White Hall (The High King: A Tale of Alus Book 10) (52 page)

“It is certainly worth a thought.”

As the girl lapsed into her thoughts, the two wizards finished their walk back to the school.

Chapter 26- The Devious Student

Katya sat on the bench with her textbook open beside her. While she had been given a couple hours to study independently, the girl had found her way to the roof once more to watch the dragon mage students practicing their new spells.

For the most part, the spells were not overly difficult and easy enough to learn, but using them. That was another story.

Iris moved to sit beside her friend dabbing at her face to dry off the perspiration forming from the ongoing practice session. Like any kind of magic, a student couldn’t just barrel through the day without breaks any more than a swordsman could swing a blade all morning. The human body had limits and even those trapped in bodies different from their own, like Cheleya, soon understood that there was only so much one could or even should do.

It was practice so building endurance, physically, mentally and spiritually was important. War had never truly ended between Southwall and the Dark One’s armies after all, so being ready for a fight that might end your life was definitely important for those who would be called to battle.

Niklaus and the other mages had stated over and over how hard the work was. They sparred as well as learning to cast magic. Their bodies needed to be fit and any bit of power they could pick up would add to the lesser reservoirs of magic they had also, or so they were told.

Katya had watched her brother fight and knew that stamina was important. He hadn’t been able to finish the tournament because he had run out of power to the point that he had nearly died pushing himself. Without High Wizard Darius and his healer around, the girl wasn’t sure Sebastian would be alive today. He had trained hard for the tournament and still as a mage he just didn’t have enough stamina to make it through a week long tournament of magic duels.

If the tournament were life and death, however, Katya had a feeling that her brother would have a found a way to protect those he loved at the cost of his life.

“You look serious. Are you having a problem with one of your spells? Maybe I can help you?” the red haired apprentice offered sitting beside the younger girl.

“Oh, just thinking about how important it is to try and build your strength, even if we are using magic. I wonder if anyone has researched to see if a stronger body affects endurance for spell casting?”

Iris looked a little tired already and they were barely halfway through the afternoon. The apprentice nodded before burying her face a moment in her towel.

“I’m sure someone must have thought to look into it,” the redhead answered pulling her face out of the towel once more. “Battle mage magic certainly would make it likely that some wizard would have tried testing it out as a theory; but you’ll notice that they don’t push us to run or lift heavy things around here. They want to hone our minds, but I know some of the boys in particular will do some form of physical training.

“If nothing else, being fit will help with walking and riding horses in the field. Being flabby and overweight doesn’t help much if you aren’t able to cast a spell because you are gasping too much to say the words.”

“It makes you a bigger target too,” Katya giggled at the thought.

Iris nodded with a grin. “Dragon magic makes you use a lot of energy in your body too and not just your magic.”

Having watched the classes as often as she could the past week, the blond haired novice had noted the wizards always look most drained after their sessions. Falconi Martina and Falcon Milar appeared tired, but never exhausted as most of the wizards had been during the time she had been watching.

“Falconi Martina never looks that tired and yet most of our wizards seemed to think that it would be easier for them to use the magic. Some had originally thought that battle mages wouldn’t even be able to cast the harder spells,” Katya noted for her friend.

“It is the flying that I find hardest. Mentally you need to maintain the spell and make your wings keep their beat. Your stomach and back need to support your legs while you fly and since I can barely get any speed it seems even harder.

“At least Cheleya said being cautious and slow weren’t unusual for new dragon mages.”

The apprentice stopped thinking on her words and added jokingly, “Does that mean I am not really an apprentice, but a dragon mage?”

Cheleya had noted the two girls talking while the remainder of the class worked on breath spells. A variety of spells could be called on like dragons breathing fire or variations of attack magic. It was strange to see, since most wizards were warned to avoiding breathing fire from one’s mouth. There were recollections of injury from those who had tried in her books to teach them to listen to the warnings.

“You are still an apprentice,” the dragoness answered as she moved to sit on the other side of Katya. “Of course, we are all here to learn, so I guess that makes all of us apprentices or novices.”

Her warm smile proved that the girl was merely teasing, though Katya thought that she was also correct in a way. It was strange to hear Cheleya use humor like that and remember that she was also more than she appeared to be. To every sense she had, Katya could only see a nice, young girl who was beautiful both inside and out.

“I still wish you would teach me to fly, Cheleya. I don’t mind being called a novice or whatever, if I could learn something so amazing. You’re lucky, Iris,” the youngest of the three girls said with only a mild bit of jealousy. “Everyone keeps telling me that novices don’t get to learn new magic like this, but it’s all new to me! Why would this be different except that the teachers don’t understand it yet?”

Looking on her with pity along with Iris, Cheleya said quietly, “You are here almost every afternoon. Are you telling me that you haven’t picked any of it up yet?”

Eyes blinking in shock at the dragoness’ observation, Katya was uncertain how to respond. Iris suddenly smiled and added, “I wouldn’t put it past her. You know those diplomat wizards are very devious, I hear.”

Frowning at the redhead even though she knew that it was a joke, Katya turned back to Cheleya and stated, “I come here to watch and to learn my spells. You don’t think that I am devious, like Iris said, do you?”

The older blond threw her arm over the younger girl’s shoulder and said, “I don’t know as much about being devious as some; but if I were here everyday watching, I think that I would have managed to learn a couple spells by now.”

Laughter from Iris didn’t make Katya feel any better, but the apprentice stopped long enough to ask, “Have you learned any of the spells, Katya?”

Sighing at the other two girls, Katya took a moment before standing up to smooth the front of her dress. She turned to face them and ordered, “Dragon claw.”

Aiming the magical summoning upwards, a crimson claw reached into the air more than ten feet before the novice released the spell.

“Dragon shield,” was the next spell. An overlapping of scales formed a glistening shield in front of her hand. “Dragon scale,” she added the armor of the dragon mages. Choosing pink instead of the more common red or black, Katya was more closely aligning her choices to her friend Cheleya.

Standing with her, Iris clapped at the quick demonstration, but the dragoness’ brow furrowed slightly as she asked quietly, “And have you learned to create the wings?”

The shield and armor disappeared from the novice and she breathed deeply. “I was too worried that someone would catch me to try them, but, yes, though mine look different from yours.”

“Well, you have done most of the work already, so we may as well see them too,” Cheleya stated with a shrug.

“Dragon wings,” the younger girl called her magic and bit her lip as she sought approval from her friend and unofficial mentor in dragon magic.

Iris pursed her lips and whistled appreciatively at a pair of blue feathered wings. Like the wings of a Southwall sparon, her azure wings fluttered in and out with the girl’s worry over the fact that she had been told not to learn dragon magic by Ylena and had still managed to learn several of the spells in secret.

Other students in the art noticed the girl and began to walk over to look at the unusual set of wings summoned by the novice.

“I didn’t know we could create bird wings,” Arrimus complained as he joined the class as they took an unscheduled break to see the unofficial student’s wings.

Kel’lor followed with his arms crossed before his massive chest and answered, “No one told you to choose the same wings as ours. Mine look like a mar’goyn’lya’s when I am in human form. Cheleya chose a classic type most of our predecessors used. She does like to change their color with her mood though.

“If you can create wings of differing kinds that still work, then go ahead. Dragon mages don’t adhere to the same rules as most wizards. We fly and enjoy the freedom. Those stuck on the ground can’t imagine what we can and will always be confined by their lack of imagination.”

Cheleya frowned at the gargoyle and retorted, “We are hardly the rebels that you describe. You and Mor’treya have always worked more rigidly while we fly. That is why you always lost too.”

Giving a grunt that tried to brush off the little girl’s comment, Kel’lor clarified, “I am just saying that no one said their wings had to resemble mine or yours. I enjoy the freedom of flight, though I am a mar’goyn’lya so maybe it is just my opinion because I have always flown.”

Waving off the gargoyle, Cheleya smiled at Katya and said, “Well, let’s try them out. You still haven’t dared to try them from what you said.”

Katya nodded and felt butterflies in her stomach. Not only was she found out, now she was being surprised with a test in front of everyone.

“Dragon wings,” Cheleya ordered her pink shimmering wings and lifted into the air. Hovering above the others, the dragoness called out, “Dragon claw,” and lifted the younger girl into the air. The blue wings faltered in her magical grasp.

Gasping as the two launched past the edge of the roof. Katya’s surprise turned to joy quickly. She was flying, even if it was because of the other girl.

“Get ready, Katya,” Cheleya implored. “Spread your wings and feel how they catch the wind, then flap them. I don’t want to release you before you are ready.”

They had risen higher than the tower and Katya wondered why Kel’lor had made the others use that instead of doing what she was now. Tethered magically to the dragoness, the younger girl felt the wind and movements of the air with her wings. It was a sensation that no one could truly prepare for. Like a bird, she could feel them wanting to carry her through the air.

“I’m ready,” Katya called out looking up at the other blond.

“I’m right here, so don’t worry,” Cheleya added as the magical grip released the other girl’s waist.

The shift was frightening at first for the first time flyer. She had wanted to try flying even before figuring out the wing spell. Once learned, Katya had only tested the push of the summoned extensions and played with holding the magic as long as she felt comfortable.

As a novice, there were few spells being taught to her that required long uses of her power, so it had taken several tries to figure out how to maintain the wings for longer than a minute or two. She had also only figured out the spell a few days ago. Like Cheleya had guessed, it hadn’t taken her long to figure out a few of the dragon spells, but flying was more than just learning magic. It involved learning to maintain the spell, manipulating the wings and figuring out how to hold her position with the rest of her body.

Katya wobbled in the air and only the strength of her wing thrusts kept her aloft at first, but she had been watching and learning as much as she could without actually doing the work. While imagining things with her mind was good, it was nothing like she had imagined either.

As a stronger breeze caught her face making her body and wings want to turn to go with the flow. Katya let her instincts take her on the wind and she moved forward much smoother than she would have thought. Looking down, the girl wasn’t frightened, but noticed that she was already crossing above the roof.

The other dragon mage students looked up attentively, but with smiles that let her know that they already understood what she was just beginning to feel. It was like the word her brother had used to take her mind on the wind with his magic, freedom.

Opening up some speed her body shifted and bent as the girl tested out how to turn. The wind held her wings and seemed to guide the flyer into the correct angles. It almost felt natural to Katya as she realized that she was truly flying now.

A glance to the ground revealed that she had risen higher into the air, but fifty feet or hundred, it no longer mattered if she should fall; but Katya didn’t want to fall. It was a minor worry shoved aside in the joy of the flight and magic.

“You’re doing pretty well for your first time,” Cheleya stated mirroring her flight. The dragoness was too strong a flyer to be shaken by Katya’s fledgling abilities, but they were already past White Hall’s city walls looking over the fields where farmers worked.

Eyes lifted at the shadows crossing the ground below and men pointed to their fellow workers shouting. Whether it was with fear or amazement, Katya couldn’t tell. Word of the new dragon mages must surely have escaped the city by now. The others had been flying for a week, though most of the beginners rarely moved out beyond the school’s outer walls.