Chapter 125 - Energetic

I would learned this later on, but apparently the lightning strike is considered a rite of passage for anyone who practices any formula originating from the Storming Pavilion. I was told that this is to, and I quote, "help the practioner understand the true power of the great spears of heaven" and "weed out those unworthy of its power", but I'm more inclined to believe that the sect did this as a type of joke.

I'm not sure the best way to describe what it was like to be struck by lightning, let alone magically induced lighting, but all I can say is: ouch.

As I laid there looking at the now clear night sky, I couldn't help but notice Voxea slowly floating over with worry on her face.

"Are you...okay? I guess...those...guys... weren't lying...about...the lightning...", Voxea asked me in a weirdly slow manner.

"I'm totally fine Voxea, but I have several choice words for you. Also, why are you talking and moving so slowly. Actually, why does the world seem slower than normal?", I asked her.

"I'm not... you're...just...under...the effects...of...the mantra", she replied with an incredibly slow laugh, "on...the...plus...side, you'll...learn...faster...for...a bit. So... let's...get...cramming".

"Yay", I said in a deflated tone.

(Outsider's perspective: remove Voxea's"..." and all the spaces from Silvia).

What followed was the oddest educational session in my life so far. Voxea began to cram everything from more magical knowledge to more general things such as etiquette and "science". Everything was so slow yet made a lot of sense. I had such a weirdly voracious appetite to learn that was so oddly intoxicating, that I didn't even notice the rising sun until Voxea pointed it out and my brain started to slow back down.

I didn't feel the least bit tired despite being up quite literally all night. She had mentioned this was yet another side effect of the mantra, something about it "energizing my entire being or something". Either way, I had to get back to my dorm and prep for the day.

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"We still have a bit of time before classes begin, shall we wake the other two and get breakfast?", I suggested to Savina with a semi-supressed smile on my face. It's one thing staying up all night, it's quite another to be wide awake due to magical lightning pumping through your veins.

"I think they have a different morning class time than us, but we might as well check", Savina said in agreement. With that said, the two of us proceeded to wake up the other two and began to head towards the cafeteria to enjoy a nice, quiet, hearty breakfast.

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"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE YOU READY FOR A BINDER DUEL?!", a loud mouthed binder shouted, using a majimonster called a Decibull to help amplify his voice.

"WOOOOOOOO"!

"GO FOR IT, MOURGA"!

"SHOW THAT FRONTIER GIRL WHO'S BOSS"!

Or you know, I get roped into a binder duel because of some big-headed sycophant wanting to suck up to my "beloved" cousin.

To make a long story short, as my friends and I were enjoying breakfast, where I discovered what an omelett is and it is now my favorite thing to eat, this random guy strolled up to our table and loudly challenged me to a duel. I was about to refuse and go back to eating my food, up until he decided to stomp into my food in order to throw a white glove at me. He then began to prattle on about something about how he was "Mourga of the Buzzing Mountain Clan" and that he must "put me in my place for besmirching Diamonda's honor" or something to that effect. However, I was rather miffed at him stomping on my breakfast.

In a moment of controlled outrage, I calmly stood up, tried on the glove as Voxea instructed, and then backhand slapped him with it while declaring, "Bring it on you overgrown rhino beetle".

As a result, I was now standing in the academy's official dueling arena whilst staring down this ape of a man with unsually beady eyes. I was going to enjoy smashing this fool into the ground.

"Challengers, before we begin, what is the nature of the wager"?