I'll explain how was my room later, but for now, I really need to get to my next class. It's an important one—magic class.
I'm hoping it'll help take my mind off this whole confusing "regression" thing. If nothing else, it's a chance to focus on something tangible for once.
The dorm room I'd been teleported to was modest but cozy, with four beds neatly arranged. That meant I had three roommates—three people who could potentially help me figure out this strange situation.
But that investigation would have to wait. Right now, I needed to get to class, and with just five minutes left, I couldn't afford to waste a single second.
Grabbing my things, I hurried out of the dorm. The teleportation magic that had brought me here still amazed me, though I didn't have time to marvel at it. As I turned the corner of the building, thinking intently about my next class, I felt the now-familiar sensation of passing through a veil. Suddenly, I was standing outside the classroom.
"Neat trick," I muttered to myself, still a little stunned by the seamless transition.
Peering inside, I saw the room was already packed with students. Thankfully, the professor hadn't arrived yet.
'Looks like everyone's as eager as I am to learn about magic,' I thought with a small smile. After scanning the room, I spotted an empty seat near the back and quickly made my way to it.
The classroom was alive with energy—students chatting excitedly, the hum of curiosity palpable in the air. It was refreshing, almost enough to make me forget about my erased memories and the oddity of my current predicament. Almost.
The door creaked open, and a hush fell over the room. The professor entered, commanding attention with his mere presence.
He was tall—around six feet—with a sharp, commanding gaze. Dressed in a crisp black suit, he carried a book titled Elements: The Foundation of the World. He strode to the desk, closed the book with a decisive thud, and turned to the blackboard.
"Good afternoon, class," he said, his voice deep and authoritative. "I'm your instructor for magical elements—also known as elemental magic—Ivan Nikolas Drad." He wrote his name on the board with swift, confident strokes.
Pacing back and forth across the podium, he continued, "Since this is your first class, we'll cover the basics of elemental magic and, if time permits, cast your very first spell."
A ripple of excitement spread through the room. The idea of casting actual magic had everyone on the edge of their seats, myself included.
"To start," Professor Ivan said, clapping his hands to ensure we were paying attention, "remember that just as science has branches—physics, chemistry, biology—magic has its branches as well: elemental, illusion, necromantic, holy, and many others."
With a flick of his wrist, he snapped his fingers, and a small flame flickered to life in his palm. "This is basic fire magic, which you'll learn today," he explained, letting the fire dance across his hand before extinguishing it with a wave. The class watched, wide-eyed and entranced.
"If you attended your first class today," he continued, "you would have learned about the spark that ignited the fire at the beginning of the world. But we're not here to study history. That's for your other instructors."
He turned back to the blackboard and wrote the word fire in bold letters. "Today, we'll learn the spell to ignite fire. There are three primary methods for casting magic," he said, listing them out:
1. Movement
2. Speech
3. Artifacts
He gestured to the first item on the list. "The first method is movement, like the snap I just demonstrated." Raising a finger, he snapped again, producing another flame.
"The second method is speech," he said, holding up two fingers. He opened his palm and spoke the word, "Agnayts." Once more, the flame appeared, burning steadily before he extinguished it with a flick of his wrist.
"The third method involves artifacts," he explained, pulling a small lighter from his pocket. He held it up for the class to see, eliciting a few confused glances. One student, a boy with glasses, raised his hand.
"Yes?" the professor said, nodding in his direction.
The boy adjusted his glasses. "Uh, Professor, isn't that just a regular lighter? What's magical about it? You can buy those anywhere."
Professor Ivan smirked, as though anticipating the question. Clicking the lighter, he ignited a flame. But instead of the usual small flicker, the flame shot up nearly to the ceiling.
The boy yelped, falling back into his chair and shielding himself with his notebook.
"I believe that answers your question," the professor said dryly, letting the flame vanish.
The class erupted into murmurs, and I couldn't help but grin. This was the kind of magic I'd always dreamed about—practical, tangible, and full of surprises.
The professor clapped his hands again to regain our attention. "Now, before we dive into casting, I have a question for all of you: What is an element?" He scanned the room, waiting for someone to answer.
Hands shot up across the room, everyone eager to impress. After a moment, Professor Ivan pointed toward the back. "You there, in the back," he said, addressing a girl sitting beside me.
The girl stood up, her confidence evident. She was strikingly beautiful, with long hair peeking out from beneath a witch's hat—a bold choice, considering she was the only one in class wearing one.
"Yes, you," the professor said. "Please introduce yourself and share your answer."
The girl smiled. "Thank you, sir. My name is Jessica," she began. "Elements are the fundamental building blocks of the world. They're essential for life and are categorized into basic types like fire, water, air, and earth."
The professor nodded, clearly impressed. "An excellent answer, Jessica. Well done."
As she sat back down, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She seemed so sure of herself, so at home in this world of magic. Meanwhile, I was fumbling through it, trying to piece together my past and present.
Professor Ivan continued, "As Jessica mentioned, elements are indeed the foundation of everything. And as with the first spell ever cast, we'll begin with fire."
But before he could elaborate, a deafening explosion rocked the room.
Boom!
The blast was so loud it felt like the walls were shaking. Instinctively, everyone covered their ears, the shockwave rippling through the classroom.
Chaos erupted. Students screamed, desks overturned, and a cloud of dust filled the air. My heart raced as I tried to process what had just happened. I just wanted to learn magic, I thought, half in disbelief. First the regression, now this? Can't I catch a break?
The dust began to settle, but blurred our vision and I looked around. Students were huddled together, their faces pale with fear. The professor stood at the front of the room, his expression grim but composed.
"Everyone, remain calm!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the panic. "Stay in your seats and do not leave the classroom."
Easier said than done. My mind raced with questions. What had caused the explosion? Was it an attack? An accident?
'On a scale of one to ten ' I thought wryly, just how screwed am I right now?