"What are you goals now Sol?" Gadget asked, dropping the hug and walked back to the chair at the table.

"I don't really know, the logical thing to do is to return to Ave Ludum and continue my studies there. But I have never heard of a person being compatible with all the winds of magic. I have to take caution before joining the academy." Alicia pondered out loud.

"Well, I don't know much about magic but can't you hide the gemstones with the same bandages as before along with your eyes and only use one or two winds of magic then you won't be caught by the academy as a freak." Gadget proposed.

"That is actually not a terrible idea. If I use only the wind of water and the wind of air it won't be suspicious since those are aligned, it's pretty rare to be favored by two winds of magic but they aren't in opposition like water and fire. I have to test if there is any problems with the winds opposing each other in my body." Alicia responded to the proposal Gadget gave.

"I have to do some testing, can you come back in two hours to see if there are any visible changes in the shards?" Alicia asked.

"Im busy in the afternoon, my little sister has entered Ave Ludum and we are celebrating tonight, but I can come by tomorrow if it works?" Gadget explained.

"That works perfectly, congratulate your sister from me. And gadget, please keep this a secret between us two." Alicia asked, scared that their secret would be exposed.

"No problem Sol, have a good evening!" Gadget said as he left the house, leaving Alicia standing alone in the small kitchen.

Focusing her sight on her arms she cast a small incantation from the wind of water and a water drop the size of a small melon floats a few centimeters above her left hand, in her right hand a similar incantation is chanted and a flicker of flame erupts from her hand, gently swaying in the dark room.

"Hmm. It seems like the opposing winds don't interfere with each other, It's also weird that my mana pool can correctly give mana to the correct wind of magic without causing mana sickness." As she ponders on this problem she has a thought. "What if the crystal shards are the cause of this."

Testing out her theory she drops the chant for the fire spell and only keep the water spell active, casting a minor divination spell she sees the mana around her. Looking at her arms she notices that the jade colored shard shine a lowly lit light and the sapphire colored shard brighter then the jade colored one.

"Interesting... what if..." as she notes the changes on her arm she drops the water spell and instead calls on the wind of earth, creating three pebbles gently floating in midair. Looking again at her arm she notices that the emerald colored shard is lit up while the sapphire colored one has gone back to its usual murky shine.

"It seems like my mana pool draws mana from it to the appropriate shard when I call upon the wind of magic and the appropriate mana is used to channel the spell." Alicia realized.

Realizing how the shards worked she wanted to test further but a sudden knock at the door sent Alicia into a panic, rummaging around on the ground looking for the bandages, finding them nearby the chairs and quickly wrapping them around her arms and eyes she hastily opened the door.

"Who is it? are you looking for somebody?" Alicia asked, flustered by the sudden visit.

"Are you Alicia Solic, former student at Ave Ludum?" The voice asked, clearly frustrated by the wait. Alicia quietly channeled mana to the wind of divination and before her she saw three burly men, all having the spark of magic in them, the one closest to her having the strongest spark, favored by the wind of earth while the two companions were favored by the wind of air.

"I am, who is asking, as you can see I'm blind so I can't see you." Alicia explained, waving her right arm in front of her eyes showing that she can't see anything.

"We are guards from Ave Ludum, you have been summoned by principal Vatler for revaluation of your magical capabilities. Neighbors have reported strange lights from your house and the principal is intrigued by your case." The guard explained briefly, wanting to end this as soon as possible.

"Am I allowed to reject the offer?" Alicia asked nervously.

"You are, but we wouldn't want to recommend it." As the leading guard said that Alicia noticed that mana were flowing from towards one of his endpoints.

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"Alright, I will follow you guys, let me get my belongings first." Alicia said, receiving approval from the guard she closes the door and lets out a long sigh. Grabbing her clothes from the coffer she hides the two necklaces underneath the layers of clothes, tightening the bandages she folds up the hood and opens the door, letting the guards lead her towards her former home, the Ave Ludum academy.

Following the guards for several minutes Alicia is gently pushed along the desert streets of Port Al-Asar, arriving at one of the many docks in the city Alicia heard the scrambling of coin as she is pushed towards a frigate docked. Standing atop the deck of the ship the wind nearly takes off the hood, catching it in time the guards ask Alicia to follow them to her room where she will stay for the duration of the journey.

Two weeks later and a lot of puking from sea sickness the frigate, as she learned from one of the sailors was called the Crescent Dawn finally arrived at the city of Ruun, capital of Eredin and the location of Ave Ludum. Being led by the guards she silently thanked the sailors for their hospitality and on they went towards the academy.

Passing several streets filled with vendors and boutiques she could hear the chatter of the people around her.

"look at her, she is probably being arrested for being a criminal, why would three guards surround her. Even covering her face, disgraceful." An older man spoke to his two friends sitting nearby at a small café. Ignoring their comments Alicia held her face low and before long they had arrived at the large gateway leading to the academy. Two sentries were standing vigilantly before them. having a small talk with the guards escorting her.

"It seems like you finally found the student who was injured months ago, where did you find her?" The sentry on the left asked.

"We found her in a broken down part of Port Al-Asar in Salamish, there had been some reports from our branch in the capital of a young looking female with bandages on her arms and eyes, and behold, we found her there." The guard leading the group answered.

Continuing their conversation for at bit longer about current affairs and events in the city the two sentries give Alicia and the guards entry into the academy. Smelling the air Alicia picks up the sweet scent of flowers from the large flower garden sitting at the entrance to the academies main entrance. A few students passing by took notice of Alicia but couldn't remember her. Following the guards inside they walk a long and tedious route towards the upper floors of the building and not before long the group arrive before the door of principal Vatler. Sensing the group outside the door a mild voice is heard from inside the chamber, "Come in, the door isn't locked."

Good afternoon principal Vatler, the mission is a success and we have Alicia Solic in our custody, you wanted to have a talk with her." The guard leading the group announced.

"Well done Magnus, you and your companions will be rewarded for your success, bring this letter to the head guard and you will receive compensation for your travels." Vatler congratulated the guards for a job well done. Sensing that their presence is no longer required the guards excuse themselves from the principals chambers, leaving Alicia alone with her former principal.

"You know, it was hard tracking you down Alicia, leaving the country and ending up in the sultanate of Salamish must have been an arduous journey." Vatler began speaking to Alicia, his pleasant tone still there.

"What can I say, after I was expelled from the academy my presence here was no longer required, so I sought solace in Al-Asar. I recommend their spices, lovely to have in your food." Alicia commented, sarcasm in her tone.

"We can talk later about your time in Al-Asar, I assume you have questions why you have been called back to Ave Ludum." Vatler asked.

"I have some theories, either you thought I would not survive there and felt sorry for me, not my first option since you never really cared about anything except the study of the winds. So I assume you have gotten stuck in the studies and remembered my accident and thought about a new experiment to conduct." Alicias snarky tone echoed through the chambers.

"Aah, that bright mind of yours. Yes, your accident have caused a theory here about injecting crystals directly into peoples bodies to help them connect their mana with the winds, no tests have been conducted since the forced injection could lead to immediate death since the crystals are unbalanced. But you however survived. You may have lost your connections to the winds but you survived with several pieces of crystal shards imbedded into your body, and we want to know how." Vatler explained.

"If I said that I have regained my connection to the winds, how excited would you be?" Alicia asked mischievously with a small grin on her lips.

"What are you talking about Alicia, we did numerous tests on your body after the accident and you were deemed a null, you can't use or perceive the winds any longer." Vatler responded, however confusion riddled his thoughts.

"Well... this may change your mind." As she answered she sent mana from her inside her to the sapphire shard and from her hands two water drops formed from nothing, hovering slightly over her palms.

"Blessed Aine, you have regained your connection to the winds, we must conduct..." As Vatler's shocked expression was sounded Alicia interrupted him.

"I have two requirements if you want me to cooperate, firstly I want full access to the library and second, no tests on my body, simply checking my connection and doing formal tests as the ones used during the examinations.

"What are you talking about Alicia, your case can revolutionize the magical world!" Vatler was confused but joyful at the sudden showcase by the young female in front of him.

"Those are my requirements, if you can't abide by these I will return to Al-Asar, I think the Sultan of Salamish have good use for this discovery." Alicia threatened the principal, knowing his thirst for the unknown he will accept her demands.

"You know Alicia, sometimes you put yourself in graver danger then you think. Alright, I accept your demands, however, you are not allowed in the forbidden sections of the library. only the commonly available floors." Vatler hesitantly agreed to the terms.

"Thank you for your hospitality principal Vatler, I think our cooperation will have benefits for us both." Alicia said, the same mischievous grin on her lips.

"Guards, please escort Ms. Solic to her new chambers." As Vatler gave out his orders two guards from outside the chambers entered, saluted the principal and asked Alicia with great care to follow them to her new chambers.

Thanking the principal once again for the talk Alicia turned around and followed the two guards out to her new chambers.

"Yorik." Vatler called out in the empty chambers and a moment later a black clad person fully covered in his outfit stepped forward from the shadows.

"Yes master Vatler." Yorik asked.

"Place shadow hands around Alicias chambers and have a guard follow her around at all times, she is to be treated like royalty while here." Vatler ordered to his shadow hand.

"Yes master." Yorik accepted the mission and quickly disappeared as fast as he arrived in the chambers.

"Alicia Solic, I hope you will be of benefit to us." Vatler talked to himself alone in his chambers.

Following the two guards for a few minutes Alicia is informed by the younger sounding guard that they have arrived at her chambers, she thanked them for their help and entered the chamber alone. Listening to the footsteps slowly fading away she dropped down on the soft after roaming around, scanning the room for its layout. A small bed and beside it a large wardrobe filled with neatly folded robes. On the other side a small side table along with three chairs.

"Almost like home in Al-Asar, I hope Gadget is okay." Alicia thought about her friend back in Port Al-Asar, melancholy that they didn't have a proper good bye.

"Well, know I am truly in the belly of the beast, hopefully this choice does not end horribly." Alicia thought as she felt the tiredness from the journey taking over and soon after she was fast asleep in her bed, in her former academy from the past.