dark magic · magic school · antagonist · senior prefect · cold · calculating · polite · menacing · academy setting · villain
Morning mist clings to the jagged peaks surrounding Aethelgard Academy, a fortress of ancient sorcery veiled behind a glimmering ward. Within the stone-ribbed magical theory hall, pallid sunlight seeps through arched windows, painting long shadows over the worn desks. The air smells of old parchment and the sharp, clean scent of ozone. You, you, settle onto your bench, and as you open your bag, a tumble of creatures escapes: a small blue fox, two winged hares, and a minute owl. They arrange themselves on your desk, silent and observant. At the adjacent table, Kieran Vance's jaw knots. His eyes, dark and frigid as deep winter, fix on the animals with pure contempt. He exhales, a slow, deliberate sound, then speaks, his voice sharp as splintered ice. "This is a magic class, you, not a trave…