The Academy's Genius Mage

Nobody noticed the purple fade back to blue.

It happened quietly, the lightning dimming and shifting color like it was correcting itself, and by the time anyone’s eyes adjusted to the clearing properly it was just blue again.

’Tch.’ Lucas’s mind was already moving. ’Okay. Think. There has to be something, some explanation, anything—’

Nothing came.

"Sylvia!"

Celia broke through the undergrowth first and didn’t slow down — crossed the distance between them in seconds and pulled Sylvia into a hug. "I’m so glad you’re safe, I was so worried."

Sylvia, still on the ground and thoroughly exhausted, managed to raise one arm and return it. "I’m alright," she said. "I’m okay."

"You don’t look okay," Celia said into her shoulder, not letting go yet.

Professor Starc stepped forward past them, his eyes moving across.

"So, These are the senior cadets who attempted to abduct junior student."

It wasn’t really a question.

The bearded man beside him had already moved further into the clearing, his eyes doing their own survey, and something in his expression had shifted, sharper now, focused on a specific point. He stopped in front of Sylvia. "Hmm."

Sylvia looked up at him.

"I’m sensing a rather strong forbidden energy," he said, his tone going from observational to official in one sentence. "Coming from you." He pointed directly towards Sylvia. "Remove it."

The words hit the air and sat there.

"Forbidden—?" Starc’s brows pulled together.

"Energy?" Celia pulled back from the hug, her eyes going wide as she looked between Sylvia and the bearded man. "Wait, what does that mean? What’s happening?"

"That energy is coming behind the mask," the bearded man said, "Remove it."

Sylvia’s hand rose slowly toward her face. The movement was reluctant in the specific way that comes when you’ve run out of options and know it. Her fingers reached the edge of the mask.

’No no no no—’ Lucas’s thoughts were running hard and producing nothing. ’Think. There has to be something. Anything. What do we—’

"What’s the delay?" The bearded man’s voice sharpened. "Remove it. Now."

Her fingers touched the mask. ’I guess this is it—’

"NO." Lucas’s hand shot forward and caught the mask, holding it in place.

The bearded man’s eyes locked onto him with the full weight of someone who is not accustomed to being interrupted. "Boy. Are you defying a direct order?" His voice dropped. "Do you understand who you’re speaking to right now?"

Lucas lowered his head immediately. "I’m sorry, sir. But she can’t remove it."

Silence.

"And why," the man said carefully, "is that."

Lucas hesitated for one fraction of a second.

Then it arrived.

"They used Butterfly Mist on her."

The recognition that moved across the bearded man’s face was immediate. "The Ironhart forbidden technique?"

"Yes sir." Lucas kept his voice steady. "She’s still recovering from it. If she removes the mask right now her condition could worsen."

The bearded man was quiet, turning the information over, his gaze moving to the three brothers and back. "So they went as far as using forbidden arts." His voice went cold as it landed on Kine and Ley and Talon. "In that case you three will be escorted directly to the Headmaster. Your actions will be judged accordingly."

Lucas let the breath out so slowly nobody could hear it.

From the corner of his eye, Sylvia’s hand moved just slightly in his direction. A thumbs up. Barely visible. Completely sincere.

He gave the smallest nod back.

"LUCAS."

Both he and Sylvia looked up. Nova came crashing through from the west side of the treeline at the same moment Gideon emerged from the east, both of them slightly out of breath and scanning the clearing with the urgent eyes of people who had been running through a forest hoping they weren’t too late.

Nova took one look at the scene — the lightning cages, the three brothers restrained, Lucas covered in blood, Sylvia on the ground — and his expression cycled through relief, horror, and outrage in about two seconds.

"What happened to your face?" he said, pointing at Lucas. "You’re completely—is that all your blood?"

"I’m fine."

"You are NOT fine, you look like you battled with a wild beast—"

"Nova," Gideon said, arriving beside him and placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked at Lucas properly, the kind of look that didn’t need a lot of words.

Nova stared at him for another second. Then he turned away and folded his arms and stared at a tree for a moment, which was Nova’s version of collecting himself.

Gideon crouched down to Lucas’s level. "How bad is it actually."

"I’ll live."

"That’s a different question from how bad is it."

"...I’ll live," Lucas said again.

Gideon exhaled through his nose and stood up. He looked at Sylvia. "Are you alright?"

"Recovering," she said.

"Good." He nodded once. Satisfied with the information, already moving on to processing what came next.

Celia had been watching Sylvia’s on her mask this entire time with an expression that had too many questions in it to pick just one. She opened her mouth.

The bearded man began escorting the brothers away.

And Talon laughed.

The bearded man looked at him sharply. "You seem remarkably amused for someone being escorted to the Headmaster, Mr. Ironhart."

"Oh I understand perfectly what’s waiting for me, sir." Talon’s eyes moved past him, finding Lucas and Sylvia with the precision of someone placing a shot. "I just happened to overhear something interesting after we were defeated. Something these two were quite worried about." The smirk settled. "Something about a secret between themselves for which they feared if the academy comes to know about it, the academy might use truth device to know their secret. Even they planned to run before you arrived."

The clearing went quiet in a new way.

Celia turned to Sylvia. "Is that... true?"

"Of course not," Nova said immediately, before anyone else could. He stepped forward, arms folded, looking at Talon with an expression that had no warmth in it whatsoever. "He just got beaten and he’s trying to take someone down with him. That’s what it is."

"I have to agree," Gideon said, his voice even. "A man in handcuffs trying to start another problem before he’s even left the scene." He looked at Talon directly. "Not exactly a reliable source."

Talon’s smirk didn’t move.

Sylvia’s voice came out firm. "He’s making things up. None of that—"

"Remove the mask."

The bearded man had turned back.

"Even if the Butterfly Mist affects you again, I will personally ensure you’re treated immediately," he said. "But I need to see your face. Remove it."

Sylvia went quiet.

The clearing waited.

Nova looked at Lucas. Lucas looked at Sylvia. Celia’s hands had clasped together in front of her without her deciding to do it.

"...Fine."

Sylvia reached up and took the mask off.

’No sylvia! what are you doing?’ Lucas’s heart stopped.

Then started again.

Her face was completely normal. The marks were gone. The glow had faded, her body had done the work without being asked.

"Satisfied?" she asked, looking at the bearded man with the specific composure of someone who has just survived something and is not going to show it.

He studied her for a long moment. Then nodded. "Alright."

"I’ll escort these three to the Headmaster," the bearded man said, turning to Starc. "As for those two—" his gaze landed on Lucas and Sylvia with the specificity of someone marking something on a list, "—question them. Find out what they’re hiding. If they refuse." A pause. "Use the Truth device."

Lucas felt his stomach drop.

Sylvia said nothing.

The brothers were led away. Talon’s eyes found Lucas one last time before the trees swallowed them, and whatever was in that look didn’t need words.

*****

Inside a private staff room, the casual warmth that Professor Starc carried in class had been set aside entirely. He sat across from Lucas and Sylvia with a stillness that was more serious than anything loud, his eyes carrying the weight of someone who has two roles and is currently in the other one.

Celia, Nova and Gideon stood off to the side. Celia’s hands were still clasped. Nova was doing a very poor job of looking casual. Gideon was watching Starc with the careful attention.

"You are my students," Starc said. His voice was level and unhurried. "In class I am your instructor." His eyes moved between the two of them. "In situations like this, I have a different responsibility." He leaned forward slightly. "Cooperate honestly and your punishment may be reduced. I’ll only ask once, politely."

A silence that had a specific weight to it.

Then he asked.

"What is the secret the two of you are hiding?"