As soon as the car arrives at the academy, Aurelia steps out, leaving Eve behind. She could find her way on her own. They would be going to the same auditorium before reporting to their dorm.
It was the second time she had seen the academy, and the sheer size of it still astounds her. It was a world all to itself.
The mysteries behind the school astound, puzzle, and bring fear. The professors are mysterious, popping up out of nowhere.
Many things about this world astound Aurelia. Things keep popping up out of nowhere as if someone was waiting to place them here. The awakening stones, the academy, the people, the dungeons.
The list could honestly continue.
But she wasn't keen on finding out the mysteries of anything. She already had the space to sort out. Now she had classes. She knew keeping up with everything would make her head spin.
And as she walked through the gates, she felt it was all worth it.
Polished white stones that looked like shimmering crystal arc into the air. Beneath the arches lie wide open spaces. What looks like amber lines the walkways leading to the auditorium, dorms and classes.
The academy seemed to be a mix of Baroque and Romanesque architecture.
Breathing in the air makes people relax unconsciously. She watched as the new students took a breath and relaxed almost instantaneously. Taking a deep breath, Aurelia knew why.
She could see the swirls of colour in the academy. The difference inside and outside the gate was like night and day. While the energy wasn't as strong as her space, it was still more than enough for her to realise this academy was anything but ordinary.
Arriving at the auditorium, she didn't greet anyone. She didn't know anyone. Until school actually started, she had no intention of getting to know anyone.
She wanted to talk to Ephelia. Since she became the spirit of the space, she should be able to access things with her permission. She wanted to ask her to check the new rooms and the one she hadn't had the chance to look at.
She decided against it because she wasn't sure how strong any of the professors in the academy were. What if they could feel the space?
If the primordial energy here wasn't so strong, she might have given it a try, but after feeling it...
So she waited. Looking around at new students like herself, chattering about who knows what.
As soon as the clock struck, the doors closed. Luckily, after the last experience, everyone made sure to gather in the auditorium. No one lingered outside.
Once again, the headmaster appeared out of nowhere to address everyone.
"Good day, everyone. I will assume you remember my name and will not introduce myself again. As initiates of Rhea Academy, we hold you to a standard we do not have for those outside these walls. "
"In this academy, you will learn to control your gifts, hone your mind and understand the world around you. Make no mistake, the dungeons you see are shaping this world. Moulding it into something that may make it unrecognisable."
"Closing dungeons will become your duty. For some, it may be a claim to fame. But make no mistake, whether for fame or family. It will require your utmost dedication."
"Everyone must participate in physical/combat training. If you do not have the strength to fight even a hobgoblin, your future is bleak. Some of you may have heard of specialisations and plan to do so. We encourage it."
"Everyone here should have received a key when they passed the evaluation. It has your room numbers. Inside your rooms, your uniforms will be placed on your beds. On top of the uniform, you will find a small rune. Place the face of your communicator on that rune to be able to access and modify your schedule."
"Once everyone has left the auditorium, there will be someone to escort you to your dorm location. Familiarise yourself with your surroundings, get to know your dorm mates and respect the curfew."
"Your journey begins here, do not waste it."
As quickly as he appeared, the headmaster disappeared. The doors opened, and everyone filed out.
Just as he said, people were waiting outside to greet us.
They were students in their second year. It has only been three years since the disaster, so there is no graduating class from Rhea yet. And despite that, their fame is known far and wide.
The results of students from Rhea after only one year exceeded what the government expected and what Rhea Academy promised.
The guides didn't waste much time. There were sections specifically for each rank. They made sure to have a sign to let everyone know where to go instead of shouting.
Once everyone gathered, they were able to split into smaller groups. The first number on your key indicated the group you went with. They were numbered one to six.
Aurelia tried to familiarise herself with the school as much as possible. She knew she wouldn't be able to do it in one go, but she at least tried to know how to get from the auditorium to her dorm.
Everyone was practically vibrating with excitement.
Aurelia was also happy. Eve was nowhere in her group. Which meant they didn't have the same dorm or weren't on the same floor.
She was curious about the dorms. She realised everyone was sectioned off by their rank. So everyone here should have at least S-rank potential.
As they arrived at their destination, they realised it was a long corridor. There was a large 4 at the entrance of the building.
"Everyone here should be in building 4. Walk down the corridor and look for your room numbers. Once inside, your name should be on your individual door. This is as far as I will escort you."
Without leaving a name or anything, the person turned away and left.
Some of the more outgoing people decided to step into the corridor first.
Aurelia was one of the first. She wanted to see what her room looked like. Although the corridor was wide, the building itself didn't seem as though it would house many people.
She found her room, 404, but did not open it immediately. She knew she should have a roommate.
No sooner had she thought it than the person showed up.
A girl with waist-length hair and her nose in the air. Looking at Aurelia as though she were her servant. Had it not been for her haughty attitude, Aurelia might have found her cute.
She sighed at not being able to make a friend. Forgetting everything about introducing herself, she opened the door, only to be pushed aside.
What the hell is her problem?
Aurelia watched the girl walk down the hall. She also walked in, shaking her head and closing the door behind her.
She saw the girl walking towards the door with her name on it, so she stopped her.
"Hey, can't you read? The headmaster said to go to the room with your name on it."
She turned her head to see the name on the other door.
"Seraphina, that's your room right there," she said, pointing to it.
"I can sleep in a west-facing room. I'll just take yours, you shouldn't have a problem, right?"
Not waiting for an answer, she walked to Aurelia's room door and tried to turn the handle. Unfortunately for her, it didn't budge.
She kept trying the door handle, even kicking the door, as if that would make it magically open.
Aurelia watched it all, slightly amused.
"Are you done? I want to go to my room."
"Can't you see the door can't open?! And this is my room!"
Her shrill voice almost pierced Aurelia's eardrum. Aurelia calmed herself as much as possible and walked towards her. She didn't try to open the door.
"Do you see that name?" She pointed to the door. "That's my name. Your name is on the other door. Go over and try that door and see if it doesn't open?"
Nothing else was said, she Aurelia waited for her to move. She watched Seraphina walk to the door and try the handle. Immediately, it gave way.
At the same time, Aurelia opened her door and walked in. Before closing the door, she looked at Seraphina, who had a stunned look on her face and said, "That's magic, bitch."
Seraphina turned to face her, but Aurelia had already slammed the door.