Kael returned to his room, skipping the minor lectures he had for the day and resting for what lay ahead. As he lay in bed, hoping to nap, he was suddenly awakened by laughter and noise in his room. Opening one eye, he saw a group of people gathered—Severian, Korrvak, Finnick, and the girl from the entrance exam who had exceptional control over Inveris.
Kael groaned, "Morning… What's going on here?"
Severian smirked, "Ah, Kael, you're finally awake! We came to keep you company while you recover."
Kael furrowed his brows, confused. "Recover? I'm not sick."
"Then why did you skip class today?" Severian asked, crossing his arms.
Kael shrugged. "Just didn't feel like it. Had some… stomach issues."
"See? You're sick! That's why we came to help you recover faster," Severian declared triumphantly.
Kael sighed. "You could've just let me sleep."
"Nonsense! Everyone knows the best way to recover is with company," Severian grinned.
Kael rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. So, what were you guys talking about before I woke up?"
"We were just sharing how we all ended up here," Severian said. "And we had just gotten to her." He gestured toward the unfamiliar girl.
"Ah, right! You two haven't been introduced yet," he added. "Kael, meet Ysara."
Kael extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Ysara shook it briefly before withdrawing. "Likewise."
Kael studied her, noticing something off about her demeanor. "So, what brings you here?"
She hesitated slightly before replying, "My parents pushed me to learn Inveris from a young age so I could protect myself and those close to me. Once I was old enough, they sent me here to enroll."
Kael wasn't entirely convinced. That explanation was too generic. She didn't seem like someone who would go along with something like that without other motives. It lacked details. The others had probably received more elaborate stories, but Kael wasn't interested in digging deeper—at least, not yet. As long as she wasn't a threat, her past didn't matter.
After some more casual conversation, Kael casually mentioned, "I might need to take a trip back home soon. Got an urgent message that I need to handle something."
Severian blinked. "Already? The school just started."
"Don't worry," Kael reassured. "I don't know when I'm leaving yet, but I'll be back before the Joint Field Excursion."
At the mention of the event, the group's energy shifted.
"You definitely don't want to miss that," Finnick chimed in. "It's huge for first-years."
"Yeah, it's one of the biggest evaluation points," Severian added.
"I heard it's likely going to be Capture the Flag this year," Finnick continued. "Gaianis and Inveris students get mixed into teams of six, and each student is graded on individual contributions to the team's success."
The group became excited—except for Kael. He was already devising a plan to contribute just enough to pass while ensuring he remained at the bottom of the rankings. Tests were easy to game—he could write the bare minimum to pass. But this? This would be tricky.
After some more discussion, the group eventually dispersed, heading to their respective rooms to rest.
The next morning, Kael resumed his usual training routine, then proceeded to wake up Severian before heading to his Practical Gaianis Application class. They were taken to a training hall, where they practiced controlling Gaianis by targeting stationary objects.
Since no one truly knew what Kael was capable of, he intentionally displayed only the bare minimum, performing just well enough to avoid suspicion but not well enough to stand out.
While he was practicing, Evanna approached him.
"Is that really all you've got?" she asked, arms crossed.
Kael feigned an embarrassed smile. "Yeah, unfortunately. I'm not that great with Gaianis."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't give me that crap. You got in through recommendation—there's no way you're this weak."
Kael's eye twitched slightly. So, everyone knew about that? If she knew, it was likely common knowledge among students.
Evanna smirked. "You can fool the others, but not me. I'll see what you're actually capable of soon enough."
Kael sighed internally. Great. Just what I needed.
The rest of the day passed without much trouble, and Kael returned to his room for some much-needed rest. But, just like the previous night, the same group gathered in his room, making noise while he tried to sleep.
This continued for the entire week—until one morning, while Kael was out jogging, Professor Locke found him.
"Hey, Kael!" Locke called out. "We start training tomorrow. I hope you've come up with a good excuse for disappearing."
Kael exhaled. "I guess so. What about my regular classes? Are the professors okay with me missing them?"
Locke smirked. "Ehh, leave that to me. They'll be mad, but whatever. You'll learn more training with me than sitting in a classroom. Just make sure you don't tell anyone about your Relic. Got a cover story?"
Kael nodded. "Yeah, I'll figure something out."
Locke patted him on the back. "Good. Be at my office first thing tomorrow morning."
That evening, Kael informed his usual group that he'd be "leaving for a while." Luckily, they didn't ask too many questions, allowing him to slip away without suspicion.
The next morning, Kael knocked on Locke's door.
"ENTER!" Locke's voice boomed.
Kael stepped inside to see Locke holding two daggers, twirling them between his fingers.
"Hope you're ready," Locke grinned. "Because you're not leaving this room until the Joint Field Excursion."
Kael smirked. "Guess I don't have a choice."
And so, Kael's intensive training began.
End of Chapter 22