The day classes began, and Jasper and I were practically vibrating with excitement, moving with such hurried energy that we completely forgot to eat breakfast. By the time we found our classroom and slipped inside, the space was already filled with students—every front-row seat occupied, leaving us to claim two empty spots near the back.
The professor entered—a woman with a sharp, observant gaze named Seraphina Vance. She introduced herself with quiet authority before diving straight into the day's material: the political structure, key cities, and geographical positions of our kingdom and its neighbors.
She explained that our world is shaped by five major kingdoms, each with its own distinct strength and legacy:
· Karthage, celebrated for its absolute naval supremacy and mastery of the seas
·Aurelia, renowned across the continent for its vast wealth and thriving trade networks
·Veridia, known as the fertile heartland of agriculture and nature-aligned magic
·Ignis, feared and respected for its unmatched military power and legendary forge-craft
·Arcanum, our own kingdom, esteemed for its profound and ancient knowledge of magic
She carefully outlined their positions—Karthage to the north, Ignis to the west, Arcanum to the east, Veridia to the south, and Aurelia holding the center. "I suggest you take thorough notes," she added, turning toward the board. "This will be foundational for all that follows."
My attention drifted toward the front of the room, where Elara sat, poised and wholly absorbed in the lecture. But then I noticed the girl seated just behind her—long, light-blue hair, an elegantly sculpted face, so strikingly beautiful it was hard to look away. Her eyes met mine and held for a suspended moment before I broke the gaze and forced myself to focus.
As the lecture concluded, Professor Vance announced, "Since this is our first session together, let's take the time to introduce ourselves. You've heard my name—now I'd like to hear each of yours."
One by one, students rose and shared their names. Elara stood with effortless grace. "My name is Elara Luminara. I look forward to learning alongside all of you." Then it was the blue-haired girl's turn. She stood calmly, her presence quiet but impossible to ignore. "I am Selene Arvale," she said, her voice even and clear, "from Karthage." A soft ripple of murmurs spread through the room—students from Karthage were a rarity here.
When my turn came, I rose to my feet. "Kairu Edryas," I said, keeping it simple before taking my seat again.
After class, Jasper and I made our way to the cafeteria. Not having joined any particular group or made other friends yet, we found a small table to ourselves—but it wasn't long before a guy named Lysander Croft approached and asked if he could join us. I recognized him from our class.
We fell into easy conversation about magic, and Lysander shared something that lingered in my thoughts: "Every mage carries the potential for a unique weapon—one shaped not by fire or force, but from their own essence." The discussion flowed naturally, and to our surprise, we soon realized all three of us had not only been placed in the same classes—we'd also been assigned to the same dorm room. It felt like a stroke of unbelievable luck.
Back in our room that evening, we changed and settled in. I drifted to sleep feeling a sense of lightness I hadn't known in days—grateful to have found companions in this unfamiliar place.
But that night, the dream returned. This time, however, it was different. A voice echoed softly through the dark, "For now, I will leave you. Do not slacken while I am gone." And just like that, it was gone.
Then I woke up and went out to breathe clean air .
The crisp night air filled my lungs as I stepped outside, trying to clear my head after the strange dream. That's when I saw her - Selene, sitting perfectly still on a stone bench in the courtyard, her light blue hair almost shimmering in the moonlight. Her presence seemed to push back the darkness around her, creating a soft glow that made everything else fade into shadows.
I was about to approach when something shifted in the air beside her. A form began to take shape - something that looked like a bird, but woven entirely from shimmering magic. Its feathers were made of condensed light, and its eyes burned with an otherworldly glow.
As I stood frozen, the creature turned its head slowly, and those luminous eyes locked directly with mine. A sudden, sharp pain lanced through my own eye - not physical, but something deeper, like a brand being pressed into my soul. Fear, cold and immediate, seized me.
I didn't think - I just moved. My feet carried me back through the corridors, heart hammering against my ribs. I burst into my room, slamming the door shut and leaning against it, breathing heavily.
My hands trembled as I scrambled toward the small desk, knocking over a book in my haste to find a mirror. When my fingers finally closed around the cool metal frame, I hesitated for a moment before lifting it to face my reflection.
There it was - my eye glowing with that familiar faint purple light, the same intricate patterns I'd seen before tracing across my skin like delicate veins of magic. The glow was softer this time, more subdued, but unmistakably present.
I turned toward the window, hoping against hope that it was just a trick of the light or my tired mind playing games. But through the glass, hovering in the night air, was the magical bird - watching me with those same intense, knowing eyes. It made no move to approach, simply hung there in the darkness, a silent observer.
Panic surged through me again. I yanked the curtains shut, plunging the room into darkness before stumbling toward my bed. As I collapsed onto the mattress, I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that when I opened them again, the glowing patterns would be gone, and the magical watcher would have vanished back into the night.