This time I had not been able to push back my dreams, if they were dreams.

Still really confused I looked at Jess and felt, jealous?

She had just woken me up, I had overslept, she was still close to me.

Playfully I dragged her and she fell.

As we tumbled I became aware of my surroundings, and Jess looking at me accusingly.

"Not only do you sleep like a log, you even roll around like one.

Get off me perv!"

She didn't really struggle all that hard.

I blinked and excused myself.

"Sorry, thought I was still dreaming."

She rolled her eyes.

"Not that bad, but you really lay it on thick!

I like you better when you don't try so hard."

"So you do like me!"

"Ugh, boys."

"Hey, I just noticed, but isn't it kind of late?"

"Indeed it is." She smiled at me, still her chipper self.

"While Prince Charming had his beauty sleep, some of us had to work, you know?"

"Ouch, sure, hit me, not literally, but I do deserve it.

Let's eat something and see if we can pick up where we left off yesterday.

Doubt they appreciate me barging in middle of the class.

And I can show you the spells I learned yesterday."

Her expression flickered from incredulous disbelief to excitement to something else.

"If you fool me just to get me alone you will pay for it, understood?"

"We are alone, aren't we? And I appear to be quite undressed."

She reddened and was about to storm off.

"Wait. I could really use someone to watch while I try what I was not comfortable doing yesterday.

I'll behave, promise."

Her looks were quite mixed, disbelief and fascination intermingling.

"Ok. I do have to do so anyway.

Now get ready, I'll wait outside."

'You don't have to.'

As the blond Healer-In-Training left the room I quickly used the game helper to don my usual armor and clothes.

I'd get a Robe today.

Didn't want to stand out any more than I did already.

As I left the room I saw Jess looking anxiously at the back of Madam Renuras' head, which was briskly moving to another part of the Observatory from the looks of it.

"Everything alright?"

She smiled, still shaken, then nodded and dragged me along.

Not caring for the impression this made on me, either.

Her boobs were fairly well formed, not that large that you had to stare at them,

but nothing to sneeze at either.

Pressed against a soft cushion we quickly made our way.

Jess didn't reply and after a while noticed what she was doing.

"Sorry, think nothing of it.

Just some bad news is all.

Nothing to do with you or us."

"If you want to talk about it, I can listen."

"Some other time maybe. I cannot talk about it now."

"Hey, where are you leading me? We are already past the studies!"

"I know," she smirked. "We're going to the Dungeons.

There is a direct access into the mountain from the observatory where we can practice casting without endangering others.

You 1st years don't go there because by rights you can't do enough harm.

You specifically however may be quite dangerous!"

"Possibly, I don't know yet.

I can go all out there and try my worst?"

"Yup, but you also need to be careful of the other students casting.

Much space and many wards, but it is time for class.

Many of the higher ranked are taking practical lessons there."

"So I should know some shield spells myself? Care to teach me a basic one?"

She stopped, looked at me and sighed.

"Sure, I'd get in trouble if you were anyone else, but I guess it is fine.

You know how to make an Aura?"

"Yeah, learned the Wind one in class and the others sort of by reading.

But I have little to no idea which effects I can manifest so I need to test them first."

"The others, which others?"

"You know, Water, Earth, Fire, Light and Dark and lesser Lightning. The principle seems easy enough to apply."

"And you know you can apply it how?"

"Uh, I know it? Sorry if that is no explanation but I know I can."

"Aaanyway, you need to compress your Aura, form it and imagine it becoming impervious to the outside, or whatever you want to not hit you.

Careful to let Air through!

It is hard dispelling a really nasty shield which suffocates the caster."

"I'll keep that in mind. Can I try here?"

"Sure, but take it slow and stop when I tell you to.

But let us move along a bit further."

After a few more corridors we came to a fairly large Nexus.

"Go, and remember, breathing is important, as is not incinerating or poisoning the outside."

"Loads of Shields go haywire?"

I was starting to go through the process of channeling pure mana.

I figured a simple Force Shield would do for now, less chance for ugly side effects.

"Indeed, biggest reason for second class apprentices to have private tutors watching them.

They all try.

Looks neat, but try to keep a spot open somewhere, just to be safe, ok?"

I did as requested, leaving a spot well to my side free, hardening the mana everywhere else, pouring more and more into the circular Shield bubble.

"Stop."

I did but did not dissolve the Shield.

"Let me test it a bit, do not be alarmed."

She went on and hurled a bit of any element at it.

Not more than wisps really.

Then proceeded and struck with her staff, not holding back.

*Dong*, her staff was vibrating, and maybe the Shield, but I don't think so.

I had lost the immediate connection to it and could not tell.

I tried moving, and the Shield moved with me.

Focusing my senses I soon had a grasp on the Shield anchoring and its fluctuations.

The mana was constantly moving along a very thin plane, reinforcing whatever hit it.

Apparently it was Airtight.

Would have been if not for the hole.

'Geeze!'

"And here I thought I had made it not Airtight, dang it."

"So you can tell."

She smiled at me, seemed to beam even.

No that was my mana sight.

I pulled back my senses focusing on keeping the Shield in my perception but my vision unimpaired.

The trick to use only the extra sense active without overlapping was slow to master.

"It is well made, but of the nasty sort.

No easy way to tell how much strength it has.

Do you mind me testing?

You can always dispel the Shield by absorbing the mana again.

Or if that is too hard, unravel it from the inside.

That is much easier than from the outside."

Her voice sounded strange, thin and far away.

"Go ahead, but try to not scare me too much."

An evil grin appeared on her face.

"Then I will test what is too much, too."

'Shouldn't have teased her so much.

This could hurt.

Better think of a contingency just in case.'

"Ready when you are."

I rotated the breathing hole to my back which awarded me some raised eyebrows and another smile, a mean one though.

I quickly put the hole very low and fired up my Vitality Buff and Wind Aura.

I wasn't about to test the others in this situation.

What came was a flurry of staff attacks, one more punishing than the other.

Mana infused strikes which easily could kill even me outright.

That much was certain to my perception.

In my fear I concentrated really hard and became able to tell the force very accurately.

About enough force to shatter a Rock, a Car, the Omicron Alpha, not even drained of ooze.

That level of hard.

She kept going her expression grimmer and grimmer.

Then went on and cast several spells at me.

The hole was a problem now.

The energy which had largely dispersed outside was still enough to force itself through the breathing hole.

Pushing back as best I could was working, but I had no doubt in my mind had she focused on the opening I'd be toast.

"That's not good."

She stopped and looked at me.

"Try to disperse it. I am done!"

I carefully led the mana back to me, I had used a good deal of my mana pool making that Shield.

Interestingly my mana had recovered completely in between.

Had not noticed the time passing and mistaken it as battle.

I was still able to draw the Shield back, where to I did not know, but felt it there, slowly accumulating while I poured more and more of the Shield back to that other place.

Once it was gone I dispelled the Wind Aura.

It was distracting, as my control over it was not the best.

"Wheew, that was close."

She hugged me unashamedly, took my face into her hands and asked at me.

"Don't scare me like that. Who taught you the Eternal Aegis Shield?"

"No one, definitely no mention in the Books I had.

Just figured it would do what it should.

Save for the Airtight bit of course."

She let go of me.

"Good thing we went here, would've hated to tidy up a corridor."

Dragging me along she went quiet.

I had enough to think of of my own so I didn't push it.

Answers would come eventually.

Why is it so common for apprentices to make this kind of Shield?

Is it really?

That was my first thought, then came the finer details of the spell I shaped.

Also wondered why the big room with the many corridors and stairs leading to it was warded so well.

Some of it had been damaged, but repaired itself immediately.

She had grabbed me in that nice way, rewarding to be sure, but also so very very distracting.

"I don't mind you doing that, but if there are people soon I'd like a few moments to gather myself."

Blushing she looked at me.

"You have a way of lowering my guard. Very well, I will not torment you longer."

A pointed look at a region better not mentioned she grinned.

"Or maybe not."

The sweet torture continued.

It was weird feeling ashamed for a perfectly natural reaction.

The leather really was too flexible.

The fun had to end however, we saw a group of adepts, clearly recognizable by their robes or armor and weapons carried.

They did look mature, too.

Lead by Cortifex into the same direction as us we did have a moment to untangle,

but I am not quite certain nobody of his entourage noticed.

Jess blushed but quickly beamed at me.

"Payback's a bitch, huh?"

"When did I do that to you my Lady?"

"Aw, all formal now.

Never mind, good that stickler is around, he'll be just right to get you to do things properly.

Without suffocating or otherwise harming someone or anything."

"I'm sure he will.

I am equally sure I'll get a disciplinary point when he sees me.

Am I not skipping class with you, a pretty girl, all alone up to no good in a dark dungeon?"

"Sweet talking won't get you anywhere mister!"

'not yet.'

"What was that?"

"Nothing..."

"I SAID you better get your mind out of the gutter, pronto!"

"Aye, on it, leaving the gutter and back to business.

But just for the sake of it, when will it?"

"Huh, getting cheeky, I like it, you are a million years too young for me!

...!"

I turned around and saw yet another class approaching.

Lead by Lisara the Beastgirl Head of the Fire Department were some more adepts,

which had partaken in a good deal of our exchange, snickering and giggling.

The girls at least, probably not only them.

"Aah~, young Love~, how refreshing~."

Lisara looked at us.

"If this isn't our esteemed First Class Apprentice.

Figured they'd make you drop your fancy gear.

Thought you were an Adept lead by Miss Jessabella here to hone your skills.

But Noo, it is you!

And you're skipping class!"

She really did not care, she was just enjoying the moment, toying with the both of us.

"I..if I may explain ..", Jess stuttered.

"Save it, I want to know why you're here.

I can overlook the other, less impressive parts.

You are cute together, but you know you mustn't taste from the forbidden tree, don'tcha?"

"Wa..Wha.." Jess was heaving and breathing heavily, flushed and flustered.

"I'd overslept a good deal.

As I didn't want to disturb a class halfway, I asked Jess to help me practice my Auras.

We came here and had a bit too much fun, nothing serious, I assure you.

Please don't get her in trouble.

I was cheeky and a bit too proud of myself.

I am sorry Jess."

"MY, that is cute.

Don't believe a word of it.

But let us just say you did learn multiple Auras.

Where from?

You just had two classes and I know which.

Missy Waterhead does not teach anything useful the first month."

"I read about them, figured the application to be the same as the Wind Aura taught by Master Cortifex and knew I had the others.

Still have to test casting, or better shaping them."

"Oook, I'll bite.

You 2, stay at my side until I tell you otherwise.

I'll give you a chance, but..."

She left the threat hanging.

Jess perked up.

"Yes Madam Lisara.

Thank you!

You won't regret it."

"I already do.

Come on people, we wasted enough time with these lovey dovey birdbrains.

Let's get this over with."

It was intriguing learning how the people reacted to us.

Jess was famous and so was I.

I did learn quite a bit about her through the offhand comments of the adepts around us.

Like Cortifex's class they were wildy differing in their getup.

I suppose there were quite a few Battlemages in training among them.

The Dungeon was bright, and the only difference to the outside were my new senses telling me the ceiling to be a ceiling and not the sky.

That and the lack of a certain Blue Predator in the Sky keeping a watchful eye on me.

"Oy, Cort, you old slug, come over 'ere."

Lisara must have vowed to shame us as best she could.

Her description of my reason for being here was fairly factual, sans the personal bits.

But when it came to my supposed reason for coming here she was going all out.

"Now tell me young apprentice why I should not give you a few points here and now?"

Cortifex was smiling, the bastard.

He seemed genuinly amused, despite Lisara's taunts and my disregard for his beloved rules.

"I, uh, think I start with shaping a spell instead Sir, If that is ok with you."

"Go ahead, be sure to not harm anyone though."

And I did. I cast that same Eternal Aegis Shield again.

I tried to make it not airtight but had to resort to the hole again.

I could've put it up instantly, if not for the alteration attempt.

"The Fu..CK!! Stop THAT you FOOL!"

Lisara was very outspoken and almost immediately at my side.

Cortifex seemed quite pleased however.

"A true Forcemage.

I think I can waive your points.

You will have to practice with us for a while though."

"Are you DAFT? He's A Friggn First Year. Tell him to stop. Please!

I can't go through that again!"

Lisara seemed visibly shaken.

I dispelled the Shield, again drawing it into the other place.

I tried to be instant with it, too.

And it worked!

I don't know why that pleased me so much but it did.

"You.. , dispelled it?"

"Sure he did, he is remarkably talented in that.

But his execution of the Aegis is lacking.

Too rigid.

Too much potential for self harm."

Jess was giving me a happy thumbs up.

But did not approach and instead took on the duties of the two engaged with me.

It was surprising to see the gentle Healer transform into a very strict Teacher.

She definitely wasn't like that yesterday.

"Do it again, but this time focus on the the texture of it.

If you can, separate the Layers.

That will lower its defense but help control."

"And leave that Hole!" Interjected Lisara.

"Absolutely planning on it Ma'am"

As I went on to repeat the exercise Cortifex directed me tirelessly until he was satisfied.

Lisara soon went back to her class, relieving Jess a little.

But she was looking at me strangely every now and then.

"This is passable.

You still have to work on it.

I think I can allow you to continue on your own.

Be always rested and of clear mind when you do so however.

This spell relies on your shaping prowess and can be extremely dangerous.

Far more so than you imagine.

Best have someone capable watch you regardless."

I had planned on that, though his precautions sounded a bit extreme.

With this I had a working Shield spell, very nice for an apprentice.