Chapter 1
The massive wood doors tower over the cobblestone road. Shops around here seem to have pushed themselves away from the entrance of the school. The tall white walls force everyone to walk to this one gate. The guards stand tall, holding their spears, not a speck of dust on their uniforms.
As I get closer to the gate, one of the guards walks forward, slamming his spear into the ground as he comes to a stop in front of me.
"Name and reason for visit?" his deep voice barks out the order.
"Aeron Drakenhart, I'm here by the order of His Majesty." I see the other guard's eyes widen at the sound of my last name. Drakenhart, the surname of the last four royal mages. My father and grandfathers gave their all to ensure this kingdom will stand the test of time. My father says that I will be the next one once I reach the age.
"You don't look like a Drakenhart. You look like a beggar just come out of the woods. Why should I believe you are who you say you are?" He leans in closer, his breath wafting into my face. Fish? Who eats fish first thing in the morning?
I hurry, digging into my pocket, pulling a scroll out, then handing it to the guard. He stops once he sees the king's seal on the scroll.
"Well lad, I doubt you would have been able to steal this from anyone. Jacbos (Jacbos should be changed to Jacobs), run and let the Master know that he is here." Without wasting any time, the other guard turns, disappearing through a small opening in the gate.
"I saw your grandfather once, on the battlefield. He turned the sky red and called forth power I have never seen before." He stops, looking around the empty streets, seeing that no one was close by, just a few errand boys trying to make as much as they can. "You don't look as impressive as he did though."
I feel my eyes roll at the guard's words. He got to see what my grandfather could do then. Now the old man does nothing but train me and a select few that Father sends him. Although (Altough should be changed to Although) looking back, I think Father sent those men for me to train against.
Before the guard can open his mouth again, the gate opens, wider this time. The guard returns to his spot without saying a word.
There, standing in the open gate, is a small man with short white hair. His eyes, though, bright blue, dance between warmth and coldness.
"Master Drakenhart. My name is Headmaster Thalor Velmoran. Welcome to the Academy of Magical Arts." He holds his hand out. I quickly place the scroll in his hand and then walk through the gate.
The outside holds large white walls bare of anything except for the guards who walk atop them.
The inside, though, screamed for the elite. White marble floors and walls, polished to a shine, rich dark wood trim. Black swirls dance across the floor, magic candles lighting the whole path.
"Master Drakenhart,"
"Please call me Aeron. I'm not my father or grandfather."
"Ah, yes, it says here that you wish to have your own room away from other students, as well as a private training ground?" He stops, looking down at the scroll. I stop, turning back to look at him. His blue eyes scan the letter from my grandfather.
"Malcolm is an old friend of mine. I can provide a private room for you, but unfortunately (unfortany should be changed to unfortunately) I do not have any spare training areas for you. The school year has already started, and they have already been claimed."
He looks up at me, squinting as though trying to read how I would act after being told I couldn't have what I asked for.
I just look at him, waiting to see what else he has to say. I'm not too worried about the training area. I can always train before anyone else is awake.
His head snaps to the first doorway. I turn back, looking. There she stands.
Her dark hair, with a copper tint, is pulled back into a messy ponytail, a quill (quil should be changed to quill) sticking out the side. Her bright green eyes dart across the scroll in her hands.
She's thin, almost like she doesn't eat a lot or at all. A leather apron covers her uniform, black marks, and even cuts into it. Her thin fingers grasp the scroll, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
"Ms. Stormveil?" The Headmaster speaks up as he moves closer to the young woman.
"Ah, Headmaster, what can I help you with?" She hurries and wipes the single tear from her eye.
"Is everything okay?" he asks, moving in front of her.
"Just my family trying to stop me from chasing my dreams. They are forcing me to give up my training area to one of my cousins." She rolls her eyes, but you can see it—the sadness sitting in her eyes.
"Well, I am sorry, dear, but your family did pay for it."
"What if I take it? We can share." My voice causes her to jump and look at me for the first time.
I know I'm not much to look at, dressed in a plain brown robe. I can imagine what my hair looks like after three days of travel to get here. My father wanted me to use his teleportation to arrive sooner, but I wanted to put this off for as long as I could.
"Master Drakenhart?" The headmaster starts talking.
"Aeron, please." I stop, "Drakenhart outranks the Stormveil family. I'm sure if you told the Stormveil family that Drakenhart took over the training area, they would understand. They can use it when neither of us is using it, though."
"Drakenhart?" She looks at me, not quite believing that I belong to one of the most important families in the kingdom. She looks back at the headmaster.
"I guess I don't see any issue with this. Although I am not sure how the Stormveil family will handle this news."
"You can tell them to reach out to my father, and they can work something out." I speak up, my eyes never leaving the young woman in front of us.
"Umm," the headmaster looks around, letting his shoulders slump down, as if I acted like a spoiled rich brat.
"There are reasons why my father and grandfather requested I have my own training area, but since there aren't any left, instead of pushing other families out of theirs, I am willing to share with her and her family, as long as they respect my space and need for the training area."
"Ah, well, Ms. Stormveil?" the headmaster looks back at her, her eyes wide, looking between the two of us. Her bright green eyes lock on mine.
"Sure." She gulps, still looking at me.
"Great. Do you mind showing Aeron to the training area and letting him have one of the rooms that connect to it?"
"Of course, Headmaster." She hurries and looks at him, bowing her head.
"Aeron, if you need anything else, please reach out to me. I have other matters to attend to now." He tucks my scroll into his robe and disappears down the hall.
After watching him disappear into another door, I turn, looking at the young Stormveil in front of me. She's still looking at me.
"My name is Aeron Drakenhart, and you are?" I hold my hand out.
She slowly reaches out, sticking her cold, thin hand into mine.
"Elara Stormveil, but everyone calls me Jinx." I smirk at the last part.
"What?"
"Nothing, you are the first person I have met who is my age, that is all. Shall we head that way?" I pull my hand from hers, holding it toward the open hall.
The two of us walk deeper into the academy. The white marble fades away into basic brick and walls. Although she doesn't say anything, I catch her looking at me a couple of times, but I say nothing. All I know is that she has power.
We turn the corner, and bam. A larger boy bumps into me. He falls to the ground, shaking his head as he looks up at me.
He has the same green eyes and copper-colored hair, his is short, pushed up in spikes.
He is built, trained in close combat. He pulls himself up, anger flashing through his eyes, and turns, glaring at Jinx next to me.
"Jinx, what the hell is the meaning of this? Who is this fool?"
"He's..."
"They say you're the smartest in the family, but there is a reason we call you Jinx—everything you touch."
"Enough." My voice barks, making the asshole and his group jump and all look at me.
"I am Aeron Drakenhart. And you are not allowed to talk to my new friend this way. I'm sorry for knocking you down."
He hauls himself up in a hurry, standing in front of me, almost pushing himself into me.
"I'm Kelton Stormveil. You'd do well to show me respect. You think because you're a Drakenhart that makes you special?" His voice is dripping with arrogance, his eyes glaring into mine.
I don't flinch or back down. Instead, I meet his gaze calmly.
"I don't think I'm special. But I do think I'm someone you should leave alone."
Kelton laughs, a short, harsh sound.
"You? Leave you alone? You're nothing, Drakenhart. You'll learn your place soon enough." He steps back, looking over his shoulder at the group that has gathered behind him. I see the confidence grow in his stance, now that he has an audience.
I can feel the tension building, but I refuse to let it escalate.
"I'm not interested in fighting you, Kelton. I have more important things to do." I glance at Jinx, whose eyes are wide, watching the exchange.
Kelton pulls out his wand, a red crystal gleaming at its tip, and in an instant, flames surge toward us, fierce and wild. His friends scatter, diving out of the way, their robes catching small embers as the fire streaks through the hall.
I don't flinch.
With a swift turn, I pivot on my heel, pulling Jinx into my arms and tucking her close to me. I drop low, feeling the heat rush over my back as I dodge the fire's path, my feet barely making a sound as I shift my weight. In one smooth motion, I rise and close the distance between us.
Kelton doesn't even have time to blink before I'm on him.
My hand presses into his chest, but it's not just a shove—it's a calculated blow, driving him back with just enough force to knock the wind from him without causing any real harm. He's airborne for a brief moment, crashing into the marble wall behind him, dust and shards of stone falling around him.
I stand there, calm, as he struggles to get up. I've barely broken a sweat.
"I told you. Leave us alone," I say, my voice steady. Kelton's eyes widen, the fight knocked out of him for a second, but his pride won't let him back down that easily.
"I... challenge you." His voice is weak but filled with stubbornness, his pride still intact.
I turn to look at him. The boy is shaking, trying to gather himself, but he doesn't understand who he's dealing with.
I don't rush to answer. Instead, I watch him carefully, calculating how easily I could have ended this differently. But there's no need to break him—he's already broken, just not in the way he realizes.
"The school has a tournament at the end of this week," he continues, his breathing labored. "I win, I get the training area... and you'll become one of my dogs. If you win, I'll leave her alone forever."
I smirk. He doesn't stand a chance, but I let him have this moment.
"Deal," I say simply, turning my back to him as if nothing more needs to be said.
Jinx lets out a breath she'd been holding.
"Why did you do that?" she asks, her voice small.
"Because I don't like bullies," I reply simply. "And you don't deserve to be treated like that."
She looks at me for a long moment, then nods.
"Thank you," she whispers. "Also, umm, could you set me down?"