"What's the need for a bus?" Jake, who was unfortunately seated near Seth, muttered in an annoyed tone. It had already been thirty minutes, and he was hating every second of it.

  Seth wasn't comfortable either, though he didn’t necessarily hate Jake—just the way Jake always found an excuse to slander him. "To move… on the road?" he replied dryly.

  Jake turned to glare at him. "I know what vehicles are used for, you little bastard!"

  Behind them, Emily was holding back a laugh. Thally, nestled with her, was enjoying the exchange a little too much. "Those two seem like good friends," she said, clearly entertained.

  "Hardly," Emily replied with a smirk, rolling her eyes.

  The rest of the three-hour ride passed uneventfully until they finally arrived at the designated portal transport area.

  Standing in the middle of the bus, the principal raised her voice, cutting through the students' chatter. "Alright, listen up. From now on, you'll be transported directly to the academy grounds via portal. No more complaints about the bus ride—this will be the last one you'll be taking for a long time."

  Students exchanged glances—some relieved, others still grumbling. Seth felt a mix of both. He was glad the ride was over, but the thought of stepping into the unknown made his stomach twist.

  Jake muttered something under his breath, but Seth didn’t catch it.

  "This portal will take you directly to the academy’s orientation hall," the principal continued. "Remember, once you step through, you’re officially a student. There will be no turning back. Whatever challenges await, face them with resolve."

  Emily leaned forward and whispered, "Are you ready for this?"

  Seth swallowed, feeling the comforting weight of Thally shifting slightly on his arm. "I think so," he said, trying to sound confident.

  With a mechanical hiss, the bus doors slid open.

  "Alright, everyone off! Form an orderly line and proceed through the portal," the principal instructed.

  The students began filing out. Seth, Emily, and Jake found themselves in the middle of the line, Thally’s roots moving subtly under Seth’s sleeve.

  “How do you think the academy is?” Emily asked Jake.

  Jake twitched. "Why are you asking me? You’ve got a brother in the second year. Ask him."

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "Tsk. Talking to you is difficult sometimes," Emily said with a sigh, though she looked more amused than annoyed. She turned to Seth. "You nervous?"

  Seth shrugged. "We’ll find out soon enough."

  The line moved steadily forward until they stood before the swirling portal—a vortex of light and energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.

  Seth took a deep breath. Thally tightened her grip on his arm in silent reassurance.

  “Here goes nothing,” he muttered.

  As they stepped through, the world twisted. Colors bent and blended, the air stretched and pulled, and for a moment, Seth felt like he was floating in a dream. Then, with a jolt, his feet touched solid ground again.

  They stood in a massive orientation hall. Marble floors gleamed under magical lights, banners of the academy hung proudly, and at the far end, faculty members waited atop a raised stage.

  The hall buzzed with chatter, nervous laughter, and hushed excitement.

  "Welcome, students!" boomed a powerful voice. A tall figure stood at the center of the stage, their presence commanding. "You have been chosen for your potential, your resilience, and your courage. The academy will test you in ways you’ve never imagined. Only those who persevere will thrive."

  Jake scoffed. "Great. Another speech."

  Emily nudged him. "Shh. It might be important."

  As the speech continued, Seth’s mind wandered. His father’s warnings echoed in his ears—about danger, secrets, corruption. How much of it was real?

  "Hey, Seth," Thally whispered in his mind. "Don’t drift off now. We’ve got a long road ahead."

  He nodded, quietly refocusing.

  "With that, I welcome you to Seven Moons Academy," the headmaster concluded. A heavy silence followed.

  Emily gave Seth a small nod. Jake looked like he might bolt.

  "Stay close," Emily said quietly. "At least until we figure things out."

  "Yeah, sure," Jake grumbled. "But if they throw us into some battle royale, I’m out."

  Seth smirked. "Too late for that, Jake."

  A chime rang out. A new figure stepped forward—a stern woman with sharp features and piercing eyes. She wore a robe marked with the academy’s crest.

  "Now that you’ve been welcomed, it’s time for group assignments," she announced. "You will be divided and led to your quarters by mentors. Each group faces unique challenges. How you perform will affect your initial rank."

  A glowing board appeared behind her, names and group numbers scrolling.

  Emily tugged Seth’s sleeve. "Let’s find ours together."

  They joined the rush of students crowding around the board.

  "Found mine!" Emily called. "Group 12!"

  "Same here," Seth said, relieved.

  Jake swore. "Group 7. Fantastic."

  "We’ll catch up later," Emily said.

  Jake gave a lazy wave before heading off.

  Seth and Emily found their way to Group 12’s gathering spot, where a tall, sharp-eyed man in a long coat waited.

  "Welcome to Group 12," he said coolly. "I’m Professor Ardus, your mentor. I expect nothing less than your best."

  The ten students assembled nodded, some confident, others clearly anxious.

  "Our first task is simple. Follow me."

  They trailed him through double doors, stepping outside into a breathtaking sky—blue, but darker than Earth’s, with a bright sun and two moons.

  Seth was captivated, and so were the others.

  "The air’s fresher than Earth’s," Thally whispered.

  ‘Yeah, but why’ve you been so quiet?’ Seth asked.

  Thally pouted from under his sleeve. "Just giving you some alone time. You seemed deep in thought."

  She emerged, landing on his shoulder. He whispered, "…Sorry for ignoring you."

  Thally giggled. "Please. As if you could ignore me."

  They reached a wide field with three numbered cylindrical devices.

  Professor Ardus turned to face them. "This is a strength test. You three at the back—step forward."

  Three students came up. One was a light blue-haired girl. Another was a smug-looking boy with dark hair. And the last—

  "Teach~, I’m Haiki!" said a girl with white hair, golden eyes, and golden markings across her fair skin.

  Her light, playful voice made several students glance her way.

  Professor Ardus gave a curt nod. "Haiki, you’re first. Approach the cylinder and place your hand on the marked area."

  Haiki skipped forward, eyes shining. She placed her hand on the cylinder.

  "Use your physical strength and any abilities to punch the gauge."

  "Okie dokie!" she said cheerfully.

  Then something strange happened—the light around her fists both dimmed and brightened at once, and before she even made contact, the cylinder flared.

  "…Not bad. A perfect fifty," Ardus said after a pause. "Last time we saw that score was…"

  He didn’t finish, instead gesturing to the next person.

  The blue-haired girl walked forward, her eyes occasionally flicking to Haiki.