I grabbed the knife that the teacher had thrown at me and threw it back at her. She caught it with one hand, without even blinking. She smiled wickedly and said, "I don't like latecomers, so next time make sure you're not late or I won't miss you." Her voice was cold and menacing.
Zara and I shivered. This teacher was scary. She was a demon.
We quickly found two empty seats at the back of the room and sat down. We noticed that there were no longer any groups according to rank. Everyone was mixed up. We wondered what that meant.
I looked around the room and saw that everyone else looked normal. They didn't seem to notice or care that our new teacher was a demon. They acted like it was a normal day. How could they be so calm? Maybe the teacher as using magic to not be remarked.
I looked up and saw Lydia sitting a few rows ahead of me. She looked angry. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying all night. I wondered what had happened to her but that was not my problem.
The teacher cleared her throat and got our attention. She looked at all the students with a piercing gaze.
"For those who don't know me, I'm Madame LaCroix and I'll be your new magic teacher. I'm very different from your old teacher. I don't believe in boring lectures and useless homework. I believe in practical combat training. I believe in survival of the fittest. I believe in making you stronger." she said.
She waved her hand and projected something onto the board with her magic. It was a list of all our names. I had no idea what it was for. I felt a surge of curiosity.
The teacher smiled and said, "I see some questions on your face, so I'll answer them." She laughed, but it was not a friendly laugh. It was a cruel and mocking laugh.
"From now on, in every magic class, two people will face each other and the winner will be the one who knocks out the other. No rules, no mercy, no limits. The last one standing will be the winner."She said.
The class gasped. Some of them looked excited. Some of them looked nervous. Some of them looked scared. For me it was quite great I wanted to know who was the strongest.
A boy in the front row raised his hand , "But that's not fair. That's not how magic is supposed to be taught. That's not how magic is supposed to be used. That's not-"
He didn't have time to finish his sentence. A knife flew from the teacher's hand and landed right in front of him, barely missing his chest. He turned pale and frightened. He shut his mouth and lowered his hand.
"I don't care what you think. I'm your teacher and you must obey my orders. If you don't like it, you can leave. But you won't get another chance to learn magic. You'll be a nobody. A loser. A failure."The teacher said.
She tapped on her desk with her fingers. It made a loud sound that startled everyone. "By the way, I've already decided on the first fight. And it's going to be a sister fight. Because I've decided that Lydia is going to fight Zara."She said.
She snapped her fingers and their two names appeared on the board. They glowed in red letters. They looked like blood.
After getting to the training pitch.
I watched from from the front row as the bell rang, signaling the start of the magical combat training. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I prepared myself for any possible danger.
Zara and Lydia headed to the designated training ground, a spacious area with magical barriers to contain the potential collateral damage. The air crackled with tension as the two sisters faced each other, each determined to prove her strength.
Lydia, with her lightning magic, crackled with energy, her eyes reflecting the sparks of power within her. Zara, on the other hand, radiated a gentle glow as she harnessed the power of light. Despite the sisterly bond that once existed between them, the rivalry for the throne of the human realm had driven a wedge between Lydia and Zara.
"Are you ready, Zara?" Lydia taunted, smirking. "Or are you too scared to face me?"
"I'm not scared of you, Lydia," Zara replied, her voice calm but firm. "I'm just disappointed that you've let your ambition cloud your judgment."
"Save your pity for yourself, Zara. You're the one who's going to need it," Lydia snapped, raising her hand.
The fight started, and Lydia quickly took control. Her lightning bolts were swift and powerful, dazzling the spectators. Zara struggled to keep up, but Lydia's prowess seemed insurmountable. As the battle progressed, Lydia's attacks became more intense, and it became evident that she was not holding back.
"Come on, Zara, is that all you've got?" Lydia mocked, unleashing another bolt. "You're pathetic. You don't deserve to be the heir of the human realm. You're too weak, too naive, too kind."
"Kindness is not a weakness, Lydia. It's a strength. And you've lost it," Zara said, dodging the bolt. "You've become cruel, arrogant, and reckless. You don't care about anyone but yourself. You don't care about the consequences of your actions."
"Consequences? What consequences?" Lydia scoffed, conjuring another bolt. "I'm the strongest. I'm the best. I'm the only one who can rule the human realm. And I'll prove it to you. Right here, right now."
Suddenly, with a menacing glint in her eye, Lydia conjured a powerful lightning storm, aiming to strike Zara down with a barrage of electrifying bolts. The onlookers gasped, fearing the worst.
That was my cue. I couldn't let Lydia harm Zara, or anyone else for that matter. I had a mission to protect Zara, and I was not going to fail.
I emerged from the front row, moving with unparalleled speed and skill, intercepting the lightning bolts with ease. In a blink of an eye, I stood between Lydia and Zara, deflecting the deadly magic away.
I felt a surge of power coursing through me, as I used my own magic to counter Lydia's.
My presence was unexpected, and the class watched in awe as I effortlessly protected Zara. Lydia, frustrated by the interference, glared at me but refrained from further attacks. My eyes met Lydia's with an intense gaze, conveying a silent warning.
"Don't you dare," I said, my voice low and stern.
"Can't you just seat and watch Aaliyah" Lydia demanded, her voice trembling with anger.
"You were going to kill her," I said, turning to Zara. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, thank you, Aaliyah," Zara said, smiling gratefully. "You saved me."
"It's okay" I said, returning the smile. "But you don't need to thank me. You're my 'friend'." I said with a fake smile.
The magical display came to an abrupt halt as the teacher's voice echoed through the training ground. The bell rang again, signifying the end of the class. The spectators dispersed, leaving the tension lingering in the air.
Madame LaCroix approached me, a sly smile playing on her lips. "You're quite the guardian, aren't you, Aaliyah?" she remarked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
I simply nodded, maintaining an air of mystery. The teacher's attention then shifted to the exhausted Lydia and Zara. "Well, that was an interesting display. You two may leave for now," she declared, dismissing them.
As Lydia stormed off, shooting one last glare at Zara, I lingered for a moment, exchanging a subtle nod with the teacher. Madame LaCroix then spoke directly to me, "Stay, Aaliyah. There's something I want to discuss with you."
The rest of the class dispersed, leaving me alone with the enigmatic teacher, wondering what further secrets and challenges awaited in this unconventional magical academy.