The rising sun casted a golden glow over the tranquil forest, its rays filtering through the dense canopy of green leaves.
The sky was painted in hues of pink and orange, heralding the arrival of a new day.
In the distance, one could hear the birds chirp and sing in the trees, their cheerful melodies blending with the rustling of
leaves in the gentle breeze.
A gentle mist arose from the forest floor, adding an ethereal quality to the scene.
The trees stood tall and majestic, their branches reaching up towards the sun as if in absolute worship.
Shafts of light illuminated patches of wildflowers that carpeted the forest floor, adding vibrant splashes of color to the serene landscape.
As the sun continued its ascent, the forest awakened fully.
Squirrels scampered along branches, deer grazed peacefully in grassy clearings, and the air was filled with the heady scent of earth and greenery.
The majestic ascent of the sun casted an ethereal gold glow upon the architecture of the most revered Qichi Lake Academy.
The fountain that stood majestically at the smack middle of the architecture of QLA pulsated with fresh overflowing water that spouted out of the very essence of the earth, a raw magic that was elegant and opulent in every way.
In a certain room tagged CDR17 located at the end of a winding hallway in the top floor of the Loreque Male Hostel, a boy of early to late teenage years nestled peacefully in a blanket on a bed that was placed at the far end of the room.
He felt more than comfortable in that sleeping state.
Another young boy, with a daring height and athletic body was almost finished getting ready to leave for the day's activities.
He had an alabaster skin tone, bluish grey eyes and golden locks that fell very gracefully over the temples of his face and the skin around his hairline.
Putting on a Rolex Daytona Beach 116519 that was passed down as a heirloom from his father, the boy filled up a glass of water and downed it almost immediately.
It was as though he was in a rush.
The clanking of the bottom of the glass cup on the desk caused a sleeping Kiefer to stir awake slowly.
'Who are you and why are you in this room?'
He asked as he noticed the unknown individual getting ready to leave.
Leopold glanced smoothly at the visibly agitated figure on the bed at the extreme of the room and turned away, continuing with his business.
A coolhead, Kiefer thought, you wouldn't last long here.
'You must be my roommate, I'm sorry for the tone,'
Kiefer said as he slowly got up from his tousled bed, his hair an inevitable mess.
Again, no response from the young boy.
Kiefer wondered when and how he got in, he could swear he locked the door before going to sleep.
And what's more, why is this person arriving when others are already here?
He pushed back the thought.
'I'm Kiefer. Kiefer Edmund,' Kiefer said walking towards the majestic figure that was now packing a few books briskly into a brown leather handbag.
Extending a hand curtly, he expected a handshake but he never got one.
Nearing the boy's space was when Kiefer noticed the height difference.
Now Kiefer wasn't a short person, in fact, he was quite tall, but this gentleman?
This gentleman was gracious in height and looks and everything that pertained to such.
He was also a snub, if Kiefer dared to think so.
And Kiefer could swear the aura that radiated from around him was a strong, humbling aura.
He almost felt himself subject to the majestic young male.
Checking himself, he regained composure.
The boy cuffed the sleeves of his white T-shirt that was left unbuttoned for the first three buttons of the neck- and chest-line, revealing a strange necklace that hung over his neck.
'You're running late for the meeting with Master Pierre,' Leopold said.
Taking the last glance at the mirror in front of him, Leopold fixed his luscious hair and put on a pair of glasses.
'Being late to his meetings isn't exactly in his good books.'
With that, Leopold grabbed his bag and walked with unmatched pride out through the door of CDR17.
'I'm late?' Kiefer was taking more than a few seconds to process that.
Coming back to his senses, Kiefer realized that he had a meeting to attend and several other activities to be initiated into.
With a jolt, Kiefer rushed into the bathroom and threw off his clothes.
He recalled the moments when his family and himself traveled from one country to another due to the nature of his father's career.
One minute, he was just easing in to a new surrounding and the next he was being nestled into his father's private jet off to another country.
As a result, he had learned the habit of making haste while getting ready.
Kiefer was done showering and brushing his teeth in a few minutes.
As he stepped out of the bathroom, a wave of steam followed his wake, betraying the fact that he had just had an immensely hot shower.
He was quite used to such.
One wouldn't take a cold bath when you were always on the verge of the edge of Earth, whistling from one country to another.
Kiefer put on his clothes, similar to how his taciturn roommate was dressed and grabbing a handbag, dashed out of the room, locking the door behind himself.
********
It was under a massive canopy the newly admitted students of QLA sat as they were addressed by Master Pierre, the academy's counselor and student affairs manager.
A bronze teenage boy walked hastily down the winding pathway clutching a handbag and covering his forehead.
Nearing the sitting space, he immediately picked a seat that was at the far end of the sitting arrangement.
Turning his head slightly to notice who sat next to him, he was dumbfounded by who he found out the person to be.
Kiefer realized in astonishment the girl he saw the day before who wore a low cut and had porcelain bronze skin tone sat next to him.
The first thing Kiefer noticed were her eyes.
They had an unnatural color to them, bluish, almost light blue.
He noticed that she had similar eye color to Leopold.
Could they be related? He thought.
The next thing he noticed was her aura. Now Kiefer was almost sure his roommate and this mysterious girl were in some way or another related.
He could feel the same pressure on him, the same way he had felt when standing close to his roommate.
Kiefer made a mental note to study about why such could happen with whatever resources Qichi Lake Academy had to offer.
It was the screeching sound of the microphone that brought Kiefer back to reality.
Master Pierre tapped twice on the mouthpiece of the microphone and looked into the seated crowd.
Smiling, he began;
'Welcome once again, students of QLA,' smoothing a strand of hair back across his slicked back hair, he continued, 'today shall be your orientation and formal introduction.
'I trust you all have settled into your respective hostels.
I'd love to begin by informing you all that there are rules all and sundry are required to follow here at QLA.
Defaulters will face dire consequences, I must warn.
'I digress,' he smiled, as though it was ingrained into his very being,' I am sure we all are familiar with the Weave.
That's basically why you're all here to begin with.
You were sent here to have a chance at thriving with the Weave. I'm quite sure everyone here is conversant with its side effects. Well, if you're not then I suggest reading QLA's most famous book on the description of terms, the Grid.
'Your activities for today entail socializing and signing up for a few well-rounded activities that have to do with combat, swordsmanship and weaponry.
'This is a very crucial part of your training as Ordinaries in the Leading Levels and will take you through all skills you will be needing to defend yourselves and the world, I dare say.'
Master Pierre paused, taking in the environment.
'All information regarding your ascent as those exposed to the Weave are well articulated in the Grid.
You will all receive a copy of this book.'
The students seemed quite receptive.
He continued with his speech.
'After this meeting, please proceed to Qichi Lake Academy's Cafeteria to grab breakfast.
We apologize for any inconveniences caused.
Your breakfast ends by 11am and you are all expected to convene here once again a few hours after by 1pm to be taken for a tour of the grand QLA.
Thank you for listening.'
A befitting round of applause followed the end of his speech and Master Pierre left the pulpit, flanked to his right by his personal assistant, Molly.
Kiefer looked around. He was actively searching for Grayson as he was the only one who he knew at the academy.
Spotting him, Kiefer arose from his seat s d was about to walk towards Grayson when he felt a cool hand touch his shoulder.
The palm was colder than a normal human's.
Turning backwards, Kiefer realized who now had her palms on his shoulder.
The mysterious girl with the captivating eyes was at near eye level with him.
Yaretzi took her hands off his shoulders and stooping, she picked up the fountain pen Kiefer had dropped.
'You dropped this,' she said, extending it towards him.
Kiefer swallowed a ball of saliva.
'Oh, thank you so much.'
'My pleasure,' she said.
Turning around, Yaretzi picked up her handbag and packed up the pouch containing her glasses into the bag.
It was while Yaretzi was zipping up her handbag Kiefer noticed a necklace dangling around her neck.
The necklace had a pendant attached to it, a coiled snake with a blue petite diamond at what looked like the eyes of the serpent.
Kiefer's eyes moved slowly across the pendant as he recalled with bewilderment how similar that necklace was to his roommate's.