Chapter 36: Divided History
The morning air buzzed with excitement as students prepared for their first full day of Faction Studies. Unlike what many had assumed, every student was required to rotate between the factions' training sessions. Dani had made it clear: before committing to a path, they had to experience them all.
Joy stood among the students in the courtyard, her fingers brushing against her bird-shaped necklace as she observed the Chaos Magic group. Their lesson was as unpredictable as the name suggested. A spell to create glowing butterflies morphed into a whirlwind of color, and one poor student accidentally summoned a bouncing ball of flame that had to be extinguished by a frantic instructor.
“Looks chaotic, alright,” Joy muttered to herself with a small smile, standing slightly apart from the crowd.
Next, Tactical Magic caught her attention. Students sparred with enchanted dummies that dodged and retaliated with spells, the air ringing with the crack of magical energy. Joy marveled at the precision required. She couldn’t help but wonder how she would fare—her magic had always been more instinctive than strategic.
Practical Magic, however, felt like home. Inside the workshop, students were enchanting everyday objects. A girl at the far table turned a quill into a self-writing pen, while a boy charmed a broom to sweep without a hand to guide it. Joy took a seat, her hands instinctively reaching for a simple silver hairpin.
“What are you making?” Priya asked, sliding into the seat beside her.
“A charm for luck,” Joy replied, concentrating as the hairpin began to glow faintly. “Nothing fancy, just something subtle.”
“You’re always good at that kind of stuff,” Priya said, watching as Joy completed the spell with practiced ease. “Maybe Practical Magic’s your calling?”
Joy smiled faintly but didn’t reply. Deep down, she felt like her path was still uncertain.
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After the morning rotations, all students gathered for their shared History of Magic class. Joy entered the lecture hall with Priya and Rhea, her mind still replaying the events of the morning. She wasn’t expecting much from the lesson—history was usually a snooze-fest—but the sight of the substitute teacher at the podium made her pause.
The woman was striking. Tall, chubby, with cotton-candy pink hair that shimmered faintly and glowing purple eyes that seemed to pierce straight through Joy.
“Who’s that?” Priya whispered.
“No idea,” Joy replied, her curiosity piqued.
The woman stepped forward, her presence commanding immediate attention. “Good morning. I am Electra, your substitute for today. Your usual professor is... unavailable. But I assure you, this will not be a typical lesson.”
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Electra didn’t waste time. With a flick of her hand, the air shimmered, conjuring vivid illusions of burning villages, fleeing witches, and humans clad in armor. Gasps filled the room as the images moved and shifted, more real than any text in their books.
“Today,” Electra began, her voice heavy with emotion, “we will discuss the Human-Witch War. But not from the perspective of books. I will tell you my story—because I was there.”
Joy froze. She wasn’t the only one. The entire class fell into stunned silence, every student hanging on Electra’s words.
“I was a young witch when the war began,” Electra said, her tone softening. “It was a time of fear and misunderstanding. Humans saw witches as threats, while witches viewed humans as oppressors. The cycle of hatred grew until it erupted into violence.”
