"Damn it!" Rey groaned, dragging both hands down his face like the universe had just personally betrayed him. "Why?! Of all people, why did I get you as a partner?!"

Jett stood there, orb in hand, visibly wounded. "Hey. I'm not that bad."

"You've exploded thirty in the past hour already!"

Jett held up a finger, smug. "Twenty-nine and a half. That last one just cracked."

Rey gaped at him. "It makes no difference if you have no idea how you even made it that far!"

With an exaggerated sigh, Jett dropped cross-legged to the ground like a monk about to meditate. "Fine. Since my glorious failure is now dragging your future down with me, feel free to shower me with guidance, oh wise one."

Rey narrowed his eyes. "You actually want my help?"

"Desperately," Jett deadpanned. "Teach me, Sensei."

Rey groaned. 'At least try to hide your unseriousness, asshole…'

Still, he crouched beside him.

"Alright, alright. Firstly stop treating mana like it's some fire hose you can't control. Mana's alive. It flows—like breath."

Jett tilted his head. "Like… breathing?"

"Yes. You don't scream your breath into your lungs, do you? You guide it. Calm. Controlled. Same with mana. Pull it from your core, slowly, deliberately. Not like you're starting a bar fight."

Jett stared. "…You give a damn good lecture, you know."

"I shouldn't have to," Rey muttered, raising his palm.

The orb rested quietly against his skin. He inhaled once, and a small sphere of water shimmered into existence, no larger than a plum.

The orb didn't so much as flicker.

"Okay," Jett whispered, eyes wide. "That's… yeah, alright. I think I get it now. Let me try."

He took one breath.

Then another.

And for the first time that day, he didn't just yank mana forward like a lunatic. Instead, he coaxed it—thread by thread—into his palm. A small of flame hovered above his hand.

The orb stayed still. No flash. No spark. Just warmth.

"Hey… I'm doing it," Jett said in awe. "You see that? I'm actually doing it!"

"Don't celebrate yet," Rey warned quickly. "Hold it. Core tight. Mind calm. No dancing flames of joy just yet."

"My god…" Jett whispered, sweat beading on his forehead. "Now I know how babies feel when they're learning to walk…"

"Except babies don't blow up the furniture if they trip," Rey muttered.

Around them, several nearby students had stopped practicing to watch. Some were wide-eyed, impressed. Others looked annoyed—especially those who had already gone through three orbs and still couldn't get it to stay still for a few seconds.

Morrigan folded her arms as she watched while feeling embarrassed for them. A few of them whispered amongst themselves, clearly unsure whether to cheer or brace for another explosion.

Then…

Crackle.

POP!

The flame vanished with a sad puff of smoke. The orb in Jett's hand glowed hot and faintly sizzled, a wisp of steam curling from his fingers.

Jett stared at it in disbelief. "No way…"

Rey let out a dramatic sigh, turning to walk off. "I'm so screwed."

"Wait!" Jett scrambled up, holding the orb like it was a second chance. "One more time! I swear I'm close!"

Rey didn't stop walking, only raised a hand over his shoulder. "Just give up man, how do you even have faith in yourself."

"Alright, just watch," Jett insisted, gripping the orb like he had something to prove. He held it forward again, jaw set with false confidence.

He took a deep breath this time and pulled far more mana than before. His eyes widened. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek.

"Wait… oh crap." His voice cracked. "I used too much mana this time and it's still increasing..."

He didn't think, he just reacted.

Jett hurled the glowing orb into the air with the reflex of a man trying to dodge a bomb.

"Move!" someone screamed.

The students scattered like startled birds, robes flapping and shoes pounding across the grass.

Some dove behind training dummies, others rolled out of the way just in case and the more competent ones made barriers or shields with magic to block the blast.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" several students chorused in outrage.

"Yeah, are you trying to kill us?!" one snapped while brushing dust off his uniform.

"You can use other elements, can't you?! Something less deadly than fire, you absolute moron!"

"Yeah, like wind or water! Use your damn head!"

More voices joined in, throwing accusations like stones. A heated argument broke out with Jett caught in the middle, arms raised, trying to defend himself over the noise.

"Look, it was a miscalculation! A minor mana overload!" he said.

"A minor explosion?! You could've set my hair on fire, you idiot!"

"You're just reckless! This is why nobody wants to partner with you!"

Jett winced… then paused.

One voice rang out in a smug and venomous tone.

"Maybe if you actually had talent, you wouldn't need Rey holding your hand like a toddler."

Something snapped.

Jett's expression froze. Then slowly curled into a maniacal smile.

"Oh… is that right?"

{Tempest}

The air thickened with violent energy.

Suddenly, whirling pillars of wind erupted around him, roaring like summoned beasts. They twisted into serpents of compressed air, snapping toward the students with razor precision, howling, wild, and playful in the most chaotic way.

"AHHH!" students shrieked, sprinting in all directions, robes flapping like sails.

"Freya!" Rey barked urgently, already moving toward Jett.

"Alright..." Freya sighed, stepping forward with glowing eyes.

[Divine Insight]

Her aura pulsed outward like a ripple of light. A radiant thread laced around Jett's body, tightening like a harness. His arms locked mid-cast, his feet pinned to the ground. His wild grin faltered.

{Blood Paralysis}

Marcella's spell followed Freya's, casting a crimson shimmer across Jett's limbs. His body twitched, then froze entirely, trembling with suppressed magic.

"Alright, Jett," Rey called out, stepping in front of him. "Call it off."

"Quit being a baby and do what he says before you get us all expelled," Freya added, folding her arms.

"…Tch." Jett clicked his tongue and finally released the spell with a grumble. The air calmed, the wind dissipated, and the field fell back into tense silence.

That's when a sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.

"You imbecile," it said. "You really are trying to kill us. Good thing you'll be leaving for good once you fail this class."

Everything stilled.

Rey turned slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Hold on… why does that voice sound familiar?"

The crowd parted, and a smug-looking student stepped forward, his arms folded and posture dripping arrogance.

"You should just give up already," the boy continued. "You don't even have the talent to use magic properly. Stick to swinging swords, you're better off being someone's bodyguard."

Rey's expression changed, no anger, just disinterest. He cocked his head like someone watching a squirrel try to intimidate a lion.

"Oh," he said casually. "It's you."

Jett blinked. "Who?"

Rey didn't even glance at him. "Goud."

*

*

*

Remember him?

¯⁠\\⁠_⁠(⁠ ͠⁠°⁠ ͟⁠ʖ⁠ ⁠°͠⁠ ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯