Chapter 41. Arrival at the Academy.
The rest of the summer blurred for Gavin and the others. Since returning from Lunaria's Sanctum, the Valkyries put them through a living hell. From dawn until late into the night they followed the same routine. First came combat training. Most days Gavin sparred with Astrid while Erza worked with Kara. For five hours it was a constant fight for survival.
By the end of the first week Gavin snapped. Frustration boiled over and he shifted in anger. He stood there proud, furious, and shaking with power as he glared at Astrid. Wind ripped through the clearing and ruffled his fur. Erza stopped mid-match with Kara at the surge.
The result was predictable. Astrid beat him to within an inch of his life. "Let this be a reminder, wolf. Control your emotions." She healed him without ceremony, then walked back to her mark. "Get in position. We do not have time for you to lie around."
Gavin tasted dirt repeatedly as Astrid forced him to learn new methods and face his limits. Erza endured the same with Kara as she struggled to refine her fire magic and how to apply it under pressure.
Gavin noticed that Kara seemed to pull her punches with Erza. Maybe it had something to do with Lunaria's parting words. With Gavin, Kara never held back. The work paid off. Through blood, sweat, and tears, both of them gained skill and experience. They could, at least for a while, hold their own against the Valkyrie sisters.
One afternoon Astrid threw Gavin hard. He hit the ground, rolled, and lay there grinning through sweat and grit. Astrid raised an eyebrow and stepped over him. "What is so funny, wolf?"
"I made contact." He pointed at her cheek. A thin red line marked the skin.
Astrid smeared the scratch with her thumb and glanced at the blood. "All that excitement over a scratch?" Her tone held honest confusion.
"Improvement."
After combat came three hours of meditation. The sisters drilled them on harnessing mana and attuning to their elements. Every day they emptied themselves and pushed again, repeating the same spell to lengthen duration, improve control, and increase output. The goal was measurable growth.
By the end of the summer Gavin could cast complex magic while shifted. Every evening Kara taught Erza battlefield tactics and close-quarters skills. Erza took to strategy quickly while Gavin lagged behind there and knew it.
It felt like hell.
His body never felt rested, and his stomach never felt full. That was his life for two and a half months. He grew lean and hard. His stamina sharpened. His pain tolerance climbed off the charts.
There was one side effect no one intended. Gavin developed a deep hatred for anything with white wings, especially certain Valkyries.
They rose early on the final morning. The drive across the continent of Elyndra took two weeks. They started in Tristain to the west, crossed the central plains of the Vale of Lunaria, and reached the western coast of the Allario Dominion. As Erza navigated traffic into the city, Gavin decided to check his stats.
Veronica, can you give me a quick rundown before we arrive? It has been a while since I checked everything.
Of course, Gavin. You grew so much over the summer. I know you hate the Valkyries, but I am not sure you would have reached this point so quickly without them. Here is what you wanted.
Gavin smiled at the praise despite himself.
Gavin Johnson. Age 18.
Royal bloodline, Dread Howler were-wolf shifter.
Level 30.
Hp. 390/390
Mana points. 200/200
Strength 86.
Speed 89.
Agility 82.
Stamina 100.
Charm 25.
Intimidate 35.
Acquired skills.
Hunters howl level 8. Uses increased to five times per day.
Shape-shift, were-wolf form level 9. Shifting uses minimal stamina and mana. Able to use complex magic when shifted.
Elemental manipulation level 10. Able to blend elements. Spells require 40% less mana to use.
Overdrive level three. Drawback effect is reduced to several hours.
Soul Sense level one. Able to detect the souls of living beings.
Soul Vault level one. User is able to store souls defeated in battle. Limit is 10 souls. Over use may cause mental strain.
My skills have really improved, haven't they? Gavin felt some pride in how much his hard work paid off.
Yes Gavin. Compared to your strength when I was first given to you, it's a night and day difference. You know how to work hard when you want to. Veronica couldn't just let him get a big head now, could she?
"We are almost there, babe," Erza said, easing off the interstate. Gavin only hoped it would all be worth it.
The city dwarfed Tristain. Allario looked three or four times larger by his guess. Tall buildings rose like towers in the center, shining through the low clouds. Massive homes and apartment blocks filled the neighborhoods. The place felt clean, polished, and expensive. It was the regional capital after all.
Erza guided them through impatient drivers who swerved, cut, and sped like it was a racetrack. "This city is massive, do you think?"
"Yeah, and its drivers are insane." Gavin watched the mirrors. In a few minutes he counted nearly a dozen close calls. "I will be glad when my years at the academy are over, so I never have to drive here again."
Erza turned the corner and braked. The sight stole Gavin's breath and erased his irritation.
The campus of the Allario Magic Academy spanned several city blocks. A line of vehicles inched toward the parking lots for student drop-off. Bright LED signs gave instructions.
First-year students use Parking Lot A.
Second-year students use Parking Lot B.
Third-year students use Parking Lot C.
"The signs rotate to split the crowds," Erza said, joining the line for first-years.
"Looks that way," Gavin said, staring out the window.
The campus was enormous. Signs marked four main sections. On the south side a coliseum rose toward the sky, the single building swallowing the entire southern zone. It dwarfed everything else in the district. Gavin was eager to see it up close.
They found a spot in the first-year lot, killed the engine, and moved to the back. Gavin grabbed several black bags while Erza took the rest.
A cluster of folding tables held pamphlets and was staffed by senior students answering questions. A petite blonde girl waved them over. She wore a dark blue shirt and a long skirt and practically radiated warmth.
"Hello. Welcome to the Allario Magic Academy. My name is Stephanie. You can call me Steph." Her brown eyes sparkled in the sun.
Gavin stumbled over his words at her energy. "Hi. I am Gavin Johnson. Checking in."
Erza bit her lip as she watched him get tongue-tied with the first pretty girl they met. Typical. She adjusted her shoulder straps and observed.
"Sure thing," Steph said, drawing a tablet from the apron at her waist. "Alright. Gavin Johnson. Eighteen years old. Freshman. Alpha Building, third floor, room twenty-seven." She highlighted spots on a campus map. "We are here," she said, indicating the lot on the west side. "These are the dorms. Each year has a building: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. Also, we have a zero-tolerance policy for abuse of power."
"You have a roommate assigned," she added. "Jackson Smith, first-year. Follow this path to reach Alpha."
"Do fights happen often on campus?" Erza asked. Concern edged her voice. She looked around and saw some of the first-year students trying to practice and demonstrate magical skills for their future classmates.
"The staff does their best to ride herd on the aggressive ones and weed them out before anything serious happens," Steph said. "They cannot be everywhere though. I wouldn't worry."
"Right. They try, but things happen," Gavin said. Translation; watch your own back here.
"Exactly," Steph replied with another bright smile. "No fighting outside sanctioned events, but power attracts a certain kind of student." She sighed as she turned off the screen.
"Um excuse me, I'm also checking in. Erza O'Malley." Erza's words surprised Gavin as he turned with a raised eyebrow.
"You didn't think I'd let you go off on your own, did you?" Her grin made him laugh and he shook his head.
Stephanie looked at Erza and turned on her tablet again. "Alright, Erza O'Malley, 21 years old. Look's like you are in the same dorm as Gavin. Third floor, room 53." She gave Erza a sweet smile as she closed her tablet.
"Come on, Gavin. Let us get you to your room," Erza said, gently steering him away. Sunlight flashed on the locket at her throat. Her head kept on a swivel to watch the ones practicing magic. Along the pillars scattered about was a bronze eye that followed and tracked the magical skills being displayed.
She glared at Stephanie as she felt on edge. It was this place, it felt old, powerful. Like magic was flowing through every stone and rock.
Gavin reached down to intertwine his fingers with hers. "Why didn't you tell me that you enrolled?"
She laughed as she squeezed his fingers. "I wanted to surprise you. I can't even trust you to eat an actual meal, let alone avoid ripping someone's spine out."
Gavin bristled, pretending to be offended before he gave up. He flashed her his cocky, charming smile that she hated to love. "Well damn, how well I ever fall victim to some sweet pretty new coed with my mate here?" He teased her and bumped his shoulder against her.
She glared at him as she squeezed his hand tighter. "See, I know your joking. But…" she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Even joking about that will leave you out of my bed at night."
Gavin whimpered as he backed down. "Okay, that's not playing fair."
She nipped his ear with satisfaction. "Then be a good wolf." She kissed his cheek as they continued their walk. Her posture seemed to relax as she got used to the power that radiated on the campus.
Their bond had deepened over the summer. Between the constant battle for survival, and the tender moments they could spend together, she never felt so happy. Erza could even sense his mood sometimes through the bond. Erza had never been so in tuned with a partner before.
They joined the stream of students and families heading for the dorms. The walkway was wide, smooth concrete with benches every ten or twenty feet. Trees, bushes, and flowers filled the gaps between buildings. The mix of greenery and stone felt deliberate and calm.
Step off the path and it was almost woods. Gavin liked that. The quiet spaces called him. He made mental notes of places to explore.
As they walked, a girl with short, spiky blue hair shouldered past Gavin without a word. A jolt ran through him at the contact. It felt like the night he shifted for the first time. Old. Primal. Familiar.
He stopped and rubbed his shoulder. The girl kept moving, easy to track in black clothes and an alt style that stood out.
"What is wrong?" Erza asked, frowning as she stepped in front of him.
"I am not sure. Someone bumped into me and I felt a surge. Like the night of the ambush." He met her eyes.
Erza drew a sharp breath. His eyes were blood-red. "Gavin, calm yourself. Your eyes are red, baby." She shifted to block his face from passersby.
Gavin cursed softly and closed his eyes. He centered on his inner mana and forced his body to relax. He only struggled like this when someone threatened Erza. That had not happened. So why were his eyes reacting?
He breathed, opened his eyes, and found Erza's relieved smile. The blue she knew had returned. She pointed toward the Alpha dorm. "Come on. Let us get you unpacked."
He walked in silence and mentally replayed the moment. Why had his eyes flared? Who was that girl? What was the surge? He needed answers.
He activated Soul Sense. Vision shifted. Colors flared as human souls moved around him. One stood out, bright and clear, a vibrant silver. That must be her. But what is she?
His eyes began to ache. He dropped the skill. The signature did not match anything from the training dungeon. He would have to keep an eye out for her.
They reached the Alpha Building. It impressed him. The structure formed a giant circle. Each room had a balcony that opened to the outside like an apartment complex. Several entrances ringed the ground floor. A large community area spread before the doors with grills, picnic pavilions, and benches. The place invited people to relax outside.
"Dang," Erza said, taking it in. "This puts some apartments in Tristain to shame. If the outside looks like this, what do the rooms look like?"
Gavin grinned as he took it all in. "Let's go find out!"
White stones like polished marble gleamed in the light with not a single crack or stain. Black steel rails wrapped each balcony, a stark contrast to the white facade. The front entry had a wide double door of dark wood with windows on either side. Both doors stood open to ease the crush of foot traffic.
Inside, warm lights softened the halls. It was crowded enough to force them single file. A shoulder slammed into Erza, hard enough to make her stumble back from Gavin. She immediately went to apologize but someone else spoke before she could.
"Pathetic freshmen need to watch their step," someone said. Laughter followed. Cruel. Mocking.
The words crawled under Gavin's skin. He turned and saw a tall man with three cronies behind him, all staring at Erza. "Didn't your momma ever teach you it's polite to apologize when you bump into someone." Gavin's voice dropped an octave, and it sent a shiver down her spine. He was a wall of solid muscle. The immovable mountain.
The lead man leaned in with a smirk. He had small silver piercings in both ears and brown spiked hair.
Gavin stepped between them and looked the group over. Verdict? He was unimpressed. "Gavin, don't. Let it go. I am alright," Erza whispered. She knew what could happen if he lost control. He was a weapon after their summer. Trained to be precise. Lethal. Efficient. The only time he struggled to hold back was when someone targeted her.
She set a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. The muscles under her palm were tight and coiled. He was ready to lay this idiot out. One wrong move, one wrong word spoken and it would be lights out for the man. She sighed.
Sometimes Gavin's worst enemy wasn't a strong opponent, or unbeatable Valkyrie warrior. It was his own recklessness and stupidity.
"Come on. Let us get to your room," she said, tugging his arm.
"Why do you not take your own advice?" Gavin asked the man. "You bumped into her and now you want to act like the victim." He had already sized them up. None were a real threat. Shifting here was off the table. He would not risk expulsion, but one more wrong word and he would teach them a lesson.
Calm yourself, Gavin. You do not want to get expelled on the first day, do you? Veronica's voice cut in, cool and practical.
"Watch who you are talking to, punk," the lead said. "I might decide to mop the floor with you." He flicked a glance at Erza. "And your friend looks like all kinds of fun."
Erza squeezed Gavin's shoulder. "We will be on our way," she said evenly. Under her hand Gavin felt like a bowstring about to snap.
"Come on, Bradley, teach this punk a lesson," one crony said. He wanted a show. He also wanted what he had no right to.
Bradley tilted his head at Erza. "Why run off? We only just met, sweet thing." He drew out the last words with a fake southern lilt.
A vein pulsed at Gavin's temple. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe. He would not get expelled on day one for tearing out an idiot's spine. He clenched and released his hands in his pockets. His heart rate was steady, but his blood burned.
Bradley reached for Erza's arm. He didn't want the beautiful woman to leave yet. She should be with someone strong, like him. Not this scrawny punk.
A grip like iron clamped around Bradley's wrist and stopped it cold. One of the bronze eyes in the hallway opened and trained on their group. "Alert. Mana violation. Disperse immediately."
"Do not touch her." The voice was deep and menacing. A wave of visible blood-red mana pooled in the hall. With the mana came a searing heat that caused Bradley to step back in surprise. Bradley turned to the one holding him and swallowed hard as he stared into a pair of crimson eyes that did not blink.
"Oh shit." Erza's whispered words filled Bradley's hearing. Gavin's grip on Bradley's arm tightened like a vice as he prevented the leader from reaching his mate.