The chamber still smelled of scorched stone. The glyphs in the air had shattered into sparks, drifting down like falling embers. Elira stood frozen in the center, her palms trembling, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
No one spoke at first. The silence was thick enough to choke.
Then whispers began.
"…never seen fire bend like that…"
"…too wild, too strong…"
"…what kind of flame was that?"
Elira clenched her fists. She wanted to vanish.
But she couldn't ignore the weight of the gaze across the room. Adryan Kaelor leaned casually against the wall, arms folded, but his golden eyes burned with sharp curiosity. His lips curled into a smirk that wasn't unkind, but wasn't forgiving either. Like he'd just witnessed something rare—and refused to let it go.
The instructor's staff struck the ground, a crack echoing like thunder. "Enough." His voice cut through the murmurs. "Magic takes many forms. Some flames are fierce, others subtle. What matters is control. Without it, power is meaningless." His gaze slid to Elira, hard but unreadable. "You will learn to master it—or it will master you."
Her throat was dry, but she bowed her head. "Yes, Instructor."
She returned to her seat, heat still humming faintly under her skin.
The lessons dragged on, her focus shattered. Every time she tried to listen, her thoughts returned to the fire. That wasn't just her usual spark—that was something deeper. Wilder.
And yet… it had felt right.
When the bell finally tolled, releasing them from the hall, Kaela practically bounced at Elira's side.
"That was incredible!" she exclaimed, her words tumbling over themselves. "The way it just—whoosh—and then it curled like wings—did you see the look on everyone's faces? You've already made history on your first day!"
Elira grimaced. "History isn't exactly what I wanted."
Lyssandra's sharp voice cut in as she adjusted her gloves. "History, perhaps. But recklessness as well. If you cannot control your flame, you'll burn more than just glyphs."
Kaela puffed her cheeks. "Oh, lighten up. You're just jealous you didn't get that reaction."
"Jealous?" Lyssandra arched a brow. "Hardly. Unlike you, I know the value of precision. Power means nothing if it frightens everyone in the room."
Elira stayed quiet, letting them bicker, though her chest tightened. Was Lyssandra right?
From behind, a soft voice drifted in. "Flames like that… they don't belong to ordinary blood."
Selene. She had spoken so suddenly that the group froze. Her golden eyes lingered on Elira for a heartbeat longer before she turned away, heading down the marble steps.
Kaela blinked. "Well, that wasn't ominous at all."
Later, in the courtyard between wings, Elira finally understood the scale of Heaven's School.
Four towering spires rose in each direction, each carved with the sigils of its namesake beast. Phoenix Wing's spire glowed with ever-burning fire, feathers carved into its surface. Across the way, Leviathan Wing coiled upward like a sea serpent frozen in stone, waterfalls cascading from its balconies. To the north, Graphon Wing gleamed with golden arches, banners fluttering in the wind. And to the east, Basilisk Wing loomed darker, its walls of jade stone and creeping vines whispering of secrets.
Students from every wing crossed paths in the courtyard, their uniforms distinguished only by the color of their cloaks—red for Phoenix, blue for Leviathan, white for Griffin, green for Basilisk. The air buzzed with competition, laughter, and challenge.
Kaela clutched Elira's arm like an eager guide. "See that group? Leviathan students—supposedly unbeatable in water duels. And over there, Griffin—always flying around with their aerial combat nonsense. And Basilisk? Don't get me started. Half of them act like they're plotting to take over the world."
Lyssandra rolled her eyes. "Perhaps if you paid more attention to studies than gossip…"
Kaela stuck out her tongue. "Knowledge is power."
"Knowledge without discipline is noise."
"Discipline without fun is death."
Their bickering carried on until Marcell appeared, relief bright on his face when he spotted Elira.
"There you are!" He jogged over, but another figure walked behind him, and Elira's stomach twisted. Adryan.
The smirk from earlier hadn't faded. He walked easily, confidence radiating from him like heat from fire.
Marcell clapped Elira on the shoulder. "This is my roommate, Adryan Kaelor. Thought you should meet since… well, you already caught half the school's attention."
"Caught mine too," Adryan added smoothly. His gaze swept her from head to toe, sharp but not cruel. "That flame… it's not ordinary. What are you hiding?"
Elira stiffened. "Nothing. It's just flame."
His smirk widened. "If you say so."
Lyssandra, stepping in like a shield, spoke before Elira could. "And who appointed you the authority on others' magic?"
Adryan didn't even glance her way. His eyes stayed on Elira, as if the rest of the world didn't matter. "She doesn't need me to tell her what she already knows."
Tension crackled. Marcell quickly shoved between them. "Alright, alright. First day, no duels, please. Save it for class rankings."
Adryan chuckled and walked off toward the Leviathan fountain, cloak trailing like a flame.
Kaela whistled low. "Well… that's going to be fun."
Elira's hands tightened at her sides, warmth prickling under her skin. That wasn't just rivalry—it felt like destiny sharpening its claws.
That night in the dormitory, the tension softened.
Kaela sprawled across her bed, tossing enchanted cards into the air that vanished and reappeared. "So! If we're going to live together, we need to know things. Favorite food, biggest fear, first spell gone wrong—spill it!"
Lyssandra groaned. "We are not children at a slumber party."
"Exactly why we should," Kaela shot back. "Otherwise we'll be strangers forever." She looked at Elira with a grin. "You first."
Elira hesitated. "I… grew up outside the city. My favorite food? Honey bread."
Kaela gasped. "Yes! Finally someone else who loves sweets!"
Selene's voice drifted from her desk, quiet but firm. "You're loud."
Kaela tossed a pillow at her, which Selene caught without even looking. A ghost of a smile flickered across her lips before vanishing again.
Elira couldn't help but laugh softly. The warmth in the room was different now—messy, imperfect, but real.
For the first time since arriving, she felt like she belonged.
But beneath that comfort, the fire inside her still burned, whispering truths she wasn't ready to face.
And somewhere in the shadows of Heaven's School, she knew eyes were watching—waiting for the day her secret could no longer be hidden