The blue light enshrouded high like a wave and it was too late for Colle to escape.
"LOOK OUT!!" a female student shouted.
A white-haired boy jumped behind Colle and waved his wand towards the blue light. Black mist swished forming a thin mesh-like barricade that looked weak to hold the impact. The mass of blue light hit the weak barricade which absorbed some of the force, vaporized the black mist, directing the light to both the white-haired boy and Colle.
The boy waved his wand up which dragged the blue light to change course upwards and vanish into sparkles.
Colle, who had tensely held his breath, breathed relieved he wasn't hit. The white-haired boy had his back turned to Colle, and Colle saw the boy's arm was bleeding. The blue light scratched his arm creating a gash.
"You're hurt!" Colle exclaimed. Colle felt bad, a stranger got hurt because of his 'slow' reflexes.
The boy turned to Colle. His silvery white hair was glistening, long that it covered his neck and lightly rested on his shoulders. His bangs covered his eyes, but Colle felt a threatening displeasure from him. His eyes were a fierce golden-yellow, and he looked angry.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?", Colle muttered.
In a low voice he grunted, "Why didn't you take your wand out?"
"Ah, I don't have one."
The boy kept staring at Colle, confused as if he was crazy.
TSSK! He clicked and walked away before Colle could thank him.
The boys who were dueling ran towards Colle.
"Hey are you okay?" the purple hair asked concerned.
The red-hair asked squawked, "Where's your crystal man?"
A girl with long red hair stomped in from the crowd that gathered around them. She grabbed the red-haired boy by his ears, "ALAIN! What did I tell you?"
"Meille, you heard him run his mouth. He started it", Alain retorted.
With her other hand, she grabbed the purple-hair boy by his ears, "Vernal! Both of you are acting like kids on the first day of school. That poor kid would have been badly hurt if Sylvan had not intervened".
The white-haired boy was Sylvan?!
"Here, you're book". Colle turned to see a girl with shoulder-length green hair hand him his guidebook. He didn't realized he dropped the book.
"Thank you".
From among the crowd of students that gathered around, two professors in blue robes with name tags and emblems started clearing their path and walked into the commotion: the secluded circle.
"What is going on here? I heard you troublemakers started a fight", Professor Berrack, a male with black hair, shouted.
Professor Falwin had her brown hair tied into a ponytail. She turned to the crowd, "All students head to the main gate. The inauguration is about to commence".
Students dispersed and the professors turned to those who were the center of attention. The green haired student also tried to walk away, but she was stopped by Prof. Falwin, "What is your name student?".
"Yutienne Zara".
"All five of you come to my office after the inauguration ceremony. We will have an 'elaborate discussion' about discipline".
Yutienne interrupted, "But Professor…"
"No excuses"
The professors walked away leaving the group baffled. Meille was fuming we could see the nonexistent fire from her rage. Her look pierced Alain and Vernal.
"… sorry". They laughed awkwardly. She sighed and released them and walked to Colle and Yutienne.
"I'm sorry you both got dragged into this. Those two are always like this despite us all being childhood friends", Meille pointed, "That's Alain my twin brother. And that's Vernal".
"I'm Colle".
"You can call me Yuti".
Meille picked her bag from the ground and said, "Let's hurry or we'll be late".
The Assembly hall was decorated with blue and gold sashes matching the emblem of Hewton High. On top of the beam, 'HEWTON HIGH' was carved in big and the emblem stood below; a gold circular shield with three objects that looked like relics and an emerald in between. The seats were arranged in a semicircle with the stage in front.
Hewton High is a top-class Magical Academy which has ranked number 1 in the past three years and ranked in the top 3 since the last 20 years. They train students with magical attributes into the best mages of Purgenheim. However, Hewton's entrance exams are arduous which consist of two parts: a theory and a practical.
If a young'un has magical attributes, they are woken about the age of 12 to 15. They train hard for the entrance exams which are held once a year. For a Purgale aiming to be a Mage, the acceptance letter from Hewton High is a dream come true.
Hewton has three-year levels. Initially the newcomers enter Year 1, the basic year. This year enrolled 245 new students and also have 33 students laid-back from the previous years. Year 2 has 160 students and year 3 has 78 students. To pass each year is especially hard in Hewton and that strict passing criteria is also the secret to producing such strong Mage candidates. The real world is gruesome, and Hewton makes sure that they are ready.
Seats were divided to three according to the years. The professors guided the students to their seats, and they settled down.
Colle hurried behind the rest but lost the four he encountered before. He would have liked some company, but it might be safe alone with how human he still is. Besides, he's not being discrete about his lack of knowledge of Purgenheim, even a four year-old could tell he's not a Purgale with his stumbling.
As he settled into a seat, he noticed blue spheres floating around like jellyfish. The spheres were blinking and moving slowly as if minding their own business. Copying the others, he caught one and once his hands touched it, the sphere lost its glow and became glass-like. He observed the sphere 360 degrees and couldn't understand its purpose. He looked around at what the other students did. The spheres in the other student's hands were glowing in different colors.
Mana. He remembered what he read. The transient chunk of our life force that drives and empowers our magical attributes. It courses through our veins, pumping all throughout our body and is enhanced by our cells as and when they are depleted. But Mana is weak in our bodies, in those who have yet to gain control and yet to train their attributes.
The hall had energetic chattering from students getting to know each other or acquaintances babbling. A professor formed a concentric spatial circle with his magic and spoke, "EVERYONE QUIET!". His voice amplified and was heard by every student in the hall.
Amplification Magic. Alphabetically it was at the top of the glossary in his book, he remembered skimming through it.
Boulder floated onto the stage and stopped in front of the podium.
"It's Headmaster Boulder", the girl seated beside Colle gushed.
"This is the first time I have seen him. He is younger than in the pictures", another girl said.
'Young? How could they tell his age? He is a lump of earth, solidified and talking.'
Boulder spoke through two concentric circles. "Good Morning my dear students. I hope your journey here was smooth. Today marks an exciting new day to the 245 Year 1 students that have for the first time entered the prestigious Magical Academy- Hewton High. And an exhausting one for the returnees. Have y'all done your homework?" He chuckled.
The students giggled at the comment.
"I have high hopes for all my students. I would like to remind; every one of you have a crucial duty to uphold your alma mater as its pride. Once again as the Headmaster, I welcome all of you to Hewton High".
Claps went around.
"I can't believe I'm here", a boy said from behind Colle, "Dad said a graduate from Hewton High can easily snag a job. I'm aiming for Glevinhans".
"The capital?", his friend asked, "And you don't pronounce the 's'. It's silent".
"Really? Anyways, the Capital is comfortable. There's less work there and I just have to report on time and protect the city. It's the innermost and safest part of Purgenheim. Who wouldn't want to conveniently settle there?"
"You're right about that".
An idea struck Colle like the brightest bulb in his dark unfocused mind. He could still make his dream com true. The days where he would live comfortably without struggling day on day; his Halycon days. Surely being in a different world didn't mean he shouldn't harness this golden opportunity.
He smiled. For the first time he smiled calm of his situation. His death didn't pull him out of a happy life in his old world and there was nothing that held him back. So, in this life at least, he decided, he'll live well.
The professors got on stage one by one and introduced themselves. He was familiar with three already. Professor Herristan, Falwin and Berrack.
A professor with long waist-length white hair walked next "I'm Hallien Goldchester. You can call me Prof. Hall. As to what I'll teach, it's a surprise. But I'll give you a heads up. I'll be holding a test which only the sturdiest mind can surpass. Meditate and strengthen your auras until we meet again".
'Another Goldchester. He might be Sylvan's brother'
Professors walked on and off the stage. Colle stopped paying attention and decided to read instead. At first he hesitated opening the book. He hated the 'being frozen in air' experience, but he wanted to meet the dragon ghost again. Now that he decided to have a future here, a steady fulfilling life, he needed to be equipped. He had plenty of questions and doubts.
After the inauguration he decided he'll go to Boulder.
A professor came up to him, "Hello. Are you Colle?"
"Yes".
"I'm Assistant Professor Serden. Follow me. Prof. Falwin needs to speak to you".