Vera had been on the island far longer than other students. Even after becoming a Head Girl, she was still living a life of servitude and submission. Perhaps that was a reason for some of her vulnerabilities? This alien creature was drinking up all Vera knew which included things about herself that she may or may not consciously know about. How could one prepare a defense against an attack like this?

More physical and psychic touches came, sending shudders of pleasure rolling up and down the silver haired woman's spine. Her nipples throbbed and ached as every tug sent more hot blood throbbing into the engorged nubs. No matter how experienced or disciplined the Head Girl was, she was still just another human woman. Her heavy orbs molded around the groping tendrils. The double sensations from her mind and body made it impossible to ignore the monster's advances. Was she even resisting the tendrils boring into her mind at this point?

Vera bit down on her lip, trying to stifle any further sounds. Eyes squeezed shut as she tried to close her legs. But, the tendrils held her thighs open, allowing that lone tendril to slide up and down along those glistening netherlips, up and down, up and down. Every stroke dragged across her exposed clitoris, sending pure rapture shooting up into her core. Her mental self rocked those hips against the teasing tendril, adding further sparks of pleasure echoing inside the Head Girl's skull. Hands reached down, trying to grab the cool flaming tendril and try and pull it away.

"Aaahhhnnn..." Eyes went wide and nearly rolled back in their sockets as she felt the tendril penetrate her. It penetrated both her mind and body. It was like being fucked twice simultaneously. Sparks flew inside her head and depths. Her sex desperately tried to contract around the alien appendage. It flowed easily despite her body's reactions. The tendril drew back briefly only to slide deeper with each penetration. Her real body was producing plenty of secretions of her own now as she was fucked in both body and mind.

Vera did not know when she stopped fighting back. The tendrils seemed to have no issues delving deeper and deeper into her vulnerable psyche. It was impossible to focus on anything but these tendrils raping her twice over. She did not notice that class had ended or that she was alone with this vile monster. The last thing the instructor saw before leaving was Vera's body trembling in her chair, moaning from some unknown attack that he could not see.

Whatever the reason for Vera's responsiveness to his attack, Whisperer enjoyed it. It made taking her like savoring a spicy-sweet dish; The initial bite of resistance yielding to the refreshing nectar of submission. It made the sensations he felt from her all the more satisfying.

And those sensations were flowing into him now; even as he was pushing deeper and deeper into her. The heat of her passion caused him to heat as well, his flames growing brighter and warm to the touch. The bliss wrought by his double assault was exceptional, making it difficult to focus on his mission. Still, there was a time for teasing and a time for fulfillment.

Whisperer's doubled tendrils pumped deeper and faster into Vera's mind and body. Both channels were well-prepared to receive him, and soon he filled them both to capacity. His tendrils knocked again and again at the doors to her deepest secrets. Whith the final dissolution of her resistance, even those opened to him. The monster's essence rushed into the core of Vera's mental template at the same time his flames surged into her body. Both vanguards dragged their tendrils in after them, slithering along the pleasure zones of the Head Girl's flesh and psche as they swirled into the depths of her channels.

The two facets of Whisperer met again on the metaphyscal plain at the intersection of mental and physical sensation in the core of Vera's being. They combined like the alignment of two identical waveforms. The resulting amplification of power pushed the spirit monster even deeper into Vera's being - into her ultimate essence, that which many would call her soul.

For an eternal moment, the two - monster and girl - became one composite being, sharing everything. Every thought, emotion and sensation either had experienced mixed in one cacophanous conflagration. The monster's flames infused and limned the young woman's body, breifly shining like a beacon on the astral plane. Then, suddenly it ended - Whisperer was mysteriously explused from the girl, his flaming spirit essence exploding out of her.

Reforming moments later, he found his mind full of new knowledge and sensations. Many of them began to fade quickly, but he easily captured the ones he needed. The complete memories of Vera's last encounter with him combined with the hazy impressions of his own, creating a complete picture of what he had become and what he had done. The knowledge shocked him back to reality. Only then did he turn his attention back to the young woman in the classroom. His fiery manifestation reformed near Vera as he observed her condition.

"Ahhhnn! Aaauuuggghhh! Ooohhhnnn!"

Thoughts of resistance or any thoughts at all quickly melted away like butter on a hot pan. The lewd slurp of love juices could be heard with every powerful thrust inside the silver haired woman's cunt. Her eyes rolled back as tears rolled down her cheeks. Foam drooled from groaning lips, opening and closing like a fish out of water.

The monster surged into her womb and core, filling her mind with its existence and seeking the part of Vera that made up her in entirety. Her soul was flooded with the monster's essence as every memory suddenly surged forth. For a moment, the Head Girl experienced every memory of her life while also feeling the sheer pleasure of her attacker's experiences taking and claiming victims. Every orgasm she ever had ripped through her all at once, sending the poor woman spiraling into a potent release in mind, body, and soul. Soul numbing heat erupted forth, sundering her mind and sending her body shuddering in an endless seizure of pure bliss.

Whisperer reformed before the mess that was Vera. The woman's blouse was soaked in sweat, sticking to her glistening body as she sat slumped in her chair. Her body was still twitching and trembling. Juices had soaked her undergarment and skirt, the excess dripping off the chair onto the growing puddle below. Her legs remain parted and shivered as aftershocks continued to roll through her sensitive form. Vera had no clue how many times she came. She came hard and fast like a machine gun, each burst of rapture sending her spiraling into another mind blowing climax. Her head was rolled back, staring blankly at the ceiling above. Strands of long silver hair stuck to her face as foam drooled from gaping lips.

Echoes of pleasure continued to roll through her trembling being. Vera's mind was blank as she continued to experience the aftershocks of this unique assault upon her everything. Thankfully, the soundproofing ensured no one heard the wails that left the Head Girl's throat throughout the attack. Shuddering breaths caused her luscious breasts to strain against her soaked top. It did not seem her life was in any danger but it seemed her brains had been fucked out of her pretty little head for the moment.

Whisperer regarded the beautiful young woman with a kind of awe. The glorious mess covering her was testament to how truly erotic her primal essence was. He had felt the prolonged series of climaxes while they were linked. In fact it was probably why he had ultimately been expelled: Even their combined essence couldn't sustain such pleasure so long, and their shared consiousness fled the ecstatic agony. Whisperer had been thrown clear, his unique psychic makeup charged up by the cataclysmic sexual experience. The girl had not fared as well, however. Her mind was blank, but she appeared stable.

Whisperer had learned what he had come for, and it was clear Vera was in no state to take any more . . . anything, really. He had abused her enough for one day. Still, he found he could not simply leave her where she was. He knew the school would take care of her; make sure only those in the know would find her. But he also knew that her current position, as alluring a display as it was for one such as him, would be recieved poorly by Vera herself. As before he felt compelled to honor the prey. It was by her suffering that his needs were fulfilled, and that deserved a measure of gratitude.

The brightly burning phantom, his tentacles still hot from the outpouring of Vera's passion picked the lovely girl up and looked around for a better place to lay her out in a more dignified fashion. But in this classroom, there was none. He wished to return her to her room, but wasn't sure he could carry her though campus without being seen. A girl covered in her own juices floating through the halls would certainly cause a stir that the school's administration would not like. Suddenly he remembered: just before his transformation into the Void Beast he had carried her through a wall. Phasing was essencially etheric travel; maybe . . .

Whisperer drew his lovely prize up into his fiery mass, completely engulfing her. His unburniing flames pusled warmly all about her, holding her in as snug and comfortable cocoon as he could muster. Then he turned his thoughts to Vera's tower suite and concentrated. For a moment nothing happened, then Monster and girl disappeared.

Reality rippled and reformed around Whisperer in the familiar pattern of etheric teleportation. He was floating in Vera's bedroom, just as he had intended. But what of the girl? Still safe and snug within him. If Whisperer could breathe he would have sighed in relief. He let her descend from her cocoon on a woven bed of flames, then carefully stripped off her soiled uniform and placed the dirty garments in the proper hamper. Finally he gently, almost reverently, laid her in her bed and tucked her in.

That labor complete, Whisperer retreated to the Ether to ponder his next move. Now he knew about the transformation he had experiece during his previous encounter with Vera. He basically also knew how it happened, though he was still unclear as to why. What he needed next was to find out if he could replicate the experience in hopes of learning to control it; to keep it from happening, or possibly call on it when necessary.

To do that, he would need Vera's cooperation. He knew she would not give that willingly. He also knew she was now wary of using any magic on him, so he was unlikely to be able to trick her into it. If only there were a way to turn her sense of duty to his ends. Perhaps there was.

****

A few days later, Vera recieved a missive from N.I.C.E. labs. A plain white paper card with embossed lettering proclaimed:

Dear Ms. Matsumoto,
Your presence is requested by:
Dr Spectros - Visiting Luminary and authority on Metaphysics,
Spiritual Transformation and the Wave Harmonic Theory of
Psycho-Sexual Mechanics. (Office TBA - enquire at reception).
Please attend at earliest convenience.
N.I.C.E. Labs.

Vera's lovely body continued to twitch weakly, still suffering the after effects of the rather alien experience. It was impossible for her human brain to comprehend what had happened. Beyond being attacked by Whisperer again, the details were no doubt lost in an endless ocean of sexual bliss.

A weak groan was all the only sound the Head Girl made when she was picked up by the blazing tendrils. Within moments, she had been spirited back to her suite high up in the tower. Her limp form was layed out in bed, the woman breathing shuddering breaths but in no real danger. The only signs of her encounter with the alien guest would be her disheveled uniform and dried sweat and juices on her body. She would need a long shower when she finally wakes up again.

Aches and soreness followed her over the next couple of days. Thankfully, no other guests decided to feast upon her during her recovery. She reported the attack as always. The details were mostly lost due to the overwhelming mental and emotional strain she was forced to accept. Vera could only assume Whisperer got what it wanted else it would still be trying to bore into her skull with those mental tendrils. She could only hope that meant the creature no longer needed anything from her.

It had only been a few days when a message from NICE was sent to her room. Dr. Spectros? The missive mentions he was visiting so his name not being familiar was not surprising. Did NICE call in an Metaphysics expert? To be called to Shokushu showed how important he was to the labs. The question was why he was called in? More importantly, why was he interested in seeing her? Did this have to do with her reports on the recent attacks by that ethereal alien?

Vera sighed. She had no choice. If NICE labs requested her presence, she was to honor that request immediately. The Head Girl would check for any other responsibilities that were required of her before departing to the small port along the shore. There, she showed her credentials and boarded the small boat that would take her out to the platform where NICE labs resides.

There was plenty of rumors and mysteries about the platform that stood out in the ocean away from the rest of campus. Students have been called here or volunteered to take part in various experiments performed by the labcoats here. There were of course the abductions as well though none of those victims tend to remember the encounter afterwards.

The silver haired woman strode into the reception room. She was dressed in another perfectly pressed uniform, her light blue sash hanging loosely around her waist as she approached the front desk. "Vera Matsumoto," Vera stated calmly, "A Dr. Spectros requested my presence."

"Hello Ms. Matsumoto," the receptionist greeted Vera warmly, recognizing her by sight. "Please have a seat, I'll call the Doctor for you." She keyed a number into her computer keypad. A warm tone sounded over the intercom, followed by the receptionist's voice: "Dr. Spectros, please come to the reception area. Dr. Spectros to reception."

A few minutes later, a tall gaunt man entered by a side door. He had grayish, waxy skin and a bad toupee of dark brown hair perched atop his overly large head. His eyes were obscured by dark glasses that stayed in place despite his slight, thin nose. A small, thin-lipped mouth hovered just above his pointed chin. He wore an old-fashioned looking dark suit and tie under an unbuttoned lab coat.

"Hello, you must be Vera," the man stepped forward and extended a hand. It was hard to tell if it had the correct number of fingers. "I'm Dr. Spectros, thank you for coming." He gave a smile that showed perfectly aligned uniform white teeth as he captured and shook Vera's hand animatedly.

"Please come right this way." Dr. Spectros turned back to the door and opened it with a passcode. He passed through then held the door for Vera, ushering her deeper into the platform's office block. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you. It's really quite exciting." The doctor talked incessantly as he led her through a maze of corridors.

"You see, the Institute received a rather unusual request from one of the island's more exotic clientele. Disembodied spirit. Fascinating creature. Seems he's having a spot of trouble with an anomalous transformation. Not the sort of thing the Labs usually deal with, but it's an excellent opportunity to study a unique spiritual entity. Ah! here we are." Dr. Spectros stopped at one of the seemingly endless array of identical doors. Opening it, he waved Vera inside, then follwed and closed the door behind them.

"Have a seat," the doctor said, indicating the single simple, functional looking chair in front of a large faux wood desk. He stepped to the far wall, where an old-fashioned filing cabinet stood. Retrieving a large hard-copy report folder, he took a seat behind the desk. As he opened the folder, Vera could see it was labeled with one word: WHISPERER.

The Head Girl sat down and waited for the doctor to arrive. It was no long before she was shaking hands with Dr. Spectros. "Of course, Dr. Spectros. It is nice to meet you," she replied politely. Of course, whether this would be a pleasant meeting or not remained to be seen. Even if it was not pleasant, Vera was expected to keep up appearances. The labs were only concerned about their own experiments and further growth in the fields of science. They were still expected to keep students unharmed for the most part. It would look poorly on Shokushu if their precious stock of future slaves were damaged prior to graduation. A similar thing could be said about Vera. Permanent damage to a Headmaster's personal pet would no doubt lead to repercussions.

Vera followed the man through the office block. Hearing the explanation did not reassure the woman. It sounded like this did involve that entity and seeing the name on the file confirmed it. Still, the Head Girl complied, sitting in the offered chair. "So I was called because I have had precious encounters with this entity?" Vera asked, "I would be lying if I said I would like to meet that creature again. My past encounters with it were not... pleasant."

It was doubtful the doctor cared about any of her concerns. Apparently, they were excited to have an alien volunteer for their research. Whatever deal was made, both parties seemed to be happy with what they are getting out of this. "What exactly do you need from me, Doctor?"

"That's perfectly understandable," Dr. Spectros replied upon hearing Vera's reticence, then apparently dissmissed it. "Whiperer's quite taken with you, though, and your participation is absolutely vital for the experiment." The Doctor leafed through the document, seemingly captivated by its contents.

"Fascinating creature, this Whisperer. He's been on the island even longer than you have, in one form or another. Started out as a relatively ordinary Cnidarian creature, though transparent. A flying vampire jellyfish if you like. Had to make his prey climax repeatedly so he could siphon their life-force . . . " Dr Spectros rambled on almost as though Vera wasn't present.

"Had a penchant for Thaumaturges; probably why he's so interested in you. After feeding on one paticulary powerful student, he had a kind of psychic fracture - similar to his current problem, though more complete. Eventually the two personalities parted ways, destroying the creature's body in the process. Better watch out for Tempest, my dear, he tends to look for Whisperer's favorites and punish them . . .

"That brings us up to now, I think. Whisperer's most recent activities brought him into contact with you - fortunately for us, since it seems he was on the verge of expiring. Bad for business, I would think. At any rate, Whisperer describes turning into a raging Void beast during his first encounter with you, which is corroborated here with your own report. Good work by the way; Shame we can't get all the girl's to do that. Damned secrecy clause." The Doctor hardly paused for a breath while speaking.

"Our analysis of the situation indicates the catalyst for this transformation was a directed mana atack originating from you. What Whisperer, and I, would like to do is try to replicate the conditions of his transformation. So, essentially we want you to cast your shadow magic at him and observe the results." Spectros finally paused a moment, but not for long.

"We're preparing a safety Lab now," He explained. "I just need to ask you a few questions regarding your abilities - can't seem to find the right file." He set closed the file and picked up a clip board.

"First, Do you remember exactly what spellform you used and how much power you included? Assuming so, how many such effects are you capable of producing before exhaustion? What is the time-frame for your recharge rate? Assume standard inhibitor function for now."

Vera's eyes narrowed at the mention of having all the girls report their attacks. Treating herself and the rest of the student body as guinea pigs was not appealing in the slightest. The scientist did explain some about her attacker. But, such knowledge would do her no good on this island. She did not care if it was doing it for survival or pleasure, it attacked her and violated her in more ways than one.

She was brought here to repeat what happened in the first attack. Vera was to force Whisperer to go through that hostile transformation again. "The last time it transformed, it violently beat me prior to raping me, Doctor," Vera replied coldly before continuing with her answer, "My report should have all the details of any magic I use during an attack. It was a binding spell that can also snuff out and suppress light sources. The spell tends to have zero chance of causing actual harm to the target. I do not know how many times I can channel such a spell while inhibitors are active. I would guess four or five times should be within my capabilities. I do not know how drained I will be nor how long it would take for me to recover."

The silver haired woman could not recall the last time her magical stamina was tested. With how quick alien guests attack and capture their prey, it was probably not seen as data that needed constant updating. As long as the magical output had no risk of turning the tide of causing serious harm to attacking guests, the amount of times the pitiful spells are cast was irrelevant.

"Yes, yes." Dr. Spectros waved away Vera's objection. "That's why we're preparing a containment field in the lab. You will be perfectly safe if Whisperer manages to transform. Wouldn't want the Headmaster's prized pupil damaged, after all. Terribly embarassing, that. Additionally, that's precisely why Whisperer has asked for this test, so he can learn to control the transformation and not cause such grievous pain. He's really a terribly sensitive type you know."

The Doctor scribbled notes while Vera recapped her magical use for the encounter in question. "Good, good, just have to check you know. Have to be as precise as possible in recreating the conditions. And we might have to try several times to get it right, you see. And of course, we'll have to record at least one control sample before we really start."

The intercom on the desk buzzed. After a quick search, Dr. Spectros found and pused the button: "Yes?"

"Test lab is prepared, sir; subject W is in attendance," came the tinny reply.

"So Vera, are you ready to give this a try? It's all in the name of science, you know; and it could help out some of your fellow students." Without really waiting for an answer, Dr. Spectros opened the door and gestured Vera back into the hall. He led the young woman through another confounding maze of doors and corridors to an elevator. Soft Jazz muzak spilled out as the doors opened. The doctor inserted a key in the panel and turned it clockwise then counterclockwise, then back again. The doors shut behind them and the elevator descedended quickly yet smoothly.

The elevator doors opened into a spartan white-washed experimental theatre. At one end there was a moderately comfortable looking office chair and at the other there was a sort of glass cell. High on the wall behind the chair was a mirrored observation pane running the width of the room. "If you'll just go have a seat, I'll head up to the control booth," Specrtos urged, waiting for Vera to exit before he turned the key again and the doors shut behind her.

Whisperer watched from inside the glass cell as Vera entered the lab. He manifested his flames for all in the vicinity to see, completely contained in the transparent cube. He tried to greet the Head Girl but could not reach her mind. He was totally isolated in his little cell. He wondered how the magic would get through. Surely Doctor Spectros had that covered, though.

"Alright everybody, places!" Doctor Spectros' voice sounded over the PA system. "Experiment VXW 01-C: Control sample commences." A click sounded and a small, lit candle exited a hatch in the floor, rising on a thin pillar. "Ms. Matsumoto, please direct the spellform you described in your report onto the candle."

The Asian seriously doubts that an alien monster was sensitive. The only thing more ridiculous was this experiment being of used to students. She knew as well as anyone that NICE was hardly concerned about the students. As long as Shokushu remained, more students would keep applying and coming to this place. NICE had all the test subjects they could ever want.

Vera was brought to the testing lab. She was more than familiar with these chambers. Plain white chambers with numerous capabilities for a variety of purposes. The Head Girl had tested her magic spells down here in more than one occasion throughout her time as a Head Girl. The woman said nothing and sat in the chair that was set for her.

The cube seemed to contain the fiery mass that was Whisperer. Whether or not that would actually hold the creature was questionable at best. But, most of the details of what this being could do were lost during her less than prime conditions. Her body tensed nonetheless when the creature made its presence known. So far, she felt no pressure in her head so it was not forcing its way into her thoughts this time. She was alone with this monster while the labcoats watched from the observation room.

A pedestal came out of the floor with a lit candle sitting on top. Vera sighed as she rose to her feet. "Yes, Doctor," she replied, hands smoothing out her short skirt. She took a few steps towards the pillar and stopped once she was much closer. From what she could tell, the inhibitors were still on. No point in wasting mana and stamina casting from a distance. Vera extended a hand towards the candle and proceeded to speak the spidery words of magic from before. Her shadow would shimmer and darken before extending out to try and engulf the flame entirely.

Whisperer watched intently as Vera worked her magic. He was surprised to discover he knew exactly what she was doing and how she was doing it. He must have absorbed the knowledge during their brief period of coexistence. It was amazing. He'd never really understood magic before - he could sense it and read a mage's intent as she summoned and shaped the power, but its essence had always eluded him. No more, it seemed.

The young woman's shadow deepened and reached out for the candle flame. The light darkened and died almost immediately. Small wonder, really: snuffing a candle was a parlor trick at best. But Whisperer knew the effort Vera had put into that spell, despite having no contact with her mind. An odd feeling, that, like having half one's senses dampened. It was a wonder he could see or hear at all, since he had no eyes or ears. Apparently his passive psychic senses were unaffected by the glass enclosure.

"Very good, Ms Matsumoto," Dr. Spectros said over the intercom. "You dispersed one candle power in .3 seconds. I'm going to up the candle power for the next test, please stand back."

There was another click and suddenly the flame eruped back into life. The little candle blazed more like a flare this time, easily ten times as powerful as before.

"Experiment VXW 01-C continues. Please attempt to douse the fire again, Vera."

The inhibitors were like weights she constantly wore while performing any sort of magical act. Much like weights, the Head Girl had grown more or less used to having her mana forced through sieve. Vera only knew as much about magic as she could gather from various tomes and old texts the school allowed her to check out. It was through experiments such as this that NICE labs learned more about the unnatural art that is magic. Despite the access to texts that students would never know existed, the Head Girl was mostly on her own when it came to learning magic.

Vera stepped back as the candle flared back to life, much larger than before. She was not intimidated though. Putting out a light source was the simplest acts to perform with dark or shadow based magicks. While the flame was certainly larger and more illuminating, the fundamentals remained the same. Spidery words of magic left the silver haired woman's lips. Her hand extended towards the target. Her shadow darkened and lashed out to entrap the flare-like flame.

The only difficulty was the lack of shadows in the test chamber. A brightly lit white room with only the chair, pillar, and herself providing any shadows at all left her with little to manipulate. Still, it was more than enough for this simple tasks.

Once snuffed out, Vera would let her hand drop and her shadow would recede back to normal. She took a breath though she did not appear tired at all. The woman looked up towards the observation room, waiting for further instructions. She knew this was only the beginning and soon, she would have to deal with that monster in the box once more.

From within the glass box, Whisperer continued to watch with interest. His knowledge of this shadow magic must have come from Vera, but somehow it seemed deeper than that. For instance, though the young sorcereress put out the larger flame handily, this time he saw a flaw in her technique. It was a tiny thing, easily overlooked and probably not touched on in the occult tomes she had been given access to. As the alien phantom considered the complex pattern of energy and sounds, his flames flickered and dimmed slightly.

"Excellent! Ten candelas in .4 seconds." Dr Spectros observed as the candle pillar sank out of sight, only to be replaced by another apparatus. "Stand clear," he advised a moment before a jet of flame a foot tall burst into existence. "VXW 01-C continues. Again, please, Vera."

So the experiment continued, a new, more powerful flame replacing each one the Head Girl was able to snuff out. On and on until she either failed or was too tired to continue.

"It's all to establish a useful benchmark of exactly how much flame the spell you are using can affect in one casting," Dr. Spectros remarked at one point, perhaps to assuage the test subjects' irritation. "Concentrate. Soon be over. Then we can begin the real experiment."

As each test proceeded to conclusion, Whisperer watched, fascinated by his new-found awareness of this phenomenon. Strangely, though the shadow magic was much like the darkness that continually pulled at him, he felt no fear. It seemed safe in his little box. Not that he was really afraid of Vera and her limited magicks, was he? No, just the things he connected them with: the Void and the Beast. Ironically, as he examined each casting of Vera's spell, he unconsiouly reproduced it in his mind, unknowingly calling on the Void. And his flames grew a little darker.

The process repeated again and again and again, each flame larger than the last. Vera hated having her time wasted though in this case, it may be delaying any encounter with the monster in the box. The Head Girl did not change to a different spell even as the flame grew larger and larger. No matter the size, the concept was the same. Her shadow was like pinching the wick of a candle between two finders, smothering it with the palm of one's hand, or simply using a candle snuffer. Much all those methods, Vera only had to deal with the source of the flame rather than the flame itself.

If this was to set a benchmark, why not use her report as the starting point? Apparently, she was able to nearly snuff out the alien being's flames entirely before. Still, the silver haired woman did not say anything. It was not like this labcoats ever listened to feedback or listen at all.

Eventually, the blaze grew large enough to warrant channeling more mana into the spell and even using both her hands to guide the inky black shadow. But, Vera kept that under control. Unlike the other students, she knew forcing the spell would only waste mana and stamina. She used what the inhibitors allowed her to methodically smother flame after flame. If the flames pierced the shadow somehow, she would focus on reforming it over the flame once more. Either she would eventually fail due to limit power, run out of mana, or simply exhaust herself from standing for so long over the course of these endless tests. No matter the reason, Vera would continue casting the same spell over and over again until this phase of the experiment was over.