The first thing Jorel noticed when he woke was the silence. It wasn't the peaceful quiet of dawn, but a heavy, oppressive stillness that seemed to press down on him from all sides. His body ached from the trials he'd endured the previous day, every muscle protesting as he slowly sat up in bed. The memories of the entrance exam were still fresh in his mind—the searing pain, the relentless pressure to perform, and the cold, watchful eyes of the examiners. He'd survived, but the cost had been high.
He looked around the room, his vision gradually adjusting to the dim light filtering through the narrow windows. The dormitory was just as he had imagined Raven House would be: dark, gothic, and imposing. The walls were made of cold stone, the ceiling high and vaulted, and the furniture sparse and utilitarian. It wasn't a place designed for comfort—it was a place designed to remind you of where you were and what was expected of you.
With a low groan, Jorel swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching out his sore limbs. His uniform, a dark, tailored outfit with the Raven House insignia embroidered on the breast, felt stiff and unfamiliar against his skin. But he had no time to dwell on discomfort. He had survived the entrance exam, but now came the real challenge: surviving life at E&R University.
He left his dormitory room, stepping into the long, narrow hallway that stretched out before him like a tunnel. The walls were lined with torches, their flickering flames casting eerie shadows that danced across the stone floor. The silence here was even more pronounced, the only sound the faint echo of his footsteps as he made his way through the hall. It felt as though the entire house was holding its breath, waiting.
As Jorel passed by other doors, he noticed they were all closed, with no sign of life from within. Raven House was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The students here kept to themselves, wary of new faces and quick to judge anyone who didn't belong. Jorel had felt the weight of those judgments the moment he walked through the door. Physical pain users were a rarity in Raven House, and he was keenly aware that he was under constant scrutiny.
He turned a corner, intending to find the common area and get a sense of the house's layout, when he nearly collided with another figure. He stepped back, eyes widening as he recognized the familiar face.
"Ryen?" Jorel blinked in surprise.
Ryen looked just as shocked, but his expression quickly melted into relief. "Jorel! You made it through!"
Jorel nodded, his tension easing slightly as he saw the familiar grin on Ryen's face. Ryen had been his closest friend since childhood, the one constant in his life after the loss of his parents. Seeing him here, in the flesh, felt like a lifeline in the otherwise hostile environment of E&R University.
"I thought I might not see you again," Ryen admitted, running a hand through his disheveled brown hair. "That exam… it was brutal."
"It was," Jorel agreed, though his voice lacked the emotion to match the statement. The trials had been harrowing, but for Jorel, the pain had been more of a challenge to control than something to fear. His emotional numbness had shielded him from the worst of it, but he knew it was a double-edged sword.
"How are you holding up?" Ryen asked, his eyes searching Jorel's face for signs of strain.
"I'm fine," Jorel replied, a little too quickly. He didn't want to worry Ryen, nor did he want to admit just how exhausting the experience had been. "What about you?"
Ryen gave a noncommittal shrug, though his smile was strained. "Surviving. The emotional pain test was… well, you know how it is. I never thought I'd be grateful for the years of training we had, but it really paid off."
Jorel knew exactly what Ryen meant. They had both been prepared for this, trained in different ways to endure the trials that would come their way. But training could only do so much. The reality of the tests had been something else entirely.
"Have you met anyone else yet?" Jorel asked, changing the subject.
"Not really," Ryen admitted. "People here keep to themselves. It's not exactly a warm welcome, you know?"
Jorel nodded. He had expected as much. Raven House wasn't known for its camaraderie. The students here were competitive, driven by a need to prove themselves superior to their peers. It was a place where alliances were forged out of necessity, not friendship.
"There's something you should know," Ryen added, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I overheard some of the older students talking about a girl in our house—a physical pain user. Apparently, she's the only other one in Raven House."
Jorel raised an eyebrow. "Another physical pain user?"
"Yeah," Ryen confirmed. "They say she's brilliant but troubled. Keeps to herself, doesn't really interact with anyone. Sounds like she's had a tough time here."
Jorel frowned. A physical pain user in Raven House was rare enough, but one who was isolated from the rest of the house? It piqued his curiosity, though he knew better than to pry too deeply. Still, the mention of this girl lingered in his mind, adding another layer of mystery to the already enigmatic house.
Before Jorel could ask more, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Both boys turned to see a figure walking toward them—a tall, slender woman with sharp features and piercing blue eyes. Her presence was commanding, and the air around her seemed to crackle with an intensity that made Jorel instinctively straighten his posture.
"You must be the new recruits," the woman said, her voice cool and measured. "I'm Siera, the leader of Raven House."
Jorel and Ryen exchanged a quick glance before nodding in unison.
"Yes, ma'am," Ryen replied, his tone respectful.
Siera's eyes flicked between the two of them, assessing them with a keen gaze that made Jorel feel like she could see right through him. "I see you've already found each other," she observed, a faint note of approval in her voice. "Good. It's important to have allies in a place like this."
She motioned for them to follow her, leading them down the hall and into a large, open room that served as the common area for Raven House. The room was sparsely furnished, with heavy wooden tables and chairs arranged in small clusters. A few students were scattered about, some studying, others engaged in quiet conversation. They all glanced up as Jorel and Ryen entered, their expressions ranging from curious to indifferent.
"Raven House operates under a strict hierarchy," Siera explained, her voice carrying clearly in the quiet room. "Your rank within the house is determined by your class level and your performance in trials and classes. Respect is earned through strength and intelligence, not given freely."
Jorel listened intently, noting the way Siera spoke with authority. She wasn't just a leader—she was a strategist, someone who understood the importance of power dynamics and the need to maintain order in a place as cutthroat as E&R University.
"As new recruits, you'll start at the bottom," Siera continued. "But that doesn't mean you'll stay there. Raven House values those who can rise through the ranks, who can prove their worth in battle and in the classroom. Your progress will be closely monitored, and you'll be expected to push yourselves to your limits."
She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "Each of you will be assigned a mentor—an upper-level student who will guide you through your first weeks here. They'll help you navigate the challenges you'll face and ensure that you don't fall behind."
Jorel felt a surge of relief at the mention of a mentor. Having someone to guide him through the maze of E&R University would be invaluable, especially in a place as dangerous and competitive as this.
"Jorel," Siera said, turning to him. "You'll be assigned to Serik. He's a senior student with a reputation for being both ruthless and effective. He'll push you hard, but he'll also ensure that you reach your full potential."
Jorel nodded, trying to mask the mix of emotions he felt. Serik's reputation preceded him—he had heard whispers of the older student's strictness and relentless drive for perfection. It was both reassuring and intimidating.
"And Ryen," Siera continued, "you'll be mentored by Liera. She's one of our top emotional pain users, and she'll expect you to perform at the highest level."
Ryen swallowed nervously but nodded in agreement.
"Your first day of classes begins tomorrow," Siera said, her tone firm. "Be prepared. This is not a place for the weak or the unprepared. Only those who can endure will succeed."
With that, she dismissed them, leaving Jorel and Ryen to absorb the gravity of their new situation.
As they made their way back to their dormitory, Ryen sighed heavily. "This place is intense. I knew it would be, but still…"
"It's what we signed up for," Jorel replied, though he understood Ryen's apprehension. The weight of expectations here was crushing, and failure was not an option.
As Jorel and Ryen made their way through the quiet halls of Raven House, they passed by a small group of older students engaged in hushed conversation. Jorel caught snippets of their words as they walked by, his ears pricking up at a mention of something unusual.
"She barely talks to anyone... it's like she's in her own world," one of the students whispered.
"Yeah, and she's probably the only physical pain user in Raven House," another replied with a scoff. "No wonder Raith caught wind of her."
The others just shook their heads and one muttered, "Well it would have been interesting getting to know her, she's probably gone by now..."
Jorel exchanged a glance with Ryen, both intrigued by the mention of this mysterious girl. But before they could linger, they continued on their way, the curiosity now adding to the growing list of questions swirling in Jorel's mind.
"Did you hear what some of those older students were saying?" Ryen asked, his voice dropping to a whisper again. "About that girl—the other physical pain user in Raven House? I wonder what happened to her."
Jorel nodded, the mystery of the girl lingering in his thoughts. "We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure."
But even as they talked, the sense of unease grew in Jorel's mind. The shadows in the corridors, the whispers of students, and the intense atmosphere of Raven House all pointed to a deeper, more dangerous truth lurking beneath the surface.
And he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.