Mornings at Vaelcrest started with the ringing of bells...not the deep, ceremonial ones that resonated throughout the city, but sharper, quicker ones that echoed within each dormitory wall like an alarm eager to be heard.
Nyxar grumbled and fell off his bed, the chilly floor hitting his feet like a strike. His room was small and clean, in a strict way. Stone walls, no windows, one bed, one trunk, one cracked mirror. No warmth. No clutter. Just space and silence.
Except for the voice in his head.
"Still breathing? Disappointing."
He stared at his image. "Sure, I like you as well."
The voice wasn't genuine. Probably. It only started whispering after that shadow orb touched him. It wasn't words, exactly. More like thoughts passed through another mind. Something waiting… watching. He called it The Passenger. Not a great name. But it fit.
The cafeteria was a mountain of noise...hundreds of students crammed into tiered seating, laughing, yelling, complaining about spell theory and field drills. Magical fires floated in sconces above them, changing color with the time of day. Plates refilled themselves. Cups hovered slightly off the tables.
Nyxar found a corner. He'd gotten used to eating alone. A few glanced at him...the Unaligned. The boy whom no element claimed. The one who made orbs flicker and fracture. The odd one. He didn't care.
He was halfway through his bread and bean mash when a shadow dropped into the seat beside him. "You know this table's reserved for no one, right?"
He glanced up. Kaela. Windborn House crest pinned to her uniform. Hair in a loose braid. Sharp eyes, already tired of everyone's nonsense. She stole a piece of his bread without asking.
"You've got the face of someone who's either plotting murder or composing poetry."
He blinked. "What if I'm doing both?"
Kaela grinned. "Then maybe you're more interesting than I thought."
Nyxar let the moment hang before responding. "You're late."
"Wanted to see if you'd save me a seat."
"I didn't."
"You're lucky I'm persistent."
They ate in silence for a bit. Then she asked, "What's your House again?"
"I don't possess one."
She lifted an eyebrow. Seriously?
He nodded. "None of the elements wanted me."
Kaela tilted her head. "That's either very sad... or extremely metal."
He chuckled. It felt good to chuckle.
Later – Combat Class
Instructor Varn was the type of man who looked like he'd been carved from a glacier and then beaten into shape by war. His voice could crack stone. His instructions could shatter dreams.
The students were divided into sparring pairs. Nyxar was paired with Arlen Velcrest, a noble with a proud family and an even prouder sneer.
"Try not to embarrass yourself," Arlen muttered, cracking his knuckles.
"I'll do my best," Nyxar replied with a smile.
They circled each other, eyes watching every move. Arlen struck first with his fire-enhanced gauntlets flaring as he lunged. Nyxar dodged, barely. The heat was real. The magic burned the air. He reached for something inside. Something deeper. Not a spell. Not an element. Just weight, then shifted his stance.
Arlen came again much faster than before.
Nyxar stepped forward...and dropped him with a single palm strike to the chest. The boy landed hard on the ground, gasping for air.
There was no applause or sound.... Only silence...
Instructor Varn squinted. "That… wasn't a spell."
"No, sir."
"Explain."
"I used gravity. Just a little."
"You're not trained in gravity magic."
"I didn't use magic."
Varn stared. "Do it again."
Nyxar shrugged. " I can't. It comes and goes."
Varn's stare deepened. Then he grunted and moved on.
The sparring continued with other students as they take turns, trying to outperform the Unaligned kid. There were losses and wins...until the session was over.
***Evening***
Vaelcrest's upper levels had hanging gardens suspended by light-weave. Floating stones. Mistfall trees that bloomed only at night. This was where students went to pretend, they weren't breaking under pressure.
Kaela found him again. "I heard about combat class."
"Let me guess. They said I cheated."
"They said you cheated, then asked how." She sat on the edge of a platform, allowing her feet to hang.. "You confuse people," she said after a while. "You're not scared or loud. You're not eager to prove anything."
Nyxar shrugged. "I'm just tired."
"Of what?"
"Of pretending I'm not dangerous."
Kaela was silent. Then she looked at him. and looked again. "That's the most terrifyingly attractive thing anyone's ever said to me."
He chuckled.
"So what about you?" he asked. "What are you hiding?"
She looked away. "My family thinks I'm too soft for Windborn. That I'd break under pressure."
"And are they right?"
"Sometimes."
He nodded. "Same."
She grinned again. This time, it reached her eyes.