Maya and Brandon left to prepare for the journey to Nyxia, while Iuna and Brant worked their apprentices to the bone. Maximus followed Lysa to her cabin, and she handed him one of the wyvern eggs. “Make sure you don’t die.” Her lips curled into a smile, and she left him alone. She continued through the corridor and entered the room Ray had been resting in. “What are you doing?” She squinted her eyes, watching him balance on one arm.

  She walked into the room and took a seat, staring at him. After a moment, he jumped to his feet. “I was training my internal harmony in smell. I got bored doing it while just sitting.” He walked to the bed and sat down. “I also wanted to see how much harder it would be to train without breathing.”

  “You’re going to Lunaria in about four months. So try to master both smell and touch by then.”

  Ray blinked and turned to her. “What? Why?”

  Lysa shifted in her seat, crossing her arms. “To attend the annual Festival of Arms.” He scratched his temple. “Why me, then? Shouldn’t the second years go?” She rested one of her arms on the chair’s handle. “I’m headed to Vargard for an important mission, and you won’t be alone; Vivian will accompany you along with the second years.”

  “What does you going to Vargard have to do with me going to Lunaria?” Ray asked, staring at her with narrow eyes. A frown formed on her face. “Nothing, but if you do, I’ll grant you one wish.”

  “Okay then, I want an intermediate-grade weapon.”

  Her frown disappeared, replaced by a smile. “Fine.” She stood up, cracking her neck. “Represent Acacia at the Festival of Arms and when you return, you can choose one intermediate grade weapon.”

  Ray tried to speak, but Lysa stopped him. “Also, your wyvern souvenir is waiting in your room.” She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Inside, he jumped back on his arm and held his breath. Four months. Alright.

  Lysa made her way outside the academy, searching for Mei Zhi. She spotted her training on the ground and walked toward it. “Vivian, come here.” She called out to her, waving her hand. Mei Zhi took deep breaths and wiped the sweat off her forehead. The sun glistened over her hair as they rode the wind. She stretched and strode toward Lysa. “Yes?”

  “In about four months, you will head to Lunaria for the Festival of Arms with Ray and the second years. Do you have any questions?” Lysa asked, resting her arm on her waist.

  Mei Zhi shook her head, and Lysa smiled. “Alright, and how did you like the wyvern souvenir?”

  “Thank you for such a precious item.” Mei Zhi bowed before her. Lysa let out a hearty chuckle. “Don’t worry too much; it’s the least I can do for my precious apprentices.”

  A smile appeared on Mei Zhi’s face, then disappeared. “Can we spar today? I might have figured out a way to beat you.” Lysa shook her hand. “Not today; I’m heading to Vargard, so I need to prepare. We’ll spar when all three of us return. Until then, you two have time to get even stronger.” Patting her back, Lysa walked away. “Don’t slack off.”

  Mei Zhi stared at her back. She isn’t as bad as I thought. Lunaria in four months. I have time to train.

  Iuna’s voice rang across the academy, surrounded by loud footsteps and low grunts. Her apprentices ran around the grounds between the two walls. She kept up with them at a steady pace, not giving them a chance to rest. Under the pressure of her intense glare, the apprentices didn’t complain but kept running with no other choice. Brant’s apprentices strolled on the garden paths, under the canopy of the tall trees. While Maximus’ apprentices slept in their rooms, tired physically and mentally from the hunt. Meanwhile, Maximus stood in Lysa’s cabin holding the egg. “What do I do with this?” He stared at the egg for hours without moving until the crimson glow of the setting sun reflected off the egg’s surface.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Back in the boys’ dorms, Jon paced around in his room, muttering to himself. “Does Vivian like flowers? Of course she does; all girls do. But maybe she doesn’t? What else does she like? I should ask her.” He ran to the door, but halted near it. “I should get something for her first, then we can go out to eat something, just us two.” He turned back and jumped on his bed when someone knocked on the door. He sauntered toward the door, a smile plastered on his face, and opened it. The smile disappeared when he spotted Brandon. “Brother? What do you want?” Brandon entered the room and looked around, then sat on his bed. “Before leaving, I’m here to give you shit as your sponsor.” Jon crossed his arms and tilted his head. Brandon tossed him a sword. “It’s made of a skywyrm’s feathers. Use it well.” And stood, leaving his room.

  Jon stared at the sword. “Skywyrm’s feathers? What the hell is a skywyrm? And how would a sword made of feathers be better than an iron sword?”

  Aidan, in his own room, stared into his cupboard. His variety of clothes lay about as his eyes hovered over them. He stood there for a few minutes, then shut the door and fell on his bed, closing his eyes, Cassandra’s ring flashing before him as a frown appeared on his face. “Who is she engaged to?”

  On the other corner of the dorm, Victor sat in his room thinking. “The fight with the aligktor… I am ashamed. I couldn’t do anything.” His mind churned, his fists clenched as he relived the memory. “I need to learn something from Sera… she is…” A blush appeared behind his ears as he shook his head. “What am I thinking? I need to get stronger.”

  Behind the girls’ dorm, the heavy swings of a broad blade cut through the air. The crimson light flickered through the windows, reflecting off Cassandra’s blonde hair. I… have… to… become… a… knight. Her breath grew heavier with each swing. “Only then can I…” Her voice trailed off as she kept swinging. Sera looked upon her from her room’s window. “Why does she train so much?” She shifted in her seat, grabbed her spear and exited her room. Her footsteps were silent as she made her way through the dorm; her red hair glowed under the crimson light. She crept up behind Cassandra and tapped her shoulder. She flinched and swung her blade in an arc. Sera ducked and smiled. Cassandra let out a sigh, her broad blade crashing into the ground. “Don’t do that. I almost hurt you.” Sera jumped a few steps back and pointed her spear at her. “Let’s spar.” She blinked, and then a smile formed on her face. “Alright.”

  Meanwhile, Elaira sat in her room, the ruby necklace in her hand. She stared at it for a moment before putting it aside and lying on her bed. Raising her hand toward the ceiling.

  “Why are you so lost in thought, Elaira?”

  Her eyes widened, and she jumped away from the window. Maya entered through and sat on the windowsill. “Calm down, it’s just me.” Elaira let out a deep breath, shaking her head. “Why are you here?” Maya tilted her head with a smile on her face. “I wanted to give you some things before I leave.”

  She looked around; her face dropped when she saw Elaira’s daggers. “Aww, you use daggers? But I got you a sword.” Elaira raised her hand. “It’s fine, I can’t use a sword anyway.” Maya jumped down from the windowsill and walked toward her. She halted, her face lighting up. “I know.” She tossed the sword to her. “When you have time, go into Teqa and find a man named Malik. Tell him Maya the Angel sent you.” Elaira tried to speak, but Maya stopped her. “Melt this sword and make twin daggers out of it. They will be better than your flimsy iron ones.” They both talked in her room for a while, then Maya left.

  Back near the boys’ dorm, Ray made his way to his room. What could the souvenir be? He slithered through the crowd of apprentices and reached the door of his room. He took a deep breath and entered, only for his face to drop. With his fists clenched as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. “What the hell is this? Wyvern scales?” He picked up one of them and stared at it, a frown etched on his face. “I can make a way better sword out of this than an intermediate-grade sword. Did Lysa scam me? No wonder she agreed so quickly.”