We sat on the rooftop of the guild, awaiting the festive fireworks. They were scheduled to begin right after the start of the New Year, which was just fifteen minutes away. Katrina sat next to me.
"It was a good year," she said.
"Well, you could say it was decent," I replied.
"It's all thanks to you."
"Oh, come on, princess, I'm just doing my job."
"Mmm... I wanted to say," Katrina blushed and stuttered a little, "something else, um, it's a pity there won't be any snow this year."
"Maybe there won't be," low, dense clouds hung in the sky. It wasn't cold enough for snow; instead, we might be showered with a cold rain. "Stay here, I'll come up with something."
I stepped aside, taking Asura and Ragni with me.
"Ragni, I need a dragon, and preferably quickly. Asura, you should come too."
"Huh? Where? The fireworks will start any minute now!" Ragni clearly wasn't thrilled about flying in the sky filled with fireballs.
"Doesn't matter, let's fly faster. We need to do something."
Ragni jumped off the rooftop, transforming as soon as she reached the ground.
"Asura, I need your ice magic."
"I-I'm not very good at controlling it yet!"
"I'll help you. Let's jump."
I grabbed the swordswoman, and we both leaped onto the dragon that was sitting behind the house.
"So, where are we flying?" Ragni asked.
"Directly into the clouds above the Academy. Hang there for a moment; I'll handle it quickly."
"Alright, if you say so."
The dragoness soared into the air, and Asura and I held on tightly to her thick skin to avoid falling.
"Asura, I'll need you to unleash the strongest ice stream you can into me."
"But I don't know how! It only happens spontaneously during battles; I've never managed to do it during training."
"It's simple. The source of your blade's power is your anger. In battle, when you get angry, your strength is unleashed. But you need to learn to control that anger in your everyday life too."
"Don't talk nonsense; I'm always calm!"
"Oh, really?" I recalled all the times when Asura lost her temper. "Then why do you hate mages so much? Something personal?"
"None of your business!" Asura yelled, and a chill filled the air.
"That's better. You've started communicating normally with Seleria and Katrina, even though they are two of the strongest mages in the Academy. But why do you get angry at all mages?"
"It doesn't matter!"
"It does matter! Imagine that person and put all your rage into your strike."
"Baron De'Grenor," Asura clenched her teeth, and drops of blood appeared at the corners of her mouth. "I hate him!"
The warrior delivered a swift strike, and a wave of icy energy flew out from her sword, much larger than anything she had created before.
"That's what I needed," I quickly drew my blades from behind my back and blocked the wave. I hope the Emperor was right; otherwise, it could end badly. The strike was powerful, but I managed to block it, and the cold magical energy began to spread across my blades. "It seems they really can absorb mana. And now let's test their second power. Ragni, throw me right into the clouds."
"Hah, with pleasure!" The dragoness made a sharp maneuver and, using her tail, launched me into the air.
I held my blades high above my head and, with a quick motion, sent two half-circular waves of ice magic around me. The air instantly grew colder, and the clouds began to freeze, shattering into millions of snowflakes.
"Ragni!" I called as I emerged from the clouds. "Land now, or we might get hit."
"As you wish, you love these grand entrances," she said sarcastically.
The dragoness landed, and Asura and I found ourselves back on solid ground.
"So, who is this baron?" Ragni inquired.
"You don't need to worry about such trivial matters," Asura replied.
"Then you won't tell us?"
"Not now. But maybe someday..." Asura smiled a somewhat sad smile. And that's how our eventful year at the Academy came to an end.