Habiki and Bisky were ready to begin their bout, and as they glared at each other, they recalled the events that led to the root of their rivalry.
<><>FLASHBACK<><>
3 Years ago - Listeria Academy Gate
A sophisticated carriage, befitting of esteemed personnel, was just leaving the gate.
In front of the gate stood an elderly man, holding Habiki's hand.
"My lady, I understand your reluctance, but this is where your new life must begin."
"You can never take back the past, but you can at least...live for the future. It is what she would've wanted."
The elder man placed his hand on her shoulders to comfort her.
"Habiki...you must find a way to get past this, alright?"
Habiki appeared soulless at the time, as if she had lost the will to live.
Her eyes were empty, and her complexion was pale.
But she managed to force herself to nod weakly.
Habiki was 13 when she started year 1 in Listeria.
Listeria Block 1 - Freshman Hall
Samantha was the freshman instructor.
It was her second year in the academy, but she beamed like it was the first time she was handling a clasroom.
"Alright, everyone." She clapped multiple times to quiet down the class.
"I know the season's only just started, but I'd like to introduce you to a new classmate joining us today."
Samantha's words caught the attention of the class, including Louise and Maya, who were also freshmen at the time.
Habiki hesitantly made her way into the class, looking lost and forlorn.
"My...my name is...Habi...Habiki..." she muttered, shy, nervous, and in a barely audible voice.
"Um...ummm, please bear with her, she's just shy alright everyone!" Samantha said.
"Yes, madam instructor!" the students responded.
Then she looked around, "Umm...where to...ah yes. Why don't you take a seat over there?"
She pointed to a seat next to the one beside the window at the back of the class.
Habiki slowly made her way forward and placed her bag on the table.
Then, she glanced at the seat by the window and saw her-
A young girl with black hair, twin ponytails, brown skin, and curled eyelashes.
Her long nails added to her standout features.
She seemed out of place and could hardly care. This girl was Bisky.
"umm...hello..." Habiki tried greeting her, but didn't get a reply.
She shrugged and took her seat.
The class session went as routine, and the bell signaled the end of the session.
"Alright, everyone, class has ended. Study hall begins now. I shall be expecting your reports by the end of the day."
Maya raised her hand. "Instructor, what do we do during study hall?"
Everyone in the class turned their attention to Maya in surprise.
They all knew what study hall was about, for Samantha had explained it previously.
However, Samantha was aware of her intentions. She just smiled and addressed the class.
"Alright, for the sake of Maya and our new friend, I shall explain once again."
"During study hall, you're given 3 hours to reproduce a cast from your magician's bible based on your current Pshi gate."
"Whether you fail or succeed, you are to deliver a report to your class instructor, in this case, me. The purpose of the study hall is for each magician to explore a wide range of skills and master as many as they can, thereby growing in power and understanding."
"For each spell you master, it shall be updated in your bible, and this will eventually determine your path when you get to year 2, be it in Blazia or Aquila."
"Study hall is very important for your progress in Listeria Academy. For those unable to fill out at least 50% of their bible by the end of year 1, you shall be dismissed, permanently."
Habiki shrugged at the word dismissal. She couldn't afford to lose her place here.
"Any questions?" Samantha asked.
None came up.
"Alright, that will be all. Grab the magician's bible you were given via admission, and get started. I shall return in 3 hours."
Samantha grabbed her notebook and left the class.
Everyone immediately went to their groups.
Habiki was isolated and had nowhere to go or look.
She hesitantly opened her bible and tried practising magic, but her state of being was out of order. Every energy orb she tried to create fell apart.
Some of the students who watched her fumbled, proceeded to laugh.
"(Why...why can't I...do anything right...)" she sobbed, then visions of an incident flashed in her mind
She stood before a crumbled mansion, crying - 'Sis, I'm sorry I didn't mean to!'
Her raw, uncontrolled magic had destroyed her entire mansion and buried her sister in it, a trauma that has been haunting her ever since that day.
Her hands trembled, the laughters soon became spears through her fragile heart, and the voices were judgmental.
She hastily packed her things and rushed out of the classroom, embarrassed.
"oops... she might've heard us hehehe what a pitiful thing"
"Yeah, like how did she even pass the qualification exams if she can't control a simple magic sphere? Isn't that the most basic of them all?"
The other students whispered, but there was one curious student.
Bisky. She stole a glance at Habiki's way when she departed.
"..."
Later, the students were returning to their various dorms, but given it was Habiki's first time, she had difficulties reading her pocket map.
"(umm...umm...the female dorms...where is it again?)"
She stood by the outdoor corridors, fingers trembling on the parchment.
Then one of the returning students bumped into her, and they both fell.
The map tumbled a few meters away from them.
"Ow! Jeez what the hell!!?"
The stranger was a proud girl and was helped up by 2 of her friends.
"Watch where you're standing, will you!! Now I've got my skirt all dirtied, argh!"
Habiki stood up and bowed, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry", she apologized repeatedly.
The girls frowned
"Wait, isn't she the one in class, the newb who couldn't cast a single sphere" one of the friends snickered.
"Yeah, you're right, hahahaha it was hilarious to watch!"
The girls laughed once again as Habiki's lips trembled, her eyes getting watery again.
"(Why...I...I didn't ask for this...It's not my fault my magic is out of control)"
"(So why...why is this happening to me...why...)" she cried within her, but did her best not to let it show on the outside too.
One of the girls leaned towards her and muttered in her ear.
"A magician who can't control their magic is useless; a worthless piece of trash that will only cause trouble for everyone else. So do us a favor and quit, will you, rookie?"
She mocked her one last time and left with her friends, laughing and reveling in their humiliation of a weaker classmate.
On the way, they deliberately stepped on her pocket map to rough it up too.
Habiki dropped to the ground once the coast was clear and covered her face, bawling her heart out.
"Aaaaahhhh"
She cried, she was humiliated, and their words hurt her way more than anything.
They hurt because they were spot on, because of her magic, she lost her dear sister.
She died by her own hand, accidental or not. The guilt opened the floodgates, and there seemed to be no end.
It was then that Bisky spoke to her for the very first time.
"Huhhh", Bisky sighed.
"Honestly, this school is disappointing. Everyone is so shallow, so uninteresting," she said, walking past Habiki, who looked up in confusion.
"!?", she saw Bisky picking up her map and wiping off the dirt from the footprints.
"Tsk, even the bullies here don't know how to do it right. What a bunch of amateurs,"
She scoffed, then walked over to Habiki and handed the map back to her.
"Huh? Why di-" Habiki said in a very weak tone.
"You, however, have me intrigued." Bisky interrupted.
"A girl who can't manifest a basic magic sphere, but was admitted into the most prestigious academy in all the kingdoms."
She said and let out a cheeky grin.
"Something tells me, you might just be as broken as I am."
Habiki stared at her in disbelief.
She had no idea what this girl was saying, but it was the first person who ever took an interest in her since she arrived.
She hesitantly retrieved her map and muttered, "Th-thank you."
Bisky nodded and turned around to leave.
"The year one girls' dorm is past the headmaster's statue on the right side of the fountain. The first building with a blue Listeria Lion emblem on the roof is your destination."
"Take the other exit, it's shorter."
Habiki hastily referred to her map once again, and based on the new information she had just received, she could plot out a clear path.
Her eyes gleamed in delight, "Thank you! I found it" she looked up excited, but Bisky had left already.
"She's...gone..."
She was gone, but Habiki didn't feel down; she recognized her makeup and features.
It was the girl sitting next to her. She held her map tightly and, for the first time since she joined the academy, hope blossomed within her.
A warmth in her heart that promised a friend, someone to guide her away from her loneliness, and perhaps, a new 'sister'.
<><> END OF FLASHBACK <><>
Meanwhile, In the Blue Moss Cave
Isla reached the end of the cave, the area Sherloth had disappeared into.
"Hmm...weird, I swear I have been on the straight and narrow, so why can't I find him?"
She scanned the area ahead.
"(Did he use another one of their gates?)" she pondered, then felt a grim sensation behind her
"!? blood lust!"
A heavy spiked club attack from behind was about to strike her neck, but she swiftly evaded and jumped back to preserve a safe distance.
"...a demon..." Isla frowned.
Indeed, it was, as a being with sharp, elongated teeth and a broken horn emerged from the dark. It held a goblin club as a weapon.
It's belly was big and rounded, its body reeked of piss.
The tongue was lashing out, and it had 4 fingers and toes instead of 5.
"A minor demon," Isla corrected herself, more relaxed this time.
Then, about 30 more of the same demons emerged from the shadows around her.
She was immediately surrounded.
"...a trap, and I so graciously fell into."
"Now that I'm caught in it, why don't you reveal yourself, Sherloth?"
Isla said seemingly to no one.
But there was someone, the Chakram demon, who appeared before her.
"Hmhmhm, you're awfully calm for someone about to meet their end, magician."
Sherloth said, voice deep and echoing. He held an obsidian gem.
"Unlike the ones before, I shall ensure you don't leave this place alive!" he said
Isla found herself at odds, but what will this confident goddess do to escape her predicament