Tyrant

by James K

  "That's-iall-ithe-irules-iyou-ihave-ito-ikeep-iin-imind.-iAny-imore-iquestions?"

  Another-ifemale-istudent-iraised-iher-ihand-iasked-ia-iquestion,-ibut-ithis-itime,-iit-iwas-iMei.

  "Why-ithe-ichange?"

  She-iasked-ithis-ibecause-iit-iseems-ithat-iit-ihas-igotten-icomplicated-iwith-ithese-inew-irules.-iThe-icompetition-ibefore-iwas-imore-istraight-iforward-iafter-iall.

  Instructor-iJake-inodded-iat-ithis,-iit-iseems-ihe-iexpected-ithat-isomeone-iwould-iask-ithis-ieventually.-i

  "One-iof-ithe-ireasons-ithat-iI'm-iaware-iof-iis-ibecause-iof-ievaluation-idifficulty.-iThe-icreated-imana-iartifact-iby-ithe-italented-imana-itechinicians-iare-igetting-iharder-iand-iharder-ito-ievaluate-iit's-ipotential-ior-ivalue."

  The-istudents-iindeed-iremembered-ithe-idisputes-iin-ithe-idecision-ithat-ihas-ibeen-ioccurring-iin-ithe-ipast-icompetitions.-iAlthough-ithe-iorganisers-iwas-istill-iable-ito-ihold-itheir-iground-ion-itheir-idecisions,-iwith-ithe-ichanges-iof-ithe-irules-ithis-iyear,-ithey-iwould-ibe-iable-ito-iperfectly-iaddress-ithese-iconcerns.

  After-iconfirming-ithat-ino-imore-iquestions-iabout-ithe-icompetition.-iInstructor-iJake-ilooked-iat-ianother-iinstructor-iin-ithe-iback-ias-ihe-igestured-ifor-iher-ito-itake-ithe-istage.-iIt-iis-ianother-icombat-imagician-iand-iinstructor-iin-ithe-ischool.-iThe-iheadmaster-ialready-ileft-ilong-iago,-ias-ihe-ileft-ithe-i5-iinstructors-iin-ithe-iroom-ito-iguide-ithe-istudents.

  "Some-iof-iyou-ialready-iknew-ime,-ibut-ifor-ithe-isake-iof-iothers,-iI'll-iintroduce-imyself-ifirst.-iI'm-iEve-iLuxford,-iI'll-ihelp-iyou-iguys-iduring-ithe-imonth-iof-ipreparation-ibefore-ithe-idate-iof-ithe-icompetition."

  She-iwas-ireferring-ito-iMoon-iClass-istudents-ias-imost-iof-ithem-iwere-ionly-iaware-iof-iinstructors-irelated-ito-itheir-iclass,-iincluding-iWilliam.-iShe-ihas-ia-ishort-iblack-ihair-iand-iblue-ieyes,-iher-iinstructor's-iuniform-icouldn't-ihide-iher-ibeautiful-icurves-ias-ishe-istand-iin-ifront-iof-ieveryone.

  ***

  After-iabout-i2-ihours-iof-ibriefing-iin-ithe-iTraining-iRoom-iA,-iWilliam-isaid-ihis-igoodbye-iwith-ihis-iclassmates-iand-imade-ihis-iway-ito-ithe-istudent-icouncil-ioffice.

  He-iwas-itold-ito-ivisit-ihere-ito-ido-ihis-ipart-ias-ian-iofficer.

  "William,-igood-ithing-iyou've-ialready-iarrived.-iHere,-itake-ia-ilook-iat-ithis."

  It-iis-iAaron-iSchmidt,-ithe-istudent-icouncil-ipresident-iwho-igreeted-ihim.-iHe-isaw-iJenny-ion-ithe-iside-ibusy-ion-itapping-ithe-icomputer's-ikeyboard-iin-ifront-iof-iher.-i

  William-itook-ithe-ipaper-ithat-ithe-ipresident-ihanded-iover-ito-ihim.-iHe-itook-ia-ilook-ion-iit-iand-inoticed-ithat-iit-iwas-ia-ilist-iof-imana-iartifact-ithat-iother-imagic-iacademy's-istudent-icreated.-iIt-iseems-ithat-iWilliam-iand-iRoss-iwasn't-ithe-ionly-ione-iwho-iwere-iable-ito-icreate-ian-ioriginal-imana-iartifact.-i

  'I-isee,-ithis-iwould-ireally-ibe-ihelpful.-iAs-ilong-ias-iwe-iare-isomewhat-iaware-iof-iother-iacademy's-istrength,-iwe-icould-imake-ian-iamount-iof-ipreparation.'-i

  William-ithought-ias-ihe-inoticed-isome-icreative-imana-iartifacts-imade-iby-isome-istudents-iespecially-ithe-ione-iin-ithe-iMystic-iGate-iAcademy.

  "Hmm..-iThose-iare-ionly-isome-iof-ithe-iinformation-iwe-igot-ithrough-iour-ichannels,-iwe-istill-irequire-iyour-ihelp-ito-iacquire-imore-iof-ithese-iand-iof-icourse,-ias-ia-imana-itechnician-iwho-iwill-ibe-iparticipating-iin-ithe-icompetition-iwe'll-ibe-ineeding-isome-iof-iyour-iopinion-ion-iit-ias-iwell."

  Aaron-iexplained-ias-ihe-inoticed-iWilliam-iwho-iwas-ilost-iin-ithought-ias-ihe-ibrowsed-ithe-iinformation-iregarding-ithe-iother-i11-iMagic-iAcademies.

  "Of-icourse,-iI'll-ido-imy-ibest-ito-ihelp."

  William-iagreed-ito-ihelp-iand-icontinued-iby-iasking-iquestion.-i

  "I-ibelieve-iGary-iand-iHumphrey,-ithe-itwo-iethics-iofficer-ihas-ian-iability-ito-ibe-iselected-ias-ia-iparticipant-iin-ithe-icompetition.-iHow-icome-ithey-iweren't-iselected?"

  He-ihas-ialready-imade-ienough-iresearch-ion-isome-ioutstanding-i3rd-iyear-icombat-imagicians-iand-ithat-iduo-iwas-icertainly-iincluded.

  After-ithis-iquestion-iwas-ivoiced-iout,-iWilliam-inoticed-ithat-iJenny,-iwho-iwas-ibusy-ityping-ion-ithe-ikeyboard-istopped-ifor-ia-ifew-iseconds-ibefore-iquickly-icontinuing-iwhatever-ishe-iwas-idoing.

  "Oh,-ithe-iethics-icommittee-iis-ia-ipart-iof-istudent-icouncil-iand-iwe-ihave-isome-itask-ito-ido-ias-iwell.-iParticipating-ion-iTMAC-iwill-icoincide-iwith-iit...-iso-iwe-ican't-iparticipate,-iwe-icould-ionly-ihelp-iby-igathering-iinformation-iand-imaking-iplans-ibefore-ithe-icompetition."

  Aaron-ithen-itook-ia-isip-iof-ihis-iwarm-iteam-iplaced-ion-ithe-itable-iand-ismiled-imysteriously-iat-iWilliam.-i

  ###-iChapter-i36-i--iMystic-iGate-iAcademy

  Inside-ia-itraining-ifacility-iroom,-ia-ifemale-imagician-iwho's-icurrently-igarbed-iwith-ia-iwhite-itraining-isuit-iis-istanding-iin-ithe-imiddle-iof-ithe-iroom-iwithout-iany-imovement.-iThis-ia-i200-isquare-imeters-iwide-iroom-iand-idesigned-ifor-icombat-itraining.

  The-itraining-isuit-iperfectly-icontoured-iher-icurvaceous-ibody-iallowing-ianyone-iwho-icould-isee-iher-ito-ibe-icaptivated-ieven-ijust-iby-ia-iglance.-iShe-ihad-ia-ilong-ired-ihair-ireaching-ion-iher-ichest-iand-iher-ieyes-iwere-iclosed-ias-iif-iin-ideep-ithought.

  There-iwas-ianother-ifemale-istudent-iwithin-ithe-iroom-iand-ishe's-iwearing-iher-iacademy-iuniform.-iAfter-ishe-inoticed-ithe-ired-ihaired-igirl-iin-ithe-icenter-iof-ithe-iroom-ihad-ireadied-iherself,-ishe-inodded-iand-iturned-iaround-ito-ileave-ithe-iroom.

  As-isoon-ias-ithis-igirl-ileft,-ithe-ilights-iwithin-ithe-iroom-idisappeared-ileaving-ithe-ired-ihaired-igirl-iin-icomplete-idarkness.-i

  At-ithe-isame-itime,-inot-iknowing-iwhere-ithey-icame-ifrom,-iseveral-ishining-ieyes-iopened-iwithin-ithe-iroom-isurrounding-ithe-igirl.-iBecause-iof-icomplete-idarkness,-itheir-iwhole-ibody-icould-inot-ibe-iseen.

  After-ithese-icreatures-iappeared,-itwo-imagic-iattacks-iwere-iactivated.-iIt-iis-ia-iFreezing-iFog-iand-iParalysis-iFume-ithat-iwas-iaiming-ito-iimmobilize-ithe-igirl.

  This-itime,-ithe-igirl-istarted-ito-itake-iaction.-iWith-ia-istill-iclosed-ieyes,-ishe-iactivated-iher-imana-ishell-iand-iusing-iher-ileft-ihand-iholding-ian-iexquisite-idagger,-iactivated-ianother-imagic-iskills.

  Her-imana-ishell-ithat-iwas-iactivatef-ican-icover-imore-ithan-i3-imeters-iaround-iher-istopping-ithe-i2-imagic-iskills-ithat-iwas-iaimed-iat-iher.-iThis-iallowed-iher-ito-iactivated-i2-imore-imagic-iskills.

  "Fire-iBlessed-iArmor."

  "Domain-iMagic-i---iContinuous-iFlame-iOrbit."

  The-iFire-iBlessed-iArmor-iwasn't-ireally-ia-iskill-ithat-icould-isummon-ian-iarmor-ifor-iher-ito-iwear-ibut-ia-imagic-iskill-ithat-icould-icreate-ia-ifire-ithat-iis-ilingering-iaround-iready-ito-iprotect-iher.-iThis-iskill-ialso-iallows-iher-inot-ito-ibe-iaffected-iby-ithe-isecond-iskill-ishe-iactivated.

  Domain-iMagic-iare-iskills-ithat-iallows-imagician-ito-iaffect-itheir-ienvironment.-iThe-ione-ishe-iactivated,-iContinuous-iFlame-iOrbit,-iwould-ichange-iher-ienvironment-ito-ia-iburning-isite.-iSince-ithis-ichanged-ithe-iwhole-isurroundings,-iwithout-iher-iFire-iBlessed-iArmor-iactivated,-ishe-iwould-ialso-ibe-iaffected-iby-ithe-iexcessive-iheat-ireleased-iby-iher-isecond-iskill.-i

  The-iroom-iwas-inow-ilit-iup-iwith-iher-imagic.-iThis-itime,-ishe-iopened-iher-ieyes-iand-ilooked-iat-iher-isurroundings-ithat-iwas-ifilled-iwith-iraging-iflames.

  She-inoticed-ithat-ithe-i12-icreatures-ishe-ineeded-ito-idefeat-iwas-istill-istruggling-iin-ithe-iflames-iand-iseems-ithat-ithey-iwouldn't-igo-idown-iso-ieasily.-i

  She-iwaved-iher-iright-ihand-iand-iat-ithe-isame-itime,-ithe-imana-iartifact-ishe's-iwearing-ion-iher-iwrist-iproduced-ia-idull-icrimson-ilight.-iShe-ilooked-iat-ithe-i12-icreatures-iwith-ia-icurled-ilip-ithat-icould-iindicate-isardonic-ias-ithey-iwere-icovered-iby-ianother-iwave-iof-iflame.

  "Lava-iMine.-iDetonate."

  Baammmmm!!

  A-iloud-iexplosion-iwas-iheard-iwithin-ithe-iroom-ias-ithe-icreatures-iwas-inow-iheavily-idamage.-iThe-i12-ihuman-ilike-icreatures-iis-ia-imana-iartifact-ithat-ihas-ia-icertain-ilevel-iof-imagic-iresistance-iand-ihas-iclose-icombat-iskills-ithat-iwas-iperfect-ifor-i
practicing-imagic-iskills.-iThey-iwere-istill-istruggling-ito-iget-iup-iafter-ithe-iexplosion,-ithis-icould-itell-ihow-ihigh-itheir-iendurance-iis.-i

  "Good,-ilet-ime-isee-ihow-istrong-ithis-inew-imana-iartifact."

  The-igirl-iwas-ieven-imore-ihappy-iupon-iseeing-ithe-iinhuman-iendurance-iof-ithese-i'targets'.-iAfter-iall,-ithis-iwould-ionly-iallow-iher-ito-iuse-ior-itry-imore-iof-iher-imagic-iskills.-i

  Right-inow,-ia-irare-iexpression-iis-ion-iher-iface.-iHer-iperfect-iand-iwhite-iteeth-ican-ibe-iseen-ias-ishe-ismiled-iwhile-iobserving-ithe-itarget-iopponents.-iHer-ieyes-ilit-iup-ias-ishe-icontinued-iher-iassault-ion-ithe-ipoor-imana-iartifacts.-i

  ***

  After-i15-iminutes-imore-iin-ithe-ione-isided-ibattle,-ithe-iroom-ibecame-isilent-ibefore-ia-igroup-iof-ipeople-iopened-ithe-idoor-iand-ia-imagic-iswept-ithe-iplace-icleaning-ithe-isurroundings-ifrom-iits-imess.-iSome-iburn-imarks-icould-istill-ibe-iseen-ibut-iit-icould-ieasily-ibe-ifixed-iby-ithe-ifacility-iofficer-iat-ithe-iend-iof-ithe-iday.

  "Sheryl,-ithese-imana-iartifacts-iyou-imade-iis-ireally-iinteresting.-iIt's-ia-igood-ithing-iyou-ichose-ito-iprioritize-iartifact-iforging."

  The-igroup-iis-iconsisted-iof-i3-istudents.-iThere's-ia-isingle-ifemale-iwho-istood-iat-ithe-imiddle.-iShe-ihas-ia-iwavy-iblue-ihair-iand-ibright-iblue-ieyes,-ishe-iwas-ismiling-iback-iat-ithe-igirl-ias-ishe-ifelt-icontented-ibeing-ipraised-iby-ithe-iopposite.-iThe-itwo-imale-istudent-ibeside-iher-iwas-ijust-istanding-ibehind-iher-ias-iif-iguarding-iSheryl.

  "Thank-iyou,-iKyla.-iIf-iyou-ihave-iany-imore-isuggestions,-iyou-ican-ijust-itell-ime-iso-iI-icould-imake-isome-iadjustments-ion-iit's-imagic-istructure."

  Kyla-ishook-iher-ihead-ias-ishe-ifelt-ithat-ithe-iartifact-ireally-isuited-iher-istyle-iand-icouldn't-ithink-iof-iother-iimprovements-iat-ithe-imoment.

  "I'm-ijust-icurious,-iyour-ifamily-ispecializes-iin-iice-iand-iwater-imagic-ipathway,-ibut-ihere-iyou-iare,-idabbling-iwith-ifire-imagic-ipathway."

  Kyla-iwas-ireally-iamused-iby-ithis-i2nd-iyear-itransferred-istudent-ishe-ibefriended.-iShe-iwas-iaware-iof-iher-ibackground-iand-iknew-ithat-ithis-igirl-iis-ia-iprevious-istudent-iat-iLeonhearts-iAcademy-iand-ia-icombat-imagician-iat-ithat.-iBut-inow,-ishe's-istudying-iartifact-iforging-iand-iwas-ieven-iselected-ias-ia-iparticipant-iin-iTMAC-ias-ione-iof-ithe-i3-imana-itechnicians-ithat-iwill-ibe-irepresentative-ifor-i2nd-iyear-istudents.

  "Haha.-iDon't-ibe.-iI-ijust-ifound-imy-iinterest-iin-iforging-imana-iartifact-ithat's-iall."

  Sheryl-ianswered-iKyla-ias-ishe-iapproached-ithe-ilatter.

  Frost-iQueen,-ithis-iwas-ithe-ititle-igiven-ito-iSheryl-iand-iwas-iacknowledged-ieven-iin-ia-ipopular-imagazine-i'The-iFortune-iin-iMagic'.-i

  She-itransferred-ito-ianother-iexcellent-imagic-iacademy,-iit-iis-ione-iof-ithe-imost-ioutstanding-ieducational-iestablishment-icapable-iof-inurturing-italented-imagicians,-ithe-iMystic-iGate-iAcademy.

  ***

  William-iwas-inow-iat-ihis-iworkshop-ireading-isome-iinformation-iabout-ithe-ifive-i2nd-iyear-icombat-imagicians-iwho-iwill-ibe-iparticipating-iwith-ihim-ion-ithe-icompetition.-iHe-iwants-ito-ifamiliarize-iwith-ithem-ias-ialthough-ithe-ipapers-icouldn't-igive-ihim-ienough-iinformation,-iit-iwould-ibe-ienough-ito-iat-ileast-iknow-itheir-ibackgrounds,-ihabits-iand-iskills.-i

  He-iwas-ithen-inotified-iby-ihis-iparents-iabout-ia-irecent-itransaction-ithey-imade-iwith-iGolden-iTrident-iGroup-ias-ithey-imet-ithe-icriteria-ithat-iWilliam-ihad-iset-iup-ibefore-iselling-ithe-iartifact,-iFloat-iDrive-iSystem.

  He-inoticed-ia-ilarge-iincrease-iin-ihis-isavings-ion-ihis-ibank-iaccount.-i

  "Good-itiming,-iI-icould-ibuy-imore-imaterials-iwith-ithis.-iSince-iI-ialso-ineeded-ito-ipractice-icreating-ithose-imass-iproduced-imana-iartifact-iand-imagic-istructure."

  William-iwas-igrinning-iupon-iseeing-ithe-ihuge-iamount-iof-imoney-iadded-ion-ihis-iaccount.

  He-iopened-ihis-ilaptop-iand-igone-ito-ithe-isame-ionline-istore-iwhich-iis-iSecret's-iShop-ito-ipurchase-inecessary-imaterials-ialso-ifor-icreating-ithose-istandard-imana-iartifacts.

  ###-iChapter-i37-i--iBefore-ithe-iCompetition

  William-iearned-ia-ilot-iwith-ihis-isales-iin-imanufacturing-irights-iof-iFloat-iDrive-iSystem.-iBut-ibecause-iof-ithis,-ihe-ihad-ito-ispare-isome-iof-ihis-itime-icreating-ithe-imain-imagic-istructure-iof-ithis-imana-iartifact.-i

  Apparently,-ithere-iis-ia-itotal-iof-i16-iorders-ifor-ithe-imagic-istructure-icrystal-irequired-iin-ithe-iartifact.-iWilliam-ineeded-iabout-i3-ihours-ito-icomplete-ia-isingle-iorder-iso-iit-iwould-iobviously-ieat-iup-ia-ilot-iof-ihis-itime.

  "Mom,-iwe'll-inot-isell-ianymore-iof-ithis-ifloat-idrive-isystem.-iI-imean,-iit's-ionly-ifor-ithe-imeantime.-iI'll-ibe-ifocusing-ion-ithe-icompetition-isince-iI-ihave-ienough-iin-imy-isavings."

  "Sure,-ijust-ilet-ius-iknow-iif-iyou-ineed-isomething-ielse.-iDon't-ioverwork-iyourself.-iGoodluck-ion-ithe-icompetition."

  "Thanks-imom,-iI'll-ido-imy-ibest."

  William-iphoned-ihis-imom-ito-iinform-iabout-ihis-iplan.-iAfter-ithe-icall-iended,-iWilliam-ipassed-isome-iof-ihis-itime-iby-ibrowsing-ithe-iinternet-ias-ihe-iwaited-ifor-ithe-imaterials-idelivery-ito-iarrive.-i

  He-ionly-iplaced-ithe-iorder-iyesterday-ibut-ihe-iadded-isome-ipremium-ifee-iso-iit-iwould-ibe-iquickly-ibe-idelivered.-iHe-iwas-iinformed-ithat-ihis-iorders-iwould-ibe-idelivered-itoday-ibefore-i12-imid-iday.

  The-iordered-imaterials-iis-iconsisting-iof-icommon-imetals-iup-ito-irare-imana-isuffused-imaterials.

  During-ithe-imonth-ibefore-ithe-icompetition,-ithe-iparticipants-iwasn't-irequired-ito-iattend-itheir-imorning-iclass-iin-ithe-iacademy-ibut-ihas-ia-imandatory-iattendance-ievery-iafternoon-iduring-ithe-iweekdays.-iSo-iWilliam-istill-ihave-isome-itime-ibefore-igoing-ito-iacademy.

  Just-ias-iWilliam-iplanned-ito-itake-ihis-ilunch,-ihe-iwas-inotified-iin-ihis-iphone-ithat-ihis-iorder-iis-ialready-iin-itransit-iand-iwould-iarrive-iin-i10-iminutes.

  "Mr.-iW-iRavencroft,-iyour-iorder's-iexpected-idelivery-itime-iis-i12:15-iPM.-iIf-iyou-imiss-ithe-idelivery,-iyou-imay-ichange-ithe-idelivery-iaddress-ior-ipick-iit-iup-iin-iour-ilocal-idepot,-ijust-ireply-ion-ithis-imessage-ior-iarrange-iit-ionline.-iThank-iyou-ifor-iusing-iSecret's-iShop-iservice."

  It-iwas-ithe-inotification-ihe-ireceived-ion-ihis-iphone-iand-iafter-ia-iwhile,-ihe-iheard-ia-itruck-iclosing-iin-iand-iconfirmed-ithat-iit-iwas-iSecret's-iShop-idelivery-itruck.

  He-isaw-ithe-isame-idelivery-iman-iwhen-ihe-ifirst-imade-ian-iorder-iand-inoticed-ithe-ihe-iwas-iwith-i2-imore-ihelpers-isince-ihe-iordered-iquite-ia-ilot.-iAfter-iconfirming-iall-ithe-imaterials-ihas-iarrived,-ihe-isigned-ithe-iacknowledgement-iform-ipresented-iby-ithe-idelivery-iman.

  William-ileft-ithe-iboxes-iof-imaterials-iin-ithe-iworkshop-ias-ihe-iprepared-ihimself-ito-iattend-ithe-imeeting-iin-ithe-ischool.

  ***

  Leonhearts-iAcademy.-iHead-ioffice.

  There's-ia-imeeting-iof-i3-ipeople-iin-ithe-ioffice-iwho-iwere-idiscussing-ithings-iabout-ithe-istudents.

  "How-iwas-ithe-iparticipants?"

  Headmaster-iPercival-iasked-ithe-iopposite-ifemale-iinstructor.-iIt-iwas-ithe-ibeautiful-iand-ielegant-iInstructor-iElaine-iwhom-iWilliam-ihad-igifted-ihis-ired-ibracelet-ihe-igot-iin-ia-irandom-ireward-ifrom-iPathfinder.

  "They-iare-iready.-iAll-irequired-ipreparations-iwas-icompleted,-ithere-ihas-ibeen-ivisible-iimprovements-iin-iboth-iof-iour-icombat-imagicians-iand-imana-itechnicians.-iI-ibelieve-ithat-iwe-ihave-ia-ihigh-ichance-igetting-ia-ihigher-iposition-iin-ithe-irankings."

  Instructor-iElaine-ianswered-ias-ishe-imostly-iwork-iin-iproviding-istatistics-idevelopment-ifor-ieach-istudents.-iShe-ihas-imore-iinformation-iabout-itheir-iprogress-isince-iday-i1-iwhen-ithey-iwere-iselected-ias-iparticipants.

  During-ithe-iweeks-iof-ipreparations-ibefore-ithe-icompetition,-ithere-ihas-ibeen-ia-ilot-iof-imock-ibattles-iconducted.-iThere-iwas-ieven-ia-iparticipation-iof-iseveral-iinstructors-iduring-ithe-ibattle.

  It-iwas-ivery-ihelpful-ito-ithe-istudents-isince-ibattling-icombat-iexperts-ilike-iInstructor-iJake-iand-iothers-iwould-igive-ithem-iopportunity-ito-isee-ihow-iexperts-iutilize-iany-imana-iartifact-ithey-i
could-iacquire.-i

  During-ithis-itime,-ithey-ialso-irealized-ithe-igap-ibetween-ithe-iexpert-icombatants-iand-istudents-iwho-imostly-ibattled-imana-iartifacts-ior-iautomatons.-i

  "The-icombat-imagicians-iof-ieach-iyear-ihas-inow-ia-ibetter-icoordination.-iTheir-idaily-ipractice-iwere-ivery-ifruitful-ias-itheir-iteamwork-ihas-iimmensely-isolidified.-iThey-ialso-igot-iaccustomed-iin-iutilizing-imultiple-imana-iartifacts."

  It-iwas-iInstructor-iEve-iLuxford-iwho-ianswered-ithis-itime-ias-ishe-iexplained-ithe-iimprovement-ishe-ihad-inoticed-iduring-itheir-iweeks-iof-ipractice.

  Headmaster-iPercival-inodded-iat-ithe-itwo.-iThis-itwo-ifemale-iinstructors-ifrom-i3rd-iyear,-ione-iis-ifor-ithe-iSun-iClass-i--iCombat-iMagicians-iand-iother-iis-ifor-ithe-iMoon-iClass-i--iMana-iTechnicians,-iwere-ithe-irepresentatives-iwho-iwill-ibe-ileading-ithe-igroup-iof-i24-ito-ithe-ivenue-iof-ithe-iTMAC-ithat-iwill-ibe-iheld-iin-iCavalen-iCity,-ithe-icapital-iof-iZairus.

  "That-iis-igood-ito-ihear,-iI-iwon't-ibe-iheading-ito-ithe-icapital-iso-iyou-iguys-iwith-i3-imore-iinstructors-iwill-ilead-ithe-igroup.-iI-ialso-imade-iarrangements-iwith-iAaron.

  Alright.-iI'd-ialso-iwant-ito-imeet-ithe-iparticipants-ibefore-iyou-ihead-ito-ithe-icapital-itomorrow."

  Percival-igave-ihis-iinstruction-ias-ithe-iother-itwo-ifollowed-ihim-ito-ihead-iwhere-ithe-istudents-ipracticing-itheir-icombat-iand-iforging-iskills.

  ***

  William-iis-icurrently-iwith-iTracy-iand-iRoss-ias-ithey-irested-iduring-itheir-ispare-itime.-iThe-ithree-iof-ithem-ihas-igotten-icloser,-iespecially-iRoss-iand-iWilliam-ias-ithey-iwere-iable-ito-iconverse-inow-iwithout-iany-iawkwardness.

  "I've-inoticed-ithat-ithe-irange-iof-imana-iartifacts-ithat-iyou-ican-imake-iis-igetting-iwider-iand-iwider."

  It-iwas-iRoss-iwho-istarted-ithe-iconversation-ias-ihe-inoticed-ia-igreat-iprogress-ion-iWilliam's-iforging-iskills.-iOf-icourse,-iit-iwas-iall-ithanks-ito-ihis-imoney-iand-itime-ispent-iin-ipracticing-istandard-imana-iartifacts,-ithis-iallowed-iWilliam-ito-ihave-ia-isturdier-ifoundation-iin-iartifact-iforging.