The carriage came to a slow, rhythmic stop in the center of the Academy courtyard. Outside, hundreds of elite students and high-ranking faculty had gathered to witness the arrival of the "New Blood." They expected the usual: a stern Professor Vespera leading a group of terrified, soot-covered commoners.
The silver door unsealed with a hiss of escaping steam. The air that puffed out of the carriage didn't smell like travel or dust; it smelled of heavy jasmine, musk, and a scent like lightning hitting a field of flowers.
Then, the "Ice Queen" stepped out.
The courtyard went silent. Professor Vespera, the woman known for having every hair in place and a collar that touched her chin, looked... different. Her long black hair wasn't in its strict bun; it fell in messy, dark waves over her shoulders. Her violet robes were slightly wrinkled, and the top three buttons were still undone, showing the flushed, pink skin of her chest.
But it was her face that shocked them. The cold, sharp look was gone. Her eyes were hazy, her lips were swollen and red, and she was *glowing*. Literally. Faint golden sparks danced around her indigo Aether like tiny stars.
"Is... is that the Professor?" a third-year student whispered, his jaw dropping.
"She looks like she just ascended to godhood," another added, unable to look away from the strange, satisfied smile on her face.
Caelum stepped out behind her, looking perfectly calm. His golden eyes swept over the crowd, his presence so heavy and confident that several female students felt their own Aether skip a beat. Finally, Lyra stepped out, leaning heavily on Caelum's arm. Her skin was radiant, her teal energy now humming with a new, deeper power.
Vespera turned to face the faculty, her voice no longer a sharp blade, but a rich, resonant hum. "This year's recruitment... was exceptionally productive. The candidate, Caelum, possesses a 'Natural Resonance' that requires my personal, daily supervision."
The Headmaster, an old man with a beard like a cloud, narrowed his eyes. He could see the chemical change in Vespera. He could see that her power level had jumped—not by a little, but by a massive margin.
"Daily supervision?" the Headmaster asked, his voice suspicious. "Vespera, you look like you've been through a war."
"No," Vespera replied, her gaze drifting back to Caelum for a split second, a look of pure, hungry devotion crossing her face. "I've been through a revelation."
As Caelum walked through the crowd toward the dormitories, the students parted like the sea. He could feel their gazes—fear from the men, and a deep, instinctive attraction from the women.
He noticed one girl in particular standing on a balcony. She had hair like silver silk and eyes like cold steel. Her Aether was **Deep Indigo**, even colder than Vespera's had been. This was the **Ice Queen of the Students**, the top-ranked genius of the Academy.
Caelum didn't look away. He gave her a slow, predatory smirk. The silver-haired girl flinched, her cold Aether flickering for a moment as a strange heat bloomed in her chest.
*New world, new lab, new reagents,* Caelum thought as he entered the Obsidian Wing. *This is going to be a very fun semester.*