The cloud of dust and smoke suddenly started to swirl around the circular light accompanied by a low whirring noise, increasing intensity steadily until it became a strong vortex of wind. And with a low pitched boom that sounded like a bass boosted song, the vortex exploded violently revealing what lurked underneath.

It was a large spherical metallic object with a red circle, growing eerily in the middle like a giant floating eyeball. The metal skin had rivets and bolts holding it together making it look very industrial and crude.

“Behold!” The headmaster exclaimed, “Training golem series 3!” He repeated himself for some reason.

“This was the prototype of the previous generation of security golems we once used. Sadly they were replaced a few years ago.” He explained.

“As with the previous test, this one also possesses a built in weakness. It is up to you to figure out what it is!” The headmaster continued.

“Now, mr. Artian Vendrake and ms. Estelle Mordigan, your trial begins now!” With those words his figure then dispersed into particles of light once more.

The glowing red circle on the golem faced the duo and suddenly changed its color to purple. It then lifted itself higher on the floor and started letting out a low and ominous hum.

“That thing certainly doesn’t look friendly.” Sylvester commented as he continued to chow down on the popcorn.

“I wonder if it shoots out lasers?” He joked to himself. He then looked at Rossa again and saw her watching rather intently. But her gaze was on the two participants and not one the golem itself.

---

After seeing the golem undergo a curious change, the pair tensed up and became more alert. Or rather, that’s how people usually would react. Instead the pair had something else in their minds.

“Yo, Estelle. Let’s get this over with quickly. This giant eyeball shouldn’t be much of a problem.” Artian said as he pointed towards the golem.

“Artian were you even listening to the headmaster?” His companion replied in a teasing tone.

“Yes? In a nutshell his instructions just to go and beat it up.” Artian talked as if it was a matter of fact.

“Well yeah, but he did say it had a built in weakness right?” She said as she raised her right index finger.

“But what do- Oh.. Oh I see now!” He replied as if only understanding what the Headmaster just told them.

“You were planning on just jumping in and smacking it with your sword aren’t you?” Estelle teased.

“Shut up.”

Forming both of his hands into a fist and then slammed them together, Artian then declared in a pumped up tone, “ALRIGHT, Let’s turn that floating ball into some scrap!”

“Let’s go let’s go!” Estelle happily agreed.

Up on the audience platforms, Sylvester was having the time of his life.

“HAHAHAHA!” He laughed heartily. “Man, these guys are fun!”

“Uugghh..” Rossa however could only reply with disappointment and a hand plastered on her face.

Artian rushed in, charging towards the golem as fast as he could with Estelle following closely behind. Jumping forward with mana fortification, afterwards he formed a finger gun gesture on his hand and aimed it at the target.

“Wait a minute is that?” Sylvester reacted as he saw Artian adopt a familiar form.

Gathering mana into the tip of his index finger Artian exclaimed. “Burst Finger!” A flash of energy then burst from his finger and hit the golem right in its purple circular eye. And as one would expect, it did little to no effect.

The spell bounced off something invisible covering the body of the golem, a faint violet glow appeared on the spot of contact and disappeared shortly after.

As they expected the attack had little to no effect on the floating sphere but now they knew that there was an invisible field surrounding it and absorbing incoming damage. The purple eye then continued to follow Artian and Estelle’s movements as they continued their approach.

“Estelle, you’re up!” Artian shouted as Estelle shot past him.

“My turn!” Estelle gleefully declared, forming her left hand into a fist and gathering mana into her fists and aimed it at a spot underneath their target.

She abruptly stopped and assumed a pose. Arching her back down and cocking up the closed fist, it was like she was preparing to do an uppercut.

“Fist of the earth!” And with that, she jumped into the air with her fist held up a high.

A mound of dirt erupted from underneath the golem that formed into the shape of a giant fist, slamming itself into the circular body. However, upon contact with the invisible barrier the fist immediately shattered and broke into small pieces with the point of impact glowing a bright purple, ripples flowing outward from and meeting on the other side.

“We’re not done yet!” Artian, unperturbed by their second failed attempt, continued his assault leaping into the air high above the golem that quietly observed him.

“Just gonna sit there and watch like a little creep huh? Maybe this’ll jolt you a little bit!” Artian then raised both his hands upwards gathering mana into them.

A magic circle then formed over Artian, placed just above his raised hands.

“Eat this!, Cascading Lightning!” Artian then brought his hands down together with the magic circle following it and aimed towards the Golem down below.

A massive streak of lightning sparked off the circle. Like a large vein running down an arm, it ran downwards and crashed into the purple sphere giving off a bright and brilliant display of sparks followed by a large explosion.

Artian then gracefully landed on his feet and eyed the scene of destruction with Estelle stopping just beside him. All of a sudden a light flashed from where the spot the lightning struck, a bright yellow light shot through the obscuring cloud of dust.

Upon sensing a sudden surge of mana, Artian and Estelle were easily able to predict and dodge in the incoming counter attack that shot through between them with but a small backstep. Artian then set his sights on the golem that had changed its form.

“About time you decided to fight back!” Artian smugly commented.

The golem’s eye was now a bright red, the lines on its industrial looking surface started glowing the same color but the biggest change was with the sphere’s poles. The top and bottom were now raised up only connected to the rest of the body by a joint that seemed to be made of light.

“It looks oddly cute. I’d like to have a plushie of that.” Estelle jokingly commented.

“I don't think the academy sells merchandise modeled after defensive weaponry.” Artian replied.

Suddenly, the golem tilted on its axis and on the poles of the raised sides a solid bright beam of light jotted out. The golem then started spinning wildly trying to hit the pair with the attack, to which they dodged with a carefully timed backflip.

The golem however continued the aggression as it charged forward with great speed, flying like a sci-fi aircraft. The solid beams of light changed into sharp wing-like protrusions as it drew closer to Artian and Estelle, revealing its method of attack in the process.

As it was really obvious what it was planning to do, the pair easily avoided the incoming golem with a little side step, but as soon as it passed by it suddenly turned around and shot at their position with another beam-like attack.

The duo were now on the backfoot as the golem continued its attacks relentlessly and effortlessly dodged any attempts of a counter attack.

“Damn it.” Artian exclaimed. “We’re getting nowhere with this.”

“Oh well, looks like we need to change it up it seems.” Estelle added.

“Time to bring out the big guns!” Artian declared, taking the sword was dangling on his waist this entire time. He closed his eyes as he placed the blade near his face when suddenly Estelle interrupted him.

“Oh uh Artian.” Estelle suddenly shouted.

“What now?” Artian replied, a little bit annoyed.

“What combo are we going to use against that?” Estelle asked as she reached into her brown pouch, rummaging through its contents.

“Hmm, Let’s go with generic fantasy this time I guess. Start with something real basic.” He said as he winked at Estelle.

“If you say so.” Estelle took out a phial containing a green, bubbly liquid that looked like a green apple flavored soda.

“Bottoms up!” She said as she drank the potion down.

Immediately her body started glowing, her hair untied itself from the braids and grew longer. Curiously her ears also changed and grew to be pointy and long.

After a short while the light disappeared and her appearance completely changed to something similar to an elf. She lowered her goggles down to her neck and left it dangling like a necklace, revealing pristine green eyes that shined like emeralds.

As Estelle was in the middle of her transformation, Artian placed the metal rod near his face again and closed his eyes as if in deep contemplation.

“My soul is my armor!” He chanted.

Suddenly a translucent chest plate and singular pauldron on his left shoulder appeared on his person, along gloves and boots that seem to start having more form to them.

“My spirit is my blade!” Artian then opened his eyes.

A mechanism in the sword opened up forming a bright yellow aura that enveloped the blade. It pulsated with energy and with let out a flash of light. The once translucent pieces of armor now completely manifested onto Silvester shining like they were fresh from a blacksmith and his blade was bathed in a bright yellow light brimming with energy.

After his own transformation, he then pointed the tip of his sword at the floating enemy looking from and gave it a smug and cheeky smile.

“Now then, the real fight starts here!”