The following day, I woke up earlier in excitement. The silence of the dawn roamed free no more. I sat down and rummaged through my stuff scattered at the wooden table was the schedule of my classes placed neatly in a form of a letter. I opened and read through it not missing any subtle signs or hints. I then stuffed it inside my bag and any important things especially the handbook.

“I think it’s not that bad.” I remarked whilst I finish cleaning the floor.

I thought about reading to pass time, but it would just be like back at home. I should explore the campus and my first stop would be the cafeteria. I changed to my uniform and looked forward exploring the campus.

 

--------------------------------

 

The place was packed with different year levels. I could see the distinction of the rankings and year level in here; there were seats people avoided even though it is unoccupied. It looks like they bought their tables or whatnot. I followed the 1^st years and decided to eat light food. I took a sandwich and tried to flee from the cafeteria as I have yet to grow a backbone to eat here alone.

“Hey, get your ass over here.” A voice quite far from the center unseemly looked to stir a scene, he appears to be a 2^nd year student. I took a side glance and realized he was talking to the girl who passed by their table.

“You’re a 1^st year, aren’t you? Strutting on your first day here in Tempest? Perhaps, I should teach you the rules in here.” I am not a fan of butting in other people’s business. Seeing it firsthand brought back some old memories. A few students gathered around and formed a small crowd.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize I passed by your table.” The girl gave of a cold demeaning tone. A 1^st year, flaunting her long deep brown with strokes of golden across her hair, as the uniform of Tempest perfectly suited her. She appears to be uninterested at the situation.

“Haaah, you think I'm done with you?”

She didn’t bother replying and casually walked away.

I reacted before I could think of a reason. The 2^nd year swung his right arm aiming for the girl. I used a blinding flash spell I frequently use in fights whenever someone picked on me. I never thought I would try to protect someone I had just met. Fortunately, she noticed what was happening and instantly disappeared from the cafeteria. Filled with frustration, noises of students mocking the 2^nd year student caused him to click his tongue in retaliation, to which the crowd responded as they subsided immediately, for me I exited swiftly before he traced the caster of the spell.

 

I managed to get out unnoticed at the back side of the cafeteria and left the main building. Finding a place to rest, the sandwich I grabbed from the cafeteria was already mushy. No one seems to be around near the solitary tree as I sat down gasping for breath. “What was her problem? I ended up using my flash spell.” I complained while taking a bite from the tightly gripped sandwich.

“Thanks, for helping me earlier.”

“Gaaah…! When did you get here?”

“Just now.” The crazy girl earlier sat beside me and ate her food as if nothing had happened. Her amber eyes were staring at the blank space.

“Why did you provoke them?” I thought, I should at least ask a few things.

“Just to pass time.”

“Waah, then maybe you didn’t need my help then.”

“I would’ve attacked him if you didn’t help earlier so I guess it turned out fine.” I couldn’t fathom where her confidence comes from. Though at the back of my mind, she might be an extraordinary student.

“Kan Uolo, Kan's fine.” I finished eating my sandwich and stood up.

“Mika Torri.”

‘Mika Torri...’ I didn’t say anything further and head on to my first class.

 

I wonder what the subject of this class would be. There was only the time given by the schedule and the location. I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t write the name of the class. I pondered while walking. I could sense someone on my back.

“Why are you following me?” I questioned as she adjusted her pace beside me.

“Weird, I thought you were the one following me.”

“Then that’s coincidental, Torri.”

“Mika. Call me Mika.” For some reason, she heavily insisted.

I didn’t bother thinking too much about it and walked ahead, once I reached the classroom she was still right behind my back.

“Why are you ignoring me?” Mika called out to me as I reached for the doorknob.

“Even if I don’t say anything, you’ll sit beside me, right?” I answered. This way she’ll be creeped out and decide to stay away. ‘A perfect plan I must say...’

“I guess so...” Faintly mumbling, her unexpected response stopped me from my tracks. “Eh...?” The door opened in return.

“What’re you standing there for? If you are in this class, then get inside immediately!”

Mika Torri just entered and sat beside where I was going to sit.

“You weren’t expecting such a response, am I right?”  As if she saw right through me, I got flustered suddenly. “What’s her deal?” I whispered.

“You are already a student of Tempest and I expect you to be in your best behavior. Now, I shall orient you. I assume you have your handbooks with you?” The professor started the class.

“Very well, place them in your tables and I shall add the guidelines and the following rules.” She kept orienting in a pace that was clear we didn’t find anything to question as she had remarked, “you must look into your handbook thoroughly the parts you have read might share a double meaning. We don’t encourage students to only focus on their magic manipulation, to increase their mana pool or to improve their affinity with an element. You must also be knowledgeable and be able to think critically. A calm mind wins the most fights.” 

We sat there reading the handbook as she explained further that there are important factors other than what we had already known.

“Now, before I go and start the class, I am Professor Miriam. Your first class as a student of Tempest would be history.”

A wave of dismay and sounds of unwillingness to listen slammed the room.

“Silence! Those who are unwilling to be in this class may resign themselves from the school. This class is a requirement for every student in the first-year level. If I hear any more noise of dismay, I’ll be sure to reprimand and throw them to a suspension.” In a snap of her fingers, our voices crashed downhill. Like a commander reprimanding the soldiers. We were left with our mouths zipped closed and listened through carefully until the end of the first class.

‘Damn, just a flick of her fingers our voices were swept like a sonic boom.’

 

After a fiery first class I headed towards the next one and Mika was nowhere to be seen. ‘I guess we only share the same first class in the morning.’

I spent the day listening to the teachers orienting us and talking about needless things. I observed that they didn’t bring the subject of practicing the wind element. I was quite suspicious as some of the classes have magic instructors and such. I was left wondering until the last class of the afternoon was over.

 

I mindlessly walked to the library, and this might already become a habit. I haven’t seen Mika Torri after the first class. ‘Wait...why am I thinking about that girl?’

“I should focus on practicing my wind element than think about her whereabouts.”

“Think about whom exactly?”

I didn’t realize I was already inside the library and my senior Sheila Neru was already here, once again creeping from my back.

“It’s nothing, hehe. By the way, there isn’t anyone else in here?” I felt the need to quickly change the subject.

“Well, there were earlier but most of them head back to their dorms or practice with their squads. The first event of the school would be a few months from now, so I guess they are busy.”

“Event? Oh, I have read it somewhere in the handbook, Annual Welcome Event or something.”

I reached out and gathered some books I wanted to read.

“That’s right, the Annual Welcome Event although most students refer to it as the First Trial.”

We sat down and curiously I asked, “The First Trial?”

“Basically, you first years are the center of the event. The details should be in the handbook it is a three-day event where you will compete and your names would be added in the rankings based on your first rank, rewards will be given to every student.”

“There are many things listed here, that means the handbook is like a treasure to the students then.”

“I guess you can say that. Once you lost yours you cannot get one.”

I reassess the importance of my handbook.

“Senpai, do you know why my key didn’t disintegrate?” I showed her as she leaned next to me disrupting my focus.

“Hmm, this is a rare case. From what I know there are a few reasons as to why this is the case.

“First, you activated a mechanism that allowed this key to exist. It may exist for a reason, or it might not. Secondly, there might be also cases of students having keys that didn’t disintegrate like yours in other Royal Schools. Still, here in Tempest there are no records of students that had keys like yours or it was probably erased. Lastly, it might just be a coincidence… Well, I think you should hold onto it. If it proves to be useful in the future.”

Sheila-san gave back the key, and I willingly took her advice.

“Are there any more questions, kouhai?”

“That’s all, thank you Sheila-san.” She stood up and get back to the librarian's seat.

I cannot possibly say I could not concentrate with her being close to me the whole time. The events of today took a heavy toll on me, as I took a deep breath, ‘Girls can be scary...’  afterwards I scrolled through the books I picked to take my mind from it.

Reading for a while, it was suddenly getting dark. I looked at the librarian’s seat and apparently senpai had already left. The head librarian was the one stationed.

“Umm, I would like to rent these.” I placed the books I had been reading earlier.

“Let me see your handbook.” I gave my handbook.

The main library never ceases to amaze me. Filled with countless books, the library from my hometown had only a few bookshelves compared here in Tempest which spans longer than what I can see.

“It’s all done…by the way you seem to be friends with Sheila.” Interrupted from admiring the library, the head librarian asked a question.

“Senpai? I guess so.”

“That girl doesn’t have that many friends. I hope you would continue being friends with her.”

“Of course.” I nodded and made my way outside the library.

‘So, Sheila-san doesn’t have that many friends…? I had a hunch she kind of gives that vibe despite being that sociable.’

 

I walked through the hallway whilst carrying the books I rented for the week. I silently paced myself once I could see figures of professors and got back to my room by half an hour.

 

“Haaah, I wonder how large this school is. Walking and walking...my legs are starting to feel heavier and heavier. I'm exhausted…” I lay down my bag at the desk and took a bath before turning in the night.

“I wonder if that crazy girl is all right…”

I closed my eyes in anticipation of tomorrow.

However, things didn’t go as it should be.

.

.

I couldn’t breathe… “…!” The shackles of the past continue to terror the present.

“Tsk…” I stood up and glanced at the window. “Still midnight.” I lit the lamp and continued reading where I left off yesterday. Time passed and the sun will set soon.

An hour since earlier, I noticed a presence and did not know if I was being paranoid, however I could feel someone staring me from the back.

I… quickly get out of the room and head towards the solitary tree earlier.

“I did not think I would keep dreaming about those things again. I should focus on what I’ve read, focus Kan.” I told myself as I began practicing incantations.

.

.

.

Soon that hour, the first class would begin. I was quite late and got into practicing too much. I walked inside and sat beside Mika, ‘she seems fine.’

“I saw you practicing earlier.” Just as I sat beside her, she remarked with black circles around her eyes.

“I see...” ‘Crap, why am I being awkward?’

“You’re probably thinking why I am so grumpy. I just woke up at the wrong side of the bed.” That was quite obvious from her mood did she pull an all-nighter, perhaps?

I didn’t pry any further as the teacher hurriedly asked us to keep quiet.

“Today, we will be doing practical tests. Head onto the practice grounds immediately.”  I guess we’ll be doing it today.

 

--------------------------------

 

We walked outside and head towards the practice grounds where there were underground arenas and such. I couldn’t believe how they were able to maintain this place. Jaws down, I was amazed.

As soon as we reached the designated practice ground, we were asked to form a line, based on our affinity with the wind element. I expected as much to be on one of the farther rows of the lines.

 

“Firstly, I will demonstrate what you will be doing today.”

She went on about how far each other should be, the amount of mana we were allowed to use, and basically to not do anything that would bring shame upon ourselves.

 I recalled what I studied earlier this morning. One of the factors for producing wind element is the flow of mana. I did manage to do it earlier although it was not even a second but a fraction of a second.

At the face of proving whether I learned something, I disregarded every unnecessary thought. ‘Focus...’ I extended my right arm and supported it with my left hand. ‘The flow of the mana...’ I took a deep breath. Envisioning helps a lot as the thought process can make a difference for any element you are using; I could feel the circulation of mana coursing through my body and gradually it manifests as it takes on the elemental particles of what I envision as a small burst of wind.

“Waahhh, he’s creating a cyclone!” I opened my eyes and took a glance of what was happening. It was the 2^nd son of the Allair Family, “Lionne Allair.” I shifted my gaze to my front and a small circulation of wind could be seen. ‘It worked...!’

Although, mine couldn’t compare to someone of the likes of the Allair student. I gritted my teeth in frustration. “Well done, Sir Lionne. I must say you exceeded my expectations. I have concluded that you passed the test.” Cheers from the young girls were directed to Lionne. “Quiet! You are still not done with your tests. Don’t expect me to pass you if I saw you slacking off!” Good to those who excel and strict to those who perform less than her standards. Truly, a fierce teacher.

I didn’t have the luxury to get lost in thought and be awe-struck. It took everything in my concentration to maintain this circulation of wind before it faintly vanishes. “Kan Uolo, you did well for being the second one to create a circulation of wind after Sir Lionne. Unfortunately, it appears you are reaching your limit. I could tell your mana pool will soon be expended. You passed the test for the feat to not fall behind at the start. I would suggest working on your mana pool and further cultivating your magic manipulation and knowledge, I could tell you’re a hardworking person, you may rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

‘Tsk... Do I need to be pitied before I pass the test?’  I could not accept such a thing. Still, I nodded and walked away. It might appear I did well, however it’s the opposite. Because I lack the prowess to manipulate my wind magic to pass the exam, I barely passed simply for the reason it was a coincidence that no one expected a practical test after the first day of class. ‘I simply cannot become what I wanted all along, huh?’

I exited the practice grounds. Staring at the blank space, footsteps of someone ahead. ‘Lionne Allair.’ I could not avoid it any further. There is an insurmountable gap between us, a hidden wall...

“Is it because I was not born to be one after all?”

“You should be proud.” A voice preaching words of encouragement.

“Lionne Allair.”

“I had my eyes on you since at the Post Office, Kan Uolo. True, there is a gap between us that seems farfetched for you to close. However, you were interesting at least back there. Like a spider longing for the moon.”

Silver hair and eyes. Quite a face he has.

“Let me give you this piece of advice. Talent triumphs hard work, yet people have proven to surpass those with talent, what do they share in common? A hidden talent. In the end, you have talent Kan Uolo, a talent you need to discover.”

Perhaps he noticed but there were people coming out of the other practice grounds. He didn’t say anything further and walked ahead out of the dome.

I was approached by a calm breeze grazing through my hair after leaving the underground training grounds.

“A talent...huh?” I didn’t think too deeply about it for now and attended the rest of the classes. Soon after, the classes ended and once again I head towards the library.

 

--------------------------------

 

I walked inside. “Senpai, seems to be not in here.” I murmured. Taking a seat, I started analyzing what I need to do in order to improve.

Recalling what Professor Miriam suggested for me to focus on, I wander around the aisle of bookshelves and stacked different books before neatly placing them to a chair as I skim through each one. I also took notes and covered a whole table by myself.

Lost in thought I began mumbling about things.

“What are you talking about?” Unaware as a person approached me from behind.

“Gaahhh...!”

It was Mika. I’ve been getting spooked by people from behind this past two days.

“I finally found you. It was really hard you know since you have a weak presence.”

“I didn’t ask for an insult.” I rearranged the books from the chair and let Mika sit beside me.

“It’s a gift.” She remarked quietly catching her breath.

‘Who the hell insults a person as a gift?’ A masochist...I thought.

“What do you want?” She might be trying to hide it, but I could see she might have been looking for me all over the campus for a while.

“I want you to teach me.” Her amber eyes peered through me fishing for my attention.

“Where is this going?” I asked confusingly glanding sideways.

“How you immediately created a circulation of wind during the practical test.”

As if a bomb had landed upon me. I remembered that terrific scene.

“Was it too insensitive of me to ask?” I did not reply for a few moments. What do I even do in this situation? At the very least I should see how this will turn out.

“Money... pay me money and I’ll teach you.”

“Haaah?”

“Quiet!” It was the head librarian. Mika apologized for being loud then switched her gaze to me. “Why do I have to pay money?”

“I ain't teaching you for free you know.” Replying with a cheapskate expression, she’s pretty weird. ‘Wait, why am I even looking at her intently?’ After contemplating, she gave up.

“Fine, I'll pay you tomorrow. What time exactly will you teach me?” I really don’t have any time for this.

“4:30 am be there or it won’t happen.”

“Wh-whaat?”

“I said quiet!” We were blown out of the library by the cast of a strong gust of wind.

“Why did you have to shout?” I expected for her to back out considering the condition I gave but instead she got the both of us kicked out of the library.

“You were being unreasonable with the time.” We stood up and decided to walk towards our dormitories.

“It’s my free time. I am a busy person after all.” I wonder if I’ll still be able to be enter there the next time I go.

“Uh huh…” She seemed unconvinced and let out a sigh.

On the other hand, I am glad that she hasn’t changed her attitude towards me after seeing that pathetic performance during the practical test. I guess I can consider her as an acquaintance.

“You were cool back there earlier you know…” Is she seriously stupid? Like, what...?

“… stop it it’s embarrassing.” Damn it, why am I getting teased so easily?

“Ahh, you blushed!” She pointed out. 'I let my guard down I didn’t expect her to compliment me like that.’

“But I am still weak. I should not be content with my abilities. I will improve no matter what it takes.” My blazing passion fiercely lit up.

“I think you'll be able to do it, Kan.” Her words somehow weighed heavily as it cleared my doubts a little.

“Seriously what is your problem?

“But thanks, Mika.” We both smiled in exchange of this heartfelt conversation.

Then after a while we reached my dormitory.

“Is this where you’re staying Kan?” Mika stopped walking ahead and looked back at me as I nodded before pointing out.

“By the way, you’re awfully cheery today. It suits you.” Her figure perfectly aligned with the sun, Mika Torri...

“Oh. ummm... Well, mine is still a few metres ahead. See you later!” Mika suddenly left in a hurry.

“Later!” We parted ways as I quickly head towards my room.

“I’m really acting weird today, I swear!” My dorm was a few blocks behind the building where her dorm was.

“But I guess, it’s not a bad day after all…” I cheerily mumbled in contentment.

For the first time in a while my mind seemed to be calmer and at peace. I stood still in front of my door thinking of what I should focus on improving first.

‘Wait...why is the door-’

“I’ve been waiting...”

As soon as I opened the door, a voice welcomed me.