~ Spells

(POV Narrator)

The next day, the students of the lower classes are diligently training in the school's courtyard. Most of them have had enough time to reactivate their mana in their blood. It's dead silent because there is supreme concentration in the courtyard. To perform the spell, students must make the correct movement in combination with the spell's name. They must also allow the feeling of the spell into their bodies. This can only be accomplished if they are focused. Learning a spell always requires full concentration. The more you practice, the less you need to focus on performing the spell and the feeling will become less prominent.

There's also a noticeable difference in motivation. Some students are still in bed sleeping or recovering and this group will eventually fall behind, because they won't make up for the lost time. Even students with more talent must be willing to work hard.

Jhonatan has already arrived in the courtyard, working on selecting the most useful spells. Most students have already started learning the Adrenaline kick spell. They've witnessed two students benefit from this spell during the academy's entrance competition, leaving a strong impression on many.

As Jhonatan reads, he reminisces about his time in the portal. There, he practiced three spells with blood, sweat and tears. It was not a pleasant time, but he gained valuable experience.

Flashback~

"Jhonatan, follow my movements. It's essential not to attempt everything at once. First, we focus on the movement and when that's under control, we move on to the feeling of the spell. Ultimately, you need to link the spell's name to the rest. If you try to do everything at once, you'll make more mistakes and it could cost too much mana. This is a significant error for beginning Heartglowers. Here in the portal of Greed, we have very limited mana at our disposal, so use it in moderation."

Jhonatan had never heard of the term Heartglowers before, but apparently it's a well-known term among mana users. He listens attentively to Logan's tips since Logan is already in the Early King-Stage.

The rest of the group is meditating to purify as much mana as possible. As Heartglowers, they can't efficiently use the corrupt mana in the portal. They need a lot of pure mana to open a portal to Animalium. Still, they ensure Jhonatan has some mana to practice three spells.

End of flashback~

Winston walks out of the school towards the students practicing spells. He's looking for Flinn and Jace, but they're not on the courtyard. With a somber expression, Winston observes the rest of the group, who are all focused on learning the Adrenaline Kick spell. This is concerning, because it's one of the first spells typically learned, indicating a worrisomely low level. He looks at Jhonatan who is still reading and wonders if this student will manage to keep up throughout the year.

Most students are starting to make the right movements for the spell. However, they're overly focused on the spell's name, causing mistakes in their movements as they're multitasking. Jhonatan has finished reading the book.

Just as Jhonatan is about to begin practicing the Freezing Chaos spell, Winston interrupts their concentration. "I'm not even supposed to help you with this, but I'll give you a few tips," he says. The students shift their attention to Winston, surprised that he's offering help during self-study. They were told in the introduction that the lower classes have lessons only once a week.

Meanwhile, Winston has already started explaining. "I see most students are focused on practicing the spell, which is already a good first step. To make the process smoother, I'll share some tips. When I practiced the Adrenaline Kick spell myself, accepting the feeling in my body was challenging. You must allow your heart to beat faster, leading to a rushed feeling. This can disrupt concentration faster. Therefore, it's essential to accept the feeling. Here at Seperation Academy, you have nothing to be afraid of, so there's no need to be frightened of allowing this feeling."

After Winston's explanation, he returns to the school. On the courtyard, the students begin to calm down. They know it will be a long journey to learn different spells, but they look forward to it.

***

(Pov Flinn)

Just as we're about to open the door from our room, we hear a knock on the door. Jace gives me a questioning look and I shrug my shoulders before opening the door. Before me stands the Headmaster. I immediately take a few steps back. Jace joins me and together we greet Leah.

'We've taken your request into account to start in the lower class. I expect you both to behave accordingly,' Leah says. Jace and I nod and thank Leah for making an exception. We knew that everything would be arranged perfectly since we've known Leah for a long time.

After Leah finishes sharing the information, she asks if we'd like to join her in her office. She has a few questions about the competition. We follow Leah and as we walk, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Jace points to Mavi and whispers, 'That's her, the future queen. She's really beautiful.' I look at Jace and tell him not to stare. We continue up the stairs as Leah is almost at the top.

Once I close the door behind me, I immediately hear Leah's question about what we know about the portal. I look at Jace, who shares my surprised look. "Leah, aren't the portals a thing of the past? We haven't had contact with other worlds in a long time. It's been hundreds of years since we last saw anything related to demons."

Leah looks contemplative and taps her hand on the table. I see that she's in a dilemma about discussing this further. Nevertheless, Leah suddenly says, 'During the competition, a portal was detected. We didn't see who came out, but be mindful of yourselves. All the other students in the upper classes already have information about this.' I nod, and Jace and I head back to our room. We'll start by writing a letter.