"Are you sure about this, Suzanne?" Instructor Sedgwick asked, his eyes narrowed in a way that suggested he thought she might be biting off more than she could chew. "You're not the same as that kid. He's clearly quite talented."
Suzy's laughter was laced with mockery. "Oh, how thrilling – a commoner with talent. How ever will I contain my envy? My family's legacy is genius, instructor. This boy's momentary sparkle and plain uniform can't compare." Her voice was heavy with pride. The class burst into laughter, and Suzy, feeling quite pleased with herself, sashayed several feet away from the mannequin.
"Ahh, wealthy kid talks. You know, I was from a rich family," Poison began.
"We'll talk about that later," Robert thought back, his gaze fixed on Suzy.
"Suzanne, if you make a mistake that endangers anyone in this classroom, there will be consequences," Instructor Sedgwick warned. "Are you sure you want to do this, or should you just return to your seat?"
Suzy glanced at Robert's face, and Poison sensed the dislike behind her eyes. He quickly made Robert's mouth form a smirk of disdain.
"If she sees the expression on your face, she'll have even more resolve to cast the spell and prove that she's better than you. As I anticipate, she will undoubtedly be unable to cast the spell!" Poison said, his tone suggesting that he was up to no good.
Robert nodded approvingly, feeling surprisingly unfazed by Poison's control over his mouth.
Suzy could tell by the expression on Robert's face that he was thinking he was better than her. She felt a surge of annoyance - who did this smug guy think he was, smirking at her? He probably wasn't even from a high social standard, judging by the simple school uniform he wore. But then she thought, if he wasn't wealthy, how could he have afforded to get into this school, let alone get into the Elite lightning class? Could he really have the merit to backup his arrogance? One thing was for sure - she would prove to him that he wasn't as special as he thought he was.
"Please move out of the way, Mr. Sedgwick," Suzy said in a stern voice. "And you, Manuel, can choose to move or stay where you are, but don't say I didn't warn you if I 'accidentally' hit you with a PERFECT Lightning arc spell." She cracked her knuckles and took her stance, ready to cast.
Robert and Instructor Sedgwick both moved to the side of the classroom.
Suzy closed her eyes and focused on releasing her magic energy. She felt the energy building, as she directed it to her fingertips. Her eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her hand, but her confidence faltered as she realized she had no idea what came next. She deliberated, pondering two possible techniques: releasing the lightning energy in a burst when her hand was pointing at the mannequin or releasing it gradually as she moved her hand... But was visualization necessary? She was unsure.
Releasing the energy gradually as she swung her arm would create a fleeting, decorative arc, akin to sketching purple magic energy in midair - a fun, but ultimately fruitless endeavor. Without visualization, sudden release is equally pointless, as the energy would simply dissipate.
The spell was designed to be cast and retained for a certain amount of time, like a pressure cooker that had been turned on but not yet released. Certain spells, mostly those of the Fire, Lightning, Light, and other energy-bound elements required immediate release after casting. Retaining them for too long risked magical backlash, energy dissipation or, in the worst-case scenario, an explosive buildup.
The Lightning Arc spell worked differently from most other Common Lightning spells. The caster gathered magic energy in their fingertips and retained it there, connected to their body to prevent dissipation. The first step in casting the spell involved willing the transformation of the energy into lightning particles, enabling the caster to use the spell at any time without needing to visualize or release magic energy again.
Therefore, if one wants to unleash the spell, because it is already a finished spell that was stored and can't be released through visualization, one would have to utilize physical motion - most effectively, an arcing hand moment.
Suzy was caught in a dilemma, her magic energy thrumming with tension. She knew that she couldn't keep it contained for much longer, and if she didn't make a decision soon, it would mostly likely explode as it did not look like it was going to dissipate. Desperate, she decided to transform the energy into a spell she knew well - Lightning Shock. The spell swept through the room in a wave of crackling electricity, sending the students scrambling for cover.
The students who were slower were shocked by the spell. Meanwhile, faster third-rank students hastily erected Lightning Fence spells. However, their magical strength proved insufficient, and their fences shattered under the power of Suzy's spell, which was fourth rank. As a result, they too were shocked by the lightning, although less severely than the slower students who had no defenses. Their shields had absorbed some of the spell's energy before breaking. Notably, Instructor Sedgwick, Robert, and Alexander remained unaffected.
The instructor had cast the Lightning fence reflexively and being a Mystic wizard, he could easily block the spell of a rookie like Suzy. As a fifth rank Common wizard, Alexander's lightning fence wavered but held, while Robert effortlessly conjured an Earth wall to block the attack and swiftly dissipated it before anyone could register what had happened.
For a moment, everyone in the classroom, including the instructor, glared at Suzy. But all of a sudden, a loud outburst of laughter shattered the silence. It wasn't coming from the classroom because no one would be laughing in a situation like this. Confused, Robert and the others followed the source of the laughter to the window, where they found... ZACK! laughing uproariously.
"Alexander would probably blow it just as spectacularly, haha!" Zack sneered, chuckling condescendingly. Alexander's eyes sparked with lightning, and purple magic energy gathered in his hand, but Instructor Sedgwick suppressed him with his aura before he could cast a Lightning strike spell.
"Alexander, calm down," Instructor Sedgwick said sternly. "Zack, leave the vicinity of this classroom at once." Zack snickered as he walked away, clearly amused by the entire situation.
Instructor Sedgwick turned his attention back to Alexander, who was still fuming with rage. "Take a deep breath and release the magic energy you're gathering," he instructed. Alexander struggled to do as he was told, but eventually the lightning in his hands dissipated and his expression softened.
The instructor then turned his attention to Suzy, his stern glare piercing through her defenses. "Suzanne, I warned you, but you still chose to do the obviously wrong thing," he began, struggling to contain his displeasure. "I told you that you're not the same as Robert, and trying to outdo him would only backfire. Thinking you're better than anyone else doesn't change anything; you've got to learn to understand your strengths and weaknesses."
Suzy's gaze dropped to the ground, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"You're suspended for a week, effective immediately," he declared, his voice firm and unyielding. "Leave the classroom right now, and report to the Dean's office to await further instructions. When you get home, you'll need to inform your parents about this incident. And should you wish to return, you'll be required to bring them in for a meeting with me." His tone brooked no argument, yet a flicker of hesitation danced in his eyes. With a decisive nod, he pointed to the door. Suzy flashed Robert a venomous glare before storming out, slamming the door shut behind her.
With a heavy sigh tinged with regret, Instructor Sedgwick surveyed the classroom. "Alright, is everyone okay? I apologize for the disruption." His tone turned sarcastic. "Another brave soul willing to give the spell a shot?" He paused, eyeing the room. "No takers? Shocking..."
Robert wondered silently what would happen if he raised his hand.
The instructor sighed and continued, "Alright, moving on... I'd like to remind you all that next week's Saulday is 'Bring Your Magic Beast to School' day." He chuckled. "Yes, I know the name needs work. Please remember, it's a crucial part of your ongoing assessment." Clearing his throat, he returned to the lesson. "As I was saying, the Lightning Arc Spell is..." The students quickly recovered from their shock, and the classroom atmosphere returned to normal.
However, many of the students had turned against Robert, viewing him as the reason Suzy - the Elite Lightning class's second-best student - received a suspension. To make matters worse, Zack, Robert's sycophant from the Magic Technology class and frequent companion, had even dared to mock Alexander in front of everyone!
That was a recipe for disaster. Despite their magical strength, their powerful and influential background could potentially result in Robert being expelled from the school... or so they thought.
Meanwhile, Robert's mind raced after Instructor Sedgwick's reminder. "A magic beast? Where do I even find one? And they are definitely not like ordinary animals - like Goldie, and Manhawk's three headed beast. Even if I found one, how do subdue it? In fact, is that even possible?" He thought to Poison, ignoring the glares from the other students.
"Relax, kid. Your other school's got a break coming up next week, so you'll have plenty of time to hunt for magic beasts," Poison said reassuringly. "I gotta tell you, my father's magic beast, an Elemental Dragon, was the real deal. I mean, this thing was a force of nature – a true marvel of magic!"
Robert's expression changed as a memory surfaced. "Right, Manhawk mentioned that you were cursed by the Ancient King, who was the ruler of Kreete and the most powerful entity during the Age of Sorcerers. But you told me that you were cursed by your father, meaning your father was the Ancient king?" He asked telepathically.
Poison hesitated. "Mmm, it appears someone is quite the mythology enthusiast," he replied, his tone somewhat uncomfortable.
"Indeed," Robert thought back. "I am indeed a devotee of mythos. Now, answer my question, Poison."
"No," Poison's response was clearly intended to side step the question.
"Poison, is there something you aren't telling me?" Robert asked, a tinge of suspicion in his mind's voice.
"Alright, yes. My father was the 'Ancient king'," Poison admitted. "To be clear, my father did not curse me. He cast a spell that bound my soul and those of his other children to this world, preventing us from passing on to the afterlife."
"Sounds like a curse to me," Robert remarked.
Poison chuckled and continued. "The main reason for that spell remains a mystery to me. Perhaps he had a deeper purpose, a reason for wanting us to remain here. Or perhaps he simply acted out of desperation, knowing that we were the only ones who could face the threat of Normagog's return. Before my father perished in battle against Normagog, he bestowed upon us a mission: to protect this world, our world, Kreete. He used his Soul scepter to cast a spell that trapped our souls in this world after we died, preventing us from entering the afterlife, or wherever it is souls were supposed to go after physical death."
"You mean Paradise?" Robert asked.
"Maybe, whatever," Poison replied casually, continuing with his story. "Anyway, my father was certain about Normagog's return, and he wanted us to be ready when that day came. He also left behind the Ancestor seal, a powerful artifact that he believed would grant us the power to defeat Normagog. And while he was casting the spell, Xolomon, the Ghiezer - or Wizard Army Chief - and Sierah, his second-in-command, rushed into the arena and were caught in the spell as well, binding them to the same mission. His final words were, 'If you find the seal, I will come again.' And as he uttered those words, his eyes flicked towards me, his gaze lingering for just a moment. I felt that there was a hidden meaning in his look, a message that I couldn't quite comprehend. It's a moment that I've never forgotten." Poison's voice was heavy with emotions as he recounted the events.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over Robert. This story felt eerily familiar, perhaps he'd seen it before in a dream. In fact, he could almost recall a similar scene from his vision in the hospital, when the x-ray machine was turned on. But it went far beyond those fragmented images – he felt an uncanny sense of having lived it. Robert strained to recall more, but the memories lingered just out of reach, hazy and indistinct.
"So, this is the version of events you think is 'adult-friendly'?" Robert thought to Poison, amusement lacing his mind voice.
"Yes," Poison replied, his tone grave and serious.
"Who's Normagog?" Robert asked, the name unfamiliar to him.
"He was the greatest adversary my father ever faced. Normagog was the one who killed my father, or at least, was responsible for his death. He's a powerful wizard with abilities far beyond what most wizards are capable of - Some say he's not of this world. He disappeared after my father died. I'm not sure if he's still alive or not, but my father believed that he would return one day." Poison explained.
"Which implies that you're merely training me for your own purposes, to use me as a tool to defeat this Normagog person, and that this would inevitably lead to my death," Robert said, his mind voice loosing it's former enthusiasm.
"All other Ancestor souls in Kreete are doing the same, kid. Maybe except Doom." Poison interjected. "And let me clarify something, I'm not trying to get you killed, and I want you to know that there's more to this story than you might realize. I'd like to share some of my history with you, if you're willing to listen." He paused, waiting for a response.
"By all means, proceed," Robert thought dryly. Just then, he heard the instructor say his name.
"Robert, can you please focus on what I'm saying?" Instructor Sedgwick asked, his tone polite but firm. He could tell that Robert's mind was wandering, and evidently, Robert's distracted expression gave the impression that he was listening to something else entirely... which he was.
"Understood," Robert replied. In his head, he thought, "Please go on with your story, Poison."