Grand Arcanum academy -infrancy
Leon Valerius's eyelids fluttered open. First thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
White ceiling. Bright lights. Soft sheets beneath him.
He blinked, adjusting to the light. The ache in his temples was dull but persistent. Slowly, the heaviness in his limbs began to lift.
As his vision sharpened, he noticed a familiar figure sitting by his side,
Selena Vale sat by his bedside, chin resting lightly on her hand, her blue eyes red from lack of sleep but still filled with concern. Her blonde hair was slightly unkempt, and she looked like she hadn't moved for hours. As if she'd been there the whole time.
"...Selena?"
Her head shot up. "Leon! You're awake!" Her voice was filled with relief. She leaned in closer, worry still lingering on her features.
He gave a weak smirk trying to sit. "Was it that bad?"
Selena quickly placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Easy. You've been out for hours."
Before she could speak further, another voice came.
"Finally, Sleeping Beauty decides to grace us with his presence."
Leon turned to see Rael Thunderfang leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking every bit as beat-up and irritated as Leon felt.
"Rael," Leon said with a half-hearted grin.
Rael approached, shaking his head. "You were out for eight hours. It's already evening. We almost thought you wouldn't wake up till tomorrow."
Leon let out a weak chuckle. "Eight hours? Damn. That simulation really did a number on me."
Rael grinned. "Yeah, well, when you try to block sword with your face, that's kind of expected."
Selena shot Rael a sharp glare. "He didn't block it with his face, Rael. He was... incredible."
Hearing Selena's word Rael's grin widened.
"And this one," he jerked his thumb toward Selena, "hasn't left your side. Just sat there. The whole damn time."
Rael chuckled. "She didn't move an inch. Just kept staring at your sleeping face like it was gonna vanish."
Selena's cheeks flushed instantly. "I—I was just making sure he didn't die or something!"
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Sure you were."
Selena stood up, avoiding his gaze. "I—I should go inform the nurse you're awake! Yes. That's all."
She rushed out, nearly knocking over a tray on her way.
Leon and Rael shared a laugh.
"You're evil," Rael said.
Leon shrugged. "She makes it too easy."
Leon sat up slowly, wincing. "What happened? The match..."
Rael let out a breath and pulled a chair up to sit beside him. "We lost. Hard. That guy, Ryu? He's something else. Took us all out with one technique. It was like watching death dance. The guy moved so fast his sword didn't even show up in the air. Just red lines and blood."
Leon nodded slowly. "I remember... bits and pieces. But it's fuzzy."
"That might be the side effects," Rael said, serious now. "Healers said the VR feedback can mess with memory if your brain takes too much simulated trauma. You were pushing yourself pretty hard. But..." he hesitated, then grinned. "You were pretty badass at the end."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Rael leaned forward, excited now. "You fought Ryu head-on. I swear, you had your eyes closed and were dodging his strikes easily. Everyone saw it. Even though you lost, it was like watching a miracle happen. You stalled him for longer than anyone else."
Leon frowned. "That part... I don't remember at all."
"Trust me," Rael said, clapping him on the shoulder. "It was amazing. Might not have won, but the academy was watching. You're a damn star now."
Leon chuckled softly. "Great. Just what I needed. Becoming famous for loosing."
Rael shrugged. "Well, get used to it. Evelyn, Morganna, and Elaine all came by earlier. Dain too. Even Kaivan. You're kind of a big deal now. And lyria"
"She was here with me," Rael said. "Stayed for about an hour."
Leon nodded.
Just then, the infirmary curtain pulled back and a tall young man stepped in. Green hair, neatly combed, with sharp emerald eyes and an easy, confident smile. He wore the Academy's upperclassman uniform, and a white healer's robe over it.
"Ah, our hero wakes," he said. "Leon Valerius, right? I'm Adrien Faelan. Fifth-year. Specialized healer."
Leon nodded slowly. "Nice to meet you."
Adrien gave a quick salute. "Just need to run a few checks. Nothing invasive, promise."
As he placed a hand on Leon's forehead, a soft green glow emanated from his palm.
"You're lucky. No physical injuries. Your mana circuits are intact. It's all mental fatigue. Simulation overuse. You'll be good by tomorrow."
He clicked a pen and began jotting down notes on a crystal clipboard.
"Heart rate stable. Temperature normal. Blood pressure... yep, you're just tired."
Rael leaned back in his chair. "Told you. Guy's built like a tank."
Adrien grinned. "You know, that final fight's been making the rounds. They recorded the whole thing. Projection crystals were linked to professors' stations. Whole academy saw it. Even the professors in the research wing were talking about you."
Leon groaned. "Why? I didn't even win."
"Doesn't matter. You still stood your ground when most couldn't even move. That counts."
"And I don't doubt how but most of academy didn't like that Ryu guy."
Rael nodded. "Honestly, when you fought him equally it gave everyone hope that we may still have chance."
Leon looked away, his voice quieter. "But we still lost."
Adrien clipped his tools back into his bag. "Loss teaches more than victory ever will. Besides, it's just the entrance exam."
He patted Leon's shoulder. "Rest up. Classes start tomorrow. Try not to faint during lectures. It'd ruin your new reputation."
Adrien laughed. " But jokes aside, even though you lost, you gave people hope. You went down fighting till end."
Leon exhaled. He felt... oddly at peace.
Maybe he didn't win.
But he stood his ground.
"Alright," Adrien said, closing his clipboard. "You're clear. Rest tonight. Lecture hall tomorrow morning. Results and rankings will be out."
He patted Leon on the shoulder one again. "And don't let the fame get to your head."
"I'll try," Leon said, his smile soft but genuine.
TO BE CONTINUE...