Elian lay on the hospital bed, bandaged and bruised from his fight. The room was silent, the only sound the soft ticking of a clock above his bed. He stared at the ceiling, feeling a mixture of disappointment and anger wash over him. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Isla walked in. Her usual confident smile was nowhere to be seen; instead, her face was blank, and her gaze avoided him.
After a moment, she spoke. "Now what… what's your plan?"
Elian gave a bitter smile, shrugging. "Nothing, I guess. I'll have to find the fragments outside the academy now. Looks like our party is over, Isla."
At this, Isla looked down, her fingers fidgeting, but she didn't reply. She stood there a moment longer before she suddenly turned and hurried out of the room, leaving Elian alone. He clenched his fists, frustration boiling up inside him until, in a fit of anger, he punched the wall beside his bed.
"Lucian…" he muttered, his voice thick with resentment. "That bastard… I'll… I'll—"
Before he could finish, an old man in a long, dark robe walked into the room, interrupting him. The stranger had a wise, piercing gaze, his silver hair pulled back as he regarded Elian thoughtfully.
"I saw your fight," the old man began, his voice steady. "Even though you lost, there was something unusual about your powers… something raw and fierce. Had they been at full strength, you might not only have beaten Lucian but destroyed entire—" He cut himself off with a smile, a glint of mystery in his eyes. "Those powers of yours bring back memories…"
Elian remained silent, studying the old man, unsure what to make of him. Sighing, the man continued, "You're disappointed by the outcome, but cheer up. You're still selected to join Vermillion Arcana."
Elian sat up suddenly, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What?! You're kidding, right?"
The old man chuckled. "Not in the least. You were chosen by someone quite… prominent. The one who picked you is Headmaster Zephyr Thornecrest. Perhaps you've heard of him?"
Elian's jaw dropped. The Headmaster—the strongest magician in the realm, a legend known for his wisdom and unmatched magical power. Was he aware of Elian's hidden strength, perhaps even of the fragment? He gulped, questions racing through his mind.
Meanwhile, in the grand office of the Headmaster, Zephyr Thornecrest sat behind an imposing oak desk, his fingers steepled. Across from him stood Lucian, arms crossed, a cold smile on his face.
"Why do you want Elian to stay in the academy, despite him being your opponent?" Zephyr asked, his gaze sharp.
Lucian smirked, his eyes dark with malice. "I want to see him suffer. I want to make him regret ever giving me a cut, to remind him each day of his weakness until he begs for release. Can't have him running off, now can I?"
Zephyr let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "As I expected from you, Lucian."
Back in the academy grounds, Elian searched for Isla, eager to tell her the unbelievable news that he was still accepted. He ran through the bustling corridors, out to the training grounds, and finally into the forested garden near the academy, calling her name.
Then, he froze. Up ahead, he saw Isla surrounded by a group of students led by a tall girl with a haughty, malicious look in her eyes. It was Annalise de Montfort, the noblewoman Isla had bested in the admissions trial. Behind her stood a handful of students, but the most intimidating of all was a hulking, muscular figure with a dark aura pulsing around him.
Annalise sneered as she stepped closer to Isla. "Thought you could humiliate me in front of everyone and get away with it?" she hissed. "I don't take losses lightly."
Isla squared her shoulders, refusing to back down, though Elian could see the strain on her face as the group closed in.
Elian's eyes widened as he shouted, "Isla!" and sprinted toward the group surrounding her. Hearing his voice, Isla turned sharply, her eyes flashing with fury. But instead of waiting for him, she moved first. The goons around Annalise barely had a chance to react before Isla lunged at them, her movements fast and unrelenting. With each punch and kick, her strikes grew fiercer, so swift that even Elian struggled to keep up with her movements.
"She wasn't this strong in the fight with those monsters," Elian thought, watching her tear through her attackers with ease. Each blow was sharp, precise, and ferocious, sending one student after another to the ground. *Is this... a woman's rage?* he wondered, feeling a chill. The fragment's voice echoed in his mind, faintly amused. *Elian, you should be cautious. She's reaching a breaking point.*
"Guess I have to keep that in mind…" Elian muttered, still trying to make sense of Isla's sudden, brutal strength.
Meanwhile, Isla faced off against the tall, hulking man at Annalise's side, who sneered at her with an unsettling confidence. He reached out, grabbing her by the neck, and threw her to the ground with a forceful swing. She tumbled but quickly rose to her feet, her face darkening with even more anger. Her entire body moved with an unnatural speed as she disappeared and reappeared in front of him, landing a powerful kick to his chest that sent him staggering backward. Without mercy, she followed up with a relentless barrage of kicks, each one aimed squarely at his chest. Elian could only watch, stunned, as she pummeled the large man to the ground.
Seeing her muscle fall, Annalise's face went pale. She took a step back, clutching a small, ornate wand. Muttering under her breath, she aimed it toward Isla, the tip beginning to glow with a dangerous energy. But just as she lifted the wand, thick, enchanted chains appeared from thin air, snaking around her and pulling her arms to her sides, tightening until she let out a strangled cry.
A translucent, shimmering shield materialized between Isla and Annalise, forcing Isla back as it held the noblewoman in place. Elian turned his gaze to the edge of the clearing, where three figures were approaching them.
Two students walked on either side, one a slender girl with cold blue eyes and short-cropped hair, the other a tall boy with a sharp, calculating gaze. But it was the figure in the center who held everyone's attention. A woman with piercing, no-nonsense eyes and an imposing air about her, dressed in the official robes of the academy's disciplinary council.
Isla scowled, muttering under her breath. "Elian, that's her—the President of the Discipline Committee,"Seraphina Vaelith". She's directly under the Student Council." The figure's steely gaze swept over Isla, Elian, and the others, assessing the scene with a slight curl of disdain.
TO BE CONTINUED.....