Back to the Academy

[Alva Calvarona]

The tournament of the gods still sat fresh in Alva's mind. The victories. . . . .and the defeat. The young woman had hardly put much thought into her entrance into the intense fighting competition. In fact the only reason Alva had traveled out there to participate at all was to see where she stood among the figures of the galaxy. On her homeworld of Crina she knew quite clearly where she rested. She was barely a fully capable Practitioner, a user of magic in its various forms through spells and other means. Ever since the Imperials had arrived Crina's Second Princess had learned that they called it the force, and while she had no intention of stooping to their beliefs she had every desire to see where the level of Crina's strength lay compared to the rest of the galaxy.

To that end she had ventured so very far to enter into that rather odd tournament. She hadn't even paid attention to who was hosting it, she had merely signed herself up like so many others. So simply done, and yet it had been such a brutal competition. In the second round she had removed her opponent's arm from the rest of his body after all. In the third she had her left arm broken too. The round she lost in. Alva remembered it vividly. The opponent she had faced in that fight had been far beyond anyone else she had encountered. And she had defeated two sith knights in the previous sections. At least she believed them to be what everyone called Sith. They exuded such a dark aura and they wielded lightsabers meaning they ought to belong to one of those force using orders.

Regardless she had defeated them, and then been defeated in turn by someone who surpassed them both. It amazed her. Both her foes in the first two rounds had been beyond her in pure power. They had much more ability behind them. However, her world's unique design philosophy with their technology had given her an edge. Not to mention she had all her training with her servant Ikki, a rather lovely maid of hers, who had taught her techniques to use the quite lethal weapon that was slicewire. Which had also enhanced her physical abilities. Plus all in all she had been able to outsmart them too. The first round had been so easy, the second was where she felt she had met her match. Hisn power was greater than her's clearly but she was just a tad smarter and much better equipped.

All the same she was barely able to classify as a proper Practitioner and tricks and gadgets couldn't carry her forever and so she had lost in the third round. There had been five total she heard. She had lost in the very middle of the tournament. Alva believed she had gained a clear distinction of where her abilities lay in the galaxy. On her homeworld a few still surpassed her, and she was nothing like the legends like Crina or Nicoleta from history. The Practitioner's power on average was a little less than that of the force users in the greater galaxy, but their training and their world's supplementary technology made them more than a match.

Alva knew what she had to do now, she had to hone her Practitioner abilities so that she could reach the pinnacle. First she needed to somehow match the masters of the Academy, the Cosmina Academy. Ever since her defeat at the hands of The Dark Man she had been training to enhance her perception ability, but she knew she had a ways to go there. Her wind manipulation was great but lacked innovation, and she didn't know other elements well enough. So, what she needed was to learn once more. To do that, she made way to the Cosmina Academy on her homeworld of Crina as soon as she could. She heard Sorina Alexia was holding a lesson, a master of being able to see magical lattices as one formed the matrices of a spell being woven together, as well as a user of the Wind and Fire elements. Alva knew she could learn from her.

 

[Alva Calvarona]

And apparently so did many others.

To be fair though, Alva wasn't entirely shocked by the massive swaths of people taking up seats within the lecture hall. Many of the students were likely trying to fill an empty spot so that they could learn from the rather prestigious Master Practitioner. Someone who was something of a prodigy for the era they liked to say around the upperclassmen and nobility. At least from what Crina's second princess remembered back when she was just a fresh student at the Cosmina Academy. Sorina Alexia. She was only two years older than Alva, and already a master. Then again coming from the Alexia family who ran the Academy, Sorina did have a rather incredible headstart. Already learning the basics well before many others considering both her parents had detected her potential quite early on and pushed to embody a perfect Practitioner's life since its what both of them led, Sorina was already practicing spells by the time her peers were understanding the flow of magic in the world around them.

It wasn't really just that extra boost from starting sooner, there were other Practitioner's who started their own kids training sooner, some even did it privately instead of sending them to Cosmina, but it generally was accepted a Practitioner would learn best here where there were so many resources. But yes, it wasn't just that quick start that made Sorina Alexia a talented Practitioner above the rest, she actually was someone who could be called a prodigy. She learned too quickly to be average, she advanced through the basic studies faster than anyone, some even said she had maintained a better record than Nicoleta's old statistics before the Rebel Leader had abandoned the Academy to start the resistance so long ago. Whether or not that was true was down to the class records and Alva hadn't bothered to really verify those tales. After all comparing their class standings hardly could classify Sorina with the legendary Practitioner and rabble rouser. Nicoleta had definitely gained more power striking it out on her own, how she had no one really knew, but unless one could say Sorina matched the Nicoleta who fought in the civil war then they could not be easily judged.

Regardless, Alva didn't doubt Sorina's superior abilities as a Practitioner. The woman had graduated from the Academy a year ahead of her time, and three years before Alva had. She had spent a year after wandering Crina and putting down dissidents from both the rebels and the royal army who went out and caused trouble as raiders after defecting. Her skills didn't include magic alone, it had been proven time and again that Sorina was more than skilled enough with the Crinan Energy Blade, and was a highly accomplished hand to hand combat master as well. Crina's second princess recalled stealing moments away to watch Sorina in practice in the courtyards, along with many others. The young woman was an idol in her time, and had many admirers, especially among the girls. Alva for a time recalled having a crush herself on Sorina as well.

Still, Alva wondered if perhaps she stood a much better chance against Sorina as a warrior nowadays since learning to wield slicewire under Ikki Ike's tutelage. She was much more flexible physically and had had the time to hone her skills against more worthy opponents as compared to the other woman. Admittedly though, learning to pilot a fighter as effectively as she had did mean Alva knew her abilities as a practitioner were not as well kept or as powerful as Sorina's by far. Plus if she did ever spar with the other Practitioner she wouldn't be aiming to kill, so using slicewire would be a no, and Sorina had access to the energy blade and royal armor just like every other Crinan with ties to the state. Still, if an opportunity to spar with her did arise Alva was tempted. She never really got to know the girl much before Sorina graduated, and it wasn't like they had been friends who would visit like Alina and her did.

Well whether or not an opportunity would arise or not, Alva settled into her seat as the person in question arrived. It seemed any students or visiting Practitioners from other towns had comes if they were going to, so Sorina was taking the stand at the center of the lecture hall. It was a little grand, but then, there weren't as many who were as learned and accomplished as Sorina in this day and age, it left Alva wondering what other occasions got used for nowadays. Normally it was just used to Academy wide announcements or for cross class lectures when you might as well teach everyone at once. It seemed a tad impractical and. . . .boring if Sorina just aimed to talk, but then, Alva figured there might be some demonstrations, the area was made big enough for them and the princess did remember a few back while she attended courses.

 

[Alva Calvarona]

Of course though it started off with more of a lecture based discussion. It made enough sense, since Sorina was essentially going to be teaching, so it would be best for the Master Practitioner to explain everything out to those following along. It hardly surprised Alva what the girl in the center of the room called for first. "It's a pleasure to be here in front of everyone today. I'm grateful that so many have come to listen to me today, and I feel honored that there are several practiced Practitioners among you all today who felt I am worth learning more from. Before we begin today I ask that many of you please actively engage in my presentations by keeping your minds open and your senses extended. For those of you who have not fully developed adequate abilities in the magic sensing techniques I implore you use the opportunity today to do your best to employ your basic studies as there will be much use of magic and I would love for you to glimpse an understanding of the spells that will be in use today."

It was good advice. The more someone's senses were developed the better they could follow along a spell from when its matrices were formed in the early stages. In theory there instances where a Practitioner was born with the inherent ability to actually see the streams of magic on top of everything, such were very few and far between. They once said that Crina the first queen and for whom the planet was named could, but other accounts said it was one of her sisters. Nicoleta was verified, but they said it developed later in her childhood as an oddity. Normally if one didn't have such a power at birth it was a practiced art and was considered one of the highest forms of the magic sensing skill. An ability Sorina Alexia was rumored to have worked years to achieve, valuing it over other possible spell paths. It was something Alva understood after briefly experiencing the ability while in a trance after being dazed by The Dark Man's kick to her head during their battle in the tournament of the gods.

A skilled practitioner could watch where energy was being pulled to, gathered from, and how it was being shaped. In greatest theory one could see where to place a counter spell to undo or protect against an attack, or how to imitate another magic user's abilities after seeing how they built their spells. In essence Sorina was offering those with advanced enough skills to sense out how she formed some of her abilities, how she put the magic together. It made Alva wonder just if Sorina's advanced sensing abilities could detect when similar powers were used around her. Perhaps Sorina had no intention of using her most efficient spell-weaving techniques of more impressive spells in case some people could. It would be a wise decision, considering a Practitioner's abilities were their pride, if they made everyone just as powerful as themselves they wouldn't stand above the rest.

Regardless of whether or not the presentation would reveal all of Sorina Alexia's talents and skills, Alva could care less. What she wanted was to learn period, to follow after the other Practitioner's spell-weaving and uncover new spells for herself. In all honesty she hoped that Sorina might show off new ways to use wind spells, or how to wield magic from any of the other elements at all. For it now seemed though that the Master Practitioner was contenting herself with an overview of basics for the younger students and those only into their apprenticeship. "Before I begin in earnest I know everyone has likely already begun learning the basics, but I wish to remind many of the younger apprentices in attendance today. Do not forget that magic exists all around you. It flows in streams and courses throughout the world. Your potential therefore is endless, barriers only exists as far as you can learn to more efficiently draw on that power and bring it into yourself, and how effectively you can give shape to the spells you desire. Knowledge is our greatest strength, the more shapes we can learn, even create, to give magic a shape we can use it in, the more powerful we become. Today I intend to run through spell-weaving and how to minimize one's efforts in crafting basic spell lattices."

"First off I will begin with a few basic spells in the Fire elemental skillset. I might also show some wind as they will be easiest without preparation, seeing as we aren't outdoors for earth spells and I have no water along with me in enough quantity to show significant work." Already at least it seemed like it would be promising, but Alva hoped it wouldn't take too long before Sorina got into more advanced abilities.

 

[Alva Calvarona]

Watching intently, Alva let herself begin to reach out with the force, feeling that many of the others, students and prospective Practitioners looking to learn from the prestigious young Master Practitioner, were also utilizing the opportunity as Sorina suggested they take to extend their senses to feel how she put together the essence of her magic. What surprised the second princess though was that she could also detect the use of magic from much further in front of the mass of observers. It appeared as if Sorina Alexia was also on the lookout for anyone else using their abilities. Most likely it was to gauge when to begin when the most people were prepared, but Alva couldn't help and wonder if it had anything to do with the chance that someone in the crowd might be out to get her.

After all, whenever one was at the top and was heralded as the pinnacle of power anywhere, that person would inevitably grow paranoid and for just reasons normally, since whenever one was the best other would always become jealous and who knows where that could lead. That, or for all anyone knew the survivors of the Crinan Rebellion might hold a grudge against the Master Practitioner for not taking part in the war, regardless of whether or not she had done anything to harm them either. Still, if something did happen here it was more likely any would be assassins would be eliminated by Sorina before they had a chance to attack her, that or the entire room of Practitioners not a part of the plot would move to defend the speaker presenting.

"Now then everyone I will begin seeing as most of you are paying attention. Now as I am beginning with fire elemental spells I would like to remind everyone of how it works. By focusing the energy of magic around us to cause the molecules in the air to heat up and putting our power into igniting the oxygen a Practitioner can create anything from a ball of fire or a small explosion depending on who much skill one maintains and how much power they can put into the matrices themselves. Its also very convenient for lighting candles inside if one needs light, though in absence of a candle one may attempt holding the flame ahead of them, though continuing an effort is always more difficult." Straining to make out the sounds of the Master Practitioner performing a short chant and reaching out towards candles on the desk to light them, Alva frowned wishing she had been closer to the front, but contented herself that she could follow the intricate weaving that Sorina Alexia was going through to use the least amount of effort to light the candle. It wasn't what Alva had hoped for to see, but she knew more would be coming and hoped those would show much more. . . .elaborate spell-weaving that she could try and emulate for herself later.