The air in the academy buzzed with excitement. After his dazzling first-round victory, Lucian's name was spreading like wildfire. Whispers echoed through the halls:
"Did you see that wind burst?"
"He didn't even break a sweat."
"Silver hair, golden eyes… he's gotta be royalty from somewhere, right?"
Lucian barely had time to breathe.
Everywhere he went, students turned to stare. Some stepped aside in awe, others waved nervously. Girls giggled when he passed, and more than a few left notes in his dorm cubby—many sealed with hearts.
At breakfast, Elara sat beside him, raising a brow as a blushing second-year handed him a basket of sweetbread before fleeing like her life depended on it.
"I didn't know wind magic attracted this much attention," Elara said, biting into an apple.
Lucian chuckled. "Apparently it does when you make someone eat stone in front of a crowd."
Riven leaned across the table, his usual sarcasm tempered with faint approval. "Don't get cocky. There's still real talent ahead. That Darek guy was strong, but he wasn't Aether Class strong."
Lucian nodded, taking it in stride. "I know. I'm just getting started."
Meanwhile, across the campus, matches continued.
Elara's duel was flawless—controlled arcs of lightning dancing from her fingertips to form a shield and then a spear, her strikes precise and ruthless. Her victory was met with roaring cheers.
That afternoon, instructors reviewed match footage with calm interest. There were no raised eyebrows about Lucian's performance—only remarks like "sharp instincts," "great potential," and "one to watch."
Everything was going well.
Too well.
That night, Lucian lay in bed, staring at the ceiling of his dorm room.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
His wind abilities had improved—but every time he used them, he sensed something underneath the surface. Something heavier. Something hotter. He had no name for it, no control.
Just a flicker of pressure in his chest.
Still, he pushed the thought aside. He had a tournament to win.
And tomorrow, round two began.