“Have you got a plan?” Bud asked. He and Celaine were sat on the grass of a shallow slope down near the path that led back to the town.

Hump handed his bag containing the dragon egg, potions, and other equipment to Celaine, then placed his old potion pouch on the ground beside her. From inside, he took out two handfuls of stones that he’d collected as ammunition for Rockshot and slipped them into his pockets.

“Not a plan exactly,” Hump said. “I have a vague strategy.”

Bud nodded. “Good. Dylan’s spent his time training under a wizard so I would expect his staff technique to be lacking. Even so, druids draw power from the earth. He’ll be strong and durable; you’ll want to keep your distance and wait for an opportunity to land a decisive blow. In a drawn-out fight, you likely won’t have a chance.”

“I’m a wizard, Bud,” Hump said. “We always want to keep our distance. Though knowing very little about his abilities makes preparing any sort of plan difficult. He could specialise in any number of things.”

“From the looks of him, I’d guess he’s more of a physical fighter,” Celaine said.

“Why’s that?” Hump asked.

She shrugged. “He’s got the body for it.”

Hump gawked at her. “And I don’t?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, you’ve got sticks for arms.”

“Brilliant. Thanks.”

“Hurry up, Hump,” Vivienne called. She and Dylan were waiting for him on an open, grass green. “Time doesn’t wait, and we’ve got things to do.”

“Surely somebody has figured out time magic by now?” Hump said, remembering the figure that had taken Kassius through the rift.

“If such a thing existed, I’d be searching for its secrets rather than standing here waiting for you,” she said blandly.

Hump let out a sigh, glanced at his friends, and stood. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Celaine said.

“May the gods aid you,” Bud said.

Hump grimaced. “Now you’ve done it.”

He walked away, joining Dylan on the green, and taking up a position opposite him. The druid had removed his shoes—from what Hump understood, they were most powerful when directly connected to the earth.

“Handy little training area you have here,” Hump said.

“They use it for festivals,” Dylan said. “You should see the place come the winter solstice. Vivienne and I make glitterbombs and the fisherman lend us their boats. We have a whole display that takes place over the lake.”

“That sounds lovely,” Hump said glumly. “How are we going to do this then?”

“Friendly rules of engagement,” Vivienne said. “I need you in one piece if you’re to be useful, so Dylan will be fighting carefully. Hump, I know it’s a rather significant handicap for you, but no fire either.”

“You don’t want to be bald and toasty?” Hump asked Dylan.

He smiled. “Not if I can help it.”

“How do we decide a winner?” Hump asked.

“The first of you to be disarmed or to concede,” Vivienne said.

“Okay,” Hump said. He gulped, mouth suddenly feeling dry. He slipped a hand in his pocket, selected one of the smooth, thumb sized stones, and began channelling essence through his bracelet to infuse it as discreetly as he could. “I’m ready.”

Dylan knelt, chalking his hands with the dirt, then clapping them together as he stood. “Me too. Good luck to you, Hump.”

“Then on my mark, you may begin.” Vivienne snapped her fingers, a burst of essence exploded and the air cracked like thunder.

Hump extended his hand, barking, “Rockshot.” The spell launched the stone straight at Dylan’s chest, a trailing bronze streak faintly visible in the late morning sun.

As fast as it was, Dylan was faster. He swept his staff with precision, knocking aside the stone with a resounding clack.

“That was sneaky,” Dylan said, adopting an open stance with his staff held in one hand.

“Not sneaky enough, apparently,” Hump muttered. He gathered his essence into the focus of his staff, readying himself to cast a second spell.

“We are all beasts of nature,” Dylan chanted. “Aspect of the Ape.”

Essence surged through his body in veins of vibrant green, shimmering beneath his skin. His body shifted. Dylan had a strong physique in the first place, but now his muscles bulged beneath his shirt, turning his already toned figure into that of a hardened warrior.

Definitely need to keep my distance, Hump thought.

The transformation took only a second. As it completed, the aura of a great ape pulsed over Dylan, outlined in the green essence of life and nature. Its arms were folded, huge fangs protruded from its mouth. A wave of pressure descended on Hump, less powerful than Vivienne’s, and incomparable to Kassius’, but still there. Hump steadied himself, leaning against his staff. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the image of the ape vanished, along with its pressure.

Before Hump could fully recover, Dylan was already moving. Jabbing his quarterstaff into the ground, he propelled himself into the air, the weapon growing rapidly as it pushed him off. Hump stared up at him, eyes wide. As the druid reached his full height, he somersaulted, swinging his staff around with him and plummeting directly toward Hump.

On instinct, Hump raised a basic shield wall overhead, the air shimmering as his essence solidified before his staff. He readied himself for the impact, but instead of smashing the shield with his staff, Dylan landed on it in a monkey-like crouch. He sprung from the shield, landing silently behind Hump.

Hump whirled around to meet him, Blast already on his lips, when a light impact sent him stumbling. He winced in discomfort and turned to find Dylan smirking at him, his staff extended like a spear.

“That’s one point to me,” he said.

“I didn’t think we’re counting points,” Hump said, massaging the spot on his shoulder where he’d been poked. “What type of staff is that? That ability to change size is interesting.”

“It’s just an ordinary wooden quarterstaff,” Dylan said. “It’s my third circle ability, Growth, that allows me to quickly grow and manipulate plant matter I’m in contact with.” He demonstrated it by holding out his staff. Essence ran through the grain of the wood, making the faint cracks glow green. Suddenly, it began to shrink, compressing until it was only the size of a pencil. In another burst of essence, Dylan made it expand back to its original size.

“I can see why Vivienne keeps you around,” Hump said. “You’re an alchemist’s dream.”

Dylan chuckled. “It’s not quite so effective on living plants. The strain caused by such rapid growth isn’t something I can compensate for through essence alone.”

“Less talking, more sparring,” Vivienne called.

Dylan glanced at her. “This doesn’t seem fair, Master.”

“Dylan…”

He sighed, turning back to Hump. “I’m really sorry about this.”

“Don’t be,” Hump said, forcing a tight smile onto his lips. He didn’t appreciate being looked down on.

Dylan moved, and Hump levelled his staff at him. “Blast!”

Blue light exploded against his chest, blowing him back through the air. He landed clumsily, though somehow stayed on his feet. Hump took a step toward him, stabbing the butt of his staff into the ground. He reached for the earth with his essence and cast Transform Earth. It crumbled before his will, and he launched the dust at Dylan, coating him from head to toe. The druid tried to shield his eyes, but he was too late. He gasped, coughing frantically.

Hump reached into his pocket, grabbing a handful of stones and infusing them with essence. There was not time for proper control. He forced them together, binding them into one larger rock, clenched in his fist. The cracks where the stones were bound shone with bronze as he pulled it free and launched it at Dylan. The large stone shot through the air streaking a thick trail of light, flying straight at Dylan’s chest.

The druid must have sensed it coming as he rolled to the side, the rock thudding into the ground behind him. Green light shimmered around Dylan’s feet as he drew power from the earth and wiped the dirt from his eyes. He squinted at Hump, staff ready.

Hump didn’t give him a moment to recover, shooting off a Focused Blast while the opportunity was still there. Dylan leapt over it and dashed across the remaining distance; staff extended at his side.

Not good, Hump thought, as he backed up a step. Thinking quickly, he stabbed his staff into the ground before his feet and used Transform Earth to compact the earth beneath, leaving a hole of loose dirt in its place.

As Dylan pursued, his foot broke through the surface and fell through. Hump hardened the earth around it, just as he had done against Kassius, trapping him in place. In few moments it had bought him he channelled his essence to his staff and stabbed it toward Dylan’s chest. “Blast!” he shouted.

It was only a quick spell, but at this range even that was enough to hurt.

Except… Dylan didn’t fall. His body shone with essence, and as the blue light of Hump’s spell cleared, the druid stood there bigger even than before. The image of a bear flashed over him, and Hump’s eyes went wide. As the blue light faded, Dylan remained. He was a head taller than before, a tower of a man, broader than a Northman. His muscles ballooned beneath what were once loose clothes. His shoulders broadened.

Hump stepped back as Dylan yanked his foot free of the earth, crumbling the quickly made stone trap and kicking the fragments in his direction.

“Now that’s really not fair,” Hump said.

Dylan’s grin had lost its apologetic look and now made Hump nervous. “You almost got me with that one. Almost.” He stepped forward, a hulking giant, bare feet heavy against the grass, swinging his staff at Hump with one hand.

“Shield,” Hump shouted, shaping a half sphere before him. The impact sent Hump stumbling, but his shield held. Dylan lacked Kassius’ power; it would take more than just that to break through. Unfortunately, more were coming. Dylan shrunk his staff so that it was club sized, then blow after blow bore down on his shield, each resonating with a deep, gonglike chime. Each time, Hump staggered back, barely able to keep his feet as the force of Dylan’s blows spread through his shield.

“Concede, Hump,” Dylan said.

Hump gritted his teeth, as Dylan hammered down on him, each blow harder than the last.

“It was a good fight, but it’s over,” Dylan said. “Concede!”

There was no opening. A point-blank Blast had hardly phased Dylan, so how was he supposed to disarm him? The next blow formed a crack on his shield and Hump knew he had no time left to think. Before the next blow struck, he shattered his own shield. As the spell dissipated, he gathered the residual essence to empower a quick Focused Blast directed at Dylan’s left knee.

Dylan screamed from the impact, collapsing to his knee with a heavy thud, catching himself with his freehand just before he fully hit the ground. Hump pointed staff at Dylan’s face, blue light shining onto him from the focus.

“Concede?” Hump said smugly.

Dylan smiled. “I don’t think so.”

Something grasped Hump’s staff from behind, yanking it back. Dylan grabbed Hump’s leg and pulled, as whatever had his staff pulled too. He landed flat on his back; the air knocked from his lungs. He gasped, blinking back a wave of dizziness.

He groaned as he glanced behind him, where he saw a single vine swaying slowly around head height, his wizard staff in its grip. Hump frowned. When did Dylan do that…?

“You weren’t just dusting your hands at the start,” Hump said.

Dylan laughed, stepping forward and offering Hump his hand. Hump took it and was hauled to his feet as if he weighed nothing. “A trick Master Vivienne taught me. That was good, Hump. Very good, considering your handicap. If you’d had access to fire this could have ended very differently.”

“I’m not convinced.” He studied the vine behind him. “How do I get my staff back?”

“Here,” Dylan said. The vine moved as he spoke, offering it back.

Hump took it. “That’s a useful ability.”

“Grasping Vines,” Dylan said. “It allows me to conjure seeds out of essence and manifest temporary vines.” As he spoke, the vine began to glisten with green essence, which smoked from it in a trail of faint light. In seconds, the entire construct faded to dust.

“How many can you make?” Hump asked.

“Of that size?” Dylan shrugged. “Ten on a good day. Though I can’t control them all. When it comes to control, my best is only two. I’m not very good at doing multiple things at the same time.”

“How do you think you performed?” Vivienne asked, walking over to them.

Hump tilted his head and scratched his chin. “Decently. Despite getting lucky, my trap wasn’t enough to defeat Dylan, and now that he knows my tricks, I don’t imagine it would go so well.”

“I agree,” Vivienne said. “Though I’m fully aware that a duel against a more powerful melee opponent is a terrible matchup for you, and you were handicapped being unable to use fire. Still, your quick thinking gave you a couple of opportunities, and it was only Dylan’s advantage of rank that allowed him to shake off that Blast spell.”

“My bear form is a variant on Aspect of the Beast that I received upon reaching the third circle,” Dylan explained. “It significantly improves my body’s strength and durability. I’ll admit, I’m not sure I’d have been able to fight on without it.”

“Do you gain a new variant with each circle?” Hump asked.

“That’s how it seems.”

“There are two main variations to the blessing that I’ve come across in my research,” Vivienne said. “One gains a new variant with every major blessing, so at the fourth, seventh, and ninth circle, while Dylan’s gains one with each circle.”

“So you’re strong, mobile, and durable,” Hump said. “This is why I hate druids.”

Dylan laughed. “There are some downsides to the blessing too. Transforming multiple times in quick succession is exhausting, each time more than the last. I can just about manage a third transformation and still fight, but a fourth is my limit without some time to rest between.”

“I guess that’s only fair,” Hump said.

“Now there are some standout areas I think we should work on,” Vivienne said. “Firstly, you lack technique, particularly compared to your peers at the academy.”

Hump scrunched his face. “I can’t be that bad. Master Sethril had me practicing my shaping exercises daily, and I always thought I was pretty good at battle magic.”

Vivienne let out a sigh, pressing her brow as she thought. “Let me put it this way. You’re more akin to a street brawler than a trained warrior. It’s all brute force. Few wizards at your rank could match the power of your spells in so little time, however even when presented with the opportunity, you couldn’t bring Dylan down. The difference is technique and execution.”

“I thought you said it was due to rank difference,” Hump said.

“Unless you have a method of avoiding all manner of more powerful opponents, I suggest you prepare for such an occasion properly. It was not all bad though. Your use of Transform Earth was particularly well done. In the chaos of a real battlefield, or against an opponent lacking defence, perhaps it would have been enough.”

Hump smiled, remembering the moment Kassius had fallen for the very same trick.

“Your Shield on the other hand was about as basic as it comes. Holding a single spell like that is a huge waste of essence. Worse even than that, it leaves you immobile and unable to respond to follow up strikes beyond holding your ground or dropping your defence.”

“I didn’t feel like I had much of a choice with a hulking giant of a man slamming down at me with a club.”

Vivienne smiled. “A good block has momentum. You don’t block a sword with a static blade, you knock it aside. While Shield is more versatile than mundane weapons, the same rule can apply. Allow me to demonstrate.” She turned to her apprentice. “Dylan, hit me.”

“What? Right now?”

“Of course I mean now,” she snapped. “Hit me!”

Dylan adjusted his grip then stepped into range, swinging his staff at her waist. Vivienne swiped her hand at it in response, essence flaring. The air shimmered before Dylan’s staff, and the weapon cracked against it. The staff rebounded off the shield and sent the druid stumbling back.

She didn’t even need a chant.

“Momentum and a sharp use of essence,” Vivienne said. “It doesn’t even cost half as much essence, and you won’t be maintaining it nearly as long. You’ll also find that the momentum counteracts much of the force that your body otherwise needs to deal with.”

Hump stared at the spell with wide eyes. He’d seen his master use Burst Shield before, a variant where the spell was only activated briefly, but never had it been used with such precision. “Can you teach me that?”

“With some effort from you, yes,” Vivienne said. “The spell itself is not particularly difficult, but it relies on proper timing and reaction speed to block an attack. There’s no room for error but as you face more powerful opponents, you’ll find that a static block simply won’t suffice.”

“What’s the spell called?”

“Parry Shield. It’s only a Rank 2 spell, but it will be a good way to practice your control without relying on a cheap bracelet. Though it’s only one small step on the path to proper mastery of your spells. As you are now, I can see why you’re concerned about these trials.”

“It’s not so bad when I can use fire magic,” Hump said. “We fought two trolls on the way here—worked like a charm.”

“If your only option is to resort to fire, you’ll make every fight a fight to the death.”

“I just mean… well, wizards work best with party members to support us. The trials are something I must face alone, that’s why I’m worried.”

“Is that so?” Vivienne asked. “Robert, Celaine, would you please join me in the field? Watch closely, Hump. Let me show you how an academy wizard fights.”