Jayce descended gracefully from the skies, his momentum slowing down as he gently landed in the courtyard of Fyre Academy. He looked at Riven, who was still cradled in his arms, and saw her smiling at him.
"Thank you, Jayce," she said. "You were so brave. I never lost hope, you know. I always believed in you."
Jayce raised an eyebrow, curious. "Did you?" he asked. "Do you have some kind of power to see the future?"
Riven shook her head, laughing softly. "No, I don't have that kind of power," she said. "But I have a keen sense for people's true nature. And I believe in your true nature, Jayce. You are someone I can rely on."
Riven looked at Jayce with a polite expression and said, "Jayce, could you please remove this collar from my neck? It's blocking my access to magic. I can't see anything or feel anyone."
Jayce blinked, momentarily taken aback. He said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Here, let me break it for you." He raised his hand and smashed the collar with a burst of energy. As soon as it shattered, Riven's demeanor changed abruptly. Her head perked up and she uttered, "Zed?"
Jayce frowned and asked, "Zed? The leader of the Xerathians? Is he here?"
Riven nodded and said, "Yes, he is. I can feel his presence nearby. He's… he's…" She trailed off as she saw Headmaster Lucian approaching them. She ran towards him and warmly embraced him. Jayce stood there, stunned, as the realization sank in. He said, "Headmaster Lucian? You're Zed?"
Headmaster Lucian smiled and said, "I apologize for the ruse. I believe you've earned your reward now. Meet me in my office in an hour."
He escorted Riven to her new room in the academy, leaving Jayce bewildered by the revelation that Headmaster Lucian had been Zed all along. Determined, Jayce made his way to the headmaster's office and patiently waited to give him a piece of his mind. It didn't take long before Lucian returned.
To Jayce's surprise, Lucian began to undress, first removing his trench coat and then his shirt. Alarmed, Jayce stood up abruptly and said, "What are you doing?"
Calmly, the Headmaster said, "Don't you want to learn the Zorander clan's ultrafast regeneration technique?"
He cautiously resumed his seat and watched as Lucian removed his shirt. A heavily tattooed body was revealed, bearing markings that seemed oddly familiar. Jayce felt a surge of curiosity and fascination. He couldn't resist. He reached out and grabbed the headmaster's arm, carefully observing the ancient Mayan symbols that adorned it.
He grabbed a notepad and a pencil and began to meticulously transcribe every detail, exploring every corner of Lucian's body in complete silence.
"Thank you for your help, Headmaster Lucian," he said before leaving with a stack of notepads to his dorm room.
Poppy, determined to see Jayce, braved the stares and leers from the boys as she made her way through the dormitory. She even had the audacity to ask for directions to Jayce's room, and one of the boys pointed it out to her. Upon reaching the unlocked door, she cautiously pushed it open, only to be greeted by a shocking sight. Jayce stood in the middle of the room, completely naked, with intricate symbols painted all over his body in black ink. Stunned, Poppy stood frozen in the doorway.
Jayce's voice broke the silence, forceful and demanding. "Get in and shut the door," he commanded. Wordlessly, Poppy obeyed, positioning herself with her face towards the door and her back to Jayce.
Confusion and concern filled her mind as Jayce instructed her to help paint some of the symbols on his back.
She finally found her voice and said, "Jayce, have you lost your mind?"
Jayce rolled his eyes and said, "Don't be so dramatic. This ritual will help Ekko regain the use of his limbs. But it won't work if you don't cooperate."
Poppy hesitated, needing further persuasion before reluctantly agreeing. As she turned around, she was met with Jayce's outstretched hand, holding a paintbrush. Her face flushed crimson, but she took it from him nonetheless.
Instructing him to turn around, Poppy took a piece of paper where he had drawn the symbols and began painting them onto his skin.
She felt a surge of curiosity and asked, "What is this ritual for?"
Jayce explained, "It's an ultrafast regeneration technique. It can heal anything, even severed limbs. But it has to be painted onto the body."
Poppy nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, and continued to paint.
When she finished, Jayce recited a chant, and the markings glowed with an orange hue, burning themselves into his skin. The pain caused Jayce to scream, startling Poppy, who joined in with her own scream. After a few agonizing minutes, it was done. The symbols had become translucent, embedded into Jayce's skin.
Poppy said, "Jayce, the symbols are disappearing. What's happening?"
Jayce assured her, "Don't worry, Poppy. I've modified them to remain unseen by anyone I don't allow. They're still there, but only we can see them."
Politely, Poppy requested that Jayce put on some clothes, and he responded with a sheepish "Oh, yeah." As he changed into his uniform, Poppy faced the door, her cheeks still flushed. Once Jayce was dressed, they stepped out of the room to find a crowd of onlookers, the male inhabitants of the dorm, casting dirty looks in Jayce's direction. Poppy felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, while Jayce stood there, perplexed by the attention they were receiving.