After lunch, Adrian and Alisha walked side by side down the corridors of the academy. Their next class was starting soon, and they had to bid farewell to Kael, Xenon, and Zuri who had their own lessons to deal with. I'll see them again tomorrow during homeroom.

  Before long, the two pushed through a set of double doors, where Adrian found himself stepping into an expansive seminar-style room. His eyes roamed over the tiered seating that climbed steadily toward the back of the room, each level lined with desks wide enough to accommodate students and their materials. At the center of the room stood a circular platform, etched with arcane symbols that gleamed under the light of the chandeliers hanging overhead.

  Alisha nudged Adrian’s arm, insistent enough to pull him from his thoughts. “Let’s sit over there,” she said, gesturing to a spot a few rows up, positioned perfectly to see the center platform without being too close to the front.

  “Sure, works for me,” Adrian replied.

  He followed her, weaving through rows of desks. Sliding into the chair beside Alisha, Adrian placed his satchel on the floor and rested his hands on the desk’s cool surface. His gaze wandered briefly to the glowing symbols etched into the circular platform at the center of the room. They really go all out here. Fancy setups for what’ll probably just be another lecture.

  His attention shifted back to Alisha, who was rummaging through her satchel. “What class is this, anyway? I uh, forgot."

  Alisha chuckled before pulling out a neatly folded sheet of parchment. “This class should be Practical Magic Application.”

  Adrian raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly in his chair. “Practical magic application? Sounds fancy.”

  “It’s one of the core classes, focusing on teaching us how to use magic in real-world scenarios. Combat, problem-solving, enchantments… you know, the useful stuff.”

  “Sounds interesting enough,” Adrian said, glancing toward the platform again. “Still, I can’t help but wonder what the instructor will be like.”

  Alisha laughed softly, her violet eyes catching the light as she propped her chin in her hand. “Does it matter? No matter who it is, the class won’t change. Practical magic is practical magic.”

  Adrian gave a light shrug. “Not wrong, but let’s just hope whoever it is knows what they’re doing.*

  The room filled gradually as students trickled in. Adrian’s eyes flickered to the growing crowd, scanning the mix of faces. He noted a range of expressions: some students looked eager, their eyes alight with anticipation, while others wore the glazed stares of boredom or the tight-lipped frowns of nervousness.

  Adrian leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he observed two students in the back animatedly gesturing over a spellbook, their voices rising slightly above the murmur of the room. A faint grin played on his lips. At least someone’s excited.

  “Looks like we’ve got a full house,” Alisha remarked, her gaze sweeping over the room. Think anyone here can give you a run for your money?”

  Adrian chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I’m not betting on it.”

  The steady rhythm of conversation ebbed suddenly as the door at the front of the room swung open. A hush fell over the students, their heads turning in unison toward the figure stepping inside. Adrian’s stomach tightened, the faint feeling of unease creeping in before he even registered who it was.

  Then he the instructor, a tall man with sharp green eyes that gleamed like polished emeralds, strode into the room with deliberate, precise movements. His short brown hair was neatly combed, and the deep burgundy coat with gold trim that draped over his frame radiated an air of authority.

  Adrian’s stomach sank, a heavy weight settling over him as he exhaled a quiet sigh. Of course. Just my luck.

  Alisha, ever perceptive, leaned closer, her brows knitting together in concern. “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

  “Nothing,” Adrian said quickly, keeping his tone even as he straightened in his seat. But his thoughts betrayed him. It’s him. Professor Damien. The same smug academic from Oakshield who made it painfully clear he thinks I don’t belong here.

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  Adrian’s jaw clenched slightly as he forced himself to remain outwardly calm, though the memory of their encounter flickered sharply in his mind. He could still hear Damien’s voice, clipped and disdainful. I just hope that maybe he won't recognize me.

  Damien reached the circular platform at the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over the students. “Good afternoon, you may all address me as Professor Damien, and I will be instructing you in Practical Magic Application this term. My expectation is simple: competence.” His gaze lingered for a fraction of a second longer on Adrian, who met it without flinching, though his grip on the edge of the desk tightened.

  “Competence is not a gift, nor is it a privilege,” Damien continued. “It is a standard. One that each of you will meet, or you will fail. There are no exceptions.”

  The room remained silent. Alisha leaned closer to Adrian, her voice a barely audible murmur. “Okay, so maybe the instructor does matter.”

  Adrian smirked faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. Yeah, it matters. And this is going to be a long class.

  Professor Damien moved to the center of the circular platform. He clasped his hands behind his back before he spoke again. “Before we proceed, it’s essential to cover the foundation of all magic. There are seven principal schools of magic. These schools define the scope and nature of magical application and form the basis of all spellwork.”

  Adrian leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. Here we go. The basics all over again. Still, he kept his gaze fixed on Damien, more out of curiosity about how he would present the information than genuine interest in the material itself.

  “The first,” Damien continued, raising a finger, “is Augmentation. This school focuses on enhancing physical abilities or augmenting the properties of objects. Think of strength, speed, or resilience.”

  He extended another finger. “Evocation. The manipulation of elemental forces—fire, ice, lightning, and more. It is a direct and often destructive form of magic.”

  A third finger joined the first two. “Abjuration. Defensive magic designed to protect, ward, or shield oneself or others from harm.”

  Damien’s gaze flicked briefly to the students scribbling notes furiously. He added a fourth finger. “Transmutation. The alteration of physical properties, such as changing the form of an object or even oneself.”

  “Conjuration,” he said, raising his fifth finger. “The art of summoning objects, creatures, or even magical constructs.”

  “Next, Illusion. Magic that deceives the senses, creating false images or sounds to mislead or confuse.”

  Finally, he raised his seventh finger. “And Divination. The school of foresight and perception, used to uncover hidden truths or predict future events.”

  Damien lowered his hand, his sharp gaze sweeping the room once more. “These are the seven pillars upon which all magic is built. If you cannot grasp these fundamentals, you will fail, both in this class and as practitioners.”

  Adrian suppressed a sigh, fingers tapping lightly against the desk. Nothing new here. Let’s just get to the part where we actually do something.

  “As this is a practical class,” Damien continued, “we will focus on application rather than theory. To start, we will work with Evocation. It is relatively straightforward and allows for measurable progress.”

  Damien’s gaze scanned the room, his eyes lingering briefly on each student before settling on Adrian. A faint smirk played at the corners of the professor’s mouth as he raised his hand and pointed directly at him.

  “You, Adrian, isn’t it? Come forward.”

  The room erupted into quiet chuckles and murmurs, students nudging one another and exchanging knowing glances. Adrian’s jaw tightened, his irritation bubbling under the surface as he felt the weight of their stares. Beside him, Alisha shot Damien a glare, her expression taut with disapproval.

  Adrian exhaled slowly, pushing back his chair with deliberate calmness. Of course. He couldn’t resist, could he?

  He stood then moved cautiously as he made his way toward the platform. As he reached the center, Damien gestured for him to stand on the etched circle of runes. “Since this is your first formal lesson in practical magic, let us assess your current aptitude. Evocation is a school of power and control. Let’s see if you possess either.”

  Adrian squared his shoulders, meeting Damien’s piercing gaze head-on. “Fine, what do you want me to do?”

  Damien extended a hand toward the edge of the platform, where a small pedestal rose from the ground. Atop it rested a polished stone, its surface smooth and reflective. “Your task is simple. Evoke an elemental force. For instance: fire, water, earth, ice, lightning, or wind, and strike the stone."

  Adrian glanced at the stone, his mind already cycling through his options. Really, that's it? There's no way that he'd put me up for such an easy task, right? There has to be some kind of trick he's setting me up for.

  Damien stepped back, folding his arms as he watched. The room had gone utterly silent, the eyes of every student fixed on Adrian.

  “No pressure,” Damien added, his tone carrying an unmistakable edge of sarcasm. “But do try not to embarrass yourself.”