Professor Beledras taps her stick against the board, the sharp sound cutting through the dreariness of Owain's mind. He'd hardly slept last night, for reasons he hasn't discerned. As a result, he's been fighting hard to stay awake all day. That's no easy feat, considering the lectures he's had to listen to all day. Owain can't remember a thing any of his teachers had talked about. In a way, he almost envies Pyke, for getting to go to common school. The workload is practically non-existent.

The professor continues her pacing of the room, her voice fluctuating as she speaks. However, to Owain, it just sounds like a mumbled bunch of syllables.

Owain releases a soft sigh, lifting his head to look out the large windows, on either side of the board. The day is bright and there is no sign of night. The sun beams brighter, almost taunting him.

It's going to be a long day.

"Professor?" a sweet, feminine voice questions. "I have a question."

"Go ahead, Ms. Bestel." Even in his muggy state, the name registers.

"Will we get to choose our own groups? I just feel like for an assignment like this, it would be necessary to know who you're working with, so you know each other's strengths and weaknesses."

Professor Beledras doesn't bat an eye. Vieva slumps a bit, disappointed.

"I appreciate the comment, Ms. Bestel, but I will be choosing the group." Her imperceptible gaze sweeps across the room. "I have found, through prior experience, that letting students of your age-of any age, for that matter-proves catastrophic. I will be doing a random assignment. Do not question me any further about the matter."

Vieva doesn't say anything, but from the tight line she has pressed her lips into, Owain can tell she disagrees, but is merely keeping it to herself. Beledras makes no move to correct her, or even hint that she sees Vieva's reaction.

"Now, who can reiterate the assignment to me?" She taps her chin, in mock-thought. "Who shall it be?"

Not me, not me, not me, not me...

"Mr. Snagsnout. We haven't heard from you today." A small smile graces her thin lips, and Owain gulps. From the glitter in her eyes, he can tell that she had been aware of his dozing off.

He wracks his brain for what she had been prattling on about, but comes up woefully empty-handed. The scene plays out in his head. He says he doesn't know the answer, he gets a suspension for not taking the class seriously, his mother and father yell at him, and he'll be doomed for all eternity.

"Well? We don't have all day." The professor prompts.

Owain curls in on himself.

"I don't know." His voice is heavy, hardly louder than a whisper. He almost expects the teacher to make him repeat it louder, but Professor Beledras just lifts her chin at him.

"Mr. Snagsnout, ordinarily, this would call for a detention. But, since you are a first year, and the year has just begun, I will grant you this one pass. Mark my words, students, this does not permit you to slack off. I won't be lenient again." Thank the Founders.

With one more piercing look at Owain, she begins to speak again. This time, Owain forces himself to sit up straight, and focus. It takes near all of his concentration.

"This is your first large project of the semester. It's worth a lot of your final grade points, almost as much as final exams, so I would listen closely." Professor Beledras arches a brow. Even though she's not looking at him, Owain flushes.

"You and your group will be assigned a creature. Your job is to find that creature, of my choice, in the Nyx Woods, trap it, and present it to me. You'll have a multitude of opportunities to do so, but the assignment is formally due in two weeks time, the beginning of October. Your group will be chosen at random, and whatever group you get is who you're stuck with. No exceptions. I don't want to hear you crying when one of your team members disagrees with your approach. You must work together.

"Mage magic is allowed, but the creature must be retrieved without harm to it's person. If I see any marks, such as burns or cuts, you will get points off, understood? I don't want to hear reports of my students blowing up the Woods. If you misuse your mage magic, you get an automatic fail on the assignment, with three weeks worth of detention. Any questions so far?"

A student, who's name Owain can't recall, raises her hand. "Yes?"

"Will we be able to use our familiars?" the girl speaks quietly.

The professor nods appraisingly. "Excellent question. The answer is no. You must not rely on the assistance of your familiars for this assignment. If you do, you will receive an automatic fail."

Some students groan, but it's quickly silenced by the professor's heated look. Owain thinks to his grizzly, Berwig, fondly. The creature isn't the smartest card in the deck but he's hefty enough to startle more than enough people. Sometimes, when he walks alongside the bear, people look at him oddly. He can practically hear their thoughts: How did you summon that?

When Owain had presented Berwig to his family, his parents had been elated. The both of them are Gaias as well, and they adore the grizzlies. 

Pyke, as expected, had steam coming out of her ears.

"Now, class is coming to an end, so let us quickly pick groups." Professor Beledras has clipped, short steps. They bounce around in the large chamber as she hefts something from her cupboard. It looks like a bingo spinner, but instead of the small wooden balls, there are these opaque, slightly larger spheres. They clink as the professor begins to turn the small crank, making a melody.

The first ball rolls to the stopper. Professor Beledras picks it up gently, then begins to roll it lightly between her palms. It reminds Owain of when his mother makes bread rolls, the way she effortlessly rolls the soft dough in her hands, forming that perfect ball. Then slowly, the translucent ball begins to melt, the silvery goop dripping to the immaculate floors. It drips in rivulets all over the professor's hands, falling from the gaps between her fingers, from the sides of her hands, enlarging the shimmering puddle on the floor. Like the rest of the class, Owain watches, with rapt attention.

The ball continues to deform, until soon enough, all that's left in the professor's slime-covered hands is a clean white piece of paper. There are no signs of the silver liquid on the paper, strangely enough.

"Ah, our first group: Phade Holyward, Cyrla Sulibot, Dillian Goldbane, and Kayd Wyvern."

Owain lets a small smile surface. At least his group won't have Kayd. One student-either Dillian or Phade-groans lightly behind Owain. He understands the reaction: doing such a largely weighted project with Kayd Wyvern, of all people, sounds as pleasant as sleeping in a wasp nest.

Another ball whooshes into the professor's hands. It melts again to reveal another slip of snowy white paper.

"Lysabel Axelane, Derald Pellefard, Vieva Bestel, Owain Snagsnout, and Xara Roffinnes."

The blood drains from his face. Fear jolts him, makes his limbs tremble. No. This can't be happening. He's in a group with a Bestel and Xara Roffinnes?

So much for good grades, thinks Owain sadly.

For the rest of the picking, Owain tunes out of the class. Scenarios play out in his head, about how the assignment will go.

None of them look promising.

Owain sneaks a glance at his fellow teammates. Lysabel's the first one he spots. He'd seen her earlier, when they'd arrived at the dorms all those weeks ago. She's a pretty girl, demure and thoughtful looking. With long, buttery blond hair, and pixie green eyes, she looks the very opposite of his edgy older sister.

Derald is scowling when Owain finally finds him in the group. His blue eyes are dark, looking almost black colored. Owain hasn't heard much about Derald Pellefard; he only knows that he lives in the room next to Owain's, and that he has a very, very large family. He'd seen the Pellefard clan at drop off.

Vieva sits in the far, far back, brooding as always. A dark look gleams in those cinder eyes, and Owain quickly looks away before she can turn those searing eyes to him. Although he's never met the Bestels, his family has never been a large fan of them. They just seem so full of themselves, so overly-confident in the idea that they are above everyone else in Ruxnorth. Of course, there's also the ridiculous amount of money they own. Mother says that they hoard their coin for no reason.

Lastly, Owain catches sight of Xara, whose face is a mask. He can't tell what she's thinking; even her storming eyes have been shuttered off. It's not easy to understand why. Ever since the year began, people have practically avoided Xara as if she had the plague. He has no dislike towards her, but Owain can't help but be a bit uneasy. The fact that the school admitted her says enough, but the Warlord possessed her, for Founder's sake! Out of everyone, he chose her. There has to be a reason behind it, and Owain's sure it's not a good reason.

When all the balls are gone, the professor claps her hands together. "That marks the end of class. Check in on my door for the list of what creature your group has been assigned. Remember, two weeks from now, and I won't extend the deadline to anyone."

The bell rings, a merciful excuse to leave. Owain hastily packs up his things. Someone brushes past him, and he looks up. It's Xara.

Impulsively, he taps her on the shoulder. She turns and Owain freezes, the words dying off in his mouth.

"Yes?" she asks it like a sigh. Surprisingly, her voice is pleasant, not at all the dark, husky sound that came out of her during the Summoning.

"I-" his mouth clams up, and sweat makes his palms slick. Sometimes, he wonders if his hands have a mind of their own. She cocks her head, waiting. Her eyes are curious, yet wary.

Unable to bear the tension anymore, Owain takes his things and bolts. 

>>AUTHOR'S NOTES:

and so it begins. this chapter is really where things start to pick up: at least in my opinion. all the chapters before were sort of individual stories, kind of, but now, the 5 main characters' stories will start to weave together. god, I'm so excited! 

have you ever had that story that you've wanted to write for so long, but you've just never gotten the chance yet?

well, that's how I feel about The Elixir. I've had this series in the back of my mind for months, and I'm so excited that I've gotten to start it;) also, with the amazing cover, it looks so professional! i mean, I just look at it and it makes me happy.

anyway, I'll stop rambling. i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and i hope you enjoy the ones to come! 

peace&love,

raniaditi O(∩_∩)O