Students were bustling around the hall, busy discussing with all the fragments of information they could collect. Ermand passed through the gabbling students to find Timothy, Charlie and Odin babbling about the event.

"My dad wrote that they were nearly saved. My house is number five while house number seven was seriously damaged due to the streak fall," Timothy shared his experience.

"Hey," Charlie waved at Ermand as his eyes caught a glimpse of him.

"Hey. The same subject right?"

"Yeah. Has anything serious happened in your area?"

"Our roof broke but everybody is safe." Ermand wet his lips.

"When are you and your family going to move? I've discussed everything with dad. He'll be coming to Tawarn today."

"Great. I'll take him home and let them discuss the rest."

"All set then."

"The first chime has rung, let's go before the second," Emile tapped on Charlie's shoulders.

When Ermand and his friends entered the class after receiving a greeting from the old door, they found that some students were absent.

"Parents of some of the students have lost their lives with this. This would probably be the weirdest incident that has ever happened in the history of the world," Charlie commented.

Ermand noticed that Damien was as awful as ever.

"Good morning, class," A plump woman in her sweeping cloak hurried into the classroom and stashed a few books on the teacher's shelf. She had thin framed spectacles that couldn't fit her face. Her overflowing blue braided hair almost touched the ground.

"I'm Mitbroom Estrel. Your Professor for Spells and enchantments. Not those basic ones you learnt at school."

"Your textbooks." She snapped her fingers and later, a thick brown book lay on their desks.

"Professor Estrel," Charlie called.

"Yes?"

"Why are they so thick?" He wailed, opening the large book.

"Oh, it's nothing," she giggled, swinging her hands back and forth rapidly. "You must be glad that it contains just one thousand and fifty-eight pages--"

"One thousand five hundred and fifty-eight!" The class screamed of horror.

"It's two thousand three hundred and one-sixty-six in the second year. Three thousand two hundred in the third year. Three thousand eight-hundred and ninety-seven in the fourth year and finally four thousand and twenty-two in your fifth year. You will not have Spells and Enchantments in your final year."

"Thank goodness," Charlie sighed, clomping his face on the desk.

"Why should we learn all this?" Timothy moaned.

"What do you expect when you join a college and especially, Agledon?"

"The problem is mine, I expected too much..." Timothy flomped on the desk like Charlie.

"Good. Now, everybody listens to me. This is a subject that could be easy if you pay close attention to each and every word of mine."

"I'm sure I would fail," Timothy sighed and rested his head on his hands.

"I'll be there then," Charlie snapped a finger and winked.

"Let's join some other college if we fail

And we'll be working hard later. For now, let's enjoy the whole year of freedom and luxury," Timothy whispered.

"And you, Ermand?"

"I just wish I could learn things easily," he knitted his brows and nibbled the rubber bulb of the pen in his hand.

"The first section is all about the basic magic spells. Let me give you a demonstration of one of the simple spells," Professor Estrel rubbed her hands and pushed back the loose cuffs of her green cloak.

"This spell originated from Scettre. So we'll be using the old Scettrian language to cast this spell. This one is easy. Anyone from Scettre here?"

A few students raised their hands.

"Have any of you learned the old Scettrian language?"

Her lips returned to a thin line when she saw that none of the students raised their hand.

"There are two students in D2 and D4 and three in D3! Shame on your class. Your main teacher is Professor Chestnut, right? Usually, his class is known to be the best class among all other Defender classes."

Some students rolled their eyes while some other gave the Professor a dull stare.

"Students these days..." she sighed, observing the student's tedious face.

"Okay. So, the spell is, vekona sae entaya,"

She wiggled her fingers and slowly moved her wrist up and down.

A light blue coloured wave of sparkle arose from the tips of her fingers and swirled around a paperweight on the table.

"While casting old spells like these, sparkles in different colours can emerge from your fingertips, don't doubt that your incantation has gone wrong. Alright then. You, come here," She gestured to a boy in a blue shirt towards her. He hesitated for a moment before rising up from his bench.

"Try lifting the paperweight from the table," She smiled triumphantly.

The boy chuckled and casually brought his grasp toward the paperweight to lift it but immediately he retreated his hand.

"See, this incantation will help you protect your personal things away from others using it. No counter spell is found to break this charm from another except another spell that can only be chanted by the owner. Now, see."

She snapped her fingers in the paperweight's direction.

"Remoin sae entaya."

She turned toward the boy.

"Now try lifting it."

The boy lifted it easily without anything interrupting him from lifting it.

"So, I'll give you a brief introduction on such easy spells. Take down your lectures if you want." She waved her hand and a white chalk levitated from its position on the chalk tray.

She continued her lecture as the chalk scribed itself against the large blackboard.

"Boring..." Timothy scoffed and laid his head on the table.

"Don't you dare think that any of you can achieve your Aslehm if you skip these classes. I'm telling you that you'll regret not paying attention."

"Guess we have to give in," Charlie tapped on Timothy's arm while grabbing a notebook from his satchel.

"Alright..." Timothy searched for a notebook in his bag and gently smashed it on the table.

Ermand was severely focused on scribbling something in his notebook as the Professor started her lecture.

I should get this done! I should achieve my Aslehm!

When the class was finally over, all of the students rose up from their benches and stretched their hands and legs. Finally when all of the classes were over, Timothy reminded Ermand about the house for rent.

"Dad will either be visiting me or your parents at Fingercut street. I've sent him a knocketer giving your address."

"Thanks," Ermand smiled.

"Ermand. I think you should join us in the dorm. We were informed that a new boy will be joining us by tomorrow. The last bed in our room will be occupied any day. Since the house is at the border between Tawarn and New Tawarn, it'll be difficult for you to get to college. Your brothers might as well do the same." Timothy winked before strolling toward the dormitory.

The thought dangled in Ermand's mind. He has to join his friends in the dorm.

"Ermie, Mr. Wallace Chestnut just left before you came. We'll be moving tomorrow," Mrs. Chisel informed when Ermand locked the front door behind him.

"The rent?"

"He's a noble and kind man. It's only four Twoks."

"Half the rent we pay here?"

Mrs. Chisel smiled, nodding. Now they don't have to eat stale bread and shrivelled vegetables anymore. At least their guts won't ache anymore.

Everything happens for a better reason...

Just as Ermand was thinking of their better future, he sensed some danger that'll hit them any moment. A voice echoed in his head.

Ermand, get you and your family out. Danger is approaching!