Chapter 12: Student of Alfea

Lucas had seamlessly integrated into life at Alfea Academy, his transition from the mysterious leader of The Cursed Ones to a full-fledged student in the Specialist program raising more than a few eyebrows. His prowess in combat training quickly became the talk of the school, as he effortlessly climbed the ranks, leaving a trail of defeated opponents in his wake.

Despite his undeniable skills, Lucas found himself isolated, his past and his rapid ascent creating a barrier between him and his fellow students. The only person who seemed to take an interest in him was Beatrix, but Lucas wasn't an idiot. He knew her motivations were rooted in his perceived closeness to Rosalind, a connection she sought to exploit for her own gain.

As another mundane class day began, Lucas found himself ditching the Specialist practice, opting instead to remain in the solitude of his dorm room. The privilege of having no roommate, a perk negotiated between him and Rosalind, allowed him the space to pursue his own interests without interruption.

Scrolling through his phone, Lucas found his finger hovering over Bloom's Instagram page, a habit he had developed in the weeks since their falling out. Though their relationship had been strained since the events in the First World, he couldn't help but feel a lingering affection for her, a desire to maintain the friendship they had once shared.

With a sigh, he exited the app, turning his attention to the messages from his operatives back in the First World. Despite his new role at Alfea, Lucas had never truly abandoned his position within The Cursed Ones. The deal he had struck with Solaria was merely a means to an end, a way to further his own agenda while lending his support to Rosalind's cause.

As he typed out his responses, Lucas's mind wandered to the future, to the plans he had set in motion long before his arrival at Alfea. The Academy was merely a stepping stone, a temporary detour on the path to his ultimate goal. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that his time here would prove to be more significant than he had initially anticipated, or, and more likely, it would end up being a complete waist of time...

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts, and he looked up, his brow furrowed in confusion. Visitors were a rare occurrence, given his reputation and the general air of mistrust that surrounded him.

"Come in," he called out, his voice calm and even.

The door swung open, revealing the last person Lucas had expected to see. Bloom stood before him, her expression a mix of uncertainty and determination, as if she had been steeling herself for this moment.

"Lucas," she said, her voice soft but steady. "We need to talk."

He continued to look at her, not really responding yet. In his mind, he didn't think he had done anything wrong. He had protected her when he could, and it wasn't like he was a bad friend who had used her or anything, besides the slightly using her as bait that one time.

"About what?" he questioned as he scooted over on his bed, leaving enough room for her to sit.

She appeared hesitant but eventually walked up and sat on the bed next to him.

"Did you happen to hear anything about Silva...?" she asked awkwardly.

He almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. He had expected some sort of apology, a heartfelt plea for forgiveness, or maybe an accusation, a demand for answers he wouldn't give. But here she was, asking for his help, as if nothing had changed between them.

He had indeed heard about Silva. The trial was a ruse in all regards. Rosalind planned to save him in order for him to owe her one down the road. However, he chose not to share that.

"Somewhat. Heard he got dragged off in chains. Good riddance, honestly. He was kind of a drag, kept staring at me with daggers in his eyes," Lucas replied nonchalantly, leaning back against the wall.

Bloom's brows furrowed, a mix of concern and frustration evident on her face. "Lucas, this is serious. Silva's a good person. He doesn't deserve to be locked up like some criminal."

Lucas shrugged, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Is he, though? I mean, the guy's been working with Dowling for years, and we all know how that turned out."

Bloom shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "That's not fair, and you know it. Silva's always had the best interests of the school and the students at heart, as did Dowling."

"Maybe," Lucas conceded, his tone still laced with doubt. "But that doesn't change the fact that he's on the wrong side of this fight. Rosalind's in charge now, and anyone who opposes her is going to find themselves in a world of trouble."

Bloom's shoulders slumped, a wave of defeat washing over her. "I just can't believe this is happening. Everything's falling apart, and I don't know what to do."

Lucas stared at her for a few seconds. She had been quite the jerk to him recently, so he decided that helping for free this time was not going to happen.

"I'll offer you a deal. I'll help you free Silva, and in return, I heard you have a dragon flame which I might require one day. When that day comes, you will help me, no questions asked," he offered, staring at her intently. It wasn't a kind move in all regards, but she was clearly desperate, and he was ticked off for some reason.

"What? How do you even know that? It's supposed to be a secret?!" she questioned, her eyes turning to him in accusation.

"That would ruin the whole 'no questions asked' part of the offer. Do we have a deal or not?" he pushed further, leaning towards her as he stared her down.

Bloom seemed hesitant to accept, but he could see her walls slowly crumbling. "Fine... we have a deal... but only if we actually free Silva," she responded slowly before standing up from the bed without waiting for his reply.

"Wonderful," Lucas responded with a smile. "Let me know when you all plan to do whatever it is you plan to do, and I will come and join you."

Bloom walked towards the door out of his dorm room, turning back at the last second and asking, "H-how have you been...?"

Lucas didn't expect that at all. All it took was a few weeks of silence, and it wasn't like she wouldn't have heard how he was being seen at the academy, even if the view people had of him was deserved.

"I'm not sure you actually care, Bloom. No need to act all nice now that I'm helping. It was a deal. I won't back out now anyway," was all he replied before dropping onto his back on the bed and pulling out his phone, ignoring her.

Maybe he was attempting to play hard to get, or possibly all the time spent in this academy was slowly making him go back to his real mental age, where he was moody all the time.

Bloom stood there for a moment, her expression a mix of hurt and frustration. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it, shaking her head as she turned to leave.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Lucas let out a sigh, tossing his phone aside. He knew he had been harsh, perhaps unnecessarily so, but the sting of her recent treatment still lingered, a bitter taste in his mouth.

Rolling onto his side, he stared at the wall, his mind racing with thoughts of the deal he had just made. The dragon flame was a powerful tool, one that could tip the scales in his favor if wielded correctly. But at what cost?

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was treading on dangerous ground, that his actions today would have consequences far beyond his own understanding.

But there was no turning back now. A deal is a deal, plus, no matter how he looked at it, it definitely was not a losing deal for him in any way, shape, or form.