After the grand and sumptuous dinner, the evening began to wind down naturally. Plates were cleared, and the buzz of conversation slowly faded, leaving the auditorium in a quiet hum. The first-year witches, still wide-eyed with excitement, followed their older, more experienced seniors out of the room.
They exited the large hall and walked down a long corridor, their footsteps echoing softly. Soon, they arrived at a small hall, its stone walls glowing with the soft light of enchanted torches. On one end of the hall stood a grand staircase, leading up to the higher levels of the castle, while the opposite end connected to the east gate of the ancient structure.
Through the east gate, they stepped out into a modest square, the cool night air greeting them. As they turned back to take in the view, the castle stood before them, its windows aglow with warm, golden light, like a beacon on the ridge of the mountain. Beyond the square, the land dropped into a steep cliff, a reminder of the castle's dramatic location. The square itself, with broom sheds lining either side of the entrance, seemed to serve as a takeoff and landing site for the broomsticks parked neatly in rows.
To the left of the square, a narrow path wound its way down the mountainside, illuminated by magical lanterns that cast a comforting, yellow glow along the way. The path seemed to snake down like a glowing ribbon, disappearing into the shadows below.
The third- and fifth-year students didn't linger. With the ease of seasoned flyers, they grabbed their brooms from the shed and, one by one, shot into the sky, disappearing into the night like shooting stars. The first-year witches watched in awe, their heads tilted back, eyes sparkling with envy. They longed for the day they, too, would soar through the skies with such grace.
But while they gazed upward, they noticed the second- and fourth-year students standing nearby, watching the scene with far less excitement. A small blonde witch, with a touch of concern in her voice, finally broke the silence.
"Senior, you should go ahead as well! Don't worry about us. We've got maps in the Freshman Guide. We'll find the dormitory just fine!"
There was a brief pause, the second-year witches exchanging glances as if waiting for something. Then, after a moment of hesitation, Senior Sister Tracy spoke up, her tone suddenly authoritative.
"It is tradition at the Witch Academy," she declared, "that fourth-year students hold an astrology ceremony in the square for several nights starting on the first day of school. We must stay here tonight to predict the fortunes of the year ahead."
The other fourth-years, clearly caught off guard, quickly jumped in to back her up.
"Yes, absolutely!" one chimed in. "Only the fourth-years can perform the ceremony. You should all head to your dorms now!"
"Don't even think about peeking!" warned another with mock seriousness. "If the ritual is disturbed, it could bring terrible luck."
The second-year witches nodded in agreement. "It's true," one said, trying to sound wise beyond her years. "The fifth-years held the same ceremony last year. It lasted an entire week!"
The first-year witches, sensing the urgency, nodded earnestly. "Of course, we wouldn't want to interrupt the ceremony," they said with a mix of awe and relief. They bid farewell to their seniors and began making their way down the winding path, their small figures swallowed by the shadows as they descended the mountain.
As soon as the younger witches were out of sight, the fourth-years let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Well, now I understand why the seniors always held those 'astrology ceremonies' after fourth grade!" one of them laughed.
"Who would have thought we'd end up homeless on our first day of school?" another groaned.
"We've scouted the entire inner area of the castle, but we still haven't picked a spot to build our residence. Let's just hope it doesn't rain tonight!"
"Once the fifth-years move out to the outer areas, we'll inherit some of the good spots. But we'll still have to build from scratch, no matter what."
"Well, you can all back off," a witch declared with a sly grin. "I've already staked my claim on the tree hollow on the east side of the Beast Jungle. Senior Yuni promised it to me."
"Wait, what?!" another witch exclaimed. "I had my eye on that tree hollow too!"
And so, as the night deepened and the square emptied, the fourth-years continued their playful banter, preparing for the unique challenges and hidden perks, that their new status would bring.
Despite the magic lights glowing every few meters along the path, the way down the mountain was rough and uneven, making each step tricky. The road twisted and turned, and the small stones underfoot didn't make things any easier. Walking at the back of the group, Lyra, Vasida, and Sylph followed closely behind Senior Lilith, who moved with a calm and confident stride.
"Senior Lilith," Lyra began, her voice laced with curiosity, "I heard that from the fourth grade onwards, we can't live in the dormitory anymore. So where do the older students stay?"
Lilith glanced over her shoulder with a knowing smile. "Usually, fourth-years and up build simple homes in the inner areas of the academy, just outside the core grounds."
Sylph's eyes widened in surprise. "They've already built their houses? That quickly?"
"It must be really hard to build a witch's house! The seniors must be incredible to do it so fast," Vasida added, admiration filling her voice.
Lilith let out a soft chuckle, glancing ahead to make sure no one else could hear their conversation. Then, lowering her voice, she beckoned the three of them closer.
"Come here," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You really think they've built anything special? Most seniors live in caves or tree hollows. Only the witches skilled in construction magic manage to throw together little huts, but they're just basic structures, nowhere near the grandeur of a real witch's house with defensive enchantments."
The three first-years gasped in unison, hanging on every word.
"And here's the kicker," Lilith continued, a hint of amusement creeping into her tone. "Only third-year students are even allowed to explore the inner areas of the academy where these homes are built. And those areas? They're filled with wild beasts, nothing too terrifying, but definitely more dangerous than the core grounds we're in now."
Lyra, Vasida, and Sylph listened in awe, their eyes wide as Lilith leaned in even closer.
"The truth is," Lilith said with a smirk, "the seniors haven't built their houses yet. They're just as homeless as anyone! They're using the astrology ritual as an excuse to stay outside tonight because they can't sleep in the castle anymore. I only figured it out because I know Senior Sister Tracy's situation."
Lilith's tone turned slightly more serious. "Keep this a secret, though. The seniors have their pride, and it wouldn't be fair to let everyone know they're roughing it in the square tonight."
Lyra and the others nodded earnestly, fully intent on keeping the secret to themselves. To protect their seniors' dignity, they pretended as though they hadn't learned a thing.
Breaking the silence, Sylph piped up again, her voice filled with excitement. "Senior, when can we start flying lessons? The dormitories are way down at the foot of the mountain, and I can't imagine having to hike up this path every day just to get to class!"
Lilith sighed, clearly sharing Sylph's pain. "Who doesn't want to start flying sooner?" she lamented. "Unfortunately, you won't start flying lessons until after second grade, when you've crafted your own broom."
"So the older students aren't flying because they're worried about us?" Vasida asked, her eyes filled with newfound respect.
Lilith burst out laughing. "Oh no, don't be fooled. The only reason they aren't flying is because they can't yet. Just like you, they have to wait until they've refined their brooms. Witches may help each other from time to time, but it's not out of obligation. Trust me, they'd be flying if they could."
Sylph's face fell, a look of horror crossing her features as she realized what that meant. "So we have to keep climbing this mountain for a whole year before we can fly?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief. "Every day?"
Lilith nodded sympathetically. "Afraid so. The mountain paths are rough, and every year a few witches end up twisting ankles or worse. But don't worry, Ms. Amisha oversees the academy. No matter how bad the injury, you'll get treated quickly."
Sylph groaned, already feeling the weight of her future treks. "I've never walked this much in my life. I can't imagine having to hike up here every day just to make it to class."
Lilith gave her a pat on the shoulder. "It'll get easier. Eventually." She winked. "And until then, you'll just have to get used to some sore legs."
With that, the group continued down the mountain, the faint glow of the magic lights guiding their way, while Sylph quietly bemoaned her future mountain hikes.
Lyra was faring a bit better than Sylph on their trek down the mountain. While Sylph struggled with each step, Lyra felt relatively comfortable. As a child, she had never been given the opportunity to study, and instead, she spent her time doing physical exercises to strengthen her body. It had become second nature to her, and the climb was just a little extra exertion compared to her usual routines.
However, even Lyra had to admit that the journey back and forth from the castle was incredibly long. Walking to and from the academy every day would take hours, time that could be spent more productively. For her, it felt like a frustrating waste. But, as she thought to herself, this was how the academy had organized things, and there was no other option. They'd just have to adapt.
Despite the exhausting trek, something else was nagging at the back of her mind; something far stranger than the steep paths. She had noticed on the academy's map that the mountain they were on was called Humming Mountain. The name struck her as odd. But, none of the other witches seemed to find it odd. They passed by the name without a second thought, as if it were perfectly ordinary.
Lyra, her curiosity piqued, couldn't keep quiet any longer. She quickened her pace to catch up to Lilith, her voice breaking the silence.
"Senior Lilith," Lyra began, "don't you think it's strange that this mountain is called Humming Mountain? I mean, isn't that an unusual name?"
Lilith turned her head, smiling as if she had been waiting for someone to ask. "Strange? I don't think so! It has a lovely ring to it, don't you think? And it's not just the mountain. The big bell in the college bell tower is also called the Humming Bell. Both were named after the three witches who founded the school."
Lyra's brow furrowed. "But why? I mean, why name it after that?"
Lilith's eyes twinkled with a bit of storytelling mischief as she responded, "I've actually read about this in the Witch Academy Founding Notes. It turns out the name comes from a world called Melodia. In that world, Humming Mountain is the birthplace of a powerful supernatural school. The name Humming represents the three most powerful individuals in that school. And as fate would have it, our academy was also founded by three of the most powerful witches in our history."
Lyra's curiosity deepened as Lilith continued. "So, when the founders of our academy were creating this place, they took inspiration from the legends of that other world. They named this mountain Humming Mountain to reflect that legacy. The Humming Bell in the bell tower? Same story. And there's even more, did you know the highest platform of the castle, where you'll practice high-altitude flying in the later stages of the flying course, is called rhythm? That's also inspired by the same place."
"And there's a stone tablet near the dormitory well with the words blue's Well carved on it," Lilith added. "That too, is a tribute to Humming Mountain from Melodia."
Lilith smiled, seeing Lyra's interest had been piqued even more. "If you're curious, you should read the Witch Academy Founding Notes. It explains everything in much more detail."
Lyra made a mental note to seek out the book later. She felt a strange sense of connection to the idea that this mysterious world, so far removed from her own, could have shared roots with something she recognized.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, it was well past midnight. The descent had been difficult for many of the first-year witches, and most of them were panting heavily, their faces slick with sweat. Sylph, in particular, looked like she could collapse at any moment, but there was one witch who stood out from the exhausted group; Vasida.
Vasida remained as fresh as when they had first started, her face unflushed, and not a single bead of sweat dampened her brow. The other witches stared at her in disbelief.
Noticing their bewildered expressions, Vasida laughed sheepishly. "It's probably because I eat so much," she explained, rubbing the back of her neck. "I think my stamina's just better than most witches. But trust me, if I get hungry, I'll run out of energy fast. Luckily, I ate enough during dinner, so I'm feeling pretty good now."
The others chuckled, recalling how Vasida had piled her plate high with food during the feast. It made perfect sense.
As they finally approached the dormitory area, the witches were met with an unexpected sight. Just beyond a small oak forest stood their destination, but it wasn't quite what any of them had imagined.