Calamacy Salaria

Over the next couple of days Riros spent much of my free time ‘training’ me. He mainly focused on the shield exercise whenever we were near the dormitories. However he had to change his method when one of the pebbles he flicked ricochet off the shield and pierced into one of the nearby dormitories. After that commotion had been settled he moved on to a new method of placing large, very heavy objects on the shield itself. At first it wasn’t that big of a deal, but he complicated matters by having me start to write runes with my mana. That extra bit of concentration and exertion meant that my shield began to fluctuate. Which meant that the objects placed on the shield, generally large rocks, would slip closer to me.

Another part of the training involved improving on one basic attack spells that I had learnt early on at the academy. I had other attack spells, but he dismissed these outright after their first demonstration. The spell he had me focus on was a very simple mana missile. Essentially it boiled down to a condensing of a particular amount of mana into a tight a space and then projecting said mana forward, preferably forward. Oftentimes when one was first learning this spell, if one would lose concentration, then the condensed mana would tend to erupt in some random direction. Thankfully, at that level the mana is not packed too tightly, so the instructors never really had to worry about anyone actually getting injured.

However, once Riros had me start focusing on it, he made me condense the normal size ball that I had learned to create, which was at a respectable level of being the width of my outspread fingers, to the size of the my fingernails. This turned out to be much more difficult than I imagined, and more often than not I found myself in the same position I was in when I had first learned the spell. The difference being that it hurt a whole lot more when the mana missile hit something.

All of this got me very comfortable with manipulating my expanded mana pool. After a few discussions with Altia it turns out that the amount of mana I could tap into was roughly equivalent to that of a mid-tier Tlassel. This helped to ease some of the anxiety I felt, because it technically put me at the same level as Klass. Altia, however, ruined that by mentioning that Klass was an experienced duelist who had earned his rank more from his prowess in the dueling arena, then from the size of his mana pool.

Speaking of Altia, the only time I was able to see her, or even really spend time with her was during class. I could see the worry in her eyes every time I showed up to class, with a new set of bruises or scratches and nicks along my arms and face. Not to mention the obvious fatigue I felt after the fourth day of Riros’s training.

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By the time we were nearing the end of the second week, the late exercises and my haggard appearance during classes had everyone talking. I could feel their eyes staring at me as I walked past the students in the hallways. I could hear their whispering as well, but I didn’t have the energy to pay attention to it. There was simply still too much to prepare for, and my classes had become a sought after reprieve from the demanding mental and physical exertions that Riros called for.

Today was a bit unusual for me though, it was the first time since I had brought Riros to the Academy that I was by myself. Riros had for some reason decided to stay behind after the we finished the morning shield “exercises.” So now I was making my way toward the gates of the Academy. It was the day of rest, and I was determined to make up my lack of availability to Altia by going to visit her and her family.

The gate was already open by the time I arrived. I saw Graldur Baal resting against the steps of the little guardhouse to the side of the gate. His staff was leaned to one side and I noticed that he had a book open, floating in front of him. He sipped at a cup of some warm looking beverage as he peered at the book through his spectacles. He didn’t notice me until I was almost upon him.

I waved at him as I approached trying to get his attention. It seemed to do the trick as he looked up from his book and gave me a warm smile.

“Ah, Calamacy-vim, what a pleasant surprise. I was just about to send a runner to deliver you a message.”

“Oh?” I asked, surprised.

“Indeed, it seems that the Cinder Royalty has asked for an audience with you.” He says as he reaches behind himself and snaps his fingers. A small scroll floats to his hand. He studies it for a moment before passing it to me. On the scroll is a seal of wax with a red flame pressed into it.

Once the scroll was passed into my hand, there seal began to glow around the flame, until the flame actually burst into existence melting the wax out of the way and opening up the scroll. As it unfurled I studied the neat flowing handwriting for a few moments and read the scroll.

Calamacy Salaria,

As per the request the of the Cinder Royalty himself, I have extended this invitation to Calamacy-vim in that hope that vim would be willing to join the Cinder Royalty during his lunch hour for some food, refreshment, and conversation. Should this find Calamacy-vim willing a carriage will be waiting at the gates of the academy at ten o’clock.

Sincerely,

Elvias Glasstriker

Chancellor to the Cinder Throne

As I finished reading the scroll, the ink started smoldering and slowly all of the scroll disappeared turning into cinders that were then scattered by a faint breeze that passed by.

Well, I think to myself as I turn to look at the Academy’s ethereal clock tower, it does not look like I will be making it to Altia’s today.