《One with the Flow》 Chapter #1 Inside of a large tavern, there was a small family working hard. The tavern was full of tables and was big enough to be called a ballroom. Some had thick gloves while others had a black belt. One customer even had a katana at his waist, sitting at the bar. In the backroom of the tavern, an old man was talking to a young beautiful girl, with dark purple hair. around the age of 14. "The world of Tarra is a magical place. Magic was seen throughout the world, as there were many academies and sects. This was because of Spiritual Affinities. These decided what you have talent in. For example, if someone had the image of a glove when they released their spirit, then that means they have an affinity for boxing. Today, I will teach you how to release your spirit to find out what you might become in the future." The old man said. The young girl had an expression of awe spread across her face. "Grandpa, what is your spiritual affinity?" She asked. But before he could answer a voice rang out. "Verika, honey. Come serve the dishes!" A woman said. She was in her thirties and had a smile on her face as she took the order of the man with the katana. "Coming!" The girl with purple hair stood up(named Verika), and walked towards the main room. As she entered, the walked towards the kitchen and grabbed the dish that was on the counter. ''For table 13, got it.'' She thought to herself. She exited the kitchen and walked towards a table near the front door. She put the plate down, and said: "Enjoy your meal!" She then turned to walk around, but then someone grabbed her hand. It was the man at table thirteen. "Don''t go anywhere, maybe we can have some fun upstairs." He said with a perverted expression. The tavern went silent. Every conversation stopped as every man turned with expressions full of rage. Verika stood there, with a red face. Everyone stood up and walked towards table thirteen. The man sat there, wondering what happened. "Oi, which bastard said that to the princess of this tavern" A big man stood up and shouted. His muscles were thicker than two thighs. His face was full of rage. He walked towards table thirteen, and the man sitting there nearly wet his pants. "Wha...What did I do wrong?" He asked in a servile manner. "Can''t you read, bastards? There''s a rule sheet on every table." The man with the katana said. The man at table thirteen looked down and his face paled. ''Oh, shit'' He thought. The rules were: -#1- Don''t flirt/Hit on our waitress #2-Dont flirt/Hit on our waitress #3- Don''t you dare flirt/Hit on our waitress Everyone went to the table and lifted the chair to table thirteen up. Someone opened the window, which led right to the ocean. The threw him out and went back to their seats as if nothing happened. Verika stood there, with flushed cheeks but had a smile on her face. She felt loved by everyone here because they did all that just for her. She lightly laughed because she couldn''t imagine anyone being thrown out by 30+ men because they said something inappropriate "Verika, don''t worry bout that bastard. He won''t dare come cause trouble again." The big man with large muscles said. "Thank you, Eric, and everyone else!" Verika replied "Well it was nothin''" "Yea, don''t worry bout it" Some men replied. Verika returned to the kitchen, ready to serve. The day continued with Verika serving, and conversations going on forever. Soon, it reached nighttime, and everyone either left for home or went to their rooms. There were only a few men still hanging around, two of which were Eric, the big muscle man, and the man with the katana. They acted as bodyguards for the tavern. Verika returned to the back room, where the old man was sleeping. She had a sad look on her face but then went to the next door, which was her bedroom. ''Tomorrow is when the tavern will not be open to anyone who doesn''t have a room. That''s when ill ask grandpa to show me my spirit.'' She thought as she lay on her bed and slowly drifted asleep.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day, Verika awoke, full of life and excitement. Today was the day she would finally know what her spirit was. She changed clothes and ran towards the backroom. There, her grandfather was sitting on a rocking chair, seemingly waiting. Her mother was also there, next to a young lady, in her twenties. That was Verikas aunt. "I knew you would wake up early, hehe" He chuckled. "Will I learn how to release my spirit now?" Verika said, with an excited expression. She couldn''t wait. "Of course. Listen to everything I say. First, close your eyes, and focus on what you love the most. Then, absorb mana, and circulate it towards your heart." As he said that, Verika did everything. After a minute or so, a blue halo surrounded her, with three figures rotating around. the old man sat there, and when he saw the three figures, he was shocked beyond belief. "Oh...Oh, my! Verika, you might be a genius!" He yelled. It was loud enough to be heard in the main room. Eric and the man with the katana entered and saw what was happening. They were surprised and their eyes widened. Those three figures on the halo, was a sharp, pointy sword, a block of ice, and a weird symbol. "Grandpa, I did it. What are my affinities?" Verika asked with an innocent smile. Her grandfather didn''t reply, still on shock. "Grand...pa?" Verika asked again. he recovered from his shock, and then looked into Verikas eyes, with a serious expression. "Alright, Verika. I will tell you your affinities. You have the rapier for the sword, and the Ice block is for Ice magic. The weird symbol represents Rune magic. Ice and Rune magic is super rare. Rune magic is what I have for my affinity, and Ice is what your mother has. Your father had the Rapier. Maybe that''s how you got those three affinities." The old man said. "What should we do? She''s an unrivaled talent, and we can''t let her rot here in this tavern. Maybe she should go to Eleutorio school for Ice magic?" Sarah said. "No no no, she should go to Gaspard Sword Sect for her rapier." The katana man said. "No, that''s wrong. Thopips Runic School. I heard it''s an ancient school that''s been around forever. It should e perfect for this little genius." Eric said. Verika sat there confused with all these names. She thought which one she would like the most. But then, her grandfather spoke up. "No, She will go to Gemias School for All. I have a few ''connections'' there." He said. "Father, I didn''t know you had connections there," Trist said. "Also, isn''t the enrollment test in two days? with how far away it was, we''ll never get there in time." "Don''t worry about that. Katanaman knows a way to get there in time. We''ll be relying on you Katanaman." Rodas said. "I''ll do my best," Katanaman said. "But wait, that''s too soon. That means she has to leave today!" Sarah exclaimed. "Before we come to any conclusions, let us consult with Verika. It is her life." Rodas said. He turned to Verika. "Verika, are you willing to go to a distant country and learn how to master your talents? Or stay here, and live a simple life. There is no wrong choice." Rodas asked. Verika sat there, deep in thought. After a minute or two, she Spoke up. "I...I''m willing to go. It seems I was given these talents for a reason. I don''t want to let them go to waste." Sarah looked sad for a moment but then became happy again. "I''m sad that your leaving, but happy that you''re old enough to make your own decisions. Alright, I support you. Now you better get packing. I''ll give you this pair of storage earrings. It can store anything you want. Make sure not to lose them~" She said. "Thank you, mother!" Verika said. "Alright, you guys need to get going. I''ll send Trist and Katanaman as bodyguards. Now, get packed and ready to go." Rodas said. Verika entered her room, packing clothes and other necessary items. ''I think that should be all I need.'' She thought. She went to the main room and saw Trist and Katanaman standing near the door. "We''re all ready to go. Let''s depart." Trist said. Everyone said their goodbyes. "Verika, i want you to have this. It is something that your father left behind, and i think i should give it to you." Sarah said, as she handed Verika a thin sword inside of a scabbard. Verika took it and unsheathed the sword. It was a rapier, and the hilt looked like a lotus flower. It was silver, with a red accent. The handle was a deep red, and had a design of some acient markings. "Tha..Thank you mother!" Verika said, as she hugged sarah. Both had tears in their eyes. "I''ll make sure to visit whenever i can!" Verika said. She felt grateful for her mother and evryone here. She would never forget about them. Chapter #2 "Oh..my little girl is so grown up!" Sarah exclaimed with a tear in the corner of her eye. The time for Verika to depart for Gemias school for all was here. "Here Verika. Give this to the guard at the front entrance. It''ll make sure you get into the school. I''ll have Katanaman and Trist go with you on your journey to Gemias." Rodas said. What he gave Verika was an envelope, with a purple seal with a big R on it. There was also Rodas'' signature. "Eric, are you crying?" Rodas asked. "No..*sniff* I just got something in my eyes." Rodas chuckled as Eric explained. He wasn''t worried for Verika since Katanaman and Trist are very capable of taking care of any threats. -------------- Verika, Katanaman, and Trist Embarked on their journey to Gemias School for All. The country they were currently in was known as the country of Verika. Gemias School was located in Gryphis, which was over one thousand miles away. They had to cross one other country, known as the country of Tyrl. Luckily Katanaman was from Tyrl, so he knew a few shortcuts to shorten the way. "Should we hire a carriage to take us there? It should be faster." Trist asked. "Yea, I was thinking of taking that one right over there." Katanaman pointed towards a luxurious looking carriage. It looked like it was coated in gold, with rare gems embedded on the corners. The horses were of the rarest breed, called Imperial Steeds. It was truly magnificent. "Ooh! That looks like a wonderful carriage!" Trist exclaimed. Verika smiled wryly because she knew Katanaman wasn''t pointing to the wonderful carriage. "Well, I wouldn''t say it is the best carriage." He said, as the Super Carriage slowly rode away. Behind it was a broken down carriage, with two hungry looking horses. The driver looked suspicious with a creepy smile on his face. Trist stood there with a frozen expression. As she was baffled by Katanamans choice, he climbed up into the carriage. "Come on, we''ll be late if we don''t hurry." He said. Verika walked up and climbed into the carriage. ''What''s the worst that could happen?'' She thought to herself. "Don''t worry Trist, it''ll be fine," Verika said, innocently. Trist looked at Verika, with a stupefied expression. "I don''t trust this carriage. It could be a trap." Trist said. "Besides, how will these weak looking horses get us there in time?"Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Oh Trist. Hasn''t anyone told you to never judge a book by its cover?" Katanaman said. "Yea Trist. What if these horses are the fastest?" Verika followed up with. "Fine, fine. I''ll get on, but if anything happens, you both will owe me." Trist gave in to them. she still had some lingering doubts. As she got on the carriage driver spoke up. "Where are we going today? I can go all the way to the imperial capital." He said. His voice was very weird, and had a slight echo to it, making him seem very evil. Trist looked at the other two, thinking ''It''s obvious he''s planning something. Just listen to his voice.'' "To Gemias School for All, please," Verika said, with her sweet voice. The carriage driver replied with a nod. Then, something demonic really happened. A magic circle appeared under the carriage, glowing with a dark energy. The horses were set ablaze with a pure black flame but were unaffected by it. In fact, they seemed more invigorated. The carriage driver had an evil smile on his face, and two horns broke through his skin. "Ha!" He said, and the horses left off with an incredible speed. Faster than a dragon, the left the town quickly. Trist sat there, terrified. "I told you guys! It was obvious something like this would happen!" She yelled as she looked out the window. Katanaman said to her, "That''s very disrespectful to the driver. He''s doing his job. I always take this carriage when I go somewhere." Trist looked at Verika, but Verika also looked like nothing was happening. She sweetly smiled and said, "Maybe I should send mother a letter to make sure she teaches you on how to be polite." "We''ll be in Tyrl soon. Once we reach the capital, we''ll take a break." The driver said. "What?!!" Trist exclaimed. "That was way too fast! He must be some sort of demon!" "Trist! That''s very rude of you. Because of that, you''re paying the fees. And, what''s wrong with demons? They''re just like us, only with horns." Verika scolded Trist, and Trist was surprised. She looked down and stopped speaking. Soon, the carriage stopped, but they were unaffected by the sudden stop. "We''re here. I stopped right in front of a tavern because the horses need rest. I''ll take half the payment now, and the rest once we reach our destination. But, just to warn you, I might pick up some other travellers going to Gemias." The driver spoke up. "Thank you, for the passage. trist will pay the fees," Verika said. Trist grumbled and paid the driver, then got off and entered the tavern. Katanaman got off, and stood infront of the door to the carriage. He held his hand out, and helped Verika off the carriage. As she got off, many people looked at her. Some gazes were filled with jealousy, some with lust and all other types of emotions. "who is she? I must conquer her." A young man said. He had blond hair and a perfectly symmectrical face. He was very handsome. "We''ll find out her information, young master. By the time she finds out about young master, she''ll leap into your arms ready to be wed." A man behind the boy said. "Dont let me down," The young man said. He looked at Verika, with eyes full of lust. Chapter #3 In the capital city of Hresi in the country of Tyrl, there was a small tavern. It was full of mercenaries martial artists, and Mages for hire. The tavern was a place they could pick up jobs, as well as have a place to sleep. At the desk, there was a party of three. One average looking man, a beautiful young girl, and a woman with an aggressive temper. These people were Katanaman, Verika, And Trist. They were trying to get a room, but there were some complaints coming from Trist. "Only one room left? This place isn''t even that full!" She exclaimed. "It really isn''t that big a deal Trist. Don''t worry about it. If necessary, I''ll sleep in the hallway or even the roof." Katanaman was trying to appease her anger. "I''m truly sorry, but we can''t have anyone sleeping in the hallway, it could lead to some problems, and sleeping on the roof isn''t acceptable." The barkeep said. It was a middle-aged woman, who seemed nice. "If you want, we could accommodate the young mistress right over there. Our young master was looking for the perfect woman." Two men walked up to Verika group, as they spoke. "No thank you." Verika politely replied. "You don''t need to be polite to these kind of people. We oughta ''teach'' them what respect means." Trist told Verika. The two men looked at them, as if they were crazy. "Do you know who our young master is? He''s the son of Duke Heriman." One of the guards said. "I don''t care if your young master is the son of Duke Heriman. Now, if you''ll excuse us, we''ll be on our way. Humph!" Trist retorted. "We''ll take that room, Miss. One night please." She said as she paid for the room. "Thank you for your patronage. Here are your keys. The room number is with the keys." The barkeep said, seemingly oblivious to the quarrel that just happened. As they got the keys, the two men walked out, Verika and friends went up to their room. They got room number 27, which was on floor two. As they entered, there was one bed, big enough for two. "Alright, I''ll be on my way. I have a few connections in town, hopefully, I can get somewhere to sleep. I''ll meet you in front of the tavern tomorrow morning. How does that sound?" Katanaman asked. Sounds great, we''ll meet you then." Verika replied. As Katanaman left, the two men who were quarreling with Trist reported back to their master. "Young master, those people are really detestable. They said they don''t care for you or your status!" One of the men replied. "You really are useless. Whatever I''ll do it myself." Report to me whenever she exits the tavern. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Inside Verikas room, Trist and Verika were debating on who got which bed. "I get the left one because it''s is smaller. Perfect for me. The right one is larger, so you won''t be cramped." Verika said. "I''m only 3 centimeters taller! Hmph, fine. You''ll regret this decision one day." Trist retorted. Soon after, they both went to sleep on their respective beds. Then morning came. Trist and Verika got off of their bed, tidied up their bed, and left for the exit. There, they met Katanaman and the carriage from yesterday. "Good morning. Shall we depart?" Katanaman asked. "Yes!" Verika said. "We dont have much time. How long will it take?" Verika asked. "About 30 minutes. The test is in 2 hours, so we have more than enough time. Lets go." Katanaman said. The carriage driver looked back and said, "We''ve got 3 more people getting on the carriage. Try to make room for them." The door soon opened. One was a young man, had two guards. Surprisingly these people were from the day before. "It''s you..." Trist said, with an indifferent expression. "Oh my, what a coincidence. It truly is a blessing to be in the same carriage as this fair maiden. May I ask, where are you headed on this fine day?" The young man asked. "We are headed to Gemias School for all." "ge..Gemias? It''ll take half a month to get there! Why are you just now leaving?" the young man said. As he said that, the driver looked back and said: "We''re leaving now." The magic happened as a magic circle appeared at the bottom of the carriage. The horses were set ablaze with a green fire, and the Mans horns came out again. "Wha..What is this voodoo magic?!!" A guard said. "Oh, could it be you didn''t even know about this carriage?" Katanaman said. "I used to ride it here very often. It should be pretty well known." "He must have been lusting after our young mistress," Trist said. As she said that, Verika had an expression of disgust. She looked away from the young man. "Verika, would you like me to show you what I specialize in?" Trist asked. "Ooh, please show me." Verika replied. As she said that, Trist did some weird hand symbols and soon, a vibration covered the carriage but only for a millisecond. Then, she stuck her tongue out to the guards. "I just put a barrier between us. Now they cant hear anything we say!" Trist said. "Ooh Trist, you''re a genius!" Verika said. As the carriage ride went on, the trio conversed, as the two guards and young master were confused as to what happened. Soon the carriage slowed to a stop, as it came close to a wall. There was a wall as wide as you can see, and a gate full of people. "We''re here. Since Katanaman is a regular, you three dont have to pay. But, the other three. Pay up." The driver said. "Many thanks, Sam. Also, make sure to stay a bit longer. We''ll need a return trip." Katanaman said, as the trio got off. ''His name was Sam?'' Verika thought to herself. The other three in the carriage realized they hadnt brought any money, and couldnt pay. "Serves them right." Verika said. She walked forward, but then realized, the other two werent coming. "Oh. Well i had fun on this short trip. Dont worry, i''ll come back on the break." She said, as she hugged them. "Verika, Father said to give this to you. It should be a special technique to train your connection to your affinity, making them stronger. He said to do everything is said, and not to skip any steps." Trist said. "I''ll miss you. And, make sure you don''t forget. You owe me." Verika stuck out her tongue and ran away. She turned back and waved, then neared the guard at the gate. The two waved back, as they went back to the carriage. Chapter #4 As Verika walked up to the gate, a guard took notice of her. He was young, only about 20 years old, yet he had a domineering aura. He held what seemed to be a Halberd. "Halt! Only those with authorization may pass!" He said. Verika looked at him, confused. But then, she remembered. ''The Envelope!'' She thought to herself. "Do you mean something like this?" She said as she took out the envelope from Rodas. The guard took it from her hand, and after he looked over it, he had an expression of shock. "Sorry young miss. I didn''t know it was you. Please follow me to the headmaster." The guard said. Verika was surprised that she would get to meet the headmaster so soon. She was nervous and hoped everything went alright. She followed the guard into the academy and was stunned. There were a beautiful lake, and trees with purple leaves. She stared at the trees, stunned by how wonderful looking they are. The guard took note of her expression and explained what those trees are. "Those are the Verika Trees. Known for their beauty and effects on practicing magic. Especially Ice magic." He said. ''It''s like my parents knew I was gonna have the Ice affinity, and purple hair so they named me Verika. I hope I don''t get bullied for it.'' Verika thought to herself. "Oh, yea young miss. I never got your name. Would it be alright to know?" The guard asked as they walked towards another wall, but this time smaller than the outer one. "My name.. is Verika" She replied, with a red face. She was embarrassed to have a common name with the trees. "Haha. A fitting name. Your hair is purple as well, but don''t mind it. I doubt anyone would bother you about it. Lemme guess, you also have the ice affinity?" He asked. "How''d you know," she replied. She was confused as to why he knew that. "Well, just a guess. I doubt your parents would name you after a tree, a beautiful tree keep in mind, just because of your hair color." The guard explained. "Makes sense. Can I get your name, Mister Guard?" Verika asked as they entered the inner wall. Inside that wall, there were a lot of large buildings. they were probably the assembly rooms for the classes. "My name? My name Salavar. I come from the south, which is why my name is so weird sounding. I''m the vice captain of the guard for this school, so if you get into any trouble with a student, just call on me." Salavar said. "I''ll be counting on you." She said. As they conversed and made small talk, they reached a large tower. "This is as far as I can take you. Just go all the way up, to the top floor, and show the man at the door the envelope. He''ll let you in. Salavar said. "Thank you for taking me here," Verika said as she smiled at the man. He blushed and said, "No problem." He walked back to his post and Verika entered the building. Inside there was nothing but a door with a sign that said, ''Take this to go up.'' She entered the room, and as soon as she did, she exited to another room. This time, there was a double door, with two guards. "Are you Verika? Enter, please. Headmaster has been waiting. Enter this room please." One of the guards said. She did so and entered the room. As she did, she saw a woman sitting at a desk. She was about 30 years old and had blonde hair. She had a white overcoat, with glasses. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail and was signing papers.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. She looked up at Verika, and said, "Ah, you must be Verika. Purple hair and an unrivaled beauty. I heard all about you from Rodas." The woman at the desk said. "You did? How?" Verika asked, confused as to how the woman knew before she got there. "Through Magic! Anyways, he said he prepared a letter. Please, you must''ve had a long journey. Sit down." The woman said. She read the letter, and then said, "Alright. Although Rodas said some things, he never told me anything about your affinities. So, let us check them." Verika released her spirit, and a purple halo surrounded her. The headmaster looked at the three affinities. She was stunned beyond belief. "I..I can''t believe it! This is crazy! I''ve never seen anything like this before! This makes me want to take you in as a disciple right now!! It seems you have Ice, Rapier, And Runic! Two of which are super rare!!," The headmaster said. "Al...alright. Before we jump to conclusions, let us test how strong your connection is to these affinities." "what does that mean?" Verika asked. "It shows how much talent you have with the affinities. When someone has two, the talent is usually split up between the two affinities, so for you, it might be split up into thirds. But don''t be discouraged. It may not be split up, and in fact may be stronger than those with only one affinity." She explained as she pulled out a crystal ball. "While you have your spirit released, put your hand on this ball. While you do that, I''ll explain what the colors mean. Black means you have an average talent for each affinity, red for above average, blue for great, green for superior and purple for...." The headmaster spoke, as she looked at the ball in verikas hand. It was a deep purple, matching Verikas hair color. Verika showed a nervous expression when the headmaster stopped speaking. "Pur..purple for what? Is it bad?" She asked. "I can''t believe it....one hundred years of traveling the world, I''ve seen everything. And yet, this young girl in front of me surpasses every talent I''ve seen up to this point. I must get her before anyone else." The headmaster mumbled to herself. "No...no. Purple means you are an unrivaled genius! You will amount to something Wonderful in the future! And I get to be your teacher! Hahaha!" The headmaster exclaimed. Right as she said that though, the doors burst open. There were five people rushing in. Two were beautiful women. One had blue hair, with what seemed cat ears and tail. The other woman had Green hair and pointy ears, but dark skin. The other three were men. One had two horns curving back around his head, and red hair. Another man had pale white skin, with silver hair tied up into a long ponytail. The third man was a small man, with a large beard and brown hair. "Headmaster, we heard your yells, and before you say anything, Let me speak. Young miss, become my student." The man with the horns said. He was a tiefling, from the far west country of Daemonos. "No No No! Become mine!" The man with pale white skin said. "Ha funny joke. No one hates dwarves, so become mine!" said the small man. He was a dwarf from the far north country of Higmundfult "I know for a fact, an entire race hates dwarves. young miss, become mine. Ill teach you everything i know!" The woman with dark skin said. She was a Dark Elf from the forests of Trellia "No! I deserve her! You guys owe me for the last 12 geniuses that came to this school. Its my turn!" Said the woman with blue hair. She was a beastkin from the south country of Bestia. Soon they started arguing over who would get to have Verika as their student. "Everybody, QUIET!" The headmaster yelled. "We may professors, but it is still Verikas choice. First lets tell her our affinities. Only then can she choose. Ill start off. My affinities are Ice and Runic." The headmaster said. "Mine is the Rapier" The beastwoman said. "Mine is ice," The pale man said. "Mine is the Bow and Ice" The elven woman said. "Mine is the Rapier and Hammer" The dwarf said. "Mine is Fire and Runic" The Tiefling man said. Verika sat there. She was so confused on what was heppening. It started off with the headmaster testing her connection to these five fighting over her. She was suprised something like this could happen over a test. She didnt realize her talent was truly terrifying. "Al....alright. For my teacher i Choose....." Chapter #5 "For my teacher, I choose....." Verika spoke. The 6 professors were looking at her like a child would at candy, hoping they could get it. ''She is definitely my student from now on. Who could resist this irresistible charm?'' The tiefling professor thought. He was known as Professor Kroax. He mastered the art of fire, with his runic magic supporting it since he had a weaker connection with it. ''Hoho. It is guaranteed she is mine. I know so much about rapiers, and she must love the weapon type. I have one of the strongest connection with rapiers after all.'' The beastwoman thought to herself. She was known as Professor Nyako. she has two affinities, Ice, and Rapier. She is also one of the strongest in the academy. A nearly perfect match for Verika ''Even if I only share one affinity with her, I know some techniques with ice magic. I must get her as a student.'' The elven woman thought. She was known as Professor Eleanor. She had a great connection with both the bow and ice, which allowed for some great combos. ''Well, I might not have a high chance, but it''d be nice if she chose me. Maybe then I can pass on my techniques and skills onto someone.'' The pale man said. He was known as Professor Cool. He has a perfect connection with the ice affinity, which made him the second strongest in the academy. ''Hoho. I doubt a young lass like her would want to become a student of an old dwarf. I can probably still make some negotiations though. Maybe then I could pass on my teachings.'' The dwarf said. He was known as Professor Gimli. He had a Great connection with the hammer, but an average one with the rapier. He wasn''t proficient at all with the rapier, so he stuck with forging weapons for the Academy. "For my teacher, I choose...Professor Nyako," Verika said. "Oh," Everyone said in unison. Verika was confused. Weren''t they fighting over her just a minute ago? "It makes sense since she shares two affinities with you. And both of them are great connections. Well, if you don''t mind, I''ll be on my way." Professor Eleanor said as she left. Soon everyone bid farewell, with depressed expressions. Verika looked at the headmaster and saw on her face a proud expression. Like she just triumphed over everything. "Haha I knew I could have you as a student~," Professor Nyako said. "You are my first disciple, I won''t let you down!" Verika smiled at this response. "It makes sense you would choose her." The headmaster said. "Please guide me, Teacher," Verika said, with a brilliant smile. Nyako saw this, and she teared up. She had an expression like that of one who had no regrets in life. Verika was confused but soon recovered. She had seen this face multiple times at the tavern from the men who were regulars. "Um...Headmaster. Where do I use for a residency?" Verika asked. The headmaster shook her head and then chuckled. "I guess we should get you settled in. We''ll have you go to the dormitories. " Headmaster said. I can''t wait to begin teaching you!~" Nyako exclaimed. She looked rather cute with her smile, and her ear perked up from excitement. "I have a technique for Rapiers, So don''t worry about that. Although they let you deepen their reliability, they won''t teach you techniques. That''s where we come in." Nyako said.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "I''ll be in your care then," Verika politely said. She was excited to learn how to use these magical powers. "There''s one problem though." The headmaster said. "What is it?" Nyako said. "The thing is, Verika has never used spells or techniques before," Headmaster said. "What?! Really?! Is this true?" Nyako exclaimed. "....Yes. Grandfather said it was pointless to do so. I didn''t even know my affinities until 2 days ago." Verika replied with a nervous expression. ''I hope I don''t get kicked out.'' She thought "He probably didn''t know she was so talented. Well, no worries. This way she''ll make less mistakes with her foundation. From now on Verika, Nyako will teach you. We''ll split it up. Nyako will teach you first thing in the morning." "Alright," Verika answered, with a sigh of relief. "The enrollment test should be finished by now. The students should be in the Assembly Field. I have to give the speech for the first years, so explain everything that new students need to know. Also, her room number is 140" The headmaster said. "Yes, Headmaster!" Nyako said as the headmaster exited the room. "Alright, Verika. I''m gonna explain some things, so pay attention." "Yes!" Verika replied. "Alright. Follow me. I''ll tell you on the way to the dormitories. First things first, fights are only allowed on The stage, which is a platform near the gates to the inner areas of the school. When both parties agree to the conditions, then you can get on The Stage and fight." Nyako said. "The conditions can be anything. A fight to the death, a hand in marriage, or even secret techniques." "Wh..whoa," Verika said. ''I should stay away from there for a long time.'' she thought. "That is a building for formations that benefit the students who have an affinity with an element. Those elements being water, fire, air, earth, metal, and wood. The Deacon in charge will explain more. You have an Ice technique so maybe those formations will help." Nyako explained as they passed a large building, with a booth in front of the door. "These are the dorms. Never forget your room number, 140. You might share a room with someone, but you might not. Anyways, there are two dorms, one for boys and one for girls. The left one is for the girls. Don''t forget. Over there, is where classes are held." Nyako said. The dorms were two large buildings with about 20 rooms on each floor, with 10 floors. It was magnificent. The building where classrooms were, wasn''t a large but was still very wide. It seemed to have 5 very large rooms. "The classes taught in that building is general knowledge. For 5 years you would have to take that class, but since you have me, you don''t have to worry about those classes." "Uhm...Teacher? Why don''t I see any students?" Verika asked. "That''s because every first year is at the assembly. That''s where the headmaster went to give her speech. The other students should be in class right now. But, the assembly should be finished by now. Oh, there are some first years on their way. Well. Let us leave the area. I''ll show you where you have to go every afternoon." Nyako said as she leads Verika down the pathway. They reached a lake with a simple" house next to it. "Is this where you live, Teacher?" Verika asked. "Yes. It''s nice, isn''t it? It took a great deal to get such a nice place. Alright, you should go get settled in. But before you leave, I''ll give you a little present." Nyako said as she took out a book. "This is something I practiced when I was your age. Since you''re my first student, I''ll give it to you." "Teacher...this. Thank you" Verika said, happily. It was a technique. She smiled and bid farewell, as she headed towards her dorm. But the one thing she forgot about is how much attention she had because of her beauty. As she walked down the path to the dorms, there were students walking to and fro. She felt gazes from everyone. She was nervous and didn''t expect everyone to be looking at her. ''Is it because I didn''t go through the usual procedures of becoming a student?'' she thought. She sped up and entered the females dorm. She walked up to the second floor and saw her room. ''room 140. Here it is.'' She thought as she entered the room. Inside were two beds and a nightstand next to each. On one side of the room, there was another girl there emptying her luggage, who stared at Verika. "Erm, I guess I am your roommate?" Verika said. Chapter #6 "...." The girl stood there, appalled by Verikas beauty. "Hello?" Verika asked, worryingly. "Are you okay?" Verika asked. "...Oh. I''m sorry. I was just stunned by your beauty." The girl said. "Oh..Thank you..." Verika said shyly. "But, I guess we''re gonna be roommates, Right? My name is Alice. It''s nice to meet you!" Alice said with a smile. She was very good looking and only fell short of Verika in terms of looks. "Oh, my name is Verika. It is nice to meet you!" Verika said with a smile. Alice was stunned, as she mumbled, "You are way too beautiful..." "Excuse me?" Verika asked, wondering what Alice said. "Oh! NothingI''m sorry for the short introduction, but my friends asked me to come out once I was done unpacking. I''m sorry I have to leave on such short notice. We''ll have a proper introduction soon. Goodbye." Alice said. "Alright, Have fun!" Verika said. ''I can''t stand in the same room as her, ill be stunned the whole time! I want to get to know her more though. We will be sharing a room together!'' Alice thought to herself as she left the room. Inside the room, Verika sat on her bed, with a somewhat sad expression. She had thought he roommate didn''t like her, which is why she left so soon. She dismissed this thought, and took out her grandfathers instructions, and what seemed to be a tome of some sort. It read ''Verika, I know you will one day be a powerful figure, but without proper foundations, you will become only an ordinary practitioner. So, I dug up an old script and got this training technique for you. It is perfect for Ice practitioners. So follow every single step down to the letter. -Grandfather'' "Grandpa is the best!" Verika thought to herself, as she opened the manual. The first page read, ''Only for those who have Perfect connections to the ice affinity, and have a pure heart and mind.'' ''Pure heart and mind? What does that mean?'' Verika pondered. She moved onto the next page and there was a heading reading ''Frost Queen''s Might - First technique.'' ''What a powerful title!'' Verika thought. She read the instructions written beneath the heading. "To practice Frost Queens Might, there must be a Verika tree nearby, or in extreme regions of ice and snow. Only then, will this technique work." She read aloud. "One must first absorb the energies of the moon, and the essence of cloud. Sit down under a verika tree, or in the snow, and repeat the following words in your mind, without any other thoughts - Artio Balus, Gaia Snow'' This will allow you to start absorbing the energies and essences." She finished the first page, which was rather short. "Is this all there is to it? Seems simple enough." Verika said. She exited her room and made her way towards the exit of the dormitory. As she exited, there were groups of people wandering about. She looked around and figured out the path towards the inner walls. ''If I recall, there should be some Verika trees this way.'' She thought to herself. She walked towards the gates, with a slight smile on her face. She was excited to start practicing ''Frost Queens Might.'' As she walked, people looked at her with various expressions. Some jealous, some lustful, and some appalled by her beauty. She made her way to the gate and there she saw a guardsman. Surprisingly, it was Salavar. "Oh! Hello, Verika! What a coincidence. What brings you out here?" Salavar said. As he said that, another older guardsman walked up and said, "Oh a coincidence, eh? I heard you begged captain to get this position to see a girl! And this young lady must be her! Hahaha." He chuckled as Salavar''s face turned red. Verika on the other side was confused.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Don...don''t listen to him, He''s just making jokes!" Salazar said, embarrassingly. Verika was unperturbed and asked. "Don''t worry. Anyways, I came to get to the Verika trees. Would you mind showing me the way again?" Verika asked, with a sweet smile. The older guardsman was stunned, while Salavar replied, "Of course! Follow me." They walked through the gates and passed the many buildings meant for guards. They soon arrived at an empty Forest, with purple leaves all over the ground. The trees were not too tall but not too short. The perfect height. These were Verika Trees. "Here we are. May I ask, what are you here for?" Salavar asked. "I just wanted to come here to relax. This seems to be the best place for doing so." Verika replied. She didn''t want to give out the fact she came to cultivate. "Oh okay. Well, if you need anything, ill be back at my post" Salavar said, with a smile. "Thank you!" Verika said, as Salavar turned and left. Soon Verika turned towards the trees and went to one near the wall. She sat down and tried to cultivate. ''Artio Balus, Gaia Snow'' Verika chanted within her mind. But, she couldn''t feel any changes to her body. ''I must remove all thoughts, except for these four words. But tats impossible!'' She thought. ''No! I must not give up! I have to think..or rather, not think.'' She started chanting those 4 words, as her mind slowly lost all other thoughts. The only thing in her mind now was the instructions from the tome. She started to simplify the instructions until she got them down to the very core of it. ''Sit, concentrate, chant. Sit, concentrate, chant.'' She kept on repeating. Soon she started the chants, only leaving the simplified instructions and the chant on her mind. After about 30 minutes, she succeded. Her mind was blank, as her body radiated with a white energy. A purple halo slowly emerged, and the Ice symbol slowly gained color. It was a light blue but was crystal clear. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Soon, Verika body started to change ever so slightly. Her skin became a little more white, and a strand of hair turned white. In her consciousness, there was only white, but then a small speck of blue came. All of these changes happened without Verika Knowledge. Three hours passed, and that small blue speck grew slightly larger, but it was still very small. Verika awoke from her training and realized the sky was getting darker, and stars started appearing. "Oh no! I was too immersed in my training," Verika said aloud. She rushed towards the gate and returned to the dorm. The guards were confused but soon returned to their usual expressions. Verika was slowed down, as she neared the dormitory. As she walked, people looked at her with various gazes. She continued on and soon entered the girl''s dorm. She went upstairs and entered her room. There she saw Alice laying on her bed. "Oh, Hello Verika. I was wondering where you were" Alice said. "Hello," Verika replied with a smile, as she went to her bed. "I realized you don''t have any luggage. Why is that?" Alice asked. "Oh, that''s because I have these" Verika said, as she pointed to her earrings, and some clothes appeared. "Oh! Spatial Earrings. No wonder!" Alice exclaimed. "Anyways. We weren''t able to have a proper conversation. But let me reintroduce myself. My name is Alice Lisun. My affinities are Fire and the bow. I have a Perfect connection with Fire, and Great with the bow. I guess you could call me a genius." "Oh! That''s really cool. You really are a genius!" Verika exclaimed. Alice had a proud look on her face and felt like she won the ''battle,'' not knowing Verika''s talent. "So, whats your affinity and connection level to them?" Alice asked. "Me? Well...I have Ice and Rapier. With a Perfect connection to Ice and Great with the Rapier." Verika said. She didnt want to reveal that she was such a monster, and had three affinities, with a Perfect connection to them all. "Oh wow, youre pretty much the opposite of me in terms of affinities!" Alice exclaimed. It was true. Alice was long range, with fire, while Verika was close range with Ice. "I guess we are! But I hope we can still be friends even if we are opposite?" Verika said. "Of course! But that doesnt mean ill try my best to overcome you! We were destined to be rivals!" Alice said, laughing. "I won''t let you defeat me!" Verika exclaimed, smiling. "Well, we have classes tomorrow, so let''s get a good nights rest. Good night" Alice said, as she covered herself with her blanket and closed her eyes. "Goodnight." Verika said, as she did the same. Soon they both fell alseep. Chapter #7 The bright sun slowly rose with a bright radiance. Inside of room 140, the two girls were still sleeping, when Verika awoke. She looked out the window and saw the sun. ''Oh no! I''m late'' she thought. She quickly changed into school uniform, a white tunic and pants, and brushed her hair. She made her way out of the dorm and went towards Professor Nyakos Living area. She sped up the pace and saw Someone exiting a small house near a lake. She soon arrived and saw Professor Nyako outside her door. "Good morning Professor Nyako," Verika said. "Ah. you''re Just on time. Good morning Verika." Nyako said, trying to suppress her excitement and act more mature than yesterday. "Follow me, Verika. I''ll take you to a space made for teaching." Nyako said, as she walked towards the path. "Yes, Teacher!" Verika replied, as she quickly followed. They walked down the path, and passed many buildings. Now, there were more students wandering about. "Don''t they have classes to go to?" Verika asked. "Classes for regular students, ones without someone to guide them one on one, dont start until the afternoon. I guess you can say you are lucky and unlucky, hehe." Nyako replied. As they continued, they attracted many gazes. Most were on Verika. ''I wish people would stop staring at me'' Verika thought, as she blushed. She walked up closer to Nyako, to lessen the attention. Nyako looked back, and chuckled, and continued on her way. Soon the two neared a seemingly ordinary building. The color was a simple white, and the roof was cone shaped. It looked much like a turret from a castle, but only 15 feet high. Nyako entered, and Verika followed. Inside this ordinary building, there were multiple doors around the room, with only a small space between each. Above each door there was a sign, with names on each. Nyako walked up to one near the front door, which had her name on the sign. "What is this room for, Teacher?" Verika asked, with a confused expression. "Follow me inside, and ill explain." Nyako said, and opened the door. The two walked in, and Verika was stunned, as she looked around. All she could see was white, no matter where she looked. She turned around, and saw Nyako closing the door. As soon as she did, the door disappeared. "Alright. Let me explain. This room is known as Mentors'' Rift. It allows whoever owns the room to project what they are saying into the white ''abyss''.Only the top 20 strongest of the academy are allowed to own a room. This building is also an exclusive for the school. You''ll never find one anywhere else." Nyako said with a smile. "Teacher if you have a room, what is your rank in the school?" Verika asked. "Hehe, im rank Number 3," Nyako replied, with a proud look. "Back to what we came here for. First I will teach you about the basic elements. There are five of them, and they are Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, and Metal." As she spoke, a sphere appeared which was split into five parts, each part holding one of the five elements. "Although they are the five basic elements doesnt mean they are the only ones. There are other, more extreme elements. But they are more rare to come across. Each practitioner, someone like you or me, can have any elements, with the five basic being more common. Fire and water also have sub-elements that practitioners can have. Fire has flame and magma, while water has Ice and water." Nyako explained. As she went through the explanation, the sphere split each part into two, with their sub-elements inside. Verika was listening intently, as her eyes windened. She was surprised at the projections. She felt many different effects at once. Cool but hot, Heavy but light. These effects formed a strange equilibrium, and none brought a harmful effect. ''I wonder, how powerful would someone be if they had an affinity towards every basic element?'' Verika thought to herself. ''They should be very powerful. I''ll have to read about this in the library.'' Nyako continued explaining the elements and their basic properties. "Since we both have an affinity towards ice, I can teach you the best method of leading the particles from the atomsphere around your veins, to create a mystical copy of them." Nyako said. "Teacher, what are ''particles'' ?" Verika asked, with a confused expression. "Particles are what we practitioners use to fuel our power. Levels are divided by how many particles we have absorbed and how fast we absorb them. For example, someone with one affinity and an average connection to it, they should be able to advance to the Vein Copy 1st level in about 1 week. Of course the difficulty increases with how many affinities you have that is an element, as you need particles from the atomsphere that contain the specific element. Of course the difficulty lessens with a better connection." Nyako explained.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Is that why there are special parts of the school with different environments?" Verika asked. "Exactly. You cannot absorb particles for fire in a snowy environment." Nyako said. "What if you don''t have any affinity to an element?" Verika questioned. "People with a non-element affinity get particles through converting already absorbed particles into the right particle. You do this by making the particle pass through the heart, and the desired paticle will exchange with the particle. Don''t worry, this wont affect your physical body at all and wont bring any harm." Nyako said. "Also teacher, you said something about Vein Copy level 1. What is that? Are those the levels you talked about?" Verika asked. "Vein Copy is the beginning realm for every practitioner. No matter who you are, you must start here. This is where you lead particles through your pores and into your veins to make a mystical copy of them. These particles are not harmful at all, and can even help with blood flow. Of course, every one has a different training technique, and so the amount of particles you can lead through the veins varies. Once you absorb 100 particles you can be said to reach level 1 of Vein Copy. To reach level 2, you must absorb 1000 particles. Level 3 10000. It increases by one zero every level, and there are 6 levels in total for this realm, requiring you to have 1 billion particles in your body. Of course, if you have many affinities, you need a collected amount of 1 billion, not one biollion for each one. This means the one with more particles will have a larger affect on your abilities." Nyako said. As verika listened, she grew more interested. When she heard the requirements for Vein Copy level 6 though, she was stunned. ''1 billion?! That''ll take a lifetime!'' She thought to herself. "I will explain to you how to reach the second realm, Mana Development, after you reach the peak of Vein Copy "Well, i suppose that is enough for today. I won''t be able to teach you tomorrow, so explore the campus and get used to your surroundings. Maybe then you can make a few friends." Nyako said, as she wiper her hand down, and a door appeared. The two of them walked out, and Verika realized that it was already sundown. She was appalled at how much time had passed. ''We got here this morning, and it was just a little after sunrise. What is up with this?'' She thought. "Its because time flows differently in mentors rift." Nyako said, as if reading Verikas mind. "Go to the north side of campus, thats a perfect environment for your training. Just follow the manual you have and you should be fine." Nyako said. ''I can''t wait to see what this little girl achieves in the future.'' She thought. "Thank you, for teaching me today." Verika said, as she departed from the building, heading north. On her way, she naturally attracted many gazes. She tried her best to ignore them. As she looked forward, she could see a forest, made of large Verika trees. With a fence surrounding it, there was a booth next to a gate, with a young man sitting in it. She walked up and asked the young man, "Is this for training ice related techniques?" The young man looked up, stunned by verikas appearance. He didnt answer Verikas question. "Hello?" She said. He awoke from hsi stupor and nervously said, "Y-yes. This place is for anyone who has an ice affinity. You are teleported to an empty tree and can practice for as long as you want." he said. "Alright. So i just walk in and it teleports me?" Verika asked. "Yes," the young man replied. Verika entered through the gate, and instantly felt mystical, as if she was floating through space. Soon she appeared inside of a tree. It had enough space for about 3 people, and had a pillow and a blanket underneath, for practicing. Verika sat down on the pillow, and took out the manual her grandfather gave her. The book started off instantly with the practice method. ''Imagine a small blue orb entering through your pores. These small orbs are Ice Particles. This is what it means to absorb Particles'' Verika read. ''Lead these small orbs throughout your body. Circulate them through your veins.'' As Verika did this, she found it fairly easy. When the first orb went around, she moved onto the second. Soon the third fourth, until she entered a mindless state, where only the practice method existed in her mind. Not long after, the orbs in the surroundings created an invisible whirlpool. If anyone else were to be training here, they would feel the ice particles going towards a certain area. The night passed silently, but Verikas practice continued. It soon became the next day, but Verika was still in the tree. She only stopped when it became afternoon. She was exhausted from all the training. She stood up, and saw a door behind the pillow. She opened it up, and felt the strange sensation of space travel once again. She appeared in front of the gate and looked around. Only after she confirmed her location, she looked at the young man in the booth. She gave her thanks to him and quickly left towards the dorm, unaware of the surprised look she got. Verika entered her dorm, and saw Alice. Too tired to say anything, she quickly went to bed and fell alseep. Alice looked at her, as if to make sure this was Verika. Verika was unaware, as she fell into a deep sleep. "Strange...." Alice mumbled, before she left the dorm.