Realmshift: Triad Ascendancy.

Uncharted Territory

[ARKANE]

The courtyard of Cyrus stretched out before me, quiet and vast under the afternoon sun. I walked between Silver and Grey, both of them lost in their thoughts. Our morning class had been underwhelming, to say the least. The basics of mana cores were far behind us, and if anything, the lesson had only served to frustrate us further. We were adventurers, battle-hardened and skilled, not novices. But we had chosen this path, and we had to see it through.

Silver was the first to break the silence. "We need to find a better class," he said, his voice resolute. "That beginner course was... well, a waste of time."I smirked. "Told you. Should have trusted my instincts."Grey chuckled softly. "I didn't hear you suggesting alternatives.""Because I thought it'd be more fun watching you squirm."Grey rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Silver, as usual, was already deep in thought, probably calculating our next move. Cyrus was a sprawling place with endless possibilities, and despite the rocky start, we all knew there was value here if we could find it.As we made our way through one of the quieter paths on the campus, I noticed a figure standing alone near a fountain. She was small, with long blonde hair that caught the sunlight, but something about her posture caught my attention. Her shoulders were hunched, and she kept her head down, as if trying to disappear."Look at that," I muttered.Silver and Grey followed my gaze. The girl wasn't alone for long. A group of older students—three of them, all wearing smug expressions—approached her. They towered over her, and even from where I stood, I could hear their jeers."Seems like some kids have nothing better to do," Grey said, his voice darkening.Silver glanced at me. "Should we?""Obviously," I replied.Without another word, we started walking toward them. As we got closer, the situation became clearer. The blonde girl was visibly trembling, clutching a small book to her chest. One of the bullies—a tall boy with greasy hair—was laughing as he shoved her."Come on, healer," he sneered. "Let's see some magic. Heal this!" He flicked his wrist, and a small cut appeared on his arm. It was barely a scratch, but the girl's eyes widened with panic."Leave her alone," I called out, my voice cold and sharp.The three bullies turned to face us, their smug expressions faltering when they saw Silver, Grey, and me approaching. The greasy-haired boy scoffed but took a step back, clearly assessing the situation."Who the hell are you?" he demanded."None of your business," I said. "But you're done here."Grey, ever the calm one, stepped forward with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's a shame, really. I thought Cyrus was a place for learning, not a place for cowards to pick on people smaller than them."

The boy's face twisted with anger, and he opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, I grabbed his wrist, yanking him forward. "You're not worth the energy."He tried to pull away, but I held firm. I could see the fear flicker in his eyes as he realized he was outmatched. Grey and Silver had already moved to block his two friends from making a move. They didn't seem eager to fight, either.Silver leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. "Walk away. Now."The bullies exchanged nervous glances before the greasy-haired boy yanked his wrist free from my grasp and spat at the ground. "Fine. Whatever. She's not worth it anyway."I watched them leave, fists clenched, before turning my attention to the blonde girl. She was staring at us, wide-eyed, her body still trembling."You okay?" I asked, softening my tone.She nodded quickly but didn't speak."Don't worry about them," Grey added. "They won't bother you again.""Thank you," she finally whispered, her voice barely audible.Silver offered her a kind smile. "What's your name?""Beatrice," she replied, her eyes dropping to the ground again."You're a healer?" I asked, already knowing the answer.Beatrice nodded. "Yes. My magic isn't strong, but I can heal cuts and bruises... small things. It's nothing compared to the offensive magic most people here have, so... they pick on me."I exchanged a glance with Grey and Silver. Healing magic might not be flashy, but it was rare and valuable, especially in dangerous situations. It wasn't the kind of magic that would make you famous or feared, but it saved lives. The fact that she was being bullied for it was infuriating."Those idiots don't know what they're talking about," I said. "Healing magic is important. Don't let them get to you."