Caelum gave Professor Vespera a short, respectful nod—the kind one gives to a colleague rather than a superior. "I will be with you shortly, Professor. But first, I must ensure the Knight Vanguard has all the data they need from the site."
Vespera's jaw tightened, her indigo eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and intrigue as Caelum turned his back on her. He walked toward the stables where **Siris** was dismounting.
The Knight-Scout was a vision of focused, lithe power. As she swung her leg over her horse, the movement highlighted the **firm, powerful curve of her glutes** and the **tapered strength of her waist**. She removed her helm, allowing her **braided moss-green hair** to spill over her shoulders, and wiped a smudge of dirt from her **high, elegant cheekbones**.
"You have a very strange way of 'tending' to people, Student," Siris said, not turning around. Her voice was like the rustle of leaves—cool and melodic.
Caelum stopped a few feet away. He could feel her Emerald Aether reaching out, invisible vines of energy testing the air around him. "You were watching from the treeline. You felt the stabilization."
Siris turned, her **slit-like emerald eyes** scanning him with unnerving precision. "I didn't just feel it. I felt the forest react to you. Wood Aether is about growth, Caelum. Usually, a man with your power is like a fire—he consumes everything around him. But you..."
She stepped closer, the scent of crushed pine and wild herbs emanating from her. At six feet tall, she was nearly at eye level with him. Her **flexible leather armor** creaked as she breathed, the deep v-neck revealing the **supple, sweat-slicked valley between her breasts**.
"You're a gardener," she whispered. "You've turned those girls into an extension of your own root system. Even the Fire-mage, Elena... her flame is no longer wild. It's feeding off your Gold."
Caelum smiled, a slow, dangerous tilt of his lips. "And what does the 'Great Forest' think of this gardener?"
Siris reached out, her long, elegant fingers hovering just above the **Mina-gauntlet** on his arm. She didn't touch it, but the air between them vibrated. "The forest is curious. And hungry."
She leaned in, her **long, toned legs** brushing against his as she whispered into his ear. "Commander Varkas sees a hero. Vespera sees a tool. But I see a **Natural Disaster** waiting to happen. If you ever want to see what happens when Gold meets an element that can actually *grow* with it... find me in the Training Groves after the moon hits its peak."
She pulled back, her emerald eyes lingering on his lips before she signaled her men to move out. She walked away with a predatory sway of her **powerful hips**, leaving a trail of vibrant green energy in her wake.
Caelum watched her go, his mind already calculating the synthesis for Wood Aether. Wood was life, structure, and endurance—the perfect "vessel" for his volatile energy.
But as he turned back toward the main hall, he found **Professor Vespera** still standing there. She hadn't moved. Her hands were folded in front of her, but her breathing was heavy, and her **indigo robes** were pulled tight over her **trembling, mature curves**.
"The knight is gone," Vespera said, her voice dripping with ice and hidden fire. "My office. **Now.** We have much to discuss regarding the 'contamination' of my star pupils."