After an in-depth conversation with the old woman, the two learned various things they would not normally have known about the intricacies concerning mana and infants. Apparently, there was meaning in the research before the two came around. With each use that exceeds one's own pool, the bearer will feel weak and faint-headed, but most tend to stop there. While there are some damages that can occur, it usually only shows after the age of thirty. Therefore, most accomplished mages are able to increase their pools, thus increasing their repertoire, by many degrees during this period.

However, while she told them to hide some of the two's abilities, she did mention to utilize the already present competitive spirit. In fact, Andrew and Leya had already traded two elements. They needed the assistance of the adults, but that single move showed them that they were in less conflict. However, to them, it was the exact opposite.

"Now I can fully use the cold of the shadows!" Cried Andrew happily as he looked at the water sphere in his palm.

"Hah, you think that's good? If I can just merge this with the light I can finally cleanse that horrible soul of yours - through the flames of hell!"

Andrew paled for a moment, "flames of hell... damn! Well, I'll show you the frozen underworld of Nifrehelm! Some 'Godly' flames will never touch that! And Hell? You are evil!"

'At least I can eventually learn blood magic,' mused Andrew as he looked at Leya smugly.

She scoffed loudly and shrugged. "Fire and water are fair game - everything else stays, right?"

"Yeah, just makes it easier for me!" Cried Andrew happily.

They spent many, many months competing - and offering guerilla attacks - against one another before they were finally involved in a full-scale fight. The location was the alley outside their home. While it was once pristine and unmarked, the ongoing practice had irreversibly changed the stone walls.

However, today was the day their parents had left. They went to visit their own friends across town and were in the charge of an excitable old woman.

"Okay," spoke the old woman happily. "I've cordoned off the area. You are both seven years old now so you should realize the depths of the magic you're using. However, no killing, serious injury, or anything that can be traced back to me, okay?"

"Okay, Baba," laughed Andrew and Leya in unison.

Their eyes narrowed on each other almost immediately afterward.

'Shadow, ice wall, bullet,' thought Andrew as his spells rapidly changed the world around him.

However, Leya was no slower. Yet, she cried, "damn! Stop with the blinding hex!"

Using the shadow to blind her was one of Andrew's masterpieces. He had already caused her to fall countless times down the stairs before she perfected her own version.

In moments, each of them stumbled blindly as the pre-emptive attacks narrowly missed their bodies. Andrew's face was soaked in blinding light, whereas Leya was dyed in a pitch black veil. Even with all their practice, they could only pelt ice, rocks, fire, and air at one another chaotically. Sometimes magic wasn't all that glorious.

While normally it would not be an issue to break through their respective shields, without their vision, the two were stumbling around blind.

"New rule," called out the old woman. "No blinding each other. Five, four, three..."

On 'one' the two both stopped and unleashed devastating attacks. Their cries were heard as they both loudly screamed. Naturally, they were both pelted by the attacks and landed roughly on their backs. Andrew was forced to do rough healing with a more advanced water spell whereas Leya immediately healed herself with light magic, and started sending miniature balls of fire towards him.

"Bastard!"

"Ha, just try to get up-"

Two rock pellets took her leg and she fell in an overly dramatic fashion. However, Leya got back up just in time to deflect several shards of ice.

Fire and ice were being launched back and forth, with each alternating elements on occasion. Andrew wore a fierce grin and launched a few rocks hidden inside the heat of a wave of fire balls.

When the fire was blocked by a shield of ice, two pellets smashed into the shield and launched the fragments towards her.

Andrew grinned, "Ha, how abou-"

At the same time, a gust of air was merged with the ice shards she launched, propelling it far faster than he could have managed. The fire he used was extinguished and he felt the shards and a force of air knock him to his feet.

This battle continued for many minutes until the old woman suddenly shouted, "incoming!"

Andrew and Leya panicked and jumped inside. Andrew used some basic water magic to clean their clothing whereas Leya healed the three of them. The old woman encountered some burns, but they were not all that major. She didn't even blink when it struck her body.

Leya grinned at Andrew, "truce for now?"

Andrew laughed and nodded. "Agreed. I don't want to hear that lecture again."

"Oh God, that was terrifying," muttered Leya with a deep chill running through her spine.

Andrew involuntarily shuddered and stepped back. He looked at his own chest and panicked. He ran as fast as he could up the stairs before Leya realized.

Snickering, Andrew summoned a pitch black fog on the staircase before he cleared it himself and headed into their room. Even the loud curse of stubbed toes, a hasty catch, and furious, high-pitched growl did not stop her from follow in seconds. From underneath the doorway, he saw a bright flash and the two switched their battered outer clothes for newer garments.

"Bastard," muttered Leya as she glared at him. "I thought we had a truce!"

Andrew shrugged. "A truce is for not attacking one another. I simply... happened to have... accidently summoned a darker area in my haste."

He laughed quietly to himself as he walked calmly to the stairs. When the first was under his feet, he waved to his parents.

"Hello -"

Then he let out a small cry as wind beat down on his back. He fell face-first down the stairs before rolling dramatically. He muttered indignantly as he noticed his sight was completely upside-down. His head was between his legs so he could see Leya haughtily walked down the stairs.

"Hello, mother, fath-"

She too fell.