Days at the Military Academy part 3

Master Chen rose from his seated position, his robes rustling against the stone floor. "That concludes today's breathing practice. Remember - consistency matters more than intensity."

The students stretched their stiff limbs, a few rubbings got the circulation back into their legs. Scattered conversations broke out as they gathered their belongings.

"All mage cadets, proceed to the Archives for spell study." Master Chen's voice cut through the chatter. "The librarian has prepared selections based on your elemental affinities."

Leo helped Elly to her feet. The path to the Archives wound through courtyards filled high trees. Ancient stone walls rose before them, carved with elemental symbols that pulsed with stored power.

Inside, towering shelves stretched toward vaulted ceilings. Magical lights cast a warm glow over leather-bound volumes organized by element. Decades of spell knowledge preserved within these walls.

"Earth mages, third floor." The librarian pointed without looking up from her desk. "Fire, second floor. Wind and water, first floor. Lightning users, follow the blue markings to the east wing."

"One more thing before you disperse." Master Chen's voice echoed through the Archive. The students paused mid-step, turning back to face him. "You may select two spells - no more, no less. Master these first."

Leo lowered the earth tome he'd grabbed.

"I recommend an offensive and defensive combination." Master Chen paced between the shelves. "Raw power means nothing without protection. Likewise, perfect defence won't win battles."

Elly frowned at the water magic section. "Only two?"

"Quality over quantity, Miss Shmidt. Perfect execution of basic spells will serve you better than fumbling through advanced ones." Master Chen's stern gaze swept across the gathered cadets. "Additional spells can be earned through exemplary performance. Show mastery of your chosen two, and more knowledge will be made available."

The students muttered among themselves, some returning books to shelves while others clutched their selections closer. The weight of the choice settled over them - their first real steps into combat magic.

"Choose wisely." Master Chen's robes swished as he turned. "You'll be working with these spells extensively. Consider your strengths, your element's nature, and most importantly - your weaknesses."

Leo ran his fingers along the spines, reading titles carefully now. Each book represented different possibilities, different paths of power. But Master Chen was right - better to excel at two spells than struggle with many.

"Remember," Master Chen called from the doorway. "Offensive and defensive. Balance in all things."

The Archive fell quiet except for shuffling feet and sliding books as students began their careful selection process. The pressure to choose the right spells hung heavy in the air, mixing with the dust motes dancing in streams of magical light.

Students dispersed to their designated areas. Scrolls and books lined every available surface, their spines marked with classifications - offensive spells bound in red leather, defensive in blue, support magic in green.

"Look at this." Elly traced her finger along a water defence tome. "Advanced barrier techniques."

Leo headed for the earth section, where books on earth manipulation and ground reinforcement filled the shelves. The weight of accumulated knowledge pressed around him - centuries of spells waiting to be learned.

The other cadets spread throughout the Archive, some pulling books at random, others searching with purpose. Pages rustled as they settled into reading nooks or gathered at study tables, beginning their exploration of elemental magic.

Leo traced his fingers along the earth magic tomes, mentally cataloguing his existing arsenal. Stone skin hardened his defence, earth wall provided coverage, while earth bullet and spike gave him ranged options. But something was missing.

"These are all direct combat spells." He pulled a worn volume from the shelf, its leather cover etched with geometric patterns. "I need something different."

The pages crackled as he flipped through diagrams of earth manipulation. Combat spells dominated the first chapters - variations of projectiles, barriers, and armor. But deeper in the book, other applications emerged.

Leo paused at a detailed illustration of layered stone plates forming around a mage's body. The spell description caught his attention:

"Earth Armor - Advanced defensive technique. Forms interlocking plates of compressed stone around the caster. Enhanced durability through magical reinforcement. Weight nullified for earth-attuned users. The user turns into a mini golem with a big weight that is good for defence and offense."

His fingers traced the activation sequence. The armor's design was elegant - overlapping sections allowing full range of movement while maintaining protection. Unlike basic stone skin, this would give him complete coverage.

A few shelves down, another tome fell open to a battlefield scene. Soldiers struggled against stone bands that had erupted from the ground, binding their legs and arms.

"Earth Shackles." Leo studied the diagrams showing how the spell seized limbs that contacted the ground. "Range-based immobilization technique. Target any earthen surface within spell radius. Multiple bindings possible."

The tactical applications clicked into place. Armor for protection, shackles for control. One spell to keep him safe, another to lock down opponents.

"Found what you need?" Elly peered over his shoulder at the illustrations.

"Perfect combination actually." Leo closed both books with care. "Heavy defence and offense in one spell plus other skill of battlefield control. The armor will let me weather attacks while I position enemies exactly where I want them. Also, because the armor is very heavy each blow I land will be devastating. Imagine a huge rock hit you with force. It can weight around 500 kilograms at the beginning and the weight will grow according to your earth manipulation ability."

The spell requirements aligned with his current abilities - nothing flashy or overcomplicated. Just solid fundamentals that would multiply his combat effectiveness.

Leo tucked the earth magic tomes under his arm. "What about you? Find anything interesting?"

"Nothing too fancy." Elly held up two slim volumes bound in blue leather. "Water bullet and water wall. Basic stuff, but effective."

"Smart choice." Leo nodded at the defensive spell. "The wall can buy you time to position."

"Exactly. And since I already know the healing spell..." Elly's fingers traced the silver embossing on the covers. "It's a water mage specialty after all. These three should work well together."

"Cover, strike, and recover." Leo settled into a reading chair. "Master Chen would approve of the balance."

"That's what I thought. Stay mobile with the wall, pick my shots with the bullet spell, and patch up if needed." Elly pulled her chair closer, laying the books on the table between them. "No point getting fancy when the basics work."

"Plus healing magic takes a lot of concentration." Leo flipped through his earth armor tome. "Better to keep the attack spells simple so you can focus on recovery when needed."

"My thoughts exactly." Elly tapped the water bullet manual. "This one's straightforward enough that I can cast it quickly between heals."