20: Signs Of Awakening (2)

'My princess, did you really succeed in breaking the curse...'

As her consciousness slowly drifted away, she faintly heard a voice speaking in her mind. Before she could discern where the voice was coming from, her body shut down and she fell unconscious. The vibrating amulet became calm once again.

The two siblings lay unconscious on the ground.

***

Just a few minutes ago, before she screamed, something mysterious had happened inside her body.

Her heart was pounding faintly in her chest as electric currents surged around her, causing her body to convulse with each shocking jolt.

A drop of blood oozed from her mouth and fell onto her amulet, hidden beneath her uniform. As it dripped down her body, the amulet began to vibrate even more violently, and she felt a strange energy pulsating within her.

It felt as though a scorching stream of lava was coursing through her veins, causing excruciating pain that surpassed even the pain from the lightning field, to rise from deep within her.

As the pain became even more unbearable, she opened her mouth and let out a sharp, ear-splitting scream. Simultaneously, she felt the hot energy pulsating within her, traveling up towards her mouth. As she opened her mouth and screamed, an enormous flame of golden-red hue burst forth, engulfing the entire lightning field within a radius of about two meters. This flame resembled the fiery breath of a dragon.

The flame instantly obliterated Wilson's lightning field, and its intense heat wave rippled forth, pushing Wilson back a few inches from his original position. That was when she slumped to the ground with her brother and blacked out.

***

Most of the other sections in the Department of Elemental and Variant Magic had already finished their lessons and were exiting the department when they heard a high-pitched scream. This further attracted more students to the area for lightning elemental studies.

Troy, who was in the area for water elemental students, activated his wind ability and swiftly zoomed off towards the source of the sound. Zoya and Cedric were not exceptions, especially since the scream sounded familiar to a particular person's voice. Only this time, it was not indifferent but desperate.

The other elemental teachers didn't bother to investigate what had happened, as it had become a norm in the academy. Brawls and skirmishes among students were a daily occurrence for them, and they had never intervened in other cases. This one is not a special case.

But one of the teachers, who happened to be a department head, was already pacing around as if he were searching for someone. Around his neck hung a sparkling diamond amulet that jostled slightly.

Back on the scene, where the two siblings were lying unconscious on the ground. This particular area of the department has plunged into turmoil. The students were puzzled by the unexpected turn of events.

"What happened? She is a 1-star beginner mage right? How did she generate such a huge flame burst?" One of the girls asked, watching as Wilson's smug face soured.

"I actually don't know either. But don't you think that what she cast was her spirit spell? I heard that mages will unleash their spirit spells for the first time when faced with a life-and-death situation," another boy spoke.

"Spirit spell? I doubt it. She is still a beginner mage. Mages can only unleash their spirit spells at the intermediate level or above. She is a Zeccammon. Maybe she has a protection artifact that will manifest itself if her life is threatened," another boy said, looking at the other two.

"Have you ever heard of an artifact that can spit out flames? What a ridiculous thought!" The girl said, and the other two laughed. "I think she had a breakthrough in that lightning field. Just look at her watch; it is emitting a green light, indicating a breakthrough." She suggested pointing to Evelyn's watch, which was still glowing green, confirming that she had indeed made a breakthrough.

Another group of students was also discussing the same thing.

"She is so lucky. Wilson should be congratulated for being the catalyst of her breakthrough," said a man with scarlet hair, glancing at Wilson.

Wilson had found his footing; that wave of heat was certainly formidable. It was able to push back a genius like him and even make him sweat.

"Is that all you could offer?" he said as he wiped the sweat from his face. "I thought you had potential and would be a worthy opponent of mine. But it turns out that you are a piece of trash, a disgrace to the Zeccammons. Even with the breakthrough, that you have to thank me for, all you could do was make me sweat and then you collapsed." Wilson smirked as if an evil idea had struck his mind.

"You asked for it, so don't blame me for what I'm about to do," he said as he stomped his feet on the ground. Currents of lightning shrouded his entire body, making him look like a god of lightning.

The blue lightning spread out as bolts flew towards the students who surrounded him, warning them to stay away from whatever he was about to do.

"What is he going to do to them with such powerful lightning?" A student who had arrived from the nearby wind elemental section said.

"He must be too ruthless to attack them even while they are unconscious. That's not what a powerful mage should do," another student chimed in, as they all watched what was about to unfold, not wanting to get involved in the situation.

Raising both of his hands, Wilson unleashed a vortex of lightning bolts.

[Thunderbolt]

The vortex of lightning, accompanied by roaring thunder, surged towards Evelyn and Elvis.

Before the attack could hit, a thick wall of rocky earth rose up in front of the two unconscious siblings, effectively blocking the attack. But it did not last. A thunderous sound wave shattered the earthen wall from the lightning strike.

Advancing further, the bolt headed straight for Evelyn. However, this time, a dark shadow enveloped the two siblings in its embrace. A male figure stood before the shadow, while another hovered in the air. It was these two who had tried to protect the two siblings lying unconscious on the ground.

—— — ——

How It All Started, Two Hours Ago.

After separating from the others, Elvis walked towards the area specially designated for the lightning elemental students. In front of the already gathered students stood their lightning elemental teacher.

Just like the lesson on fire elementals, these guys were also going to learn how to summon their lightning element and the basics of illumination. This is because lightning and fire are similar in that they are both summoned in a similar way and can illuminate a dark place.

Except that flames flicker with heat, while lightning crackles with currents. Summoning lightning is more difficult than summoning flames because lightning wielders cannot rely on an external source. However, during cloudy weather, a lightning wielder can tap into natural lightning.

The students here each summoned their lightning abilities, which ranged in color from white, light green, brown, light yellow, and light blue. Although three of them were unsuccessful with the summoning.

When Elvis was called, he summoned his white lightning, which crackled with energy, leaving the other students amazed by his great affinity for lightning. Only a few of them had an affinity for this element.

"Great. The Zeccammons really live up to their name as a lightning elemental family," the teacher commented. That was when Wilson walked in, his body clad with lightning.

"That is poor. Let me show you what the Zeccammons lightning is capable of. Hope you don't mind?" He proudly announced, looking directly at Elvis. This confirms the rumor that he wants the glory of the Zeccammons to remain solely with him and not be passed down to any younger generation. Such a narcissist!

"Wilson, you can go to the training grounds to spar instead. Not here," the teacher said, trying to prevent the impending fight.

'Since Ivory asked me to teach them a lesson. I will do that and I will start with him,' he thought.

Completely ignoring the teacher, he lifted his hand and directed a single strand of lightning at Elvis.

Elvis, who wasn't skilled in his element yet, responded with a bolt of his own.But when the two collided, the winner was evident. As Wilson's lightning bolt advanced towards him, he swiftly dodged it. However, he wasn't lucky enough to avoid the next one, which struck him and left his body paralyzed, shaking violently.

Unlike flame users, who are somehow resistant to the heat of their fellow pyro-mages, the same cannot be said for lightning users.

Elvis did his best to cover his body with a coat of lightning to avoid getting shocked again. He succeeded. But the next flurry of lightning bolts broke through his defenses.

Elvis did his best to fight back, but he was easily overpowered and then trapped in Wilson's lightning field. You don't expect a beginner mage to win over an expert mage, do you? There is an obvious power difference of two ranks between the two.

That was when Evelyn arrived at the scene.