Gathering Storm

"Ingen! Ingen wake up!" Orin started to lick Ingen's face "You're gonna miss afternoon classes!"

I stood up quickly and opened my trunk, only to see a massive tree branch separating my bunk from the rest of the boys.

"What. The. Heck."

"Just kidding, you've got an hour before classes start again!" Orin was rolling on the floor laughing "You just had to see what your tree did before they took it down!"

Grzrzrzrz!

It was like a chainsaw without an engine. Before I knew it, wood-chips flew and Teo was in front of me, breathing heavily.

"Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to save you! Quit looking dumb and get out of here!" Teo barked, towering over me. He was almost twice my age.

The tree started to grow back into place, but I ran through the path Teo made, slowing down the tree as I went. When we got clear of the tree, it was quite apparent what was happening.

'Oops.'

'Ingen, this is more than just "Oops."' Spirit was nagging again.

'We can't tell anyone.'

"Ingen, this is the tree you planted right?" Orin said out loud, mock innocently.

'Why you little troublemaker!'

'Says you, the troublemaker' Spirit was laying the sass on thickly

A real voice came from my left.

"It was YOU?!" Teacher shouted "Why must my student cause so much trouble!?"

'See'

'Shut up'

"I assure you, I didn't plant a tree, I just put down my Skeleton Armor."

"And what might that be, Ingen?" Teacher questioned with an emphasis on "that"

I walked over to the tree and constructed my exoskeleton.

"So you planted a tree." Teacher said sarcastically

"Sort of, either way, it was merely a sapling, what the heck caused this?"

"You are in probably the most Eneru-rich environment for many many miles, so many spells are cast that it's ridiculous. We have to strictly regulate the plants in the area with plant magic just to not go broke buying new sickles. My question is why the tree decided to "protect" you by surrounding you with branches."

Teacher led my dorm's occupants outside where I saw my creation. The tree was the same as the one I had made the Skeleton Armor from, cedar, but it didn't have the usual shape of a cedar and instead grew entirely towards my window, where it broke through without issue.

'Ooops'

'You fucked up my boy'

"Go to class dumbass." Teo broke into my thoughts

I looked around and no one was there but me and Teo.

'I guess I got off lucky.'

------

My next class was Eneruology and Professor Pei'ye was teaching, he was a tall brown-skinned natural with horns that didn't resemble any creature I knew, they shot directly up and had lines that were depicting a river. The strange thing is that the lines most definitely weren't carved. Pei'ye spoke in a thick accent.

"This first lesson will be a review for most of you, yes?" Without waiting for an answer he continued, "Today we talk about sub-affinities, each one of you has at least one, but maybe more, yes? There are six different types of Eneru: Heat, Cold, Wind, Lightning, Plant, and Unique, yes? Each one of those has exclusive sub-affinities, yes? But there are many non-exclusive affinities, yes?"

'This guy's speech pattern is annoying.' I rolled my eyes

'Agreed' Spirit rolled his mind's eye

"Today we find Sub-Affinities, yes? I must cast spell on you all to reveal affinity, yes?"

Professor Pei'ye cast a long runic combination and each of the students gained a faint glowing aura, they had no idea what their aura meant, but Pei'ye clearly did.

"So you and your friend here are golemancers, yes?" He was referring to the dark red aura that surrounded both me and Teo.

"If you say so sir," Teo responded, hiding his annoyance at Pei'ye's speech pattern.

As if he had just made a statement, Pei'ye went around to each one of the students and told them of their sub-affinities.

"Yes, Devin," he glanced at his clipboard "You have plant affinity, no? You have a healing ability." Devin's aura was deep blue.

Professor checked a few more kids and arrived at Yomo.

"Your sub-affinity is velocity manipulation." Pei'ye sounded bored

Yomo's aura was white. Next up was Ben.

"Ah, yet another one of you has some potential, you clearly have lightning affinity, and your sub-affinity is the exclusive physical enhancement."

Lastly, it was Vincent's turn.

"Ah, yes, another useful affinity, space affinity." Pei'ye looked like he was ready for a nap, he was holding the aura sight spell on for so long that he must've run himself dry. "Class dismissed, read up on your affinities for tomorrow, yes?"

And with that, Pei'ye started his nap, but it didn't last very long. A burly human with a worried face barged into the room.

"Everyone in this room that can heal, come with me."

"But, sir we just got our aff-"

"Now! We will give you an impromptu lesson on the way."

Devin, me, and Pei'ye all followed. The burly man gave Pei'ye a yellow fluid that, when splashed on his face, regenerated his Eneru.

Teacher joined us, but not as a healer. He was there to fight

"Now remember Ingen, you must get the patient to stop resisting your Eneru, if they resist even a tiny bit, they could be in danger. Also, you can only heal naturals, humans don't conduct Eneru."

'Don't get cocky Ingen, these are actual lives at stake.' Spirit nagged.

"Don't get cocky Ingen, these are actual lives at stake." Teacher said, oblivious to his harmony with Spirit.

"Don't worry, I'll figure it out."

Orin spoke up "When will you all stop saying don't and pay attention to the cart?"

A cart ready to take the group to the town in danger, Reike, had pulled up.

"Let's go." Teacher said

"So, Teacher, what's the actual reason we were called? We were just told to go, not what we're dealing with."

"The town of Reike is having some issues with Storm Beasts attacking the walls, so far the worst they have are some minor wounds, but the Storm beasts are gathering for another attack, we will have to be ready."

"Alright, we've got this."

'What did I say about getting cocky!'

"What did I say about getting cocky!"