The final day before the new classes started was a busy one. Even though they lived relatively close by, both Li Na and Lauren spent most of the day with their families. Sven was the same, as his family had to travel a long distance to see him. Unlike the Jakobsons and the Silvers, they would only be leaving the following morning, as they would be using a river ferry to travel most of the way.
Still, everyone did have one last lunch together on campus, before the Jakobsons and Silvers set out for home. They had a fair distance to walk, particularly Li Na’s family, and they didn’t want to be caught out in the dark.
“You make sure you come visit, you ‘ear,” Bruce said, shaking Yaric’s hand. “An’ thank you fer lookin’ out for ma Li Na.”
“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Amanda said as she stepped forward to talk to Yaric while Bruce and Jolene moved on to Sven. “And thank you for being a good friend to our daughter.”
“Truly,” Robin added, joining his wife. “Now that you’re able to visit people outside your school, you really need to join Lauren one day and come for lunch.”
“Thank you, I’m sure I will at some point.”
The goodbyes were quick, so Yaric stepped to one side. Robin and Amanda had already spoken with Sven and Li Na, so they were now saying goodbye to Lauren.
“We’re so proud of you.”
“Thanks mom,” Lauren mumbled.
“We know you will keep breaking records and earning those trophies, but make sure you come and visit now that you can.”
“I will dad.”
They both took turns to give Lauren a final hug goodbye before turning to leave, but they still looked back at the gate to wave goodbye one last time.
Bruce and Jolene were hugging Li Na together in what must have been a bear hug, as Li Na’s toes were only just touching the ground. Both of her parents had slightly red eyes while saying goodbye.
Sven’s family were much more composed.
“We were pleased to meet the people our son has chosen to associate with. We would love to have each of you at our ranch the next time Sven gets leave to visit.”
“Thank you, sir, I appreciate it.”
“Think nothing of it. You clearly work well together, and from what I’ve heard, you have also played a part in his successes. Sven seems to have come out of his shell in his time here. If there is ever anything we can do to help, never hesitate to ask.”
“I will keep that in mind, thank you.”
Yaric was not surprised when Bryson just nodded in acknowledgement and farewell, but he was caught off guard when Nancy gave him a hug as well. Even Otto and Erik came past to shake Yaric’s hand, though Ella chose to give him a hug goodbye like her mother.
Then everyone was gone, and Yaric and his friends stood at an empty gate. The sudden quiet and lack of people was jarring.
They all walked back to the dorms without saying a word. Li Na’s eyes looked just as red as her parents had.
“At least you guys can visit now. You’ll probably see them every month.”
“Yeah! I’m gonna check the calendar!” Li Na was already running off before she’d finished speaking, even though the dorm room was just ahead.
“Ummm… so, I don’t mean this in a bad way, but Lina’s parents sound very different to Lina.”
Lauren immediately broke into a grin and turned to Yaric.
“Now they do, yes, but Lina was just like them when she arrived here. It took her almost a year before her speech habits changed to what they are now.”
“Why?”
“Probably just easier to fit in,” Lauren shrugged, though her smile grew even wider. “She’s been slipping sometimes since she’s seen them again. Four times that I’ve heard her. We all need to do our part to point it out to her,” Lauren grinned.
The conversation was cut short when they entered the dorm building to see Li Na already running back.
“Two months,” she huffed. “We have lots of breaks after that, but the first one isn’t for two months!”
“Calm down,” Lauren laughed. “Those two months are going to be busy. We have all our new classes and a lot to study for.”
Li Na still wasn’t impressed, but she did manage to get Sven to play one of the tabletop wargames against, which didn’t happen often. The game was still in its early stages when they went to bed, but Li Na had already captured two strategic high points, before continuing on obliviously and denying Sven the chance to recapture them.
Magic classes were immediately different. Yaric had expected there to be a continuation of what they had been learning, but Emil dived straight into the new year.
“Pay attention everyone!” he called loudly at the start of the class. “From here on out, you will be learning proper spell forms. There will still be more advanced components to learn, but each new piece will be incorporated into a spell as soon as it is mastered.
“Your very first spells will prioritize self-defense, after which we will move on to more essential spells. The first two are fire spells. Now those are only defensive in that they can be used to respond to an attack. You cannot strike someone with fire without injuring them, most often seriously.
“The other two spells are both air spells, and you will have the ability to tailor the power behind each to knock back, knock over, or knock senseless any brigand foolish enough to assault you. They also tie nicely with the fire spells, as some functions overlap. Are there any questions before we begin?”
“Sir, if these spells are for self-defense, why are we learning fire spells at all?” Tracy asked.
“Excellent question! Yes, it does seem counterproductive, doesn’t it? There are two reasons to do so. The first is when announcing your presence. I’ve seen beautiful and intricate spells that create dazzling light shows dismissed as mere ‘parlor tricks’. Many people with no understanding of magic fail to appreciate the difficulty and complexity of some spells. Summon a simple flame over your hand, however, and watch the crowds back away in fear.”
“Sounds like it’s wizards who have no understanding of their audience,” Yaric muttered quietly, earning a smirk from Li Na.
“The second reason is very similar. Many brigands would drop their weapons or run at the first sign of fire magic, and those that don’t, would quickly agree with their fellows once fire starts streaming their way. Fire is visceral and inspires fear. Air spells, in contrast, are often difficult to see, and they lack the visual impact of something going up in flames. And, of course, it’s entirely possible that you may find yourself in a situation where the best defense is offense – with overwhelming power.
“Now, have a look at the spell form for creating a stream of flames. It will allow you to project a torrent of fire that can be thrown a respectable distance without much concern for aim.”
Emil brought up the new spell form and Yaric’s jaw dropped. It was far more complicated than anything they had done before. No individual component was new, but the complex mix of components was far beyond anything they had practiced. And this was for one of the simplest spells.
The entire lesson was devoted to recognizing each component, as well as how they were connected. Emil expected everyone to understand why the spell had the form it did, along with being able to explain how the spell progressed when used.
Luckily there wasn’t much in the way of storage required. It was really just a heavy, highly flammable gel being generated and ignited, with a high-powered jet of air to propel it. Most of the initial propulsion came from the pressure the gel was conjured with, along with the constant stream of new material being generated behind. This basic version didn’t even add things like oxygen to improve the burn quality, though that would also mean that the gel would burn more quickly. The gel also ignited spontaneously in oxygen, so they didn’t need a component to provide ignition. By the end of the class, most people were beginning to understand the spell form, but no one was anywhere near being able to cast it. Which was probably why they were learning to throw streams of fire inside a classroom.
“All of you will be expected to be able to use at least one of these spells by your next tournament,” Emil announced at the end of the lesson. “Make sure you keep studying this spell, and in a couple of days we will give it a try.”
The lesson on creatures was much closer to Yaric’s expectations, with one key difference.
“We have already begun going into greater detail than usual, and we will be continuing to do so throughout the year. There is one new aspect from this year, however. Some of your lessons will begin at the campus bestiary.”
Excited discussions broke out all over the classroom.
“Quiet. You will be told when you need to go straight there in advance. From this year on, our subject will include hands-on, practical experience. That includes studying specimens up close, preparing food, feeding, grooming, and cleaning up after them. Don’t get too excited. Much of the work can sometimes be unpleasant, and you will still be spending most of your time here anyway.”
Looking around, Yaric noticed that the Flora, Fauna, & Fiends class was almost as full as their magic class had been. It was definitely one of the most popular subjects. Virtually everyone had chosen to continue the class.
None of the other classes that day were any different. Math and science continued on from where they had been before, and Yaric’s archery lessons continued with the same moving targets that required quick draws and accurate leads. It was after the lesson that things changed.
“We’re not done yet,” Mage Fletcher warned Yaric after the last target was knocked down. It was already getting dark, with the gloomy winter evening dimming substantially. Yaric looked around and noticed the barely visible frames from targets he’d already knocked down.
“Today you will learn your first component that can take advantage of your space affinity. They’re more complex than anything you’ll be learning now, and you need to be able to master them as soon as possible. It will likely be years before they start coming up in your regular lessons.”
“Yes sir. Before we start though, is the scouting lessons open to anyone?”
“No, not really. They aren’t usually offered to your year.”
“Oh, okay, then ne…”
“Why do you ask?”
“A friend was interested in taking the lessons, Lauren…” Yaric paused, catching himself, “Prospect Lauren Silver was interested…” This time he took a long pause to collect himself. “Novice Lauren Silver took the role of scout during the class expedition, and she also received special training. The same one day as I did though. And she was a scout with me when we won the trophy last year.”
“Hmmm… perhaps. I can’t make a decision without seeing her talent. As long as she is willing to accept that she can join provisionally, she is welcome to start alongside you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Ivan waved his hand dismissively. “She will have to earn her own way; she merely has the opportunity to do so. Now, let’s get down to magic.”
Mage Fletcher hadn’t been joking around. The very first component for Yaric to learn was monstrously difficult. Not even his timing was able to help, as he conjured up a glowing image of the component in the failing light. Grabbing his notebook, Yaric did his best to copy the component down, but he was sure there were mistakes. Ivan wasn’t overly concerned, as he only intended for Yaric to get an appreciation for the discipline.
“Spatial magic is exceptionally difficult to master. In most cases it is also a supplementary magic. I’ll use my bow to fire a runed arrow, for example, but I’ll package a spatial spell along with it that shortens the distance to the target or shifts targets entirely. The arrow is the main feature, but the spell helps it to do its job.”
“But if the point of the attack is to get an arrow to a target that can’t normally be reached, isn’t it the arrow that’s just the delivery method for your attack?”
Ivan smiled widely. “There is much to learn about spatial magic. Always keep your mind open to the possibilities. It’s highly conceptual by nature, so you need to understand and develop as many views as possible.”
Yaric gave the news to Lauren, who seemed excited to be starting scouting lessons. She barely even acknowledged the warning that it was provisional, but then again, she’d never failed anything before either.
The first day as a Novice ended with everyone discussing the changes to their classes. Yaric had been surprised by how few changes there were, but they were significant. Especially his magic lessons, even if everyone else was mostly discussing the bestiary.
Large, hot meals for dinner were welcomed after the bitterly cold evening on the archery range. Even an hour later Yaric’s fingers were still numb. Lauren and Li Na discovered earlier that the canteens they had bought for expedition so many years back was perfect for holding hot drinks, at least long enough to get back to their rooms, and it even functioned like a warming stone if they carried it under their clothes. Lauren had her tea, and Li Na had her hot chocolate. Yaric snuck his own hot chocolate into the old canteen before heading back.
It didn’t take long for Sven to surround two of Li Na’s brigades with two divisions of his own, masterfully using the terrain to hem her troops in and restrict their movement.
Li Na’s lagging baggage train, travelling with the heavy siege artillery, did not agree, and somehow smashed a hole that enabled her brigades to escape with only 12% casualties instead of the annihilation that should have been guaranteed.
Sven was silently fuming and inspecting the dice when Yaric said goodnight to everyone and went to bed. Putting his affinity cube to one side, Yaric propped up his newest book, opened it up to the first image of his parents, and began his rehabilitation exercises.
The first day of classes as a Novice had not been particularly amazing, but Yaric was glad. Now was the time to keep deepening his foundations. Amazing would come later.
Scouting with Ivan was very different to what he had done with the Corporals. While they had done their best to cram as much knowledge as possible into a single day, Ivan took his time with Yaric and Lauren, going over the most basic skills first. As the common expression goes, you need to learn to walk before you learn to run. And that’s exactly what they were doing. Learning to walk.
“No, place your weight on the outside of your foot first, then roll it in. That’s it. Make sure your footing is firm before you shift your weight forward. Yes. You’re starting to catch up to Lauren now.”
They spent a full hour walking rough ground, where typical techniques that Yaric thought were right simply didn’t work. Rough ground with a loose surface could slide easily. But that wasn’t even the most difficult thing about learning to walk again. Yaric and Lauren were constantly making the same two mistakes.
“Slow down! Keep watching your speed, you’re both moving too fast. Movement alone can draw attention to your position, not to mention the noise you’ll make. We’ll progress to moving at speed much later on. Next year, at this rate,” Ivan mumbled at the end, though loud enough that they were clearly intended to hear.
“And stop looking at the ground. Keep your eyes up! You’re scouting. You won’t see anything if you’re constantly looking just in front of your feet. I need you to use your peripheral vision to pick out where you want to step. At some point we will be practicing natural avoidance, like how to spot birds that would give alarms at your presence. That won’t be possible if you’re still staring at the ground.
‘Right. Watch where you step. But don’t actually look,’Yaric groused internally. It didn’t help that Lauren was managing to slow down better than he was. Every time his focus slipped, Yaric found himself moving at a faster pace. It just felt more natural.
A twig flew past Yaric’s face, followed almost immediately by something striking the side of his head.
“Ow!” Lauren obviously wasn’t hurt in the slightest, but seeing how she was trying to get pieces of bark out of her hair, Yaric was sure she was just expressing her annoyance.
“Keep your eyes up. Watch your surroundings. If you can’t see me throwing a stick at this range, how will you see a hidden archer? Or a troll standing ten feet away right in the open?”
Yaric much preferred Mage Fletcher’s archery lessons to his scouting lessons. It was their first day and he was already throwing things at them. Most of it involved a 2-minute instruction, always for something incredibly simple, then 20 minutes of trying to put it into practice, all while Ivan constantly watched them, pointing out every little mistake. Worse, Lauren was only here on his suggestion.
“That was great,” Lauren enthused afterward, while they made their way to meet the other two at the food hall. She was still absent mindedly running her fingers through her hair, trying to clear out the veritable forest that had been thrown at them. “I’ve already learned such important things. And it’s all so fundamental, I had no idea how many mistakes I was making. Thank you so much for arranging this!”
“Mage Fletcher is a great teacher,” Yaric immediately agreed.
Runes the next day was another shock. Far from the ‘simple’ task of transcribing spells into objects, the objects themselves required preparation for any proper rune, although that was virtually never necessary for objects that wouldn't last. Like runed arrows. It was absolutely critical for anything designed with the intention of repetitive use and long service life, however. On top of all that, the act of transcribing spells onto an object, in three dimensions, made things much more difficult. Yaric almost gave up immediately when their new teacher also pointed out how mistakes often could not be corrected.
But the subject was still interesting, and Yaric felt that missing out on an education in runes would come back to haunt him one day. At least the woodworking class fit perfectly with the primers they had done the year before. Yaric actually found himself enjoying that.
Out of all the new classes though, Logic and Problem Solving were the biggest shock. They were fun. Sure, some of the initial topics seemed boring at first. Learning about common fallacies became confusing very quickly, and Yaric knew he would have to spend quite some time studying, the applications and examples were entertaining, and some were funny as well.
Applying the lesson on logic was interesting as well, and time flew by in both lessons. It was law that seemed to freeze time and drag on all afternoon. Yaric wanted to bang his head on the table when he found himself stuck listening to how long legal procedures could take, during a lesson that itself could be summarized in just 10 minutes.
Lloyd didn’t forget his promise either. Just as Yaric was leaving his last class before lunch, one of the assistants came up to him.
“Novice Miller?” he asked uncertainly.
“Yes?”
“High Wizard Chen has requested that you join him at the Apprentice Training Center. Over by the Tech Duinn. I’m to show you the way.”
Yaric took a deep breath. He’d been dreading this moment, but not knowing had been just as bad. Lauren squeezed his shoulder encouragingly, while Li Na hip checked him just as he left them to follow the assistant.
“You’re going to be the first one in our class to use a Tech Duinn,” Sven called after him.
“Take notes for us,” requested Lauren.
It was a long walk, almost 45 minutes, but Lloyd was waiting for him when he arrived.
“Ah, here you. I thought we should get this out of the way as early as possible. You can have peace of mind, and in the extremely unlikely event that there’s a problem, we can work on a solution now instead of when you should be training in one of these.”
Lloyd gestured to over a dozen small, identical square buildings. They were around 8 meters by 8 meters, with 4-meter-high walls. While the top was square, there was a large dome over the center, which appeared to be the top half of a perfect sphere.
Each building was made of an odd-looking material. The surfaces were faceted, like they had been carved in rough gemstone, and they shimmered in the pale light like cut gemstone as well. But the color was all wrong. Depending on what angle you stood at, the color of the surface ranged from deepest black to an olive green, while the dome on top was a pure, pristine white. Even the open door was made from the same material as the walls, and Yaric was sure that when it was closed it would meld seamlessly. Glancing at the others nearby, he saw that he was correct. There were no open doors, or any visible doors at all.
Yaric swallowed nervously when he looked into the open door by the nearest Tech Duinn, which was somehow even darker than the darkest parts of the walls.
“Come on, the artificer is already inside.”
Lloyd had never said another word about his gift, or the events leading up to it. No one had. Other than Lauren hugging Yaric the first time she saw him the next morning, they had all chosen to give him space, and even now, face to face for the first time since he’d walked out on Lloyd, his Sponsor acted as if nothing had happened.
The artificer stepped out before they reached the door, and Yaric almost missed a step. Lloyd apparently anticipated it, because his hand was already on Yaric’s back, pushing him forward. He snorted quietly at Yaric’s reaction as well, loud enough to ensure that Yaric would hear.
Despite having no expectations when Lloyd had said that there was an artificer inside, Yaric still wasn’t expecting one of the most stunning women he’d ever seen to seemingly appear just inside the doorway.
“High Wizard,” Mage Sun Li said as they approached.
“Sun Li, this is the other student I sponsored. The one with the impenetrable mind that struggles to tell his feet to walk.”
Yaric glared at Lloyd from the corner of his eye. ‘I started special lessons telling my feet how to walk just this week, thank you very much!’
Sun Li just nodded wordlessly to Yaric but continued to address Lloyd. “I doubt you’ll even need me here. There’s no way anyone blocks a Tech Duinn.”
“Yaric was utterly immune to a Mind Bridge,” Lloyd pointed out.
“Different magic. The bridges are just brute force, focused like a harpoon into the mind.”
Yaric wasn’t sure exactly how he felt hearing that description, but it wasn’t good.
“The Tech Duinn uses far more delicate and sophisticated magic. It’s like comparing a transcontinental transport pad to an ogre throwing a boulder. At his head.”
‘Nope, definitely don’t want to try the mind bridge again.’
“I’ve never felt that there was likely to be a problem either, but it’s important to take precautions with something like this.” Lloyd turned to face Yaric. “Go on in, I’ll close the door, and you can give it a try.”
“Wait, who’s going to power it?” Sun Li asked.
“I will.”
The artificer didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue either.
“What exactly am I supposed to do?” Yaric asked nervously.
“Just go inside, take a seat, and try to relax. There are places for your hands on the armrest, place your hands there and close your eyes. I’m going to load a simple lightning spell instead of having you try to do your own thing. If the basic functions work, everything should work.”
“And once the spell is loaded?”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll work it out. It’s easier than trying to understand someone else’s explanation anyway.”
Yaric only hesitated for a moment before walking inside.
There was total darkness. Even though it had no windows or any other entrance of any kind, the open door should have let in enough light to make such complete lack of light impossible. Then the door closed behind him, and even the light from behind disappeared.
A faint hum started up, soon becoming a thrum that seemed to travel through everything. Soon after a soft glow materialized to pierce the inky shroud, revealing the room inside.
It was tiny. Far smaller than it should be based on the size outside. Right in the center was a raised dias, featuring a large and very comfortable looking reclining chair. If it could even be sat on. The entire structure looked like a deep purple mist, with denser mist where cushions would be expected, and two brass sleeves where the hands would go on the arm rest.
Yaric took a deep breath and sat back onto the insubstantial mist. It held. The seat actually felt exceptionally firm, with only the denser portions providing some comfort, though they were very comfortable to sit on. Yaric took a moment to gather himself, then placed his hands on the brass.
Thankfully Yaric was sitting, because he was immediately staggered by a tremendous pressure that bore down on him. In less than a second Yaric was taking deep lungsful of air and trying to fight the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. He could feel that he was sitting still and unencumbered in the chair, but the pressure felt like it was trying to drive his head through the floor.
Worse, the pressure didn’t stop, neither did the thrumming Yaric could feel through the seat. Gritting his teeth, Yaric tried to stand, but the reclined position made it impossible to move. Yaric couldn’t move, and he couldn’t speak. And the crushing pressure only continued to build, so that the feeling of unbearable pressure, always on the verge of crushing him, quickly doubled, then doubled again, and yet somehow Yaric withstood it despite the waves of dizziness.
Desperately Yaric tried to push back. It was like trying to blow into a hurricane. But if you had no lungs, because try as he might, simply pushing back mentally could never have done anything no matter how weak the pressure might be.
Yaric was becoming frantic, with the constant waves of dizziness becoming so bad that he lost all awareness of his body. Every time the dizziness passed, Yaric would try something different. Focusing hard, Yaric tried to deflect the pressure. Then he tried to pierce through. When that didn’t work, Yaric tried to make himself porous, hoping that the pressure would just flow through him, all to no avail. Despite the brief moments of lucidity, it never occurred to Yaric that mentally pushing at something did nothing.
Running out of options, Yaric reached out to the force bearing down on him, as if to grab it.
Almost instantly the pressure faded away, still bearing down on him, but now feeling like a very heavy pack and not a mountain. Loud, gasping breathes echoed through the room, becoming the first thing that Yaric noticed now that the pressure had dropped. The second was the taste of blood in his mouth, followed immediately by the feeling of blood running from both nostrils.
The respite never let up though, and Yaric soon settled back into the chair, confident he’d found a way to prevent the pressure buildup. He was exhausted and lightheaded, but his breathing quickly calmed. Part of Yaric wanted to leave immediately, screaming that the Tech Duinn was a death trap. But another part wanted him to stay, to prove that he didn’t need special adjustment or plans made for him. To prove that whatever Virgo had done to him wouldn’t be a wound that crippled his potential permanently.
With his mind starting to settle, Yaric placed his hands back on the brass slips and closed his eyes.
A large, glowing spell form faded into view, and it was still there when he experimented by opening his eyes. It was the promised spell form.
Yaric began to channel arcana, trying to reproduce the spell, but his arcana was shunted away as quickly as it was channeled. It didn’t matter. Something new had settled over him. Or, more accurately, extending from him. Almost like a second mind, Yaric could feel his spell being created by the building itself. It was like gaining a new limb.
Turning his focus back to the spell, Yaric ignored the disturbing feeling of creating a spell inside the building, as if it were a part of him.
It might have been considered basic, but the lightning spell Lloyd had provided had a shocking number of sinks attached. Yaric cracked a weak smile at the thought. ‘Shocking’.
All the sinks were manifested at once, followed by every other section that Yaric could recognize. It took him almost 2 minutes to make the connections necessary for the spell to work. Then he started working on the new components, two of which he hadn’t recognized. All with a slowly building headache.
It was a struggle, but the Tech Duinn assisted. Not much, but enough for Yaric to be able to hold the spell together. Then he started channeling more arcana, filling the sinks one by one.
That was a mistake.
The sixth sink had just been filled when the unstable spell started coming apart. Five sinks dumped their arcana into the spell at the same time, forming a blinding flash of electrical power that went off like a bomb, arcing everywhere. The plasma obliterated most of what it touched and scorched the rest.
But it was all in his mind. The Tech Duinn held the arcana, not Yaric. It also held the unravelling spell form, protecting him from any and all damage. Even more amazingly, Yaric’s final spell form blazed in his minds eye, with several areas marked in bright red. Yaric didn’t know enough about creating spells to be certain, but he felt like the Tech Duinn was trying to indicate that his connections had been too narrow for the spell. He’d also connected to components by accident, with a single straight line that made no sense at all, with no hindsight required.
‘18%’ flashed in front of him.
‘Only 18% error for my first ever spell! And I’ve never seen it before! But I came so close even after this stupid building beat me up.’
Yaric groaned when he tried to sit up. The dizziness came back with a vengeance, and Yaric was distantly aware that his nose was still bleeding. Trembling arms heaved him upright. Pausing to let his mind settle, Yaric pulled his feet under himself and slowly stood, trying to will the spinning room to stand still. It didn’t.
“What’s taking your student so long?” Sun Li asked. She didn’t sound upset, but she was very confused.
“It’s his first time in a Tech Duinn. He only just became a Novice last week; this is all new to him. It’s the first time he’s ever seen one.”
“Still, he’s taking a very long time to sit for the connection to happen.”
“Worried that there really is a problem?” Lloyd teased.
Sun Li snorted.
Despite his attitude, Lloyd was starting to feel slightly concerned. It had been 3 minutes now, and Yaric still hadn’t sat down in the chair. No connection had been made.
“There he is,” Sun Li sighed, pointing.
The control rune indicating that the Tech Duinn had an active connection was lit up. Lloyd quickly pushed the lightning spell he’d previously selected, prompting the Tech Duinn to present the spell form for Yaric to try and copy.
Again, nothing happened. A full minute passed with no change. Yaric wasn’t even attempting the spell.
“Your student too intimidated?”
This time it was Lloyd who snorted. “In his 6thyear competition, Yaric faced down more than two attacking teams with only four allies and won. The whole thing. New record and all. The boy gets intimidated by social events and personal relationships, but he’d face down a basilisk,” Lloyd proudly proclaimed, thinking back to their trip into The Cut.
“Hmph, if you say so. Ah, there goes the spell.”
“He hasn’t learned any actual spells yet, I’m excited to see how far he goes.”
“Lunch says the spell collapses before he finishes forming it. No way he keeps the whole things created and together.”
Lloyd turned to look at Sun Li, surprised.
“What?”
“Nothing. And you’re going to lose that bet.”
“Fat chance, look! Your student got stuck with the ion components. I’m pretty sure we don’t learn those until the end of the 7th year. He’s never seen them before.”
“Dammit,” Lloyd swore. He’d forgotten that even this simple spell had components that Yaric didn’t know.
Then one of the components slotted into place.
“You were saying?”
“His connections are wrong in at least half a dozen places, and he still needs to do the last component.”
Sun Li had just finished speaking when the last component manifested in the spell form, followed by arcana beginning to fill the storages components. Lightning stored a lot of arcana that was released near instantly.
“Huh! You were saying? Spell completed and charging.”
Sun Li didn’t look as upset as she should have.
“He completed 18%,” Lloyd said, watching as the spell failed catastrophically.
“Hmph,” Sun Li grunted grudgingly.
“How many Novices can complete 18% of that spell on their first try, and in their second week?”
Sun Li said nothing, but both moved across to the door, waiting for Yaric to exit. They had to wait for a couple of minutes again, as Yaric continued to mess around inside, but the door finally started to swing out from its hidden recess.
“Huh, you were close to one fifth,” Lloyd announced when the door finished opening. Yaric’s silhouette stepped forward from the darkness. “Everything worked perfectly, and your performance was exceptional. I hope this puts your mind at ease. You should be feeling pretty good about your first spell attempt as well,” Lloyd rambled, watching Yaric make his way slowly along the wall inside.
“Come on, we need to celebrate.”
Yaric stumbled out of the door and into the light, stooping over when he stepped out but holding his head up to look Lloyd in the eyes. His eyes were bloodshot, and blood poured freely from his nose and ears.
“Something went wrong,” Yaric rasped.
Then he collapsed.
“Alert the healers!” Lloyd scooped Yaric up and lifted into the air with him, skimming at great speed half a meter off the ground. “Make sure they’re ready and waiting!”
