Yesterday, I did not reach the workshop, sadly, even though those Skill levels won't grind themselves.

After witnessing my quite devastating mishap the winged teacher basically dragged me to a healer, after which I passed out cold. I didn't even realize how tired I was, not after all the trouble and headache Professor Hamilton caused, coupled with my fresh mother, namely Val.

But flying did clear my head somewhat.

But it's the weekend. Endless sleep, lazing around all day, maybe some preparations for the upcoming lectures, and… No, no, Eli that's not how today's gonna be. You've got things to do, up and at it!

I throw off the blanket in a moment of extraordinary willpower and peel myself away from the bed. Speed is crucial in high-risk maneuvers like this one because the warmth under the blanket, as well as the morning grogginess, have serious stunning effects.

But I'm a licensed professional.

"Urgh, water." I crawl to my feet, wearing almost nothing.

The next minute goes by in a blur. I get dressed and… Yeah, not much else. My hair is still a haystack, my throat is parched, and every part of my body is aching. I'm getting old…

Leaving my room, I take care of the basic necessities and check up on Val while combing my hair. We usually do the distangling treatment for each other, it's easier that way.

"Hey Val, yesterday-"

"Sshh, she's sleeping." She waves me away.

"I don't remember you showing this much consideration whenever I tried to rest…" I grumble.

"You aren't this cute, that's why." She huffs, curled around her owlet protectively.

Do spirits even require sleep? Like, that thing is made up of mostly mana while the rest is iron so I don't know where all this pampering is coming from. But I can't deny, even in its sleep the little shit is damn adorable.

"Fair. So, what's her name?" I hand her the comb because I refuse to struggle with my unruly locks.

"Owlie."

"You gotta be shitting me!" I'm appalled for the little thing.

"I am." Val giggles. "I actually thought a lot, and I mean a lot about it and…"

"And?"

"Alwina. I think it fits her well." She flashes a brilliant smile that makes all my grumpiness turn into dust.

"Yeah, it has a nice ring to it." I admit. "I see you're gonna be pretty useless for the upcoming days so I'll leave you be." With that, I vacate Valka's room and depart alone.

I can't believe my best friend just got snatched away from me and I can't even do anything to get her back. Now I'm jealous of Val for her new cool pet, friend, companion, child… whatever the owlet's designation is, and I'm also jealous of Alwine for all the attention.

Now I'll have to find someone else to bug all day.

***

"Can't put this off any longer…" I mutter, standing hesitantly in front of the building I fear the most across the entire island. "Magic is supposed to be all me but I really don't look forward to all the questions."

Towering ahead of me is the Mana Department, a sacred place that should've been first on my to-visit list. Although I did try to postpone it intentionally and otherwise.

Savant or not, I need to learn more about the arcane, especially if I want to unearth the secrets of further elements. Space or life would be awesome but I'd be content with anything at this point.

"It's been years since I last made a genuine effort and dug my fangs into a type of magic." I sigh, taking the first step and preparing myself for the flood.

The structure I'm approaching is sturdy, reinforced through and through, and absolutely massive. As a Mage myself it's not difficult to guess the reason behind this excessive scale and safety.

We are volatile and the process of learning comes with many uncertainties. All of this is necessary to protect the world from us, and not vice versa. A cage, I'd say.

At the doorstep I hesitate for a second, contemplating ditching this place for the workshop or even the library. But then I remember how my morning played out and set forth with a nasty frown.

"Good morning and welcome to the Mana Department or the Sanctuary of Magic as we like to call it. How may I help?" A boy about my age ushers me in with a pleasant smile.

He's moderately handsome and his attitude is acceptable but this is definitely not the time and place for that. Not that I'm interested but a girl can always hope for pleasant company in a place where she's bound to spend a lot of time.

"I'm here to sign up and look around." My reply comes a bit belatedly, lacking any sort of enthusiasm.

"Certainly." He returns to what I assume to be the receptionist's desk. "Name and a few details please."

I give him every piece of information he needs, name, level, age, ancestry – although my lineage amounts to basically nothing – and of course main magical element. Now, I could lie and even show evidence to avoid any questions but I might as well get it over with,

"Arcane." I reply.

"Yes, arc-" His crescent eyes turn flat upon hearing my answer. "Ah, it's you."

Having expected a different reaction, I tilt my head and ask. "What is that supposed to mean."

"Rumors travel fast." He shrugs. "I'll be honest, you have something everyone with even a speck of insight into mana desires and hog it all for yourself. Intentional or not, I don't care, nobody does. That's just the way jealousy is." He completes my document and pushes it closer for me to sign. "I'm sure you expected shining eyes and unending attention but we know better. Your knowledge is the treat we can never taste… insight that for us Mages is equal to power."

Oh, so that's how it is. I suppose a week had already passed so it was unavoidable, for my not-so-confidential secrets to spread.

"I see." I pen down my name. "Anything else you need?"

"Answers." He huffs.

"Trust me, I've already tried. The pain would overflow and knock me out cold before I could share anything." I wink and flip him off. "But for you and you alone, I wouldn't even try."

Prick. Who told you to be so unbearably honest?

Without asking for directions or guidance, I walk past him and venture deeper into the belly of the beast. What I'm looking for or hope to achieve, I don't know; that's how looking for answers and something new works I guess. I'm here to give this place an honest shot and that's all.

At least it seems I won't need to deal with other people hanging around my neck. I much prefer dealing with nasty looks over stupid questions.

"Let's see what we've got here…" I begin touring the place on my own.

And so I walk, unbothered, unchecked, and not particularly in a hurry now that I know a few nasty comments are all I might need to deal with. Those I'm already used to. Elves look down on me a little for being half, some humans tend to be speciesist because they have nothing better to do…

From experience, if I ignore them they get bored and go away sooner or later.

The first stretch of my journey through this maze of a building – very much like the main building – takes me through a library, one quite modest yet stuffed to the brim with people. An overabundance of things breathing plus knowledge on mana… that place would likely make Savant revolt.

So I avoid it.

Then I stumble across a hall exhibiting many unusual objects, plants, metal, bones, crystals, and a plethora of other things I can't even identify. I used to gather pretty shells so I have no right to judge.

However, a quick check with Mana Perception turns the hall into a light show, gleaming in every color of the rainbow and then some.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Pretty." I step a little closer.

Behind the glass burns a flower, its petals shimmering green and swaying gently even though there's no breeze around whatsoever. The earth it's planted in looks withered and dying while my sight reveals a bundle of mana hidden beneath the soil.

'Verdant Deciever: Known for attracting its prey through an irresistible hum and hunting large creatures by burning away their life force.'

Typical. After those strom fruits or whatever, I can't even act surprised.

Wandering further, I find living metal – which, according to the descriptions, is on the same level of intelligence as grass – a massive golden acorn, which is just that, a big golden acorn, some umbral water I'm already familiar with, and a snake made out of paper…

"Chimera Rocks?" I read below the angrily growling pebbles in a tiny cage. "Who, even in their right mind, made something like this?"

I could see myself wasting an entire day here... Maybe they even have those frightening spacial flames here that almost tossed me off the cliff. Not that I escaped that fate but that was one of the most memorable spells I've ever witnessed.

"Maybe another time…" I mutter.

There are things I have to do, time I cannot afford to waste. Judging by Melena's… curious personality and the timing of the tournament at the end of winter she'll definitely do it. A friendly duel between Val and me, to measure our progress and satisfy any yappy nobles.

A show of strength basically.

"And I'll be damned if I lose to her again." I steel my resolve and seal away what curiosity binds me here.

The expedition into the depths must continue.

Following the flow of people I arrive at yet another room of ridiculous proportions, this one dedicated not to world intricacies but something much further away. On the ceiling rotates a replica of our night sky, expanded with dates, velocity, and a large variety of other data. Star signs, comets, our moons… everything.

An observatory. In case the gigantic lenses and stars plastered everywhere didn't make it obvious enough…

What piques my interest here is the delicate application of light, water, and dark magic on the telescopes. I've seen spy glasses before, know the basics regarding lenses, and know light can reflect in peculiar ways from a water surface… But this is slightly beyond me.

"The Watcher of Eternity." I turn my head sideways and read the most imposing telescope's name. "Catchy. Hey, why are the stars so interesting?" I ask a girl who seems to know her way around here.

Recognizing those types of people is a crucial life skill.

"I don't know, don't bother me, ask someone else." She mutters, walking past me like she's under some mind control.

I guess I need to polish those skills of mine a little more.

"Uhm, excuse-"

"I'm in a hurry!" He barks, storming out of the observatory.

"What the hell is this madhouse?" I sigh, unable to do anything but watch the people swarm like ants. "Maybe I came at the wrong time…"

"You came at the best time, perhaps." A chubby boy stuffing his face even now answers and winks when our eyes meet. "Want some?" He offers the sandwich he already took a few bites from."

He's pushing his luck that's for sure. But I do value his brazen attitude.

"How so?" I decide to completely ignore his last question and return my gaze to the telescope.

"Someone claims to have observed activity on Arion yesterday." He answers offhandedly. "It's much more common to witness the demons of Ebon go on a rampage or a flicker of holy light from Lunova but Arion… We can only guess."

Oh… Oh Gods, please let me be wrong.

"Is that so…" I chew only lips, for some reason feeling like an awful lot of gazes are aimed my way.

"Yeah, but we have no evidence as of now."

"Cool, bye!" I turn on my heels and make myself scarce.

This is really not the appropriate time to visit it seems. The idea of ditching this place in its entirety does take hold of my legs for a fleeting moment but I resist it. Not every day do I muster the willpower to visit a new place. Especially alone and around a lot of people...

"Just a little more Eli." I murmur and move on. "Maybe they'll have something interesting to do."

As soon as the constant buzz of activity begins to quiet behind me another source of rumbling takes its place, this one more haphazard and thunderous. The sound echoes through the corridor clearly and grows in intensity the closer I get. Countless gleaming eyes around me and excited murmurs promise something exciting so I get my hopes up a little.

Although my definition of fun has become slightly skewed throughout the years.

"I heard it's a snap tournament." The first hint of gossiping catches my ears.

Thank Dad for my elven hearing.

"Prize money? Fifty I think, but I heard they are no-rules games so it's all in the wagers."

"But you must have your favorite, right?"

Getting caught up in the rising tide of excitement I pick up the pace. Games, challanges, and betting are a seriously potent combination of entertainment. Oh and of course a change to learn new tricks.

Yeah, that's definitely the most important factor.

I pass by practice rooms big and small, built to resist any damage resulting from foolish experiments. Foolish they might be, however, every great discovery starts with a few wild and important steps.

True, because otherwise I'd be a fool myself.

At last, the corridor comes to an end and opens up into an entire arena. This one is about a third of the size of the real deal, the dedicated Colosseum of the Academy, but it also serves a different purpose.

A few brilliantly placed mirrors across the walls and ceiling, along with the quirky application of light magic, allow us to observe every ongoing game. Duels the students around me call them, but I wouldn't exactly call this charade anything that serious.

Two Mages, face-to-face with each other, and six candles behind each of them. The idea is pretty simple, protect your own candles while extinguishing those of your opponent. And by the looks of it, almost anything is on the table, even aiming for each other.

And yet eight out of nine cases people just stand still and hurl the flashiest and most devastating things they can conjure at each other. This is closer to a brawl than the contest of control and refined intelligence I expected.

The scoreboard at the opposite end of the indoor arena, hosting about twelve matches at the same time, rearranges itself as another explosion shakes the ground. That's where I finally learn what the local pricks call this mockery of combat.

Candle Dance

Catchy, pretty, and all about mana. Truth be told I couldn't have asked for a better place to observe all kinds of Skills and people in action. Learning through practice is my most favored method, but a source of inspiration always helps.

"Although I'd love to play along as well." I mutter, watching a particular game where a water mage has turned their entire ring into a massive whirlpool against giants of lightning. "That looks fun."

"You're new here?" Someone appears behind my back and almost causes me to lash out. I did not feel his presence whatsoever. "Whoa! No need to be so snappy, I don't participate." The halfling raises both his hands appeasingly.

And looking at him, I don't doubt his words one bit. He looks every bit like a bookie.

"Who's the favorite?" I lower my arms and ask to change the topic.

The halfling keeps his head down and scouts our surroundings before giving me a professional yet also fiendish grin. "Second ring, the blondie. Quite the prodigy she is, how much are you looking to bet?"

Straight to business… I can respect that.

"Depends." I shrug, weighing my poor coinpouch. "If I were to somehow join… could I bet on myself? I'm a little bored you see." I'm all for an opportunity to earn some easy money.

"The tournament is already closed. But challenging participants between rounds or challenging already knocked-out kids is on the table. Snap duels can sometimes turn out to be quite the show." He shares more than I ever hoped. People back in Solermo would've demanded bribes at least twice by now. "And I couldn't care less where you put your money. As long as it goes through me."

Good boy, he knows what I want to hear.

"Hm, can you find me once the round is over, I want to look around first?" I flutter my lashes pleadingly. Only because I know they guy couldn't care less about me anyway.

That's what makes messing around like this all the more fun.

"Be sure to make my time worth it." He nods and steps into the crowd, disappearing within a second.

This is most definitely not legal…

Thankfully, I'm no snitch or woman of the law so I could hardly care less what the Academy considers acceptable. Although I doubt a few flimsy students could avoid trouble if the staff really gave a damn…

With many of the matches still in full swing I keep my eyes open and soak up the information. Any dirty tricks people tend to pull here, common mistakes – like trying to protect all your candles instead of preserving just to and going all out on the offensive, and of course, people I'd like to challenge.

Maybe this outing won't turn out to be a waste of my time after all…

***

Mana is so thick in the air with dozens of mages hurling spells around that I can hardly make out any details. I decided to push to the front to get a closer look and perhaps get a glimpse into the inner workings of some Skills but it was a dud.

The protective domes around each ring make discerning intricacies nearly impossible.

"The quarterfinals will continue in half an hour!" The announcer declares.

"Hey, confident young miss." A presence appears right behind me once more, but this time I've been looking forward to it. "Come with me if you wish to put your money where your mouth is."

He doesn't need to tell me twice, and I follow him through the dispersing crowd. Observation had earned me only so much insight – which is really close to absolutely nothing – so now it's time to get a feel for those flashy spells firsthand.

"You can challenge anyone, but whether they accept or decline is up to them." The halfling explains while guiding me. "You're fairly strong but also completely unknown, so many won't even look your way. You have to place your bets before the match begins. I don't think I need to warn you about items, poison, intentional fatal attacks, and outside interference…" Not anymore. "And last but not least, this is a no-rule game, all that is magic is fair." He says that as if we're going to war.

Maybe we are going to war…

Arriving at a particularly noisy cluster of people, we approach a tiny table and the halfling makes some arrangements. I don't know what he hopes to get out of this but I think he's doing a little more than what I'd consider common courtesy.

"How much are you betting?" He asks.

"Who's my opponent?" My eyebrows climb quickly because this feels like we're skipping a fest steps.

"Random draw from a couple of challengers about your level. That's the quickest way to get a game." He answers.

That definitely wasn't what I'd been told, not even a minute ago.

"Fifty silver." I'm willing to bet half the money I have on me.

The halfling sighs, disappointed at my frugal bet, but holds out his hand nonetheless. "You're Ring 4. Are you betting on your victory?"

"Can I bet against myself?"

He gives me a flat look. "Trust me, we have connections around here. You don't want to go down that path."

Rarely do I take threats seriously, but this time, I don't feel like playing with the fire.

"Are there any other options?" I'm intrigued.

"Length of the match, number of candles blown out, and the winner. The riskier the bet, the higher the reward."

"Then the length of the match, please." I feel a grin involuntarily crest my face. "Under thirty seconds."

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