The teacher thought this is a good punishment but he didn’t know that I could just meditate until tomorrow. What’s the point in trying to scare somebody who doesn’t give a fuck where you lock him up?

Since I have free time and no space to move it may be a good idea to think about the reason why my magic doesn’t work. I went to my inner world, I’m not claustrophobic but I don’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at a door; at least here I have a little light.

I spent some time thinking and I have no idea what to do. Oh well, I guess it’s about time I meditate to pass the time.

“Are you awake?”

I woke up when I heard somebody on the other side of the door or was I mistaken. Oh, I recognize the voice, it’s Maria. The fact that she’s back early means she somehow heard what happened.

“Weren’t you supposed to be with Liliana somewhere?”

“No. Is that really the first thing you are supposed to say?”

“I beat one of the strongest students in front of almost every student here; spending the night here isn’t so bad.”

“I was thinking that you would want to escape. Staying there is one of the harsher punishments; people are afraid of the dark.”

“Can you let me out?”

“Unfortunately he took both the key and the spare so I can’t open the door and you beat a special student so helping you would be bad for the school’s image.”

“Either way it’s fine.”

“It’s fine; how can you say something like that? You are looked in a cage with no food and water for the rest of the night and you say it’s fine.”

“Believe me, I know it sounds stupid but I’m telling you I’m fine because I really am fine.”

“I understand.”

“More importantly, did you find anything useful?”

Maria went to the capital on a quest; she thought that asking a demon expert for info might help me.

“Do you know why we use our blood during black magic rituals?”

“Because the magic flows through blood and it’s stored in it?”

“No, human blood doesn’t store magic; the only reason is that it has good conductivity. If that was true then a simple bleeding would kill a mage.”

“I don’t see how that is relevant but please go on.”

“There are demons who can store magic in their bodies to evolve, something that you do.”

“True, I can absorb my magic and make my body stronger.”

“The same type of demons can combine their magic with their blood; their blood is usually used in making magic ink.”

“You think I’m the same.”

“No, I think that you can activate the black blood as long as the blood stays in your body.”

“You know, when I was little I fought a demon wolf. When he bit my arm off I didn’t bleed as much as I thought and the blood’s color was normal even though I had my body enchantment active.”

“Your arm got bitten off…Is that true?”

Now that I told her that I had my arm bitten she wanted to know the whole story so I had no choice but to tell her, at least I’m not alone here anymore.

“And after that I attached my arm back and in a few days my wounds were healed.”

“I’m more interested in your body rejecting light magic but now I understand why you aren’t afraid to get hurt during a fight and why you didn’t try to escape.”

“What now?”

“After you get out we try Shadow Dash again. I will try to arrange a better meal for you tomorrow.”

“Good night then.”

“Is it that late?”

“It’s about 23 o’clock. Since I can’t get out I thought you may want to get some sleep.”

“Good night then.”

The next morning the teacher came to open the door. After I got out I tried to leave but he stopped me.

“How was it?” Asked the teacher with an evil smile on his face.

“Nothing special, it was just a room; what was I supposed to be scared of?”

I left the basement with a bigger smile on my face. I really want to see what he can come up with next.

When I went outside I saw Jaden and Saya waiting for me.

“I’m starving, let’s get something to eat.”

“Are you serious?” Saya asked me.

“I’ve been locked there for a whole day, I’m hungry.”

“Stop that; you got into a fight with that guy and now you got locked up; how can you smile after what happened? “

Is there something wrong with me because I don’t feel anything after what happened or is there something wrong with her because she is more affected by this than me?

It was funny seeing her like this but Jaden’s face is priceless. He is so surprised he’s speechless.

“I’ve been in worse situations.”

“You’re just seven years old; what happened to you?”

“It’s just a cage; get your arm bitten off by a demon wolf then tell me why I should be scared by a cage.”

Most people would look surprised but apparently this girl is not like most people. She looked apologetic.

“I…I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I know that you did this out of concern, it’s nothing to apologise for.”

It’s better to tell her now so she won’t misunderstand.

“Jaden, stop starring at Saya and let’s have breakfast.”

“Huh… Oh, yes.”

At the canteen I got a large serving of chicken meat, I’m surprised that Maria talked to the staff. My body can survive without food longer but this chicken breast is too good to pass.

After eating the three of us went to the courtyard. I being locked I felt the need move around. The courtyard was almost deserted.

“Jaden, what happened, where’s everybody?”

“You’ve been in the library almost every day for the past month so I guess you don’t know but on Sunday all the students to what you do all week.”

“They have sex? Nice.”

“They study! Seriously stop joking around.”

“Relax man, I beat one of the most powerful students for you, I have the right to make a few bad jokes.”

Then again that guy was a threat level 1, so he wasn’t as strong as I thought.

“Jokes aside, I’m going for a run so how about you two enjoy this beautiful morning.”

I thought about Maria said and if it’s true then I was lucky I used Shadow Step; what we did was setting fire to wood expecting it to melt.

While running I looked at Jaden and Saya; they seem to be doing just fine. I don’t know the standards here but shouldn’t they be over the friends phase and go to the lovers phase. Good to see they are enjoying themselves acting like I’m not with them.

I wanted to be one to destroy their little world but Ren was faster than me. The Big Red tries again, this time I’m stopping him before he tries anything.

“YO big star; what are you doing?”

“You… Stay out of this; this is between me and him.”

“Unfortunately I stand between you and him. He’s too weak to protect himself so I’m doing my duty as his friend and if that involves beating you again then it’s even better.”

“This time it’s going to be different.”

“This time I’m not holding back.”

He tried to jump away to get ready but my body empowerment allowed me to catch his right hand.

“This is how the fun starts.”

It takes a while to heal bones even with the help of light magic so I decided to begin by dislocating his wrist.

“AAAAH! LET GO OF ME!”

It’s so easy to dislocate a person’s wrist with only one hand. Next is the elbow. Ellen only taught me the complete dislocations so I will go with that.

“Stop struggling, you are making this harder than it should be.”

He was so hyper it was difficult for me to do this with one hand. It’s a good thing he isn’t accustomed to pain or he would realize how easy is for him to escape. With a sound of cracking bones I dislocated his elbow.

“Now the finishing touch.”

I went behind him so I could get a better grip and dislocated his shoulder rendering his arm completely useless. After that I pushed him forward.

“Any more stupid comments?” I asked with a smirk on my face.

I dislocated his wrist, elbow and shoulder in about ten seconds. Wow, Ellen would be disappointed in me for being that slow.

“I will come back.” He started to walk away.

“Go tell everybody you got beaten by a seven year old kid.”

He stopped and turned around.

“You are seven?”

Now it was my turn to be surprised.

“You didn’t know? HAHAHAHA, you heard that Jaden, this bitch didn’t even know that a seven year old kicked his ass twice.”

“How could I be mistaken; your body is too well developed.”

“That’s what she said! Nomadic tribes, one specialized in fighting, that’s me baby!”

“I see. I will stop pursuing your friend and that girl.”

That sudden change in attitude is too much for me; did I break something in his head too?

“You sure you are all right? I thought you would say something more arrogant.”

“Be proud. After I graduate I will train and challenge you again.”

“I’m ready to beat you anytime.”

Ren left without saying anything else. I was fast enough and no teacher got involved and above all else I got him to stop bothering Jaden.

“That was easy.”

“Easy, that’s what you call easy?”

“Relax Saya, he didn’t come at me seriously and neither did I.”

“You are right.”

“Alex, thank you for helping me again.”

“It’s fine Jaden, that’s what friends are for.”

In the evening Saya went back to her dorm. Jaden and I went back to eat dinner. I always thought there was something strange about Ren, it was because I’ve never seen him in the dorm. Is he one of the people who go home in the evening?

After we finished eating we went back to our room where I helped Jaden study.

“The night sky is really beautiful. Don’t you think so Mir?”

11 P.M., the time when I’m on the rooftop looking at the sky.

“I heard what happened. I tried stealing a key but Maria found me and told me that you didn’t want to get out.”

“It was fine. When I meditate I enter a semi-conscious state similar to sleeping, making time go faster so basically I slept the whole time I was there; good idea if you ask me.”

“Then it’s fine. I forgot to say something; thank you.”

“Why is everybody thanking me, I did that because I wanted.”

“You are not fooling me, if you wanted to beat that guy without a reason you would have asked the headmistress or Lady Maria.”

“You said Jaden has no friends so I’m trying to be his friend and now it just happened to do something that was also good for me.”

“I expected you to sound a little arrogant.”

“Why? I don’t like those types of people and honestly speaking I’m more the pessimistic type.”

“I will be keeping the key, just in case something like this happens again. Now I believe it’s time for you to go.”

“Yeah, it is. Well then, see you in the morning.”

So she actually wanted to get me out and managed to get a key; I guess I should have expected that. As always Maria is waiting for me.

“Are you ready?”

“Let’s hope it works this time.”

Now I have to do something I tried to avoid, deliberately making myself look like a monster.

I remembered the feeling when my veins turn black and tried to reproduce it. I tried combining my magic with my blood instead of infusing it. The result was something like the black blood. Unlike before now I was able to feel the magic in my body instead of going to my inner world. My body felt heavier than before.

This technique in itself is useless because I have to use it in combination with other techniques. Now it’s time to test Maria’s theory. Maria’s Shadow Dash is a combination of jumps; I will try to make one that requires only the minimal amount of steps needed to go from point A, me and point B, in this case Maria.

I tried gathering magic on my feet. After a few moments I started to feel like I wasn’t standing directly on the ground, it felt like I was levitating.

I leaped at Maria. The moment I left the ground my vision became foggy and I was unable to stop myself from bumping into Maria, knocking both of us down. Now I was lying on top of her trying to understand what happened.

“Are you all right?”

“I should be the one asking that.”

“I used body enchantment so I’m fine.”

“I’m going to get off you.”

I got off Maria and helped her up.

“What happened?”

“My vision became foggy and everything went black; I barely knew where I was going.”

“It’s because you did something you shouldn’t; the leaping part was something only masters can do. You did it without any training so your body couldn’t keep up with you. I saw you slowing down when you got close to me which means you can use and master the Shadow Dash.”

“To be honest when I lost control over my body I was a little scared; I think I should try something else.”

Maria patted me on the head a few times.

“It’s all right, I’m right here; if something happens I will help you.”

“Thanks.”

“Now how about we try it again?”

“Fine.”

Maria jumped back a few meters. I gathered my magic beneath my feet and leaped at her. In the instant I covered half of the distance between us my vision became foggy. I was about to hit Maria then I saw her jumping to avoid me. After that I went forward a few more meters before regaining control over my body and stopping.

“I expected this to happen, nobody gets better overnight.”

“Maybe not; but this time I was conscious and I was able to stop… before hitting a tree.”

“Yes, you did well. Unfortunately I think we should end things here; your body can’t take much more.”

She was right. I was shaking all over and my magic was so low my blood was returning to normal.

“Alex, did you notice anything else when you used Shadow Dash?”

“Is there something I missed?”

“The foggy vision you had might not be because of your body. You released too much magic in the air which may have affected your vision.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your magic became too dense and enveloped itself around you, your body got enveloped in a black smoke.”