Chapter 6
The cafeteria at Arcanis was louder than Ethan expected. Voices mingled with the clatter of trays and the occasional spark of magic gone slightly wrong—like a flame leaping too high from a student's palm before fizzling out. Plates carried themselves to tables. A glass pitcher poured juice without a hand in sight.
Ethan sat with his own tray, untouched, his eyes darting from group to group. He was too busy soaking it in—the sheer strangeness of being here, in a place where all of this was normal. His fork rested in his hand, but he hadn't even tried the food yet. For the first time since… well, everything, he wasn't an outsider. He belonged here.
That's when a soft voice brushed against his ear.
"Boo."
Ethan nearly launched out of his seat. His tray rattled, his fork clattered to the floor, and he twisted around with his heart slamming in his chest. Standing behind him was a girl with long black hair and striking red eyes. Her lips curled into a quiet laugh, her voice smooth and gentle, almost apologetic.
"Sorry. I couldn't help it," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You looked so distracted."
Ethan narrowed his eyes, still catching his breath. "Yeah, well… congratulations. You shaved about ten years off my life expectancy."
Her laugh deepened, soft but genuine, like she wasn't used to laughing out loud. "You must be Ethan."
He blinked. "…And you are?"
"Luna. Luna Diaz. The headmaster said I'd be the one showing you around." She offered a small wave, her nails painted dark.
Ethan smirked faintly. "Figures. First official Arcanis welcome: a heart attack."
Luna tilted her head, the corners of her lips tugging upward. "Better than paperwork."
He couldn't argue with that.
They walked together out of the cafeteria, Luna's steps light and unhurried, as if she wasn't in any rush to get anywhere. Ethan followed, trying not to stare too hard at every moving picture frame, floating lantern, and door that opened on its own.
"So," Ethan muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "is everything here… alive? Or just enchanted enough to look like it?"
"Depends," Luna replied softly. "If it stares back, probably alive."
Ethan glanced at a floating broom that hovered past them and decided not to test the theory.
They moved through wide halls lined with portraits of hunters long gone. Out in the courtyard, students sparred in groups, weapons clashing with sparks of magic cutting the air. Luna gestured casually. "This is where first years train when they're not in class. It's… loud, most of the time."
"Great," Ethan said. "So, no chance of me quietly minding my business then?"
Luna's lips twitched. "Not unless you plan to fail spectacularly."
As they continued, she pointed out other sections: the labs filled with glowing crystals, the long corridors leading to classrooms, the towers where the advanced students practiced higher-tier magic. To Ethan, it felt like walking through a dream stitched together from every storybook and movie he'd ever known.
Eventually, Luna leaned closer, lowering her voice almost conspiratorially. "You're probably going to hear this sooner or later, so… you should know about the Top Seven."
Ethan arched a brow. "The what now?"
"The seven strongest students in Arcanis. They're kind of… legends, even while they're still here." She tilted her chin toward the cafeteria windows as they circled back in. "See the guy asleep on his own lunch?"
Ethan squinted. A boy with messy hair was face-down on a tray, completely unmoving.
"That's Sebastian Richards," Luna explained. "Second year. Looks lazy, and he is, but in a fight he's… different. You'll see."
Ethan frowned. "If that's what 'different' looks like, I'll pass."
Next, Luna pointed at a table in the corner where a tall boy was reading a book, one hand holding an apple he lazily bit into while nodding to upperclassmen around him.
"Eric Graham. Another second year. He knows more than most of the teachers. Don't bother arguing with him—you'll lose."
"Noted," Ethan muttered. "Avoid nerd with apple."
From across the room, a girl stood, giving away half her food to students who'd clearly forgotten theirs. Her bright smile carried across the entire cafeteria.
"That's Cassie Hargrove," Luna said warmly. "Fifth year. She's… different too. The sweetest person I've met here. She's like my mentor."
Ethan tilted his head. "Sweetest person in a ghost hunter school? That sounds suspicious."
Luna's laugh slipped out again, low and quiet. "Maybe."
Her hand then drifted toward the courtyard outside, where a boy finished a set of pull-ups, sweat rolling down his face.
"See that one?"
Ethan's eyes widened. His stomach dropped.
"Freddie…?"
Luna blinked at him. "You know him?"
Ethan scrambled, words catching. "Well…
something like that."
Unbothered, she continued, "That's Frederick Palmer. First year, like us. He joined just a few months ago but he's already made it into the Top Seven."
Ethan forced a neutral expression, but his mind was reeling.
Before he could speak, the doors to the cafeteria swung wide. A ripple of attention moved through the room as a group of third-years entered. At the front walked a boy with an easy smirk, hands in his pockets, his confidence radiating without effort. He approached a girl, lifted her hand smoothly, and kissed it, the entire cafeteria watching.
"Who's he?" Ethan asked, already bracing himself.
"That," Luna said, her tone softer with a touch of awe, "is William Light. Captain of the Top Seven. Third year. First in centuries to wield light magic… and one of the strongest students in Arcanis."
William's presence filled the room effortlessly. Behind him trailed another boy, laughing and joking with the group like he owned the space.
"And that's Warren Johnson. Another third year, also Top Seven."
Ethan took it all in, head spinning. "That's six you've mentioned."
"Oh, right." Luna tapped her chin as if she'd nearly forgotten. "The last is Maximiliano Zoltan. Second year, vice captain. He's not here right now—on a mission in Dione."
Ethan nearly choked. "Wait, they send students on missions in places like Dione?"
"No." Her lips curved into the faintest smirk. "He's the exception."
Ethan shook his head. "If he's a second year and already vice captain… he must be insane."
Luna didn't disagree.
They'd barely settled back at the cafeteria table when another girl dropped herself into the seat beside Luna, tray clattering with food. Short-cropped hair, toned arms, and the kind of presence that demanded space. She gave Ethan a once-over like she was sizing up an opponent.
"So this is the newbie?" she asked flatly.
Ethan blinked. "…Depends. If this is where I get hazed, then no, I'm just lost."
A laugh burst out of her, short and sharp. "I like him," she said, already digging into her food. "Name's Sage."
Luna's lips curved faintly. "She's a friend of mine. Don't worry, she only punches people she likes."
"Wait—what?" Ethan started, then froze at Sage's grin.
"I'm kidding," she said through a mouthful. Then, after a beat: "Mostly."
The three of them ate together, the conversation drifting between small jokes and bits of academy life. Ethan stayed quiet for the most part, listening more than speaking, trying not to look like he was drowning. Sage didn't make it easier.
"You've got a lot to catch up on, newbie," she said, slamming her cup down. "This place will eat you alive if you don't get serious."
"Wow, comforting," Ethan muttered. "Thanks for the pep talk."
Sage smirked. "Don't mention it."
Eventually, she and Luna stood, trays vanishing into thin air as they left. Sage clapped Ethan on the shoulder, nearly knocking the wind out of him. "Don't fall behind."
Luna lingered for a moment, her voice as soft as ever. "For now, just… study. Learn everything you can. That's the best advice I can give you."
And with that, she was gone.
The cafeteria buzzed on, but Ethan sat back, tray empty, head full. The Top Seven. Luna. Sage. Freddie. This whole world spun faster with every new detail.
He left eventually, wandering the halls alone. His mind replayed Luna's words, his stomach still knotted from seeing Freddie. The courtyard echoed with the clang of training. The corridors smelled faintly of smoke and ink. Every corner whispered of a world he didn't understand yet—but desperately wanted to.
He found himself in the gym. Machines lined the walls, weights floated with spells, and enchanted dummies swung at students sparring them. But his eyes locked on a figure at the vending machine, smacking the side in frustration.
Ethan's breath caught. He knew that back, that stance, even the annoyed little grunt.
"…Freddie?"
The boy turned, a drink in his hand, and froze. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ethan!?"