Gio found himself adrift, within a sea of fractal images of himself.

Everywhere he looked, he could only see different angles of his own body- lurching angles displaying his own eyes looking back at him from above, below, the sides, and behind.

He was nearly certain that he should feel disoriented, but he felt steady and calm. He pushed his hand forth, meeting his palm on the surface in front of him, and felt the image dissolve.

Infinite sunrises, upside-down mountains, and reversed waterfalls bloomed out from the place where he had touched his reflection. He flew out, embracing the spiraling colors, letting the images pour over him. As they moved, the visions blended, becoming a hypnotic kaleidoscope of wonder, and Gio basked in the myriad spectrum of its brilliance.

All too soon, the dream was over. Gio awoke, feeling refreshed.

[Student- Mirror Mage] - (TAGS: STUDENT|MIRROR|TRUE_MAGE) - Continue on the path of higher education, learning to leverage your innate understanding of mirror magic to great effect. Bonuses to learning skills while occupation remains education-based.

[Catoptromancy] - Mirror mastery. You have an innate understanding of the way that mirrors reflect the world.

[Font of Mirrors] - your internal reservoir gains an additional pool of mirror-aspected mana. Additionally, you aspect mirror mana at a greater efficiency rate.

[Specular Mind] - you may spend mana to retain a perfect image of something within your mind. This is a learning skill.

I could get used to waking up like that. If only I could try anything out for the next month.

Gio fussed with the delicate-looking silver chains around his wrists and neck. The casting blockers were thoroughly enchanted, and Gio felt himself drawn to avoid noticing that he was wearing them.

They almost look fashionable. They boost healing, are comfortable, and they go with my outfit. It’s a shame they prevent me from doing the literal main thing I came to this school to do. It’s alright. Just… 27 days left? I need to get my mind on something else.

Gio caught up with his growing circle of friends at the breakfast table and then headed off to his plot in the gardening club.

_____

Gio gaped at the status of his once modest plot of land.

“Well… we didn’t want you to come back to an unmaintained field… and when Professor March came by to talk to Mistress Blossom, she told us that you were really looking forward to getting back to your garden, so a few of us took turns maintaining your plot. After some point, it became a bit of a friendly contest… I apologize if it’s too much.” Sapphire sheepishly said, holding her hat in her hands.

Gio stared at the towering thicket of [Arnold’s Pillar], a tiny cultivated stream of crystal clear water, interspersed with tiny glowing totems that pulsed out tiny novas of gentle, nourishing nature mana to the area surrounding it. There was an enclosure around a cage of [Garuda’s Fern] ensuring that none of it would spread, but that there was enough of it that Gio may very well need to start burning it again. There were tiny plots of the seeds that he hadn’t had much of a chance to work with yet. Gio was enraptured.

“Saph, this is great. I am… overwhelmed. I guess my only complaint is that I don’t really see any ways in which I can improve upon what you’ve done for me already. I was hoping for a bit of an escape from looking at magic that I can’t cast…” Gio said.

“Easy enough to solve, flower. I’ll just grant you more land!” said the form of Mistress Blossom, gliding over to Gio’s plot. The space seemed to stretch and warp as another plot of land appeared in between Gio’s plot and Sapphire’s. A tiny shack popped up, as trees grew naturally into the shape of a squat hut, and dendritic amber crystallized into a set of frosty golden windows.

“Oh, thank you, Mistress Blossom!” Gio uttered, surprised by the sudden expansion.

“If I may suggest to you two, Sapphire- I shall allow you to do some of your alchemy experiments in the shack I have provided in between your plots, so long as you agree to tutor Giorgio in the art of making printing supplies. Giorgio, you shall aid Sapphire in her studies. She’s a bright girl, but she’s reaching the limitations of what she can reasonably accomplish on her own. She needs a capable research assistant, and I know from a certain grapevine that you’ve acquired an interesting upgrade to your knowledge skill that will help her.”

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“Sounds interesting, I am okay with this arrangement so long as you are, Saph,” said Gio.

“Are you KIDDING?! I would love the help! I am not particularly detail-oriented by nature, so having someone put together would really help me. Let’s get started as soon as possible!” replied Sapphire.

_____

Gio flopped into bed, having thoroughly enjoyed his time studying with Sapphire. The budding alchemist was a typhoon of energy and information, but combined with Gio’s analytical skill and focus, the duo became a well-oiled machine. Within hours, Sapphire's existing notes were filed, ranked, stacked, and cataloged. Several small notes with similar ideas were re-compiled and prioritized, and they developed a plan of action for near-future execution.

Looking up at his ceiling, Gio pondered his personal to-do list.

So… during this no-magic period, I should take the time to really hone in on what I want to do the second I can cast again.

Firstly, I need to deal with the commendation. Headmaster Vespertine gave me a deadline, and I do not want her to think I’m not appreciative of the second commendation. That should probably happen first thing tomorrow. But who do I pick? Should I give it to Owl, and pick a new topic? Jean was right in that I am already doing a lot.

After that, I should explore some historical mirror-based spellforms. Besides reflect… I don’t know what else mirror mana does.

Then… make a short list of spellforms to make when I can channel again? Ooooh, I can pre-plan some test spellforms. Maybe this time of not having the ability to experiment immediately will be good for my creative process. I could also use this time to figure out what materials to use, and Saph can help with that.

I wonder how Rika and Jean are doing?

_____

Jean

Jean awoke from a dream of space and flight.

[Student- Starfire Mage] - (TAGS: STUDENT|ASTRAL|TRUE_MAGE) - Continue on the path of higher education, learning to leverage your innate understanding of astral magic to great effect. Bonuses to learning skills while occupation remains education-based.

[Astromancy] - Astral mastery. You have an innate understanding of the way that constellations orbit the night sky. You may glean information from studying the stars, and you are more powerful when directly under the sky.

[Font of Stars] - your internal reservoir gains an additional pool of star-aspected mana. Additionally, you aspect astral mana at a greater efficiency rate.

[Starcraft] - Astral mana you spend leaves a glittering imprint of constellations upon your internal magic imprint. Just as constellations tell a story together, your magic works in harmony with itself.

Incredible. With [Practice Makes Perfect] and the class learning bonus, I am going to ensure that I reach the point where I can say that I’m starting to make improvements upon the Castallane house magic. We’ve stagnated for too long in our complacency, and we need to be ready for whatever happens.

I refuse to be helpless against another threat like that undead dragon. Gio and Rika deserve a better teammate. Are we a team? Did I just decide that on my own? I should talk to them… later.

Jean quickly got dressed and headed to the Owl’s Respite.

“Up before the sun once again, Mister Castallane? What can I do for you today?” Asked the Owl. Jean had been spending a lot of time in the library recently, and the Owl had appreciated being updated on Gio’s condition.

Jean and Chandrika had reassured the Owl that he had nothing to do with Gio’s injuries and that his help finding the vault may have saved the school, or at least the lives of many students.

“I was hoping to get some advice on who to spend my commendation on. I was hoping you had some sort of… staff directory? I’d be especially interested if any professors use astral magic or weapon constructs.” Jean stated, smiling companionably at the Owl.

“What a fine question. I, of course, am unable to provide a full list of the academy staff, for non-disclosure reasons, but I retain a list of professors who are open to taking new students. As a member of the Castallane family, you use the [Astral Deva] technique series, correct?”, the Owl asked.

Slightly taken aback by the familiarity with his house’s magic, Jean replied: “that’s correct.”

“Well, the [Astral Deva] library is based on a particular type of titular entity. Astral Devas are typically regarded as an “angelic” type of manifestation. If you recall your house’s history, the founding Castallane was allegedly taught the beginning seeds of your house magic by one of these celestial beings.”

The owl fluttered down, summoning a note card with a name on it.

“With that being said, a good mentor for you would be any sort of user of angelic magics… all staff members who fit that billet are currently not accepting new students. However, there is one particular professor who is accepting new students and might be suitable for your purposes. Professor Ira Cloudspeaker is a Valkyrie, and I think a winged, light-mana proficient spear user is close enough, is it not?”

“I think that sounds very interesting,” Jean replied.

_____

Several hours later, Jean was plummeting and screaming from the tallest tower of the flight deck.

A pale woman with pitch-black hair dove after Jean, laughing and spiraling. Her wings were a mix of mottled grayish-blue and black, and they were pinned behind her as she dove down, passing Jean as she screamed over the wind.

“Lesson one! Diving is one of the BEST ways to train yer flyin! Get used to the feeling of the spine coming ot’ yer behind! If ye canny last ten dives on yer first day, we’ll be diving ALL DAY tomorrow!”

Light blue symbols appeared on her wings, as she cast accelerating magic on herself, Whistling past and tucking into a tight roll, as she unfurled her wings and arced upwards, gliding out into the air beyond.

Jean summoned his starlight wings and attempted to copy her trajectory. Nearly passing out from the G-forces, he spiraled down. Bracing against the wind, and feeling his flight goggles pressing into the bones of his cheeks, he tried to think over the sound of the air rushing around him.

Jean spread out his wings, gracelessly fumbling out of the dive and just barely leveling out into a jagged arc.

Sailing out into the open air, he began cry-laughing hysterically.

“That’s me boy! Let’s go again!” Professor Cloudspeaker screamed.