Rian tugged at the collar of the dark blue uniform jacket he'd found in the closet, the stiff fabric chafing his skin.
It was his first time in something so snug, and he still preferred his tunic.
He yawned softly, scratching his cheek as he trailed the other new students toward the open field where the ceremony was set.
The morning air was crisp, tinged with damp grass, and it even felt like rain might hit soon.
The field was ringed by scattered trees, and at its heart, the teachers and headmistress stood before a crowd of newbies awkwardly shuffling into rows.
Some tripped over each other, muttering jumbled directions as they tried to line up.
Around the edges, older students watched—leaning on trunks or sprawled on the grass—faces ranging from curious to flat-out bored.
Rian slid into the back of a row, scanning the scene calmly, hands stuffed in his uniform pockets.
A few minutes of hushed chaos passed before the headmistress stepped forward, clutching a paper in one hand and a dark wooden staff in the other.
She was tall and commanding, her black hair pulled into a tight bun that showed gray streaks at her temples.
Her red eyes—sharp and piercing—seemed to cut through everyone there.
Rian tilted his head, sensing something familiar about her, though he couldn't pin it down.
She cleared her throat, her voice ringing clear and firm across the field.
"I'm Headmistress Alina Veyra," she said, chin lifting with authority. "Welcome to Cresthaven Academy."
She paused, letting her words sink in as her gaze swept the students.
"This'll be your home for the next four years. I hope you find a place here that feels like it fits."
Rian frowned slightly at the name.
"Veyra…" he mumbled to himself, scratching his cheek.
Same as Kaelin's?
The headmistress pressed on, tapping the ground lightly with her staff.
"Today, you'll start with a test to rank you," she explained, tone steady and flat. "Ranks run from D to S. We'll measure this through a mock duel against one of the teachers up here with me."
A nervous buzz rippled through the newbies, some craning to eye the four teachers lined up behind her.
Rian studied them coolly, his gaze drifting over each one.
First up, Darius Kain—a tall, broad-shouldered guy with short, messy brown hair like the wind had had its way with it.
His dark eyes burned with an inner spark, and his gray uniform sported tiny scorch marks on the sleeves. He cradled a small fireball in his palm.
Next was Lira Senn, a slim woman with straight, chin-length blonde hair. Her gray eyes were cold and calculating, her face blank like she was lost in thought. She wore a tight dark blue tunic, hands clasped behind her back, radiating an eerie calm.
Third, Gavren Holt—a hulking, tanned man with short black hair and a trimmed beard that screamed rugged. His beefy arms bulged under rolled-up sleeves.
Last, Mira Veyn—shorter, with wavy brown hair to her shoulders and green eyes that looked kind but sly. Her loose jacket matched the uniforms, and she toyed with a metal cube, morphing it into a sphere, then a ring, with fluid flicks. She smirked faintly, like she was enjoying herself.
The newbies started whispering, some easing up.
"Thought the test'd be tougher," a skinny kid near Rian muttered, scratching his neck.
"A duel doesn't sound so bad," another chuckled from the back.
"Those two look like they mean business," one said, nodding at Darius and Gavren.
"Yeah, but the ladies don't scare me," someone else piped up.
A few guys nodded, smirking at Lira and Mira, their low laughs rippling through the rows.
Alina narrowed her eyes and, without a word, slammed her staff into the ground harder.
The impact boomed like thunder, the earth trembling beneath them.
The newbies wobbled, some yelping in shock as the ground split and a massive, smooth gray stone platform rose from the field's center.
It had perfect edges and loomed a few meters above the grass.
Silence crashed over the rookies, eyes bugging out, while the teachers and older students watched unfazed.
Some veterans snickered, whispering:
"Told ya, they always freak out at that."
"Ha, yeah, check those faces."
Rian blinked, scratching his cheek as he eyed the platform.
"Neat," he murmured, curious.
Alina straightened her staff, resting it beside her with a graceful flick.
"This'll be your arena," she said, voice slicing like a blade. "A mock duel with a teacher sets your starting rank. Underestimate them, and you'll regret it." Her red eyes raked the crowd, lingering a beat on the earlier laughers, her lips twitching into a faint grimace of disapproval.
"Who's first?"