Exiting the lecture hall, Neia leads Lee toward the training room while speaking. “Monster sieges happen when a rare evolved monster gains sentience. Either they lived a long time, or reached a high enough level. I’m hoping this is a situation where their leader lived a long time….”

Trailing off, Neia swings her glowing green eyes to look at Lee, giving him a pitying look. “Lee… I’m going to tell you something you do not want to hear. People will die today. From what I understand, you’ve never had to witness this happening. I want you to know that you cannot save everyone, and when people die it will not be your fault.”

Lee’s mouth hangs open, shocked and unsure. He swivels his head toward Neia, about to argue, when he notices her complete sincerity. He rapidly opens and closes his mouth, trying to find the words to speak. He eventually gives up when Neia places her hand on his shoulder.

“I just want you to be prepared.” Giving another slight pause, Neia takes in Lee’s appearance from head to toe. “I do not know the word for it, but there is a mental factor that comes with seeing loss up close and personal. Do you know if this happened on your world?”

Lee’s first thought is about PTSD. Slowly he nods and speaks ever so quietly. “Yes, we have something like that….”

Tightening her grip on Lee’s shoulder, Neia gives Lee a final piece of advice. “The actions of others are only your concern when they depend on you.” Neia releases her grip on Lee and continues ahead of him. She stops and looks over her shoulder, showing eyes of pure determination.

Lee gazes into her unyielding glowing green eyes and finds that a specific word brings itself into his thoughts. Leadership.

Fueled by Neia’s determination, Lee straightens his shoulders, resolves to do his best, and follows after Neia once more.

Soon, they arrive at the training room. Entering, Lee looks around and spots many people casting spells in preparation for the upcoming conflict. All of the basic elements are on display in a multitude of demonstrations. Firebolts, earth lances, water balls, gusting winds, rays of blinding lights, and dimming spheres of darkness appear and fly throughout the range. The room's attitude differs from the other times he has been here. Instead of fun and scholarly studies, he finds people training.

Following Neia to a spot near the range, Lee begins to think about what shielding, barriers, and wall spells mean. Neia turns to Lee and motions for him to step forward with her hand. He does as instructed. “First, I’m going to show you a wall spell. They are simple and effective. The higher the tier of wall spell, the more effects it gains. Observe.”

Thrusting her hand forward, Neia casts a spell. Immediately a towering wall of fire springs forth from the ground around ten meters ahead of her. The heat of the flames reaches Lee, and he feels an instantaneous warmth on his exposed skin. The wall of fire was around ten meters wide and five meters tall. The orange, yellow, and red flickering flames work their way from the bottom skywards, giving the spell a mesmerizing and enchanting fiery appearance. Ending the spell, Neia takes a step back and extends her arm, motioning for Lee to try.

Now with an example to work from, Lee feels more confident. Walking up to where Neia is positioned, Lee closes his eyes and springs his hand forward, surging his hand with Earth mana, focusing on the creation of rock and stone and not the movement. His knowledge of how minerals and rocks are formed is limited, and he isn’t sure it will be enough.

Luckily, it seems Arcani looks upon him favorably. An enormous jagged block of earth and stone rose from the range's floor. The speed at which the wall was made was almost ridiculous in Lee's mind. The natural formation of rock, earth, and stone can take thousands of years, but he created a wall of it in less than one second.

Neia looks upon the wall with mild surprise, then turns to Lee. “Did you create the earth?”

Gazing upon his new spell's handiwork, he simply nods. “I did. I wasn’t sure if it would actually work though. The spell has the word creation at the end of it’s name.”

Smiling with encouragement, Neia claps her hands. “Earth is the strongest of the basic wall spells for defense, but most of the time it uses the earth around as a base for it’s contruction. Without any free moving earth, you wouldn’t be able to cast it. This is a great spell to have. I am impressed.”

Smiling at her words of encouragement, Lee stares at the wall for another few seconds. Slowly his smile turns into a frown. Side-eyeing Neia, Lee asks a crucial question. “Hey, Neia… Will this dissapear?”

Neia’s smile soon turns to a grimace. “Ahh…” Looking around the room, she quickly comes to a decision. “Well, we can have the others use it as target practice.”

Lee, realizing that it won’t simply evaporate into mana or poof into nothingness, thinks of a potential risk. “Neia, will this spell cause me issues around others? Doesn’t this mean I can create permanent structures for no mana?”

Neia quickly responds with an unconcerned tone. “No. You can create a bunch of walls, but they’re jagged and wont be connected. This is truly a great spell, but not one that would risk your wellbeing. You’re not the first to achieve earth creation. You don’t need to worry.”

Continuing down his line of thought, Lee asks another critical question. “Does earth include metal?”

Neia looks at Lee with a questioning look. “It includes some. Why do you ask?”

God damn it.

Looking awkwardly at Neia, Lee coughs. “Well… Hypothetically. If I knew how to create, let's say, Iron for example. Would that put me in danger?”

Neia’s questioning look instantly turns into one of being deathly serious. “Yes Lee, that would indeed put you in danger. It’s a good thing that’s hypothetical, right?”

Lee’s glowing blue eyes show a faint amount of fear. “Yes, it’s purely hypothetical.”

Still glaring at Lee, Neia gives an unhappy scoff. “You’re lucky Ruven isn’t here.”

Gulping slightly, Lee gives a false smile. “I guess I am. I’m going to create a few more wall spells. It’s better be prepared for anything.”

Neia eases her piercing gaze and nods. “Go ahead, we still have some time.”

Lee walks to another spot along the firing range to let others use his earthen wall of target practice. Arriving at his new spot, Lee extends his hand again, aiming to create a wall of water, using the same principles he used the create Conjure Water. Water mana surged down to his open palm and made his whole arm feel as if it were submerged in a pool of water. Just as fast as Neia’s wall of flame, a wall of water rapidly arose from the ground. Looking as if an ocean wave was rolling upwards into the sky. The water was crystal clear. So clear, in fact, that Lee could see his reflection within the gently rolling surface currents. The top of the wall was white-tipped, with an ever-rolling white rapid-esque appearance. The Water Wave Wall is beautiful and picturesque.

Looking at Neia with a raised eyebrow, Lee nodded at the Water Wave Wall. Neia raises an eyebrow back in askance and states. “A fine wall spell.”

Lee took in its view until the duration ended, causing the water to fall down under the effects of gravity, soaking the spell range's floor. Looking at Neia, Lee asks a question. “I have a wind wall already, it blocks projectiles. Is there any practical uses for a wall of light or wall of dark?”

Neia thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. “Not at the moment. A wall of light is typically used for lighting a vast area. The wall of dark is often used for concealment. I do not think they would make much of a difference in this upcoming fight.” Taking Neia at her word. Lee moves onto another wall spell—a wall of Ice.

For this spell, Lee tries to imagine the ice wall with protruding ice spikes along its forward-facing side. Once again, Lee thrusts his hand outwards, feeling the numbing, chilling, and frosty feeling run through his arm.

Erupting from the ground, a thick, solid wall of ice launches into being. The ice is opaque, but it does show a distorted reflection. The backside of the wall is clean-cut, with only mild bumps throughout its surface. On the other hand, the front side is a threatening pinboard of icy spikes. The spikes themselves appear in many different forms. From razer sharp thin blades to thick and pointed spikes, jutting outwards facing the incoming projectiles or enemies. Taking a step back, Lee takes in the appearance of the wall, coming to a simple conclusion on its appearance; it’s menacing.

Neia whistles softly. “Now that's a proper defensive measure. My ice wall spell is similar, but I don’t have those blade of ice.” Neia finishes by pointing at some of the non-spike-like protrusions.

Lee shrugs his shoulders. “To each their own.”

Looking back to Lee, Neia asks. “Do you have any other spells you would like to try? We probably have time for one more.”

Lee wants to try to create a Glacial or Void wall but decides that he should keep his mana topped up for the upcoming fight. “I think that will be enough for now. Worst cast scenario is that I go on the offensive.”

Neia nods and grabs her long platinum braid before pausing at its touch. She swings her head to Lee in astonishment and shouts. “Did you heal my fucking hair!?”

Thrown off from randomly being shouted at, Lee inspects her platinum braid. The long braid, which was previously barely hanging on by a thread, was now fully repaired.

Did I?

Thinking and coming up with no other solution, Lee hesitantly shrugged. “I guess I did?”

Neia closes her eyes and takes a deep, shaky breath. After a moment, she opens her eyes and gives Lee a giddy smile. “Oh, Lee. If only you knew.” She immediately turns and starts to make her way out of the lecture hall.

Lee scrunches his face and confusedly follows after her.