Lorelai walked into the dining hall, her every step feeling heavier than usual. She tried to appear casual, but it was hard not to notice the eyes that followed her, some curious, others calculating, and a few flat-out hostile. The whispers buzzed through the air like an undercurrent, too low to make out clearly, but the meaning was unmistakable. She’s the one who fought Gortesh.
The rumors had already spread, faster than she would have thought. She didn’t even have to introduce herself. There was a mix of admiration, fear, and skepticism in the gazes that met her, some respectful, some wary. But there was also an undeniable edge to the stares. She could practically feel them probing, testing, evaluating her as if she were a new animal in the pen, something to be watched before being deemed dangerous, or weak since the academy endorsed competition between students.
Gortesh, the berserker, was one of the academy's most intimidating professors. The fact that Lorelai had landed a hit on him had made her an instant legend in the worst possible way. To some, it was proof of her strength; to others, it was a challenge. The berserker didn’t lose control often, and anyone who could make him lose his cool were either someone to be reckoned with, someone to be feared, or the rumors were exaggerated.
She wasn’t sure which camp the other students were putting her in. She didn’t like it, she had heard the competition to get into the academy was fierce, not competition once you were in was too. However, no one was gonna just give her the title of the best for freshman.
Her grip tightened on the edge of her plate as she selected her food; hearty stew, fresh bread, and a big slice of pie. Food she would never have been able to indulge in while living in the orphanage. She was starving, Lorelai moved through the crowded hall moving towards an empty spot. She and ate without guilt. The other students looked at her with confusion; why such a pretty girl was eating like a starved immature boy. The whispers didn’t stop; they shifted, and some of the more brash students even openly watched her, their eyes flickering with more interest than she was comfortable with. The looks were... unsettling, like the attention was both a compliment and a challenge.
Eating alone didn't bother her, but a voice broke through the sea of chatter breaking her out of her thoughts. "Hey! Are you the one who fought Gortesh?"
Lorelai looked up to see a young woman with striking purple hair, the color of plums, and crimson red eyes that had a slight glow to them . She was a stunning beauty, her features were sharp, yet kind, and her expression was more amused than anything else. She was wearing medium armor similar to her own and had a rapier at her side, her stance was confident without being overly cocky. She clearly didn’t seem bothered by the scrutiny the way Lorelai did.
"Yeah, that’s me," Lorelai said, her voice guarded. She gave the woman a look, unsure if this was just another person looking to gauge her.
The woman smiled, sitting down next to her without hesitation. "I’m Aeryn, a vampire noble." she said, her tone upbeat. "Are the rumors about yesterday true? I had heard that Gortesh was gonna rip you apart when he went into that rage and you actually landed a hit on him? Nearly everyone is talking about it."
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Lorelai smirked, trying to keep the conversation casual. “It was more like a mosquito bite than anything, he nearly killed me for it too.” Lorelai kind of chuckled at the thought, getting killed by an instructor at the institution she wanted to go to so desperately.
Aeryn chuckled, her crimson eyes glinting with something like respect. “You’ve got guts. Not many people here can say they’ve done that. Gortesh is a monster when he loses control.” She leaned in slightly, studying Lorelai. “But you... you’re different, aren’t you? I can tell.”
Lorelai raised an eyebrow. “Different how?”
Aeryn’s smile shifted into something knowing, as if she were letting Lorelai in on a secret. “Most of these students come through here because they’re looking for a career. They want to be mercenaries, bounty hunters, something like that. But you? You’ve got that fire in your eyes, like you’re not just here to pass. You’ve got something to prove here.”
Lorelai swallowed, the words sinking into her chest. She hadn’t realized how transparent she was. Aeryn wasn’t wrong. She wasn’t here to simply get by. She was here to excel, to prove to those that looked down on her wrong.
She set her silverware down, meeting Aeryn’s gaze, her voice quiet but firm. “I want to be the best, I want to be the forerunner of the freshman.”
Aeryn grinned, her crimson eyes gleaming with approval. “Now that’s what I like to hear, sounds like I've found a kindred spirit. Make sure to keep that attitude, and you’ll fit right in here." She took a sip of a dark red liquid inside a stein mug, then paused for a breath before adding, “You’ve got potential, otherwise I'd have to find myself a new dormmate." Her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Lorelai’s stomach churned slightly at the mention of being dormmates. She didn't realize they did that and with a vampire noble no less. She wasn't quite sure what being a noble meant, but she definitely knew what vampires were. Her reputation had already been made, and whether she liked it or not, she was already being tested by the other students. They were calculating her, she could feel it but Aeryn’s words rang true.
“Thanks,” Lorelai said, nodding. “I lag behind.”
The conversation drifted as Aeryn continued to speak, telling Lorelai about the different training regimens and the students she would be encountering. The words blurred into the background for Lorelai as she scanned the room once more, her eyes catching a few more glances. Some students still whispered behind their hands, a few shot her sidelong looks of silent judgment, but there were others who gave her a subtle nod of recognition or even a small, respectful smile. Lorelai didn’t mind the attention. What bothered her was the uncertainty—she wasn’t sure if they viewed her as a threat or a curiosity.
She didn’t want to be a curiosity. She wanted to be a force.
As Aeryn wrapped up her story about a sparring match from a few days prior; Lorelai’s thoughts drifted back to her fight with Gortesh, and to the training she would receive tomorrow. It would be her first lesson with Avantus and she could already feel the butterflies taking flight in her stomach. She didn’t know if he would judge her in the same way, or if he saw only another student, but she would prove herself to him, just as she intended to prove herself to the rest of the academy.
The day would come when she would be put against other students, the academy's yearly ranking system. The best would compete for the top spot getting magnificent rewards for their performance. She would be the name on their lips, the one they feared to face.
And she would be ready.