Chippy and Rin, now dressed in their new dueling uniforms, stretched across the open field where morning light rolled off the grass in pale sheets. Physical Education was officially behind them now—starting freshman year, it was replaced with something far more important.

  Dueling and Defensive Arts.

  Chippy sank low into a perfect split, her palms pressed to the ground for balance. Rin, beside her, focused on stretching her arms and chest, each motion deliberate, controlled. The two moved quietly, but the energy in the air was anything but still.

  Their uniforms were identical—gray fabric with sleek navy stripes that began at the ankles, ran up the sides, and curved across the shoulders to meet at the middle of the back. Both boys and girls wore the same design: half-sleeve tops, flexible pants, and combat-ready shoes. The material shimmered faintly under the light—a subtle weave of mana-thread designed to protect against light magical impact.

  Chippy bounced out of her split, dusting her palms. “I can’t believe we don’t get regular P.E. anymore,” she said, glancing at Rin. “No more laps, no more dodgeball… just zaps.”

  Rin chuckled softly, tugging at the hem of her shirt to adjust the fit. “Yeah, but this class is supposed to teach us how to actually fight, right? Wands, dueling stances, counter-spells—everything.”

  “Yeah, it is,” Chippy said, twirling an invisible wand between her fingers. “My brother’s supposed to be our instructor, but…”

  Her grin faltered.

  “…no one’s seen him since last year.”

  Rin froze mid-stretch. The breeze that had been soft moments ago suddenly felt heavier, as if the air itself shared Chippy’s unease.

  “Chippy…? Are you okay?” Rin asked gently.

  Chippy shrugged, forcing a smile that reached her lips but not her eyes. “Yeah! No problem! He’ll show up. He shows up at the right times!”

  Rin watched her friend’s cheerful front with quiet worry. Chippy’s voice was bright—too bright—but the tension in her hands, the tiny tremor in her shoulders, said otherwise.

  She was chirping, sure… but Rin could still feel the unease lingering deep beneath her words.

  Rin reached out, gently resting a hand on Chippy’s arm. The movement grounded her, stopping her nervous shifting from foot to foot.

  “Rin?”

  “Hey… you can talk to me, you know?”

  Chippy looked at her, really looked this time. The grin she’d been holding onto faltered—just a little—until her true expression slipped through.

  “Chippy… it’ll be okay,” Rin said softly, her voice trembling just enough to betray how much she wanted to believe it. She moved closer, placing both hands on Chippy’s shoulders.

  Chippy’s gaze fell to the ground. “Is it… like this with you?”

  Rin blinked. “W-What do you mean?”

  “With Vix.” Chippy’s voice cracked slightly. “Is he…?”

  Rin flinched at the sound of his name. “…Kind of,” she whispered.

  Chippy exhaled through her nose, her shoulders rising and falling in defeat. “I just want to see him soon.”

  “…M-Me too…” Rin murmured, her thoughts wandering somewhere else entirely.

  “Hey!”

  A sharp, chipper voice shattered the mood. Both girls turned.

  Eddie jogged toward them with his usual wide grin. “What are you two whispering about? You ready for our hands-on lesson today?!”

  Just like that, Chippy spun on her heel—complete 360—her smile snapping back into place. “Only if you’re ready to get your butt handed to you by ”

  Rin forced a laugh, trying to match Chippy’s energy. “I don’t know, Chippy… Eddie can

  wands, remember?”

  “Shh!” Eddie gasped dramatically, placing a finger to her lips. “Don’t bring that up!”

  Rin and Chippy blinked at him, confused.

  “Why not?” Chippy pried.

  “Because! I said so!”

  Rin blinked, unimpressed, then deadpanned, “I really hate that argument.”

  Eddie groaned and looked at her. “Rin! Please understand!”

  “I actually ” she fired back, crossing her arms and stepping into his space. “What’s with that, anyway—keeping your two friends in the dark?”

  Eddie leaned back, intimidated by her sudden intensity. “Okay, okay! Relax! It’s just… if people find out I can dual-wield, they’ll start forming strategies to beat me! I—I can’t really be doing that…”

  Rin and Chippy exchanged another look. Mutual confusion.

  “Why not?” Rin pressed.

  “Besides,” Chippy cut in with a grin, “dual-wielding is Rin’s dimwit daddy-type thing was really frightened by it.”

  Rin froze. Her eyes widened, her lips parting—but no words came. The comment hit harder than Chippy realized.

  Eddie noticed instantly. “Chippy! Seriously, stop bringing that up!” he snapped, stepping forward slightly. “And yeah, you’re right—but that’s not the point!”

  Chippy frowned. “Then what

  the point?”

  “The fact,” Eddie said, forcing his composure back, “is that it’s a strength and a weakness.”

  “Okay, mister duelist,” Chippy said, poking a finger into his chest, “explain. Now.”

  He sighed, realizing escape was impossible.

  “Alright, listen. If you can dual-wield wands, it means you’ve trained your mana control enough to split your energy flow into two equal channels.” He gestured with both hands as if balancing invisible weights. “I can fire off spells from either wand individually—faster than most people can react. But in return, I burn through my mana pool Got it?”

  Rin raised an eyebrow. “So basically… you’re a glass cannon.”

  Eddie frowned. “No. I’m a

  cannon.”

  Chippy snorted. “You’re a cannon with commitment issues.”

  “Okay, you know what? Forget I said anything!” Eddie grumbled, crossing his arms as the two girls laughed. “And besides, simply a dual-wielder means I’m faster than your brother.” He smirked.

  “Pft! What?! You—faster than your No way!” Chippy shot back immediately.

  “Uh-huh! Take

  for example.” Eddie held up two fingers dramatically. “By the time Yaxon fires one and is charging up his next, I’ve already fired Count them—two fire bolts! Bam, bam!”

  “Nu-uh!” Chippy replied in the most childish tone imaginable, puffing her cheeks out.

  “What do you mean

  That’s literally how it works! It’s basic magic math!”

  Chippy was already making faces—crossing her eyes, blowing raspberries, and stretching her mouth in weird shapes—completely drowning out his protests.

  “Chippy! Stop that!” Eddie barked, but his voice cracked halfway through, making Rin snort.

  Rin clutched her stomach, laughing. “Oh my god, you two are impossible!”

  Eddie glared at both of them. “I’m surrounded by children.”

  Chippy grinned. “Says the cannon with commitment issues!”

  Eddie groaned. “That’s—I’m ”

  “Attention, children!

  A commanding voice sliced through the open field like a blade. The noise, the chatter, the laughter—gone.

  Every student snapped to attention.

  “Please line up right here,” the professor instructed, pointing to a stretch of painted white across the grass. His tone carried the weight of experience, and even the most restless students hurried into place. “Now, face toward me.”

  He paced backward as the first row filled, eyes skimming across the group while flipping through a clipboard brimming with papers.

  “Welcome to your first day of hands on ” His voice rang with both pride and warning. “It’s called because that’s precisely what it is. Protecting yourself is not just knowledge—it’s an art form.”

  Rin and Eddie straightened, focused entirely on every word. They knew how important this class was—how it tied directly to their dreams of becoming Enforcers.

  Chippy, on the other hand, was busy trying to balance her wand on her nose.

  Rin sighed quietly.

  The professor lowered his clipboard after a quick scan of names.

  “Now then—before we begin, I should inform you that we won’t be alone for today’s session.”

  A ripple of murmurs passed through the students. Chippy immediately leaned toward Rin and whispered,

  The professor continued, unfazed. “Another class will be joining us shortly. Their instructor and I have agreed that a joint exercise will be more beneficial than keeping our houses separated. After all, defense and combat do not exist in isolation.”

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  Eddie straightened up. Rin felt her chest tighten with excitement. Even Chippy perked up now, grinning with anticipation.

  “Today, we’ll begin with the ” The professor’s voice boomed across the field, forcing the chatter into silence. “Listen carefully—you will follow these rules to the letter. No exceptions.”

  He paused, letting that weight sink in before continuing.

  “You’ll be conducting controlled duels—one-on-one sparring matches under supervision. You are

  permitted to use two offensive spells for this exercise: and

  Both are knockback-based and intended to disarm, not injure.”

  The students nodded in unison, some repeating the names under their breath as if already rehearsing them.

  “As for defense,” he added, his tone sharpening, “you are to maintain only one type of barrier spell— Simple, stable, and the most reliable for beginners. No improvisations. If I see anyone trying to show off or cast something above their clearance level, you’ll spend the rest of the week writing safety reports instead of practicing.”

  A few groans rippled through the crowd, but the professor’s glare was enough to silence them again.

  “Good. Now, stand by and prepare your mana flow. The second class should be arriving—ah, there they are.”

  He turned toward the edge of the field as another group of students approached under the guidance of a new figure in uniform.

  And much to their dismay—it really North House.

  Eddie and Chippy groaned in unison as a group of students in sharp navy uniforms crossed the field. Their own professor forced a polite smile while shaking hands with the North House instructor—a tall, jolly man with the kind of energy that could make even a duel feel like a field trip. The two professors began discussing how to merge their classes for the exercise.

  Rin, however, wasn’t listening. Her expression had hardened. Her eyes—normally bright and curious—were now dangerously narrow.

  Eddie followed her line of sight, and his stomach sank.

  Drenco Vandergrift was standing with his usual entourage, laughing and gesturing animatedly like he owned the place.

  “…Rin?” Eddie whispered.

  No answer.

  “Uh, Rin… you look like you’re going to kill him.”

  “I might,” she muttered, her voice flat.

  A gust of wind swept across the field, tugging at her hair and sleeves, and Eddie quietly decided that, for everyone’s safety,

  “Alright, everyone,” the South House professor called out once the discussion with his North House counterpart ended. His voice carried easily across the field. “You all know the assigned spells. Split into pairs and begin practicing— and

  for offense, for defense. Professor Shemans and I will decide where to hold the demonstration duels in the meantime.”

  A wave of excitement rippled through the students. Wands were drawn. Boots scuffed against the grass. The murmuring of spells and mana flares filled the air.

  Rin and Chippy didn’t hesitate—they locked eyes and immediately chose each other. Eddie wandered off, scanning the crowd until Oby awkwardly waved him over. Eddie sighed, resigned to his fate, and trudged after him toward the far end of the field.

  Chippy spun her wand once and fired first.

  A burst of wind cut toward Rin, who raised her wand fluidly.

  Flames flared in a smooth curve before her, catching the wind spell in a flash of light and smoke.

  “Whooaaa! Look at you!” Chippy cheered, bouncing on her feet. “So fast! Alright, my turn!”

  Rin smiled, confidence flickering through her like a spark. She flicked her wand forward. A gust of wind fired from Rin’s wand.

  Chippy grinned and raised her own fiery barrier, but Rin’s wind struck with surprising force, pushing the flames back a full step.

  “Okay, okay, I see you, girl!” Chippy laughed, shaking out her arm.

  Rin joined her laughter, the tension between them dissolving as their practice devolved into friendly competition—each spell sharper, each barrier brighter than the last. The field soon shimmered with gusts of wind and arcs of flame dancing across the grass.

  “Alright, everyone!” Professor Morrow of the South House shouted over the sound of spells fading across the field. His voice carried easily—warm but commanding. “That’s enough practice for now! Wands sheathed, gather here!”

  The air hummed with leftover mana as students jogged back to the center. Sparks of energy fizzled out one by one, replaced by chatter and excited murmurs.

  Beside him, the North House instructor—Professor Shemans—clapped his hands together. His tone was lighter, much more playful. “You’ve had your warm-up. Now it’s time to see if you actually learned something instead of just waving sticks around!”

  The students laughed nervously, exchanging glances.

  “Today,” Morrow continued, “we’ll start with demonstration duels. Professor Shemans and I will go first so you can see exactly what’s expected. Watch carefully.”

  He turned toward his colleague, who smirked and raised his wand. “You sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of your own house again, Morrow?”

  “Oh, please. Try to keep up this time,” Morrow replied, slipping easily into his stance.

  The two professors faced each other on the long dirt strip that divided the open field. The crowd quieted almost immediately, anticipation thick in the air.

  Morrow lifted his wand vertically before his face, his dominant hands clasped around it by his chest, and then lowered it smoothly to his side. Shemans mirrored him, the point of his wand aimed down as they both took three long, measured steps back.

  “Now,” Morrow called out for the class to hear, “these are your basic ”

  He pointed his wand to the ground. “This dirt strip defines your arena. Step outside, you’re out.”

  “Each duel lasts thirty seconds,” Shemans added, rolling his shoulders. “The goal isn’t to injure—only to overwhelm or outmaneuver your opponent.”

  “Respect your stance before and after the match,” Morrow finished. “We don’t want wild flailing or unnecessary shouting. Dueling is not chaos—it’s control.”

  Both professors locked eyes.

  “Begin!”

  The word echoed.

  A surge of air exploded between them as Morrow’s first strike hit Shemans’ barrier, sending dust spiraling upward. Shemans retaliated instantly, firing an that kicked up the dirt beneath Morrow’s boots. The South House professor slid back half a step, smiling through it. He countered with a swift knockback of his own, and the two traded silent volleys—gusts and barriers, bursts and blocks—without a single word spoken. Their movements were fluid, almost elegant.

  “Whoa…” Rin murmured from the front row, her wand trembling slightly in her grip.

  “They’re barely even moving,” Chippy whispered beside her.

  “They don’t have to,” Eddie said, squinting with admiration. “That’s what perfect control looks like.”

  When the professors finally lowered their wands, the air stilled again. Both men straightened and bowed lightly to each other.

  “That,” Morrow said, brushing dust from his sleeve, “is what I expect from you by the end of today.”

  Shemans snorted. “By the end? I’ll settle for them not tripping over their own feet.”

  A few students laughed, tension easing.

  Morrow smiled, stepping forward. “Alright then. You’ve seen how it’s done. Let’s start calling names.”

  The students buzzed with excitement as Professor Morrow checked his clipboard.

  “Alright—Oby Boaten and… Mark Forman!”

  Groans and laughter rippled across the South House line. Oby hesitated, clutching his wand in both hands before stepping into the dirt arena. On the opposite side, Mark from North House strutted in like he’d already won, flashing a grin that could punch through steel.

  Unlike Mark’s confidence, Oby’s nerves were painfully visible—his stance uneven, wand trembling slightly in his dominant hand.

  Rin frowned. “Eddie… will he be alright?” she asked softly.

  “I really hope he takes a hit to the face.”

  “Eddie!” Rin gasped, swatting his shoulder.

  “What? He deserves it!”

  “No he doesn’t! Drenco deserves that!”

  “True,” Chippy said, grinning. “I’d like to throw my wand away and just punch his face.”

  By then, Oby and Mark had taken their three steps back. The entire class held their breath.

  “Alright… ” Professor Shemans barked.

  The word had barely left his lips before Mark fired. A burst of wind slammed into Oby’s chest with a

  sending him flying backward off the dirt strip. The crowd erupted—half in laughter, half in shock.

  Rin buried her face in her hand. “Oh, come on…”

  Eddie was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. Even Chippy snorted behind her palm.

  “Point for Mark!” Professor Morrow called out, already walking over to Oby’s side. He extended a hand with a sympathetic smile. “Would you like to try again, son? You only lasted four seconds.”

  Oby wheezed, clutching his ribs as he accepted the help up. “N-No thanks… I’m good…”

  Professor Morrow patted Oby on the back and guided him toward the South House line. “Alright then. Next up—Edward Trofen and… Ben Qwerty!”

  Eddie groaned. “Great. I get to fight one of Drenco’s lackeys…” He stood, rolling his shoulders before drawing his cyan-hilted wand. It gleamed faintly under the afternoon sun as he walked into the arena.

  Across the field, Ben was already grinning, wand raised. “Hehehe… I’m gonna have much fun with this.”

  Eddie mirrored his stance, expression flat. “Oh yeah. Sure you will.”

  Both boys took their three paces back, wands ready.

  “...Begin!” Professor Shemans shouted.

  The instant the word dropped, a Gust shot from Ben’s wand—fast, but not fast enough. Eddie’s fire barrier ignited mid-air, deflecting the blast in a swirl of embers.

  “Predictable,” Eddie muttered, lowering the barrier and firing his own Gust. Ben countered with a hasty fire barrier, but the motion was clumsy.

  Eddie smirked. “Too slow.”

  He launched himself forward with an Air Burst aimed behind him, the propulsion hurling him forward and up at the same time. The crowd gasped as he soared over Ben in a spinning arc.

  Ben twisted around too late.

  Eddie, eyes closed and wand angled lazily over his left shoulder, whispered under his breath— A second Gust roared behind him, slamming into Ben’s chest and sending him tumbling clean out of bounds.

  The North House erupted in disbelief while South House cheered like it was a victory parade.

  Eddie landed smoothly, brushing dirt off his sleeve. “Hmph,” he muttered, turning away. “Wish that was Drenco instead.”

  After Edward, five more duels followed. Of those, only one ended in victory for South House. Spirits dipped—until the next names were called.

  “Chippy Staffire and… Runus Alistir—”

  “”

  The sudden shout exploded from the North House line. Every student and both professors turned in confusion toward the source—Drenco.

  He froze under their stares, both hands clapping over his mouth. “She really a Staffire…” he whispered through his fingers, horror creeping across his face.

  Chippy blinked, then smirked.

  She strutted toward the dirt strip, her bright grin sharpening into a confident, almost teasing smile. When she reached her mark, she assumed the official stance, wand raised, posture steady—then she threw a quick glance Drenco’s way and flashed him that cocky little smirk again.

  He shrank, just slightly.

  Across from her, Runus stepped up to his side of the field. Both students took their three paces back.

  “Begin!”

  Chippy’s wand moved like lightning. A burst of compressed air——exploded forward, while Runus reflexively cast Both spells missed their targets by inches, slicing through the dirt instead.

  When the dust cleared, both students were standing. For a moment, no one could tell who’d won—until the professors noticed Runus’s boot heel hanging just outside the line.

  “Point to South House!” Professor Morrow declared.

  “WOOHOO!” Chippy whooped, throwing her arms in the air before skipping back to Eddie and Rin’s side, beaming. “Told you I got this!”

  Rin laughed, shaking her head. “That’s one way to win…”

  “Alright, next match… Rin Nepton and Drenco Vandergrift.”

  The field went dead silent. The whispers, the laughter—all gone. Even the breeze seemed to stop.

  Rin blinked, looking around as though she’d done something wrong.

  “Nepton…” a boy from North House murmured. “…as in… Commander Vix Nepton?”

  The moment she stepped forward, it felt like the world slowed. Each step across the dirt sounded too loud, too heavy. Eyes followed her—not in admiration, but in suspicion.

  Without a name, she’d been treated like an outcast.

  Now, even with one… it was the same.

  Her cheeks flushed red, not from anger this time, but from embarrassment as she took her stance—wand raised to her chest before lowering it to her side. Then she finally looked up… and froze.

  The gray hair with orange-tipped ends.

  Drenco.

  He stepped into the ring, matching her position. For the first time, there was something strange in his eyes—not arrogance. Confusion.

  “…Nepton? What’s going on here…? I thought you didn’t a family…” Drenco muttered under his breath. Rin didn’t hear him.

  Her gaze sharpened, wand steady. The air shifted. Wind brushed through the field—stronger than before, unnatural.

  Professor Shemans frowned. “Professor Morrow? You happen to be doing that wind thing again?”

  “Not at the moment,” Morrow replied, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the field.

  The professors exchanged an uneasy look before shrugging it off.

  “Well… anyway—begin!” Shemans called out.

  Drenco didn’t hesitate. He fired consecutive fire waves—one after another, breaking the rules of engagement without so much as a thought.

  “Wait, that’s—!” Eddie shouted.

  Rin didn’t flinch. Her wand traced a sharp motion through the air— not fire—and a solid wall of frost erupted before her. The fire waves struck, hissing and exploding into clouds of steam. The crowd gasped, the temperature dropping several degrees in an instant.

  “How did she—” Eddie whispered, eyes wide.

  Rin’s barrier shattered—and she was already moving. Two enormous spears of ice formed beside her, whirling once before launching straight toward Drenco.

  He rolled, barely dodging. One spear embedded into the dirt where he’d been standing.

  “Screw it…” Drenco hissed, voice dropping low.

  He thrust his wand forward. A beam of yellow energy erupted, searing the air. Rin sidestepped and retaliated—another spear, faster this time, followed by a blast of fire. Drenco ducked, sliding beneath the shot as he charged forward.

  Then both of them shouted—not words, but raw fury.

  A collision of light and color swallowed the ring. Purple and blue beams slammed together, roaring in a shockwave that sent the spectators shielding their faces. Dirt and heat exploded outward, the two spells wrestling for dominance—Rin’s icy beam clashing against Drenco’s cursed flames.

  “THE HELL—KNOCK IT OFF! THIS DUEL IS OVER!” Morrow roared.

  Shemans reacted instantly—firing an Air Burst at their feet. Both Rin and Drenco were thrown backward, tumbling out of the arena.

  Morrow was already there, pressing Drenco’s wand arm into the ground.

  Shemans did the same to Rin, his tone sharp and furious.

  “What the hell were you thinking, kid?!” Shemans barked, disbelief cutting through his voice.

  Morrow turned sharply, his glare burning into both students. “Inside. Now.”