A slight silence fell over the room, broken by Ilaris' voice, which was less friendly than before and carried a hint of severity:
"So, Dan... Do you remember what I told you a while ago?"
Dan raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at him with some confusion, but he didn't say anything.
Ilaris kept going, putting his hand on the table:
"I told you not to go to practical classes for two weeks. But you didn't just disobey me, you also broke a rib. What's your excuse?"
Dan let out a long sigh and scratched the back of his head before responding in a low voice:
"I didn't want to fight, but he challenged me. If I said no, people would start spreading rumors—saying he was a coward, that he'd lost his talent, or that his accident had changed him."
Ilaris paused for a second, then let out a sigh and said in a more composed voice:
"I don't think what you did was wrong. Sometimes, you've just got to respond to a challenge."
Then he leaned in a little closer and added in a serious tone:
"But... you should focus on studying the curriculum you missed.
Dan nodded without saying anything, accepting the decision.
"Understood."
He stood up, gave a little bow, and then took off.
...
Dan left the director's office just as the sun was setting. The air in the hallways was calm, and a few students were wandering between buildings, either on their way to a lecture or returning from training.
Dan stopped for a second at the crossroads and said to himself:
"The library."
He looked at the huge building with the long columns, where the academy's library stood tall. Its shelves held thousands of books and manuscripts dating back to ancient times, as well as others written by people whose names are still mentioned in class.
Dan went into the library quietly, automatically slowing his steps because of the deep silence that filled the place. The vibe in the hall was nothing like the rest of the academy. It smelled of old paper, pages turning quietly, and whispers barely audible.
He moved slowly between the shelves, his eyes scanning the titles in search of the textbooks he'd missed during his long absence.
Finally, he grabbed a book from one of the shelves.
He gave it a little squeeze in his hand, then made his way over to one of the tables near the windows to take a seat. As he got closer, he saw a familiar face sitting there, engrossed in a book.
Rowen Feldrick.
He was totally immersed in his book, jotting down notes in a small notebook next to him, his forehead furrowed in intense concentration.
Dan stopped for a second, then kept going, picked a chair near him, put his book on the table, and said in a quiet voice:
"Hey... Rowen, isn't it?"
Rowan lifted his head slowly, looking a bit surprised, and then his face broke into a slight smile:
"Oh, Dan, right?"
Dan nodded with a slight smile:
"Yes."
Rowen closed his book halfway and said in a slightly curious tone:
"I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were still on break after what went down on the training ground."
Dan laughed lightly and shrugged his shoulders:
"To be honest, I wish I was. But I'm behind the rest of the class, and the director insisted that I start reviewing the theoretical curriculum immediately."
He pointed to the book in front of him and added:
"I came to make up for what I missed before things pile up on me even more."
Rowen smiled as he reorganized his pages:
"I get it. At least you've got motivation now. Most students don't even look at these books until the night before the exam."
Dan sat down more comfortably and said:
"And you? Are you reviewing the material yourself?"
Rowen shook his head:
"No, I'm going over part of the lessons on the difference between primary and secondary elements. Just personal curiosity."
Dan nodded, understanding, then opened his book and started flipping through the pages.
Dan opened the book, and his eyes followed the first lines with some excitement. Finally, he had a chance to make up for what he had missed.
He started reading, trying to understand the main ideas: "First things first: control of mana flow, magical frequency, and primary mental structures..."
But after just five minutes, his expression changed.
He frowned, tilted his head to the side, and muttered as he slowly turned the page:
"What is this? I don't understand a thing..."
He looked at one of the sentences that said:
"Controlling the rotation of mana within secondary points is a first step in creating a mental stability structure, which then lets you deal with the characteristics of the guiding element."
He blinked, then reread the sentence, but he couldn't figure out what it meant.
"What rotation are they talking about? And what about secondary points?"
Dan didn't notice that his voice was louder than he intended, but Rowan, who was sitting nearby, stopped writing and looked at him, tilting his head slightly:
"Is this the first time you've read this part?"
Dan looked up at him, feeling a bit embarrassed, and nodded slowly:
"Yes... obvious?"
Rowan smiled and closed his book for a second:
"Don't worry, these concepts are complicated at first. It's just that they don't know how to explain them simply."
He moved a little closer to Dan's table and pointed to the paragraph he was reading:
"So, when they talk about 'mana circulation within secondary points,' they're talking about the little energy circles spread out through the body. Not the main centers we use in combat or casting, but the ones that regulate the flow between the centers."
He kept going, using some pictures from his notebook:
"The idea is that you should train your mind to visualize mana moving between these points, which will help you use it more accurately later on."
Dan listened quietly, looking from the drawing to Rowan's explanation, and then said in surprise:
"Amazing... At first, I didn't really get it, but after your explanation, it's all clear now."
Dan smiled lightly and said:
"You have a talent for teaching... Have you thought about becoming a professor after graduation?"
Rowen laughed lightly and shook his head:
"A professor? No, never thought about it. But maybe I should think about it now."
Then he went back to his explanation in a calm tone, while Dan started taking notes, taking advantage of the moment.
Time went by without Dan realizing, and with Roen's explanation and his note-taking, he dove into a ton of info that had seemed impossible to surmount at first... but now he could see the end of it.
As time went on, the light of sunset came through the high windows, making everything a little golden, and Dan saw that the library was almost empty.
He closed his book quietly, looked at Roen, and said with a smile, "Sorry."
"Oh... it's getting late. Sorry, Rowen, I feel like I've stolen all your study time."
Rowen just shook his head and said with a calm smile:
"No need to say that. I was reviewing as well, and the explanation made things clearer for me too."
Then, as he gathered his books, he added:
"Actually... I don't mind if we study together every day. I think having someone else around motivates me to focus."
Dan's smile widened, and he said with sincere gratitude:
"Thank you, really... This will be very helpful for me."
They got up from their seats together, gathered their things, and walked toward the library door.
When they got there, they paused for a second and looked at each other.
Dan said:
"See you tomorrow... same time?"
Rowen nodded:
"I agree."
Then they split up quietly, each going their own way.
🧐 Curious to see what's next? Let me know what you think — your feedback helps shape the story!