"Wow! That was awesome!" Chast said as Luke dropped into the seat beside him.
"Really? I didn't even know I had that kind of magic in me." Luke smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That was intense—you made us all speechless!" Nico added from Chast's other side, grinning ear to ear.
Luke glanced between them, eyes settling on Nico. "And you are...?"
"Turquoise," Nico said proudly, extending his hand. "My name's Turquoise."
Luke blinked, brow furrowing. "Turtle?"
Chast burst out laughing, nearly choking. "You got it right, Luke!"
Luke took Nico's hand, still laughing. "Luke!" he introduced himself.
Nico pouted but shook firmly. "Turquoise. Not Turtle," he corrected.
"Sure, sure... Turtle." Luke smirked.
Chast chuckled, "Oh, this is going to be fun." Luke teasing the turtle prince!
"My turn!" a boy with spiky hair exclaimed, springing to his feet with sparks practically leaping from his grin.
Professor Vrynth gestured grandly toward the crystal. "The floor is yours."
The boy straightened his clothes and strode forward. He pressed his palms onto the crystal and announced, "Keller Stormveil."
The crystal erupted in bright arcs of electricity, bolts crackling outward. The air sizzled, hair lifted from static, and the sharp scent of ozone filled the room. Keller grinned, his hair standing spikier than before.
Professor Vrynth reached toward his hand. "Keller Stormveil holds the power of—ahh!" A shock zapped him, making him yank his hand back with a yelp. His hair frizzed comically, sending the students into a roar of laughter.
Luke nudged Chast's elbow and whispered, "Remind me later not to touch or talk to that Keller guy."
Chast snorted. Before I remind you, I'll remind myself first.
"What should I do? He's my dorm mate!" Nico said, worriedly.
Luke and Chast glanced at Nico, still pouting.
"Good luck, Turtle!" Luke grinned.
Chast smirked. "Careful, Turtle. There might be a spark between you two."
Nico groaned, burying his face in his hands as Luke burst out laughing. "I hate you both!"
Unfazed, Keller raised his arms, letting the sparks dance over his palms.
"Woah!" The students scrambled back, afraid of stray bolts.
"Storm Sigils," Professor Morrwynn announced proudly, her smile wide despite Vrynth's still-smoldering hair.
"The magic that can strike Professor Vrynth!" Professor Valkiery teased, sending another wave of laughter through the students.
Keller sat down as another boy rose, hands tucked in his pockets. "My turn!" he said with a cocky grin.
"Blake Aurelthys," he declared, brushing his palms across the crystal's cold surface.
A maroon mist oozed over the crystal, curling like smoke. Dark veins spidered beneath the surface, glowing faintly as the mist dissolved.
"Was that... blood?" Chast muttered.
"I don't think so," Nico replied, though his tone wavered. His eyes never left the crystal.
"Berserker Enchantments," Professor Morrwynn announced, rubbing her belly as she smiled.
Chast frowned. Berserker what?
The room clapped, students pointing at each other for who would go next.
"How about you, Turtle? Wanna try?" Luke teased.
Nico glared, refusing to answer. Another idiot calling me Turtle.
"He's done. He was the first," Chast explained.
Luke nodded just as another boy stepped forward.
Professor Vrynth grinned and patted the boy's shoulder.
"I got this, Dad!" the boy exclaimed, pressing his hands to the crystal. "Yves Vrynth!"
"Dad!?" gasps filled the room as all eyes darted between father and son.
"No wonder he's an Enigmatic," students whispered.
The crystal shifted into a sickly green, with black veins flickering across its surface.
Professor Vrynth clapped proudly. "Curses and Hexes!"
Yves straightened, grinning as he fist-bumped his father.
"Curses and hexes?" Chast echoed. These names just keep getting weirder.
"He can channel spells that weaken enemies," Nico explained.
"Wow... that's deadly in a fight," Chast murmured. Note to self: never be his enemy.
"Next?" Professor Valkiery asked, her eyes briefly lingering on Chast.
Chast stiffened and shook his head quickly. I can't. Not yet. I don't have a magic to show.
Another boy shot his hand up. "Me, next!" He jogged to the center. "I'm Yvo Sylverynth," he said, waving dramatically like he had fans in the crowd.
"Professor Sylverynth's son?" Chast whispered.
"No," Luke said, shaking his head.
"Then he's—"
"A nephew," Nico cut in.
Great. Now I'm learning gossip from these two. Chast thought, smirking.
Yvo stretched like he was warming up for a fight, cracked his knuckles, then touched the crystal.
Dark shadows spilled outward, writhing tendrils grasping at the floor, reaching toward the students' feet.
Gasps filled the room. One tendril latched onto a girl's ankle and tugged. She shrieked in panic.
Professor Valkiery snapped her fingers, a radiant orb of light blasting the tendril into smoke.
Daggers of suspicion shot toward Yvo.
He raised both hands. "Not my fault! I swear!"
The tension broke with reluctant sighs—he wasn't lying.
"Shadow Portals," Professor Morrwynn announced. "Careful. Shadows often have a mind of their own." She laughed with Valkiery as the students shivered.
Yvo bowed mockingly and pointed at the boy beside him. "Your turn, Blynth."
Blynth rolled his eyes, jabbed Yvo in the stomach, then stepped forward.
"Blynth Ignavare," he said coolly, pressing his palms to the crystal.
The room dimmed instantly as the crystal devoured every trace of light. For a moment, they were drowning in shadows. Then, with a violent shudder, the crystal spat the light back out, spinning wildly.
"Void Manipulation—an anti-magic field," Professor Valkiery declared.
"Void manipulation? Same as yours!" Chast whispered to Luke.
Luke frowned. "I... don't know."
"They're different," Nico said with a sly smile. "But the difference is—"
He was cut off as the door creaked open.
Emerald light bled across the floor as a tall man stepped in, hands tucked in his pockets. The edges of his robe glowed faintly, casting a commanding aura over the room.
The room fell into stunned silence, and even the professors froze in shock. None of them had expected him to appear in their class today.
"Professor Zion?" Chast whispered.
Luke gasped, eyes wide. "He's Professor Zion!?"