The Core Mage Academy was a structural marvel, a sprawling complex designed to be a home of all the people who study or work at academy.
From the air, the facility appeared as a cluster of sleek, geometric hubs connected by glass-enclosed walkways and lush, adaptive greenery which make academy look more like a garden.
Every hallway was embedded with mana conductors, allowing the faculty to monitor the growth of the students' fiber in real-time.
As they moved between the circular lecture halls and the tiered residential wings, their data was constantly updated.
The campus was divided into distinct zones.
Such as Northern Residential Blocks which from outside look like ivory steps against the sky.
Southern Scientific Hubs which is Encased in circular, reinforced domes designed to contain high-energy experiments.
As Kaelen and Mina walked through the central atrium, they passed the Pillars of Authority.
Here, the names and levels of their instructors were displayed.
Teacher Elena (Advance Yarn Realm), pink color magic fiber. Responsible for teaching Alchemy.
Teacher Andrew (Expert Yarn Realm), amber color magic fiber. Responsible for Martial Arts Training.
Teacher Marcus (Expert Yarn Realm), blue color magic fiber. Responsible for teaching Management theory for mages.
Headmaster Vane (Master Yarn Realm), purple color magic fiber. Resposible for teaching History of Mages.
Headmaster Vane led the class through the West Wing, where the air felt thick and rich of mana.
Their first stop was the canteen, located in a sleek zig zag building overlooking the central pond.
"Nutrition is the first thing required for Realm advancement." Vane explained.
The hall featured automated dispensers that analyzed a student's fiber mana leakage via a palm scan.
If Kaelen's fiber showed signs of over stretching, his meal would be instantly infused with specific mineral salts to improve its condition.
Next, they visited the Archive of the Mages, a hall filled with Mana Crystals.
Instead of reading, students placed their hands on the crystals to witness 4D reconstructions of history.
They saw the lab of the First Scientist's where he discovered the use of magic fibers.
They then transitioned to the Simulation Hub, located in the prominent circular structure at the heart of the campus.
Here, students entered pods made of fabrics of Master Fabric Realm Mage which create a real looking hallucination. This was the same thing they saw previously in demonstration but on small level.
The Academy's layout ensured that students were never more than a few steps away from any important services.
The central courtyard served as a connecting point between all the areas.
Nestled near the edge of the central pond was a structure that seemed to breathe called mana conservatory.
This was a special high-pressure chamber where all the plants for the Academy's use were cultivated by elite botanists.
These specialists were chosen for their unique fiber characteristics, related to Growth, Vitality, and Insect Termination.
The air inside was thick with the scent of ozone and blooming life, maintained by a special research wing that remained open to students at all hours.
Sora was particularly excited about this visit. For someone who loved plants, there was nothing more fascinating than the bio-engineering of plants.
She stared at a specimen of Void-Ivy, a plant being designed to thrive in the adverse conditions of a vacuum.
"Imagine," Sora whispered, her eyes reflecting the bioluminescence of the flora. "Building forests that grow in the empty silence of space."
Leo, leaning against a reinforced glass partition, huffed. "You should not dream so high, Sora. Nature has limits, even with the fiber magic."
Sora didn't even look back at him. "Mind your business, Leo. If I want to build a garden on a dead moon, I will do it."
As the tour concluded, Headmaster Vane stopped in front of a statue of Alaric Veyron.
He looked at the class, but his gaze lingered on Kaelen for a fraction of a second longer.
"Primary education ends at age ten," Vane said. "By then, the UCC expects you to be Master Fiber Realm Mage."
"Only then will you be allowed to touch the Yarn Realm."
Kaelen looked at the statue, then turned his gaze back toward his teachers.
Kaelen took a deep breath of the academy air.
The scale of Core Mage Academy was easy to underestimate when students were divided into different classrooms.
As the tour of the academy continued, the true scope of the UCC's educational academy revealed itself.
This wasn't just a academy. It was a sprawling, vibrant ecosystem designed to house thousands of students across five year groups.
While Teachers like Vane, Marcus, Andrew, and Elena were the main faces of the academy, they functioned as the Head of Faculty of there respective departments.
Because Kaelen and Mina were in one of the best new student classrooms, they were under the direct care of these Heads.
He watched how the staff moved hundreds of experts in different fields doing what they do the best.
To Kaelen, the school was like a massive, beautifully designed machine which work to produce talents. As Kaelen was thinking this. Headmaster Vane spoke.
"You are no longer just individuals."
"To foster the spirit of camaraderie, you have been divided into the Four Houses, each named after legendary common peoples who reached great heights in the Council and contributed their power to the stability of the universe."
Four massive banners unfurled in the artificial breeze, each representing a house:
House Ignis (Red): One of the First Commoner Master Garment Realm Mage who contributed to the formation of Core transparent protective Garment of transparent blue color we see around core.
House Terra (Yellow): One of the Major General who was responsible for the position of Defence Fortresses in the outer core area together with Ancient Mage Families.
House Ventus (Blue): A Commoner Diviner who was involved in the creation of Sentient AIs.
House Aqua (Silver): Talented Mage responsible for creating magic cards which were used in the Management Theory of Mages.
"Each year there are competitions, and only first years are allowed to participate," Vane explained.
"Other years help their juniors in their preparation to ensure they are ready for the challenges."
While they remained in the House for their entire stay, their marks depended on the overall performance of the House.
This ensured that seniors took care of juniors, making the environment competitive yet supportive.
Suddenly, every student's wrist-device buzzed. The Academy AI had assigned their Houses based on their behavior, social groups, and personality weights.
Sora, Leo, Kaelen, and Mina were all placed together in House Ignis.
"Your temporary living arrangements are over," Vane continued. "From today, you move into your permanent House Dormitories."
Everyone begin to follow the staff to go to there assigned dormitory.
The House Ignis dormitory was a massive structure. The five-year-olds shared a gargantuan room designed with a Beehive Structure on the walls.
Each student had their own private hive built into the wall. A small but sufficient space containing a bed, a study table, and a private bathroom.
The middle area of the room was a vast open space for amusement and interaction.
"Enjoy your time with your friends." Vane said. "This arrangement gives you time to be together and communicate more."
As they entered the common room, Kaelen felt like returning to school again.
For the first time in this life, he was living with the same age group, surrounded by peers who would grow alongside him.
"Red looks good on us." Mina said, smoothing out her new uniform which featured a stylized flame wrapped in a magic fiber like shape.
Kaelen nodded, his deep black eyes taking in the vibrant atmosphere.
"It's a nice uniform." Kaelen remarked softly, a small smile tugging at his mouth.
Mina suddenly grabbed Kaelen hand and said "Let's go and see our rooms!"
The House Ignis dormitory was designed as a vertical hub of social and personal growth.
The structure was a massive, rectangular hall with a soaring, transparent crystalline roof that allowed natural sunlight from the Core's suns to flood the entire interior.
The rooms were arranged in a "Beehive" pattern along the four massive walls:
North and West Walls: Reserved for the boys' hives.
South and East Walls: Reserved for the girls' hives.
The middle of the dormitory was a multi-leveled activity area.
Instead of a flat floor, it featured suspended platforms and tiered gardens containing swimming pools, digital libraries, gravity adjustable gyms, and specialized magic fiber cultivation rooms.
The design was intentional. The private rooms were small to encourage students to leave their hives and interact in these communal hubs.
Kaelen headed toward the North wall, finding his assigned hive, while Mina waved to him before heading toward the East side.
"See you in the central area after we unpack!" she called out, her silver fiber pulsing with excitement.
Kaelen entered his room and looked around.
The room was not big just enough to sleep, freshen up, and study but the design was deliberate.
The UCC's architecture was a masterclass in social engineering, ensuring that people leave their rooms more and interact with others.
The seamless white surfaces and the smart-glass desk were there, but it was clear the room was meant only for rest.
Kaelen went to his shower and took a bath.
He took a hot shower, feeling the steam fill the high-tech stall as the water, infused with mild minerals splash against his skin.
He stepped out in his bathrobe. Sitting at his desk, he activated his private communication device.
The holographic faces of Arin and Lyra appeared, their expressions filled with curiosity about how things were going.
"I am settled in mom." Kaelen told them in his cute voice.
"I have been assigned to House Ignis with my friends. I am okay in school and looking forward to my studies."
His parents felt relieved seeing him doing okay. After some more chat, Kaelen disconnected the call.
He looked out through the window of his pod at the bustling middle area where his peers were already gathered.