The Lesser Prodigy

Danson Rysk lounged back in his chair, his gaze drifting lazily between the open book on the small table before him, and the small amphitheatre to his right.

He sighed, wishing he could give his full attention to the fascinating thesis printed upon the book’s pages. But this afternoon’s duties kept his attention divided.

Today, his class had their first combat lessons of the year. 

Two dozen young mages lined the amphitheatre seats, cheering and jeering in turn at two boys dueling on the stage below. Even more students watched from the cloisters around the amphitheater as they walked through the walled-in courtyard on their way to other classes. Cracks of blue-white energy filled the air, joined occasionally by pressure waves from telekinetic blasts. The balance of Danson’s focus shifted towards his book - he could tell which of the children was winning based on the frequency and power of their spellcasting. There was no need to pay them much mind at this point. Besides, he was mostly here as a formality. He allowed his assistants to handle combat training since they were far more interested in such things than he.

An especially loud crack split the air and one of the boys gasped loudly as he was flung to the ground, his energy shield sparking and fading away.

Damon clapped politely, though the modest applause was drowned out by his cheering students. He sighed again.

“Everyone wants to be a battlemage these days,” he lamented quietly, turning back to his book as his assistants took the stage to break down the match and offer their advice on what each of the aspiring mages could have done better. Danson tuned them out, intending to devour a paragraph or two before the next match started.

His own interests lay more towards theoretical works and spellcrafting, the very topics the papers contained in this book discussed. Not that he wasn’t familiar with combat spells and their application, but the idea of using his skill in the arcane for fighting bored him. Especially when there were so many other, more fascinating applications.

Danson’s brow furrowed as his eyes raced across one particularly provocative line. 

“Plasmic freezing? To counter the Kentic Effect? Unlikely,” he muttered, picking up  a pen and scratching a hurried note in the margins. 

“Simple-minded and pedestrian,” he went on quietly. “How did this make it past the Academy reviews? Not even the Empress herself could enchant an energy barrier fast enough for the spell to hold its form permanently. Even with a second mage applying plasmic freezing the barrier would lose coherence and…”

Danson gasped and sat up straight. He picked up his pen.

“Unless… unless!” He pounded a fist on the table and began scribbling rapidly. “That’s where the trace divination comes in! Brilliant! If one were to-”

“Next up, Violet Everstream and Vetra Kyn!”

Danson’s pen froze.

His head snapped to the side and he watched the two elfkin in question descend to the stage and take up their positions across from each other. The amphitheatre fell silent. Danson set down the pen - even he couldn’t ignore this match. His eyes moved between the two combatants, inspecting each closely as his assistants applied their energy shields.

One was a tall girl midway through her teens with striking scarlet hair and a smug grin plastered across her face. The other was a slender, platinum-haired child no older than twelve. 

Damon unconsciously bit his lip in apprehension.

Violet, the older girl, was one of his top students. She was intelligent, beautiful, powerful, and the granddaughter and heir apparent to the famous Count Alden Everstream, Lord of Seraph’s Vale. Her arcane proficiencies were near perfect for magical combat and her combined test scores had, for a time, been the highest of any young mage at the Daemedran Academy. There were few students in the entire breadth of the institution who were as impressive as her.

“Don’t worry Vetra,” Violet said loudly, her hands on her hips as she looked down at the younger girl. “I’ll make this quick.”

The other students whooped and whistled. Danson snorted. For an elfkin, the girl was surprisingly brash and arrogant. Not that she didn’t have reason to be - Danson allowed.

Vetra didn’t reply, she merely bowed and held out her hands in a battle-caster’s stance. Violet clicked her tongue and chuckled, falling into a similar stance. Danson held his breath as one of his assistants raised their hand.

“Begin!”

Violet spun to the right and her left hand unleashed a telekinetic pulse that barreled towards Vetra like a charging bull. As she unleashed the blast Violet’s body seemed to split in two, and in the blink of an eye, two identical Violet’s stood on the stage. As she completed her spin, a white-hot energy bolt spell sprung from a pointed finer, darting towards Vetra, catching up to and nearly passing her first attack. 

Danson blinked - the spin had been clever. That added movement made it hard for him to tell which of the Violet’s was the illusory clone. And those twin attacks - one wide ranging, the other pin-point accurate - would be hard to dodge.

Vetra held up a hand that crackled with white lightning, intercepting the telekinetic blast and shattering the spell to pieces - though the residual air pressure still knocked her back a step. Her head quirked awkwardly to the side as the energy bolt sizzled past, narrowly missing. She stumbled, falling to one knee and slapping a hand down on the ground to steady herself. Violet didn't allow her much time to recover. 

The Everstream girl spun another circle, producing another clone and launching a swarm spell. Dozens of tiny points of light flew towards Vetra and the girl fell back a few steps, dropping low and raising a hand, this time summoning a spell shield to absorb the impact as the swarm detonated, showering her with tiny explosions.

As Vetra crouched under cover, Violet and her three clones sprinted towards the younger elfkin, the tips of their fingers outstretched. She slashed that finger horizontally and three separate energy blades lept forth, cutting through the air towards Vetra. Vetra dropped her absorption field and rolled aside, dodging all three, then back the other way as a second trio of blades slashed towards her. They sliced into the stone floor, throwing dust and debris into the air where they struck.

“Dodge this!” Violet cackled, closing even further and holding out both her hands as telekinetic power swelled in her palms. Danson nodded - at this range, it would be impossible to dodge or nullify the spell in time. But… He leaned in closer and cast a quick divination spell. There it is. 

Violet and her clones took one final step forward just as her spell was about to finish - and disappeared. 

The students - as well as Danson’s assistants - all gasped in surprise, while the professor merely grunted and nodded.

Violet appeared a split second later, thirty feet above the ground. She let out a yelp and plummeted downwards with her limbs flailing. The girl hit the ground hard, her clones fading away and her energy shield disappearing with a snap as a small dust cloud rose around her. The amphitheatre was silent for a long moment.

“You okay, Violet?” Vetra’s small voice called out.

Finally, Violet stirred, raising herself up on her elbows to glower towards Vetra, who was standing calmly a few paces away. The younger girl held out an arm to help her up, but Violet scowled and pushed herself stubbornly to her feet, slapping away the offered hand.

“Round one to Vetra,” Danson’s assistant called awkwardly. “Um, reset ladies.”

Danson blinked and scratched his chin as thunderous applause reached out from the onlookers. He could tell from the accompanying confused whispers that no one else present had followed what just happened. Not that he could blame them, he’d nearly missed it himself. He looked down at Vetra, who was pacing slowly back to her mark. 

She’d set the trap earlier when she’d pretended to stumble and fall - a warp mine. A spell designed to warp whoever touched it in any direction the caster desired. It was an advanced level Teleportation spell, but that wasn’t what had impressed Danson. She’d only laid the one mine, and at a time when Violet was on the other side of the stage from her and flanked by identical clones. The clever girl had drawn her opponent in by staying on the defensive and using reactionary spells to counter Violet’s attacks - spells that would be less effective at close range. Not only that, she must have figured out which of the clones were real by watching the energy blades Violet had cast. The spells the clones threw were only illusions, so when they struck the ground after Vetra dodged, they didn't leave a mark - not so for the real thing. Using this knowledge, Vetra’s dodging and rolling had been deliberate and precise - enough so to lure the real Violet right on top of her waiting mine.

Danson shook his head in disbelief. The girl had only cast three spells to Violet’s seven and had come away without taking a single hit. Her plan, which could only have been improvised on the spot, was one a hardened battlemage would have trouble pulling off. 

Perfection. 

But then, perfection was what he, and everyone around her, had come to expect.

Vetra Kyn had only just started at the Academy. Even so, she was skilled enough to skip the entrance examination and beginners class and join a third-year group. And not just any group. This particular class was made up of those young mages who had scored highest in overall proficiency after their second year of training. Most of them were from powerful noble families, and Vetra was no exception.

She was the third child of Devlin Kyn, former Duke of Verdan and current Imperial Arbiter of Kantle. Her mother was Maryam Lash, a daughter of the most powerful merchant family on the continent. Her elder brother was Victor Kyn, current Duke of Verdan and Count Alden’s direct superior. And her elder sister was Valla Kyn, Princess Katalia’s Steward and the cleric who had dealt the finishing blow to the demon sorcerer Obsidian. 

According to the rumors, Vetra’s mother had sequestered her away in private training for years, hence her advanced skill at such a young age. That skill had served her well at the Academy. 

Since starting classes a month ago, Vetra had quickly risen to the top, exceeding or matching Violet’s scores in every subject. What’s more, the girl’s pleasant personality and nearly cleric-like humility belied her rank, endearing her to classmates and teachers alike.

Danson’s gaze shifted briefly back to Violet, who had stomped fuming back to her mark. Today’s combat training was the final test, the final opportunity for the Everstream scion to hold her ground.

He winced, trying not to feel so satisfied to see the arrogant, scarlet-haired noble fail.

“Second round! Begin!”

Damon refocused on the match in time to see Vetra dart forward and Violet reply with a scowl and a slashing energy blade. Vetra dodged the spell and threw a focused kinetic blast at Violet’s feet, forcing the other girl to leap back to avoid it. But before Violet could reset her stance, Vetra faded out of sight, becoming a streak of blurred light that shot behind Violet and re-formed in the blink of an eye.

“Too obvious!” Violet called, sweeping a hand behind her and casting another energy blade at chest height.

But Vetra just warped again - directly in front of Violet.

Impressively, Violet’s other hand reached out without looking as she stumbled about, shooting off an energy bolt that would have hit if Vetra hadn’t  already ducked. Her hand slapped the ground again and the off-balance Violet tried awkwardly to leap away. Danson leaned forward, expecting - like Violet obviously was - another warp mine.

But when Violet’s feet hit the ground again, rather than warping, she sank into the suddenly soft and malleable stone floor.

Danson whistled and the students gasped. Another high-level spell, from the Augmentation discipline this time.

“Ugh, what!” said Violet, trying in vain to lift her legs from the liquified stone. She shot off another bolt spell that Vetra easily dodged and countered with a weak kinetic blast no more powerful than a stiff breeze. The spell struck the off balance and overwhelmed Violet squarely, sending her tumbling down with a shriek to splash into the grey muck. Vetra released the liquify spell before Violet could sink past her shoulders and the red-haired girl sat immobilized by the once-again solid stone.

Danson sat back amazed, and the students clapped and cheered wildly.

“Violet is unable to move,” called one of the assistants. “Round to-”

“No I’m not!” Violet screeched.

Danson raised an eyebrow as her body arced with white lightning that sent the stone floor encasing her flying away in splinters. Vetra threw up her hands to cover her face from the shrapnel as Violet lunged from the hole, an energy blade already slashing out from her left hand. Vetra warped left but Violet kept advancing, unleashing another blade and forcing Vetra to warp away once again.

“Stay still!” growled Violet, casting another blade from her left hand while reaching towards Vetra with her right. Vetra warped again, but this time as her body shifted into warp energy, it stuttered and held in place and she was forced back into corporeality. The blade slashed across her shoulder, and her shield flickered.

The crowd erupted.

“Plasmic freezing mid-combat,” Danson mouthed. “Brilliant.”

But Vetra barely paused. 

She lifted a hand towards Violet and near-invisible telekinetic tendrils reached out, encircling and squeezing the older girl tightly. Violet strained as her arms were pressed tight to her side, then screeched as she shrouded her body in destructive white lightning a second time, destroying the tendrils and setting her free.

However Vetra had already closed in, her own hand now cracking with white lightning.

Danson bit his lip. Technically, offensive spells from the Destruction discipline were forbidden during practice matches at this level. But currently, Vetra was only using spell breaker, rather than the more dangerous shattering hand. The spell would destroy Violet’s shield, but not her flesh.

Vetra punched towards Violet’s chest and the other girl dodged back frantically, splitting off an illusory clone as she did. A quick swipe from Vetra’s crackling hand destroyed the clone, and she grabbed the real Violet by the wrist, causing her shield to flash and crack as it lost cohesion.

But even as Vetra grabbed her, Violet turned aside, putting her back to the watching crowd and cocking her free hand back at her waist with a snarl. Seated beside the stage, only Danson was able to glimpse the ominous spiral of null energy growing in her palm. The suddenly panicked professor stood so quickly his chair clattered to the ground behind him.

But he was too late, and Violet’s palm surged forward towards Vetra’s chest. Vetra’s eyes widened as she too noticed the dark spiral and Danson’s jaw fell open at her response. 

The girl cancelled her own spell and caught Violet’s wrist before her palm strike could land. She wrenched the larger girl’s arm high and launched her knee up into her stomach, shattering the remains of the energy shield and blasting the wind from the red-haired elfkin’s lungs. Vetra ducked and spun while keeping control of Violet’s arm, flipping her head over heels and sending her sprawling to the ground. Violet, winded and gasping, spun onto her stomach and reached out a glowing finger - Vetra pointed her own palm down in response.

“Stop!”

Danson clenched his fists and glared towards both girls, bombarding them telepathically with waves of confusion. Violet wilted under the barrage, but when his mind struck against Vetra’s, it was as if he’d hit a stone wall.

Of course.

“Enough,” Danson said calmly, ending his telepathic assault. The watching students and many of the awed passersby - who had all been watching rapt until now - erupted into chatter and exclamations of disappointment.

“Keep going!” one boy shouted.

“That was awesome!” called another.

“Quiet!” Danson snapped, shaking his head as the chatter faded to whispers. He turned back to Vetra and Violet. “Come here, please, ladies. Arsnt, Cliff, get on with it,” he called to his flabbergasted assistants.

Vetra once again reached out her hand, but this time Violet ignored her classmate completely, thrust herself to her feet, and stomped up the steps towards Danson. Vetra followed behind her wearing a slight grimace.

When they had both lined up before him, Danson regarded them with his hands on his hip. Violet was glaring at him, as if daring him to call her out for her dangerous stunt. He’d deal with her later.

“Lady Kyn,” he said, turning to Vetra. “This is not a wrestling class. Physical strikes are against the rules unless they’re being used to apply a spell effect.”

Violet sneered and glared at Vetra victoriously, but Vetra didn’t seem to notice – she was looking up at Danson.

“Sorry professor, it was instinct. I was taught to use magic and martial arts to complement each other in combat.”

Danson brought a hand to his face and massaged his temples. Of course. Her infamous mother had obviously taken pains to ensure her daughter would stand head and shoulders above the other students. Vetra likely could have started in an even more advanced class, but beginning lower down on the ladder gave her a chance to show her superiority – not to mention make allies amongst other up-and-coming nobility.

Allies, or enemies – Danson thought, glancing briefly at Violet.

“That’s all well and good Lady Kyn,” he said. “But save it for martial arts classes and actual combat. In this class we solve problems with our minds and our magic. Not our muscles.”

Vetra stared at him for a moment, her expression thoughtful, then she slowly began to nod her head. She bowed low.

“Understood. Sorry, Professor Rysk,” she said, then glanced sheepishly at her classmate. “Sorry Violet.”

Danson hid a scowl as Violet snorted and turned up her nose.

“You’re excused Lady Kyn, return to class.”

“Thank you Professor.”

Danson nodded as she hurried back down the stairs then stepped back over to his seat. She was a good student. Violet, however…

“Miss Everstream,” he said as he plopped back down in his chair. “You are excused from the rest of today’s class. Go wait in the cloisters please.”

“What?” said Violet, her brow furrowing. “Why?”

“You know why.”

“I didn’t-”

“Don’t,” Danson replied sternly, holding up a finger. “Just go.”

Violet glared at him for a moment before rolling her eyes and storming off to the other side of the courtyard. Danson watched her slump down against the opposite wall and stare balefully towards Vetra, who was sitting amongst the class once again, smiling and laughing along with them as they congratulated her on her impressive performance.

He shook his head, unsure of how to deal with his star-turned-problem student. He winced as his mind flashed back to the image of the null energy swirling in her palm. He shuddered, grateful that Vetra had been quick enough to avoid the spell. It was a Destruction technique known as touch of the void - it melted through energy barriers like dragon-breath through wax, and disintegrated anything else the caster touched so long as it was held in place. It was possible Violet didn’t realize the spell’s potential lethality, but given her scores in spell theory, that was unlikely.

Danson sighed and returned to his book, forcing himself to file such thoughts away for later. 

The class went on for another two hours, until Danson signaled his assistants to wrap up and escort the class to their next lecture. The students bemoaned the return to ‘boring’ lectures but thankfully most were too tired to raise much of a stink. When the last of them had filed up the amphitheatre steps, Danson picked up his book and followed after them, waving Violet over as he did. The young elfkin hadn’t moved from her slump against the wall, but rose to her feet with a jerk at Danson’s signal. He met her at the doorway just as the other students were filing inside and motioned for her to wait. When they were alone he took a deep breath and eyed her sternly.

“That was dangerous, Miss Everstream.”

“That’s Lady Everstream,” she said through clenched teeth. “And I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Danson narrowed his eyes.

“You’re smart enough to imagine the chain of events that would have occurred if Vetra hadn't been fast enough to stop you. Your family, powerful as they are, are vassals to the Kyn’s. Need I elaborate?”

“She’d have deserved it, the cocky little-”

“No,” Danson snapped. “She wouldn’t have! She’s a young girl Violet, with circumstances not unlike yours. One would think you would understand her better!”

“She’s not me!” Violet hissed back, though her voice gained volume as she went on. “She doesn’t have to worry about her inheritance and keeping her grip on her family title! She didn’t have to fight her way through three years at this stupid Academy to get to the top of her class!  She barely even has to try and she can cast circles around half the mages here, student or otherwise! She’s just a thoughtless little brat with more luck than she deserves!”

Violet finished with a wave of her hand that kicked dust up off the floor twenty feet away. Danson gritted his teeth. As someone who had been born in a dirty old barn, who had nearly starved to death before his second summer, and who had only been able to enter the Academy thanks to his family giving up two years worth of trade, he took exception to any noble claiming a deficit of luck.

The beleaguered scholar blew out a long, calm breath. But, none of that had anything to do with his student and her missteps.

“There will always be someone better, Violet,” he said. “That’s just the way things are.”

“What do you know, commoner?” Violet replied, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

Danson choked back a biting reply, though he stood a little straighter at the intended insult.

“I know you’ll be a fine mage one day,” said quietly. “And that your animosity towards Lady Kyn won’t accomplish anything. Let it go.”

“Lady Kyn? Lady Kyn?” Violet growled, staring up at him. “Good to know you don’t need to be reminded of her title at least.”

Damon blinked and bit his tongue, cursing its carelessness as he did. He looked back into Violet’s angry green eyes, seeing clearly the frustration and the hurt below their glassy surface. Before he could reply, the girl pushed past him. 

“You’re such a hypocrite.” 

Danson slumped in place, looking down at the book cradled in his arms. He frowned - nothing within those pages would show him the way. He wanted to help her, he really did, and not just because it was his job. After all, she too was just a girl who couldn’t help her circumstance. But at the moment, Danson couldn’t think of the right words to give her peace.

And Violet was long gone before he even came close.