Nestled in the eastern reaches of Feril lies an institute of pride and prestige, its castle-like structure draped in a shimmering blanket of snow, akin to white paint.
Students from every corner of the country had gathered, their hearts racing with anticipation for their inaugural day as official interns at the university. Amidst the sea of eager faces stood Ren and Elara, both waiting for the grand crimson doors to swing open.
"We made it just in time," Elara breathed a sigh of relief, having barely arrived before the gates began to close. Ren chuckled, amused by her flustered demeanor.
Suddenly, the opening bell rang, its sound reverberating across the entire campus, heralding the university's commencement. The massive crimson doors creaked open, releasing a heavy metallic groan.
A tidal wave of students surged into the Morning Hall, a thrumming mass of bodies seeking their respective classrooms and lecture halls.
"Ren, which hall did you get?" Elara inquired, leaning over to peek at his phone. "Um, 2-B," he read aloud. "We're in the same class!" she exclaimed, her smile brightening as she reveled in their shared fate.
Ren's gaze drifted to her hair. "What's that scent? It's wonderful," he mused. Together, they navigated the throng, the bustling crowd making it a challenge to locate their destination. After a series of gentle pushes and pulls, they finally arrived.
"I hope we don't have to do this every day," Ren huffed, to which Elara nodded in agreement.
They both looked up to see a white sign emblazoned with '2-B.'
"Doesn't it seem smaller than the one we attended yesterday?" Elara remarked, her eyes scanning the lecture hall. "It does, perhaps because it lacks a coliseum-style seating arrangement," Ren replied.
The seats were arranged in a traditional university format, with a gentle curve on one side of the room, while a large screen loomed directly opposite.
"Why don't we sit at the back?" Elara suggested, her gaze darting away from Ren. "Sure, why not?" he agreed, as they climbed to the rear.
Once everyone settled into their seats, a woman entered the room. Clad in the same attire as the other professors—a stark white jacket with blue stripes—she possessed hair that flowed like the orange hues of sunset down to her hips.
Her eyes matched her hair, glistening with a glossy lipstick that caught the light as she stood confidently at the center of the stage. "Hello, students. I'm Mary Ann, your professor for Basic Mechanics and Basic Artificial Magic," she announced, her voice laced with a distinct foreign accent.
"To start, I'd like each of you to introduce yourselves," she declared, clapping her hands to initiate the introductions.
One by one, students from each row shared their names and interests, the process stretching on until only two interns remained.
The first, a girl with deep, pearl-like black eyes, stood up. "I'm Elara Selena, and my hobby is creating machines," she proclaimed, drawing amused glances from her peers at the peculiarity of her passion. Ren simply stared, captivated. "She's incredible," he thought.
Finally, it was time for the last student, seated at the far right in the back. Ren rose after Elara.
"I'm Renaris Aurelith, and I seek the truth behind the Calamity," he declared, causing a wave of despair to wash over the room, even Elara's expression paled. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said that," Ren thought, realizing it was merely a flight of imagination.
"I'm Renaris Aurelith, and I don't have any particular hobbies," he revised, noting the lack of interest in his words. "This is difficult," he sighed inwardly.
Elara fixed him with a playful gaze. "You lied, didn't you?" she teased, prompting a laugh from him. "Yes," he whispered back.
***
As two classes concluded—first Mechanics with Miss Ann, followed by Mathematics with an elderly professor—Elara diligently took notes, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she absorbed every word. Ren, on the other hand, slumped in his seat, enduring the professors' mumblings with growing boredom.
Finally, the moment Ren had been waiting for arrived: Artificial Magic. Miss Ann entered, holding a semi-translucent tablet that resembled a sleek device.
Standing at the front of the podium, she scanned the room, her gaze piercing. "Everyone may take their seats," she commanded.
"Before we begin, I'd like to gauge your knowledge of AM," she continued, her voice amplified by the small microphone clipped to her hair.
"The boy at the far right of the third row, stand up, could you please begin the class by telling us the origin of Artificial Magic?" she inquired.
The boy nodded, standing in place to respond. His blonde hair brushed against the caps of his shoulders, and thin-framed glasses perched on his nose, framing eyes as blue as the ocean. Dressed in attire that exuded wealth, with gloves on his hands and a voice smooth and captivating, he began.
"During the Great Revolution, numerous wars erupted due to a global power imbalance. The use of biometric and destructive weapons became commonplace. In the quest to combat evil, some scientists developed a surge of power—artificially created magic," he explained.
"An excellent explanation," Miss Ann praised. "You may take your seat." Her gaze swept through the crowd until it landed on a girl.
"Now, the girl in the center left of the sixth row, could you explain the first prototype and how it functions?" she inquired.
The girl rose, small and barely visible from afar. Her hair, as diminutive as her stature, framed her slightly brown eyes, lending her a somber look. Above her hovered a small box fitted with a microchip, amplifying her voice so all could hear.
"The first prototype is known as AWAP, or 'Artificial Weaponry Avatar Prototype,'" she stated.
"It resembles a spider clinging to the back, equipped with eight injected wires—four inputs and four outputs—connected to the spinal vertebrae of the user. It utilizes neural impulse response, converting it into frequency waves that resonate within a specific region, thereby controlling particles around them at will," she elaborated.
"Excellent," the professor replied, her face glowing with pride for her students. She then selected another student at random. "The large boy in the fourth row, could you explain how the brain can control particles like atoms and molecules at will?" she asked.
He stood, his muscular frame towering over the others, army-cut black hair contrasting with dull green eyes that focused intently. His voice rang out, loud and clear.
"Our bodies are composed of the same elements as our surroundings, which our minds have controlled since birth. Therefore, if we harness neural impulses and convert them into strong frequency waves, those waves act as magnets, attracting and repelling the particles we focus on," he answered in a single breath.
"Absolutely correct," Miss Ann affirmed. "To deepen your understanding, I will demonstrate how it works."
As she spoke, a man entered the hall, clad in a plain silver jumpsuit, a ring-shaped device connected to his neck.
"Could you please give us a glimpse of Artificial Magic?" she said, nodding to signal him.
He touched the device, a beep echoing through the room. Instantly, his back straightened, and his eyes began to glow. Extending his hand, he conjured a palm, and slowly, water molecules began to gather beside him.
As the molecules coalesced into a large sphere of water, he closed his hand into a fist. In that very moment, the water froze, all occurring in the blink of an eye.
With a swift motion, he waved his hand upward, and the ice shattered into shards that pierced the ceiling.
The class erupted in amazement, clapping and cheering. "Alright, everyone, please take your seats. Thank you for that brilliant demonstration," she said as he exited.
"Now," she turned her attention back to the students, "the girl at the farthest right in the back row, could you explain what just happened and how he did it?" she asked.
Elara stood up eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Ren encouraged her from behind as she began.
"The device attached to his neck is the current generation AM gear, known as SECO. It directly interfaces with the spinal tip, transferring all neural impulses between the body and brain.
When he touched the device, he activated an inject pin that pierced into his neck and connected to the spinal tip.
When he extended his palm, he used his hand as a reference point to focus on a region around it, gathering humidity particles—water molecules—into one place. After accumulating them, he clenched his palm, visualizing the pressure building. When that pressure surpassed the freezing threshold, the water turned to ice.
Finally, when he waved his hand up, he released the pressure, causing the ice to break into shards that flew in the direction of his gesture," she concluded.
"Absolutely correct! An excellent explanation," Miss Ann cheered, as applause filled the room. Ren gazed at her, contemplating, "I don't know why, but whenever she explains like this, she seems different."
Elara sat down, her cheeks flushed from the compliments. "How was that?" she asked Ren, her eyes gleaming with pride, eager for his affirmation.
"You were amazing," he said, offering a gentle smile that made her cheeks burn.
"Thank you—" Elara began, but the professor interrupted, pointing at Ren. "Could you please stand up?" she requested.
"Oh no," Ren thought, a wave of dread washing over him as he braced for embarrassment.