The same colorful halo shimmered faintly, encircling Lyra with a diameter close to one and a half meters. It was dimmer, much less brilliant, than the radiant halos surrounding Vasida and Sylph. Yet, something clicked in Lyra's mind, a hypothesis forming as she studied the phenomenon unfolding around her.
Before the other young witches could step forward, Lyra blurted out, "Dean, does the color of the energy halo reflect a witch's talent type, and the brightness indicate the energy level?"
Dean Amisha smiled, her eyes sparkling with pride in Lyra's insight. "That's correct!" she confirmed, her voice both warm and encouraging.
Lyra pressed on, curiosity driving her. "Then, what does the size of the halo represent?"
Amisha responded without hesitation. "That represents levels. Each level corresponds to half a meter in diameter. Apprentice witches have halos smaller than half a meter. Witches with halos between half a meter and one meter are considered juniors, and the sizes increase from there. At the peak levels, the energy converges so intensely that it becomes invisible to the naked eye."
Her explanation was met with wide-eyed awe from the others, but Lyra couldn't shake the weight of what she was hearing. "So," she murmured, more to herself, "this means that most of the others are still apprentice witches... but Vasida, Sylph, and I, our power is already comparable to senior intermediate witches?"
The Dean nodded. "Levels represent the accumulation of power, not necessarily raw strength. Strength isn't something that can be solely measured by the size of the halo."
Lyra's thoughts raced. Was this the stark difference between a witch and a sorceress? The idea both thrilled and unsettled her.
Interrupting her contemplation, Amisha continued, "Once you've completed your foundational studies, you'll come across a book called Traces of Energy on your first-grade optional reading list. It explains these concepts in great detail, answering all of the questions I'm sure are swimming through your mind."
She clapped her hands lightly, breaking the moment. "But for now, let's finish applying the magic to your other eye."
Lyra quickly jotted down the book title in her notebook before refocusing on the task at hand. She concentrated, allowing the magic to flood her left eye, mirroring the process she had just done with her right. As the magic seeped into her vision, the two eyes began to see as one, bathed in a unified glow.
Amisha beamed. "Excellent! You've completed the initial infection. As long as you avoid letting a surge of chaotic magic power overwhelm your eyes all at once, there's no risk of permanent blindness."
Lyra's heart skipped a beat at the thought of blindness, but Amisha's reassurance calmed her. "As you practice, you'll be able to activate energy vision without the need to use your fingertips. In time, any part of your body will be able to channel magic effortlessly."
The Dean leaned in closer, her voice gentle yet firm. "When you're able to infect your eyes with enough magic to darken developing paper without discomfort, that's when your eyes will permanently attain energy vision."
"Thank you, Dean!" Lyra said, bowing respectfully before gingerly making her way back to her seat, her entire perspective now changed; both literally and figuratively.
As she sat down, Vasida leaned over, her eyes wide with excitement. "Well? How does it feel? Your eyes look... different. Deeper, somehow!"
Lyra was still adjusting to the shift, but she offered a small smile. "It's... incredible. I can see energy halos, but they don't obscure my sight. Everything is clearer now."
Vasida, clearly intrigued, turned to Sylph. "Let's try it too!" she said with enthusiasm.
Sylph nodded eagerly. "Definitely!"
Together, the two of them stood and strode confidently toward Ms. Amisha, their eagerness palpable. Their energy sparked a wave of excitement among the other witches, who now lined up, buzzing with anticipation.
Meanwhile, Lyra, feeling more settled, decided to experiment. She focused on her own magic power, something she had only observed before on developing paper. But now, she wanted to see it directly, through the lens of her new energy vision.
Vasida and Sylph, having activated their own energy vision, glanced over at Lyra, noticing the fluctuations in her aura. "What's she up to?" Vasida whispered.
Sylph shrugged, eyes fixed on Lyra's shifting energy.
Lyra, fully immersed in her experiment, muttered to herself, "I want to understand the precise relationship between magic output and the color changes on the developing paper. If I can figure that out, I won't need the paper anymore. I'll just know how much magic to use for any spell."
The idea excited her. By mastering this, she could connect the midday results from the developing paper with her own control over magic, enhancing her precision and making her a far more formidable witch.
As she thought about it, a small smile tugged at her lips. This was just the beginning. The path to mastering her magic was opening before her, clearer than ever before.
Lyra couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he shared his insight with the others. "The dean mentioned that the brightness of the energy halo reflects the amount of magic power we have. So, when we use magic, we should pay close attention to the changes in its brightness. In time, we'll be able to control our magical state more accurately and intuitively, which means we'll notice when we're running low on magic power before it starts affecting our physical condition."
Vasida and Sylph just stood there, momentarily speechless.
"…"
They exchanged glances, almost embarrassed. After opening their energy vision, all they had been doing was staring at everyone's vibrant auras, mesmerized by the colors. They hadn't even thought about using it to practice control or strategy. Yet, what Lyra said resonated deeply, especially with Vasida.
For her, this was more than just useful advice. Her body's unique trait, the 'devouring stomach,' would consume her magic power whenever she was low on energy, which often left her hungry in the middle of her training sessions. If she could learn to control her magical state more precisely, it could mean better management of her energy and more importantly, better planning for meals.
Meanwhile, the little witches still waiting in line to open their energy vision had overheard Lyra's impassioned advice. They couldn't help but admire her focus and insight.
"As expected of Lyra!" they whispered to one another.
Lyra, however, was oblivious to the murmurs of admiration. She wasn't here for praise or attention. Her eyes were fixed solely on her goal: learning more, growing stronger. After talking to Vasida and Sylph, she immediately returned to her studies, her determination unwavering. Now that she had energy vision, it was like she had gained a new set of tools to sharpen her magic. She was relentless, her curiosity insatiable, and her focus laser-like.
Seeing Lyra's intense concentration, Vasida and Sylph couldn't stay idle any longer. If Lyra was working this hard, how could they sit back and relax? No way! Especially when they saw that Lyra's energy halo was bigger than theirs.
"Her magic power is already stronger than mine," Vasida thought, her competitive spirit igniting. "If I don't work hard, she's going to leave me in the dust."
Sylph was having the same realization. The familiar drive to improve surged within both of them.
Other witches who had just activated their energy vision returned to their seats, eager to practice, but when they looked at Lyra, they realized something surprising, they couldn't even see her energy halo anymore. The power difference was staggering. Lyra, Vasida, and Sylph's energy levels were so high that their halos had transcended visibility for the lower-level witches.
This realization sparked a collective determination. Even those witches who weren't as powerful as Lyra knew that following in the footsteps of the strong would help them grow faster. "If they're working this hard, we have no excuse not to," they all thought.
Amisha, who had been carefully supervising the younger witches as they opened their energy vision, noticed the growing energy in the room. Her gaze shifted toward Lyra, sitting in the front row with her signature purple hair and that unmistakable look of fierce determination in her eyes. Watching her, Amisha understood exactly what was happening.
This was the influence of a true leader.
It became clear why the class had such a strong learning atmosphere this year. It wasn't just the curriculum or the teaching methods; it was Lyra, leading by example, driving everyone to push themselves further.
Amisha couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the class. In the past, she would remind her students to practice what they'd learned after class, telling them that the more they worked now, the easier things would be after graduation. She would often stress the importance of responsibility and diligence.
But today, as class drew to a close, Amisha found herself offering a different kind of advice. "Remember," she said, addressing the eager faces in front of her, "practicing magic requires balance. If you use your energy vision too often, especially at first, you may experience sore eyes or headaches. Be mindful of your magic consumption; when the halo dims so much that you can't see its original color, it's time to stop and let your magic recover."
She glanced at Vasida with a knowing smile. "Make sure you have some breadfruit prepared just in case you run low on energy."
The class laughed softly, and Amisha's expression softened even further. "Above all, pace yourselves. Don't rush. You're all doing wonderfully. Tomorrow, we'll start learning how to create your Witch's Book."
As she dismissed the class, Amisha couldn't help but reflect on how things had changed. These witches didn't need her constant supervision anymore. Instead, she found herself thinking that they might need her to remind them not to work too hard, lest they push themselves too far.
Watching the little witches gather their things, eyes still sparkling with determination, Amisha felt a deep sense of satisfaction. This class would go far.