Chapter 12: new friends and growth

After a long and informative lesson, Aria, Sylvia, and Sylvana's stomachs began to rumble. They agreed to head to the Starfall Dining Hall, a bustling eatery filled with the aroma of various magical and worldly dishes. The place was filled with ancient wooden tables surrounded by unique benches, and nimble fairy waiters carried trays of colorful and delicious-looking food.

Before ordering, Sylvia explained a bit about the hero point system. "Look, when we first entered the academy, we received a number of hero points as initial capital. We can use these crystals to buy food here, training equipment at the Warrior's Emporium, magic books at the Arcane Scroll Shop, or even pay for lodging if we choose to live outside the dorms later. But remember, this is just an initial allowance. In the future, we'll have to earn the crystals ourselves by completing missions, helping the academy, or excelling in competitions."

While choosing food from the menu written in gold ink on parchment, the three of them discussed Guru Elara's lesson again. "Turns out there are so many kinds of monsters, huh," Sylvana murmured, looking at the illustrations of terrifying creatures on the menu. "And demons... just imagining them gives me the creeps."

"It makes me curious about their history," Aria chimed in. "There must be a reason why they can appear in our world."

Not far from their table, Xarther was seen sitting quietly while occasionally reading a thick, dragon-skinned book. Beside him, Lyra patiently offered pieces of glowing fruit to Xarther's mouth, trying to get him to eat. In front of Xarther, Faun and Rush were engaged in a fierce but funny debate.

"Rush! Why did you order a dozen Grilled Dragon Rolls?! Look, your hero points are almost gone because of your order!" Faun exclaimed in a panicked tone, pointing at the stack of plates containing dragon-shaped rolls with thin smoke wafting from them. Faun's eyes looked teary at the potential expenditure of his crystals.

Rush, who was happily chewing on a Smoked Gryphon Steak, simply replied nonchalantly, "Relax, Faun! This stomach of mine needs filling! Besides, the smell of the food here alone is like magic!"

Suddenly, a boy with snow-white hair and bright green eyes approached Aria and the two elves' table. Although he looked to be around ten years old, a strong aura of cheerfulness and joy radiated from him. It was Sirius. Without hesitation, he sat down next to Aria and immediately put an arm around his shoulders in a friendly manner.

"Hey, you were the one who should have defended me in the arena yesterday, right?" he said with a wide smile. "Wow, you were so cool daring to go against those bastards! I'm really grateful!"

Aria (Arthur), surprised by the sudden embrace, immediately jolted and unintentionally elbowed Sirius in the stomach quite hard. "What the hell?! Don't touch me so casually!" he exclaimed with a flushed face.

"Ouch!" Sirius winced in pain, clutching his stomach. "Why did you hit me?!" he asked with a slightly complaining but still confused tone.

Sylvia and Sylvana, who witnessed the incident, tried to suppress their laughter at Sirius's bewildered expression and Aria's annoyed face.

After taking a deep breath, Sirius looked back at Aria with a more cautious smile. "Sorry if I was being presumptuous. But really, I'm very grateful to you. My name is Sirius. You're...?"

Aria was still a little annoyed, but he tried to calm down. "I'm... Arthur," he answered briefly.

"Arthur," Sirius repeated with a cheerful tone. "Nice name! In that case, how about we be friends? You're cool, brave, and... well, pretty strong too!" he said, rubbing his still-aching stomach.

[...]

A month passed quickly at the Nytharia Hero Academy. For Aria, Sylvia, and Sylvana, this first month felt like a never-ending adventure. The three of them, with the ever-cheerful Sirius trailing behind Aria, had explored many corners of the academy and its surroundings.

Aria: In this month, Aria's magical abilities developed rapidly. He began to master some basic elemental spells better, especially wind magic and a bit of lightning. In the training arena, although still relying more on speed and agility, he began to bravely try incorporating magic into his fights, resulting in surprising combinations of attacks. The early missions they took were usually low-level, such as exterminating a group of mischievous Goblins in the forest around the academy, retrieving small artifacts stolen by petty Bandits, or helping villagers drive magical pests from their fields. Each mission gave them valuable experience in teamwork and facing various types of creatures. His relationship with Sirius grew closer, although Aria often still felt uncomfortable with the white-haired youth's physical familiarity. However, he began to appreciate Sirius's sincerity and enthusiasm.

Sylvia: As a plant mage, Sylvia showed extraordinary skill in manipulating the flora around her. She was able to create thorny plants to trap enemies, summon vines to bind them, or even accelerate plant growth to create barriers. Her healing talent was also very useful; she could concoct ointments from magical plants and use nature magic to speed up wound recovery. The little illusion magic she mastered was often used to camouflage herself or create small visual disturbances. Sylvia was a calm and wise figure in the group, often mediating when Aria and Sirius were involved in minor arguments. She was also very attentive to Sylvana, guiding and supporting her cousin every step of the way.

Sylvana: Sylvana showed amazing progress in her ability to control magical beasts. Initially, she was only able to communicate with small animals, but now she could summon and command stronger creatures, such as magical forest wolves or sharp-feathered birds of prey. She learned to understand the instincts and behaviors of various types of magical beasts, making them valuable allies on missions. Although sometimes struggling to control more feral beasts, Sylvana's potential as a magical beast controller was immense. She was the most cheerful and enthusiastic member of the group, often being a source of motivation for the others, although she could also be a bit careless and impulsive.

Sirius: Sirius, despite his initially poor reputation in physical combat, showed surprising development in strategy and tactics. He had a quick mind and often found creative solutions to the problems they faced on missions. In the arena, he relied more on his cleverness and ability to read his opponents' movements than on physical strength. He was also very good at interacting with others and often managed to obtain important information from villagers or other students. His familiarity with Aria never waned, even though it often resulted in punches or scolding. He seemed to genuinely enjoy their friendship and always tried to make the atmosphere fun.

Meanwhile, Xarther spent his first month with Faun, Rush, and Lyra.

Xarther: Xarther showed steady progress in basic magic lessons and swordsmanship. However, the most striking change was in the black tattoo on his body. The black lines continued to spread, now reaching almost his entire stomach, and the tattoo under his eyes looked darker and seemed to throb. He became more silent and often looked pensive, as if struggling with something within himself. Nevertheless, he continued to attend all lessons and training diligently, showing great potential as a mage and fighter.

Faun: Faun, with his love for money, was highly motivated to complete missions and earn Courage Crystals. He showed a natural talent for wind magic and speed, often being the fastest in the group when moving or evading attacks. In the arena, he relied on his agility and quick attacks using his magic daggers. His arguments with Rush about food and crystal spending continued, adding spice to their group dynamic. However, beneath his stingy nature, Faun was a loyal friend and would always help when needed.

Rush: Rush, with his boundless appetite, also showed surprising development in earth magic and defense. His large body turned out to be quite strong, and he could summon sturdy earth shields to protect himself and his friends. Although often looking lazy and preferring to sleep or eat, when on missions or training, Rush showed great dedication and formidable strength. His funny arguments with Faun were a source of entertainment for Xarther and other students who witnessed them.

Lyra: Lyra showed promising talent in ice magic. In this month, she was able to create various ice constructs, from shields to sharp ice spears. She also began to learn to freeze the area around her, slowing down the movements of enemies. Her calm and quiet nature made her a good observer in battle, often providing accurate tactical advice to Xarther. She was very attentive to Xarther, evident in her efforts to ensure he ate regularly.

In that one month, these two groups underwent different but equally important experiences in shaping themselves as aspiring heroes. They learned about their own strengths, the importance of teamwork, and the harshness of the world outside the academy walls. The seeds of friendship and rivalry began to grow, and a future full of challenges and adventures lay wide open before them.