I channeled my magic into a spell and sent a red fireball shooting out across the water, the bright light reflecting off the water before detonating into a… fireball some fifty meters out.
Casting another spell, I sent it flying after the last one.
"What are you doing?" Alexis asked from over by the fire before she got up and walked up next to me, the water almost reaching her feet, but she stopped short of the lapping waves.
"Practice," I said and turned my head to look at her before I turned back and sent another fireball flying out towards the ocean to explode, "I have promised Alexstrasza to practice my spellcasting when I can. The more I do it, the better I get."
Alexis nodded and focused, her eyes taking on a red hue as she channeled mana, moving her arms before sending a fireball flying out towards the ocean.
"I didn't know you knew fireball."
She grinned, "I'm a bit short on red mana, but Rengosa taught it to me. May not use it much, but it's good to have the option to put things on fire at a distance if necessary."
"It has its uses," I admitted and then shook my head, turning towards her and laying down to bring my head more to her level, "But it's so difficult to use when there is a rush. Alexstrasza and Kalecgos are right though, I have to learn how to cast spells as easily as every other dragon. It's just…"
"Difficult."
"Yeah," I snorted as I dug my claws into the wet sand, "I just don't get it, what am I doing wrong!?"
Alexis frowned at me, "From what I can see, nothing."
I sighed and shifted my wings, "Yeah," I said and half closed my eyes, channeling Green magic down into the earth and the roots far below shifted and moved up through the ground to latch on around a nearby rock.
"That one I don't know," Alexis admitted as she turned to look, "Easier for you than the fireball or harder?"
"Bit easier," I admitted, "What are you getting at?"
Alexis shrugged and moved to lean her back against my side, crossing her arms, "Well, something Master Goldmane said in one of his lessons. Everybody is more aligned to some sorts of mana. I fit mostly White and some Blue, it's easier for me to use than the others and most spells I know are like that."
"I guess I noticed some of that," I admitted and turned my head to look at her, "So I should find those colours that match my personality and focus on those?"
"D'uh."
I snorted at her and shifted my wings, "Well… I like illusions. Those work best with Blue mana. I don't know a lot of White spells, but those that I do know, shields and such work decently."
Alexis nodded and looked at me, "If you like, I could teach you some of mine and we'll see how it works for you?" she offered.
"Thank you."
"Okay, let's give this a try," She said and pushed away from me, "Wanna start?"
I glanced up towards the stars before I looked at Alexis again. I knew what she was doing, she was trying to avoid going asleep.
"Sure," I answered with a nod, "So what do we do?"
Alexis smiled and rubbed her hands, "Let's try an aura. It's a small boost, but everything helps. Just takes a single White mana. Master Goldmane called it Ethereal Armor."
I blinked at her and nodded, "That sounds nice."
She grinned, "Figured you'd like that. Okay, it's done like this," she said and her eyes glowed a soft white and she spread her arms slightly and white light flickered over her, leaving what looked almost like plates of half see-through white armour covering her. Vambraces, chestplate, shoulderpads.
"What does it do?" I asked and poked her waist with a claw, passing straight through the ghostly armour.
"Despite the name," Alexis explained and waved one hand, "It doesn't actually form armor. It makes me a bit stronger and a bit tougher and makes it easier to react fast enough to things that happen."
"It increases your reflexes?" I asked and tilted my head as I studied her, wishing my armour had survived with its sensors and lenses.
"Some," Alexis agreed with a nod, "But most importantly… it adapts to other aura enchantments I use."
"Difference between an enchantment and an enchantment aura?"
"Enchantments are for things, enchantment auras are for beings, longer lasting than boosts, but not permanents" Alexis clarified, "And the more I have, on me or even on other people or summons, the stronger this thing becomes. This may technically be the strongest thing I have, but it takes way too long to put everything else up for it to be practical most of the time. But it is relatively easy to cast."
I nodded, "Okay, lets give it a try."
"Okay, so this is how you do it-"
The next half hour was spent going over the spell from front to back. Finally it was my turn to cast it and I channeled white mana into it, going over it slowly step by step before allowing the spell to settle over me.
When I opened my eyes, I looked around at myself.
See through armour seemed to cover me, somewhat like normal dragon armour, not my own full body special ones.
I bounced a bit on my claws, "...I feel a bit stronger," I admitted and spread my wings.
"That's what it does," Alexis agreed, "So how does it feel to cast?"
"Easier than the fireball," I admitted before I looked at her, "...Wait, why haven't we done this before?"
"Because we're both really busy," Alexis said and crossed her arms, "And… well… I don't know that many myself," she admitted.
I nodded, "Fair," I admitted, "I can teach you some of my stuff too, it would only be fair."
Alexis snorted and rolled her eyes, "Like I could even figure out how to use half your stuff, yet alone make it."
"...I know things that are not enchanting," I grumbled, "but what do we do when we run out of spells to learn? It's not easy to find any sort of spells, and figuring them out alone would take too long."
Alexis looked at me for a second before she stepped up to rap her knuckles against my skull, "Hello, anybody home?"
I blinked at her, "Wha-?"
Alexis looked at me and crossed her arms again, "Atregus, use your genius brain for anything but enchantment design for once. You're literally too smart to be this dumb. Think!"
I dug my claws into the wet sand and glowered at her for a second before I snorted and looked away for a second, thinking before I felt like smacking myself.
"I need a teacher," I finally said before I looked at her, "...We need a teacher. And Ajani is just too busy, isn't he?"
Alexis nodded, "Yeah. That's what I think too," she agreed before she smiled, "See? Using your brain only hurts for a second."
I growled at her and then bumped my head hard enough against her chest to cause her to fall on her arse onto the sand.
She laughed up at me, "Ow! Respect your elders. lizard!"
I blinked down at her, "Elders? I'm almost twice your age!"
"Oh you are not," Alexis said and climbed back onto her feet, "Maybe if you count years, but that's not the right way of doing it. In dragon years, you're what... like thirteen?"
I growled and did the mature thing. Which of course was pushing the laughing human right back down onto her arse.
