The next morning, the students of Class S were summoned for their first training session. Alaryc, Jake, and Alicia, proudly wearing their uniforms, made their way to the training grounds reserved for their class. This area was far larger and more advanced than those for the other classes, equipped with state-of-the-art magical tools and zones tailored to each element.
"Wow… this is incredible," Alicia murmured, her eyes wide.
"Looks like they're not joking about the elites," Jake added, patting Alaryc on the shoulder.
As they arrived, they were greeted by a towering man with gray hair and piercing eyes. He wore light armor engraved with magical runes.
"I am Master Kaldor," he said in a deep voice. "I will be your instructor for practical training. Here, we do not tolerate weakness. You are in Class S because you're supposed to represent the elite. But if you can't keep up, I won't hesitate to demote you."
The students exchanged nervous glances, but Alaryc felt excitement welling up inside him.
Master Kaldor continued:
"Today, we'll evaluate your mastery of your primary element. Each of you will demonstrate your abilities in front of me. Do your best, or leave."
One by one, the students stepped forward. Silvarya was among the first. Using a combination of water and earth magic, she created a miniature waterfall that solidified into a sturdy barrier. Master Kaldor nodded, impressed.
Next came Jake, who mastered the element of fire. He conjured an intense flame of deep red and shaped it into a fire vortex. The heat was so strong that even Kaldor stepped back slightly, impressed by the young man's control. Alicia, meanwhile, used her affinity with water to form liquid spheres, which she sent toward multiple targets. Each sphere exploded upon impact, demonstrating precision and technique.
"Impressive," Kaldor remarked as he looked at them both.
Alaryc knew his turn was approaching, and his heartbeat quickened.
"Alaryc, your turn," Kaldor ordered.
The young man stepped to the center of the training field, feeling the gaze of all the students on him, including Silvarya's. Taking a deep breath, he focused on his primary element: fire.
Alaryc raised his hand, and a blue flame appeared, vibrating with an otherworldly intensity. He concentrated this flame into a spear and hurled it at a target several meters away. Upon impact, the spear exploded, leaving a smoking crater in the ground.
The students were stunned. Kaldor, silent at first, eventually let out a small smile.
"Interesting… Very interesting. But raw power won't always be enough. You'll need to work on your control."
Alaryc nodded, taking the remark as a challenge.
After the evaluations, Kaldor provided each student with a personalized training plan. They were then free to explore for the rest of the day.
Alaryc, Jake, and Alicia decided to visit the Academy's gardens, renowned for their beauty and the numerous magical plants they housed. As they wandered, Alaryc noticed Silvarya sitting under a tree, her eyes fixed on a book.
"Wait here," Alaryc said to his friends.
He walked alone toward Silvarya, who barely glanced up as he approached.
"Hey," Alaryc said in a friendly tone.
Silvarya slowly closed her book and looked at him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much. You seemed alone. My friends and I were exploring the gardens together. Why not join us?"
Silvarya narrowed her eyes, as if trying to figure out his true intentions.
"And why should I do that?"
Alaryc shrugged with a smile.
"Because it's always better to help each other out than to stay isolated. Plus, you seem cool. It could be fun."
Silvarya stayed silent for a moment before finally standing up.
"Fine. But if it gets boring, I'm leaving."
Alaryc chuckled softly.
"Deal."
He returned to his friends with