As Aurora and Mia sat down for the orientation, Aurora checked the time on her wristwatch and saw that it was only 8:15 am, leaving 15 minutes before classes started. While waiting, Aurora looked around the grand hall at the students, feeling something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then it hit her - the students didn't look so... supernatural right now. They actually looked like regular students. The female students had tucked away their tails and ears, and their eyes looked normal. The vampires had retracted their fangs, and most had removed their glasses. None of the witches were casting spells.
Mrs. Hopkins definitely wasn't joking when she said there would be serious consequences for using powers outside of class.
Suddenly, a loud drumbeat sound filled the hall, and Aurora's eyes snapped to the front stage. Six individuals appeared, looking like they were in their late 30s to early 40s. Aurora wondered who they were and what they wanted. Mia leaned in, whispering, "Hey, Rory, remember when I told you about the school council?" Aurora nodded, and Mia continued, "Well, that's them. They're also known as 'the board of directors' or simply 'the board' for short. They have five supernatural members - one from each faction: vampire, werewolf, witch or wizard, faerie (or Fae for short), and mermaid or merman. And Mrs. Hopkins works under them. They're the ones who really run this school, so when you break a rule, Mrs. Hopkins sends you to them. They're the ones who hand out the punishments, depending on the rule broken. Don't confuse them with the town council, which is a separate entity altogether."
Aurora's eyes widened in disbelief. "This school is really strict, isn't it?" Mia shrugged. "We all do our best to survive." Just then, a voice boomed across the hall, and Aurora looked up to see a man step forward. She couldn't quite tell what supernatural he was, so she asked Mia, who whispered, "He's the vampire." The man, Councilor Valentin, began to speak, his voice amplified by magic, welcoming students to another school year...
The vampire, who introduced himself as Councilor Valentin, welcomed the students and began to explain the rules and expectations for the school year. His voice was charismatic and commanding, and Aurora found herself drawn to his words. He spoke about the importance of unity and cooperation among the supernatural factions and the consequences of breaking the rules.
As he spoke, Aurora noticed the other Council members watching the students with keen eyes. There was a witch, Councilor Asteria, with long silver hair and piercing green eyes; a werewolf, Councilor Thorne, with a rugged jawline and a hint of a growl in his voice; a faerie, Councilor Lysander, with delicate wings and a mischievous grin; and a mermaid, Councilor Calypso, with shimmering scales on her delicate skin and a gentle smile. Mrs. Hopkins stood beside them, her eyes scanning the hall with a mixture of authority and warmth.
Councilor Valentin continued, "We have a special task for the new students this year. A challenge that will test your skills, your courage, and your unity. We call it the 'Trial of Elements'..."
Aurora's curiosity was piqued. What could this trial entail? She glanced at Mia, who raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued as well.
Councilor Valentin continued, "The Trial of Elements will take place over the next few weeks. You will be divided into teams and tasked with solving puzzles, completing challenges, and demonstrating your magical prowess. The winning team will receive a special reward, and... let's just say, a unique advantage in their academic journey."
Aurora's mind raced with questions. What kind of puzzles and challenges? What kind of magical prowess? And what could this reward and advantage be?
Suddenly, the hall erupted into a mixture of excited whispers and nervous murmurs. The students were buzzing with anticipation, and Aurora felt a thrill of excitement. She was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, alongside her future new friends and allies.
Councilor Valentin raised his hands, and the hall fell silent once more. "The teams will be formed based on your magical affinities. You will work together, rely on each other's strengths, and learn from each other's weaknesses. The trials will begin next week, and you will have until the end of the month to complete them all."
Aurora felt a surge of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness. She had no idea what her magical affinity was or who she would be teamed up with. She glanced around the hall, wondering who her future teammates might be.
Just then, Councilor Asteria, the witch, spoke up. "Calm down students, I know you're all excited and eager to partake in this competition and you will but nevertheless today is the beginning of the school year and you need time to settle down and ease into your school activities before we even begin to talk about the specifics of the competition. With that being said, my fellow board members and I have discussed and agreed that anything pertaining to the competition will begin next week. Meaning that you all have one week to settle down while preparing yourself mentally for the upcoming competition. Now, it's almost 8:30am so it's time to head on out to your various classes. Enjoy this school year students and make sure to stay out of trouble as you already know the consequences for any wrongdoing committed. You are dismissed." Then the grand hall doors behind us opened with a wave of her hands.
The hall erupted into a flurry of activity as students began to file out, chatting excitedly among themselves. Aurora and Mia walked out together and followed the crowd, Aurora's heart racing with anticipation. What lay ahead? Who would she meet? And what secrets would she uncover about herself and her magical abilities?
Aurora followed the crowd to her first class, Charms and Spells, taught by Councilor Asteria. As she entered the classroom, she was struck by the cozy atmosphere and the shelves upon shelves of ancient tomes and mysterious artifacts. Professor Asteria greeted her warmly, told her to take a seat and began explaining the basics of charm-making to the class.
By the end of the lunch break, Aurora had returned the list to Mrs Hopkins, indicating her interest in joining the Martial Magic Club (a physical combat club that taught magical self-defense techniques), the Music Club, and the Basketball Team.
After she had returned the list, she headed to her final class for the day before she would go to participate in the clubs and sports, Magical Creatures and Care. She was excited to learn about the various creatures she had heard about the few weeks she'd been in Ashwood but never seen before.
As the day drew to a close, Aurora felt exhausted but exhilarated. She had learned so much and was eager to explore more of the school and its secrets.
After classes, Aurora headed to the Martial Magic Club, where she met Councilor Thorne, a werewolf with impressive combat skills. She was thrilled to learn self-defense techniques and combine them with magic.
Next, she entered the Music Club, feeling a bit uncertain. But when she saw the warm smile on her professor's face, she instantly calmed down. She introduced herself as professor Luna and Aurora thought that this might just be the nicest teacher she had met in Ashwood high so far. "Professor Luna, I'm interested in music, but I don't know what instrument to focus on," she admitted. Professor Luna smiled warmly. "No worries, Aurora! Just observe the other students today, and see what resonates with you. By the end of the class, you might discover your instrument." Aurora nodded, taking a seat to watch. As she observed the students playing various instruments, she found herself drawn to the guitar. There was something about the way the fingers moved on the strings that captivated her.
As the Music Club session ended, Professor Luna approached Aurora. "So, what do you think? Have you found your instrument?" Aurora smiled, her eyes sparkling. "I think I have, Professor. I really liked watching the guitar players. Can I try it out next time?" Professor Luna beamed. "Excellent choice! I'll make sure to have a guitar ready for you next session which you'll be using until you get your own personal guitar."
Aurora left the Music Club room feeling excited and inspired. She couldn't wait to start learning guitar and exploring her musical side.
On her way to the basketball court, she was continuously checking out the sports uniform she was wearing. She had found it in her locker in the girls bathroom and the way it fit her perfectly just made her appreciate both Mrs Hopkins and her magic. She was still walking when she heard someone call her name, turning around, she saw Mia running to catch up with her. When Mia got closer, she noticed that she had her bag with her meaning she was probably going home now or soon. Mia stopped in front of her and had a sad expression on her face, "I'm really sorry Rory but I won't be able to go home with you today, I have to head home now, my parents are attending this big function tonight so I have to be home on time and babysit my little brother" Aurora looked at her with a smile on her face and said, "I didn't know you have a younger brother, it's ok you can go, I'll head home alone when I'm done, I don't mind" Mia looked at Aurora with a hopeful expression on her face, "you're sure your ok with going home alone? No hard feelings?" Aurora chuckled and said "I'm sure Mia and no hard feelings, besides you'll have to tell me all about your brother tomorrow" Mia then smiled and said "deal. Good luck with basketball practice then, I already took permission from the coach so she knows I won't be attending practice today." Aurora nodded and said, "that's good, now go before you get home late, I'll see you tomorrow." And then Mia ran off towards the gates while waving goodbye to Aurora.
Finally, for the last event of her day, Aurora joined the Basketball Team, feeling a bit nervous. Coach Taylor, a no-nonsense witch with a kind eye, greeted her. "Welcome, Aurora! Since you're new to basketball, let's start with the basics. We'll focus on stretches, laps, and conditioning today. Don't worry if you're not sure what to do – we'll get you up to speed in no time!" Aurora nodded, eager to learn. She spent the session running laps, stretching, and doing exercises to improve her fitness. Though she felt a bit exhausted, she was excited to return and learn more.
As Aurora walked home after the last event of the day, she felt a sense of belonging and purpose. She was finally finding her place in this new world of magic and wonder.