How dare he.
How dare that man approach Lia with such careless ignorance.
Just when she finally allowed herself to trust someone besides me…
Just because she felt comfortable around him…
He went and shattered that fragile miracle.
I haven't forgotten, nor have I certainly forgiven him for the night he dared cast a sleep spell on her, forcing her unconscious because he "thought it would help."
If I could have ripped him apart back then, I would have.…
It had taken everything, every promise, every reassurance to convince her to come to this academy she had once admired from afar.
And now this place had already begun to chip at her again.
"If it's going to be like this—" I muttered under my breath, lips twisting with restrained fury.
But the moment I felt her stir beside me, everything stilled.
"...Nox…" she whispered softly in her sleep.
Her hand reached out blindly, searching seeking.
I blinked.
Her fingers brushed my sleeve, and the tension in her face tightened.
I sighed quietly and sat back down beside her.
As soon as I took her hand, her brow smoothed, her breathing steadied. The faintest hint of peace returned to her expression.
I adjusted the blanket around her shoulders, brushing a stray hair from her cheek.
Only when her frown fully eased did I allow my own shoulders to relax.
"You've changed," a familiar voice said.
"You're awake," I said without looking at him.
"What choice did I have?" Lux huffed,
"When Master Cecilia has been pouring her mana into me day and night without a shred of rest."
"And yet," I said dryly, "you still refuse to show her even the slightest transformation."
Lux flinched but recovered quickly.
"Master… How long are you planning to stay here? With your power, you could annihilate anything that becomes a threat."
I finally turned to him, amusement tugging at the corner of my mouth.
"Lux," I said softly, "why don't you try guessing?"
His glow flickered uncertainly he didn't know. He couldn't know.
No one truly understood.
Not why I stayed.
Not why I held back.
Not why the entire world felt unbearably fragile whenever she was near.
But as Cecilia's fingers curled around mine even tighter in her sleep, the answer couldn't have been clearer.
I wasn't here to destroy anything.
I was here because she needed me.
And I would stay for as long as she did.
—
"Vivian," Cassian whispered, staring around them with growing dread, "are we… at the right place?"
Vivian again looked at the entrance behind her, then at the door number.
"We certainly are."
Cassian swallowed. "But… doesn't the situation seem a little strange to you?"
"It definitely looks that way."
They exchanged the same horrified look.
"…Don't tell me—"
The same flashback hit them at once.
They bolted.
The two of them sprinted back toward the dormitory like panicked animals, practically shoving aside startled servants as they tore through the halls.
"LIA—! CECILIA!" Vivian hammered on the door with both fists, voice cracking.
"Cecilia, please—answer! Are you okay?!"
The door finally opened.
Cecilia blinked at them from the doorway—
And was immediately tackled by two frantic bodies.
"W–wait—!"
She lost her balance with a small grunt, all three of them collapsing to the floor as Cassian and Vivian clung to her like terrified puppies.
"Calm down, both of you," she said, exasperated but gentle as she tried to sit up despite being pinned. "I'm fine."
"Are you okay?!" Cassian blurted.
"Are you hurt anywhere—?" Vivian added.
"Are you bleeding? Did something break? Did someone break something for you—?!"
"Please tell us what happened!"
"Why don't you both get off me first," she said dryly, "and then I might be able to explain."
Cassian scrambled up, immediately offering both girls a hand. Cecilia dusted herself off, smoothing her clothes and patting her hair—
"C–Cecilia… your hair…" Vivian breathed.
Cecilia paused, fingers brushing her hair.
"I decided to change," she said quietly. I'm living differently now… and I can't keep letting my past drag me down while I'm trying to form new bonds.
Vivian's eyes widened then softened. Cassian nodded firmly.
Even if the change seemed sudden, they accepted it without hesitation.
Vivian asked gently, "So… the reason you didn't come earlier… Was it because of this?"
"Yes."
Vivian's face brightened. "You look beautiful."
Cassian chimed in, cheeks slightly red, "Really beautiful."
She blinked. A strange warmth fluttered beneath her ribs, unfamiliar and unsettling.
She didn't know what this emotion was supposed to be… or if she was even feeling it correctly.
Trying to steady herself, she asked, "By the way… who was the one who called me Lia?"
Both of them froze.
They looked at each other, then Vivian hesitantly raised her hand.
"It was me. Are… are you angry?"
"No," Cecilia said softly.
It surprised even her.
"No, I'm not. Only Nox or my family calls me that.
But…" She bit her lip.
"You can call me Lia if you want to, Vivi."
Vivian's face lit up like the sun. The smile she gave could have blinded anyone.
Cecilia felt that strange flutter again.
"Nox… I'm doing the right thing, right?"
"Of course you are," Nox murmured, appearing behind her as he gently ruffled her hair.
The moment I stepped through the dining hall doors, conversation didn't simply quiet…it died.
Dozens of heads turned.
Spoons stopped halfway to mouths.
Someone dropped an entire bowl.
Not because of me.
But because of the two disasters that have been glued to my sides like accessories I never asked for.
Vivian latched onto my left arm and
Cassian claimed my right sleeve.
And of course, to make matters worse…
All three of us had the kind of faces that caused unnecessary trouble.
The kind that made first-years blink and whisper:
"Are they… recruiting models?"
"They look like they walked out of a portrait…"
"Wait—Are they GLUED to her?"
I kept walking with the resigned patience of someone used to blood, curses, and ancient spirits.
But not this.
Never this.
"Why," I asked flatly, "are you two glued to me?"
Vivian puffed up like a proud sparrow.
"Because I'm sticking close today."
Cassian nodded, "Yeah. We'll be sticking like this all day."
"What are you two going to do about your classes if you're going to 'stick' to me?"
"It's quite simple," Cassian said.
"We'll drag you along with us," Vivian finished cheerfully.
"WHAT?"
The students stared like they were watching a rare creature being imprinted on by predators.
To the food counter we went, or rather, shuffled, since they refused to let go.
I reached for a plate.
Vivian immediately reached too.
"I'll hold it for you!"
Cassian grabbed another plate.
"No, I should hold it!"
And then they started tugging.
Over a plate.
A plate.
I stared at them, deadpan.
"It's a plate. Not a sacred artifact."
Vivian won, holding it aloft like she'd seized a royal crown.
I took it back.
We sat down.
Or rather I sat, and they closed in from either side like loyal guard dogs.
I attempted to take one bite of toast.
Vivian sat on my left side
Cassian is on my right.
I was the filling in a disaster sandwich.
"Why," I asked again, "are you two acting like newborn ducklings?"
Vivian blinked innocently.
"You said I could call you Lia."
"So?" I asked warily.
Vivian's voice softened.
"So we're staying with you while you get used to us."
I froze mid-chew.
Cassian nodded seriously.
"You always act strong. But we want to be people you can rely on too."
I opened my mouth to deny whatever nonsense this was—
But both of them gasped at the same time dramatically.
"You're EMBARRASSED!"
I almost choked.
"I'm not—"
"You are!"
"Definitely are!"
Half the hall turned to stare as I'd just been accused of murder.
I slammed my hands onto the table.
"Eat. Quietly."
Everyone straightened instantly.
"Yes, Lia."
"Yes, Cecilia."
Three seconds of peace.
Then Cassian leaned an inch closer.
"Can I… sit a little closer?"
"No."
Vivian immediately scooted in, pressing into my arm with a bright grin.
I exhaled. Long. Defeated.
This was my life now.
And surprisingly…
It wasn't as suffocating as I expected.
As I reached for my drink, Cassian suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh! Cecilia, I almost forgot!" he said, eyes widening.
"Instructor Cael asked me to remind you he wants you in today's class."
"Why?"
"A new student is joining. He said he wants to pair you up with him."
"I understand," I said, finishing the last of my tea. "I'll attend today. But I need to be somewhere first."
Vivian and Cassian leaned in immediately, eyes bright with dangerous levels of hope.
"Can we come along?" they asked in perfect, pathetic unison.
"No," I said flatly.
The way their shoulders sagged…
I hated how, for a split second, I had the ridiculous urge to ruffle their hair.
"I'll be back soon," I added, turning away before either of them could tug on my sleeve again.
I couldn't tell them about last night.
Or what I was about to do.
Nox's voice drifted through my mind like a shadow brushing my shoulder.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"I consulted you already," I murmured under my breath. "And this is the best way."
Sneaking into Damian's office while he's away was surprisingly easy.
I slipped inside without a sound.
A bouquet of pristine white orchids and soft pink tulips rested in my hand fresh, elegant, impossible to misinterpret.
I set it carefully on his chair.
"I hope this gets the message across," I whispered, then slipped out the door before anyone could see.
Next stop: the training ground.
---
"Cassian," I called as I entered, my boots crunching against the gravel. "I'm here."
Heads turned instantly.
Whispers triggered like insects crawling out of the walls.
"Is that her—?"
"She looks terrifying today…"
"Why is her aura—?"
I ignored them. As always.
Do they never get tired of whispering?
It's revolting.
Cassian waved me over. "Cecilia! Instructor Cael said he'll be a bit late."
"How unusual," I said. Cael was punctual to the minute. Something must've delayed him.
"So," I continued, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, "where's this new student you mentioned—"
I didn't get to finish.
Cold steel touched the back of my neck.
Not trembling.
Not hesitant.
Deliberate.
Deadly.
A dozen students gasped. Someone even dropped their weapon.
Silence fell so heavy it became a sound by itself.
I tilted my head slightly, a slow smile forming sharp and warning.
"Seems someone has a death wish," I said, voice frostbitten. "Or someone forgot their place."
A low, indifferent voice answered from behind me.
"I heard you're the top student this year."
Their tone matched mine cold, emotionless, carved from ice.
"I want to know if you actually deserve that position."
Murmurs erupted.
"A vermin with a sword," I said softly, dangerously. "How bold. Be careful what you wish for. I'm not merciful."
"Good," they replied. "Neither am I."
Arrogant.
Unapologetic.
A predator testing another predator.
My smile widened just slightly.
"Quite arrogant, aren't we?"
The students were panicking as they watched the whole exchange unfolding in front of their eyes. And their instructor was nowhere in sight to stop what was coming next.
I turned fully to face him, meeting that storm-grey stare head-on.
With a single finger, I pushed his sword aside effortlessly, dismissive.
That was when I actually looked at him.
Silver hair, unruly but striking.
A tall, lean, masculine build honed by discipline, not vanity.
And his eyes—
Golden.
Unblinking.
Cold.
He carried the same look in his eyes as mine;
Dead
Empty
Cold
The kind born from cruelty
Except I learned how to mask it.
He… hadn't.
"C-Cecilia, you can't fight him," Cassian stuttered from behind me. "Instructor Cael isn't here."
"I know," I said, tone calm, bored even. "And I'm not some bloodthirsty lunatic who accepts every idiot's challenge."
Cassian exhaled in relief.
The class followed, shoulders dropping.
Too soon.
Because the silver-haired stranger stepped closer, close enough that I could see the vein ticking in his jaw and he grabbed my wrist.
Hard.
But undeniably controlling.
He forced my hand to draw my sword.
A collective gasp echoed around us.
My blade slid free with a sharp metallic hiss.
His voice dropped to a low, cold murmur.
"If you won't fight willingly…"
He tilted his head slightly, golden eyes narrowing.
"…then I'll make you."
A dangerous chill rippled down my spine, not in fear.
Recognition.
He stared at me like he was dissecting me.
Judging me.
"Look at you," he said softly, voice dripping with disdain. "Being pushed around so easily. If this is the top student…"
His lips curled.
"…you're nothing."
The air around me cracked.
Cassian paled.
I raised my chin, meeting his gaze with a slow, lethal smile.
"That's it," I said quietly, my aura beginning to stir.
"I'll show you exactly what happens when you provoke someone you shouldn't."
Every student stepped back.
Because both of us—
froze in place.
Right before the storm broke.
The tension snapped.
We moved at the same time.
No warning.
No hesitation.
CLANG!!
Our blades collided with a force that sent a tremor through the earth.
Wind screamed outward in a sharp ring, students stumbling back with startled shouts.
His Golden eyes met mine
empty, merciless.
My expression mirrored his.
His sword descended from above in a brutal arc.
I slid aside, my heel skimming the dirt as the blade crushed into the ground, splitting the stone beneath us like soft clay. Dust exploded upward in a cloud.
I countered, my slash curving like a whip of pale silver.
He twisted away, barely, the edge grazing his cheek, a thin red line drawn with surgical precision.
His smirk was faint.
Cold.
Thrilled.
"You're holding back."
I lunged.
Our swords became streaks of flashing light.
SHING— CLASH— WHIRR!!
Strike.
Parry.
Slash.
Dodge.
Fast, faster, our movements became blurs, afterimages flickering like ghosts across the battlefield. The air rippled with pressure as shockwaves split the ground under our feet.
"Cecilia… stop—!!" Cassian cried from somewhere far behind.
But his voice drowned beneath the roaring wind of our clash.
The silver-haired boy swung his blade horizontally, cutting through the very air sending a compressed shockwave flying toward me.
I planted my foot.
Mana bloomed under my heel like a crack of lightning.
I vanished.
Reappeared behind him.
My sword was already descending.
He pivoted without looking metal screaming as he blocked in reverse grip.
Sparks burst like fireworks
The impact flung dust outward in a violent ring.
Our feet carved trenches into the ground as we pushed against each other, faces inches apart.
His cold breath ghosted my cheek.
"You swing as someone used to killing," he said.
"And you provoke like someone begging for it."
He shoved me off, leaping back.
Something shifted in the air.
Golden mana swirled around him like a rising storm, coiling into serpentine trails of shimmering light. His silver hair lifted gently in the current, eyes glowing brighter, feral, beastlike.
A dangerous tremor crawled up my spine.
He raised his sword.
"Let's see," he murmured, "if you can survive this."
The ground beneath him shattered.
He disappeared, reappearing right in front of me, blade blurring like a streak of lightning.
I barely blocked.
The impact hurled me across the training ground, skidding through dirt, tearing cracks beneath me.
Before I could fully stop—
He was already descending, sword aimed straight for my throat.
Mana surged from deep within me — dark, ancient, familiar.
A crushing pressure spilt out like a tidal wave.
The moment his blade neared my neck—
CRACK—!!
The ground collapsed beneath us, unable to withstand the force.
I lifted my hand.
Mana spiralled into my sword, bleeding black and violet light along the blade's length.
He paused for the first time since the fight began.
Eyes widening a fraction.
"…What are you?"
I stepped forward, aura twisting violently around me, cloak snapping in the wind.
"Someone you should not have touched."
And I attacked.
Our blades collided in a brutal flash—
BOOOOOM—!!
The explosion blew apart half the training ground, sending debris and sand into the air like a storm. Students screamed as they ducked behind barriers, the shockwave rattling their bones.
We didn't stop.
We couldn't.
There was no hatred.
No fury.
Only raw, pure understanding:
A predator recognizing another.
Then, we both moved again.
Students stared, frozen in horror.
"Stop them!"
"They'll kill each other!"
"No, don't go near them, or you'll die!"
They were right.
We weren't fighting like students.
We were fighting like creatures who had lived with death long enough not to fear it.
We stopped.
Barely.
He smirked, blood on his lip.
"…You're dangerous."
"So are you."
"…I like it."
He lifted his sword aiming for my heart.
I raised mine, aiming for his.
One strike.
One instant.
This would decide the winner.
We both swung.
And then—
"STOP!!!"
Both of us stood there bruised, cut, breathing hard, eyes locked with an intensity that spelt trouble.
Deep trouble.
Because neither of us regretted a damn thing.
And the battlefield we'd left behind—
Cracked.
Shattered.
Ruined.
Cael appeared between us, aura blazing.
Furious.
White-hot furious.
"ARE YOU TWO TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER!?"
His voice shook the entire field.
But before either of us could answer—
Another presence arrived.
Cold.
Silent.
More terrifying than Cael's rage.
The air froze.
Even the mana stopped moving.
Damian stepped into the ruined training ground, expression unreadable, eyes glowing faintly beneath his calm exterior.
His gaze swept over the shattered ground, the destroyed training field…
…and landed on me.
The pressure of it nearly buckled my knees.
"Miss Florence," he said quietly, too quietly.
"What," his gaze slid to the silver-haired boy, "is the meaning of this?"
The boy straightened, golden eyes unblinking.
"I challenged her."
"And you nearly killed half the class," Cael snapped.
"I didn't ask them to stand so close."
"You—!"
"Cael." Damian raised a hand.
The instructor fell silent instantly.
Damian's stare turned icy.
"Enough. Both of you."
The air tightened around us like chains.
"This ends now," he said.
My sword hand twitched.
The boy's jaw clenched.
We both hated that answer.
Damian continued, voice calm but heavy enough to crush bone:
"If either of you takes so much as one step toward the other…"
His mana flared—
cold
silent
absolute.
"…I will end the fight myself."
The meaning was clear.
The silver-haired boy smirked weakly, wiping blood from his lip.
"Tch. Ruined the fun."
I sheathed my sword.
Not because I wanted to.
The boy looked at me across the ruined battlefield.
Same dead eyes.
Same hunger.
Same unspoken acknowledgment:
This wasn't over.
And next time—
There would be no one to stop us.
To be continued....