Magic Theory lecture

Ved walked into the Magic Theory classroom, taking his time, his pace unhurried, his expression as unreadable as ever, didn't give anything away. The hall was an expansive chamber, with glowing magic symbols carved into the walls, each pulsating faintly with magical energy. 

Rows of tiered seats stretched upwards, already occupied by students from different status, but one thing in common they all from the top 50 and they whispered to each other while they waited for the teacher.

His entrance did not go unnoticed.

As Ved walked to an empty seat, the room buzzed with whispers. Whispers surged like a tide across the room. Some students turned to steal glances at him, while others stared. 

The aftermath of his duel with Kieran was still fresh in the minds of some of them. To defeat a top 100 ranked student with such efficiency and with that suffocating, merciless aura had left an impression that they wouldn't forget.

Ved ignored the attention he was getting. He moved with the certainty of someone who saw no one as his equal, like he was above everyone else, and sat down near the front without hesitation. 

His cold eyes swept across the room, noticing again the dwarves are nowhere in sight, and the Dreadwalker girl too was absent. He also noticed some familiar faces he knew. They all reacted to him differently.

Princess Elowyn Olyrnn the silver-haired elf, was the first to acknowledge his presence. Her emerald eyes studied him, keen and thoughtful, alike she was trying to figure something out. She didn't look arrogant or scared, just curious and thoughtful. she gave a slow nod, the slightest inclination of her head.

A gesture of recognition.

Ved met her eyes but did not return the nod. Instead, he simply looked past her, dismissing her presence as though she were no more significant than the chair she occupied.

A flicker of something crossed her expression. Interest? Irritation? Whatever it was, it vanished just as quickly as it came, replaced by an air of composed indifference.

Keith the blond-haired elf, leaned back in his chair with a lazy smirk. "You could at least pretend to be friendly, y'know," he remarked, amusement lacing his tone.

Ved did not respond.

Keith's smirk only widened. "No? Just the silent, brooding type? Makes sense." He tapped his fingers against the desk rhythmically. "By the way I was there, I gotta say, watching you turn that student into a training dummy was highly entertaining."

Still, no response from Ved.

Keith let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "Man, you are really committed to that whole ice prince persona, huh?"

Ved turned his head slightly, giving Keith the barest fraction of his attention. "If you're done wasting your breath, shut up."

The bluntness of his words sent a ripple through the nearby students.

Keith just laughed, not bothered at all. He actually seemed more amused. "Ice cold," he said. "I like it."

Owen Rider seated not far from Keith, frowned a little. His dark eyes held a calculating glint as he observed the exchange. A complete unknown,Owen was a mystery, he'd gotten into the top three, which made everyone wonder about him.

Ved ignored him, but the unknown student kept looking at him, like he was trying to figure him out.

Next to Ved, his twin sister, Lyra Flack, didn't react at all, at least not visibly. She seemed to ignore him nor to the murmurs around them. But Ved could feel the sharpness in her presence, a cold, quiet pressure that only he would recognize.

She did not need to say anything for him to understand.

She respected his strength—envied it, even. She had not forgotten what had been taken from her.

Ved didn't spare her a glance.

Neither did she.

At the back of the hall, Agnar Guerra, the red-haired warrior, crossed his arms. His muscular form was tense, his expression neutral, but his eyes burned with something between challenge and admiration.

He had witnessed the duel.

And he had taken note.

Lee Anil, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the tension in the air. Tall and lean, with sharp gray eyes, he leaned forward slightly, smirking. "So this is what a future tyrant looks like, huh?" His voice carried just enough amusement to sound nonchalant. "Fascinating."

Ved ignored him entirely.

Lee chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Not much for conversation, are you? Must be exhausting, being so cold all the time."

Still, Ved did not respond.

Lee exhaled dramatically. "No fun."

Varys Atlas, the last of the notable students, observed everything with calm detachment. Unlike the others, He didn't say or do anything, merely watching. A noble through and through, he carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had long been accustomed to attention and respect.

But even he was not immune to curiosity or was he pretending he did.

His brown eyes flickered in Ved's direction.

The teacher, a sharp-eyed woman in flowing academic robes, finally entered the room, silencing the murmurs. She went to the front with purpose and pointed at the glowing symbols floating behind her.

"Magic is not merely about power," she began, her voice firm. "It is about understanding. You have to learn the theory before you can master it. Those who believe brute force alone determines strength are nothing more than reckless fools."

Her gaze swept across the students, searching for a response.

Ved didn't react at all.

The teacher continued. "Let's start with an example. Suppose you are facing an opponent who uses fire magic. What's the best way to defend yourself? Anyone have an answer?""

Several students raised their hands.

The teacher nodded at Princess Elowyn.

"Water magic," she answered smoothly. "It directly counters fire by suppressing it."

"A basic but correct response," the teacher said, before turning to someone else. "And you?"

It was Keith, the blond elf stretched and said lazily, "I'd use wind magic. By manipulating it you can cut off the fire's oxygen and put it out before it grows."

"A more strategic approach," the teacher acknowledged.

She then turned her gaze to Ved.

"And you?"

The room went quiet.

Ved looked at her steadily and said, "Kill the person casting the spell before they can finish."

Silence.

Some students were taken aback by Ved's cold, direct answer. Others looked at each other. Even the teacher paused for a moment before continuing.

"That's a brutal answer" she remarked. "But not an incorrect one."

 Ved simply remained silent, his expression unchanged.

The teacher turned away, trying to move on to the next part of the lesson. 

But the air in the room had changed. 

A chill seemed to settle over everyone. For the rest of the class, no one spoke to Ved. Just whispering amongst themselves, It was as if an invisible barrier had formed around him. 

He'd made his point, and everyone understood it loud and clear, even without a single word being spoken. He was now an outcast, someone to be left alone.