Three days had passed since the revelation in the training courtyard, and Princess Roxene had wasted no time in putting her new partnership to use. She'd arranged for a private study session in her personal research chamber—a room most of the castle's inhabitants didn't even know existed.
The chamber was a fascinating blend of academic rigor and magical experimentation. Shelves lined every wall, filled with books on theoretical magic, preserved specimens in glass jars, and an array of elemental stones that made Astra's collection look modest by comparison. Complex diagrams covered multiple blackboards, showing magical formulas and theoretical frameworks that would have made academy professors weep with envy.
"Remarkable," Roxene murmured, examining Astra's arm under a magical magnifying lens. The dark corruption had faded to faint gray traces that followed the patterns of his blood vessels. "The integration is far more sophisticated than I anticipated."
Astra sat patiently while she conducted her examination, occasionally flexing his fingers at her request. His water magic had returned, but it felt different now—muted, as though filtered through layers of shadow.
"You said you developed fungal manipulation as an awakening of your water magic," Roxene continued, making notes in a leather-bound journal. "But this level of symbiosis suggests years of dedicated research. Most water users never awaken at all, let alone achieve such sophisticated applications."
"That's because most water users think small," Astra replied, rolling his sleeve back down. "They see water magic as gentle, nurturing. Good for healing, growing crops, putting out fires. They never consider the potential for cultivation of more... specialized organisms."
Roxene's pen paused mid-sentence. "Cultivation?"
"I'm a mushroom farmer, Your Highness. Or I was, before my guard service." Astra's expression grew thoughtful, almost nostalgic. "Started when I was twelve, helping my grandmother tend her mushroom caves. She taught me that fungi aren't just plants—they're decomposers, recyclers, transformers. They break down death and create life from decay."
"Fascinating." Roxene set down her pen entirely, giving him her full attention. "Most people find fungi... distasteful. Certainly not the foundation for a magical specialty."
"Most people don't understand what they're capable of." Astra's voice carried quiet passion. "Fungi can survive in conditions that would kill any other organism. They can break down toxins, process nutrients, even communicate through vast underground networks. When I discovered I could control their growth patterns with my water magic..."
He paused, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Well, let's just say mushroom farming became far more profitable."
Roxene leaned forward, her dark eyes bright with interest. "You turned a delicate nurturing ability into a weapon system. The applications are brilliant—organic armor, living weapons, tactical spore deployment. How long did it take you to develop the scythe configuration?"
"Three years of trial and error," Astra admitted. "The hardest part wasn't growing them—it was teaching them to harden on command while maintaining flexibility at the joints. Traditional weapons break. Living weapons adapt."
"And the spores?"
"Different varieties for different purposes. Sleep spores, irritant spores, tracking spores that allow me to follow targets for days." Astra's tone was matter-of-fact, but Roxene caught the pride underneath. "Each strain required months of selective breeding and magical conditioning."
"Selective breeding." Roxene's voice carried genuine admiration. "You weren't just practicing magic—you were conducting biological research. Hybridization experiments that would make the Royal Agricultural Institute envious."
She stood and began pacing, her mind clearly racing. "This is exactly what I mean about the limitations of traditional magical education. They teach you to channel elements, but never to truly understand them. You went deeper—you studied the organisms themselves, learned their biology, then used magic to enhance their natural capabilities."
"It started as necessity," Astra said quietly. "Mushroom farming doesn't pay well. But combat applications... those have a much higher market value."
"Of course they do." Roxene's laugh held a note of dark amusement. "Though I suspect your true motivation went deeper than profit. You enjoyed the challenge, didn't you? The puzzle of making something traditionally gentle into something formidable?"
Astra met her gaze steadily. "I did. There's something satisfying about exceeding expectations. About proving that power comes from understanding, not just raw magical capacity."
"Yes," Roxene said softly, and for a moment her composed mask slipped entirely. "That's exactly it. People see my dark magic and assume I'm cursed, dangerous, uncontrolled. They never consider that I might have spent years learning to harness it precisely because it's so powerful."
She moved to one of her blackboards, gesturing to a complex diagram showing magical interference patterns. "Your fungal awakening proves my theory about awakened abilities. They're not random mutations—they're the result of deep understanding combined with dedicated practice. Most mages never achieve awakening because they lack either the intellect or the patience to truly master their element."
"And sometimes," she added quietly, "awakening brings abilities that society would rather not acknowledge. My awakened power allows me to seal abstract concepts—emotions, memories, even magical bonds themselves. Try explaining that to the Magical Consortium without being branded a threat to public order."
"Your dark magic research," Astra said carefully. "How far have you progressed beyond basic suppression?"
Roxene's smile turned predatory. "Far enough to know that everything written about dark magic is incomplete. The academic texts treat it as pure destruction, but that's only the most basic application. With proper control, it becomes something far more sophisticated."
She raised her hand, and shadows gathered around her fingers like living silk. "Selective suppression. Targeted nullification. I can shut down specific magical processes while leaving others untouched. Eventually, I believe I'll be able to create temporary magical bindings—sealing abilities until I choose to release them."
"Magical sealing?" Astra's eyebrows rose. "That would be..."
"Revolutionary, yes. Imagine being able to temporarily disable an enemy's magic without permanent harm. Or creating magical restraints that adapt to whatever power they're trying to contain." Roxene's enthusiasm was infectious, her eyes bright with the thrill of discovery. "The applications for both combat and research would be limitless."
"And that's what you're planning to study during this vacation?"
"Partly." Roxene returned to her seat, her expression growing more serious. "There's a location—an ancient ruin where dark magic users once practiced openly. The site has been abandoned for centuries, but the magical resonance remains. I believe studying the environment there will help me understand the full scope of what's possible."
She paused, studying his face. "Of course, such a journey would be dangerous. The ruins are located in territory that's... contested. Bandits, magical creatures, and worse. I'll need protection from someone who understands both combat applications and magical research."
"Someone whose abilities complement yours," Astra said thoughtfully.
"Precisely. Your fungal network could provide early warning systems, environmental control, even emergency healing applications. Combined with my suppression abilities, we'd be remarkably well-equipped to handle whatever we encounter."
Astra was quiet for a long moment, considering the implications. She's being remarkably open about her forbidden abilities, he thought. I wonder what she'd think if she knew mine extends beyond just growing fungi. That I can ferment corpses into life potions—turning death into literal vitality. The Consortium would have me executed as a necromancer if they ever discovered that particular application.
Finally, he spoke. "Your Highness, may I ask why you're trusting me with this information? We've known each other for less than a week."
Roxene's smile was sharp and genuine. "Because you're the first person who's looked at my power and seen potential instead of threat. Because your own magical development proves you understand the value of unconventional research. And because..."
She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "Because you're not afraid of being dangerous. Most people apologize for their power, minimize it, pretend it's less than it is. You've weaponized delicate nurturing magic and turned it into something formidable. That takes a particular kind of mind—one that appreciates effectiveness over acceptability."
"You think I'm like you," Astra said. It wasn't quite a question.
"I think we're both researchers whose awakenings led us into territories others find... uncomfortable." Roxene sat back, her expression returning to its usual composed mask. "The question is whether you're interested in pushing the boundaries of what's possible, or whether you prefer the safety of conventional thinking."
Astra looked around the research chamber, taking in the evidence of years of dedicated study, the careful documentation of experiments most people would consider forbidden. Then he looked at Princess Roxene—brilliant, dangerous, offering him a partnership that could advance both their understanding and their power.
"When do we leave for these ruins, Your Highness?"
Roxene's smile was radiant and terrifying in equal measure. "Three days from now. I've already made the arrangements."
As if she'd never doubted his answer for a moment.