"How can anyone like sitting several hours a day reading ancient books, this is so boring." Chara commented to Alicia, her boredom evident in her voice. laughing at her companions comment Alicia answered, "You thought the life of a student at Ave Ludum was interesting, didn't you? Most of the time we study boring books and do tests other people have done hundreds of times before." Understanding that she won't leave the library for at least another hour Chara closed one of the books she was reading and looked over towards Alicia.

"Have the academy been treating you good since your arrival?" Chara asked.

"Kinda, we get food from the cafeteria for free and due to my arrangement I have access to the entire library except the forbidden sections." Alicia answered while twirling a pen between her fingers. "The food is a plus, during my stay in Al-Asar it was pretty difficult to get your stomach filled most nights." Alicia commented.

"What do you mean, why didn't you eat?" Chara asked confused by her companions words.

"Its pretty difficult for a beggar to get enough coin to survive in a city already full of slums and poor people, it's a miracle I wasn't kidnapped or killed while there." Reminiscing about the past filled Alicia with melancholy for the days she had to sleep on an empty stomach for days.

"At least now you are safe, and you have a strong knight protecting you at all times." Chara teased, causing Alicia to laugh, gaining a few stares from other students trying to read in peace.

"By the way, you have been my knight for almost two weeks now, but you haven't told me anything about yourself. Do you have family? What do you look like?" Alicia asked, wanting to gain her companions trust even more than the simple honor of a knight.

Scratching her head Chara answered. "My family is nothing really, my father and mother are minor lords in the kingdom of Eredria, at the southern border to the kingdom of Venetis. I have an elder brother who is the personal guard to one of the princes of Eredria, for my features you can feel for yourself." Chara explained as she grabbed Alicias hands and placed them on her cheeks. Understanding that Chara trusted her Alicia began gently touching Chara's cheeks and chin, feeling a faded scar on her right cheek. Locating her ears she feels the knights soft hair and gently caresses it down to where it stops at her collarbone. Chara felt nervous by the interaction but was thankful Alicia was blind, otherwise she would see the blushing cheeks of the knight.

"What color is your eyes and hair?" Alicia asked.

"I have amber eyes and red hair, a trait running deeply in my family." Chara explained.

"A trait from the wind of fire I assume." Alicia argued.

"Huh. How did you know I was connected to the wind of fire?" Chara asked, perplexed by her companions correct guess.

"The same reason as why I have blue eyes, the winds of magic have a certain connection to ones body such as the color of ones hair and eyes for example." Alicia explained.

"However, I can see it, well not really see it. But I can sense a persons connection to the winds and see which wind they are attuned to." Alicia said, not noticing the baffling expression of Chara.

"How is that possible!?" Chara shouted, but lowered her voice when one of the librarians shushed her.

"I don't know actually, I came up with it when I was staying in Al-Asar." Alicia answered.

"Do you realize the value of that power in battle? To know the wind of magic ones opponent have, it would have so many upsides in a battle or duel." Chara explained, amazed by Alicias power.

"I guess, unfortunately I'm not a training maniac like you." Alicia commented while laughing at her friends comment.

"Shut up, you do not understand. To have knowledge of ones enemy in duel is a key to winning." Chara explained while lightly pushing Alicia, laughing along with her.

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by an older man explaining that Alicia is to head over to one of the training halls to do an experiment with her connection to magic. Sighing Alicia placed her pen on the table and asked Chara to help her lead the way. Chara grabbed Alicias belongings and placed them in a bag, giving it to her Chara placed her hand on her sword and began following the older gentleman along with Alicia towards their destination. Wanting to try out a new spell she had learned recently she silently performed a hand gesture. Small wisps of opal colored light shone from her arm.

"Chara can you hear me? If yes don't be alarmed and think of the word yes." Alicia thought. Chara was suddenly spoken to in her mind, looking around for any enemies she reluctantly thought of the word.

"Perfect, the spell worked." Alicia commented, Chara could now clearly hear the familiar voice of her friend and turned around in surprise, seeing her small companion with a grin on her lips.

"What did you do?" Chara asked.

"I can tell you more about it later, I assume we are close since there are a lot of people connected to the winds behind one of the doors to the right." Alicia said to Chara, confused by her words until their escort announced that they have arrived at their destination. Chara looked over at Alicia and the same grin was plastered on her lips, gaining a lightly irritated reaction from the knight.

Entering the well lit room Chara could see several older mages and a few students standing around in a circle. Thanking the guide for the help Chara helped Alicia into the center of the room while she stationed herself at one of the walls near the door.

"Good afternoon miss Alicia, how are you?" One of the older mages asked with a respectful tone.

"Good afternoon professor Salac, Im good, how was the lesson with the novices today." Alicia responded.

"They don't seem to respect the wind of water at all, why couldn't all students of water be as cooperative as you." Salac sighed, thinking of his students laziness during the class.

"Well, you were always my favorite teacher while I was a student here." Alicia commented, a heartily laughter echoed from professor Salac in response.

"Well thank you Alicia, anyway we can talk more about that at a later time, now for todays test. Lady Chara, please stand back for this." Salac asked Chara who complied with their request, already familiar with their process. Chara saw Alicia standing in the center of the room while one of the students began chanting a familiar spell to her, and from nothing five medium sized balls of fire lit up.

"Well done Pelham. Next, Alicia todays experiment is to successfully extinguish these fireballs with your water magic." Professor Salac explained the experiment.

Thinking for a moment Alicia got an idea, she could feel the mana flowing from the centre of her body towards the end points on her palms, reaching the sapphire colored crystal it began shining a murky blue light unnoticed by the professors, and from her two palms a ring of water expanded out and began circling around her torso.

"interesting idea, I wonder how you will solve this test." Professor Salac thought, a small grin on his lips.

Suddenly Alicia began expanding the circle around her, at first there was no reaction from Alicia until the ring of water came in contact with one of the fireballs, listening and sensing her magic in the room she could sense in a way where the fire was located. Sending more mana towards the ring she again chanted a spell and out from the ring a ball of water expanded, interconnected to the ring. When it became big enough she sent it towards the closest fireball and she could clearly hear it evaporating. Continuing with her strategy she had completely extinguished the five fireballs within five minutes after the first was gone.

"Well done Alicia, it took you longer time than for other students but well done nonetheless a well planned strategy to solve the test." Professor Salac congratulated Alicia.

"Thank you professor Salac." Alicia said as she dropped the spell, the sapphire crystal on her arm turned back to its usual murky color.

"Do we have anymore tests for today professor Salac?" Alicia asked, wanting to return to the library as fast as possible.

"Well, we have one test left for today. We were informed during your arrival you also had a minor connection to the wind of air. is that true?" Suddenly one of the mages asked Alicia, unfamiliar with the voice she wondered who it belonged to but professor Salac did it before she could ask.

"Sorry about that Alicia, this is professor Cael, he is the head professor of the wind of air. He was interested in your connection to two winds of magic." Professor Salac introduced his colleague. Charla noticed he had a fervent look at Alicia.

"Ahem. Sorry about that. As professor Salac said I am the head mage of air faculty. I am interested in the theory behind dual connected mages and especially the wind of air." Professor Cael composed himself as he formally introduced himself and explained, "Principal Vatler has authorized to test your connection to the wind of air as well, todays test is to simply test your current capabilities." After explaining he explained that five different candles have been set up in the room and explained that her goal is to blow out as many as possible. Alicia called over Chara to help her to the the end of the room, obliging to the request Chara gently grabbed Alicia's hand and guided her over to the end of the room.

"The five candles are in front of you Alicia now." Chara told Alicia. Thanking Chara for her help she began channeling her mana and sent it to the citrine colored shard and connected her hands in front of her and pushed a current of air forwards as far as she could muster, after a few seconds of casting she dropped her spell and waited for professor Cael's judgement.

"Hmm. two out of five candles, not great but not bad either, have you trained with the wind of air for long?" Professor Cael asked while writing down a few notes.

"Not really, I discovered it during my stay in Port Al-Asar, but have only used it a few times since then." Alicia explained.

"Seems further testing is required." Professor Cael talked to himself while thinking of future tests to conduct.

"If professor Cael is satisfied then todays test is concluded, thank you for your assistance Alicia. We will be sending an escort as usual when the next test arrives." Professor Salac explained as Chara headed over to help Alicia back.

"Thank you professor Salac. have a good evening." Alicia said good bye as she motioned Chara to escort her out from the room. After the duo left the room professor Cael walked over to Salac.

"Why aren't we doing test on the shards embedded in her body, Principal Vatler's theory of magical imbued shards have been stagnant for a long time and we finally have a live test subject." Professor Cael was irritated.

"I don't know for certain, but there was an agreement between Alicia and the principal, I don't know the specifics but something had stopped the principal from continuing his theory.

Outside the room Alicia suddenly began tipping forward but was caught by Chara.

"Alicia are you okay?" Chara asked concerned.

"Im alright Chara, just mana depletion from the experiment, I think we have to head back to my room for the evening." Alicia explained her situation.

"I understand, I will send food from the cafeteria later, for now we can head to your room." Helping Alicia along the way the finally arrive at her room after around fifteen minutes of walking, unlocking the door Chara helps Alicia unto the bed and walks outside to inform the kitchen.

While laying fatigued in her bed she could sense the presence of a person near here she casts the detection spell and senses an onyx colored wind user in her room, casting a water bolt in its direction she could see the figure quickly disappear and she was laying in her bed all alone now.

"Hmm. Seems like principal Vatler really doesn't trust me. Have to inform Chara about..." As she pondered about the intruder she quickly drifted of to sleep. A while later Chara gently opened the door and saw the sleeping figure of Alicia.

"I guess one would be tired after those tests." Chara said to herself. "Good night Alicia." She gently spoke as she closed the door and headed towards the training area for the knights.