As they both stepped past the gates an uncanny sensation swept over them, a feeling so familiar yet unsettling, one that defied normalcy.
"I know exactly what you are thinking, it's not," Lilith said almost instantly before any ideas could fully form in Jaylen's mind.
Continuing she explained, "The academy specializes in magic related to celestial bodies or at least the Headmaster does. She formed a contract with a small planet somewhere and created a spatial rift connecting it to Yonus at a fixed point."
"So no it's not a Dimensional Subspace and our family is the only one with one as large as a planet still."
"But I don't see why it matters anyway both the Subspace and this planet are being used for the advancement of Yonus?"
She halted at the crossroads, her icy gaze concealing the swirling thoughts within. With a hint of curiosity tinged with caution, she posed her question, making the air around her tense.
"Our family is tasked with protecting the research and development sector built within our subspace. If another Subspace of equal quality appeared it's important to make sure it protected at all cost."
Jaylen rescinded pointing out just how important subspaces are as a whole, and this wouldn't be an understatement.
Subspaces were beyond rare and incredibly difficult to make without a perfect understanding of space and time magic. The larger they were the more difficult to find or create even one the size of a small Island could take hundreds of years to make.
Even the Ancient aristocratic families only had around five each.
"I didn't think of it like that but even then the Headmaster is comparable to your father in strength and would surely be able to protect it." Lilith conceded but quickly followed up with a counterargument.
"That's only my father, my mother could beat him blindfolded with one arm tied behind her back not to mention grandfather who is stronger than both."
"Alright fair enough but you should get a move on or you'll be late for orientation" Lilith relented,
"You're not coming with?" Jaylen asked, a touch surprised.
"No, none of the upperclassmen will be staying for orientation. We all have things to do before the term officially starts," Lilith explained.
"Tell me the way then."
Pointing in the direction he needed to go, Lilith provided detailed instructions. "If you follow this path and turn left twice, then right once, and continue forward, you'll get there."
"Alright I'm off then, thanks Lilith," he said, waving as he walked away.
"Take care, Jaylen," Lilith replied, returning the wave before heading off in another direction.
***
After making one final turn Jaylen finally arrived in front of an imposing marble building filled with many carvings of constellations and stars.
'This is the only building here I must be in the right area.' He thought as he looked around for any other buildings within sight.
Walking up to the entrance a warm fill washes over Jaylen, 'Hmm, what is this… warm feeling I get from standing here?'
Jaylen's gaze happens to go up causing him to see a giant star engraved above the entrance. 'Miniature stars'
Not many knew about the existence of such things but those that did would easily recognize this mysterious resource not naturally found on Yonus.
The method they came into creation was wide up to debate but even then what was decided on was that they held the power of the sun.
'This is definitely the right place. Let's go in then.' Jaylen thought as he stepped into the golden doors.
The inner halls were bustling with people as they made their way into the auditorium. Upperclassmen guided the flow of new students along the correct path.
Jaylen followed along as they walked through another set of doors that opened into a larger space.
The auditorium was a marvel of creation, with walls hewn from marble that evoked a sense of elegance. Life-like portraits of the avatars of the constellations filled the space, their gazes seeming to follow your every move with an otherworldly intensity. Each painting was framed by golden marble pillars.
'It's a little bigger than the ballroom back home just not as good looking' Jaylen couldn't help but compare it to home.
Breaking his disillusion with the outside world a gentle but mesmerizing voice questioned from next to him ."Hello! Are you new here?"
"hm." As he shifted his gaze, he was taken by surprise when his eyes locked onto the vibrant red-haired girl, who had quietly approached him without him noticing.
She was wearing a dress similar to Lilith's, but instead of the green balance scale, a red scorpion took its place.
As Jaylen locked eyes with her, he was drawn into her mesmerizing gaze, captivated by the enigmatic depth of her singularly lined pupil. It seemed to pierce through the veil of reality, beckoning him into a trance-like state.
But such a state didn't last long, deep from within Jaylen being a dragon's roar erupted shattering the charm he had almost been put under.
Blinking rapidly, Jaylen refocused his attention, answering swiftly "Oh, yes, I am,"
'She must have a part of her from one of the many races good at seduction and charming, only they have the capability to mesmerize me for that long after all members of my family can't be seduced or charmed.' Jaylen thought inwardly the intensity of her gaze lingering in the recesses of his mind.
"Okay then, can I please have your name so I can tell you where your seat is located." With a radiant smile lighting up her face, she cheerfully inquires, clutching her clipboard tightly in one hand.
"Yeah sure thing, it's Jaylen Orpheus," he responded with a smile of his own
A shocked expression briefly appeared on the girl's face before quickly fading, replaced once again with a smile as she informed him of his seat location. "In the center of the front row is where your seat is located,"
Looking towards where his seat is located Jaylen turns back to think her only to notice she was no longer next to him but next to another student a bit away.
"Wow, she moves fast," he muttered.
Once again, her movements had gone unnoticed by his ears, leaving him to wonder at the enigma she presented and if there were more students like that to be found within the school.
Beginning his trek to his seat Amid the shuffle of students settling into their seats, the buzz of conversation gradually reached Jaylen's ears.
"Hey dude, I heard all four Ancient families are sending students here this year," one of them exclaimed eagerly, his words tinged with anticipation.
"Yeah, I heard that too," his companion chimed in, sharing the same fervor.
A glimmer of hope danced in the first boy's eyes as he pondered the prospect. "I wonder if I'll be able to befriend one of them?" he mused aloud, his voice tinged with longing.
But his friend's response was less optimistic, dripping with mock derision. "Nah, Dude, you wish. They'll never bat an eye in your direction,"
Further ahead, two girls engaged in their own hushed conversation, their voices carrying a different tone of anticipation.
"I wonder if anyone from the Orpheus and Astros family would be willing to teach me more in-depth about dark magic or fire magic?" one of the girls sighed wistfully, her eyes reflecting a deep-seated desire for knowledge.
Her friend nodded in agreement, the fire of hope burning bright within her gaze, her voice brimming with excitement at the prospect of learning from the best. "Yeah, I heard all the members of this family are very proficient at magic,"
Upon reaching the final row Jaylen noticed that only two other individuals had taken their seats here.
Closer to the aisle sat a girl with light red hair, her bangs obscuring most of her face save for the glasses perched atop her nose. Engrossed in a large book titled **Alchemical Analysis,** she seemed wholly absorbed in her reading, lost in the world of academia.
'I've read that book before, not really enjoyable to me but glad someone likes it' Jaylen thought as he walked by her.
Two seats away from her, a boy with dark red hair caught Jaylen's attention.
'A demon huh… usually they go to um… Last Stand Academy or something like that,' he thought surprised as he looked at the two distinctive horns protruding through his hair.
The boy unaware of Jaylen's thoughts sat with his eyes closed, his posture exuding an air of nonchalant relaxation, with one leg stretched out and arms crossed.
Passing them with a final sweep of the slowly filling hall, Jaylen's thoughts turned inward. 'I still have some time,' he mused to himself. 'I guess I'll do some meditation to stabilize my cultivation.'
Seating himself, Jaylen closed his eyes, letting the quiet of the hall envelop him as he prepared to delve into the depths of his own mind.