Elion inhaled, slow and steady, forcing air past the invisible weight crushing his chest.
His back straightened.
His heart slowed.
And when he lifted his head, his silver eyes were like blades.
"I am Elion," he said quietly.
Cedric raised a brow.
"Always have been," Elion continued. "Always will be."
He swept his gaze across all four of them.
"What you think happened in that dungeon… what you want to know… your curiosity—"His lips curled into something that resembled a smile."—none of that is my problem."
The temperature in the room plummeted.
Even Celeste's eyes widened slightly.
The upper-year's aura thickened, filling the room like black smoke.
Elion didn't stop.
"I will," he said firmly, "reserve my right to remain silent."
Silence fell.
Even Liora's lollipop cracked between her teeth.
And the upper-year finally leaned forward, eyes narrowing with lethal interest.
"Elion Nova…" he murmured. "…you are either very brave…"
A pulse of invisible pressure slammed into the floor.
"…or very foolish." His aura rose like a tidal wave.
One second, Elion was standing.
The next—
BAM!
His knees slammed into the polished floor, pain shooting up his legs.
Air vanished from his lungs.
A hundred invisible chains wrapped around his ribs, squeezing, wringing out every breath.
Sweat rolled down his temples.
His fingers dug into the carpet to keep himself from collapsing face-first.
But even though his body bowed, his head did not.
Heavy, ragged breaths tore from his throat, but his eyes never left the upper-year's face.
The upper year appeared directly in front of him, so fast that Elion didn't even see the movement.
Black boots stopped inches from his knees.
Elion forced his head up, chin lifting, silver eyes blazing with calm defiance.
He refused to look away.
Behind him, muffled voices filtered through the crushing pressure:
"Isn't he going too far…?" Liora whispered, uneasy.
"Stay quiet," Celeste muttered.
"Let him learn," Cedric added.
Elion couldn't hear them.
Not really.
The only thing he could hear was the thundering of his own heart… and the silent question beating between him and the monster towering over him.
Will you break?
The man stared down at him, searching his face, testing something deeper than strength.
Then. He smiled.
Not a polite smile.
Not a mocking one.
A full, sharp, canine-baring grin.
It was the most unexpected thing Elion had ever seen from the stone-faced upper-year.
"I like him," the man said, voice breaking the tension with frightening ease.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Like a switch had been flipped.
Air rushed back into Elion's lungs; he gasped, coughing, grabbing his chest as he sucked in breath after breath.
His head spun.
His limbs trembled.
But he wasn't broken.
He raised his gaze again, stunned.
The upper-year turned his back on him casually, casually, walking back toward his seat as if he hadn't almost crushed a first-year into powder.
"Welcome to the team, Elion Nova." Elion blinked.
Team?
His jaw fell open.
"H–huh?" he choked out, staring wide-eyed. "W–what?"
The upper-year sat down, crossing one leg over the other, expression amused now.
"As of today," he said, gesturing lazily, "you're one of us."
Elion's mind blanked completely.
Celeste hid a smirk.
Liora grinned around her cracked lollipop.
Cedric just sighed as if this outcome was inevitable.
Elion remained on his knees, staring up at the most terrifying student in the Academy, who had just recruited him.
The room, still vibrating with the echo of vanished pressure, settled into a cold, heavy silence.
He leaned back in his chair, arms folding over his chest. The faint smirk from earlier slowly faded, replaced by an expression carved from stone.
Then he spoke.
"Evander Kletis."
His voice reverberated through the chamber.
"The head of the Disciplinary Committee. And a seventh year."
Elion's breath caught.
Celeste and Liora weren't even third or fourth years…and this guy wasn't just some upper-ranked student…
Evander was—
"A seventh year?" Elion whispered under his breath, stunned.
Evander lifted a brow. "Correct."
Even Cedric stiffened a little at the reminder of Evander's rank. Seventh years were closer to faculty than students… elite, dangerous, and untouchable.
Evander gestured toward an empty chair.
"Sit, Elion Nova."
Elion moved immediately, legs still a bit weak as he lowered himself into the seat.
His pulse thudded painfully in his ears.
Evander laced his fingers together on the table.
"Introductions," he said simply, though the room felt like a courtroom waiting for a verdict. He nodded first toward the dark elf.
"Cedric Vaelthorn. Third year. Deputy Head of the Committee."
Cedric gave Elion a curt nod.
Then Evander motioned to Celeste.
"Celeste Chronos. Second year. Field Enforcement Officer."
She merely lifted her chin in greeting, arms crossed beneath her cloak.
"And lastly," he said, as Liora wiggled her fingers at Elion preemptively, "Liora Wynfell. First year, probationary member."
Liora giggled, her half-sucked lollipop bobbing. "Hi~!"
Evander's eyes returned to Elion.
The warmth vanished.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop again.
Evander leaned forward slightly, the single phoenix emblem on his uniform catching the light.
Then he asked—
"Do you want to live, Elion Nova?"
Elion froze.
His heart plummeted into his stomach.
He heard the words…
…but it took several seconds for his mind to process them.
W–what? he thought, eyes widening.
Evander didn't blink.