By the time everyone had taken their turn with the spell, the air on the platform was thick with the sharp scent of magic and sweat.
Some students had managed a few half-second steps before wobbling. Others had only succeeded in making themselves dizzy. A few got the hang of it just enough to smile and stumble with pride.
But none had stuck the landing like Ethan.
Still floating effortlessly between two platforms, Professor Quen clapped their hands gently, and the sound echoed across the sky like wind chimes.
"Well done, all of you," they said with a warm smile. "Whether you stood for one breath or none at all, you all attempted. That is more than most."
Their robes shimmered like evening starlight as they hovered to the center of the group.
"I hope this was a lesson not just in magic," they continued, "but in momentum. The first step is always the hardest, yes—but once you take it, you find you're already somewhere new."
They clasped their hands behind their back again, that ever-present glimmer in their crystalline eyes. "You may not understand it all now. You're not meant to. But if you keep showing up... you'll get there."
A quiet breeze passed over the island. Students shifted. No one wanted to be the first to move.
Quen grinned. "Now, enough poetry. You've done well, and that's enough floating for one day."
With a gentle wave of their hand, a series of soft glyphs flared to life beneath each student's feet—glowing in shades of warm blue and silver. They pulsed once, and the sensation was nothing like teleportation.
It was more like being... carried.
Ethan felt the stone under his boots hum faintly, and then he was rising—slowly, peacefully, as if being laid on the breeze. The light swirled around him, soft and weightless, and the sky around him dimmed like a sunset dimmer switch had been flipped.
Then—
With a quiet breath, he found himself standing in front of the door to their dorm suite.
He looked down.
His boots were still glowing slightly.
"Well," Kai's voice cut in, "that was absolutely wild."
Ethan turned to see both Kai and Aiden standing nearby, dusting themselves off as the last traces of the return spell faded.
Aiden stretched his arms above his head. "Can't believe we were up there for just one class. Felt like half a day."
"Felt like half my life," Kai muttered. "And worth every minute."
They started toward the door, and the moment they entered the dorm suite, Kai flopped onto the nearest couch like he hadn't sat down in years.
"So," he said, dramatically throwing his legs over the armrest, "I'm just gonna say it. I have a massive crush on Quen."
Aiden groaned, walking into the kitchenette. "Here we go."
"I'm serious!" Kai sat up, face flushed. "You saw them! Floating around, all star-robe magic-deity energy, talking like a poetic spirit guide—don't tell me you're immune to that!"
"They're a teacher," Aiden said dryly, pouring himself a glass of water.
"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate them. On an academic level. A spiritual level. An emotional—"
"Thirsty level," Aiden finished.
Kai pointed at him. "You get it."
Ethan dropped onto the armchair across from them, the warmth of laughter tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"You're seriously ranking teachers now?" he asked, bemused.
Kai nodded seriously. "Absolutely. Based on charisma, power, voice, and fashion."
"Don't forget entrance style," Aiden added. "Floating in from the sky earns points."
"Exactly!" Kai snapped his fingers. "Quen's top-tier. Can't believe they're real."
Ethan found himself smiling without meaning to.
The way they bantered. The chaos. The comfort. It reminded him of something he hadn't thought about in ages—after-school nonsense with his old friends back home, arguing over fictional characters, games, or who'd win in a fight.
He hadn't felt that warmth in years.
And now it was here. In a place he never meant to be.
"Well," he said, stretching out in his chair, "if we're being honest, Quen is the best."
Both Kai and Aiden turned to look at him.
"I mean," Ethan continued, "did you see how they handled the entire class? Kept everyone engaged, made the lesson stick, and floated like a damn sorcerer prince. Plus, they didn't make me feel like a moron."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "You like them too."
Ethan laughed. "I respect them. Big difference."
Kai sat up with a devilish grin. "Doesn't matter. You don't stand a chance in hell."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Against what, their standards?"
"No, against me." Kai stood up dramatically, striking a pose. "Let's be real—I'm the only one here with the charisma to woo a mythical sky wizard."
Aiden, halfway through sipping his drink, nearly choked from laughing.
Ethan couldn't hold it in either. He burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the dorm walls.
Kai huffed, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth too.
The laughter lingered for a moment. A rare kind of peace.
And Ethan, sitting back in that soft chair in a world he hadn't meant to live in, felt something new bloom in his chest.
Hope.
Maybe this wasn't a nightmare. Maybe he wasn't doomed to die in the duel. Maybe, just maybe...
He'd found a place where he could live.
Where he could grow.
Where he could be more than just the villain in someone else's story.
And that—that—was enough to keep going.
As the laughter began to die down, Ethan leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, a playful spark lighting in his eyes.
"You know," he said, "if you're really that obsessed with impressing Professor Quen... we could train together."
Kai perked up immediately. "Wait—seriously?"
Ethan nodded. "I've got a few ideas I want to try out. Stuff I didn't get a chance to explore in class. And since you're so sure you're Quen's chosen one..." he smirked, "you should probably get ahead."
Kai practically launched out of his seat. "Hell yes. This is the best idea you've ever had."
From across the room, Aiden glanced over the rim of his cup, unimpressed but curious. "You're both mad if you think I'm letting you get stronger without me."
Ethan looked at him. "So, you're in?"
Aiden sighed, set down his drink, and stood up. "There's nothing better to do, and if you really do figure something new out, I'm not falling behind."
Kai pumped his fist. "Let's goooo. Operation: Impress Quen is officially a go."
Ethan chuckled softly to himself as they began discussing where to train. He didn't know what tomorrow held, but for the first time in a long time, he had people beside him.
And that made all the difference.