The boys and girls in his class got changed in separate changing rooms. However, the main topic of conversation was the same. How the weak and useless Markus Windwave took down a viscount's son and his two friends with little to no effort.
From the girls' changing room, their gossip could be heard through the wooden door.
"It has only been like three months since he left, right? How could he have changed so much?"
"I heard that he used a shell! Isn't that for next year?"
"I tried to visit Jack and they said he could not see any visitors! That means it's bad right!"
"You know this means he is probably the strongest in our year right?"
"Please- I saw it. He feigned weakness and then struck like a coward when their guard was down. He is dishonorable!"
"No- he's cunning. He was outnumbered and only revealed his power when he could win! Just because you believe in foolish straightforwardness does not mean other people should."
Meanwhile in the boys' changing room… It was difficult to talk about someone when he was in the room. So they all whispered and stared at him.
"How did he do it?"
"Did you see that- bang! One right hook and he was down! I don't know what happened to Windwave since he left but he's not the same. And those two idiots who called his wind farts- bet they don't think that anymore."
"Say- we weren't particularly nice to him… do you think…"
Soon enough, everyone changed in combat suits, including the staff, and went to the training hall. There were several instructors but now, there was also the deputy headmaster there, staring at one student.
"Windwave. I think it is time for your re-evaluation."
Markus exhaled exasperated and approached, but was led away from the rest to the opposite side of the hall.
The hall itself was massive, spanning 150 metres in length and 75 metres in width. But there was more to it, as it was seemingly enchanted to create non-harmful constructs, depending on the will of the teachers.
The deputy headmaster was a tall man, 195cm and had a light-brown complex. He had deep brown curly hair and muscles befitting a very advanced expert in his mid 30s.
"Mr Haroldson… is there a reason why I am the only one being re-evaluated?"
"Yes, there is. As you are well aware, our academy has its own internal ranking of all its students. Considering your recent… developments, it is imperative to reassess you. Now to begin with, I expect you to run through this obstacle course at your fastest."
Markus saw stone constructs rise from the floor. Straight segments, vaulting segments, crawling and balance segments- it was comprehensive.
"Begin." he instructed.
Markus let essence flow throughout his body and augment his muscles. He broke out into a sprint and whizzed through each of the segments with ease. His breathing was even and his pace was fast and yet consistent. Most interestingly, it seemed as if the course was too easy.
Markus finished within 3 minutes and 24 seconds.
"Up next is an assessment of your precision with essence. I believe you know to conjure wind bullets?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then shoot the stone targets. Do it quickly but do not rush your shots and miss."
Markus began releasing wind bullets in bursts with quick succession, destroying his targets almost as quickly as they were conjured. He hit them all, gaining a perfect score of 100 targets in 25 seconds.
"Very good. Only two more stages now. Next is your essence quality measurement."
This time a crystal was brought by an assistant. It seemed to have graded levels on it.
The way to do it was to concentrate by placing the essence in the crystal and depending on which level it went to, it was directly corresponding to the rank of the testee.
Markus focused his essence and pushed through with force.
Despite his efforts however, the essence only rose to the first mark, indicating his essence quality was still that of an apprentice. He was missing something important which would substantially impact his evolution to the higher ranks.
"You are still young. Plus, you did very well in every other category. Now, I will conjure a stone pillar to my level as an expert. I want you to release your strongest attack. The pillar will display a percentage of damage."
A pillar rose next to Markus.
Before he struck with his strongest attack, which at the moment was still the wind blast, he thought about how he could make it more powerful.
'If the shell is created with wind essence and it can explode… then what if I overcharge the shell with a wind blast and create one big blast?' he thought.
Markus applied theory to practice and created a shell around his fist. Not wanting to go flying, he then reinforced the rest of his body. And with what he had left, he focused it all to his right fist and charged it up until the volume of power made the shell wobble. When that happened, he released with all his strength.
BOOOOM!
"24%..." Mr Haroldson mumbled.
Markus had chipped 24% of the stone pillar's integrity away… as a mere apprentice.
The tests were over and a report was compiled. His previous results were also drawn for comparison. Consequently, there was an objective measurement of Markus' capabilities before and after his private training. It read as follows:
Obstacle course: 26 minutes // 3 minutes 24 seconds
Target shooting: 5/100. 2 minutes. // 100/100, 25 seconds.
Essence Quality: Apprentice // Apprentice
Damage Test: 0% // 24%
Staggering results overall. It was a miraculous turnaround.
"It would seem you need tutoring from a wind-based instructor. See Miss Fallie over there, I will swap with her." he said as he pointed to a blonde haired woman, seemingly in her late 20s. Her white skin tone indicated she grew up in some mountains or perhaps in the north where the sun was blocked by the storms and clouds.
The deputy headmaster and her swapped. As she approached Markus made note that she was only about 160cm but had sharp facial features.
"I was told you needed some help with the wind. Is that right, Markus?" she asked with a slight smile on her face.
"Ah- yes. My… instructor was a flame user. She taught me control but suspected there were other principles to the wind."
"Oh goodness me- that must be why you are having a hard time."
"Is the wind the complete opposite?" he asked
"No- they are… similar. But different. The wind requires control, yes. But it also requires submission."
"Submission?" he asked with a puzzled face.
"It is not as hard as it seems. But essentially, if you want to use the wind to assist, you need to give in and let instinct take over." she said with a deep expression on her face
"What does that mean?"
"Me- and most other people at that- saw you create a shell. But I saw how much you strained to create it. You might think that you didn't struggle but whilst you yourself were okay- your essence was all over the place and struggled against your will. You won the battle- because of your experience, but it is a poor practice. When you let essence out, you need to guide it and hope that it will follow your guidance- rather than to force it to do so."
"So I need to trust that it will do what I want it to do?" he asked with a weird expression
"More or less. It is more intuitive than what can be described. Have a go." she said, raising an arm as if inviting him forward.
Markus closed his eyes and focused on his essence. He focused on how he had absolute control over it inside his own body. But then he began releasing it slowly, as if to create a shell. Yet this time he did not force the shape. He imagined a piece of armour across his arm and hoped that intention would somehow be perceived…
"I'm impressed, Markus. First try and you did it perfectly." she said with raised eyebrows and an incredulous expression.
Markus opened his eyes and looked. A fluctuating shell. It was light. It did not occupy his mind nearly as much. But most importantly, it felt right. A feeling that could not be described easily.
And that's when it happened. Some call it the click. Others call it the spark. But the name is not important. What was important was the warm feeling of essence fluctuating all throughout his body and reconverging itself.
It was deeper. Richer. Concentrated and yet light.
His essence had evolved to the next stage and with it, Markus himself had become a learner of the wind. In a matter of minutes, he had broken through and finally taken the first qualitative step in becoming stronger as a wind user.
Whilst he wanted the private moment, when someone advances, their essence goes wild internally as well as externally. Therefore the entire hall was flooded by traces of wind essence released from the evolution.
Mr Haroldson dropped everything he was doing and approached, summoning another stone pillar.
Markus did not need to be told. He just struck with intention but not force against his own essence. He wanted to devastate the pillar and his will was carried through, blasting a chunk out of it.
"51%" Haroldson said, incredulous.
Markus on the other hand dropped exhausted to the ground. Evolution was actually a pretty big deal which shrunk down the available essence because of the conversion to a higher rank. So the tank of essence that was already beginning to run low, was low before the strike and practically empty after it.
Regardless, Markus laid on the floor with a smile. A smile of accomplishment.