Distributed between all students in their classroom were red booklets, its texts golden that read: "Dunkron Academies' Tournament".
Sanguinex rested her chin in her hands. "So, what's this Dunkron Academies' Tournament all about?"
"Can't you read? It says 'Tournament'." Sévir retorted.
Minerva chuckled. "It's an annual tournament between the most prestigious academies of each Dunkron nations. Catch?"
Sanguinex nodded.
"There are two events within the tournament that takes place–the first is the Introductory Phase, which is where students of the same academy duel each other to see who is worthy of fighting in the second day–the Closing Phase. Though, it doesn't take place in our stadiums. For further information, please read the booklets."
Sanguinex rolled her eyes, puffing afterwards, "Boring~! But like, how many times have you done this?"
"2 times. I started two years ago when the fruit of my efforts began to ripen." She smiled. "I was also lucky that the Seventh and Eighth Years are automatically disqualified from participating in these tournaments."
Sévir climbed out of his seat. "You guys go chit chat or whatever, I'll be off." He walked away, digging his hands in his pockets.
The two gazed at him. "What's with him today, Sévircon?"
"I don't know, Gros-whatever-your-name-is."
.
The door creaked open, revealing a girl who sat with her eyes glued to the book she held, her features, a striking resemblance to Sévir's.
"This really is our new spot, isn't it?" asked Sévir, who sat beside his sister, Zephyr. He glanced at the book she was reading–it was the Dunkron Academies' Tournament booklet.
"So you received it as well, huh?"
She nodded. "It's interesting."
He eyed her with scepticism. "Which? The booklet, or the tournament?"
She shrugged, a sly smile playing on her lips.
"You damn bookworm.." He sighed resignedly. "Well, are you going to join or what?"
She tapped her chin, gazing down at the book as she thought. "..Yeah, I will."
"'Really? I'm not sure if the people there will sit down and have a tea as you read in the middle of the are–"
His rambling was cut short by the thrust of her elbow to his stomach. Naturally, he jerked forward in slight pain.
"Brother, if you have time to ramble on like that, then surely you have time to leave me alone."
Upon hearing her words, he clenched his chest, looking down. "..Ah.. Is this what they mean when kids go through a rebellious phase?"
She raised a brow. "Have you not been through it?"
"My bad, I've always been in my rebel phase."
"Well what about you? Will you join the tournament?"
He shook his head in an instant, as if he thought of it multiple times. "Maybe next year, this year is a little too soon for me."
"I see.. Will you watch me?"
"I'll scream at the top of my lungs and hold a banner bearing your name if that's what you want."
The utter straightforwardness with his monotonous voice caught her off-guard. For one, she felt weirded out imagining her older brother screaming at the top of his lungs in support for her, or for something or someone in general. Second, she looked away in embarrassment.
"H-Hey, you don't need to go that far."
"Well, enough about me. How's class?"
The topic at hand brought a smile to her face, her eyes sparkling as if she was waiting for this moment. "Ah, it's so fun, especially with my friends!" She pointed out two fingers. "There's Deleena and Adina, they sit beside me."
"Like, they aren't gangsters or anything? If they are, I can beat them up for you. Do they take your lunch money, or force you to do their assignments?"
His bombardment of questions in an overprotective tone overwhelmed her, she could only slam her hand against his mouth. "Shhh! Brother, you're thinking way too far–they're not like that."
She placed her hands on her lap, letting out a disappointing sigh. "Though.. I feel a little sad that I don't get to spend the rest of the day with you and Nex."
"Don't think too much about it, Sanguine will tell you off if you get too distant from us." He pushed the chair slightly farther, resting his legs on the table, "But really, don't worry about it too much. You never really had friends to begin with–well, besides Meredith, but that was years back."
Though her downed expression remained. He placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "Snap out of it, it's not the end of the world if we spend less time."
She nodded, albeit hesitantly. Besides that, I have to find someone to train with..
A few seconds later, she perked up with an idea in mind.
.
Minerva sat the same way Sévir did in her bedroom–resting on a white chair that matched the dressing table, which held her legs up. She held her cutlass with her right, wiping the shiny blade with a towel with her left hand–it was so shiny, she perfectly saw her own reflection.
Then, she felt a chill go down her spine. She looked around and saw nothing, so she shrugged it off.
A knock erupted from the double door, though it bursted open the moment she put her feet down. Startled, she stood up with haste and pointed her cutlass at the door.
"Good morningggg——! How's our most hated Gros-whatever-your-name-is doing?" asked Sanguinex, her voice as cheerful as can be as she walked inside Minerva's room. Behind her was Zephyr.
Minerva sighed and sat down. "God, try waiting patiently next time." She tossed her cutlass to the bed and crossed her arms and legs. "So, what brings you two here?"
"You see, our cute and beloved little Zephyr here has a request! And I expect you to accept, if not.." She glanced at the doors, then back at her. She needn't say what she'd do if Minerva rejected the request.
Minerva raised a brow. Is she going to confess to me or something? Oh boy, I really attract not just boys, but girls as well. Don't I? She thought, based on how red on the face bashful Zephyr acted. "L–Lady Grosvenor.. Can you, uh..–" Zephyr twiddled her fingers, mustering up the courage to continue speaking. "Can you please train me for the upcoming tournament?"
The room went silent, as a result.. Oh, I shouldn't have wasted their time by asking..
Until.
"Only if you quit calling me Lady Grosvenor.. Just Ms. Grosvenor."
Surprised, Zephyr perked up and nodded feverishly. "Y–Yes, Ms. Grosvenor! Thank you!"
Minerva nodded, a smile etching from how grateful the girl was.
.
The next day, they stood at opposite sides at the stadium Minerva often trained–Stadium 2.
On the outside, it was what could be considered an ordinary stadium, but the arena was filled with uneven terrain, a set of plains and mini hills placed at an inconsistent order to mimic a real environment.
Zephyr stood at a mini hill, while Minerva stood at the plains.
"What magic do you use?" asked Minerva, who pulled the cutlass off the scabbard strapped on the left side of her belt.
"Water and air."
Minerva raised her brows in surprise. "Seriously? That's unusual.. As far as I remember, only about five thousand people were recorded as of late to bear more than one magic." she commented as she flourished her cutlass around at high speed, revealing a glimpse of her expertise with it and the flexibility of her hands and wrists.
It might be obvious, but I'll be holding back by.. Ninety percent. A smile played on her lips. Show me what you've got. "On your go!"
After a minute of collecting herself, Zephyr raised her right hand, her left clenched and her chest slightly puffed out. "BEKUPARWA!"
Instantly, pillars of ice emerged and broke down the knife-like shards, floating around and ready to strike at her beck and call.
The sheer amount Zephyr summoned caught Minerva off-guard, but it wasn't something she trembled over. That's a lot for a beginner.. How interesting.
Zephyr swung her hand down, glowing from blue to green. "ROJTDAFÆ!" The entirety of the shards were absorbed by a translucent shade of green, speeding up incredibly at the same time.
Is massed attack your method? She smoothly swung her weapon up, erecting a wide wall of ice that blocked all shards. Perhaps it's just the recklessness of a beginner. Unless she refines it, she'll easily lose mana.
Such a wide wall! She stared briefly in amazement. As expected from her caliber..
Zephyr knelt down and touched the ground as she spotted Minerva running around. "Bekuallpa!" A narrow stretch of ice froze the ground and expanded as fast as Minerva ran, widening as it went on.
It reached Minerva, only for her to dodge it in style–backflipping with one hand holding her skirt down. Midway, she buried the tip of the cutlass through the ice, skillfully balancing herself as she used it as a post to push herself further back. She landed with a giggle, clearly enjoying the moment.
Midway, Zephyr already gave up trying to comprehend what she just did. Throughout the spar, she repeatedly utilized those three spells. Obviously, it was futile.
Come the following minutes, Zephyr dropped to the ground, drenched in sweat–her mana had dropped tremendously.
Minerva walked to her. "See, that's why you never use the same spells again and again. Open your mouth."
Zephyr did as she asked, the former pointing her cutlass nearby which shot out drinkable water in a controlled flow. By the time she stopped, Zephyr already felt refreshed. "Well, it didn't help that I was against the Second Undefeated, it kind of ticked me off."
Minerva nodded. "As Hepha once said–'The user relies on magic—magic relies on patience'. You have a long way to go."
Thinking about it in a conceptualized roadmap demotivated Zephyr, which Minerva didn't fail to notice.
"It takes time, you'll get there."
"Really?"
"I see a lot of potential in you, we just have to drag it out one by one."
It was on this bright autumn day, where the calm air was filled with intensive training, Zephyr found a new companion–whether or not it would stay forever, was up to them.