Cior sat down at the breakfast table, the tension thick in the air. The boys were still nursing their tired eyes from the previous night, and none of them had much of an appetite. They simply stared at her, their silence speaking volumes.
"Hey guys, I'm sorry," Cior said sheepishly, poking at her food.
They responded with dead stares, not even blinking.
"Please, I'll be careful and stay in my room next time, okay?" she tried again, her voice full of innocence.
Still, no response.
"Enough!" Cior's patience wore thin as she slammed her hand down on the table, causing the dishes to rattle. "If you guys don't talk to me, I'm gonna kill you!"
The boys continued their silent protest, ignoring her entirely.
"Tell us your password," Mateo said flatly, clearly unimpressed.
"5431," Cior answered without hesitation.
"Now, to class," Amias announced, standing up and grabbing his things.
"So, you forgive me?" Cior asked, tilting her head innocently.
"Naah, we'll see about that," Arvan replied, still deadpan, not even bothering to look at her.
Cior just huffed and crossed her arms, but she couldn't help but smile at their reactions. Despite their grumbling, she knew deep down they were just too tired to hold it against her for long. She was too cute to stay mad at, right?
As the class continued, Cior sat slouched in her seat, her eyes barely open. Ziven, leaning back in his chair, couldn't resist throwing in a jab. "Let's see, shortie, how are you in studies?"
They all settled into their assigned places, the room buzzing with chatter as the lesson began. But it didn't take long for Amaias to notice Cior's head slowly drooping. "How much sleep does this guy need?" he muttered under his breath.
The teacher, Mr. Bennett, a strict and no-nonsense figure, paused his lecture as he noticed the sleeping student in the back. "Mr. Cior, may I have your attention?" he called out in a sharp tone.
Cior didn't stir, mumbling in her sleep, "Nah, let me sleep."
The teacher, now visibly irritated, raised his voice, "Mr. Cior, be down here in a second!"
"Okay, okay!" Cior finally sat up, her messy hair falling over her eyes as she dragged herself to the front of the class.
Mr. Bennett, not one to be easily fazed, put his hands on his hips. "Can you explain the concept of mana flow and existence?" he asked, already expecting some kind of half-hearted answer. The topic was far more advanced than the current lesson.
"Simple," Cior said, her tone casual, as if she'd been awake and paying attention the entire time. She went on to explain mana flow, breaking it down into the most basic terms, while using a demonstration that had the entire class watching in awe. Her explanation was clear, simple, and effective.
"I understand," the entire class nodded in unison, clearly impressed. Even Mr. Bennett stood there, speechless, as he tried to wrap his mind around what just happened.
Cior finished, looking quite pleased with herself. "See? Easy."
The teacher's face went from confusion to sheer disbelief. "Mr. Cior, please meet me in my office after class," he said, still trying to process the fact that this student—who had been snoozing moments ago—had just explained one of the most difficult concepts with such ease.
"Hey, I was right! Why should I be punished?" Cior asked with a grin, not even bothering to hide her smugness.
"It's not punishment, Mr. Cior. It's something else," Mr. Bennett replied, his voice stern but with a hint of curiosity.
"Okay, okay, in the evening then," Cior shrugged, clearly unbothered by whatever was coming her way.
The rest of the class was still in shock. The boys couldn't believe it.
"I thought he was all talk and no work," Arvan muttered, still staring at Cior in disbelief.
"Me too," Ziven added, shaking his head.
"Guess we've all underestimated him," Mateo said, a grin slowly forming on his face.
Amaias, still processing everything, just sighed. "Guess he really does have it in him."
As the bell rang and the students filed out, Cior felt the eyes of everyone on her. She was sure they'd be talking about her skills for days to come. She was just happy to have another mystery under her belt.
The lecture that followed was on power determination, a class where each of them had to learn more about their abilities and how they would evolve in the coming years. Cior had already registered her four abilities, and so had the others. Each student was asked to list their abilities, though the instructor was careful not to dive into demonstrations—something that would come later as they progressed.
Amaias, always eager to show off, listed his abilities with a grin. "I've got light manipulation, nullifying ability, wind manipulation, and healing." He said it with such confidence that no one dared challenge him.
Arvan wasn't far behind, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "Liquid manipulation, dream manipulation, clone ability, and a bit of regeneration." He flashed a mischievous smile. "Bet you're all jealous of my dream manipulation."
Ziven, who'd been quietly listening, chimed in next. "Plant manipulation, metal manipulation, illusion ability, and I can tame more than four beasts at once." He shrugged casually, as if these powers were nothing to be proud of, but his friends knew better. Taming beasts was a big deal.
Mateo, as always, had a confident yet laid-back air about him. "Lava manipulation, crystal manipulation, electric manipulation, and fear ability." His voice had a calm power to it, as though each ability were part of his natural state.
Finally, Cior, who had been sitting quietly through the introductions, cleared her throat. "I've got teleportation, gravity control, darkness ability, and water control." Her tone was casual, but the weight of the abilities she listed wasn't lost on the others.
The instructor nodded approvingly. "All of you have quad abilities, which is… unusual. But no one's to discuss that further. We're here to develop what you can do with those powers."
It was a strange coincidence, the fact that all of them had four abilities. They weren't the first in history, but it certainly raised some questions. Despite this, no one dared to speak out about it. After all, the academy had its rules. No one wanted to make trouble, especially with their abilities already marking them as potential troublemakers.
The rest of the lecture continued without much fanfare. They weren't required to demonstrate their powers just yet, so they sat through it, waiting for the day when they would actually learn how to harness these abilities properly. Cior, however, couldn't help but wonder what the future held. The other students may have noticed the weirdness of their abilities, but for now, they just had to keep their heads down and focus. But who knew how long that would last?
The thought lingered in her mind as the lecture ended and everyone began to file out, each lost in their own thoughts about what was to come.