Special Class (2)

The next morning, Theo didn't hesitate. Upon waking up, he sought out his class mentor, Paul Ilamarada, since the other mentor, Amiah, was unavailable that day. Paul's teaching tower is located to the north, within the Wispells Academy complex.

A circular structure, supported by Greco-Roman pillars that rise along the walls to form a dome at the top. The main room follows the dome shape, with some interior elevations and the teacher's stage.

As soon as he entered the classroom, Theo found four students and Professor Paul present.

Paul Ilamarada, with his blond hair parted in the middle, dark brown eyes hidden behind round glasses, pale skin, and a nose with a slight deformity to the left, lit a cigarette upon noticing Theo's arrival and sat in his chair.

Theo couldn't help but think, 'Great, a smoker...' as he watched Paul light the cigarette.

The boy looked around the room, where the students were sitting far apart from each other. Except for the two girls. Theo couldn't help but notice; the boy and the girl from yesterday, who were with him during the designation, were in his class.

"Alright!" Paul announced firmly. "Those who are sleeping, wake up. And those who are still drowsy, snap out of it. To start, I want you to forget those mediocre and content-poor books; they won't be of any use here. I'm here to teach you how to be honorable, well-behaved, and, above all, strong. I won't overload you with a million topics and expect you to know everything and more."

Paul turned to the blackboard and wrote "Ειδικός." After finishing, he threw the chalk back into its holder and, with a keen look, searched for someone in the room to start a conversation.

"Hey, you, blondie!" Paul called Theo. "Do you know why you're in the special class?"

"No," Theo replied genuinely.

Paul exhaled cigarette smoke and stubbed it out in an ashtray.

"Each of you has a condition, whether physical or mental. Like blondie here, Theo. We've identified in you a rare mental condition called 'genium,' which allows you to learn and comprehend everything at first contact. As for the boy with the light blue streak over there, Ivan, he has a physical condition that makes him resistant to low and high temperatures, and he doesn't feel thirst due to heat."

Ivan muttered:

"We get it, you're a fan and have our biography."

"Good that you've noticed. That'll save time so I don't have to summarize your lives. Now, all five of you come here and try to attack me."

"What? No!" protested a girl in the corner of the room. "We don't..."

She seemed the most fragile among all the students.

Her voice grew quieter as she noticed the other three boys getting up from their chairs and heading toward Paul.

"It's no use," the black-haired girl retorted, standing up from her chair.

"I said everyone," Paul reinforced, looking at the two.

They walked up to the professor on the classroom stage. The five formed a sort of pentagram, cornering Paul and trying to leave him no way out.

"Theo de Lawrence, wind attribute. Antony Windsor, metal attribute. Ivan, ice attribute. Rebecca Lans, barriers. And lastly, Aryna Sabbac, water attribute. You know what you can mutually do, so begin."

Paul pointed at each student as he called their names.

Antony had brown hair with a slight reddish tint, perhaps due to the lighting. The boy's face was somewhat wide, but his body was beyond athletic; his muscles were perfectly defined. This made Ivan and Theo feel weak, as their bodies were nothing so exaggerated.

Rebecca, like Aryna, was short compared to the boys. Besides, she always kept herself hunched and hidden behind her long, straight dark brown hair. Her brown eyes were sunken and trembling.

Without wasting much time, they began Paul's little test.

Antony charged forward, forging a sharp steel sword and hurling it toward Paul. The blade cut through the air, grazing the professor, who dodged it easily. The sword almost hit Rebecca's face, but an invisible barrier, skillfully created by her, blocked the strike.

In a quick and almost planned move, Aryna jumped behind Rebecca, mimicking a shooting gesture with her fingers. A water projectile was launched, hitting the cigarette on Paul's lips squarely.

"Bold..."

Paul turned toward the girl, but Antony intervened.

With a punch, Antony tried to attack again, but Paul agilely dodged, causing the other to hit the ground and break the wooden floor. The mentor then clasped his hands together, performing synchronized gestures, and pressed them downward.

Instantly, the three students were slammed to the ground by a dense vapor.

"You're all too hasty," Paul commented, lighting another cigarette. "There's much to learn."

Ivan began creating hail in the air, concentrating it in the palm of his hand. Just as he was about to launch his attack, the hailstones were repelled by a sudden gust of wind. One of the ice pellets grazed Paul's lips.

Ivan froze, worried about the potential damage caused to the mentor. Meanwhile, Paul noticed Ivan's surprise, and both looked for the last member of the room: Theo.

Theo, who until a few seconds ago was beside Ivan, disappeared from their field of vision. A gentle breeze touched the back of Paul's neck, making him turn quickly. At that moment, Theo emerged from Paul's shadow, holding the steel blade Antony had created.

It seemed like he was about to attack his mentor, but he diverted the blade downward and used his own body as leverage.

Theo drove his left leg into Paul's trapezius and, supporting himself with his right leg on the ground, pressed his heel against the mentor's neck, forcing him off balance. Paul weakened his legs, allowing Theo to take him down, but grabbed the apprentice's leg in the process.

Both fell to the ground, with Theo grabbing Paul's neck with his arms as they struggled to break free. While occupied with Theo, Ivan launched an ice blast that froze Paul's left arm. With only one arm free, the mentor managed to break free from Theo and pin him to the ground with his legs.

Exhaling deeply, Paul transformed the air from his lungs into fire, melting the ice that bound his arm.

With his hand now free, he extended it toward Ivan and fired a weak blast of fire, hurling the boy against the wall.

"I get it," Paul commented, panting and sweating.

The mentor released Theo and stood up.

"You," he said, extending his hand to Theo and pulling him up abruptly. "think too much during a fight. You invent too many unnecessary moves when you could just finish the opponent."

Theo complained of a pain in his shoulder without uttering a word.

"You two rely too much on each other. You just attack without thinking," he looked at Antony and then at Ivan. "And you, you're slow. Blondie practically had to sacrifice himself for you to attack. From today on, you'll start getting to know each other, as you'll be a squad in the future. So, act like it."

Theo extended his hand to help Ivan up.

"Did you use the wind to propel my spell?" Ivan asked, accepting Theo's help.

"Yes, and then I used a specialization of mine, a spell that allows me to camouflage in the air to attack."

"Good casting speed. Are you a caster or..."

"I was trained as a hybrid."

"I see..."

"Great, you two are already talking," Paul said, walking over to them. "Now head to the infirmary, you're dismissed until tomorrow."

"Wait, that's it? We came here to learn, so you beat us up and then leave?" Aryna protested.

"Yes, that's it," Paul retorted, opening the classroom door. "I'm here to teach you how to be a squad and agents of Vagus, I can't teach anything if you don't understand what you're doing wrong. Now, to the infirmary," he emphasized.

Paul left the room, and Antony and Rebecca walked over to the other two, while Aryna still mustered the courage to get up from the floor.

"Dude, your casting is on another level!" Antony commented.

"And yours is sharp. The steel sword you created was resistant, strong, and very light. That's why it was a bit hard to handle, but I think you must be used to it by now."

"Thanks, man. Do you know where the infirmary is?"

The three shook their heads.

"I do," Aryna replied, coming from the back of the room. "Follow me."

☽✪☾

All the teachers of Wispells gather around a rectangular wooden table. Paul rubs his finger carefully on his lips while looking at the student list.

"What happened to your lips?" Beatrice couldn't help but ask.

"Class in the special class."

"They did that?" Headmistress Wispells inquired with a tone of curiosity.

"Them? No. It was blondie. He didn't even think before attacking to kill. My luck is being stronger than him and being able to dodge."

A man with long black hair, red eyes, and snake-like pupils watched intently from the corner what Paul was saying.

"You're a slacker, Amiah," Paul said, noticing Amiah watching. "Why didn't you show up? We could have had a more productive day."

"If you need me to teach, you're failing as a professor. The Lawrence kid did that? Is he worth the grade he's at?"

"No. They should all remain at grade one. Blondie only stays at grade two because of the imperial family's recommendation, and also because he seems to have more experience."

"Well," said another teacher. "Since he arrived at the academy, he's been challenging agents amicably. I'm not surprised he knows how to fight."

"And he's also the son of a lieutenant. Ethan definitely taught him how to fight, just like Edward," Amiah said.

"I wanted to bring Edward Lawrence to our academy, but the Lotus Order got him first..." the headmistress complained.

"I have permission to take them anywhere, right?" Amiah asked.

"Yes. As long as you sign the responsibility form."

"Alright."

"What are you going to do?" Paul asked.

"Raise them to at least grade three in five months. The interschool event is happening, we can't present special class students as weak. We'll push their capabilities to the max."

"Are you going to do that by taking them to the nymph forest?"

"Yes. Where are they now?"

"Infirmary. I already dismissed them for today."

"Then leave it for tomorrow," Amiah looked at Paul and his bruised lip, unable to hold back a laugh, he continued. "Go take care of that injury."