Michael dug deep, using every bit of strength he could muster to push forward. Step by agonizing step, he heard his muscles groan in protest, threatening to give up on him. Yet as he raised his head, he saw Braydon staring fiercely at him—suffering just as much. I’d rather die than show weakness here... he yelled in his heart. However, he could feel that he wouldn’t last long, even with such conviction. Taking another glance up at Braydon, he expected to see the guy struggling as well—however the youth was frozen in place, his jaw dropped as he stared in Michael’s direction. "Oh, this isn’t too bad once you get the hang of it." A familiar voice called nearby. With a slow and deliberate movement, Michael turned his head only to see Rudy walking beside him, wearing a refreshed expression. It didn’t make sense, how was he doing this well under such pressure? Is he using mana to counter the effects of the gravity magic? Michael thought, before quickly discarding it. He didn’t even understand the mana theory class we just had—there’s no way he could do such a thing. "Can I go on ahead?" Rudy asked innocently, as if he was afraid of being rude. "Sure..." Michael replied dumbfoundedly. He then watched as Rudy strolled forwards, his steps clearly heavy, yet both his posture and gait were controlled. In just a few moments he was already ten feet away, like he was taking a casual morning stroll around the enclosure. A peel of laughter rang out from the other end of the field, grabbing his attention. Follow current novels on novęlfire.net "Looks like not all of you are delicate flowers! Wonderful!" Professor Quinn exclaimed, her joy evident. Michael felt his strength drain away quickly as he struggled to put one foot in front of the other. He had thought he’d built up a solid foundation thanks to his labor in the Winterborne manor—but it was clear that compared to Rudy, he was far behind. Perhaps working on a farm for most of his life had contributed greatly to his strong body. Michael persisted for another twenty feet before he ran out of steam. But it was only when he looked over and saw Braydon was already on his backside that his body gave up. As he fell to the ground, he wasted no time laying on his back, his eyes now focused on the cloudless blue skies above. Sweat poured from his face, the gentle breeze bringing with it a cooling sensation. While he might not have been the best in the class, Michael was happy that he was able to outlast Braydon. It might seem insignificant, Michael didn’t want to lose—not to that pompous idiot. Michael felt a shadow approach, blocking out the morning sun. Rudy’s face came into view, a sincere concern painted on his features. "Are you alright man?" Michael had wanted to give a thumbs up in response, but he failed thanks to the spell. "I’m fine... Just enjoying the morning in the sun." He replied, feeling resigned. As he said this, professor Quinn’s distinct laughter sounded once more from nearby. "I guess you’ve all learned your lesson now," she said, coming to a stop in the middle of the field. She waved her hand casually, breaking the gravity spell. In that instant, Michael felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest, allowing him to breathe properly. His relief was felt by the whole class of first-years who let out grunts and groans across the field—yet no one was in a hurry to get up from the ground. "On your feet!" the professor yelled, her tone striking fear into the hearts of the teens. Everyone did their best to get to their feet, afraid of whatever punishment might become from not following her instructions. Even Melody peeled herself from the ground, but not before wiping the dirt from her face. Her face was pale, a mixture of fear and cold rage. Michael happened to glance over, seeing some dirt remaining on her chin. At a glance he could tell she was seething—but she could blame no one but herself for what had happened today. Perhaps this will make her think twice before pulling something again? Michael hoped, his gaze lingering for a while. But judging by her expression, he wasn’t so sure about that. "So, how does my gravity spell feel? Did you all have fun?" Professor Quinn asked rhetorically, her eyes dancing with amusement. Most of the students lowered their heads, not wanting to speak up. "No? Well good." She added, her hands returning to her hips. "From now on, all of you are a single unit. If one of you steps out of line, the whole unit will be punished—regardless of who was at fault." "Today was your first taste of the long and comprehensive list of ways that I am capable of inflicting punishment. You can thank Miss Winterborne for her contributions in this matter." She continued, not holding anything back. Melody’s face turned red as she lowered her head, her small hands balling into fists. The embarrassment of being called out in such a way in front of the whole class was definitely not something that she was used to. The scene caused Michael to remember the first night he’d arrived in the Winterborne manor. When her father had reprimanded her at the dinner table for her comments against him—that was the only other time he’d seen her . "So it’s clear, there are to be no spells used in my class unless I give express permission," the professor stated, "do I make myself clear?" "Yes professor..." The class replied back in chorus. "Wonderful." She clapped, a smile creeping onto her face. "Even though the punishment was short, I was able to see a few promising pupils," she said, her eyes moving between Michael, Braydon and finally upon Rudy. While the woman was most certainly a beauty, her smile caused a pit to form in Michael’s stomach, making him feel a sense of trepidation. Maybe this is the only class I don’t want to stand out in... he gulped.