143 Clueless Ash

Jayde was quite happy once class was dismissed, and she quickly made her way to her formation class with Raven, Camelia, and Atia. Jayde found the three girls waiting for her outside the classroom. Raven was filled with curiosity where Jayde had disappeared to during defense and offense magic practice.

Jayde had realized that everyone would be curious about her disappearance, although she liked Raven, Ash and Nora, she didn't trust them — not yet, and especially not the four newcomers to their group. She had found it suspicious that all of them had followed her after the lecture from Professor Chalinus Floren.

She would not be able to hide the fact that she would be practicing every day with Master Citro, but right now she wanted to wait and see and test these young teenagers before letting any of these people get too close to her.

"Elder Citro offered to take me on as a disciple," Jayde said casually.

"Really, wow that is great," Raven said slightly envious that Jayde has already gained a mentor. Everyone knew that having a mentor greatly increased your training, and disciples were often given greater privileges and resources than normal students. Being taken under the door of one of the teachers, especially an elder like Elder Citro would bring great benefits to Jayde.

"Hmm, well he knew my father," Jayde said.

She was hoping that by using the excuse that Elder Citro had taken her on due to a family connection would waylay any suspicions. Jayde was really grateful for Master Citro taken her on as a disciple as she had been racking her brains on how to hide her power from the rest of the students during practice.

She knew that Raven, Nova, and Ash had noticed that she was powerful, but she didn't think they had picked up just how much more powerful she was compared to them, as she had never used her full strength when fighting on the mountain path.

"Oh, so that's the reason," Raven said, "Still I heard Elder Citro is really knowledgeable so you are lucky to be taken under his door."

Smiling slightly, Jayde shrugged. "Yes, I know. I will try my best not to disappoint him."

Some students had been standing close by and had overheard the conversation between Raven and Jayde. Since most of the students had noticed Jayde leaving the practice field, it had generated quite a bit of interest.

By that evening it had spread through the first years that Jayde was Elder Citro disciple and that she had gained the position through family connections. While many of the students were envious, knowing that Jayde had only gained the position through family connections made them disdainful of her as well, and with that most lost interest in her.

When Elder Citro overheard these student badmouthing his precious disciple he was furious, but he quickly realized that Jayde must have started the rumor about her gaining his attention due to him knowing her father. Although angry and wanting to jump to his disciple's defense he was also proud of his young disciple quick mind, and that she was willing to be looked down upon to hide her talent.

As far as he was concerned that just went to show that he had the best disciple in Doha. Very few students would be willing to live with the contempt of having gained a position due to family connections, even though it was such a common practice in the Lower Realm.

Formation magic was a branch of rune magic, by placing different rune and crystal you could set up wards, shields, create traps and illusions. It was being trapped in the illusion during the assessment that had made Jayde interested in the study of formation magic. She never wanted to fall into such a trap again and Jayde was a firm believer that in only understanding something could one avoid or protect oneself.

Jayde was disappointed though that her teacher Sor Angelus Sura did not explain any of the runes, his class was based on learning the formation only. Thank the gods, I took rune magic, Jayde thought at least this way she had a much better understanding of what Sor Sura was lecturing about.

Ever since Sora Trifer had mentioned creating your own spells, Jayde had been filled with excitement. Now listening to Sor Sura drone on, Jayde realized just how powerful a mage could be if they could create their own spells.

The biggest weakness she noticed is that with each spell or formation that she learned, was that other mages could learn how to undo them quickly, so learning all these formation would only be useful if the mage you were trying to trap didn't know the formation, if he did then you would have just wasted your time, crystals and Qi setting up the trap.

While Jayde didn't have the knowledge yet to create her own spells and formations, she was determined that she was going to tweak these formations and spells to create her very own version. But she also now understood why the Mages Guild was adamant about not allowing mages to create their own spells. It would be really difficult to control or overpower a mage if you couldn't break through his or her defenses.

As Jayde pondered over the possibilities, she wondered why the noble families and clans had allowed the Mages Guild to gain control over Rune Magic practitioners, it made no sense giving up such a resource. I wonder if they have hidden away some of these masters, she thought, I would have.

Jayde final class for the day was Pill and Potion Refinement, she had been looking forward to this class the whole day.After bidding Raven, Camelia, and Atia farewell, Jayde made her way to the west wing.

Walking into the classroom Jayde had a look around. The classroom was quite large. Like all the classrooms there was a black slate board embedded into the wall. In the corner near the board was the teacher's desk with a large cupboard.

A couple of feet away from the black slate board were eight desks, four desks in a row. In the back of the classroom were eight cauldrons setup on one side with small tables next to each cauldron for the students to work at, on the other side of the room there were eight furnaces also with small tables next to each.

There were multiple glass flasks, tubes, knives, bowls, and plates as well as a mortar and pestle on top of each of the tables. Feeling a tingle of excitement, Jayde couldn't wait to get started.

Since Pill and Potion Refinement was the most difficult class, even though alchemists were the most sought out, there were only five students including Jayde. There was only one other female student besides Jayde, by she was currently chatting with the two boys, she kept on trying to gain Ash's attention but he ignored her.

When Ask saw Jayde walk into the class he quickly got up and walked over to greet, quite relieved to finally have an excuse to get away from that chatterbox.

"Jayde you finally here," he said with relief.

Jayde eyes widen slightly at Ash's unusual behavior, Ash had struck Jayde as pretty indifferent to everyone around him besides his twin.

Ash grabbed Jayde's arm and pulled her to sit in the opposite corner from the girl and the two boys, leaning closer to Jayde he whispered.

"Shit, that woman just wouldn't shut up."

Smiling slightly and happy to realize that Ash had a reason for his weird behavior, Jayde looked over at the small group, only to meet the hostile glare from the young woman. Ah seems like someone doesn't like having another female competitor in her class, Jayde thought amused at the childish behavior.

Feeling playful Jayde leaned closer to Ash and whispered. "Don't worry I will protect your chastity."

"W..w-hat?" Ash stammered, a faint red blush creepy over his cheeks.

"Well, surely you picked up that she likes you?" Jayde teased.

Ash's head whipped around as he looked at the young girl, who was still staring daggers at Jayde, thank the gods' looks can't kill, else Jayde would already be six feet under.

The young girl seeing that Ash was looking in her direction, blushed slightly, looking down demurely she then stole a look at Ash, but to her dismay, she found that he had already turned back to Jayde.

"Don't give me a heart attack like that," Ash said crossly, he had mistaken her venomous look for him and not Jayde.

Chuckling Jayde said, "That look was for me, idiot."

Scratching his head, and his eyebrows furrowed Ash asked, "Huh you know her, what did you do to her."

Jayde couldn't help letting out a small laugh at how clueless Ash was, "Geez Ash, I don't know her at all, she is glaring at me like that because of you."

"..."

Ash decided to drop the subject, females were scary and they made no sense as far as he was concerned.

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