Chapter 4: Practical Exam
Zane swiftly moved backward a few steps, his mind alert and his eyes readily watching Tutor Beldin in his easygoing stance. Then Zane Mind Accelerated, transporting his consciousness into his Magus Domain. Inside the five domains, the merged Zane split into three Zanes once more, joining Quartus and Secondus in the five white circles with its five Surges.
“It seems to me that Tutor Beldin knows of our secrets,” Qunitus said, his voice unusually serious. With a hand, he was smoothing his silvery white hair. But this time, the habit held a slight tension, a sign of his nervousness.
“Perhaps so,” Tertius agreed. “I have attempted to read his appearance, his habits, his eyes, his breathing, and his movements. But it seems that I am still lacking in my skill. Tutor Beldin is a hard man to read. Almost more difficult than Father. All of his movements, gestures, and expressions seem contrived. He gives nothing away and the telltale gestures that he gives are all feigned.”
Quintus sat down into a lotus position inside the white circle which contained the light brown Surge with similarly colored Foci orbiting around. It was the Surge for absorbing and containing the Earth Essences. “As far as our knowledge extends, Omnus” he said, “I can find nothing that could allow a Magus Domain to be breached and spied upon without some form of direct means. Perhaps there is something we are missing, Omnus.”
“In the end, it does not matter,” Sextus said, breaking his silence. It was a rare moment, for Sextus was almost always quiet, always training silently. “The possibility of defeating Tutor Beldin is zero even with such a handicap. The possibility of escaping from him is also zero. And even if we do, Father will learn of our escape from the Tutor.”
Quartus gritted his teeth. “Possibilities my fucking skull. Nothing is impossible.”
Sextus merely shrugged at those words.
As for Secondus, he had his usual look, the stony gaze of his scarlet colored eyes. “Then we have only one choice left. For now, we shall take the practical exam given by Tutor Beldin and defeat him.”
“Good. I was just about to say that, Secondus,” said Quintus. “As for who shall head out, it should naturally fall into our Warrior personality, Omnus. Just in case Tutor Beldin is bluffing, keep it to the three Surges he knows of.”
Hearing that, Secondus, Quartus, and Sextus nodded. Nicknamed Warrior, it was the personality that resulted from the combination of the three.
Determination, Willpower, Survival, Fury, Vengeance, Wrath, Aptitude, Talent, and Prowess.
The personality would be a Warrior who would stop at nothing until he is victorious. A warrior who would be fueled by his instincts, his fury, his talent, and would do anything for survival.
“Omnus,” the five Zanes altogether said, their voices almost perfectly in sync with each other.
But it was only almost, for there were two of the Omnus missing. Primus and Septimus who were still locked in the orbicular room where no light would ever enter.
With the Warrior personality having taken over, Zane was in a determined silence. But underneath his silence and his cold face that gave away nothing, there was an even colder fury burning inside him. The fury seeped through his veins, as if his very blood had turned into ice. His eyes watched vigilantly for every movement and his mind was always aware of his surroundings.
“Do not worry, Prince Zane,” Tutor Beldin said cheerfully. “In all probabilities, this practical exam will not result in your death.” A pause. “Probably. That is, if you have not been lax with your training.” He raised his right palm toward Zane. It was the palm that was enshrouded in a red auric flame. “[Fireball]!”
Zane watched as a huge spherical ball of fire was shot out from Tutor Beldin’s raised palm. At the center of the spherical ball were multiple layers of red flames while the outer layers were orange flames. And at the outermost layers were yellow flames trailing alongside the main spherical body.
It was a fireball that could have only belonged to an experienced Magus. It was the fireball of a Sixth Foci Fire Magus of the Sixth Rank. The fireball was twice as large as Tutor Beldin’s fat head and any shields Zane made would have only resulted in the shields being shattered.
Zane knew that since he was only a Second Foci Fire Magus of the First Rank and a similar rank as a Water Magus, he could only dodge the basic fireball made by an expert. Not to mention the fact that Darkness and Death spells took a few seconds of preparation, especially since Zane was only a Fourth Foci Death, Darkness, Blood Magus of the Second Rank. It was a few seconds too much; time that Zane could not waste.
Gnashing his teeth, Zane dive rolled to the side as the spherical ball of fire came rushing toward him, its speed almost comparable to an arrow shot by a shortbow. Everything lay in the timing. Before Tutor Beldin had even called out the name of his magic spell, Zane was already beginning to dodge.
The fireball exploded onto the stone courtyard and flames exploded outward like a shattered glass window. The stones that had borne most of the impact were now burnt black, sporting fractures here and there.
Quickly getting up from his dive in one smooth motion, Zane stood ready, facing against Tutor Beldin. Reaching within his Magus Domain, Zane opened free three of his Surges. His Water Surge, his Fire Surge, and his Noxus Surge exploded forth, revolving inside the domain.
And similar to Tutor Beldin, each of his hands were enshrouded in their own auras. Summoning a fireball of his own, Zane threw it toward Tutor Beldin with a wave of his left hand.
Unlike the magic from Tutor Beldin, his fireball was as simple as it could be. It was only a dense spherical ball of red flames. There were no outer layers of flames that could increase the speed of the fireball and increase the magnitude of the explosion.
Zane also knew that Tutor Beldin was giving him a big advantage by shouting out what his next move was. In reality, a Magus did not have to use focus words or focus movements to throw a simple magic spell. The focus words and movements would help the Magus focus his magic, but they weren’t truly needed for simple magic spells.
Having thrown the fireball at Tutor Beldin with his left hand, Zane formed a straight-edged palm with his right hand, mimicking a sharp blade. With that palm, Zane further mimicked a chopping motion. The auric blue mist that surrounded his right hand exploded out into a water blade.
Almost simultaneously, Zane had thrown a water blade and a fireball, both of which shot toward Tutor Beldin, but at a speed far less than the fireball Tutor Beldin had casted. Zane was only a First Rank Fire and Water Magus, after all.
Zane saw Tutor Beldin simply smile at the incoming two magic spells. His red auric enshrouded hand chopped down at the water blade, and a whip of fire devoured the water blade, releasing steam. Another focus movement, and the whip of fire grew larger wrapping around the fireball before finally devouring the fireball into itself.
In the meantime, Zane was preparing a Darkness and Death magic spell. The auras on both of his hands had disappeared only to be replaced by black auric flames tinged with Darkness and Death Essences.
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Spreading both of his hands outward as if to embrace someone, Zane clapped his hands together, creating a loud noise which rang all around the stone courtyard. Black auric flames exploded outward from his clasped hands, forming into two convulsing black tendrils, each about as long as an arm.
A horrific black mist that seemed to swallow the light itself swarmed around the two black tendrils, which twined around each other as if attempting to devour one another. They squirmed toward Tutor Beldin whose mouth was gaping at the disgusting sight of the tendrils and its swarming mist.
But he soon closed shut his mouth. "[Firewall]," Tutor Beldin said. He snapped his fingers, creating a thick wall of red fire that sprouted out from the ground ten feet away from him. The length and height of the firewall was enough to easily shield five grown men.
The two black tendrils bore a hole through the firewall in the blink of an eye, leaving a hole which the flames of the firewall dare not to even linger nearby.
Another snap of his fingers, and this time, four walls of fire were created one after another, each consecutively behind the previous. Tutor Beldin could only sigh as one of the firewall was instantly pierced through. The four firewalls had only bought him a few seconds of time.
“Now, now, Prince Zane. Did you really have to use your Noxus family’s Devouring Tendrils?” Tutor Beldin called out with some amusement.
Paying no heed to his words, Zane was creating one waterball after another, using the few seconds of time his Devouring Tendrils had bought him. In those few seconds, Zane had already created eight waterballs, each about the size of a grown man’s head. They hovered in front of him perfectly still and perfectly silent.
Sixteen waterballs were the most Zane could control, a feat he knew that any normal Magus the same rank as him couldn’t hope to replicate. However, Zane created only eight waterballs to make it more believable in case Tutor Beldin was deceiving him into showing his hands.
Flanking around the four firewalls to his opponent’s left side, Zane casted the eight globes of water without even a second’s hesitation. At the same moment the eight waterballs launched themselves at twenty five feet per second, the two Devouring Tendrils had finally penetrated through the four firewalls.
But even against such a myriad of magic, Tutor Beldin still did not move a single inch from his position. There was only that small curl of a smile which was made intimidating by his double chins.
"[Water Geyser]." With a foot, Tutor Beldin stomped heavily onto the stone courtyard, carving out a monstrous section of the stones. The piece of carved stone that could have crushed more than ten men was then sent hurling toward the two Devouring Tendrils. From the carved hole, a geyser of water shot forth, pushing at the back of the carved stone, increasing its speed even more. Then the geyser of water changed direction, pushing the carved stone downward.
The piece of carved stone smashed into the two Devouring Tendrils, slamming them into the stone courtyard. Pieces of stones, dust, and water exploded outward in a collision.
"Water Blades." Tutor Beldin waved his blue auric mist-covered hand at Zane, shooting forth twleve water blades, all of which met the waterballs perfectly in the air.
The sharp blades of water sliced the waterballs into clean halves, and sliced into the very air itself. As the waterballs were all punched through, they deformed and simply became puddles onto the ground. Then all ten of the sharp blades of water came hurling toward Zane at a speed too quick for him to dodge.
Zane was already prepared for such an outcome though. With his Noxus Surge, Zane created a pure magical shield of auric black flames in front of him. Three of the water blades collided into it and the shield trembled for a few seconds, but held still. The rest of the nine water blades passed by harmlessly.
Suddenly, a roar of rushing water was heard coming from his side. It was the geyser of water that Tutor Beldin had created just a while ago. The geyser of water had curved its direction and was gushing toward him. If Zane collided with that geyser, he had no doubts that he would be thrown like a ragdoll.
Instincts kicked in and Zane opened free all five of his Surges, creating five layers of shields, each shield a different color from one another, representing the color of his five Surges. But before the geyser could even smash into the shields, the water froze in midair, just hovering there, almost touching the first layer of the fire shield.
“It is your loss now, Prince Zane,” Beldin stated calmly.
A slight confusion came across his face. “What do you mean?” Zane asked.
Beldin gestured a thumb at him. “Look behind you.”
Turning his head, Zane saw the nine water blades that had passed by harmlessly were now hovering precariously close to his back.
Tutor Beldin smiled. “Always be aware of your surroudings Zane. A Magus’ with precise control can change the directions of his magic spells in the midst of battle. He can also lay traps and cause a distraction with a larger spell, making you lose awareness of your surroundings.”
Zane silently closed his five Surges and dispersed the five layers of shields. “How long have you known about my five Surges?”
“From the very moment you became my student.”
“I see,” Zane said quietly. “Does Father know?”
A glinting of his beady black eyes as they narrowed. “By the way, Prince Zane, you have been summoned to the Throne-Room at your earliest convenience.”
Zane knew that that at your earliest convenience was just a façade for King Gladius Balan Noxus. When the king summoned you, you either came quickly or you die. Zane had seen a small noble who had come late to the Throne-Room and his Father himself had beheaded the noble for that small slight.
King Gladius Balan was not a man to be slighted. Not even a strand of hair could be slighted. Then again, as his oldest son, Zane was given some leeway. He had survived after trying to take his father’s life in the dungeons before, after all.
And it looked as if Tutor Beldin would not answer Zane’s question at all. He had avoided it deftly by switching the subject.
“Thank you for the practical exam,” Zane said. Turning his back to Tutor Beldin, he walked away from the stone courtyards without even a backward glance.
“A word of advice, young Zane. Your father is not a stupid man. And neither is he a man to be underestimated,” Tutor Beldin called out.
At that, Zane whispered to himself, “That. More than anyone else, I know the best.” And perhaps he would find some answers from Father in the Throne-Room. What was the worst Father could do to Zane anyway? Turn him into a lich?
That would be an amusing sight to Zane!
Entering into the corridors of Castle Noxus, Omnus had switched into the Perfect Gentleman personality. He would need to be on his best behavior for the upcoming exchange of knife-edged comments and honeyed insults.
And Zane’s best behavior could raise the very dead themselves. Chuckling wryly to himself, Zane headed toward the Throne-Room, the largest room in Castle Noxus and the room where court was held.