The Verdant Academy of Lost Dawns was the newly established school for green mages within the kingdom of Long Whisper. Koda had spent the last six months within its high walls and winding hallways, studying the ways of malleable magic. Long ago, the Council of Mages learned to tame the chaotic energy of raw Magi and shape it into each of the seven elements or spheres. Mage schools could be found all over the five realms and each one was dedicated to a single sphere. Once a student mastered their school’s sphere, they were given a colored sash that represented it. Purple for light, black for shadow, red for fire, blue for water, brown for earth, white for wind, and green for vernal. Only upon earning their sash were students given the title of Mage. If they wished to further their knowledge and gain the other six sashes, they had to travel to the schools of other spheres. There, they had to earn the right to enroll by defeating a mage of that sphere in single combat. If a student mastered all seven spheres, they were given the prestigious title of Archmage. To Koda’s knowledge, only two mages had ever achieved such a feat.

Koda stood in front of a small council of his teachers within a large lecture hall. He fidgeted with the stuffy green scholar robes and nervously gripped the silver sash that was wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Disciple Koda, you have shown the aptitude of one who has been around magic all his life. We are not surprised by the way you grip the concept of vernal magic. You tame like a true master. However, we are unsure if we are ready to consider you a Green Mage.”

The teachers before him were human, and all of them had traveled from across the globe to teach at this new school. Despite their time studying vernal magic in vast forests, none had seen an elder tree, and never would have imagined that a city would be erected around one. These four teachers were unaware of Koda’s history with far more volatile magic. Learning vernal magic came easily to him.

“I do not understand. I’m the top of my class and have learned all there is that you could possibly teach me. I can restore the autumn leaf to its summer state. I can cause a forest to blossom in the driest desert. Why am I still not ready to be a Green Mage?”

“You are untested in applying your skills,” declared a new voice coming from the entrance behind the young elf.

Koda spun around to find himself face to face with a tall human woman with broad shoulders. Her face was aged, but toned. Her hair was red with twin streaks of gray on either side of her head. She bore the robes of a Green Mage, but her sash was gold with a blue strand. She was Megan Silverson, headmaster of the Verdant Academy.

“All I have been learning is how to apply my skills,” Koda said, still a little taken aback by the headmaster’s appearance.

“And yet you have no combat training,” she replied, sternly.

“Combat? Why do I need combat training?”

Megan’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms, “You are young and naive. You have not seen war, but you may in the future. Magic is not a piece of art to be admired in a gallery. It is a weapon meant to be harnessed.”

“Then I question your ability to teach! Magic is meant to be respected! ‘A weapon, meant to be harnessed’, you know nothing!” Koda shouted, thrusting his finger at Megan.

Megan paced around the student, brushing off his words, “It is true that magic is to be respected. It is a powerful energy, still not completely understood by even the Mage Council. It is a tool that can benefit this world, but if it were to fall into the wrong hands — which it will one day — what then, Disciple Koda? Do we let our enemies trample us, enslave us, and bring those too weak to fight to the brink of extinction?”

Koda was silent. Everything Xile had taught him was diametrically opposed to the ideas before him. He had always been told to treat the Magi as a force to be revered and respected, not to be harnessed for power and personal gain.

“We must arm those who are willing and able to fight with the ability to defend themselves using magic. We must also be the defenders of those who can not defend themselves. Magic is only what people use it as — a weapon…” Megan said, interrupting his thoughts.

Koda went to speak up again, but shut his mouth quickly.

“…But, it is up to us to make sure it is only used for good. What say you, Disciple Koda?”

“My grandfather warned me of mages. He told me that they were the cause of the Arcana War; that they forced their ways upon everyone else. I thought the mages had learned their lesson and had been humbled. It seems I was mistaken,” Koda said, an air of disapproval in his words.

“I was a young mage in the Arcana War. I’ve seen what misery my people wrought on the world. The first mages were foolish to think they could control both magic and those who used it. But that was a long time ago. The council was formed to ensure that another Arcana War would not rise…”

“Who’s to say it won’t?” Koda interrupted.

“It might. There are those that will never see eye to eye with the rest of the world. When that day comes, will you defend the masses with your knowledge and prowess or will you cower on your island like the Arcane Guardian? People who watch the wildfire and do nothing are as much to blame as those that started it.”

“The Arcane Guardian does not cower on Nashoon! He defends and protects the Magi—”

“From what? From evil?” Megan interrupted, “A mage can do that! But a mage must also share their knowledge with those who can learn from it so that we might all be better equipped to protect the Magi. No one person can be entrusted with such a monumental task. Sooner or later, when the darkness comes, it will take more than an Arcane Guardian to defend the realm.” Megan ended the debate with a small grin. She knew that she had broken through to Koda and that it was just a matter of him admitting it.

Koda lowered his head. He thought about all of the lessons his grandfather had taught him. Then he reflected on Megan’s words. Arcane Guardians and Mages seemed to be no different anymore. Both were using magic to keep it from falling into nefarious hands, “You are right.”

“Very well then, follow me.”

Koda looked up in confusion, “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere for you to apply your skills.”

***

Koda never knew there was a room under the school, but there it was. The Battlefield was an impressive arena that spanned underneath the base of the large academy. Opposite sides were marked with a large circle where either mage would stand—a challenger and a defender. Under normal circumstances, the defending mage would be a top rated student tasked with testing the mettle of those who dared to challenge their sphere. These, however, were no normal circumstances, and so Megan stood before him.

The battlefield was surrounded by lush green trees entangled in twisting, flowered vines. No doubt they were all grown by magic – no need for water, no need for sunlight.

“Are you ready, Disciple Koda?” Megan called from the other side of the arena.

“I’m to fight you? Shouldn’t I be tested against one of my peers?” He looked at Megan, somewhat puzzled.

Megan shrugged his questions off and widened her stance, “Hit me once and you shall have your title,” she said, rolling up her sleeves.

“Excuse me?” Koda did not bother to hide his disbelief.

“Enough banter!” Megan jumped forward, rapidly thrusting her arms into the air. As if in unison, massive roots erupted from the ground around Koda and began to close in on him, attempting to encase him in a wooden coffin.

Koda was startled as he tumbled to the side before the roots could trap him. Hesitating, he stood frozen in fear. Megan did not waste time by coddling her student with encouragement; instead she magically commanded the trees behind her to fire a rushing flow of leaves at Koda.

The relentless barrage of leaves slammed into Koda’s lower back and lifted him high into the air before dispersing and dropping him onto the ground with a shuddering slam.

Koda grimaced in pain, arching his back.

“You surrender already, Disciple Koda? Are you ready to go home to your large castle and hide behind your books and your father?” Megan taunted.

Tears swelled in Koda’s eyes. He didn’t want to give in, but he was well and truly afraid. Clenching his teeth, he gripped the earth beneath him tightly. Pain began to surge through his right arm as he began to sign an incantation. Soon his arm began to harden as bark began to cover it. He roared and shot his hand out at Megan – a giant oaken arm the size of a large tree was now gripping Megan’s hands tightly, preventing her from signing any spells.

Megan was caught off-guard as the branches wrapped around her wrists. Suddenly, a line of thorns began to erupt through the bark and tiny wooden daggers rushed toward Megan’s bound wrists. Thinking fast, she pressed her fingers along the branches that bound her and nimbly managed to sign a spell that withered them. She broke free just as the thorns were about to reach her.

Jolting to the side, Koda took his giant arm and tried to smash Megan with a mighty swing.

Megan transformed into a figure of leaves as the attack passed through her body. Reforming to the opposite side of Koda, she could already taste the sweetness of victory as his arm quickly began to return to its normal state. It was clear that he could no longer maintain such an exhausting form. Her hand came in contact with his chest and implanted a seed that sprouted into a myriad of vines that wrapped tightly around him, constricting them to his sides. She quickly commanded the vines from the trees behind him and they rapidly thrust forward, coiling tightly around his neck and pulling him taut against a tree.

Koda gasped for air, but managed to find little respite.

Megan shook her head, “What was that Koda?” she said as she clenched her fist to tighten the vines.

Koda squirmed, “I don’t give up! I want to be a mage!”

Megan walked up to the tree where Koda was bound. She squeezed her fist once more and the vines began to force the very breath from his lungs, “No. I don’t think you have what it takes. You learn from books fast, but you have no real skill in magic.”

Koda struggled to breathe as the vines began to crush his ribs. Closing his eyes tightly, he began to scream in agony.

“Give in and go home, Koda!” Megan shouted fiercely.

“G-Give me…” Koda gasped as he gulped for breath.

“What?” Megan said, raising an eyebrow.

“Give me your strength!” Koda roared as the trees behind him exploded into splinters and the vines that bound him disintegrated. A shockwave of raw Magi sent Megan soaring backwards, crashing into the ground splayed on her back.

Koda fell, panting for air. He writhed in pain from his broken ribs. Excess magic rushed through his body in blue flames before vanishing as quickly as they had arrived.

Megan sat up, stunned, “I’ve never seen such a use of magic. What was that?”

Koda struggled to rise to his feet, “I-I don’t know. I-I just wanted to be free, so I tried to tap into any Magi that I could. I-I didn’t know what would happen.” His grandfather had warned him of the dangers of raw Magi, but he had never had cause to use it before. It was thrilling and it was a craving he never knew he had. He was afraid of it, and yet entranced by it. If this was raw Magi, he wanted more of it.

Megan gingerly touched a fresh gash on her cheek, “Fascinating. We will have to learn how to tap into this newfound power. There is much we—you can learn from it.”

Koda managed a weak smile, “Am I a mage now?”

Megan helped Koda up, “Not yet, but I will make a fine mage of you yet. None of the other teachers can give you the attention that I can. I’d like to personally take you under my tutelage.”

Koda nodded, still in agony, “I’d like that.”