Chapter 73: Dealing with Nova

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Dealing with Nova

The classroom door opened and Noel immediately returned to his seat, and the other students followed. An instructor entered and walked toward the front, placing several books on the desk with deliberate care. The soft thud of the volumes against the wood was loud in the quiet.

Then she turned around.

"Everyone."

The room went silent, the weight of her presence settling over the students.

"Things are going to change from now on."

The students exchanged confused looks, soft murmurs rising and falling.

"What?"

"What does she mean?"

The instructor raised her voice. "Silence!"

Everyone stopped talking at once, the sudden quiet almost absolute.

She looked across the classroom, her expression hard and unyielding.

"After the recent happening’s in the academy and the mountain explosion, it has become clear that formidable beings may attempt to attack this academy again."

The room erupted.

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Are we in danger?"

"Will the academy protect us?"

One student shouted confidently. "Don’t worry! The instructors will protect us!"

The instructor’s expression turned sharp and cold in an instant, and she stared at the student with a coldness that made the whole front row go quiet.

"You all are royals and nobles." Her voice grew colder still. "And you still expect us commoners to protect you?"

The classroom froze and the air itself seems to tighten.

"If you cannot protect yourselves..." She paused, letting the silence stretch. "Then go ahead and die."

"What?"

"Aren’t you our instructor?"

"You’re supposed to protect us!"

The room exploded with voices. The instructor slammed her hand against the desk, and the sharp crack of palm against wood cut clean through the noise.

"Silence!"

The entire room quieted again, the echo of the impact still lingering in the air.

"Two days from now, a special outdoor training exercise will begin."

The students exchanged glances, soft and uncertain whispers rising once more.

"Outdoor training?"

"What kind?"

The instructor continued. "The purpose is to help you grow stronger and unlock your hidden potential."

One student raised his hand. "Will it be fun?"

The instructor stared at him. "No."

The student immediately lowered his hand, a faint flush of embarrassment coloring his face.

She continued. "The objective of the training is spirit contracting."

The classroom instantly erupted.

"Spirit contracting?"

"Wait!"

"Isn’t that the contract that helps someone increase their magical potential?"

"Exactly!"

"If I contract five spirits, won’t my potential increase even more?"

The instructor nodded. "Yes. All students will attempt to find spirits capable of enhancing their magical abilities." She paused. "Each student must succeed in contracting at least one spirit."

Excitement spread through the room, the air feeling charged with sudden energy.

Theon quietly scoffed. *They don’t even understand what they’re getting into.*

He rested his chin against his hand, the faint warmth of his own skin grounding him.

*Contracting with spirits isn’t free. A spirit would never simply lend its power to someone without expecting something in return. The more spirits a person contracted with, the greater the strain. Five spirits?*

Theon almost laughed, the sound staying trapped in his throat. *They’ll probably regret saying that.*

He glanced inward. *Right, Cryvathar?*

*Yes.*

Something clicked into place. *Wait. This could be my chance.*

*Possibly.*

*I can use the outdoor training to find the Spirit Sovereign.*

*If you’re lucky.*

Theon smiled faintly. *Then I’ll make my own luck.*

The instructor continued with the lecture for the day.

"Now, before we begin today’s class, we’ll discuss about magic circles."

A magic rune appeared above her palm, the soft glow of the symbol casting faint light across her fingers.

"This is a earth magic circle."

The rune rotated slowly. Then another appeared.

"Water."

She placed the two circles together, the runes intertwining with a soft, almost musical hum.

"Combining compatible magic structures can alter their effects."

The students watched closely, the faint scent of ozone filling the air around the floating symbols.

She then changed the first rune to fire, then introduced ice. The two magic circles collided, and the flames changed. A blue fire emerged, cold and bright at the same time.

The students gasped.

"What?"

"Blue flame!"

The instructor nodded. "Original magic."

Theon stared at it, a spark of genuine interest lighting behind his eyes. *Original magic, huh?*

He leaned forward, the wooden desk creaking softly under the shift of his weight. *That would actually be useful.*

The instructor continued explaining the principles behind creating original spells. Theon listened carefully, and for once he simply stayed focused and learned, nothing pulling his attention elsewhere. The soft cadence of the instructor’s voice and the shifting light of the magic circles held his attention completely, in a way few lectures ever managed to.

Eventually, the lesson ended. The runes faded, and the classroom filled with the ordinary sounds of students gathering their things.

Lyra stretched as they left, the soft sound of her joints cracking accompanying the motion.

"That class was boring."

Theon glanced down at her. "You need to learn."

"But I have you, brother." She smiled, the expression bright and trusting. "You’ll always protect me."

Theon stopped walking. He looked at her seriously, the morning light catching the edges of her hair.

"I will." Then he placed his hand gently on her head, her hair soft under his palm. "But you still need to learn how to protect yourself."

Lyra thought about it, a small, determined crease appearing between her brows.

"All right."

They continued walking. Then they saw Leon.

He was leaning against the wall, and this time he approached them, his eyes moving from Theon’s head to his feet as if measuring him.

"What type of monster are you?"

Theon blinked. "What?"

"No human should be able to use that kind of spell."

Theon understood. "Oh, you were there?"

Leon nodded. "Of course I was."

Theon sighed. "I’m sorry about that."

Leon waved his hand. "It’s fine." He paused, the faint tension in his shoulders easing in a fraction. "But I’d like to talk to you again."

Lyra suddenly looked at him. "Wait."

Leon turned back toward her.

"Weren’t you the one who ran out of our chambers when we came back from the cave?" she asked.

Leon looked embarrassed, a faint flush coloring his face. "Yes."

"Why did you run?" Lyra questioned

"I was scared." His gaze moved toward Theon. "After seeing the kind of power your brother possesses, I thought it was better to leave."

Lyra nodded. "Oh."

Leon smiled faintly. "I’ll see you again."

Theon nodded. "Yeah."

Then leon walked away, the soft sound of his boots against the path fading into the general noise of the campus.

Theon continued walking with Lyra. As they crossed the academy grounds, the rumors began again, the whispers following them like a second shadow.

Lyra’s expression became irritated as her small hands clenching at her sides.

"Big brother."

"Hm?"

"Are you sure I shouldn’t eliminate them all?"

Theon immediately shook his head. "Yes Lyra don’t do anything to them."

Lyra opened her mouth to argue, but Theon spoke first.

"I said don’t do anything."

Lyra sighed, the sound long and reluctant. "Fine."

They continued toward the Imperial Dormitory, the familiar path feeling longer under the weight of the stares.

After successfully getting to the Imperial Dormitory. Theon passed by the Blue door near his chamber then he stopped.

A cold breeze brushed across his skin, the temperature drop sudden and unnatural as he turned.

There it was. The glowing door. The same mysterious light. The same strange feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach, one he still hadn’t found the words for.

Theon stared at it. *I still need to figure out what’s within this door.*

Something in his expression hardened. *But first, I have to deal with Nova.*

He turned away. "And I need to check on Ifrith."

As he entered his chamber the familiar scent of it greeted him.

Ifrith stood nearby. "Welcome back, Master."

Silver bowed. "Welcome, Master."

Theon nodded, then sat down on the bed, the mattress yielding under his weight with a soft sigh.

"I need to rest." He looked toward Lazaria. "Bring Nova to me ."

"Yes, Master."

After a short while later, Lazaria returned with Nova.

The primordial demon was tied firmly to a chair, ropes and seals holding him in place with quiet efficiency. He looked furious, the anger in him almost a physical presence in the room.

Theon sat opposite him, Ifrith standing beside him. Lyra rested comfortably on Theon’s lap, her warmth a quiet contrast to the tension in the room. Silver stood to his right, and the little wolf sat curled on the bed, watching everything with sharp, unblinking eyes. Lazaria stood behind Nova, close enough to act the moment she needed to.

Theon looked at her. "Release the spell."

Lazaria snapped her fingers. A faint magical ripple passed through Nova’s body, and the air around him shimmered for a fraction of a second.

His eyes suddenly opened.

"No!"

He jerked violently against the restraints, the chair creaking under the force of the movement.

"Where am I?" His eyes darted around the chamber. "What have you done to me?"

He looked toward Theon. "I am a primordial demon, you know!" He struggled against the restraints, the ropes straining but holding. "I could destroy all of you!"

Theon raised an eyebrow. "You could destroy all of us?"

Nova glared. "Yes!"

"And yet a lesser demon girl locked your soul inside your own body," Theon said evenly.

Nova froze. His gaze slowly moved toward Lazaria, fear flickering across his face, sharp and sudden. Then he looked back at Theon before his eyes moved upward, meeting Ifrith’s.

Ifrith was staring at him. There was no smile. No amusement. Only anger, and the temperature around the demon with crimson hair seemed to rise with it.

Nova immediately understood that this wasn’t going to be a peaceful conversation. His confidence disappeared, and he swallowed, the sound audible in the quiet room.

"All right."

Theon waited, the silence stretching, broken only by the soft breathing of those present.

Nova finally spoke, his voice lower than before, almost reluctant.

"Back then..."

He lowered his voice further, the words coming out like something being forced up from a deep place.

"When the Dark One left the Primordial Demon Realm..."

The room went completely silent. Even the distant sounds of the academy seemed to fade away.

A new sharpness settled over Theon’s expression. Even Ifrith’s expression changed, a new tension settling over the chamber, heavier than before.

And Nova continued.

"Everything changed."