…
Aria walked down the long, dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing off the cold metallic walls like a solitary drum beat, his white hair trailed behind him like a river of moonlight, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to gleam in the faint light, like two stars shining in a midnight sky.
As he walked down the hallways, he began to ponder on what the sergeant had told them after the speech.
…
"Listen up runts," The sergeant said, his domineering voice piercing the students making them to shiver and shake in fear. "Since you all managed to get enrolled, you will be sent to your dorms, meant for only first years. The dorms are separated in two, one for the girls and one for the boys." He continued.
"These dorms are separated into five separate floors, the floor you stay on is based on your ranking, meaning the first floor is meant for those who are from rank 71 to 100, the second floor is where those from rank 41 to 70 will stay, the third floor is where those from rank 11 to 40 are to stay. The second floor is where those from rank 2 to 10 will stay. The sergeant stated as he scanned the faces of the confused students.
"Urhmm…sir, sorry to ask but what about the 1st floor." One of the students asked with his arm raised.
"Hmm, well who else will the top floor be meant for other than the number 1 in the ranking list." The sergeant said with a mocking tone as he stared down at the unfortunate student. "Also I will like to add that the floors get more lavish the more you go up meaning, the 1st floor is basically trash..."
The students where all shocked…how they could, who came from noble families leave in a trashy room just because of their rank. They began to grumble and complain their minds out.
"…Shut it trash! I am tired of you talking shit you little pests." The sergeant said low and cold. Though he didn't shout the students were able to hear him clearly as visible sweat ran down their faces.
"You think this is like your homes where you will just sit around and get whatever you want! If so, then you are mistaken, if you want better rooms…then work for it, and rise up the ranks runts."
His words immediately shut them up, they didn't even have the strength to try and reply, all gulping in nervousness as they saw the way he looked at them, like a Lion looking at a bunch of tiny rabbits.
"Anyway, as for your uniforms, you will be given 5 pairs as well as a pair of pajamas, also no male student should be found around the female's dorms, and same for the females as well. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir" they all shouted.
"Good! You're all excused" The sergeant said before walking out of the hall and soon the students followed after.
…
Aria finally reached his room door, he looked at the large metallic doors with glowing blue lights at the edges. The door was large but without a handle like in the lower floors leaving Aria confused on how to enter the room. He stepped forward and the door scanned his entire body.
[Requires Retina scan]
The door spoke up with a robotic voice which Aria replied by bringing his bright blue eyes closer to the door. It then scanned his eye before it spoke up once again.
[Welcome host, Aria Reid]
Immediately, the doors slid open and Aria stepped in. As he stepped in, he was surprised by the inside of the room.
The room was spacious and modern living space, designed for four students to share and call home. The walls were painted a soothing gray, and the floors were made of a sleek, silver-gray material that seemed to glow In the soft light. The room was divided into four comfortable sleeping areas, each with a plush bed and a sleek, minimalist headboard with built in reading lights and USB ports to keep devices charged.
Each sleeping area had a large, floor to ceiling closet doors, providing ample storage space for clothes, books, and personal items. The beds themselves were adorned with crisp, white linens and a few carefully chosen pillows in a calming color scheme.
The room was illuminated by soft, recessed lighting that seemed to adjust its brightness and color based on the time of the day, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The overall feel was one of calm, modern sophistication, a place where four students could relax, study, and thrive in comfort and style, leaving Aria wondering how the 5th floor room will look like if this room was already as good as this. It also seemed like he was the first to come since the room was empty.
He then stepped towards the bathroom to check it out since he was still dirty and filthy, even wearing rags, his hair already had tints of brown due to the dirt. Looking into the lavish bathroom made him show a surprised expression.
The large bathroom was a marvel of modern design, with a spacious walk-in shower, a sink area with plenty of counter space, and a separate area for toilet and shower facilities. The walls were made of a gleaming white material that seemed almost futuristic, and the floor was covered in a soft, plush carpet that felt like a treat for the feet. After seeing the shower, he immediately took of his dirty clothes, activated 20% of his crimson energy and concentrated it on the clothes causing it to turn to ash.
With a satisfied expression on his face, he grabbed a towel and stepped in the shower to take a long hot shower, and wash of all this filth. The room was a haven of warmth and comfort, with soft music playing in the background and the scent of lavender filling the air, like a soothing balm for his weary muscles. As he emerged from the shower, he tied his long white hair in a bun type pony tail and allowing some strands to fall from the front of his face he stepped out of the bathroom.
As he emerged, his glowing blue eyes scanned fine room again, except this time there was 3 pairs of eyes on him. Kael, the charismatic one, was lounging on his bed, his short black hair messy, and his dark looking eyes sparking with amusement, like a mischievous imp waiting to cause trouble. Lirien, the quiet but powerful one, was sitting on his bed, his blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and his clear shining, and piercing eyes fixed on Aria, like two lasers boring into his soul. Another boy who Aria did not even see during the entire exam was sitting at a corner, his brown eyes fixed once on Aria, fixed on the floor, his messy brown hair hiding his face like a veil of secrecy.
Kael grinned at him, his teeth flashing white like a shark's smile. "Hey, Aria! Looking good man! I see you've got a sick physique going on, you must work out a lot, as expected of my rival." Kael ended, his eyes shining in the bright room like stars.
'Damn it! I forgot this idiot was part of the top ten, I should've also considered we were in the same room since there are only five boys in the top ten' Aria pondered with a visible vein on his forehead, as he stared at Kael's face with deep contempt. He really hated this guy. He should've have known this piece and quiet was too good to be true.
Aria ignored him, instead focusing on the other two. Lirien nodded at him, his eyes shining with excitement, like a kid on a Christmas morning. "Hey, Aria! I saw your match with Kael, was awesome, mind if we spar? I wanna see if I can take you down! I've heard you're a beast in combat!"
Aria raised an eyebrow, his expression cold, like a glacier wall. "Not now…Lirien is it. I'm tired. And also, we can't fight in the dorms.
Kael chuckled, his laughter like a warm breeze on a summer day. "Ah, come on Aria! Don't be a party pooper! We're all in this together, after all! And besides, I'm sure our guy over there wouldn't mind a good show!"
Aria wanted to rush over and slap the fool on the mouth, he was just trying to go to bed, and this idiot was busy escalating the situation. The unknown boy also flinched as he heard Kael's words, his eyes darting up to meet Aria's in which he stared back, his piercing blue eyes staring at him coldly, like a rabbit caught in a predator's gaze.
Aria just ignored him and changed into his plain white pajamas his movements swift and efficient, like a ninja preparing for battle. "I'm taking a nap. Do not wake me up, I am not attending dinner."
Kael and Lirien exchanged a look, Kael shrugged and began chatting about how classes were going to be like, their voices like a distant hum, a gentle buzz in the background. The unknown boy remained silent, his eyes fixed on the floor, his body tense and trembling, like a leaf in a hurricane.
As Aria drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of situation he had gotten himself into. Being in the same room with three of the top 10 students in the first-year ranking, was not exactly his kind of a living arrangement.
...