The universe was bigger than anything Eghosa Precious had ever imagined.
Even from inside the Orientation Hall of the Empire Royal Academy, she felt as though she were standing inside the ribcage of a star.
The space was colossal: a cathedral of shifting constellations, floating platforms, and radiant glass pillars humming with energy older than humanity itself.
She had never felt so small.
Not insecure—
just aware.
Aware that the Earth-236 she had known was nothing but a speck in a galaxy filled with giants.
The hall was already crowded with students from all twelve Master Races.
They were impressive and their distinctive appearances were breathtaking but when the prescence of something alien, she felt it was normal to be weaker than them, until she made a comparison with other humans
The completky stole Eghosa's breath, the other humans firm much stronge, exposed and advanced domains of humanity were most impressive.
For the first time, she saw humanity in its fullness—
not the version she grew up knowing,
but the versions shaped by 299 other human domains far more advanced and competitive than the one she knew.
Some looked normal.
Some radiated frightening presences, more alien than the aliens themselves.
Some wore military uniforms—clearly soldiers-in-training from domains with militarized schools.
Earth-236's group… looked like villagers who had wandered into a myth.
It was normal afterall humanity were the newest addition that had been added to the master races, so they were bound to have some hint of weakness, that was another reason the UNE had decided to allow some weak domains participate in such an event
Even Melissa's calm façade flickered.
Cairn's pride cracked.
Trisha whispered, "Are we… sure these are humans?"
Amos said nothing, but his eyes sharpened.
Eghosa just stared.
This wasn't intimidation.
This was truth.
Earth-236 was weak.
Then the Messenger appeared—a shifting sentient android-like being whose appearance changed to match whoever stared at it.
Thes beings were the empires creations and beared it's will
Even standing still, it felt like looking into a mirror that saw too much.
Its voice rippled through the hall:
"Welcome to the Empire Royal Academy.
This is the first cycle.
No race has attended before.
You are all pioneers."
A cold silence fell across the cathedral.
No seniors.
No precedent.
No safety net.
A place created by the Empire itself—
opened for the first time in recorded history.
The Messenger raised its hand.
"You will now receive your Identifiers.
They will display announcements, maps, schedules, communication channels—and your assigned villa."
Tiny spore-like bits of technology drifted into the air.
Every student instinctively stretched out their hand.
The spores landed, dissolved, and disappeared inside their skin.
"Next," the Messenger continued,
"you will be placed into mixed-villa groups of seven—each containing different races to ensure balanced growth."
Eghosa's heart hammered as she checked her Identifier.
VILLA 7 - 14
Eghosa Precious — Human
Melissa Santos — Human
Cairn Velros — Human
Amos Devon — Human
Rek'thar — Baka
Olenna — Jada
Sol-Vaar — Omini-Narian
Eghosa froze.
Trisha wasn't with her.
Her eyes darted through the crowd until they found Trisha's list—
assigned to a different villa entirely.
Across the hall, Trisha met her gaze.
A small, helpless smile.
Eghosa forced one back.
For the first time since the UNE trials… they were going separate ways.
Trisha walked up quietly.
"You good?"
"I… guess so."
Trisha grinned.
"It's just a villa. I'll survive with strangers. You'll probably get adopted by that Jada girl."
Eghosa laughed weakly.
They hugged—quick, tight, and full of unspoken worries.
"Don't get soft," Trisha whispered. "This place is already terrifying."
"You too."
They parted.
The first separation in their story.
"How do we find the others?" Cairn asked.
Melissa tapped her Identifier.
"They're coming here. Look—three signals headed our way."
The moment she said it, Eghosa saw them.
Three figures approaching from different directions.
Their new villa-mates.
---
Rek'thar — The Baka
He arrived first.
Seven feet tall.
Muscles stacked like carved stone.
Fur sharp as metallic fibers.
Golden eyes that evaluated everything as hunter… or prey.
A presence built for war.
Yet he simply nodded—a warrior's acknowledgment.
Especially toward Cairn.
---
Olenna — The Jada
The second was a slender, silver-haired girl with glowing bioluminescent horns.
Her eyes shimmered with layered intelligence, like a wise child hiding centuries in her smile.
She bowed gracefully.
"I hope we can work well together. And I hope you'll take care of me."
Melissa sighed in relief.
"Finally. Someone normal."
"Thank you, big sis," Olenna said brightly.
"…Big what?" Melissa whispered, flustered.
---
Sol-Vaar — The Omini-Narian
Then he descended from above.
Floating.
Unaided.
As if gravity were optional.
Skin pure white, faintly glowing.
Eyes electric blue.
Presence quiet but absolute—born with superiority, not arrogance.
He landed effortlessly, his gaze sweeping across them.
"You humans…"
A pause.
"You are weaker than the others I saw.
You smell of weak."
Eghosa winced.
But Sol-Vaar continued calmly:
"Weakness is not shame.
Refusing growth is."
Rek'thar stepped forward immediately.
"Come down here and fight me, lightling."
Sol-Vaar rose slightly into the air. "So the ground-beast wishes to challenge the sky."
The air tightened—
a fight moments away.
Eghosa didn't breathe.
Cairn didn't blink.
Melissa froze.
Amos didn't even look up from his book.
Olenna giggled.
"A flying man…!"
Students all around began watching.
Why us? Why already?
Eghosa felt heat rise in her chest.
Before the clash could begin—
The Messenger's voice cut through the tension.
"Report to your villas immediately."
Sol-Vaar snorted.
"I'll spare your life this time, Baka."
Rek'thar growled.
"You'd be headless if you touched ground."
Cairn quickly stepped between them.
"Enough. We're roommates now."
Sol-Vaar looked at Cairn like he was a mildly amusing insect.
Olenna clapped cheerfully.
"You see? Even the jada gets it!"
Cairn stared at the ceiling, questioning every life choice that led him here.
---
Eghosa didn't speak.
Her thoughts were still on Trisha, on Earth-236, on the overwhelming size of the Academy and the universe itself.
She turned one last time.
Trisha was already gone.
Eghosa inhaled deeply.
Steeled herself.
And stepped toward Villa 7-14.
This was the true beginning.
The old world was behind her.
The Empire Royal Academy awaited.
A future filled with races she didn't understand,
cultures she'd never seen,
and challenges no human had ever experienced.
This was no longer Earth-236.
This was the Empire's domain.
And the real story had only just begun.