Meredith observed the sea of Stepan students for a brief moment. Sévir, are you watching me?
She then turned to her opponent; short dark hair and eyes, and a uniform that was embellished with black, white and gold, gave off a certain feel–a chilly feel that only their academy could attain.
But Meredith is the Third Undefeated; she could not relate.
"The match hasn't started, yet I'm starting to feel the chills from these two! Meredith Galena for Stepan, and Kai Annora for Praefator!"
She readied herself for what was to come, keeping a hand inside her coin bag. Right now, there's only one thing I want to do.
"3!" That is..
"2!" To show him.
"1!" How much I've grown.
"BEGIN!"
"AVARIUM!" she threw a coin to the ground–it banged like an explosion and released purple sparks and a translucent sphere that sprouted and surrounded her.
Watch me!
…
"Ms. Galena, how're you holding up?" a brunette girl like Meredith asked, the only thing separating them being their looks and hairstyle.
She smiled at the girl, touched by her concern. "I'm doing alright, you?"
"I'm doing fine as well."
"You sure did show your strength earlier against that hedgewolf and cassowary, I felt impressed."
Breah's smile grew and her heart fluttered, honored by her words. "R-Really? That's nice to hear from you."
"Say, how're you feeling, being the new Eighth Undefeated?"
Breah looked elsewhere, as silent as one deep in thought.
"It's scary." she finally replied. "It's only my first day, yet it feels so scary." her hands balled, shaking from the grip.
Meredith noticed, and put a hand on Breah's shoulder. "Is it not fulfilling?"
Her hands loosened. "..It is. After all, it means I'm catching up to Brother Kai and Sister Bellatrix.
She let go of Breah, goggle-eyed. "Kai and Bellatrix.." just then, she connected the dots. "Kai Annora, Bellatrix Annora.. And Breah Annora. You three are siblings?"
She nodded.
"Why are you here, and not in Praefator?"
Breah's smile turned flat. "I was hopeless in Praefator.. You know the Phrygians, we keep the useless away from us. In my case, they sent me off here all of a sudden."
She looked down, watching herself twiddle her fingers. "In other words, I wasn't cut out for the competition."
A pang of guilt hit Meredith. ..I shouldn't have asked.
An awkward silence followed, until Meredith cleared her throat. "At the very least, you're here in the Undefeated Octet–do you know how hard that is?" she grabbed her by the shoulders, their gazes locked on each other.
"You're one of eight students considered the most competent in Stepan Academy; an academy of thousands of people!" her voice rose and her grip tightened; there was no mistaking the fire burning in her eyes–one that Breah saw too clearly.
"To do something, all you need is a goal, right?" her voice cracked at the last moment, and yet another moment of silence ensued.
She let go, looking away to hide her red face.
Breah giggled. "So you can get quite passionate too, that's nice."
Meredith cleared her throat again. "O-Of course, it brought me to where I am today." she looked at Breah once the redness in her face faded away. "Just what exactly are you passionate about?"
Breah tilted her head down as she thought, then looked back at Meredith. "Proof." she said, and nothing more.
Meredith nodded, as if she understood what she meant and didn't ask further.
"Back to what I intended to ask, are you ready for the Dunkron Showdown, Ms. Galena?"
"Very much so." she gave an instant reply. "The past year was alright, but I want to do better.
And when I do better, I'll get a chance at beating Minerva." and when I do beat Minerva, I'll finally be able to humiliate the supposedly unbeatable Noelle Trysta. her lips curled to a sly smile. For four years, it's what I've been working for.
She stood up and observed the sky's brightness. "It's nearly time." I'm a devoted fiancée after all..
Breah rose from her seat, taking a glance at the sky. "Well then, I'll no longer waste your time." she walked over to the door. "If you'll excuse me." and left.
Sévir's problems are mine, so I'll do what I have to do.
She remembered their last interaction all too vividly, and although it pained her, she could not have it hold her back. That guy always acts tough, but I know him too well–he'll fold back to me eventually. the thought of him coming back to her made her blush and feel giddy everywhere; as shown by her big grin.
…
Water resembling tentacles swung itself to her translucent sphere, but it only dissipated upon contact.
Meredith folded her arms, tapping her shoe with impatience. "Kai! Can't you give me some challenge!?" she said with an edge in her voice. If she was provoking him, it was working.
He clicked his tongue. "How can I when you're just hiding behind your barrier!? Damn woman!" he pulled an arm back and swung it even harder–this time, it banged the sphere but dissipated after.
Just what can I do against her anti-magic? he paused, looking around for clues. If only I had anti-magic too, I could cancel hers, but I only have water..-
His eyes widened. ..That's it! he grinned ear to ear in realization.
"Okay then, if that's what you want.." he sat down on the ground and raised his wand, followed by his own sphere–a sphere of water forming around.
Meredith watched in disbelief. He looked as calm as one meditating, perhaps that's what he was doing.
His eyes were shut, his back was straight, and his breathing was steady, meanwhile the sphere of water spun around in revolution, speeding up as the seconds passed by.
She frowned. You're just like Minerva. she bounced a coin on her palm without pause as she watched. Realistically speaking, there's nothing much I can do against this type of defense..
The thick layer of water revolved at high speeds, if Meredith threw a coin, it would just wash away.
It WOULD look futile.
.
"He's executing the famous defense spell used by water users–and at abnormally higher speeds! Wouldn't it have been interesting to see this man up against THE Minerva Grosvenor instead!?" he could yearn for it, but unless Meredith is defeated, there will be no chances of Kai versus Minerva.
"If we look at our available data, Kai Annora does seem to be Praefator's equivalent to Minerva Grosvenor.. Perhaps there's a reason the higher ups decided not to match them." Ms. Phoebe added, whose composure kept consistent, in contrast to her fellow commenter.
"EXACTLY! All the more reason to match them up.. Hmph!"
Ms. Phoebe chuckled. "Oh come on, what are you acting like that for?"
"Oh? Kids! I just made the Iron Witch laugh!-"
A thud echoed from their end.
"Just who are you calling 'Iron Witch'? Is that what these damn kids call me?" she clicked her tongue. "Attention all Stepan students, to those under my subject that calls me the Iron Witch–I'm failing you in the next exams.." she let out a hysterical laugh.. Like a witch.
"Err.. You heard her! A-Anyways, let's get back to the fight before us."
.
She glared up at the exposed commentators' room. I'm right here, Mr. Commenter! I'm not willing to lose just to satisfy you.
She sat down in turn as Kai did, knowing there wasn't much she could do but wait.
The latter's lips curved up. That's right.. Fight me in the waiting game! the revolving water slowed down. At least she knows throwing coins at me won't work. he observed the blue water. An elementary spell is what it is, but tweak it a little bit, then you have the ultimate shield.
.
Noelle noticed Minerva stretching. "Minerva? You're preparing already?" she asked in curiosity, then looked at the holograph in the mirror hung by the wall.. "It doesn't look like it will be settled anytime soon."
"Give them a minute and a half. Their stalemate isn't that tense at all." confidence backed Minerva's voice, she was certain the match would end much sooner than expected, although, unclear of who the winner would be.
Noelle kept silent as she watched the two just sit down and do nothing.
Minerva grabbed her scabbard which she attached to her belt. "Say, Ms. Trysta.."
Noelle turned to her. "Yes?"
Her fingers travelled up her neck, tapping a dry mark. "I believe this was unnecessary."
Noelle smiled. "Was it? It's what I do to my subordinates; you're no exception."
"With all due respect; you really are odd, Ms. Trysta."
She chuckled. "Be as it may, it's my job as princess and First Undefeated to show my authority–marking them is the easiest way!" she pointed at Minerva, a smug smile creeping up her face. "Since I marked you, you're mine!"
Minerva slapped her forehead. "Please phrase it better."
.
The seconds ticked down, yet there came no action from the opposing sides.
Kai's eyes were kept shut, his silence and composure hinting at meditation; Meredith kept her gaze at him, her slight droopy eyes hinting boredom.
Keeping my shield this strong is taxing, it doesn't look like he'll attack any time soon. the purple hue in the translucent sphere weakened.
That said, I've heard her mana count ranges around 40,000–10,000 more than the average. Makes me wonder when she's running out.
He opened his eyes and stood up. "Oi." he called out to her.
She heard him and stood up in kind, "What?" said Meredith.
"Are you feeling tired?" he asked. Meredith was left speechless at the sudden question for a moment.
"I don't have to tell you." she retorted.
"Right." he swiped his right arm to the left, launching forth a rapid strike with another tentacle-looking gush of water.
She extended her left arm, aimed at the direction of the gush; she reinforced the area upon contact, having the water dissipate like the past attempts. How pitiful. she shrugged. "Maybe you should think outside the box." Or more like, think of something obvious.
Kai seemed to have taken the hint, touching the ground as he knelt, he had the intention of releasing water under her–yet nothing came out.
A smile crept up her mouth. "Nice one! I would've fallen for it if I didn't give you a hint." she knocked her head and winked.
He frowned. To him, she was making light of the situation, and his heart sped up in irritation. "You little.. Fine."
He walked forward, getting closer to her sphere.
"Uh? Why are you walking closer?" she asked in confusion. "I can stun you right now, you know?"
"Then do it." said Kai, who didn't stop walking until he was right in front of the sphere.
She did as he said and threw a coin at him, which he caught, much to Meredith's dismay.
But that wasn't what surprised her–it was how nothing happened, the anti-magic didn't expand and zap him. He threw the coin away and thrusted his fist to the sphere.
It cracked to the sheer strength of his punch, one more and perhaps he could make a hole.
Meredith took a step back, wide eyed. How's he cracking it with his bare fist!? her question, however, remained unanswered for the time being.
Just as he punched again and forced a hole, she threw a coin at him in hopes of stunning him, but he dodged it to the left by mere inches.
The purple sphere faded away in an instant, possibly to Meredith's command.
"How did you break it?" she asked.
"I just wanted to wipe that smirk off your face." he replied and marched forward again.
.
"How did he break the sphere!? Ms. Phoebe!?" the commenter exclaimed in shock, turning towards Ms. Phoebe for an answer.
"..I have no idea, he just went and shattered it with his fist, while his stronger water spells couldn't."
.
Percival and Kalvin stared in awe while Sévir's brows were raised in surprise; exactly what everyone felt at the sight of Kai shattering Meredith's sphere.
"He's strong.. Nobody's ever shattered, let alone destroy Meredith's Avarium!" said Percival, who was met with a nod from Kalvin.
Sévir leaned forward, cutting in right between them. "I don't think that's the case." he disagreed. "It's easy to say her sphere is impregnable, but have you seen her use it for more than a minute?"
They both shook their heads.
He folded his arms. "Well?"
They glanced at each other, clueless to what he was getting at.
"You guys are fifth years, you can figure it out on your own." It's really simple if you two listened to uh.. Third years' classes? I forgot.
…
He stared at the blackboard in front of him, filled with texts and drawings even from all four edges.
"What a pain.. Why did this old woman have to volunteer to teach me today?" he whispered to himself.
"I'm not old, you know? I'm just 31." Demitrius replied.
He looked to his left and saw Demitrius; long straight black hair that spanned to her hips, she wore boxy eyeglasses that arguably upgraded her already majestic face, she also held a plain white cup that contained tea.
More like, the sight laid before him was her clothed chest, respectable in size. He looked up and finally saw her face wearing a smug smile.
"I know you're at that age, but keep it down, okay?" she showed her hand; the ring finger stood out with a golden ring around it. "I'm married."
The blush in his cheeks were undeniable, and he looked away to hide it. "God! Who'd be willing to pay to be tutored by you, just for you to act like this?" I would, Sévir. I would.
She walked to the blackboard, the smile still on her face. "But you didn't pay; I'll act accordingly if you do."
"So, where were we?" she observed the blackboard. "Ah, that's right."
She hovered her mug over to the center. "We have two classes of spells, and those are the Makrys and the Mikros."
She put her mug down and held a wand, pointing it at the text Makrys. "Makrys spells are enduring spells; virtually all wall spells except earth are Makrys."
She pointed down. "Then there's Makrys Classification–Makrys Zero are spells that cost under 10,000 mana to cast and maintain, while Makrys One are spells for 10,000 mana. Makrys Two for 20,000 mana, Makrys Three for 30,000, Makrys Four and so on for higher mana."
"Then there's Mikros. Those spells are immediate spells that don't last long; like a fireball." she turned to Sévir. "Am I too fast?"
He shook his head in response.
"Well then, there's Mikros Classification–essentially the same as the Makrys Classification, but replace Makrys with Mikros. The difference? Mikros spells don't usually have a mana maintenance count.
Also, Makrys Zero differs from One and above because Makrys Zero is measured every ten seconds, the rest are measured every thirty seconds."
She looked at him again. "Understood?"
He nodded.
…
The answer stems from there. Sévir was sure of it, but whether he was sure they'd catch up or not is debatable.
Kalvin turned back to him with an idea in mind. "Ah, are you talking about the Makrys and Mikros Classifications?"
Sévir nodded, then looked at Percival, who still looked clueless. "You're stupid."
He rolled his eyes in response. "Is there a rule about remembering the past years' lessons?" he shook his head. "Those years sucked, I hate it so much to the point I've forgotten so many lessons from it."
"And here, you expect to beat Minerva in the academic exams?" he scowled. "Don't joke around."
Percival scowled back. "You know, I hate how you spit out straight facts like it's some normal tuesday." he wore a smirk and turned away. "But facts eventually turn to lies, in other words–I'll study so hard to the point that's the only thing I'll do for a whole day."
Kalvin raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's healthy."
"So is your obsession with money." he refuted.