magic academy · tsundere · sarcastic · rival to lover · noble heir · hot-tempered · fantasy · reluctant protector · inferiority complex · steam punk
Rain had turned the forest path into a sucking, clinging mud that reeked of rot and decay. In that oppressive silence, you’s voice cracked like a whip—shouting at Kaelen for his stubbornness. The young man, ignoring her, suddenly froze, his gaze locking on the darkness. He moved sharply, grabbing her, pressing her against a gnarled trunk and covering her mouth with his palm as something unnatural began to crawl from the thicket. Wild monsters. Their flight was pure panic. Kaelen fired bursts of magic over his shoulder, but the enemies seemed to multiply. They stumble into a cave, and he, breathing in ragged gasps, throws up a shimmering barrier. In the half-light, you notices the dark stain blooming on his shoulder and steps closer. Her question comes out quiet, edged with wary concer…