There was a slight murmur spreading throughout the class with people giving her side glances and some even pointing at her. The awkwardness was high as the atmosphere around her became stifling. Adrianna became anxious. She took a deep breath and exhaled to exhale some of the anxiety out of her system. The place where she had chosen to sit had a vacant chair beside her. She looked at it while knowing that it wouldn't be possible for her to gain a single friend. All of a sudden, she remembered Niiya and Ookashi. Her heart longed to see them. She lowered her head and looked at her lap as she clasped her hands.

The professor entered the class and all the students rose to greet him. He looked at all of them and his eyes fell upon Adrianna. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Come and sit in the front."

​​

Adrianna walked to the front and a student got up from her place and vacated the chair for her. The professor watched her as she walked up. When she reached the vacant seat, he said in a serious tone, "From today onwards, you will be learning everything these students learned in eleven years within one month. You will need to focus a lot. You will be taught the most important spells that may be life-threatening. So be aware and keep alert. Don't think that this is going to be a child's play."

The professor looked at her as though measuring her up. "Today, I will only test your capabilities. From tomorrow on, you will be transferred to a special class with a rigorous routine. From time to time, I will put your skills to the test by making you compete against the students of this class. You won't get second chances to learn those spells." The way he said, it sounded more like a threat than encouragement.

Adrianna nodded, feeling nervous again. She said, "Thanks Professor Ziu."

Professor Ziu was a man in his thirties who had been one of the topmost and brilliant students of the academy. He had been offered a job at the ministry, and various jobs in the second level, including several bank jobs, but he had declined all of them to teach at the academy. There were only three more as brilliant as he was and one of them was Cy. Ziu had also decided not to marry, not because he didn't have a choice, but because he found it difficult to find a woman who was as compatible. Foolishness appalled him and most women who he tried to date would start demanding for foolish things after only a few days, so he had decided to just focus on teaching. These days, he rarely went out on dates.

Ziu had been given the responsibility of teaching and helping Adrianna with her magic. His problem was that he would insult his students a lot if they didn't perform well. According to him, all those who couldn't perform well should be eliminated from society. He was the perfect choice to put Adrianna's down spirit. Ilsa and Lia had planned it carefully.

"How do you know my name?" He asked with a furrow forming between his brows. He had never introduced himself to her.

Even Adrianna didn't know that. She didn't answer and pursed her lips.

Perhaps Ilsa has already told her...

"You all may sit down," he said to the class when she didn't answer. "Today, I will be teaching you the 'Iceba' spell in which you can turn anything into ice and then shatter it into thousands of pieces."

The class became excited. Professor Ziu took out his wand and pointed towards the chandelier on the ceiling which was hanging right above Adrianna and the students around her. They became scared. One of them said, "Professor, kindly choose something else."

He ignored that student and instructed the class, "Make a circle with your wand and then make an infinity sign. While making that sign, say 'Iceba' and then make an anti-clock circle immediately."

Everyone in the class, other than Adrianna, took their wands out.

Ziu knew that she didn't have a wand. He sniggered and was ready to give her the first scare of her life. He started with the demonstration. He circled the wand and then said 'Iceba' while making that infinity loop. The chandelier turned into ice. There was a huge exclaim of excitement from the students who were completely impressed. Ziu made an anti clock circle immediately after that, but instead of breaking into many pieces, the ice melted and the chandelier regained its original material. Ziu was taken aback. He repeated the spell, but it didn't work again. Confused and not wanting to acknowledge his failure, he said aloud to the class, "Repeat what I did just now!" He was baffled beyond words. How could his magic fail?

All the students' wands pointed at the chandelier. Adrianna looked at all of them. It was as though all of them had a murderous glint in their eyes. She was shocked. As she watched them, she got lost in the world they all were in - a world filled with derision, apathy and rebellion. What was it that they were after?

"Iceba!" came a loud noise as all of them said it at the same time. The chandelier turned into ice and exploded into a thousand pieces with a loud ear piercing bang, but all the pieces became fine shiny dust particles as they fell down upon Adrianna and those who were around her.

Ziu had been prepared to use his magic and put the chandelier back in its place, but he couldn't do anything when it turned into shiny dust.

He roared, "Who turned it into dust particles? Who asked you to act as you wish? You dare defy my instructions?" The class flinched.

None of them spoke a word word as they started looking at each other. The only person who wasn't looking at anyone was Adrianna; she had delved into Ziu's mind.