"You really think now that you have just a fraction of the power of the djinn with that little sword and rune you have there makes you able to threaten me?" Saya asks mockingly.
"I never tried to threaten you. I'm just simply asking, what are you trying to do with me?"
She looks at me for a moment, her face with a mixture of frustration and confusion. "Why should I tell you?"
"You really need to choose a role, you constantly change between a supportive ally and a leader or boss role trying to have control over me."
She goes silent, "You're a fool if you think I am just pretending-" I grab her collar and pull her closer to me so this time it's me looking down on her giving her no control.
"What do you think you are doing?"! She yells.
"I'm not here to be the pawn to an incompetent leader. So either you tell me your leader's instructions, or I give up on helping you." I gave her an offer.
"What makes you think-" I pull her closer so that less than a few inches separates our faces. "What are you doing?"
"I know that you were embarrassed when you kissed me, you are scared to be this close to me, but at the same time, you won't push me away. So answer my question,"
She looks at me for a few seconds nervously, I can't help but be thankful that this worked in my head, she could easily just punch me into oblivion or blast me with some kind of spell that I could never dream of doing.
"I can't tell you everything now... But I'll tell you when I can." Saya says. Happy that I got her to comply I let her down from my grasp, although when I do she looks a bit disappointed.
"Ok, tell me as much as you can." I sit back down.
She sits down in one of the guest seats across from me and proceeds to explain. "So as I already explained, the Asuras need Dicathen to be strong enough to combat and hopefully weaken Alacrya enough so that they can step in. We were looking for ways to make mages stronger or even just look for people with potential."
"So I am a candidate to be a strong mage?" I ask confused.
"Well yes, but only at first. It wasn't until you got that." She points at the rune on my arm. "Lord Kezess Indrath sensed your connection to the aether and made you a person of interest. Us phoenixes, specifically me, were entrusted in finding if you were an ally."
"Ok but you already told me all of this."
"I know, but this is nearly everything I can tell you," Saya exclaims.
"What's stopping you from telling me more?" I ask.
"I just can't do it ok?" She says, "I am under keen supervision and me telling-"
"I get it, just tell me this. Are your instructions to help me get stronger?" I ask.
"Yes. My instructions were to help you grow stronger and watch your growth." She says.
"Ok, I'll figure out the rest on my own I guess."
I have one last question to ask you," I say, "of the two personas that I called you out for, which one is the real one?"
She looks at me for a moment, she walks up to me and gets close. "This one," she pulls me close and kisses me. After a few seconds of shock, she finally releases me.
"Don't forget who is the master in this bond contract." She says before leaving.
I was left sitting there stunned.
***
Even though I had gotten far with the djinn sword I continued assimilating to its mana. I still couldn't move the aether on my own, though it thankfully moved with the mana so I didn't need to do anything about it.
Since I no longer needed to stay in the infirmary I returned to living in my dorm room with Feyrith. When I returned he was so happy that I was ok and apologized for not visiting me.
After moving back into my dorm I returned to going to my classes. I didn't miss much because it was just the first week of classes. I didn't have to start teaching for a couple of days.
When I arrived at my last class of the day, Team Battle Mechanics. When I arrived at the class everyone was giving me strange looks. I hear students pass rumors and murmurs around the crowd of students as I walk past.
"That's the one who beat Lucas"
"Didn't he cheat though? Not a single fire spell hit him and he was walking!"
"Is he dating the student council president? I saw her enter his infirmary room and not leave for days."
I ignored all their ridiculous ideas and met up with my friends.
"Great to see you doing better Arthur." I hear Curtis yell as he and Claire walk over to me.
"It's great to be back,"
"It's too bad we lost in the mock battle but your fighting skills were amazing. Just as I expected." Curtis says.
Before we could continue our conversation another student walks up and asks me a question, "Sorry to intrude, but I am part of the school's newspaper. I'm just asking how you managed to block those fire spells without even moving."
He was a rather small elf boy who I assumed to be a first year. Before I could respond I saw behind him Professor Glory walk up.
"Excuse me but you aren't in my class. I think you should be going now." She says to the boy who had said he was part of the school's newspaper club.
When he sees her standing behind him he gets scared and runs off.
"Good, now that I can start class we will begin today's lesson. As for you Arthur, you should go up to the observation stands." Professor Glory tells me.
"Why? I'm all healed from my injuries." I ask.
"The work you missed is up there, I want you to work on it and catch up on what you missed." Professor Glory says.
"Ok," I leave and walk to the observation stands.
***
The next day I entered the Practical Mana Manipulation class, today was my first day of having to teach.
When I walked in everyone looked at me with all sorts of different emotions and reactions. Some experience jealousy, anger, frustration. All of the mix. The only people who looked to not mind were Feyrith and Kathyln.
I stepped up to the small battle arena in the front of the room where the teacher normally stood and began to introduce myself to the class.
"Hello everyone, my name is Arthur Bladeheart, as many of you already know, I am your new teacher for this class-" I barely get past the first part of my introduction before someone throws a piece of paper at me. It flies across the room and thumps me on the top of my head before falling to the floor...
"Sorry teach! I expected it to just magically vanish like thos fire spells did when you fake fought Lucas." he yells across the room, he gets a laugh out of many of the other students.
"If you would like, I can prove that fight wasn't fake." I say releasing a small amount of mana.
"What, like how?" another student asks.
"Good question," I say before placing down my books on the nearby table. "All fire conjurers please stand up."
Upon hearing me around five people stood up.
"Good, now prepare your preferred fire spell of choice and launch it at me when I say go. Ready?" I tell them, a lot look confused and others worried.
The students ready to call my bluff prepared a rather strong fire spell. It looked like they at least had the skill to back up their words.
As everyone prepared their spells I then yelled, "GO!" I prepared my Vacuum Cloak, the name I had chosen for the spell, and watched as all the fire spells approached me and collided with the cloak soon dissipating and being extinguished.
Several students stared in awe, with the students saying things like, "I didnt even cancel my spell." or "How did he do that?"
"This spell I just used I created myself using my knowledge of wind and fire, while I wont be teaching you all this spell due to its complexity. I will be teaching how to improve and refine the skills you already have so you can reach even greater heights." I announce to what is now a room of excited students.
I never thought it would be possible but I managed to make an entire room of kids excited to be learning in school.
I began to give them theories on how augmenters could use conjurer skills and how conjurers could use augmenters skills. Things that would only come up when they would be in the orange stage are now being brought up when they are barely into the red stages.
After teaching everyone for the class time the bell rang and everyone left. I finished the rest of my classes with ease and went back to my dorm after not having much else to do.
I arrive back at my dorm and open the door to find a shaking Feyrith.
"Feyfey what's wrong?" I ask.
He points over to my bed where I see Saya laying on top of upside down looking at my blank wall.
"What are you doing Saya?" I ask.
"I'm looking at your serious lack of decor, you should at least put up a poster or something." She says without even looking at me.
"Not that, I'm asking why you are here."
"Oh, i'm just bored so i wanted to see what weird mana theories you came up with," She mutters, "and to see if you have a secret collection of notebooks or magazines,"
"What was that?"
"Nothing," she sits up and turns around so she is facing me and Feyrith. "Do you guys have anything to eat?"
I looked through the food me and Feyrith have and found some licorice that I had bought. I tossed it over to her and she caught it. She looks at the packaging in confusion.
'What's this?' I hear her ask through our mental connection.
'It's licorice, it's candy.'
'I never had stuff like this in Epheotus,'
'Then try it' I sigh to myself.
She opens the small bag and pulls out a piece of licorice, she eats one and sits there for a moment. Her eyes light up in joy as she continues eating more.
"Looks like you just found your new favorite food." I tease.
Saya just sits there looking at me while she slowly eats a stick of licorice.
...
"Are you just gonna sit on my bed eating licorice?"
She doesn't respond and just continues eating licorice. 'Sigh, I just introduced candy to her didn't I?' I think to myself not letting her hear my thoughts.