The next morning, the first-years were divided into their classes. The announcement came as Orin was tying his boots in his dorm room, still groggy from a restless night.
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New Notification: Class Assignments
Assigned Class: Class A
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Orin blinked at the glowing panel, the words burning into his brain.
"Class A?" he muttered, furrowing his brow. He knew enough about Eldryn Academy to understand what that meant: Class A was reserved for the strongest first-years—the students who were expected to rise to greatness.
This had to be a mistake.
He rushed to the main hall, where groups of students were gathered around the bulletin boards. A crowd had formed around the list of assignments, with whispers and exclamations filling the air. Orin pushed his way to the front, scanning the names under Class A.
There it was, near the bottom of the list: Orin Lumis.
His chest tightened as he looked at the other names. Reynard Caine. Amara Veyl. Darius Greystone. Selene Arkwright. Luther Vael. All the stars from yesterday's ceremony were listed alongside him.
"This has to be a mistake," he muttered, his stomach twisting.
Before he could dwell on it, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Orin, right?"
He turned to see Finn, the wiry boy from the dorm next door. Finn grinned, holding his own assignment slip.
"Looks like we're both in Class A," Finn said, his voice filled with barely-contained excitement.
Orin stared at him. "How? We're… we're F-Rank."
Finn shrugged, his grin widening. "Guess they needed a couple of underdogs to keep things interesting."
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Class A's First Day
The classroom for Class A was larger and more ornate than Orin had expected. Rows of desks were arranged in a semicircle, facing a raised podium where the instructor would stand. The walls were adorned with banners representing the academy's founding houses, and a massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, glowing faintly with magic.
Orin and Finn sat near the back, trying to avoid drawing attention.
"Do you feel like everyone's staring at us, or is that just me?" Finn whispered, glancing nervously at the other students.
Orin didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on the front of the room, where Reynard and his companions had already claimed seats. They sat together like they belonged there, exuding confidence and ease.
Reynard leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes scanning the room with quiet intensity. Amara sat beside him, flipping through a thick tome of spells, while Darius rested his greatsword against his desk, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Selene was deep in concentration, her fingers tracing glowing runes on her notebook, and Luther… Luther simply watched. His piercing green eyes darted across the room, lingering on each student as if assessing their worth.
The door creaked open, and a tall man entered the room, his long coat billowing behind him. His dark hair was streaked with gray, and a jagged scar ran across his left cheek.
"Good morning, Class A," he said, his voice gravelly but commanding. "I am Instructor Garran, and I'll be overseeing your combat training this term."
He walked to the front of the room, his boots echoing against the polished floor. "You've all been placed in this class because the academy sees potential in you—potential to rise above the rest. But potential means nothing without discipline and strength." His sharp gaze swept over the room, landing briefly on Orin and Finn.
"And some of you," he added, his tone hardening, "have a long way to go to prove you belong here."
Orin felt a wave of heat rush to his face, but he kept his eyes down.
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The First Combat Trial
After a brief lecture on the academy's rules and expectations, Garran led the class to the training grounds. The open field was dotted with sparring rings, targets, and racks of weapons, all glinting in the sunlight.
"This will be your first combat trial," Garran announced, gesturing to the rings. "You'll fight one-on-one to demonstrate your skills. Pair off!"
Students scrambled to find partners, the air buzzing with nervous energy. Orin hesitated, unsure of who to approach.
"You and me, huh?" Finn said, appearing at his side.
Orin nodded, grateful he didn't have to face one of the stronger students.
The matches began, the sounds of clashing weapons and bursts of magic filling the air. Orin did his best to keep up with Finn, who darted around the ring with surprising agility.
"Come on, Orin!" Finn called, dodging another swing of Orin's katana. "You've got to commit! Stop holding back!"
Orin gritted his teeth, focusing his energy. He activated Spirit Step, vanishing from view and reappearing behind Finn. His katana arced downward, but Finn twisted at the last second, blocking with his daggers.
"That's more like it!" Finn grinned.
The match ended in a draw, both of them panting as they exited the ring.
Nearby, Reynard stepped into his own sparring circle, his opponent visibly trembling. Within seconds, Reynard's glowing blade disarmed the boy, sending his weapon clattering to the ground.
The crowd murmured in awe.
"Flawless, as always," Amara said, clapping lightly from the sidelines.
Darius, watching from a distance, smirked. "He's not unbeatable. Just wait."
Orin watched the display, his chest tight. No matter how hard he tried, the gap between him and Reynard felt insurmountable.
"Don't worry," Finn said, clapping him on the shoulder. "We'll get there… eventually."
Orin wasn't so sure.
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