Devion was, for the first time, in a position of such inferiority. Caspian was probably as strong as a teacher, if not stronger. His magical aura was tremendous, and the boy was surprised that the other members of the Scholar Assembly weren't more unsettled that such a magician was in their ranks.
"People are often destabilized by Caspian." Nell laughed from across the room.
"Shut up, we didn't ring you." Vlad replied, starting a mini war between the two students.
Caspian had returned to his favorite occupation: looking out of the window. This was, perhaps, a little too much for Devion's ego.
"Wait-" The dark-haired man tried to place his hand on Caspian's arm, but was violently thrown backwards with an immense crash. Rock spikes pointed in his direction, his elder turned, his scar glowing, his magical aura putting immense pressure on the whole room.
The pendant Cristael had given Devion some time earlier twirled out of his uniform, still proudly wrapped around his neck.
"What are you doing with that?" Caspian in a flash had found himself on top of the boy pulling him by the collar and partially strangling him in the process.
"That's enough!" Lyra separated them. "That's enough, Caspian. He's your junior, and he's-" She lowered her voice as if to whisper even though Devion could still hear her very clearly. "-Our VIP." She raised her voice. "Sorry Devion! You're definitely out of luck today."
"Why do you have that necklace?" Caspian cut Lyra off sharply. President or not, if he wanted an answer from the brunet he'd get one.
"Cristael gave it to me."
Caspian released the necklace with a jerk, removing the pressure it exerted in one fell swoop, causing Devion to stumble again. This third-year was truly an awful character. Picking himself up with one hand, Devion sat up straight.
Lyra, wanting to lighten the mood, opened her mouth to continue her speech, but was cut off again, this time by the cadet. Devion had moved closer to Caspian and the two were exchanging bloody glances.
"Oh oh it's getting hot!" Nell laughed happily, the tips of her hair turning crimson.
Devion's expression had changed drastically; no matter how calm and nonchalant he was, pissing him off was never a good idea.
"Hey." The two boys were close, and Devion approached again. His eldest was already exerting overpowering magical pressure, now it was his turn to show what he could do. "There are ways of asking a question and I don't like yours very much."
Fire and ice rose up around the two men, and a curtain of magic swirled around them. The other Scholar Assembly students had all risen from their chairs and moved closer together, surrounding the two young men. Lyra had put on a look of concern; it was imperative to separate them or this was going to end badly.
"Devion! Caspian! Stop this! You can settle your war of egos another time!" The president tore at her vocal cords, screaming so that the two of them could hear her over the clatter of ice.
She approached again, but it was almost impossible to get close to these two monstrous magicians. Devion was undoubtedly as good as any member of the Scholar Assembly, with the exception of Caspian, who had to be the only one ahead of him.
The blonde tried to see through the thick smoke Devion was generating with his frostfire. The pressure of the blast rattled the windows, the wind caused by all the emanation of magic swirling around the room. Lyra squinted to make out the silhouettes of the two boys just a few steps away.
At last, Lyra could make out more.
Caspian was standing straight, his cold face surrounded by several rock vines, while Devion was bent over, his power emanating from him. Frostfire wasn't the only thing coming out of Devion. A black smoke was rising from the boy, a shapeless smoke that flowed to the ground, painting it with black spots, like ink stains or as if black blood were spreading on the ground.
An arrow of ice wrapped in a crown of wind crossed the room, landing perfectly in the middle between the two students, stopping them dead in their tracks. Ejected just as quickly as the spell had passed through them, the two students found themselves on opposite sides of the room, all with a violent crash.
"Stand up."
Jaz Blaese entered the room. Furious. His blizzard power, in all its splendor, danced with his step.
"I want you to know, young people, that I do not appreciate what I've just seen. This kind of childish discord has no place in Orpheion."
"Childish." Caspian laughed. "He stole something from my father and that's childish?"
"I didn't steal anything!"
All magic having dissipated their exchange had become more ridiculous than violent. Jaz turned his head from one to the other, glaring at them.
"Cristael gave me that damn necklace and she also told me you didn't want it!"
"Keep it." Caspian moved closer to Devion pushing him violently with one hand on his torso where the necklace was placed. "Anything from my father is cursed."
Caspian left the room, abruptly slamming the door without a backward glance.
"Thank you, Mr. Blaese. We apologize for the inconvenience. I'll take it from here." Lyra finished and despite a slightly reluctant step, the professor finally, once again left the premises. "Devion, I invite you to sit back down."
The young man, annoyed, sat down at the end of the table, he crossed his arms even more annoyed.
"Caspian is very particular." Lyra huffed loudly. "But he's not mean. Let's just say he's been through some difficult events. On the other hand, I must say I'm rather impressed by your skills."
Devion, weary, grunted in acquiescence. He beckoned her to continue, a little reluctantly.
"We'll carry on without him." Lyra brushed away a blond lock that impeded her vision. "As you know, you're our guest of honor. Ms. Boëlthorn has asked us to gather so that we can meet you, but also because she wishes us to guarantee your protection."
"What?" Devions completely slumped in the chair, he straightened up suddenly. "What for? I can protect myself just fine."
"Obviously not." Vlad replied, his two ghostly friends whirling around him. "Right, Pip, Nox?"
"Are these your pets?" Devion replied, raising a mocking eyebrow.
"Pip and Nox are my friends."
"Well, anyway, carry on." The brunet cut short his exchange with his other comrade redirecting his gaze to Lyra.
"Cristael informed us of... The welcome party event. We were present when the attack occurred, but we didn't know what had happened to you. About the incident during your class with Professor Steele, Vlad told us."
"That's all right then." Devion stood up. "If you already have a reporter, why would you want to babysit me."
"It's an order from the headmistress, Devion." Firmly the Scholar Assembly president finished her sentence. "We'll take it in turns to watch over you and to help you if anything like this happens again. And you have no say in the matter."
The day ended on a rather frustrating note for Devion. A new day dawned, replacing the previous one, then another, and another. Another month passed at the academy, still very different from the previous one.
As for Sol, he had gradually adapted to his environment, to his new friend and, quite simply, to this totally crazy new life. As Orpheion had changed its entry policy years before, he didn't believe that a poor boy like him from such a modest family could enter the academy so easily, even without Galahad's help.
The months passed so quickly that he couldn't see them advancing, and even though he missed his family, his thirst for learning here never seemed to dry up - quite the contrary. But Sol saw Devion facing him, Sol saw Devion growing even stronger and at an alarming rate.
The form of possession that had taken the dark-haired man twice had no longer awakened, and the strange magic that resulted seemed just as dormant. That didn't mean it was reassuring, however.
Sol had a rather unique talent. He'd always had it, and it had earned him his parents' greatest pride.
Sol was able to analyze the elemental types and mana symphonies of the magicians around him. He perceived a kind of strange aura, for every Thepra magician, but with a more or less distinct outline. If this outline was clear, the powerful magician he was observing had already reached his full potential; if it was blurred, and the more blurred it was, the greater the magician's potential.
As far as Devion was concerned, Sol perceived almost nothing. All he perceived was a central point, an aura that extended like the sun's rays. The young man deduced a simple and unique conclusion from this: Devion's potential seemed, or probably was, absolutely infinite, something of which he himself seemed unaware.
Cristael had heard of this gift shortly before the two students entered the academy. The headmistress had therefore been quick to summon Sol to her office. An almost double child awake at the dawn of his life was not normal, she had to know. So she had chosen her adopted son's future roommate.
"I'd like you to keep an eye on Sol. I'm not asking you to keep track of him, but I'd like you to analyze his potential."
Sol agreed, unable to refuse a request from the great Cristael Boëlthorn, director of Orpheion.
"Very well." He replied just before a curious boy with messy brown hair and pale green eyes walked straight into the room.
Deep down, Sol hoped they wouldn't get too close. He hoped he wouldn't get too attached to this little dark-haired boy and his strange tear-shaped scar. Above all, he was there to watch and analyze him, his mission needed to be accomplished no matter what.
A few weeks later, Cristael had once again summoned Sol.
"So, dear, have you come to any conclusions?"
Sol had looked at his hands in silence, he didn't really like the way things had turned out, he didn't like the fact that he had to keep an eye on the man who had become his best friend. He was a fraud. Ashamed, he raised his head.
"I failed to analyze him, I'm sorry."
Guiltily, Sol had apologized and left the room.
The time when he did everything he was told to do was over. It was time for Sol to face his demons and stop lying. Sooner or later, Devion's potential would be exposed to the world, but it wouldn't be up to him to judge the first person from Orpheion who had reached out to him.
At some point, Orpheion too would know about Sol, as no truth can be hidden indefinitely.