The academy courtyard buzzed with pre-midterm energy, a chaotic swirl of students weaving through stone pathways under the crisp morning sun. Posters fluttered on noticeboards, their bold runes catching the light, proclaiming a tournament open to all. Darius paused, his blue wind-motif robes swaying as a breeze tugged at them. The prize was a special wand, but he shrugged, uninterested. Wands were rare in this world, more ornament than necessity. Most mages here channeled mana through their bodies, not tools. His hand brushed the Reflection Wand tucked at his side, its sleek surface a trophy from a fight he'd won against a cocky third-year. It had its uses, bending spells back at foes, but it limited as much as it enhanced. Why bother with another?
"Hey, Darius, you signing up?" Kael's voice cut through the chatter, his stone-motif robes dusty from morning drills. His grin was wide, eyes glinting with excitement. "Could be fun to crush some competition."
