12 Piqued (1/2)

Everyone continued their individual workouts until eventually, they all finished their assigned tasks. Once finished I gathered them together for their next workout. I rubbed my hands together readily and said.

”Ok, that was a great warmup, now we can actually get started.” They all looked at me with loathing and sighed audibly.

I grinned with satisfaction. ”Now, now, there's no need to thank me. Don't worry I'll whip you guys into fighting shape in no time, trust me.”

I pointed to Jake first, he looked around hoping I wasn't referring to him. He was disappointed to find I was.

”Jake, you're going to have the same exercise you just had, but it's going to be a little more intense.”

I direct him to the spot he was at previously, repeating the same cycle. After he was ready I cast [Taget Summon] but with a little modification. He starts quickly dispatching the hovering lights that appear around him, I explain while he works.

”The targets have a center now, so if you hit the center then the orb will disappear with the first shot. It takes two shots if you don't hit the center. As you continue the speed and amount of targets will increase, try to eliminate all of them.” He looks over at me slightly panicked.

”What if I don't get all of them?”

I gave him a small, but sinister smile. ”Then you'll start again until you do.”

Jake immediately starts to shout his oppositions and eventually hurls curses as the orbs increase in number, but I ignore him and continue to Joseph and Mathew.

”You two will be doing something slightly different then what you did previously.” I position them both in the same spots they were before and say.

”I want you two to work on your patience, you're too eager to fight. This can be a good thing, but I want you guys to be able to stay level headed in battle.” After stating that, I summon two targets directly in front of them saying.

”You see these will change green after a random amount of time, you just have to hit them when they turn green 20 times in succession. Sound alright?”

They both grin at me, Mathew speaks up. ”That sounds fine commander, my brother and I know of our downfall, we simply cannot help desiring the exhilaration that comes with competition. Isn't that correct brother?” He nods in agreement.

”Indeed, quite right brother. Come let us amend our shortcomings and better ourselves through our labor.”

This is the first time I've heard the two of them talk, and to be frank their demeanor surprises me. I assumed them to be more dimwitted, that's my fault for judging a book by its cover. I walk to Dontae allowing the duo to continue their endeavors without the scrutiny of my supervision.

As I approach Dontae he gives very little effort hiding his distaste, I ignore it and say. ”Next stage Dontae get ready.” He looks at me, then begrudgingly readies himself, I point above the fencepost where I placed the ring previously. I summon a target just above it and say.

”You see that target, I want you to mentally cast [Firebolt] as soon as you see it. It will only stay visible long enough to be hit with a mentally cast spell. You need to hit it 10 times, then it will start disappearing quicker, you need to hit the target 30 times in order for it to completely disappear.”

He looks at me in complete disbelief then says. ”You want me to learn mental casting? Just like that? You do realize that it takes great mages years just to cast a simple spell mentally?”

I look at him in annoyance before saying. ”There are three things keeping you from being able to cast mentally.”

”One: you're an idiot, Two: most of the stuff you've learned is wrong, and Three: you don't completely understand how casting works, so you won't be able to do it well until you learn.”

He's obviously internally conflicted from me saying that everything he's ever been taught is wrong, I quickly mend my misgivings with an explanation.