As Nyx and Astor stepped out of the teleportation gate, Astor's voice echoed through the grand hall, his excitement boundless. The Celestial Academy stood in all its magnificence before them, with towering pillars and arched ceilings adorned with ancient runes and tapestries. Nyx took a moment to gather his bearings, blinking as his senses adjusted to the new surroundings.
A nearby attendant, dressed in the Academy's formal attire, approached them briskly. His expression was professional, but there was a faint glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "I presume you must be young master Nyx Shadowstar and young master Astor Shadowstar," he said, bowing slightly out of respect.
Nyx nodded, his calm tone masking the slight unease he felt under the weight of being addressed so formally. "Yes, that's correct," he replied, his voice steady.
The attendant straightened up and gestured for them to follow. "Young masters, please come with me. We need to go to the assembly hall for the orientation ceremony."
With that, the attendant began leading them through the vast teleportation hub. They passed students and staff who were either arriving or attending to their duties, the air buzzing with a mix of excitement and nerves. Nyx glanced around, noticing how grand everything was compared to their mansion. Astor, however, seemed more focused on the people they passed, his eyes darting curiously from one group to the next.
After a short walk, they arrived at a large, intricately carved door. The attendant pushed it open with a respectful bow. "This is the assembly hall, young masters. Please enter and take your seats."
As soon as Nyx and Astor stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations halted abruptly as dozens of eyes turned in their direction. A wave of whispers and murmurs washed over the room, the assembly hall suddenly buzzing with hushed excitement. The other students, both nobles and commoners alike, were quick to recognize the two brothers. After all, the news of their Awakening Ceremony had spread far and wide—two prodigies from House Shadowstar had been revealed.
Nyx could feel the weight of the stares, but he maintained his composed demeanour, his expression giving away nothing. Astor, on the other hand, grinned, clearly unfazed by the attention, and gave a casual wave to the crowd, which only seemed to stir the murmurs further.
"They're the Shadowstar twins," one voice whispered.
"I heard both of them are prodigies... monsters in terms of potential," another added.
Some of the girls in the room were speaking in hushed tones as well, their gazes lingering on the brothers a bit longer than the rest. "They're quite... striking, aren't they?" one murmured, her cheeks flushed.
"Of course, they would be," another girl replied, her eyes sparkling. "They're from the Shadowstar line, after all."
As Nyx and Astor made their way further into the hall, Nyx's sharp gaze quickly spotted some of the higher nobles seated near the front. Zara Stoneforge, her fiery red hair unmistakable, sat confidently with a few other members of her powerful house. Beside her was Tamsin Tempestfall, sitting quietly with his usual shy demeanour. His heterochromatic eyes—one blue, the other grey—were fixated on the floor, occasionally flickering up to meet the curious stares of others before quickly darting away.
Nyx and Astor exchanged a brief glance. These were not just any students—they were among the top of the noble houses. They would undoubtedly be their rivals, and perhaps allies, during their time at the Academy. Nyx could already sense the dynamics forming.
There were still ten minutes before the event was scheduled to start, leaving them with a brief moment of reprieve. Nyx felt a slight tension in the air, a combination of anticipation and unspoken competition between all the nobles in the room. They had all come here with something to prove, and Nyx knew that the Shadowstar name carried weight—expectations that would be impossible to ignore.
Astor leaned over, whispering to Nyx with a mischievous grin, "Think they're already talking about us?"
Nyx sighed softly, his calm facade unbroken. "Most likely. Let's just focus on the ceremony. There's a lot more ahead of us than gossip."
The two brothers took their seats, their presence drawing attention even as they sat down. The room slowly settled, and the murmurs began to die down as everyone awaited the beginning of the event.
As Nyx and Astor made their way toward the front row, where Zara Stoneforge and Tamsin Tempestfall were seated, Astor's usual energetic grin appeared on his face. He nudged Nyx with his elbow, leaning closer as they walked. "Look who's here—Zara," he whispered, clearly excited to see their old acquaintance.
When they reached the row, Astor wasted no time and greeted Zara with his characteristic casual tone, "Long time no see, Zara."
Zara turned her head, her sharp eyes meeting Astor's. Her bold demeanor was still there, but now tempered with a more mature and confident air. "Ah, the Shadowstar twins," she said, her voice carrying a strong presence. "You two made it here on time."
Astor chuckled, sitting down beside her but leaving just enough space to not seem too eager. "Of course, wouldn't miss it," he replied before turning his attention toward Tamsin, who was sitting quietly beside Zara.
"Hi, Tamsin," Astor said with a friendly tone.
Tamsin, always a bit shy, looked up slowly, his heterochromatic eyes—one blue and one gray—meeting Astor's for a brief moment before glancing away nervously. "H-hello, Astor," he replied, his voice soft, yet kind. Despite his reserved nature, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Nyx, observing the exchange, gave a subtle nod to Zara and Tamsin as he took a seat beside Astor. The room continued to buzz with murmurs, but for the moment, the four of them sat in an unspoken camaraderie, waiting for the assembly to begin.