The sunlight filtered lazily through the enchanted glass of the Grand Lecture Hall, tinting the room with soft golden hues. It was an oddly peaceful morning—at least by Kael's standards, which weren't very high to begin with. If there weren't explosions, screaming nobles, or demonic chickens involved, he considered it a good start.
The hall was vast, curved like an opera house, with crystal fixtures floating above and rune-etched blackboards lining the walls. Hundreds of students sat on ascending rows of seats, murmuring among themselves as the instructor entered.
"Attention!" The voice rang out like thunder.
A man walked in with a sharp stride. Muscular, tall, and wearing a storm-blue robe that crackled faintly with sparks.
"I am Instructor Vaeron Thorne," he said. "Archmage of the Stormlight Path. S-Class instructor in Applied Elemental Theory. You will not waste my time."
The murmuring stopped.
Kael yawned. Loudly. It echoed.
Vaeron's eye twitched, but he continued.
"Today we begin with mana control and elemental affinity."
He waved his hand, and arcane circles floated in the air. They shimmered and shifted into seven elemental types: fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, ice, and light.
"All mages possess an affinity. Stronger affinity allows more efficient spellcasting. Kael Drayke—"
Kael blinked, mid-yawn. "Yeah?"
"Approach the circle."
Kael slouched down the stairs like a man sentenced to chores. He stood under the floating affinities. The circles spun.
The storm affinity flared violently. Lightning sparked.
"...Fascinating," Vaeron murmured. "Affinity: Storm. High resonance. Mana output: unstable."
The circle cracked. Sparks flew. One exploded.
BOOM.
Smoke filled the air.
When it cleared, Kael was brushing soot from his sleeve. "Can I sit now?"
Vaeron was staring. "You—You overloaded a resonance crystal. Those are built for dragons."
Kael shrugged. "It was humming weird."
---
After the chaos settled, Vaeron moved on to theory. He lectured on the structure of spell matrices, sigil writing, and elemental convergence. Students took notes like their lives depended on it.
Kael doodled a nap diagram.
Lyra peeked at it. "...That's a pillow plan."
He nodded. "Strategic nap formation."
Elira, three rows up, listened intently but kept stealing glances at Kael.
What is he?
He looked half-asleep but tanked an S-class artifact. No visible aura. No arrogance. No need to prove himself. A mystery.
She frowned. Mystery meant threat.
---
As the lecture ended, Vaeron clapped once.
"You'll now form duos. Practical sessions begin this week. Each pair must demonstrate a spell in sync."
Kael sighed.
Lyra looked up at him. "Should we… team?"
"Sure." He said it like agreeing to share cookies.
The instructor continued. "But before that, we have an official challenge."
A second-year stepped forward.
Muscles. Arrogant smirk. Flaming red cloak.
"I challenge Kael Drayke and his partner to a warm-up duel," he declared.
Kael blinked. "Who?"
The boy grinned. "Flint of House Braegorn. Second-year fire specialist."
Kael whispered to Lyra. "Did he say bread-corn?"
Lyra choked.
Vaeron allowed it. "As per custom, first-years may accept or decline."
Kael stared. "Will he go away if I say no?"
"No," Flint smirked.
"Ugh. Fine."
---
Training Grounds: Duel Circle 4
A crowd gathered.
Kael stood with his hands in his pockets. Lyra looked nervous.
Flint and his partner, a wind caster named Selene, took flashy poses.
"Begin!"
Flint opened with a fire spear.
Kael yawned. Raised one hand. Wind burst from nowhere. Flint's spell reversed and blew up in his face.
Selene charged. Lyra cast a barrier. The spell bounced back and knocked her over.
Both second-years collapsed, groaning.
"...Did we win?" Lyra asked.
Kael was already walking away. "Can we nap now?"
---
Later that night, Vaeron scribbled into a report:
> Kael Drayke: potential anomaly. Observe further. Do not provoke.
Elira read the same report in her private dorm.
She narrowed her eyes.
"He's hiding something."