11th of Jadayn, Year 51 Post Racial War

A slender woman with short, raven-black hair was pacing up and down before the blackboard which was already completely covered with crooked, barely readable writing.

"Now then." She spoke with a loud and high-pitched voice that cut into the student's ears. "Who can tell me how spells are tiered?"

A girl in the front row with curly brown hair eagerly threw her hand up.

"Yes, Miss Clifford?" The teacher pointed a long pockey stick at her.

"Spells are divided into five tiers. From lowest to highest those are novice, intermediate, master, grandmaster, and mythic. The higher tier the spell is, the harder it is to learn, cast, and maintain. Of course, it's effect is also usually that much larger."

"Very good!" The woman was pleased with her answer. "There is a group of 'special' spells we can use. Who can tell me what they are and why they are considered special?"

The very same girl once again raised her hand. "Miss Clifford?" The teacher pointed at her.

"Those are transformation spells, Mrs. Weiss. Transformation spells are special because they allow you to take on a different form temporarily. Usually, that is the form of an animal or in the case of mythic tier transformations, a mythical being. They are tiered similarly to regular spells, from novice all the way to mythic. The stronger your magic is, the longer you can hold your alternate form before you have to revert back."

"That is exactly correct! And you even addressed the tiering, splendid!" the scholar exclaimed happily, proud that her work had paid off. "You will do great on the final exam, Miss Clifford, I can already see that!"

This honest praise was really well received and the girl was looking smug while receiving a few scornful glances from her fellow students.

"Nice going, Lauren," a boy said mockingly from the second row, rolling his eyes.

"Do you have a problem, young sir?" The raven-haired woman batted an eye at him.

"Not at all, Mrs. Weiss!" he quickly corrected himself. "I was merely congratulating her."

"I sure hope so," she muttered quietly. "Now, then! Let us continue with our revision! As you know, your graduation exams are only a few months away. I sincerely hope we managed to equip you all with sufficient knowledge, both practical and theoretical, over these last four years for you to pass them with flying colors."

Glancing over the classroom, she was met with some nods and yeses, as well as a couple of concerned looks from the ones who weren't so confident in their abilities.

"Next question!" Mrs. Weiss continued after a bit of silence. "What are the three possible types of spell-casting, from least to most advanced? Who can tell me this?"

Lauren's hand was up immediately, but the teacher passed on her. "Anyone else? Mister Borglovych!" She pointed at a black-haired boy in the third row.

"Uhm...quick-cast...full-cast...and...silent-cast?" he answered, sounding a bit unsure.

"The answer is correct, but the ordering is wrong," the scholar pointed out. "I said from least to most advanced. "Miss Crow, can you tell us the correct order?" Her question was met with silence. "Miss Crow?" Silence again. She glanced over the class and found an empty seat in the last row and a half-opened door at the back of the room.

"Velvet's not here," the girl next to the vacant table said meekly, as if it was her fault.

"I can see that," Mrs. Weiss spoke in a low, annoyed voice. "But she was...wasn't she?"

The girl nodded and Mrs. Weiss sighed in turn, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I swear I am going to lose it with this girl..."

***

The academy building had a hexagonal shape, with a small park in the middle. Nothing too fancy; a few trees, a small pond, and about a dozen benches were scattered along the star-shaped pathway. On one of those benches, a girl with long, straight blonde hair sat quietly, with a large and old-looking book in her lap, whisked away from reality as she was reading it intently. Her moment of tranquility was interrupted by a loud, excited voice calling her name from afar.

"Arianna! Arianna!"

She glanced up from the ancient pages to see her best friend and roommate sprinting towards her, waving happily and wearing a big smile. Running up to her, Velvet jumped and swung around, plopping herself down on the bench beside her in one swift motion.

"Be careful!" the blonde girl scolded her. "You almost tipped over the bench!"

"Sorry!" she apologized energetically. "I'm just so happy to see you!"

Arianna smiled and shook her head. "You're never going to change, are you?"

"Nope!" She noticed the big book in her lap. "What are you reading? That looks ancient!"

"It is," the other girl said. "My mother gave this book to me. It is supposedly one of the most comprehensive guides on air magic ever written!" She closed the book to reveal its cover.

"The Wonders of Air Magic by Merlinda Ashdale," the energetic girl read out loud. "That's so amazing! Merlinda was one of the greatest witches of all time! She even created a bunch of her own spells!"

"Exactly," Arianna agreed. "That is why I am reading it. I want to learn from the best there ever was! Merlinda not only mastered air magic but four other elements as well. The only one she never got the mark of was..."

"...light magic," her friend concluded, looking a bit disappointed. "I know. My magic." She sighed. "I wish she did, so I could also learn from her. Instead, I am stuck with Venard Gimley! Ugh!"

"What's wrong with Venard Gimley? He was also a great tier-five wizard. You could learn a lot from him, I bet!"

"I hate his writing style!" the brown-haired girl complained. "His explanations are so long and boring...it's like chewing on some overcooked meat! Merlinda explains things so much better and more interestingly!"

"That's an odd comparison to make." Arianna smiled. "But there may be some truth to that. Wait...aren't you supposed to be in class right now?" she suddenly realized.

"I should, but I left early. All we do lately is revision, revision, revision...boooring! We know all this stuff already! Why go over it again?!"

"Velvet Crow!" Her friend was appalled. "This is the third time this week you left class and came to hang out with me instead! And one of those times you literally snuck into my class and we both got kicked out because of it!"

"Ehehe," Velvet giggled innocently. "Sorry about that!"

"Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to Mrs. Weiss! This really isn't a good look you know!"

"Relax, Arianna. What matters are our results on the final exam. Which we will both completely ace, by the way! We're both way ahead of our class! We know all this stuff in and out!"

"It's still against the rules to skip class. Also, being ahead doesn't mean we can slack off for the next few months until the finals catch up with us," Arianna pointed out, still annoyed. "Do you want us to graduate together or not?"

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Of course I do! We promised that years ago already! And we will do it too!"

Arianna sighed and looked back down at her book. Velvet immediately noticed something was wrong. She inched closer to her on the bench and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong? You seem worried."

"I am," the blonde girl replied, pushing a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. "And I will tell you why. I interviewed some of the older students that already graduated and are still sticking around helping teachers, furthering their studies, and stuff. They told me a bit about how the exams look and what you have to do to pass them."

"That's good, though, right?" Velvet was confused. How was this making her worry?

"You know how for the practical exam you have to choose a partner?" Arianna continued, glancing at her.

"Yeah, so? We both already have a partner — each other! So that's settled!"

"No." The other girl shook her head. "That's just it! You have to pick a partner from your own course! And they had to have graduated already! Apparently, it's a safety precaution."

"So, you're telling me..." Velvet finally realized what her friend was trying to tell her, "...that after being roommates for the last four and a half years and doing everything together, we now can't be partners for our final exam?! We have to pick some random student who graduated from our course instead!?"

Over the time they've spent together behind these walls, the two girls have become inseparable. As much as they were different, they complemented each other. Velvet's eagerness and courage were balanced out by Arianna's calmness and rationality. It was always meant to be them, side by side, through thick and thin. But now...

"Yes," Arianna said, confirming her fears. "I know we were both looking forward to this, but neither of us knew about this rule. You will see when they open partner selection in a few weeks that it will be like that. I never paid much attention to it during our previous years. It was always like this. All of the graduates I talked to confirmed it."

"Screw that!" Velvet growled and pushed herself off the bench in a fit of anger. "I'm picking you as my partner and that's that! I want nothing to do with anybody else!"

"H-hey! Where are you going?!" she called after the girl who was already halfway across the park. She didn't like this one bit. Whenever Velvet stormed off like this it usually spelled bad news either for her or on many occasions, the both of them.

"To the headmaster!" her friend yelled out, confirming her foreboding senses and only making poor Arianna worry more. But was too late to stop her and all she could do was helplessly shout after her as she disappeared back into the academy.

***

"Miss Goldleaf is correct. Indeed, that is the case!" the always cheerful old man said after young Velvet voiced her concerns to him. "Students are paired with a graduate that has already seen what the exam looks like. They will provide you with guidance and support during your trial. Plus, their magic is stronger, so you can rely on them to protect you."

"But that's not what I want!" Velvet yelled in frustration. "I want Arianna to be my partner!"

"We all want many things, Miss Crow," he replied in a calm manner befitting of his age and wisdom, "but that is not what we can always get. It is upsetting, I know. However, such is life. Run along now, I have some important work to tend to."

"But Headmaster Finkleshore!" the girl would not give up so easily. "We promised each other that we would graduate together!"

"And you will," he replied. "Just not doing the same task on the practical exam. You two are not even from the same course. Tasks for light magic students such as yourself are different than those for students attending the air course. They are all tailored specifically to test the type of magic you possess. An air magic user would have major difficulties completing some of the tasks on your list and vice-versa. That is why you cannot be partners. Do you understand now?"

"No, I don't! This is stupid! We both waited so long for this!" she protested.

"And I've waited since I was forty-three years old for my fifth mark to appear," he said with a bitter voice, a mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment in it. "Yet it never did. I dreamed of being up there with the Great Five and making them into the Great Six. To be the first one to achieve tier five after nearly two centuries of no one doing that. Alas, here I am, more than thirty years later, my magic waning...still with only four marks on my hand. I ran into a wall I simply could not breach. Accept that not everything is always possible. That is my advice to you, Miss Crow."

Velvet felt sorry for the man. It was not the first time he had expressed his sorrow and frustration over not being able to achieve his dreams. Still, she stood firm.

"Is there really nothing you can do?" she asked with a sincere and firm voice.

"I'm afraid not," he answered, sounding a bit defeated. As if he was forced to give her an answer he did not want to give. "The Council makes the rules and although I am a part of it, I still have to abide by them all the same. We all have to. Believe it or not, this is actually one of the more sensible rules they have put in place recently. There's a lot that I would deem...unnecessary.

If I ignore this one though and Lumus forbid something happens to either of you, then this academy might just as well have to close its doors forever. That is not something we should play around with."

"I understand." Velvet finally gave in, her head falling down in defeat. "Thank you for your time, Headmaster Finkleshore."

She turned around and wanted to make her way out of the office, when his voice stopped her. "Miss Crow, while you are here, there is another matter I wish to discuss with you."

The girl stopped in her tracks and turned around. She already knew what he was about to say.

"Mrs. Weiss was here just minutes before you came in," he started, confirming her suspicion. »She said you left her class again today. Is everything alright with you?"

"Nothing is wrong, Sir," Velvet replied. "I simply think these revisions we're doing are a waste of time. I am better off using this time to practice my magic or read books that can teach me something new than to sit in class and listen to the same lectures we already had years ago."

"I see." He nodded understandingly. "You are indeed a bright girl, Miss Crow. And immensely talented as well. It pains me to see that this academy does not quench your thirst for knowledge as it should. I get the feeling we may be holding you back. So let me make you an offer."

"An offer?" She raised her eyebrow, puzzled at his words. She expected a scolding or punishment or a verbal lecture, but not this.

"When you came here four and a half years ago," he said, a spark of curiosity in his voice, "I challenged you to a duel. Do you remember that?"

She nodded. What was he getting at?

»I think it may be time for us to have a rematch." A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "How would you like to have extra classes with me? I've got time in the afternoon."

"Really?!" Her eyes lit up with anticipation.

"Only if you would want that," the old sorcerer confirmed. He himself did not know what possessed him at that moment to make her such an offer. Perhaps it was her endless curiosity that all the teachers told him about. Perhaps it was her daring spirit. Who comes into his office at thirteen years of age and demands of him to break the rules?

Most likely, however, it was that he saw a little bit of himself in her. Full of hopes and dreams. Full of life and ready to take on all her problems by the horns. Yes, she was like that. And even though his time to shine had long passed and his journey was near its end, he wanted to give her something to carry onward. He wanted to give this little girl the chance to achieve what he himself could not.

"Yes!" Velvet exclaimed happily. "Yes, yes, yes! I would love that!!"

"It's a deal then!" The old man laughed. "Meet me in my office tomorrow after your classes! And don't skip them this time!"

"I will be here! Thank you Headmaster Finkleshore! You're the best!" she shouted and waved at him before leaving out the door. She slammed it shut so hard that the pictures on the walls shook.

"What are you getting yourself into, Sir?" Ralph looked up from his desk on the far side of the room. He had been sitting quietly and filling out some papers all this time.

"I have no idea," Argus continued laughing, "but I bet it's going to be fun!"

"You have never shown much interest in anyone,« his assistant pointed out. "Why start now?"

"That's very true. I have not." The headmaster finally conquered his laughing fit. "But I watched her grow over the last four years and I must say, she's quite something. As is her little friend."

"You mean Miss Goldleaf?" Ralph guessed correctly. "Those two are indeed special. If they graduate this year they will become the youngest to do so, isn't that correct?"

"Precisely." The old man pushed himself up from his seat and walked towards the window that was overlooking the park. Down there Arianna sat, still turning the pages of her book. Soon, Velvet came running towards her, excitedly telling her something.

"She's telling her I am going to teach her now." He smiled. "Isn't that lovely?"

"Yes...lovely," Ralph peered back down to his paperwork and continued writing.

"Do you see now, my boy, why I insisted on putting them in the same room all those years ago? I know potential when I see it! You can't deny that my intuition was correct!"

"You know everything, Sir," the young man muttered subconsciously. He worked under the old man for long enough to know what he wanted to hear from him and gave him exactly that.

"I have a feeling those two will do great things in the future," Argus spoke to himself, his assistant no longer listening. "But in order to do so, they need to be given enough freedom to spread their wings. I will try bringing this up in the next Council meeting we have in a month. Who knows, maybe I can make their wish come true after all."

Thank you for reading the first part of chapter three!

[https://img.wattpad.com/364ab4deea5560f6688ef40558282fd02e0fe35a/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4241526a7746625766626f5f64413d3d2d313236333934393634312e3137306665333365383361653164303132333636303237393137302e6a7067]

What do you think Argus will say to Velvet? Comment below!