They were the only students in the cafeteria, quickly eating their breakfast before leaving for the auditorium.
All the while, their surroundings were quiet, with not a single hint of things going south.
However, there was now a subtle frown on Cyril's face.
I would rather it happened already.
"Myra could still be lying."
"Here it is." Cyril stopped in front of the door, on the plaque to the side it read 'auditorium yellow.' Behind it whispered discussions could be heard.
Rose again checked her belongings, clutching the weathered notebook close.
Myra stood with a smile, her hands behind her head.
"She sure looks relaxed now." Rhamn sent her a suspicious glare.
Ignoring her, Cyril opened the door and went in.
The many voices inside immediately quieted down. The other students were already sitting there, all staring in their direction.
Cyril calmly walked towards the available seat in front and sat down, the two girls following him to the seats nearby.
"What were they doing before?"
"Thorne just does what he wants, it's 9 already, they're late!"
The people resumed their whispers as Cyril slowly settled in. The butterfly on his shoulder landed on the desk in front of him, her antennae twitching with excitement.
He looked around the auditorium, the voices going silent as he did.
Professor Richard is nowhere to be seen.
"That lazybones is probably still in the archives. Good riddance, his help is not needed."
After a short while the doors were opened once more. Through them a mature woman in a white coat walked in.
She had long blond hair, her blue eyes were somewhat cold.
Coming in front of the whiteboard, she raised a wand inlaid with crystal. It shone with blue light, and soon words appeared in the air, forming a name.
"I am Elvira Arken. I shall be your lecturer and a guide for the day."
Arken?
Cyril narrowed his eyes, observing the face of the woman once more.
"It's actually Leo's mother! They do look alike!" Rhamn exclaimed, taking a seat atop the desk.
Elvira's eyes slowly went through the people sitting, each student straightening their back in the process.
Even Cedric had a tense expression on his face, a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.
Though her sharp glare lost its coldness once it reached Cyril.
What?
"Let's not waste anyone's time. I will explain to you how to form a magic circle faster. If anyone fails, it's not my problem."
Elvira turned around and began the lecture in earnest.
Cyril, although confused momentarily, focused on the new knowledge, eager to grow stronger.
...
The top students from Ailanthus hastily scribbled something down in their notebooks.
Some people wore desperate expressions as they tried to keep up with the lecture.
Some didn't even try to document it, instead listening while supporting their head with a bored expression.
Sending a glance to Myra, Cyril sighed, then looked to his other side.
There was Rose, on her face a radiant smile, as her eyes were glued to Elvira and her hands were writing in her notebook.
"You don't need to write things down, you have me!" Rhamn patted her chest.
It's not that complicated. Something else worries me.
Cyril internally shook his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he paid attention to everything around him.
The heavy feeling on his heart only grew stronger during this time.
"Now, I want for one of you to come for a demonstration." Elvira faced the students, her eyes scanning everyone.
Cedric immediately shot his hand in the air, his arm shaking a little.
However, Elvira completely ignored him, her eyes instead going to the front.
"Cyril Thorne, please assist with the lesson."
As Morpho fluttered her wings in place, Cyril got up, his face calm.
"What is she planning?"
On the way, he nodded to Myra, who silently raised a fist in his direction.
Now standing in front of the whiteboard, Cyril faced his fellow students and raised his hand.
Elvira came closer, attentively watching the forming of his magic circle.
Then, the wand she held in front of her, hidden from the view of other students, vaguely glowed with blue light.
Cyril felt an outside force influence his spell.
"This bi- !"
"Relax, Thorne," Elvira whispered.
At first alarmed, he soon discovered that this force made it only easier for the spell to form.
The fastest he ever did it, the magic circle was quickly formed, and a small spark flew up in the air, exploding into miniature fireworks.
The students sitting followed the explosion with their eyes, some even forgetting to write.
Soon, their impressed stares were colored with a bit of unwillingness.
"Exceptional. That was an impressive display." Elvira stepped aside and faced the seats.
"Thorne was able to immediately succeed, but most will need a lot of practice, remember that."
Then she proceeded to explain step by step the process of what just happened, omitting her own influence.
Cyril observed her for a few seconds, then silently went back to his seat.
Myra gave a thumbs-up to him on the way, though he ignored her.
She guided my mana, making it easier. Why?
Cyril contemplated back in his seat, a frown on his face.
Rhamn reappeared on the table again, pinching her chin.
"Leo looks like a momma's boy, so he should've told her you broke his arm."
"..."
"Could it be?" She sat up straight, her lips curving into a smile.
In Cyril's mind flashed the apology he received from Leo not too long ago.
As he thought of this, Rhamn's smile widened, and a mocking laughter escaped her lips.
"Hahaha! Oh, the world of nobility! It's so funny!"
It's probably what you are thinking.
"Even though Leo hates your guts, his mother values the support of the Thorne family, so she wants him to befriend you! Haha!" Rhamn lay down on the desk, her hand holding her stomach.
"Next time we meet that loser, let's test this theory!"
Calm down, Cyril shook his head and refocused on the lecture.
The time passed by without any accident happening.
...
"Let's stop here." Said Elvira, looking at the time display.
The students heaved a sigh and dropped their pens, some stretching their shoulders.
"Now, you'll follow me to the 8th floor, there you'll have the chance of learning from some of the brightest minds."
She waved her crystal wand, and all the content was immediately gone from the whiteboard, causing some unfortunate soul from the back to cry out in alarm.
Elvira ignored it, heading towards the exit.
The students slowly got up and followed after her.
Cyril, walking closer to the front, looked at Myra.
Nothing is happening still.
She met his gaze and nodded, her eyes lacking any urgency.
What's with her?
Cyril looked away.
He observed the white corridor they were walking through, feeling heavier and heavier.
Soon the group reached the elevator, with Elvira waiting on the platform as every student boarded it.
Silently she pressed the stand, and the floor they were standing on began to rise up with a characteristic hum.
The other students excitedly whispered among themselves.
"Do you think we'll meet Moryk? The people back in Ailanthus will be so jealous!"
"We entered the Tower! They are already envious!"
As excitement filled the air around him, Cyril found himself becoming absentminded.
As if a veil covered his mind, he stood there, the sounds of chatter melting into the background.
An extremely quiet metallic crack went off far below him.
A spell being cast?
With urgency, Cyril assumed a combat stance.
"Be careful!"
Myra immediately lowered her body.
The other students, along with Elvira, had the time to send them one confused glance.
Before a loud boom deafened their ears.
The colors around them changed to red as a loud ringing sound erupted from all around.
The platform they stood on, hit by some great force, tilted upwards with a horrifying creak.
Everyone lost their balance, falling into the pit below one by one.
Cyril didn't have time to hold anything. He was powerless to resist the gravitational force and went down.
The only ones left on the almost vertical platform were two people.
Elvira, standing on a newly appeared platform made of ice, stared down with widened eyes, then glanced to the side.
There a girl with auburn hair and black eyes hanged, her hand piercing the metal to keep herself in place.
They silently exchanged glances before Myra's eyes turned sharper.
She interrupted the spell, and her hand slipped from the metal, willingly plunging down below.