Kurayami looked up, dazzled by the scale of the building.
Kurayami: "It's… incredible."
Aiko smiled slightly seeing his reaction.
Aiko: "Welcome to Lysium Academy."
The immense gates of Lysium Academy stood before Kurayami, as imposing as the entire building.
The tall towers seemed to rise up to touch the clouds, and all around the academy, lush vegetation framed the buildings, giving the place a mystical air.
The architecture was old but majestic, a harmony of white stone and gold, a reflection of the glorious past of this place.
Kurayami stood frozen in front of the entrance, his eyes wide.
He found it hard to believe that something so gigantic could exist, let alone that it was here now.
He, a simple high school student, stood in front of a magical academy, something that should only exist in stories and myths.
Aiko: "Come on, don't be afraid. This is just the beginning."
She gave him an amused smile when she saw his impressed look, then gestured for him to follow her through the main entrance.
They passed under an arch decorated with ancient symbols, which Kurayami could not understand, but he felt a slight vibration as he passed through it, as if the passage itself possessed some form of magic.
Inside, the academy was just as impressive. The hallways were full of students.
Conversations echoed through the long corridors. Seeing Kurayami, a human, many students turned around, whispering among themselves while giving intrigued looks.
Kurayami felt uncomfortable under these insistent gazes.
He walked behind Aiko, lowering his head slightly to avoid meeting the students' eyes, but he felt their attention weighing heavily on him.
Kurayami (thought): "What am I doing here? I have no place among these people."
The uneasiness grew with each step, and he began to wonder if he had made the right decision in following Aiko.
His sister was dead, he had nothing left to lose, but this world... This world seemed so foreign to him.
Aiko: "Don't pay attention to them. They are not used to seeing humans here. But don't worry, it will pass."
Aiko occasionally cast reassuring glances at Kurayami, aware of the shock he might be feeling.
She, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease in this environment, greeting students from time to time as she passed.
After several minutes of walking through the long corridors decorated with magical frescoes and ancient coats of arms, they finally arrived in front of a large solid wooden door, engraved with strange symbols.
Aiko: "We have arrived. The director is waiting for you inside."
She knocked on the door three times.
A heavy silence followed, then a deep voice answered from inside.
Director: "Come in."
The principal's office was huge, the size of the academy itself.
Shelves filled with old grimoires covered the walls from floor to ceiling, and a large window overlooked a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains.
Behind a large dark wooden desk, a middle-aged man with piercing eyes was waiting for them.
His imposing aura filled the room, and he gave off no signs of benevolence.
Kurayami immediately felt even more uncomfortable. He was hesitant to enter, but Aiko gently pushed him forward.
Aiko: "Hello, Mr. Director. This is Kurayami Hoshino."
The headmaster didn't even look away from the scrolls in front of him.
His slender fingers traced symbols in the air, which a magical glow froze into complex runes.
Director: "Aiko, you promised me something interesting, but are you bringing me a human?"
He finally looked up, staring at Kurayami with a look of disdain.
Director: "It's already rare that we let humans near this place, but to make them a student… It's absurd."
Kurayami looked down, feeling the harshness of the judgment weighing on him. Aiko, on the other hand, remained straight and did not let herself be intimidated.
Aiko: "He is not a mere human, sir. He has potential that you can't ignore."
The headmaster let out a sarcastic chuckle, raising an eyebrow.
Director: "Ah, really? And what can this 'potential' do? Can he move objects with his mind?
Aiko did not let herself be destabilized. She approached the principal's desk and gently tugged on Kurayami's necklace, showing him the strange stone he wore.
Aiko: "Look closely at this stone. There's nothing ordinary about her. It contains ancient magic, dragon magic."
The headmaster's eyes widened slightly, his interest finally piqued.
Director: "Impossible… How could such a stone end up in the hands of a human?"
Aiko briefly explained the situation, how Kurayami had found this necklace, without knowing its importance.
The director, intrigued, got up from his seat and approached Kurayami to examine the stone more closely.
Director: "I see… So you think he might have a connection to ancient magic?"
Aiko: "Yes, and on top of that, he took on a demon with strength I had never seen in a human. This was no ordinary demon, he forced him to transform."
The director took a deep breath, measuring the magnitude of Aiko's words.
He finally turned fully towards Kurayami, his piercing gaze seeming to probe her soul.
Director: "Very good. Let's put him through the tests. But know that if you are wrong, Aiko, there will be consequences."
Aiko: "I trust him."
The director nodded, before turning to Kurayami.
Director: "Follow me."
Kurayami still didn't fully understand what was happening, but he knew that the stakes were high.
He gave a questioning look to Aiko, who smiled encouragingly.
She believed in him, even if he himself still doubted.
Kurayami, Aiko and the headmaster walked through several more corridors before arriving at a large door, behind which was a huge circular room.
In the center of the room, a black sphere hovered slightly above the ground.
She seemed to suck in the light around her, giving off a mysterious and disturbing energy.
Director: "Good. Kurayami, here is the first test. Enter this sphere. She will assess your affinities with magic."
Kurayami looked at the sphere with some apprehension.
He turned to Aiko, looking for a sign of approval. She just nodded, silent but confident.
With a pounding heart, Kurayami walked towards the sphere.
Each step seemed heavier than the last, as if the air around him was getting denser.
When he finally placed his hand on the smooth, cold surface of the sphere, he felt a powerful energy attracting him.
Without hesitation, he entered the sphere.
Everything went white.
Kurayami opened his eyes to find himself in a vast white expanse, without horizon, without ground or sky.
Everything was silent, peaceful, but strangely oppressive.
Suddenly, a soft and mysterious voice echoed in the vastness.
???: "Hello, Kurayami."
Kurayami turned around, looking for the source of the voice.