“A bit late, don’t ya think?” Varagas joked. Sephith laughed along with him, and I joined in. But inside, I was anxious to summon mana.

“Okay, students,” Sensei Sephith spoke, “let’s begin.” He beckoned me; I walked to him. “To summon mana, you must be able to control it. Mana is in one’s blood.” Sephith drew his pignard and swiftly lashed his ungloved right hand three times. Blood began to drip. “Thus,” his voice took on a slightly more mischievous, snake-like tone, “to control and summon mana,” he moved his hands in a simple technique, and they shone in furious, blood-red flames, “you must be able to control and summon your blood!” We looked at our anomalied teacher, then back at eachother. We were terrified.

This is gonna be one hell of a year.