Kael woke up at 7 AM, glancing over at Severian, who was still sleeping like the dead. Seeing this, Kael finally understood why his parents had sent him to the dorms—waking up on time clearly wasn't his strong suit.
Kael finished his morning stretches and exercises, giving himself just enough time to prepare for class. About thirty minutes before their lectures started, Severian began stirring. Kael helped shake him awake and encouraged him to get ready, making sure they both left on time.
Since Kael was in Gaianis and Severian was in Inveris, they parted ways as they headed to their respective lecture halls.
Upon entering the amphitheater, Kael scanned the room for a place to sit. He spotted Finnick, but something about him made Kael doubt they'd get along well. Then, his eyes landed on Evanna—the only student who had impressed him during the Gaianis entrance trials.
Kael approached her, greeting her casually. "Hey, is this seat taken?"
She barely looked at him, her voice indifferent. "Sit if you want. Doesn't matter to me."
Kael smirked and sat down. "I'm Kael. Nice to meet you."
She glanced at him briefly before responding, "Evanna."
Curious, Kael asked, "You seemed pretty uninterested during the entrance exam. Why's that?"
Evanna sighed. "Honestly? I was aiming for Inveris, but I overslept and missed the test."
Kael blinked. "Wait… you overslept? The test lasted half a day—how do you even sleep through that?"
Then it hit him. "Hold on… you can use both Gaianis and Inveris?"
Evanna nodded. "Yeah. But I prefer Inveris—Gaianis doesn't really interest me."
Kael sighed internally. Another Gaianis hater… great. Why is everyone so against it?
Just then, Professor Whitmore entered the lecture hall, signaling the start of their first Gaianis class.
The Fundamentals of Gaianis focused mostly on theory—specifically, how to form sub-elements by combining primary elements. Professor Whitmore explained that the ratios of Ascen infusion determined the outcome:
More water than earth = MudEqual parts water and earth = Wood80% earth, 20% water = Stone60% earth, 40% water = Clay
She went on to describe how, once students mastered their primary element, they could begin harnessing a second element. This process involved detecting and extracting trace amounts of other elemental Ascen from the air. For example, someone absorbing fire Ascen might unknowingly pull in small amounts of earth or air Ascen.
"With enough concentration," she explained, "you'll eventually learn to separate and manipulate those stray elements, allowing you to master additional affinities."
Kael was intrigued. He had enjoyed his first lecture far more than he expected.
After class, Kael approached Professor Whitmore. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Professor, Headmaster Cyrus mentioned I'd receive Relic training. Do you know anything about that?"
She studied him for a moment before nodding. "Ah, so you're the one. Headmaster Cyrus informed me about you. You can train with Professor Orpheus Locke whenever you'd like—just go to him for consultations to schedule sessions."
Kael thanked her and, seeing an opportunity, decided to flirt a little. "By the way, Professor… that was a great lecture. I actually enjoyed it."
Whitmore gave him a curious look, then smirked slightly. "Students don't usually say that."
Kael grinned. "Maybe I should come to you for consultations instead of Professor Locke."
She raised an eyebrow but didn't outright reject the idea. "You're welcome to stop by if you need clarification on anything."
Success.
The rest of Kael's school day consisted of joint classes with the Inveris students—subjects like history, politics, and mathematics. Most of the material was so simple that Kael slept through part of the lessons, finding them laughably easy compared to what he had studied in his past life.
After class, as Kael and Severian walked back to their dorms, Severian shared something interesting.
"Our professor told us that when we graduate, the student with the best grades gets paired with the student with the worst grades when forming Legio Obscura duos."
Kael grinned, a brilliant idea forming in his mind.
If I deliberately tank my grades, I'll be paired with the strongest student. That way, I won't be stuck with some weakling. Besides, he already had a Relic—he didn't need to top the class to prove his worth.
For now, he wouldn't worry too much about it—there were still five years of school left.
The next morning, since Kael didn't have any Gaianis-oriented classes, he decided to introduce himself to Professor Locke. If the meeting took longer than expected, he wouldn't mind being late to another class.
Locke's office was at the far end of the ground floor corridor. Kael knocked, and after a few seconds, he heard the gruff voice of an old man. "Enter."
Stepping inside, Kael found himself in a dimly lit room, lined with bookshelves stacked to the ceiling. Seated in a worn-out armchair, reading a book, was an elderly man with completely white hair.
Locke barely spared him a glance. "What do you want? Hope it's important—I don't like being interrupted when I'm reading."
Kael hesitated but quickly responded. "I'm Kael Voss. Headmaster Cyrus Vale and Professor Whitmore told me to come to you for Relic training."
At that, Locke snapped his book shut and tossed it aside. A sinister grin spread across his face.
"Ahhh, so you're the one. Good, good—I've been expecting you."
To Kael's surprise, Locke reached for a bookshelf, pulling a book. A mechanism clicked, and the entire bookshelf slid open, revealing a hidden passage leading downward.
Locke gestured toward the stairs. "Follow me."
Kael blinked but quickly composed himself. This was happening. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, descending into the darkness.
End of Chapter 20