" As a professional rune smith the creation of metals is a beautiful craft we need to behold " he waved is hand probably the metal.
" As the graduating class of the Academy this year you will need to successfully carve runes on the surface of the metal "
That sounded way to easy, even beginners were able to cave basic level runes, the students felt they could try and carve a level 3 intermediate rune to make a point.
Sadly if they had kept their thoughts to themselves they might have been spared but feeling pretentious they had to act out.
" Sir I believe everyone here can create at least an intermediate rune, the project is very much appreciated but too easy." a student said.
" Oh!, I see is their anyone who would love to disagree"
As he had expected all the students were in agreement.
" Well if you say easy but I was not even done " he shook his head sighing.
" Don't worry it is very simple, The metal in questioned is a tier 2 ore and should be processed by you it would incorporate a double rune casting method. To avoid it from being too easy. I will require you do all steps yourself, the metal is to be made into a weapon of your choice.
" Finally it must be a tier 4 weapon" He added.
The students face grew pale has they heard all he had to say. Using a tier 3 ore to create a tier 4 weapon was way above their power.
This was the professors dream he found it amusing every time he sees the pale face of this students like they had seen a ghost.
He smiled and decided to give them a rope to hold unto. " You can relax the project is for your graduation but .. If you can't submit it before then you cannot graduate my class"
A few of the students let out a breath of relief but the rest of them remained pale.
The class went on normally as normal, well as normal a class with pale faced students and a professor with a smirk could look.
' I wonder if I could visit a rune master and crafts master on Academy grounds' Aliza thought.
' why not ' Darca replied in her mind
" How did you read my thoughts" Aliza said out loud.
' she did not read your mind. You projected your thoughts to us and we reply in your mind ' Nilai explained.
" So how do I control it " Aliza asked.
' Imagine having only you in your mind space then to connect with us just think of us and imagine you are talking with us without a voice.' she described.
Aliza closed her eyes and imagined a wall surrounding her. The walls where blank and white she could not see Darca or Nilai . She then projected her thoughts to them, the walls opened up creating a door filled with beautiful flowers.
' This is amazing" Aliza told them
' Yes I am surprised the wall is this sturdy' Nilai wondered why.
' Aliza are you sure you are not secretly a genius ' Darca joked.
' She cannot be , I feel no use of magic on her'
' Hey, I could be a genius too' Aliza laughed
In an old town far down west of Malleburn, A young boy held his stone flame.
He carried the lamp in one hand and a bucket and dry cloth in the other. No one was supposed to venture the grounds at night. Not like it was forbidden but the night had just become way to creepy.
Mustering the courage that he hoped his ancestors left for him as groundskeepers. Any normal person would ask him not to try his luck and return when the sun had risen but he was in a hurry.
The city carriage was set to arrive by noon and he had not enough time to deal with this in the morning. The garden was not very big but it was still scary.
His steps quickened and he soon arrived at the statue. This was maybe the creepiest thing in this town. He set down his lamp and brought up the bucket. Dipping the cloth inside, he pulled it out and wrung it.
Getting on his knee he began to clean the statue, thankfully he had not been putting of his work, A few minutes passed and he was done the statue depicting a man in long flowing robe on a horse whose eyes were wrapped with a cloth
The man also had his eyes wrapped. What most people did not know but was notice by grounds keeper was the dark shadows in oil painting method crawling into the man's head.
He had asked many people in the village what the statue was about but no one seems to know or remembered how it got there. All they knew was they had woken up and there it was.
Sometimes he wondered if they should be moving close to such a thing but in a small village like theirs. An order from the village chief was not to be questioned.
The young boy did not notice that while he was lost in thought the shadows drawn on the statue had begun to move. It seemed like the shadows were crawling out of the statue .
Finishing the last wipe, he picked up the bucket and his lamp.
The shadows crawled down the statue like wriggling worms Melding into the darkness as he moved away with his lamp.
A little far away from the garden he heard a sharp cry.
" Brother"
That was the voice of his sister but he was sure he came out alone tonight. His sister would never follow him this far. Chills ran up his back as he heard a heavy breathing. He wanted to run but his feet were frozen and stuck to the ground.
" Brother"
The voice called him again.
" Brother are you SCaaRed " the voice asked.
Summoning his courage he turned to look at what spoke to him.
There his sister stood wearing a green lacey gown the same one. She had worn all noon and in her hand was the exact same lamp he held except it was covered in shiny rock. That was when it hit him, she had told him she would be with her friends till late night. He promised her he would take her home.
" I forgot I was taking you home, Lets go" He held out his hand to her.
" I cannot believe you would forget your own sister " she sighed. " Anyway lets go home, Mum is going to be so worried and this place gives me the creeps."
She dragged his hand towards home, while he was sure this was his sister. He had a nagging feeling something was wrong.
June slung her bag on her shoulders and walked away from the room. The fake smiles were getting on her nerves she had noticed that ever since she met Aliza her already low tolerance for pretense dropped even more.
She was okay with that after all she felt more comfortable and at peace. With her head held high she did not notice a person had followed her outside.
A hand grabbed hers and she turned around sharply. It was a face she was not comfortable seeing.
" Hi" Ashley smiled still holding her hand.
" Hello.. Might I request you let go of my hand please." June said sharply.
" Oh sorry. I am new and I was hoping we could be friends. " Ashley spoke with clear excitement on her face. As far as she knew June was a loner and the headmistress said she should make friends specifically with her.
Though she did not know why she was sure it was due to a special reason.
Actually Ashely had asked around in the morning she remembered what she was told.
" Hi do you know June" she asked the blond hared girl in a green straight gown.
" yeah but I would ask you to avoid that lonely freak , No one knows her family name but I am sure she is embarrassed by it" the girl laughed.
" My bad to jump to conclusion, Maybe she prefers privacy"
A girl sneered " Huh uh what privacy she is just a weirdo "
" Not a weirdo, probably a commoner " the blond haired girl said.
" Not a commoner maybe a secret family" Someone chimed in.
" That might be possible, I asked my dad to look for her family name but he could not find it "
The girl sighed.
" The academy is filled with weird people "
They all sighed and looked at Ashley.
The conversation she had with the girl was to confirm June was a loner.
Though loners liked to stay alone they did require human contacts and she was going to be that one human contact. No one truly wanted to be alone .
If what the girls thought were true the a secret family was powerful someone like deserved her friendship.
" NO" the sharp tone left no room for anymore discussion; June pushed her hand away and continued on her journey.
" Hmm okay. Where are you going" Ashley called out; chasing after June.
" We can go together, I am always lost in the awe of the Academy how do you do it."
June turned to her and said " Please leave me alone, I am not interested in any sort of friendship with you".
" Why? I have not offended you, Have I " Ashley asked.
" You have not offended me but I would like to be by myself" June emphasized.
Ashley watched June walked away, she had a feeling the girl just doesn't like her.
" What class do I have right now " Aliza spoke in a daze.
Since she was not using Magic she had no idea how many classes she had a day. As she usually took classes with Emma and Jake. She never had a timetable or a normal educational system.
She stared at the list in front of her.
Craftsmanship Left class in third building
Crafting theory Fourth floor
Rune smith Fifth floor on second building
Study of Runes Fifth building
History First four floor of Second building
Spells Sixth building
Library Eight building
Combat class Ground floor of third building also on fifth floor
of First building
Light class Third floor
Healers class Second floor
...…..
…..
They were so many classes that Aliza felt a little dizzy. Her eyes skipped to the end of the list and she saw Alchemy class but surprisingly before the class was cancelled it was held in the under ground .
Aliza was not aware of an underground class not like she was aware of most of the classes.
Aliza decided to go to her former class though she might met her ex friends.
Aliza rushed to the first building, she was going for combat class.
She pushed the door open.
" Miss Aliza, you seem to join us today. " The coach said.
" I was caught in a lot of personal issue." Aliza smiled
" Ah! Yes you always seem to busy for classes. Joseph please come and test Miss Aliza we would not want her to waste resources"
Aliza looked at Joseph, his huge muscles flexed as he put down his dumbbells. ' How was she going to fight him'
" Aliza it is been a while since we fought, I have been waiting for you." Joseph said.
No way, Aliza remembered Joseph though he was a little skinnier whe she beat him up in combat class. She did wondered what he had eaten , it had only been a few months.
" Long time no see Joseph you are looking good"
" Thank you, Aliza I want to you to know that whatever happens no hard feeling."
He crushed his knuckles and moved towards the ring center.
Aliza dropped her sack and moved towards the ring. " Joseph please go easy on me"
" Aliza I promise to do my best."
He clenched his knuckles and rushed towards her, Aliza side stepped but she could not avoid his elbow nudge. She doubled over and stumbled away from him. He turned back and rushed towards her again.
Aliza rushed towards him with her clenched fist, Joseph raised his fist to protect his face. He did not notice she had kicked his leg causing him to double onto his knees.
She delivered a simultaneous blow to his torso which he returned with a slap delivered to her back, flinging Aliza to the side of the ring.
" Enough" the coach said. Watching the fight he observed Joseph was using his magic to increase is stamina, he never stopped it then until Aliza blow to his torso paralyzed his magic.
" Aliza wins "
Aliza smiled and pulled herself up to sit. Her forehead creased in pain as she felt tired. This was so unfair ' Magic infused body' she thought.
" Sir that is not right he was on one feet " A student protested.
" Yes but his magic was out of control so was his temper."
The student that protested grew quiet. It was true that the reason he was frozen in place was because of his magic.
" I agree with the coaches decision. It is my loss." Joseph said
" Aliza you win again"
" Yeah you went easy on me "