DAMON HOUSEHOLD
"Lady Maria, where are you heading to? It's the middle of the night."
Maria turned around, wrapped in a thick black cloak.
"The library. I still have work to do."
Lisanna sighed. "Again?"
Maria smiled faintly.
"Are the children asleep?"
"Yes, ma'am. Though Cassandra is still awake."
"Of course she is."
"And when will you be back, my lady?"
"A week,Maybe two."
"A week?" Lisanna raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe, that's not very reassuring."
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"It wasn't meant to be."
Maria took a step toward the door.
"Take care of my little gem while I'm gone, Lisanna."
"I always do."
Maria's voice suddenly rose.
"Cassandra, my dear, you should be sleeping instead of eavesdropping on our conversation."
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_____
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CASSANDRA'S ROOM
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Cassandra's eyes widened.
"How did she know I was awake?"
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.
"She can't use Detection, Can she?"
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_____
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"What a troublesome child," Maria muttered.
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She opened the door, "I'm off, Lisanna."
"I'll take good care of the children."
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"I know, you will "
The door closed behind her.
_________
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DAMON'S HOUSEHOLD
The golden rays of the sun spilled over the horizon, filtering through the massive branches of the ancient oak tree that stood at the estate's training ground.
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The morning air hummed with life, the distant crowing of a rooster and the persistent buzz of mosquitoes seeking one last meal before the heat of the day.
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One such intruder landed on Cassandra's arm.
Before it could sink its proboscis into her skin, Lisanna's hand blurred through the air, catching the insect between two fingers with terrifying precision.
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"Mischievous little bloodsucker," Lisanna murmured with a satisfied smirk as she crushed it.
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"Erase."
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She turned her attention to Cassandra, who remained buried in a deep slumber. Leaning down, Lisanna brushed her cool fingertips across the girl's cheek.
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"Wake up, honey. Time for your bath before the water goes cold."
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Cassandra groaned and stretched lazily. Reaching out blindly, her hand landed squarely on Lisanna's chest, giving it an absent-minded squeeze.
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Lisanna didn't flinch. Instead, a playful chuckle escaped her.
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"Well, if you were that curious about the competition, Cassandra, you could've just asked for a closer look."
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Cassandra's eyes snapped open.
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She sat upright and immediately glanced down at her own chest, her expression darkening.
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"Why are mine still so small? It's not fair."
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Lisanna smiled and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Cassandra's ear.
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"Patience, little bird. They'll grow when the time is right. You're only sixteen. Give your body a chance to catch up with that sharp brain of yours."
Cassandra let out an exaggerated groan.
Lisanna laughed and headed for the door.
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"The hot water's already drawn. Take your bath quickly. Breakfast will be ready soon."
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Leaving the girl to her grumbling, Lisanna crossed the hallway and headed toward the boys' quarters.
_____
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THE BOYS ROOM
She knocked once, then pushed the door open to find Phobos sprawled across his bed, his snoring loud enough to rattle the windowpane.
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Lisanna sighed, a mixture of affection and exasperation on her face.
She sat on the edge of the bed and ran a gentle hand over Phobos head.
"Phobos, Aristo, time to rise."
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Phobos's hand twitched.
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Instinctively, he reached out, his palm brushing against Lisanna's chest.
He didn't pull away; instead, his fingers closed in a subconscious squeeze,Lisanna froze
Her smile didn't fade, but its temperature dropped by twenty degrees.
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Phobos's eyes fluttered open.
" Why's the pillow this warm and soft"
For a moment, he looked dazed, feeling the unexpected softness beneath his hand. Then, his gaze traveled upward, meeting Lisanna's fixed, amused stare.
The blood drained from his face instantly. He recoiled as if burned, his back hitting the headboard.
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"Phobos." Her voice was sweet, syrup poured over a razor blade.
"I—I—" Phobos stammered, his throat bone-dry. He turned frantically toward the lump of blankets in the next bed. "Aristo! Hey! Aristo,Help me!"
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A muffled groan came from the pile of sheets. "Unless the house is literally turning to ash or breakfast is being served on a silver platter, do not speak to me,"
Aristo muttered, pulling the blanket tighter.
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Phobos looked back at Lisanna.
She hadn't moved.
She was still smiling that terrifyingly kind smile.
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"Good morning, Phobos," she said softly.
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"It's time for your bath, But before you go... tell me, what exactly were you dreaming about just now?"
Phobos's jaw worked silently, but no sound came out.
With a final mocking pat on his knee, Lisanna stood and swept out of the room.
The moment the door clicked shut, Aristo sat up, a wicked smirk plastered across his face.
"So"Aristo began, his eyes gleaming. "Did you actually touch her? Or was that my imagination?"
"It wasn't on purpose!" Phobos hissed, clutching his head. "My hands... they just moved! It was an instinct!"
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Aristo laughed, leaning back against his pillows.
"Oh, morning instincts. That's a classic, good luck using that as a shield when she decides to accidentally skip your portion of bacon."
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"You could take the blame for me," Phobos pleaded.
"Tell her you pushed my arm or something"
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"I'd love to be a hero, brother," Aristo grinned, "but I happen to enjoy warm baths, I want to live to see tomorrow."
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"You're on your own, brother"
( Betrayal)
____
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"Time for breakfast. Get dressed quickly, you're already running late."
A few minutes later, the three siblings gathered around the dining table.
Breakfast was simple, toasted bread, scrambled eggs, grilled sausages, and fresh fruit slices.
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"Thank you for the food," they said in perfect synchronization.
Lisanna smiled proudly, watching them eat.
"Lady Lisanna, where are Mom and Dad?" Aristo asked.
" I can't see them anywhere within the estate"
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"Your mother is at the Great Library," Lisanna replied.
"Your Dad went fishing. Or maybe he's at the market. He's still somewhere in the capital."
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Cassandra blinked.
"What does he even do at the market?"
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Lisanna opened her mouth.Then closed it again.
"...Eat your breakfast, Cassandra"
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"Lady lisanna, but that doesn't answer the question."
"Exactly, I know, eat you're running late."
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____
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Far from the estate, Maria sat alone between towering shelves of books.
Several thick tomes lay open across her table, surrounded by loose notes and scraps of parchment covered in neat handwriting.
Maria turned another page, books after books.
" Here she is again, what does it even mean, how long have you been living for mother"
The world around her had long since ceased to exist.
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___
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Meanwhile, Damon wandered through the marketplace with a fishing rod resting across his shoulder.
"Another quiet morning, Damon?" an elderly woman called from a fruit stall.
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"Quiet?" Damon laughed. "I spent three hours trying to catch a fish, The fish won at the end, those creatures are a pain"
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The old woman snorted.
"So no fish again, and again, you always come back without a single fish."
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"You're terrible at fishing, just give up already"
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"I know I'm terrible at fishing, but giving up is impossible, an Artemis never gives up"
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"Then why do you keep fishing ? "
Damon grinned.
"It gives me an excuse to come here and hear everyone's gossip."
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The elderly women around the stalls burst into laughter.
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Ever since being replaced twelve years ago by Xandros Bladestorm, Damon had become a familiar sight throughout the capital. Most days he could be found by the river with a fishing rod or wandering the marketplace trading stories with anyone willing to listen.
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While Maria buried herself in books and Damon drifted wherever the day carried him, the responsibility of raising Aristo, Phobos, and Cassandra rested largely on Lisanna's shoulders.
She was the glue holding the Damon household together.
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MYSTICA LYTHORIA
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Mystica Lythoria stood as the most prestigious academy in all of Daria.
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For centuries, it had produced the kingdom's finest scholars, warriors, merchants, inventors, and mages. Graduating from its halls was enough to open doors across the continent.
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The academy accepted students from every corner of Daria, but earning a place within its walls was far from easy. Noble families, wealthy merchants, and influential figures competed fiercely to enroll their children there, knowing that a Mystica Lythoria education could shape an ordinary child into someone extraordinary.
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Its standards were brutal, its teachers demanding, and its reputation unmatched.
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Simply being a student of Mystica Lythoria was considered an achievement.
Remaining one was an entirely different challenge.
______
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MYSTIC LYTHORIA: EAST GATE
Two black stallions pulled to a stop before the towering gates of Mystica Lythoria.
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Around them, the morning road was alive with arriving carriages and wagons.
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Elegant coaches trimmed with silver and gold rolled through the entrance, their polished surfaces gleaming beneath the sunlight. Family crests adorned their doors, proudly displaying the wealth and status of the nobles inside.
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Larger wagons arrived from distant provinces, carrying students who had traveled for days to reach the academy. Some stepped out in expensive uniforms and tailored clothing, while others wore simpler garments that reflected their hometown and state.
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Children from every corner of Daria poured through the gates. Sons and daughters of nobles, merchants, scholars, craftsmen, and adventurers all gathered in one place, each carrying their own ambitions.
Laughter, conversation, and the rumble of wheels filled the air as the academy grounds slowly came to life.
Another day had begun at Mystica Lythoria.
" so many students this year, well, this is your stop, I'll be heading back home now" lady lisanna opened the wagon door, Cassandra, Phobos, and Aristo climbed down from the wagon.
"Have a good day!" Lisanna called.
"No promises," Phobos replied.
The wagon turned around and joined the flow of departing traffic, gradually disappearing down the road.
Meanwhile, the three siblings stepped through the massive gates of Mystica Lythoria.
Students flooded the academy grounds from every direction. Some chatted excitedly with friends, others hurried toward their classrooms, while a few stood staring at the enormous buildings in awe.
Cassandra glanced around at the sea of faces.
"Looks crowded."
"It's always crowded," Aristo replied.
"More people means more places to nap," Phobos added with a yawn.
" Back to school" Cassandra added.
_________
MYSTICA LYTHORIA
SENIOR CLASS 1
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The atmosphere within the classroom was heavy, saturated with the scent of Dio energy.
Maya paced across the front of the room, the sharp click of her heels echoing against the stone floor. Her presence alone demanded silence.
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"Congratulations on passing your exams," she said. "Welcome to Senior Class One. I am Maya, your class teacher."
Nobody spoke.
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"Today, we will be reviewing the foundations of energy. Specifically, Dio, Eno, Magic, Techniques, and the stages of Dio."
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"Let's begin with the most important question. What is Dio?
Maya didn't wait for an answer.
"Dio is the original energy. The first energy known to mankind. Every living being possesses it as part of their very essence. Yet for most people, it remains locked away throughout their entire lives."
She continued pacing.
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"Eno, on the other hand, is an energy crafted from Dio. It is weaker, safer, and easier to control, than Dio.
Most professions throughout the world rely on Eno. Builders use it. Healers use it. Artificers use it. Even common household tools are often powered by Eno, as we can see through technology and science, which have been advancing"
She stopped beside the board and drew a long glass-like tube.
"This is known as the Surge Vessel, just as you were taught in your previous classes."
The students quickly copied the diagram into their notebooks.
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"The Surge Vessel is the internal container that stores both Dio and Eno, differently. Think of it as a glass bottle. The larger the bottle, the more water it can hold. The more you train, the more energy your vessel can contain."
She tapped the drawing with a piece of chalk.
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"A stronger vessel allows you to store greater quantities of energy and withstand greater strain."
Maya turned back toward the class.
"They are two ways to make use of this energy's, that are being stored, magic and techniques"
" Now lets look into the word magic "
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She picked up a small sheet of paper and drew a circle upon it. Within the circle she inscribed several symbols.
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"Magic is the use of symbols, formulas, and incantations to reduce the amount of Dio or Eno required to produce an effect."
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A small spark of Eno flowed into the paper, it was activated.
The moment she tossed it into the air, a thick cloud of smoke erupted throughout the front of the classroom.
The students all watch as she explained
"This effect requires Fire, Water, and Wind elements working together. Creating it through Magic takes preparation, but consumes far less energy."
With a wave of her hand, the smoke dispersed.
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"Techniques are different."
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The classroom grew attentive.
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"A Technique is performed directly through the body. There are no symbols. No circles. No preparation."
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She snapped her fingers.
A small flame appeared above her palm before vanishing.
"Techniques are faster."
The flame reappeared, then a thick smoke fill the room, with another wave of her hand it cleared.
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"But they consume more energy than magic"
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"Magic is slower but more efficient. Techniques are faster but more exhausting. A skilled practitioner learns when to use each"
Maya resumed walking.
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"Now we come to Dio itself."
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Her expression became more serious.
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"Many people train using Eno for years in hopes of unlocking their Dio. Some succeed naturally. Others never do."
She paused.
"And some experience what is known as a Dio Surge."
Several students shifted nervously.
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"A Dio Surge occurs when Dio is prematurely awakened through intense stress, fear, anger, or life-threatening circumstances, but it rarely ever happen"
She pointed toward the board.
"The power gained is immense, when experiencing Dio surge"
Then her gaze hardened.
"The risks are equally immense."
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Maya raised three fingers.
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"There are three recognized stages."
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"The first stage is Unlocking, Once mastered, an individual enters the First Tier."
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She lowered one finger.
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"This is where most practitioners stop. Not because they choose to, but because they eventually encounter a wall in their growth."
A second finger lowered.
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"Beyond that lies the Second Tier. Individuals who reach this level gain access to far greater quantities of Dio and begin displaying abilities that defy conventional understanding."
The classroom remained silent.
Maya lowered the final finger.
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"The Third Tier remains largely theoretical. Very little is known about it, and even less has been verified."
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She turned toward the Surge Vessel diagram.
"Which brings us to the final topic."
The chalk tapped against the drawing.
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"Surge Vessel damage."
Several students immediately straightened.
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"Contrary to what the name suggests, your vessel does not literally crack like glass."
A few students looked relieved.
"Unfortunately, the reality is much worse."
The relief vanished.
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"When a vessel becomes overloaded, damaged, or misused, the effects can include insanity, loss of control, permanent neurological damage, physical deterioration, or the complete loss of one's ability to manipulate Dio or eno."
The classroom fell silent.
Maya placed the chalk down.
"So before any of you start dreaming about becoming legends, learn how to walk before you attempt to fly."
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A student raised his hand.
"Professor, if Eno is created from Dio, then where does Dio come from?"
Maya nodded.
"A sensible question."
She turned toward the board.
"Unlike Eno, Dio is not something you create through training. Your body creates it naturally."
The classroom fell silent.
"Every living being continuously produces Dio throughout its life. As long as you are alive, your body is generating it."
A few students exchanged surprised looks.
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"Think of a fruit tree," Maya continued. "The tree does not decide to grow fruit. It simply does so because it is healthy and alive."
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She tapped the board.
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"Your body works in much the same way. A healthy body naturally produces Dio."
"Then why do we run out of Dio?"another student asked
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"Because producing Dio and spending Dio are not the same thing."
Maya folded her arms.
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"A farmer may spend months growing a field of grain, yet consume it all within a year. Likewise, your body produces Dio gradually, but a careless practitioner can exhaust it in minutes"
She tapped the Surge Vessel diagram.
"Your body continuously produces Dio. Some people can empty their reserves completely and recover them within seconds. Others may require minutes or even hours."
A student raised his hand.
"What determines that?"
"Usage," Maya replied. "The more you properly use your Dio, the more efficiently your body learns to produce it."
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Several students nodded.
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"Your Surge Vessel stores the Dio your body produces. The larger and stronger your vessel becomes, the more Dio it can contain."
Another student spoke up.
"So training doesn't create Dio?"
"No."
Maya shook her head.
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"Training strengthens your body, improves your control, and expands your Surge Vessel. The Dio itself is produced naturally."
She paused.
"Rest, proper meals, and good health all contribute to healthy Dio production. Exhaustion, illness, and injury can slow it considerably."
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Maya placed the chalk down.
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"In simple terms, your body produces Dio, your Surge Vessel stores it, and Eno is refined from it."
"Remember that, because everything else we teach you builds upon those three facts."
Maya turned toward the class.
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"Open your textbooks to page six"
The sound of pages flipping filled the room.
She waited until everyone had found the page before pointing to a report printed near the center.
"As you all know, two moons appear in the sky at the end of every year. However, it wasn't always that way."
Her finger tapped the report.
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"The man mentioned here was an astronomer who spent his life studying the stars. After consuming a Diochrome ,a stone of condensed Dio energy, he fell ill."
She paused.
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"Whatever happened afterward changed the world. In his altered state, he created what we now know as the Red Moon."
The classroom fell silent.
"That is the level of power associated with the Second Tier. It is far beyond anything seen in the First."
Maya lowered her voice.
"As for the Third Tier, its existence remains unproven. Some researchers believe that at such a level, one might create far more complex things... perhaps even return the dead to life."
The classroom immediately erupted into whispers.
Before Maya could continue, the classroom door opened and another teacher stepped inside.
"Could I borrow you for a moment, Maya?"
"Sure."
She stepped outside. After a brief exchange, Maya returned with a new student following closely behind her.
The student who entered was striking.
Long white hair, still damp from the rain, flowed down her back like liquid silver. Rising from her head were two delicate white horns that looked almost as though they had been carved from glass.
The classroom fell silent.
"Another demi-human," a girl at the back muttered under her breath.
Maya gestured toward the class.
"Introduce yourself."
The girl tucked a wet strand of hair behind one of her horns.
"My name is Hesper. I'm from Fulton. Nice to meet you all."
As she made her way toward an empty seat near the back, she passed Cassandra.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
Yet both understood something about themselves.
"Now shall we continue, moving on, let's see how good your cloning are, who would like to demonstrate" Maya sat down on the table waiting.
Noah's hand shot up instantly.
With his shock of green hair and matching eyes, he stole a quick glance at Hesper.
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In his mind, a short, vivid imagination played out.
Noah, you're so smart and strong... I love you, Hesper would say.
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"Noah!" Maya's sharp voice snapped him back to earth.
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He cleared his throat, standing tall. "Visualization, structure, and the infusion of Dio or Eno.
In other words, you craft the image in your mind and fill that construct with energy to bring it to life."
"Demonstrate," Maya said.
Noah walked to the front, a confident smirk playing on his lips. With Eno, he snapped his fingers. Two clones appeared, then ten.
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Determined to impress the newcomer, he pushed himself to his absolute limit. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he forced out more copies until twenty identical versions of himself crowded the aisles. He stood there, gasping for air, his reserves nearly dry.
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"An impressive quantity," Maya noted dryly. "But what of the quality? Can they take a beating? Hesper, check their stability."
"Yes, ma'am," Hesper replied, rising from her seat.
She didn't move from her spot. She simply flicked her fingers toward the crowd of clones. In a blur of motion so fast that only the top tier of the class, the elite few could track it, all twenty clones vanished instantly.
"What... what did she do?" Noah stammered, his hard work erased in a heartbeat.
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Cassandra watched the space where the clones had been, her mind racing." The same technique from before, she whispered to herself. She compressed water into molecules, infused them with air, and expanded it into a nearly invisible thread. Making it transparent to the eye, using Eno, with Dio this is deadly"
_____
JUNIOR CLASS 4
In another building entirely, the lecture on Birth Elements was underway.
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"Every person is born with a Birth Element," the teacher explained. "It is an innate force you are capable of wielding. Training doesn't grant you this power; it only determines whether you ever learn to master it. The primary elements are Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, though some individuals are born with mixed elements such as Lightning, Fog, or Ice as their birth element"
The classroom door opened and a young girl stepped inside. She had long white hair, blue eyes, two glass-like horns, and a pair of reading glasses.
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"Sorry for the interruption. I'm Zira. I've been told to come to this class."
The teacher smiled. "You're the transfer student I was expecting. Go ahead and introduce yourself."
"Hi, I'm Zira from Fulton. Nice to meet you all."
As the lesson resumed, peace reigned for exactly three seconds.
A shoe suddenly flew across the classroom and struck Phobos square in the forehead.
WHACK!
Phobos shot upright so fast that his chair nearly tipped over.
"I wasn't sleeping, Dad! I mean Professor!" he shouted. "I was using Detection to monitor the marketplace!"
The classroom erupted into laughter.
The teacher extended a hand. "Remain standing, Phobos. Throw back my shoe."
Phobos sighed dramatically, picked up the shoe, and tossed it back.
"One day, I'm reporting this abuse."
"And one day," the teacher replied, catching the shoe without looking, "I'll believe you were actually awake."
The laughter only grew louder.
Meanwhile, Zira made her way through the classroom and sat beside Phobos. Leaning closer, she lowered her voice.
"Is it normal for shoes to fly around here?"
Phobos yawned. "Only if you're me. Don't worry, though. Her aim is terrible. She usually misses."
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The teacher slowly turned around.
Phobos immediately looked away.
"...I would like to officially withdraw that statement."
Several students burst into laughter.
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A moment later, the teacher pointed toward the front of the room.
"Aristo. Come here."
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Zira watched as Aristo stood and calmly walked forward with his eyes still covered.
She leaned toward Phobos again.
"Why does he cover his eyes? Is he blind?"
"Nah," Phobos replied. "He's shy around girls."
Zira blinked.
"So he covers his eyes?"
"Yep."
"That's ridiculous."
"I know."
"Then how does he see where he's going?"
"Detection."
Zira stared at him.
"Wait... he learned Detection because he's shy?"
Phobos nodded.
"Instead of learning confidence?"
"Apparently."
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Zira looked at Aristo standing at the front of the class.
Then back at Phobos.
Then back at Aristo.
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"I don't know whether that's impressive or incredibly stupid."
"Trust me," Phobos said with a grin. "We've been asking ourselves that for years."
______
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LUNCH BREAK
The cafeteria buzzed with conversation and clattering trays.
Cassandra weaved through the crowd before sliding into the seat directly across from Hesper.
"Still stalking me?" Hesper asked without looking up from her meal.
Cassandra chuckled. "So you noticed."
"It would've been harder not to."
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"I was curious about your technique." Cassandra leaned forward slightly. "The thread. You used Water and Air to make it nearly invisible."
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For the first time, Hesper looked up.
A spark of amusement flickered in her eyes.
"So you figured it out. I didn't think humans were that observant."
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Cassandra smirked and gestured toward a nearby table.
"I'm not the only one. Koji figured it out. Logan too. Sakura definitely noticed."
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Hesper glanced over her shoulder.
Sure enough, the three students quickly looked away and pretended to be focused on their lunches.
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"You've made quite an impression on your first day."
A faint smile appeared on Hesper's face.
When she looked back at Cassandra, her gaze sharpened.
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"So why are you interested in me?"
Cassandra's grin widened.
"Because you're strong."
Hesper raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"I intend to make you my rival." For the first time, Hesper looked genuinely surprised.
The surprise lasted only a moment.
Then a slow smile spread across her face.
"Interesting."
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There was something dangerous about that smile.
"Let's see if you can keep up, human."
Cassandra's eyes gleamed.
"Looking forward to it."
For a brief moment, neither looked away.
The tension between them was almost tangible.
At a nearby table, Koji glanced over and sighed.
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"Those two are definitely going to cause problems."
"Big problems," Logan agreed.
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and then Add to home screen.