My New Life in TBATE

Growing pains

Arthur came at me with his blade held close as he sped forward, boosted by wind mana. He was costing his sword in the wind mana like I had taught him back then on our journey. The slash came fast, but I held up my sword at an angle and let his slide off.

The clash of his wind mana coated sword and my mine released a small gust of wind that sent our hair flying as he continued his attacks. Each swing generating a gale of wind that sent rocks and dirt flying from our position. The earth melded with his feet as he used it to keep him steady with each class and used it to add more force into his swings.

They were indeed quite heavy, but nothing compared to some of the beasts I had fought against in dungeons. He sent a blast of wind mana towards me that I deflected with a wind wall but quickly had to dodge some earth spikes he conjured beneath me.

Like this we continued back forth, sometimes I would let Arthur lead the exchange before I would counter and take control to push him. After only 10 minutes he was breathing heavily with multiple nicks and cuts on his body as he held his ribs from a particularly heavy punch I delivered.

However instead of send another attack my way I see Arthur freeze up with a terrified expression as he whirls around to see Tessia. She was clutching her chest where her core would be and was falling from a vine she had conjured as an attack from grawder and Curtis was blasting towards her.

Ah yes, that's right. Something like this does happen in the book, I had honestly forgotten after so long. I tie a mana string around Arthur as I pull up my amulet that allows me to control the functions of the other amulets I gifted my close friends and family.

I had deactivated the protection features as that would be quite unfair for the ones fighting against them. With a bit of mana i sent through, Tessia's amulet was activated again just as the blast reached her. Arthur was too worried to think rationally and only screamed in anguish as the blast approached her. He glared at me when he looked away and I just shrugged, which didn't seem to be the correct response as he charged me.

Or tried to as my mana string held him back and I walked towards him pointing past him.

"You really shouldn't let your emotions get the best of you Arthur. Do you really think I would let one of my apprentices get injured? Especially the one that makes the best tea out of all of you." I said while shaking my head and walking past him, releasing my strings as I did and he dashed to Tessia who was on the ground writhing in pain.

"Professor Glory, I think we should end this exercise here. I need to take the Vice President to get help." Glory stared at me as she reached the ground before absently nodding. Clive also rushed up to see what happened to Tessia as Claire comical smacked Curtis over the head.

Arthur lifted Tessia up into his arms and looked to me and I nodded as I started walking.

"We're going to the training room, Arthur." I said and he jogged up beside me before realizing he was moving Tessia too much.

"The training room? She needs to go to the infirmary and see what's wrong with her!" He exclaimed in slight anger and I turned toward him with a displeased expression.

"I know what's wrong with her, and this could have all been avoided had you told me what you had done. You gave her that damn elder guardian core didn't you?" He flinched back at my tone, but nodded as we continued our brisk pace to the training room.

"What does that have to do with anything?" He asked and I nearly scoffed out loud but kept it within.

"You remember how you told me your core was in pain when you were given your beast will?" He nods so I continue.