As they finished their breakfast in the bustling cafeteria, Towan leaned back in his chair and turned to Alira. “So, is ‘Elemental Theory’ any good? You’ve had it already, right?”
Alira tilted her head, considering the question. “Well, Professor Velaryn’s lessons are… different. She’s pretty philosophical, and sometimes it feels like her teachings are more about how you think than what you do. It’s not exactly easy to follow.”
“That sounds interesting,” Elliot chimed in, his tone thoughtful. “Most of the professors we’ve had so far stick to the book. It might be refreshing to hear a different perspective.”
Alira shrugged. “Maybe. Just don’t expect it to be straightforward.”
As they left the cafeteria and headed toward the east wing of the academy, the morning sun cast long shadows over the stone-paved paths. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers from the nearby gardens. Students moved in clusters, their chatter blending into a low hum.
Towan’s eyes drifted ahead, locking onto a familiar figure. Sylra, her sleek black hair swaying with each step, walked a few paces in front of them, her confident stride as captivating as ever. His gaze lingered longer than he intended.
Elliot, ever observant, smirked. “Are you going to talk to her today, or is staring all you’ve got planned?”
Towan flushed and scowled. “Shut up.”
Alira laughed, nudging him with her elbow. “Seriously, Towan. You’ve been staring at her every morning. It’s getting kind of creepy.”
“Oh, come on,” Towan retorted, crossing his arms defensively. “You don’t get it.”
“Don’t get what?” Alira teased. “That you’ve got a massive crush and zero game?”
Towan groaned, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not that simple, okay?”
In truth, even Towan wasn’t sure what he felt. Sylra’s wink from a few days ago still played in his mind like a loop, leaving him questioning whether it had meant anything—or if he was just imagining things. Either way, her presence seemed to pull at him, even when he didn’t want it to.
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“Maybe you should just talk to her,” Elliot suggested casually. “Who knows? She might actually be into guys who stare at her from a distance.”
Towan shot him a glare but said nothing. Ahead, Sylra turned a corner, and the trio followed, the teasing moment giving way to the anticipation of the class ahead.
After a few minutes of walking, the trio arrived at the classroom. As they stepped inside, they were greeted by an awe-inspiring sight. The room was arranged like a grand circular amphitheater, with tiered seating that descended toward a central focus point. At the heart of the space floated a globe of swirling Essentia energy, its surface constantly shifting between vivid flames, cascading water, gusting winds, and jagged rock formations.
The Essentia globe cast a gentle, multicolored glow across the room, bathing everything in an ethereal light. A faint hum, low and resonant, filled the air, giving the space a weighty, almost sacred atmosphere. It felt less like a classroom and more like a shrine to the raw power of the elements.
Towan, Elliot, and Alira chose seats near the middle tier, giving them a good vantage point of both the globe and the professor’s podium. Elliot’s eyes widened, his expression a mix of awe and curiosity as he leaned forward to take in the details of the glowing orb. “That’s… incredible,” he whispered, his voice tinged with wonder.
Towan, slouched in his seat, gave the display a disinterested glance. “Looks like a fancy lamp,” he muttered under his breath.
Alira rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow, not hard but enough to get his attention. “You’re hopeless,” she whispered back, shaking her head. “Just wait. You might actually learn something for once.”
Elliot grinned, glancing at Towan. “You really know how to appreciate the finer things in life, huh?”
Towan shrugged, though he couldn’t entirely ignore the strange pull of the Essentia globe. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, he found his gaze drifting back to it, watching the way the elements seemed to flow seamlessly into one another, their transitions both chaotic and harmonious.
The classroom began to fill with students, their murmured conversations blending with the faint hum of the Essentia globe. Many of them cast curious glances at the orb, clearly captivated by its presence. Some whispered excitedly about Professor Velaryn’s reputation for thought-provoking lessons, while others speculated about what the globe might be used for.
Towan leaned back in his chair, his thoughts drifting. He might not care much for theory, but something about this classroom—its energy, its atmosphere—felt different. And whether he wanted to admit it or not, he couldn’t shake the feeling that today’s lesson might actually be worth paying attention to.