Weeks easily flew by, Damien giving some unknown excuse to Overseer Donald to pardon their absence, Reinna finally chose to stick to Damien when in need to train, giving Derian that bemused and irking feeling of his training partner being stolen right under his nose.
Meanwhile, Damien's smirk never left his face whenever Reinna's eyes followed his moves—Derian noticed and scowled, the air around him tight with irritation.
Victor's pride made the food game continue; Ace groaned, nearly exasperated at every bizarre dish.
One evening, the dragon block buzzed with students, dueling in the arena before their last class of the day
A fair, tall woman crossed the block, her black scales glinting from ear to ear, commanding attention as she introduced herself: "I am Professor Giga, and I'll be taking you all Fate Understanding class."
"First, what is fate?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room, daring anyone to answer incorrectly.
Without waiting for a response, she continued, "Fate is the idea that certain events in life are meant to happen or are predetermined, no matter what choices you make." Her gaze swept across the students. "Think of it like a path that's already drawn—you can walk different ways, but some points on the path will happen anyway."
"Our lesson today will be very brief," she said, gently tapping her fingers in the air. Instantly, hundreds of transparent orbs floated out of what seemed like an invisible bag.
"These are called Fate Orbs," a gleam appeared in her eyes.
A collective "oh" and "aww" rippled through the students before she raised a hand to quiet them.
"Fate Orbs are items that can help their holder understand their true emotions," she explained, her voice calm but commanding. "They reveal four categories: Neutrality, Friendship, Love, and Hate."
She let the words hang for a moment, allowing the students to take in the strange, floating orbs that shimmered like liquid glass.
The woman drew an invisible arc, sending the orbs flying toward the students.
"Each of you will receive an orb, and I shall demonstrate how to use it."
Damien received his orb and immediately felt the cold emanating from it—he was not the only one. The faces of several students contorted; some clenched their teeth while others scrunched their faces tight enough to close one eye.
"The orb does not know you, so it rejects your touch," Professor Giga said, studying their reactions. "In order for it to know you, you must refine it with your consciousness."
At that, the students stopped holding the orbs directly. Instead, they used their abilities to keep them floating in the air, safely avoiding the cold.
"The orb exists in a natural state of neutrality," she continued. "To refine it, you must also remain neutral and acknowledge its presence."
"You cannot do it now—so listen. If you are able to sense its presence, it will sense you in return. The orb never resists refinement; it accepts it. The only challenge is finding its presence."
She tapped the air, and another orb appeared. Though still transparent, it looked warmer than those held by the students.
"After refining an orb, its revelation will allow you to keep a cool head. Let us begin with Neutrality."
Ensuring the students were following, she continued, "The only relationship between you and me is that of professor and student. Therefore, I exist in a state of neutrality—and so does my orb. When I think of a friend—"
The orb glowed warm white, then slowly shifted into the lightest shade of blue.
"When I think of a friend, it glows. When I think of a close friend, the hue deepens."
True to her words, the blue darkened.
"The intensity of the color reflects how much a person means to you. Your orb does not predict the future—it explains how you feel. It can move from explanation to fate only when two orbs, A and B, reveal the same truth. The same principle applies to love and hate."
It took the students a few seconds to digest this before a voice finally spoke.
"Professor, you mentioned only four emotions," a student asked. "Why isn't fear among them?"
Professor Giga's eyes sharpened.
"Because there is no such emotion as fear."
The room stilled.
"Fear is merely a conjunction of things seen, remembered, imagined, and expected."
She walked slowly across the platform.
"Fear is something we bring into the human world—something only true humans possess. We will continue this discussion in our next class."
She turned toward the exit.
"Assignment: refine your orbs."
Then she was gone.
The block remained silent.
One minute passed.
Two.
Five.
Finally, murmurs broke out as students turned to one another and began filing out in pairs and small groups.
Derian stared strangely at the orb floating before him, then glanced at Damien. Damien only shrugged and stood to leave.
Within an hour, the Dragon Block was completely deserted.
In the dorm—
The silence was awkward.
Damien and Ramien sat opposite each other with a study table between them.
Ace, Victor, and Alpha hovered nearby, watching in mounting confusion as the twins glared down at the two transparent orbs resting on the table like they'd personally offended them.
"Okay—what exactly is happening here?" Ace muttered, rubbing his temple.
Ramien suddenly threw his head back, the chair creaking beneath him. "Ugh— I can't take this."
Damien exhaled and leaned fully into the back of his chair, breaking his focus as well. "I'm telling you, Dam. Whatever creature is inside this thing, it's not showing its damn presence."
"The professor did say finding it would be hard," Damien replied calmly. "I'm not surprised."
Ace stared between them, incredulous. "Mind telling us what's happening here?" His patience was already threadbare. "You two come back from block, pull out two shiny-looking orbs—which I somehow immediately want—and then stare at them for over two hours." He paused to breathe. "Who does that?"
Alpha crossed his arms, ears flicking slightly. Victor leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyes narrowed. Neither said a word—but both clearly sided with Ace.
Ramien groaned and let his forehead drop onto the table with a dull thud.
Half an hour later, the dorm had fallen into a strange, uneasy quiet.
Ace, Victor, and Alpha sat scattered around the room, their earlier irritation replaced with stunned silence after hearing what the orbs were capable of.
"So you're saying," Ace began slowly, "that thing can tell how you really feel about someone?"
"Yes," Damien answered.
"And it freezes you while doing it?"
"Also yes."
Ace stared at the orb like it had personally challenged him. "That's—" He reached out before anyone could stop him.
The moment his fingers closed around the orb, his entire body stiffened.
"—cold—!" He yelped, immediately dropping it as if it had burned him. The orb hit the table with a soft clink and floated back into place.
Ace stumbled back, shaking his hand. "Nope. Absolutely not. You can keep your emotionally invasive ice balls."
Victor smirked faintly. "Weak."
Alpha frowned at the orb, then at the twins. "And you're expected to refine that?"
Damien's gaze returned to the floating sphere, unreadable. "Yes."
Ramien straightened slowly, eyes narrowing. "And somehow… I feel like this thing is going to cause problems."
The orbs shimmered softly between them, silent and patient—as if waiting.
"I think I would rather refine mine some other day" Ramien said keeping his orb in his spatial belt. Damien agreed with a nod, tucking his away as well.
Meanwhile, Alpha glanced at Ramien, a strange resolve flickering in his eyes— disappearing before anyone could notice. "Ramien, while you were away, I practiced by myself all you taught me, so I want you to see them"
Without much thought, Ramien agreed and together, they left for the Werewolf block, deep in the forest.
Damien also left to have his training session with his two friends, Reinna and Derian.
In the forest, Ramien watched Alpha's perfected moves, corrected some small mistakes.
After hours of training, Alpha asked to spar with Ramien, which the latter agreed to—not before drinking some water.
"I'll give the stage to you first" Ramien declared
"You'd better not underestimate me" Alpha smirked.
Alpha didn't wait.
The moment Ramien lowered his guard, he lunged—low, fast, blade flashing toward Ramien's ribs.
"Too eager," Ramien said, pivoting just in time.
Steel kissed scales with a sharp clang, the impact forcing Ramien back a step—then another. Alpha followed, boots crunching against dirt as he pressed the advantage, dagger striking in short, efficient arcs.
Ramien blocked once. Twice.
On the third strike, his foot slid slightly in the loose soil.
Alpha noticed.
His eyes narrowed—not in triumph, but focus. He twisted mid-strike, flipping the dagger into a reverse grip and slamming the pommel toward Ramien's shoulder instead of his throat.
Ramien caught his wrist.
For a heartbeat, they were locked—faces inches apart, breath fogging in the cool forest air.
"Good adjustment," Ramien said quietly.
Then he shoved Alpha back and swept his leg.
Alpha hit the ground, rolled, and sprang up instantly, teeth bared in a grin. "You hesitated."
Ramien straightened slowly. "I was testing you."
"Liar," Alpha shot back, circling him. "You're slower."
Ramien's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Then stop talking and prove it."
Alpha did.
Not long later, Ramien felt tired—a bit too tired, Alpha suggested he take a break.
Barely had he sat down than he had drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Watching Ramien sleep for a while, Alpha sat beside him, "this is it Alpha, Ramien needs you"
Saying to himself, he placed his head on Ramien's shoulder, his consciousness switching locations.