Logan and his friends walked together through the wide corridors, their voices echoing softly as they excitedly discussed what they had learned that day.
"That class was incredible," Elian said, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. The young man constantly fidgeted with his light brown hair, a nervous habit Logan had already noticed. "I never imagined there were so many types of invocations. Elemental Spirits, Familiars, and that whole classification… Inferior, Superior, Royal, Ancestral, Arcane. It's a lot to absorb."
Nyx, walking with her characteristic elven grace, let out a low, musical laugh.
"You should have seen your face when Professor Astrid summoned that Superior-tier Water Spirit," she commented, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "I thought your eyes were going to pop out of your head."
"Hey!" Elian protested, blushing slightly. "It wasn't just me! Everyone was impressed. That was… powerful. You could feel the difference in the mana in the room."
Blake agreed with a nod. "It's true," he said. "When she summoned the Inferior-tier spirit, it seemed like something… common, almost harmless. But that Superior one… its presence was crushing. Like the air got heavier just by it being there."
"And Logan with his Shadow and Storm affinities," Kassia added, shooting him a playful look. "It's not every day we see someone with such an… interesting combination."
Logan felt his face heat up slightly. "I still don't really know what it means," he admitted, unconsciously touching the ring on his finger, the gift from the Ancestral Qilin that helped him maintain control.
"Shadow makes sense, considering… well, my family heritage. But Storm? I have no idea where that came from."
Darian, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke. The young man had an intimidating appearance and was more reserved than the others, but Logan had noticed he observed everything with keen attention. "Storm is the element of freedom and controlled chaos," he said, his voice deep for someone his age.
"It goes well with Shadow, actually. Both represent forces that are difficult to contain or predict."
"Speaking of which," Nyx intervened, changing the subject, "what do you plan to do for the next two days? We don't have classes."
The seven friends exchanged glances, realizing none of them had really thought about it.
"I was planning to train more with the grimoire Professor Astrid gave us," Blake commented. "That
"Always so dedicated," Kassia teased, giving his shoulder a light shove. "But you know you need to relax every once in a while, right?"
"I have an idea," said Nyx, stopping and turning to face the group. "Why don't we all go to the city tomorrow? Lightharbor is amazing, and I bet most of you haven't had a chance to explore it properly yet."
Elian brightened immediately. "That would be great!" he exclaimed. "I only saw the city from afar when I arrived. It looked huge."
"Have you been there, Nyx?" Kassia asked, interested.
"Yes, a few times," the dark elf replied with a smile. "My parents took me there when I was younger. I know a few interesting places… old bookstores, potion shops, even an armory that sells enchanted weapons. And the food… you're going to love it."
Logan felt excitement growing within him. The idea of exploring the city, of having a normal day without intense training or worries about controlling power, was tempting.
"I'm in," he said, smiling. "Sounds exactly like what I need."
"Me too," Blake agreed.
"Then it's decided," Kassia announced, clapping her hands. "Tomorrow, we're all going to Lightharbor!"
Darian, always cautious, frowned slightly. "How are we getting there? It's a long walk."
"There's a dimensional portal in the basement of the main building," Nyx explained. "It connects directly to the central square of Lightharbor. The academy keeps the portal active so students can visit the city on their days off."
"A dimensional portal?" Logan was immediately interested. He had read about dimensional magic in some books but had never seen one in person.
"Yes," Nyx confirmed. "It's safe and fast. You enter one side and, in the blink of an eye, you're on the other. Shall we meet at the entrance of the main building tomorrow morning, after breakfast?"
Everyone agreed, and the group said their goodbyes, each heading to their respective dormitories.
***
Morning arrived clear and bright, with the sun rising over Aldaria and banishing the shadows of the night. Logan and Blake met the others exactly at the agreed time, at the entrance of the main building. The building was imposing, with white marble columns rising to a vaulted ceiling decorated with frescoes depicting scenes of heroes, arcane beasts, and other things. Logan recognized the place immediately. This was where the Headmaster's office was located, on the top floor. He vaguely remembered his first visit, when the Headmaster had been so mysterious and intimidating.
"So," Elian began, looking around curiously, "where exactly is this portal?"
"In the basement," Nyx replied, guiding the group toward a side staircase descending into the depths of the building. "The academy keeps several special rooms down there. The portal is one of them."
They descended a long spiral staircase, the walls lit by magical crystals emitting a soft, constant light. The air grew progressively colder as they went down, and Logan could feel a different energy pulsing around him, something ancient and powerful.
Finally, they reached a large bronze door decorated with complex runes that glowed faintly. Nyx pushed the door, which opened silently despite its apparent weight. What Logan saw on the other side left him open-mouthed.
The room was vast and circular, at least fifty meters in diameter. The ceiling was high, easily three stories up, and covered in luminous crystals illuminating every corner of the space. The walls were of polished stone, engraved with runes Logan didn't recognize, written in a language that seemed older than anything he had ever seen.
Guards in ceremonial armor were strategically positioned around the room, about a dozen of them, each holding a long spear with a blade glowing with enchantments. Their faces were hidden by helms with closed visors, giving them a mysterious and intimidating appearance.
In the center of the room was a semicircular counter of dark, polished wood, behind which sat a woman of serene appearance. She had brown hair tied in an elegant bun and wore blue robes with gold details identifying her position as an official academy attendant. Her eyes were a piercing light green, and she observed every entering student with professional attention.
But what really captured Logan's attention was at the back of the room. Rising from the floor like a masterpiece of arcane architecture was a monumental arch reaching almost to the ceiling.
The structure was made of a stone Logan couldn't identify, something like marble, perfectly symmetrical and polished to a shine. Most impressive was that the stone constantly changed color in tones always reminiscent of the basic elements, but always in a darker shade. Colors flowed across the surface of the arch like liquid waves, never remaining static.
Ancient runes were inscribed all over the surface of the stones forming the arch, dozens, perhaps hundreds of them, each glowing with constant intensity. Some pulsed in sync, others seemed to have their own rhythm. Logan recognized some as stabilization and anchoring runes, concepts he had studied in his books, but many others were completely unknown to him.
And then there was the portal itself. In the center of the stone structure, suspended in the air as if defying gravity, was the dimensional portal. It wasn't a hole or an opening in the conventional sense. It was more like… a window to another place. The surface of the portal was dark, deeply black like the night sky, but dotted with what seemed to be tiny bright stars, spirals of colored light moving in hypnotic patterns.
Logan stood paralyzed, observing the portal with fascination. His mind began working frantically, trying to understand what he was seeing. How does this work? he thought. Dimensional magic… I've read about it, but never seen it in person. The runes must be to stabilize the portal, to prevent it from collapsing on itself. And the energy required to keep something like this open must be absurd. There's probably a mana source somewhere down here, maybe Etherium crystals connected directly to the portal.But the stones that change color… what are they? And how exactly does the portal select the destination? There must be some kind of magical coordinate, a way to mark specific locations in space…
"Next!" called the attendant, her clear, professional voice breaking Logan's trance. He blinked, returning to reality, and looked around. He realized with a start that his friends had already passed the counter and were waiting near the portal. Only he and Elian remained in line.
Elian touched his shoulder lightly, making him turn.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, with genuine concern in his amber eyes. "You stood there staring at the portal for almost five minutes."
Logan felt his face heat up with embarrassment. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I just… had never seen a dimensional portal before. It's fascinating."
Elian smiled. "I understand. It's my first time seeing one up close too. But we'd better hurry before the others think we chickened out."
Logan nodded and approached the counter. The attendant watched him with her piercing green eyes. "Name, please," she requested, her voice polite but professional.
"Logan Black," he replied. The woman made a note on a scroll in front of her, then picked up a small metal plate the size of a coin and handed it to Logan.
"This is your passage identification," she explained. "Hold it when you cross the portal. It will be absorbed by the dimensional magic and will confirm your return. Without it, you cannot use the portal to return to the academy."
Logan took the plate, noticing it had the academy symbol engraved on one side and his name on the other, glowing in golden letters. "Understood," he said. "Thank you."
He joined the others near the portal, with Elian right behind. Blake greeted him with a wry smile. "Thought you changed your mind," he joked. "Or that you got hypnotized by the portal and we'd have to drag you out of here."
Logan rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Don't be dramatic. I was just… observing."
"Sure," said Kassia, her golden eyes shining with amusement. "'Observing.' Is that what we're calling it now?"
Before Logan could respond, Nyx gestured toward the portal. "Let's go before you spend all day teasing Logan," she said.
"Who goes first?"
"I will," Blake offered, always the boldest. He took a step toward the portal, hesitated for just a second, and then walked through. The moment his body touched the dark surface, he simply… vanished. It was instantaneous, without sound or light, as if he had been absorbed by the darkness.
"He's fine," Nyx assured, noting the worried expressions of some. "The portal is completely safe. Let's go." One by one, the others went through. Kassia was next, followed by Darian, then Elian. Nyx looked at Logan with an encouraging smile.
"Ready?" she asked. Logan took a deep breath and nodded. Together, they approached the portal. When Logan stood directly in front of it, he could feel a slight vibration in the air, as if reality itself were trembling around the dimensional opening. Here we go, he thought.
He closed his eyes, took a step forward, and felt a sensation of cold run through his body, followed by a complete absence of gravity. It was like falling and floating at the same time, a disorienting sensation that lasted only a blink of an eye. When he opened his eyes, he was on the other side.
His friends were waiting for him in a wide, busy square, all smiling at him. Logan blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden change of scenery. "Welcome to Lightharbor," Nyx announced with a dramatic gesture.
Blake approached with a mischievous smile. "So, were you scared of the portal?" he teased, crossing his arms. "Is that why you stared at it for so long?"
The others laughed, and Logan felt his face heat up again. "Yes," he replied jokingly, deciding to play along. "I was terrified. Actually, I almost fainted. Remember that time you were afraid of—"
Before Logan could finish the sentence, Blake leaped forward and covered his mouth with his hand, his blue eyes wide with alarm. "No!" Blake exclaimed, desperate. "We are not talking about that! That was a completely different situation and—" But it was too late. Everyone else was dying of laughter, imagining what the embarrassing story Logan was about to tell could be.
"Now you have to tell," Kassia insisted between laughs. "You can't leave us curious like this."
Logan managed to break free from Blake and took a deep breath, preparing to tell. "Well, there was this time when—" he started, but Blake interrupted him again, this time with a pleading look. "Logan, please," he begged. "I'll give you my lunch for a week. Two weeks!"
Logan pretended to consider the offer, then shook his head with a mischievous smile. "Sorry, buddy, but this is pure gold," he said, turning to the others. "So, Blake saw a spider in his room and—"
"It was a giant spider!" Blake protested, his face turning red. "Size of my hand! And it was on my pillow!"
"He screamed so loud he woke up half the castle," Logan continued, now fully animated. "And then refused to enter the room for three days until his father personally came to remove the 'mortal threat.'"
Everyone exploded in laughter, even Darian, who rarely showed emotion. Blake hid his face in his hands, groaning with embarrassment. "I hate you sometimes," he murmured to Logan, but there was a smile on his face.
"Love you too, buddy," Logan replied, patting him on the shoulder.
When they finally managed to stop laughing, Nyx wiped tears from her eyes and gestured to the city around them. "Right, now that we all know about Blake's mortal fear of arachnids," she said, provoking more laughter, "how about we explore the city?"
Lightharbor was everything Logan had imagined and more. The city stretched in all directions, a fascinating mix of ancient and modern architecture, magic and technology, nature and civilization. The streets were wide and paved with smooth stones that shone lightly under the sunlight, enchanted never to accumulate dirt or deteriorate. Buildings of all types lined both sides, tall towers of stone and glass, colorful shops with vibrant awnings, cozy taverns with smoke rising from ornate chimneys.
What impressed Logan most was the diversity. He saw humans, elves, dwarves, hybrids of every possible combination, even some races he didn't recognize. Everyone coexisted peacefully, buying, selling, talking, laughing. It was a stark contrast to the tensions he knew existed between the kingdoms.
Nyx led the group with confidence, navigating the busy streets as if she had been born there. "First stop," she announced, "is my favorite. The Bookstore of the Forgotten Sage."
They turned onto a quieter side street and arrived at a three-story shop whose facade was covered in magical vines. A wooden sign hanging above the door displayed the shop's name in golden letters that seemed to dance and rearrange themselves every few seconds.
Upon entering, Logan was immediately enveloped by the wonderful smell of old books, fresh parchment, and a faint fragrance of incense. Shelves that seemed to extend infinitely upward covered every wall, accessible by moving ladders that magically shifted to wherever you wished to go.
"This is incredible," Elian murmured, his eyes widening as he watched books flying by themselves from shelf to shelf. An old gnome with round glasses and a beard reaching the floor approached them.
"Welcome, welcome," he said with a surprisingly deep voice for his small size. "Looking for any particular grimoire? We have an excellent selection of elemental magic, invocations, protection enchantments…"
"Just looking, thank you," Nyx replied politely.
Logan lost himself among the shelves, his fingers tracing the spines of the books. There were so many fascinating titles: Advanced Theories on Temporal Manipulation, Magical Beasts: A Complete Compendium, Secrets of Ancient Runes… He ended up buying two books: one on advanced mana control techniques and another on the history of Arcane Beasts containing information he hadn't found in his previous studies.
Kassia bought three grimoires on different schools of magic, her eyes shining with excitement. Blake found a manual on forging magical weapons that left him completely absorbed. Even Darian, usually so reserved, bought a book on combat strategies.
After the bookstore, Nyx took them to a clothing store called "Enchanted Threads," which sold robes that magically adjusted to the wearer and never tore or got dirty. Logan couldn't resist buying a black tunic with silver details that glowed faintly in the darkness.
Next, they visited "Potions and Elixirs," a shop full of colorful vials containing liquids of every imaginable color. Kassia was fascinated by the owner's explanations of each potion and ended up buying ingredients to practice alchemy in her free time.
At "Flaming Blade," an impressive armory, Blake spent almost an hour examining swords, daggers, and other weapons, all enchanted with some type of magic. The blacksmith, a muscular dwarf with a braided beard decorated with metal beads, patiently explained the properties of each piece.
"This sword," he said, holding up an elegant blade with a blue hilt, "was forged with eternal ice from the mountains of Frostgard. It never loses its edge and can freeze any liquid it touches." Blake was clearly tempted, but the price was far beyond what any student could pay. He settled for buying an enchanted whetstone that would keep his own weapons always sharp.
As the day progressed, every member of the group had multiple bags and boxes in their hands, loaded with their purchases. They stopped at at least five different food establishments, trying everything from meat pies that stayed hot indefinitely to desserts made with fruits from other countries.
Logan felt more relaxed than he had in months. There was no pressure, no expectations, just friends enjoying a day in the city. He even managed to forget, for a few hours, about Fenrir, about his power, about all the responsibilities he carried.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, when they finally reached the main square of Lightharbor to rest before returning to the academy. The square was enormous, circular, with an elaborate fountain in the center displaying sculptures of the Six Arcane Beasts. Colored water gushed from their mouths, creating hypnotic patterns as it fell into the basin below. Polished stone benches encircled the fountain, and several ornamental trees provided pleasant shade.
The group chose a quiet corner to sit and rest, placing their purchases on the ground and relaxing on the benches. The square was moderately busy, with other visitors walking, talking, or simply enjoying the afternoon.
That was when Logan saw them. Across the square, coming from a side street, were Marcus Steelheart and his group of friends from Eryndark. There were five in total, Marcus in front, followed by four other students Logan vaguely recognized from classes.
The two groups saw each other simultaneously. For a moment, everything seemed to stop. The tension in the air became almost palpable, like a taut rope about to snap. Logan stood up slowly, as did Blake and the others. They began walking toward the center of the square, both groups converging on the same point. Every step seemed deliberate, loaded with meaning. People in the square began to notice the tension and discreetly moved away, clearing space.
When they were only a few meters apart, the two groups faced off. Marcus held his characteristic military posture, shoulders back, chin up, expression confident but controlled. His cold gray eyes met Logan's for a long moment.
"Black," Marcus said, his voice neutral but with an underlying note of challenge.
"Steelheart," Logan replied in the same tone.
The two groups began to pass each other, maintaining a careful distance. That was when it happened. Blake, distracted for a second adjusting the bags in his hands, didn't see Marcus coming head-on. Marcus, equally absorbed in maintaining challenging eye contact with Logan, also didn't notice Blake in time. They collided, shoulder against shoulder, with enough force to make both stumble.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Blake exclaimed immediately, turning to face Marcus.
"You're the one who should pay attention," Marcus retorted, his eyes narrowing. "Or has the ice in your blood already frozen your brain?"
Blake took a step forward, his face turning red with anger. "Say that again," he challenged, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword.
Before the situation could escalate further, Kassia jumped between the two, placing a hand on Blake's chest. "Blake, no," she said firmly, pushing him gently back. "It's not worth it. Let's go."
Marcus let out a short, humorless laugh. "Listen to your little girlfriend, half-elf," he said disdainfully. "It would be better for everyone."
Blake tried to advance again, but Kassia held him firm, beginning to drag him away. Logan was about to intervene when one of Marcus's friends, silent until then, decided to speak. The young man was tall and muscular, with short blond hair and icy blue eyes that matched his expression of disdain. He had a thin scar crossing his left eyebrow, giving him an even more intimidating appearance. Logan vaguely recognized him from a few classes as Aldric Thornwood, a human from Eryndark known for his extremely conservative views.
"That's right, hybrids," Aldric said, his voice laden with venom. "Run back to your holes. Lightharbor would be much better without your kind contaminating our streets." The air in the square turned icy. Everyone in Logan's group tensed, their hands closing into fists.
"What did you just say?" asked Nyx, her voice low and dangerous, her eyes shining with contained fury.
Aldric smiled cruelly, fueled by the reaction he had provoked. "You heard me, pointy-ears," he continued, every word designed to wound. "Hybrids, half-breeds, impure… you are all a stain on the magical lineage. Arcane Beasts? More like arcane pests, if you want my opinion."
Logan felt something stir inside him, a rising fury making his blood boil. He unconsciously touched the ring on his finger, feeling the calming energy that usually helped him control his emotions, but this time it seemed insufficient. Control yourself, he ordered himself. Don't let him provoke you. Don't let Fenrir out.
Kassia, always the voice of reason, tried to diffuse the situation. "We don't want trouble," she said, her voice firm but controlled. "Let's just go our separate ways and forget this happened."
Aldric laughed aloud, a harsh, unpleasant sound. "Of course you don't want trouble," he mocked. "Cowardice is a common trait in inferior races."
"Aldric, that's enough," Marcus said, his voice carrying a tone of warning. But Aldric ignored him completely.
"You," Aldric said, pointing directly at Logan, "especially you, Black. Prince of half-breeds, heir to a kingdom of impurities. Must be so proud, carrying contaminated blood while pretending to be royalty—"
It was Kassia who responded, her patience finally running out. "At least Logan has enough dignity not to judge others by their lineage," she said, her golden eyes shining with indignation. "Something clearly beyond your capacity for understanding. Maybe if you spent less time worrying about blood 'purity' and more time developing basic decency—"
She didn't finish the sentence. Aldric, offended by Kassia's words, raised his hand and began to conjure magic. Logan saw red runes forming in the air, immediately recognizing the pattern as
And that was when Logan lost control. Time seemed to slow down. Logan saw the fire arrow crossing the space between Aldric and Kassia, saw the look of surprise on her face, saw that she wouldn't have time to defend herself. Something inside him roared. Without conscious thought, without planning, Logan moved. His body responded faster than his mind could process, driven by a primal instinct to protect. He leaped between Aldric and Kassia, his hands rising as magic exploded from his core. "
A hexagonal shield of silver-blue energy materialized in the air directly in front of Logan. The fire arrow collided with it and exploded in a shower of harmless sparks, completely neutralized. But Logan didn't stop there. The fury that had been growing inside him finally overflowed, breaking the barriers of self-control he had built so carefully. He advanced, his body moving with supernatural speed. Aldric barely had time to register what was happening before Logan was upon him, a fist rising for a direct punch to the face.
Marcus, exhibiting impressive reflexes, reacted instantly. He had already begun conjuring
Logan's fist collided with Marcus's protected arm. The impact was explosive. A wave of concussive force radiated from the point of contact, making the air vibrate and forcing everyone present to step back a few paces. The stone floor beneath their feet cracked slightly, tiny fissures spreading in a spiderweb pattern.
Both stopped, their minds processing what had happened in that instant of confrontation. Logan realized several things simultaneously. Marcus had moved as fast as him, or perhaps even faster, to intercept the attack. He had switched his magic to an ability in a fraction of a second, something requiring exceptional control and even more exceptional reflexes. And most importantly, Marcus had stepped back only one pace. Only one pace, Logan thought, stunned. It should have been more. Much more. He should have fallen.
Marcus, in turn, made his own shocking observations. The first thing he noticed was Logan's eyes. What was normally deep amber with golden veins had completely transformed. Now they shone intense, flaming gold, like living embers, and his pupils had changed from round to vertical slits, like a predator's. But it wasn't just that. Marcus could feel throbbing pain in his arm, despite the protection of
Marcus spoke first, keeping his voice controlled despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Easy, Black," he said, his eyes not leaving Logan's. "Do you want us all expelled? Is that what you want?"
Logan took a step forward, and Marcus could clearly see that something had changed in the Sky Reaper heir's posture. It wasn't just anger or frustration he saw. It was something more primitive, more dangerous.
"Why?" Logan asked, his voice coming out hoarser than normal, almost like a growl. "Are you afraid of losing?"
Marcus observed Logan more closely, and that was when he truly registered the change. The behavior, the facial expression, the body language—all combined with the transformed eyes created an impression that reminded Marcus not of a human being, but of a magical beast ready to attack. What are you, Logan Black? Marcus thought, fascinated and wary at the same time.
That was when Kassia acted. She had been watching everything, shocked and worried, but when Logan took that threatening step toward Marcus, something in his expression alarmed her deeply. That was when she saw it. Logan's hands, normally human, were changing. His nails were elongating, curving, sharpening into black claws that gleamed dangerously in the twilight. It was subtle enough that no one else had noticed yet, but Kassia was close enough to see clearly. Oh no, she thought, panic setting in. He's losing control.
Without hesitating, she moved. Ignoring any danger to herself, Kassia rushed forward and grabbed Logan's hands in hers, hiding the forming claws from the curious eyes around them. The sharp points cut slightly into her palms, but she ignored the pain. She placed herself directly between Logan and Marcus, forcing Logan to look at her instead of his opponent.
"Logan," she said, her voice firm but gentle, laden with genuine concern. "Logan, please. Look at me."
For a long moment, Logan didn't respond. His flaming golden eyes remained fixed on some point beyond Kassia, his breathing heavy and irregular. Then, slowly, his focus shifted. He looked at Kassia, and something in that gaze pierced the fog of fury consuming him. Logan blinked several times, as if waking from a nightmare. His eyes swept the scene around him, finally registering what was happening.
Everyone was tense and ready to fight. Blake had his hand on his sword hilt, ready to draw it at any moment. Elian had conjured small spheres of light in his hands, ready to be transformed into offensive spells. Nyx had glowing eyes and shadows writhing around her feet. Darian was in a classic combat stance, his muscles tense as compressed springs. On the other side, Marcus remained calm but vigilant, his stance indicating he was ready to react to any movement. Aldric and the other members of his group had retreated slightly, but were also clearly prepared to fight if necessary.
And Kassia… Kassia was directly in front of him, holding his hands, completely ignoring the danger he represented in that moment. Her golden eyes stared at him with concern, not fear. That was when Logan looked at her hands, still holding his, and saw the blood. Small cuts on her palms, caused by the claws he hadn't even realized he was manifesting. I hurt her, he realized, horror spreading through his chest. I lost control and I hurt her.
The realization was like a bucket of ice water. Instantly, Logan felt the savage heat inside him begin to dissipate. His breathing began to slow, his pulse to normalize. The claws stopped growing and began slowly to recede, his nails returning to normal. His eyes, the last to change, gradually returned from flaming gold to the familiar amber with golden veins, pupils resuming their round shape.
Logan took a step back, gently pulling his hands from Kassia's. He looked around once more, seeing the expressions of shock, concern, and curiosity on the surrounding faces. He looked at Marcus, who was still watching him with that analytical and wary expression.
"We'd better stop here," Logan said, his voice returning to normal, though still carrying a note of tension. "We don't want to cause trouble in the very first week, do we?"
Marcus studied Logan for another long moment, then a slow smile formed on his lips. It wasn't a friendly smile, but it carried a kind of reluctant respect. "Whenever you want, Black," he said calmly, his voice carrying an implied promise. When you want to face off for real, I'll be ready.
Logan nodded briefly, then turned, gently taking Kassia's uninjured hand and starting to walk away. His friends followed immediately, forming a kind of guard around him as they left the square. As they walked away, Logan could hear laughter coming from the Eryndark group. Aldric and the others were clearly enjoying themselves, making fun of Logan's group's "retreat," making insulting comments that Logan forced himself to ignore.
But Marcus remained silent, his eyes never leaving Logan's figure until he disappeared from view. His mind worked frantically, trying to process what he had witnessed. Those eyes. That strength. That presence, he thought. Logan Black is hiding something. Something big. And I'm going to find out what it is.
When they were finally far enough from the square, in a quiet side street, Logan stopped and turned to Kassia.
"I'm sorry, Kassia," he said, his voice laden with genuine remorse. He gently took her injured hand, examining the wounds. "When I realized they attacked you, I… I lost control. I didn't want to hurt you."
Kassia smiled softly, squeezing his hand with her good one. "It's okay, Logan," she assured him. "They're just superficial scratches. I'll ask Professor Starbloom for a healing ointment tomorrow and they'll be good in a few hours." She paused, her eyes meeting his. "And thank you," she added. "For protecting me. You didn't have to do that, but you did anyway."
Logan shook his head. "I will always protect my friends," he said with conviction. "Always."
Blake approached and placed a hand on Logan's shoulder. "That Aldric is an idiot," he commented. "And Marcus… I don't know what to think of him. He seemed ready to let things escalate, but he was also the one who stopped you."
"He's complicated," Nyx agreed. "He's not like the others from Eryndark. There's more to him than just prejudice and arrogance."
"Whatever it is," Darian intervened, speaking for the first time since the confrontation, "we need to be careful from now on. That group will be watching us now."
Elian nodded in agreement. "He's right. We drew attention today. Too much attention."
The group agreed somberly, then began walking back toward the portal that would take them to the academy. The excitement of the day had been replaced by residual tension, but also by a strengthened sense of camaraderie. They had faced their first true confrontation together. And although it hadn't ended in total violence, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Logan and Marcus faced off again. And when that happened, there would be no interruptions.
Night had fallen completely over Aldaria Academy when Logan finally returned to his dormitory. Logan walked to the window and opened the curtains, revealing a spectacular view of the night sky. The full moon shone brightly, casting its silver light over the academy grounds. Countless stars dotted the darkness, like diamonds scattered on black velvet.
He sat on the windowsill, one leg hanging inside the room and the other bent against his chest. He looked at the sky, but his thoughts were far away. I lost control, he thought, shame and frustration returning in waves. Even with the ring, even after all the training with the Ancestral Qilin… I lost control so easily.
He looked at the ring on his finger, running his thumb over the smooth surface. He could feel the calming energy still flowing from it, but clearly, it hadn't been enough when provocation turned into a real threat. Kassia was hurt because of me, he continued, guilt gnawing at him. I promised to protect my friends, but in the end, it was I who put them in danger.
The image of Kassia holding his hands, hiding his claws from the others, returned to his mind. She had risked her own safety to protect his secret, without hesitation.
And Marcus… Logan frowned, thinking about the confrontation. Marcus hadn't been shaken by his strength. He had remained firm, confident, showing no sign of fear even before Logan's transformed eyes. That confidence, that unshakable strength, reminded Logan of his father. Rogan Black always exuded that same kind of presence, a confidence so deep it seemed impossible to break, a strength that seemed infinite and inexhaustible.
Will I ever be like that?