“Pair up with someone who has a different element,” Professor Velaryn instructed, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Towan let out a groan. “So I can’t do this with Elliot, huh?”
Before Elliot could respond, Alira turned to him with a determined smile. “Hey, Elliot, can I pair up with you?”
“Uh, sure, I guess,” Elliot replied, caught slightly off-guard but nodding nonetheless.
Towan blinked at them, a mix of confusion and betrayal flashing across his face. “Hey, wait a second! What about me? Who am I supposed to pair up with?”
Alira shrugged playfully. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Towan. You’re resourceful.”
Elliot, catching the perfect opportunity to tease, leaned closer with a grin. “Or maybe you could, I don’t know, try talking to a certain someone you’ve been staring at all week.”
Towan froze, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t even start.”
Elliot tilted his head toward the far side of the room where Sylra stood, arms crossed, her expression calm but distant. As usual, no one had approached her yet. Despite her reputation, it was clear her intimidating aura often kept potential partners at bay.
“You can’t be serious,” Towan muttered, glancing quickly at Sylra and then back at Elliot. “She’d probably just ignore me. Or worse.”
Elliot smirked. “You won’t know unless you try. Plus, you’ll be doing her a favor. She’s always stuck working alone because people are too scared to ask her.”
“That’s probably for a reason!” Towan hissed. “She’s ranked first, remember? She’s way out of my league.”
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Alira leaned in, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Come on, Towan. She winked at you the other day, didn’t she? Maybe she’s waiting for you to step up.”
Towan’s face turned a shade redder. “That doesn’t mean anything. It could’ve been a… reflex or something.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” Alira said, rolling her eyes. “Well, good luck finding someone else then.”
Towan watched as Elliot and Alira moved off to find a spot, leaving him standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. His gaze drifted back to Sylra, who now leaned casually against the wall, her silver hair catching the light. She didn’t seem to notice him—or anyone else for that matter.
“Okay,” he muttered to himself. “No big deal. Just… ask her. Worst case, she says no and I look like an idiot. Best case…” He hesitated, his heart pounding. “Best case… I don’t even know.”
Taking a deep breath, Towan forced his feet to move, each step feeling heavier than the last as he approached Sylra. The other students around him seemed to fade into the background.
Sylra’s sharp eyes didn't move as he stopped a few feet away, her expression unreadable. For a moment, Towan was sure his legs would give out.
Towan hesitated as he approached Sylra. She was standing near the edge of the room, idly swirling her Wind Essentia between her fingers, the translucent currents forming elegant patterns in the air. Her gaze shifted to him, her expression calm yet curious.
“Need a partner?” Towan asked, keeping his voice steady despite the faint warmth creeping into his face.
Sylra’s lips curled into a small, amused smile. “I wondered if you’d finally ask,” she said lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The room settled into pairs, and Professor Velaryn’s voice carried over the faint hum of the Essentia globe at the room’s center. “Your task is to create an orb of balanced Essentia that harmonizes both of your energies. This exercise isn’t about overpowering one another but achieving equilibrium—a true partnership between elements.”
Towan shifted uncomfortably. “So, uh, pure energy and wind… Is that even possible to balance?”
Sylra’s gaze softened as she studied him. “It’s not about their differences. It’s about finding the point where they meet.” She raised her hand, summoning a small orb of swirling Wind Essentia. “Your Natural Essentia doesn’t fight mine. It’s neutral—like a canvas. Let’s paint something together.”
He nodded, emboldened by her confidence. “Alright. Let’s try.”