It was the next day of classes, and Vahn followed the map on his phone, navigating toward his third elective.
This time, he wasn't grouped with Carla, Han, or even the eccentric twins—which, honestly, was something of a relief. He had tried to empathize with Dante before, even excusing his odd behavior by admitting he too had some strange habits.
But after yesterday's little spy mission? Yeah, he had to take his hat off for them—they were on a different level of bold.
He still didn't know why they followed him. The whole thing just felt... weird.
'How are they going to react if we run into each other today?' he wondered, shaking his head and focusing on the towering structure ahead.
If his first elective had been Physical Combat, and the second Library Studies, then this—this massive building—was home to his third.
The Meditation House.
It was called that, and it was also the class for students who chose the 'Ability course'
Despite being a selective course, it was easily one of the largest buildings on the entire campus. And for good reason—it was also one of the most essential. Even the most arrogant or aloof students couldn't skip this one without consequence. It was that important.
Why, then, was it still considered a "selective"?
Maybe it was just to preserve the illusion of choice.
He glanced around and saw dozens of students gawking at the grand structure or filing inside with a sense of quiet reverence. Not wanting to stall, Vahn stepped through the entrance.
'If I'd met Jarrad earlier, I might've picked something else,' he thought and clicked his tongue in regret.
He already knew this class would be general—broad instructions meant to cover a wide range of students. Not specific or tailored like Jarrad's breakdown the day before.
Still, he reminded himself: if he hadn't chosen his electives, he wouldn't have met Jarrad at all. Even with hindsight, he wouldn't change a thing.
The inside of the Meditation House was vast, at least four times the size of the Physical Combat facility. Aside from a levitated platform at the front and rectangular markings spaced evenly across the floor, it was minimalistic, almost empty.
There was even a second floor above, for the second years.
'Wow… there's barely any space left.'
Students rushed to claim spots near the front. Not wanting to join the scramble, Vahn made his way to the back, settling down against the wall in a cross-legged, meditative posture, mirroring what he saw around him.
He glanced at the students beside him. They looked disinterested in everything, it was like they were only here to fulfill a quota.
Then, the professor walked in.
An older man with long white hair and a flowing beard, a monocle perched on his left eye, and a scholar's coat layered over a military uniform. His presence was calm but commanding.
"Welcome to the Ability Class," the professor said, his voice surprisingly soft but somehow reaching every corner of the vast hall without a mic. "I understand this building is always filled due to the course's relevance, and I commend your commitment. Now, let's begin."
'How is his voice carrying like that?' Vahn wondered. 'Is it his ability? Or something related to abilities in general?'
"There are countless abilities—fire users, body morphers, elementals, and more. And even among similar abilities, variants exist. One fire user may wield flames through emotions, another through just regular breathing, another through kinetic charge. But what unites them all is the source."
He paused.
"We call that source… Est."
Some students perked up at the familiar word.
"You've likely heard of it in other classes," the professor continued. "Est is the energy that powers your abilities. Now let me ask you this: if Est is an energy, what does that imply?"
He pointed at a raised hand. "Yes?"
"It means it can be refilled, emptied… and increased."
Vahn's eyes widened.
'Dante?'
There he was, standing calmly in the crowd and answering the question without hesitation.
"Correct," the professor smiled, gesturing for him to sit.
"And the most important takeaway from that answer is: it can be increased."
The room erupted in murmurs. Faces lit with curiosity, even the ones who had shown no interest before. Including Vahn.
'Increase it? But how do I even feel it in the first place?'
He thought back to the prison cell. That moment he teleported… there had been something. A flicker inside. But it had been instinctive, not controlled.
"From experience," the professor continued, "Est manifests in different forms for different people. Some feel it as a ball of energy, others as a cluster of stars, a sun, or even a needle."
"Your first task is not to grow your Est, but to feel it. Locate it. Become familiar with it."
"Once you do, follow your instinct. If you see stars, gather them. If it's a needle, sharpen it. If it's a sun, make it brighter."
He closed his eyes and sat.
"That's all I can tell you. From now till the end of the class, I want you all to feel your Est. I'm not saying try to grow it, just feel it and become familiar with it. The rest is up to you."
The smart ones followed suit, entering meditative states. The rest copied them.
And within minutes, the once-bustling hall fell into perfect silence.
A silence so deep… it felt like the entire world had paused.