"The Spell Caster Competition for Dummies?" Alex threw the book back on the desk staring angrily at her older brother. Justin held her gaze, a mischievous smirk on his face.

"And what's so funny?" she snapped. Alex was obviously offended. He had expected as much.

"Look, Alex, it was the only thing I could find with lessons easy enough and fast enough to teach you everything you need to know within two days."

"Why couldn't we just use one of your study manuals?" asked Alex.

Justin snorted. "Please, like you could actually understand any of my manuals."

"Excuse me, but I think your being unfair. You're assuming that I wouldn't be able to understand the material. You haven't even given me a chance."

"And waste our two days? Don't think so."

Alex's face reddened, and Justin wondered if perhaps he might have gone a bit too far with his domineering comments. He sobered up and took on a more serious countenance.

"Look, Alex, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. But I honestly do not think that you can learn everything my books have to offer in two days!"

"Well, I think you should give us a chance to find out. Don't you?"

"Alex, do realize how serious this is? You're on the brink of loosing your powers and you're more concerned about proving yourself to someone."

"Not just anyone. You Justin."

"What?"

"That's right, you!" Justin stared awkwardly at Alex as she strode casually from behind the desk over to where he stood.

"You see, I know what you're thinking."

"What's that?" asked Justin nervously; like a boy caught in the middle of doing something he knew he shouldn't be doing.

"You think that this whole thing is pointless. Not that I don't like this anymore than you do, but you see this whole situation for me as a lost cause." She sounded like an attorney preparing to throw one on his/her opponent. "You're thinking that one of two things is gonna happen. Either you're going to beat me in the Spell Caster Competition and I'm gonna loose my powers, or you're gonna beat me in the final, Full Wizard Competition and I'm gonna loose my powers; one of the two; most likely the first. Am I right?"

Justin didn't answer. He held his sister probing stare, wondering if this was finally the challenge he had been waiting for. Was this the real, competitive wizard in Alex that Justin had always wanted? Not that they weren't competitive already when it came to things other than magic.

Alex had never seemed to care whether or not she would win the Full Wizard Competition. She seemed to always care only about the "here-and-now"; having her powers "here-and-now." But suddenly faced with the crisis of looses her powers forever on more than one front, the "get-serious-about-magic" part of Alex was starting to shine through, coming out of its hidden shell at full force.

Alex continued. "Therefore, you think there's no use in even having these sessions because you think that I'm gonna loose my powers one way or the other."

There was a few moments silence before she continued. "Well, let me tell you something Justin. I'm the challenge that you never saw coming." And in all honesty, he hadn't. He had only hoped. "I'm ready to take on anything you're willing to throw at me," continue Alex. Then she looked at the book lying on the desk that Justin had purchased for her. "Anything but that."

Justin liked this. This was the Alex he had been waiting to see. It would make his victory all the more glorious. The thought of being forced into a position of actually having to try to win the competition excited him. This would mean an even more grand display of his magical skills. That was, if Alex was actually serious about taking on his advanced study material.

"So, you think you're up to the challenge?" asked Justin, walking over to one of the many bookshelves in The Lair and inspecting the book spines for titles.

"I know I'm up for the challenge." Justin smiled as he removed two enormous volumes from the shelf and slammed them down on the desk behind Alex. She turned around, startled by the sudden bang!

"Well then," said Justin, leaning over the two books. "We had better get down to business." He opened the first book. The dry, leather spine cracked as Justin flipped through the pages of the ancient book. Alex walked over and stood beside him.

"You think you've got the competition all wrapped up Justin, but I'm here to prove you wrong. You're not the only Russo who knows how to put his magic where his mouth is…or her."

Justin raised an eyebrow. What on earth had sparked such a determined spirit within his sister so suddenly? She had always been stubborn, but rarely (if at all) "determined." The tone of her voice screamed "confidence." Her eyes flashed with an eagerness to devour magical knowledge. Even before Justin could begin an introduction into the lesson, her eyes were scanning the pages, taking in the vast labyrinth of spells, symbols and strange phrases that she had never seen or heard.

"Getting ahead of the teacher, aren't we?" asked Justin. Alex replied without even looking up from book.

"If I'm going to win this thing, I'm gonna have to stay one step of ahead of the competition." She turned to Justin. "That means even if the competition is my tutor."

Justin chuckled arrogantly as he removed his wand from his back pocket. "You can take as many steps as you want Alex. Run even if you'd like." He flicked the wand in the air. The point flashed with a brilliant, blue intensity. There was a crack of ominous thunder and lightning seemed to flash around them. "But you can never take down the masters."

Alex held her brothers gaze. Her lips formed an impish smile. Justin had seen this look before; that unnerving grin that was meant to say…

"Well see Justin. We'll see."