KINGDOM OF MAGIC

Training with Zora (2)

Castro, despite the late night wining and dining, woke up just a bit before dawn. He adjusted so as to sit up, but the sharp pain in his left arm gave him the liberty to get up with only one arm. Castro narrowed his eyes and a bright, soft light shone on him gently, the sun had risen already. He soaked in the beauty of the sunrise and thought of all that had happened recently.

What is this Zero magic that demon told me about? And to think that "it" is me? How absurd... Castro thought while standing up to head to the colosseum, where they fought near the tower.

He stepped out of his room, looking at the oddly quiet hallway confused. He shook his head in ignorance and walked down without a care. He approached the entrance to the colosseum, where he saw Zora running around the interior of the colosseum.

"Huh? Zora? Do you even need to train?" Castro blurted.

"Well, I may be an elder mage, but I need to exercise. Don't want to get fat." Zora said, wearing an exhausted smile while gasping for air

"I guess so..." Castro smiled faintly. "... I also came to ask you for help. About what happened yesterday."

Zora, understanding his predicament, stopped jogging and came to him.

"Sure."

Castro then told him everything; From the demon that came to him, to the mysterious power he had acquired.

That demon has already appeared to him, that's too soon... What is the demon's plan? Zora thought.

"As you know, your magic is called Zero magic, one of the rarest magic types. What you did back there yesterday was not negation, it was simply reverting the magic attack back to it's base form, Mana"

"Zero magic is also capable of negation, but you'll have to practice harder for that. Your aberrant magic is just a side effect of Zero magic. It's the main reason why you can create water that burns or fire that freezes things..." Soon, Zora's countenance became grim. Keeping himself together, he held Castro on his shoulders and looked sternly into his eyes.

"Castro, you must learn to control this power, or you may lose the ones you love."

Castro's face turned gloomy as he repeated what he heard when Zora looked at him, smiling.

"Lucky for you, I'm here to help!" Zora said, grinning from cheek to cheek

"How do you do that?" Castro's eyebrows furrowed.

"By helping you learn how to use your power to it's full extent!" Zora shouted.

"Well, you guys are up early..."

Zora and Castro turned, only to see Xero and Jolie. Looking at them.

"Good morning. Xero, Jolie. Did you also come here to train as well?" Zora asked.

"Yeah, need to lossen up my body... I also dragged her along." Xero said, pointing to Jolie, who was still rubbing her eyes. She yawned and groaned in frustration as Xero was holding her by the wrist.

"I wanted to sleep in today..." Jolie muttered silently, letting out another yawn.

Too late to say that now, isn't it? Castro, Xero and Zora thought.

"Let's start with stretches, to loosen up those joints and muscles!" Zora commanded.

Other students were already trotting into the colosseum during Xero's entry, and by the time Zora started, the colosseum was half full.

While everyone was stretching, Zora suddenly felt a pulse throughout his body, He knew his magic perception had sensed something.

Zora silently muttered the spell for the Eye of Aletheia and looked at Castro, his magic perception led him to do so. He looked into Castro's mana flows and noticed something.

The outline of his body was covered by illusory darkness, giving him a chance to see Castro's mana flow. There was a mana path with an azure blue glow and one with a crimson red glow going in an opposite direction from the former. The latter was moving at a slower pace than the former, as if to match the former's speed. It was then that Zora's eyes widened...

The two normally opposing Mana flows were slowly synchronizing!

He probably doesn't know this yet... Just what is that demon's plan? He probably wants to take over his body, I don't know what we'll be able to do if that being enters this world... Zora thought.

Zora, with a loud voice, said as he clapped his hands together "Okay, let's do combat exercises! Pick a partner and spar." Zora said as everyone began forming pairs. He turned and saw Castro about to pair with Xero when he called their attention.

"Xero, how about you spar with Jolie today? Castro's all mine." Zora while having an abnormal expression on his face.

That's too sus, Sir Zora!!!!! Everyone present exclaimed in their heads.

Zora, inferring from the awkward silence, coughed and faced the paired students, and, clearing his throat, he began addressing the challenge.

"Okay, students. This sparring session is just to exercise and increase your combat experience, as well as to see for yourselves how far you've come in your abilities. Play fair, and be nice... Oh, and no magic should be used, Mana Strengthening can be utilized. Let's keep it simple, okay?"

"Yes Sir!" The students said in unison.

Zora smirked and glanced at all the students.

"Let's begin!"