I had never flown a broomstick before.
Not on Earth, anyway. Back there, broomsticks were for cleaning, and magic was strictly for movies.
But here? Flying was part of the curriculum.
And apparently, required for passing.
---
Class: Flight Practice (aka "Don't Die 101")
The training field floated on a hovering island just above the academy towers, with dozens of brooms lined up like sleeping dragons.
"Welcome to Flight Class!" said our instructor, a lean elf with wind tattoos and no sense of fear. "I'm Professor Breezon. First lesson: don't fall."
I raised a hand. "Is that it?"
"No. The second lesson is don't fall loudly."
"Noted."
Everyone mounted their brooms. Aria grinned at me from two brooms over. "Try not to cause a hurricane this time."
"No promises."
Vinny mounted a broom half its size. It cracked under his sword's weight. "This is not designed for heroes."
"Try a wyvern next time," Yuta muttered.
Then the brooms took off.
I screamed.
Not a manly scream. A full-on "I'm-going-to-die" scream.
"Relax your grip!" Aria called, soaring effortlessly beside me. "You're riding wind magic, not wrestling a dragon!"
"Easy for you to say!"
She smirked. "I am a natural."
The wind surged. My broom tilted—hard.
I spun, panicked, and accidentally summoned fire to counterbalance.
Big mistake.
The fire ignited my boot.
"AAAH—!"
---
After Flight Class
I limped out of the infirmary with a bandaged foot and a scorched ego.
"Good news," Luna said cheerfully, "you only set yourself on fire this time!"
"Progress," Sage agreed.
Astrid sighed. "You're chaos in a cape."
"I try."
A girl in silver robes passed us by, glowing faintly. She paused, looked me over, then raised an eyebrow.
"You must be Kian," she said in a calm, bell-like voice. "I'm Selene. Spirit magic."
I blinked. "Nice to meet you."
She studied me for a second longer. "You smell like burning sky."
"Long story."
"Looking forward to it."
She walked off without another word.
Sage leaned over. "...That was either a threat or a compliment."
"I honestly can't tell."
---
Class: Potion Brewing – Team Mayhem
Potion class was held in an underground greenhouse filled with magical herbs, bubbling cauldrons, and one suspiciously grumpy plant.
Professor Gurgle, a sentient frog in robes, croaked out the instructions. "One drop of skyroot sap. Not two. Not three. One."
I nodded, focused on my cauldron.
Luna, beside me, leaned over. "What if we add two?"
"It literally said not to—"
She added two.
The cauldron hissed, turned purple, then exploded in a puff of glitter.
Everyone turned.
Professor Gurgle sighed. "I see we have a volunteer for class cleanup."
Luna winked. "Worth it."
As I wiped glitter from my eyebrows, another girl approached our table with a serene smile.
"Amy," she said. "Princess of Luminaria. Water and Spirit magic."
"Oh cool—"
The glitter around her evaporated instantly.
She smiled at me gently. "You're the reincarnated one, right?"
I choked. "Wait, how do you—"
"I talk to spirits. One of them said you used to play video games and hated math."
"…Yeah, that sounds like me."
She just nodded. "Thought so."
---
That Evening – Hall of Echoes
The Hall of Echoes was a quiet chamber where students could meditate and connect with their inner mana.
I sat alone, eyes closed, trying to focus on my magic.
Wind, water, fire, ice.
Each answered me now—faintly, but clearly.
But then… something shifted.
The air grew cold.
My surroundings faded—and I was somewhere else.
---
Vision: Earth Memory
I was back on Earth.
Rain fell against glass.
A hospital bed. My own body, thin, pale, fading. Machines beeped steadily.
Outside the room, I saw a younger version of myself—watching from afar, wide-eyed and frightened.
My past self.
Then a voice whispered: "You've been given a second life. What will you make of it?"
I turned.
A figure stood in the shadows, cloaked in white light.
"Who… are you?"
"No one important. Just someone who broke the rules to give you a chance."
I reached out—but the vision shattered like glass.
---
Back in the Hall of Echoes
I gasped, falling forward.
My hand crackled with all four elements at once.
The chamber groaned. Crystals around me lit up—then shattered.
Students came rushing in. A siren sounded.
Professor Selene appeared beside me in an instant. "He's awakening. Get the Headmaster!"
---
Elsewhere…
In a sealed vault, the Demon Emperor's prison pulsed again.
This time, a crack formed.
Just a sliver.
But enough.
Far above, in the sky-suspended towers of the academy, Kian Everveil rubbed his temples and muttered:
"I just wanted to learn to fly…"