Chapter 20:

Nick spent a long moment considering his options. He could deflect and walk away, but Elia would probably take offense to that. After all, he had told her he'd explain, and while he wasn't one to stick to the letter of every promise, he didn't like breaking one without a good reason.There was also the fact that the temple was keeping an eye on both of them, which meant he needed to maintain control over what information circulated.

Finally, Nick was curious about Elia's unique class and abilities. Alexander had been confident that she would develop into something special, and Nick was, at his core, an inquisitive being. The chance to study an entirely different humanoid being and how it developed its magic was too great to pass up.

If the price was revealing something about his skills, preferably things that were already known to his parents, he'd take that deal.

Nick sighed, putting on a dramatic expression of reluctance as he folded his arms. His face contorted in a mock pout, and he glanced sideways at Elia, waiting until she raised an eyebrow and gave him an expectant look.

"All right, all right. But only if you agree to show me something you can do too," he said in a playfully reluctant tone.

Elia grinned, showing off her fangs. "Deal," she replied without hesitation.

He sat down on the soft grass and patted the spot beside him. Elia plopped down, crossing her legs as she leaned in, fox ears perked up in curiosity.

"So," he began, turning a small pebble over in his hand, slowly using his mana to turn it into a perfect sphere, "my mother's been helping me learn . It's a bit of a catch-all spell, covering basic elements—air, fire, water, earth and lightning. I can't do anything extreme with it, but it opens doors for focusing on one of them later on if I want to. You can't really call yourself a Mage if you don't have it."

Elia's brow furrowed. "But you already know how to do things like that," she countered. "I saw you use magic on that root to stab the wolf. Isn't that the same kind of magic?"

Nick shook his head, letting the pebble fall from his hand and watching it roll onto the ground. "Not exactly. That spell was something different."

She gave him a look that clearly said he needed to explain. But Nick merely shrugged, choosing his words carefully. "Some things just come more naturally than others. You probably have abilities that come without much effort, too."

Elia tilted her head, giving him a skeptical look. "Maybe. But you don't just pull spells out of nowhere and call it 'natural.' Even I know that." She tilted her head, waiting to see if he'd continue for a moment before shrugging. "But, fine. Maybe you're right," she said, leaning back in the grass. “Papa said some abilities are tied to your class or race, so it makes sense. I thought humans didn't have innate abilities, but he hasn't covered that yet."

That sounded very interesting. It seemed like Teo, her father, was teaching lessons similar to what his mother did, if focused on her specific situation. Nick took the opportunity. "Why don't we show each other what we can do? That way, we'll be even."

A sly smile crossed Elia's lips as her tail flicked. “That sounds good. And since you said you can use fire, we should see who can cast the best fire spell."

Nick matched her grin, though inside, he prepared to cast Hoplite's Help. He wouldn't let a chance to study the foxkin's innate abilities pass without extracting everything he could.

Elia's eyes narrowed with competitiveness. "Prepare to be impressed."

Nick rose to his feet, deciding that the grass around them wasn't exactly the best place to practice fire spells. "Come on," he said, gesturing toward a small stream that wound its way along the edge of the meadow, before ending in a quiet pool not far off. "We'll use the water as a buffer. That way, we can go all out."

Elia cocked her head. "Sure," she shrugged, falling into step beside him, though her tail betrayed her excitement by swishing rapidly.

They walked over to the water's edge, and Nick looked over the scene, confirming that no dry brush or twigs lay around the area. He didn't want to start a wildfire just to impress Elia, and he especially didn't want to miss out on studying her spell. With everything clear, he took a steadying breath.

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"Ladies first?" he offered, but Elia shook her head, smirking. "Not a chance. You're the one who told me you'd show me. Go on, impress me."

Nick nodded, anticipation and a touch of competitive spirit rising within him. He was used to being cautious with his spellcasting, carefully controlling the mana flow to avoid attracting unwanted attention or causing too much of a stir. But here, in the open field and with only Elia as his witness, he felt the urge to show off just a little.

He closed his eyes, drawing in a long, deep breath. Though was a basic spell for this world, Nick had spent a considerable amount of time studying its structure, picking apart its inner mechanisms piece by piece. With his Trait, Parsimonia, he had the precision to refine its formula, removing redundancies and creating space to channel more power. It wouldn't be anything excessive like turning it into an all-purpose attack spell, but his calculations said he should get a pretty impressive result, especially with some time to craft it.

Visualizing the spell, Nick carefully bypassed the many "safety features"—those parts that, while useful for most people, only constrained the full potential of the spell for those who had no fear of what magic truly was. He let his mana slip through the carefully carved pathways he'd only hypothesized until now, stripping away anything unnecessary until all that remained was raw, unadulterated elemental energy, holding it in shape through sheer will alone. In his mind, he pictured scenes of fire and destruction, calling upon every memory that could aid him. He even summoned the memory of the Beirut harbor fireball, envisioning the immense, uncontrolled heat as he pushed the image into his mana.

Opening his eyes, he extended his hand toward the stream. A fireball much larger than anything he had managed before, nearly three feet wide, materialized before him. Its bright orange and red flames danced violently, churning the air around it in visible heat waves.

Steadying his breathing, Nick focused on pushing the spell forward and let it hover over the water, holding it in place just above the surface. The heat radiated down, causing the water to bubble and hiss, steam rising in great clouds. The fireball hovered for a few more seconds, each taking all his focus and control before he finally decided to release it. Not wanting to take chances, he sent it into the pool. The water erupted in a geyser of scalding steam, causing ripples to roll across the surface.

Nick stepped back, turning to see Elia's reaction. He was pleased to find her staring with wide, astonished eyes and her mouth slightly open in awe. He leaned back, crossed his arms, and flashed her a teasing grin. "Your turn," he said, trying not to sound too smug.

DING!

has reached Proficiency!

You earned 1000 EXP!

Elia blinked, her expression snapping back to its usual amused state, though her grin now held more admiration than challenge. "Okay, I have to admit that was impressive. But don't think you've won yet." She rolled her shoulders, firming them with determination as she took her place before the pond.

Nick stepped back to watch, curious to see how she'd respond to his display. He'd gotten what he wanted. Elia looked even more motivated to rise to the challenge and would likely show more than she should. He'd also gained a small victory, having pulled off a high-level execution of what was typically a limited, low-level spell. He'd pushed his abilities to the edge without overextending his reserves, and the results were more than he'd hoped for.

But now he was eager to see what Elia would reveal of her own skills.

The foxgirl straightened, her ears tilted forward in concentration, and her hands swished in gestures that Nick recognized as a style of incantation he had once spied from a Thai monk. It wasn't exactly the same, as her movements were more dance than katas, but it seemed to work on the same principle.

She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing on the water, and began summoning her mana.

Nick watched the performance closely, activating Hoplite's Help—the most versatile spell in his repertoire, despite its minor effect. A familiar warmth coursed through his eyes, ears, and even his skin as the spell amplified his perception, sharpening every detail of Elia's movements and aura. The world seemed to slow as his senses heightened, and he could hear everything from the quiet rustle of the wind to the faint hum of her magic stirring.

Elia's feet moved in small, precise steps while her arms swept through the air with a rhythmic elegance. Nick could barely make out the wisps of mana coiled around her like ribbons, spiraling in intricate patterns that mirrored her movements. The mana ebbed and flowed, twisting and shaping itself in harmony with her dance, seemingly without direct input.

Slowly, faint blue flames began to flicker at her fingertips, like fireflies in twilight. With each passing second, they grew more intense, deepening to a cobalt blue that burned fiercely. Nick did his best to take mental notes of everything, despairing at the absence of a camera.

As the dance continued, the flames gathered together, forming a mass above Elia’s head. The fireball expanded, swirling and crackling as if it had a life of its own until it shone like a small star.

Nick could feel significant power from it—more than he expected Elia to be capable of. Its core was so hot that it was difficult to look at.

The pond's surface trembled under the heat, and the water hissed and emitted a sharp, high-pitched sound as it superheated. Mist began to rise, forming a hazy curtain while Nick did his best not to miss anything.

Elia's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she reached the peak of her casting. Her hand lifted to direct the massive fireball, which she unleashed with a final motion.

The spell met the water with an explosive hiss, sending a shockwave of steam and heat into the air.

Nick realized the danger and cut off his observation spell. He lunged forward, grabbing Elia's arm and pulling her back as a torrent of hot steam shot up above them. She squawked, her concentration breaking, and Nick quickly extended his hand, instinctively conjuring a gust of wind to direct the steam skyward, where it dissipated harmlessly.

When the mist finally cleared, they both stared at the empty pond bed. Every drop of water had evaporated, leaving a dry, cracked surface where the pool had been. Elia looked from the dry earth to Nick, chuckling awkwardly, "I guess I won?"