The atmosphere shifted instantly, like cold water poured over fire. The nobles fists unclenched, rage buried beneath the suffocating presence of authority.
"Sit down" the professor said, her voice form, commanding.
Chairs scrapped as sage, Levi and Clark returned to their places, though none of them looked satisfied. Clark glare lingered on Damian, smoldering with restrained fury.
The professor walked to the front of the class and finally turned to face them fully. "I am professor Mo, I'm in charge of the first year B" she introduced herself like this was her first time meeting them.
The first years have already been divided into 4 earlier (A,B,C,D).
"This year's selection test is not the best the academy has had, it's not the worst either. Out of the 4,000 first years we initially received. Those who survived where 2,456 and those who passed their trials are approximately 845"
The class remained silent
"Moving on" she said brushing that away "you've endured the threshold of your first shade. That alone alters you more that most realize"
"Your bodies have changed. Stronger bones, faster reflexes, sharper mind, not only that but your heart beats slower yet endures more. Your Nexus, it has widened, storing far more nethera energy than before but understand this: abundance doesn't mean freedom"
Her gaze lingered on Clark for a moment, then sage, then the others.
"If you attempt to weld your affinity recklessly, you will burn through your reserves before you can even breathe. Power without discipline is suicide. Power with focus is survival.
For now, find on way, one method, to use your ability. If you were to manipulate your flames into whatever form you want without your Nexus being familiar with that form you will run out of nethera in the battle field.
Rather practice manipulation in a single form and gradually progress."
" Using ones affinity is like muscle, you must train your body and the more it adapts the easier your training becomes."
" So refine your affinity until it becomes second nature. Until it becomes a part of you" her tone soon softened, just slightly.
"The academys training halls are now Open to you all. Go there. Fail there. Break yourselves there. That is where mistakes are permitted. Out there...." She gestured to the windows, where the horizon of velthria stretched like an endless and indifferent world. "They are not".
The lecture ended soon after. She offered no pleasantries, no false comfort. Just a Curt nod. "Class Dismissed"
The students rose slowly. Some exiting the class, not the nobles though. They hadn't forgotten. They stole glances at Clark, disgust and anger radiating from their eyes.
Clark noticed, staring angrily at Damian.
He caused this.
But he didn't pay Clark any attention. This upset Clark even more but the nobles where coming already, so he left before ethe confrontation could root itself again.
Damian just stayed silent. He'd already said enough for a day.
.....
The library was quieter than any classroom could ever hope to be. Hight shelves stretched upward, their shadows blending into the ceiling dim lantern light. Rows of books some even ancient lined the walls, their spines cracked from the centuries of hands reaching for the same secrets.
Damian wandered between them, his presence almost swallowed by the stillness.
During his 2 day break, Damian had visited the library, wanting to learn more about the school and their goals. It was reading some of the books he found out that one of the 7 Noble household. The Vahlrex family to be exact was the one that created the school.
Hearing that name earlier he had simply fixed the pieces together and spoke. Now he was back again, even though he definitely just made a potential enemy from one of the strongest household, he might have made allies from the nobles.
He knew information was power. And he need all the power in the world to carry out his plans.
At a table, he spotted a familiar face.
A girl sat alone at a table near the back, close to the window, silver hair spilling over her shoulder like strands of moonlight. She was reading but then looked up unexpectedly, her eyes meeting damians. The tension in her face melted into a small smile as she waved and gestured at a chair beside her.
Damian moved to sit close to her leaving the book he came here for.
"You survived" she said quietly, relief glimmered in her voice. "I was worried".
Damian hesitated before sitting, his expression unreadable.
Abby closed the book before her and leaned in, lowering her voice.
"What about him"
"Wh....oh" Damian, realizing she's probably talking about calen shook his "he didn't make it"
"What about your friend " Damian asked
"Sh..she did not make it either" she said her expression turning sad
"I see, that probably why you weren't in class"
"Uhm...ye...yeah, hope i didn't miss anything though"
"Not really, professor Mo just talked about the aftermath of that horrible event and how we should train our new found strength the same way we would train our body"
"I see, my parents told me something similar.... But wait, who's professor Mo "
" Hmmm....what do you mean?, she was our very first instructor "
"Really, I can't remember her mention her name, sorry, it might be the incident making me forget things"
' hmmm.... Now that I think of it' damain said inwardly 'i can't remember her introducing herself, all she said on that day was "good day" .... I can't even remember the other instructor mentioning his name either. It's like they didn't feel the need to'
"Now that we are at the graven shade I believe the training room should be accessible, since we're the only one left we'll have to stick together" Abby said with a warm smile.
'We?, i thought we only teamed up that they because we had too but it looks like she sees me as a friend. A noble and a commoner. Hmm, I will admit she seem different from the other noble... However, I just can't seem to understand how she survived the trail.
She said that girl, mireen wasn't that her name. She said that girl was her childhood friend, knowing the trial I'm sure it twisted her friends death to place some kind of guilt on her, passing the trail means she either overcame it or justified it. Maybe she's not naive, or maybe she justified the death of everyone, including me because she did not know I was alive until now or .... Or maybe I'm just overthinking for now reason".
His eyes narrowed slightly, catching something. The book she was reading, it looked ancient with now heading or title even as it was closed.
"What are you reading"
Abby hesitated. Then with a half-smile she said "oh this, it's just a book I found in my families library"
"What's it about" Damian pressed on
"Hmmm.." she closed her eyes as if pondering weather or not she should tell him "have you heard of "The Brand" her tone was tight, her hand never left the book she held.