In A Noble Magic Academy, The Only Spell I Know Is Scan

"Venatio Lupum! Medeis Vestigo!"

A pack of spiritual wolves bit down on the barrage of spells being fired by Nasturtium. Spells of fire, ice and stone all broke apart in the wolves' jaws. The pack landed in front of Borage, all ready to defend their master. Nasturtium sat several feet away, spells ready at her side but not yet fired.

"I don't get it." Nasturtium sighed, "Projection magic is pretty difficult magic to manifest. And yet you can pull off multiple wolf projections at once like this. If you put real effort into it, you could probably become a good mage."

"Oh, is that true?" Borage grinned, "I didn't think the day would come where you'd pay me a compliment, Nasturtium."

"It's not a compliment." Nasturtium scoffed, "You're just too annoyingly positive. God, I don't know how you can be a magic user while this blindingly extroverted."

"Hyacinth's a magic user."

"She has talent."

"Wait, then what about you?"

Nasturtium scowled, "I...worked my brain off for all my best years. Enhancement magic to try and sharpen whatever senses were left for me. Searching for books about magic that some poor soul had so graciously translated to braille. Do you know how rare it is for elves to be born blind? There are literally no books by elves about magic in braille. I had to go to the humans for that."

"Yo same. High five."

"I swear to god Borage, I will freeze your nuts off."

"Sorry. I forgot you can't see my hand."

"...Whatever." Nasturtium muttered, "Let's just get this over with."

Nasturtium tapped her staff on the ground and out sent a wave of water several meters high over his entire pack.

"Do you think dogs can't swim?" Borage grinned and charged forward with his pack of wolves. One by one they plunged through the base of the wave, bursting through and looking more refreshed than damaged. Then Nasturtium froze the wave, leaving them stuck halfway through the now ice sculpture.

"Oh." Borage banged on the ice with his free hand, his sword arm stuck underneath the ice with the rest of his body, "Well that's inconvenient."

"I could kill you with ease, you know that right?"

"I don't know, I'm pretty sturdy."

"You may have more muscle than me but that won't stop a dozen icicles from piercing your organs."

"You think that hasn't happened to me before already?" Borage grinned, "Come on Nasturtium, you know me better than that."

"But it seems you don't know much about me."

"I mean, you usually keep to yourself."

"So you're saying it's my fault?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"...I guess that's fair..."

"I mean, if you can just kill me then why don't you?"

Nasturtium quickly looked away and cleared her throat before turning back, "Do you really think what you're doing is right Borage?"

"..."

"I'm not saying we, that is the king and the elves, are entirely innocent. Certainly we could've handled the changes better but is it really worth throwing a rebellion over?"

"What else do the common folk do in the face of tyranny?"

"I don't know, try talking?!"

"Have you tried listening? We haven't been quiet about it."

"Okay. Fine." Nasturtium sighed, "I can't make people listen. But if you just try, you might be able to convince the king to make some sort of change for you all. Maybe even some way for you to change back."

"Nasturtium." Borage said seriously, "You have a kind heart to try and convince me like this. But look, I've been speaking to people before I even ever became like this. I know more than anyone their thoughts. And let me tell you, it's come to the point where some of the dark elves don't even want to turn back. What they've gone through is enough to discard their elven identity. Do you understand that?"

"..."

"The dark elves are a new race now. There is pride in what we are now. And that pride will not be crushed anymore."

"...Is that what you think, Borage?"

"..."

"You were always good at parroting other people's words but what is it that you believe in?"

"...I don't know."

"Then why fight? Why raise your sword against your king?"

"...Do you think the others' reasons aren't sufficient?"

"Oh, they're sufficient. But they're not yours. Do you understand? Your happy-go-lucky attitude is your greatest flaw. If you can't fight for yourself, there is no chance of you beating me."

"..." Borage silently considered her words for a moment. As he face grew more conflicted, the big dark elf let out a roar and broke out of the ice, the wolves howling energetically as they disappeared. Falling back on the ground, Borage smashed through what remained of the ice wave and charged towards Nasturtium. Nasturtium, who saw the break out incoming, quickly flew backwards on a bit of wind magic before settling on the ground a good distance away from the incoming dark elf. With a wave of her staff, Nasturtium sent a line of earthen spires at Borage who smashed through them with a swing of his sword.

"It really is pointless to throw obstacles in your way isn't it?" Nasturtium sighed, "In that case..."

With a tap of her staff on the ground, the earth beneath Borage suddenly gave way as he fell down a deep pit that had suddenly appeared beneath him.

"But I know that one pit won't be the end of you." Nasturtium said as she walked up to the edge of the pit she created, "Perhaps I should fill it with water."

But as she drew close to it, a blur of a figure jumped out of the pit and high into the air. Borage raised his broadsword as he sat atop a giant wolf spirit,

"Venatio Lupum! Fragor Unguis!"

Nasturtium retreated once more as Borage's sword smashed into the ground where she was, the attack cracking the ground and throwing up chunks of earth.

"Venatio this, Lupum that." Nasturtium scowled, "Your fighting is as unrefined as you are."

As Nasturtium lowered herself back onto safe ground, she dragged the tip of her staff against the ground, drawing a line in the dirt that erupted into flames. The line of fire rose up as it turned into the shape of a dragon. Borage stared down the dragon with an excited sneer.

"Wolf versus dragon huh?" He said as the wolf dragged its paw across the ground in anticipation, "Alright then. In that case, we'll do it just like we practiced. Alright, Lupos?"

His wolf spirit barked in response.

"Then let's go!"

Charging forward on top of his wolf, Borage pulled his sword back in anticipation. Noting their approach, Nasturtium's flame dragon reared up to attack in response as the wolf jumped forward to attack it. Or so it seemed as Borage separated from the wolf in midair as the spirit curled up into almost a ball.

"Venatio Lupum. Ictus Dens!"

Turning to the flat side of his blade, Borage launched his wolf spirit past the flame dragon and directly at Nasturtium. The wolf met its mark, biting deep into Nasturtium's shoulder as it tumbled across the ground, pulling Nasturtium along and slamming her back onto the ground as it came to a stop. Nasturtium cried out in immense pain and released a large electric field, blasting the wolf with enough strength to dissipate it. Gasping on the ground for a few seconds, the blind elf slowly pushed herself back up even as her shoulder bled freely.

"Sorry." Borage said as he stood next to collapsing fire dragon he had beheaded, "I knew you could only sense movement when its on the ground so I came up with a little technique to take advantage of it."

"Your fighting instincts were always stupidly sharp." Nasturtium winced, "As expected from what people call the Dire Wolf."

"Wow, I haven't heard that nickname in a while. Have you finally grown some respect for me?"

"...Maybe just a little."

"Hm. But don't you have a nickname too? What was it? The Blind Peacock?"

"Don't you dare mention it!" Nasturtium snapped, "And if you're going to use it at least call me the Ghost Peacock!"

"I'm going to be honest, I never got why you were called a peacock."

"..."

Nasturtium sighed, "After I ran out of books, I had to bow my head to as many great magi that I could. And in the end...I became one of the king's royal guards."

"So good ending right?"

"...The path of my entire magical career was to help no one but myself. And the culmination of my efforts was this."

A small ghostly eye floated out from behind Nasturtium.

"Drone. Using this spell, I can 'see' to some extent. In the most general sense that is. Details still elude me. I still can't read and I can't even see what you look like. Just a smudge of gray that occasionally moves. It's a revolutionary magic that no one else needs. It's so incomplete that even I, as its creator, is more frustrated than proud."

"Okay...why are you called a peacock though?"

"...Because of this."

And without a word, dozens upon dozens of drones spread out from behind Nasturtium, fanning out and turning to look at Borage like the tail of a peacock. And each eye began to fire elemental magic at Borage.

Borage ducked and weaved, keeping his sword in front of him to block most of the attacks. Fire, wind, earth, ice, lightning, water, all the six elements were raining down on him without end. Borage knew she was an accomplished Senusacra as the humans called it but he's never seen Nasturtium go all out like this. Medeis Vestigo would only counter a small amount of this. He'd need a technique on a much grander scale to counter this. Did he have a technique like that?

"Ah hell." Borage grinned, "It's an occasion so why not go all out?"

He closed his eyes and imagined the forest clearing that he had been trained to go to. Where he first met Lupos. And there he was. In a pale green. His partner sitting next to him. And the dozens of eyes from his pack, staring at him from the shadows of the trees.

"Tonight's a treat, my friends." Borage scratched between Lupos' ears as he spoke to the pack, "It's an unorthodox prey but there should be plenty to eat tonight. So I offer you every part of me." Borage continued as the pack walked out from the shadows all around him, "Go all out. And eat. Just...leave my old friend for me."

And so the wolves descended on him, tearing his away at his soul and spirit with their teeth and claws. The pain Borage felt was immense as he felt himself convulsing. He dug his foot into the ground as he felt the tearing and rending spreading out from his body. Grinding and ringing his bones and flesh and cutting into his skin.

"Venatio...Lupum. Ferus Mundus Venari."

And the pack erupted from his body, a pack of ghostly wolves and bit down every spell in their way. Jumping and running about to bite down and destroy every magic, no matter what element it was. Nasturtium was caught completely off from all these new targets and quickly tried to increase her assault. When that didn't seem to work, she tried to turn her focus at the exhausted Borage who was just standing there catching his breath. But his wolves were damn near flawless at protecting him. Until Borage finally recovered his breath and pulled his sword that he had been using as a shield from the ground.

"Now...time to hunt a peacock."

Lupos walked up next to him and the two nodded at each other before rushing down at Nasturtium. The elven mage ground her teeth and focused her magic into one big spell. As her assault lessened, the rest of the wolf pack joined Borage as they ran down towards Nasturtium before lunging forward. One by one the wolves jumped up and bit down on one of Nasturtium's drones, destroying it and causing some recoil to its caster. Nasturtium pushed through the pain as she lost her eyes one by one. Even when she was blind once more, she could feel Borage bearing down on her. So she called upon the strongest spell she could conjure.

"LIGHT!"

The beam she fired was nothing close to the intensity of the king's spell. Really it was a poor imitation of the force she was only so vaguely familiar with. But it was enough to wipe out every wolf in the way and consume even Borage. Or so she thought. But Lupos had lent his body to throw Borage up into the air as he came soaring down in the air before crashing right into Nasturtium with the flat of his sword.

As the dust settled, a pair of moans signaled the two's survival. Pulling himself away from her, Borage collapsed on the ground in front of Nasturtium. And Nasturtium laid there in the crater they created, surprisingly intact.

"I didn't know you could do that." Nasturtium moaned.

"Haha. It's a bit of a forbidden technique. Not recommended."

"I wish you kept it hidden."

"So do I honestly."

"Then why'd you use it when you knew it would damage you so much?"

"...Hey, Nasturtium."

"Yeah?"

"I don't believe in the king. And I don't know if I believe in the dark elves either. But I believe in what I'm doing. I believe...I'm doing the best for a brighter future. What about you?"

"...So do I."

"Haha. How'd we end up fighting then?"

"Because. You're shortsighted. You can't see the king's vision. If you can't see the end, you'll never reach it. If you can't look past what's in front of you, you won't ever know where you're going."

"Well...I suppose that's true. But don't pretend like you see what the king's seeing. You know what he promises but when will those promises be fulfilled? Is all this chaos worth that future? How much longer will you continue to talk about that future without actually realizing it. If you keep looking forward you won't see what you'll be stepping on."

"..."

Nasturtium slowly began to pick herself up.

"Whoa-ho!" Borage grimaced as he began to pull himself up too, "Looks like you're sturdier than I thought."

"Barrier magic and armament magic." Nasturtium said as she tossed aside the staff that had now snapped from Borage's attack, "Barely enough to survive really."

"You know enhancement and armament magic? Then why don't you use them to actually move yourself? You're always so tired after running like five feet."

"Because I need them to 'see'. Or rather sense. There's no point in going fast if I can't see where I'm going."

"That's true."

Nasturtium took one unsteady step forward, head down and eyes closed, barely able to keep herself up.

"Whoa there. Calm down. The staff you used as a mobility cane is gone now. You're well and truly blind now. No need to push yourself."

"...You said you can't see the king's vision? That you can't believe in what he promises?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll show you...what he's shown me."

And with that, Nasturtium straightened up...and opened her eyes.

Borage looked in pure shock as Nasturtium looked at him. Really truly looking at him. With unclouded, unblinded eyes. Nasturtium stood there, looking at Borage before she let out a soft,

"Pfft. You're in worse condition than I thought."

Borage blinked, "You...can see, Nasturtium?"

"Yeah. The expansive additions to the core gem's systems allows the king to do such acts like this. Curing my born affliction with ease. Is this not worth the sacrifices we have to make?"

"..." Borage stood up, "No. It's not."

"...Why?"

"Truth be told, I don't know if it's right or not. But I know it's not right to you."

"How?"

"If you could see, why didn't you do it before? Twice I used your blind senses against you to attack from the air. Everything would have been different if you used your eyes at the right time. But you didn't."

"…Would you rather I stay blind, Borage?"

"The Nasturtium I know would never let someone else solve her problems for her."

"..." Nasturtium looked down, "Beggars can't be choosers, Borage. We all need to move forward."

"We will move forward. But you won't get far with your sins and guilt dragging you down."

…

"Then we'll have to fight. One last time."

"...Seems like it."

Borage hefted his sword over his shoulder, "But what can you do?"

In a flash, Nasturtium was in front of Borage and sent a punch that was strong enough to send Borage flying out of the crater. Wincing in pain, Borage pushed himself back up as Nasturtium stepped out of the crater.

"This is what you're like with enhancement and armament magic?"

"When I can see, yes."

"You're a real menace, Nasturtium."

"Same to you, Borage."

The two elves prepared their last attacks, putting forth the last of their energies...and charged. Borage swung down at Nasturtium and Nasturtium swung her leg up. Wind magic pushed out from Nasturtium's strike and blasted the sword out of Borage's hand. Reaching out with her hand, Nasturtium formed a giant ice blade and stabbed it right through Borage's stomach. The victor had been decided.

"...You knew didn't you?"

"I should be saying the same to you."

"You were afraid of seeing."

"Maybe."

"You wouldn't have made such a blunder if you were blind."

"True."

Nasturtium coughed up blood. Borage's sword had rammed through her body, same as her ice blade. Lupos held the sword with his mouth, holding it deep in her body.

"I normally keep a drone out to watch my back. I guess I forgot."

The wolf spirit and ice blade disappeared, the two feuding elves finally collapsing into a pile with Borage's body over Nasturtium.

"You're heavy..." Nasturtium complained.

"Sorry."

"Of all the people...why did I have to die with you?"

"Hahaha. If it makes you feel any better...I'm glad you were there for me til the very end."

"Idiot...don't thank me...for something I didn't do."

And so the royal guards breathed their last, finding their peace even as the world continued warring around them. In great danger they united the two races against a greater force. In greater danger, they fought against each other. And of those who died today, they were perhaps the only ones to find peace.

"Yep yep." Helena nodded, "That was a good fight."

"Helena, are you sure we should be down here?" Corissa asked.

"Well I didn't think they were going to separate like that! Roko ran off to watch the other fight so I had to come down here to watch this one. You can't tell me you didn't enjoy watching that fight either."

"Well..."

"Hey, Helena?" Momo called, "We're actually having some trouble with these lions! Can you help?"

"Be right there! Boy, I hope Roko comes back soon..."