The academy grounds were alive with energy, students practicing magic in every corner. Fireballs flickered in the sunlight, shields shimmered, and floating targets hovered in the open field. Laughter, shouts, and the occasional cheer echoed across the polished stone paths.
Elian adjusted the strap of his satchel, trying not to appear nervous. It was his first day as a student at the prestigious academy. Everything felt enormous—the towers, the sprawling grounds, the sheer number of students. His chest tightened slightly with excitement.
He made his way to the practice grounds, where students were competing to hit floating targets. Some struggled, their fire fizzled or overshot. But Elian had learned early: even weak magic can be perfect if used with cleverness.
A small spark of fire flickered from his fingers and hit the nearest target dead center. Another spark, subtly reflected off a stone, struck the farthest, hardest target with perfect precision.
Students whispered among themselves.
"Look at him… even with weak magic, he hits perfectly!"
"He's a new student, right? Is he trying to show off?"
"He must be trying to impress someone… maybe Lyra?"
From across the field, a tall, beautiful girl paused. Her silver hair glimmered in the sunlight, and her sharp, calculating eyes narrowed as she studied him. She moved gracefully, spells already practiced to perfection, but there was a flicker of boredom on her face.
Lyra was known among students for her pride and attitude. Few dared approach her casually, and she expected respect from everyone. But today, something about the new boy caught her attention.
"New student… thinks he can show off in front of me?" she thought, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "He looks so calm… too calm. Maybe he's trying to impress me."
Other students noticed her focus and whispered excitedly.
"Even Lyra is watching him!"
"The new guy's already caught her attention."
Elian caught her gaze and gave a small, calm smile. He didn't try to be flashy. He didn't speak. He simply practiced his aim, his sparks hitting every target perfectly. Yet somehow, it seemed that every movement drew her attention.
Lyra frowned, her cheeks tinged faintly pink. Why does he look so confident? And his magic… it's weak, but he hits perfectly… is he serious or just showing off?
By mid-morning, whispers ran through the students:
"He's clever… look at how precise he is."
"New student, first day, and he's already showing off!"
"He must be trying to impress Lyra. I can see it in how he moves."
Lyra, though trying to act indifferent and proud, couldn't stop glancing at him. Every careful flick of his wrist, every perfectly timed spark, made her pulse quicken in a way she didn't expect.
Elian didn't notice the whispers. He only focused on the targets, on controlling the sparks of his weak magic. But somehow, without intending to, he had become the center of attention.
By afternoon, it was clear: the new student had made his presence known. His cleverness, calm confidence, and perfect aim drew attention from students everywhere. Lyra, though annoyed and trying not to be obvious, found herself glancing at him repeatedly.
Elian walked back to the dorms, unaware of the fascination he had sparked, unaware of the whispers about his "attempts to impress Lyra." He only knew one thing: tomorrow, he would return to the practice grounds—and see what else he could learn.
The child of hope had taken his first steps into a larger world—and a spark of intrigue and romance had begun to glow alongside the first sparks of his destiny.