As River entered the mess hall, he immediately felt the weight of the room on him. His hope of staying invisible was dashed once again. Conversations quieted as eyes followed him across the room. Before he could spot his friends, a tall figure stepped into his path.

  River recognized him instantly, the Tier 2 mage who had harassed Albert the day before. The older student loomed too close, his presence oppressive.

  River met his gaze without flinching, knowing any sign of weakness would only invite worse. The man's voice was low and venomous as he leaned in.

  "Don’t get ahead of yourself, young prodigy. When you least expect it, I'll teach you who your betters are."

  Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode back toward his table, disappearing into the crowd. River stood frozen for a heartbeat, shock tightening his chest.

  The hostility was obvious now.

  He really did have a target on his back.

  Trying to shake it off, River turned his head, scanning the bustling room for familiar faces.

  He finally saw Amalia—her amber hair and tall figure making her impossible to miss. She stood with Callum and Albert near the far wall. Relief stirred in River's chest. He started moving toward them. But he hadn’t taken three steps before a man in dark robes—clearly a professor or some kind of faculty—stepped into his path. “Headmaster Alerus needs to see you. Now.” River sighed inwardly.

  This couldn't be good. Had Alerus found out about his midnight trip to the restricted section?

  Or maybe about the confrontation with the older students?

  Or... something else entirely? He didn’t know. But he could only hope it wasn’t the worst.

  The walk felt longer than ever. Maybe he had finally pushed his luck too far. Students stared as he half-jogged to keep up with the dark-robed man leading the way. River entered the room, doing his best to look as innocent as possible.

  The last thing he needed was for the Headmaster to turn against him. That would not end well.

  Tension leaked from his body as soon as he found Alerus.

  The Headmaster’s face was calm, even jovial—no anger, no frustration. Good, River thought. "Hello, Headmaster," he said, forcing a polite smile. "Hello, River," Alerus replied, his voice warm. "I've got some good news for you. Come over here, please." River approached slowly, eyeing the large wooden desk the headmaster sat behind.

  Alerus pulled something from a drawer and laid it on the table between them. "I've heard you surprised Archibald," Alerus said, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Besting Amalia, one of our most promising students with water affinity... very impressive." He chuckled lightly. "I think it's time we move you to a more advanced course. You'll be training with a select few students, under my direct instruction." He tapped the desk meaningfully. "It'll also help us keep... certain things quiet. Your situation will be used as leverage if it gets out." River’s stomach twisted.

  This wouldn’t help his standing with the other students. It would only draw more attention. More staring. But at the same time... it was an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up. Especially if Alerus had deeper insights into handling multiple affinities. "Who else will be in the class?" River asked cautiously. "I doubt you know them yet," Alerus said. "Their names are Kidrin, Astra, Malcolm, and Philip." River’s heart skipped a beat. Kidrin?

  Could it really be "The Kidrin? The one with three affinities?" River blurted out, cutting Alerus off mid-sentence. Alerus laughed, not seeming to mind. "Yes," he said. "That Kidrin." "I've already swapped your schedule," Alerus continued, tapping the object he had pulled from his desk earlier. "Your other teachers have been informed. From now on, I'll be your only instructor." River leaned in slightly, adjusting his gaze—and sighed.

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  Another crystal ball, just like the one Archibald had used.

  Of course. Nothing here ever came without a test. Alerus nodded and motioned him forward.

  River approached slowly, heart already sinking. "We'll have a soul battle," Alerus said. "Before classes start today, I need to gauge your strength compared to the others." River groaned inwardly.

  This wasn't going to end well. "What affinity?" he asked, half-hoping for mercy. "You choose," Alerus said simply.

  River almost laughed.

  Like it mattered.

  Still, if he had a chance at all... "Lightning," River said, setting his jaw. Alerus didn’t have an affinity for lightning. Alerus nodded, already channeling.

  The crystal ball between them flared to life, a brilliant yellow light filling the room.

  The essence was so thick, so electric, River could almost smell the charged air. It felt like standing inside an actual storm cloud. River sighed and placed his hand against the cold surface of the crystal, focusing on the swirling lightning within. Immediately, he sensed two separate essences intertwined inside the ball. But before he could react, before he could even think, a crushing weight slammed into him. It was like being struck by lightning again and again, over and over.

  His essence buckled under the pressure, crushed beneath the overwhelming force. His control shattered.

  Then—

  Nothing.

  The connection severed. River gasped—air rushing back into his lungs like he’d been drowning. For a second, all he could hear was the pounding of his heart. But he forced his eyes to open. River found Alerus watching him calmly from across the desk. His ears still rang. His legs trembled. His head throbbed with sharp, relentless pain. He tried to speak, but only managed a croak before Alerus cut in: "Well done," the Headmaster said, smiling. "Better than expected." River blinked, stunned. Better than expected? He hadn’t managed to put up any resistance! "That was terrible," River mumbled, shame burning his cheeks. Alerus barked a laugh, slapping his knee like he had heard the best joke in years.

  "No," he said warmly. "You’re still standing, which is better than most Tier Two mages. He paused, studying River for a beat longer. “Your magic feels… different. Heavier. Thicker. Like it's carrying weight most people don't notice.” River frowned. But Alerus kept speaking, more thoughtful now. “I assume it has something to do with you being a Primordial. But I’m no expert.” He offered a half-smile — but there was a trace of unease behind his eyes. River stared at him, hardly able to believe it. Was he really that powerful already? "Place your hand on the desk," Alerus said, voice shifting back to something formal.

  River obeyed. Before he could ask why, searing pain flared through his palm—sharp and cold and burning all at once. He watched, wide-eyed, as a black band of essence formed around the base of his finger, gleaming faintly in the light. He pulled his hand back instinctively, staring at the mark. He didn’t know what had just happened.

  Then Alerus began to explain. “Soul bands are marks of your soul’s progression.” He said. “Each one makes spellcasting easier, not because you grow stronger — but because you grow cleaner. Your connection tightens. Essence wastage fades. Control sharpens.”

  River looked down at the glowing band wrapped around his finger.

  It pulsed in time with his breath—quiet, steady, real. He’d imagined something more. A ceremony. A moment. But it was over before he even knew it had begun. Just pain, that resulted in proof of his growth.