Classes

"Before the club rush starts and the school day officially begins, I have an announcement to make..."

As the President introduced the DC, we walked out onto the stage one behind the other with Curtis' World Lion stomping behind us. We performed a short choreography dagger dance of throwing, catching and flipping our daggers before catching them and holding them out toward the crowd.

...

Ada and I walked to our first class, Practical Mana Manipulation 2, after saying goodbye to our comrades. Luckily, being DC members, we are allowed to be a little late so Ada and I took our sweet time finding our class.

We eventually made it to our classroom, somehow not being super late, and took a seat in an empty row behind Arthur, Kathlyn, and Feyrith. The professor introduced himself as 'Professor Geist, former A-rank adventurer.' He gave a very brief introduction of the class and scanned the room. "I'm sure everybody is curious as to how strong the Disciplinary Committee members are, right? Can't have them being weak, now, can we." He stared at each of us in turn, waiting for some to volunteer to fight him.

Surely no one would fall for such obvious bait-

"I will!" Ada and Feyrith shouted at the same time. Geist pointed at Feyrith and called him down to the platform, and Ada gave a quiet 'tch' under her breath.

The professor started the duel and Feyrith conjured a domain of water, "Flood Domain!"

A domain spell. Not bad for a first-year. I doubt any other first-years can form a domain - other than me, of course.

He followed his domain with a water serpent spell, moulding two twin serpents out of water and sending them towards Geist. The professor responded with numerous blue fireballs that clashed with the serpents, creating a thick steam that covered the platform and obscured our view. As the steam dissipated, Geist reeled back his right arm and threw a large ball of blue fire at Feyrith, cancelling his own spell before it did any harm. Feyrith returned to his seat, the crowd whispering about his lack of skill.

"Who's next?"

Before Ada could put her hand up, Kathlyn got up from her seat and walked down to the platform. I patted her shoulder gently as she sulked. "Next time, I'm sure."

The professor gave a slight bow and the two of them began. "Shatter." The Princess conjured shards of ice, waving her wand high. The ice shards shattered mid-flight, becoming even smaller and sharper. Geist coated his fists in blue fire, showing his palms to the Princess. Countless small whisps of fire shot out from his palms and countered the ice shards.

"Ice Tornado!" Kathlyn formed a swirling formation of tiny ice shards and it moved toward the augmenter. "That won't work on me!" Geist threw larger fireballs this time and they swerved around the tornado, and he split the tornado when it reached him. The split tornado revealed the defenceless princess who was about to be burned alive

Sh*t! Why isn't she protecting herself?!

Ada, Arthur and I vanished from our seats and appeared in front of the Princess who had fallen to her knees.

"I think this game of yours has gone on long enough, don't you think?" Arthur interrogated the lousy professor.

"While I appreciate your concern for the Princess, your intervention was unnecessary. I had it under control."

'Under control'? If that is the same spell the half-elf boy used during his rank examination, it cannot be dispelled once completely manifested.

"So be it. Allow me to take the place of my colleague." Arthur stepped forward and prepared to humiliate the professor. Before Ada could protest, I locked eyes with her and waved my head over at the seats. She understood what I meant and begrudgingly followed me back to our seat.

"If Arthur Leywin and Note are the same person, this should be easy for him. Even if they aren't, it should be easy regardless. Based on the Director's assessment, he should be about as strong as us." I told Ada.

The two drew their swords and charged at each other, creating resounding 'clang' and 'clash' sounds. Geist's fire-coated sword clashed with Arthur's pearl-blue straight sword.

Holy Sh*t! That's Note's sword!

"Ada, that's Note's sword!" I whisper-yelled at her.

"I can see that, you prick! I have eyes of my own."

"Should a member of the DC really be running and dodging like this!?" The professor yelled.

"Should a professor be struggling to hit a student like this?" Arthur answered calmly, still dodging both fire and sword. He dashed behind the teacher faster than anyone other than Ada and I could see, lightly kicking him behind the knee.

He's fast. As expected of a fellow AA-rank adventurer. If that is as fast as he can go, then I should still be faster.

Geist threw volley after volley of fireballs, conjuring the occasional small wall of fire. Arthur, still not using any element, expertly dodged all attacks and even found room to counterattack.

As the professor was readying another attack, Arthur dashed toward him and caught him off guard.

He made the professor believe he wouldn't take the offensive, making the professor drop all defences and only focus on attacking, creating numerous openings. Smart.

Arthur deflected the professor's final swing, sending his hand with his sword flying and exposing his whole chest. Arthur stuck out his palm at the professor's chest and shot a huge pulse of wind, sending the teacher flying through the barrier. He casually closed the distance and placed his sword next to the professor's neck, standing over him. "Thank you for your guidance, Professor."

The bell rang as Arthur pulled away his sword and the class exited the room, talking about what they just witnessed.

Princess Kathlyn asked Arthur what she could improve on, and he told her that defending is always a good idea, earning him a small nod. I waved goodbye to the other DC members and walked toward the class I would learn the most from, Healing Arts 1.

....

Looks like the place. 

I entered the classroom and sat down in the front row next to a short girl with flowing black hair and small round glasses. She had beady blue eyes and a nose that curled up at the tip ever-so-slightly. She was very cute.

"I'm Solis. Nice to meet you." I turned to the shy girl next to me and introduced myself.

"Kaitlyn (Pronounced Caitlyn/Kaytlyn). I-it's nice to meet you too." She said in a quiet voice only I could hear.

"Kaitlyn, huh? That's a nice name. Reminds me of someone."

"Thanks! My friends call me Kait (Pronounced Kate)."

"Can I call you that?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks. Anyway, do you know who the teacher is for this class?"

"Mm. It's Professor Yarrow. She's a former Medical Division Assistant-Leader. The second-in-command of the whole human medical military branch! She's an incredible emitter!"

"Sounds like you know a lot."

"Aha.. I've looked up to her since I was little. People always made fun of me because I can't fight, but she gained immense respect despite never seeing combat." She scratched her chin and chuckled lightly.

The professor entered the room, very late considering she should be the first here, and stood in front of the marble table in the middle of the class. Unlike the battle arena rooms, this classroom was much smaller and had high tables with high chairs spread around the room in a half-circle around a small marble table, so that everyone was close to what was happening. Behind the chairs at the back of the room sat many mannequins and anatomical dummies next to operating tables and stretchers. Not only was the room far smaller, but the number of students wasn't even 1/4 of the number taking PMM. In the whole class, there were only 12 students. 

The Professor pulled a large floppy fish from a sack she carried over her shoulder and dropped it onto the table. "Hello, everyone. My name is Sage Yarrow. You can call me Professor, doc, Ms Yarrow, Madam Sage, or really whatever the hell you want as long as it is respectful. This...is a fish. It's dead.

Thanks. Couldn't tell. 

By the end of this semester - preferably earlier - you will be expected to bring this fish back from the dead."

What!?

"HAHAHA! Just kidding. That's impossible. You will, however, be expected to grow a fish's fin back and rescue it from the point of death. I'll give you a spoiler for the end of year examination: You will be expected to operate on your partner - who I will assign you in a second - and reattach their arm." She stated everything so bluntly it was hard to tell whether or not she was joking.

WHAT!??

"Nah. I'm kidding. Anyway, get into pairs. I would pair you up myself but I can't be bothered. BAHAH!"

"She's crazy... We should get out of here." I whispered to Kait with a quick wink.

"Shh. She's the best around." She seemed to get my joke and blushed slightly, but quickly dismissed it.

"Oh, right. I never caught your last name." I asked her.

"Oh! Sorry. Bad habit. Calendula. My full name is Kaitlyn Calendula. What's yours?"

"Solis. don't have a last name. But if I could pick one... I'd probably choose 'Calendula.'"

She whipped her head down and I saw the tip of her ears turn pink. "D-don't tease me like that."

"Hahaha. Sorry, sorry."

"You two! Looks like you've paired up. Good. Come rescue this fish." The teacher snapped us out of our chat and made us perform in front of the class.

Kait didn't seem to mind. Me, on the other hand... "U-uhm, Professor... I'm not sure I should-"

"Zip it. It's most people's first time. I'm sure you'll be alright.

"No really, Professor, I shouldn't."

"Enough. Come up."

Fishy... I'm sorry! I'm going to burn you to ashes!

Kaitlyn held her palms over the fish, and a beautiful sea foam green aura shone around her palms. Despite her efforts, the fish's state - death - didn't change at all. Now, it as my turn.

"Alright. But please hear me out when I'm done." I approached the poor fish, and placed my palms slightly above it, mirroring Kait's gesture. I conjured a white flame around my palms. The flames flickered around my hand and jumped onto the dead fish, reducing it to just a few ashes in seconds.

"What the bloody hell are you doing you idiot!" Madam Sage hit me on the back of my head with surprising force. "W-wait! I can explain!"

"Hmm. Well, entry into this class needs to be waived by the Director's board, and seeing as you're a DC member, I'm sure that has been done. Explain, why are you in my class?" She demanded.

"I think it's easier if I just show you..." I grabbed a scalpel from beside the fish and sliced open a vein down my left forearm, drawing warm red blood that had a slightly golden tinge to it.

"W-what are you doing!?" A worried Kait yelled, and my other classmates began to voice their concern. I didn't respond, instead, I coated my right hand in white fire, burning some of my bandage wrapping, and brought my palm to the left of my cut. I held my fiery palm to my skin and dragged it across my wound, sealing it completely shut.

"Well, I'll be damned. You really can heal. If that's the case, why did you burn my dear fish to a crisp?" The professor asked me.

"That's why I took this class. I have a special flame that only heals me and burns everything else. I want to learn to separate the healing properties and burning properties of my fire so that I can heal people." I explained.

"Hmmm. How noble of you. Most fighting mage pricks hate the thought of healing. 

Well, take a seat. You're my student now. I'll make sure you can use that flame for good."

I thanked the professor and Kait and I returned to our seats.

"Right. First things first... As I'm sure you all know, emitter healing arts take a profound amount of mana control, the mana control that we need just to even use mana is the same kind most conjurers and augmenters would kill for. So, to get you all up to speed on the expected mana control for this course, we are going to do some practical activities. I've booked the back of the first training ground. We're gonna practice mana control using the trees. Anyhow, race you there!" She opened a window to her right and jumped out.

The hell!? We're on the third floor!.. Guess she trained her body as well as healing.

I walked up to the window as the others dashed out the door. "S-Solis. Surely you aren't going to jump out? Right?" Kait asked me anxiously. I walked over to her and wrapped my arm around her waist. "Trust me."

I lept out of the window with her in my arms, conjuring a pair of translucent stiff wings from my back, allowing me to glide gently down to the training ground. I let go of Kait and she fell do the ground, patting the grass to confirm she had really landed safely. "Ahh. That was terrifying." She stood up and looked around the training field.

"Yea, but it was fun though, right?" I asked her with a sly grin.

"I won't lie, it was fun... But I'm not doing it again!" She puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips.

"The Professor is waiting over there. We will be the first ones there by a long shot." I pointed out the teacher who was standing where me and Ada visited yesterday.

...

"Good. You're all here. Now..." She pointed to the line of trees.

Climb that tree. Without using your hands." Her statement would have normally sparked an outrage in most students, but the medical students only asked what she meant. The teacher walked over the the tree, put her right foot flat on the truck, and began to walk up the tree with her back straight as an arrow.

I see now. Indeed, this is a great way to practice mana control. It's like when Rindo made Ada and I learn to balance and walk on water without getting our feet wet.

I volunteered to go first, placing my right foot on the tree, then my left, and repeating. The climb up the tall tree was easy for me, and I received shouts and claps of praise from my peers for doing it first try. Kait went next, and though she fell a little after her first attempt, got the hang of it and slowly walked up the tall tree, sitting on a branch at the top. "Nice one!" I praised.

The rest of our class began their attempts, and I was shocked at how easy most of them found it. For most first-year augmenters, something like this would be tricky, and for conjurers, it would be almost impossible!

....

The bell rang and the doc dismissed us. "Let's see. Ah, good. I've got nothing." I pulled out my schedule and discovered that there was no Practical Mage Tactics class today, and my next class was Team-Fighting Mechanics in period 4, meaning I have over an hour of free time. After TFM, my day finished and I have to patrol my designated area of the campus.

Walking to the cafeteria to get a snack, I bumped into Claire, who asked me if I was free.

"I'm free. What's up?"

"I have something to show you I think you'll like." She told me gleefully.

"What is it?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

"We call it... the Colosseum."

...