Aiden's eyes widened in shock as he watched Lyra's body begin to change. The dark aura faded, replaced by a soft glow. Her hair, once jet black, was now a striking white. She was back to normal.
"How did you..." Aiden couldn't finish his sentence, his jaw dropped in astonishment. He had struggled to even land a decent hit on Lyra, yet this old man had knocked her out with a single flick of his finger.
"Training, of course," Isaac said with a casual smile. His expression turned serious as he continued, "I have a question. Why did you hide your abilities? Did Arthur ask you to do so?"
Aiden shook his head, confusion evident in his eyes. "No, I... I don't even know who he is. I haven't seen him before, not since I regained consciousness."
"Hmm, very well then." Isaac proceeded to carry Lyra in his arms.
"Wait, what happened to her?" Aiden asked, his blue eyes returning to normal.
"She unlocked her divine technique which is her crazed state," Isaac explained.
"Divine technique? How do I unlock that?" Aiden inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"That will be revealed tomorrow," Isaac replied, a hint of mystery in his voice. "But first, I have to ask again.Why did you hide your abilities?"
Aiden didn't hesitate. "I awakened it when she launched a ball of energy towards me and that creature over there," he said, pointing at Daniel.
"Arthur, you really have good eyes. I underestimated you," Isaac muttered to himself, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"Okay then." Isaac carefully carried Lyra in his arms.
"Wait!" Aiden said, his voice filled with urgency.
"Hmm?" Isaac turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.
"Can you teach me how you did that?" Aiden asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Isaac chuckled. "Did you complete today's training?"
Aiden's head lowered in shame. "No," he admitted quietly.
"Good. You can go back to your dorm now," Isaac said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Aiden nodded obediently and left the hall, his mind racing with thoughts of the incredible power he had witnessed.
Isaac looked at Daniel and Lyra with a serious expression. "By tomorrow, I want to know exactly what happened here," he stated firmly.
The academy slowly returned to normal as the construction magic worked its wonders. Peter, Cedric, and Marcel were frantically searching for Aiden when he finally appeared. His eyes held a dull, distant look, and his school uniform was ripped and torn.
Peter rushed to his side, concern etched on his face. "What happened?" Cedric asked, his voice filled with worry. "Do you need help? I can heal your wounds or something."
Aiden tried to play it cool. "Don't worry, I'm..." But before he could finish, Peter rolled his eyes. "Heal his wounds, he's trying to act tough," Peter muttered under his breath.
Cedric stretched out his hands, and a soft green glow enveloped them. His eyes focused intently on Aiden's wounds as he began to concentrate.
"Aiden was slowly recovering, but it was clear he needed rest." Marcel stated, his voice filled with concern. "Let's get you inside," he added, helping Aiden to his feet.
The next day..
The morning sun streamed through the dorm window, casting long shadows on the floor. Aiden slowly opened his eyes, feeling a dull ache in his body. He stirred slowly, blinking against the morning light. He glanced over at Cedric and Marcel, still fast asleep, and then at Peter, who was snoring loudly enough to wake the dead. Shaking his head with a chuckle, Aiden decided to get ready for the day. The image of Lyra's transformation and Isaac's incredible power flashed through his mind. He couldn't wait to learn more about it all.
"Rise and shine, everyone!" Elara's voice echoed through the academy, jolting everyone awake.
Peter shot up from his bed, his eyes wide with startlement. "I'm up!" he exclaimed, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
The boys prepared themselves for the day. Aiden had changed his school uniform, the remnants of the previous day's battle still evident in its tattered state. Cedric, Marcel, and Peter began to discuss what had happened the previous day as they made their way to class.
"What happened out there, Aiden?" Cedric asked, his voice filled with concern.
Aiden hesitated, his mind replaying the events. "I was disappointed in myself when I couldn't complete my training, so I couldn't sleep. I left the room and ran into Daniel and his gang. They were about to beat me up like last time, until..." Aiden trailed off, his voice filled with a mix of fear and anger.
"Until what?" Marcel asked, curious.
"I saw a girl with a dark aura covering her entire body. She defeated all of them. And she created a large ball of energy that caused the explosion," Aiden explained, his voice filled with awe.
"But you survived," Peter said, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes, and I awakened it! I awakened another ability!" he exclaimed, excitement bubbling in his voice.
Cedric and Marcel exchanged excited glances. "Show us then, come on!" Cedric urged.
Aiden closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He opened them, but nothing happened. Disappointment washed over him. "I... I don't understand," he said, his voice filled with sadness.
Cedric and Marcel patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay," Cedric said.
"Yeah!" Peter added enthusiastically. "Let's complete today's training."
"Students buzzed with excitement, sharing stories about the previous day's chaos. Rhea sat quietly in her usual seat, her expression unreadable. Pelia wanted to talk to her, but something held her back.
"What if she ignores me? I don't want her to ignore me. What should I do?" Pelia bit her nails nervously.
Just as she was about to spiral into overthinking, Peter and Aiden entered the classroom. Pelia's attention shifted to them, and she mustered up a smile. She was about to ask about yesterday's events when Isaac Ironheart made a dramatic entrance, commanding everyone's attention. The classroom fell silent.
The classroom fell silent as Isaac Ironheart entered. All eyes were drawn to the imposing figure. He stood at the front of the room, his gaze sweeping across the students. A sense of anticipation filled the air.