The Lazy Prodigy: Swords and Magic

The sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Arvendale Academy, casting a golden glow along the corridors. Cael was in his classroom, preparing to leave for the break. He had decided to spend the time in a quiet part of the campus, perhaps near the lake, far from the usual commotion.

Before leaving, he grabbed his cloak and checked the inner pocket, ensuring the wooden amulet his sister Lyra had carved was still there. It was almost a subconscious habit. That small piece of wood was more than just an object; it was a memory of home, a symbol of who he was and what he was striving to achieve.

"It's here," he murmured to himself, relieved. He stepped out, walking calmly through the crowded halls.

Break time at the Academy was always chaotic. Students from various classes and years gathered in groups, laughing, chatting, or, in the case of the more competitive ones, challenging each other to impromptu duels in the courtyard. Cael usually ignored it all, but that day, something unusual happened.

When he returned to his dormitory to grab a book, he noticed his door slightly ajar. Strange. He always locked it. A sense of alertness washed over him, and he entered quickly, only to find his belongings scattered across the room.

"Who did this?" he murmured, his voice low but filled with tension.

He checked the inner pocket of his cloak and, realizing the amulet was missing, felt something boil inside him. Anger surged rapidly—a rare emotion for him but now burning intensely.

A few minutes later, while walking down the hall, he heard laughter coming from a nearby area near the courtyard. He recognized the sound as coming from a group from Class 2B, known for their arrogance and love of provoking younger students.

Getting closer, he saw one of them—a tall, lanky boy named Kieran—holding something that looked all too familiar: his amulet.

"This thing?" Kieran said, twirling the small wooden piece between his fingers. "Looks like something a kid would make. Who carries something this pathetic at the Academy?"

The group around him laughed, but Cael found no humor in it.

He strode forward with determined steps, every movement laced with intent. When he was a few meters away, he called out to Kieran.

"Give it back," he said, his voice low and sharp as a blade.

Kieran looked at him with a mocking smile. "Oh, it's yours, rookie? Found it lying around."

Cael clenched his fists. He wasn't one to lose his temper easily, but that amulet wasn't just an object to him. It was his connection to his family, his home.

"I won't repeat myself," he said, more firmly this time. "Give it back."

Kieran chuckled and tossed the amulet into the air, catching it again as if it were a toy. "And what if I don't? What are you going to do, rookie?"

Cael didn't answer. Instead, he surged forward like a storm. Before Kieran could react, Cael grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall with enough force to knock the breath out of him.

"I warned you," Cael growled, snatching the amulet from Kieran's hand.

For a moment, there was silence. The other students in the group seemed stunned by Cael's outburst. But then one of them, a burly boy named Markus, stepped forward.

"Hey, rookie, you think you can just attack someone from the second year?" Markus said, clenching his fists.

Cael slowly turned, still holding Kieran by the shirt. His eyes were cold, but his voice was calm.

"He messed with something he shouldn't have."

"That doesn't matter," Markus said, lunging with a straight punch.

Cael released Kieran and sidestepped at the last second, Markus's fist whistling through the air. Taking advantage of the opening, Cael grabbed Markus's arm, pivoted, and threw him over his shoulder. The sound of the impact echoed through the courtyard, and Markus groaned as he hit the ground.

"First mistake: underestimating me," Cael said coolly, stepping back a few paces.

The other two students advanced together, trying to pressure him. One of them, a blond-haired mage, began murmuring incantations, while the other, an agile swordsman, drew an enchanted blade that shimmered with a blue glow.

The mage conjured a series of fireballs that floated around his head before shooting them in succession toward Cael. He extended his hand, creating a translucent barrier that absorbed the flames with a bright flash.

"You'll need more than that," Cael murmured, charging toward the mage.

He broke through the barrier with a sharp motion and shoved the mage backward, but he had no time to continue the attack. The swordsman closed in from behind, his blade slicing through the air with lethal precision. Cael spun quickly, raising his arms in a defensive cross. The blade struck, but a magical aura around his body reduced the impact.

"I need to counterattack," he thought, dodging to the side. Grabbing a piece of stone from the ground, he hurled it at the swordsman's face, distracting him long enough to deliver a powerful kick to his stomach. The swordsman staggered, and Cael disarmed him, kicking the sword far away.

At this point, the remaining members of 2B decided to attack all at once. Kieran led the charge, summoning a magical blade that crackled with electric energy. Two others conjured a series of earthen spikes that rose from the ground, forcing Cael to leap to avoid being impaled.

"You're starting to annoy me," Cael said, his voice laced with fury.

He slammed his hands against the ground, releasing a shockwave that scattered dust and destabilized his opponents. Two of the spellcasters lost their footing, while Kieran remained steady.

Kieran charged with the electric blade, slashing toward Cael. He barely dodged, but the blade's energy sent a shock through his arm, momentarily numbing it. Taking advantage of the opening, Kieran kicked Cael in the chest, sending him crashing into one of the courtyard columns.

As Cael stood up, spitting blood, something shifted in his expression. The anger he felt reached a boiling point, and his magical aura began to expand. The air around him grew heavy, and the 2B students hesitated for a moment.

"You think you can intimidate me?" he said, his voice resonating with an intensity that silenced the courtyard.

He raised his hands, and a whirlwind of magical energy began to form. Rays of light and shadow danced around him as he channeled his mana. With a swift motion, he unleashed an explosion of energy that struck the entire group, throwing them back like ragdolls.

Despite Cael's overwhelming strength, the 2B students didn't give up. They stood, bloodied and unsteady but still determined to fight. One of the casters used healing magic to restore some of Kieran's strength, and he returned to the fray with a murderous glint in his eyes.

"You'll pay for this," Kieran said, summoning a new sword, this one wreathed in flames.

Cael charged forward without hesitation, ignoring the pain in his body. He dodged a fiery slash and delivered a straight punch to Kieran's face, breaking his nose. Blood streamed down Kieran's face as he screamed in pain and fell to his knees.

The other students tried to surround Cael, but he fought them off with brutal efficiency. Using magic to enhance his strength, he delivered bone-crushing blows and sent his opponents flying. Every move he made was precise and devastating, as if he were an unstoppable force.

When the last 2B student fell to the ground, groaning in pain, Cael stood covered in blood—his own and theirs. He panted heavily, but his eyes still burned with fury. He walked over to Kieran, who was trying to crawl away, and placed his foot on his chest, pinning him down.

"If you touch my amulet again, I won't hold back," Cael said, his voice low but filled with menace.

Kieran said nothing. He just lay there, staring at Cael with fear in his eyes.

The silence was broken by heavy footsteps. A professor had arrived, drawn by the commotion. He looked at the courtyard, now a battlefield, and then at Cael, who still held the amulet tightly in his bloody hand.

"What is going on here?" the professor demanded, his voice heavy with authority.

Cael took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He tucked the amulet back into his pocket and looked directly at the professor.

"They started it," he said simply.

The professor sighed, rubbing his temples. "All of you, to the discipline office. Now."

The walk to the discipline office was silent. Cael didn't regret what he'd done, but he knew he'd have to face the consequences. Still, as he held the amulet in his hand, he felt that he had protected something more important than any Academy rule.

And that was enough.