Academy of Curses

December at the Academy of Curses was never kind, but this morning the elements seemed determined to test our mettle. I stood next to Deya, the air cold, but their eyes, like mine, held a grim determination. Our three, uneven rows resembled not elite adepts but a shivering herd. The spectacle would have been comical if not for the general sense of doom. Every now and then, one of the first-years would fall with a crash, slipping on seemingly level ground. The frozen quagmire beneath our feet was unforgiving. But all such minor annoyances instantly vanished from our minds when he emerged swiftly and confidently from around the corner of the armory—an annex whose purpose in the all-female academy remained a mystery to everyone. "Have a terrible morning, adepts and professors," said Director Rean Tier, his voice rolling over the rows like thunder. And at that moment, a single, harmonious exhalation swept through the crowd. It seemed even the wind died down, stunned by the sight that unfolded before him. Master Thiers was half-naked. He wore only loose trousers, leaving his torso completely exposed to the icy wind and our stunned gazes. The entire female half of the academy (and some of the teachers, frankly) were staring mercilessly at the director, except for Deya and me. The definition of his muscles playing under his skin, tanned even by winter, the sweep of his broad shoulders—Thier resembled an ancient god of war who had accidentally dropped in on a squalid student stadium. The meaning of his words eluded him, drowned in this hypnotic perfection. And yet, the words were monstrous. Thiers, enjoying the effect he had produced, announced our new reality: "Starting today, physical exercise every morning!" At that point, everyone, except the director himself, began to feel ill. I thought I heard a collective groan of horror, caught in everyone's throats. The cold immediately seemed even more piercing. But that was only the beginning. "At noon—self-defense-level combat magic!" the lord's voice rang with steel. I glanced sideways at Deya, and we exchanged a knowing glance.