FROST

"How do you do that, Ad?" Silvermist groaned, her arms aching as they hovered in the air, barely an inch from the jar in front of her. It had already been an hour of strained concentration, and sweat was forming on her forehead, a bead rolling down the side of her face. Her mind was a mess, her focus slipping through her fingers like sand.

She glanced around the room, hoping for some semblance of progress, but the sight only made her frustration grow. All the other apprentices, including Adeline, were effortlessly moving the water inside their translucent jars. The liquid flowed gracefully under their control, twisting and swirling in the air with a fluidity that made it seem like magic itself was an extension of their will.

Silvermist's own jar remained stubbornly still, the water inside barely rippling. She clenched her jaw and tried again, but nothing happened. A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she glanced back at Adeline, who was performing the task with ease, not even breaking a sweat.

They were back in the first room they'd entered, the one with the towering shelves filled with strange and magical items, but something was different. The absence of Ezekiel, Sebastian, and West left an odd silence hanging in the air. No one mentioned their absence, though—Professor Harry Aelwyn, the stern but wise instructor in front of them, hadn't even acknowledged it. It was as if he didn't care at all where they were.

"Sil! Silvermist!" Adeline's voice snapped her from her thoughts, and Silvermist blinked, her concentration shattered.

"Oh, ah—" She scrambled to recover, swallowing hard as her eyes widened. Adeline had elbowed her ribs so hard it felt like she'd been hit by a small boulder.

"Ah—" Adeline mocked her, an exaggerated expression of confusion crossing her face. "That's why you can't move anything, because you're not focused," she teased, her words like a gentle jab. It was clear from the playful smirk that Adeline didn't intend to hurt her—yet, as the youngest of their group, she was still somehow able to make it look effortless, like she was born with this talent.

Silvermist couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration. "I know, I know. I'm trying!" she muttered, half to herself, half to Adeline.

"Okay, okay," Adeline said, stepping closer to demonstrate. "I said, hover your hand a little lower, so you'd connect your energy to the water and move it around." With a simple flick of her wrist, Adeline made the water inside her jar rise out, dancing in midair before she skillfully waved it, manipulating it like an extension of her own hand. The water flowed in beautiful arcs, glittering in the light.

Silvermist stared, awestruck, as she watched the youngest apprentice move the water with such mastery that it almost seemed like a natural ability, something she could do without even thinking. Everyone around them watched in stunned silence, their faces a mix of admiration and disbelief.

The contrast between Adeline's fluid control and Silvermist's barely discernible movements couldn't have been starker. Silvermist felt a rush of heat spread across her face, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Her jar of water remained stubbornly unmoved, a stark reminder of how far she still had to go.

Her gaze flickered over the other apprentices, each one moving their water in perfect synchronization. But her focus remained locked on Adeline. She wasn't just younger; there was something else about her that Silvermist couldn't quite put her finger on. It was as if Adeline carried an ancient wisdom in her that Silvermist was still trying to grasp, and that realization only made her more determined to master the technique.

"See?" Adeline said, her voice gentle now, almost teasing. "It's all about focus. It's like you're not letting your energy connect with the water. You need to trust yourself more. Trust the flow."

"I've been trusting the goddamn flow for an hour now, Ad," Silvermist grimaced, looking like she might snap if she had to hear the word flow one more time. "At this point, I think the flow's given up on me."

"Oh, don't be a loser," Adeline chuckled, casually guiding the water back into her jar like she was taming a well-behaved pet. Then, with a dramatic flick of her wrist, she gestured at Gail behind her, leaning in like she was about to spill some major tea.

"Even Gail couldn't do it yet," Adeline whispered, her voice low as if she were giving Silvermist the inside scoop. "You're pretty lucky you can make the air form inside your jar. She hasn't gotten that far yet."

Gail, who was sitting quietly beside Cullen, was staring intently at her own jar like it held the meaning of life. She had tried—oh, she had tried—but she was just as unlucky as Silvermist. The water in her jar refused to budge, as if it were in a stubborn protest against its destiny.

"This bitch really loves having what I have, even my misfortune," Silvermist thought bitterly, rolling her eyes. She was about to turn her focus back to her own struggle when her gaze shifted to Cullen.

He was sitting across from her, casually playing with the water like it was some kind of fancy pen and paper. He was writing words in the air with the water, shaping them with the precision of a master... Words that Silvermist couldn't even begin to decipher.

Her lips pursed in frustration.

As Cullen's rival back in their realm, Silvermist could confidently say she was no longer worthy of that title. Not when he could literally make water write poetry while she couldn't even get it to swirl.

Silvermist quickly averted her gaze from Cullen, desperate to hide the silent admiration she was giving his undeniable skill. She couldn't let him catch her in such a vulnerable moment. Determined to focus, she shifted all her attention back to her jar of water.

"Okay then," she groaned, sitting up straighter, as if preparing for some heroic, unforgettable moment. "Let's do this."

She carefully placed both hands on top of the jar, her fingers tingling as she closed her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Focus. Focus. Find the water's energy... Energy."

Adeline, ever the supportive, or at least amused, observer, rested her head on one arm, her face lighting up with excitement. She was practically bouncing in her seat, waiting for Silvermist to do something—anything—more interesting than her usual flailing. The pressure of being the center of attention felt heavier, but Silvermist steeled herself.

Then, a subtle ripple moved through the water. Silvermist's heart skipped a beat. She had done it! But before she could savor the moment, the ripples turned into something far less controlled. The water surged violently, splashing against the sides of the jar.

"No, no, no!" Silvermist thought, panic rising in her chest as the jar began to crack, the glass creaking under the force of the water's turmoil.

"S-Sil—" Adeline stuttered, tapping her shoulder in a panic. "S-Stop it, Sil!" She tugged desperately at Silvermist's sleeve, but it was too late.

Professor Aelwyn, sensing the sudden shift in the air, turned to look just in time to see the jar explode, sending shards of glass flying in all directions.

"Watch out!" Cullen shouted, yanking Adeline out of harm's way. She had been so close to the jar, she'd have been hit by the shards if he hadn't acted fast.

Silvermist gasped in horror, her eyes snapping wide just as the shards scattered. She didn't even have a chance to register the aftermath before she felt something looming over her—Professor Aelwyn, standing directly in front of her, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"Miss Evermore, am I right?" he groaned, brushing a glass shard off his shoulder. It hadn't reached his flesh, but it had certainly ruined his impeccably tailored suit.

"Y-Yes, professor?" Silvermist grinned sheepishly, not entirely sure if she should apologize or just flee the scene.

He raised an eyebrow, his voice low and exasperated. "I'd like to have a word with you."

"Y-Yes, professor," Silvermist stammered, her lips tightening into a nervous grin as she looked at Adeline, who was already safely placed in between Cullen and Gail.

Both of them looked utterly shocked, their eyes wide as they surveyed the wreckage of the jar and the chaos around them.

She quickly turned her attention back to Adeline, her voice low and apologetic. "You okay? I'm so sorry."

Despite being in a crumpled position—one leg still perched awkwardly on the table, the other hanging off the side, and her arm draped around Cullen's shoulders as if she'd just fainted from the shock—Adeline gave a slow, triumphant thumbs-up.

"Congrats! You did it!" she declared, as though the explosion of glass and water was some kind of victory lap. The grin on her face only made Silvermist feel more like an accidental disaster than a magic user in training.

"Miss Evermore..." Professor Aelwyn's voice lingered in the air, dripping with sarcasm as he started walking toward the exit. Silvermist, still rattled by the chaos she'd caused, hurried to follow him, trying her best to walk without tripping over her own feet.

"Y-Yes, professor," she muttered, glancing nervously around the room.

As she trailed behind Professor Aelwyn, she could hear the murmurs of the other apprentices, their voices low but still carrying over the hum of the room.

"She's one of the masterless apprentices, right?" one girl whispered to her friend, her tone almost conspiratorial.

"Yeah... I heard there's only three of them left," the other whispered back, sounding as though they were sharing some kind of dark secret.

"I also heard all of them are incredibly unstable." There was a hint of disdain in the girl's voice, like she couldn't quite understand why someone so unpredictable was still allowed to train.

"Why are they even here, then?" another voice chimed in, more incredulous than anything.

Silvermist's face flushed with embarrassment, her thoughts spiraling. She couldn't help but feel the weight of their judgment pressing on her shoulders. It was like everyone knew she didn't belong here, that she was different from the others. Unstable. A failure—a total disaster.

She quickly looked away, focusing on her footsteps to avoid drawing any more attention to herself. It wasn't like she didn't already know she was a mess—they just didn't need to keep reminding her.

"Sil..."

Silvermist's heart skipped a beat as she looked up, her eyes immediately locking onto Ezekiel. Even after everything, she had been hoping to see him. She didn't realize how much until now.

"What happened?" Ezekiel's voice was calm but sharp, directed mostly at Professor Aelwyn. He had already sensed something was off and was simply confirming what had transpired.

They stopped just near the door, close enough for the rest of the room to witness the exchange. Sebastian and West flanked Ezekiel, each of them standing with their usual air of quiet authority, only adding to the growing tension. The apprentices in the room began whispering, the focus now shifting to the small group.

Professor Aelwyn, unfazed by the attention, waved a hand dismissively. "Well, I just wanted to talk with Miss Evermore over here regarding that," he said, gesturing to the mess Silvermist had caused. His tone was less than apologetic, clearly unwilling to engage in a lengthy explanation.

"I see," Ezekiel nodded, his expression unreadable. "But why do you still have to talk to her in private?"

Professor Aelwyn was caught off guard by the question. He hadn't anticipated being questioned, especially not by Ezekiel, who was known to be a bit of a wildcard. "In the human realm, you call it Detention. Here, we call it incarceration," he stated, his voice dripping with authority. "Miss Evermore neglected her duty as an apprentice by causing disaster, so she needs to be punished. On top of that, she still has no master yet—"

"I'm sorry, Professor," Ezekiel interrupted, his tone cutting through the air like a sharp knife. "But I believe this matter has already been discussed by the Grandmaster, East. The three apprentices are not entirely without masters. They're only different from the others, and you should know that they are under my care."

His gaze shifted to Silvermist for a moment, as if to reinforce his point. "If they made any mistakes, I should be the one to handle them."

The room fell silent. Silvermist, caught in the whirlwind of Ezekiel's words, felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She hadn't expected him to come to her defense, but here he was, standing up for her in front of everyone.

Professor Aelwyn blinked, taken aback by Ezekiel's firm stance. "I see," he muttered, clearly unwilling to continue the argument in front of the gathered apprentices. "Well then, I'll leave it in your hands." With that, he turned on his heel, muttering something under his breath as he left the room.

As the door closed behind him, the tension in the room slowly eased, though the whispers continued. Silvermist looked up at Ezekiel, her gaze softening as she tried to find the right words to thank him.

"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips.

"You didn't have to do that," Silvermist said quietly, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips, as if she was still processing the fact that Ezekiel had just saved her from detention.

Ezekiel's eyes met hers, a mischievous glint lighting up his expression. "Someone had to, right? You can't trust these two," he said, gesturing dramatically at Sebastian and West, only to realize they weren't behind him anymore. He blinked, his head swiveling like a confused owl as he searched for them.

"Ayoo~" he sighed, exasperated, when he finally spotted them, already sitting comfortably in their chairs as if they'd never been in trouble at all. "I can't trust them either," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Silvermist raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. "Really? I thought you were the one who told them to stay behind you for support."

Ezekiel threw his hands up, exasperated. "Yeah, well, 'support' seems to mean 'find a chair and make themselves comfy' in their world." He shot them a look, but Sebastian and West just stared back innocently, as if they hadn't just abandoned him for the nearest seat.

"Next time, I'm bringing a leash," he mutterd. "So what did you do?"

Ezekiel's tone was as lively as if he were asking for the punchline of a joke. It was almost like he was excited to hear how Silvermist had shattered the glass jar.

Silvermist, now leading Ezekiel back to her table, tried her best to ignore the whispers that had started to follow them. She couldn't understand much since their voices had dropped so low, but it felt like every pair of eyes was on them. Great.

"Well," Silvermist pointed to the shattered glass scattered across the floor, "Where do they keep the cleaning materials around here?"

"Nah, we're not in the human realm anymore, Sil," Ezekiel beamed, practically glowing with confidence. He raised a hand like a magician performing a trick, and with barely a thought, the broken glass pieces hovered in the air.

And then, with a snap of his fingers, flames engulfed them, reducing the shards to nothingness, not even a single ash to remain.

"Woah!" The girls in the room gasped, eyes wide, clearly impressed. Some even squealed, probably imagining how they could use this little trick to impress their friends.

Silvermist, however, wasn't fazed. "Yeah, yeah, typical Ezekiel," she muttered under her breath. He was like a walking magnet for attention with his dazzling abilities and effortlessly cool aura.

But just as she was about to grin and bask in the glory of Ezekiel's theatrical display, she turned her attention toward Cullen, who was sitting quietly at his desk, observing her.

Her smile faltered, almost instantly. It wasn't that she didn't want to fight—oh no, she was ready—but the way Cullen was just watching her with that unreadable look on his face made her feel like she was being sized up for something she wasn't quite prepared for.

"Uh..." Silvermist's smile quickly slid off her face, replaced by a confused, slightly nervous expression. "I think I'll pass on the fight for now..."