Seek out another instructor to help him with his studies, focusing on magic to distract himself from the internal struggle.

Elion walked through the grand halls of Academia Arcanum, his mind still reeling from his encounter with Lady Vaelra. The weight of her words hung over him like a dark cloud, but he refused to let them define him. He needed something to distract him, something that would help him reclaim his sense of self.

The Academy was known for its rigorous magical curriculum, and Elion had been a promising student back in the Enclave. Perhaps diving into his studies, immersing himself in magic, would help him regain some control over his life.

As he walked into the library, the smell of ancient tomes and parchment filled his nostrils. The walls were lined with towering shelves of books, each one filled with knowledge older than the Academy itself. Elion’s eyes wandered over the rows, searching for something that might help him. His fingers brushed the spines of several books, but one in particular caught his eye—a book on **Illusions**.

He pulled it down, flipping through the pages, reading about the art of bending perception, of creating facades that could change how the world saw you. It felt oddly fitting for his situation—he could change how people saw him. If he could master these illusions, he might be able to hide his growing inner conflict, to maintain the illusion of strength and control.

The more he read, the more engrossed he became. Magic had always been his refuge, and it seemed it might offer him a way out of this mess. But as he practiced some simple incantations, he realized that his magical powers, like everything else in his life, seemed to be unpredictable. Each spell he cast felt incomplete, like a piece of a puzzle that didn’t quite fit.

“Eliona,” a voice suddenly interrupted his concentration. Elion looked up to see a tall figure standing in the doorway—Lady Vaelra. Her sharp eyes lingered on him with an almost predatory intensity.

“You’ve been hiding in here, avoiding your lessons. I see. Not ready to face your true potential, I suppose.” She stepped closer, her gaze never leaving him.

“I—I’m just studying,” Elion stammered, his face flushing.

“Studying?” She smiled, a little too knowingly. “It’s good to immerse yourself in magic, but don’t forget that your greatest lesson here isn’t in casting spells. It’s in mastering yourself. I can teach you, if you’d like. I think you’d learn quickly under my guidance.”

The idea of spending more time with her made Elion uneasy, but a part of him also felt drawn to the thought of her controlling him. Maybe it was what he needed to truly unlock his potential—not just as a student, but as a person.