Serris and Marcus took their positions opposite each other on the verdant grasses. The fallout from Viree and Kelleth’s duel was already fading away as the grasses regenerated with magical haste, small tendrils of green pushing through disturbed earth. The air still crackled with residual energy from the previous fight, making Kor’s skin tingle.

  Both held the unshakable confidence of the rich, their appearances untouched by the tension. But as they waited for the battle to commence, Kor leaned forward. Was Marcus’s right hand trembling? He focused his senses but detected no active spell. His friend had always given off the air of invincibility, carried himself like victory was assured. Was that about to be shaken? He still didn’t even know what his friend’s specialisation was.

  “3, 2, 1. Begin!” Terrak’s voice boomed across the field, stirring the leaves of nearby trees.

  Different from the last time Kor had seen him fight, Marcus employed a full-bodied shield, as did Serris. But something was different about it. Even to his senses, Marcus’s shield felt flimsy, as though it drew only a minimal trickle of mana.

  The air between them crackled, a visible shimmer distorting the light as they began to weave their spells. Neither moved, locked in a silent duel of wills. The grass beneath their feet trembled, the individual blades vibrating as if caught in a sudden gust, though no wind stirred. The pressure of their gathering magic hung heavy in the air, a tangible force.

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Lexican.” Serris’s voice carried across the field, her olive skin seeming to glow with contained power. “The Unbound aren’t some backwater spellcasters from a lesser world you can just roll over by flexing your wealth.” She glared into Marcus’s ever-present smile, her short brown hair stirring in the magical currents.

  “Then show me the difference between us.” Marcus raised his chin, looking down at her with that infuriating confidence that had drawn Kor to him in the first place.

  An explosion of mana tore from Serris as three wicked spears of ice instantly formed and tore their way towards Marcus. The surrounding temperature plummeted, frost crystallising on the grass in their wake. Kor marvelled at the versatility of her magic – first earth in her previous duels, and now ice? The Unbound’s magical education must be exceptional.

  Instead of moving, Marcus stood his ground, barrier flaring with power even as he fired out a single fist-sized disc of spinning mana that collided with the first ice spear. Was that a Lexican coin? The metallic gleam was unmistakable, but Kor had never seen magic wielded quite like this before.

  The two remaining spears cracked into his barrier even as Serris conjured more, strutting her way forward with the confidence of someone who knew they had the upper hand. Her magic seemed to flow effortlessly, each new spell perfectly formed.

  Four spears lashed out again, but still Marcus refused to dodge as two coins collided with spears and the other pair slammed into his shield again. The impacts sent shockwaves across the field, making Kor’s teeth rattle.

  That’s why his shield was weak! Realisation washed over him. Marcus was saving his energy to meet the attack at the last possible moment. This way he was still protected against unseen attacks, but could manage his mana efficiently. The strategy spoke of careful planning and intimate knowledge of magical theory.

  “Why isn’t he moving?” Another student asked the question they were all wondering.

  Serris formed another barrage of four ice spears, pumping even more mana into them as they crashed out again. The two of them were only a dozen paces apart as Marcus’s coins multiplied again. Four fist-sized golden coins formed just in time to crash into each of Serris’s spears in an explosion of ice that sent crystalline shards scattering across the field.

  “Fine, you want it the hard way, Lexican.” Her frown deepened as this time she extended her arm, raising it up in a fist. A large wall of dirt materialised up in front of Marcus, covering him from view as it slammed downward. The ease with which she switched between ice and earth magic made Kor’s head spin – was this the true power of the Unbound?

  “Why hasn’t he moved?” Kor asked, voice a mix of curiosity and worry as his fingers dug into his palms.

  The tide of earth slammed down just as several fist-sized coins tore ragged holes through the earth wall, golden streaks piercing upward from Marcus’s now obscured position, rupturing the earthen barrier in explosive bursts. The wall still slammed down without much force, further cracking Marcus’s shield as a swell of mana and several more of the Lexican coins tore towards Serris.

  For the first time, she looked alarmed, her barrier flaring as she reinforced it against the impacts. The coins struck with the force of cannonballs, each impact sending visible ripples through her magical defences.

  Kor shook his head. Neither one of them giving an inch, even where it would have saved mana to dodge. Was it their pride? He’d need to remember this when it came time to fight them for real, if he could play into their sense of superiority—

  Cracks webbed out along Serris’s shield before she funnelled more mana to smooth them out. But Marcus advanced without pause. Stepping clear of the collapsed wall of earth, he closed the distance as another flurry of coins streaked towards Serris. Even more than before, it seemed as if his spell continued to multiply with each cast; almost as if the rich just kept getting richer.

  Surprise flashed on Serris’s face. Her mana and body reacted as one as she jumped into the air with a swell of mana, just as the coins buried themselves in the dirt with a series of thuds. She hovered in the air a dozen feet up, short brown hair streaming upwards like an enraged cat, even as Marcus grinned up at her. The display of aerial magic added yet another element to her already impressive arsenal, and Kor wondered just how many forms of magic the girl possessed. What kind of specialisation encompassed so many elements?

  Kor’s eyes widened as even more coins materialised all around Marcus as he cast his hand forward, the golden discs gleaming in the suns. Her mana swelled again as she sought to dodge with her mana, but Marcus had already pre-empted her.

  His coins fired off like cannon shot, the air cracking with their passage. One, two caught her shield, halting her flight as she reinforced her cracking barrier. However, the rest quickly finished the job as a dozen more tore into her. Several were enough to splinter and break her barrier before scoring against the golden student badge. Even that cracked as Serris fell from the sky, her concentration finally broken.

  Terrak’s mana quickly reached out to catch the falling girl as he announced, “Winner! Marcus.”

  Kor cheered. “Wow Marcus!” He ran over even as he felt a stirring of Tortoise in the back of his mind, his companion’s attention roused by something in the duel.

  His friend stood with hands on his hips, a visible sheen of sweat covering his brow, but his smile undiminished. Several of his coins still hovered around him before dissolving into mana, the last evidence of his unusual fighting style.

  “How’d you like that Kor?”

  Keneth and Teneth had run over even as the other students’ animated chatter broke out, their voices mixing with the rustle of regenerating grass and the lingering hum of spent magic.

  “That was awesome, but did you have to stand and take her attacks like that? Couldn’t you have dodged a few?”

  His laughter caught them all up, as even the Solarian brothers chuckled, the sound carrying across the field where Serris was already getting to her feet, dignity intact despite her defeat. The air still sparkled with residual mana, a testament to the power both duellists had wielded.

  Terrak had lowered Serris to the ground, but her expression wasn’t what Kor would have expected. Shock writ large on her face as her boyfriend ran over to support her. The residual magic from Marcus’s coins still sparkled in the surrounding air, golden motes dancing like fireflies before fading away.

  What had Marcus’s specialisation been? Coins? That didn’t feel right. Sure, he’d fired a lot of them, in fact, that was the only thing he’d done. But he’d started off with less. The memory of each impact played through Kor’s mind, the progression nagging at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

  Keneth asked Marcus something, but Kor focused on his friend’s magic. Was it multiplication? He’d done from 1 to 2, to 4, then several? A squaring power? No. That didn’t fit either. There had been a lot of coins, but by the end, there should have been more than the dozen that had slammed into Serris’s barrier. Specialisations had something that bound all the concepts together, no matter how disparate they might seem on the surface, and the coins Marcus used felt critical to gaining a fuller understanding.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “That’s the kind of standard I want to see!” Terrak bellowed, his voice carrying across the field. “But enough with the arrogant preening. Dodge next time. Both of you.”

  His gaze snapped to Marcus and Serris, who both inclined their heads, though Kor caught the slight twitch in Marcus’s perpetual smile.

  “Let’s see, who’s next...” Terrak’s eyes swept across the gathered students.

  Tortoise’s attention seemed focused on Serris, a rare stirring of consciousness that made Kor’s magical senses tingle. He reached out mentally to his companion.

  *Tortoise, is everything okay?*

  *Mmm.* A sleepy response came. *I think I recognise...* The connection faded away as his companion drifted back to sleep, leaving Kor with yet another mystery to ponder.

  “Kor, Naomi. You’re up next!” Terrak called out, gesturing to a tall girl with copper-coloured hair pulled back in a severe braid.

  Marcus slapped him on the back, his hand warm and encouraging. “Show ‘em what we’re capable of, Kor.”

  He nodded, stepping up to his opponent. The mystery of Marcus’s specialisation would have to wait. That technique Marcus and Serris both seemed to use, reinforcing the critical section only as needed, was something he’d need to research. Was it even worth using for him? His fractals grew extremely costly the faster he needed them to grow.

  But for now, he’d managed to prepare a full-bodied snowflake fractal barrier for these sparring sessions. The familiar patterns sang through his magic as he prepared to cast, each geometric form precise and perfect in his mind.

  It wasn’t oval or circular shaped like most students, instead formed of interlocking diagonal plates. Not really a snowflake, but hopefully close enough to still keep up the ruse. The morning light caught the edges of his barrier, making them glitter like frost.

  As he and Naomi took their positions, and Terrak ordered them to begin, Kor snapped up his newly completed barrier, finishing just a second after the other girl’s. The air hummed with anticipation, a few students whispering about his unusual barrier design.

  Her mana swelled into a form he couldn’t see as, a heartbeat later, something boomed into his barrier. The impact rang like a gong, sending vibrations through the air that made nearby students stumble back. As much sound as physical impact, he felt himself buffeted back. But not even a crack in his shield.

  He’d worked on improving the structural integrity of his fractal shapes, had studied those most resistant to different types of stress before settling on the current triangular form. Pride swelled in his chest as his barrier held firm.

  The diagonal meshed structure helped reinforce each section to absorb the shocks even as the girl wound up another cast. Several students gasped at the display of resilience, and even Terrak’s eyebrows rose slightly.

  He formed his own mana spheres, three at the same time, hovering conjured just outside his shield before firing them off.

  She attempted to dodge, but two balls still clipped her shield before her mana swelled again. Stronger this time, the grass at her feet rippling with power.

  He pushed more mana into his barrier, the fractals actually growing smaller now. Not that anyone could notice, but it made his shield more dense as each branch divided itself into even greater complexity. The mathematical beauty of it sang through his magic.

  She blasted him again; the grass tearing apart between them before it slammed into his barrier once more. Not even a scratch. The force of her magic left a visible trail in the air, like heat waves rising from hot pavement.

  Disbelief writ large on her face as Kor sprang towards her. A few students cheered at his aggressive move, while others called out warnings to Naomi.

  She stumbled, her mana surging as he opted for a straightforward approach. He’d save his bomb for a tougher opponent and rely on tightly packed mana spheres for now. Completely unlike his first attempts upon arriving at Conflux, his orbs now glowed with geometrical symmetry and power.

  He fired another three in quick succession; the collisions forming small cracks in her barrier before she retaliated. With more power even than last time, mana swelled through her body and the energy built. A tense moment stretched out until she unleashed her power. The blast even blew away the dirt, cracking his barrier only slightly as his mana surged to withstand it. The sound of her attack echoed across the field like thunder.

  He grinned. Conjuring three more spheres, readying them for attack before she called out her surrender, her voice tinged with frustration and awe.

  Huh. That was a first.

  “Winner, Kor!” Terrak didn’t seem too enthused with the duel as he instantly demanded another pair get started, though Kor caught the calculating look in his professor’s eyes.

  “Impressive, Kor!” Marcus said as Kor headed over. Casting a glance to the side, he only now appreciated how much power her attacks had held. Some kind of booming? It certainly held a sound component, and had torn the grass and dirt up badly enough.

  “You’ve really been putting in some practice.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning and riding the high of his victory.

  Kelleth stepped up, his usual disdain replaced with genuine interest. “I’d be interested in testing my Wind Cutlass against your barrier. It seems... efficient.”

  “S-Sure!”

  It might have been the first compliment he’d ever received from Kelleth, even if Teneth still glared at him from behind his brother’s shoulder.

  Perhaps they could get along after all.

  The trio turned to watch as The Beast stepped up to duel, the very air seeming to grow heavier with anticipation.

  “This ought to be interesting,” Marcus said, his eternal smile taking on an edge of genuine curiosity.

  Despite Marcus’s proclamation, the fight didn’t last long. The Beast, as he was known, started the battle by shifting into a monstrous wolf with a great hairy mane. The creature stood as tall as a man at the shoulder, its muscled form radiating raw power. Pure white fur tinged with silver covered its body in thick waves, while wicked fangs gleamed in a mouth that could easily snap a man in half. Most striking were its eyes - still human despite the bestial form.

  Somehow, he even managed to keep a barrier up, not that it mattered. The instant the battle commenced, he shifted into his beast form and, with incredible speed, closed the distance in a heartbeat. The grass barely had time to bend beneath massive paws before he struck.

  His teeth crashed into the barrier with the force of a carriage, the impact sending ripples through the air as he almost broke his opponent’s barrier instantly, slamming the student back several paces. Several gasps rose from the watching crowd at the raw display of power.

  A quick follow up and another bite broke through with ease, leaving his opponent sprawled on the ground.

  “Victory, Jorek!”

  Kor was more surprised that Terrak seemed to have learned the names of everyone in class.

  The rest of the session was a countless series of duels as Terrak gauged their performances. The morning suns tracked across the sky as student after student squared off, the air continually charged with different flavours of magic.

  Each of them fought several times before class ended, with Kor scoring another few victories before some of the other students realised his limited offensive potential. Especially after he’d revealed his bomb. They just kept their distance, peppering his barrier with spells until eventually it failed him. One boy’s boulders even crumbled to dust as his mana gave out, his fractal barely even tested. A small triumph, but enough to pull a quiet smile to his lips.

  Before heading off, Terrak informed them all that the rankings would be up next week, and that they’d have to perform well if they wanted to score a good amount of credits. His stern gaze swept across the assembled students, lingering on a few who had shown particular promise.

  After confirming training again with Marcus, they all headed their own ways. The twin suns cast dual shadows across the grounds as students dispersed into chattering groups.

  “Kor!” Viree chased after him as they left, her voice cutting through the general murmur of conversation. His pulse raced, the embarrassing memory instantly resurfacing. ‘Get a grip Kor!’

  “H-hi Viree.” He managed, trying to keep his voice steady.

  She smiled sadly at him, her bright eyes filled with genuine concern. “I just wanted to apologise again...”

  He shook his head, forcing the words out. “Not your fault for being honest,” he averted his gaze, finding the nearby hedgerow suddenly fascinating.

  “Still...”

  “It’s fine,” he forced himself to look her in the eye and smile, drawing on some of the confidence from his earlier victories. “You were really impressive with your magic today. I think you got more wins than me by the end.”

  A brilliant smile broke out as she bounced on her feet, her entire demeanour shifting like sunlight breaking through clouds. “Yeah, I’ve been practicing non-stop since getting here! We really should train together sometime Kor. Your new barriers really seem to take a beating.”

  He chuckled and looked away, her intense focus still too overwhelming to meet directly. The way she radiated energy made him simultaneously want to spend more time with her and run away.

  “Yeah, we should do that sometime.”

  “That’s great!” She beamed. “If you come by the regular field some time we can even do some practice duels.” She patted him on the back before bouncing away, twisting as she ran, her movements full of natural grace.

  “Gotta run, cya later Kor!”

  “See you!” He waved, heartbeat only just starting to calm down as she disappeared around a corner.

  A small smile crept back onto his face as he returned to his dorm, only for his connection to Tortoise to resurface, as his boots hit the stone path with a familiar click.

  “Tortoise?” he asked internally.

  “Hmmm, what? I’m not a-” came the groggy response, as if just waking from a deep sleep.

  “What got your attention earlier, it seemed like you recognised something.”

  “Oh, right... The mental voice cleared slightly. That girl has a companion too, though I don’t recognise it.”

  “Did you mean Serris or Viree?”

  “The one with elemental magic.”

  “Huh. Do you know all the other companions then?”

  “Well, no.”

  “But I suppose that means she’s strong, then?”

  “Yes.”

  “She still lost to Marcus. Are you sure he doesn’t have a companion?”

  He got the feeling Tortoise was shaking his head, an oddly physical sensation for a mental connection.

  “No, that boy doesn’t house one of my kin. Each world received only one of us. Though he’s definitely strong enough to.”

  Kor passed a group of students discussing their own combat class, their voices fading as they headed toward the dining hall. The scent of dinner was already wafting across the grounds, making his stomach rumble.

  “You seem to be talking more than before, Tortoise.”

  “That’s because you’re growing stronger, and stop calling me Tortoise!”

  “Well, what should I call you then? - do you actually have a name?”

  ... “Lentus.” - His companion eventually produced his name, the word carrying an ancient weight to it.

  “Lettuce?” Kor teased. “Are you hungry?”

  “Voided mage.” Tortoise snapped the connection closed with a humph.

  He burst out laughing as he walked back, drawing odd stares from passing students. The sound echoed off the stone walls, carrying his joy at finally getting a reaction from his usually sleepy companion into the gathering dusk.