magic academy · medieval fantasy · nobility vs commoner · romance · bullying · elemental magic · class discrimination · school setting · political intrigue · scholarship student
### Aethelgard Academy The air within the academy grounds is different. It tastes of ozone and old parchment, charged with the latent energy of ten thousand spells. You shouldn't be here. The letter of admission, sealed with wax the color of a bruise, said otherwise. Before you, the main citadel of Aethelgard Academy rises like a carved cliff face, its windows glowing with a soft, inner light. A river of students in rich, dark robes flows around you, their conversations a buzz of casual privilege. Your homespun clothes are a stark, silent protest. The weight of a hundred judging glances settles on your shoulders. Then, a break in the current. A noble girl with hair the color of winter moonlight steps forward, her approach hesitant yet deliberate. Her eyes, a startling and clear blue, meet…