A Summoner's Heart - 10. Chapter 10: Mana Dual, Part I

The courtyard was filling up with instructors and students varying from underclassmen to upperclassmen who were on their break period, curious to see what was happening. It seemed like the entire Academy was congregating to view the upcoming event as word has spread. Fayth stood there stiff as a broad trying to hold it together. He knew now it was a plot to humiliate him. Mana Dual was never performed in the courtyard but in the arena. Head Master Joel wanted the whole school to witness the shame he was about to inflict upon his family’s name. Fayth told himself that he must stay strong. His father had always told him when facing odds that were stacked against you; you had to stay confident in the enemy’s eyes. At the first sight of weakness they attack. He had to stand his ground and show no fear. Master Alton, his instructor, stood in the center of the courtyard taking attendance. If anyone were to miss a Mana Dual, one letter grade would be deducted from that person’s final score.

“Adams?” Master Alton called roll.

“Present.”

“Walters?”

“Present.”

“Haynes?”

“Present,” as the list went on…

“And, last but not least, Everett?”

“P-present,” Fayth replied weakly as the Head Master approached from the side.

Head Master Joel entered the courtyard from the Commons, quickly pushing towards the center. He greeted Master Alton. “Alton, are we ready to start?”

“My class has assembled as you wished, Head Master,” Master Alton replied looking troubled. He was interrupted from his morning lecture and was told to move the schedule Mana Dual of next week to be moved to today. Even more troubling, he was told to do the examination in the center courtyard. He still was unsure why. “Are you sure it is such a good idea to do it here?” He asked, looking at all the students crowding around, waiting like vultures readying to strike their prey.

“Nonsense, it will do the students good to get out in the fresh air. This is nothing more than a little exercise of wills, if you will,” the Head Master replied laughing excitedly.

“Alright then, Sir,” Master Alton said. He knew what happened to instructors when they disobeyed the Head Master. They were fired and stripped of all titles. “Attention class, there has been a change in our schedule. As you know there was a schedule Mana Dual that was supposed to be performed next week, but Head Master Joel here has taken a special interest in our studies and wishes to witness what you have accomplished so far. We will be doing the Mana Dual today,” as many whispers broke out in the crowd. “Silence everyone!” he shouted to the student body as the crowd settled back down. “I expect you to perform just like we practiced. Head Master Joel is also here as a special guest to evaluate your performance so I expect each and every one of you to do your best,” he told his class.

Fayth was nervous with the way Head Master Joel was looking at him. His beady eyes bore a hole right through him with excitement. This can’t be good he thought. He looked back at Evan and Glenn. They both nodded at him from the side.

“We have to do something,” Evan whispered harshly to Glenn. “I do not like the looks of this.”

“There is nothing we can to do,” Glenn whispered back calmly. “Anything we do to interfere would just make the situation worse. Fayth’s reputation is on the line and so is the Everett name.”

“But we can’t just stand here and do nothing!” Evan exclaimed. He hated being helpless. His need to help Fayth was so strong.

“We must and we will!” Glenn countered back. He had to be the voice of reason between the two. As much as it hurt him to see Fayth in this situation, he had to stand aside and let him fight his own battles.

“Alright everyone, when I call you names, please step forward and face your partner on position,” Master Alton instructed. “Livingt-“

“Larson and Everett!” Head Master Joel announced, cutting Master Alton off.

Fayth was stunned. He was rooted to the ground surprised by his name being called forth first and worse hearing his pairing was with Darrell Larson. Darrell was the ring-leader of the group that terrorized him at the Academy. He would make it a point to run into Fayth each day and harassed the young prince in any way he could. Darrell was always the first to remind Fayth that he wasn’t a real Magji and didn’t belong in the school. Being an upperclassman and well liked by many of his fellow students, he was a force to be reckoned with in the Academy. Also, his family was a big donator to the school. He pretty much thought he ruled the Academy. Most Titanians disliked him, though, and when they were around they tried to protect the Prince as much as they could. But it would seem that Darrell always caught Fayth alone and cornered.

Master Alton was shocked at the pair up. Darrell was an upperclassman, ready to graduate this year. Fayth was no match for the other Magji. He had to put a stop to this. Fayth was still the Prince after all, and he was responsible for his student’s safety. King Kailan would no doubt behead him if anything where to happen to his beloved son. He whispered into the Head Master’s ear, “Head Master, you cannot be serious? Larson here is way out of Everett’s league and it’s against the rules.” He wanted to make it clear to the Head Master. “The punishment for-”

“Humph, you do not have to remind me. I am well educated in such matters,” the Head Master grudgingly replied. He knew the penalty for endangering a Magji in the Empire. The penalty was a death sentence to anyone breaking such an act, especially with the only Magji within the Royal family. He may be an Elder, but even he wasn’t above the law. “Alright, under the circumstances, I will change this to a Performance Trial instead. We don’t want to damage that pretty little face of the Prince, now do we?” the Head Master laughingly mocked as a few people from the crowd joined in.

“Alright, you two, get into positions,” Master Alton commanded quickly trying to move on from the awkward moment. He wasn’t really satisfied with the outcome but it was still better this way. At least now there was no chance for the Prince to get injured. “On my mark please cast a simple first degree fire spell.”

Darrell smirked as he took his spot right across from Fayth. He was really going to enjoy this. This was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. It gave him a chance to humiliate the Prince without any consequences. He thought Fayth was such a goody goody. Always helping those pathetic commoners. There was a reason that the Kingdom had walls. It was to keep such people away from the nobility. He hated how the Prince treated the commoners as if they were on the same level as him. This was his chance to teach the Prince a thing or two about equality. He readied himself and easily casted, “Fire!” as a flame grew in size to a medium bonfire in the center of his right palm. He looked over to the Prince and said, “Beat that!”

Fayth just stood there staring at the flame. He could feel the heat it was giving off. The flame was very alive, burning from an unknown source. He knew he didn’t stand a chance. He barely could even get the spell to cast under normal circumstances, but he knew he had to at least try. If he tried then his family would know he at least made an honest attempt. Fayth closed his eyes and tried to block out his surroundings. He concentrated on trying to feel his mana core within. Finding the faint mana that resides within himself he slowly breathed the magic outward.

“Let me help you, little one,” said a familiar voice within his head.

“E-Evan?” Fayth hesitantly asked. He felt ridiculous talking to himself.

“Who else?” The voice said with amusement.

“How are you doing this?” Fayth asked, confused.

“We are connected in more ways than one,” Evan explained. “But enough of this, let us teach that boy a lesson or two in humility.”

“I’m with you,” was Fayth simple answer. He tried again feeling for his core. But this time, another source was supplying it with a very large amount of mana. It was like two colors mixing together to create a brand new one. It glowed brightly within his mind, warming him all over. Taking a deep steady breath, Fayth breathed out slowing as for the first time he felt the natural flow of mana being released. “Fira!” His eyes glowed bright gold.

The crowd gasped at the huge fireball floating steadily between Fayth’s outstretched palms. The fire glowed with a bright white core. The flame emitted off, crackling loudly. The sound spooked the young prince as he lost concentration, severing the spell. There was a silence throughout the whole courtyard, as Fayth stood there completely shocked as most faces in the crowd gasped in awe. Only Glenn noticed the flickering of golden in Evan’s eyes.

After the long pause, Master Alton was able to collect himself as the Head Master still stood there with his mouth agape, “Well done you two. I will call this match a draw since Larson was able to sustain his spell but Everett produced the more powerful cast.” Master Alton was sure he never taught Fayth’s class such an advanced level spell. He had yet to teach that to his younger students. Only students well into their years of instruction could cast such a spell with such control. The Head Master finally was able shake off his shock. He was told that he young prince couldn’t even perform a decent fire spell as much as one of seconded degree. He seriously underestimated the Prince. That would not happen again he promised himself.

“Well done, you two,” the Head Master congratulated. He looked over at Fayth suspiciously, trying to gauge if the Prince was cheating in anyway. “Let try something little bit harder shall we?” the Head Master said while he rose up his arms in a fluid motion. “Blizzara!” he cast, as two medium size jagged spheres of ice formed in front of the two, levitating off the ground with mist emitting off from it. “Now target these with a third degree thunder spell.” Master Alton knew it was unfair to ask such a spell out of the Prince. Only upperclassmen could somewhat achieve such an advanced spell.

Once again, Darrell went first. He would not be fooled again. Lifting an arm, he pointed at the ice sphere as a large amount of mana was directed at it, “Thundaraga!” The sky flashed a few times and three white bolts of lightning struck the sphere, shattering it in two pieces and fading. Darrell looked smug.

“We can beat him easily,” Evan’s voice said confidently. “I like to take that stupid look off his face!”

“We can?” Fayth said, sounding very unsure.

“You have me and that’s all you’ll need,” Evan said with great conviction. He wanted Fayth to understand that, between the two of them, they weren’t to be messed with. “Now are you ready?”

“I am...”

“Good, now concentrate. Let me guide you and just breathed,” Evan instructed. There was a rush of mana, flowing to Fayth’s core. The flow was so great that Fayth had to release it before it overwhelmed him. Slowly breathing it outward, Fayth willed the elements to his desires as his eyes glowed bright gold a flicker of angel-like wings appeared on his back just like Evan’s.

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