The classroom door opened once more, and a new figure stepped inside. My earlier, hopeful musing about Professor Dianna de la Bletilla being old quickly dissolved. I was wrong. Catastrophically wrong.
Professor Dianna de la Bletilla was every bit an Iskiran as the others I'd met, and undeniably, breathtakingly beautiful. The moment she appeared, my gaze was drawn, almost against my will, to her. Her voice, calm and clear, was a soothing presence that seemed to ripple through the bustling classroom, instantly quieting the last murmurs. She moved with an almost ethereal grace, a fluid, silent glide as she walked to the teacher's desk, each step a subtle sway that made the elegant blue dress she wore cling to her form, emphasizing her tall, slender, and utterly perfect figure. Her flowing white hair was braided perfectly, a meticulous cascade down her back, and her calm, pale blue eyes, framed by elegant, thin-rimmed glasses, held a quiet depth that drew you in. Her face, refined and serene, was subtly marked by a tiny, alluring mole perched just above the left corner of her lips. Her breasts, though small, were perfectly formed and subtly defined, hinting at an understated allure that was pure Iskiran, and they seemed to press gently against the taut fabric of her dress, a captivating sight as she moved. Over this, she wore a professor's robe, similar in cut to Professor Inka's, but where Inka's robes exuded the rigid, unyielding authority of a Drakarian drill sergeant, Dianna's flowed with a soft, almost seductive energy, a serene power that made me feel strangely, dangerously calm amidst the day's chaos.
"Oh, shoot," I whispered to myself, the realization hitting me like a physical blow, a fresh wave of amused despair washing over me. "I am so unbelievably messed up in this academy." My mind immediately flashed to Selyra, still probably nestled in my bed, then to Selica with her glasses, and now... a professor. A beautiful Iskiran professor with glasses, and a mole! It was a combination designed to be my undoing. My mother's going to kill me, I thought, a wry, self-deprecating smile tugging at my lips. And Selyra's going to kill me. And then my mother will kill me again for good measure. This wasn't just a new world; it was a beautiful, unsettling, and utterly perilous new world for my love life.
Professor Dianna turned to the blackboard, and with a soft, almost imperceptible gesture, shimmering projections of ancient symbols and swirling elemental energies bloomed across the dark surface, captivating every eye. Her voice, now imbued with a deeper, almost reverent tone, began to weave the tale of creation. "Every bind," she began, her gaze sweeping across the room, "was not merely a power, but a sacred gift, a whisper from the very first elves who walked this world. They communed with the primordial spirits of Eldorian, asking for eternal protection for their descendants. From that ancient plea, the core of our elemental powers was woven into the very fabric of existence." She paused, a profound silence settling over the room, amplifying the weight of her words. "And every race – Iskiran, Aetherian, Drakarian, and Kaynari – even though they have different ancestors, their ancestry is somehow intimately connected to these ancient, powerful elves."
As she spoke, the projections shifted, displaying vivid, dynamic images of each race and their elemental affinities:
Drakarians: "The mighty Drakarians," Dianna continued, a faint smile touching her lips as an image of a towering dragon, wreathed in fire, appeared, "descendants of Jogard the Dragon, primarily have an affinity with the fire bind, a raw, destructive force. Interestingly, in every fifty years or so, one lightning bind is born among them, a rare, crackling echo of Jogard's dual nature." I glanced at Raika, whose blue hair seemed to shimmer faintly under the projection's light, a silent acknowledgment of her unique power.
Kaynari: "The Kaynari generally possess the earth bind," she explained, as the image shifted to a sturdy, mountain-like figure. "However, some of their special cases include the sand bind, a mastery over shifting earth. It's said that King Blitz Dolores, the 'Greed King' of Kaynari, was a sand bind bearer himself, a testament to his unyielding will." Yor, sitting beside me, remained stoic, but her dark eyes seemed to gleam with a quiet intensity as the metal bind was mentioned.
Aetherians: "Aetherians have an affinity with both wind and lightning binds," a graceful, winged figure soaring through storms now filled the projection, "both of which are common among their people, allowing them unparalleled mastery of the skies." I found my gaze drifting towards Jove, who subtly puffed out his chest with a proud grin, and then to the back of the room, where Yannick Galegaard sat, his blue hair a stark visual link to the Aetherian projection.
Iskirans: "Iskirans have a natural affinity for the water bind," a serene lake shimmering on the blackboard, "their movements as fluid as the currents. Their special case bind is mist, like Queen Yvonne, the 'Mist Queen' of Iskiran history, whose enchantment could calm even the most raging storm." Gianna nodded thoughtfully beside me, a soft smile on her lips, perhaps recognizing her own power.
"As for Humans," Professor Dianna continued, her tone softening slightly, "they can technically manifest all the common binds: water, fire, earth, lightning, and wind. However, they cannot manipulate these binds with the same innate power as the original races. Some legends claim that the Elf King blessed the Human King, so their descendants are protected by spirits, allowing them to manifest these binds primarily through their weapons." Henry, ever watchful, subtly tightened his grip on an invisible weapon at his side, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Then, she shifted, her tone becoming profoundly solemn, the classroom lights dimming slightly, drawing all attention to the blackboard where five distinct, glowing symbols now appeared, each pulsing with an ancient, raw power. "But there are special binds, unique to only five races, binds of immense, unfathomable power, and these are binds that no common human can ever have. These are the Primordial Binds."
Humans: "Humans possess the arcane bind," a swirling vortex of pink light appeared, "a power of pure, raw magic, capable of bending reality itself. Merlin himself was an arcane bind bearer, and for centuries, there was no record of anyone else bearing it... until now." Professor Dianna's gaze swept the room, pausing meaningfully on Anna Emrys, whose bubblegum pink hair seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, a ripple of quiet whispers spreading through the students as the implication settled.
Drakarians: "Drakarians have the void bind," a deep, violet abyss opened on the projection, silent and consuming, "a powerful bind associated with King Sigurd, who famously ended the Convergence War by making an entire city simply vanish. There were no records of anyone else bearing it since King Sigurd... until today." Her eyes found mine, a knowing intensity in their pale blue depths, and I felt a prickle of heat on my neck, the weight of her words settling heavily.
Iskirans: "Iskirans are home to the ice bind," a crystalline fortress of shimmering ice now dominated the board, "a power of absolute control over cold. Queen Armania de la Rose, the current Queen of Iskaria, is said to be the bearer of the ice bind. Some even say she discovered this bind herself while she was a student at this very academy, learning from Bernard Dolores and Merlin herself, a testament to her pioneering spirit." My gaze flickered to Esutora, who met my eyes with a slow, deliberate wink, a subtle icy aura seeming to emanate from her, confirming the unspoken.
Aetherians: "Aetherians are linked to the light bind," a blinding burst of golden radiance now filled the projection, "a power of purity and divine energy. Legend says they are descendants of angels, and this bind is their truest heritage." My heart gave a sudden, hard thump as I thought of Seira Galegaard, her magnificent, iridescent wings and the intense pull I'd felt. I almost expected her image to appear on the board.
Kaynari: "Finally, Kaynari possess the metal bind," the projection shifted to intricate gears and molten steel, "a power to forge and reshape the very earth. Nobody truly knows its origin, but legend claims Bernard Dolores himself was a metal bind bearer, and it's said he built this entire colossal academy in just one monumental day, a feat of unfathomable ingenuity." Yor, beside me, gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod, a rare sign of pride.
"These five special binds," she concluded, her gaze firm and direct, now encompassing the entire class, "are known as Primordial Binds. Their origin is intimately related to their ancestor's unique connection to the elves, making them incredibly rare and potent." A small, satisfied smile touched her lips. "So, that concludes our history of binds for today. And, it's quite remarkable that, for the first time in the history of this academy, we now have all five Primordial Binds studying here, among you first-years."
Her eyes found mine, and she held my gaze, her smile widening slightly. She then walked directly to my desk, her movements fluid and purposeful. Leaning in, she lowered her glasses, her pale blue eyes piercing mine with an unreadable expression. "Meet me at my room after class, Void Prince," she purred, her voice a low, husky whisper that seemed to caress the very air around me, a silken promise that sent a shiver of pure arousal down my spine, cutting through the lingering classroom chatter with undeniable intimacy. With that, she straightened up and walked out of the classroom, leaving me stunned.