The Sight Of Future
Wounded

It had been a week since Talia became a student at the Academy. All the basic lessons in this first level were largely self-taught. Therefore Talia was honestly not too interested anymore to pay attention to the lesson. Instead, the focus now is to melt the cold heart of his countryman.

Kyle's attitude hasn't changed much, no matter what attempts Talia makes to approach him. But now Kyle was no longer fussy as Talia followed him everywhere. Kyle did not even protest as Talia sat down with him for lunch. Once upon a time Leopold came and sat with them. Somehow the young man could be friends with Kyle. Talia noticed that Leopold's presence didn't bother Kyle much. Kyle seemed comfortable with Leopold. They even talk about trivial issues like food, or lessons.

Talia doesn't understand why Kyle in the future can be a bad guy when he has at least one person as his friend. Leopold doesn't look like a bad boy either. He is very friendly and friendly. However, Talia was finally able to find a reason why Kyle had always restricted her from others.

That day as usual Talia and Kyle went together for lunch. Leopold promises to meet them in the dining room, but until the lesson starts again, Leo is nowhere to be seen. Kyle looked agitated for the rest of the day.

"What's up Kyle? You look uncomfortable since lunch?" ask Talia while whispering.

The girl glanced at Kyle's notebook which was usually filled with neat notes. But that day Kyle wrote nothing. His writing is completely empty.

"Kyle," call Talia still in a whisper. The girl even nudged Kyle's arm to get his attention.

Kyle was shocked. "Why?" ketus whisper.

"You're the one who's why? You don't usually daydream. What are you thinking?"

Kyle looked doubtful, but then answered Talia's question honestly. Very rare thing.

"Leo .. ," sighed Kyle quietly.

"You worried about Leo?" ask Talia later.

Kyle did not answer again. Talia decides that's what's bothering Kyle. When Talia returns home from school, she drags Kyle to meet Leo in an alchemy class. Ramona Academy divides the classes according to the innate abilities of the students. Kyle and Talia get into the enchanter class, due to their ability to control natural elements, including in Kyle's case, the dark element. Then there was also the Alchemy class that Leo entered. Alchemy is the ability to create a variety of magic herbs that have many functions. The other class is beast taming, a class for children who are talented at manipulating magical creatures.

The alchemy class was in the east tower. Talia takes Kyle to meet Leo as soon as the lesson is over. That way, Kyle didn't have to worry too much. However, as they turned in the corridor connecting the enchanter-class tower and the alchemy class, Talia found a figure of a boy lying covered in blood.

The corridor was empty because it was rarely passed by anyone. Therefore no one tried to help the boy who was lying down.

"Kyle .. that," sighs Talia hesitantly.

But Kyle who was walking by Talia's side suddenly ran to meet the body drenched in blood. Talia inevitably follows Kyle who looks panicked, not as usual. How shocked Talia was to see who the figure of the blood-filled young man was: Leo.

"Leo!" cry Kyle while kneeling next to Leo. Talia could only smother her mouth in surprise.

Leo groaned slowly. It seems that the young man is still conscious.

"What's going on?" kyle looked very worried.

After the incident, Talia finally found out the reason behind Kyle's cold demeanor.

***

The news of the attack on Leo immediately shocked the academy. Curious students flocked to the health room. But the teachers immediately disbanded them because it could interfere with the patient's recovery. The case has even been handled directly by Professor Rilley, Head of the Alchemist Department. Leo's parents were immediately called to school to see the condition of his son who was seriously injured to unconsciousness.

Just like the other students, Talia and Kyle are not allowed to be in the health room to see Leo's condition. Instead, they were called to Professor Rilley's room to give a description, considering they were the first to find the victim. Talia stood restlessly in front of the Dean's room while waiting to be called into the room. Several times the girl walked back and forth while biting her thumb nail. Kyle by the side, just sat dumbstruck with a grim down face. The young man said nothing and was immersed in his own thoughts.

"What actually happened? How could such a terrifying assault happen in the academy without anyone knowing?" talia muttered while pacing agitatedly.

"Hey, Kyle, didn't you get a feeling about this? You've been thinking about Leo all day. Do you know anything?" lick Talia then sat next to Kyle who still looked grim. But the young man did not respond to Talia's question at all.

Talia sighed in despair. It was like he was talking to a stone wall. Cold, without response. Finally the door to Professor RIlley's room opened. A bespectacled girl with hair tied in a ponytail walked out of the room. Talia recognized the girl as the Student Council Chairperson.A third-rate student, Deana Riel.

"You're told to come in now" Deana looked at Talia and Kyle as she closed the door to the Dean's room.

Talia and Kyle immediately stood up and prepared to enter.

"Thank you" Talia said short.

Muela just nodded briefly then walked away leaving the two of them. Talia and Kyle knocked on Professor Rilley's door several times.

"Come in" replied the Professor from the inside.

Talia opened the door and found a stone-walled room with a luxurious wooden table and glazed neatly at the end of the room. A hard-cracked fireplace burned the wood on the other side of the room. Talia and Kyle walked past a set of ivory sofas that were on the doorstep and immediately stood in front of Professor Rilley's desk.

"Sit down, both of you," Professor Rilley ordered.

Both of them followed and sat down before the Professor. This was the first time Talia had met the Dean of the Alchemy Department. Professor Rilley was a middle-aged man in his late 40s. His neatly styled black hair had already looked gray in some places. The professor does not look too old. Precisely the look of his sharp eyes made him more authoritative and resolute.

"I heard you were close friends of Dean Leopold. What happened that day to Leopold?" ask Professor Rilley without further ado.

Talia didn't try to answer because she thought Kyle was much closer to Lao than she was. The girl only glanced at Kyle silently, waiting for the fellow to let out words. But Kyle remained silent and made Talia's anxiety even greater.

Professor Rilley took a deep breath in the face of the silence. "Maybe you guys need to know about this. Dean Leopold confirmed to have been attacked by a magical animal. More precisely Dirlagraun," continued the Professor in a serious tone.

Talia understood why the information took Professor Rilley so seriously. Dirlagraun is a puma-shaped beast with six legs and a pair of sharp-toothed tentacles two meters long. The animal is famous for its greatness when hunting. Not only was it agile and expert at pouncing, its pair of sharp-toothed tentacles were also notoriously poisonous. The deadly beast was supposed to live in the forest behind the school, precisely in the captivity of the beast belonging to the Beast Taming Department. How could such a magical beast be able to roam freely in the academy in broad daylight without being noticed by anyone?