless student, or lose the contributions and good faith of several wealthy and powerful families.¡± ¡°It seems the scales are already teetering towards such an outcome. At least with the Elefrian branches,¡± Falk said. The caution in his tone unsettled everyone. ¡°Freida Straughtvern hinted as much in our conversation. Perhaps she understood that it was me under that disguise and meant it as a personal message.¡± ¡°How harrowing¡­¡± Veletta said softly, holding a hand up to her mouth in disbelief. ¡°Are there any such convictions among the Amrians?¡± Veletta glanced at Liostra who looked uncomfortable upon the question. ¡°I¡¯d rather not attempt to speak for my people, but I would assume not,¡± Liostra said, suddenly aware of the distinct, dark hue of her own skin. ¡°There are plenty of Amrians who believe in Greidwhen¡¯s undertaking to unify the three races, and I don¡¯t believe they want to see it fail¡­¡± Liostra paused as if a thought hit her, and suddenly her expression became jaded. ¡°Although¡­ I know there are some lines both sides still cannot stomach to see crossed.¡± Liostra lowered her gaze and studied the shadows flickering on the desk before her. A quiet sorrow seemed to border in her eyes, and her thoughts flashed to an image of a beautiful woman who looked similar to herself. She was young. Younger than Liostra was now. And her smile was bright and lovely. Liostra imagined a familiar garden for her to stand in, one bathed in sunshine and accompanied by the sound of waves on a distant shore. Soon, however, the image was replaced by something much darker. It was a man. One whose face was obscure and surrounded by darkness. Liostra couldn¡¯t believe she had let herself forget what he looked like. Although, there was one detail of his which she could never forget. She didn¡¯t like to focus on it, but the dark fog curling around him made it impossible to ignore. The color of the man¡¯s hair was a flawless white. ¡°Liostra? Liostra?¡± She heard a voice call faintly. The desperation behind it sounded familiar. ¡°Aravis.¡± Falk¡¯s voice rang clear, finally jostling the woman. It wasn¡¯t every day that she was called by her first name while on duty. ¡°Are you feeling well, dear?¡± Veletta asked. Liostra wasn¡¯t used to her having such a motherly tone. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Liostra said without much assurance.
After a short bit of conversation to collect herself, Liostra managed to reign everyone in from their nostalgia to discuss the finer details of what they began to dub the ¡®Inanimport Revelation¡¯. She had no idea how fascinating it would be once they started digging into the greater implications of the matter. As an arm to the council, Liostra had served witness to several discussions on magical theory before, but to participate in a discussion of a real discovery with two masters, one of them the world¡¯s leading spellstician, was a rare treat¡ªone she expected she may never experience again. By the end of it, Liostra had compiled all their thoughts onto paper. It would be an interesting morning tomorrow when she and Veletta walked into the council meeting with these notes in her hand. ¡°I would love to catch up more, Falk, but I must get back to my office,¡± Veletta said, standing up and checking her lap for any crumbs from the lemon shortbread Falk had brought out halfway through their session. ¡°Of course. I would feel sorry if I kept you any later,¡± Falk smiled, standing up and glancing out the window the face of Greidwhen¡¯s clock tower. ¡°No doubt you¡¯ll be up for another hour or two to gather your own thoughts on this matter,¡± he laughed. ¡°You certainly don¡¯t become the best by putting things off.¡± Liostra snuck an awkward eyebrow raise as she also stood up from her chair. She had no earnest plan to lay out any more thoughts like Veletta did. The only thing she could think about was the soft bed and silk sheets waiting for her to crawl into at home. She wondered if this would come back to bite her come time for her election as a council member. ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself, dear,¡± Veletta said, reading Liostra too well. ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll need to rely on you tomorrow¡­ possibly for the entire week.¡± ¡°She always has been reliable. Even when she was a mere student here,¡± Falk piggybacked off Veletta¡¯s praise. ¡°You are both too kind,¡± Liostra said, lowering her head and offering a bow. Veletta offered one last smile to each of them, and promptly gripped her medallion between her knuckles, and disappeared with in a modest shimmer of gold light. ¡°Going to do your usual walk through the campus?¡± Falk asked as Liostra opened the rustic door she had originally entered. ¡°You know me too well,¡± she chuckled. She offered him a respectful nod before turning to leave, until a thought brushed her mind and made her pause. ¡°How is Faris doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I was wondering if you were going to ask,¡± Falk said, cheery. ¡°You will be happy to know that she is excelling academically. If she wasn¡¯t so concerned with the tournament this year, her grades would likely be perfect. She has such talent that I¡¯ve heard some call her the Lorena of this generation¡­¡± Liostra smiled faintly, moving her gaze low in thought. ¡°I bet she hates that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably why she¡¯s so determined to finish the job this year,¡± Falk said. His expression suddenly became muted. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s also regrettable¡­ from a certain point of view. If the young Miss Hardtvelt wants any chance at reaching the Celestials, she had best make sure it happens this year.¡± ¡°Makes you wish we could simply give each of them the thing they want the most,¡± Liostra said. As the last word left her lip, she couldn¡¯t help but meet Falk¡¯s eyes. If felt like his old age was showing more, though it may have just been the wise gleam in his steady eyes. However, there was something more behind his gaze now. A glint of concern; no doubt for every student he wished could see their dreams through. ¡°I¡¯ve sought for such a miracle since my earliest days here¡­¡± The old headmaster said. He didn¡¯t try at all to hide the regret in his voice. ¡°However, the rules are clear. Even if fate saw fit to give every child the strength to reach the Celestials, only a handful might earn the right to face them¡­¡± ¡°And only one can ever go so far as to defeat them...¡±