The sun had long passed its zenith, casting golden slashes of light across the training field. The combat arena, once full of grinning students eager to duel, now echoed with the sounds of exhaustion. Heavy breathing, aching groans, and the dull thud of feet dragging across packed earth.

Weylan dropped onto a bench, barely catching himself before he sprawled across the planks. Sweat soaked his tunic, and his arms felt like lead. Around him, the others were faring no better. Mirabelle leaned forward, elbows on knees, eyes half-lidded. Faya sat cross-legged in the shade, hugging the hare like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Even Kane looked slightly winded, which was saying something.

Professor Kaelthorne paced slowly in front of them, still upright, still calm, as though the last hour of physical drills had been a light stroll through the gardens.

"I hope," she began, her voice carrying easily across the courtyard, "that today has made something very clear."

Her boots stopped in the center of the group. She turned slowly, gaze sweeping over them.

"You're not ready for real combat."

No one answered. No one needed to. Their silence spoke for them.

"You can swing a sword. You can throw a spell. Some of you even managed to land a hit. But combat isn't about a single moment of brilliance. It's about staying alive after your first mistake. And your second. And your third. You fought duels today. Controlled fight, with mostly fair pairings. That won't happen again. You will face enemies stronger, faster, more numerous. You will be wounded, disarmed, and terrified. And most of all, you will be tired."

She folded her arms.

"Tired makes you sloppy. Tired gets you killed."

Ulmenglanz nodded faintly beside Mirabelle, her hands still gripping the quarterstaff like it was a lifeline.

"Which brings me to your next assignment."

Groans. Actual groans.

Kaelthorne ignored them.

"For the remainder of the afternoon, I will meet each of you one-on-one for a combat aptitude consultation. We will discuss your strengths, your failures, and where you go from here."

She stepped back and let that sink in.

"Until then, the rest of you will continue training. Stretching, forms, and movement drills. No sparring unless supervised. I want you tired, but not dead."

Erik raised a hand, still panting. "Professor… respectfully… are we allowed to collapse?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You may collapse once your consultation is done. Next time, save some energy for your own survival."

Weylan sighed. This was going to be a long day.

A senior student took over supervising the training, while the professor moved to one of the higher ranks of the stands, from where she called up one student after the other.

Weylan was one of the first to be called into the shaded alcove set aside for consultations. Kaelthorne gestured for him to sit down. "Well," she began, "your fighting style is mostly improvised, but you have good instincts. Your weapon skills are solid. What impressed me most was your swordstaff technique. That weapon's variable reach has enormous potential. I noticed you managed to use its skill feat even when it was still configured as a short sword. Remarkable."

Weylan paused, then scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I… didn't even realize I did that. It's a swordstaff, so I guess I just…"

Professor Kaelthorne still looked impressed. "That is a sign of talent for conceptualization. You unconsciously used stances and a short staff grip borrowed from your more advanced skill. That's not something just anyone can do. Good conceptualization lets you sometimes bend the rules of skill assistance in ways someone with less imagination cannot."

Her tone shifted. "Where you're lacking is spellcasting. Your shadow-skating technique is flashy, and we'll build some attack sequences around it later, but against a real mage, you're unprepared. You'll need spells. The boring and obvious addition would be something to plunge the area into darkness, but I searched Bookhalla's spellbook collection for alternatives."

She produced a scroll from inside her sleeve.

"The Shadow-Twin spell is level two and lets your shadow take on your form and fight beside you. It's only irritating in sunlight, where the difference is obvious. But in shadowy or dark areas it could be a devastating distraction. Combine it with your shadow feint blades, and your opponent won't be able to parry any of your strikes."

Weylan grinned. "That sounds awesome!"

Kaelthorne wasn't as enthusiastic. "You're still lacking a true offensive spellform, which is hard to create while using only shadow mana. You mentioned you knew one spell; would you mind telling me what it does?"

Weylan hesitated.

The professor gestured around them. "I've activated anti-surveillance wards. I'm also tied into the arena's clairvoyance array, so I'd be able to…"

She stopped mid-sentence and whirled around to look at each of the groups of students scattered everywhere. Then she tilted her head in thought, muttered something, and shrugged. "I could have sworn there was someone else using the array. But even knowing the access runes, you'd need several master tier skills to actually use it."

Several glowing runes briefly flared on the arena walls before vanishing.

"No," she said to herself, "not even an archmage could hide from a full detection sweep. But there is someone slacking off."

She raised a hand and summoned a glowing sphere of blue liquid. With an effortless motion, she hurled it across the arena at a seemingly empty part of the audience stands.

A splash, a yelp, and Lyriel Dawnwhisper appeared. Dripping wet and sputtering curses.

"Dawnwhisper!" Kaelthorne bellowed. "We're training endurance, not stealth spells. Three laps. Now."

The student hurriedly got up and started running.

Kaelthorne returned her attention to Weylan. "So? Care to enlighten me or do you want to keep your ability secret? Which would be ok, by the way. Don't feel pressured, just because I'm dying of curiosity."

Weylan thought for a moment, then nodded. "I got the level 3 spell Shadow Gate as dungeon loot."

Kaelthorne thought a moment. "I've heard of that one. It's one of the lowest tier teleportation, or more exactly gate spells. Much more limited than the standard tier four Minor Teleport spell. Line of sight, massive mana cost, linking connection of both starting and target shadows and big enough shadows in the first place. You can't even actually use that spell at your level. The mana cost would burn you out."

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Weylan frowned. "But… I can just limit the gate size or the energy transferred."

The professor laughed. "Yeah… You could do that. If you could freecast the spell. I'd love to see that. You'd just need to become an archmage and then somehow train the spell to master tier, without actually casting it."

Weylan looked around, making sure no one was watching. Then he cast the spell to create a fist sized gate on his shadow on the floor on his right side and one on his left side in the shadow of a column his shadow was touching. He took out a silver coin from his pocket and dropped it into the right gate. The coin dropped into the shadow portal, that was visible as a slightly darker circle if you knew what to look for, and vanished. At the same moment it spun upward out of the other gate, where he snatched it mid-air with his left hand.

Kaelthorne stared at him, dumbfounded. "You… you said you have Restricted Mana Access for Shadow Mana?"

"It's listed as Shadow Affinity on my status sheet."

"Affinities can grant enhanced control, depending on how restrictive the affinity is," Kaelthorne muttered. "But that alone wouldn't give you access to Mana. You'd need a separate trait for that. Unless…"

Weylan was uncomfortable discussing his secrets, but he could not expect help if the professor didn't know exactly what he could do. "Let's just say a powerful mage used me in a dangerous experiment, that opened my access to mana."

The professor stared at him, then an unfamiliar expression of pity appeared on her face. "Burning your mana channels open must have been excruciating…"

He just nodded, shuddering at the memory of lying in the floor, too pained to scream any longer.

Her tone hardened again. "Do I need to start searching for a mad mage with a cellar full of dead would-be-apprentices?"

"No!" Weylan sat upright. "He never tried that before, and won't do it again, since I almost died."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes! Absolutely."

She held his gaze for a while, then finally nodded. "Just remember, if a mage with a bunch of bodies with burned out mana channels should be found to be connected to you, there will be consequences."

He nodded solemnly.

Kaelthorne exhaled and leaned back. "There's no end with surprises around you, is there? Carrying a bag-of-holding made from fresh hoarderscale skins. Using a unique weapon design I've never even heard of before. Freeform shadow manipulation, shadow skating, and now you're freecasting a tier three spell like it's nothing."

"It worked fine since the first time I tried it," Weylan said, as if that explained everything.

She covered her face with her hands, then dragged them down slowly. "Okay, just for the record: Yes, that is a very big deal. You should not be able to alter any of the variables of a spell without first modifying its structure. Which means a senior mage with access to a library of reference books, including the written-out matrix structure and runic sequences, spends months researching the necessary changes and designs what is basically a completely new spell. Then he learns this spell from the ground up."

Weylan looked doubtful. "Really? Seems easy to do on the fly. Restrict the size of the gates, vary the amount of energy transferred, restrict it to transfer only sound or light…"

"You can what?" She leaned in. "Have you ever used that spell in a practical way?"

"I once stabbed a knight through his breastplate by opening one gate inside his armor and stabbing through the other."

"Okay… That would work. Don't try using that trick with an arrow or even crossbow bolt. The amount of energy that transfers would drain you dry. Unless you were quite close."

"We were practically hugging each other at the time."

Kaelthorne chuckled. "Of course. Close-quarters spellcasting. Because why wouldn't you?"

He gestured at Aldrich, who was wiping sweat from his brow nearby. "He did it too."

"He used a tier one spell that is specifically designed to be cast in close combat." She sighed. "I'll have to reconsider everything I've planned for you."

She pushed the scroll over to him. "Shadow Twin is still a good choice. This is the spell formula. Study it, but don't try to cast it without my supervision. We may have to adapt it to irregularities in your mana flow."

Weylan accepted the scroll reverently.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," she muttered. "We haven't even scratched the surface of your nonsense."

* * *

Next, she called Mirabelle aside for her personal consultation. The sunlight had shifted by now, golden and warm as the early afternoon wore on.

Mirabelle arrived with steady steps, her quarterstaff now tucked over her shoulder.

Kaelthorne studied her for a long moment. "You're a focused fighter, I'll give you that. Strategic with your movements. But you're lacking in actual offensive capabilities. Quarterstaffs are fine, but a priestess should have more than solid blocks and clever footwork."

"I'm mostly defense-oriented," Mirabelle said.

Kaelthorne raised an eyebrow. "That's what I figured. I could barely sense any mana use from you in the entire duel. Yet you clearly used a field effect spell. Zone of Slowness?"

Mirabelle nodded.

Kaelthorne continued, "It wasn't traditionally on the usual syllabus for priestesses of Lieselotte, but I've been informed it's been added since the start of the plague. It's a ritual magic field, isn't it? Anchored, subtle, not meant for brute force. You improvised well, but that sort of magic won't get you through the semester. Much less a real battle."

Mirabelle sighed. "I'm working on expanding my offensive repertoire."

Kaelthorne narrowed her eyes. "Care to share where that research is headed?"

Mirabelle hesitated, then offered a vague reply. "Just something in the shadow of traditional paths."

The professor gave her a long, slow nod. "I see."

She stepped over to a crate, pulled out a slim scroll, and handed it to her.

"Take this. It's a list of lesser-known low-tier offensive spells. Some might suit your preferences. I will expect you to choose one by the end of the week and begin training with it."

"Yes, Professor."

"And Mirabelle," Kaelthorne added, gaze softening just slightly, "you don't have to avoid what you're truly curious about. Just don't lie to yourself about where it leads."

Mirabelle held the scroll tighter. "Understood."

As she walked away, she rolled up the scroll to glance at the list. The hair on her neck stood up as she read the first entry.

Withering Touch – Level 1 close combat spell Touch your target and unleash a powerful unhealing effect, directly crippling the target limb and causing additional effects like exhaustion and muscle cramps.

She quickly rolled up the scroll and pushed it in her belt, hiding it beneath her robe. How had the professor known? Did she check her reading habits? Had she talked to the book-goblins? Or, more likely, had she seen such a turn of interests before?

* * *

Kaelthorne exhaled. "Alina! Your turn."

The blonde priestess stood and walked over, quarterstaff slung over her shoulder like a farming hoe.

Kaelthorne and Alina stepped into the shaded alcove set aside for consultations. The priestess looked equal parts proud and exhausted.

"Sit," Kaelthorne offered briskly. "You've surprised me today. You're not the strongest or the fastest, but your instincts are sharp. And I've been told you taught yourself Shocking Grasp?"

Alina gave a small nod, eyes cautious.

"Don't worry. I like initiative. Self-taught offensive magic, especially at your level, is impressive." Kaelthorne leaned forward. "You have a knack for offense, and that's not something every priestess has."

Alina didn't speak, but she didn't look away either.

"Still," Kaelthorne continued, "I think we need to find you something ranged. Close combat magic is fine, but you'll want options. Now…" she flipped open a list and scribbled something, "your goddess is the Lady of Home and Hearth. Not exactly famous for incineration spells. But… fire is a hearth's heart. Protection, warmth… maybe a hearthfire-themed fireball? Or something subtler. A mental lash of disapproval? A psychic suggestion, like the heavy silence after someone disrespects your home."

Alina gave a small, thoughtful smile. "I've already learned Lieselotte's Frown, which is basically exactly that. But it only works on someone that has actually attacked your home or camp or has broken the rules of hospitality. I need something more offensive." She took out a folded note with a scribbled list of spells. "That's the ones I found most interesting in the library's spell compendium."

Kaelthorne took the note and skimmed it. "That's a ritual siege magic spell, tier four. You'd need a team of three master tier mages to cast it… Acid Whip has been banned from army use for a reason. That spell's only useable if your only surrounded by enemies. Otherwise, you'll lash at your comrades as well… Claws of Rage is close combat, it fits your fighting style, but I really recommend something with more range…"

She paused at the next entry, then smiled broadly. "Now that's a clever idea. You found the notes for the conversion of a witch's spell into the mage-form spell 'Burning Embers'. Witches empower their spells with passion, so they require extensive rewriting to work with the usual mage's analytical and controlled mindset. You however already tend to a more… emotionally charged combat style. And with the conversion notes, you have a complete analysis of the spell's function and construction. Come to my office this evening, so we can discuss the best strategy to do this."

Alina presented another piece of paper, this one covered in meticulously written notes and spell matrix designs. "Mirabelle already helped me to create an outline."

The professor studied the notes and slowly nodded. "You plan to concentrate the effect from a burst of several projectiles into one large one… Concussive force and fire damage… Burst on impact… That will be a challenge to get into a tier two spell. You might as well try for a tier three from the start. You won't be able to use it immediately, but I have a feeling none of you priestesses will take long to reach level six. I'll schedule some individual counseling sessions with you to take this in the right direction. I'm not used to working with Lieselotte's priests' methodology, so it could take a while for me to get a hang of it."

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