At the ground… only sixteen students stood waiting for Mr. Surlex to arrive.
A light breeze passed through, but no one spoke much. Everyone knew this was for the second sport.
After a few moments, Mr. Surlex walked onto the ground.
Mr. Surlex:
"Oh, you all came… good. Sixteen students—that's quite something. Last year, not even this many showed up."
He looked around at them and gave a small nod.
Mr. Surlex:
"Alright, let me introduce you to this sport. It is called Watasurf."
The students exchanged glances, some confused, some curious.
Mr. Surlex:
"This sport is played on water itself. Each team will have four members. You will be moving across the water like surfing, maintaining your balance while working together as a team."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
Mr. Surlex:
"Each team will have one Obstacle Creator. Their role is to create water obstacles—waves, walls, and currents—to slow down the opponent. They can also counter the opponent's obstacles using their magic. However, while doing so, they cannot move freely."
The students listened carefully.
Mr. Surlex:
"One player will hold the ball—the Carrier. The goal is simple: reach the center and drop the ball into the marked zone."
He raised a finger slightly.
Mr. Surlex:
"The Carrier can pass the ball to teammates at any time."
Mr. Surlex:
"The remaining two players will act as Protectors. Their job is to keep the Carrier safe while moving."
His tone turned more serious.
Mr. Surlex:
"If both Protectors fall into the water, they will be out of the game. After that, the Carrier must continue alone."
A few students looked at each other.
Mr. Surlex:
"And if the Carrier falls, they are not out. They can get back up and continue—but they will lose time."
Silence filled the ground as the rules settled in.
Mr. Surlex:
"So this sport is not about strength… it is about balance, timing, and teamwork."
He stepped back slightly.
Mr. Surlex:
"Now that you understand, form teams of four. We'll begin with a practice match."
He paused, then added—
Mr. Surlex:
"And this match will not be just for practice. Your performance here will decide your selection."
The students immediately grew more serious.
Mr. Surlex:
"After the match, the names of the selected members will be announced."
A wave of tension spread across the ground.
Mr. Surlex:
"This practice will take place at the nearest lake. Get ready."
Mr. Surlex walked away, and the students immediately started forming teams.
Aren moved toward a boy standing nearby.
Aren:
"Oh, you're the one from Novaborn… living next to our room, right?"
Novaborn Boy:
"Yes."
Aren:
"Ahh… what was your name? I forgot."
Novaborn Boy:
"We never introduced ourselves, brother… well, my name is Kael."
Aren:
"Okay, Kael. My name is Aren. Can we be teammates?"
Kael:
"Oh—of course. We already have two members with us."
After forming their team, everyone made their way toward the lake.
The water stretched wide and calm, reflecting the sky.
Mr. Surlex:
"Boys, decide who will be the Obstacle Creator. The one chosen must wear this tube in his ear. It will help you focus, see the opponent's movements, and create obstacles accordingly."
One by one, the chosen players stepped forward and wore the tubes.
Mr. Surlex:
"Alright. Team Aren will be Team A, and Noil's team will be Team B. Now, your match begins."
The teams stepped onto the water, balancing carefully as the match started.
Aren held the ball—he was the Carrier.
The game began fast. Waves rose, currents shifted, and both Obstacle Creators started creating barriers.
Aren moved forward with his Protectors beside him, but suddenly, both of them lost balance and fell into the water.
They were out.
Now only Aren and his Obstacle Creator remained.
Sensing the moment, Team B changed their strategy. Their Obstacle Creator stopped attacking Aren and instead targeted Aren's teammate, distracting him completely.
Taking advantage of this, Team B's Obstacle Creator created a massive wall of water in front of Aren.
At the same time, their Carrier was already very close to the center.
For a second, it felt like the match was over.
But Aren didn't stop.
He pushed himself back slightly, bent forward, and in one swift motion, cast a spell from his book. With that force, he launched himself ahead—
Sliding across the water, he leaped forward and landed right near the center.
Without wasting a second, he dropped the ball into the goal.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then—
Team A had won.
Kael rushed toward Aren, picked up the ball, and cheered loudly.
Kael:
"We did it!"
Meanwhile, from a distance, Miss Coldhollow had been watching from the school building. She hadn't seen everything clearly, but something caught her attention.
Immediately, she made her way to the lake.
She walked up to Mr. Surlex.
Miss Coldhollow:
"Who was that boy with the ball?"
Mr. Surlex:
"That's Kael."
She gave a small nod.
Miss Coldhollow:
"Alright."
And with that, she turned and walked away.
After that, Team C and Team D stepped forward for their match.
The rest of the students watched as the game continued on the lake. Waves rose, players fell, and the tension remained high until the end of the final match.
Once it was over, Mr. Surlex called everyone together.
The students gathered around, slightly tired but fully attentive.
Mr. Surlex:
"Alright… it's time to announce the selected members."
Silence fell.
Mr. Surlex:
"From Team B—
Obstacle Creator: Eryx…
Kael…
Lioren… and… Aren."
For a second, Aren froze—then a smile broke across his face.
Kael turned toward him, grinning.
Both of them were clearly happy.
After everything was done, the students went back to freshen up.
Aren didn't waste much time. The moment he was done, he headed straight to the library.
Inside, Damon, Owen, and the girls were already sitting and studying.
Aren rushed in.
Aren (excited):
"I got selected!"
Everyone looked up, surprised.
At that exact moment, Mrs. Nectar entered the library.
Instantly, everyone went silent and looked back at their books.
Mrs. Nectar glanced around but didn't say anything this time and walked out again.
The moment she left—
Damon:
"Wait, really?!"
Talia:
"That's amazing!"
Selby:
"Congratulations!"
Calla (smiling):
"See? I told you you'd do it."
Owen gave a small nod.
Owen:
"Good job."
Aren grinned, still catching his breath.
Talia leaned forward, curious.
Talia:
"So… how was the game?"
Aren dropped into the seat beside them.
Aren:
"Hard. Way harder than it looked. One mistake and you're done."
Selby sighed.
Selby:
"Sounds scary."
Aren:
"It is… but it's fun too."
They once again lowered their heads and returned to their books, quietly continuing their studies.
In Miss Coldhollow's Office…
Miss Coldhollow:
"Come in, Henderson."
Mr. Henderson stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
Mr. Henderson:
"What happened? Why did you call me?"
Miss Coldhollow hesitated for a moment.
Miss Coldhollow:
"I don't know if this is true or not, but… he is a student… and he's from Novaborn."
Mr. Henderson frowned slightly.
Mr. Henderson:
"Ma'am, how do you know?"
Miss Coldhollow:
"Today, I saw him use that spell… the jump. You know only he could handle that."
Mr. Henderson's expression changed.
Mr. Henderson:
"Oh… yes. He was the only one who could use that spell… but what if some other student managed to learn it too?"
Miss Coldhollow shook her head slowly.
Miss Coldhollow:
"No one else knew about his spells. I may not have enough proof… but my instincts are telling me—it's him."
Silence filled the room.
After a moment—
Mr. Henderson:
"So… should I tell the girls the truth? About why they are actually here… everything?"
Miss Coldhollow looked out the window for a second before replying.
Miss Coldhollow:
"Yes… but not now. Let their exams and this time of theirs pass peacefully."
She turned back toward him.
Miss Coldhollow:
"Before that… we'll try to find proof."
Mr. Henderson nodded.
The room fell silent again, but this time, it carried a different weight—
something hidden… something waiting to be revealed.