---

Simon: AND BECAUSE I'M CURSED. ALTHOUGH I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
Shiara: DARK ENERGY IS TAKING SOMETHING FROM YOU. I'M NOT SURE WHAT. YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR HEALTH, YOUR WITS. PROBABLY YOUR ABILITY TO DO MAGIC, BECAUSE YOU CAN TAP INTO YOUR POWER EASIER THAN A NOVICE, BUT IT SHOULDN'T COME OUT SO UNPREDICTABLY.
Simon: OR MY ABILITY TO FIGHT. I WON'T BE ADVANCING TO THE TOURNAMENT. SO NO PAY. BECAUSE I'M TOO 'PRIDEFUL'.
Shiara: YES, YOU KIND OF ARE.
Simon: WHAT WAS THAT FOR?
Shiara: WE'RE COMBINING YOUR MAGIC AND FIGHTING LESSON TODAY. THE FOCUS IS ON BALANCE. YOUR CRYSTAL HEART TAKES IN MAGIC AND EXPENDS IT. OVERFILL IT AND IT WILL SHATTER AND KILL YOU. EMPTY IT AND IT WILL CRACK AND KILL YOU.
Simon: WHAT!? KILL ME?
Shiara: IT'S NOT EASY TO DO EITHER, JUST LIKE IT'S NOT EASY TO DIE FROM EXHAUSTION. BUT MAGIC WORKS BEST WHEN BALANCED. SAME FOR FIGHTING.
SO SIMON, GET READY TO FIGHT ME.
Simon: PSSH, I'M NOT FIGHTING YOU.