Learning Magic, Taking a Challenge

Walking out to the field behind the school, opposite from the dorm, Caesar looked to find a group of fields that stretched out next to one another, layered almost like he remembered seeing tennis courts down on Third at the tennis center that his old school had. Each was decently sizable with markers on the outside. He would guess that each was about the size of a basketball court, the whole of the area stretching back a good bit with paths cutting between them and room for a couple of outdoor bathrooms, a few benches, and tables with jugs of water on them—most likely for people who worked themselves too hard and needed the water.

Following Donovan, he looked at the people training; they were from other classes and years, he guessed. One of them was on the lightning field. He saw a short, nimble girl reaching out and firing off what seemed to be electricity from her hands as her foe prepared to counter. The tall, slender young man with black hair and an odd yellow streak through it created from nothing a fancy spear that flowed with what seemed to be lightning. He moved quickly, slamming it directly into the attack from the small female, knocking it away. As it traveled, it hit something—a barrier-like thing—that dispersed the attack on contact.

Making note of it, he walked on, still behind Donovan, as they got to the last field.

“Okay, let us go over the basics,” he said as he started to stretch. “There are two types of elemental users for every type of magic: those who can create external projectiles or weapons, and those who use it on themselves, creating the magic as part of their own power—a supplemental strength that they are able to use to increase their raw physical strength, power, and agility, if that makes sense,” he said a bit timidly but wanting to give a good and fundamental answer to Caesar.

“Okay, so external use and internal use,” Caesar said as he thought about it, thinking about the two people he saw. “The one who threw the attack was external—as was the other one who acted upon the spear. Or was that supplemental?” he asked, unsure of the answer and wanting some clarification.

“The first was external—it involved using the element itself as the weapon. Now, the latter might seem internal, but it too was external because he summoned the weapon, thus creating something outside of himself. So, as you can see, there are different ways you can use the same external element, and different fighters have different strategies to use,” Donovan explained as he looked around a bit more nervously, then focused back on Caesar.

“How do you know if you have an external or internal talent?” Caesar followed up as he too started to stretch himself out, preparing for whatever training they were going to do, not sure how the magic really worked yet. “Also, how do you even use it either way?”

“The power comes from inside. You have to focus your mind to be able to gather it and use it. The external and internal—I think you just kind of know. At least, that is how I view it all,” Donovan said, at a bit of a loss for how to explain that part.

“I see, so you have to know, and I have to figure it out,” Caesar nodded as he continued stretching out. He wasn’t even sure how they knew he was a fire type, but it was known somehow. He guessed they had a way to figure out this data from an external fashion or something somewhere in the academy.

“So, late question, Donovan, what is your power?” Caesar inquired, his tone light but with a challenging look, as he wanted to see just what he was capable of.

“Oh, external. Most mages like to use external—either conjuring weapons or using their element as a weapon. So far, there’s only this one move I know how to do. It’s not so good,” he said, his timid nature showing as he looked down at the ground. His nervous expression almost looked as if he were afraid that if he showed it, he would be judged weak.

“That sounds interesting—and way better than what I can do,” Caesar replied, with a rather positive and upbeat tone to his voice.

“Okay, let me show you. I can only do this three times in a day,” Donovan declared, standing firm, his curly dark hair waving in the wind as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some glasses. “This helps me focus, and my eyesight isn’t the best. I avoid wearing them in class for reasons…”

Caesar blinked, saying nothing in reply, as he could tell the smaller 18-year-old had self-image issues for sure.

Pressing one hand against the other—the back of his left hand pressing against the palm of his right—he looked forward, breathing calmly, focusing his mind as his eyes seemed to almost glow for a second, like small blue flames coming to life.

Slowly, Caesar could sense it somehow—this power that was building, like a slow-burning fire that was threatening to turn into an inferno at any moment. The air around him became more and more tense by the second.

Then, after a good six or so seconds, a beam shot forward in a straight line—a blue flame cutting across the space in front of Donovan before hitting the barrier, shaking it a tiny bit and fading away, as the short young man fell to his knees, breathing hard.

Looking at where he was, Caesar was impressed. He had never seen anything that powerful. It was slow in build-up. Yet, he guessed his work with Izzie—and her large, powerful stature—was purposeful. She was the watchdog to keep enemies off Donovan while he charged up and hit the enemy with an overwhelming strike at the right moment. The two seemingly fit rather naturally together.

“Look guys, it’s the dork,” a new voice called out—a very strong, tall young man with short red hair that was kept in a kind of buzz cut where the hair stood up slightly. “Plus it’s the new kid,” he declared, walking into the area with a different mage—a quiet girl with a very slender figure and a very prideful and dismissive look in her eyes.

“Ivan, you’re right. The new guy looks weak. I wonder how he got into Class One. And Donovan looks just as weak as ever. If he didn’t have Izzie watching him and wasn’t a duke’s son, he wouldn’t even be here,” she said with a wicked little smirk, saying she didn’t care who they were at all.

“Of course. I wanted to see just how strong the new guy was. I know how Donovan works—no fun to fight, too easy to read and predict, Io,” he replied, walking up and looking at the two for a moment. “Newbie, I am the best of Class Two, Year One—Ivan Mangatic. And that is my partner and fellow flame user, Io Linuzu,” he informed Caesar with a confident smile.

“Ivan, he is still learning the basics. Don’t fight him now—it would be a waste of your time,” Donovan declared as he looked at the taller student.

“Oh, really? A newbie?” Ivan turned to him, having a sharp look in his dark red eyes, showing a desire to dominate others. “Why don’t we fight just hand-to-hand, then, and I can show you what people not from the backwaters of the world really fight like—a lesson, as it were.”

“Okay,” Caesar said calmly as he looked between the two fire users from Class Two. “I’m curious to see just how you fight. I have a lot to learn, after all—and you need a lesson in manners too.”