The morning sun hit the Academy grounds, bright and cheerful. Birds were singing. Students were laughing as they walked to class.
I walked among them like a revenant.
My uniform was wrinkled. My hair was a mess. But the most prominent feature was the pair of dark circles under my eyes that were deep enough to store spare change in.
I dragged my feet down the hallway, ignoring the whispers.
"Is that Lucien?" "He looks like he fought a ghost." "Maybe the fame got to him?"
I reached Class 1-A and kicked the door open.
Kael was already there, chatting with Celestia. He looked radiant. His skin was glowing with health, likely a side effect of the Dragon Elixir he had consumed yesterday. He looked like he had slept on a cloud.
I shuffled past him, looking like I had slept in a dryer.
I collapsed into my seat next to Ariana.
Thump.
I put my head on the desk.
Ariana, who was organizing her alchemy notes, jumped. She looked at the heap of misery beside her.
