A SPARK OF SOMETHING

"Plan B?" Elena asked Roshan, who seemed to be deep in thought. He had teleported them to the dimension where he had imprisoned Fiske.

"Yes. Based on her actions, it felt like she didn't care if you left the cult. If she had wanted you, she would have tried to seize you by all means, but I sensed no hostile intent from her," Roshan explained.

"Hmph, you're the Slime Lord or so you say. I was expecting you to finish them off," Elena snorted.

"The previous Dragon Lord could force me to use forty percent of my power. If the new one is stronger, he might make me use up to fifty percent," Roshan said.

"I don't get your point. That's no excuse for not taking care of them last night. You had the highest chance of winning," she snorted again.

"I don't take chances," Roshan said calmly.

"So... just how much did you hold back during our duel?" Elena suddenly asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. You can't understand the difference between us. It's wider than you can imagine," Roshan replied.

"You don't know how to talk to a girl. I guess slimes don't do that," Elena said aloofly.

"Really? But I can sense you no longer act stoic around me. It seems I managed to sweet-talk you," Roshan smirked.

"You're shameless," Elena blushed hard.

Roshan walked over to where Fiske was lying and examined him closely. "He seems to be mentally drained," he said calmly, then placed his hands on Fiske's head. A blue light encapsulated Roshan's hands and shone brightly. Roshan closed his eyes and concentrated for a while. Elena pondered on what Roshan was doing but didn't ask any questions, as it looked like he needed extreme concentration.

Suddenly, Roshan opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "It's done."

After noticing that Roshan was finally finished, Elena asked, "What was that all about?"

"I restored his mental state and all his lost mana," Roshan replied without taking his eyes off the unconscious Fiske.

"And why would you do that?" she asked with complex feelings. "If it were up to me, I'd say he should rot here." She added with furious eyes. This man, who claimed to be her uncle, had been involved in the death of her parents. She had looked up to him as her mentor and followed all his bidding without complaint. She didn't want to be a member of the cult, but due to his threat of being kicked out of the clan, she couldn't help it. If she had been kicked out, she would have nowhere to go. All this had built her into what she was: a stoic, cold-hearted individual with no emotions for anyone—a hollow person whose only purpose was to serve without complaint.

But all this changed when she met Roshan. She didn't know why she felt a certain closeness to him right from the day she dueled him. She tried to discard the "useless" emotion, as she called it, but her efforts were fruitless. She didn't understand. He had always been so sincere and kind to her, even when he knew about her plot to kill him. She felt a sudden thing in her heart that hadn't been there before start to pound. Is this what they call love? Is this... AHEM. She then cleared her thoughts and spoke, "Why did you restore his state?"

"He's still the professor, isn't he? What would the academy do if they suddenly found out that an archmage has gone missing?" Roshan replied.

"Oh... you're right," Elena said, realizing that fact. She hadn't even thought about that. All she had been thinking about was Rosh... AHEM... AHEM... "What's wrong with me?" she thought.

"What's wrong, Elena? Your cheeks are all red," Roshan said with a smile.

"Uh?" She turned her face away in embarrassment. "Hmph," she snorted.

Roshan looked at Elena with eyes of amusement. He found the way she acted funny. She had always carried an unapproachable aura, so he never knew there was a soft side to her. Although he knew that it was her experiences in life that gave her that cold nature, what he didn't understand was why she was suddenly acting like a child in front of him.

"Why are you staring at me?" Elena snorted with her cheeks puffed up.

"I don't know," he replied.

Suddenly, they heard a soft groan from Professor Fiske, who was still lying on the floor unconscious.

"What effect does the magic you used on him have?" Elena asked with interest.

"I took away all his memories about the cult and me. He'll still remember everything else, apart from those related to the cult or the dragons," Roshan replied.

"Whoa, there's such magic?" Elena asked with piqued interest.

"My magic isn't magic; they're called skills. I can shape my body constitution into anything. So, literally, any magic I see, I can change my spiritual and physical structure to allow me to do that same magic."

"So... whose magic is this?" Elena asked.

"It's the magic of a certain human from 300 years ago. He was what they call a telepathic mage with the ability to read minds."

"So you're a copycat, huh?" she said in a tone of mockery.

"Well, you can say so," Roshan answered.

Roshan's eyes suddenly glowed red as a magical glow encapsulated the whole place.

Elena didn't bother asking what Roshan was doing, as she had complete faith in him now... Um... no, I don't trust him yet.

Suddenly, Roshan, Elena, and the unconscious Fiske appeared in the library again. They had left the library at 7 am and then entered the dimension where Fiske was 12 minutes later. It took them 34 minutes to attend the cult meeting and come back to the dimension. So, the current time was 7:46 am. This was because, in the dimension they had been, time stood still. Elena, who was unaware of this fact, was shocked that it was still morning. She had been trying to come up with an excuse for why she skipped classes, but she discovered that she still had 14 minutes left until class time.

"How is this possible?" Elena said after the realization.

"We were in a dimension where time stood still. What do you expect?" Roshan said.

"Just how many surprises do you have for me?" Elena snorted.

"This is only the tip of the iceberg," Roshan said.

"Whatever," Elena replied.

"I guess this is goodbye for now," Roshan said as he disappeared out of Elena's sight.

Roshan walked to his dorm room to search for Anos and Branson so they could go to class together as they usually did. He spotted Anos running towards him with a panicked look on his face. "Where the hell have you been, Roshan?" he asked, panting heavily.

"I was just talking with Elena," Roshan said.

Anos was startled for a while but quickly regained his composure. "Wow, that's a home run, Roshan. I never expected you to be able to break through her ice since you're both ice users. How did it go?" Anos asked with excitement. His previous exhausted face had now been replaced with a joyful look.

"I'm sorry, it's not what you think," Roshan replied.

"Yeah, whatever. Even if it was, you wouldn't spill," Anos replied, frustration evident in his voice.

"Where's Grey?" Roshan asked.

"Oh... early this morning, some soldiers from the kingdom of Eclesia came. They said his clan needed him for something urgent, so they took a leave from the academy," Anos explained. "They looked fishy," he added.

"Something urgent, huh?" Roshan thought to himself.

They arrived at their classroom, which was bustling with noise since the professor had not arrived yet. "Did you hear the news? The Ice Goddess is now going out with Roshan."

"Yeah, I heard. It happened right after she ditched Simon's proposal."

Roshan could hear all these whispers even before he entered the classroom. "If Elena were here, she would have frozen them all to death," he thought to himself as he entered the classroom with Anos.

"Talk of the devil and he appears," someone whispered.

Roshan ignored them and calmly took his seat.

Immediately after that, a mistress came into the class. She wore a long blue gown that reached her toes and flowed on the ground as she walked like a wedding gown. She had sparkling green eyes and walked gracefully to the front of the class.

Someone suddenly gasped, "It's Miss Lyra, the famous Rank A earth mage."

"Wow... she's even more gorgeous than I heard."

"SILENCE!" Lyra spoke in an authoritative voice. "As some of you may know, I am Lyra Ascania, from the esteemed Ascania Clan. I'll be in charge of your combat training today."

"Uh?... Combat training? We never heard anything about today being a combat class," some students murmured.

"This is very urgent as this prestigious academy will be participating in the magic academy competition next week. Five participants will be selected from each academy, so I am here to test your skills and see who I deem fit to participate."

Suddenly, there was an uproar as everyone got eager to prove their skills and make a name for themselves in the tournament. "This is just a time for me to prove myself to the world," someone said.

"Onto the training grounds, everyone. Your test begins now," Miss Lyra declared.

After the announcement, the students began to file out of the classroom towards the training grounds. As they walked, Roshan found himself alongside Anos and a few other classmates. The academy grounds were buzzing with excitement and anticipation. The pathways were lined with tall, ancient trees whose leaves rustled softly in the morning breeze.

"Do you think you have a chance in the competition?" one of the students, a boy named Marcus, asked Anos.

"I'm not sure," Anos replied. "But I'll give it my best shot. What about you, Roshan?"

"I don't really think about it," Roshan said nonchalantly. "I'll just see how it goes."

As they continued walking, they passed by the academy's grand fountain, a majestic structure with water cascading down intricate carvings of mythical creatures. It was a favorite spot for students to gather and chat.

"Remember when we used to play around here during our first year?" Anos said, reminiscing.

"Yeah," Roshan said with a slight smile. "Seems like ages ago."

Just then, a group of younger students ran past them, laughing and chasing each other. One of them accidentally bumped into Roshan, nearly knocking over a stack of books he was carrying.

"Sorry!" the young boy exclaimed, looking up at Roshan with wide eyes.

"It's okay," Roshan said, steadying the books. "Be careful next time."

The boy nodded vigorously and ran off to join his friends.

"Kids," Anos said with a chuckle. "They're always so full of energy."

"Reminds me of us," Roshan said.

They continued their leisurely stroll, taking in the sights and sounds of the academy. It was moments like these that Roshan cherished—the simple, everyday interactions that made life at the academy feel like home.

As they neared the training grounds, the atmosphere grew more serious. The laughter and chatter were replaced by focused conversations and determined expressions. The students knew that the upcoming competition was a significant event, one that could shape their futures.

The training grounds were vast, with multiple sections designated for different types of combat training. Miss Lyra stood at the center, her presence commanding attention. The students gathered around her, eager to begin.

"Today, we will be testing your abilities in various combat scenarios," Miss Lyra announced. "You will be paired up and will face different challenges. Remember, this is not just about winning but also about demonstrating your skills and strategy."

Roshan found himself paired with Anos, which was both a relief and a challenge. They had trained together before, but the stakes were higher now.

"Ready to show them what we've got?" Anos asked, a determined glint in his eye.

"Always," Roshan replied with a confident smile.

As the training began, the students were pushed to their limits. They faced various challenges, from one-on-one duels to team battles and obstacle courses that tested their agility and quick thinking. Roshan and Anos worked seamlessly together, their years of friendship and training paying off.

Miss Lyra watched them closely, her keen eyes missing nothing. She was impressed by their teamwork and the way they adapted to each challenge. Roshan's unique abilities and Anos's strategic mind made them a formidable pair.

By the end of the session, the students were exhausted but exhilarated. They had given it their all and were eager to see who would be selected for the competition.

"Well done, everyone," Miss Lyra said, her voice carrying over the training grounds. "I will review your performances and announce the participants tomorrow. Rest well and be prepared for more training."

As the students dispersed, Roshan and Anos exchanged a satisfied look.

"That was intense," Anos said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah, but we did great," Roshan replied.

They walked back to their dorms, the sun setting behind them, casting a golden glow over the academy. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, they were content with their efforts.

Later that night, Roshan sat by his dorm room window, looking out at the starry sky. The day's events replayed in his mind, from the dimension with Elena to the combat training with Anos.

"Why do I feel this way?" he thought, his mind drifting to Elena. She had been on his mind more than usual lately, and he couldn't quite understand why. Her sudden change in demeanor around him, her flushed cheeks, and her snorts of frustration all played in his thoughts.

"Is this... love?" he wondered, shaking his head at the absurdity of it. He had never been one to dwell on such emotions. His focus had always been on his abilities, his goals, and his mission.

But Elena was different. She challenged him in ways no one else did. Her strength, her cold exterior, and the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide intrigued him.

"Maybe," he thought, "maybe there's more to this than I realize."

With a sigh, he closed the window and lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, he let his thoughts wander to the girl who had somehow managed to break through his defenses.