“Look for your names on the notice board in front of your dormitories to find your rooms” Yohan directs
We begin to disperse.
“I hope we’re in the same room.” Evelyn squealed
“Yeah, me too” I reply
When we reach the notice board, the path clears up for us again like before. Evelyn takes the opportunity to strut through, dragging me along. The last thing that I want is to be the sore thumb that sticks out like a rotten carcass.
I keep my gaze firmly on the floor, ignoring all the eyes following us.
“You look from the top for our names and i’ll start from below” she says
“Okay”
I take note of the first name on the list. Reina Sam. I wonder in what order these names are ranked.
“Oh I’ve found your name” Evelyn taps me
I follow her finger to the bottom of the list, where my name is, inscribed in pencil, as if added at the last minute.
I guess this makes sense. I didn’t exist to them until three days ago.
“Found mine too” she says in a disappointed tone.
Next to my name is the letter X and next to hers is the letter C
“Looks like our little princess is a weakling” a voice says behind us
“Shut it Kayne” Eve snaps
A guy steps between Eve and I, placing one arm around each of our shoulders.
“Did you know that the best students are up there” he points at the top of the list “and the worst ones are…” he points at the bottom
“Down there” he finishes
“That means nothing! Last years top graduating student was a U class” Eve defends
“Well, can our princess here be our Top Graduating Student?”
I take his hand off my shoulder and step back
“Lets go Eve”
She does the same and steps towards me.
“Good luck Princess, see you in the ring” he waves
“Who’s he?” I ask her
“That’s Kayne, his dad is the head Battle strategist. He’s a real oaf, just ignore him” she explains
“You know him?”
“Yeah, since we were kids” she says with disdain all over her face.
We walk through the dorm gates into a long pathway that has beautiful purple and yellow trees on both sides like a canopy shade. The smell of immortal roses lingers as well and my eyes quickly spot them at the roots of the giant trees.
We reach a gigantic staircase that parts into two separate wings.
Eve looks at me sadly
“My room’s that way, she points to the left” she whispers
“Okay. I’m guessing mine’s that way?”
“Yeah, probably” she nods
We squeeze hands before she turns around.
I pull her back and hug her
“Oh”
I don’t let go
Eve hugs me back too
“I’ll come by you room once i settle in” she mumbles into my shoulder
“Okay”
We separate and climb up to our rooms.
When I get to the top of the stairs, I see giant red doors with letters boldly inscribed on them. The first letter is N. I walk down the dimly lit hallway until I reach the door with X inscribed on it.
I hold my breath and turn the door knob.
The room is large. Five single beds are lined up next to each other. Opposite them are five wardrobes for every bed. There’s another door at the far corner which I assume leads to the washroom and a wide window overlooking the rest of the academy.
I step inside the room and close the door behind me.
There are 3 girls already settled in. One is asleep, another has her thick rimmed glasses and her head buried in a thick book. The last one has her eyes on me as I approach the one unmade bed.
“That’s Mona’s” she says
I look at her for a second
“Okay, I’ll take the other one then”
I look at the last bed at the far end, close to the window and internally shrug. I don't mind the view, it's beautiful.
“Are you a first year student?” i ask as i try to strike a conversation
“Do I look like a first year?” she replies sharply
“Sorry, i thought you -”
“You thought wrong” she cuts me
“Stay away from me Anorem!” she says before covering her eyes with an eye mask and sliding under her sheets.
I exhale and settle down into my own bed and that's when I see the duffle bag that Yoda packed for me, sitting in front of the wardrobe opposite me.
I go through it for a portable weapon. The pocket knife, before stuffing the entire bag into the wardrobe.
If I thought the Academy back at Anoryl would be bad, then this place was yet to be my hottest hell yet.
The night is so cold that I feel my bones freezing. I sit up on my bed and stair out of the window. There are sheer curtains draped in front of it but I see right through it. “Can’t sleep?” a quiet voice speaksIt's the girl in glasses who was reading.“Yeah” i respond“Are you really an Anorem?” she asks with curiosity“I was… until now”“Oh”“Yeah”The conversation drops into an awkward silence for a few seconds.I watch her as her eyes skim my appearance. She looks at me as if she's searching for something odd, that would maybe definitely show my Anoremic heritage.“What year are you?” i askHer eyes cut back to mine. “Oh I’m a first year too, just like you”“Somebody mentioned that the rooms are assigned according to performance?” i ask“Yes” she sits up straight in her seat and pushes her glasses farther up her nose bridge“Once you reach the age of 20, you might activate your Paliar. Some people activate theirs much later though. Once you do, you will be enrolled in this academ
I wake to the sensation of someone gently stroking my hair. My eyes flutter open, and I’m met with the most magnetic blue eyes framed by jet-black hair. I try to speak, but my throat is dry and aching.“Shh,” Mateo whispers.I glance around, taking in my surroundings. I’m lying on a stark white clinic bed, with thin blue drapes hanging on either side, likely separating me from other patients. Mateo lifts a glass of water to my lips, helping me take a sip. The cool liquid soothes my throat.“You’re not supposed to be doing this,” he mutters.“Doing what?”“Training. Fighting. For Daryn.”I let out a slow breath. “I haven’t even fully processed why I’m here.”“It’s just…” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You were sent away to protect you. It doesn’t make sense to throw you back into battle.”“You think a battle is coming?” I ask.“Yes. The Anorem won’t stop until they have the power of the Frinx.”“And somehow, I’m the key to stopping them?”“That’s what Her Highness Frieda b
The halls of the academy are eerily quiet at this hour. The moon’s silver glow filters through the arched windows, casting faint shadows that stretch and twist along the stone corridors. My pulse is steady, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched.“You’re sure about this?” I whisper, my voice barely above a breath.“Of course not,” Evelyn replies with a mischievous grin. “But that’s what makes it exciting.”She moves ahead, leading me down the eastern corridor where the iron gate looms before us—the last physical barrier between us and the underground chambers. It’s enormous, its surface carved with swirling sigils of protection. Every student knows this passage is forbidden, but that hasn’t stopped Evelyn from trying.I place a hand against the cold metal, my breath misting against the chill in the air. “How do we get past this?”Evelyn pulls out a small glass vial filled with a swirling silver liquid. “A little something I borrowed from the Aqua Wing.” She tilts the v
My heart drops as my eyes lock with his.Yohan stands at the mouth of the passage, broad-shouldered and silent. The golden torchlight reflects off his hair, giving it an almost ethereal glow. My pulse quickens, though I refuse to let him see any fear. His posture is rigid, his stance sharp—like a blade ready to strike.“What exactly are you doing here?” His voice is even, but there is no warmth to it. Just scrutiny, cold and unrelenting.I square my shoulders. “I could ask you the same thing.”His gaze doesn’t waver, but for the briefest second, something flickers in his expression—hesitation, perhaps. If I had blinked, I would have missed it. But I hadn’t.Evelyn fidgets beside me, uneasy in the weight of the silence. Finally, Yohan exhales through his nose. “It doesn’t concern you.”His tone is clipped, dismissive.I press my lips into a thin line. “Neither does this concern you.”Something shifts in his jaw. He stares at me for a long moment, unreadable. Then, without another word,
“You’re late.”Yohan’s voice cuts through the training room the moment I step inside.I scowl at him.The ropes of the sparring ring quiver as Reina climbs inside, rolling her shoulders in preparation for me.I glance around. No sign of Yoda or Mateo.“Where are they?” I ask.Yohan doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns on his heel and strides toward the ring, ignoring me completely.I grit my teeth. Who does he think he is? Without thinking, I yank off my boot and hurl it at his head.I don’t expect him to react so fast.Before it can hit him, he sidesteps effortlessly, spins, and incinerates the shoe midair with a burst of fire from his palm.I blink in shock. Well, I guess he’s Section Leader for a reason.“Excellent display of reflexes,” Mateo remarks, entering the room.Yohan’s gaze flicks to him, his expression darkening.“You’re late,” he mutters before stepping into the ring.“She’s sparring with me today,” he tells Reina, who is already strapping on her fighting gloves.“Be my gue
The morning after the incident with Reina, I wake up to a dull ache throbbing through my limbs. Every muscle protests as I shift in bed, my mind replaying the moment I lost control. The flicker of flames. The blast. Reina’s lifeless form sprawled across the gym floor.I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will the memory away. Mateo had said she would be fine. That the AQUAs would heal her. But doubt gnawed at me. I had never felt that kind of power before, and the thought that it could happen again terrified me.A soft knock at the door startles me. I glance at the clock—training isn’t for another two hours. Pushing myself up with a wince, I mutter, “Come in.”Evelyn steps inside, shutting the door behind her. “I heard what happened.”I don’t respond immediately, staring down at my hands. What if I lost control again? What if next time, I really did kill someone?“Arina.” She kneels beside me, her voice softer now. “I know you’re scared.”I scoff. “Scared? I nearly killed Reina.”“But yo
The evening air is crisp as I step into the open yard, my breath curling in the cold. Overhead, the moon hangs like a silver coin, casting long shadows across the training grounds. Yohan is already there, standing near a row of fire-resistant dummies. He looks up at my approach, his sharp features bathed in moonlight. For a moment, he simply watches me, his deep blue eyes unreadable.“You came,” he says, his voice low.I cross my arms. “You told me not to be late.”A flicker of something crosses his face, amusement perhaps, but it vanishes as he gestures toward the dummies. “Let’s begin.”I take a deep breath, rolling my shoulders as I step into position. My limbs are still sore from the incident with Reina, and the memory of losing control is fresh in my mind. Yohan circles me slowly, arms crossed.“Ignis energy isn’t just about power,” he begins. “It’s about control. You don’t just throw fire around and hope it lands. You guide it. You shape it.”I nod, already feeling the heat stir
The cold night air bites at my skin, but I barely feel it. My senses are still tangled with her—her energy, her fire, the way her pulse thrummed beneath my fingers when I adjusted her stance. The way she almost—I shake the thought away. Whatever almost happened was a mistake. It had to be.But as we walk in silence toward her quarters, I can still feel the ghost of her warmth lingering on my skin. I shouldn’t have come to Anoryl, shouldn’t have risked crossing the glaciers, shouldn’t have thrown myself into enemy territory for someone I didn’t even know. It was reckless, foolish. And yet, when I saw her for the first time, something in me stilled. Like the world had been shifting beneath my feet for years, and now, finally, it had stopped.I hate that feeling. That pull. That loss of control.She walks ahead of me, her shoulders squared, but I don’t miss the way she rubs at her arms, as if trying to shake off a chill. Or perhaps something else entirely. I keep my pace slow, my steps
The cold night air bites at my skin, but I barely feel it. My senses are still tangled with her—her energy, her fire, the way her pulse thrummed beneath my fingers when I adjusted her stance. The way she almost—I shake the thought away. Whatever almost happened was a mistake. It had to be.But as we walk in silence toward her quarters, I can still feel the ghost of her warmth lingering on my skin. I shouldn’t have come to Anoryl, shouldn’t have risked crossing the glaciers, shouldn’t have thrown myself into enemy territory for someone I didn’t even know. It was reckless, foolish. And yet, when I saw her for the first time, something in me stilled. Like the world had been shifting beneath my feet for years, and now, finally, it had stopped.I hate that feeling. That pull. That loss of control.She walks ahead of me, her shoulders squared, but I don’t miss the way she rubs at her arms, as if trying to shake off a chill. Or perhaps something else entirely. I keep my pace slow, my steps
The evening air is crisp as I step into the open yard, my breath curling in the cold. Overhead, the moon hangs like a silver coin, casting long shadows across the training grounds. Yohan is already there, standing near a row of fire-resistant dummies. He looks up at my approach, his sharp features bathed in moonlight. For a moment, he simply watches me, his deep blue eyes unreadable.“You came,” he says, his voice low.I cross my arms. “You told me not to be late.”A flicker of something crosses his face, amusement perhaps, but it vanishes as he gestures toward the dummies. “Let’s begin.”I take a deep breath, rolling my shoulders as I step into position. My limbs are still sore from the incident with Reina, and the memory of losing control is fresh in my mind. Yohan circles me slowly, arms crossed.“Ignis energy isn’t just about power,” he begins. “It’s about control. You don’t just throw fire around and hope it lands. You guide it. You shape it.”I nod, already feeling the heat stir
The morning after the incident with Reina, I wake up to a dull ache throbbing through my limbs. Every muscle protests as I shift in bed, my mind replaying the moment I lost control. The flicker of flames. The blast. Reina’s lifeless form sprawled across the gym floor.I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will the memory away. Mateo had said she would be fine. That the AQUAs would heal her. But doubt gnawed at me. I had never felt that kind of power before, and the thought that it could happen again terrified me.A soft knock at the door startles me. I glance at the clock—training isn’t for another two hours. Pushing myself up with a wince, I mutter, “Come in.”Evelyn steps inside, shutting the door behind her. “I heard what happened.”I don’t respond immediately, staring down at my hands. What if I lost control again? What if next time, I really did kill someone?“Arina.” She kneels beside me, her voice softer now. “I know you’re scared.”I scoff. “Scared? I nearly killed Reina.”“But yo
“You’re late.”Yohan’s voice cuts through the training room the moment I step inside.I scowl at him.The ropes of the sparring ring quiver as Reina climbs inside, rolling her shoulders in preparation for me.I glance around. No sign of Yoda or Mateo.“Where are they?” I ask.Yohan doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns on his heel and strides toward the ring, ignoring me completely.I grit my teeth. Who does he think he is? Without thinking, I yank off my boot and hurl it at his head.I don’t expect him to react so fast.Before it can hit him, he sidesteps effortlessly, spins, and incinerates the shoe midair with a burst of fire from his palm.I blink in shock. Well, I guess he’s Section Leader for a reason.“Excellent display of reflexes,” Mateo remarks, entering the room.Yohan’s gaze flicks to him, his expression darkening.“You’re late,” he mutters before stepping into the ring.“She’s sparring with me today,” he tells Reina, who is already strapping on her fighting gloves.“Be my gue
My heart drops as my eyes lock with his.Yohan stands at the mouth of the passage, broad-shouldered and silent. The golden torchlight reflects off his hair, giving it an almost ethereal glow. My pulse quickens, though I refuse to let him see any fear. His posture is rigid, his stance sharp—like a blade ready to strike.“What exactly are you doing here?” His voice is even, but there is no warmth to it. Just scrutiny, cold and unrelenting.I square my shoulders. “I could ask you the same thing.”His gaze doesn’t waver, but for the briefest second, something flickers in his expression—hesitation, perhaps. If I had blinked, I would have missed it. But I hadn’t.Evelyn fidgets beside me, uneasy in the weight of the silence. Finally, Yohan exhales through his nose. “It doesn’t concern you.”His tone is clipped, dismissive.I press my lips into a thin line. “Neither does this concern you.”Something shifts in his jaw. He stares at me for a long moment, unreadable. Then, without another word,
The halls of the academy are eerily quiet at this hour. The moon’s silver glow filters through the arched windows, casting faint shadows that stretch and twist along the stone corridors. My pulse is steady, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched.“You’re sure about this?” I whisper, my voice barely above a breath.“Of course not,” Evelyn replies with a mischievous grin. “But that’s what makes it exciting.”She moves ahead, leading me down the eastern corridor where the iron gate looms before us—the last physical barrier between us and the underground chambers. It’s enormous, its surface carved with swirling sigils of protection. Every student knows this passage is forbidden, but that hasn’t stopped Evelyn from trying.I place a hand against the cold metal, my breath misting against the chill in the air. “How do we get past this?”Evelyn pulls out a small glass vial filled with a swirling silver liquid. “A little something I borrowed from the Aqua Wing.” She tilts the v
I wake to the sensation of someone gently stroking my hair. My eyes flutter open, and I’m met with the most magnetic blue eyes framed by jet-black hair. I try to speak, but my throat is dry and aching.“Shh,” Mateo whispers.I glance around, taking in my surroundings. I’m lying on a stark white clinic bed, with thin blue drapes hanging on either side, likely separating me from other patients. Mateo lifts a glass of water to my lips, helping me take a sip. The cool liquid soothes my throat.“You’re not supposed to be doing this,” he mutters.“Doing what?”“Training. Fighting. For Daryn.”I let out a slow breath. “I haven’t even fully processed why I’m here.”“It’s just…” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You were sent away to protect you. It doesn’t make sense to throw you back into battle.”“You think a battle is coming?” I ask.“Yes. The Anorem won’t stop until they have the power of the Frinx.”“And somehow, I’m the key to stopping them?”“That’s what Her Highness Frieda b
The night is so cold that I feel my bones freezing. I sit up on my bed and stair out of the window. There are sheer curtains draped in front of it but I see right through it. “Can’t sleep?” a quiet voice speaksIt's the girl in glasses who was reading.“Yeah” i respond“Are you really an Anorem?” she asks with curiosity“I was… until now”“Oh”“Yeah”The conversation drops into an awkward silence for a few seconds.I watch her as her eyes skim my appearance. She looks at me as if she's searching for something odd, that would maybe definitely show my Anoremic heritage.“What year are you?” i askHer eyes cut back to mine. “Oh I’m a first year too, just like you”“Somebody mentioned that the rooms are assigned according to performance?” i ask“Yes” she sits up straight in her seat and pushes her glasses farther up her nose bridge“Once you reach the age of 20, you might activate your Paliar. Some people activate theirs much later though. Once you do, you will be enrolled in this academ
“Look for your names on the notice board in front of your dormitories to find your rooms” Yohan directsWe begin to disperse.“I hope we’re in the same room.” Evelyn squealed“Yeah, me too” I replyWhen we reach the notice board, the path clears up for us again like before. Evelyn takes the opportunity to strut through, dragging me along. The last thing that I want is to be the sore thumb that sticks out like a rotten carcass.I keep my gaze firmly on the floor, ignoring all the eyes following us.“You look from the top for our names and i’ll start from below” she says“Okay”I take note of the first name on the list. Reina Sam. I wonder in what order these names are ranked.“Oh I’ve found your name” Evelyn taps meI follow her finger to the bottom of the list, where my name is, inscribed in pencil, as if added at the last minute.I guess this makes sense. I didn’t exist to them until three days ago.“Found mine too” she says in a disappointed tone.Next to my name is the letter X an