Chapter 7

Johnathan walked to his class happily and excitedly with Albert ready for anything, today they were going to fight either monsters or other students. If they defeated a student, they won. If they killed a monster, they won. Since today was a trial day they used the gym as the testing space. The man in there held a clipboard and pencil.

Instead of their normal gym teacher though there was a tall guy who looked very familiar, “Alright class, I am Mr. Monium and if you know who I am great!” Johnathan thought for a second, then he remembered he’d seen this student before. It was one of the friends of Red Dash’s, what was the superheroes name again?

Then it hit him, “Blue Basher?”

The man snapped his fingers and pointed to Johnathan, “I remember you! Now I get to teach you!” He turned around and started walking to the other side of the gym, “Now today you will be fighting either monsters, or other students. I hope some of you know this.” He tapped a few runes on the wall, and a big section of the gym floor lifted into the air. It stopped about three feet off the ground. It was a circular shape, quite large for two people to fight in, but this was magic school. You never knew what came next. He looked at the clipboard in his hand, and twirled his pencil in his hand. “First up, Albert Duncan and Matthew Murphy.”

Albert flinched at his name, but Johnathan patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll do great. You remember all your illusions and spells right?”

Albert nodded, “I also have a few other harm spells, I guess I’m quite knowledgeable in the works of light magic.”

Johnathan patted him on the shoulder again, “Exactly! You got this.”

Albert smiled and climbed up into the arena, just as a small staircase appeared, “Lovely.” Albert said. He walked into the middle of the arena, where this other kid. Matthew Murphy, stood.

Mr. Monium tapped a few more runes and talked like he was holding a microphone, “Alright students, I want a clean fight. No killing, no curses. Only Offensive, Defensive, and Disorientation spells are allowed. Now, begin!”

You know those wrestling bells you hear in movies, well one of those literally sounded when Mr. Monium said begin. Albert immediately shot a light blast, and the other kid pulled up a defensive spell. A giant water dome. Shielding perhaps. He flung it around, and turned it into some kind of chain weapon. He flung it straight at Albert. Now no offense to Albert, but when it came to movement spells he wasn’t the best in them. Albert created a light shield, and rolled out of the way. Johnathan could see Albert panting already, but he still created a light. Then when Matthew turned around he flung the light right into Matthew’s face, seemingly blinding him. Matthew’s water spell fell as he tried to rub out the light still in his eyes. Albert prepared his spells, he created a huge illusion of multiple hims and multiple statues. When Matthew finally opened his eyes, he created another water chain, and flung it around wildly. Some of us in the audience had to duck, but eventually Albert shot a light blast directly into Matthew’s face, and shot him out of the arena. 

Everyone went into applause as Albert panted and raised his hand in response, Mr. Monium was clapping in the back. “Impressive Duncan.” 

Albert went back to Johnathan, who ran to him. “You ok?”

Albert nodded, “I just need a break, very little mana.” Johnathan understood, it turned out magicians had a very limited amount of mana before either passing out or even dying if you were using spirit energy.

Johnathan brought Albert some water and got him a towel, “You did good. You got in his head, you annoyed him to the brink of him almost being knocked out. That was brilliant!” Johnathan always had trouble being enthusiastic, but he thought he did pretty well with that talk.

Albert nodded, “Thanks, it took a lot of power, but I think I did good.”

Mr. Monium’s loud voice echoed into the gym, “Johnathan Brody, you're the first to fight a monster.”

Johnathan had never fought a monster, he’d read and learned about them in his Beasts class, but other than that he had no real experience with beasts. He stepped onto the stage ready, but horror was running through his veins.

He nodded, “I’m ready.”

Mr. Monium nodded back, “I’m only giving you a creature I think you can take, and be careful Mr. Brody. Just because it looks small doesn’t mean it is.” Mr. Monium pressed a rune and a small portal opened above the arena. A small creature about the size of a door, and yes that’s small compared to some other creatures, landed into the arena.

Johnathan gulped it was a Spike Serpent, small but dangerous. It could poison creatures easily, it had giant fangs and spikes running along its back. It lunged at Johnathan, and he teleported away. “I thought you were giving me a creature I could handle!” Johnathan yelled to Mr. Monium.

The Spike Serpent lunged at Johnathan again, Mr. Monium smiled. “You can! I’ve heard what you can do, I think you should test your limits. Then rebuild them!” Even though Mr. Monium was a retired superhero, he still had his inspiring speeches.

Johnathan created a shield around himself, already feeling his mana draining. This spell he liked the most because he had an infinite amount of time to think. “Alright,” He said, “Let’s mess this thing up.” He dropped the shield and cast his duplication spell, knowing to watch his mana, he only did it one more time. Now with three of him on the field he circled around the snake, it hissed at the amount of his there was. He heard his fellow classmates cheering, he summoned his chained knife. He was on very low mana now, he would only be able to do low-level spells soon. “Hey snake!” One of him yelled, then another yelled. “Ya, what a useless serpent!” Then the third one smiled, “You’d be better as a skin carpet!” That got the snake really angry, he lunged at the third one. The other two sent chains at the snake making it tangled in them, its own spikes trapping it in the hold of the chains. Johnathan looked to Mr. Monium once his duplicates were gone, “Do I have to kill it?” He asked.

Mr Monium looked at him sadly, “Yes. I know it’s terrible, but it is the only way to win the tournament. Don’t worry its spirit will go to where it once was, and technically it won’t die.”

Johnathan nodded, “I understand.” He went up to the Serpent who was still flailing in the chains, he waited for it to close its eyes. Then he carved the snake's body in half with the chained knives he summoned. The snake evaporated and vanished, the chains slaking to the floor.

Mr. Monium smiled, “Well done Johnathan, I know it’s hard for the killing part, but you did well. Especially asking, that was the most important.”

Johnathan nodded, “Thank you Mr. Monium.” He walked off into the bleachers where all the other students sat, and found a spot to sit next to Albert who was still looking pretty drained. Johnathan felt drained as well. “I hated that, the killing part I mean.”

Albert nodded, “It always comes at a price, victory.”

Johnathan clenched his fist and almost felt a magic energy of some kind coming to him, but he let it fall away. “Ya.”

“You did good though, probably top of the class.”

“Top of the class of killing, the best.” Johnathan gave Albert some of his water, “Are you sure you're alright?”

Albert nodded, “I can feel my mana coming back, slowly, but it’s coming back.” He sighed, “You ready? Only two weeks until school ends.”

Johnathan frowned, “Remember when I thought I was going to be kicked out, then realized that the whole school was built around how I get kicked out?”

Albert nodded and laughed, “Ya! You knew nothing, but now you can summon other you’s! How cool is that?”

Johnathan shook his head, “You can make anything appear out of nowhere! I think you're the better mage.”

Albert laughed, “Coming from the Reality Mage himself.”

Johnathan shook his head, “Not yet, they said they wanted me to wait at least two years until taking ‘private’ lessons from the Master Knight.”

Albert looked confused, “Really? Two years until you learn Reality magic?”

“Well technically one now, but whatever. I just can’t wait to learn more cool stuff, like time magic! Can I travel to other times?”

“Well, kinda. I’ve read you can move time slightly to when you want it to be. Say you just got stabbed by a manticore…”

“Always with the manticores!”

“Well, you’d be able to turn back time and you’d be fine and have the upper hand on your opponent.”

Johnathan nodded, thinking about it. He was relying on space magic too much now, he needed to learn some more time magic. “What about that spellcrafting class you take? Could you help me make a spell that way?”

Albert narrowed his eyes, then started swaying his head. “Maybe, but I think you should learn the basics of what you should do first.” The bell rang and they all left the Gym, Johnathan and Albert waited for everyone to leave so they wouldn’t be in a crowd.

“So do you think I could…” Before Johnathan could finish his question Matthew Murphy grabbed Albert and pushed Johnathan to the ground with two other students behind him.

“Well well, if it isn’t the little trickster.” He said, “You're going to pay for making me look bad in front of our entire class.” He slammed Albert into the wall, “How about we start with a nice cut first, maybe in the leg, make it hurt more.” Matthew summoned some kind of light dagger, and swayed back his arm.

Johnathan got up quickly, and shot out his hand. “No!” He yelled, and a blast of red energy surged to the dagger and hit it right as it neared Albert’s face. The dagger disappeared in the blink of an eye, and Matthew was staring at him with a mix of confusion and surprise.

“What did you just do?” He demanded.

Johnathan just wanted to say, ‘Have no idea buddy!’ But he couldn’t say that, “A spell that can vaporize you all, now get out of here!” The two other students, once looking completely loyal to Matthew. Started running away and soon Matthew, seeing he had no backup, ran as well. Johnathan stood, and almost collapsed under his loss of mana.

Albert stared at him in something of awe, and fear. “What did you just do?”

Johnathan looked to his hand, seeing the fading red magic still on his hand. “I don’t know.” He admitted.