Waking up before dawn

When you wake up you remained still with your closed. Memories of Edin's activities the last time you slept with each other refreshed in your mind. You stretched your perception out to blanket over the two of you. Even with your eyes closed your perception gave you perfect knowledge of your room, if you focused you could even defect each particle of dust drifting in the predawn twilight. But that wasn't your focus.

You had a picture of Edin. Each part of him perfectly captured in your mind, each hair on his head as clearly defined as if you were looking at him. You could feel his heartbeat through your connected body and through your perception feeling those little pulses of magic beating around his body. His breathing deep, calm and in tune with your own.

You could quiet happily lay with him like this until he woke up but your ingrained habit of morning warm ups was calling to you.

You carefully pulled out from Edin's grasp. He made some discontented noises but seeing his aura meant knowing when you nearing consciousness and when you could move freely. It took some time but you were eventually able to extract yourself from the bed.

Standing above him a rush of warmth overcame you and you leaned down to kiss his forehead. As your lips left his skin you paused to watch his aura. A ripple spread from your contact but there was no waking. You stood back up and silently stepped to your wardrobe and dresser.

You took out your clothes and dressed, paying attention to Edin as you did. You didn't want to wake him but at the same time you know what would happen if you did and you wanted to have sex with him again. When you buckled your sword around your waist Edin hadn't stirred. You left the room feeling ambivalent. You were glad to have not disturbed Edin, but you also wanted morning sex. As you walk to the steps it occurred to you that Edin would have loved if you'd woken him up with your cock in his mouth. Oh well you'll have lots of other occasions in the future.

As with yesterday when you reached the steps you hovered your foot over the first one and moved your magic to your sole. You were unstable just as you had been last time but when you took the second step you'd adapted. You kept walking down until you reach the second floor. You were breathing a little heavy but pushed yourself further.

You got halfway down the second flight before your magic failed and your foot sunk further than you were expecting. You knew you were going to fall so you used a bust of magic to lift yourself into the air fully. Small than needed wings were made for you to glide on and you reach the ground floor without stumbling. You look behind you at your magic wings as they dissipated.

You'd never tried something like that before. You'd dabbled with the idea of gliding short distances but hadn't experimented much with it mostly due to a lack of safe situation to do so. That your magic seemed to have automatically done it was new and interesting, instead using a bust of magic to stablise it had chosen to the wings. Based on your knowledge of magic there was an innate use. It's automatic usage in healing and how you used it to manifest your dragon was proof of that, but as a self defensive measure it was new.

You would like to experiment but couldn't think of a way to do so without you know putting your life in danger, some you were not keen on doing.

"Master Christopher?" The voice belonged to Wilfred. You look over to the attendant office and saw him leaning out to look at you.

"Good morning Wilfred. Sorry off in my own head." You walked over with a smile showing for the man.

"Very good Christopher." He smiled as he said your name.

"Are you always working the morning shift?" You ask deciding to take some time to get to know the man. If nothing else being friends with someone who might be able to replace your key stone on the quiet was just smart.

"Yes started an hour ago and start until shortly after midday." He seems happy to talk as you aren't imposing.

"Have any family?"

"Yes a wife and two daughters. The wife and I work here and our daughters are just almost old enough to start. I've got them a job in the gardens ready for them." He sounds immensely proud of his whole family and you smile.

"I hope to meet them some day." You mean it, Wilfred has been very nice to you and you can't picture any of his family being any less.

"Oh I'm sure you will young master." His eyes and aura are dancing with mischievous.

You smile at him as you walk to the door waving over your shoulder as you say. "I have no doubt. See you soon Wilfred." He waves you off and you make your way to the training ground.

The closer you get the louder the clashing of metal. You assume it was Lady Asune and Stephanie just like yesterday. You slow your approach to listen to the sounds. You'd been told that you could tell who someone was by the sounds their swords make when clashing.

There were two distinct intonations coming from the arena. Some clashes were quick and ended after first contact, others were longer, as the swords were dragged against one another. From your memory of dueling with Stephanie she was making the quick noises. She had relied on speed as her advantage so extended clashes would only limit her abilities.

You rounded the edge of the viewing stand that had been blocking your view. Your assuming was right Lady Asune and Stephanie were dueling. Unlike yesterday you didn't come in at the culmination. Lady Asune had her guard up and the two were just side of the other striking range waiting for an opening.

Stephanie's back to you so Lady Asune saw you. It was less than a second of recognition but it had taken her focus off Stephanie. In an instant Lady Asune blade was swatted out of the way and Stephanie's blade was pressed against Lady Asune neck.

"That wasn't fair!" Lady Asune shouted stepped back. "He distracted me."

"Dealing with distractions is a part of combat, no duel has ever taken place in a sterile environment. Had our places been reversed it would your blade at my neck." Stephanie said lowering her sword to her waist. "If this fight was real you would have the chance to complain, you would just be dead." Lady Asune was glaring at you but her seething was kept quiet. "Christopher. I gave you an explicit instruction of what would happen if your interfered with the Lady's training."

You recalled that instruction and you could feel your eye pop out of your head. "I–"

"I was not requesting you justify your action." Stephanie walked over to you in order to glare at you much closer. Lady Asune had a look a interest on her face as the interaction but you couldn't miss the malice that had entered her gazing.

You swallow and stand perfectly immobile.

"Perhaps he can make up for it." Lady Asune said walking over to stand behind Stephanie on her right. "He interrupted our sparing, it seems only fair we spar."

Stephanie didn't say anything but her eyes didn't leave you. You remembered he other instruction regarding Lady Asune. "I would be a very poor opponent, not worth your Ladies time." You turned to Lady Asune and bowed at the end of the sentence.

"I will deicde who and what is worth my time not a man, and certain not you." Lady Asune glowered at you. "Now step into the ring."

"I cannot allow that my Lady." Stephanie stepped between the two of you. "Given the difference in your skill level is impossible for any sparing match to end without serious injury." You whole heartedly agreed with Stephanie.

"I'll be careful." Lady Asune said trying to lean around Stephanie to glower at you.

"It is not a matter of care it is an unavoidable result." Stephanie said and turned to face Lady Asune. "Bring yourself down to his level is a pitiable display." It was said gruffly and under her voice but you hear it. Lady Asune stopped trying to glare at you and looked at Stephanie. You couldn't see her expression but the embarrassment spreading through it was hard to miss.

"Sorry Lady Stephanie." Lady Asune said and walked around her. She didn't look at you as she left but her malice radiating off her aura. You were going to have to avoid coming here this early anymore, or find somewhere else to practice.

You stretched your perception out to follow Lady Asune. Not wanting to move while she was present less it attract her ire. Once you were free of her view you let out a shaky breath.

"Idiot."

That was immediately sucked back in.

"I gave you explicit instructions." Stephanie was seething at you now.

"I–"

"DID I SAY YOU COULD SPEAK!?" Stephanie rounded on you as she shouted. "You are lucky I am not going to have you removed right now." You stay quiet letting her glare at you for a moment longer. "Why did you come here?"

You open your mouth then hesitate. She shakes her head in annoyance and you explain. "Every morning I practice and I don't have enough space in my room." You rush out.

"Show me." She turns around and walks to the edge of the packed dirt of the arena. You know better than to stand their pondering and hurry into the arena. You draw your sword then hesitate. "What?"

"I-I haven't done this with some watching since Hertan Duen taught me the forms." It was childish but being demanded to perform like this had made you uncomfortable.

"Then you will be removed from the Academy." It was such a blunt response you swallowed nervously again.

For all you know if you a poor showing could get you removed anyway. You decided to push to your limit. Rather than stretch out your perception you focus it on Stephanie. If she moved you wanted to know, last time she corrected a lesson about exposing yourself to injury an opponent you had learned from watching herself and Lady Asune spar, it was possible she might do the same thing this time about being distracted.

You start slowly warming your muscles up. Once they were suitably warm you threaded through your magic. Moving faster and faster you approached the limit imposed by your sword. You were faintly tempted to try and imbue your sword just to try and nudge you beyond your averageness. You resisted the temptation. Being slow and average seemed better that detonating your sword.

You reach your swords limit and plateau. You'd done this without a sword before to see what you upper limit was. With a sword you were stuck at about half of what you could do. You hoped it would be enough as you were reaching your end.

Once you reach it you hold still, your sword pointed away from you, your feet spaced for stability and ready to begin again.

Stephanie had been perfectly motionless for the several minute long practice. Her aura gave away no indication of how underwhelmed she was by your performance.

The silence stretched as you waited for some sort of permission to move.

The tension you were feeling was getting unbearable. Your sword, formerly steady, was dropping slightly. It felt like your life at the academy was resting on it tip. If you lowered your sword even slightly it was all gone.

"You'll be performing your morning routine on the other side of the that viewing stand from now on. I will ensure Lady Asune does not disturb you. Leave now." Stephanie said walking away.

So in the end it was pity. At least you got to stay at the academy you supposed. You sheath your sword and hurry out of the training ground and to your room.