The next day, Markus awoke feeling something strange.
'Nothing hurts? The hell—' Markus said
Yesterday he felt deep discomfort when he woke up but today… all his pains and aches seemingly disappeared.
"You've inherited a fragment of celestial essence. Beside it becoming roommates with you— or rather in you— it seems to carry certain powers. Including healing powers. It was all consumed over the night healing your body." Anax said after having spent the night looking over Markus
Without a second more of hesitation Markus enhance his entire body with wind essence and then used it to cut through his bandages and casts. He also realised he was only wearing underwear— so he grabbed a curtain and went around to find where his combat suit was.
Eventually he found it… all battered and ripped— but it was better than nothing.
He put it on.
"Ew- it stinks—" he said
He left the infirmary at the crack of dawn and bolted across campus at full speed with his enhancement to not be seen.
He reached his room and put his uniform on. Then headed to campus only to find the whole place in alarm and chaos.
He approached one of the distracted students nearby.
"What happened?"
"The wounded president is missing. Everyone says he was kidnapped and now they're in panic trying to find traces of the intruders." The student said
"Uhuh— thanks." Markus said as he left
"Sure." The student said
Markus went to the headmistress' office. From the outside he heard.
"How the hell could anyone get in! And how strong could they have been if he didn't make a ruckus fighting them!? Do you realise how much deep shit we're in if we can't find him! We NEED to find him Bailey—" Charlotte said panicking
Markus knocked at the door.
"Not now!" Charlotte shouted
"You might want to check out who it is?" Bailey said with a chuckle
Charlotte angrily made her way to the door and slammed it open.
"What!" She said before looking
"I'm safe by the way— just went for a change of clothes…" Markus said sheepishly
"… how are you standing?" Charlotte asked stunned
"Long story— but hey I'm fully healed. Weeks ahead of schedule at that! Isn't it great!" Markus exclaimed
"Ugh- I'm going to call off the search. Just stay on campus and practice whatever— just don't get lost again." She said as she left
"Yes ma'am." Markus replied
"You'll be the end of her kid— seriously—" Bailey said trying to hold in a laughter
Markus went to the training hall where he saw Helen and Amy.
"Well that's an unusual sight—" he mumbled to himself as he approached
Markus approached and saw that Amy was learning swordsmanship.
"Just like when you find your balance for conjuring, you need balance for blade work. But you should always be moving so you also need to be nimble." Helen said
"I just don't get why I need to learn it. I prefer to stay at a range and control a sword." Amy said
"What happens when a madman like me comes in hot and forces you in close ranged combat? Will you stand still and control the sword or will you grab it? Also what happens if you fight a higher rank and they take over?" Markus asked
"You're up!? I mean standing! How!? You said it would take weeks—" Amy exclaimed
"Waiting to heal for weeks on end is too pedestrian. I did it in a single night." Markus said
"… at this point nothing can surprise me anymore." Helen said
"To answer your question— I wouldn't fight someone above my rank. Above me are elites and masters. I'd prefer to avoid fighting such people." Amy said
"Uhuh— and what if you need to?" Markus asked
"… fine let's keep going. But you better not slack either. If I have to face elites then so do you! And you can't do it when you're two ranks below them!" Amy said
"I don't know- maybe another one of those spears might do the trick—" Markus said as a joke
"Don't. Just don't joke about that— whatever that technique was or where to learned it from— needs to never be used again until you're an expert. You would've killed every stage three and below in there and wounded us and yourself really badly with it. If you can't control your power then don't use it!" Helen scolded
"… right… I'm sorry. Honestly I was expecting a shockwave from the impact— not to devastate an entire area. I'm sorry I got you guys hurt… truly." He said bowing to the two of them
"I mean— it's okay I only hurt my head a bit since I was in the air." Amy said approaching and placing her hand on his shoulder
"Yeah… maybe I was too harsh— you were desperate and gambled it. You couldn't have known… and I accept your apology. But also Mark… the gaps only increase. You got lucky with Amy and you out powered Fin… but next time you might not be so lucky. Also… elites are forces beyond our means. Their connection to the element is profound and so— they could never be defeated by raw power. Technique and tactics are the only way to give yourself a chance to win." Helen said
"Thanks for the info. I'll practice now." Markus moved away but then stopped
"What was your moment of intuition Amy?" Markus asked
"Moving higher up. I was surrounded from all ends and the wind almost spoke to me— guided me upward. Following that guidance gave me the final push to ascend. That's why I usually fight in the air now." She recalled
"Okay… so a moment where the wind speaks to you…" Markus noted
He went to the side and focused. Everything was calm. He felt Helen and Amy move around. He felt the overall stillness. He felt more students walking in and training, or watching higher ranks train.
A student approached Markus.
"Would you like to spar?" The young man asked
"Uhh- sure. It's better than waiting around for a sign I guess." Markus said
The young man was about 166cm, black hair and brown eyes wearing his combat suit.
Markus meanwhile had grown to 155cm but had yet to hit his growth spurt. His black hair and blue eyes were the same as always.
"Do you not want to get changed?" The young man asked
"I'm okay. What's your name?" Markus asked
"Ethan. Yours?" He replied and asked back
"Mark." Markus replied
"Best of luck to us both." Ethan said
Markus closed his eyes and sensed the environment around him. Ethan's breathing was controlled and steady like Bailey's.
'A flame user?' Markus thought
He felt the temperature rise slightly before the attack went out. Markus opened his eyes and saw two streams of flames shoot from Ethan's hands. He had his arms open wide then brought them together.
Markus raised his palm and focused on a basic wind blast and the entire impact. Then when he was about to be struck, he released the wind blast and dispelled the strike around him.
"Huh!?" Ethan said
"A stage two learner of the flames with a larger than average essence pool." Markus said aloud
"You got that from just one exchange?" Ethan asked
"More or less. Go on, keep attacking." Markus said
Ethan punched forward and sent flame blasts. Markus closed his eyes and dodged them, focusing on the heat and avoiding it.
'I can sense the area around me through the wind but it's not like the wind is guiding me to dodge it in a certain way. It's more like it's giving me complete freedom to do as I please. It's not working.' Markus thought, sighing
"Stop toying with me!" Ethan said
"Alright." Markus replied simply
Then he actually put in some effort.