The girl mostly kept to herself, never really having a particular group of friends besides her roommates. Nearly all of her free time was spent in the library, flipping through countless of magic tomes as her mind drank all of them in. She only answered a few questions during class even though she knew the answer to them all, just enough so that the teachers won’t mark her as lazy. The girl even blended in physically with her redhead and pale skin. Her face was pretty enough to gain some attention, but boys usually lose their interest swiftly because of her habit to be reserved. Still, Elise was polite and kind and respectful, the picture perfect galdor.
Elisora Rivaen had always been invisible. Until yesterday.
One of her classmates, Freya, had decided to corner during break with a group of her friends. They were insisting that Elise fight her in a duel. They wouldn’t leave her alone until she agreed. It was a common practice here in Brunnhold. Students challenging another that he or she deemed weaker to show off their prowess. Freya spent the whole time as they walked to the Lawn boasting on how easy it would be do defeat her. While she kept silent, Elise felt herself slowly fuming at the insults. Once at the Lawn, students gathered formed a loose ring around them, eager to watch a display of magic – or maybe just watch someone get beaten down. From the way they cheered for Freya, it seemed like they had no doubt that she would win.
Unsurprising, the blonde-haired girl decided to attack first. Elise did not see it, but the other was already throwing a rock at her. The Physical magic she wielded sped up its momentum and by the time it connected with the Elise's forehead, the force was enough to make her stumble - but not enough to make her pause in her casting.
Freya never got the chance to even begin a second spell by the time Elise finished hers. As the last part of her spell was uttered, the other girl lost all the power to stand as the magic cut off all the signals that should be innervating her limbs. It was brief, but more than enough to cause to topple onto the ground. Before Freya could even understand what was truly going on, Elise was already muttering another spell. With the help of mona, the girl forced her opponent’s brain to be flooded that would induce sleep.
Just like that, Freya fell unconscious. Everyone stood in shock, staring at her with wide eyes and open mouth. She would be lying if she said she didn’t feel the slightest bit triumphant. The other students let her walk away in silence and Elise kept her a mask of cool. It was only when she was out of everyone’s sight that she ran to the restroom and vomited all of her lunch.
And today, she was told to find Professor Hulle after classes were over. It couldn’t be a coincidence, right? Did someone reported her? But for what? She had won the duel fair and square. Even if her mind knew there was probably nothing to be scared about, her fingers wouldn’t stop tugging at each other as she gazed upon the large wooden door that would lead into the professor’s office.
There was little use in delaying the inevitable, so Elise simply took a deep breath and knocked at the door. The sound was awfully loud in the empty corridor and she couldn’t help but wince. A voice behind the door seemed to be telling her to enter, so the girl stepped in carefully.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she took in the room she was in. Tall shelves filled with books of all sizes lined the walls, tall windows filtered the sunlight and gave the room an airy feel. The place reminded her of her father’s study, something she had missed acutely. A heavy wooden desk sat at the center of it all, surrounded by worn armchairs.
Sitting behind it was Professor Hulle, smiling at her kindly. Elise knew that the man was a powerful practitioner of Living magic, yet with his white hair and white beard he almost looked like another harmless old man. Then her eyes wandered to the older boy on the other side of the desk as she walked toward them. She knew who it was. The face belonged to Daalton Gilardioni, a senior well-known even by the students of her grade. More than a few of her friends fawned over him. Elise never get their obsession for the upperclassman, but now that she was standing this close to him… She might just understood why.
She didn’t even realize she was staring until the boy turned to look at her, those blue eyes piercing her.
When she felt the heat rise to her cheeks, Elise looked away to glance at the professor and ducked her head the slightest bit. She felt like she was just caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to. Without thinking, the girl ran her fingers through her red hair nervously. “Professor Hulle, I am Elisora Rivaen, Fifth Form. You were looking for me?”