Blowing Embers

Chapter 31

            “…and now that you should have the Indigo level healing spells mastered,” Magi Evana swept the class with a hard look, catching the guilty flushes and eye avoidance of several of the students. “We’ll be moving on to using Outer spells as a defense. While traditionally Inner spells are used for defense, it is possible to use Outer ones, though they aren’t a protection so much as an offensive against an offensive. Can anyone tell me what I mean by that?”

            The class looked at one another before Rheta finally put her hand in the air. At their teacher’s nod, she said “Is that by attacking the spells themselves, as a kind of counter?”

            “Very good, Master Zek,” Magi Evana said, making the other girl flush with pleasure at the rare praise. “That is exactly what I mean. The concept itself is simple enough, but in practice it often proves far more difficult. Attacking the spell directed at you, unless you know exactly what the attack is, can often backfire. It takes a sure touch and a good knowledge of spells to do properly. Now, I could talk at you for days, explaining exactly how to go about doing this, but that won’t teach you anything. The only way to learn is to do it. So, I need some volunteers to give this a try. I want two attackers and a defender.”

            There was no sound in the classroom, everyone looking at each other or the ground, no one wanting to make a fool of themselves in front of the whole class. Her lips thinning at their lack of enthusiasm, Magi Evana propped her hands up onto her hips. “Well then,” she said, eyes flicking over all of them. “I guess I’ll be picking our demonstrators. Let’s see…Master Siba and Master Brisae will be our attacks, and let’s have… Master Magan, you will be our defender.”

            Kallai flinched at the sound of her name, feeling her insides tighten at the thought of having to stand there and have attacks hurled at her. Already she could hear whispers starting up all around the room as she struggled to her feet, her knees feeling weak. It was the soft hiss in her ear, brought to her by a ticklish breeze, that had her heart rising. “Sparrow, them do scorch,” he said. “What you are capable of, do show. If this you do, if your power you show, their torment of you free will be.”

            The thought of being done with fearing her fellow Indigos, of being able to go where she wanted, when she wanted, without having to hide, had Kallai straightening. Her hands tightened into fists as she held her head high. Inwardly she still shook, terrified of messing this up, of going back to being bullied constantly, but outwardly she projected as much confidence as she could.

            Kallai stopped at the bottom of the steps, taking the place Magi Evana waved her towards and turned to face Jairus and Cordile. Cordile, her blonde hair tied back into a plait, was pouting slightly. Jairus had his hands jammed into the pockets inside of his sleeves, a frown pulling his lips down.

            “I leave it to you to decide what spells to use,” their teacher said. “Master Magan, remember to aim at their spells. You’ll want to time it so you get them just as they appear or else they’ll hit you. Begin!”

            Her mouth gone dry, Kallai turned her attention towards the other two. Jairus had moved more quickly, his chant already begun, his hands clapping together before fanning out. It took Kallai a moment to recognize the spell, one of the ones they’d learned in last year’s Outer class, a simple light dagger spell.

            Eyes going to Cordile, she saw the way the girl flicked her wrists, dragged her toe against the ground and heard the words that poured out of her mouth, Kallai knew the spell had to be a Combination one. Knowing that that spell would take longer, she looked back at Jairus.

            His hands were finishing up the spell, not giving her much time. Kallai brought her fire up, so it ran just under her skin, pooling it into her hands. She kept it there, the heat reassuring, as she waited for Jairus to use the word of engagement.

            She didn’t have long to wait. Within heartbeats, he shouted the word, his light daggers materializing in front of him. Kallai didn’t give them a chance to move, slashing her hand in their direction and letting the fire pour out in a fiery whip. The daggers were swallowed whole by the fire, not even a puff of smoke remaining of them.

            Kallai didn’t stop, her eyes going to Cordile, who was finishing up her own spell. The last words cemented the spell, specifying what it was she was conjuring to hurl at Kallai. As the word of engagement left Cordile’s lips, Kallai was already picturing a fireball in front of herself.

            The rope net that the other girl sent forward burned up in seconds as the fire caught hold of it. Black ash fluttered to the ground, as the scent of burned fabric permeated out from where they stood. For several seconds, there was no sound as everyone in the classroom stared at Kallai, most of them with wide eyes, open mouths, or both.

            Magi Evana was among the first to shake herself free of shock, stepping up in front of Kallai. “Those aren’t spell taught here! Where did you learn that?”

            She ducked her head slightly. “My friend taught me,” she said, her voice quiet but strong. “I’m not good at normal spells, so he’s been teaching me some different ones. You did say we could use whatever spells we wanted.”

            Her mouth working for a moment, Magi Evana eventually waved her hand at the three of them. “Fine. It was a good first effort, from all of you. You may return to your seats. Now, do I have any volunteers for the next round?”

            As she climbed back up to her seat, with half the class trying not to look at her, Kallai smiled, hearing Shuu’s voice in her ear saying, “Good job, Sparrow.”