Bastian comes

Alex stood firm, his red eyes locked on Vaelen's gray ones, the elf's tightened fists a clear threat as he growled, "Repeat what you just said."

The sunlit corridor of Starhaven Academy pulsed with tension, students forming a loose circle, their tunics shimmering under the crystal panels' prismatic light, their whispers a soft buzz, the air thick with the scent of parchment and faint elixirs.

Alex's frustration from the tutoring session, where he'd failed to master telekinesis, fueled his defiance, his confidence unshaken by Vaelen's rage, the bad blood from their assembly encounter the previous day blazing in his chest.

He opened his mouth, ready to hurl his words again 'you're the blot, Vaelen' when a familiar voice cut through, sharp and urgent.

"Whoa, whoa!" Bastian called, weaving through the crowd, his lopsided grin strained as he stepped between them, his hands raised like a peacemaker.