Chapter 67: Riding the Current
Professor Thalassa stood at the center of the pond, her water-formed figure shimmering under the glow of the lilies, the mist curling around her like a living veil. The students, balanced on the water’s surface, watched her intently, the pond’s mana humming softly, a pulse that synced with their anticipation. She raised a hand, water swirling into a delicate spiral above her palm, her sapphire eyes sweeping the group. "Let’s begin," she said, her voice a gentle tide, warm yet commanding. "Show me your hydromancy. Shape the water—something simple, but make it yours. I want to see your control, your creativity, how your mana flows."
The students stirred, mana flaring as they responded. One summoned a surging wave that crested high, its foam sparkling like liquid stars before crashing back into the pond with a dramatic splash, the water rippling wildly. Another wove a shimmering veil of mist, the droplets catching the lily-light, creating a curtain that danced with faint rainbows. A third conjured a wave that boiled and hissed, steam rising as it rolled forward, its heat prickling the air. Darius, his focus sharp despite the nervous flutter from Elara’s presence nearby, extended his hands, drawing mana from the pond. A sphere of water rose, wobbling slightly but holding firm, its surface rippling as he shaped it into a spinning orb, glinting like a polished gem. His hydromancy wasn’t his strongest suit—wind and fire came more naturally—but he’d practiced enough to wield water with confidence, the orb’s steady spin a testament to his effort.
Thalassa’s form shimmered, water cascading gently as she nodded, her gaze lingering on each student. "Good," she said, her voice resonant, rippling the pond. "You’ve got spirit, all of you. But spirit needs precision. Hydromancy demands flow, not force. We’ll hone that today." The pond’s mana pulsed stronger, the lilies glowing brighter, the air thick with anticipation as she lowered her hand, the spiral dissolving into mist. Her eyes gleamed, a challenge sparking within them, setting the stage for something more intense, the students’ mana humming in response.
Without warning, Thalassa’s form dissolved, her body melting into a cascade of water that merged with the pond, vanishing with a fluid ripple. The students gasped, the water trembling beneath their feet. Her voice rose, echoing from the surface, clear and resonant, as if the pond itself spoke. "A great mage senses the flow of mana," she said, her words carrying a weight that stilled the air. "Water mana is everywhere—in the air, the plants, the earth. What separates mastery from skill is manipulating natural mana, distinguishing it from a mage’s. Stay afloat, hold your focus, and sense the flow."
The pond stirred ominously, ripples spreading as Thalassa’s presence pulsed within it. The students tensed, their mana anchoring them to the surface, ready for her test. Suddenly, waves surged, tendrils of water lashing upward, aiming to disrupt their balance. One student yelped as a tendril wrapped their ankle, pulling them under with a splash, only for them to resurface, gasping, hands weaving a current to push the water back. Another countered with a shimmering mist shield, the tendrils sliding off, but the water adapted, curling around the barrier, testing their focus. A third unleashed a burst of steam, the heat scattering a wave, but another tendril snaked behind, nearly dragging them down.
Darius dodged a tendril, his mana steady as he shaped a small wave to deflect it, his eyes scanning the pond. Thalassa’s Elemental Body—her seamless shift into water—captivated him, its fluidity a stark contrast to his Zephyr, his wind-fire form that let non-mana attacks pass through. Her control, her ability to become the pond itself, sparked ideas for refining his own technique, perhaps weaving spirit magic to make Zephyr more adaptive, like her liquid form. He countered another tendril with a spinning water orb, sending it crashing back, but his hydromancy felt clunky compared to her mastery, his focus split between staying afloat and sensing her next move.
The pond roared, waves crashing as Thalassa intensified her assault, tendrils striking with precision. The student who’d summoned the tidal surge conjured a swirling current, holding off multiple tendrils, their movements graceful, water bending to their will. The mist-weaver thickened their shield, droplets hardening into a crystalline barrier, but a wave crashed through, forcing them to dive and resurface, coughing. The steam-caster unleashed a scalding burst, the air hissing, but a tendril looped around their wrist, yanking them under briefly before they broke free, their focus fraying. Darius, his heart pounding, shaped a wave to block a tendril, his mana straining, admiring Thalassa’s relentless test—multitasking under pressure, sensing mana’s flow, a lesson in raw survival.
He caught Elara’s eye across the pond, her hands weaving a shimmering net of water that trapped a tendril, her focus fierce yet calm, her hydromancy sharper than his. She flashed him a quick smile, a spark of encouragement, and his crush flared, urging him to push harder. Thalassa’s voice echoed again, "Sense the flow, find me," a challenge that stirred his mind. The pond’s mana pulsed, but so did the surrounding flora—ferns, lilies, vines—alive with natural energy, a clue he couldn’t ignore. The lesson wasn’t just about water, but about mana itself, and Thalassa’s mastery was the key to unlocking it.
Darius steadied his stance, the pond’s surface rippling beneath him as another tendril lashed out, aiming for his legs. He thrust his hands forward, conjuring a spinning water orb, its surface glinting as it slammed into the tendril, forcing it back with a splash. The effort strained his mana, his hydromancy solid but not instinctive, unlike his wind and fire spells. He scanned the pond, searching for Thalassa’s presence, her water-form hidden within the shimmering depths. Her voice had hinted at sensing mana, but the pond’s energy was a chaotic swirl, masking her signature. He tried again, weaving a thin stream of water, like a probing thread, sending it spiraling downward to detect her. The stream fizzled, disrupted by the pond’s restless currents, and he gritted his teeth, frustration creeping in as a wave surged, nearly toppling him.
Across the pond, a student summoned a towering wave, its crest crashing toward the center, aiming to flush Thalassa out. The water roared, but no sign of her appeared, only more tendrils rising to drag the student under, their laughter turning to a sputter as they resurfaced. Another wove a mist that thickened into a fog, hoping to reveal her outline, but the fog dispersed as a tendril sliced through it, pulling the caster off balance. Elara, her net shimmering, tried to trap another tendril, her mana precise, but the water twisted free, splashing her face, her focus unbroken despite the setback. Darius admired her tenacity, his heart skipping, but he refocused, determined to find Thalassa, his mind racing for a solution.
He shaped another spell, a broad wave that rippled outward, meant to stir the pond’s depths and force Thalassa to surface. The wave surged, lilies bobbing in its wake, but the pond absorbed it, its mana pulse unchanged, Thalassa’s presence elusive. He staggered as a tendril grazed his ankle, his mana anchoring him just in time, the water’s cool grip a sharp reminder of the test’s intensity. His hydromancy wasn’t enough—his control was steady, honed from months of practice, but it lacked the finesse to pinpoint her. The other students struggled too, their spells—currents, mists, surges—flashing brilliantly but failing to draw her out, the pond’s surface a battlefield of foam and light.
Darius paused, catching his breath, the mist brushing his skin, the scent of moss grounding him. His eyes drifted to the pond’s edge, where ferns and lilies seemed to glow brighter, their leaves trembling as if alive, their natural mana pulsing stronger with each student spell. The vines along the misty boundaries curled upward, thicker than before, their growth subtle but undeniable. A spark of realization hit—not immediate, but building, like a current gaining strength. Thalassa hadn’t restricted them to water magic, and her lesson was about natural mana, not just the pond’s. The flora, pulsing with energy, was part of the environment, a potential key to her hiding place.
He hesitated, his mind flashing to Anemoi Shades, its wind-spirit clones powerful but prone to locking onto mana signatures, like the students’ around him. Using it risked another misfire, like with Cassia, but the flora’s mana was distinct, not tied to mages. He decided to try, focusing intently to control the spell’s targeting. His mana surged, the rune of Anemoi Shades flaring in his mind, and three ethereal clones materialized, their wind-wreathed forms shimmering with silver eyes. "Stay on the plants," he muttered, pouring mana into the spell, willing the clones to avoid the students. The clones darted toward the pond’s edge, their slicing gusts tearing into the ferns and lilies, a storm of wind whipping the vines into a frenzy, their natural mana flaring brightly.
The pond trembled, the students gasping as the flora reacted, vines twisting upward, lilies blooming wider, their glow intensifying. Darius pushed harder, his mana flooding the clones, their whirlwind barrages ripping through the plants, stirring the air with a roar. Elara glanced at him, her eyes wide, her net faltering as she watched his bold move. The other students paused, their spells slowing, sensing a shift. The pond’s surface churned, and Thalassa’s voice laughed, a resonant tide echoing from below. "Clever," she said, the water surging upward in a spiral, vines and lilies weaving into it, forming a vibrant cascade of water and nature that countered his wind attack, the flora sprouting skyward in a dazzling display, blocking the clones’ gusts with a shimmering wall of green and blue.
Thalassa reappeared, her water-form shimmering at the pond’s center, her sapphire eyes gleaming with approval. "Well done," she said, her voice warm, rippling the surface. "You sensed the natural mana, used it creatively. Hydromancy is not just water—it’s harmony with the world’s flow." She gestured to the flora, now settling, their glow softening. "Think beyond limits, and you’ll master this art." Darius’s chest heaved, his confidence soaring, the students murmuring in awe. Elara flashed him another smile, impressed, and his heart raced, his resolve to refine Zephyr and master Study of Spirit burning brighter, the pond’s serene energy a promise of the power he’d unlock.