Chapter 66: The Flow of Beginning
Darius stirred awake in the dorm he shared with Kai and Aiden, the faint glow of dawn seeping through the narrow window, casting soft light over the cluttered room—books strewn across a worn desk, Kai’s blankets a chaotic heap, Aiden’s bed neatly made, its owner likely already buried in the library. A faint hum drew his eyes to his desk, where an enchanted scroll lay, its edges shimmering with golden runes, delivered overnight like a silent promise. His heart quickened, the sting in his shoulder from Cassia’s duel a faint ache, grounding him as he reached for the scroll. Unfurling it, he traced the glowing text, his official schedule unfolding: Study of Fire, Study of Air, Study of Water at 9 AM, Study of Earth, Study of Spirit, and Study of Genetic Alchemy. The words Hydromancy Nexus beside Study of Water caught his eye, alongside the instructor’s name, Professor Thalassa, sparking curiosity about hydromancy’s fluid power. He leaned back, the scroll’s light dancing across his face, his mind swirling with Ignatus’s mentorship, the Storm Visionary’s ancient wisdom urging him forward. Lucien’s tournament victory loomed, a shadow driving his vow to refine Anemoi Shades’ mana-targeting flaw, the pressure mixing with excitement as he envisioned mastering his classes, closing the gap with his rival.
He exhaled, the dorm’s musty scent of old books grounding him, and stood, the floorboards creaking softly. The schedule felt like a map to his future, each class a step toward surpassing Lucien, preventing the dark future he sensed in whispers. Study of Water’s unique venue intrigued him most—hydromancy’s fluidity, its potential for healing or tidal force, promised versatility he craved. His thoughts flickered to Elara, the girl from the forest celebration, her quiet smile and sharp wit lingering in his memory, a crush that quickened his pulse. What if she was in his class? The thought sent a nervous thrill through him, tempering his ambition with a softer anticipation as he dressed in fresh robes, their deep blue fabric crisp against his skin, and grabbed his notes, the papers still crinkled from yesterday’s training.
Stepping into the academy’s corridors, Darius was swept into first-day chaos—students darted past, casting minor spells that sparked in the air, runes on stone walls pulsing with mana, their glow painting the halls in hues of blue and gold. Laughter and shouts mingled with the hum of magic, the campus alive with energy as he wove through the crowd, his notes tucked under his arm. He reached a quiet hall, far from the main bustle, where a nondescript door awaited, marked with a hydromancy rune—a swirling wave etched in silver. As he approached, the rune glowed, the door shimmering into a portal that pulsed with cool, misty air. He stepped through, a rush of mana enveloping him, seamless and exhilarating, depositing him on the edge of a vast pond, its surface shimmering with mana, the academy’s mystical depth laid bare. His anticipation soared, the surreal setting a promise of the wonders to come.
The classroom was unlike any other—a boundless pond, its water rippling with faint mana, surrounded by lush ferns and glowing water lilies, their petals casting soft blues and greens across the surface. Mist curled upward, obscuring any walls or ceiling, suggesting an extradimensional space, serene yet charged with potential. Darius instinctively called on Anchor Step, a technique learned before the tournament, anchoring his mana to the water’s surface. His boots touched the pond, ripples spreading outward, but he stood firm, the water holding his weight like solid ground. He marveled at the setting, the cool mist brushing his skin, the scent of damp moss and aquatic flora filling his lungs, the pond’s mana humming softly, a gentle pulse that amplified his sense of wonder. The air felt alive, the lilies’ glow reflecting in the water, casting his silhouette in shifting hues.
He wasn’t alone. A small group of students—eight or nine, all tournament survivors—stood or sat on the water, their Anchor Step holding them steady. Their diversity struck him: an elf with flowing silver hair, a gnome tinkering with a glowing trinket, a tiefling with crimson skin, and a merfolk whose scales shimmered like the pond itself. His heart skipped as he spotted Elara among them, her auburn hair catching the lily-light, her eyes scanning the water with quiet curiosity. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and he hesitated, his crush sparking a nervous flutter, but he stepped closer, his boots sending faint ripples across the pond. "Hey, Elara," he said, his voice softer than intended, aiming for casual but betraying a hint of warmth. "Didn’t expect to see you in Study of Water."
She turned, her smile small but genuine, her eyes glinting with recognition from the forest party. "Darius, right? Figured you’d go for something flashy like fire," she teased, her tone light, easing his nerves. "Hydromancy’s got depth, though. You ready for it?"
He grinned, relaxing slightly, the pond’s hum steadying him. "Yeah, hoping it’s as versatile as they say. You?"
"Always," she said, her smile widening, a spark of confidence in her voice. "Water’s got secrets. Let’s see if Thalassa can teach us to find them." The other students chatted softly, their voices mingling with the water’s ripples, speculation about the professor hanging in the air, the pond’s serene energy holding them all in its embrace.
Darius settled onto the water’s surface, his Anchor Step steady, the pond’s faint mana pulse thrumming beneath his boots. The small group of students—nine in total, all tournament survivors—formed a loose circle, their diverse forms reflected in the shimmering water: an elf with silver hair flowing like a stream, a gnome fidgeting with a glowing orb, a tiefling’s crimson tail flicking impatiently, and a merfolk whose scales caught the lilies’ glow, their eyes scanning the pond with quiet reverence. Elara sat cross-legged nearby, her auburn hair glinting in the blue-green light, her presence a quiet pull on Darius’s attention, his crush sparking a warmth in his chest. He forced his focus outward, the pond’s cool mist brushing his face, the scent of damp moss and aquatic flora grounding him. The classroom’s extradimensional nature—no walls, just mist and ferns stretching into a hazy horizon—felt like a world apart, its serenity a stark contrast to the academy’s usual chaos, amplifying his anticipation for what Study of Water could unlock.
The students’ chatter grew hushed, their speculation about Professor Thalassa intensifying. "Heard she’s a water elemental," the elf whispered, her voice soft as a breeze, her air-aligned mana shimmering faintly. "Or maybe a hydromancer who’s mastered liquid form," the tiefling countered, his fiery grin sharp with excitement. The gnome, tinkering with his orb, snorted. "Doesn’t matter what she is, as long as she teaches us tidal surges." The merfolk remained silent, their gaze fixed on the pond, as if sensing something the others couldn’t. Darius leaned toward Elara, keeping his voice low, playful. "What’s your bet? Elemental or mage?"
She tilted her head, her smile sly, her eyes catching the lily-light. "Mage, but one who’s half-water already. You don’t get a rep like Thalassa’s without blurring some lines." Her confidence, laced with curiosity, sent a flutter through him, and he nodded, his own curiosity spiking. "Guess we’ll see," he said, his tone matching hers, the pond’s ripples mirroring their quiet connection. The group’s banter faded, a shared tension rising as the water stirred faintly, its surface trembling, the mana hum deepening, hinting at something imminent.
Darius’s thoughts drifted to Ignatus, the Storm Visionary, whose ancient wisdom had sparked his excitement for Study of Spirit. If Thalassa was half as legendary, Study of Water could teach him to wield hydromancy’s fluidity—waves for defense, surges for attack, healing mists to mend wounds. His mind flickered to Anemoi Shades, its mana-targeting flaw a lingering concern, but he imagined weaving spirit magic’s intent into water spells, making them as precise as his clones could be. Lucien’s shadow loomed, his rival’s tournament victory a spur, pushing Darius to master every class, to become untouchable. The pond’s glow intensified, the lilies pulsing brighter, and the students fell silent, their eyes fixed on the water, the air thick with expectation.
The pond erupted in a graceful spiral, water rising in a shimmering column, its flow mesmerizing, like liquid starlight woven with mana. The students gasped, their Anchor Step wavering, ripples spreading beneath them as the column coalesced into a figure—Professor Thalassa. Her form was liquid elegance, translucent yet solid, her robes of flowing water shimmering with blues and greens, her eyes glowing like twin sapphires. She stood on the pond, her presence commanding yet warm, the water rippling around her as if alive, responding to her will. The mist parted, the lilies’ glow framing her, and Darius’s breath caught, his awe mirrored in Elara’s wide eyes beside him. Thalassa’s form shifted, water cascading gently, her voice resonant like a gentle tide, carrying across the pond.
"Welcome, students, to Study of Water," she said, her tone warm but resonant, each word rippling the surface beneath them. "I am Professor Thalassa, and I thank you for choosing this path. Hydromancy is fluidity, adaptability, power—it flows through life, heals, and destroys. You, tournament survivors, have earned this chance to wield its secrets." Her gaze swept the group, lingering on each student, her sapphire eyes piercing yet kind, as if seeing their potential. "You’ll learn to shape waves, summon tides, weave mists that mend or obscure. But more, you’ll learn to flow with magic’s current, to become one with it."
Darius’s heart raced, her words igniting his anticipation. The pond’s mana pulsed stronger, the lilies glowing in sync with her voice, the air alive with possibility. He glanced at Elara, her expression rapt, her fingers twitching as if eager to cast. The elf nodded solemnly, the tiefling grinned, the merfolk’s scales shimmered with quiet pride, and even the gnome paused his tinkering, captivated. Thalassa raised a hand, water swirling around it, forming a delicate orb that hovered, its surface reflecting the students’ faces. "This class will challenge you," she continued, her voice a soothing current, "but it will also free you. Hydromancy is not just control—it’s harmony. Are you ready?"
The students nodded, a collective murmur of assent, their mana flaring faintly, rippling the pond. Darius felt a surge of resolve, his vow to surpass Lucien burning brighter, Study of Water a new path to power. Thalassa’s form shimmered, water cascading as she smiled, the orb dissolving into mist. "Good," she said, her voice a promise. "We have much to learn, and we begin now." The pond glowed, its light enveloping the class, Darius’s anticipation soaring, his crush on Elara a quiet spark amid his ambition, the serene classroom a canvas for the magic he’d master.