Airella
Last night passed in a blur, barely leaving a mark in my memory. It felt like we’d just returned from the dining hall, and before I knew it, we were settling into our temporary beds in our temporary room.
I sat on my bed, sleepy and disheveled, wondering what today would bring. Would I be chosen? Would I achieve my dream? And did I even have the strength to study at the Academy for the next five years? My musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. It creaked open, and a red-haired girl, a few years older than us, peeked inside.
“Hey, who here is Airella Gellant and Ayada kel’Tarelian?” she asked.
“That’s us,” Ayada and I exclaimed in unison, instantly growing anxious.
“I’m to escort you to the Hall of Astralion in half an hour.”
We nodded eagerly and leapt out of bed, frantically getting ourselves ready, ignoring our still-sleeping roommates. We hadn’t even introduced ourselves to them last night, too exhausted to make conversation.
I followed the red-haired girl, wringing my hands with nerves. My heart pounded so hard in my chest I thought it might burst out and drop to the floor.
“I’m kind of scared,” Ayada whispered, leaning close to me.
“Me too. I’m so nervous,” I managed to croak out, my voice hoarse.
After about fifteen minutes, we approached a pair of enormous white doors. They were adorned with intricate symbols and runes, radiating such immense power that my legs felt like jelly and my knees trembled.
Under the doors, a group of anxious applicants from various races milled about. There were about fifty of us in total.
The doors swung open with a thunderous creak, and the rector, Master Irian kel’Bludron, stepped forward to greet us.
“Welcome, esteemed applicants,” his voice echoed through the hall. “Come in, don’t be shy. I will now explain how the enrollment process at Aurel Academy of Magic works.”
We entered the hall and took seats on the benches lining the walls.
“You are in the Hall of Astralion, named after the Astralion Crystal. This powerful artifact will help us determine the level and nature of your magical abilities. According to legend, the Astralion Crystal was crafted by the first mages of Ferania. Rumors say it can assess not only the strength of your magic but also the purity of your intentions and the potential of your soul,” Master Rector continued.
“I will call you forward one by one. You must approach the Crystal, place your hand on it, and channel a small magical pulse into it,” Master kel’Bludron gestured toward the artifact. The Crystal was transparent, glowing from within with a pure, almost ethereal light. “When the artifact activates, you will see a glow tinted with the color of your magic, along with the rune of the faculty to which you will be assigned. The brighter the light, the greater your potential. If the rune does not illuminate, unfortunately…” The rector spread his hands in a gesture of regret. “You have not passed the selection and may return home.”
“The colors of elemental magic are as follows,” Master Rector went on. “Fire magic glows red, air magic shines blue, earth magic radiates green, and water magic is a deep blue. Healers’ power will glow white, while artifactors and alchemists will see a purple hue.”
The rector paused, as if giving us time to absorb the information. He scanned the hall before continuing:
“After the selection ceremony, each newly accepted adept will receive a mark on their right wrist—a circle filled with the color of their magic and the rune of their assigned faculty. Now, let us begin!” He clapped his hands and started reading from a list.
We sat in hushed anticipation, watching as applicant after applicant approached the Crystal. For some, the Crystal shimmered with red or blue before settling on a dominant color and illuminating a rune. This meant the mage had an affinity for multiple elements, but one was stronger and more developed. For others, the artifact glowed with a single color right away, while for a few, the light was faint, and the faculty rune remained dark. Those applicants left the hall with bowed heads, their journey ending here.
“Airella Gellant,” a voice called from what seemed like a great distance.
I jolted, springing to my feet. My knees buckled, but thankfully, my long skirt hid the tremble. I wiped my sweaty palms on the fabric and walked toward the Crystal.
Placing my hands on the artifact, I sent a magical pulse into it and waited. My heart thundered in my chest, a ringing filled my ears, and it felt like I could see nothing but the Crystal’s transparency before me. A warmth emanated from the Astralion, flowing into me, coursing through my magical channels, and returning to the artifact. The Crystal flared to life, first red, then blue, then deep blue, green, and finally, it blazed with a brilliant blue glow speckled with red flecks. Confused, I turned to look at the rector.
“Faculty of Arcanum,” Master Rector announced. “Welcome, Miss Gellant, to Aurel Academy.”
I was honestly stunned. Yes, I knew I had potential—my parents were powerful elemental mages—but me, a combat mage? A battle magess? Well, that was unexpected.
“I’m kind of jealous, in a good way!” Ayada whispered excitedly. “I hope we end up in the same faculty.”
I nodded, still dazed, and glanced at my right hand. On my wrist was a mark, not too large, about two or three centimeters in diameter.
While we whispered, a few more candidates were filtered out. Several lucky ones took their seats, waiting to be introduced to their mentors.
“Ayada kel’Tarelian.”
The she-wolf jumped up and practically bounced toward the artifact. The Crystal immediately flared with a vivid deep blue light, followed by the glowing rune of “Arcanum.”
“Woo-hoo!” Ayada cheered, unable to contain her excitement.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm, Miss Ayada kel’Tarelian,” Master Irian said, shaking his head with a smile. “Welcome. I hope your energy doesn’t fade after your first physical training session.”
“It won’t, Master Rector,” Ayada replied, puffing out her chest. “Shifters are made of tough stuff,” she added with a proud tilt of her chin before returning to her seat.
“You’re fearless,” I said, still in awe.
“It’s just nerves,” the she-wolf rasped, blushing and hiding her red cheeks behind her luxurious obsidian hair.
I’m not sure how long we sat there, but finally, the Astralion filtered out the last applicant, and Master kel’Bludron clapped his hands.
“Once again, congratulations to the adepts who have passed the entrance selection to Aurel Academy of Magic! But don’t relax just yet,” the rector raised a finger in warning. “Exams are still ahead. Based on their results, we will weed out those who fail to put in the effort or neglect their studies.”
He paused briefly, surveying the newly minted students before continuing:
“Today, you will be settled into the dormitories of your respective faculties. After the admission campaign concludes, you will meet your mentors. Classes begin next week. Each course follows a five-day study cycle with two days of rest. Exams will take place in winter, but we’ll discuss that later. Your mentor will explain your schedule and the rules of conduct, though I have a few more words to add.”
The rector gestured toward a wall.
“To avoid getting lost in the academy—since it’s quite large with a complex network of corridors—there is an interactive map on this wall. You can download it to your magi-coms. Simply place your communication artifacts against the panel; detailed instructions are provided there.”
“Miss Evans will now approach to assign you to your dormitories. With that, I bid you farewell. All the best!” The rector gave a curt nod and strode out of the hall.
As soon as the doors closed behind him, the hall erupted into chatter. Adepts celebrated their new status, discussed their potential, and shared their anxieties.
“Congratulations, adepts!” a loud voice rang out, and we turned toward where the rector had just stood. “Some of you already know me, some don’t, so I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Miss Evans. Now, everyone, quickly approach the map and download it. Come in groups of five, then wait patiently by the doors.”
When our turn came, we approached the interactive map. It was fascinating—almost like a painting, yet the corridors moved, and doors opened and closed as if people were passing through them. In the corner was a set of instructions for transferring the map to a magi-com. It was simple enough: just hold your magi-com to the map and activate a specific rune. A couple of seconds later, you had a magical navigator in your device.
“Brilliantly done,” I said to Ayada with admiration. “Perfect for someone like me who gets lost in a paper bag,” I added with a laugh.
The she-wolf joined in my laughter as we headed toward the dormitories. I lifted my hand, admiring the mark on my wrist, and smiled.
“I’m so glad I got in,” I thought. Once again, I felt a piercing gaze on me, but when I looked around, I saw no one. What in the world was going on?
“Adepts,” Miss Evans’ voice rang out. “The mark on your wrist with your faculty rune isn’t just a symbol of your affiliation—it also serves as your pass to enter the academy grounds and dormitories. Each dormitory bears a rune corresponding to its faculty. And pay attention!” she raised her voice. “Loitering in the opposite gender’s wing is strictly forbidden! Now, collect your belongings from your temporary rooms and move into your permanent residences. The dormitory warden will show you to your rooms.”
Grabbing my yellow suitcase, we crossed a walkway to enter the dormitory of the Faculty of Arcanum. The building was stunningly beautiful and cozy. It felt more like stepping into a luxury hotel than a student dormitory. The first floor boasted large stained-glass windows, and to the left of the main entrance was a reception desk. Behind it sat an older man with short gray hair, glasses perched on a hooked nose, and a sparse beard on his face.
“Welcome, adepts! I’m Master Litan Vaysor. Step forward and show me your marks,” he croaked.
Ayada went first, with me right behind her. I extended my hand to the warden, watching curiously as he worked. He passed a small crystal over my mark; it glowed green, and Master Vaysor gave a satisfied grunt. He repeated the process with Ayada’s mark.
“Second floor, room two hundred and two,” he said, handing us two silver rectangular plates. “These are your keys. Press them to the door and release a pulse of your magic. The keys and door will sync with your aura, ensuring no unauthorized person can enter. You’ll receive your uniforms and reading lists after settling in. And no boys!” he barked as a final warning.
We took the plates and our suitcases and set off to find our room.