Chapter :9
Aflety Magic Academy buzzed with life. Morning bells chimed across the spired towers, summoning students from all races and noble lines. It had been nearly a week since the entrance exam, and Evan was slowly adjusting to life within the academy's ancient stone halls.
His beast—a sleek black serpent with tiny wings curled along its back—slithered lazily across his desk as the boy flipped through a textbook on elemental convergence.
"I swear if you eat my ink bottle again, I'm naming you 'Trouble,'" Evan said flatly.
The Basilisk paused mid-slide, turned its head, and gave him what felt like a smug stare.
"Oh don't look at me like that," Evan muttered. "You already burnt through two of my quills with that aura spike last night."
The serpent flicked its tongue… then bumped its head softly against Evan's palm.
Evan sighed, running his fingers along the smooth scales. "What am I supposed to name you, anyway?"
A knock at the door interrupted him.
"Evaaaan~ Open up!"
The voice was unmistakable—Lilith Laistrygones, his noble vampire fiancée. Before he could react, the door burst open.
Lilith strode in gracefully, her silvery hair cascading behind her like moonlight. "We're going to be late for Professor Halbrecht's class, you know."
"Couldn't you just knock like a normal person?" Evan grumbled.
"I did. You were too busy talking to your snake," she said, teasing. Then she looked at the Basilisk and smiled. "Still hasn't told you its name?"
"It doesn't talk," Evan said, standing up. "And I'm not about to let you name it something embarrassing like 'Wiggly.'"
Lilith blinked innocently. "I was thinking something cuter. Like… Obsidian Fluff."
The Basilisk let out a low hiss in protest, curling its wings defensively.
Evan groaned, "We are not calling it Obsidian Fluff."
After a short breakfast in the marble-walled dining hall, Evan found himself walking the academy's inner courtyards. The air shimmered faintly with magical essence; glowing glyphs floated above pillars, whispering old spells from a forgotten tongue. The Basilisk peeked out from under his cloak, its small head turning left and right in curiosity.
"Looks like you're interested in the academy, too," Evan murmured, hiding a small smile.
A sudden breeze blew through the courtyard—strong, spiraling.
"Wind affinity detected," a voice announced.
Evan turned and saw a tall woman with flowing sky-blue robes descending from above, standing atop a glowing rune circle. Her golden spectacles reflected the sunlight as she stepped forward.
"Professor Lirien Arwynn," she introduced herself with a bow. "Instructor of Wind and Aerial Magic."
Her eyes landed on the Basilisk.
"…Fascinating. A young Basilisk with such thick elemental aura… Darkness and Water, if I'm correct?" she said, her voice both curious and gentle.
Evan nodded hesitantly.
Professor Lirien chuckled. "It's rare to see something so ancient bound to someone so young. You must be talented—or terribly lucky."
"Probably both," came a voice from behind.
Gareth Ironfang arrived, arms folded, grinning smugly. "Yo, Rochel! What's it like walking around with a literal myth under your cloak?"
Evan sighed. "It's not like I asked for it."
Gareth leaned in. "Sure you didn't. Just like I didn't ask to be this good-looking."
Lilith rolled her eyes. "Oh, spare us."
Professor Lirien laughed lightly, clearly entertained by the banter. "You four are a lively bunch. Well then, if you're not in class yet, you may want to explore the Arcane Menagerie. I hear Professor Erivan is preparing to assign semester familiars to the lower ranks. Could be worth a look."
"Arcane Menagerie?" Evan asked.
"It's where students without beasts attempt bonding trials. Not all succeed," she said, before lifting off in a swirl of wind and light.
Evan turned to Lilith, Silva, and Gareth.
"Wanna check it out?" he asked.
"Of course," said Lilith, stepping closer.
"If we must," Silva said softly from the nearby bench where she'd been reading unnoticed.
Gareth stretched. "Sounds better than sitting in a scroll-filled room all day."
The group walked off, unaware that in the shadows of the courtyard archways, black eyes were watching them—belonging to a cloaked figure with a silver ring etched with the sigil of a crow's talon.
The Arcane Menagerie was a domed building on the southern edge of the academy, nestled between two enchanted greenhouses. From the outside, it looked like a conservatory—glass and silver, humming with subtle magic—but inside, it was something far more alive.
The moment the group entered, Evan was hit by an overwhelming variety of auras. Creatures of all sizes—tiny glowing sprites, multi-tailed foxes, birds of fire, and earthen golems—stood or floated within domed enclosures marked with runes. There were over a hundred beast habitats, and dozens of students were scattered around, either observing or attempting bonding rituals.
"Whoa," Gareth said, eyes wide. "This place is wild."
A small furball with bat wings flew at him. "Hey—! Get off me!" Gareth flailed, as it latched onto his head like a fluffy hat.
Lilith giggled, covering her mouth. "It likes you."
"It wants my soul," Gareth muttered, wrestling it off.
Even Silva allowed herself a light smirk.
Evan chuckled quietly, his Basilisk peeking out to hiss softly at the flying furball, which promptly flew away in fear.
As the group walked deeper into the Menagerie, a gentle voice called out.
"Ah, the young prodigies from Class Alpha."
An elderly elf with silver eyes and long flowing hair approached. His robes were embroidered with images of mythical creatures—dragons, phoenixes, chimeras.
"I am Professor Erivan," he said, bowing slightly. "Caretaker of this sacred place. I see you've brought a rather… special companion."
He knelt slightly to meet the Basilisk's eyes.
"It has not yet been named, has it?" he asked.
Evan looked down at the small serpent curled around his wrist.
"No… not yet."
The professor smiled. "A name is not just a label. For magical beasts, it's a bond—a thread of soul and spirit. Choose it with care."
Evan looked at the Basilisk. Its violet eyes stared back at him—old and deep, despite its youth. He thought back to the night it hatched, the dark light, the overwhelming presence, and the silent connection they shared.
Afternoon sun streamed through the crystalline ceiling of the Menagerie as Evan and the others exited the dome, the soft weight of Umbra still curled around his wrist like an ornament of living shadow.
Outside, the air felt lighter, but the week ahead was anything but.
Aflety's First Semester Evaluation was fast approaching—a brutal three-day exam series that tested every student's magical foundation, theoretical understanding, and beast synergy.
And as the top-ranked class—Class Alpha—they'd be expected to shine.
Which explained why Silva had dragged the entire group to the North Library, a colossal stone fortress of knowledge carved into the mountainside, surrounded by floating books and spirits of ancient scholars that occasionally whispered notes to worthy students.
Evan stared up at the front steps. "This place feels like it's going to eat me."
Gareth groaned. "Study again? Can't we just… I don't know, wing it?"
"Wing it and you'll be wingless," Cassia muttered. "The evaluation tests more than spellwork. Expect complex theory, artifact analysis, and beast command trials."
Lilith was already flipping through a book. "I think it sounds fun."
"You think everything is fun," Gareth grumbled.
Lilith grinned and leaned toward Evan, her voice soft and teasing. "Will you sit beside me during study, Evan? I promise not to bite."
Evan blinked, startled, before his ears turned a soft red. "I… I'll be fine here."
"Aw, so cold," she said, but her smile never faded.
Umbra hissed lightly at her, tail flicking with what Evan swore was amusement.
The library had no assigned seating, so they gathered around one of the large circular tables. Silva pulled out parchment scrolls and organized textbooks with frightening speed.
"You," she pointed at Evan, "need help with your elemental matrices."
"What? I already know the twelve elements—"
"Knowing and using are different. Recite the primary and secondary resonance chains. Now."
Evan sighed. "Fine…"
He took a deep breath. "The Twelve Elements are: Nature, Water, Fire, Wind, Time, Darkness, Light, Ice, Earth, Space, Belt, and Metal. Primary resonance pairs include Water and Ice, Fire and Wind, Earth and Metal… Secondary includes Darkness and Time, Light and Space…"
Silva nodded. "Better. But you skipped Belt's resonance. And no, it's not just binding. Belt magic governs containment, compression, and tension—especially in beast binding."
"I didn't skip it," Evan said defensively. "I just… forgot it for a second."
"I'll quiz you again tomorrow," she said with a smirk.
Meanwhile, Gareth had managed to accidentally set his own notes on fire. Again.
"GODDAMN IT!"
"Use a Water spell—" Evan started.
"I'm an Earth user! I'll punch it out!"
Cassia sighed and raised a hand, a gust of chilled wind extinguishing the flame with a flick of her fingers. "Neanderthal."
"You're all so mean to me," Gareth muttered, brushing ash off his sleeves.
The group spent hours studying. There were mistakes. There were jokes. At one point, Umbra coiled itself around a floating book and refused to let it go until Lilith bribed it with a drop of Beast Nectar.
Evan couldn't remember the last time he laughed so much.
That night, long after the study session had ended and the others had returned to their dorms, Evan stayed behind in the library's east wing—near a tall glass window where moonlight bathed the floor in soft silver.
Umbra was curled peacefully beside him, faintly glowing with a blue shimmer as it dreamed.
Evan rested his head on folded arms, staring out at the twin moons above the spire-tipped rooftops of Aflety.
He didn't know why, but something in him ached.
Maybe it was the way Lilith smiled at him like she knew him.
Maybe it was the way Silva pushed him like an older sister he never had.
Maybe it was the laughter earlier with Gareth, or even the ice-cold sarcasm of Cassia that somehow still made him feel included.
He was part of something.
And that terrified him.
He touched the mark on his hand—still faintly glowing with the pact sigil he'd formed with Umbra. The Basilisk stirred slightly in its sleep, sensing his thoughts.
"Back then…" Evan whispered, "…I couldn't protect anything."
Memories surged—flashes of a previous life: a boy beaten, betrayed, and discarded. No love. No hope. No second chances.
Until this world.
Until now.
"I don't want to lose this. Not again."
A soft rustle came from behind him.
He turned, surprised to see Lilith standing at the doorway in her academy cloak, holding two cups of steaming tea.
"You're up late," she said softly, stepping closer. "Couldn't sleep?"
Evan looked away. "…Yeah."
Lilith sat beside him, her presence calm and warm despite the faint chill of her noble vampire bloodline.
She handed him a cup.
He took it without a word, fingers brushing hers for a brief second.
"I saw the look in your eyes today," she said. "When you were laughing with them. You looked… free."
He stayed quiet.
"Do you want to know what I think?" she asked gently.
"No," he muttered—but it wasn't harsh.
She smiled. "I think… you're afraid. Of being happy."
He winced.
Lilith reached out and rested her hand lightly over his. "It's okay to be afraid. But you're not alone anymore, Evan. You have us. You have me."
The vulnerability in her voice surprised him.
He turned to look at her fully.
Her violet eyes shone with a strange mix of nobility and sorrow.
"You… really do like me, don't you?"
"I always have," she said quietly. "Since the day I first saw you. You were just a boy at the banquet, lost in thought, not caring about all the pomp and praise. You looked… sad. Like you didn't belong. That made me want to know you."
Evan clenched his hands. "But you don't know what I've been through. What I've done."
"I don't need to," she replied. "All I know is the Evan I see now is trying. And that's enough."
He looked down at Umbra, then at her again.
And for the first time, he didn't pull away.
"…Thanks."
Lilith gave him a quiet smile. "You don't have to say anything more."
They sat in silence as the night deepened, sipping tea, the stars above watching over them.
⸻
First semester evaluations loomed like a dragon overhead, but Evan was no longer alone.
He studied with Silva, sparred with Gareth, argued (and sometimes agreed) with Cassia, and even found time to sneak sweets into Umbra's growing hoard of shiny objects.
His Basilisk had started to grow larger—now as long as his arm—and developed its second pair of fangs. Dark, serpentine scales shimmered with both Water and Darkness elemental resonance, and its dual affinity had caught the attention of several professors.
They had even begun whispering in quiet tones: "Could it truly be a Divine Beast? A Basilisk of the Serpent King bloodline?"
But Evan didn't care about rumors.
He cared about making it through the exams. About keeping the bonds he'd formed. And maybe—just maybe—he cared about the vampire girl who kept leaving strange poetry books in his bag.
Evan eventually joined the "study group" in the library's west wing—an arched, rune-engraved hall filled with floating candles and whispering tomes.
Silva, Gareth, Cassia, and Lilith had claimed one of the large round tables near a glowing window of shifting constellations. Books were scattered across the table—everything from elemental affinity theory to historical magical duels.
Nyx slithered up Evan's arm and perched on his shoulder, watching the others cautiously.
Lilith had taken the liberty of reserving Evan's seat beside hers.
"You're late," Silva said without looking up from her notes. "We've already reviewed nature, wind, and space. Now we're on time theory."
"I was eating," Evan muttered as he sat, placing Nyx down gently.
"Shocking. He actually takes care of himself," Cassia smirked. "Guess Lilith's good for some things."
"Careful," Lilith replied sweetly. "Vampires bite."
"Not humans," Gareth added, flipping a page with a grin. "Unfortunately."
Lilith looked mildly offended. "I never said I wouldn't bite him."
Nyx hissed loudly.
Everyone froze.
"…Did that thing just growl at her?" Gareth asked, eyes wide.
Evan patted Nyx calmly. "He's protective."
"He's adorable," Cassia said, leaning closer. "What's his name?"
"Nyx."
"A little dramatic, but I like it," she nodded.
"Water and Darkness," Silva noted. "Rare dual affinity. Must be tied to your own mana signature."
Evan nodded slowly. "Professor Helwen said the same earlier. Said that every beast reflects its tamer's soul."
"Then that explains the gloom," Gareth muttered. "No offense."
"None taken," Evan said dryly. "You were dropped on your head, I assume?"
The group laughed—Gareth louder than the rest.
In that moment, something warm stirred in Evan's chest. This… was new. Familiar. Strange. A little chaotic. But good.
Over the next week, Aflety Academy's rhythm fell into place—intense magical lectures, elemental combat drills, beast affinity training, and endless theory classes.
Evan began to meet more professors—each with their own quirks and terrifying power.
There was Professor Helwen Faenir, the Elemental Conductor, who could summon all twelve elemental types in harmony. Her calm demeanor barely masked the magical storm beneath her skin.
Then came Master Ruven Dross, the Spellcraft Historian. His classroom looked more like a battlefield of illusion traps and magical scrolls that floated through the air, striking unprepared students on the head.
And finally, Professor Lanette Mire, head of Beast Affinity Training. A half-elf with silver hair and emerald eyes who spoke directly to magical beasts. When she saw Nyx, she paused, touched her fingers to her lips in reverence, and said only:
"You've inherited a grave destiny, boy."
Evan didn't ask what she meant. Not yet.
Later that night, Evan sat by the lake near the academy's garden. Moonlight glittered across the water's surface, and Nyx curled beside him, yawning.
Lilith found him there, barefoot, her long dark hair swaying like a curtain in the wind.
"You're always running away," she said gently.
"I'm not running," Evan said.
"You are. Not with your legs—but your heart."
He didn't respond.
She sat beside him, eyes glowing faintly under the moon. "I know you don't love me. I don't care right now. Because I know pain when I see it."
He looked at her, genuinely startled.
"I don't want to replace whatever you lost, Evan," she continued, "but I want to be there when you decide to stop carrying it alone."
Nyx slithered into his lap and looked up at Lilith, this time without hissing.
Evan chuckled. "You're too bold for your own good."
"You'll get used to it," she smiled.
For once, he didn't flinch when she leaned on his shoulder.
⸻