Liria found Enara lounging against the Academy's grand staircase, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in clear irritation. Ananara hovered beside her, looking bored as ever, though his spiky pineapple form sohow managed to radiate condescension.
"You're late," Enara said sharply, her midnight eyes narrowing. "What happened? Did Seraphis turn you into a pile of ash?"
Liria shrugged, plastering on a nonchalant grin. "Nope. Apologies were made. Bridges were—well, not built, but maybe patched with duct tape. It's fine."
"She didn't make you her apprentice, did she?" Enara asked suspiciously.
"Not a chance," Liria said, shuddering. "I'd rather be eaten by a Hellbeast."
Ananara snorted. "Frankly, that would have been a more dignified outco."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mr. Talking Fruit." Liria shot him a glare, which he ignored entirely.
Enara rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's just get to class. Professor Kaelith doesn't tolerate tardiness, and I'm not in the mood to be on the receiving end of one of his death glares because of you."
"What's so scary about a glare?" Liria muttered as they headed toward the lecture hall. Stay connected via empire
"You'll see," Enara said ominously.
The magic lecture hall was as grand as ever, with towering bookshelves cramd with ancient tos, glowing sigils etched into the walls, and an enormous chandelier made of crystalline orbs that floated midair, casting shifting patterns of light.
Liria barely had ti to take her seat beside Enara before the doors slamd open with a sharp crack. A chill swept through the room as Professor Kaelith entered, his indigo skin almost blending into the shadowy tendrils of his hair that swirled as if alive. His molten gold eyes flickered briefly over the students, and Liria felt an uncomfortable shiver crawl down her spine.
"Good morning," Kaelith said, his deep voice laced with an edge that made it clear he did not tolerate nonsense. "Today's lesson will focus on a subject many of you may never master. However, the royal family has graciously allowed us to explore it briefly: the art of black flas."
The room collectively tensed, the significance of the words weighing heavily in the air. Black flas were more than just a magical technique—they were a symbol, a mark of power and dominion exclusive to the royal lineage of demons.
And yet, Liria Silverthorn, an anomaly from another world, could summon them.
Kaelith's molten gold eyes lingered on Liria for a fraction longer than necessary. The entire class seed to shift uncomfortably in their seats, as if silently acknowledging the unspoken question hanging between them: How is she capable of wielding them?
Liria felt the weight of their stares but kept her expression neutral. Internally, however, she was anything but calm.
Great. Black flas. The royal family's signature magic, she thought, her fingers tapping nervously on the desk.
[You can handle this,] the system chid in her mind, its tone smug. [You've done it before. In fact, you're better at it than half these clowns.]
That's not the point, Liria snapped internally. I shouldn't be able to do it at all. It's supposed to be exclusive to the demon royals. You know, like their entire identity?
[So? You're a walking mystery. Own it.]
Professor Kaelith turned away from the class, raising a hand. The glyphs on his robes pulsed with faint light as a swirl of dark fire ignited in his palm. The black flas danced, their flickering edges outlined in violet and blue, casting eerie shadows across his indigo skin.
"Black flas," he began, his voice steady and authoritative, "are not rely fire. They are an extension of the soul, a manifestation of unyielding will and ancient power. For centuries, they have been a closely guarded secret of the demon royal family."
His eyes flicked toward Enara briefly, acknowledging her status without words.
"The flas are not just destructive," Kaelith continued. "They are also transformative, capable of bending reality itself. But their power cos at a cost. To wield them carelessly is to invite ruin. Only those with the bloodline of the royal family—or, in one curious case, soone like Miss Silverthorn—have ever been able to command them."
A few heads turned toward Liria, curiosity and unease evident on their faces. Even Enara glanced at her, her expression unreadable.
Liria shifted in her seat, her fingers tightening around the edge of the desk.
"Miss Silverthorn," Kaelith said suddenly, his golden gaze locking onto hers. "Perhaps you would like to enlighten us. How does a human manage to wield the most sacred magic of the demon royals?"
The room went silent.
Liria forced a smile, trying to suppress the wave of panic rising in her chest. "I dunno," she said, shrugging. "Maybe I'm just naturally talented."
A few nervous chuckles rippled through the class, but Kaelith's expression didn't change.
"Talent alone does not explain the inexplicable," he said coldly. "You are an enigma, Miss Silverthorn. One that many find… unsettling."
"Well, thanks for the complint," Liria said dryly, earning a snort from Enara.
Kaelith ignored the interruption and turned his attention to the rest of the class.
"The royal family's black flas are tied to their lineage, their history, and their dominion over our realm," he explained, pacing slowly. "Queen Verida, for example, wields her flas with unmatched precision, using them to enforce order and discipline."
Liria couldn't help but picture Enara's formidable mother, her deep red skin and golden eyes radiating strength as she effortlessly summoned black fire.
"Queen Nyssara," Kaelith continued, "has a more nuanced approach. Her flas are elegant, almost artistic in their execution, reflecting her strategic and intellectual nature."
Liria thought of Nyssara's starry presence, her silver spiral horns and midnight-blue gowns that always seed to shimr with cosmic power. If Verida was the hamr, Nyssara was the scalpel.
"And then," Kaelith said, pausing dramatically, "there is Princess Enara. Though young, her potential rivals even her mothers'."
Enara straightened in her seat, her expression a mix of pride and determination.
"Her flas, while raw and unpolished, are a testant to the strength of her bloodline," Kaelith said. His gaze sharpened. "Unlike so anomalies, her abilities are born of heritage and tradition."
The dig was subtle but unmistakable, and Liria felt her jaw clench.
As the lecture continued, Kaelith began demonstrating various techniques for summoning and controlling black flas. The class watched intently, so trying to mimic his movents, though most failed miserably.
Enara, of course, managed to produce a small but steady fla, her midnight eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Kaelith nodded approvingly.
"Well done, Princess," he said.
When it was Liria's turn, she hesitated, her heart pounding.
"Miss Silverthorn," Kaelith said, his tone icy. "Perhaps you'd care to remind us why you're an exception to every rule."
Liria took a deep breath, raising her hand. She concentrated, summoning the fla from within a skill she had sohow mastered in this bizarre world despite having no rightful claim to it.
A flicker of black fire appeared in her palm, growing into a steady, swirling fla. The room fell silent again, the other students watching in awe and unease.
Kaelith's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
"Well," Liria said, breaking the tension. "I guess I'm just full of surprises."
"Or full of sothing else," Ananara muttered from his perch beside her.
Enara smirked, clearly enjoying the mont.
Kaelith, however, was not amused. "Your control is adequate, but your arrogance will be your downfall, Miss Silverthorn," he said sharply. "Power without understanding is a dangerous thing."
"Yeah, I've been told," Liria muttered under her breath.
As the class ca to an end, Kaelith dismissed the students with a final, stern warning about the dangers of black flas.
"Rember," he said, his golden eyes sweeping over the room. "These flas are not toys. Treat them with respect, or they will consu you."
Liria filed out of the lecture hall with Enara and Ananara, her mind buzzing with frustration.
"Well, that was fun," she said sarcastically. "Nothing like being publicly called an anomaly to brighten my day."
"Get used to it," Enara said with a shrug. "You're not exactly subtle about being weird."
Ananara snorted. "If anything, Kaelith was being polite."
"Thanks, guys," Liria said dryly. "Your support ans everything."
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