My laughter resonated with the echoes bouncing off the hall, I bounced to my feet. Flicking my wrist, the air condenses into thousand pointed needles.

“Play times over.” I said, full of laughter.

Leah’s eyes were smug with success. With the descent of the needles that rain down, she summons that same old fire vortex. Nothing new.

Did she believe this would work twice?

My fingers dance through a complicated seal and the needles transform mid-air. Becoming something more than mere inanimate objects, they gain life. Throwing off the shells of the old, breaking out to become miniature swallows. They changed directions mid-dive, flying at beautiful speeds, in the opposite direction of the firestorm.

It is so beautiful, the sparkles of snow drifting behind the swallows’ tail. There were tears of pride and joy rolling down my cheek, freezing like the storm that went from an amazing whooshing sound, to the sound of ice cracking and reforming over and over.

I turned to watch the audience cheer on Leah. They had no idea what was in store for them. These pathetic ants assumed she was winning because I am learning what the best had to offer.

Now, it’s time to see how they respond to real magic.

The hall instantly began dropping degrees. Dropping from high temperatures that brought sweat upon your brows, upon Leah’s magic firestorm, to so cold that the ground frozen over.

You could see it the moment they realized the firestorm that came out strong, was freezing over. The moment they truly began to feel the affects of the cold, the shivering, hands rubbing their arms, goosebumps lining their exposed skins, foggy breaths leaking out.

I turned to Leah, who was sweating, but it wasn’t due to the heat of her flames. It is due to the fact that she couldn’t sustain the flames anymore. The indent of her eyebrows almost slammed them together, the ruffles upon her nose’s bridge made her look feral, the girl was almost at her wits end.

Gone, that smug self-pride smile she was giving me. Oh, how beautiful she looks as despair rage in her heart. I wonder how she is cheering herself on?

“You managed to best him once already! Even drew blood, come on! Come on! You can do this?”

My body shivered from delight.

I never felt this alive, so into the moment of watching my prey.

I now knew I wanted her.

I wanted to keep seeing this look, I wanted to experience so many more of her expressions. I wanted to be the cause of all her negative desires.

I licked my lips and walked towards her. My footsteps echoing loudly against the ice-coated floors. The audience left in a state of mixed support and fought for the dear, Leah. I am sure it is too much for them to bear.

I drew a line with my finger and the firestorm completely frozen over. Inside of the crystalline tower, stood Leah, looking so beautiful in her frozen state.

Like a dream that I wanted to fall asleep to see, right away. I almost didn’t want this moment to be over — wait — I must capture this moment.

I hurriedly pulled out my phone and snapped several pictures from all unique angles. Just in time, as Maevis, our instructor, waved her staff, slamming a negation spell into my perfection.

I sent my swallows to capture the fire Princess before she could collapse. They grabbed onto her clothes like fairies out of a movie, I snapped a few more pictures.

“Take this lesson to heart, beauty is in the simplicity of art but complexity can give rise to something far more thrilling.” I flipped through the pictures while repressing a wonderful feeling.

Is this what love at first sight felt like?

Leah touched down onto the stage, laying on her back with her body shivering.

Her friend with the long ears rushed onto the stage, kneeling beside her. I didn’t pay her more than a moment's care, trotting down the steps of the stage, brushing past Maevis. She placed her staff in front of my feet, blocking my path.

“That was very dangerous Mr. Leo. Let’s hope such things are... toned down a bit.” said Maevis, switching from her usual cheerful tone to something that sounded like a threat. Though, what’s a fairy gonna do?

I stepped over her staff and continued on my way towards the great doors.

“Do you see her shivering? Ha! And to think that is the supposed genius. Now look at her, a breath away from frostbite.”

My ears perked up, hearing the group of INFIDELS that failed so miserably at even a sneak attack,

I put two fingers together and flicked up, erecting an iceberg that entrapped them inside. Now finally,

Some damn peace.