I walked in a daze as the woman with piercing green eyes escorted me back to the examination room. My mind was still reeling from what had just happened. My life had just flashed before my eyes, all of my struggles so far had been for this. Magic was real, and I could harness its power. Not only that, but my magic was something rare and uncommon.
The woman beside me had reacted positively when I had cast my first spell, and now as we walked along the familiar corridor outside of the examination room she turned to me and smiled faintly.
'Congratulations, Daniel,' she said quietly, the words leaving her lips smoothly. 'You should be proud, few have made it this far.'
I let out the breath I hadn't realised I was holding.
'Thanks… didn't feel like it was really my choice though.'
She let out a gentle chuckle.
'You always have a choice, fate lays out your options. But you chose to reach for that power. What matters now is what you do with it.'
Before I had a chance to respond, she gestured towards the doorway. 'I look forward to teaching you.'
Then, she ushered me in. Calling out the next candidate's name and led them back down the corridor.
Pulling on what little strength I had left, I went back to my seat and sat down. A sense of relief washed over me.
I looked around to see the remaining candidates staring at me, their eyes pleading to give them some indication as to what to expect.
The air in the room was still noticeably tense. The young man who had returned, who had left so confidently, now had his head buried in his hands. He was hunched over, radiating quiet distress.
I understood now, that he had passed as well - but whatever he had experienced clearly left its toll on him.
I took a deep breath, exhaling the stress and tension as I settled in to wait.
One by one, the remaining students were called in. Never to return apart from one, a woman about my age. Her hair was jet black and her heavy eyeliner extenuated her icy blue eyes. She came back with a strange and eerie calm, she didn't look shaken or even slightly exhausted.
Minutes blurred into hours as the number of students dwindled.
Finally the last name was called, leaving just the three of us and the bored invigilator who was now sat on her phone behind the desk facing the rest of the room.
Half an hour passed, nothing…
I looked around the room again, taking a moment to study the two people who would be joining the university with me.
The man, with dark and messy hair. I couldn't see much more of him as he sat in front of me and still looked solemn from his interview. Had he awakened as well?
The woman, with black hair. She had an eccentric, gothic look about her. She was sitting stiff-backed with an almost unnatural composure, she didn't come off as arrogant or void of emotion. It was just unnatural given the situation I imagined she had just been through.
But that told me something.
She had expected this.
Then, the door opened again.
The man who led the panel in the other room strode in, the same air of authority surrounding him like a cloak. He wore an emerald suit that was perfectly pressed, his eyes sharp as they assessed the room.
'Congratulations again,' he said, his voice calm and even. 'The three of you have passed the entrance exam. And I can now formally offer each of you a place at Velos Arcana.'
I straightened instinctively.
'My name is Principal Rupert Thaddeus Marks,' he continued. 'The master and dean of Velos Arcana. Should you choose to accept, this university shall become your new home during your studies.'
A home. The word felt heavy. Somewhere to belong.
'Velos Arcana is one of the seven universities that offer an undergraduate degree in magic, governed by a strict curriculum agreed upon by the Court. Here, you will learn to harness magic, weave spells - unlocking knowledge of the world beyond the one you may be familiar with.'
His gaze swept across us, he paused momentarily as he focused on the young woman.
'This institution has a legacy of achieved excellence. Of the handful of Archmages alives today, two of them were trained at this very university. Their names are etched in the history of magic.'
I caught a glimmer of something within his expression - pride.
'The knowledge you will learn here is dangerous,' he continued, the atmosphere darkening. 'Which is why measures have been put in place to protect both you and the outside world. As far as your friends and families will be concerned, you have been accepted into a prestigious university. That will be the story they are enchanted to believe, and we would suggest you stick to it.'
A weight settled on my shoulders.
'It is imperative that you do not expose the outside world to magic, it is a secret that has been well kept for centuries. The magisters do not take kindly to breaches of magical law, and their punishments are not merciful.'
I didn't need to ask what that meant. The warning was clear.
'Additionally,' he continued, his voice was firm yet reassuring, 'The last three seats for this years intake have now been taken, so you will be joining the rest of your classmates next week for your first lesson. Until then, you will reside in the university dormitories. Your belongings will be transported shortly.'
The last part barely registered, my mind was still lingering on the thought of the Magisters.
Principal Marks clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the three of us one last time.
'My advice to you,' he said, 'is to remain within the grounds of the university for your first term. The world of magic can be unforgiving, and the way back is not as simple as you might think.'
There was something clear in his tone - a warning.
He offered a small approving nod, as if he had finished the speech he had done a hundred times.
'Once again, congratulations. You will now be escorted to your dormitories to settle in.'
With that, the door opened and we were led out to the familiar hallway.
—
As I stepped into the dimly lit hallway, there was a distinct difference to before. Previously they had felt quiet and abandoned. Now, as we followed our escorts through the corridors towards the dormitories, the silence had been lifted and the hallways were brimming with life.
Groups of students passed us by, some laughing, others deep in conversation. I caught little snippets of their discussions - mentions of classes, spell theories, dueling practice. It was strange, being surrounded by people who spoke about magic as casually as they'd chat about the weather.
We had two escorts between the three of us. A tall no-nonsense man who took us to the male dormitories and a woman who looked like she was in her own world, parted ways with us to lead the woman to the female dormitories.
We passed by an open lounge, where a few older students lounged in armchairs, laughing among themselves. As we walked past, one of them - a stocky guy with short blonde hair - glanced up and smirked.
'More first years?' he mused.
'Looks like it. Must have just got here by the looks on their faces. Probably off to lock themselves in their rooms like the rest of them.' His friend who sat opposite, a wiry young man with bags starting to form under his eyes, barely looked up.
'Locked in their rooms?' I looked at them, feeling slightly confused.
The blonde guy chuckled, setting a book in his hand down on the table.
'Yeah. You'll notice there's not many first years around, they're mostly holed up in their rooms trying to wrap their heads around what's happened.' he said, then gestured around the lounge. 'Or they're wandering around the campus, trying to convince themselves they're not in a weird dream.'
His friend let out a stifled laugh.
The blonde guy leaned forward, extending his hand.
'Name's James, third year. And this grump is Robbie.' he said, nodding his head at his friend.
'Daniel.' I said, shaking James' hand.
'Welcome to the madhouse.' Robbie sighed, nodding his head.
Before I could ask them anything else, our escort cleared his throat impatiently. The guy who took the exam with me had withdrawn into his shadow.
'See you around Danny.' James said, flashing a grin before returning to his conversation with Robbie.
—
The dormitory walls were lined with polished wooden doors, each carved with an elegant number and a small, glowing rune that pulsed faintly in the dim light.
'Your room,' our escort announced, stopping at one of the doors. 'Meals are served in the dining hall at set hours - miss them and you'll go hungry. Classes start on Monday, you'll be expected to know your way around by then.'
I nodded, struggling to retain all of the information from today. I had no doubt there was already things I had forgotten.
The escort gave a final nod before turning and leaving with the other guy following closing behind him.
I took another breath and pushed the door open.
The room was… simple. A blank canvas.
The bed was positioned against the wall on the left, pristine white sheets and a thick duvet folded nearly at the foot of the bed. A sturdy wooden desk sat against the far wall, beneath a large window. A wardrobe stood to the right, its doors slightly ajar, revealing the empty shelves that were waiting to be filled. And a small nightstand, with an old fashioned reading lamp completed the setup.
It was clean, practical… but void of any personality.
For now.
My flat might not have been the biggest, but it was cosy.
As promised, my belongings had been gathered and placed neatly in the center of the room. A few suitcases and boxes sat stacked beside the bed, labeled in handwriting I didn't recognise.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I took everything in.
This was my home now, for however many years.
I walked over to the writing desk, running my hand along its surface. It was smooth, slightly worn in places, evidence of the students who had lived in this room before me. I peered over the desk, looking out of the window.
The view was nothing like when I had first arrived, the university campus felt alive.
Students walked along the cobblestone paths, hurrying between buildings. Others sat chatting with each other on the grass, beneath towering trees with books spread out around them. In the distance I spotted a courtyard, where a group of students were practicing something - gesturing with their hands as glowing sigils erupted with life around them,
I squinted to try and get a better look.
This wasn't anything like when I first arrived, the entire campus seemed abandoned and silent.
Knowing what I knew now, I suspected some sort of magical charm or enchantment had been placed on us. Preventing us from seeing anything outside of that moment.
A controlled environment, avoiding distractions and outside interference.
I sighed, rolling my shoulders before stepping away from the window.
This was all a lot to take in. I needed to settle in.
I started unpacking, pulling my things from the suitcases and boxes. My books, laptop, clothes, a bundle of cables - they had literally packed everything.
Little by little, the room started to feel less foreign.
I sat on the edge of my bed, stretching my arms over my head when I heard movement outside of my door.
Knock. Knock.