Threats of Fate

Upon arriving in the classroom, the first lesson began. In the early school years, classes were primarily taught by the homeroom teacher to help children focus and avoid the disruption of constantly adapting to new teachers and methods. The children learned the foundations of their world: language, geography, and political borders. These basics would later prepare them to move into higher grades and specialize in specific areas of interest.

It was the first year for the students in Mrs. Wirsing's class. They had already introduced themselves and gotten to know each other better. Now it was time to start learning.

"So, we've all introduced ourselves, and you've formed your groups. Seika and Luna are just a pair, but that's perfectly fine. These groups aren't set in stone," Mrs. Wirsing explained.

The children sat at their desks. Some were ready to learn, while others clearly wanted to go back outside. Mrs. Wirsing noticed Akio leaning against the window, staring outside.

Mrs. Wirsing, despite being 83 years old, looked as youthful as someone in their prime. Like many in their world, her appearance reflected an everlasting vitality, a gift of nature that allowed them to remain youthful for most of their lives. Her energetic demeanor and glowing skin often confused children about her true age, though her wisdom and calm authority spoke volumes about her experience.

"Auron, can you spell your name for us?" Mrs. Wirsing asked. Auron stood up proudly and said, "A-U-R-O-N, Auron."

"Well done, Auron," she praised him, writing something on the board.

"This is how your name looks when I write it in all capital letters," she explained, pointing to the board. Then she wrote Auron's name with just the first letter capitalized.

"That looks so different!" Auron exclaimed.

"Exactly," Mrs. Wirsing replied. "Today, we're going to learn the alphabet."

Mrs. Wirsing wrote the entire alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase letters on the board. The students were asked to copy it down, with help from their parents. Afterward, they tried writing their own names. Jonathan struggled, frequently looking to his mother for help. Akio, on the other hand, proudly wrote "A-ki-O" on his nametag. Eventually, all the children succeeded in writing their names, with support from their parents and teacher.

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Two Years Later

Over the next two years, the children learned many foundational skills that taught them how to learn effectively. The time flew by, and the children were now six years old. They could read, write, and do basic math. It was time to start learning more about the world, and they moved into third grade.

In the first lesson of the new school year, the children learned about the seasons. Mrs. Wirsing explained that there were five seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter, and the Mana Shift. This year began with a Fire Spring, followed by a Water Summer, Wind Autumn, Earth Winter, and a Metal Shift. The students had never heard of the Metal Shift, so Mrs. Wirsing elaborated:

"The Metal Shift is a time when the mana in the world changes. This year started with a Fire Shift, so we have an abundance of fire mana. Next year, we'll have a lot of metal mana."

The children seemed confused, so Mrs. Wirsing continued:

"During the Metal Shift, we celebrate with big festivals. We honor metal and do lots of crafting. It's a time to rid ourselves of everything bad and make everything new and good."

This explanation finally caught the children's interest.

"Do we make weapons out of metal too?" Lirien suddenly asked.

Mrs. Wirsing was visibly surprised. "What a question, Lirien!" she said.

"My dad makes weapons out of metal, and I think it's cool," Lirien replied.

Mrs. Wirsing smiled. "That sounds exciting. Unfortunately, we won't be making weapons, but we can craft other things."

Auron asked, "Is there art?"

"Yes, there's art. You can make pictures, sculptures, and much more out of metal," Mrs. Wirsing explained.

Seika asked if there were stories about art.

"Yes," Mrs. Wirsing replied. "Every piece of art has a story. You can use art to show what you see, feel, or want to say."

"Is there a festival with animals?" Lena asked.

Some laughed, but Mrs. Wirsing answered seriously:

"Yes, during the Earth Shift, we celebrate nature and honor animals. We show them our love and gratitude."

Lena jumped up excitedly when she heard they could pet animals. The whole class shared her enthusiasm.

While the students were excited, Akio asked, "And what happens next?"

"After the Metal Shift, the next year begins with a Metal Spring. There are two metal seasons in a row," Mrs. Wirsing explained.

Akio didn't fully understand, so Mrs. Wirsing went to the board and drew the order of the seasons. Seika raised her hand and was allowed to go to the board to continue the sequence of the elements.

Kevin thought the lesson was dragging on too long, but Mrs. Wirsing assured him, "Every festival is special in its own way."

Kevin remarked that Mrs. Wirsing must be really old. She smiled warmly and said, "I'm 83 years young and have been teaching for more than half my life. And yet, thanks to nature, I still have the energy to keep up with all of you!"

Kevin wanted to say more, but Lucas stopped him.

Mrs. Wirsing used the opportunity to teach Kevin a lesson:

"You should learn to speak more politely. Comments like that can be hurtful."

Kevin muttered, "Yeah, fine," and stopped talking.

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At the End of the Day

The children learned more about the seasons and their significance. The lesson flew by, and the school day came to an end. Akio was excited to tell his parents about the seasons.

When his mother picked him up, she asked, "So, Akio, what did you learn today?"

"Teachers have wrinkles!" Akio proudly announced.

"Excuse me?" his mother asked, surprised.

"Mrs. Wirsing said teachers get wrinkles because of Kevin!" Akio said.

"I think you misunderstood something," his mother replied, laughing.

On the way home, Akio continued talking about the seasons and the Water Festival. His mother laughed.

"You're really tired today, Akio," she said.

"I'm not tired!" Akio insisted, but he yawned immediately after.

"We're going home now. You'll take a nap, and then we'll have dinner," his mother said gently.

Akio didn't argue; he was too tired. And so, they went home happily, unaware that a surprising development was just around the corner.