Jade started moving as soon as Sasha finished speaking, body blurring as she carved a trail through the sand towards her.

Sasha started mumbling under her breath, as the earth converged and swelled and tried to trap Jade. Jade jumped, and instead of coming back down her foot seemed to brace on thin air as she stayed far away from the ground.

“Hup!” Jade grunted with each step, a rhythm starting to build up as she traversed the sky on her way towards Sasha.

Theo managed to sit down while this was going on, gently lowering himself onto the sand next to Drew, who nodded at him in acknowledgement. He nodded back.

Sasha had stopped controlling the earth, instead opting to jump up and join Jade in the sky. It looked like they were using the same spell, as Jade got close to Sasha. They were both locked into a rhythm, almost alternating steps.

She balled her fist, and while taking a step, Jade punched out, hitting Sasha’s side. For a moment, they both turned slightly grey, Sasha a slightly lighter shade than Jade. Even though they were both in the air, only Jade was pushed back by the hit, and she used that momentum to put some distance between them and run away.

“Good fight.” Drew whispered to Theo. He kept his eyes on the fight.

“Thanks. I had no idea how to beat you.” Theo replied. Sasha was starting to close the gap and chase after Jade.

“You got me good with that backlash at the end.” Drew said. Their conversation paused, as Sasha had almost caught up to Jade. Immediately after Sasha’s step, Jade curled up and leaned back, and with their next step kicked out in front, arresting her momentum and sending her backwards.

As Jade almost brushed past Sasha, she aimed a kick at her side. Again, they both turned slightly grey, but this time Jade missed. Sasha grabbed Jade’s leg, held it close, and dropped from the sky as she started to mumble again. The earth rose to meet them.

They hit the ground, Jade first. She was swallowed by the dirt, trapped (but desperately trying to change that). Sasha got up, brushed herself off, and approached the struggling student. Looking down at Jade, Sasha punched the dirt next to her head. Clumps of earth flew and splattered against the audience of students, and sand soon filled the remaining crater, but Theo still saw that it was deep enough to bury him up to his waist.

Sasha stopped mumbling, and the earth stopped resisting Jade’s efforts to escape.

“You recovered pretty fast from that.” Theo said, looking over at Drew as Sasha slowly walked away, observing Jade. He was finally regaining some pink in his cheeks. Drew smiled, wanly.

“I know a tier two internal magic, Rest.” Drew whispered, proudly. He paused, before continuing, more subdued. “It’s incredibly weak and takes up a lot of mana, so it’s not practical in combat. But, still.”

Theo realised, as Drew’s face grew healthy again, that he could feel a slight tug on his mana. Drew’s breathing was incredibly steady, and looking carefully at the mana around them, he could feel it being drawn to Drew. Drew was meditating.

Rest might have been useful, but it was also enough to take every bit of mana Drew had, and then some.

“It took me years to get it to where it is, but it was worth it. How long did it take you to get Striding Wind and Endless Song down?” Drew asked. Before Theo could figure out how to say “it took almost no time at all” in a polite way that was still truthful but simultaneously didn’t offend or bug Drew, Jade finally freed herself and walked back over to everyone else. She was breathing heavily, shoulders almost shaking, but there was a content smile on her face.

“You did well,” Sasha congratulated. “Your use of Cloud Dancer was very controlled, and you were offensive and opportunistic. Cloud Dancer is not an action magic to be sustained for long, with its mana cost, and you did quite well using it and the terrain to your advantage.” She motioned for Jade to sit down. Jade half dropped, half collapsed onto the ground, uncaring about the spray of sand she sent Rowena’s way.

“Now, Everett? Your turn.” Everett slowly stood up, walking over with a serious look on her face as Sasha scanned the room. “Gerald? You’re up.”

A man Theo wasn’t familiar with stood up, with a curious glint in his eye and a charming smile on his face. He looked good, in a way that made Theo run a hand through his (part sweat, part sand) hair.

Gerald started to introduce himself, trying to start a conversation with Everett.

“Would such a lovely lady as yourself be willing to-“ His words were interrupted (and drowned out) by Everett almost unhinging her jaw as a guttural, almost demonic screeching came out. Theo plugged his ears with his fingers, cursing Bat’s Ears as they started to hurt immensely. Looking around, he saw most people doing the same.

Gerald started off shocked and peeved, but then gradually became unnerved and outright scared (one could even make a case for disturbed). The screaming cut through the air, and it seemed to shatter and warp, as the fabric of reality bent. Things felt sharp, and everything seemed a little off.

“Alright, that’s enough of a demonstration!” Sasha commanded, clapping twice as she power-walked (faster than most could run) between the two of them.

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Everett stopped screaming, and reality returned back to how it was before, so quickly that Theo started to wonder if he had hallucinated the effects. Looking over at the weapon rack, he saw a sword hilt hung up, with most of a blade lying on sand. It was a clean cut, but cracks spider-webbed out, like roots.

Everett started coughing, but otherwise seemed fine. Gerald looked shaken.

“You are no longer obligated to participate in any other combat scenarios during this class, but you are not allowed to use that action magic again. It is powerful, but too dangerous to cavalierly use against your classmates.” Sasha told Everett, and she had a complex look on her face.

“Many say that action magic is inherently inferior to focus magic in offensive capabilities, but there are a few categories that defy that understanding. One of which is Diresong, or songs that are potent in the right hands, more so than most. What Everett here used is a dire aria, similar to the one The Doomsday Siren used in her demonstration during orientation.” Sasha continued, speaking to everyone.

“Gerald, stay up. Your new opponent is Horace.” A slightly pudgy boy with the face of a pushed-in pig walked up and greeted Gerald with a wave that he returned.

The ensuing match, when compared to those that came before it, was very underwhelming. It was clear to Theo that neither Gerald nor Horace wanted to fight, or hurt the others. Which was admirable, if you weren’t supposed to be fighting them. Their action magic was also rather weak, with Gerald summoning a single fluttering flame and flicking it at Horace, who retaliated with some sand. Which they lobbed in each other’s general directions from far away. Needless to say, Sasha wasn’t impressed (nor would anyone above the age of one, unless it was a contest to see how badly one could fight with magic).

“Next. Ellis, Ingrid.” Theo vaguely recognised the two of them from the Arts Exchange.

They shared a look between them, as they walked into the arena, Ellis holding a lute, Ingrid a pipe.

“We would like to have a battle of music, not combat, if that’s allowed.” Ellis asked. There was a beat, where they both looked worried (as if they imagined Sasha would mock or assault them).

Sasha gently shook her head, a kind smile on her face.

“I applaud your pursuit of the craft, but this class is here to make sure that even if you are only using action magic to enhance your performance, that you are still able to defend yourself. I am afraid you will both have to try to fight, at the very least.”

Nodding as if they expected this, they both swapped out their instruments from their belongings. Ellis pulled out a different lute, and also a number of arrows. Ingrid pulled out a thinner pipe, and also a handful of darts.

They both began to play, and it was beautiful music, both casting action magic at the same time, punctuated with occasional whistling arrows launched from strings, and darts ejected from pipes.

However, no arrows or darts ever reached their mark, as the music played had formed protective shields around them, almost invisible for Ellis, and slightly icy for Ingrid. Any projectiles simply were deflected off them.

To their credit, they both played until they ran out of projectiles (instead of pulling a Gerald or Horace and visibly not putting in effort), and stopped. Their music no longer clashed and tried to overpower the other, but instead harmonised and resolved. They stood, and together bowed as everyone clapped, Sasha included.

“Defensive spells will be much more useful to you, so I applaud that as your focus. I hope you will become more mobile and increase your options in terms of offense during your time at the College of Song, but that was respectable.” Sasha praised.

“Finn, James.” Finn strolled up casually, facing off against his opponent. James looked like he was constantly squinting, carefully examining everything he saw.

Finn started to whistle, and Theo recognised the tune. It was the one that Maria and Sparrow and Thelonious (and frankly anyone he’d ever heard move small objects with action magic) use. It was a jaunty tune, and very quickly the sand around them stirred. It rose and started moving, until the entire area was a sandstorm. It became hard to see anything at all, and Theo squinted to try and avoid getting anything in his eyes.

It continued like this for a while, no sound besides Finn’s whistling, until James shouted out, “I concede!” Theo was confused at why that was.

“Victory is yours, Finn. You can stop.” Sasha called out, and the whistling didn’t stop, however the sand calmed down and dropped down. Once the sandstorm (and the residual currents it had whipped up) had subsided, it became clear why James had conceded.

Finn hadn’t moved at all from where he started. James had moved, but was currently standing very still, a knife held to his throat. Theo thought it could have been a fillet knife (either way, he’d seen a fisherman holding one just like it at one point).

Finn moved the knife away slightly, and stopped whistling entirely. The knife dropped to the ground. Finn whistled again, to bring it back to his person.

“It is good that you are familiar already with The Fisherman’s Song. That is one of the standard spells we teach here, and you have clearly mastered it. Versatile usage, perfect execution, multifaceted. This is an exemplar of how a simple spell can be put to great use by a creative mind. And as bards, we tend to have no trouble in that department.” Sasha said, wryly. “By any chance, are you from the Lake District?”

“Yeah.” Finn grunted. Sasha nodded in understanding.

“Astor, Olivia-Marie.” Astor unpacked a hefty metal-plated accordion, and Olivia-Marie grabbed a sheath of paper.

“Pebbles make a mountain,

Minutes make a year.

A stream becomes a fountain,

A word cleaves through an ear.”

Theo realised that this was the first time he had heard someone cast action magic with actual words. It made sense, as Olivia-Marie was a poet. She threw the pages up into the air, and they gleamed, before shooting at Astor. Holding onto one end of the accordion, Astor punched out, swinging it around to bat away the paper flying at him.

Olivia-Marie whistled The Fisherman’s Song to redirect and reposition some of the pieces before chanting the poem again. This continued, as Astor slowly made his way over, using a few reedy notes and chords here and there to accentuate his motions.

As Astor got close, the poet changed what she chanted.

“A thousand fractals of perspectives,

Ten futures in each breath,

I pray fortune be protective,

Let no future speak of death…”

This time, there was no gap, just constantly repeating it over and over. The paper formed a rotating sphere around her, compact enough that the accordion wouldn’t be able to make it through, but loose enough that she could still see and send out more paper.

Astor hammered on the paper with the accordion for a bit, but after that produced no results, he started to properly play his accordion. Until, that is, Olivia-Marie combined the poems she was reciting.

“Pebbles make a mountain, a thousand fractals of perspectives.

Minutes make a year, ten futures in each breath.

A stream becomes a fountain, I pray fortune be protective.

A word cleaves through an ear, let no future speak of death…”

The paper started to cycle, each page shooting out to attack Astor before returning to protect Olivia-Marie for a moment, gather up moment, and then shoot out again. It became increasingly clear that Astor would not be able to defend and pressure at the same time, let alone engage any action magic that could change the direction of the battle. Sasha once again intervened.

“This is a battle of attrition. Either Olivia-Marie runs out of mana, or Astor becomes physically exhausted or slips. I’m declaring it a tie, good job both of you. Well executed poetry, and that is a good way to overcome the singular, limited nature of a lot of action magic – stagger and combine. Astor, you wield the battle accordion quite well, but you’ll need to learn how to play it while using it as a weapon to be effective.” They nodded, and sat back down.

A few more mediocre fights from the school of Gerald and Horace followed, before only Rowena (that Theo knew) was left.

“Edgar, Rowena.” They regarded each other, recognition clear in their eyes.

Edgar pulled out a whip, and started swinging it around. Soon, it began humming, and a tornado of fire started to form around him. Rowena, meanwhile started singing. It was a beautifully clear, haunting melody, and the ground started to grow cold and form frost.

Ice started to climb up Edgar’s legs, as it formed faster than the flames and the general heat could melt. Soon, it reached his arms, legs now encased in ice as thick as his waist. Theo dimly realised, that as this had happened, Rowena had been freezing a sphere around Edgar’s entire radius of control. It formed into an igloo around him, and it started to seem like the outcome was set as the ice grew thicker and thicker despite the flames around them.

It became harder and harder to hear the whip, until Theo (and absolutely everyone near the College) definitely heard it, as Edgar cracked it. There was a bright flash of light, as the tip exploded. The ice dome shattered, and Edgar was freed. Rowena stopped singing, opting to whistle The Fisherman’s Song instead. All the chunks of ice levitated, and rushed towards Edgar…before being stopped by a wall of earth.

“Impeccable power and control, Rowena. Very well done. Good work Edgar, wonderful control and an admirable attempt at breaking through and countering Rowena’s ice. However, sometimes class, you cannot beat someone more powerful. In those scenarios, escaping should be your first priority.” Sasha lectured, before stretching and cracking her neck.

“That brings us to the end of our first lesson. Drew, Theo, Jade, and anyone interested in internal magic, stay back. Otherwise, you are dismissed.”