Leaving the classroom, we followed Mr. Poley down the hall. I trailed behind the group, my footsteps slow and heavy, eyes fixed on the floor. The initial rush of attention on me had finally subsided, though the weight of being here still pressed on my mind. I reminded myself over and over: This is temporary. I’ll go back home, back to my monotonous life. But first, I needed to get through this lesson, head to the library on the second floor, and pray I’d find something—anything—about that ominous eye.

Jane slowed her pace, falling into step beside me. She offered a small wave and a kind smile. I nodded in response, directing my gaze back to the floor.

“You’re limping a little on your left leg,” she said, her tone laced with concern. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

She frowned, studying me briefly. “Suzan must have really done a number on you… She’s awful. Truly awful.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, careful not to let slip the truth—that Suzan was likely being controlled by something far worse. “And… thanks for covering the cost of the vailhouse. I’ll pay you and your dad back the two gold. I hate owing anyone.”

“There’s no need,” she said, shaking her head. “You don’t owe us a thing.”

“Still,I’ll pay it back,” I insisted, keeping my voice low.

Before she could respond, Mr. Poley’s voice cut through the air. “No talking, students. Other classes are still in session, and we wouldn’t want to disturb them, would we?”

Jane gave me a quick nod, then rejoined her friends near the front of the group. I followed quietly, steps dragging, until we emerged into the back garden.

The air outside was cool and fresh, the drizzle of rain gentle and unobtrusive. Even so, Mr. Poley raised his hands and began muttering under his breath. Golden lines formed a square on the ground, then rose into the air, creating a translucent barrier around us. The rain now splashed harmlessly off the glowing ceiling, leaving the space dry and protected.

With another flick of his hand, Mr. Poley sent a gust of wind sweeping across the area, pushing benches aside to clear the space. He then clapped his hands once, the sharp sound silencing the low hum of chatter.

“Pair up,” he announced, scanning the group. “We’ll begin shortly.”

“Sir?” A student held her hand up. “I think I saw someone on the… the rooftop?”

“Stop with the nonsense, people. Focus.” The teacher said, “I want you to work hard in this lesson, boys and girls. Understood?”

Jane stepped in front of me, her boots kicking up a bit of damp dirt as she stopped a few paces ahead. “I’m terrible at barriers,” she admitted with a half-smile. “So, what’ll it be? Defense or attack?”

I hesitated. “I’ll… defend?”

“Alright,” she said with a quick nod. “Cast a barrier. I’ll fire some ice shards, and we’ll see how you hold up.”

“Barrier spell,” I repeated under my breath. “Right.”

Taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes and focused, doing exactly as Mr. Poley had instructed. I visualized the barrier, trying to channel my mana into it. But as I reached for that power, there was… nothing. It felt like trying to grasp at air.

Frowning, I opened my eyes, only to find a glowing translucent box floating in front of me.

==================

| Spell Not Yet Learned!

==================

I blinked, utterly baffled. The box vanished as quickly as it appeared, but when I tried again, it reappeared, flashing red. No matter what I did, it refused to budge. It was clear I needed to unlock the spell somehow, though I had no idea how.

Around us, the other pairs were already training, their spells and barriers forming with varying degrees of success. Jane and I stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the flurry of activity.

“I… can’t cast it,” I admitted, scratching the back of my head and glancing away. “Sorry.”

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Jane’s brow furrowed slightly, but she didn’t look annoyed. Instead, she tilted her head, studying me as though trying to figure out what to do next.

Jane’s brows furrowed, her voice low as she murmured, “You... can’t even cast a basic barrier? My little brother Gabriel can even do that.”

I shifted uncomfortably, offering a half-hearted explanation. “Where I grew up, magic was forbidden. I’m still getting the hang of all this.”

Her skepticism was evident. “I thought you said you were from a nearby village?”

“I am,” I replied quickly. “But before that, my family lived in another country where magic was banned. Strictly.”

“Interesting,” Mr. Poley interjected, his voice laced with curiosity as he appeared behind me. “And which country might that be? Somewhere up north, perhaps?”

“I’d... rather not talk about it, sir,” I said, forcing a somber tone. “It brings back bad memories.”

He studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s try something else. Can you cast an ice spell?”

“No, sir. I only know how to cast a fireball,” I admitted.

Jane tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “Fire and ice are on the same level. If you can cast fire, you should be able to cast ice too. Try it.”

Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and focused again, trying to visualise an ice spell. But just like before, a translucent box appeared in front of me:

==================

| Spell Not Yet Learned!

==================

I sighed, letting my shoulders sag. “I can’t cast it. Sorry.”

Jane crossed her arms, her expression softening from confusion to mild concern. “Weird… You should be able to.”

The sound of Mr. Poley clearing his throat brought our attention back to him. “Alright, let’s keep moving. Ms. Hawke, you’ll cast a barrier. Mr. Millo, step back and throw a fireball her way. Let’s see how it holds up.”

“Are you sure about this, sir?” I asked, wary. “That doesn’t sound safe.”

“It’ll be fine,” he reassured me, though his tone was firm. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll intervene.”

Jane smiled, taking a confident step forward. “Good luck.”

She clasped her hands together, and with a deep breath, a swirling wind barrier materialized in front of her. The gusting shield looked impressive, strong enough to fling an arrow off course. I hesitated, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me.

Steeling myself, I planted one foot back, raised my palm, and focused. I felt a flicker of warmth in my hand, but nothing materialised… because I didn’t want to cast it.

“Come on, Mr. Millo,” Mr. Poley encouraged. “Focus on your mana. Visualize the spell.”

“I... I can’t,” I muttered, frustration creeping into my voice.

Mr. Poley nodded thoughtfully. “It might be your injuries. You’ve been through quite an ordeal.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “Probably.”

It was pointless, he wasn’t going to give up until I cast this spell. Suddenly, the warmth in my hand intensified, and a small flame flickered to life.

Jane recast her barrier, her confidence unwavering. Mr. Poley gave a nod of approval. “Good. Now focus and send it.”

“Yes.”

“It’s too weak,” he added. “Put more mana into it.”

“All of it?” I asked, hesitant.

“No,” Mr. Poley said firmly.

“Yes,” Jane interrupted. “I can handle it.”

Mr. Poley shot her a sharp look. “Ms. Hawke, that’s dangerous.”

“Please, sir. I’ll be fine.”

With a resigned sigh, Mr. Poley stepped closer to Jane, positioning himself to intervene if needed. “Alright, but I’ll stay close.”

I nodded, focusing harder. The warmth in my hand grew into a searing heat, my body tingling with energy.

Then, it became unbearable. My palm burned, and the energy coursing through me felt as though it would tear me apart. “It hurts,” I grunted, my breath shallow.

“Send it!” Jane urged, her voice firm. “Come on, Axel!”

Unable to hold back any longer, I exhaled sharply and released the fireball.

The moment it left my hand, the world seemed to slow. Mr. Poley’s eyes widened in alarm. He lunged forward, shoving Jane out of the way before turning to the students behind us. With a quick motion, he cast a wind spell that swept them aside to safety.

The fireball roared to life, far larger and faster than I had anticipated. It shot through the air like a meteor, slamming into the forest beyond the school grounds with a deafening boom. Trees splintered and ignited as the fireball tore through the landscape, carving a path of destruction until it collided with a distant mountain, leaving a charred hole in its middle.

The silence that followed was deafening.

“Huh,” I murmured, staring blankly at the destruction. “What... was that?”

Mr. Poley straightened, brushing himself off as he turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “You’re... you're not an F-rank,” he stated matter-of-factly. “The test must have been wrong.”

Around us, the students whispered in hushed tones, their gazes bouncing between me and the obliterated forest. Jane, still on the ground where she’d been pushed, looked at me with wide eyes.

I blinked, my dull gaze fixed on the distant mountain. “That's troublesome...”

══════✦══════