They sat down in the cafeteria, the both of them with the research folders, he had a very large folder and she had about 4 folder. She read over it and sighed as Simeon began reading the air folder, "So, you gain power the more pain you feel?"
"Pain is converted by my magic into energy that my body uses, it allows it to continue," He smiled as he pointed on the page, "Continue reading, you might answer your own question."
"Oh, sorry," She took a bite of her food, "How did you find your tome?"
"Like everyone, detection, the doctor thought it was wrong but nope, it wasn't."
"That's really interesting, I have a limited number of casts."
"I do too, just that I have long duration spells."
"I think that learning about our tomes is cool, but I feel like that it is, like, um."
"Missing the point?" He finished her sentence, "I know, but this is a little important, I know most of these things but I was unaware of your possibility to use protection spells, of the selfish type."
"Aren't your spells selfish too?"
"Yes, I have to use my body and do extra to use them like I want to."
"Oh, but, I do have the Reflection spell, wouldn't that count?" He looked at the ceiling and then shrugged.
"I guess, how many spells can your tome cast?"
"Does it not say it there?"
"Air has a range."
"Oh, 23."
"And how long do you need to restore them?"
"Doesn't it sa-"
"Range."
"Oh, well, I think it was half an hour to have all of them back," She said finishing the food in her mouth, "How many can you cast?"
"There is no actual limit, only that of my body," He said still flipping through the folder, "Even if some allow my body to exceed its limits, like the Agony spell or Unforgiving Rage."
"Oh, is that your ultimate spell?"
"No, I haven't discovered it yet and it isn't like Air where there are many mages that have it and that can tell you about them or make folders like these," He said closing the folder, "Did you talk to Ms. Ki for the tournament?"
"I did, so we are now going to represent the school, for the tournament."
"Yeah, well, you are going to be more popular than you already are."
"And you no?"
"Like in other things, the big spells are the impressive ones, not the ones that protect, a support mage is second to their damage mage, we are going to have that dynamic."
"Oh, I guess, that makes sense, how many spells do you have?"
"I use two mainly, however, I know that I have 6 spells without counting the ultimate spell that I need to find."
"That isn't much, and no offensive spells?" She said taking another bite, "And what do they do?"
"I have Unbroken Will, Agony, Spirit Break, Gloom and Pain-Split, oh, and Unforgiving Rage."
"What do they do then? Now that you have told me all of this," She put the folder down, "First, which one did you use to cancel my spell?"
"Spirit Break, it forms around my hands and allows me to transfer the power of the spell directly into my body, so no effects but some pain, that is how I stopped your spell," He paused and took a drink, "Um, then, Agony just gives me a shot of pain."
"What? Why would you use it? Are you crazy?"
"No, it gives me more resistance and power in my spells."
"Oh, well, I guess that makes some sense."
"Um, Unbroken Will is a spell that blocks the spells that I receive, without fully blocking them, to allow me to keep my power, Split-Pain, well, self-explanatory, and Gloom wipes my mind for a few minutes, allowing me to focus on only the fight, no need to know anything else during a fight, and Unforgiving Rage is a overburn spell that causes the same thing as Agony but sharper and causes my arcane and physical body to exceed their original limits, but it hurts me more than Agony."
"Oh, I have so many spells I need to remember."
"I can tell, Julia, I can tell, you nearly failed your cast of the Ultimate Storm."
"What do you mean?" She said looking nervous. He smiled and then continued eating, without adding anything else, "I had another question."
"Ask away."
"Doesn't your magic leave marks, like, you hurt yourself to use magic."
"It does, but not that much, it leaves mainly pins and needles in my fingers and hands for a few minutes afterwards."
"No, as in, actual pain."
"Sure, bad memories everytime I use Pain-Split and Gloom," He said looking her dead in the eyes, "I failed to protect my brother in the past, two years back, and he died from his wounds, because I used Gloom, I didn't think about him."
"What happened?"
"Arcane Angels, you know them, right?"
"Yeah, by name, aren't they those powerful mages that are like a gang?"
"Yes, that is all they are, they attacked my family, killing my mother and father nearly instantly, they attacked me, but, I am nearly unkillable with my magic, but my brother wasn't, he was a Fire tome, he did his best, but a strong Air tome easily beats it, and I used Gloom to take as many spells as I could, but," He blinked rapidly and then passed his finger under his right eye, "But they killed him, and all I could do was let them get away, no offensive spells, well, can't do anything to stop them."
"I should not have asked."
"No, you should've, we need to know each other well, since in that competition the people who participate will know each other as well, siblings, lovers, best friends, last year it was a couple that won, a Fire and Air tome, amazing combos, and they knew each other perfectly."
"Are you implying something?"
"No, I am just saying that we need to know each other well," He smiled, "Well, I want to know what your spells do, like the ones you use and how you use them."
"Um, I have the three ultimate spells I used on you, I have Hail of Arrows, Storm, Hail, Blizzard, Tornado, um, I use Air Ball, and Air Bolt, that's it, of course I have other spells."
"The spell, Ultimate Bolt, does it change power if you throw it harder?"
"I, um, I don't know, never tried," She said seeming lost, "Why?"
"Spells like that, on cast can't hurt the caster but if I use my Unbroken Will, theoretically, I should be able to use your spell, see what I mean?"
"Mhm."
"And if the power depends also on the throw."
"You are stronger than me, so it should have more power."
"You read my mind," He laughed, "Well, I am going to go workout, so I'll finish and go."
"Yeah, I am going to talk with Ms. Ki to see our first match, maybe study them a little."
"Fine with me, but surprise attacks hurt more, and you know where I am going with that."
They sat down in Ms. Ki's office, she was the teacher responsible for competitions and events and also on the laws of magic, "So, I must ask you first, do you already know the rules of the ISMC or Inter School Magic competition?" They both shook their heads, "So, you will fight in duos as you know, against duos representing other schools, they will consist in three rounds of 6 minutes in which each spell and attack or defense will earn you points, more points than the other means a round won, that is in case you get to the end," She spoke, "If one of you is unable to fight, the referee will stop the fight and you will then have to fight one against two or one against one, unless both are unable to fight, meaning that your duo will be the hardest to pull off."
"Ms. Ki, how about you skip the comments and tell us what we really need to know."
"Ultimate spells are allowed and most duos will attempt to abuse them," She sighed, "There is no way to give up in a fight, so be careful."
"Who are our first opponents, Ms. Ki?"
"Stephen and Steven Olpert, the Mech Brothers, both use the Combination tome, I am not allowed to give you more information than that."
"But other teams will," Simeon said rolling his eyes, "Living by the rules."