The silence in the classroom felt heavy and suffocating.

Every student stared toward the back of the room, their eyes wide open.

Selyne tried to help by whispering loudly across the aisle to the spot under the bench. "Astrid! It's roll call time! Get up!"

Ilythia's voice broke through the quiet, sharp and cold. She didn't glance at Selyne. Her crimson eyes stayed locked on the empty space under the desk. "Astrid Fal Orenis. Come forward. Now."

A soft rustling was the only response. Then the pink-haired catgirl crawled out slowly and lazily. She stood up, brushing dust off her uniform like she didn't care at all.

'Just a scolding,' Astrid thought, a small smirk on her lips. 'What a bother. Maybe I'll spice it up a bit.'

She met Ilythia's eyes, her own golden-yellow ones full of challenge. Then she vanished.

Fssht!

Astrid wanted to show off, to zip out of the classroom at her superhuman speed and leave everyone stunned. It was meant to poke fun at the rules.

But Ilythia's eyes followed her. They didn't chase a blur; they just shifted, guessing her path ahead. 'Fast,' Ilythia thought, a quick spark of interest mixing with her annoyance. 'But easy to read.'

She raised one slim finger. A small drop of her blood appeared at the tip, then flew across the room quicker than anyone could think. It hit the floor as a single dark red spot, right in the aisle where Astrid's next step would land.

The drop spread out fast, not into a mess, but into a smooth, slippery patch.

Astrid, racing at a speed that shattered the sound barrier, couldn't react in time. Her foot landed on the blood magic spot.

BAM!

Her legs shot out from under her. She crashed down hard, sliding several feet along the aisle on her back until she stopped in a messy, embarrassing pile.

For a second, the room went dead quiet. Then the whole class exploded in laughter.

Azrael tried to hold it back, pressing his lips tight until they went pale, but a snort slipped out. He covered his face with his handkerchief fast. Next to him, Selyne hid her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking from holding in laughs.

Ilythia looked down at the catgirl on the floor, her face blank and steady. "Sit down, Miss Orenis," she said, her voice icy. "Before you hurt yourself or your pride even more."

Astrid jumped to her feet, her face bright red with anger. She threw a deadly glare at Ilythia, then at the laughing students, but she did as told. She stomped back to her seat, feeling totally humiliated.

The talk that came next was calm but biting. Ilythia didn't yell. Her voice stayed even, like they were just chatting, which made her points hit harder.

She talked about discipline. About staying in control. About how real power wasn't the same as kid stuff like showing off speed. She aimed it all at Astrid, but the whole class felt the edge in her words.

Now and then, Astrid's angry stare would turn to Selyne. Each one was a quiet threat of payback later. Selyne felt them all, sinking deeper into her seat, her face going pale from guilt and worry.

Azrael caught the looks passing between them. With a soft scrape, he pulled his chair a couple inches left, away from Selyne, making a clear space.

She noticed and leaned over, whispering mad. "Coward."

Astrid stayed silent through the whole lesson, but her long tail with the pink tip flicked back and forth under the desk, showing how mad she still was. She felt shamed, but not beaten.

The bell rang at last, sharp and loud, ending the class.

Their next one was Magical Control Theory, in a room with glass walls looking out over the training grounds. The teacher, a steady middle-aged guy named Reon, was famous for his sharp knowledge of mana and his scary-good ears.

He went over how keeping mana steady mattered way more than wild, raw strength. "A mage who hurls a huge fireball is dangerous," he said evenly. "But one who can guide a thin thread of mana to sew a needle from fifty steps away that's a real expert."

Selyne, totally bored, leaned toward Azrael. "Did you see her face? I bet she'll sneak into my room tonight and get me," she whispered.

"Miss Halloway," Professor Reon said, not even turning. "You seem full of chat energy. Why not use some? Five laps around the training field. Right now."

Selyne's jaw dropped. Azrael hid his grin behind his hand.

A bit later, Reon brought out a swirling ball of wild mana that sparked and buzzed. "I need someone to try stabilizing this."

Nobody budged.

Reon's gaze swept the room. "Mr. Ashveil. You up for it?"

Azrael let out a sigh. He went to the front, held out his hands, and focused his Aether. He tried easing the wild energy, calming it down. For a moment, it looked like it might hold. Then it shook hard and burst.

Pss.

It popped right in his face with a soft cloud of purple smoke and a spray of shiny sparks.

Professor Reon nodded without a fuss. "Good job. That's exactly how not to handle it. Thanks, Mr. Ashveil."

The class cracked up laughing. Even Aria up front gave a small, quiet laugh.

Silas grinned. "Smooth move."

Azrael headed back, brushing purple powder off his face. "All these fools around me," he grumbled.

"The guy who just set off a smoke bomb says that?" Selyne whispered when she got back, out of breath from running.

The class was ended and now they were headed to cafeteria.

The academy cafeteria was buzzed with noise and food smells. Selyne loaded her tray like she was starving after days without a meal.

"You are prepping for hibernation or what?" Azrael joked, putting his smaller tray down.

Silas and Aria sat with them. Silas, who always had something to say, jumped right in. "Let her load up. She'll need fuel for all her yapping."

They traded jabs, the pokes getting sharper. "You two argue like an old married pair," Silas said, grinning at Azrael and Selyne.

Selyne went red. She grabbed her spoon and chucked it at him. It hit his chest and bounced off. Aria let out a sigh, shaking her head at her brother.

It settled down after that, but the easy vibe broke when a tray slammed on the table behind them. Astrid.

The group went still.

Selyne turned, forcing a tight smile. "Hey, Astrid... rough morning, right?"

Astrid stared at her, long and chilly. Her golden-yellow eyes narrowed. "You told your mom about me." It came out flat, not asking.

Selyne freaked. "No! I swear! I only said about roll call! I wanted to help!"

Astrid said nothing. She grabbed her tray and went to a table across the room, alone, facing away. But her stare burned into their backs anyway.

A thick, uneasy quiet hit their table.

Azrael mumbled low, "Someone's Dying today."

Selyne nudged him hard. "Yeah, me."

The afternoon classes flew by in order.

In Elemental Studies, Silas tried impressing everyone with a big fire, but it got away from him and burned his sleeve.

Same class, Selyne being a blood mage like her mom tried a basic blood spell. She messed it up, and a bubble of her blood burst, soaking her and a grumpy Azrael.

"Great team effort," he grumbled, wiping red spots off his face.

Combat Forms went worse. Selyne, not used to her training wand, whacked herself in the head by accident. Thud.

Azrael, dodging a dummy, stumbled on his own feet and slammed into a rack of weapons.

The whole time, Aria nailed everything. She stayed cool, smooth, and out of reach.

Silas, eyeing her finish a tough sword move without a hitch, griped out loud, "She doesn't even break a sweat. Bet her joints are greased."

The teacher ended it with a tired sigh. "This bunch is doomed."

As the sun dipped low, all the first-years met in the main hall. Ilythia stood up front on the stage, eyeing them like a commander checking soldiers.

She gave a quick, firm talk on discipline, working together, and holding back.

Her look hung heavy on Astrid for a beat, then swung just as hard to Azrael and Selyne.

Azrael leaned to Selyne. "Picking on us again."

"Avoid her eyes," Selyne whispered, ducking behind him.

Ilythia's words came out strong and done. "Tomorrow starts the first group practical test. Everyone shows up."

Groans rippled through the crowd.

Silas grinned at Azrael. "Set for tomorrow?"

Aria chimed in flat, "Try not to flop this time."

Selyne smiled big, her worries gone for the moment with fresh trouble ahead. "Bet on who wipes out first."

Azrael sighed to himself, "Has to be me."

As kids started filing out, he spotted Astrid by the door, watching. Her golden-yellow eyes caught the fading light, almost glowing red.

She said it soft, a low growl the breeze alone picked up.

"Tomorrow... they'll learn who's actually weak."

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