Chapter 15: Showcasing Abilities

Klera's Point of View

After the first caster finished, Master Felicia's voice, clear and strong, called my name. The silence that followed made the moment feel even bigger. I stood, a thrill of anticipation battling the nervous flutter in my chest, ready to begin the demonstration.

I strolled to the center of the room, anxiety rising inside me. My Tome, infused with my power, lifted into the air—a magical levitation! I flipped through its pages, searching for a simple ability to use, something perfect for a beginner like me. "Ah, there it was!" I said to myself. A little smile touched my lips. I closed my eyes, remembering Master Felicia's wise words, her lessons echoing in my mind.

"This is nothing to me… right?" I whisper to myself, trying to stay focused. With my Mental Enhancement, sharpening my mind is effortless—like breathing. While others might struggle to concentrate or think clearly under pressure, I see everything with perfect clarity. It's not just power; it's second nature.

I closed my eyes, focusing intently, channeling the magic deep within. Then, a breathtaking burst! A brilliant purple light erupted from my amulet, transforming the room into a breathtaking spectacle of swirling, shimmering energy. Soft purple energy swirled around me, a captivating dance of light and power, a visible manifestation of the magic surging within.

I inhaled deeply, feeling the magic energy course through my veins, not as a mere sensation. With each passing moment, I felt myself growing stronger, the energy flowing through me like a gentle, warm breeze, yet possessing raw power.

It was magnificent, this feeling of power surging within, a potent force I felt I could now control. Mastering the flow, I felt a surge of confidence, a quiet strength that settled deep within my core. Finally, with a steady breath, I began to speak the incantation, the words resonating with the magic pulsing through me, each syllable a key unlocking the power I held within.

"Heart to heart and mind to mind,

Let our spirits intertwine.

Knowledge flows in an instant,

Our minds now are one."

"Mind Link!"

Ability explanation:

(Mind Link is a Mental Enhancement ability that allows the caster to create a direct psychic connection between their mind and another target—be it a person, creature, or even a sentient object. Through this link, thoughts, emotions, and images can be transmitted instantly, bypassing the need for spoken words or gestures. The connection is silent, invisible, and resistant to interception.)

The air crackled with anticipation. This was more than just casting an ability; it was a communion with the very essence of magic itself.

Everyone was curious. They wanted to know what type of ability I had used. "What did she do?" one of my fellow psychics asked. Her face showed she was puzzled.

I invoked an ability that specializes in enhancing the mind. " I linked my mind to her and said, "Greetings!" with a warm and evil smile. She was surprised and confused.

"Who is there?" she asked.

"It's your Mother," I answered, linking my mind to hers. She was going to say something, but our teacher, Master Felicia, interrupted the confusing scene. Everyone was watching, trying to figure out what was happening.

"She used her Mental Enhancement ability," Master Felicia explained. "It allows her to link minds with another person, enabling private communication."

Master Felicia smiled at me. "That's great! Can you connect with more than one person at once? Show everyone what you can do."

"I'm not sure," I said. "Let me try." I got ready to use my ability again. I took a deep breath and focused. It felt a little like trying to reach out and touch someone far away, but with my mind instead of my hand. I hoped it would work this time. I wanted to show everyone how my ability worked.

"It's fine now, my dear," Master Felicia said gently, placing a hand on my arm to stop me. A small, grateful smile played on her lips as she added, "Thank you. That was… quite something." The warmth of her touch lingered even after she withdrew her hand.

The air crackled with anticipation. Master Felicia's voice, amplified by the hushed expectancy of the room, announced, "Next, Clifton Badger, demonstrate your abilities to your fellow psychics."

A young man stood and walked to the center, he was wearing a Clock pendant. When you're really having a streak of bad luck. He is the son of Duke Mariano—the one who gave my village a hard time! As we walked past each other, he gave me a quick sideways look. He didn't seem impressed by my demonstration. I settled back into my chair, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

He imbued his Tome with magic energy, and it floated, pages flipping. A hush fell over the room as Clifton Badger closed his eyes, his face set in deep focus. He was channeling a deep well of magic, calm yet powerful. The air grew heavy with silence—then it happened.

A burst of earthy brown light erupted from the Clock pendant around his neck, not just glowing but flooding the chamber with swirling, living energy. The room shimmered, transformed into a vortex of soft brown light dancing around him—a visible force of magic come alive.

Clifton breathed in deeply. The energy wasn't just a feeling—it surged through him like a warm river, calm yet powerful. He controlled it and was ready to state his incantation.

"River of time, turn back its flow,

Return its stream, step once more where time began!"

He looked straight at me, then raised his hand and cast his ability. His palm was pointed directly at me.

" Step Reverse!"

Ability explanation:

(Step Reverse is a Time Manipulation ability that bends time around a single target, forcing their last step movement to rewind. Whether the target took a step forward, or tried to flee, Step Reverse instantly pulls them back to where they were a moment before. It's like watching their body move in reverse for a brief second—one step undone. The target's body flickers briefly, with their form slightly blurred as time rewinds around their feet.)

I froze, eyes wide, as something strange happened—my body suddenly moved on its own. I couldn't stop it. Did he just use his ability on me? The question hit me hard, spinning in my mind. I heard a soft ticking sound, like a clock, and I thought I felt a slight echo of my last movement. My body shimmered with a faint brown glow, and for a second, I looked almost blurry, like I was fading.

Then I realized—I had been pulled back in time. My feet moved backward without me meaning to, and I was standing once again at the center of the room, right where I had done my demonstration earlier.

There was a moment of silence before loud applause broke out. Everyone was shocked, even excited. The cheers were louder than the ones given to those who demonstrated before him, and I had only gotten small applause earlier. Around me, my fellow students were whispering, trying to understand what had just happened, all of them talking about what Clifton had done.

"Very good!" Master Felicia complimented him with a proud smile. Even the Master looked amazed by his ability—something rare to see.

Then he glanced at me again, noticing I was heading back to my seat. Just before I could sit down, he spoke softly.

"I'm sorry," he said, raising his hand in a gentle gesture.

I just smiled at him and nodded slightly, choosing not to say anything. Somehow, I didn't feel upset anymore.

Fast forward

All the psychic students had now finished their demonstrations. The room buzzed with whispers and quiet excitement.

Master Felicia stepped forward and spoke, her voice calm but full of authority.

"Students, if you want to master your abilities, you must focus and train harder. My advice is to learn to control your magic energy—meditate on it every morning and recite the incantation. When you master an ability, you'll no longer need the words to cast it. It will come to you naturally, without struggle."

She paused, letting her words sink in.

"That's all for today's lesson. You may now go."

We filed out of the room, walking under the afternoon light. The Academy felt quieter than usual, like the weight of what we had seen was still settling in. As I walked alone through the Main corridor toward the dormitories, a hand gently touched my arm.

I turned quickly. It was him—Clifton.

"I'm really sorry about earlier," he said again, his voice softer this time as we walked side by side through the main corridor.

"It's alright, I promise," I replied, raising my hand to show I meant it. My smile came easier than I expected.

He nodded with a small smile of his own. "Well then, thank you. See you tomorrow."

With that, he turned and walked away.

"He seems nice… unlike his father," I whispered to myself, watching him disappear down the Main corridor.