It was a chaotic tapestry, woven from a riot of colors that seemed to swirl and clash sporadically in the air. Shards of shimmering magic erupted in chaotic bursts, illuminating faces with brilliant flashes that left behind glassy afterimages. Nearby, a cacophony of voices filled the atmosphere as feet scampered in a frenzied dash, their owners shouting fervently, each cry overlapping with the next, forming a discordant symphony that echoed through the tumultuous training room. Amid this pandemonium, Essence—the very fabric of magic itself—spilled forth in turbulent waves, manifesting as unstable spells that flickered erratically like faulty bulbs straining to stay lit. Sparks crackled and zapped through the melee, their electric tendrils snaking out to tease and sting anyone caught too close to the fray, leaving trails of brightness in their wake.
Elaine had honed her skills in surviving cluttered environments over the years. Whenever the Sycamore Festival arrived each year in Page, she and her family found themselves locked in a similar discordant battle against the throngs that flooded the streets. The festival attracted not only Page residents but also visitors from neighboring towns and villages, turning the once quiet streets into a labyrinth of bodies and noise. Navigating through it was a challenge, requiring deft maneuvering to avoid being jostled or shoved to the ground. However, unlike the festival, this exercise did not come with the thrill of festive energy—here, she had to contend with the very real danger of getting struck in the face by an explosive ball of magic.
Just then, as emerald lightning split the air above, Elaine instinctively dropped to her knees, narrowly avoiding an arc of magic that sizzled just overhead. She caught sight of a homunculus not far from where she cowered, stomping its feet into the ground as it pursued another student with famished determination. Once Professor Knight had initiated the exercise, the homunculi had wasted no time. They pounced with vigor, their mismatched limbs flailing in eager search of the students they were tasked to hunt. As Elaine scrambled to her feet, she realized with a jolt that one homunculus had focused solely on her, staring at her without eyes with unsettling intelligence. Well, then. I reckon you're my opponent, Elaine thought, grinning nervously. Confirming her suspicions, the homunculus lowered itself into a crouch, then lunged at her in an elastic display of agility. It smudged into a blur, and fostered no sympathy for those—may they be human or homunculus—who it had rammed out of the way along its aggressive charge.
It was coming for her.
Surges, it was coming for her!
Elaine hesitated as she watched the creature swing back one of its skeletal limbs, forming bony fingers into a tight fist, and hopped several meters into the air, its shadow grazing across the stone floor like a formless, black-colored ghost. Reacting in a hurry, Elaine jumped away, her boots coming to a stop from where she slid over the amethyst magic circle and the enormous runes it comprised. A second later, the homunculus landed in a loud vibration of dust and stone. As the sheet of grime filtered out of existence, Elaine was surprised—and terrified—that a sizable crater had been formed from where the homunculus' fist had plowed into the floor. Light and shadows, these creatures could kill someone. And she felt that their professor was aware of that fact. Yet he authorized the exercise regardless? Out of the corner of her glance, Elaine spotted the bald man sitting on the bleachers to her left.
Was he grading them? Elaine scanned the large man, searching for the telltale papers that might indicate such scrutiny, but found nothing; Professor Knight didn't even have a pen or a clipboard in sight. So what was he doing? The glistening light in his eyes and the amused smile playing on his lips suggested he was relishing the madness unfolding before him, soaking it all in like an audience member at a demented circus. At least someone was enjoying themselves. Elaine, on the other hand, certainly wasn't.
The homunculus pivoted itself at her and lunged, sweeping an arm across the dusty floor as it charged forward, leaving a swirling trail of debris in its wake with every thunderous stomp. In just a few heartbeats, it would breach her personal space. So why wasn’t she taking action? She had a wand in her hand; she was a sorcerer in training. Yet, she froze in place, caught between fear and the desire to unleash her power. Elaine's eyes locked on the Common Wand wrapped in her fingers. Yes, she couldn't just stand around looking helpless. Setting her jaw, she pointed the tip of the wand at the approaching homunculus. But only then did a horrifying discovery strike her like a bolt of lightning to a tree. She guessed that Custas was probably buying himself some time, or maybe there was indeed an aspect of truth attached to the words flung off the tongue of the liar. Whatever the answer may be, what was perfectly apparent to her now was that she had only ever mastered one spell.
One.
Single.
Spell.
And unfortunately for her, it wasn't a combat spell. Elaine ducked agilely out of the way as a massive arm swept overhead. Now that she was this close to the abnormal creature, she could clearly see just how diminutive she was in comparison to the homunculus. It felt as if she were an ant standing before a colossus, its towering frame dwarfing her both in height and intimidation. The expression on its round, featureless head was vacant, yet a fierceness burned behind its artificial flesh. A flickering light of turquoise pulsed rhythmically, echoing the thrum of the diamond-shaped core lodged deep within its chest, an ominous beacon of energy. With a sudden, jarring movement, the homunculus flashed with a wild distortion as it prepared its next strike. Its three-toed foot lifted effortlessly off the ground, the muscles in its leg taut and coiled like a predator ready to pounce. Elaine, her heart racing, couldn't stifle a gasp that escaped her lips as she instinctively leaped to the side, narrowly evading the rapid attack, dust and debris erupting around her as she landed. The creature's foot slammed down where she had just stood, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground and causing fissures to zig-zag across the stone like the crooked legs of a spider.
Elaine leaped backward, not taking her eyes off the creature, and the sudden jolt of someone ramming into a shoulder zapped her with a crunch. Flesh and bone, a human. "Hey!" Abigail hissed, sparing over her shoulder an annoyed scowl. "Watch where you're going, Alaina!"
"Err...it's Elaine actually..." Elaine frowned in response, but she wasn't entirely certain if the girl had heard her as, with a practiced agility, Abigail sidestepped just in time to dodge a punch thrown by the grotesque homunculus—its form a twisted parody of humanity, all jagged edges and malformed features. She pivoted smoothly to her left, gathering her Essence before unleashing a surge of turquoise magic that surged from her wand like a tidal wave. The blast struck the creature with a resounding impact, causing it to stagger back, momentarily stunned. Elaine watched as a ripple of energy raced up the homunculus's legs, a shiver reminiscent of how her dog Milo would shake himself off after getting drenched. For but a moment, Elaine dared to hope that Abigail’s attack might bring it down, though it ultimately only seemed to infuriate the creature further. With a frustrated curse escaping her lips, Abigail retreated in a hopping, backward trot, her eyes wide with determination.
Rapid footsteps sounded behind her, pulling Elaine’s attention to where she spotted her homunculus barreling toward her with a frenetic enthusiasm that made its somewhat misshapen diaphragm flex and contort in a way that seemed almost comical. The creature's awkward gait, a result of its hastily sewn-together limbs, made Elaine momentarily wonder how it had managed to avoid tripping over itself in its frenzied sprint. As she stood rooted to the spot, a familiar wave of frustration washed over her—she was painfully aware that she didn't possess a spell potent enough to inflict any serious damage on her foe.
Just as the homunculus closed the gap, misfortune struck: another of its own clones collided with it, sending both tumbling in an uncoordinated spiral. They crashed down in a chaotic heap, their grey limbs flailing wildly as they struggled to regain their footing. Gasping for breath, Elaine stole a quick glance to her side, where a glimpse of her classmate Cael caught her attention. He stood a short distance away, his dark hair styled in an unmistakable bowl cut. With a wand pointed towards the writhing mass of homunculi, his lips curled into a faint, smug leer. There was a pale, blue-colored gaseous mist swarming around his ankles, entirely swallowing his boots. Is that his magic? Elaine wondered. What effect does it have? Maybe it increases his magical power, a special kind of enhancement?
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Elaine violently shook her head from side to side, her hair whipping around her face. Now wasn’t the time to get distracted—not at all! With beads of sweat clinging to her brow, she had to focus. Cael’s magic, while undeniably impressive, wasn’t enough to keep the homunculus immobilized indefinitely. A few meters away, she discerned the two homunculi scrambling to regain their footing, their movements disjointed and unnatural despite the damage they had just sustained. Then again, most homunculi were not designed to feel pain; to them, the searing sensations coursing through their artificial bodies were mere distractions from their singular purpose of accomplishing their directives.
Elaine took a trembling step back, her grip tightening around her wand, the cool, familiar wood grounding her amidst the insanity. Just as she struggled to regain her composure, another classmate—a frantic figure with wide eyes and disheveled hair—collided with her, slamming into her diaphragm with enough force that, had her stance been any less stable, it would have sent her toppling to the ground. Staggering slightly, she grimaced as a brief stab of discomfort shot through her. It was in that vulnerable instant that Elaine took a swift yet intense sweep of her surroundings: her classmates weren't faring much better than she was.
Most were darting around, scrambling to stay just outside the attack range of their respective homunculi. To Elaine's dismay, she noticed they weren't using their wands; the thought flickered in her mind that they might be out of Essence. No, it was something far more pressing—they were simply too close to one another, each student confined within the dangerous radius of a partner’s fight. Taking down these monstrous homunculi required advanced-level spells, ones that would obliterate the threat but also posed a significant risk of collateral damage. The cost of unleashing her own magic, she realized, might mean injuring one of her classmates in the crossfire. She glanced around at the faces of those fighting alongside her. Each of them had the potential for powerful magic, but what would happen if they chose to abandon their compassion and focus solely on passing Professor Knight’s merciless test?
All of a sudden, a brilliant flash of turquoise energy erupted from the center of the magic circle arena, forcing Elaine to shield her eyes with her forearm instinctively. As the glow subsided, a piercing chill swept through the air, brushing over her skin and causing a flurry of goosebumps to form in its wake. At the heart of the circle stood a girl with billowing auburn hair that danced wildly around her shoulders. Her frigid blue eyes sparkled with intensity as she raised her gleaming wand high above her head.
"Be still, all of you!" she shouted, her voice ringing strong and authoritative. "Open your eyes! Can't you see what's happening here? None of us will pass this assignment if we continue running around recklessly casting our magic! No! Everyone, distance yourselves from one another if you can! Make enough space to confront your homunculus proficiently while affording your neighbors the opportunity to do the same! I understand that you're frightened; your emotions are aflutter. But if we are to succeed as a class, then you must learn to get a hold of yourselves. Right here, right now! Trust in your magic, and use it to strike back!"
Adeline Griffith. She was the daughter of the renowned yet austere Keith Griffith, the current general of the Incantian Military, a family name that commanded respect and fear throughout the country. Despite her high noble status as second cule, her fame extended beyond her lineage. She was a celebrated sorcerer, holding the title of three-time reigning champion of the Sorcerer's Gauntlet, a grueling tournament hosted annually in the Capital. Having such a formidable presence in their midst felt surreal. The weight of her reputation loomed large, but she exuded an air of confidence that inspired those around her. She absolutely embodied the spirit of a champion, the spirit of a soldier.
Cocking her head to the side, Elaine noticed that the girl had partially immobilized her homunculus. Half of its stitched-together body was encased in a layer of steaming ice that rose behind Adeline. All the creature could manage was to flail its only free arm while flashing its luminescent hearthstone in what appeared to be an expression of rage. Did homunculi even possess the capacity for anger? However, its relentless movements suggested that Adeline had not met the requirements of their exercise, which involved the complete subjugation of their respective homunculus. At least, that was what Professor Knight implied with his rather vague instructions. So, had she really prioritized her own assignment and safety for the sake of her classmates? A quick glance at her background revealed that she hailed from a strict, militaristic family, where values like altruism and honor were instilled from infancy instead of the comfort of maternal milk.
Nevertheless, nothing Adeline had articulated was intrinsically false, and the ensuing magical mayhem died as each student sorcerer parted ways with one another. The defensive crowd some of them had formed had dispersed, and they each guided their homunculus off into secluded areas. This provided them with more space to operate, yes, but the same could be said for the homunculi themselves. Elaine had plenty of time to see them in action thus far; they were speedy little demons. As for her homunculus, it had long since recovered, having used Adeline's speech to gather its bearings, and had now entered a furious charge towards her, running in that odd-looking posture where it unnaturally leaned its torso forward.
A line of sweat rippled down Elaine's forehead and dripped off the bottom of her chin. This was it. Unless she did something quickly, the homunculus would defeat her. She'd lose. A mere human couldn't compete with the physical strength of one of these creatures. Shivering, she raised her wand at the homunculus only to have her breath forcefully knocked out of her as the homunculus drove its punch straight inside of her gut. She was met with a spiraling vision of bruised stone, followed by a brief glimpse of the brick walls of the training grounds, and finally, the ceiling up above, the encompassing torches causing her cracked stare to shimmer at the edge. Honestly, Elaine was more so grateful that the blow hadn't killed her. The pain only stung as she took in a staggered breath. Perhaps they had been enchanted so that their attacks on students would be nullified. That would make the most sense as to—
You sulmo! Elaine screamed in her mind. I'll figure out how the magic works later...I have to focus now...
Groaning, Elaine managed to summon the strength to pull herself into a wobbly crouch. The world around her had devolved into an alien blend of blinding colors that disoriented her senses. Yet she forced her mind to focus, gradually deciphering the shadows and shapes looming in her periphery. As she steadied herself on the floor—clumsily shifting her weight from one unsteady leg to the other—one shadow caught her attention. It was racing toward her with heavy, deliberate stomps: the homunculus.
Elaine’s brow furrowed with concern. Did she have enough strength left to dodge its impending strike? She instinctively pressed her fingers against the spot on her waist where the pain throbbed like a wildfire, searing and relentless. It didn’t feel like anything was broken, and while her uniform was slick with sweat, there was no warmth of blood to suggest a grave injury. More or less, she was intact. But she knew that if she hesitated any longer, that might change in an instant. The homunculus loomed over her like a colossus made from stitched skin, its long arm raised menacingly over its eyeless face. Clenching her jaw, she steeled herself and waited. Just as the creature swung downwards, she propelled herself sideways, heart hammering in her chest. A gust of wind whipped past her face, powerful enough to disrupt her balance, and in her frantic retreat, she nearly tripped over a stone obtrusion jutting out of the floor. The homunculus tilted its head, momentarily confused, before it bolted after her again, its heavy footfalls thundering like drums.
Fritz! These things are persistent!
Rekindling a strategy, Elaine soon found out that her commoner's wand was still in her hand. Had she seriously not let go of the thing, even after getting flung around like a ragdoll? The homunculus had closed in on her again. This time, it settled for a nasty kick to the side of her waist. It wasn't as powerful as its previous punch, but it was still enough to make Elaine cry out in pain. She dropped to her knees, surrendering to the agony rattling her bones, tears bubbling in her eyes. She wanted it to stop. She wanted to give up, to put an end to all of this pain and humiliation. Wincing, she ventured to stare up at the homunculus slowly approaching. It knew, more than likely, that this sorry excuse for a duel was over.
No, the wand, it was still firmly grasped in her hand, a lifeline to the magical world she yearned to master. There was still a glimmer of hope, wasn’t there? With a grunting effort, Elaine tightened her grip, her knuckles white against its surface. She couldn’t allow herself to give up so easily. She was a mage, a dreamer with aspirations of becoming a Professional Sorcerer. She repeated that desire in her mind, a mantra woven from threads of determination. It looped around her thoughts like an eternal melody, insistent and unwavering, drowning out the sinister whispers of doubt. That cold, unforgiving emotion—a bitter chill that gnawed at her insides—only fueled her resolve; it made her want to fight back with every ounce of magic she possessed. Suddenly, something deep within her resonated, chiming like the bells of the old church tower in Page. For just a moment, Elaine could have sworn she heard a sound—a flicker that danced through the air, like countless pages of an enormous tome billowing from one cover to the next, each turn whispering secrets of forgotten spells and ancient wisdom. The haunting echoes, they ignited a glow deep within her soul.
Wh...What's happening...? A new sensation washed over her, filling her with confidence. With strength. The homunculus disjointed its neck in an abnormal manner only a puppet could make, and then sprang from its position. At the same time, Elaine swung her wand at it, unsure what she was doing. It was as if her body was moving on its own. The homunculus took another step, extending its long arm for her with its bony fingers, and Elaine shouted at it, "Light Magic: Icto Lumen!"
Light surged from the tip of her wand, which she had aimed at the homunculus' chest, where its artificial heart pulsed faintly. Elaine's magic awakened with a roar.
