The Royal Academy courtyard resembled a magical funhouse gone rogue. Platforms spun, collided, and occasionally wobbled like tipsy dancers. Fire nodes ricocheted off ice shards. Wind currents carried students in unpredictable arcs. Somewhere, a muffin floated serenely in midair, a silent reminder of Lucien's unwavering priorities.
Lucien reclined atop a hovering parasol, teacup in hand, golden tea swirling lazily. "Ah… the perfect storm. Chaos, rivalry, and property-damage-adjacent hilarity. This is artistry."
Rorio, lying flat against a moving platform, yawned. "Mostly chaos. Slightly edible. Excellent ratio. Can we have snacks before someone dies?"
"Soon, dear scholar," Lucien said, tapping his teacup. "But first… observe the masterpiece."
Darius glided forward, his frost mana spiraling like a blizzard in miniature. "Today," he said icily, "I will show the academy what precision really means."
Lucien tilted his head, grinning. "Ah… the iceberg speaks. Let's see if he can maintain composure while his playground becomes a hurricane."
Kellen, clinging to a spinning water jet, muttered, "I just… don't want to be part of the hurricane."
Myra, floating elegantly, sighed. "It's never safe here, is it?"
Aria, flames flickering like rebellious fireworks, clenched her fists. "Ice cube… don't think I'll go easy because of your perfect hair and dramatic eyebrow."
Darius' expression didn't waver. "I never go easy."
Lucien leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. "Excellent. This tension… and yes, the potential for chaos… is what makes art sublime."
Rorio barked. "Mostly suspenseful. Slightly flammable. Snack ratio: critical."
Ryn Althas moved with effortless grace, a calm amidst the storm. Platforms shifted beneath him, hazard nodes zipped past, and he barely broke a sweat. Occasionally, he deflected a fire node toward a neutral area, ensuring Aria wasn't obliterated.
Aria huffed, flames crackling. "I don't need your help!"
Ryn smirked, stepping aside with a subtle flick of his wrist. "Of course not. But if you do want to survive… consider me a concerned bystander."
Lucien clapped slowly, golden tea swirling in his cup. "Ah… subtle heroism, comedic tension, and sparks of… potential friendship. Observe, Rorio."
Rorio tilted his head. "Mostly heroic. Slightly mischievous. Excellent snack ratio."
Darius raised his staff, frost spiraling outward like jagged glass. The ice shards formed a labyrinth, closing off safe paths. Students were tossed from platform to platform, narrowly avoiding collisions with fire nodes and wind spirals.
"Perfection," Lucien murmured. "The villain finally embraces chaos, and the stage is… intoxicating."
Kellen landed atop a rogue platform, panting. "I think I'm going to throw up… and possibly die."
Myra twirled, using wind currents to stabilize herself, but she too glanced warily at the labyrinth of ice. "I should have brought a map."
Aria, with a roar, leapt at Darius, flames intensifying. "Ice cube! Face me!"
Darius effortlessly parried, smirking coldly. "Predictable, but amusing."
Lucien swirled his tea, eyes twinkling. "Yes… amusement. Chaos. Comedy. And now, the question: who adapts fastest?"
Lucien snapped his fingers. Instantly, platforms began spinning in conflicting directions, hazard nodes accelerated, and magical crates teleported randomly. A muffin zoomed past Ryn's head, nearly hitting Darius.
Ryn barely flinched. "Are muffins… supposed to fly?"
Aria glared at him. "This is my life! You're supposed to be helping!"
Lucien chuckled softly. "Ah… the perfect mixture of panic, rivalry, and humor. Observe the dynamics: villain, hero, and fiery apprentice entangled."
Rorio barked. "Mostly hilarious. Slightly terrifying. Snack ratio: uncertain. Excellent."
Darius' frost surged, creating a massive wall of ice that threatened to collide with several spinning platforms simultaneously. Students scrambled, dodging fire, ice, and wind hazards.
Ryn and Aria moved in tandem, narrowly avoiding collision, their coordination becoming instinctive. Even Darius noticed. "Hmm… they adapt quickly."
Lucien leaned back, swirling his tea, eyes glittering with amusement. "And now… let's add the final touch."
He snapped again. The ice wall cracked… and from the fissures, a black, swirling mana began seeping out—dark, chaotic, and utterly unpredictable.
Kellen froze. "Uh… that doesn't look safe."
Myra's eyes widened. "That's… new."
Aria's flames flared instinctively, preparing for battle.
Darius' expression shifted slightly—curiosity mingled with caution. "This… wasn't part of my plan."
Lucien sipped his tea slowly, golden eyes twinkling. "Ah… Adept IV. Chaos, comedy, rivalry, and now… the unknown. Let's see who thrives… and who gets covered in muffins first."
Rorio barked, tail wagging furiously. "Mostly suspenseful. Slightly apocalyptic. Snack ratio… impossible to calculate. Excellent ratio."
Above the courtyard, black mana spiraled faster, almost sentient, like it was laughing at the chaos below.
Lucien leaned back further, content. "Ah… now, this is entertainment. And tomorrow… we will see the real test. Who survives, who adapts, and who… crosses the line."
The courtyard trembled slightly, fire, wind, and ice colliding in a chaotic symphony.
And in that precise moment, everyone knew: the real storm was just beginning.