Chapter 29

The sun hung high in the azure sky, casting warm rays that filtered through the open windows of the classroom. Inside, Cassandra sat at her desk, her posture relaxed yet somewhat disengaged. Priestess Alison stood before her, pacing back and forth with an air of authority and purpose. "With divine power, there are three fundamental ways that it can be used." She began, her voice steady and clear. "These are healing, blessings, and cleansing."

As she spoke, Cassandra's mind drifted, her attention wavering. She had heard these teachings time and time again, each lesson a reiteration of the last. It was a well-trodden path, one she had walked for the past two months, absorbing the theory and history of divine powers but she was getting really tied of theory since she had been doing that with all her lessons other then sword lessons.

Priestess Alison continued, her words flowing like a gentle stream while Cassandra flicked through the book in front of her whenever the priestess flicked to the page. "Those who possess divine power have the remarkable ability to heal. They can restore health effectively, curing damaged or withered organisms, alleviating wounds, mending broken bones, boosting low vitality, and combating various diseases or poisons. In essence, they bring hope and renewal to those in desperate need." Cassandra's thoughts wandered as she considered the weight of those words, knowing the significance but feeling detached from the reality of it all.

"Today…" Priestess Alison announced, her tone shifting to one of excitement. "… we will begin practicing the use of your divine powers for healing." This moment caused Cassandra to sit up straight, it would be the first time she would actively use her divine power—not just measuring it like she had done with her magic potential.

With a swift motion, Priestess Alison produced a knife from beneath her robes. Cassandra observed this action with a sense of calm; it was a necessary step in their training. The Priestess sliced her palm, blood trickling down as she offered her wounded hand to the princess.

"Now, focus on everything that I've shown you and heal my wound." She instructed, her voice steady despite the crimson flow that marked her skin.

Cassandra reached out, her fingers wrapping around the Priestess's hand, steadying it. She placed her other hand over the wound. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, allowing the sound of her own heartbeat to guide her into a state of calmness.

Priestess Alison watched intently as a soft, silver light began to emanate from Cassandra's hands, illuminating the space around them. The glow was bright and promising, but it flickered and waned, gradually losing its intensity. When the light finally dimmed and disappeared, Cassandra slowly released her hold on the Priestess's hand.

"For your first try, it is quite impressive, Your Highness," Priestess Alison remarked, inspecting the injury. While the bleeding had ceased, the wound remained, a testament to the effort exerted. "However, you did not use enough energy." 

After saying that, the priestess came to trail her right index finger over the wound, which had been followed by a mesmerizing yellow glow that illuminated the air around them. As the glow intensified, the wound began to fade away, leaving no trace behind, as if it had never existed in the first place. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous. "If you use too little energy, then the injuries will not completely heal. In worse cases, you can heal the surface of the wound but not the damage inside." She cautioned, her voice steady and serious.

Cassandra's mind raced as she absorbed this information. "Does that happen often?" she asked, her curiosity piqued and no sign of emotion etched on her face after hearing the priestess inform her of this potentially dire fact.

The priestess nodded solemnly, her eyes reflecting a wealth of knowledge and experience. "It happens to those who overestimate their own abilities, often due to a stroke of luck. They think they can heal without fully understanding the intricacies of their power." She explained, her tone grave. "This mindset can lead to incomplete healing, which may result in complications down the line. It is essential to respect the energy you wield and to recognize your limits." Cassandra listened intently, realising that the art of healing was as much about wisdom and humility as it was about power.

Her Divine lesson came to an end, which was immediately followed by the next lesson. This time, the classroom was graced by the presence of a tall and fragile man with pale skin, who was diligently writing on a blackboard. He possessed striking bright pink eyes that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light, bony cheeks that accentuated his delicate features, and a softly shaped jaw that added a touch of elegance to his square face. His puffy lips curved into a gentle smile as he engaged with the students. His curly, lilac hair mirrored the vibrant hue of his eyes, cascading down in playful waves that framed his face. Dressed in loose, flowing hippie clothes that spoke of comfort and freedom, he exuded an air of respectability mixed with an artistic flair. His broad shoulders, large feet, and round hips gave him a unique silhouette that was both striking and endearing.

This man was a Fae, well-known in the ethereal circles for his exceptional abilities as a strong Spirit summoner. His name was Zephyr Rainycone, and he had been specially brought in as Cassandra's spirit summoning instructor.

"Before we start, you know there are five levels of spirits; Low, Mid, High, Extreme, and King." Instructor Zephyr said, turning to face Cassandra, his pink eyes glinting with interest. "Can you tell me the difference between each of them?"

"Low-grade spirits take on both the appearance and intelligence of animals." She replied without hesitation, recalling her previous lessons that she had gotten tired of the same question in every lesson. "Mid-grade spirits have the appearance of animals but possess higher intelligence, allowing them the ability to speak." As she articulated her thoughts,Instructor Zephyr continued to write on the blackboard, his chalk dancing across the surface. "Those that are high-grade have the ability to change into human form." She continued, one would be able to feel the. "As for Extreme and King grade spirits, they seem to possess human forms, but their intelligence is far superior, not to mention they have strong personalities and wills."

"Correct." He said, finishing on the blackboard before turning back to face Cassandra with a proud smile. "Now, can you tell me about the abilities of spirits?" The next question had been asked, which was the same.

"They have the ability to control elements of nature; however, they are typically limited to one element each." Of course, she knew the answer well.

"And what are those elements?" Instructor Zephyr prompted, his tone encouraging.

"The most common elements are earth, fire, water, and air." Cassandra responded, with no hesitation or doubt in her words. "The next tier includes rarer elements like plant, ice, and lightning. Then, there are the ultra-rare elements, which are light and darkness."

"Good." He said, placing the chalk down after meticulously drawing a detailed glyph on the board. "This is the summoner circle for a low-grade spirit. Today, we will be summoning a spirit of the low grade." It was then that Instructor Zephyr handed over a piece of chalk to Cassandra with a firm yet encouraging smile. "The one who wishes to make the bond must draw the circle themselves."

The man was standing above the Princess, who was on the floor, carefully crawling across the smooth surface as she meticulously drew the glyph that she had been studying and sketching for months. She had dedicated countless hours to mastering it, ensuring she knew it off by heart.

"Once you draw the circle and infuse your spiritual energy into it, a spirit should emerge from the ether." Cassandra had been told this after finishing the glyph, which measured around four feet in both length and width. She knelt on the outside of the glyph. "To infuse your energy, place your hands just on the outside of the glyph." Just as Instructor Zephyr had informed her, which she already knew from reading the extensive amounts of books that had been given to her by the royal library.

Cassandra's hands were positioned just before the outer edge of the glyph, her palms hovering slightly above the surface.

"Now, fuse your spiritual energy into the glyph and picture it flowing throughout each of the intricate lines you have drawn." The instruction was given to the princess with a tone of urgency, which caused her to close her eyes, focusing her thoughts. Taking a deep breath in, she centered herself, drawing upon the well of energy within her. Her eyes opened slowly as the glyph began to glow softly, pulsing rhythmically as her energy started to flow through it, illuminating the room in a warm, ethereal light.

"The light should begin to change colours before the spirit comes." The moment Instructor Zephyr spoke, the light's colour began flickering through several vibrant shades, creating an enchanting display. The man didn't seem surprised; instead, he watched with a serious expression while his arms crossed, waiting patiently for the moment of revelation. "Here it comes." He announced just as the colours came to a halt, settling into a steady glow.

The ethereal light began flowing toward the centre of the intricate glyph, gradually rising and swirling upward, eventually transforming into a radiant ball of purple light.

Cassandra stood mesmerised, her eyes widening in fascination as the pure purple light began to morph into a tangible form.

What appeared before her was a pure black pup, its tail wagging with palpable excitement as it gazed up at her with eager eyes.

"A darkness spirit?" Instructor Zephyr's eyes sparkled with excitement as he took in the sight of the pup spirit. "I've never met or heard anyone who has summoned a darkness spirit before!" He seemed utterly amazed and delighted by the rare occurrence. 

Darkness spirits were among the rarest entities in the spirit realm, alongside their elusive light counterparts. The only reason people had any knowledge of these extraordinary spirits was due to the mid-grade and high-grade spirits that shared information about the vast spirit realm. 

The spirit continued to wag its tail while gazing expectantly at Cassandra, as if waiting for something significant to occur. "It's waiting for you to name it." Instructor Zephyr reminded her, emphasising that spirits needed to be given a name to complete the sacred bond.

"A name…" She carefully knelt before the pup spirit, studying its features intently while contemplating what name would suit it best. After a moment's thought, she finally spoke, "…Devone." The name flowed effortlessly from her lips, and the instant it was uttered, the spirit began to glow brightly before vanishing and reappearing in the same form. The pup looked no different than before, but Cassandra felt an undeniable connection. She had just forged her very first bond with a spirit, a moment that would she would never forget.