Caldreya waved her hand dismissively.
"Either way, you must learn to use your power with the same flexibility. No spell, no law, no magic should remain stagnant. Evolve, adapt, or be left behind."
She sat on the couch and opened a book to read.
"Place two more magic circles into the shield spell. A law of vision and a law of clarity. After you finish, remove one of them. This will show you not only the difficulty of creating a spell with eight circles but also how to strip away a law when it's no longer needed."
Caldreya glanced up from her book, her eyes sharp.
She then looked back down at her book, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Don't take too long, Velessa. I expect results."
And so the day went past fast.
Hours passed in silence, the only sound being the rhythmic tapping of Velessa's fingers as she worked relentlessly. The magic circles before her shimmered and faded in a constant loop of creation and destruction.
Caldreya remained seated, her book still open but her gaze occasionally drifting over to Velessa. Her eyes were sharp, studying every movement.
The light outside shifted from midday to evening as the sun set, casting long shadows across the room.
By the time the sun had fully disappeared below the horizon, Velessa's magic was beginning to show the results of her tireless effort. Sweat dripped down her brow, and her once-neatly tied hair had come undone, strands falling around her face. But there was no sign of stopping. She continued, adjusting the balance of her spell, modifying the laws, and making small adjustments with every failed attempt.
Finally, the moment came. The last circle slotted into place, a perfect formation of eight glowing symbols suspended in the air around her. The shield spell shimmered in the air, its form solid and nearly flawless.
Velessa collapsed back into her chair, exhausted but satisfied. She wiped her brow, feeling the familiar sting of strain, and stared at the shield that now hovered around her.
Caldreya looked up from her book, her eyes gleaming with approval.
"Well done," she said, her tone quieter now, laced with an almost imperceptible warmth.
"It seems you've learned the lesson."
Velessa didn't respond immediately. Instead, she reached for the glass of water beside her and took a long drink, her hands still shaking slightly from the effort. She felt like she was about to fall face-first to the floor and turn to dust.
Yikes. This seems familiar...
While she hadn't tested the shield completely, Velessa couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She had done well-no, better than well. After all, everyone would bow before the might of dragons, she thought with a sly smirk.
Caldreya's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Do you want to test the durability of your spell?"
Velessa looked up just in time to see Caldreya already standing, a smile curling at her lips, her eyes glinting with mischief. Without waiting for a response.
Velessa stood up and sighed, feeling the weight of the moment press down on her. Without a word, a barrier of dark mana enveloped her, forming into the eight-circle shield she had crafted earlier. Its edges flickered and shifted as if alive, the faintest glow pulsing beneath its surface.
Caldreya raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Let's see if all that effort pays off, shall we?" she said, her voice calm and sharp.
With a snap of her fingers, a single magic circle formed in the air, conjuring a fireball that flickered and danced in her hand. Without a second's hesitation, she hurled the fireball at Velessa's shield. It collided with a sharp burst, creating a small explosion, but the shield held firm, not even a crack appearing on its surface.
Caldreya's smile widened.
"You have outdone yourself."
She said, her tone laden with approval. "But don't get arrogant."
She raised her hand again, but this time a three-circle spell materialized, more intricate and radiant. The fireball it created was the same shape, but the hue was lighter, almost ethereal.
"The foundation isn't everything, Velessa," Caldreya said, her voice carrying a weight of experience.
"You need resources, time, and will to truly make a difference."
The fireball shot forward with a sharp hiss, slamming into Velessa's shield. The explosion was nearly identical to the first, but this time, the shield shattered like glass, splintering in all directions.
Caldreya's gaze was steady as she looked at the ruins of the spell.
"The magic structure is only the foundation," she continued.
"You need knowledge, a stronger soul, and the will to push beyond your limits. To truly best someone in magic, you must surpass not just the mechanics but your very self."
Velessa stood there, the remnants of her shattered shield still lingering in the air like ghostly fragments, her mind in total shock at what she had just seen.
She fell to the floor coughing, dizziness enveloped her.
"Oh yeah." Caldreya's voice broke through the fog in Velessa's mind.
Caldreya's voice cut through the fog of her thoughts. "When a spell is destroyed, the mana it was made from has to return to the caster. It's not a gentle process."
She ruffled Velessa's hair, her tone light but her words carrying weight. "That's why you need to dispel your spell before it's destroyed."
Caldreya paused, as if considering something.
"You can also use it as bait to attack and endure the consequences. It's one of my favorites."
She shrugged with a smile on her face, as if casual destruction was just another part of her routine. Turning toward the window, she noticed the already dark sky.
"Elira, prepare dinner."
"Yes, Lady Caldreya."
Caldreya smirked, her voice tinged with both amusement and a hint of disappointment.
"I was expecting you to be able to remove a law from the spell today, but oh well."
Velessa's brow furrowed, but she didn't argue. The weight of the failure still hung heavily on her.
Seeing her like this, Caldreya sighed. Velessa was already better than most intermediate mages, yet here she was getting depressed about something so trivial as failure.
And so the next day ,they continued.