"Argh! I can't stand this any longer! This is a load of crap!" Abby complained loudly from where she crouched to her knees on the grassy forest floor. The brown-skinned girl could make a scowl so fierce it'd probably intimidate a land dragon, assuming she wasn't angry enough to toss one of the large beasts herself. "That surgin' Adeline knew exactly what she was doing, keeping us back here while she and that brown-nosing Simon get to have all the fun."
Kliff's frown sat on his face; there was no use in entering an argument with someone as stubborn as her, but that didn't stop poor Mason from trying. The taller student cocked his head at her from where he stood, only a few paces away from the girl, his muscular arms crossed over his bulky chest and his curly hair dancing in the breeze. "We've been over this already, Abigail. There's no changing the plan now. My advice: sit quietly until—"
"Sit quietly?! That's all we've been doing! For hours now!" Abby grunted, tossing a stone so forcefully it collided with the trunk of a tree some several meters ahead. For some reason, Mason was one of the few people who could call Abby by her actual name without getting their heads torn off the very next second. "I'm sick of all this waiting. This is supposed to be a combat drill, ain't it?"
"Not necessarily," Mason replied softly. "In this exam, why, I believe Professor Knight will be assessing how well we adapt to new situations. Being tossed into an unknown territory with only a single objective sounds like bubbling chaos in a pot. Depending on how well we perform at tackling this new scenario, that'd distinguish who gets a higher grade and who doesn't."
"So, what? Are you tellin' me that...just staying here talking to you dorks for the next hour or so will be enough to score me a good grade?"
Mason shrugged. "In theory."
"Adeline surmised as much as well," Kliff added from behind them. "It's why she ordered us to stay put."
Abby sharpened a glare back at him from over her shoulder. "Yeah? Well, I don't care much for her reasoning. Doesn't change the fact that this job is surgin' boring!"
Kliff smirked to himself—careful not to let his amusement show to an already frustrated Abby—and tilted his head back, both eyes closed. If he concentrated well enough, he could detect them, the pulses of magic. His classmates' Essence Signatures. A few he recognized, such as their teammates Adeline and Simon, who were currently engaged with...Fearne, of all people.
That should be interesting, Kliff thought, smiling. I'm curious to see how that duel concludes. Although, something's...different about Fearne's Essence Signature. I wonder what that's about?
Kliff's Magic Sense detected a group of four students further ahead, walking in the opposite direction. Sparrows, most likely. Sensing the upcoming duel, they probably deemed it unwise to engage in a direct confrontation. However, if they aimed to succeed in the exam, they would have to use their wands eventually.
As part of the Griffin team, Adeline devised a simple yet effective plan. She and a small group of fellow team members would disperse across the surrounding area, vigilant for any intruding Sparrows encroaching on their territory. The Sparrows, bold enough to venture through, would inevitably make their way towards them. For any crafty Sparrows who managed to evade their patrols, Abby, Mason, and he would be ready to spring into action.
Adeline had placed great trust in them as the team's final line of defense, and her decision was quite understandable. Despite all her eccentricities and unconventional behavior, Abby was an exceptionally talented mage with a specialization in Earth Magic. Through numerous training sessions and practice battles, Kilff observed her transformation into a relentless force when engaged in magical combat. In essence, she seemed to embody the ideal guard dog.
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Radiance - The Alight Archives Book #1
FantasyA humble potion-maker with barely a token to her name. A bright, responsible daughter as well as a caring sister. A girl with big aspirations and a fiery yearning to study the mystic arts. And now she's a...sorcerer in training? After a life-alterin...