Chapter 153: The silent Seatmate

The lecture hall settled back into a focused quiet after Professor Anya redirected Zaeryn to the seat beside Dusk.Zaeryn glanced back at Jyn. She was left a little annoyed that the professor removed him. Now she didn’t have anyone else to pass the time with, since Yuna didn’t even allow her to speak to her.

For Jyn, she was only here to learn combat and become a warlady, so the rest of the lessons didn’t matter. But despite that, she still got good grades, due to her tutor who drilled everything important into her.

The steady, almost hypnotic cadence of Professor Anya’s voice filled the space as she detailed the intricate history of inter-sector trade agreements post-Scorch Fall.

Holographic charts and ancient legal texts materialized above the podium, illustrating her points with glowing blue lines and scrolling script.

Zaeryn leaned back in the smart-foam chair, trying to muster genuine interest. He was trying to be a good student. This stuff was important, the bedrock of the society he now navigated.

But gods, it was dry. His thoughts kept drifting to Dusk. She was sitting right beside him, and up close... she was scorching. Like standing next to a furnace. Yet her face, her attitude? Ice-cold.

He risked another glance sideways. Dusk was exactly as before: utterly still, her focus absolute. Her pale fingers moved silently across a projected keyboard only she could see, her luminous green eyes fixed on the data stream appearing on her personal console. Not a flicker of acknowledgment, not a hint that she was aware of the anomaly seated inches away.

Most women at least acknowledged him, one way or another. But not her, which made him feel even more intrigued by her.

It was like sitting next to a beautiful, highly focused statue carved from moonlight and shadow.

’Okay, definitely not the chatty type,’ Zaeryn mused, turning his attention back to the lecture with a renewed, if slightly forced, effort. ’But, she seems to take this seriously, seeing as she is writing down notes.’

He tapped his stylus against his data slate, adding a note about the jurisdictional overlap between Sector Seven’s Citadel authority and Queendom-level trade mandates.

The enhanced cognition from his bonds with Sage and Daphne made absorbing the complex information easier than it should have been, but it didn’t make it any less tedious.

Professor Anya continued, her voice a calm river of facts, oblivious to the internal dramas playing out in the back rows or the potential paradox sitting stoically beside one of her more intense students.

Zaeryn forced himself to focus, tracing the complex legal diagrams Professor Anya projected. He added a few more notes, trying to connect the historical precedents to the current power structure Ysmeine had occasionally mentioned. The enhanced cognition helped, filtering the monotonous drone into coherent data points, but boredom was a persistent enemy.

He shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable in the chair, and his arm brushed lightly against Dusk’s. He expected her to flinch away or give some sign of annoyance.

Instead, she simply gave him a look before returning her gaze to her slate.

’Okay. It’s a relief she didn’t take that the wrong way.’’ Zaeryn thought, pulling his arm back slightly. He respected her focus, even if it felt a little unnerving. It was a stark contrast to Jyn’s restless energy or Yuna’s quiet observation.

Time crawled. Professor Anya moved seamlessly from trade routes to succession laws, her calm voice weaving a complex tapestry of rules and history. Zaeryn found his attention drifting again, this time watching Dusk’s fingers move across her projected keyboard. They were fast, precise, almost unnervingly silent. What was she even typing? Notes? Something else entirely?

Before Zaeryn could ponder it further, Professor Anya’s voice changed pitch slightly, signaling the end of the lecture. "That concludes today’s lesson. For next session, review Chapters three and four on Vitae Resource Allocation Statutes."

The main holo-screen dissolved, and the ambient lights brightened. "Class dismissed."

The familiar buzz of conversation erupted as students began gathering their things. Zaeryn stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders from sitting still for so long.

He glanced over at Dusk again. She was already shutting down her console, her movements fluid and efficient. Without a word, without even a glance in his direction, she rose and slipped into the flow of departing students, disappearing into the crowd like a shadow.

"Well, that was... enlightening," Zaeryn muttered to himself with a wry twist of his lips.

"Enlightening?" Jyn’s voice chirped from behind him. He turned to see her bouncing on the balls of her feet, Yuna and Morticia beside her. "You mean mind-numbingly boring! How did you survive sitting next to the Ice Queen herself without falling asleep?"

"It took effort," Zaeryn admitted, standing up to join them. "And she really doesn’t talk much, does she?"

Talk? She’s an introvert," Jyn scoffed playfully. "Dusk communicates primarily through disapproving glares and sheer force of silent judgment. You got off easy".

Yuna offered a sympathetic smile. "Professor Anya seems to like you, though. She didn’t call you out again".

"Small victories," Zaeryn grinned. "So, what’s next on the agenda? More thrilling lectures on legal loopholes?"

Morticia checked her data slate. "Combat training again, actually. Practical application this time. Looks like we’re heading back to the Aegis Chamber".

Zaeryn’s grin widened, genuine excitement sparking in his eyes. "Now that sounds more like it". He thought of Leia, of the potential rematch Genevieve was willing to bankroll. Maybe today, he’d get a chance to show them what he could really do, now that his powers felt more stable.

They exited the lecture hall wing, the scholarly quiet giving way again to the more energetic buzz of the academy’s main thoroughfares. Zaeryn walked between Jyn and Yuna, Morticia just ahead, navigating the flow of students with practiced ease.

"So, back to the pain dome," Zaeryn quipped, stretching his shoulders again, the memory of Leia pinning him still vivid. "Any tips for surviving round two? Besides, you know, not challenging the resident fire-breather?"

"Fire.... What?" Yuna asked, confused.

"Leia," Zaeryn clarified with a grin. "Her powers seemed pretty fiery yesterday. Fire-breather seemed appropriate."

"Ah, okay," Yuna nodded, understanding clicking into place.

Jyn bumped his shoulder playfully. "Tip number one: don’t let Leia bait you again. She lives for that stuff".

"Tip number two," Yuna added, her voice practical, "focus on control. Zelda will probably have us doing basic Vitae manipulation drills first. Try to feel the energy, guide it—don’t just shove it".

"And," Zaeryn asked, glancing around, "is Dusk in our same combat class?"

"No, she’s in the advanced class," Yuna explained. "She was with us initially, but because of her powers, they transferred her".

"Oh, she’s that good, huh?" Zaeryn murmured, intrigued. This only solidified Dusk’s position at the top of his ’must bond with’ list for the academy. Her powers sounded unique, and frankly, she was captivatingly hot.

"But sometimes we do train together," Yuna added.

"So, since Leia is in our class, I’m guessing she’s not considered advanced?" Zaeryn asked, trying to understand the hierarchy.

"She is, actually," Yuna clarified. "But her powers, while strong, aren’t seen as high-risk or likely to cause widespread collateral damage during training. Plus, Leia has exceptional control over her abilities, which makes her less dangerous in training. Dusk on the other hand, can lose control."

"That doesn’t make sense," Zaeryn frowned. "If she’s that skilled, shouldn’t she be in the advanced class?"

"No," Yuna patiently explained, "The name is a little contradictory. The advanced class is not for advanced students, it’s specifically for students whose abilities are considered dangerous or too volatile to train safely among the general student body. They need isolated environments until they achieve mastery".

"Got it," Zaeryn nodded, the distinction making sense now.

Morticia glanced back, her expression thoughtful. "And watch out for Leia if you can. Her techniques are... unique. Might give you ideas".


Zaeryn nodded again, filing the advice away. They arrived back at the entrance to the massive combat training facility. The doors hissed open, revealing the familiar expanse of the Aegis Chamber.

The air inside was cooler, charged with the low hum of the Vitae dampeners embedded in the walls and floor. Dozens of students were already milling about, some stretching, others checking their training gear, the low murmur of anticipation filling the space.

Zaeryn scanned the crowd, spotting Leia almost immediately. She was with Ingrid and her other friends, leaning against a wall, arms crossed, her gaze sharp as she watched the newcomers arrive. When her eyes met Zaeryn’s, she offered a slight scowl before deliberately turning back to her conversation.

’Progress,’ Zaeryn thought wryly.

"Alright, let’s find a spot," Jyn said, pulling Zaeryn toward an open area near the center of the main training floor, away from Leia’s group. Yuna and Morticia followed, forming a small, familiar island in the sea of trainees.

"Zaeryn!!"

Just before he could go far, a voice called out, sharp and familiar. Zaeryn stopped, turning. Ingrid stood near the wall where he’d last seen her, detaching herself from Leia and her companions. Her stormy eyes were fixed on him, and she waved him over with a small, almost impatient gesture.

Leia glanced over, saw who Ingrid was calling, and let out an audible scoff before pointedly turning back to her friends.

"Hey," Zaeryn responded, feeling a fresh wave of eyes lock onto him as Ingrid started walking his way.

The attention wasn’t hostile this time, just intensely curious. One of the academy’s notable seniors was seeking out the anomaly.

Ingrid navigated through the clusters of students with an easy confidence, her yellow hair catching the chamber’s cool light.

She stopped directly in front of him, closer than strictly necessary, ignoring Jyn, Yuna, and Morticia entirely for the moment.