All fifteen students sat in their uniquely shaped chairs, still absorbing the weight of the Dean's earlier words.
Dean Veilla Akanni stood on the podium, eyes scanning each of them. Her lips curved, not into a warm smile, but into something sharper. Satisfaction.
"Well," she began, her voice carrying across the field like silk over steel, "I will see you all tomorrow for your proper orientation… and for your class preparation, dorm arrangements, and other necessary matters."
Her gaze lingered on a few of them, Asmera, whose posture had not shifted an inch; Savero, whose expression was still clouded with the remnants of irritation; and Silfira, whose calm face couldn't quite hide the faint tension in her eyes.
Without another word, Dean Veilla lifted one hand in a deliberate motion. It wasn't just a casual wave, it was a signal.
The professor standing just behind her, a man who looked barely older than some of the students, stepped forward.
He had the look of someone fresh out of university, mid-twenties, hair slightly tousled but somehow intentional, a neat suit jacket paired with casual trousers. His grin was disarming, but there was a glint in his eyes that hinted he was far from inexperienced.
"Hello, everyone!" His voice was bright, almost too cheerful for the atmosphere left behind by the Dean. "The name's Eryx Atreus, your Anomaly Professor."
A murmur ran through the group at the word Anomaly.
Eryx clasped his hands behind his back, rocking slightly on his heels. "Under your chairs, you'll find a small package, your room key along with a map to your assigned residence."
The sound of keys being lifted, envelopes being torn open, and the faint crinkle of folded paper filled the space.
"You'll be living together, all fifteen of you, in one house," Eryx continued, grin widening. "Think of it as… your family for as long as you're here. Trust is a must. You'll need that more than you think."
His eyes scanned their faces, lingering just long enough to make them shift in their seats. Then he gave a playful wink.
"See you all tomorrow," he said, stepping back. And just like that, he and the other staff began to leave.
The students sat there, half in silence, half still murmuring to each other in confusion. Too many questions were left unanswered, and the little they'd been told only made the unknown seem bigger.
"Alright, let's go."
The voice came from a tall boy with a calm but deep tone that carried an almost angelic resonance. Izel. He unfolded the map from the envelope with a casual flick of his wrist.
"Let's see…" he murmured, tracing the path with one finger.
The map was small but detailed, illustrated in soft ink, showing a ten-minute walk from the open field to a section near the outer edge of the campus. The route curved past a cluster of academic halls, skirted a courtyard, and stopped just beside a building marked Combat Gym. The residence itself was drawn like a quaint two-storey house, surrounded by trees. Inside the sketch, little symbols indicated "living quarters," "communal kitchen," "study room," and other facilities.
Savero, leaning back in his chair, exhaled as if the weight of the entire day had landed squarely on his shoulders. "I'm tired. And I have a lot of questions," he said flatly. "But… let's just rest for now, can we?"
Izel didn't argue. "Fine. Let's move."
The group began their short trek, the gravel path crunching beneath their shoes.
It wasn't entirely silent, small pockets of conversation formed and dissolved as they walked.
"I still can't believe she knew… about that," one of them muttered to no one in particular.
"They called us protectors. What does that even mean?" another whispered.
"It means trouble," Zenjiro said under his breath, eyes scanning their surroundings.
Asmera walked near the front, her posture straight and unyielding. "Speculation won't help. We'll find out tomorrow."
"That's easy for you to say," Ciro replied, hands in his pockets. "Some of us don't like waiting around in the dark."
The air between them felt restless, like the tension of a storm yet to break.
Soon, a small gate came into view, nearly swallowed by creeping plants that had grown wild over its frame. Thin vines twisted through the iron bars, dotted with tiny blossoms that glowed faintly in the dim light.
"This is it," Izel said, glancing at the map again.
The house beyond was larger than the illustration had suggested, two stories, with wide windows framed by dark wood. Lanterns hung on either side of the door, glowing with a warm amber light. The roof was steep, its tiles glistening faintly as if touched by dew.
They stepped through the plant-covered gate, and as they approached the door, something unexpected happened.
A shimmer passed over the wood like ripples in water. From it, a holographic projection emerged, pure white in form, with letters etched in a crimson so deep it almost bled light.
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!
Below the greeting, the projection shifted to display text:
Before you enter, answer this:
I speak without a mouth, and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
They exchanged glances. The riddle hung in the air like a suspended clock, counting down silently.
Minutes passed, and no one seemed eager to speak first.
Finally, a boy with a calm demeanor and dark hair, Rune, stepped forward. His voice was steady.
"An echo."
The crimson letters flared bright before fading. The shimmer collapsed, and the door clicked open.
As the first of them stepped inside, their wrist devices, those small crimson watches from earlier, pinged in unison. A smooth, mechanical voice filled the entrance hall, precise yet oddly warm.
"Welcome, Young Master Izel Ael Reis."
The whole group froze. But continue to enter the door.
"Welcome, Young Mistress Lueur Soleil. Young Mistress Asmera Maeve. Young Master Zenjiro Asael. Young Master Ciro Nevan Salvius. Young Mistress Silfira Soigné. Young Master Areli Inara. Young Master Jasver Adris. Young Master Rune Killian. Young Mistress Zolani Ameil. Young Mistress Zenaida Hayami. Young Masters Yahto and Koa Zale Rowan. Young Master Veilon Raev Dèessee. Young Master Savero Algorian Raven."
One by one, their names filled the space, each pronounced with unnerving precision.
No one spoke. They simply crossed the threshold.
The interior was warm and spacious, lit by soft golden chandeliers. The living room stretched wide, with plush seating in deep blues and greens. A grand stone fireplace dominated one wall, its mantle carved with symbols they didn't yet recognize. Shelves lined with books framed the far corner, and through an archway they could glimpse a large kitchen with polished counters and an island table.
Some drifted toward the couches. Others wandered toward the kitchen. A few simply stood, taking in the unfamiliar but strangely welcoming space.
It was the first night in a place that would become home.
Whether that was comforting or dangerous, none of them yet knew.