Shaya counted down the seconds on her hand, waiting for everyone to spring into action.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Zero.

Shaya grinned.

Nothing happened.

The teaching assistant cocked his head at her.

“Ahem,” she cleared her throat, “I said, ‘They’re right where-’”

The window shattered as her porcudillo was thrown through it, the dog-sized chameleon hissing as it was caught off-guard. The armoured, spiked ball slammed into it with enough force to send both creatures crashing through the railing and down from the catwalk.

Before the creatures or debris hit the ground, her mongoose darted through the water and lunged at the salamander. Its long, lithe shape wrapped around the monster and bit down on the back of its neck, causing it to panic and spew fire from its tiny mouth. As the flames flicked all around it, its companions panicked as well, darting away from the commotion before their conjurer could shout any orders.

The sparking hedgehog shot towards her damp mongoose, the monster far less timid than the animal it appeared related to. Shaya shouted a warning and her mongoose slithered off its prey, rushing toward her. The hedgehog pursued, the teaching assistant focusing his attention on the damage around him and content to see one of his creatures take the offensive.

That was a mistake.

Before his charged hedgehog could unleash its electrical blast, the ground opened before it and it vanished in shock of quartz limbs. The was a static-crack of electricity and a squeal that cut off abruptly. A moment later, her quartz spider emerged from its trapdoor again, its hard surface covered in blood and gore that slowly evaporated into aetherplasm.

"Oh gods!” Shaya shuddered, her amusement turning to horror. “I thought this was supposed to be fun!”

“What‘s fun about forcing magical creatures to battle one another?” The teaching assistant questioned, his voice a high-pitched squeak rather than its previous snark. “Are you a sadist?”

“No! Conceptually it just sounded so cool... ar-are you willing to surrender?”

Before he could answer, the quartz spider lunged at the prone chameleon. Her mongoose darted between the salamander and topiary dinosaur, causing the dinosaur’s thorned whips to slam into the salamander as the fire-breathing creature’s flames set it alight. His miniature dragon tortoise had wisely retreated into its shell, but Shaya blanched as she saw her crow swoop into the building carrying a sizable rock.

“Stop! I surrender!”

“Everyone, stop!” Shaya ordered, and her summoned creatures obeyed immediately.

Though her crow cried in disappointment as it set its rock down.

“Seven protect,” the teaching assitant breathed, “you win, here’s the key for the chest.”

“Oh, I don’t need the key,” Shaya said.

“Yes, you do. It’s the only way to open the chest and finish the exam.”

“No, I mean I completed the exam a few minutes ago.” Shaya insisted.

Her earth elemental materialized from the ground and disgorged her chimcoon, which quickly recovered its composure to strike a pose with the blinking gemstone that signaled the end of the exam. Her lockpicks stuck out of its mouth, though one of them was a little bent out of shape.

“You...” the mature student stuttered, looking at her in horror, “Then why did we fight!?”

“I’m sorry! I thought it would be fun!”

+++++

“Turns out we set some new records for the Conjuration exam.” Rea said with a grin, raising her goblet in a toast. “Congratulations to my precocious, ambitious students!”

Shaya and her peers in the class raised their goblets with a toast, Celica and the rest of Shaya’s lance humouring them. Bri and Shaya were ecstatic, while Apricot and Samorn looked tense – their desire to know who won warring against their sense of decorum.

Ren helped all of them by broaching the subject: “So, who was the fastest?”

“Now, now,” Rea said, looking horrified, “I wouldn’t want to flame rivalry between friends.”

“Yes, yes you would, mom,” Apricot glowered, “now tell us already!”

“We raised a monster.”

“Don’t look at me,” Celica said, popping a cherry tomato into her mouth, “she gets this from you.”

“I can’t deny that.” Rea grinned. “Alright, I’ll start by saying four of you set new records for completing the exam...”

The conjurers leaned closer, even Samorn unable to maintain her usual level of perfect composure.

“But...” Rea took a sip of her wine, earning her a few sets of glowers, “Shaya was the fastest.”

“What!” Apricot exclaimed, then blushed. “I mean, congratulations!”

“Indeed,” Samorn said, hiding her disappointment behind her goblet.

Bri just grinned and gave Shaya a half hug from where she sat.

“Aw, thanks everyone, but I can’t take all the credit. I couldn’t have done it without my team of highly capable and very loyal creatures.”

“They’re not here, Shaya.” Ral shot her an amused look. “You don’t have to give them a speech.”

“It’s always good practice,” Shaya said with a smug grin, “someday the people propelling me to glory will be people within earshot.”

“Fine, fine,” Apricot grumbled, and Shaya chuckled at seeing this side of her friend, “who got second place?”

Rea’s grin grew, “Bri, with my personal favourite solution to every puzzle and problem: copious amounts of fire.”

“Yes!” Bri shouted, fist pumping.

She and Shaya laughed all the harder at Apricot and Samorn’s sour expressions.

“And let that be a lesson of humility to you,” Rea smiled at her daughter, “and a lesson to everyone about the importance of using power wisely.”

“Professor,” Samorn said, “Are you suggesting solving our problems with extreme violence and explosions is wisdom?”

Rea opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut at a glance from her wife.

“Now that is wisdom,” Ral said with a knife-thin smile.

Laughter erupted around the table.

“But really, all five of you bested previous records, you should all be very proud of your accomplishments,” Rea added as people dug back into their food.

Shaya especially, as the Vulkhadi food introduced her to foreign – and delicious – spices that she hoped she could acquire somewhere in the Empire. The level of heat was even too much for her at times, the burning sensation downright unnatural.

“Stay away from my protégé,” Celica warned as Rea’s eyes swept over Samorn.

“I would never steal another’s student!” Rea lied. “Besides, I could never compete with you regarding Azurite magic.”

“Mhm.” Celica accepted her wife’s admission with a pleased nod. “So, are any of you planning to volunteer for the long deployment?”

“Definitely,” Bri and Shaya responded immediately.

“Oh? That was a quick decision,” Celica smiled.

Shaya nodded to Bri, letting her explain. “We’re both just too far away from home to return for the holidays. And as long as we’re deployed together, it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s sweet!” Celica’s smile grew. “But if you’re ever feeling homesick, Rea and I would be happy to take you in for the holidays. Please consider us your home away from home.”

Rea and Apricot nodded with enthusiasm, making Shaya and her girlfriend blush. “Thank you,” Shaya murmured, “it’s an amazing offer, you’re all too kind.”

Eyes turned to Oraeus, who stiffened at the attention from Apricot’s parents. He managed a shrug that might have looked non-chalant to those unfamiliar with him: “I’m unsure what father has planned for me, to be honest.”

Shaya rolled her eyes. “What do you want to do, Oraeus?”

The others chuckled, all attention still on the Sapphire mage.

“I wish it was that simple,” he snorted, then looked to Ral, hoping they would carry the conversation.

“I’m certainly volunteering,” the chaplain added, “I wish to grow as strong as possible before serving in my Legion.”

“We’re volunteering as well,” Samorn said, “Clearly, we also need to grow stronger.”

“I just hope we get assigned to Vayeira anyway,” Ren whined, “I miss the warm riverlands and forests of our home.”

“I can sympathize,” Celica said with a nod, “I grew up in a much warmer climate as well.”

“Well, Oraeus,” Rea turned everyone’s attention back to him, “It looks like you may be the odd one out. If you volunteer, you’d all certainly be deployed as a Lance.”

The noble was spared from the interrogation for a moment as a golem entered the dining room, bearing their next course. The golem was of an odd design: bearing the lithe body of a female elf that looked oddly similar to Rea, but with hair of grape vines and a club and morning star that looked out of place on the warrior. Stranger yet, it looked to be sculpted from blown glass filled with glowing, swirling energy.

“Your golem looks really awesome,” Bri said before Shaya could, “where did the design come from?”

Rea turned their attention to Apricot, who smiled. “Thank you! Vineheart is based off my mom and her companions.” She blushed and looked around awkwardly before continuing. “The ones who, uh, saved my life.”

“I had no idea!” Shaya gasped. “I’m glad you’re alright now.”

“It took me a while to open up to people again, especially after we moved here,” Apricot said, eyes rising to meet Shaya’s, “but I feel more comfortable around people here; all thanks to you running me over that fateful day.”

“It’s nothing,” Shaya blushed and chuckled, “being kind and, uh, apologetic is easy.”

“Tell that to Azreon and his lackeys,” Ral said with a sour expression on their angular face.

“Speaking of,” Rea smiled, though Shaya could see a hint of concern in her eyes, “my offer for poison still stands. It wouldn’t be difficult to grab some from my garden.”

Shaya chuckled awkwardly, “I’m glad you’re committed to the joke, but it’s quite alright.”

“She’s not joking,” Celica sighed and Apricot nodded emphatically.

“Do not take a walk in our gardens without taking precautions first,” Apricot warned, face paling.

“You spoil sports,” Rea complained, “the barracuda plant is only a baby!”

“It nearly ate the mover that was unpacking it, love.” Celica frowned at her wife.

“He deserved it,” Rea grumbled, a demonic anger flashing across her features, “spilling my books across the dirt...”

Shaya made a mental note not to crease the pages of any books she borrowed from Rea.

“Anyway,” Rea clapped her hands with a smile, “I think a particular subset of your friends should join me for a walk through said gardens, the fresh air would be good for us. And I’m sure Celica has questions for Oraeus.

“Subtle, mom.” Apricot’s nose wrinkled as she glowered up at Rea.

“Thank you,” Rea grinned as she stood, “I’m rather proud of how much I’ve held back.”

“Yeah, thanks for not threatening to disintegrate my boyfriend.”

“You’re most welcome, dear.”

‘Good luck,’ Shaya mouthed across the table to Oraeus.

Ral patted their friend on the shoulder as they stood to leave.

“I think you’ll all find this evening’s entertainment exciting!” Rea smiled as the group followed her.

“What do you have planned for us?” Bri asked hesitantly.

“I owe your girlfriend another lesson.”

“You can’t be serious!” Shaya gasped. “I didn’t come prepared!”

“That’s the point,” Rea winked, “you don’t always get to be prepared.”

“But...” Shaya grasped at straws, “in front of my friends?”

“Yes,” Rea’s smile vanished, “they deserve to see what you’re capable of – and you need to get comfortable with others witnessing it. Who you are is not something to be ashamed of.”

“I go berserk and want to kill everyone around me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with feeling anger – it can be perfectly justified even – you just need to learn how to direct it.”

“But I don’t know how to direct it.” Shaya replied through gritted teeth, “That’s why you told me not to rely on it in battle.”

“Goooood,” Rea said, lips quirking into a smile again, “let the hate run through you.”

Shaya was going to punch her in the face this time, she swore to all the gods and titans.

Bri gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked, dispelling some of Shaya’s anger. She turned and smiled at her girlfriend, appreciating the support and hoping she wouldn’t hurt her in Rea’s next mad experiment.