Kael moved through the groups scattered across the assembly grounds, scanning for the familiar glow of pink hair.
Where is she…
Then he spotted her Cynthia Elarquist leaning casually with a smirk on her face, arms crossed and her vibrant hair practically shimmering under the sun. She was standing with three others: two boys and a girl.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
Only two high-rankers are allowed per group of five... meaning Cynthia and I are the top of this lineup. The rest are probably competent but not too powerful. Let's see what we're working with.
As he approached, the three unfamiliar students turned toward him.
The first to speak was a tall boy with short black hair, sharp red eyes, and a confident grin.
"You're Kael, right? I'm Max Creed Flame Core user."
Hot-blooded, probably relies on explosive damage, Kael noted silently.
Next was a shorter boy with black hair, brown eyes, and a calm expression. He seemed quieter.
"Jace Park. Beast Core."
So likely a summoner or a hybrid... Kael thought. Hard to tell.
Lastly, the only girl among the three stepped forward. Her pale blue hair swayed slightly as she gave a gentle nod.
"I'm Chloe Thaylorin. Water Core…"
Kael's eyes widened just a little.
Thaylorin… that's a branch of House Glacern.
So she's noble probably hiding her real power.
He nodded back, then spoke evenly.
"Kael Vernier. Swordsman. Shadow Core."
Or something close to that, he added inwardly.
Cynthia clapped her hands lightly.
"Alright, now that introductions are done move it! We're heading to the plane."
They walked toward the academy's private runway, where a sleek obsidian-black aircraft waited. It shimmered faintly with arcane symbols along its side.
Once aboard, Kael was stunned. The interior was massive far too large to match the plane's outside appearance. Wide polished floors, velvet-lined seats, a table at the center surrounded by plush chairs.
"This was probably crafted by an Ethereal Core user. That'd explain the discrepancy."
They each took their seats around the table as the plane began to hum.
Kael leaned back slightly, arms crossed as the aircraft lifted smoothly off the ground.
"Looks like the academy's not sparing any expense for this mission…"
Outside the windows, the world started shrinking, and the trees of the Elowen Forest loomed on the horizon.