As the morning sun rose, golden rays slipped quietly through the cracks in the dormitory blinds, bathing the room in a gentle, warm light. Elyon lay nestled beneath his blanket, still wrapped in the fading comfort of sleep. A soft nudge stirred him.
"Elyon," a voice whispered.
He blinked awake, his vision slowly clearing to reveal Alan, his roommate, standing beside the bed.
Elyon groaned lightly and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Morning already?"
Alan gave him a faint smile. "You don't want to be late for class."
With a quiet nod, Elyon swung his legs off the bed, stretching as he stood. He made his way to the small sink in the corner of the room, washed his face, and dressed in the academy's uniform.
Once ready, Elyon and Alan stepped out into the bustling hallway. The corridors of the academy were already alive with students. Some stood in clusters, chatting animatedly about upcoming lessons or dormitory gossip. Others walked briskly, books in hand, determined not to be late.
As they walked, Elyon's mind wandered back to the conversation he'd had the night before. He reached out silently, his thoughts reaching inward.
Elren? he asked.
Yes, came the calm reply within his mind. Anything you need? Says Elren
''No'', Elyon replied. ''Just checking if you were active.''
''I see. Are you heading to your class?''
''Yeah''
They arrived at their classroom and took their usual seats in the back corner of the room. Elyon leaned back, observing the others as they filtered in. His gaze drifted across the room—and landed on Luke, who met Elyon's eyes and made his way over with an easy smile.
"Hey," Luke greeted, then glanced at Alan with curiosity. "Who's this?"
Elyon gestured to his side. "This is my dorm mate, Alan."
Luke nodded. "Well, nice to meet you. I'm Luke."
Alan extended a hand. "Nice to meet you too."
Before the conversation could develop further, the classroom door opened with a creak, and Mr. Renos strode in. The murmurs in the room quickly died down as students returned to their seats. Renos, tall and commanding, stepped behind the podium at the front of the class.
"Good morning," he said in his deep voice. "Today, we welcome a new student."
A ripple of whispers spread through the room.
Strange, Elyon thought. Someone enrolling after the opening ceremony?
Mr. Renos gestured to the door. "Come in."
A girl stepped into the room. She had long black hair, braided neatly on either side of her face. Round glasses perched delicately on her nose, and her eyes were fixed on the floor as if trying to disappear into it. She walked with hesitant steps, her posture drawn in, like a shadow unsure of its place.
"This is your new classmate," Mr. Renos announced. "Find a seat."
The girl gave a small nod and quietly made her way to an empty desk in the middle row. As soon as she sat down, the nearby girls leaned in, their curiosity piqued.
"Where are you from?" one asked.
"Why did you enroll late?" another pressed.
She offered them vague, soft-spoken answers—barely audible, never quite meeting their eyes.
"I came from far away," she said once.
"Family matters," was her answer to another.
Elyon watched her, intrigued. There was something about her that felt... off. Not in a threatening way, but like she carried something heavy behind her silence.
Elyon leaned and said in his mind., "Let's ignore her for now… but keep your guard up."
"Okay," Elren replied quietly.
Just then, Renos raised his hand, signaling the class to quiet down so he could begin the lesson.
"Today, we're going to learn about the different types of spells and how they work," he announced.
"In magic, there are three distinct archetypes: normal spells, combined spells, and paradox spells.
"Let's start with the simplest—normal spells. As the name suggests, these spells follow basic magical structures and are bound by logic. For example, a fire spell is a normal spell. It follows its intended structure and performs the expected effect."
He paused, then continued, "Combined spells are formed when two or more spells are merged, either to create a new effect or to enhance the original spell with additional properties."
Renos's expression grew more serious. "Paradox spells are the most unique of all. They don't follow standard structures and often defy the rules of logic entirely. These spells are rare and unpredictable."
He looked around the room. "Now, I want each of you to write a summary of what you've just learned."
The students bent over their notebooks, pens scratching as they wrote their summaries. A few minutes later, the bell rang.
Renos nodded to the class and exited the room. One by one, the students followed, heading off to their next class—Potions making class.
The students walked into the Potion Classroom, a cool room filled with shelves of jars and vials. The lights were dim, and the air smelled of herbs and something sweet, like honey and smoke.
At the front of the room stood Professor Virell, dressed in deep green robes, her hands folded behind her back.
"Welcome," she said, her voice calm and clear. "Today, we'll be making a simple potion called the Focus Draught. It helps improve concentration and clear the mind."
She turned to the board behind her, where the ingredients and steps appeared in glowing letters:
Focus Draught (Basic Version):
2 drops of Moonleaf juice
A pinch of dried mint
Half a cup of spring water
Stir gently for 10 seconds
Heat until it turns light blue
"This is a beginner-level potion," Professor Virell continued. "Just follow the steps carefully."
Everyone began working. Elyon grabbed the Moonleaf bottle and carefully added two drops into the small cauldron.
"Got the mint?" he asked Elren.
"Yep," Elyon said in his mind.
Elyon sprinkled in a pinch, then poured in the spring water. They both watched as the mixture bubbled softly.
Elyon stirred slowly, counting aloud. "One… two… three…"
At ten, they stopped. The potion started changing color—from clear to pale blue.
"did it," Elyon said with a grin.
Professor Virell walked past their table and nodded. "Well done. Bottle your potion and write your names on the labels."
A few students had to start over, and one accidentally made their potion turn green, but nothing exploded.
When the bell rang, everyone cleaned up and packed their things.
"Next time, we'll try something a little more advanced," Virell said as the class ended.
Elyon and the other students left the room.The group stepped out of the Potion Classroom into the hallway, which now buzzed with the soft murmur of shifting classes. The scent of herbs still clung faintly to Elyon's sleeves as he walked, his mind still lingering on the Focus Draught.
"Not bad huh ," Alan said beside him, adjusting his satchel.
"Yeah," Elyon nodded. "Let's just hope Biology doesn't involve making anything explode."
They followed the flow of students through a wide archway that led into the natural sciences wing of the academy. The temperature here was a little warmer, and the air smelled faintly of moss and damp wood. Strange glass tanks and terrariums lined the hallway—some filled with glowing plants, others with small, slow-moving magical creatures.
When they reached the classroom, the door was already open. Sunlight spilled in through large, leafy windows, casting dancing green patterns across the desks. The room felt more alive than any other in the building. Vines climbed along the wooden beams, and a low hum of nature—birds chirping, distant frogs croaking—could be heard as if the room itself was breathing.
Elyon took his seat near the middle this time, with Alan to his right and Elren listening silently in his mind.
Then the sound of footsteps can be heard closing in as a woman walks in
She was tall, wrapped in a flowing cloak made of living leaves that shimmered gently with every movement. The leaves shifted in color—green, gold, and a faint touch of violet—catching the sunlight that streamed through the window. Her long copper hair was braided neatly, the braid bound with delicate silver clasps shaped like leaves and feathers. Each one seemed to hum faintly with magic.
Her eyes, sharp and golden like a hawk's, swept over the classroom in a single glance. Though she said nothing at first, the room fell completely silent. There was no need to raise her voice; her presence alone demanded attention.
She stepped lightly to the front of the classroom and turned to face the students, her cloak rustling like a forest breeze.
"Good morning," she said, her voice calm and smooth.
"I will be your Biology teacher, Professor Lorea Thorne," she said, her voice steady and clear.
"Now, enough with pleasantries—let's begin the lesson."
Professor Lorea Thorne stood at the front of the classroom, hands clasped behind her back. The rustling leaves of her living cloak settled as she began to speak.
"In the world of Eryndor, creatures take many forms—animals, intelligent races, and... monsters," she said, her amber eyes scanning the room. "But in this academy, we do not use the word 'monster' lightly."
She took a step forward, voice steady and cool.
"In Eryndor, monsters are not simply beasts. They are essence-born. A being is classified as a monster when a portion of its soul is composed entirely of Essence—a raw, unfiltered magical force."
With a gesture, she waved her hand, and glowing symbols appeared in the air behind her—swirling diagrams of souls, energy flows, and monstrous silhouettes.
"These are called Pure Monsters. Unlike common beasts, they are not bound by natural evolution. Instead, they grow stronger—more complex—by absorbing essence from the world around them."
Elyon leaned forward slightly, taking in every word.
"There are three major factors that influence a monster's evolution," Professor Thorne continued. "Write these down."
She raised her hand, and the glowing script rearranged itself into a clear list
Monster Evolution Factors:
1. Essence Type & Environment – The kind of essence they absorb, and where they live, shape their abilities and form. A monster feeding on fire-aspected essence in a volcanic region will evolve differently from one absorbing shadow essence in a deep cave.
2. Dimensional Origin – Monsters born in different realms may have completely alien biology or laws of survival. Some may not even follow our concept of physical form.
3. Lifestyle & Sentience – Over time, some monsters develop patterns, instincts, and eventually, sentience. The more self-aware a monster becomes, the more dangerously intelligent it may grow.
Professor Thorne turned to face the class again.
"This is why not all monsters are mindless beasts. Some are cunning. Some are ancient. And some, though rare, may one day learn to speak, reason, even lead."
A pause fell over the room as her words
Thorne walked slowly across the front of the room. "Your first assignment will be to research a known Pure Monster species. Classify its essence type, determine its likely origin''
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Students began to file out of the room, chatting and stretching as they made their way down the hall.
Elyon moved with the flow, his steps steady and his mind calm. Today feels like it passed quicker than usual, he thought. I must be getting used to the rhythm of these lessons.
As he turned a corner, he spotted Riven walking in the opposite direction. Their eyes met for the briefest moment—Riven gave him a flat, disinterested look before continuing on without a word. Elyon glanced back once, but didn't dwell on it.
Just as he was about to keep walking, a voice behind him caught his attention.
"Must be nice," Riven muttered lowly as he brushed past Luke, "having a tailor for a father…" He added in a softer tone, almost too quiet to hear, "...someone who measures your worth in inches and still finds you valuable."
Luke stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed.
"What did you say?" he asked sharply.
Riven barely looked at him. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me."
Luke's face flushed with anger. "How dare you insult my father!"
Riven turned to face him, his tone turning cold and sharp. "Don't start something you're not ready for, commoner brat."
The hallway buzzed with tension as the two squared off. Luke stepped forward, fists clenched, clearly ready to strike.
But before he could get any closer, Elyon stepped in, placing a firm hand on Luke's chest and stopping him in his tracks.
"Don't be a fool," Elyon said evenly. "You don't pick fights with someone you barely know."
Luke glared past Elyon at Riven, his jaw tight. Riven didn't move—just stared, calm and unreadable.
Elyon's eyes flicked between them, feeling the weight of something deeper lingering behind Riven's words. But now wasn't the time to unravel it.
"Come on," Elyon muttered to Luke, nudging him back. "Let it go."
Reluctantly, Luke allowed himself to be pulled away. Riven watched them go without saying another word, then turned and disappeared down the hall.