9 Updating IDs Part 2

Eventually, DJ's name was called. Many of his friends and fellow students started snickering as he got up.

At the start of each year, DJ's full name would be shown to everyone. For DJ this was always a very embarrassing moment. Since DJ wasn't 18, he couldn't legally change his name and his parents didn't want him to. After all, they had named him after his mother's sister.

When DJ reached Headmaster Raven Clof he asked the question he had repeated since he was seven, "Could you not display my ID?"

"DJ, you know my answer."

After this brief exchange and a glare at Raven Clof, who was struggling not to laugh, DJ sighed and placed his hand on the tablet.

[ Doe John (DJ)

Aura: 225

Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior

Age: 17 / Rank: A

Ability: Dominion ]

DJ's ability Dominion allows him to manipulate everything within a certain distance of himself, with near infinite possibilities. Every time he uses his ability, something different happens. Because his ability is so tied to his movements and mental state, he relies on music and dance to control it.

After DJ's ID was updated Raven Clof walked about seven feet away from him when DJ said, "You're going to want to be at least ten feet away."

After Raven Clof was clear of DJ's control radius DJ changed songs.

At first, it started with barely perceivable ripples in the ground originating from where DJ stood tapping his left hand against his thigh. Several streams of water began to form on top of the gradually growing ripples.

After a few beats, a soft wind formed in the still air of the arena. The wind swirled around DJ causing his clothes to shift as he began to dance.

As the song picked up and the strength of the wind grew. The shimmering water shot into the air in several streams. DJ moved his left arm and the water flowed with it, soon the wind began to weave around the water.

Approximately 46 seconds through the song, trails of varying colors of fire began to mix with the elements DJ was already controlling. Sometimes the elements would be next to each other in perfect harmony and at others, they would separate in discord.

Halfway through DJ's demonstration, the ripples in the ground began to increase in height and depth. While the changes in the earth grew the other elements faded to thin trickles in the air.

On some beats, the ground would change from smooth and rolling to sharp and deadly. Each time the earth grew sharp the other elements would flair to life for an instant. Eventually, the elements came to intertwine and dance like they had before.

All of the elements spiked one last time before they vanished into thin air. The arena grounds appeared as if the changes wrought on them had never occurred.

After DJ completed his performance, he waved to the people in the stands who were giving him a standing ovation. He basked in the applause for a bit before returning to his friends in the stands.

♢ ♢ ♢

Before long, Centra was called forth. She quickly placed her hand on the tablet.

[ Centra Livence

Aura: 200

Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior

Age: 16 / Rank: C

Ability: Telepathic, Telekinetic ]

Centra handed Raven Clof her ironwood longbow and quiver. Each end of her bow is tipped with the polished green scales of a Jaculus. A Jaculus is a winged serpent that has two back legs and lives in trees. Because Laserath is a harbor town near a large forest Jaculus are a very prevalent lower level legendary creature in the area, making Jaculus scales easy to acquire.

Raven Clof returned Centra's equipment and used his holo watch to turn his psych guard off. 'Centra have you gotten better at differentiating speech and thoughts?'

'Yeah but sometimes I get them mixed up.'

'Keep working on it,' Headmaster Raven Clof re-engaged his psych guard before he asked, "How's your telekinesis? Can move someone my size?"

Centra answered by way of mentally shoving Raven Clof back a few feet. She had intended to pick Raven Clof up and move him back but failed to achieve her goal. Centra was able to pick DJ up with her telekinesis before spring break, but Raven Clof is a bit larger than DJ and she was out of practice.

"Good job. Keep practicing, I'm sure you'll get there."

"I will."

Centra returned to her friends with a slight headache from straining her mind during her attempt to lift Headmaster Raven Clof.

♢ ♢ ♢

One of the last students to be called was Kyrie. Kyrie was very familiar with the process of updating one's ID, though he was used to doing so in a LegendSlayers guild hall.

[ Kyrie Say

Aura: 2861

Mission Rank: SAM and SDM

Age: 17 / Rank: S

Ability: Motion Manipulation ]

When Kyrie's ID came up for everyone to see, Raven Clof whistled and said, "Dang kid you're already at Epic rank! Are you okay?"

Epic rank was where someone can contain an aura quantity greater than 1000. Mythic rank was the only rank higher than Epic, and both were usually only applied to a few strong Legends and very old magicians. Normally, a Magician or LegendSlayer's body couldn't contain more than 700 aura without burning up.

Kyrie was surprised that Raven Clof had even asked if he was okay. Most people assumed he was fine just because he was alive. "Yeah I'm okay…"

2,861 was close to the maximum amount of aura he could safely contain. Kyrie's ability allows him to absorb the energy of moving things and convert it into his aura or to reverse the process. As such, Kyrie intentionally tries to keep his energy level below his max.

He had a danger Rank of S because when Kyrie lost control an area as large as the city of Laserath was in danger. The fear of Kyrie losing control was part of why has hadn't attended an Academy, until now.

Kyrie placed the case containing his weapon on the ground. He carefully opened it and removed his weapon, one of his most precious belongings.

There were two blades on Kyrie's weapon. Each blade looked like a solid oval, with a thick center and paper-thin edges, that had been cut in half and attached to a five-and-a-half-foot long staff.

The blades were attached to the staff on opposite ends and sides. This was done to balance Kyrie's weapon and so it looked identical when he spun it 180 degrees. There was a large enough gap in between the blades for Kyrie to comfortably grab his weapon with his scarred hands. This gap caused the blades of his weapon to extend half a foot past each end of the staff. The straight edges of the blades were in line with the far side of the staff so the ends of it hid in the blades. Each blade had a gap between the staff and the blade, so Kyrie could hold his weapon like a quarterstaff.

"Be careful it's really heavy," Kyrie warned as he easily handed his weapon to the much larger and stronger looking Raven Clof.

A thud echoed through the arena as Kyrie watched with concern when one side of his baby sank into the arena floor.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting it to be that heavy…" said a very embarrassed Raven Clof.

This happened every time Kyrie let someone hold his weapon. No matter how much he warned the other person his baby always ended up falling to the floor.

"I… should really stop letting other people hold her," Kyrie said as he pulled his baby free of the floor, spun her around, and examined the blade that had gone into the ground. Damn, she's a bit chipped.

He'd already begun feeding her some of his aura. His weapon was specially made with a mix of enchantments and runes, placed on a composite of rare magic metals. All of those things allowed Kyrie to feed her his aura and help her recover from the damage she received.

"Oh, what's her name?" Raven Clof asked.

Kyrie looked off to the side as he mumbled, "Taru."

"That's a very pretty name."

"Uh… Thanks?" Kyrie said. Raven Clof hadn't recognized her name that was good.

"If you'd be so kind as to wait, let's have Caleb come down and help with your demonstration."

Caleb was both happy to hear he would be helping in Kyrie's demonstration and not happy about it. The dude had pissed him off by showing him up earlier, but Kyrie was also freakin epic ranked. And getting into a fight with someone that strong did not seem wise. Even if it was a chance to show them up.

Caleb glared at Kyrie as he made his way to the arena floor. Then glanced warily at Raven Clof as he took off one of his black, leather, fingerless gloves and placed his hand on the tablet.

[ Caleb Slayder

Aura: 225

Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior

Age: 17 / Rank: F

Ability: Physical Enhancement ]

After updating his ID, Caleb took off his sturdy black boots and his other glove, so they could be examined. Each piece of Caleb's equipment was well cared for and treasured by him.

Caleb put his equipment on as Raven Clof said, "Caleb, I would appreciate it if you would demonstrate some of your attacks on Kyrie."

"Sure," Caleb said as he settled into an attack stance. He was ready to throw a test punch at Kyrie.

Kyrie carefully and easily slipped his weapon into the ground. He did it safely by reinforcing Taru with his aura. Then he took a defensive stance ready for an attack from Caleb.

Caleb took a deep breath. He channeled his ability to help strengthen and speed up his body. Then he threw a perfect full-strength punch at Kyrie's left shoulder.

Yet, Kyrie stood there as if nothing had happened.

And Caleb's punch would have sent most people flying back several feet. If their aura was weaker than normal, they would've had a broken collarbone or worse.

"That was a good punch," Kyrie said.

"Fuck! I'm trying again." This time Caleb sent a kick at Kyrie's waist. Again, nothing happened. It was as if Caleb was performing a staged fight with a partner who'd frozen under the pressure.

Caleb tried several more attacks in quick succession. Until finally Kyrie blocked a punch from Caleb and skidded back several feet.

"Yes!" Caleb shouted.

"I think we should stop here," Kyrie was suddenly breathing a bit heavily.

"What? But I finally landed a proper hit!" Caleb exclaimed.

"I need to expend some energy first. And I don't feel like taking hits from you without using my ability." Kyrie shuddered. Even with his aura, taking a hit from Caleb would not be fun.

"Ah. Are you alright with expending some energy here? Or do you want to go to a more secure place?" Raven Clof was torn between concern for his students and his curiosity at just how much this young man was capable of.

Kyrie grimaced. "A secure place might be safer." He would have preferred to expand his aura here, under the open sky, but there were too many people around to risk it.

While Kyrie quickly left the arena, headed to one of the more recently remodeled buildings on campus, Caleb returned to the stands and he gave Jasper an, I'm watching you, sign.