Morning light spilled through the tall crystal windows of Astralis Academy, painting the hallways with soft gold. The campus was alive—students rushing to classes, teachers floating books behind them, magical sparks flickering in the air.
Liana stepped out of her dorm with Zara on her left and Mira on her right.
Zara—the energetic one with bouncing curls—talked fast.
Mira—the calm one with sharp eyes—observed quietly, adding comments only when needed.
Both girls seemed excited to "orient" the new mysterious beauty who collapsed on her first day.
"Okay," Zara clapped her hands dramatically. "First thing you should know—Astralis isn't just any magic academy. It is the SCHOOL OF LEGENDS."
Mira rolled her eyes. "More like school of stress."
"But legendary stress," Zara insisted.
Liana laughed softly. "Just tell me how the school works."
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✨ The School System
Zara began walking, and they followed her.
"Here, we have four main divisions," she said, counting on her fingers.
"Elemental Magic, Dark Arts, Healing Magic, and Combat Enchantments."
Mira added quietly, "We all attend basic classes together for the first year. After that, they test you and place you where you belong."
"Test?" Liana blinked. "Like exam?"
"More like survival," Zara whispered dramatically. "Last year, someone's hair caught fire."
"It was you, Zara," Mira reminded her.
Zara gasped. "Details."
Liana smiled, feeling lighter. For the first time today, she wasn't thinking about her broken bond with Kael.
---
✨ The Hottest Mystery in School
They turned into the main courtyard. Students were practicing spells—fireballs, levitation, summoning birds of light.
Zara leaned closer with a grin.
"And then… we have the MOST IMPORTANT thing in this entire school."
Liana raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
Mira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Zara, please—"
"No! She must know!" Zara insisted dramatically.
She lowered her voice to a whisper.
"The hottest man in Astralis…"
Liana blinked, confused.
Zara continued, "…the one EVERY girl talks about but no one has EVER seen."
"Nobody?" Liana asked.
"Never!" Zara said. "He's the secret star of the academy. No name. No classes. No photos. Just… rumors."
Mira finally explained, "He's supposedly the strongest student here. Some say he's royalty. Some say he's cursed. But every year, students claim they 'saw him for one second.' It's stupid."
"Not stupid," Zara argued. "Romantic."
Liana giggled. "So he's like… a myth?"
"A very handsome myth," Zara corrected.
---
✨ The Bully
As they walked deeper into the courtyard, the air suddenly shifted.
Students stopped talking. Some whispered. Some stepped aside.
Liana felt eyes turning toward her—wave after wave.
She heard it in their whispers:
"Her hair… who is she?"
"She's so beautiful."
"Where is she from?"
"She doesn't look normal."
Liana swallowed, suddenly shy.
Zara noticed and slipped her arm through Liana's. "Ignore them. New students always get attention."
"No," Mira corrected. "THIS level of attention is not normal."
Before Liana could ask what she meant, a sharp voice cut through the silence.
"Well, well… look what we have here."
A tall girl with icy blue lipstick and a wicked smirk walked toward them. Five other girls followed her, forming a half-circle.
Zara muttered under her breath, "Oh no… it's Selene."
Liana blinked. "Who?"
Mira answered quietly, "The school bully. She thinks anyone weaker than her should bow."
Selene circled Liana slowly, scanning her like a piece of artwork.
"New girl," she said sweetly with poison behind every word. "You're… pretty. I'll give you that."
Liana stayed silent.
"But beauty doesn't last here. Power does. And you—" Selene flicked a strand of Liana's hair, "—look too soft."
Zara stepped forward. "Back off, Selene."
Selene smirked. "Or what? You'll set your hair on fire again?"
Zara froze.
The other girls laughed.
Selene leaned even closer to Liana. "Don't worry. You'll learn your place soon."
Liana looked straight into her eyes—calm, steady, unshaken.
"I know my place," she said quietly. "And it's not under you."
Selene's smile vanished instantly.
Around them, the courtyard gasped.
Mira whispered, "Oh goddess… she's dead."
Selene stepped back, eyes narrowing.
"This isn't over," she hissed, turning sharply before her group followed her.
---
✨ Students Keep Staring
As they continued walking, whispers grew louder.
People stared more boldly now.
"Her eyes…"
"That hair—what kind of magic is that?"
"She looks like an enchantress."
"She shut Selene up!"
Liana felt heat rise to her cheeks.
She wasn't used to attention—especially not this much.
Zara grinned proudly. "You just became the most interesting person in Astralis."
Mira nodded. "And probably the most targeted too."
---
✨ Liana's Thoughts
As they walked toward the classroom buildings, Liana felt both overwhelmed and strangely excited.
A new world.
New challenges.
New dangers.
But deep inside her chest, the silence of her bond with Kael echoed like an empty room.
Kael… can you hear me?
No answer.
Just silence.
She inhaled deeply.
"This is my new life," she whispered to herself.
"And I'll survive it."
---