Few weeks later
The first rays of sunlight pierced the tall, arched windows of the academy's training hall, casting long, golden beams of light across the stone floor. Aleron stood in the middle of the room, his hands clenched around the wooden practice sword, feeling the weight of the weapon in his grip. It was his first swordsmanship class, and despite his nerves, he couldn't ignore the fire that burned inside him. Today was the beginning of a new chapter, a day when he would prove himself, not just to his teachers, but to himself.
The academy's courtyard had been buzzing with energy earlier, students practicing spells in the open air, others battling in mock duels. Now, the swordsman's class had gathered in the spacious hall—a long, wide chamber filled with racks of weapons, training dummies, and even a few suits of armor. At the far end of the room stood an imposing figure: Master Roderic, one of the academy's finest sword instructors.
Roderic was a tall, muscular man with a deep, gravelly voice and an aura of unyielding discipline. He had trained some of the best swordsmen in the kingdom, and his reputation for pushing his students to their limits was well known. As Aleron's eyes met the master's piercing gaze, he couldn't help but feel a wave of anxiety wash over him. Swordsmanship wasn't his strongest suit, but he had chosen it because it was essential. All students at the academy were required to study three subjects, and Aleron had chosen magic, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat. The decision had been made with purpose—he wanted to be a complete warrior, not just a mage.
"Form up!" Master Roderic's voice boomed, cutting through Aleron's thoughts. The other students quickly fell into line, and Aleron did the same, trying to mimic their confident stances. He had seen his fellow students practicing in the courtyard, and they moved with the ease and grace of seasoned fighters. It would take time before he could move like them, he knew that, but he was determined to catch up.
"Today, we'll focus on the fundamentals," Roderic said, his voice steady and authoritative. "The most important thing to remember, no matter what weapon you wield, is control. You are not just learning to fight; you are learning to think ahead, to anticipate the enemy's movements before they make them. A sword is an extension of your will. You must command it, or it will control you."
Aleron swallowed, gripping his sword tightly. He felt the weight of his decision more than ever. This class was going to push him further than he had ever been pushed, and there was no turning back now.
"Everyone pair up," Roderic instructed. "We're starting with basic stances. Aleron, you'll work with Lyanna."
Aleron looked up to see a girl approaching from the opposite side of the room. She was taller than most, with short black hair and an air of quiet confidence about her. Lyanna's eyes locked onto his, and she gave him a nod.
"I'm Lyanna," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Let's get to it."
Aleron nodded, trying to match her composure. As the students paired off, Roderic walked among them, observing their form, offering corrections, and occasionally barking out orders. Lyanna moved with the precision of someone who had been training for years, her posture flawless. Aleron did his best to follow her lead, mimicking her stances, trying to keep up with her movements.
It wasn't long before his arms began to ache, and his grip on the sword felt slippery with sweat. Lyanna's strikes were fast and controlled, each one coming with an intensity that made him feel like he was lagging behind. She didn't say much, but there was a quiet understanding between them, as though she could tell how hard he was pushing himself.
"You're improving," Lyanna said after a particularly clumsy swing. "Your grip is too tight. Relax your hand. Let the sword move with you."
Aleron nodded, trying to focus on his breathing. "Thanks," he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. It wasn't the first time he had been told to relax. In magic, he had learned to release his tension, to let the flow of energy pass through him. Perhaps, he thought, the same could be true for swordsmanship.
Master Roderic circled the room, occasionally pausing to offer individual guidance. When he reached Aleron, he gave a slight nod of approval, though his face remained stoic.
"You have the potential," Roderic said gruffly. "But you need more than just raw talent. A sword is not for everyone, Aleron. You must commit yourself, or you'll never be more than a beginner."
Aleron's heart raced. Master Roderic's words stung, but they also spurred him on. He wasn't going to let this class define him. He wouldn't be just another student; he was going to excel, to become someone who could wield both sword and magic with equal mastery.
The lesson continued for hours, with Aleron's arms growing heavy and his legs beginning to tremble. But he pushed through. He could feel the fire inside him, the spark that made him want to fight back against the weariness, against the doubt creeping in.
By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Aleron's body was aching, but there was a sense of accomplishment in his chest. He had survived the first swordsmanship class. But it wasn't enough—he knew that much.
"Tomorrow, we work on footwork," Roderic said, his voice carrying through the room. "Be prepared."
As the students began to disperse, Aleron felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Lyanna standing behind him, her face unreadable.
"You did well today," she said, her tone unexpectedly warm. "You're not a natural, but you've got the heart for it."
Aleron smiled, though it was a tired, exhausted smile. "Thanks. I just… I need to keep pushing."
Lyanna gave him a nod, then turned to leave, her black hair swaying with each step. Aleron watched her go, feeling the weight of his own ambitions pressing down on him.
As he gathered his things and left the swordsmanship hall, his thoughts shifted to his next class—magic. Today, they were scheduled to work on an advanced version of Levitas Minor, the levitation spell he had first learned the day before. He couldn't help but wonder what new magic he would encounter.
The magic classroom was a large, circular chamber, its walls lined with shelves of ancient tomes, vials filled with glowing liquids, and strange artifacts that hummed with arcane power. Professor Kaelan stood at the front of the room, his dark robes flowing around him as he prepared for the day's lesson. His eyes flicked over the students, his gaze sharp, as if he were assessing each one of them in a single glance.
"Today, we go beyond simple levitation," Kaelan said, his voice deep and commanding. "We will learn to control the very essence of air itself."
Aleron felt a shiver of excitement rush through him. This was it—the next step in his magical education. He had always been fascinated by the concept of manipulating the elements, of bending the very fabric of reality to one's will. But the power he felt when he used magic—whether it was levitating an object or shaping it with his mind—was always just the beginning. There was more to discover. And he was determined to learn it all.
Kaelan raised his hand, and the room fell silent. With a single motion, he conjured a small ball of light above his palm. It flickered and shifted, swirling in the air before coming to rest above his head.
"This is a simple air orb," Kaelan said, his voice steady. "It is a basic construct, but one that requires finesse. You must focus your energy, your will, and shape the air around you into something tangible."
Aleron's mind raced. This was new territory. Magic was already difficult to grasp, but shaping something as intangible as air was a challenge he hadn't anticipated.
"Begin," Kaelan said, and the room came alive with the sound of murmured incantations as the students began to practice. Aleron closed his eyes, reaching deep into himself, feeling the flow of energy within him. He concentrated, envisioning the air around him moving, swirling, becoming a part of his command.
For a few moments, nothing happened. But as he focused harder, he felt a subtle shift in the air. A flicker of energy stirred beneath his skin. Aleron whispered the incantation under his breath.
"Ventus Orbis."
Nothing. He tried again, his focus narrowing.
"Ventus Orbis."
This time, he felt it. A faint ripple in the air, a small disturbance above his palm. Slowly, a ball of wind began to form. It was small, no bigger than a fist, but it was there, dancing above his hand.
Aleron's heart raced with excitement. He had done it.
But before he could fully celebrate, the ball of wind flickered and vanished, leaving him with nothing but the feeling of a lost connection.
At that moment, a loud crash echoed from the far side of the room.
"Look out!" someone shouted.
Aleron's head snapped up, and his eyes widened as he saw one of the students—
Lorin—flailing on the ground, his arms flung outward.
Above him was a massive whirlwind, spinning wildly out of control, tearing through the air like a violent storm. It was growing larger with each passing second, pulling books off shelves and scattering papers into the air.
"Master Kaelan!" Aleron shouted, but the professor was already moving, his hands raised, attempting to stabilize the chaotic magic. But the wind was too powerful, too erratic.
With a roar, the whirlwind ripped free of Lorin's control, hurtling toward the class with a destructive force.
Aleron's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as the violent force of the magic swirled around him. The whirlwind spun faster, and it was as though time itself slowed down, the sounds of the classroom distorting into an eerie silence. His hands trembled slightly as the pull of the vortex threatened to tear him away from his footing. He could feel the weight of the air, thick with energy, pressing down on him. The magic was alive, sentient, and unpredictable.
He gritted his teeth and spread his feet apart, focusing on his center of balance. "Focus," he muttered under his breath, "you've done this before."
His thoughts flashed to the lessons in basic magic, the teachings of control. Levitation had been hard enough to master, but this... this was something entirely different. This wasn't just the manipulation of a single element. This was pure force, raw and untamed.
The wind picked up again, a high-pitched hum vibrating through the air as if the very fabric of the world was being ripped apart. Aleron could feel his connection to the power growing stronger, but it was threatening to overwhelm him. He needed to act fast, before the destructive force spiraled completely out of control.
"Allevio!"
The word left his lips in a breathless gasp. He didn't know if the spell would work, but he had to try. The whirlwind wavered for a moment before intensifying, the gusts of wind howling louder, blurring his vision. It was like the very air itself was fighting back.
Then, suddenly, there was a sharp crack, like thunder splitting the sky. A blast of force shot from the epicenter of the vortex, sending Aleron hurtling backwards across the classroom floor. He crashed into the stone wall with a grunt, the wind knocked from his lungs. Pain flared through his ribs as he struggled to catch his breath, the world around him spinning.
The room fell into a stunned silence. The whirlwind had stopped.
Aleron slowly pushed himself to his knees, gasping. He looked around, his heart still pounding in his chest, and saw that the students were staring at him. Even Master Kaelan, who had been overseeing the lesson, stood frozen in disbelief.
"W-What... was that?" a voice whispered from the back.
"I-I don't know," Aleron gasped, shakily standing up. "I didn't mean to—"
"It's... impossible," Master Kaelan's voice cut through the air. He approached Aleron, his face a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "That wasn't any spell I've taught you. It wasn't anything in the standard curriculum. You called something... different."
Aleron swallowed, wiping his hand across his forehead, his skin slick with sweat. "I didn't mean to summon that. It just happened..."
Master Kaelan studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly. "We'll need to discuss this further. But for now, class is dismissed. Everyone, return to your rooms. Aleron, stay behind."
Aleron nodded in silence, feeling his heart beat faster at the prospect of speaking with Master Kaelan alone. His mind raced with questions. What had he just done? What kind of magic had he tapped into? His hand trembled slightly as he stepped to the side of the classroom, waiting for the others to file out.
Once the door shut behind the last student, Master Kaelan turned to him with a serious expression.
"Aleron," he said, his voice low, "I've seen a lot of things in my time as an instructor, but what you just did—there's no explanation for it. Not with the training I've given you."
Aleron opened his mouth to speak but stopped. He didn't know what to say. How could he explain something he barely understood himself?
"What did you feel?" Kaelan asked. "When the magic surged, when that storm—"
"I don't know," Aleron interrupted, shaking his head. "It felt like... like something inside me was waking up. It wasn't normal. It wasn't what I've learned."
Kaelan nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "This is troubling. If you're calling on magic that's beyond your current training, that could be dangerous. But it also means something important. Perhaps you possess a hidden affinity—one that lies dormant, waiting to be awakened."
Aleron blinked. "Hidden affinity?"
Kaelan paced across the room, his hands behind his back. "Yes. Some mages possess a latent affinity for certain types of magic. It can lie dormant for years, sometimes even a lifetime, until it's triggered by a specific event or emotional state. What you experienced today could be the first sign of such an affinity."
Aleron felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard rumors of rare magical abilities, but he never thought he might be one of those rare cases.
"Does this mean..." he began cautiously, "does this mean I'm... special?"
Master Kaelan stopped pacing and looked directly at him. "It's possible. But we cannot be sure yet. I will need to report this to the Council, and you'll be monitored closely. I suggest you focus on your studies and refrain from practicing magic on your own until we have more clarity."
Aleron nodded silently, his mind whirling. The sensation of that raw, untapped power still lingered, just beneath his skin. It was a feeling he couldn't shake.
"Thank you, Master Kaelan," he said quietly.
Kaelan gave him a somber nod. "You're dismissed. But remember, Aleron, this is a serious matter. Tread carefully."
Aleron left the classroom, his thoughts swirling like the whirlwind from earlier. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he had a feeling that whatever it was, it wasn't going to be simple to understand—or control.
As Aleron walked through the halls of the academy, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his chest. The path ahead was uncertain, and with the events of the day still fresh in his mind, he felt a deep sense of foreboding.
His thoughts were interrupted when he was approached by Kain, the tall student from hand-to-hand combat class.
"Hey," Kain greeted, his voice lighter than usual. "You alright?"
Aleron forced a smile. "Yeah, just... some weird stuff happened in class today."
"Tell me about it." Kain's expression shifted to one of concern. "You didn't seem like yourself."
Aleron hesitated for a moment before recounting what had happened with the whirlwind and his conversation with Master Kaelan. He watched as Kain's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued.
"That's... strange," Kain said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I've never heard of a student accidentally summoning something like that. But maybe it's a sign. Maybe you're stronger than you realize."
Aleron didn't feel strong. He felt lost—like something within him was out of control. But Kain's optimism had a way of calming his nerves, even if just a little.
"Maybe," Aleron said, his voice quiet. "But I have no idea what to do with it."
"You'll figure it out," Kain assured him with a grin. "And hey, if you ever need help, just let me know. We're all in this together, right?"
Aleron nodded, his smile faint. "Yeah. Thanks, Kain."
As he walked away, something in the air shifted again, a subtle chill creeping over his skin. It wasn't just the academy that was watching him. There was something else—something far more dangerous.
He stopped in his tracks, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.
From the shadows at the edge of the courtyard, a pair of eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Aleron's heart skipped a beat.
And the shadows moved.
To be continued...