Zane stood still. Staring at the wooden dummy at a far distance. The crowds were quite unlike before. After all, the man in the center of the hall was none other than the weakest Thaleward himself. What else would they expect from him other than failure? The crowds were basically thinking that Zane simply volunteered to make himself look tough.
Among the crowds, Zane could hear a bunch of students laughing at him. But he chose to ignore it and focus in front of him.
Everyone watched him tensely as he prepared to cast a spell.
[So, Velrath. What do I need to do?]
Velrath's smile was wide. He looked like he was planning something devious. He was even laughing softly.
[Zane, you possess lighting affinity, right?]
Zane was confused. He then decided to ask.
[Yeah, why?]
Velrath paused for a while, he then said.
[Well, I plan on transferring a part of my memory to you. I remembered I created a magic spell back when I was still a child. But, well, I never really got to use it since it wasn't really a destructive type of spell, so I deemed it useless. Although it isn't really something destructive, it consumes a ton of mana, but I doubt it would do anything to you. It's a lighting type of spell that can capture someone in just seconds. I call it the lighting rope! I know it sounds shit; I was a child at that time.]
Zane paused for a bit, trying to process all the stuff that Velrath was saying to him. He was confused about how Velrath was going to transfer him a part of his memories. He figured that it had something to do about their connections again.
[Hold, on. How are you even going to transfer a figment of your memory to me?]
Velrath's expression remained the same. Zane was really starting to get creepy by his strange behavior today.
[I created a spell back then. It can basically transfer a part of my memory to someone.]
Zane paused for a bit before responding. He then said with a casual tone.
[Alright, then what do I need to do?]
Velrath paused for a bit; his face looked like he was confused or was trying to remember something. He crossed his arms, he then said.
[Uh, just stay still for a bit. I'm trying to remember how I did it...]
"..."
Zane's face turned somber. His body started trembling a little bit. He then responded.
[You told me to trust you!]
Velrath's eyes were closed, and his arms were crossed. He then responded with a relaxed tone.
[Calm down; I will definitely be able to remember it, just like how I did when we met for the first time.]
[You better do!]
Zane answered furiously.
...
Meanwhile, the crowd was waiting for Zane to do something. Zane had been standing in the center of the training hall for so long that the students are starting to think that he really just voluntered to make himself look tough.
"Hey, why is he taking so long?"
"Look, he's trembling! Man, he looks like he's going to pee any second now!"
Zeph and Vax were watching him among the crowds. Zeph was smiling—a smile that meant no good. Vax was even worse; his smile was as devious as a demon's smile. It seemed like they really planned for his downfall.
Vax smirked; he then said to Zeph.
"What an idiot; he should've just stayed low instead of trying to make himself look shit."
Zeph paused for a bit before responding, he then said.
"Funny, I really expected him to be able to do something."
...
Vale's face looked concerned as he looked at Zane among the crowds.
'Damn it, Zane! Just what the hell are you doing with your goddamn life?!'
...
Professor Ferlin was also starting to doubt Zane's courage of volunteering himself to do the task. He stared at Zane tensely. Aside from the fact that he was doubting Zane, he could also feel something different from him. However, he just couldn't tell what it was.
'Strange... what is this feeling...'
...
[Velrath! Hurry up!]
Zane stood still, just like what he had been doing before. He was simply standing motionlessly and looking at the wooden dummy in front of him. He looked like a statue.
Meanwhile, Velrath looked like he had a seizure again. Trying to remember the spell he had once created and learned.
[Hmm... I can remember it a little bit...]
Zane gritted his teeth; he then responded.
[Your kidding! You are embarrassing me, damn it! Hurry up!]
Finally, Professor Ferlin lost his patience and decided to ask Zane.
"Uhm, excuse me, Zane. You may leave if you really can't do it. I appreciate your courage for volunteering."
Suddenly, the whole crowd, including Ferlin, looked shocked. The crowd became quiet; they simply focused on the man standing in the center of the training hall.
Zane, who had been standing motionlessly for a long time, suddenly took a stance. He took out his magic wand from his back; he then pointed it towards the wooden dummy in front of him.
[Focus Zane; don't try to pour too much mana to it, or it would go too fast. The spell itself is already fast, so just try to put in enough mana to be able to cast the spell. Also, make sure that the speed of the spell is just enough for you to control it's projectile.]
Zane's eyes were feirce as blades as he focused at the wooden dummy. He then responded in his thoughts.
[Alright.]
The spell that Velrath had transferred into Zane's mind is called the lighting rope. It's basically named like that because it's a lighting rope that is as fast as the eye can see; well, it depends on the caster. What makes this spell truly unique and interesting is that the caster can control it's speed and it's projectile. As long as the caster is fast enough to be able to change it, I guess.
Everyone watched tensly as Zane took a stance.
"I bet he's going to pass out before he could even cast the spell."
"He looks like he is about to shit himself; will he be fine?"
...
Zeph's face turned serious by Zane's action. However, Vax still remained the same. His smile had become even wider.
"Come on, Zeph. Do you actually think he will be able to do it? Just relax."
Zeph didn't respond; he simply continued to watch Zane tensely.
...
Meanwhile, Vale looks like he was about to lose his mind. It's not that he doesn't believe in Zane; it's just that things would become worse for him if he failed to do the task.
...
[Do it, Zane.]
Zane was pointing his wand at the wooden dummy. Then, suddenly. Lightning started to flow from his body. It first appeared from his lower body, then from his upper body. The lightning basically went from his feet to his head, then finally to his wand.
As the lightning that flowed from his body started to flow into his wand, a ball-looking lightning started appearing at the tip of his wand. Then he fired it at the wooden dummy in front of him. As he fired it, the force of the projectile made him take a step back.
The moment he fired the ball-looking lightning at the wooden dummy, the bright light of the lightning started to illuminate in the entire hall, flashing most of the student's eyes. Then the ball-looking lightning started to form into a rope. It moved so fast that it was almost hard for anyone to see it.
Then, finally. As it headed straight to the dummy, it suddenly changed its ways, heading towards the wooden dummy at the back.
The lightning rope entangled the wooden dummy. The force was so strong that as it entangled in the wooden dummy, the wooden dummy flew a few distances the moment the lightning rope hit it.
"..."
The crowd was silent. Just moments ago, they had been talking, laughing, moving. But now, not a single sound.
Their eyes were wide, their mouths slightly open. Some held their breath, others clutched their seats. A few stood still, frozen in place. Whatever they had just seen left them in shock, unable to speak or even think.
"N-no way!"
"Did Zane just cast an advance spell?!"
...
Vale was stunned for a moment. His eyes were wide, his mouth was slightly open. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.
"No way! He really did it!"
...
Zeph's expression however, didn't look like he was that shocked by what Zane just did. His eyes were slightly wide, and his mouth were closed. However deep down, he felt worser than anybody else.
Vax was pretty much just as the same as the crowd. His eyes were wide and his mouth was wide open.
Both of them couldn't say a single word to each other.
...
Professor Ferlin stood at the corner of the training hall. Before, he had been doubting Zane. Thinking that he had simply volunteered cause he couldn't take Zeph's words.
But now, it seems that Zane had proved him wrong.
Professor Ferlin's eyes were wide, as he watched Zane.
He doesn't know how. How could Zane suddenly cast an advance spell? When just yesterday he passed out trying to cast his family's simpliest barrier magic. Sure, a barrier magic may cause more mana to cast.
But that was one of Thaleward's most simpliest barrier spell he had tried to cast. Even despite having an enchanted wand he still couldn't cast it.
Zane's wand was a personal gift from his mother, that explains it's amazing structure. But, what truly makes it amazing is that it stores mana just like how a mana core does. It also gives Zane a better mana control, and a more impactful casting.
Professor Ferlin, speculated that he was able to cast an advance spell because of his wand. But after thinking about it for a while. It definitely can't be it. I mean after all, Zane had passed out trying to cast a simple barrier yesterday, which has just an equal amount of mana with the spell he just casted recently.
A smile appeared from Professor Ferlin's stoic face. Then he clapped his hands.
His claps could be heard from everyone's ears.
Sooner after the training hall started to get louder again. Everyone started glance at each other as they whispered about what has just happened.
Vale was the second person who had clapped his hand.
Then a few more claps could be heard. Others simply remained still.
...
Zane was breathing heavily and sweats were dripping down on his forehead. But, it wasn't really because he was tired. It was simply an overwhelming situation for him.
[Good job, Zane! I didn't expect for you to do it that accurately!]
Zane was stunned for a bit. He also couldn't believe what he had just done, it was his first time casting an advance spell, yet he could still feel an incredible amount of mana inside him.
It felt amazing.
It felt new.
Hearing as the crowd cheered on him. Well not everyone ofcourse, there were just a few. But still, it was enough to make him smile.
He looked around him.
Then he looked towards Vale who was jumping happily, cheering on him.
It was strange. It felt somewhat strange to be the center of attention, for something great. To the point that he actually felt overwhelmed.
Then the professor slowly came up to him.
"Congratulations, Zane."
Hearing Professor Ferlin's voice, he looked towards him.
"That was impressive, Zane. You may go back now."
Zane paused for a bit, he then said.
"Thank you, Professor Ferlin."
Then he turned back, heading to his spot earlier.
[You just had to embarrass me for a while, Velrath.]
Velrath smirked, he then said.
[Well, it was worth the wait, wasn't it?]
A faint smile appeared on Zane's face.
[Well, I can't say it wasn't.]