3 days until the solar eclipse.
Meaning Saito had 3 days to make his choice. Would he stay or would he go? Mikoto honestly couldn't say. Saito had wanted to go home more than anything, but that was before he'd made attachments in this world. If he left then he wouldn't even be able to keep in contact, let alone see them ever again.
Unless of course Louise mastered her magic and got curious about their world. But who knows how long that could take, and even if she did make it to their world she'd undoubtedly be arrested within the first 10 minutes. Mistaken for an Esper and killed if she used magic. Louise would need someone to help her in their world but she couldn't go for obvious reasons so Louise was safer staying here.
Right now though she had other things to worry about. Like getting back in shape. Ever since she'd arrived in this world she hadn't been in a serious fight, and if she was going to be fighting Meltdowner she needed to stop lazing around.
Which was why she was currently running around the circumference of the academy wall. Tabitha was in class and Sylphid was lying against the main tower, watching as she ran past.
After 50 laps she stopped and began her full workout.
Push ups, sit ups, crunches, burpees, plank, lunges, etc.
She could still remember her personal training plan from Tokiwadai. Following them had been mandatory and a many a student had been punished for not completing theirs. Even Shokuhou did her's without complaint, though Mikoto knew it was only to maintain her figure and not actually get fit. Which was why she never participated in school sports or anything physical.
She on the other hand was a fitness freak. Every time the routines had become too easy she'd ask for a new training program, get assessed and was given a new one by the end of the day. Her personal trainer had loved her.
It was a shame she didn't have access to a gym or weights, they would've helped immensely. Maybe she could ask Osmond about that later.
After an hour and a half she was finished and walked towards the tap attached to the side of the main building. She'd known about it for a while, apparently it was for familiar's to drink from but it served her needs just fine.
It was strange though, she though glancing at the symbol on her hand. She could feel the magic inside her body, the foreign energy moving around her system, yet she was still alive. Leivinia Birdway had explicitly warned her that if an Esper used magic their blood vessels would burst and they would die. Something to think about later she supposed, now though she was in dire need of a shower and something to eat.
Mikoto looked up from her library book about mage elements as Tabitha approached.
"School meeting at 8:30," she said coming to sit next to her against Sylphid.
Mikoto nodded, "Do you want me there?"
Tabitha nodded.
"How was class?"
Tabitha's didn't respond, an answer in itself. Mikoto knew Tabitha needed to get stronger, if she didn't she could very well lose her life. Unfortunately she'd hit a wall every advance student in ordinary classes hit. Tabitha was a triangle class mage, but the teachers could not teach triangle class spells when the average student was not capable of performing them. Even though Tabitha had been moved up 2 years, the standard still wasn't high enough. They needed something like a club or advanced lessons after normal school hours. Something else to bring up with headmaster Osmond.
Regardless she'd help Tabitha anyway she could, starting with something she'd been wondering about for quite a while.
"Do you actually need a staff to cast magic?"
Tabitha tilted her head slightly.
"I don't see why you would need one. I can understand using it as a medium, but I don't see why your magic would require something like that."
She understood why Shokuhou needed a medium for her ability, but these mages didn't have such a complex and delicate power. They literally combined wind, water, fire and earth to create new elements. It wasn't complicated. Theoretically there was no need for them to use a medium and yet...
"You think I could use magic without my staff?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Mediums are used to aide the wielder utilise their ability, without one some people can not use their power to its full potential. That's usually because their ability is either incredibly complex, extremely delicate or exceedingly powerful. Your branch of magic is not complex or delicate, and focuses more on versatility than actual power. Using a staff or wand is good when starting out, they help you cast spells, get a feel for your magic, help you channel it, etc. But as you grow these things become second nature, so theoretically there's really no need for you to continue using one."
Tabitha was silent for a long while staring blankly at the pages in her book.
"I'd like to try."
They moved to a disused classroom inside the main tower, ensuring no distractions or outside interference.
Gently placing her book on the table with it's cover open, she turned to Tabitha who had leant her staff against the wall.
"Right with things like this it's best to start simple, for you that means a basic wind spell, something you can easily cast with your staff. Your objective is to blow over the pages of this book."
Tabitha nodded and stepped up to the table. Mikoto watched silently from behind as Tabitha raised her hand.
"Breeze."
The pages fluttered but didn't turn.
Mikoto smiled regardless, "Congratulations, you just cast wandless magic."
Tabitha stared at the book for a long moment before slowly turning towards her and gently hugging her.
"Thank you."
Mikoto returned the hug, normally she didn't like being touched but Tabitha was one of the very few exceptions she'd allow, "You're welcome, though I didn't really do anything."
In reality she felt rather touched. She knew quite a bit about abilities and how important belief was when using them. This society wholeheartedly believed they needed a wand to cast magic and Tabitha was no exception. The fact the spell had somewhat worked spoke volumes of Tabitha's belief in her.
"Now you just need to practice."
Tabitha nodded and returned to casting wandless magic.
Mikoto watched quietly as time and time again the pages fluttered, and Tabitha was got closer and closer to properly casting the spell. The more the spell half worked the more her belief in needing a staff shattered.
Eventually she should be able to cast wandless magic no problem.
Speaking of magic, she focused on the foreign energy in her body, directing it towards her left hand. She could feel it almost begging to be used and held her palm face up.
Her eyes widened as a tiny flame flickered milometers above her palm.
A chill ran down her spine but she couldn't turn away. Swallowing she slowly added magic to the tiny flame, steadily increasing it's size.
It was about the size of a golf ball when the blood vessels in her hand burst.
Seems Birdway was right after all.
Her hand was quickly turning a dark purple and was bleeding in multiple places. She couldn't help but sigh realising this was going to result in another trip to the infirmary.
"Tabitha."
Tabitha turned, her eyes immediately focusing on her bruised, bleeding hand.
"What happened!" she demanded.
"Well Birdway was half right. It is possible for Espers to use magic but they can't make it strong enough to be useful without injury."
Tabitha frowned her eyebrows furrowing in concern.
"Infirmary."
"Yep," grimaced Mikoto as Tabitha grabbed her uninjured hand and began leading her out the room.
"Are we not taking your staff?"
Tabitha hesitated for a moment but didn't turn around, if anything they were walking slightly faster.
"Oh not you again," groaned Jane as they walked into the infirmary.
"Yeah I know how you feel," sighed Mikoto raising her injured hand.
"What in the name of Brimir did you do?!" she gasped horrified.
"I was practising magic but the blood vessels in my hand burst."
Jane just stared, "Magic does not cause blood vessels to burst."
"It does to me."
"Brimir give me strength," she muttered before waiving her wand, "Water ball."
A ball of water materialised out of thin air encasing Mikoto's hand and cleaning it of blood.
"I thought you were a commoner?" asked Jane obviously curious.
"I'm an Esper."
Jane just shook her head, "Well since you're not a noble I can't administer an elixir, even if I believe you did this practising magic. I'll have to bandage it and wait for it to heal on it's own."
"That's fine."
Honestly she'd rather take the couple weeks it would take to heal naturally than ingest an unknown substance.
It took 10 minutes but her hand was stitched and bandaged and she was allowed to leave providing she returned in a week for a check up.
Tabitha had promised they'd be there and Mikoto couldn't refuse Tabitha.
"What's this meeting about anyway?" asked Mikoto as they entered the auditorium 5 minutes before the scheduled meeting.
"Don't know," said Tabitha, nose deep in her book.
"Tabitha, Mikoto," called Kirche waving them over.
"Hey Kirche, do you know what this meeting's about?"
"No clue," she replied, eyes catching sight of her bandaged hand, "What happened to your hand?"
"I was practising magic and my blood vessels exploded."
"You can use magic?!" she gasped before her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Wait magic doesn't cause blood vessels to explode."
"So I've been told."
"Hey guys any idea what this meeting's about?" asked Guiche approaching with Montmorancy.
"No," said Kirche.
"Mikoto what happened to your hand?!"
Mikoto glanced at him but otherwise ignored the question, she was tired of repeating herself. Luckily for him Kirche filled him in and he repeated pretty much the same thing Kirche just said.
"Ladies and gentlemen if I may have your attention," called Headmaster Osmond from the stage, the room immediately fell silent. "It is with great regret that I inform you classes are suspended until further notice, for Albion has declared war on Tristain."