"I don't think that's possible sir.", Arthur said in a skeptical tone.
Seventeen tilted his head, his earring lightly jangling, "I was expecting a different reaction. Why do you say that?"
"Well. Even though I have excellent magia control, it doesn't mean I can directly control pure magia and manipulate it."
Seventeen smiled, "But magia manipulation is similar to blood manipulation. The only difference is the amount of control and focus."
Arthur nodded, "Yes. But direct magia manipulation is clearly not possible."
Seventeen raised his eyebrows, "Oh? Then how do you explain this?", he opened one of the vials and flicked his finger upwards.
The liquid magia shot upwards and out of the vial. It swirled in the air around Seventeen, following his finger.
Arthur's mouth hung open. The liquid magia flowed at him and spiraled up from his feet to his head. It then went towards Seventeen, became a ball, and hovered over his open palm.
"How?", Arthur asked in amazement. "You're not the only one with good magia control.", Seventeen said with a smile as he changed the shape of the liquid magia.
He continued, "Apart from making amazing shapes and just willing it to flow, I can also use this pure magia for defending and attacking.", he pointed at Arthur's sword.
"Attack me with your sword, Arthur."
"Can that amount of magia protect you?", Arthur asked worriedly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine.", Seventeen assured him.
Arthur took out Ghost and faced Seventeen. He slashed with deadly precision at Seventeen's arm. Suddenly the blade bounced back.
Arthur saw the liquid magia floating above Seventeen's arm. How did a liquid just block his attack?
Seventeen smiled, "I willed the pure magia to protect my arm and that's what it did. Come on, attack me again.", he said, opening the other two vials.
Arthur calmed down and attacked again. He continuously slashed only to be deflected by the liquid magia.
"My turn.", Seventeen said and attacked. A spike of liquid magia shot towards Arthur. He raised his sword and the spike hit the blade so hard he stumbled backward.
He looked down and saw that the magia didn't return to Seventeen and lay on the ground.
"Do not lose your focus.", Seventeen landed in front of him. A glowing blue tentacle attacked Arthur. He deflected it and jumped, landing on a desk.
Another tentacle shot towards him. Arthur jumped just as the tentacle pierced through the desk. "Damn", he whistled.
"Let's stop for now. We don't want to trash the classroom", Seventeen retracted the blue tentacles and changed them into a ball of pure magia.
"As you have seen, liquid magia is a versatile substance that can do anything as long as you have the necessary control. The only limit is....", Seventeen tapped his head, "Your imagination."
He directed the magia floating around him into the vials and looked at the desk he pierced with worry, "That is a pretty big hole."
"Don't worry sir. Damien sits there.", Arthur said. Seventeen raised an eyebrow, "Did you purposefully landed on that place?"
Arthur smiled innocently, "Maybe?"
"You sly guy.", Seventeen chuckled.
He kept the three vials on the teacher's desk and looked at Arthur, "Your turn."
"Me?", Arthur was taken aback. Seventeen nodded, "This is to give you an edge in battle."
"Are you sure I can do this?", Arthur asked. Seventeen nodded, "I'm positive that you can manipulate pure magia, maybe better than me. I only have control over a radius of 3 meters around me."
"So that's why the magia spike you launched at me didn't return to you.", Arthur said looking at the small puddle of liquid magia on the floor.
Seventeen nodded again. He opened a vial, the liquid magia glowed, "Now concentrate and feel a connection to the magia", he instructed.
Arthur closed his eyes and focused. He pictured the vial in front of him. He reached out to it but it slipped farther away from his grasp. He tried again but it slipped further away. He frowned.
"Don't be hasty Arthur. Calm down and focus.", Seventeen said softly.
Arthur took a deep breath and concentrated again. Everything went quiet around him. He found himself in a huge black space.
Suddenly he heard the sound of flowing water and windchimes. He felt a tug at his chest.
"Are you the one who is beckoning me?", a voice asked. Arthur jumped. The voice came from all around him. It was soft and feminine.
"Who are you?", he asked.
"I am many things. I am the blood of the gods, the sustainer of existence, the power you use to conquer the heavens and the earth. I have seen empires rise and fall. I have seen everything in this world, from birth to death. I am what you call Magia.", the voice replied.
"Magia is a living entity?", Arthur asked in shock and disbelief.
"Yes, young one. I am alive and always present everywhere. You people do not use my true and pure form, so you don't notice me. You change my form to that of the many elements.", the voice replied.
"You mean attributes?", Arthur asked.
"Yes. Warlocks change my form into the elements to fight their battles without stopping to think of my true form. But I don't blame them, My true form is raw power and unpredictable."
"Changing my form into the elements makes it easier to control. It is common sense to use what you can easily control."
The voice continued, "Only a few had used my true form and heard my voice. So few, you could count them with your fingers. And you are going to be one of them."
"A few people. So sir is one of them?", Arthur wondered.
"Your master is a unique and powerful existence. One could say he shouldn't belong in this world.", the voice said. "What do you mean?", Arthur asked.
"All will be revealed at the right time. But for now, you have to remain in the dark."
"Oh.", Arthur was slightly disappointed. He wanted to know more about Seventeen. Their instructor was more mysterious than Allistair's missing socks.
"Now the matter at hand. Are you ready to control my true form?", the voice asked. "I don't know.", Arthur said with uncertainty.
"One must have a steady heart and mind to control my true form and you have both, otherwise you would not be hearing my voice."
Arthur felt the tugging at his chest increase. He saw liquid magia appear and swirl in from of him. It came together and formed a shape.
A young girl of his age stood before him. She looked like him but more feminine and blue.
She had long blue hair, sapphire blue eyes that glowed. She wore a blue flowing dress and bracers that reached her elbows. She was slim and about his height.
'So that's how I would look if I was a girl, minus the blue color. Her appearance is not much different from mine.', Arthur thought.
Even though she looked about his age, Arthur knew she was much older than him or anyone else. The girl held out her hand.
"With this, we will have a bond.", she didn't move her lips but her voice was everywhere.
"I am yours to command. But be warned, I am unpredictable and powerful, so you have to improve and master me and if your heart ever falters, I will not help you.", the girl's eyes pierced into his soul.
Arthur took her hand, "I will not disappoint you.", he said. The girl smiled faintly, "Now it's time for you to go. The bond has been formed.", she turned around and proceeded to walk away.
"Will I hear your voice again?", Arthur asked the girl as she walked away. She turned around and tilted her head, "Perhaps. Only time will tell."
She continued to walk away and finally disappeared.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in the classroom. Seventeen was looking at him, "I presume you heard the voice of magia?", he asked.
Arthur nodded, "What was that?"
"Magia is something more than a form of energy. You could say it is a living entity.", Seventeen explained. "But liquid magia is used in many things. Shouldn't other people hear the voice?", Arthur asked.
"Well, Magia doesn't speak to just anyone, only a few people, like you and me.", Seventeen answered.
"So did you shake hands with a feminine version of yourself?", Arthur asked, thinking about the mysterious girl.
"Why yes, magia can be addressed as a female and it takes the form of your feminine version but blue. If you're a girl, then the magia will form a mirror image of yourself but bluer.", Seventeen said.
"Now since you created a bond.", he gestured at the vials, "Try manipulating this pure magia."
Arthur nodded. He looked at the glowing blue liquid and focused. He felt the tugging sensation in his chest. The liquid magia sloshed a bit inside the vial.
"Use your imagination.", Seventeen instructed.
Arthur imagined the magia in the vial slowly rising.
The magia slowly rose up and out of the vial on the table and floated above its mouth to his amazement. He smiled.
"Very nice Arthur. Now try to make it into a ball.", Seventeen said encouragingly.
Arthur nodded and focused, turning his hand slowly. The magia slowly swirled and formed a wobbly blob instead of a sphere. He increased his focus.
The blob started to shape into a sphere when suddenly it burst, spraying liquid magia everywhere.
"Damnit, I focused too hard.", Arthur said as he wiped off the liquid magia on his face. "You can say that again.", Seventeen flicked a drop of magia from his shoulders.
"Well, at least you can control pure magia. With constant practice, you can use it for offense and defense.", he gave Arthur the remaining two vials, "Practice with these when you get time."
"But sir. Liquid magia is rather expensive.", Arthur said worriedly. "It's alright. I run into liquid magia sometimes.", Seventeen assured him.
"Oh, Okay. Thank you, sir. Now I'm sure I can become stronger.", Arthur said with confidence.
Seventeen smiled and looked at the clock, "The others are almost done. You go to the practice hall while I clean up this mess.", he looked around the classroom with small splatters of glowing liquid on the walls.
"Are you sure? I was the one who burst the magia blob.", Arthur said.
"Don't worry. I'll handle this. Now go.", Seventeen replied.
Arthur nodded and went to the practice hall after wiping off the magia on his clothes.
"Where did you go off to?", Ray asked him in the changing room. "Oh, I went to improve my magia control.", Arthur replied. He would tell them when he mastered magia manipulation. Until then, he would keep it a secret.
After changing they returned to class. Damien was confused at how a hole was formed in his place. "Somebody used my place for target practice.", he said as he examined the hole.
He looked suspiciously at Arthur who just shrugged.
By evening they walked to Cardinal town and after spending some time in the many stores they went to the dorm.
After dinner Arthur excused himself and went to his room. He closed the door and took out the two vials from his storage ring.
He practiced for some time by which he was able to create a wobbly sphere of magia floating in the air. He redirected the liquid magia into the vials and went to bed since he didn't want to be sleepy when going to Elveria.
He lay on his bed thinking about the stuff that happened today. Now he has an advantage over his lack of an attribute.
He smiled and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning he woke up to find Selene sleeping on his desk.
He forgot to close the windows. Again.