Now it was my turn. So far, nobody had even received a third-class, let alone a fourth. I had to show something, but... I hadn't learned anything yet... I was out of time to think, so I simply grabbed the first staff that caught my eye and proceeded to the field.
If I'm good at something, it's probably fire magic. I hoped that at least the staff would help sustain the spell for a bit longer. I positioned the staff in front of me and grabbed the crystal at its tip. I let myself get angry and tried to give form to it.
I began to feel the heat around me, and the flame slowly formed a circle. The flame shot up into the air, creating a whirlwind around me, but after lasting only three seconds, it dissipated.
"Hmm, what was that?" Kiram chuckled in surprise, "wasn't he trying to conjure a firestorm? Did I get it wrong?"
"Yes, it seems so," the rector thoughtfully stroked his beard, "interesting, where did he even read about this spell?"
The rector glanced briefly at the librarian, who timidly averted her eyes.
"Well, luckily the spell didn't work," Kiram crossed his arms disapprovingly, "this novice probably couldn't control it anyway, and other students could have been hurt."
It seemed doubtful that this rude instructor cared about his students.
"Yes, it appears that it's too early for you to practice such complex spells. The attempt was good, but you still lack strength at your age. By the way, I heard that you've only recently discovered your magic abilities?"
"I found out a month ago that I'm actually a mage, although I don't remember having such abilities before," I replied.
"Hmm, I see. Can you do anything else?"
"I would try another spell if that one didn't work."
"Please do."
I took a deep breath and checked my condition just in case. I wouldn't want to die of exhaustion on my second day of studies. As fire doesn't work well for me, I'll try a different element. If anger and rage lead to fire, then excitement, interest, curiosity should lead to lightning. I gripped the staff in the middle and raised it in front of me. That feeling when something unexpected happens, pleasant or not, doesn't matter, the main thing is to concentrate on it.
I felt that light tingling sensation on my skin again and noticed, from the corner of my eye, the figure in the black cloak observing me with interest. She understood what I was about to do before the spell even began. Five lightning bolts were released from the top of the staff and struck the ground under my feet. The lightning cage lasted for just a few seconds before dissipating.
"Hmm, now lightning, and again a failure," Kiram wearily scratched his forehead, "you should know that lightning magic not only takes effect faster but also consumes more energy than fire magic. If you couldn't manage a fire spell, you shouldn't have switched to this."
"Although the spell was quite complex, you almost managed it. But you still lack the strength. Can you show something else, or do you give up?" the rector smiled suspiciously, which gave rise to strange thoughts in me.
"I would try another spell."
"Sure, go ahead," the rector casually leaned back in his chair.
Of all that I read yesterday, I only managed to remember one more spell. I held the staff horizontally in front of me, gripping it with both hands near the ends. Now, I just needed to recall what activates it... The feeling when the inquisitors threw a fireball at me, it wasn't courage or anger... it was fear. I felt something quietly and subtly stir beneath my feet; the grass began to wither, and the air was tainted with a vile smell. But again, I didn't manage to shape this power into a spell before it dissipated into the air. However, the nasty smell lingered. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed some of my classmates, especially the noble ones, silently chuckling and pinching their noses.
"And what was that?" Kiram looked disdainfully at the black spot left on the ground after my failed spell, "Whatever it was, you managed to impress everyone here, heh."
What a concern, I melted from his words.
"Interesting, interesting," the rector, on the other hand, scrutinized the outcome with much greater attention, "fear, is it?"
"Where did you get that from?" the rector realized what I had attempted to do.
"It's not surprising you failed, but it was a decent attempt. I would still give you a third-class."
"Oh-ho," Levris brightened up happily.
"What? For this?" Kiram, on the contrary, grimaced even more disdainfully, "he hasn't even cast a single complete spell; he can barely reach first-class."
"But he awakened magic quite recently and has already managed to summon at least two elements. And if you haven't noticed, he's not exhausted, he still has strength left. He could try these spells a couple more times, even if they end up with the same effect."
"Well, maybe he has potential, but he hasn't achieved anything yet!"
"He regenerates his magic very quickly, although he lacks concentration at the moment. If we provide him with the opportunity, he could develop his abilities," the rector pressed the unyielding instructor.
"Fine, but if he doesn't learn anything within a year, no matter what you say, I'll lower him to the first class," Kiram reluctantly agreed.
A third-class is quite good; at least I'll have time for studies. As I was leaving the field, I bumped into Alfred, who greeted me with a malicious grin. What an unpleasant guy, although the girls in the class adored him.
"Alfred Van Grave, at your service. Allow me to demonstrate the true power of fire magic."
Now I remembered where I recognized this surname from. Merchants passing through our town whispered secretly about his father, the Supreme Inquisitor feared throughout Verania, an executioner responsible for hundreds of lives. My aversion to this guy became even worse. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see what he was capable of.
The mage held a special staff in his hands, which he brought with him. Golden, with a large ruby at the tip, it wasn't only for aesthetics.
The inquisitor calmly traced a circle in the air, and fire began to gather on the staff's tip. Within a few seconds, the flame had already reached the size of the spellcaster himself. With a wide swing, Alfred shaped the fire into a dragon and released it towards the row of dummies. Rapidly turning them into ashes, the fiery dragon crashed against the fence, scorching all the targets standing in the back row.
"Not a bad result, don't you think?" Kiram smiled contentedly. Now it was evident why he was here; he clearly wanted to secure such a student for himself and give him a higher class.
"Hmm, not bad, but there are obvious flaws. Nevertheless, he definitely deserves a fourth-class."
"Fourth? What are you talking about? His power clearly deserves more!" Kiram even stood up in protest. Among the students, debates began, especially noble admirers of the young mage expressed their displeasure, "The spell was complex and highly destructive, and the damage was significant. I would recommend a fifth-class."
"No, he clearly doesn't qualify for a fifth-class. I understand your eagerness, and if I weren't here, you would undoubtedly push your protégé to a higher class, but such tricks won't work with me."
Kiram abruptly sat down after the rector's attack.
"It seems you wanted it to look like a complex spell of a fire dragon, but the peculiarity of this spell is that the mage can control it in flight, which helps to strike more accurately. Alfred, on the other hand, has only mastered the basics of this spell, its power and form, he is far from mastery. Besides, if not for his expensive staff, he would have been drained of power by now. Half of his achievements are due to his father's money, which is not enough for a fifth-class," the rector explained calmly.
"I still protest. You just awarded a third-class to someone who clearly doesn't deserve it, and now you refuse to give a fifth-class to someone who is far more powerful," Kiram argued.
"Calm down," the rector's cold gaze finally subdued the teacher's fervor, and he whispered in his ear, "If you understood magic better, you might know what is required for me to recognize a student as a fifth-class, but perhaps today, you will learn its meaning."
After attentively listening to the rector, Kiram nervously scanned the students, as if searching for someone.
The last students were satisfied with demonstrating their skills on the remaining five targets on the field after the fire mage. But none of them demonstrated anything significant. It seemed like that was it, but there was one more girl, who had been quietly sitting in a corner under a black cloak the whole time.
She remained the last, and many had even forgotten that someone was there. Taking off her cloak, the girl carefully bypassed all her classmates and stepped onto the field.
"Hmm, the last student, yes," Kiram glanced at the rector, "so what will you demonstrate, Miss Katrina?"
"I'm not very good at using complex spells, so I'll try Spark."
"Heh, as you wish," the teacher smiled smugly and pitifully glanced at the rector.
In the crowd of students, malicious smirks could be seen. Spark was, of course, a lightning spell, but it was the most primitive one. It was listed in the beginner's section of the textbook. At best, it could kindle a bonfire or paralyze a person for a couple of minutes, but making it more powerful was challenging. However, it was sometimes used in battle as the fastest spell to cast, making it popular among weak mages.
The girl paid no attention to the smirks and simply stepped forward, extending her hand. She didn't use any staffs, nor did she have any magic enhancers on her hands. It seemed she wanted to perform the spell solely with her own power. Ten seconds passed, but nothing happened, increasing the amount of mockery.
"Hmm, it seems she even has trouble with such a simple thing," Kiram smirked.
But I began to notice something unusual. First, I felt the familiar shiver on my skin, then the long hair of the girls slowly rose into the air, and finally, the metallic staffs on the shelf started attracting each other with a characteristic sound. The last sign was the rector smoothly sliding under the table. I decided to follow the example of the older generation and hid behind the fence, and it was at that moment Katrina finally unleashed her first spell.
At first, small electric sparks ran between her fingers, and then a full-fledged lightning bolt shot from the lone extended finger. It was indeed Spark, a simple discharge from one point to another, which cannot be controlled. But the size of this bolt was far from the name. The lightning was almost as thick as the sorceress herself and wasn't aimed at any of the dummies; it was just directed towards the wall enclosing the polygon. Even just flying past the remaining targets, this bolt managed to scorch them, and finally, it crashed into the sturdy barrier. That was bad, when lightning has nowhere to go, it explodes. At least that was something I managed to remember. That's why the rector quickly hid.
Katrina severed the connection, and the spark gathered completely at the border of the magical barrier. The girl calmly gripped the handrail, waiting to see what would happen next. The tension was so strong that it became visible to the naked eye. And finally, the explosion roared. With a single strike, the remaining dummies turned to ashes, the wall was brought down to its foundation, along with the magical barrier and all the targets on the neighboring polygon. The blast threw everyone who hadn't prudently hidden against the wall, much to the rector's delight, who managed to catch a glimpse of the young female students' legs. The students from the adjacent class were also slightly surprised to find a ten-meter-wide crater in place of their targets. The sorceress herself bowed to the judges and quietly left the polygon, taking her cloak with her.
"Kiram, I told you that today you would see a real fifth-class," the rector said.
"Darn it," Kiram rubbed his bruises angrily. "You came here for her sake."
"Not only that, but I also wanted to personally see what she's capable of," the rector replied.