Trip to Ruins

The next morning dawned with the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the guest room's glass ceiling once again, casting a warm, golden hue over Nova's sleeping form. He stirred, feeling a faint smile creep onto his face as he remembered the previous day's unexpected camaraderie. For the first time in a while, he felt something almost foreign to him—a sense of belonging that lingered like a comforting embrace.

However, as he stretched and shook off the remnants of sleep, reality sank in: he had yet another day without Nolan. They had barely exchanged a word, and with Nolan off on his academy trip to the ruins, Nova knew he'd have to wait until his return to finally spend quality time together. Resolving to make the most of his day, Nova rose and began dressing, feeling oddly optimistic. He'd do something productive today, first thing on his agenda is definitely getting the official duty assigned to him needs to be done and then maybe even something that would surprise Nolan when he came back.

In the meantime, Nolan was already hours into his journey with his academy classmates, feeling the weight of the day settle on him. Their transport—a grand flying coach imbued with intricate magic spells—soared smoothly through the skies, bound for the ancient ruins of the Council of Mages. Despite the beautiful view stretching below, his mind kept drifting back to Nova. The thought of him back at the Anderson estate, perhaps waiting for him, filled Nolan with a strange yearning. It had been years, no probably centuries, since he had felt anything close to this, and the feeling was both exhilarating and unsettling.

Just as he was lost in thought, a sharp voice interrupted him. "Are you going to sit there brooding all day, or are you going to actually enjoy this trip?"

Nolan turned to find Ruby Yates, her eyes glinting with amusement and a slight challenge. She had made it her mission to shadow him since their encounter with Cedric the school bully that morning. Despite Nolan's initial reluctance, he was grateful for her presence, especially after Cedric's earlier confrontation and her help though ultimately three of them got extra homework because of that.

Ruby settled beside him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "You know, it's a shame to waste all that energy on brooding when there's so much to see. They say these ruins hold ancient secrets. Imagine what kind of spells might still be lingering here, waiting for someone like you or me to discover them."

Nolan couldn't help but chuckle. Ruby had a dramatic flair that bordered on theatrical, but it was oddly refreshing. "Thanks for the pep talk, Ruby. Guess I've just got other things on my mind."

She raised an eyebrow, leaning in conspiratorially. "Other things? Or perhaps… other people?"

Nolan blushed slightly, caught off guard by her intuition. Ruby's laugh was bright and infectious. "Ah the woo's of young. Don't worry, I won't pry… much. Just let me know if there's anyone I need to fend off while you're lost in thought. I can be quite persuasive when I need to be." 'Well that's true, she's best mage in their class after all.' Thought Nolan, 'that is until he showcases his abilities.' 

Before he could respond, their instructor called out, announcing their arrival. The coach descended, landing gracefully amidst the wild, overgrown landscape of the ancient ruins. The site itself was vast, stretching for miles with crumbling pillars and remnants of grand architecture that hinted at a time when powerful mages had walked these grounds.

The moment they stepped off the coach, Nolan felt an eerie energy enveloping the area, as if the stones themselves held memories of old magic. He found himself instinctively reaching out, attuning his senses to the latent power surrounding him. Ruby watched him with a hint of awe, clearly impressed by his quiet focus.

Before they could delve deeper into the ruins, however, Cedric Walden appeared again, sauntering up with a smirk plastered across his face, Nolan barely controlled himself from rolling his eyes and on the other hand Ruby was more direct and just rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Oh, look who's here," he sneered, eyeing Nolan with disdain. "I hope you're ready for this trip. It's not exactly suited for the faint-hearted."

Nolan clenched his jaw, trying to keep his cool. He had no desire to let Cedric's taunts get to him, but something about the boy's smug expression grated on his nerves. Before he could respond, Ruby stepped in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, Cedric, you're here? I thought we were in the presence of actual mages, not posers."

Cedric's face twisted, but before he could retort, their instructor called for attention. "Alright, everyone, split into your groups! We'll be exploring different parts of the ruins to ensure we cover as much ground as possible."

Nolan exchanged a relieved glance with Ruby, grateful for the intervention. As fate would have it, the instructor assigned him and Ruby to the same group, sparing them further confrontations with Cedric—at least for the moment.

Their group ventured into a dim, secluded section of the ruins, where ancient spell glyphs lined the walls in faded, intricate patterns. Nolan ran his fingers over the markings, feeling a faint hum beneath his fingertips, as though the walls were alive with hidden magic. Ruby joined him, her eyes gleaming with fascination.

"I wonder what these symbols mean," she mused aloud, tracing the lines with her gaze. "I heard these ruins once belonged to the founding council of mages. They were said to have invented some of the first defensive spells, to be shared among commoners."

Nolan nodded, sharing her curiosity. His experience as an archmage in his previous life had familiarized him with ancient spellwork, but these glyphs were unlike anything he'd seen before. There was an elegance to them, an art form almost, as if they conveyed more than just magic—they told a story, his previous world have long forgotten the old ways, although he, along with few of his old friends tried keep up the old traditions the new generations were not interested at all. 

It was also one of the reasons he became a teacher at the university, he wanted to discover more old ruins, but the society had somehow moved way further towards new technology and ways of magic and no longer cared about discovering the lost knowledge of the old civilisations.

As the group moved deeper into the ruins, they encountered a series of barriers, magical shields likely set up to prevent further deterioration. Nolan watched closely as their instructor performed a complex hand movement, dispelling the barrier with a soft incantation. He memorized the sequence, marveling at the sheer precision required, and how even low level mages could control such spells with small incantations, with breaking them.

Just as they passed through the barrier, Nolan felt a chill run down his spine. He stopped, glancing around cautiously. The air had shifted, growing heavier, and the faint sound of whispers reached his ears. It was as if the ruins themselves were alive, watching, waiting.

Ruby noticed his hesitation. "Are you alright?"

Nolan nodded, though he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. "Yeah, just… I think we should be careful."

Their instructor gathered the group, explaining that they would each have a chance to practice basic ward spells, as part of a hands-on lesson. Ruby volunteered first, her hands moving with confidence as she chanted the incantation. A faint shimmer formed around her, a protective shield that solidified with her focus. She grinned, pleased with herself, and stepped aside for the next person.

When it was Nolan's turn, he performed the spell effortlessly, drawing on his experience from his previous life. The shield that formed around him was far more potent than expected, drawing impressed murmurs from the group. Even their instructor looked at him with newfound respect.

Cedric, of course, couldn't let it slide. "Well, well, seems like someone's showing off," he said with a sneer, stepping up for his turn. But his attempt fell short; his shield wavered and dissipated before fully forming.

Ruby rolled her eyes for the Nth time. "Guess not everyone's cut out for this, after all even showing off needs substance" she muttered loud enough for Cedric and others around to hear, earning a dark glare from him, and a chuckle from others.

The group continued their exploration, each spell practice building upon the last. Despite the occasional tension, Nolan felt a sense of fulfillment, a feeling that he was truly growing, evolving in ways he hadn't anticipated since his reincarnation.

As dusk fell, they set up camp near the ruins, their instructors allowing them some time to relax. Nolan found himself by the edge of the camp, looking out at the horizon where the last rays of sunlight painted the sky in hues of orange and purple. Ruby joined him, her gaze soft.

"So… this friend of yours," she began, clearly hesitant. "The one you've been thinking about—are they special to you?" Well as many would have guessed she 'loved' gossip too.

Nolan paused, taken aback by the question, he wasn't sure about sharing that much of his private life even though they got along nicely today. Moreover his feelings for Nova were still nebulous, undefined, yet undeniably present. "Yes," he said finally, choosing his words carefully. "I suppose they are. They're… different from anyone I've ever met." Not elaborating more then needed.

Ruby nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Well, whoever they are, they're lucky to have someone like you thinking about them."

Before he could respond, a strange sound echoed from the ruins—a low, resonant hum that sent shivers down his spine. Their instructor immediately rose, his expression turning serious. "Everyone, stay close. It seems there might be a magical disturbance."

Nolan's heart raced as he felt the vibrations intensify. The ruins seemed to pulse with energy, the glyphs on the walls glowing faintly in the dim light. Ruby grabbed his arm, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement.

"Looks like we're in for an adventure after all," she whispered, her voice trembling with anticipation.

As the group clustered together, Nolan steeled himself, feeling the familiar weight of his past life's experiences settle over him. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it with the same determination he'd cultivated over centuries, this world may not have all the same rules or spell techniques from his previous world, but he definitely knew the limits of this world very well, and theirs no one near good enough to be his opponent here.

And as he looked up and saw the bright full moon, he found himself wondering if, back at the Anderson estate, Nova was thinking of him too.

Right at that moment Nova in duke's office, standing in front of Duke Anderson and ministers was turning of the projection crystal about his proposal that his grandfather asked him to handle and right at that moment looked outside at the moon and couldn't help but think about Nolan.