VEL'KORA ACADEMY

Chapter 2: Introductions

Ilony took her seat by the window in the Magic Class, her gaze drifting out to the distant mountains. The first class of the day was always the most tedious—filled with introductions, unnecessary chatter, and expectations. She had always preferred the quiet, her mind focused more on her magical abilities than on mingling with her peers.

As the room filled with students, she noticed him again—the boy with the silver eyes. As always, he walked in with an air of detachment, his neat uniform still pristine despite the bustling atmosphere around him. He quietly slipped into the seat at the back of the room, far from the other students.

Her attention, however, was quickly diverted to the two figures near the front. The twins, Jax and Jon. They were an unavoidable presence, especially when they were busy making a spectacle of themselves. Jax, the shorter of the two, had spiky blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that glinted with arrogance. Jon, the taller one, had his hair slicked back in a flawless style, and his expression matched the cockiness of his twin. Both of them wielded lightning magic, and from their posture, they acted like they owned the room.

As they passed by the back, Jax sneered, his voice low but clear, “Hey, look who’s sitting alone, the quiet girl with the empty eyes. Afraid of us, are you?”

Jon snickered beside him. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re not here to bite. Unless, of course, you want us to.”

Ilony didn’t respond, keeping her eyes on the distant mountains. But the taunts didn’t stop. Jax’s voice rang out again. “You should be grateful, little girl. We’re the strongest in the class, and we just might go easy on you.”

Before Ilony could think about how to respond—or ignore them entirely—there was a sudden shift in the atmosphere. The professor walked into the room, his presence commanding immediate attention. He was tall, with dark hair neatly swept to the side, and his expression was stern, his eyes sharp like a hawk’s. He wore a long robe embroidered with symbols of power, his aura one of authority and no-nonsense professionalism.

"Enough," he said, his voice cold and direct. "You two," he gestured at Jax and Jon, "sit down. This is class, not a circus."

The twins immediately shut up, both sitting down with a clear reluctance, though their glares still lingered on Ilony.

The professor’s gaze swept across the room. “I am Professor Dorian Velhart. I will be your instructor for Magic Class. You are here to learn control, precision, and the true nature of your elemental magic. If you think this will be easy, then leave now.”

No one moved.

“Good,” Professor Velhart continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Today is your introduction. I want each of you to state your name and your element. And if you are brave enough, I expect you to demonstrate at least a small amount of your magical ability.”

One by one, students introduced themselves.

The girl beside Ilony, who introduced herself as Ava, was overly eager. She had bright purple hair that shimmered in the light, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “Hi! I’m Ava! I’m from the Moonlight Vale! My magic is Light Magic, and I’ve been training since I was young! Oh, and I just know we’re going to be best friends!”

Ilony didn’t answer, simply nodding as Ava continued to talk incessantly. It wasn’t that Ava was unkind—it was just that she was loud, and Ilony had little patience for the constant chatter. She would occasionally give a short answer or a slight nod, but it wasn’t enough to deter Ava from talking.

Ilony was about to tune out again when Ava leaned in and whispered, “So, do you think he’s cute?”

Ilony glanced at the boy in the back, who was still sitting in silence, eyes lowered. He didn’t seem to care about the attention he was getting—or the lack of it.

“Who?” Ilony asked, already uninterested.

“The boy with the glasses,” Ava said, her voice rising in excitement. “He’s sitting there, like a mystery. I bet he’s strong. I mean, look at his glasses. They hide something, don’t you think?”

Ilony barely raised an eyebrow but chose to say nothing.

The twins at the front were mocking the boy now. Jax leaned toward Jon and muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, “Hey, what do you think? That guy? He doesn’t even belong here. No way he has any real magic.”

Jon grinned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You think he’s some kind of genius hiding behind those glasses? He’s probably just another failure who managed to scrape through the entrance exams.”

Ilony could feel the tension in the air, but she remained silent, unwilling to get involved. She simply watched as the boy kept his head down, not acknowledging their taunts. It was odd. Everyone else seemed to ignore him completely, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something far more powerful lurking beneath his calm exterior.

The boy finally stood, his movements slow and controlled, though his posture was deliberately uncertain. He adjusted his glasses, which seemed to conceal his eyes further, before he spoke.

“My name is Darius Blackthorn,” he said in a low, measured voice. “My magic is... Shadow Magic.”

The room went still as his words hung in the air. There was an undercurrent of curiosity, but also a heavy skepticism, especially from the twins at the front. Jax and Jon exchanged looks, clearly unimpressed.

Darius closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, a small, wispy tendril of darkness began to coil from his hand. It was weak, barely more than a shadow stretching over his palm, flickering out of control as if it were too difficult for him to manage. His brow furrowed as he struggled, his fingers trembling slightly. The shadow flickered again and disappeared entirely.

He lowered his hand and gave a small, apologetic bow to the class. “I’m sorry. It’s... not fully under control yet.”

The twins couldn’t hold back their mocking laughter.

“Ha! What a joke,” Jax sneered. “You call that magic? You should just stick to reading your books. You clearly can’t even summon a decent shadow.”

Jon snickered. “Yeah, Blackthorn, try using a real spell next time. If you even can.”

But Ilony wasn’t laughing. She was watching him closely, her sharp eyes narrowing as she focused on the faint aura that surrounded Darius. His presence was far more overwhelming than the weak display he had put on, and no one else seemed to notice it. The shadows around him were faint but pulsing with a force that couldn’t be hidden. It was like a dark wave that only she could feel—a quiet power that lingered just beneath his mask of feigned weakness.

Her gaze flicked to Professor Velhart, whose expression had darkened ever so slightly, as if he too sensed the power in Darius. He was silent, but his eyes were calculating, waiting.

Ilony could sense it now, the restrained, controlled aura that seemed to pulse with potential. She had never seen magic like it before, and she couldn’t help but feel that only a few people in the room—herself, the professor—could see through the veil of Darius’s act.

The professor cleared his throat, and the moment of tension snapped. “That will be enough, Blackthorn,” he said with a nod. “You’ve demonstrated enough for today. Sit down.”

Darius returned to his seat without a word, his shoulders slightly hunched as if to hide his true power. His eyes lowered, his demeanor once again neutral, but Ilony couldn’t shake the feeling that he was biding his time.

Jax and Jon made no attempt to mock him further, clearly unsure how to respond now. The room’s energy shifted, and the weight of Darius’s presence seemed to hang in the air.

Ilony returned her attention to the front, feeling the residual pulse of his magic fade into the background. She didn’t need to think about it further. But one thing was clear—there was far more to Darius Blackthorn than what anyone else saw.

And for some reason, she was sure he had his reasons for keeping it hidden.