The winter came and went with little fanfare in many ways. Although the air was even colder than usual, they still barely saw any snow at the mountain top. The young wizards did take one trip down to the mountain's base to stay at the village there and make the most of snowy walks. But then they blinked, and the new school year had begun. New students streamed in, and classes began again.
They had a report delivered to them a few days before classes started again, informing them of how they fared in the examinations and which classes they would be eligible for in light of that. Celeste was frankly quite impressed by her own results. She was quick to fill up her schedule up with new subjects. She had a solid grasp of her own nation's history and wanted to expand that to the rest of the ex-Taoanid states. She took a random class in military strategy as she'd found all the terms that were thrown around in modern history to be very confusing. With a basic combat class to round off her magical combat practice, she felt like she was developing a well-rounded education for whatever came next. She planned to take another language class as well, but Ofprovian was proving trickier than she'd anticipated.
They'd been back in their classes for a few weeks when some unexpected visitors appeared. Melanie did her best to avoid introducing them to her classmates but in the end, she was forced to introduce them all, as briefly as possible, to her parents.
The young wizards were lined up, allowing Melanie's parents to inspect them while making short comments in their own language. Celeste didn't quite know what the point of this was. Still, she did as she was asked, letting them gauge their thoughts on the students.
It was as Melanie's mother's eyes gazed long and hard at Celeste that it occurred to her that Melanie's eyes weren't naturally blue. When she thought about it, it had been obvious that it was a result of her binding to a river spirit. But she must have assumed it had done something to the woman's hair instead. She hadn't seen her hair, so she hadn't been able to dispute that assumption.
Neither of Melanie's parents struck her as very kind. Maybe they just had an odd way of showing it. They had journeyed all this way to see their daughter, that must show some sort of affection. Celeste parents hadn't even tried to make contact with her. Did they even know how to do so? They'd barely been literate after all.
When her parents were finished inspecting the students, they headed off, calling for Melanie to follow. She muttered a quick thank you to the other wizards before trotting after them.
“Well somehow that was the most uncomfortable I've been in my life,” Sabina said, letting out a long breath. “What do you think they wanted with us?”
“Sizing up competition. Probably,” Wolfram said with a very matter of fact tone. “Did your parents not do that when you were being educated?” Sabina gave him a very pointed look. “Ah, my mistake.”
“Do they seem a bit cold to you?” Celeste said.
“She does have ice powers, maybe they're secretly all wizards?” Teodor suggested with a grin.
“That's just how parents are,” Wolfram added with a shrug. “I mean they see you for, what? A meal once a day and then on special occasions. It's not like they're supposed to be friends with you.”
Teodor and Celeste both gave him a long look now. “I think that's a noble issue,” Teodor said. “Or just a you issue maybe. But I suppose it doesn't matter where you're from, the nobles are noble.”
Celeste realised she hadn't ever learnt much about Melanie's parents until now. It had only been secondary in her mind that Melanie was of noble birth. She never spoke of it, like Wolfram did. She didn't really speak of herself much, or too much in general. Even as she had warmed up to them, she remained quiet still.
As it turned out, Wolfram's first suggestion may have been correct. A few days later they were practising sparring. Melanie had been on the other side of the room from her, her parents watching as she combined her different abilities in different forms. The others were trying to keep doing their own practice, but they were too curious to see what she would do to impress her parents.
Watching her move Celeste was reminded what had driven her to get better with her own abilities. Even after all this time, Celeste felt like a clumsy child compared to Melanie as she glided through the air on flows of water. Celeste had an easy power to make look graceful. Melanie had to apply herself in a whole other way. Controlling her body and her powers simultaneously.
She got so caught up thinking about it, she hadn't noticed Melanie talking with her parents. She wouldn't have understood what they were saying, even if she could have heard them, but she felt like she got the meaning of the pointing in her direction. Melanie looked distressed for a moment before calming herself and nodding. She marched over to them and stood before Celeste.
“We're going to spar,” She stated bluntly.
“We are? First I've heard of it,” Celeste said, crossing her arms.
“Don't be like that. My parents want to see me spar someone.”
“And they chose me? Why didn't they pick someone who's actually beaten you? Show you at the top of your game.”
“Opponents like that are very difficult to find. Please, will you do this for me?” Melanie's voice softened, just a little.
“Fine, fine! But you owe me. I want to start learning to read al-Rahim soon,” Celeste said, pointing her finger as though to make her point somehow stronger.
“Of course. Just once my parents are gone. Now get ready. I want to see your all.”
Celeste nodded and the two took up positions opposite one another. Melanie was usually very calm before fights. Maybe that was just her resting face. She managed to look impassive even when everyone around her was fired up. But right now, Celeste could have sworn there was a look of panic in her eyes.
She considered her chances. Melanie would try to minimise her water creation, so if Celeste could disrupt its flow and force her to decide between making more or fighting without her magic, she had a good chance. If she could force her to freeze her own water, that would be ideal. Something about using your opponent's strength against you. She'd only half paid attention to her strategy classes.
Melanie gave her a sharp nod, moved into a fighting stance, and they began. Melanie was fast, launching herself forward with a flurry of attacks, both whips of water and a hail of fists. Celeste used her greater mobility to her advantage, bouncing away. She positioned herself on the ceiling, forcing Melanie to pursue her. She let the other woman close the distance before leaping away. She kept her chasing for a while before planning a counterattack.
It was an idea she'd been bouncing around in her head for a while, but this was the first time she thought to apply it. After all, Melanie had wanted her to go all out.
She stayed on the ground for a while, using vacuums to jump around faster than normal, dodging rapid attacks. She sprung into the air suddenly, pushing her feet against the ceiling. As she came back down, she didn't turn the right way up. Manoeuvring, when you were looking at the world the wrong way, was difficult, but Celeste had more experience than most. As her hands touched the ground, she pushed herself toward Melanie. She looked up into her eyes, the confusion showing her this had worked perfectly.
She crashed into Melanie, grabbing her legs and yanking them with her. She righted herself in the air, flipping Melanie to face the ground and leaving her to slam straight into it. At the last moment, she expanded her zero gravity to slow Melanie's descent. She was about to push her advantage when she heard a growl from Melanie.
Celeste took a step back as the other wizard pushed herself back up and turned on her. Celeste had never seen such anger in Melanie's face. Rage unbridled as she sent powerful blasts of water at Celeste which knocked her back only to vanish.
“I told you, I wanted your all. Don't show me such mercy,” She shouted, stepping closer.
“I was just-”
“I don't want to hear it,” Melanie snapped.
“Fine. You want my all?”
Good, show this little worm everything we have. She should fear our power. She will be nothing when we're done with her.
It had been long enough that Celeste should have noticed when her spirit was pushing her too far. But it knew just when to do it. When her emotions were running high anyway, and it was empowered.
Celeste threw back her arms, feeling heat sear into her back. She didn't need to look back and see it. She felt the fire replica in its entirety, there to fight with her. As she brought her fists up, the fire roaring behind her as it matched her movements exactly.
She stepped forward, beginning to hurl all four fists at Melanie. The other woman frantically blasted water at her, as though that would cool the fires. Instead, this only drove her on, made it easier. As cool water splashed on her face, she could feel it soothe her. Not enough to counter her spirit, but it did make her feel all the safer to go all out.
The rush of power that came with the fire began to overcome her mind and she barely noticed how Melanie was countering her. She brought a sheet of water up in front of her, paper-thin. In an instant, it froze and vanished. Celeste covered her eyes against the frosty air but didn't bother to protect herself with her arms. Melanie burst through the cold and punched Celeste squarely in the face.
Celeste tumbled backwards, letting the fire disappear in shock at the attack. She quickly righted herself and, with a little weightlessness, launched herself back at Melanie. The two began to trade blows, but Melanie's technique was blatantly superior. In a few seconds, Melanie's fist smashed into Celeste's face again and send her back to the ground.
With a groan, Celeste looked up to see the victor standing over her. Melanie's face was rage and fire. Her icy eyes burned into Celeste far hotter than her own fires. With a single exhale, cold breath escaping from her mouth, Melanie's face returned to an impassive expression. The rage that had terrified Celeste couldn't be seen anywhere on her features. She began to walk back to her parents.
You are so weak. Your feelings let her win.
“Oh, shut up,” She muttered, standing up and rubbing her face gingerly.
One day you might leave to wield my power properly. But I don't hold out much hope.
“That's something you don't see every day,” Sabina said, prodding Celeste's face to inspect if there was any damage. There was none. They were wizards after all.
“Which part?” Celeste asked. “My powers or her anger?”
“Both bits, I guess. I see why you don't use that much; it does seem like a bit of an easy way to win.”
“And it empowers my spirit way too much. I think I'm going to go have a lie down now.” She glanced back across the room at Melanie talking with her parents. They seemed as calm as she did. Had Celeste impressed them at all? Had she made Melanie entirely loath her? She couldn't think about this now, her emotions were running high thanks to all the magic she'd done. Things would feel clearer once she'd soothed her spirit.
They all continued to see very little of Melanie for the next week until her parents had left. They made little fanfare about leaving, and it was only when Melanie appeared in lessons normally that the others figured out that they were gone. Celeste tried to get her attention as they passed in hallways, but she always got a blank look.
It took a few more days before Celeste was able to talk to her. She was stood on Sabina's balcony, enjoying the evening breeze, when she heard another door opening. She leant over the guardrail, trying to see around the curve of the building. She caught a flash of blue and decided that was enough for her to take a risk.
She jumped up, releasing gravity and pulling herself around the building until she reached Melanie's balcony. She landed on the rail, balancing carefully and startling the other woman.
“What do you want?” She hissed, glancing around as though someone might have seen her.
“Isn't it obvious?” Celeste shot back. “I was just trying to be kind, I was just doing what you wanted. And you lost it with me. I thought...” She paused, taking in a breath. “I don't know, I thought we were friends. That you would trust me or something.”
“You are...It's more complicated than you could understand,” Melanie said bluntly.
“Don't try that on me. I can understand things if you actually bother to explain them to me.”
“I'm not trying to say you're stupid or something like that. But you're a peasant girl who's here by mistake. You can't really understand this. None of you can.” Melanie turned away, avoiding Celeste's eyes.
“I'm not here by mistake. If I'm here it's because the Wind guided me to this place.” Melanie snorted at that. “We're all here for a reason. I would at least like to hear yours.”
Melanie sighed before turning back to face Celeste. “Fine. If you must know, my parents wanted me to be a wizard. I...Well, I'm sure you'll learn about it soon enough, but my people weren't always part of the Ofprovian empire. My parents are of the mind that by having a wizard child who serves the Ofprovians well, we can improve our position.”
“So, they, forced you to be a wizard? I didn't think that was possible.” Celeste was slightly confused by all this.
“My sisters before me failed. They couldn't be persuaded or tricked to be wizards. I just...took to it.”
“You were being forced and you managed to bind? You had no reservations?”
“I put them aside. Because that's what you don't understand. You're just here for fun. You think some invisible force brought you here. I am here for duty. I understand what family means and I am doing what I have to for them. Now go away. I have things to do.”
With that, Melanie went back into her room. Celeste teetered on the rail for a while longer, before leaping back to the safety and warmth of Sabina.