“Unbelievable…” The professor mutters, leaning so close that it’s almost creepy.

  The tiny metallic owlet nestled in the callused hand and embraced by Valka’s fingers observes the world curiously. Like a bundle of iron-shaving, sentient, and cute to a frightening degree with huge gleaming eyes.

  Like, the fifth of the entire thing is just eyes.

  “Hoot!” It chirps timidly.

  I don’t know how metal can look soft and fluffy, and I’m almost certain this thing isn’t exactly soft and fluffy, however… I need to make sure.

  But before I can even so much as tickle the owlet, Val coups the small thing, her mesmerized eyes locked with its gaze, and brings it to her forehead. Her gaze is blank and she moves almost like someone possessed.

  A metallic clang disturbs the peace of the compact forest when her skin meets with the cutie like that of a hammer striking an anvil. That last one I could hardly care less about, Val would recover from it in no time.

  From the owlet, something… enters my friend. Visible to the naked eye, a silvery sliver travels beneath her skin and disappears under her blouse. By the time I grab her, it’s already gone, and that frightens me beyond any beast or man I could fight face to face.

  I’m not the trusting or carefree type, and the unknown… that frightens me the most.

  However, that does not mean Professor Hamilton couldn’t have reacted in any way. He simply refused to, he cared more for what was to learn than Valka’s safety.

  I will keep that in mind, all of it. The best course of action would be to get a kill order on the elf the moment we return to the Fist. I don’t care what it might cost, he poses a danger too great, especially to Val, for me to overlook.

  Then, with a sudden and monumental breath, light returns to Val’s eyes.

  “What was that?” She asks.

  “That’s what I’d like to know!” I direct my gaze at her, then the professor.

  “A connection has been established.” He mutters, grabbing my friend's right arm and pulling back her sleeve. “The two of you have exchanged a minute part of your being.”

  There, under her skin, is a thin, mysteriously gleaming silver ring engraved into her forearm. A mark part of her as much as her own skin, like a tattoo made of mana purer than anything I’ve ever seen instead of ink.

  “Val, how are you feeling?” My voice sounds a tad bit shaky as I inquire.

  “Just fine. A little stiff perhaps?” She rolls her neck and then finally looks my way. “What’s with that look? Are you okay?”

  Was I worrying for nothing?

  [Spirit]

  It’s a baby, too young even to have access to its Journey Guide. And yet its magic is tremendous compared to its tiny size and age, measured in minutes.

  “Yeah, it’s all good.” I finally give my friend the reassurance she deserves. “Although, one thing is bothering me a bit.” Two actually but let’s take things one at a time. “How are you going to carry it around?”

  “Her.” Val adds, looking at the little thing with that boundless gaze again. “And I’ll just keep her in my pocket, I think?”

  Yeah, that sounded just as self-assured as I expected. The whole issue around our past adventure and spirits, in general, is that they’re meant to be a secret, and that cutie is quite eye-catching.

  “Fascinating.” The professor seems to be still in an absolute state of shock, repeating the same few words every handful of seconds.

  So I repeat myself only louder and make Val turn away to break the line of sight between the metallic cutie and the bag of bones. “Ideas!” I demand rather than ask.

  “Ah, uhm… Certainly.” Without any fanfare he makes a ring appear in his palm which then he puts on his finger and seemingly adjusts with a few flashes of mana.

  That type of equipment and that certain itch… “Professor, isn’t that a-”

  “It’s something a law-abiding young student such as yourself should know nothing about.” He interrupts and takes the accessory off. Yeah, definitely an obscuring ring. “Now, eat up!”

  The professor simply holds the ring out to the owlet, allowing the adorable thing to observe it with its curious eyes… before the man simply pushes the ring into its body.

  “What the bloody hell are you doing?” Val slaps his hand away and holds the spirit closer to her body as if it were her own child.

  “Fixing a problem you’d otherwise be powerless to solve yourself, obviously.” Hamilton huffs, sniffing his finger like a weirdo.

  [Owl]

  At least he did his job well.

  But do I even need to be here? Both of them are getting on my nerves, and I have better things to do than be the only voice of reason around the clearing. That and… well, I’d be lying if I said I’m not jealous.

  Nurturing companions is commonly a Tamer thing. Not the way Kayla does it of befriending everything she comes across. What I’m talking about are deep bonds, similar to that of old friends or even siblings… A bond between beast and Tamer for life to serve and aid each other.

  It doesn’t necessarily require a Class, in which case the partnership comes without any apparent bonuses but it’s still nice. Like a special pet, that’s… quite likely to die on the battlefield and scar your heart for a lifetime.

  Or at least that’s how Martha described it.

  Nevertheless, I also want one.

  I try to bet the cutie owlet but she really is made of nothing but iron that even cuts my finger slightly. “Owie.”

  The little thing will definitely fit Valka well.

  “Can’t that weird purple mana I got also turn into something like this?” I ask the professor hopefully.

  “Hm, purple mana? Special mana properties perhaps…” He ponders for a few seconds. “No, never heard of anything like that.” Really… “Why do you look so upset?” He asks a moment later, catching me off guard.

  How does he even… Oh right, ears. Looks like it has to be an elven thing for him to notice.

  “Nothing special, I thought I might’ve found a lead.” I shake my head, slightly dejected.

  “Owww, look at you!” Valka coos. “Who’s the sweetest little chick we’ll be best friends with?”

  Isn’t that supposed to be my title, though? Eh, whatever, her infatuation will vane sooner or later, and things will be back to normal. What won’t be back to normal, however…

  My eyes return to the professor. “So, what are your conditions?”

  Because we either have to learn how to live with the threat that Hamilton’s existence poses or eliminate him soon and swiftly. And I highly doubt the latter can be achieved without some heavenly miracle.

  “Hm, indeed this is a matter of utmost importance.” The nods along, missing my point by a few beats and not even looking my way. I really am just a bother here, huh? “Three times a week… we should meet three times.”

  “Oh yeah, and while we’re at it why don’t we move in with you?” I almost spit in his face. “Do you want to make it any more obvious? Aren’t you supposed to respect this Daimon’s wishes and aid us instead of blackmailing and making ridiculous demands? In case you forgot, we’re students here, we have responsibilities.” I sound like a mother and it’s fucking exhausting.

  “Why are you still here?” He asks, throwing me a resentful glance.

  “That’s what I’m asking myself.” I sigh. “Once a week, we don’t want to create a suspicious pattern. Although I doubt we’ll be able to avoid questions forever. Are you certain nobody will recognize it?”

  “Her!” Valka adds vehemently.

  Why can’t you be at least a little useful?

  “I supposed it’d be best to avoid any professor well-versed with beasts. She resembles none of the discovered species but other than that… My Skills can’t make a difference, can you?”

  “No.” I answer.

  Unlike the previous spirits we freed, drained, exhausted, and probably on the brink of death, this little thing seems quite tangible. Perhaps that is because matter and mana are the two sides of the same coin and she’s in good health.

  “I also demand to be informed regarding all of her development.” Professor Hamilton clears his throat, going out of his way to be a pain in the ass. “This is an unprecedented opportunity to document a spirit’s maturing and lifecycle. The implications this could have on the research into mana… not the mention shining light upon the discoveries from the ruins of old…”

  Are you the father or what? I swear, if Val was in the right state of mind instead of whatever this infatuated softie I have to pamer is, I would’ve dipped right after things turned south. This old fart is bothersome and I… I can’t waste any more time here.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Sure, we’ll keep you updated and meet here in a week, is that good enough?” I try to cut this meeting short.

  “It is revoltingly far from enough, however, there’s nothing we can do. The spirit’s safety and development is of the utmost importance, you have my word.” He huffs. Well, that’s the most I can get, but how about you stop blackmailing us then? “But we have one more urgent matter to discuss.”

  Oh, what now…

  “Right.” Val surprisingly agrees with the man despite her mother bear attitude. “She needs a name.”

  “Ok, I’m out. Have fun, you two.” I turn on my heel and leave the two without a second thought. I feel like the odd one around, and the ever-growing sense of jealousy isn’t making it any easier. “Stay on your guard, Val. We can’t be sure he’s not lying, and I can’t stick around all day to make sure you don’t do anything dumb.”

  “Uh-hum.” She nods offhandedly. “How about Owly? Do you like it?”

  Please, Gods above, make her choose a proper name.

  “Ah, one more thing.” I halt in my tracks before leaving the clearing. “Professor, the redacted parts in the book. What’s so secret about those paragraphs?”

  “That…” He fiddles with his ear, which is slightly longer than mine. “Well, it matters little at this point. Some sources suggest this child is not the sole member of her kind left on Aelion.” Oho, this is getting interesting. “Beanth the holy sea, settled perhaps even below the Lake of Life, rests another one, bound by not shackles but a promised and its own will. That’s the true source of all the land’s blessing. That or a Ley Line.”

  Adding that was really unnecessary. Stop ruining our imagination.

  “Interesting. Maybe I’ll steal that one for myself…” I grin wickedly and leave the two harebrained enthusiasts.

  Valka just got her hands on something incredible. No doubt she’ll grow even more powerful in the coming months and once the spirit grows enough to lend her its strength… She’s pulling further and further ahead.

  Her second Class already offers her an edge in combat, she’s tough as a nail and will only get harder to kill as time goes by, and now this… I don’t want to become a nuisance for her. Power compared to my age I might be, but I doubt any beasts or bandits would spare just because I’m young.

  I need to find something, anything, and wasting my time here won’t do me any good.

  ***

  Grinding levels, be that Skills or Class aren’t enough. Slaughtering beasts en masse is something anyone can accomplish, given enough time. After my duel with Gordon, even my Blessing feels less special, less like I have a solid edge over the competition.

  I don’t need to always win, hell, I don’t even need to go out of my way to fight a difficult battle… But it’s frustrating, watching Val’s back grow more and more distant. I’m almost certain she’d beat me in a duel today and if things don’t change, then she’ll pummel me even harder tomorrow.

  That frustration led me to the arena for a change instead of the workshop. Once my mana is mostly exhausted and I can barely move a muscle, I’ll get back to the drawing board. For now, I need to perfect my flight.

  No more caution or this dumb necklace. No more playing nice and careful.

  Calming my chaotic thoughts, I move to the open arena, left unoccupied and unattended. Today’s training already concluded in the morning and since it’s Friday not many are willing to spend their afternoon in a place like this. It’s a little lonely and eerily quiet but that’s fine, at least there won’t be any distractions.

  No combat uniform on me either, or healers, so let’s try to avoid any serious injuries.

  That said, I let flames blaze forth from my palms and feet without holding back even the slightest. The acceleration is maddening. I feel an invisible force weighing down on my body and my consciousness vane but it gets me up in the air.

  And I climb higher and higher, far above the housetops, the treeline in the distance, and soon reaching the shortest towers of the Academy. Then, I slowly decrease the output, gently looking for the exact point where I can hover.

  It’s liberating. No walls or floor or anything to impede my movement, no weight to my steps, like moving from a tiny room to the top of a mountain in an instant. And it’s also terrifying.

  Looking down is not a question of if but rather when, and I can’t unsee the nauseating height I’d travel in case I lost control. It’d mean certain death, and that’s exactly why I decided on this reckless approach.

  This way, I have no other choice but to do everything perfectly under some minor pressure.

  After a quick breath to cement my resolve, I lean forward, raise my arms backward, and increase the thrust. An instant loss of balance has been part of the plan all along, but my altitude allows for ample time to adjust.

  A touch of wind reduces the sway, maneuvering my arms I take care of the upward thrust, and the raging flames around my feet increase my speed almost instantaneously. It’s like taking a heavy hit without the accompanying pain. Soon my wobbly swim across the sky turns quite straight in its trajectory so I accelerate further.

  My hair locks turn into nasty little whips, slapping my face as the wind drives them wild while my clothes are about to be torn to shreds by the wind resistance. Poor choice of clothing on my part I admit, but not the time for distractions.

  So unlike previously, I rely on Divided Attention and Maintained Magic to form and sustain a spinning cocoon of air around me. To combat the greatest enemy of flight… drag. If I have a layer ahead of me greatly, reducing the forces I’m pushing against, then all that’s left for me is to soar.

  My speed is ridiculous enough that I’m reaching the boundaries of the Academy. I suspect they wouldn’t appreciate one of their students simply flying away.

  “Now comes the dangerous part.” I hum, careful not to let any bugs fly into my mouth.

  Turning.

  Decelerating for stability would make my life so much easier but in live combat that move would be equal to a death sentence. Not to mention, I wouldn’t be surprised if that little owlet gave Val wings sooner or later. A creature with the inherent ability to fly, resilience, outstanding control over magic…

  No. The skies have to be mine.

  I feel a spark in me that has been merely smoldering for years now rekindle. The same obsession that drove me to pursue the top of the leaderboard back in Fort Karon. My abilities might be focused around being versatile but being good at everything is not enough.

  My grin slowly spreads the more I think about that back in front growing distant. To catch up, I just need to go fast. Much faster.

  Mana buzzes through my body as the flames are reborn in a dress of blue, dragging a trail of inferno in my wake as I cut through the sky. I warp the wind to guide my path and resist my flight no more… Then I twist and angle my arms to change course.

  The arc of my flight is gentle, following a curve similar to that of the island’s edge. A careful attempt… and a boring one. I cut the power and twist, just the way I practiced with Magnus, voluntarily more or less.

  Facing a different direction, I reignite the fire of my ever-burning progress and use it to propel me onward. Faster, with more fire and passion, brighter even if it means burning myself a little…

  And that is, in a way, exactly what occurs.

  My idea was right, my timing exquisite, and my control over mana rivaled by none. But my body, and especially my limbs, fail to beat inertia. My legs buckle and my arms bend with an unfortunate crack as I lose control.

  “Argh, crap that’s bothersome.” I hiss. Nothing is broken, sprained at worst, but it’s still a pain and definitely a sharp increase in difficulty.

  Thankfully, I still have enough altitude to save my skin. Or at least try to.

  Clenching my teeth I do the only sensible thing in this situation. That is, dumping all my excess Free Points into Might and Endurance, bringing them to 60 and 299. The current issue I’m facing won't solve itself so this is an investment into my future.

  After all, I intend to fly much, much faster tomorrow, and after that, and after that… We’ll see how far and how fast my magic can carry me. I need no cutesy spirit owl or even a Skill, I’ll do it myself.

  Now overflowing with raw power I’ve never felt before, I move again despite the injuries I’ve caused to myself.

  Wind helps stop my out-of-control plummet until I get my feet below me to take off once again. The increased control offered by my slightly more powerful bodies does wonders, more than any mana control, and soon I’m soaring through the skies above the island once more.

  Crisis averted, but I’m not content. Once more try…

  I know it’s gonna suck, and I’ll probably need to visit a healer, and it’s dangerous, and unnecessary, and reckless… But right now I’m so very much alive, burning hotter than even the flames that allow me to blaze like a comet.

  “Man, I’m so glad I chose magic!” I shout freely.

  Instead of a gentle curve I move my arms and aim right towards the arena, grinning like a madwoman. This will be no different than live combat, where mistakes are not measured in injuries or minutes wasted but in lives.

  Despite the ground growing ever closer I don’t brake and instead lean on Focal Mana Trance to give me another push. Once the sacred spot of our combat training is close enough so I can make out the individual seats on the spectators' terrace, I cut off the fires again.

  A flip and the winds help me reposition, and I burst into flames like a living torch. My halt is sudden, shaky, and quite unpleasant. The sand of the arena rises at my arrival and the ground turns black as I increase my output.

  And soon, I’m climbing towards Solaire once more. Gently, slowly, and feeling much lighter because it feels like I can do it. I can reach so much further than my eyes can see. This place, the upcoming three years… they are an opportunity.

  And I’ll make full use of them to keep my word when the time comes.

  Carefully lowering myself I return to the sandy ground of the arena where I first took off. My clothes – despite their exquisite quality and superb materials – are in tatters and severely burned. Clearly an obstacle I’ll need to climb in the future.

  “For now, I need some rest.” I mutter, massaging my aching shoulders. “Still need to visit the workshop though. My Class is just so close…”

  “What an irresponsible student you are.” A male voice addresses me from above. Someone I only met once and want the time I wasted on him back ever since. “I’ve been sent to catch a rogue student terrorizing our afternoon, making the clouds echo with explosions. This, I did not expect from you.”

  The elf who was supposed to teach me how to fly. The only professor who has truly been a disappointment ever since the first day of my attendance.

  “What do you mean? Did I conquer the skies too fast?” I don’t mince my words, elven blood runs in us both.

  “If that’s what you’d call that. Even a hurled rock flies with more elegance.” He huffs, not in the slightest appalled by my tone. “What you did was beyond reckless. I assumed you to be the measured, calculative type. One who relies on talent and experience.” The usual sass and sharpness are completely absent from his tongue.

  “That… I have my reasons.” And it’s a little childish and embarrassing. “But I won’t overdo it, I know that’d only come to bite me back in the long run. And I’ve learned how to fly, didn’t I?”

  Just like training too long while relying on Hadron crystals to squeeze out more from your time, getting mana poisoned, and lying in bed for days… Yeah, experience truly is a great teacher.

  “That you certainly did. Although it left much to be desired, your wings were beautiful in their own right. They were burning so bright, and ardently… Have you earned what you need?” He asks.

  Did I now?

  [Your class Skill [Arcane Mastery] has reached lvl 110.]

  [Your class Skill [Focal Mana Trance] has reached lvl 100.]

  [Your class Skill [Rhythmic Strides] has reached lvl 85-> 87.]

  [The general Skill [Maintained Magic] has reached lvl 88.]

  [The general Skill [Divided Attention] has reached lvl 20-> 24.]

  [Congratulations, you’ve unlocked the Class Skill [Living Comet lvl 1]. Would you like to assign the skill to an empty slot?]

  Living Comet: Soar higher than any star on the waves of mana, carrying you past the horizon. The skies are yours to conquer, a domain offered only to those daring enough to cast down their shackles and forge wings of their own. Blaze up high in the sky, wander, wander, little star.

  What a fitting reward… A shame it’s not an evolution of Rhythmic Strides. If I had to guess the reason… This Skill doesn’t exactly fit the theme of my Class.

  Not to mention, I wouldn’t dare engage in aerial combat with merely my current abilities. Skill or not, I’m not quite ready yet. And then there’s also what Martha told me back when I first began to learn magic from her.

  Why pick a Skill I can replicate on my own?

  Ethereal Stage or Focal Mana Trance are beyond my means, while Rhythmic Strides is also on the chopping block. Living Comet would be the easy and convenient choice… After all, learning to fly from there on would only require me to work on the Skill instead of all the effort I’ve put in until now.

  I can’t allow myself to take it easy right now.

  “What I need… Not exactly.” I answer the man with a confident grin. “But at least it confirms I’m on the right track.”

  THIS while writing her flight, made me feel like there's nothing that can stop my girl.