Outside the academy gates, a sleek black carriage rolled to a smooth stop.
The door creaked open … and Aslan stepped out in style, the cold wind tousling his crimson hair and his coat fluttering behind him.
He took a deep breath and smiled.
"I'm back."
Inside the classroom…
BANG!
The door flew open with a loud kick, slamming against the wall.
Everyone jumped and turned—
Only to see Aslan standing at the entrance, hands in his pockets, aura flaring like a cinematic hero.
"Hi, everyo—"
He didn't even finish.
"ASLANNNN!!"
George, Alice, Cael, and two more studentstackled him in a full-force group hug, sending him crashing backward with a dramatic:
"Oof!"
They landed in a messy pile, limbs tangled, laughter echoing.
From somewhere under the dogpile, Aslan's muffled voice groaned:
"…Okay. I deserved that."
One of them smirked, "Next time, maybe just knock like a normal person?"
Aslan (grumbling): "I leave for a few weeks and suddenly everyone's touchy?"
George: "You left without warning! We thought you were dead! Or worse—transferred!"
Aslan: "…Transferred sounds worse to you?"
---
One Week Later
Cael paced nervously outside the dorm hallway.
Cael (concerned): "George… have you seen Aslan anywhere? I've been looking for him since morning."
George shrugged, casually chewing on a biscuit.
"Probably in the training room — just like every day."
Cael groaned and tapped his forehead.
"Ugh… again? He's been in there every single day for a week. Doesn't he ever get tired?"
Just then, Alice walked in quietly from behind, his expression unusually serious and worried.
"We wanted him to take studies and training seriously, sure… but not like this. He doesn't even smile anymore."
He glanced toward the hallway window.
" He neither enjoyed himself nor found anything fun anymore. there's no life in him lately."
George crossed his arms.
"He's been different ever since he got back. Something's changed about him. And no one knows what it is."
Cael's brows furrowed.
"Yeah… why did he arrive late to the academy anyway? He missed the first few weeks. There has to be a reason."
The three of them stood in silence for a moment — the same uneasy thought hanging in the air.
Something's definitely wrong with Aslan… and none of them knew how to reach him.
----
Later in the Classroom
Professor Sophia entered the room.
"Good morning, class. Today we'll begin learning about Elemental Affinities."
A few students immediately perked up in their seats.
"Yes! Finally!" one student exclaimed with excitement. "Finally, we're learning real magic instead of just theory in the second semester!"
Sophia smiled knowingly. "Yes, yes. I know you've all been waiting. But before we begin training, we need to discover which element suits your mana best."
She raised a finger. "From this point on, your element cannot be changed. You don't choose it — your mana chooses it for you."
A hush settled in the room.
"Everyone's element is different. So, don't try to force anything. Let the mana guide you — and please, avoid hurting yourselves."
She pointed her finger at the scrolls on the desks in front of each student.
"You each have a scroll in front of you. These contain ancient magic circles. Place your hand over the scroll, focus, and chant the spell written there. Your mana will do the rest."
Excitement filled the classroom as everyone wanted to know their suitable element.
Everyone was giving it a try.
Some students awakened earth elements, others water or fire. Alice, surprisingly, had wind. George was still trying — and failing — to get any result.
"Wow! Alice has a wind element!"
The professor clapped her hands, clearly impressed.
Then her eyes landed on Aslan.
The moment Aslan reached for the fire element—
"Wait—!" Professor Sophia immediately stopped him.
"Don't try fire! Try water instead."
Aslan pouted. "...Alright."
He calmly attempted the water element.
Thank goodness I stopped him in time, Professor Sophia thought with a sigh of relief.
If he had gone with fire, the entire class would've exploded.
Suddenly, small glowing water bubbles began to form around Aslan.
"Whoa… that's amazing," classmates whispered in awe.
"I wish I had the water element," someone muttered enviously.
But just then, Aslan lost control.
The bubbles burst — water splashed over him and the front row students.
Within seconds, the water expanded and began flooding the entire classroom.
Students panicked.
"We're gonna drown!"
"I don't even know how to swim!"
Professor Sophia immediately cast a spell, sweeping the water away in a flash.
Everyone gasped for air, soaked but alive.
"Thank goodness… I really thought I was gonna die," one student mumbled, still trembling.
Professor Sophia pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed heavily.
"…I think suggesting the water element to him was a bad idea."