"Oh, it's you guys," Zankeil said, his hand running through his scruffy beard. His robe looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks, and his wild hair stuck out like a nest. "Has a year already passed?"
"Yes, Sir Zankeil," Illiana replied with a respectful bow, followed by the other professors.
Zankeil might have seemed strange and scatterbrained, but he was still an respected elder—strong, experienced, and far from ordinary.
"Is that Illiana I hear?" came a second voice from inside.
Out stepped an old lady, walking slowly with a cane. Her black and white hair was tied in a simple braid, and her eyes were sharp behind thin spectacles.
"Yes, Madam Neila," Illiana responded, bowing again.
Both elders looked over the students, scanning them with interest. Their gazes soon stopped at the main cast, and their expressions shifted.
"Oho… look at this lot," Zankeil said, a twinkle forming in his eye. "Looks like the academy picked up some real monsters this year."
