Now River stood at the front of the class beside Alerus. Chairs creaked; no one even whispered. River couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction. After what had happened earlier, it was clear they weren’t sure what to make of him. And that, for once, worked in his favor.

  Introductions followed as Alerus motioned him forward. First was Kidrin.

  She was short—small at first glance—but carried herself with an effortless confidence that made her seem much larger. Her hair was a soft brown, but it was her eyes that got River’s full attention. Rings of color framed her gaze: emerald green at the center where the pupil should have been, followed by a thin white ring, and then an outer band of red so vivid it seemed almost alive.

  Next was Philip.

  A stocky boy, a few years older than Kidrin, with smooth cheeks and a tight buzz of hair on his head. One of his eyes was a dark brown; the other, a piercing yellow.

  The yellow in his eyes pulled a shudder from him—too close to the creature that had killed Lud.

  Astra came next.

  Her dark skin and tight afro hinted she might have come from the Wastelands. He had never seen anyone from there but had heard stories.

  She was tall, with powerful shoulders and muscles clearly visible even beneath the flowing robes. Her eyes, dark red, burned with a quiet intensity that made River instinctively wary.

  And finally, Malcolm.

  The oldest of the group. He was tall, bald, and carried himself with the unmistakable arrogance of someone who believed they had already won whatever game they were playing.

  River snorted quietly to himself—the man looked like a thumb with ears. Then Malcolm turned. River froze.

  His eyes were completely yellow, just like Philip’s.

  Only colder.

  Hungrier. Though he hadn’t really gotten to know all of them, he already knew that Malcolm wasn’t going to become his friend, at least not voluntarily.

  River stood stiffly beside Alerus as the headmaster leaned down, bringing his mouth close to River’s ear and whispering,

  "You'll have to show them. Trust me. And them. Or we can’t move forwards." River’s heart sank. He had been dreading this moment. The chance of keeping his secret hidden seemed to shrink with every passing day. But he needed Alerus’s help.

  And maybe, just maybe, if he showed the others, he would earn a little respect. Maybe Kidrin could even help him.

  He stared at his feet, forcing himself to breathe. Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled back the essence shielding his eyes. Then, raising his head, he looked at them.

  The effect was immediate. His irises shimmered brighter than before—more vivid, more alive. He pushed more essence into them, letting the other colors within the pearl white bloom. He didn’t know why… only that the swirling currents of earth, fire, water, and air had grown stronger. He swept his gaze across his new classmates.

  Kidrin leaned forward slightly, her expression sharpening with curiosity.

  Astra stiffened, a flicker of fear flashing across her face.

  Malcolm’s jaw worked; his gaze cut deep, then focused on Alerus.

  Philip barely reacted.

  River swallowed hard.

  He'd shown them. There was no turning back now. Steeling himself, he shared the most important parts. How he had awakened. His journey here. The creature. How he'd tricked the entrance exam crystal. He kept some things to himself. There were still secrets he wasn't ready to let go of. When he finished, Alerus took a step forward, his expression sharpening.

  His voice cut through the room like a blade.

  "If this leaves this room," Alerus said, each word slow and heavy, "you'll have me to deal with."

  Malcolm was the only one who tried to speak. He opened his mouth—

  —but before any sound could escape, Alerus brushed him off with a flick of his hand, silencing him without a word.

  Silence fell.

  The threat lingered. Alerus clapped once. “Outside.” He left, nothing else needed to be said. The students hesitated for half a second, stunned, before hurrying after him. Kidrin fell into step beside River, flashing him a mischievous grin.

  "Damn, that’s cool," Kidrin whispered. "Your eyes are even cooler than mine." Kidrin’s grin read like an apology.

  He wasn’t sure if he was ready to let it go — not completely — but he wouldn’t be rude about it either. Still, he couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips.

  “Thanks,” he said quietly, pulling a thin veil of essence back over his irises. No one else needed to know. Not yet. And maybe, just maybe… he wasn’t going to be shut out completely. Malcolm’s gaze across the group seemed to burn through River. The hatred there was unmistakable—burning, raw, and undimmed by what had just happened. Even now, Malcolm still looked at River like he was something lesser.

  Philip remained quiet, watching from the edges like a shadow. River wasn’t sure what to make of him—distant, unreadable. He didn’t seem to care if River was there.

  The weight of it all settled on River’s shoulders. His arrival had stirred something deep. Malcolm was pissed. Furious. They chatted casually as they walked — nothing serious, but River found himself grateful for it.

  It distracted him, kept the heavier questions gnawing at his mind at bay, if only for a little while. They took a different route, slipping through a narrow back entrance that River hadn't noticed before. Beyond the towering walls of the academy lay a broad green hill, overlooking a vast, dense forest.

  River stopped for a second, stunned by how good it felt, the open air on his skin, the soft grass underfoot, and the clean scent of earth and trees. He hadn’t realized just how much he'd missed this. Alerus strode a few paces ahead, then sat down cross-legged on the hill, motioning for the others to join him. "Today," Alerus said, voice calm but firm, "I want you to practice soul training out here. But there’s a catch. While you train, I’ll be attacking each of you mentally. It will strengthen your focus. Your ability to multitask.” And for those of you with multiple affinities "his gaze flicked briefly to River" this will be critical if you ever want to juggle them properly." Without a word, the students obeyed, dropping into seated positions around Alerus. The grass was damp beneath River's robes, but he didn’t care.

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  Here, outside under the sky, with the forest breathing in the distance... he felt lighter.

  Freer than he had since the moment he'd arrived at the academy. River took a deep breath, glancing at the others as they began closing their eyes, essence already thickening around them like a rising tide. Oh, crap. Right.

  He should probably get started too.

  He closed his eyes and sank inward. The familiar world greeted him, the vast inner space of river, forest, storm, and fire. The elements pulsed, waiting, ready. Then it hit him. A sharp, slicing pain knifed through his mind. cold and sudden, like someone driving ice through his thoughts. His inner world shattered. His large reserves—the only advantage he had—were useless here.

  Alerus’s attacks were too precise, slipping through any weakness in his focus and striking where it hurt most. The fire leapt into an uncontrollable blaze. The storm roared, tearing open the sky with violent crashes of lightning. The ground buckled beneath him.

  River’s eyes snapped open with a gasp. He was back on the hill. The sky overhead, The grass under his hands. All around him, the others still sat, calm, their eyes closed, still locked in their training. River swallowed hard. What if Alerus realized he had no idea what he was doing? What if this was where the truth came out? He didn’t belong here. That the school had made a mistake? He couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t end up back on the streets. Not now—not ever. He continued to repeat the exercise each time the same cold pressure descended on him, but each time he could last a little longer, push it back a little better.

  Suddenly, Alerus’s voice rang out, loud and clear, slicing through the murmurs and idle movements.

  “For the final hour, we’ll shift to some soul dueling. Pair up. The last student left without a partner will be mine.” River turned instinctively, scanning the room for Kidrin. But before he could catch her eye, she was already striding up to Alerus, her posture straight, chin high—clearly staking her claim as the teacher’s sparring partner. Nearby, Astra and Philip exchanged a grin and moved together without hesitation, already laughing as if the idea of sparring was just another game between them.

  That left River with exactly one option.

  Malcolm. River hesitated, every muscle in his body tightening. The man had barely concealed his resentment since day one. Still, River drew in a slow breath and made his way over, each step heavy with reluctance. His eyes stayed fixed on the ground, hoping to project something close to neutrality—or at least, disinterest. “Hello, Malcolm,” he said, keeping his tone even. “Looks like it’s us.” Malcolm snorted, the sound harsh. “Yeah. Lucky me.” He folded his arms and tilted his head, eyes scanning River with barely disguised contempt. “I won’t learn anything from this. What’s the point?” River held his tongue. A dozen retorts danced on the edge of his thoughts, but he swallowed them all. Alerus placed a crystal ball between each pair. They sat across from each other readying when Malcolm spoke “ What element do you want. You need all the help you can get.” River thought for a moment. “Earth.” Malcolm gave a dismissive nod and placed his hand on the crystal ball, already channeling. A warm brown glow pulsed from the orb as his essence flowed into it—steady, confident, unshaken. River waited, watching carefully. Then he reached out, his fingers brushing the smooth surface as he began to channel his own essence. It started before River could even react.

  Malcolm wasn’t just channeling—he was attacking. His presence slammed into River’s connection like a series of blunt hammers, each strike more precise than the last. River could feel Malcolm testing him, gauging his defenses, calibrating an unseen strategy. For every second that River held his ground, he felt his grip slipping. His control frayed. Cold crept through his limbs. He wouldn’t lose. Not to Malcolm. River dug deeper, imagining his essence not as something separate, but as part of the earth itself. He let his consciousness blend with the stone, the soil, the stillness. Suddenly, Malcolm’s attacks were weak. Petty. River pushed back. But something was wrong. He had drawn in too much. The ground itself had become his conduit, and the sheer volume of essence was overwhelming. The crystal ball trembled beneath their hands. River fought to pull the surge back, but it was too late. A sharp crack—brown light flared, then the orb burst apart, shards spinning as a concussive bang rolled through the hall.

  Silence followed.

  All eyes turned to them. Every soul battle had come to a halt. Malcolm took a step back, eyes gleaming, a cruel satisfaction curling his lips.′ “Your magic is feral,” he sneered. “You’re a danger to everyone here. Get your sh—” “Enough,” Alerus snapped, stepping in before Malcolm could finish. “He’s learning,” the teacher said, tone final. “River, come here. We’ll switch partners.” River’s legs felt heavy as he walked toward Alerus. He could feel the others’ stares—curious, wary, judgmental—pressing into his back like a physical weight. He kept his gaze low, refusing to meet their eyes. “Begin again,” Alerus said calmly, producing another crystal orb and placing it between them. He looked River in the eye, his voice softer this time. “It’s alright. You’re learning. What element do you want to work with?” River hesitated. He couldn’t afford another misstep. He needed something familiar—something that flowed through him like instinct. “Light,” he said. Before he could even prepare, Alerus placed his hand on the orb and began channeling. The battle resumed instantly—bright, blinding, and fast. Alerus was kind — but he didn’t go easy on River. Every time River thought he was making progress, Alerus would knock him flat again. It was like pushing a boulder uphill. Just when the summit was within reach, the weight would shift, and the boulder would tumble back to the bottom.

  No matter how hard he pushed, how focused he became, there was always another layer, another lesson, another failure waiting just ahead. River could understand why Kidrin had wanted Alerus as her sparring partner. They trained like that. Channeling, testing and adjusting until the sky darkened and the air turned cool.

  By the end, River's body was hollow — worn to the core. The cold had crept into his bones, stiffening every limb. He felt frayed, like someone yanked out of a short nap after days without sleep. His mind confused, raw, and angry at the world without knowing why. Alerus finally stood, brushed himself off, and flashed a wide grin.

  “Well done for today,” he said. “Tomorrow is runes.” A chorus of groans rippled through the group.

  “Runes class is fucking hell.”

  River looked around, confused. That sounded interesting.

  He didn’t say anything, just tucked the reaction away like everything else.