“Han!” Sora quickly pushed him out of the way from my spinning backkick.

  Oh? I looked at Sora as I landed on the ground. Looks like you have some pretty good reaction time. I lunged at her. But let’s see just how good it is!

  She evaded my roundhouse, albeit clumsily. In a panic, she attempted to spear-tackle me. I lifted my outward leg in a crescent kick, bringing it back down and wrapping her neck between my calf and thigh. I jumped off my other leg, spinning back so my hands were on the ground before pulling her back with me and sending her slamming into a tree trunk. I heard the wind leave her lungs as she gasped for air.

  I turned my attention to Rubellia, and a fireball flew past where my head had been.

  “I missed!?” She cried as I ran at her.

  “I won’t let you!” Han stepped in front of her.

  Yes! Good! I jumped back as Han swung his axe at me. Protect your mage. She’s your most valuable asset.

  “Rubellia, can you use that Bind spell?”

  “Y-Yes. But I need to use an incantation.”

  “That’s fine.” He steadied himself.

  “Well protect you while you do that.” Sora groaned as she stepped between them.

  Wrong! I ran at Sora. Han should be protecting you both! I jumped and spun sideways as I unleashed a kick. She dodged out of the way, but the moment I landed on the ground I used the momentum from my spin to get low and sweep her legs from under her.

  “Gah!” She hit the ground hard, and I jumped off all fours like a rabbit as I spun in the air and descended on Rubellia, who was still muttering an incantation.

  She hasn’t stopped? My eyes widened, and I immediately used Zip to escape Han’s attempt to grab me. I landed on his shoulders and kicked away in a backflip, sending him staggering forward. She trusted him to protect her. I smiled as I landed on the ground. Good. That’s good. They really would have been in trouble if she had stopped the incantation.

  “Damnit!” Han growled as he turned to me.

  “Calm down, Han.” Sora readied an arrow. “I have an idea.”

  Oh? Let’s hear it. I stood straight.

  “I’m going to stay back and support you from here. There’s nothing I can do in close-range combat with him. But you,” she smiled. “I think you can take him.”

  “I see what you’re getting at.” He grinned.

  Hm? I cocked my head as he dropped his weapon and cracked his knuckles.

  “He wants to fight hand to hand; then I’ll beat him at his own game!” He ran at me, and Sora fired several arrows simultaneously.

  It's not that-

  “Bind!” Rubellia had finished her incantation, and I looked down at my feet as the ground below me rumbled. Vines spouted from the earth, wrapping me in their hold.

  Impressive. I attempted to break free, using all my strength, but the vines didn’t budge.

  “I got you now!” Han was closer now, charging at me like a rhino.

  Simple-minded buffoons. My eyes glowed as I smiled wickedly. Did you truly believe a mere restraining spell would be enough to hold me down? Embers began to swirl around my hand. If you did… Soon, the embers sparked into a bright and hot flame, the fire consuming not just my hand but my arm as well. You were wrong! The vines burst into flame, freeing me from their grip.

  “Shit!” Han cursed and jumped back so he was next to Sora again. The arrows she fired at me caught fire before reaching me.

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  Oops. I may need to turn the heat down a little. I focused on the magic, lowering the output until the flame covered only my hand, and the scorching heat that had singed the leaves and grass around me died out.

  “That’s…” Rubellia fell to her knees. “That’s not possible…” She whispered.

  “Rubellia!” Sora ran to her side. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  “He…” Tears filled Rubellia’s eyes.

  “He what?” Han asked as he took a knee close to her. “Did he hurt you?” Rubellia shook her head, her eyes never leaving me.

  “He broke free.”

  “Yeah, we saw,” Han grumbled as he faced me again. “He must have some powerful spells to break free of a level eight spell.”

  “That’s the thing.” Rubellia’s voice was still shaking as she spoke. “That was a level one spell he broke free with.”

  “What?” I saw Sora’s face fall. “Y-You’re joking. How do you know that?”

  “It was Pyrokinesis.”

  “That’s impossible!” Han shouted. “That spell can be used by children, and it's only really used to light candles or fires. Look at him.” His eyes rested on my flame-engulfed hand. “That’s not Pyrokinesis. It’s something else.”

  “It’s not!” Rubellia exclaimed fearfully. “That’s Pyrokinesis! He broke free with Pyrokinesis!”

  “Y-You’re serious?” He gulped.

  “I am.” Rubellia turned her attention back to me. “And for him to be able to do that with a level one spell means.” She stood up. “You’re an Arch Mage.”

  Nope. I shook my head.

  “Y-You’re not?”

  “Be real, Rubellia. You’ve seen how he fights. No mage, high or arch, could ever do what he does.”

  And those are facts.

  “But…how?! How else could he do that with a level one spell?”

  “I-I don’t know…” Han looked at Sora. “Can you still not get a read on him.”

  “I can’t.” She bit her lip. “It keeps saying error. But…” She looked him in the eyes. “Sometimes, for a brief moment when I first use the ability, I can see, but before I can even register any of it, it turns into an error message. It’s almost like…something is interfering with my skill.” Her eyes met mine. “Like he's interfering.”

  No idea what you’re talking about. I shrugged.

  “Who cares who he is?” Han grunted. “He’s trying to kill us. We don’t need to know who he is. We just need to-“

  “I don’t think he’s trying to kill us.” Rubellia’s gaze never left mine as she continued to talk.

  It was begging to make me feel uncomfortable, and I scratched the back of my head as I awkwardly averted my gaze, my discomfort apparent. I didn’t know why she kept staring; I just knew it made me uncomfortable. Her piercing silver eyes harbored no resentment or judgment but something else. Her eyes shone like a child who believed to have met the real Santa Clause.

  “What are you talking about?” Han scowled. “Of course he’s trying to-“

  “If he was, then why isn’t he attacking?” They all looked to see I was gazing at the trees, waiting for their conversation to end so we could continue our training. “He’s…training us.”

  “Training?” Sora murmured. “It…would make sense. He was testing us in the dungeon as well.”

  Hm. The sun’s at its peak. It’s noon. I blinked several times before panic consumed me. NOON! Sabrina’s gonna kill me! I jumped onto the branch of a nearby tree.

  “Hey!” Han shouted at me. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Sorry guys. Today’s training session is cut short. I gotta go! I jumped into the air and ran off on my ripples.