The Awakening
George's eyes snapped open to the sterile, rhythmic beeping of a Larrisan medical ward. His arm felt like it was encased in lead, and the empty space in his gums throbbed with every heartbeat. He forced himself upright, the world tilting dangerously, and shuffled toward the door. He found Kayn first. His friend looked small beneath the white linens, a heavy web of bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. George stood in the doorway, the silence of the room amplified by the guilt gnawing at his chest. A single tear tracked through the dust on his cheek.
"It's all my fault, he whispered to himself. My pride. Magnus's ego. And Kayn pays the price."
The Cafeteria
He found Nana in the cafeteria, looking remarkably normal—until he noticed the way she winced while lifting a spoonful of yogurt.
"Nana!" George lunged forward, throwing his arms around her.
"G–George! Careful—easy, easy!" she gasped, her face going pale as she gently pushed him back. "I've got at least two ribs that aren't speaking to the rest of my chest right now."
"I'm so glad you're alright, Nana," George said, his eyes filling with tears.
"I'm alive, George. Just… empty." Nana looked down at her hands. "I'm completely out of aura. Trying to tap into my magic right now feels like drawing water from a scorched well. It'll come back, but for now, I'm magicless."
She looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes. "Wait… George, how are you even walking? Kayn is a wreck, I'm broken, and Magnus—they say he's got a wound that might never fully close. But you? You look like you just fell off a carriage."
George rubbed the back of his neck, offering a weak, crooked grin. "Must be my grandpa's cooking. All that goat stew and spice builds a different kind of hide, I guess."
The Confrontation
Their laughter was cut short by the sharp clack of heels against tile. Mrs. Eberhardt stood there, her presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "I'm glad to see you're well enough to joke, Mr. George," she said, her voice dropping an octave. "Because the school board is currently reviewing the repair estimates for the courtyard you turned into a crater."
George and Nana straightened immediately, the humor vanishing.
"You didn't just break rules," Eberhardt continued, stepping closer. "You bypassed every safety protocol we have. You endangered yourselves, your peers, and the reputation of this institution. In any other year, I would be handing you expulsion papers." She paused, letting the word hang in the air. "Instead, you will spend every hour of your free time for the remainder of the year in service to this school. Labor. Cleaning. Maintenance—whatever the staff requires. Furthermore, you are both on academic probation. One more slip—even a late assignment—and you will be looking at suspension."
The Warning
She handed them two thick folders. "Your medical files. Read them. If you attempt even a spark of magic in the next seven days, the residual aura feedback will do more than hurt. It could extinguish your spark permanently. Or worse." Her expression softened suddenly. She pulled them both into a brief, fierce embrace. "As your headmistress, I am furious," she said quietly. "But as your teacher… I am simply glad you are still here to be punished. Don't make me mourn a student. I don't have the heart for it."
"And Kayn?" George asked softly.
"He'll carry a scar over his left eye to remember your 'duel' by," she replied, her voice firm once more. "But he will recover. Eventually." She set a heavy satchel on the table with a daunting thud. "Since you'll be bedridden and unable to practice magic, I've ensured you won't be bored."
George peeked inside and groaned. It was a mountain of textbooks and scrolls. A small note rested on top:
Since you have the energy to fight, you have the energy to study. Recover quickly.
— Mrs. Eberhardt
George looked at the stack, then at Nana. "You know… a week's suspension is starting to sound like a vacation right about now."
Nana let out a pained laugh, clutching her side. "Shut up, George. And go back to bed."