The Historian, Jasmi and Gretta waited patiently in the Castellas’ training room while Dante sat quietly with his eyes closed. The Historian had told him that any new spell needed complete concentration and that was his reasoning for taking his time. He ran through the process of the spell over in his head. The book the Historian had given him had opened his eyes. He hadn’t even scratched the surface of what he was capable of. He almost felt embarrassed when his former classmates would expect him to become an all-powerful Mage, when the simple truth was, he didn’t know what he was supposed to be capable of. Power is useless without the ability to control it. That was why he was taking so much time to run through the process of the spell. Well, that and he really didn’t want to blow himself up.

Dante opened his eyes; his nerves had settled and he stood with a surprising amount of conviction. He felt the Essence pull at him through his chest, leading him in the direction he wished to go. Dante had realized that words, chants and movements weren’t necessary in casting spells. Those were used to help a Mage focus.

He stopped himself from almost interrupting his focus to walk through the spell again. He was delaying and he knew it. With his mind calm and his focus centered, he finished the spell. He watched the room stretch before him as time slowed to a crawl. The pulling sensation in his chest had built up and the slight buzzing vibration could be felt all over his skin as the spell released. One moment he was standing on one side of the training room, unarmored and unarmed. The next, he was on the other side of the training room, not only facing the opposite direction, but armed with a longsword and his essence crystal plate armor covering his body.

Jasmi and Gretta gasped audibly while the Historian quickly took notes. Dante dismissed the sword and armor, smiling at his audience.

“What do you think?” Dante said, his smile expressing his satisfaction.

The Historian didn’t bother taking down looking up. “Took your sweet time. But that is good. Keep taking your time until you don’t need to think about it. Then it will become second nature to you.”

Dante nodded. “I think I found something else.”

The caught the Historians attention and she looked up from her notes. “Oh?”

Dante smiled. “I think we have been taught…incorrectly.”

The Historian looked intrigued. “Why do you say that?”

Dante sat at the small table that she had set up. Jasmi and Gretta still hadn’t said a word but he saw that they had his full attention.

“When I see others casting their magic, the Essence they use is all unique.” Dante explained. “That wouldn’t be so odd if we talked about a Fire Mage and a Beast Mage but I have noticed that even two Mages with the same affinity have a distinct difference.”

The Historian cracked a grin. She had had many conversations on this subject with several other scholars at the Academy. What Dante had though was the ability to see the Essence, something that no one else could do. She felt her old heart pound at the idea of a new discovery in magic.

“Well.” The Historian laughed. “Don’t leave us hanging from the tower.”

Dante blushed a bit but his smile was wide. “When a person converts Essence into usable magic, it collects just above the stomach. What I have seen though is that before it collects, it runs through the entirety of the body.” Dante stood and pointed out his own body for reference. “When I create my weapons, there is a small pulse of Essence in my hands. I didn’t notice this for a long time and the pulse is quite faint but I believe that those points are what allow me create weapons.”

The other’s looked at their own hands. The idea of new convergence points for Essence was a wild idea and the Historian’s mind was racing.

“How do you plan to prove your theory?” She asked.

Dante gave a look at Jasmi and Gretta who stared at him in surprise.

“You think we can summon weapons?” Jasmi asked.

“Yes.” Dante said. “In fact, I think everyone can summon a weapon.”

“But why would you think that, Dante?” Gretta asked.

Dante sat back down. “It all comes back to people and their magic. Why is it that two different Life Mages can use a number of common spells but one is better at healing and the other at growing?”

“That is the nature of their affinity, Dante.” The Historian said.

He shook his head. “If they shared no common traits then they would be completely different affinities. The commonality of growing a plant and healing a cut are on opposite spectrums yet both Mages can accomplish it. So why does one Life Mage grow a tree faster while the other heal a cut faster?”

Gretta’s lips screwed up in thought. “Power?”

Jasmi shook her head. “Power isn’t a factor. Too much magic in any spell can destabilize it.”

The Historian nodded. “So, what do you see when you look at their Essence?”

“Movement.” Dante said, leaning on the table. “The Essence in each and every person moves at a different speed. I think that people have been learning the commonality of their magic rather than what they can individually accomplish. The Academy has effectively cut off the uniqueness of our abilities.”

“Wait.” Gretta interjected. “But many Mages are unique. My skills, Jasmi’s skills. No one else has them specifically.”

“True.” He said. “But I think, like me, you have only scratched the surface. Song Mages use sound to cast their magic. But isn’t noise just vibration? What would happen if you could cast a spell through a vibrating sword? Or create a fireball or ice shard by agitating or slowing your spells?”

“A Song Mage creating a fireball?” The Historian muttered. “Dante, are there any more convergences in the body?”

Dante nodded. “I have them in both hands and feet. One in my head and the main one above my stomach.”

“Six.” The Historian muttered as she wrote it down. “How can you tell you have one in your head?”

“I can feel the Essence when it moves through my system.” Dante said. “When I noticed the pulsed in my hands, I focused on them and felt the convergences. It’s feels like small whirlpools when I focus on them.”

The Historian had a wide smile on her face as she wrote it all down. “Jasmi, stand up so Dante can get a look at you.”

Dante paused and Jasmi immediately blushed. The idea, while innocent, still flustered the two teenagers. Gretta snickered causing the Historian to look up, noticing Jasmi had not moved yet.

“Oh, get up, girl!” The Historian barked. “This isn’t lovey dovey time, we have a tower shaking theory here and we need more information.” She glanced at Gretta. “And you’re next, you giggling ginger.”

Gretta quickly stopped laughing as Dante and Jasmi stood opposite of each other. Dante concentrated quickly, he could feel his pulse quickening at the thought of looking over Jasmi and his blush flared. Jasmi looked away, a blush just as deep covering her cheeks.

“Jasmi has them as well.” Dante said. He quickly looked up and then to the side, avoiding looking at Jasmi any longer as he knew his eyes might wander.

The Historian muttered as she wrote it all down. “Gretta, your next.”

Gretta bounced up, taking Jasmi’s place and cocked her hip to the side with an eyebrow raised. Dante looked at her, narrowing his eyes at the girl was obviously making fun of his reaction to Jasmi. A hint of a smile graced her lips and Dante shook his head.

Focusing once again, Dante looked at the convergence points in Gretta.

“Again, she has the same.” He said.

“Good.” The Historian said as she continued to write. “Now let us see what we can figure out.”

Dante started by showing them how he calmed his mind. He had them both use the breathing techniques that Jasmi had shown him. Once they were seated and breathing evenly, he asked them to picture their main convergence point above their stomach and slowly siphon the Essence from that point towards their hands. He explained how the convergence points felt like spirals, moving inwards.

It took a good deal of time before anything happened but the Historian encouraged them to keep going. Two hours later, Jasmi gasped as two beautiful black daggers appeared in her hands. The blades were made of a dark purple crystal and the grips were molded perfectly to her hand. She jumped up, shouting in her excitement which happened to break Gretta’s focus.

“Jasmi!” She said, getting to her feet. “Two hours! I just wasted two hours because you wanted to yell and jump around!”

Jasmi winced. “I’m sorry, Gretta. I wasn’t thinking.”

Gretta huffed and walked out of the room. “I needed to go to the bathroom anyways.”

Dante shrugged but the Historian was pulling her towards the table. She was writing down the shape, length and color, all while peppering Jasmi with questions.

“Why daggers?” The Historian asked as she looked up.

Jasmi thought a moment. “They just felt right. I didn’t actually think of a specific weapon. I don’t think I can make any other weapons actually. I don’t think I would ever imagine purple crystal, so it didn’t come from anything I was thinking about.

Dante looked at daggers she held. With his sight, he could see her magic in the weapons, still swirling about. That gave him an idea.

“Jasmi.” Dante said. “Try and absorb the daggers back into your hands.”

Jasmi nodded and looked at her daggers for a moment before they disappeared. Dante watched as most of the Essence was drawn back into her hands. Some had escaped but it wasn’t much.

“Now make them again and this time, I want you to drop them.” Dante said, still staring intently at her hands.

It still took a few minutes but she was able to create the daggers again. Once she had both in hand, she let them drop. Both immediately disappeared, the Essence scattering away.

Dante nodded. “So, if you draw the Essence back in, you can retain some of your magic but if you drop them, you lose the Essence it took to create them.

The Historian cackled. “Very good, Dante! That was clever thinking.”

“Do you draw your weapons back in?” Jasmi asked.

“No.” He said. “I never thought about it but I don’t need to convert the Essence into my own affinity.”

Jasmi narrowed her eyes. “Well, that’s not very fair.”

Dante smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. “Essence Mage.”

She laughed at his antics and for some reason that made Dante really happy. He would have to ask Ferris about that. Dante felt a sudden pang of guilt at the thought of moving forward without his two friends with him. He pushed it aside as best as he could. The more he learned now, the faster he could improve them all.

Gretta eventually returned and after another hour, she jumped up with a shout and she held up a two-foot-long, hollow crystal tube. It was colored violet, matching her eyes she swung it towards a practice dummy but it didn’t make and noise.

“Huh?” Gretta said in confusion, as she took a few more swings. “It’s not doing anything.”

The Historian thought for a moment. “Try hitting the dummy.”

Gretta moved forward. With an overhand blow, she hit the dummy on the hard-wooden head. The crystal tube vibrated, creating a single musical note, then the wooden head exploded sending splinters into the wall behind the dummy.

Gretta yelled out in shock as she dropped the tube causing it to disappear.

“What in the name of the Gods was that?!” Gretta yelled. She turned to find all three of them looking on in shock.

Dante coughed lightly. “I am never sparring with you again.”

The Historian ran over, looking at what remained of the wooden head. When she lifted it up, they saw that it didn’t explode but that a good portion of the top was missing.

“Gretta, summon your weapon again and try hitting the straw dummy.” The Historian told her.

Gretta looked a little nervous but did as told and a few moments later was standing in front of the straw dummy that was normally used for arrows. She pulled back her arm again and swung and arm. The slight crack of straw being hit sounded but no musical notes came out.

“So, it’s a weapon to be used on armor.” The Historian muttered. She looked at Dante and smiled. Dante felt the pit of his stomach drop. “Dante, would you summon your crystal armor?”

After a few long minutes of fruitless arguing, Dante stood in the center of the room, his crystal armor covering his body. He gulped audibly as Gretta took a stance in front of him. Wincing, she pulled back her weapon and slammed it into the center of his chest. The crystal tube hit, and a musical tone sounded. A moment later and Dante was flying backwards. He landed about five feet away but fell backwards and rolled once more. Jasmi and Gretta were at his side seconds later.

Dante shook his head and sat up. The strike wasn’t as painful as he thought it would be but the sudden force that threw him back was amazing.

“I’m okay.” Dante said, to the relief of the two helping him stand. “That hit had a lot of force behind it but it didn’t hurt too much. Maybe it’s a way to create distance or knock aside a shield.”

The Historian was still writing everything down. “This is very good, Gretta. It is effective and it seems your strength is not a factor. Ultimately, it gives you options which is what every Mage needs.”

Gretta smiled happily at that, looking over her new weapon again. The Historian had Jasmi resummon her weapons and test them as well. She stabbed forward; the tip of the blade aimed at the dummy’s chest. The blade passed through the wood, stopping when the hilt hit the dummy. She pulled back and saw that there was no mark left behind.

“What use is a dagger if it can’t cut or pierce?” Jasmi asked. She looked a little perturbed by it all.

Dante looked her weapons over and then summoned his own weapon. It was a simple long sword and he held it out towards her.

“Try and hit this.” He said.

She walked up to the sword and swiped down with her dagger. A slight ring sounded and the sword was knocked away.

“So, she can hit your Essence Weapons.” The Historian said. “Try his armor.”

Dante summoned his armor and she hit it again. It made another ringing sound but didn’t cause any real damage.

“Humph.” The Historian said as she looked at the armor. She held out her arm. “Here, just cut the skin. A small cut mind you.”

Jasmi didn’t like the idea at all but complied with her orders. She stepped up and lightly nicked her skin. The blade moved through the skin but left not a mark. The Historian hissed and looked at her arm.

“Amazing.” She said, rubbing her arm. “I believe your daggers work much like your spirits. They don’t cause physical damage but instead, steal a person’s life energy.”

Jasmi looked at her daggers with disdain but the Historian just laughed at her.

“Oh, calm down, girl. It’s not like you’re stealing years off their life. Life energy is basically the ability to heal and move. The more you hit someone, the more tired they will become and I think it would also speed up your own recovery. You will be able to fight longer, heal faster. It’s a damn fine ability if you’re in the thick of it.”

That seemed to mollify Jasmi as she nodded to the Historian. The Historian turned back to Dante.

“What else have you discovered?”

Dante gave a small smile and pulled out the book she had given him.

Ferris mind was foggy. He woke up confused, unsure of what happened. He opened his eyes to find himself in a small white room that smelled of cleaning solution. He laid still, staring at the ceiling while his mind cleared. He knew who he was, he remembered the park, walking with Kelsi and then… Ferris sat up quickly and immediately wanted to vomit from the sudden movement. The room spun about and he laid back down, his hands covering his eyes.

“I wouldn’t sit up so quickly, Ferris.”

Ferris peaked through his hands and saw Senior Instructor Magnus standing in the doorway.

“Senior Instructor Magnus?” Ferris asked, uncovering his eyes slowly. “What happened? Where is Kelsi?”

Magnus walked over and placed her hand on his forehead. Healing magic flowed through Ferris and his vertigo suddenly cleared. He sighed in relief.

“Kelsi is just fine.” Magnus said. “She has already been healed and is recovering quickly.”

Ferris felt his heart lurch. “Healed from what?”

Magnus sat beside the bed and explained to Ferris what had happened. By the end, Ferris shook his head.

“That’s a lot to take in.” Ferris said which elicited a smile from the older Mage.

“That it is, Ferris.” She said. “But all is well. The enchantments have been successfully removed but we will need you to notify us if you have and after effects.”

“So, urges to maim and kill would be important to know?” Ferris asked with a smile.

Magnus lips twitched but did not smile. “Yes, that would be bad. Kelsi and yourself will be escorted to where the rest of your team members are staying tomorrow. We want to monitor you both until then.”

Ferris nodded and Magnus left soon after. He had missed a lot since they were kidnapped but his friends had come for them. Ferris might have felt a moments guilt for having to be saved but it faded quickly. He heard a soft knock at the door and saw a tired looking Kelsi enter. She smiled at him and sat next to his bed.

“We were enslaved.” He said quietly.

“I heard.” She replied. “I didn’t think that kind of thing was even possible. Magnus said we will be heading to where ever the rest of our team are hiding.”

Ferris nodded. “It feels.”

“What does?” She asked.

“Being saved. It’s like I expected to hear it. We were captured and our friends came to save us.”

Kelsi smiled. “We just have to make sure and save them in return.”

Ferris snorted. “Knowing Dante, we will most likely be saving someone sooner or later.”

Kelsi laughed. “We are here to save the world, right?”

Ferris sighed. “Can we keep doing this? Can we become heroes or something like it?”

Kelsi looked at him closely. “You think we are going to hold him back?”

Ferris shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s just…what happens when we get older and…”

Kelsi watched Ferris blush. Even with his dark tan it was easy to see. “…and?”

“And some of us get…married or have…kids.” Ferris finally finished.

Kelsi felt her cheeks heat as well. “Are you saying that would be bad?”

Ferris sat up, slowly this time. “We know Dante is destined for something but, what happens if…one of us has kids or something. Do we just run off to help him change the world?”

Kelsi thought about it. Really thought about it. It was a good question but they were all still young. There might be a day when that question would need to be answered.

“Well,” She said. “it’s not like any of us will be having kids tomorrow. We do what we can and we stick together as long as we can and if life…happens, then we work on it then.”

Ferris nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

That sat there together after that. They didn’t need conversation to fill the space between them. The silence was comforting to them both.

The next morning, Magnus escorted Kelsi and Ferris to the Castella estate. There was a small celebration held and everyone talked, catching up with one another. Dante and the Historian went over what Dante had discovered and Kelsi and Ferris couldn’t wait to attempt summoning weapons.

They were led to the training room and Dante walked them through the process of calming their minds. By the time Kelsi opened her eyes, she looked down in her hands to see a whip made of what looked to be braided topaz. The weapon hummed in her hands and she ran her fingers over the weapon. The whip didn’t feel like crystal. It flexed and stretched like any normal whip would. Her first concern was that she had never held a whip in her life. She had seen them used but it was more for herding animals than anything else.

Her look of disappointment ceased when she looked at Ferris who stood there with a crestfallen look and held a large emerald tower shield. She immediately fell over laughing and Dante, who had been holding his mirth in, joined her.

Ferris looked at both of them. “Ha. Ha.”

Jasmi wiped the tears from her eyes. “Well, apparently the Gods think a tank needs a shield as well.”

Ferris stood up. “And what am I supposed to do with it? I fight with a claymore.”

“You don’t need to use the shield at all times, boy!” The Historian yelled, slapping his shoulder. “You can wield your giant’s toothpick without a shield interfering. You can summon it at a moments notice, providing protection with having to drag it around. It is a boon to you so stop acting as if it’s nothing.”

Ferris looked embarred as he realized the potential of his shield. He looked us to see Dante creating a large Warhammer.

“Time to test it.” Dante said with a smile. Ferris grinned and set himself as Kelsi moved away.

Dante didn’t give it his full strength since he didn’t know what power the shield held. When the hammer hit the shield, his weapon was pushed to the side. It was as if the shield caught the blow and blew it away.

“Very Interesting.” The Historian said. “Did you feel the impact Ferris?”

Ferris nodded. “Yes. The power I felt through the shield was what you would expect but the weapon couldn’t gain purchase.”

Dante nodded. “Not bad, very useful for a Tank.”

Kelsi was up next. She stood in front of the dummy and untangled the whip. Her nerves were wound up as she thought of the whip accidently hitting her but the moment she swung the whip, it felt completely natural. She missed the target by a hair and the loud crack startled everyone in the room but she quickly pulled the whip back. She swung it about herself and sent the whip towards the dummies head. It wrapped around the head and her she suddenly felt the need to send a pulse of her magic through the whip. It worked even better than when she did it with her staff but obviously no one else could tell because the dummy just stood there.

She quickly explained what she knew would happen and the Historian wrote it down, thankfully not wanting to try and test it. The magic she sent through her staff could disrupt and even make organs fail when used. That was something no one had a desire to test out.

Kelsi and Ferris continued to practice through the afternoon. Dante felt their anxiety about being captured. They both had a strong desire to become stronger, better than they were before. Dante couldn’t fault them for that, especially if it helped them mentally. Dante was just stepping out of the training room when a guard came running past him. The guard moved quickly to the Historian. After a few hushed whispers, the guard ran back out. The Historian had a grim look on her face.

“What happened?” Dante asked. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. The guard was filled with worry and a moment later, anger and worry filled the Historian as well.

“The Council is under attack.” She answered.