He landed sideways, rolling onto the ground before quickly picking himself up onto his feet. His heart raced as he ran forward, adrenaline surging through him. In a single fluid motion, he leapt into the air, reaching into his shirt to fish out the dagger that had been tucked inside. With a twist of his body, he swung his leg around, aiming directly at his professor's abdomen.
The blow landed with a solid impact, but his professor barely flinched. Instead, he grinned, amused by the attempt.
The attack only pushed him back not powerful enough to knock him of his feet as he grinned .
" You've gotten better, but still not enough." he taunted, his voice full of amusement.
Ezra's eyes narrowed, his determination burning brighter than before. He rushed forward again, moving faster this time, the dagger now held firmly in his grip as he aimed for another strike. He wouldn't back down, not now. He had to prove that he could do more, that he could fight harder, even against someone like his professor.
With a fluid, quick motion, Ezra aimed to strike again, focusing all his energy into this one decisive hit. He saw the opening—his professor's side was unguarded for just a moment. But before he could land the blow, a sharp pain speared through his jaw, sending him flying backward, his body slamming hard against the ground.
The professor stood casually, stretching his wrists with an air of effortless ease. His gaze remained calm, unaffected by Ezra's failed attempt.
"You shouldn't lose your focus just because of a compliment, little one."
Ezra pushed himself up, wincing as he felt the bruise form on his jaw. His body ached, but he wasn't about to let his professor see his struggle.
The professor, however, didn't seem to acknowledge Ezra's battered state, his expression unreadable as he adjusted his clothes with practiced indifference. "You're too predictable," he added, as if speaking more to himself than to Ezra, before turning away slightly.
' Dammit , I nearly got him. '
Ezra groaned, rubbing his jaw as he sat up. Every part of him ached, but he forced himself to his feet, ignoring the way his legs trembled.
Without missing a beat, he dusted himself off and asked,
"The Sundering War… do you know anything about it?"
The professor simply gazed at him with a smirk, clearly amused by the question. "The war that happened around a decade ago, was it? Why do you ask?" His emerald eyes were as unreadable as always, reptilian in nature, and still unnerving to Ezra.
Ezra shrugged, trying to sound casual despite the discomfort. "Ah, we were learning about it in class. But I wasn't really paying attention… so you know…"
The professor gave a lazy nod, taking in Ezra's words without much concern, his reptilian eyes focusing on him.
"Well, I do remember, not much though," he said with a nonchalant tone. "Maybe 'cause I can't be bothered to remember. What do you want to know?"
Ezra frowned but pressed on. "What happened during the war?"
The professor leaned back slightly, as if considering how to respond. "Arcanis and Aethoris declared war on the Xian Empire. Pretty sure you learned that in class, but I'd call that bulkshit." He waved a hand dismissively. "They attacked, the nation's in ruins now. Xian's never really recovered from it. You should know that much at least."
Ezra stood silent, absorbing the weight of the professor's words.
'The war that nearly destroyed an entire empire. His mind was spinning with questions—how did it end? What happened afterward? '
But the professor seemed disinterested in providing any more answers.
"Wait, you know about it because you were there, right?" Ezra blurted out, unable to contain his curiosity.
The professor paused, his gaze drifting as though he was lost in thought. Finally, he spoke, his tone nonchalant, "Eh, nah. I'm not someone to fight for another nation's mess. Some of your professors fought there, I believe. They were students like you, a bit older during that time."
"Are you saying they fought in the war? How come they don't talk about it?" Ezra asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"Oh, they do," the professor replied. "They boast about it. Take pride in bringing another country to ruins, especially those two. Vox and Ness. Those weirdos. I don't like them at all. Especially Ness. That lanky lollipop. Creepiest resonance I've ever seen ."
Ezra didn't know what Ness had done to traumatise his professor but he did look creeped out .
" Why do you call it bulkshit , the reason for the war? "
The professor let out a long breath, shaking his head as he leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "Think about it for a second, kid. Do two of the most powerful nations really need to launch an attack on a single empire? Arcanis, with the strongest military force in the world, and Aethoris, not far behind, with the former Xian Empire, which, despite its fall, was still formidable. Why would they all suddenly target the Xian Empire? Doesn't make sense, does it? Risk a global war? For 'weapons'? Please."
Ezra furrowed his brow, still trying to process everything. "Why didn't the other nations interfere?" he asked, his curiosity piqued as the professor's words seemed to raise more questions than answers.
The professor shrugged casually, his gaze drifting away as if he hadn't thought about it much before. "Sylvanna and Lycanthos are at odds with each other, always have been. As for Drakoria, they're busy with their own internal struggles. They're not the type to meddle in what they consider petty, mundane conflicts. And the Isle of Noctis?" He scoffed. "Wiped off the map before the war even ended. Even if they weren't, they're nothing compared to them."