“Let’s go into this lane,” suggested Mistress Lathurna, pointing to the lane all of the way to the right. She took her hands and performed Seen Servant, summoning back the barbarian sparring dummy. “Stand back,” she commanded, pushing me to the back of the lane. “Oh, and keep going with the Mage Light.” I nodded.

I watched Kyna Lathurna cast a spell. As I watched, I say the runes appear. They flickered slightly, I almost missed it if I was not watching so intently. Then, almost instantly, Kyna hurled a firebolt down the lane and set the barbarian on fire.

“How did you do that?” I exclaimed realizing the firebolt launched much faster than I could hurl a firebolt with exact precision.

“Do what? Oh, you mean quick cast?” Kyna asked as she blushed. “You need to dial the spell to the lowest setting to cast it,” she explained. “Now, you try.”

I took my place behind the line of the bolt range. Looking at the barbarian I dialed the spell to the lowest setting. I summoned the energy of the fire element and hurled a firebolt from my palms. Watching the bolt move down the lane, it slowed. What was going on? Then it dispersed into smoke around halfway down the lane. I thought I had cast it perfectly.

“You must perform the spell quicker,” barked Kyna.

“Quicker?” I went as fast as I could with that spell setting. I did not want to seem confrontational, but did she know who she was talking to? “Let me try it again,” I relented.

When the runes appeared, this time I made sure to launch the firebolt right after the slight flicker. This would mean that any adjustments that needed to be made to the runes must be done within a tenth of a second. How was I going to do this? As I nearly became flustered over trying to adjust the runes in the allowed time, something clicked. “Ouch!” I said as I held my head. I actually felt a click inside my head. The pain felt like something snapped into place.

I had to start the spell over because of the click I felt. Summoning the runes again from my memory, I saw them appear before me. Weird. There seems to be a new box that I had never seen before. Looking at this box further, I gathered I could save the setting for quick cast and a number.

“Ah!” I shouted. “Mistress Lathurna, “You startled me,” I said, realizing the professor was hovering behind me.

“Here, let me help you, or I’m afraid we’ll be here all day until you figure this out,” she said examining the runes that appeared before me over my shoulder.

Very funny. She sure loved to patronize me.

“So this is the quick cast box. I’m glad it finally appeared for you,” she explained.

“Finally?” I asked. I realize that I was behind in her class, but these jabs were getting old.

“Right, finally. Most mages have them appear much sooner. It’s taken at least several hours for this box to show up. Now, back to how to use this. You must include a number and the words of power if you want to use the quick cast ability. Otherwise, you can utilize another ability,” she explained.

“Another ability?” I clarified.

“Right. When you get them.”

I summoned the runes for a third time. This time I wanted to use a spell that was more advanced than a simple cantrip, but one that was authorized by the Mage Order. I did not need Kyna knowing that I knew several of the lost and the undiscovered spells. I had to search my memory, looking for the optimal settings for individual targets. Runes appeared before me, and like a computer from my past life, I quickly relied out certain spells. I felt Kyna still hovering over me. “Oh, sorry. I did not mean to ignore you,” I said. “I just want to make certain that I get the correct setting to hit the barbarian before I got distracted.”

“Try that one out,” she suggested.

“Ice Bolt. Perfect, you went over that one in class earlier today,” I affirmed. That was one of the four that she gave us the optimal settings for. Ice Bolt, Ice Cone, Fire Bolt, Fire Cone.

I employed dual cast along with quick cast. I figured I needed to impress her since I apparently was the slow student. I summoned the runes and played the numbers in the boxes, both for dual cast and quick cast. I added a Fire Bolt along with the Ice Bolt. I shouted, “Glacies Pessulum” and watched the stream of ice energy come from my palms, hurling toward the barbarian. Then I shouted, “Ignis Pessulum.” I watched a bolt of fire emerge right after with no gap in between. Both bolts met the barbarian at the end of the lane. One rendering heaps of cold damage and next the fire damage. I was quite impressed with myself.

Now to really show off, I felt it necessary to do the same thing, but this time with the cones. I mean, Mistress Lathurna should be humbled that I am utilizing her very lesson and applying it. These are her settings after all.

After summoning the runes that appeared before me, I made the necessary adjustments and shouted, “Glacies Conc”. I watched as a sixty-foot frosty cone come from my hand. Without skipping a beat, I shouted, “Ignis Conc.” A fiery blaze in the shape of a large, all-encompassing cone shot out from my palm. Both hit the barbarian servant at the end of the lane.

From behind me, I heard three slow claps. “Very good, Edward. I did not realize that you could dual cast at your level,” exclaimed Mistress Lathurna.

“My level? What does that mean?” I asked, looking to clarify her sentiment.

“I will stand with my original statement that I made after class. You know more than you led on. You seem to be overpowered for your level, yet are missing big fundamentals. This is something that will need to be addressed. It’s as if you have some sort of natural ability, but seems as though you have been caught up in learning advanced spells when you should have worked hard developing your fundamental abilities.”

I did not have much time to appreciate Kyna’s adoration, as I doubled over, exhausted. She explained, “You really must have exerted yourself with the last double cast of cones. I’m impressed that you lasted this long. Head to lunch now, and then go on to your remaining evoker classes afterward.“

I did like to show off, but now I was overextended. I needed a break. “Right, Mistress Luthurna. I told my friends that I would meet them for lunch. I’m sure they are waiting for me,” I explained.

As I started off toward the cafeteria, Mistress Lathurna said in an ominous tone, “I will be checking to make sure that you are casting Mage Light until sundown. It is only for your own good.”

My shoulders slumped after hearing those words. I was hoping I would be off the hook after she saw that I could double cast. Oh well.

Arriving to the cafeteria after hiking across campus, I saw my friends. Walter, Cecily, and Yves had already gotten their food and were sitting chatting. “Hey guys,” I interrupted their conversation.

“Oh hey Edward!” Cecily replied. “Nice to see you, how was your first day so far? Yves and Walter told me that you decided to take classes this semester, that’s fantastic.”

I went to reply, but found my words only came out in a whisper, “Right,” I answered as I nodded.

Yves must have realized that I was low on mana because she interrupted my attempt to answer Cecily. “Ed, go get some food,” she instructed. “We will wait here for you.”

Finding it sluggish to move around the cafeteria, I opted for honey braised boar ribs from the carving station, sear rabbit, and minted pea soup. As I was heading back to where my friends were, I stopped and looked at the food on my tray. This was not enough. I went back and picked up two baked pheasants with leeks, and a meerkat dumpling seasoned with sage. That looks better.

Back at the table, I heard Walter, Yves, and Cecily speaking, but what they were saying was not registering in my mind. My only focus, getting this food down. It felt like I was trying to fill in a bottomless hole as I kept shoveling food down my gullet, only to find that the food did not have an effect on my energy level. “Ed, you’re eating quite ravenously,” said Walter as he watched me stick the entire meerkat dumpling in my mouth without even biting into it.

“I wish I did not have to cast Mage Light while I ate,” I explained. “Magicae lucis…Declinemus!” I said in between bites. The last thing I wanted was for Kyna to walk into the dining hall to find that I had not been doing as I was instructed.

“The pace at which you are eating Ed is frightening,” exclaimed Yves.

“Seems strange. Ed, are you OK?” Cecily asked.

“I’m fine,” I answered. “Magicae lucis…Declinemus!” The orb above my head turned on and off.

“What are you doing with the Mage Light?” Walter asked.

“I’m casting this spell continuously to expand my magic pool. I think you guys should do the same. Your magic pools are smaller than mine, and my new mentor said that I have a tiny pool to be competitive among the advanced students,” I explained.

Cecily was the first to buy into my idea, “I do believe that Ed has a point. I do get frustrated running out of mana all of the time. I’m going to do it as well.” “Magicae lucis…Declinemus!” Cecily said as she summoned the white orb to appear over her head and then shut off.

“I really want to become better at magic,”relented Yves. “I will join you in increasing your magic pools.” “Magicae lucis…Declinemus!” Yves shouted, joining our endeavor.

“I’m not sure that will increase everyone’s magic pool,” argued Walter.

“That’s what I was told,” I refuted. “My Mistress Lathurna.”

“If that were the case, then we would see all of the other students doing this. We don’t,” explained Walter.

He had a point. I’ve never seen anyone cast Mage Light over their head for an entire day. “She’s a new instructor, I think she has a different method to doing things than normal here at Draererth,” I rebuttled.

Walter relented, “The logic makes sense.” He paused for a moment looking around the dining hall. “It just must be a different way of doing things. I’m not opposed to it as long as it makes us better I the long run. Plus, let’s face it. Our shallow magic pools are one of the biggest detergents in our abilities to battle and duel.” As Walter paused again, I wondered when he became so logical and well spoken. Then he summoned the Mage Light. “Magicae lucis…Declinemus!”

Yves chimed in as we repeatedly casted Mage Light. “Don’t you think our magic pool is sufficient for our ages?”

“I believe we are good for our ages,” I affirmed. “But that is not my measure. I want to be good at anyone’s age. And that means increasing my magic pool as quickly as I can.”

“I like that idea,” confirmed Cecily.

Finally, I found the bottom of my tray after consuming all of the food. Our Mage Lights continued to blink on and off above our heads at the table. I did feel as though my energy returned after eating such a large meal.

Cecily broke the silence, “I’ve decided that I want to become an evoker. Ed, I heard that’s the course of study you are pursuing.”

“Right, the fire and ice elemental spells seem to come the easiest to me,” I explained.

“They come easy for me too,” replied Cecily. She was right, she was very good at Fire Bolts and fire in general. I hated when we were separated from her while we were out getting the Magi Staff. She had grown to be a great friend and an even better teammate. I did appreciate her chaotic nature. She appeared to be either going to start a fight or on the verge of an explosion at a moment’s notice.

Walter volunteered, “Hey guys, after today’s morning class, I have decided what I should be when I grow up.”

“What is that?” Yves asked.

“After our battle with Balfomeir, I was blown away by his skill, his ability to meld magic and martial arts into one discipline. I found that after today’s class that I am obsessed with ritualist magic. That way, I would not have to have the spells prepared before hand, but could activate the magic through rituals. I think that was what was getting me before, and I wasn’t able to tap into my full ability.”

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I became amazed by Walter’s insight. “That is really self-aware of you,” I stated, partially still in complete shock. “Out of the eight schools of magic, abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation, which do you think you will lean toward?”

“Ed, I won’t be a mage or wizard like you all. I would continue deepening my magic pool and work on the ritualistic spells, but I would become a magus. However, the spells that I’m best at are illusion and abjuration. I’m fairly certain that I would prefer my melee weapon, but I could see myself becoming an Arcane Archer just as easily,” explained Walter.

“A magus?” Yves asked.

“Right, a magus. They are similar Eldritch Knights, like Balfomeir, but are slightly different. I would join one of the Eldritch Societies,” explained Walter.

After I realized what Walter was explaining to me, I wondered why he would remain at a school for mages when he clearly needed to develop his martial arts abilities. “So you plan to finish your studies here at Draererth?” I asked.

“I do. I had to give it some thought and figure if this is the best place to study to advance my training. I will train on martial arts on my own. Perhaps where there is an empty field after the dueling squares,” answered Walter. “I do need to figure out which melee weapon I’ll be using.”

“Yves, we haven’t heard from you yet,” I said, turning my head to Yves who had been quiet this entire time.

“Oh, right. I wasn’t really certain what I wanted to do,” she started off. “Everything seems to be overwhelming and I enjoy studying.”

“You don’t have to decide today,” I affirmed. Reasoning if Walter thinks he could be a Magus, then the sky was the limit for Yves. Cecily leaning toward evocation was not a surprise at all. I imagined that Agnes would have chosen abjuration, since she was very keen on making shields and protective fields.

“I think I really want to focus on ice magic,” relented Yves.

“Ice magic?” Cecily asked.

“Right, I want to become an ice mage and specialize in ice magic. I’d be in the evocation school, but only one element. My powers lean that way as well,” explained Yves.

“Why wouldn’t you just be an evoker like Cecily and I? Why specialize in only ice magic?” I asked.

“Because there is more money and less competition if I focus on only becoming an ice mage and performing ice magic.”

She did have a point. Good for here that she was looking down the road at viability and sustainability of her career choice. I still wasn’t sure how Walter would wind up being a magus, but I’ve heard of weirder things. I sure hope he could work on his martial arts training somehow. I did want what was best for Walter, and I cared about his growth as a person and a magic user. At the moment, however, I resented him. However, I know Agnes would want us to help him become the best magic user he could possibly be.

“Hey guys, I better get going to my next class,” I announced. “I have Dastardly Defense with Professor Wolford right now. Where is everyone else going?”

“Right, we all should get going,” barked Yves. “I have Pillars of the Polar with Professor Wintersteen.

“I’m headed to Flames, Fire, and Fury with Professor Emberstaff,” replied Cecily.

“And I have Rituals and Rites with Professor Oberwon,” said Walter as he stood up from his chair.

The rest of us stood up from our seats, this section of the dinning hall had been our safe haven all of last year and now I was glad to see us back together. Event hough Agnes was no longer her physically, I could feel her spirit with us. We all went on our way to our respective classes.

I found the room of where my class was held for Dastardly Defense with Professor Wolford. Based on the title of the course, seemed like there would be good information to know. Charged with still having to cast Mage Light repeatedly, I wondered if I would stick out in class. I found a seat in the back, not to disturb anyone while I continued casting.

This classroom was arranged in desks and chairs, just like the other classes I were used to from last year. Also, the class had more students than Mistress Lathurna’s class, but less than what I was normally accustomed to. The other students came in and sat down, some gave me odd stares as I sat in the back, repeatedly turning on and off my Mage Light.

“Greetings class,” the professor said as he came from behind his desk. He had been writing there while the us students got situated. He was tall and lengthy, with long limbs, as slender build, and long dark hair with a beard. He seemed to have a refined aura about him, an aristocrat if you will. “Welcome to Dastardly Defense. This course will help each of you refine your defensive skills. Remember, during battle, defense is fifty percent. Always. Everyone works diligently on their offensive magic, but few really take the time to develop their defensive magic.”

After hearing this introduction, my ears perked up. What he said, made sense. I found that I had to defend more. While still casting the Mage Light, I listened to his lecture. “Class, the first spell that I want to go over with you is Arctic Wall and Fire Wall. This elemental defensive walls are brilliant for neutralizing the opposite element being attacked at you. For example, if an opponent is sending Fire Bolts at you, Arctic Wall is a great defensive strategy.”

I already figured that one out. I wonder what else this guy’s got.

Professor Wolford continued his lecture, “Elemental Absorption allows you to capture some of the incoming energy, lessening the damage that you will take and storing it for your attack. The next attack that you perform will have an increase in damage to the opponent until the spell ends.”

Seemed simple enough, but clearly I was becoming more and more bored the more and more this guy spoke. I took this moment to take a mental reprieve from my exhausting day. Life would be a lot easier now if I did not have to cast the Mage Light over and over again. I understood that it was for my own good, however, it was draining all of my energy. I understand that it was designed to do that and by doing so would increase my magic pool, however, I was getting resentful of Mistress Lathurna.

I must have fell asleep, because I could not remember anything up until Professor Wolford announced, “All right class, that is enough of defensive strategy and spells. Tomorrow we will work on more. Class dismissed.”

I shot up from my chair and headed for the door. As I my foot was about to cross the threshold a shuddering voice came from behind me, “Edward, wait a moment,” the voice said.

My shoulders shot up to my ears at this. Professor Wolford asked me to stay after class? What could he possibly want? Did he notice me sleeping? I turned and dodged the other students who headed out of the classroom door.

As I approacehed the instructor, and came closer, I did not realize how big his nose was. His nose hairs ebbed and flowed as he made audible breathing sounds. This cannot be good, it was apparent that I had angered him.

“Yes, Professor Wolford?” I said as I approached him, noticing the exquisite tailored black suits and red ascot he wore. For some odd reason, he reminded me of a vampire from my previous life. Obviously, I had never encountered one, however, I read about them and saw them in movies.

“How dare you make yourself so comfortable in my class and during my lecture that you found it appropriate to fall asleep?”

I did feel bad for disrespecting Professor Wolford. His lecture was not that bad, it was quite good in fact. He explained all areas of elementary elemental magic very well. “I apologize, Professor Wolford. I am deeply sorry that I disrespected you in such manner,” I answered, assuming that would do the trick and I would soon be on my merry way.

“You knew what you were doing was wrong, but you did it anyway. Now you believe an apology is going to smooth everything over? Come on Edward MacAra. Every professor at this school knows that you believe you walk on water. That somehow you are the chosen one that Hamon Reid sought out to take under his wing. You put your friends in harm’s way, you walk around like your the gift to magic, and you cannot even perform any spells above level three. Thankfully Mistress Lathurna is working with you to extend your magic pool. If she did not intervene in your instruction, I would not know where you would be. Hamon may be an Archmage, and the greatest that we have seen, but he let you get away with a lot. I’m not going to allow that,” explained Professor Wolford. His hair, pulled back into a slick pony tail, waved around as he emphasized the meaning of his words.

“Professor Wolford, I really do feel bad. Mistress Lathurna has me casting Mage Lite repeatedly, which is exhausting all of my energy,” I responded.

“She told me during lunch. She also said that you tried to show off in front of her. From what I hear, it was a good display, but you lacked humility. Seems like Hamon gave you the run of the roost.”

“He did his best,” I defended. “He nurtured my magical abilities when I was certain I could not perform any.”

“It’s evident that he has a lot of faith in you. A lot more than I do. In any case, your discipline for falling asleep during a lecture is that you must clean the storage room without using any spells. If I sense that you used a spell, you will have more discipline to face and I will take your insubordination up with the Headmaster and Lead Council,” Professor Wolford pontificated.

I did not want to have another run-in with the Lead Council, so I would do as I was told. I replied, “Yes, Professor Wolford. I will get to cleaning out the storage closet now.”

“Very good. It is the storage closet out here in the hallway,” said Professor Wolford as he led me just outside his classroom to a closet door right next to the entrance. “I did not have time to clean it out before I was to move in here. This should take you the rest of the day. I’m certain that Mistress Lathurna would want you to continue with the Mage Light.”

“Right,” I responded as I nodded.

Professor Wolford continued down the hallway. He shouted as he walked, “I will need this done by the time I get back. I’ll be gone for a few hours.” His ponytail bouncing with each step as I watched his thin frame saunter down the hallway.

********************************

After I finished with the storage closet and the run-in with the older bullies, I felt completely exhausted. My first day back at school had been a long one, and I did not want to go eat in the dining hall, I was spent. Making my way back to my room, there was a part of me that did not want to go to my quarters, alone.

Returning to my living quarters while school was in session became a reminder of my missing mentor, Hamon. I longed for his direction, companionship, and guidance. Kyna may have thought he did not provide enough stewardship in my development, however, I disagreed.

As I opened the door of my room, an unequivocal feeling of loneliness fell over me. For some reason, being back in classes and now in this room, even though I had lived here while I assisted in the rebuild of the school, triggered my longing for my mentor.

I continued to cast Mage Light, to deplete my magic pool to eventually build it up as Mistress Lathurna prescribed. After I started the fire in the fire place, I looked at the rocking chair that Hamon used to sit in and read in every night after dinner. This was just downright painful, I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack.

I must occupy myself. What to do, what to do? Now would be a good time to go through all of the spells that I did not perform in front of Mistress Lathurna, so I have the prescribed presets ready to go. That would make quick casting that much more useful.

I went through the spells that I had memorized. I moved glyphs of the runes for single and multiple opponents for Magic Missile, Flaming Hands, Mage Armor, and Wave of Thunder. Noticing the spells that I memorized, I needed to practice the activation words for these spells.

“Magicae Telum!” I shouted, summoning Magic Missile. This was a spell that I felt quite accomplished in, however, I needed to record the presets for quick cast.

Next, I shouted, “Nequissimi igneq manus!” I watched my hands as I held my thumbs touching each other and my fingers spread, a thing wall of flames shoot from my stretched phalanges. I quenched the spell before it shot out at a target. I didn’t want to set my room on fire. I noted the presets in my spell book, and then continued on to the next spell.

Working on the spells, my throat ached from saying the words of power and it was just after midnight, however, I had nailed down the presets of all of these spells. I was quite impressed. As I documented the presets in my spell book, I had an epiphany!

With my quill between my teeth as I stared at the blank page of the spell book, I had a vision. It was as if the runes of the other spells spoke to me, and I had pieced together something larger. I flipped to where I had several blank pages in my spell book. As I flipped, the parchment paper rustled, the crips papyrus fighting me as I paged through the book. I reached for my ink bottle and dipped my quill into it, frowning for a second while I flash came to my mind.

I cradled the leather-bound spell book on my desk, and moved the tip of the falcon-feather quill that Hamon had given me down the page, meticulously calculating each angle of the glyphs and mentally recording the presets. Chain of Lightning! That’s it! That is a new spell I uncovered. I admired the runes that I scribed, and how each glyph was put into the perfect place, summoning the lightning elemental energy to reek havoc on unassuming opponents.

I believe this is the perfect spell as it summons a bolt of lighting to arc toward any target, then three bolts leap from that target up to three more targets. They have to be clustered together, and I can only summon one bolt per target, for the time being, but this should be a fantastic spell. I worked out the angles of the glyphs in my spell book, and was quite excited with my work.

Next, I worked on my activation words to begin the spell. “Torquem fulgar!” I shouted while I held the preset runes in my mind. I watched a lightning bolt appear and multiply in the room. It did not hit anything, since I did not indicate a target, I only wanted to watch the bolt split off into more bolts. This was spectacular! I admired my work while I watched the glittery bolts dance around the room. The dissipated into the atmosphere, leaving me once again only to my own devices.

What was that? I stopped in my tracks while I put my writing instruments and spell books away. Oh, nothing. I must be hearing things. Resuming tidying up my desk, I anxiously anticipated retiring to bed.

Then I heard it again, this time louder. “What in the world?” I muttered while I went into my bedroom chamber to investigate. It sounded like someone was in my living quarters with me. The noise sounded like it came from the mirror that I had on top of my chest of drawers right near my bed.

As I walked by the mirror, my heart raced and I nearly jumped out of my skin. “You again!” I exclaimed, staring at the ominous figure. The figure that talked me into coming into this world in the first place.

“Good evening Edward MacAra,” the figure stated while it appeared in the mirror, clouds swirling around it. I could still not make out its face, underneath the cloaked black hood it wore.

“Lord Abraxas escaped into the portal before I had a chance to finish him off,” I relented. “I know I’m supposed to defeat him and restore this world back to order.”

“We are aware. We have been watching,” replied the figure. “The Demon Lord is smart, cunning, and powerful. You will be a worthy opponent for him in due time.”

“What about Hamon?” I asked. “I need my mentor back!” I shouted at the mirror, feeling enraged that the very being sent to assist me with my magical development had been taken away from me. Frustration and fury filled my body as I stared at the figure.

“Hamon has his own journey,” replied the figure.

“Well, can you help in anyway?” I asked out of frustration.

“We cannot interfere directly, however, we can help you with your magic.”

“Oh? How?” I asked, intrigued by the offer.

“Can you quick cast yet?”

“Learned that today,” I replied.

“Can you silent cast?”

“What is that?” I asked.

“This ability will allow you to cast spells without having to use the words of power. By doing so allows for a more stealthy attack on the opponents since they will have less time to counter the spell. Lord Abraxas is able to silent cast. That is one of the ways he is so dangerous,” explained the figure.

“Well, can I have that ability?” I asked, hoping the figure would say yes. As I waited for a response, I screamed, “Ouch!” I held my head as I experienced a similar click in my mind as I did when I had the quick cast activated. “What is that?” I asked the figure.

“You can now silent cast,” it answered. I watched as the image in the mirror began to disappear.

“Wait! Before you go, do you know where Hamon is?” I begged.

I saw the being nod. “Yes, we know where he is,” replied the figure.

“Where is he?” I asked, anxious to get my mentor back.

“I cannot say. That would be cheating. I’ve already have done more than I should.”

I felt defeated while I watched the figure disappear in the ether. As the figure vanished, it said, “Edward, study hard and the information that you seek will come to you when you least expect it.”

Confused, I went to ask the figure more. Study what? Study where? However, the figure was gone and I was left once again, alone.