"Asher!" Victor shouted as he made his way towards his friend and roommate. "You actually pulled it off. But how were you able to neutralize water with fire?"
"It's simple really, just make the fire so hot that the water would get evaporated." Asher smiled as he spoke.
"So you just made the water boil?"
"No, I made it evaporate. The boiling point of water is at 100°C." Asher explained. "I made the flames far hotter than that so the water would evaporate instantly."
"That's interesting."
"Asher Blackwood." They both turned around to see Professor Orion walking towards them. "What you did was impressive. I commend your technique."
"Thank you sir." Asher bowed his head low in respect.
"How would you like to become my disciple?" Orion asked.
"I'll think about it sir." Asher replied and made a gesture towards Victor telling him they should leave.
They walked a little of the way to their next class when Victor spoke up. "Are you sure about that Asher? The professor seemed to have the best intentions for you."
"I know. But I don't know why."
"Maybe it's because you were able to beat a Noble on the level of James Sorrel."
"Maybe. I'll have to take him up on his offer then."
The both of them walked into their next class. The entire class once again quieted down the moment they both walked in, with all eyes fixed on Asher Blackwood.
Is he the one?
It seems so. He's the one who defeated James Sorrel and easily at that.
The voices flew around the entire class as both of them walked to their seats.
"It seems your duel with James is now the talk of the entire school." Victor started.
"So it seems. I hate being the center of attention like this. Is there any way to get their eyes off of me?" Asher asked, sweating profusely.
"It'll all die down eventually." Victor replied laughing.
At that moment, the door opened and the next professor walked in, a lady with a confident aura about her.
"I'm Professor Diana. I'll be taking you through the mana control class." She explained.
Her eyes began to move as if searching for something or someone. And then they came to rest on Asher.
"Mr. Blackwood. I heard about your duel with Mr. Sorrel. I have to say your intuition was top notch, using flames to disperse the water dragon which James had put out." She said.
"Thank you ma'am." Asher smiled.
"Now, manipulating mana might seem easy when an experienced mage is the one doing it. But for students of your level it would be pretty difficult." She started.
Victor and Asher put their concentration up to the max as they both stared and listened with utmost attentiveness.
"When manipulating mana you need to have utmost concentration, and even then you still might not be able to get it right."
Interesting as always. Asher thought.
"Like when two mages are engaged in combat, the one more proficient in mana manipulation would win wouldn't they?" She asked rhetorically as she scanned the class with her eyes.
"So let's do this." She opened her hand and the students could see something forming in her hands.
Whoa, amazing!
It was raw mana which she had gathered in the palm of her hands.
"What you see here is raw mana. The mana which you have within your body determines the kind of magic you'll be able to perform." She continued explaining.
"This is good right?" Victor whispered to Asher.
"Yeah."
"Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Lightning, Gravity, Sound, Time, Light, Ice and Dark magic are the ones that are well known to us." She continued with her explanation.
I can use all those but I want to learn more types of magic. Asher said to himself. That's what happens when you live as long as I have, you get the experience and the ability to master things easily.
"It seems you are lost in thought Mr. Blackwood." Diana echoed.
"Yeah, I was wondering. Aren't there any other forms of magic? I once read in books that there is a form of magic that's able to manipulate cause and effect." Asher stated.
"A very good insight and a good question too. I have heard of such magic but never seen it." She replied.
"But if it's written then it had to have existed right?" Asher continued.
"Yes, it had to. As a wise man once said, 'Magic is a tool that manipulates the laws of the world'." She quoted with confidence.
Asher just stared at her. He looked like he had nothing more to say.
"Professor, what kind of magic do you use?" A female student asked from the back.
"Well, if you want to know that then throw your books at me." She smiled.
I wonder who's gonna be the one to throw his book. Asher thought. If she uses any of the elemental magic then the books might get destroyed then…
"I'll do it." Asher said, he threw his book at her. At that moment she snapped her fingers and every student in the room felt magic surge through them and through the entire building.
"Incredible. I don't get to see this every day." Victor stated as he saw that Asher's book was hanging in the air, all it's movements halted in place.
"This is time magic. As you can see, the book thrown at me has been halted in place as well as other things around us, the only things that are able to move now within this classroom are all of us." Professor Diana explained.
"I have a question," Victor started. "What would happen if any of us got injured within this time?"
"You wouldn't feel the pain. Literally all concepts are frozen in place on a particular point by users of time magic." The professor answered.
"Which means the pain would be felt if time is returned to it's normal flow." Another male student said.
"Correct. Any injury dealt within frozen time doesn't deal pain to the one who received it. Only after the user of the said time magic spell puts it back together, then would he or she feel the pain of whatever injury they acquired." Professor Diana stated.
"Understood." Asher said.
She walked forward and held Asher's notebook, "Thank you for volunteering Mr. Blackwood."
"The pleasure is all mine." Asher said as the professor returned
time to it's normal flow and then returned his book to him.
"Now. Class is dismissed." She said and walked out.