(10) Magic Test

Samuel walks into the middle of the yard and gestures to Meadow and Oswald to follow.

"Let's put your plants to the test. Oswald, why don't we start with your plant. Meadow could step to the side, and Oswald will step forward with your plant."

Oswald struggles to pick off his plant and carry it to where Samuel suggested. Meadow stepped off with her plant pouting a bit, because she wanted to show off first.

"To make this a bit more fair. I will only use water magic. Your goal is to use your magic and defend against my attacks. Remember to focus on controlling your magic and make sure you keep your leakage to a minimum."

"Yeah, yeah. I got this!"

Oswald huffed just wanting to start already. His teacher just shook his head and thought to himself. 'Such talent, yet lacking in other areas. It's such a shame.' His eyes drift and look toward Meadow, who was quietly listening to his instruction with an eagerness to learn. Seeing Meadow holding her tiny plant, he sighed. 'Truly, such a shame.'

Samuel refocuses his attention back to Oswald and senses Oswald's magic stirring like crazy. Two water pillars shoot up from the ground adjacent to Samuel.

"Let's begin."

At Samuels words, Oswald lets his magic explode. Oswald's plant grows into a huge plant wall that continues to grow into thickness.

Samuel nods his head in approval of Oswald's magic wall and starts pelting it with water spears that are shooting out of the water pillars next to him. Holes appear in the plant wall after each spear hits, but the plants quickly regenerate.

Meadow, who is watching from the sideline, is impressed by her brother's ability to quickly recover from Samuel's attacks. However, she can't help but to feel sorry for the plant that is continuously being sliced and chopped up.

Samuel decides to kick it up a notch and starts attacking the base of the plant. Oswald foresees the attack and quickly grows plants to protect the base of his plant.

Samuel internally applauds Oswalds ability to quickly refocus his magic, until he sees Oswald's taunting smirk. After seeing his smirk, Samuel takes it further by focusing all of his attacks on the base of the plant and increases the speed.

Oswald starts sweating from the brutal attacks from the professor, but it doesn't wipe the smirk off his face. After continuous attacks, the spears stop hitting Oswalds plant wall.

Oswald drenched in water and sweat looks up towards his exhausted professor. He had defended against his professors' attacks for 45 minutes straight.

"I believe that is enough, or else we won't have time for Meadow."

"Hah… Hah… I could have kept going"

Oswald replied panting. Samuel walked toward Oswald avoiding all the plant debris. He pats Oswald on his back which removes all the water that was currently on him.

"You did well, Oswald. Your control was slightly lacking, as your magic was leaking more as time went on. However, your control is on par with most advance magical students, who are three times your age."

Oswald contained his panting and looked up at Samuel as if saying 'What else did you expect?' Quite proud of himself, he looked towards Meadow and smirked.

Meadow couldn't decide if he was taunting her or was waiting for her to praise him as well. However, soon Oswald looked away and turned towards the professor.

"If that is it, I am going to leave."

"Leave? You should stay and learn by watching."

"I don't want to. What will I learn by watching her?"

"..."

Her professor paused and looked toward Meadow and her tiny plant. He wasn't sure what to say to that retort. Meadow pretended to be unfazed by Oswald's words and her professor's reaction, but deep down she was irked.

Samuel thought hard for some time on what to say to Oswald to make him stay.

"You can learn things from places you never expected to…"

However when he looked back towards Oswald he was already running back towards the mansion. Oswald shouted and waved back to his professor.

"See you next time professor."

'Oswald, I bet he's going to take a nap. I swear if I get a chance I will put him in his place with magic, I will.' Meadow thought to herself as she walked towards her professor who was standing there dumbfounded.

"Is it my turn, Professor Greyweather?"

"Ahh.. yes, let's begin. Why don't you set up here and I will go back to my spot."

"Yes, Professor."

As Samuel walked back to where he was originally standing, he cleared the broken bits of plants with his wind magic. 'My fight with Oswald drained quite a bit of my magic.' Samuel peaked back towards Meadow who was lovingly setting her flower on the ground. 'I should have more than enough magic to handle this.'

As Meadow set her plant down, she whispered to it so only she and the plant could hear. "I will do my best to protect you, my little flower. I won't let you get all battered like Oswald's plant." Meadow looked to her left at the plant that Oswald left behind.

It was still pretty bushy, but it had huge chunks missing out of it and looked like it would start wilting at any moment.

"It's so sad. Let's do our best, little flower."

"Are you ready?"

Meadow jumped up at Samuel's question and brushed the wrinkles out of her dress.

"Yes, Professor, I am ready."

"Okay then let's begin."

Two pillars shot up beside the professor ready to attack. However, they were not as big or as menacing as when he fought with Oswald. Meadow could tell that there was little magic in these pillars.

'He is not taking me seriously at all.' Meadow grumbled to herself and then released her magic.

Samuel felt Meadow's magic flowing out of her at an intense speed, but her flower did not change in size at all. 'I figured that she was lacking, but to this extent. This is a bit much. Her magic is heading towards the plant but nothing.' Samuel shook his head.

"Meadow, are you going to start?"

Meadow heard the disappointment in his voice but she just grinned.

"But Professor, I already have started. I suggest you should as well."

Samuel was taken aback by Meadow's grin and taunt. 'Nothing was changing with her flower, what is she so confident about.'

"What the?"

The ground started to shake viciously around Samuel that he had trouble staying on his feet. A moment later plant roots shot up from the ground. The roots absorbed Samuel's water pillars before another pair wrapped around Samuel's ankles.

Before he even had a chance to counter, Samuel was hanging upside. He saw Meadow standing next to her tiny plant and grinned at her professor, quite pleased with herself.

The initial shock had dissipated, and Samuel cut himself down using wind magic. He used wind magic to lightly flip himself back right side up on the ground.

The roots he cut regenerated but did not move to attack.

"Meadow, I believe I told you that the objective of this duel was to defend."

"But Professor, aren't some of the greatest defenses a great offense? It is not like I am actually attacking. I am just rendering my opponent incapable of fighting back… Plus it's because you weren't taking me seriously."

Meadow retorted defending her innocence before mumbling the last part. Her professor could not argue with her logic. Also, he could understand Meadow's frustrations. He had not taken her seriously and it was his fault for letting himself end up in that position.

"You are right, it is my fault for not taking you seriously. I apologize for my behavior. Then should we begin for real?"

"Yes!"

Two new giant pillars of water shot up behind the professor away from the group of roots. Then the pressor jumped back towards the pillars and started sending water blades towards the roots that chased after him.

When the blades of water connected to the roots they were partially absorbed before inflicting damage. He was really impressed with Meadow's control over her magic. She did not seem to be leaking even a drop of magic.

'I really was a fool for thinking that this child was lacking.'

He continuously sent water blades and would change it up by sending an occasional wind blade. However, Meadow never faltered in her attacks. Samuel would occasionally try to send a wind blade towards the tiny flower when he saw an opening, but a root would always pop up to protect the plant.

Samuel was seriously impressed with Meadow's performance, her control was probably superior to his own and on par with some of the greatest mages in history. 'And if she had a greater magical capacity like her brother, she would be a true monster.' Samuel shuddered at the thought.

Realizing that they had gone over on class time, Samuel called off the fight.

"Let's stop here for today."

The roots all stopped moving. Samuel moved his way towards Meadow to discuss her performance, but he was curious about one thing.

"Meadow, are all the roots really coming from this tiny flower?"

Samuel just couldn't believe that all these thick and strong roots are from this tiny flower. It just didn't seem right. He reached down and tried to pick up the flower pot from the ground, but it wouldn't budge.

"Yes, they really are all from this plant."

Samuel didn't feel that Meadow was lying, especially after he tried to move the flower pot. He sighed when looking back at the yard now full of holes and giant plant roots sticking up from the ground.

"Professor, what is the matter?"

"I promised your gardener and mother that we wouldn't do too much damage to the yard. It seems that we got a bit carried away."

"Oh! that. I can fix that."

Samuel looked down at Meadow in anticipation, excited to see what this little girl was going to do next. He felt Meadow concentrating her magic and was soon shocked. All the roots started to retract back into the ground leaving behind only holes.

Soon the grass roots started to push the soil around the holes to fill it up. Then the new grass sprouted up on top of the freshly filled hole. After finishing fixing up all the holes, Meadow was out of breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She knew that she had used up almost all of her magic now.

"Hah.. There… hah… hah… all fixed!"

Meadow bent down and picked up her tiny flower before turning back towards her professor.

Next thing Meadow saw was a flash of blonde hair that swished before her. She looks at the top of her professor's head as he bowed before her.

"Again, I apologize for not taking you seriously and thinking that you are lacking in magic."

"It is alright, professor, really it is fine."

Her professor lifted his head and looked at Meadow with sparkling emerald eyes. Meadow was taken aback. He had a similar look about him that reminded her of her family. She was a bit too exhausted to deal with such enthusiasm.

"You are a true talent. I do not believe that there are many who have a better control of their magic than you. I do not think you let even a single drop of magic leak. How did you accomplish such a feat at such a young age?"

Before Meadow even got a chance to reply her professor continued.

"If you have such amazing control over your magic, why did you show up to class with such a measly flower? Especially if you have the power to create something more grand?"

"I just didn't want to force the plant to grow. I just supported its growth with my magic."

"Why?"

"Plants that are forced to grow tend to be weaker and more likely to die. I believe it is important to form a connection to my plants."

"Interesting."

Samuel was truly interested in Meadow and her magic method. He wanted to continuously question her, but soon his magical apparatus in his pocket buzzed. Remembering that they were over time for class, he looked down at Meadow disappointed he couldn't continue.

"It looks like we went over time for class. I need to get going and I believe you also have another class to attend to. I am sorry you will be late to it."

Meadow also just remembers that she has a class after this. She is not ready to go to deal with Gladys today. She debates skipping it like her brother, but feels that she should go.

"Would you like me to accompany you to your next class and apologize to your professor."

"No, Professor, that is quite alright. Thank you for today's classes. I look forward to the next class."

"Yes, then have a good day. I will be heading off now."

Meadow happily waved her professor off before her face turned back towards the mansion. Her facial expression darkened as she looked at the window of the room that Gladys teaches from. 'Well, I better get going, today was fun while it lasted.'