After the banquet, the dorm was full of excitement and nerves. All four of us, wrapped in our freshly assigned robes—mine now a rich violet signaling my switch to Alchemy—settled down in the common room, our minds still spinning from yesterday's events. The robes themselves felt strange, a subtle reminder that everything was different now. I noticed Mira in her olive Beast Tamer robe, looking calmer than ever, while Caius 's silver robe shimmered in the morning light. Aerin, in her dark blue Physical Attributes robe, cracked her knuckles, unable to sit still for more than a minute.
"So, Alchemy, huh?" Mira smirked at me, her usual mischief in her eyes. "I knew you'd pick something interesting."
"It just…called to me," I admitted, fiddling with the fabric at my sleeve. "Alchemy feels like something I need to understand. And maybe, if I get good enough, it'll help in ways beyond just potions." I tried to keep my voice light, but truthfully, I'd felt a pull, like Alchemy held secrets I'd been meant to uncover. It was also something I was familiar with since growing up I'd spent most of my time in the mountains studying herbs. My father didn't really believe in calling a healer everytime a dud caught a cold so herbs became my fascination.
"You'll have to keep up with me, then," Caius added, glancing down at his silver robe. "Spiritual Attributes isn't going to be easy."
Mira nodded, her own calm gaze meeting mine. "Different paths, but we're still here for each other." She seemed so sure, and it was grounding.
After breakfast the following morning, I left my room and made my way to the library. Today, I'd been instructed to pick up my study guides from the staff—a small task, but essential. The library loomed ahead, each level stacked with its own shelves dedicated to one faculty or another, all quiet and seemingly endless. I found the entrance and stepped into the hushed world of books and parchment.
Inside, the scent of ink and ancient paper filled the air, and I caught sight of the librarian. He looked up, his dark eyes shadowed with a brooding intensity, but his gaze held a spark of intelligence that I recognized immediately. He seemed to assess me in an instant, likely cataloging every detail before letting out a resigned sigh.
"What is it you need?" he asked, his tone curt.
"I'm here for my study guides," I said, meeting his gaze evenly.
"Third floor for Alchemy." He didn't look impressed, but something flickered in his gaze when he noticed the violet on my robe. "First-year and already in Alchemy? They must think you have potential."
I gave a slight nod, unsure how to respond. I noticed his faint interest, though, as if something about me wasn't quite adding up. "Do you spend a lot of time memorizing book placements?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"It's more of a habit," he replied, his tone softer but still guarded. "You'd be surprised how much people get lost in here."
Following his instructions, I made my way to the third floor, shelves of alchemical texts towering around me. It was overwhelming, each spine a promise of knowledge, mysteries yet to be uncovered. The weight of the world of Alchemy pressed down on me, but something else flared within—excitement.
As I began gathering the guides, the creak of footsteps sounded behind me. Turning, I froze. A vision of dark purple hair ,so dark it's nearly black and piercing navy blue eyes made my breath catch.
Kai Xu stood there, tall and distant, silver robes casting an otherworldly glow around him. His expression was inscrutable, the faintest trace of irritation on his face as though my presence was unexpected and unwelcome. But behind his calm, almost cold exterior, something else lingered—an illness, a fragility that I noticed immediately. I could see it, even if others couldn't, in the paleness of his skin and the faint tremor in his hand.
He didn't speak, merely inclined his head in acknowledgment before walking past, his gaze drifting across the shelves. For some reason, my heart quickened, though I didn't understand why. There was something magnetic in his presence, like the faint pull of a tide, drawing me closer even as he remained so distant.
When he reached for a book, he glanced sideways, his gaze lingering just a second too long. His lips quirked slightly, though it was gone before I could be sure.
"You're the new Alchemy student, I hear," he finally said, his voice a low murmur, barely more than a whisper.
"Yes," I replied, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "And you're…Spiritual Attribute."
"First place, actually," he said, his tone neither boastful nor humble, as if simply stating a fact.
I nodded, unsure what else to say. His eyes lingered on me, like he was searching for something beneath the surface. Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he turned away, leaving me with more questions than answers leaving a "See you around" before he vanished. I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time our paths would cross and I wasn't to sure if it was a good thing or a bad one.
Back at the dorm later that night, I couldn't help but replay the encounter in my mind, a faint shiver running through me at the memory of his gaze, as though he new something I didn't. This creeping feeling made me uneasy .