Chương 46: Chapter 42

A month passed by in a blur, all of Shaya's waking hours dedicated to studying, training, working, or taking Quill to the biomes to play with his friend Storm Breaker and have space to run and practice flying. Despite Azreon's efforts, she hadn't murdered, or even assaulted, anyone, but his sycophants threw their insults against her without end regardless of their repeated failures.

Shaya didn't even care anymore, registering their taunts only as data in her notebook—ammunition she planned to put to use at long last. She also noted a growing group of students tiring of Azreon's attitude—particularly those who witnessed his act of cruelty against her gryphlet. This group didn't step in to defend her—not even Lan—but she didn't blame them for wanting to avoid his ire and she was sure they'd be helpful sooner than later.

For the time, however, she was physically, mentally, and magically exhausted, worked to the bone, and loving it. Eyes baggy from lack of sleep, she looked down at her notes and managed a tired smile at her progress. End of Week 5: Ruby Ward (Aegis): 3 second cast time Amethyst Ward (Aegis): 3 second cast time Other Wards (Aegis): 10 second cast time Invigorate: 7 second cast time Bear's Strength: 60%?

Summon Creature (Ritual): 1 minute cast time Control Blood: 15 second cast time, medium efficiency Flamethrower: 2 second cast time, passable control Flameblast: 10 second cast time, poor control Fireball: 95%—must overcome fear of exploding self and others Planar Binding: Not started She looked up from her notebook with a proud smile, tucking that one away in her pack as she and Quill walked across campus.

Esper invoked, she practiced drawing in her aethers, feeling a remarkable difference in her channels as she did so. She had started her journey nearly two months ago and had struggled to draw in aether to fuel her spells in less than six seconds, but now she could fuel even her complex spells in a few seconds. As long as they didn't call for Ruby. Even now, that aether recoiled from her good mood and lack of anger toward anything in particular.

She managed to hold the faintest bit in as she drew upon it, clinging to it with her current conviction to enact some revenge against those that had harassed her without repercussion for too long. But the cold, calculated vengeance didn't seem to please the aether as much as a more direct, violent confrontation would have. Shaya acknowledged that she still needed a lot more practice working with Ruby, but kept her fear of how poorly she might do on that mid-term from her mind.

Instead, she continued to draw in what Ruby she could, let it fill her spirit to bursting, and then practiced tracing formulae onto her circuits. While her ability to bend Amber and grow Jade into shape had improved, she still failed to grasp Ruby effectively, the energetic aether writhing out of her control as she tried to trace spells onto her circuits.

Rather than shoot fire into the air while walking about campus, each time she completed a spell, she simply let the formulae fade away from her circuits and started again fresh. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse and repeat. Doing so exhausted her channels and her circuits, helping to expand and strengthen both. She would need the strength for next week's deployment and the following week's mid-terms.

With lots of practice and help from Bri, her flamethrower spell lasted a mere two seconds before dissipating, but she was still worried about controlling it during the test. Her flameblast was worse and she still didn't have the courage—or energy, if she were being honest with herself—to hurl a fireball. Projecting energy further from yourself proved much harder than just evoking it from a part of your body and Shaya wasn't sure if a First Circle mage could hurl anything deserving the title of "fireball."

Things were very different when something triggered her rage, however. More and more, she allowed her blood to simmer to test its effects. The rage provided more energy to tap into for her spells, but it worsened her shaping abilities. Shaya thought she was growing more accustomed to its influence and gaining more control over at least the early stages of her rage, but tests had still been limited given the possibility of losing control. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Lost in her thoughts and exercises as she was, she failed to notice oncoming traffic as someone slammed into her.

"Watch where you're going, mongrel," an all-too-familiar voice spat at her. She focused her attention on Azreon, aware that Galo was standing behind him with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. Her blood boiled before her rational mind even registered them, the Ruby she was drawing upon suddenly expanding into her like a wildfire. Galo flinched and she realized that her eyes must have been filling with the fiery energy, though Azreon didn't shirk back from her.

His evident courage seemed to embolden his goon, who went back to glaring at her. Clamping down on the desire to punch him, she managed to speak through gritted teeth: "Why are you doing this to me? I had no intention of humiliating you in our brief sparring session and even congratulated you on your skill and speed."

"You didn't humiliate me," he snapped back.

"The only way a low-blooded mongrel like you could hope to best me is by cheating. And that shouldn't go unpunished."

"It's not your place to determine who gets punished," she growled back, "and I think you trying to stab me in the back after we were told to stand down constitutes cheating more than me besting you because you misinterpreted the rules. Which you're right, shouldn't go unpunished.

"And didn't. When Auric put you in a tomb."

"Collusion between barbarians." His eyes narrowed dangerously, and Shaya noted his hand drop to the hilt of his sword.

"Another wrong that I plan to right."

"Is there any way to put this behind us?" Shaya asked, doing everything in her power to avoid escalating the confrontation despite the rage's desire to slaughter them. At her side, Quill's feather and fur fluffed out and he stood on all threes, ready to lunge into action if needed.

"I came here to become the best Warmage I can so I can help my people back home. It would be a lot easier without you at my throat the whole time."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure that you and all your little conspirators find justice." The noble's lips twisted into a sadistic smile.

"Be careful, little barbarian, I hear deployments are very dangerous." He turned and walked away, Galo following after casting the requisite smug look at her.

"Just to be clear," Shaya called as they walked away, "what you just did was issue an underhanded threat, which in no way describes justice. You might want to review your progenitor's bible, I think She talks about justice somewhere on, oh, page one." A few nearby students turned to them. Azreon stiffened, apparently galled that she would call him out publicly. He recovered after a moment, turning back to her but maintaining their distance.

"I think you misunderstood me," he said aloud, so that the same students could hear him.

"I was just passing on advice to someone who looks out of their depth."

"Uh-huh." Shaya nodded, releasing the rest of her Ruby and regaining enough control to turn her rage into sass.

"Advice that battlefields are dangerous, right after you told me you were going to ensure that I find 'justice.' My bad for misinterpreting that then." This time she turned on her heel and left, with Quill following after shooting them a smug chirp.

"Good boy." Shaya smiled down at her companion, earning her a pleased squawk. Her ear twitched at an unfamiliar jangle of coin and she checked one of her pockets to find a non-descript sack of coins in it. A quick peek inside told her it was full of gold.

"Still got it," she grinned, wiggling her fingers before pocketing the coins.

"I'll make sure to find a good use for this." Weird that Azreon carries plain sacks though. I definitely took him for someone with embroidered coin purses. She and Quill played fetch to give him some proper exercise and help develop his flight. While he couldn't fly, Shaya watched with interest as a flap of his wings allowed Quill to adjust the direction of his jumps to adapt to where the stick was being thrown or to give him more lift to achieve even higher jumps.

His growing abilities and her roof-running past had given her more than a few ideas. The game stopped when they came within line of sight of their destination. As the headquarters of the Wardens of Heiwa loomed into view, Shaya grew more serious and Quill returned to her side. Wardens gave them a nod as they passed between the rows of white marble pillars that led up to a large building that looked like a cross between a courthouse and a fortress.

Shaya passed beneath blue banners that fluttered in the early autumn breeze and bore the pure white sword of peace that represented their Order. Two more Wardens gave her an appraising glance as she walked up the steps to the entrance, Shaya's skin tingling as she sensed magical energies pass over her like the unwanted caress of a spider's web. Without further aplomb, the large double doors swung open and she walked into the building.

A young mage in blue robes sat at the front desk, likely one of the Order's squires, and gave her a respectful nod as she approached.

"How may the Order of Heiwa be of assistance to you today, recruit?"

"I'd like to report a series of cases involving harassment," Shaya said, taking off her backpack and pulling out the various harassment reports, including witnesses, she had transcribed from her notebooks. The clerk blinked at her.

"While the Order of Heiwa is responsible for ensuring that local laws are upheld, surely something like this can be resolved without our—" WHUMP. His eyes widened at the heavy stack of dossiers Shaya dropped on the desk.

"As you'll find within the reports, I tried to resolve this without involving the Wardens, however enough instances have occurred that I felt it my duty to report this behaviour to the local authorities. I believe the chancellor himself noted a zero-tolerance policy regarding behaviour that degrades our military's cohesion."

"Have… have there been any significant offences?"

"Oh, possibly." Shaya smiled.

"I believe one of the conspirators just threatened me."