Stutter.

My eyes focused on the fiery phoenix like camera lens. The rest of the room blurred and then distorted around the phoenix. The bird froze in mid-air, emitting out a harsh wave of air pressure beneath it. The chairs in the room flew backwards with papers scattering in the air. I created an ice block behind my shoe to hold my balance.

After a moment passed, the bird flickered in the air, it’s wings moving irregularly in place.

“Time stutter?” said someone behind the giant flaming bird. “Impressive but not perfect.”

I heard a snap of the fingers and the bird broke free from my time spell. I erected a wall of ice in front of my body to block it. The phoenix came spiraling through the ice and I ducked. The flaming wings licking my face as it flew past me and out the door.

I stood up and peered through the hole in the ice. The thick wall of ice was cut out in a perfect circle. Water didn’t even drip and the ice around didn’t seem to be melting at all. it was like that part of the wall never existed in the first place.

Blood trickled down to my upturned corners of my mouth. I wiped it off and proceeded over to see the amazing breaker of my spell.

“It’s not simple to break free from Time magic.” I said, kicking my feet in the air with each step forward.

Professor Maevis stood beside the glistening crystal desk that looked like it was made from diamonds. I saw the arms of someone sitting behind the desk with the back of the chair towards me.

“Maybe for you, but to me it’s as simple as cleaning up this whole room with two snaps.” said the voice deeper than an abyss.

Snap

Snap

With the snap of the headmaster’s fingers, the whole room started to put itself back in place. The papers that were scattered flew through the air and back in their respective piles. The chairs tumbled through the air and placed itself promptly where it was before.

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After a few seconds the rustling stopped and I looked around. Tidy. See? The library should be just as easy to fix.

“So you know a cleaning spell, should I be shivering?”

With the snap of my own fingers, all the papers and chairs hovered above the ground. Another snap they scattered themselves around the room. Ah, I’ll never get tired of that. I clapped my hands together and smiled from ear to ear.

I am feeling quite pleased, not going to lie.

The chair spun around and a cloaked figure seated upon the seat. Their hands, gloved; their face, shadowed beneath the hood.

Professor Maevis stood there fluttering wings with… excitement? Her face was just as bright as mine. But why?

“Let me cut to the chase,” said Maevis, “Leo Lavisellion, ranked one of the first year. Elemental aptitude Ice with adequacy in the other elements as well.”

“More than adequate.” I corrected her.

She stared at me with the same fake smile and proceeded to list off more things.

“That is yet to be determined, considering much information about you has been...altered. Anyways, the reason you are here is because you will be sent on your first combat mission.”

“Combat mission? I don’t have the time to clean up some street thugs and petty robbers.”

I twirled around and proceeded to walk towards the door. They weren’t going to force me? Why even call me up then. This really was a giant waste of time.

I reached for the door handle but it pushed open unexpectedly. Standing in the doorway was this look of disgust upon the girl’s face. She looked familiar, did I know her?

“You imposter, still prancing around in that disguise it seems.”

“Have we met?”

My hand on the stone door grew hot. I pulled back my hand and saw the crimson color that was taking over the grey stone. I looked down at her hand to see her fingertips pressed against it. Oh! I knew who this was.

“Leah, I finally remembered. Now that you have your recognition, can you move out the way.”

She squinted at me with hateful eyes that I didn’t really understand. Why is she so upset that the pathetic version of me is gone. He was useless and that’s why he was casted away.

“I see you two are acquainted. Then it will make this more simpler.” said Maevis.

Leah’s eyes looked past me and widened. I turned around to see the landscape around us changing. The office interior faded away, sprouting a dirt path and shrubs out of what seemed like, thin air.

After a few moments, everything around us was gone. What’s left stood just Leah and me surrounded by tall trees with thick tree trunks.

I felt my arm being tugged on something soft. I looked down to see Leah clinging to my arm with a scared look. Not used to the outdoors?

She started to lift her hand and point at something in the distance.

“What’re you looking at?”

I removed her from my arm and walked behind her, peering over her head. In between the trees I could see a giant black tower but it was hard to make out the details. Still, I knew exactly what that was.

“Looks like I didn’t have to go searching after all. It’s right before my eyes.”

I rose up with an ice pillar to get a better look. Leah latched onto my arm tighter than before, feeling her shivering.

Annoying.

On the bright side, I found my dungeon.