The classroom felt like a sanctuary.
Soft light filtered from crystal globes set into the ceiling. The air carried the faint scent of wild mint and damp earth. Everything here seemed alive… but unhurried.
Argolaith sat near the back, quietly watching the instructor as she entered.
She was tall, with a long moss-green robe and sleeves that shimmered like woven leaves. Her voice, when she spoke, was calm and clear.
"Today," she began, "we continue with the classification of harmonious magical creatures—those that exist without aggression, born not of conflict, but of nature's quiet breath."
She moved to a large circular scrying basin in the center of the room and waved a hand over the surface.
A glowing image rose—of a creature no taller than a child, with wings like silk veils and eyes that shimmered like early dawn.
