The morning sun glimmered over the Royal Academy courtyard, glinting off the floating mana nodes that Lucien had "accidentally" scattered in every direction. Birds fluttered nervously, as if aware that survival here required both caution and a good sense of humor.
Lucien lounged atop a hovering parasol, legs crossed, one hand holding a teacup, the other lazily flipping through a notebook that seemed to write itself. "Ah… the perfect day for teaching," he murmured. "Chaos, laughter, and a dash of skill."
Rorio sprawled beside him, tail flicking. "Mostly thrilling. Slightly toasted. Excellent snack ratio. Shall we begin?"
"Patience, my dear scholar," Lucien said, winking. "First… spectacle."
The Gauntlet
With a snap of his fingers, platforms lifted, spun, and tilted. Mana nodes hovered like ticking bombs of magical energy. Fire nodes spun dangerously close to rogue ice shards, while wind currents twisted unpredictably through the air. A few mana orbs zipped by, releasing harmless sparks—and a confetti cloud Lucien clearly considered an essential teaching aid.
Aria stopped mid-step, flames flickering nervously along her fingers. "This… this is the training arena?!"
"Indeed," Lucien replied lazily. "Welcome to the Ridiculous Gauntlet. Designed to test skill, adaptability… and your ability to survive embarrassment."
Kellen swallowed. "Embarrassment is a test?!"
"Mostly optional," Rorio said, tilting his head. "Slightly humiliating. Excellent entertainment ratio."
Myra floated above a rotating platform, adjusting her wind currents. "It's… very dramatic."
Lucien grinned. "Drama is the spice of magical growth."
Darius Arrives
A ripple of icy blue energy marked Darius's entrance at the far end of the courtyard. His silver hair shimmered, and his eyes, like shards of winter ice, scanned the gauntlet with cold precision.
"I assume this is your idea of training?" he said, voice sharp as frost. "Or is it merely… chaos masquerading as growth?"
Lucien sipped his tea. "Chaos is growth's best friend. Also, very funny."
Rorio barked. "Mostly funny. Slightly brutal. Excellent ratio."Darius's glare swept over the students. "I'll not waste time on frivolity. Skill and precision are paramount."
Aria muttered under her breath, flames flickering. "You just had to show up, didn't you?"
The Trial Begins
Lucien snapped his fingers. Platforms began spinning faster. Fire nodes lunged, ice shards ricocheted, and wind currents twisted unpredictably. Kellen flailed as a water jet carried him straight into Myra's tornado, which sent her spinning toward a mana spike Darius had conjured to test his control.
"Excellent!" Lucien cheered, swirling his tea. "Chaos! Comedy! Skill! Observe, Rorio—this is how we teach."
Rorio wagged his tail. "Mostly spectacular. Slightly terrifying. Excellent snack ratio."
Even Darius, executing flawless defensive maneuvers, couldn't avoid some accidental chaos. A misfired ice shard bounced off a wind node and landed harmlessly in a stack of crates… scattering pastries into the air.
Lucien clapped once. "Timing, Darius. Snacks always appear at peak chaos."
Darius ignored the pastries. "Children. Chaos is not skill. Precision is skill."
Lucien smirked. "And skill without laughter… is boring."
Cooperation, Chaos, and Comedy
Despite the mayhem, the students began coordinating instinctively. Aria directed fire bursts around Kellen's wobbling water shields, Myra twisted air currents to stabilize platforms, and Kellen attempted—often failing—to redirect rogue mana nodes.
Ryn Althas, watching quietly from the side, effortlessly maneuvered through the spinning platforms, deflecting hazards with calm, precise control. Aria grumbled quietly whenever he intercepted something she meant to handle herself, but she was mostly too busy not falling off a platform to notice him glaring in approval from a safe distance.
Darius, meanwhile, used the chaos to his advantage, weaving ice and frost into traps that tested the students' reflexes and adaptability. His expression remained icy, but his calculated interventions made it clear: he was here to assert dominance—and keep the competition interesting.
Lucien sipped his tea, eyes sparkling. "Ah… tension, skill, chaos, and subtle rivalries. Delicious."
Rorio barked. "Mostly educational. Slightly suspicious. Excellent snack ratio."
The Platform Collapse
A rogue fire node collided with an unstable wind platform, sending Aria and Kellen sliding dangerously toward the edge. Ryn dashed forward, catching them with precise shields—but in doing so, he triggered a domino effect, sending Darius's ice node ricocheting into a floating crystal that erupted into a harmless, glittering explosion.
"Perfect," Lucien murmured, swirling tea. "Chaos theory in action. Comedy in motion. Skill in practice. Observation is everything."
Even Darius allowed himself a small, grudging nod. "Noted… but luck is not skill."
Lucien grinned. "True… but laughter counts for something."
Snack Intervention
As if on cue, a toppled mana crate spilled a tray of golden pastries into the chaos. Students paused mid-tumble, mid-spell, mid-flailing, to grab one. Lucien leaned back, pleased. "Always plan for snacks. Even amidst destiny and disaster."
Rorio dove for a croissant. "Mostly strategic. Slightly delicious. Excellent ratio."
Darius scowled, refusing to break composure. "Focus. Discipline. Not… pastry."
Aria muttered, cheeks still pink from exertion. "You're impossible."
Lucien raised a finger, glimmering mana forming around it. "Impossible is merely another word for… entertaining."
Closing Observation
As the Ridiculous Gauntlet wound down, the students panting, laughing, and occasionally shrieking, Lucien floated lazily above, swirling tea. Darius stood at the edge, frost-cold and precise, clearly considering the students' potential as rivals.
"Observe, Rorio," Lucien said, eyes glinting, "growth comes not from safety… but from chaos, comedy, and the occasional accident. And yes… from rivalries like Darius here."
Rorio wagged his tail. "Mostly enlightening. Slightly terrifying. Snack ratio—critical."
Lucien smiled. "Tomorrow… Adept II trials. More hazards, more chaos, and a hint more competitive spirit from our frosty friend. Prepare, Rorio… destiny's menu is expanding."