Even in the darkest of times, one can still find light. They just have to look at the stars.
Humans have been blessed by the Divines. For centuries, civilization has flourished, and mankind has rapidly progressed with the use of innate magical power...
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"Tabito! To your left!" Riarshi screamed as a teal-colored arc sliced along the ground, sending a high-pitched screech through the air that pierced his ears.
Tabito heeded Riarshi's warning. He shifted his weight to one foot and dashed to his right. His body went nearly horizontal, arms outstretched in front of him.
The arc missed him by a few inches, dissolving into tiny fragments that twinkled in the hot afternoon sun. Dust that was belched from the attack placed Tabito out of sight behind a whirling cloud, leaving Riarshi to fend for himself until they could regroup.
Sparks surrounded Riarshi's feet, crackling against the abused grass of Practice field B. If he gained even the slightest improvement in speed from his magic, he could lend some help to Tabito in this two on two practical exam duel.
***
In the two weeks since their trip to Merino's, Tabito and Riarshi were teammates for each of their class assignments.
At first, Riarshi was hesitant about the partnership, believing his poor capabilities would hold Tabito back.
Tabito insisted on the team. "Think of it, fire and lightning. That could be the ultimate tag team!"
Riarshi acknowledged that referring to his magic as lightning was a bit of an overstatement, considering his sparks were never bigger than tiny, thin strands of blue light. After fighting through a variety of grueling and heart-racing tasks together, Riarshi came to understand there had to be something in the water that fueled Tabito with an odd type of social energy. Riarshi eventually fell to the pressure, and they formed their team.
It was on this beautiful and cloudless September afternoon that Khohn announced the second practical exam - a two on two duel.
Unfortunately for Tabito and Riarshi, this duel had shown their magic's incompatibility.
The sharp magic arcs were conjured from a girl named Salia, a tall, thin girl whose teal-colored eyes flickered with each attack like tiny jewels. The other opponent was Gomm, a buff and messy-haired boy who didn't speak much in class.
With spark enhanced senses at Riarshi's disposal, Tabito relied on his call-outs of the arcs' speed and direction. For the last five minutes, Riarshi and Tabito had been on the run, their eyes unblinking and their limbs aching with a burning fatigue. Dirt and sweat stained their clothing from the chewed up earth.
If any of these attacks from the other team hit, not only would it seriously injure them, but they'd surely fail the exam. Although they still had a decent amount of magic left, they couldn't run forever. Both Riarshi and Tabito knew they eventually had to go on the offensive.
But each time Tabito attempted to attack with his own spells, Gomm would squat down, slap his hands on the ground, and summon an enormous dirt wall, blocking his advance.
