Ummm… Maybe…?

As you kneel, trying to catch your breath and recover some of your strength, you eye the icy statue warily. While you feel that you have done well, a part of you can't shake the feeling that it couldn't be that easy. Sure, you encased a fire elemental in ice, but couldn't it just melt it from within? Common sense suggests so, magic or no magic. In the literal heat of the moment, common sense ceased to exist. You were just acting on instinct and adrenalin, hoping that you could weaken the creature enough that it would not have a chance to recover.

You receive your answer a few short moments later as you see vapor begin to rapidly emanate from the surface of the ice.

"Fuck... I thought it was too good to be true...", you say dejectedly.

"Can you move silly boy...? If so, you had better get ready...", Aeriel says, hugging you tightly.

"Maybe... But I don't think I have much left to even dodge any more fireballs... And besides, I am out of ideas..."

"I know... But you can't give up..."

You manage to stand, but your head swims and your stomach lurches. You drop back to one knee to try and will the vertigo to pass. The ice is steadily evaporating, the fire elemental melting it's frozen prison from the inside. You see cracks forming along the outer shell now. You don't have much time.

Again, you try to stand, and you are able to keep your head from spinning, a little anyway.

"Aeriel... I need to draw more power... But I have no idea wha..."

Just then, the ice shatters and shards are sent flying in all directions with incredible ****. You shield your face with your arms as you are struck by some of the frozen shrapnel. You stumble backward and fall on your behind.

“Get up…! Move damn it…!”, Aeriel shouts as she clutches you desperately.

The elemental forms a fireball as it’s featureless face regards you. It launches it’s attack, and you just manage to roll away. You do not come away completely unscathed however, your clothes and some of your hair have been scorched by the intense heat.

The creature winds up another shot…

Then it disappears.

Your heart is racing, you are covered in sweat and bleeding in places from the shower of ice shards. You scan your surroundings frantically, looking to see where the elemental has gotten to.

Just then, you see the blue shimmer of the barrier flicker.

"I think it's over... Are you alright...?", Aeriel asks you.

"Yeah... I think so..."

You let the tension dissolve from your muscles and lay your head back to catch your breath and try to slow your racing mind.

"Well done lad, well done!", Hallgrave says cheerfully as he approaches.

You sit up and shoot a glare at the old man.

"Come now, what's that look for? The experiment was a huge success!"

First, you fling a fireball at me during orientation, scaring the living shit out of me. Now you pit me against a fire elemental,... a creature I know absolutely nothing about, and while I have only just been able to use my power... and you want to know why I am miffed?"

"What happened at orientation was a test to gauge your magical potential. It wasn’t even a real fireball.”, he says defensively.

“ it looked and felt pretty fucking real to me!”, you come back hotly.

“Ummm… Actually, The heat you felt from that was me…”, Aeriel joins in, slightly abashed.

You look at her quizzically.

“It’s true.”, Professor Dove says, offering you a hand.

You take her hand and she helps you up.

“What are you talking about? I’m beginning to feel like the punchline to a joke that I’m not aware of.”, you say, looking at the three of them in turn… reserving a particularly displeased glare for Hallgrave.

He gives you a disarming smile before speaking.

“Illusions my boy, illusions. You need to bear in mind, I was the only one who could see and interact with Aeriel at that time. I had to make a show for the benefit of everyone else because they couldn’t see the real test.”

“Real test?”, you ask.

“Yes. To everyone else, it looked like I threw a fireball at you and you deflected it back at me, wounding me. What really happened was I projected my power into Aeriel, to see how much she could absorb. I just never expected her to nearly suck me completely dry.”

You glance at Aeriel Who is grinning broadly.

"Not like that you perv...", she giggles.

“ that is why I looked injured and weak after.", Hallgrave continues. "The injury was an illusion from Professor Schwartz, but I really was weakened from so much of my energy being drained."

"But hold on a second...", you interject. "I thought that you were the only one who could see Aeriel. Why were Professors Dove and Schwartz involved? Obviously you told them if Professor Schwartz helped with providing an illusion, and Professor Dove clearly knows. She just said that you are telling the truth."

"Because I trust them... And they would have seen through my illusions anyway. They are not in their current positions for nothing. They just didn't know about Aeriel."

"You shoot a glance to Aeriel, and trying not to sound annoyed with her, you ask, "And why didn't you tell me about this...?"

"Silly boy... It never came up until now...", she says simply with a honey sweet tone. This point you cannot refute.

"Ok...", you begin, digesting what you have just been told. "And what about the elemental? What the hell was that about?"

The old man grins at you, which you don't particularly care for.

"You were never in any real danger son. That barrier was similar to what is used during duels here. It serves two functions... The first is to prevent errant spells from harming innocent bystanders. The second protects the participant's life forces. The spells are real, the effects and pain are real... but there is no mortal danger. If what would be a fatal blow is struck, the duel ends and the barrier dissipates. The sensation would be dulled considerably, but there would be a level of pain. Take a look at yourself. The battle is over, and you have been restored to how you were prior."

You look down, and sure enough, the blood and the scorch marks are no longer there. Aside from the dull ache all over from your speed spell, you feel fine.

"Did you know about this...?", you ask Aeriel.

She shakes her head with a pout.

"No... This I was not privy to... I am as upset over it as you are..."

"But why? Why go to such lengths?", you ask after a few moments, your anger giving way to confusion and fatigue.

"A few reasons really. The main point was to determine whether my theory about your sexual encounters having a bearing on your interaction with Aeriel was accurate, which it seems to be. I also wanted to see how you would react to what you perceived as a real life situation, not knowing that the actual consequences were mild. I wanted to push you to your limit... so I, and you could see what you are capable of in your current state. Your intuitions and reflexes are very impressive indeed, especially being so new to magic. Had you had any training and knowledge prior to that battle, I have no doubt that you would have easily dealt with that fire elemental."

You are stunned to silence. All you can do is look at the old man incredulously.

"He's right.", Professor Dove finally says, breaking the long pause. "You have only just become accustomed to utilizing your power, and you gave an impressive fight to a formidable adversary. You used your knowledge... which through no fault of your own, was lamentably lacking... you formed a plan that should have worked in theory. Had you been better informed there's no doubt things would have gone much differently. And I will make sure that next time, they do."

"Next time?", you inquire.

"yes. I want to recruit you as the captain for my dueling team."

"What?"

"I want you to head up the dueling team I will be coaching. But you don't have to decide right now. We can discuss it later."

"I Agree with Rebecca.", Hallgrave remarks. "I think you are a natural. You have a lot of potential, and I believe you can bring a team together. Have you noticed how more people seem to approach you now?"

You look at him stunned.

"I'll take that as a yes. It's no wonder. Back in your hometown, people always seemed to disregard you, like you weren't even there. Unfortunately, that was because of Aeriel. While she was asleep, she was still there. Non-magical people are naturally turned off from us magical folk. Something deep within them rejects us, they don't even realize it. But as soon as you got here, with people like you, things changed, didn't they?"

You nod your head.

"Magic attracts magic. Think of it like magnets. Magic pushes against non-magic, and pulls toward it's own kind. And Aeriel there is a mighty powerful magnet."

You look at her and smile fondly.

"And so...", the headmaster continues, "I doubt you will have much trouble getting laid... because as we have just witnessed, it will be necessary for you to use magic. Lucky you."