Chapter 15 The Last Demonstration
The moments blended into each other as days turned into weeks.
Nothing of great importance happened, but I failed time and again to create even the smallest flame during my magical classes.
Principal Lucius appeared once or twice in our classes and even tried to give me some sort of reassurance that the first demonstration hadn't been as bad as I thought it had been.
I was sure he was trying to be nice. I had stumped all of them.
Again. Now they didn't know quite what to make of me.
Every time I tried to cast the spell, I failed to clear my mind, and the thoughts that intruded during those sessions were all the same: the shock and horror on everyone's faces during my last demonstration.
Trina's face as she had called me an abomination.
The image of her whispering fearfully with another staff member about me.
With these images in my mind, it was no wonder I had difficulty casting the spell.
It certainly didn't help matters that I could feel Crystalline, the Ice Phoenix, watching me carefully during the magical lessons, just in case I exploded again.
In the meantime, Vaerath tried to comfort me, to lend me his support, but asking him how he managed fire magic was like asking anyone else how they managed to breathe.
It came naturally to him; he just did it.
Time and again, I was left feeling helpless and embarrassed after these sessions.
Since I couldn't maintain our connection for very long, there was little Vaerath could do after each failed attempt.
A few words of encouragement before he disappeared didn't come close to making me feel less like a failure.
By now, all the other students were practicing their final spell for the end-of-year demonstrations.
And there I was, unable to perform any magic at all aside from summoning Vaerath.
I had expected the Principal to move me to another class since I wasn't performing up to expectations.
But he never did. After each sad class, he just dismissed everyone, including me.
I would have given anything to know what he was thinking, but I understood.
He had a whole Academy to run and couldn't just focus on me and my troubles.
Still, his silence was as damning as a reprimand would have been. Or so it seemed to me.
After our talk, things were awkward between Caleb and me.
A few times, Amber and Oliver asked what was going on, but I rejected their attempts to talk about it.
At least Caleb hadn't asked for someone else to be my mentor instead.
Then again, perhaps he had asked and had been either denied or reprimanded by the Principal.
I had no way of knowing, and was afraid to ask, to open up a Pandora's box of awkward conversation between us. I had no desire to fight with him.
Caleb was unbearably formal, even aloof now, and I missed the easygoing nature of that first week's lessons.
Every evening in the dining hall, he still sat next to Trina but didn't seem to engage in her conversations.
That was something, at least. I tried not to feel betrayed.
He had been her friend for a very long time.
If anything, he had made it clear that we were not friends.
He was just my instructor, nothing more.
I shouldn't have been surprised that his loyalty lay with the person he had known the longest, unpleasant as she may be.
It just stung, that's all, and my own hurt feelings made it difficult to regard the situation with indifference.
The other students seemed to have lost interest in me again, to have written off the near-disastrous incident as a fluke, a once-off thing.
Now that I was turning out to be less-than-remarkable, pathetic even, they didn't seem to think I was intent on destroying the world.
I tried to see that as the silver lining.
Spellcasting wasn't the only class we attended, and if it weren't for the success I found in our other classes, I would have really felt lost. My favorite of these, and by far the most interesting, was Religious Studies with Miss Jenny.
She was passionate about the gods and their role in all the realms, and it was immensely interesting.
I started my essay on Vaerath's relationship to the Goddess Mithra, but I intended to finish it during the holidays when I had more time.
As the end of the first term at Lucent Academy approached, the first-years were all but humming with excitement and anticipation.
I was looking forward to seeing my family again.
I knew I wasn't alone in feeling like the last few days were dragging by too slowly.
It had been a very strange and challenging few months.
I was looking forward to the quiet predictability of Hartwick, to spending time in my own home with my own family, where I was just a normal person and where the expectations set on me had nothing to do with my strange new gifts.
There was still the last demonstration to get through, and when the day finally came, we entered the giant colosseum and took our places in the stands.
As before, Principal Lucius was there with the rest of the instructors, sitting in a row at one side of the arena, ready to judge our performances.
The stands were packed with students of all three years.
Classes had finished up a week ago, and anyone who wanted to observe the last demonstrations of the term was welcome to do so.
Amber and I had attended a few of the other students' demonstrations over the last few days.
The second and third years had been impressive.
Ever living up to the level of control that was expected later on was more than a little daunting.
As I looked nervously at the stands, there seemed to be more students gathered here than had been at any of the other demonstrations. I suspected it was because everyone wanted to see Cleopatra's show of skill.
My stomach was churning with nervousness. I was determined to give it my all this time, to not let fear stand in my way of performing the spell, but it wasn't easy to get out from underneath the shadow of my previous attempts when often nothing at all had happened.
As I looked out across the instructors sitting next to the podium with their mates, I was glad Crystalline was there. If anything happened with my fire magic, if I somehow lost control again, she'd be able to prevent it from turning into a catastrophe.
Deep breaths, Leah, I told myself, You've got this. But did I really?
I was saved from slipping into panic mode by the Principal walking up to the podium.
It was then that I caught a glimpse of three strangers sitting on the right side of the podium.
One of these strangers was an older gentleman with hawklike features wearing a scowl that made him stand out even more.
I leaned over to Amber. "Who is that?"
She looked and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." That was my cue to shut my mouth and listen to the Principal making his expected speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the very last of the last demonstrations for this term.
As you know, the rule against clapping or cheering has been suspended for these demonstrations, as it was for the other classes' last demonstrations.
If you see an impressive show of skill, feel free to give them an encouraging hand.
They have worked hard to get this far. In that same spirit, I will ask you to refrain from making negative gestures if a student is overcome with nerves and fails to perform. It can happen to the best of us."
Now, he looked down at us, his students sitting in the very first row.
"To my Apex Group class, I will say, remember to give your best. Your advancement to being trained in a higher level of magic next term is not dependent on this performance alone.
You will find out next term if the instructors and I think you are ready to advance.
Regardless of how you do today, you will have a well-deserved break.
I'm sure you're all looking forward to the end-of term dance and after that, going home. "
Cheering met this from the whole crowd. I was cheering right along with the rest of them.
When the students quieted down, Principal Lucius continued.
"Now, we have a few special guests here today.
Archbishop Pier Avalli Turin from the Order of Mithra, Archbishop Rosalind Kierneay from the Order of Asterius, and Archbishop Gladys deMontier from the Order of Elinle have come to give the students a special blessing from the three Gods who are held in such high regard in this school and in the Pacted Realms we share a special bond with.
Over the years, we've had figures from different religious orders across the Empire before, but this is the first time Archbishop Turin has graced us with his presence. "
The Principal turned and gave the strange man in the red-and-black robes a respectful bow of the head. The Archbishop returned it, but his eyes remained cold. Either he was just a cold person by nature, or he didn't like our Principal much.
Principal Lucius turned back to us. "Please allow them each a moment of your attention to bestow the God's and Goddess's blessings onto you."
He went to take his seat just as the Archbishop of Elinle stood up.
A plump and cheery woman, her voice washed over us, but my attention was soon drawn to the scowling man again.
He stood up last and made his way toward the podium.
He walked with a back that was ramrod straight, making me think of a sergeant in the military rather than a priest.