I had to interrupt my spell several times and move around. The twins apparently sensed the energy I was gathering in my hands and wouldn't let me complete it. Stones broke through my armor, leaving deep cuts. Pain interfered with concentration, forcing me to constantly distract myself with healing.

  However, Elliot wasn't having it any easier. I took advantage of the moment when one of the twins lost concentration and launched a projectile at them. The right one noticed and put up a couple of earth blocks, but the projectile broke through everything.

  I concentrated so hard on the projectile that everything around seemed to slow down. The projectile hit the left twin directly in the arm. This made her body turn one hundred eighty degrees. Because Elliot's metal was still on her legs, she fell anyway.

  All I saw next was the second twin on the right. She sent me flying. Taking advantage of us standing near the ground, she pushed me to the side. I hit the wall hard. Come on... Come on, get up.

  The impact against the wall knocked the air from my lungs. The world began to dim, but this wasn't ordinary dizziness.

  Colors drained from reality like paint from a wet canvas. Sounds—the spectators' cries, the twins' breathing, Elliot's groan—all dissolved into absolute silence.

  And then I heard footsteps. Soft, almost inaudible, but in this emptiness they sounded like bell tolls.

  The girl appeared from nowhere. A white dress flowed around her as if she walked underwater. Black hair contrasted with pale skin. The blindfold over her eyes should have made her blind, but I felt—she saw me. Saw right through me.

  Blood dripped from her nose. One drop. A second. A third. Each fell infinitely slowly.

  Wings spread behind her back. Not bird wings—something else. As if woven from light itself. Or from souls.

  She raised a finger to her lips. Silence. And in this silence I heard a voice. Not hers—my own. Or the one who spoke to me in space?

  "Not yet time. But soon."

  She vanished. The world returned. Pain crashed over me in waves.

  Elliot's panicked voice cut through my confusion.

  "Luten! Luten! Snap out of it."

  The examiner's authoritative voice rang out.

  "The fight is declared finished."

  I lay covered in blood. Apparently I'd lost consciousness without finishing the restoration of some wounds.

  " What happened?"

  "Oh, Elliot, I think I'm losing my mind."

  "Tell me later, can you recover?"

  I concentrated on my wounds and directed all the body's resources there for restoration.

  "I'm hungry."

  The twins approached us. Ari extended her hand with grudging respect.

  "You fought very well. We hope in future you'll behave more civilly."

  The examiner spoke.

  " How are you?"

  "We'll live, thanks."

  "What happened, Luten? You suddenly froze and stared at something."

  "Everything suddenly dimmed, and I saw some strange girl in the stands, though she wasn't there..."

  I noticed some concern, which the teacher quickly hid, however.

  "You were probably hallucinating. Your fight results will be submitted for discussion to the examination committee. If everything goes successfully, you'll be issued the necessary permits. I think everything will work out."

  "Thank you."

  "Come on Luten, I'll take you to the doctor."

  A couple of professors and Aura were waiting for me there. While the girl chatted sweetly with Elliot, I was being treated.

  Professor Wilmar examined my wounds with interest.

  "Yeah, buddy. You still have a lot to learn. You have quite a curious healing technique, but you should study the theory better. What magic do you use?"

  "As far as I understand, it's soul magic."

  His expression grew serious.

  "Wow, very rare. But — this is between us — better not spread word about it."

  "Why not?"

  "Here's the thing. First, you have a twin brother, but you have different magic, right? He, as far as I understand, wields metal magic, which is a subset of earth magic. For twins this is unusual: at birth they always have one predisposition, not such different ones... Second, soul magic itself. This isn't forbidden magic, of course. Because it's very hard to detect, many confuse it with demonic magic. So it's not well-liked. My advice: don't show it off in public."

  Aura cautiously approached us and the professor stopped.

  "Luten! I saw the fight. Are you... all right?"

  "I'll live."

  She paused, studying my face with unexpected attention.

  "Strange how quickly everything changes, isn't it?"

  Her voice sounded thoughtful.

  "Not long ago we were simple children at the estate."

  "Yes, time flies."

  She shook her head.

  "No, I'm not talking about time. About people. How they show their true face when they get power."

  Aura nodded toward the twins.

  "They enjoyed it. Did you see their eyes? This wasn't just sparring for them."

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  "Maybe you're exaggerating..."

  "Or maybe you're too kind? You know, medical books say the most dangerous wounds are those that don't hurt right away. A person thinks everything's fine, and then..."

  She didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

  "Take care of yourself, Luten. Not everyone deserves your kindness."

  Something in her tone made me wary. As if she knew more than she was saying. Or was preparing for something.

  "Anyway, you heard me. Now you should head to the dormitory."

  "What about uniforms?"

  "They'll be issued before the assembly of all first-years and graduates in the main hall."

  We thanked Professor Wilmar and went to get our room.

  The building looked ancient. Upon entering, it was immediately noticeable how clumsily they'd tried to add modernity to the interior. Floors were carpeted, hiding the creaking of old wood. The spacious hall with staircases on the sides and a massive dark wood counter looked magnificent despite its age.

  The stern dormitory matron looked up from her ledger.

  "Luten and Elliot, right?"

  "But we didn't even introduce ourselves."

  She gave us a pointed look.

  "You're too loud not to notice. I hope we can expect more peaceful behavior from you in the dormitory?"

  "Um... Of course, Ma'am."

  "You've been assigned room 228. Go to the locker on your floor — everything necessary for the room is there. Regarding rules: everything is fully indicated in the notes in your room. Curfew starts at ten PM and lasts until four AM. During this time I don't want to see anyone at the doors without an emergency situation. Using magic in the dormitory is strictly forbidden. In case of any violations, academic points will be deducted. Is everything clear?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Then welcome to the third dormitory! Make yourselves at home and have a good academic year. Don't forget: tomorrow at six AM all students must be in the academy's main hall."

  The room was located on the second floor, one of the very last ones. The room itself wasn't that big, but it contained a lot.

  By the main entrance stood a closet for outerwear. Opposite was a door to the bathroom, shared with neighbors on the left. The main part was divided into two sections by beds standing in the center. One was below, the second, slightly overhanging, was positioned higher, thereby forming a wall and creating a sense of privacy. Each bed had a desk and chair with necessary supplies.

  Elliot and I discussed the past day while he played with a metallic ball. The ball was in a semi-liquid state, so it shouldn't make loud noise.

  A couple minutes later there was a hole in the wall. Our neighbor had punched it... with his hand.

  A rough voice came through the hole in the wall.

  "If you bang that ball against the wall one more time, I'll shove it up your ass."

  Elliot stammered nervously.

  "Um... I apologize. Isn't destroying walls forbidden?"

  "No problem, I'll fix it."

  The hand disappeared, and the collapsed wooden wall was perfectly assembled again.

  "Looks like we'd better not make noise."

  "Yeah, got it."

  We exchanged glances and went to bed. Lying on the bed, I couldn't fall asleep immediately. Thoughts revolved around that strange girl. Was it a hallucination? Or something real? Maybe just consequences of fatigue and lack of magic? Or did I really see something else, connected to some other world?

  I tried to remember every detail of her appearance. White dress, wings... Gesture of silence. Everything looked as if it were a warning or sign. But what did it mean? Why did I see it specifically? What if this is the beginning of something bigger? And I just can't understand it.

  Anxiety grew, but fatigue prevailed. The feeling that something was beginning to change wouldn't leave me. I felt it inside, even if I couldn't explain it yet. Finally, I closed my eyes and forced myself not to think about it.

  In the morning we were awakened by sleep crystals by our beds. These were small stones that could be filled with energy before sleep, and when it ran out they began glowing and making sounds.

  Elliot shook me awake.

  "Luten, get up, it's time."

  We'd received a letter the evening before. Before the ceremony began, we were supposed to report to office 112 — the faculty room.

  "What do you think they're gathering us for?"

  "I don't think it's just us. Apparently they'll announce exam results early and issue uniforms."

  "I was thinking the same thing. That's why they sent us straight to the dormitory instead of for uniforms like other students?"

  "Most likely."

  As we expected, everyone who'd been called yesterday stood by the door. The Princess stood by the wall. Her snow-white hair lay just as beautifully on her shoulders. Some carelessness in her hairstyle showed she didn't often tend to herself personally.

  Her conversation partner was Cassandra Veil. Her dark chestnut hair was neatly combed back and tied in a strict ponytail. She had gray eyes and a sharp nose. Cassandra held herself straight — her bearing spoke of her habit of discipline and self-control. Her stern appearance was emphasized by impeccable posture and restrained clothing style.

  Nearby by the door, Darius nervously paced back and forth, not letting others forget his presence. He was medium height, but his athletic build with broad shoulders and strong arms revealed a fighter. Darius's face had sharp features: a square chin, pronounced cheekbones, and a straight, slightly crooked nose. Most likely Darius had broken it in one of his fights. His thick flame-auburn hair was cut short. He probably had a hot temper. His eyes — brown, almost black — darted from side to side.

  Rainer stood slightly apart by the window, trying not to draw attention to himself. Tall and thin, he seemed somewhat awkward in his movements, as if not completely confident in his own body. His green hair carelessly fell across his forehead, partially covering his gray-blue eyes, directed at the floor or to the side to avoid direct contact. Rainer's face had soft, delicate features.

  An expression of embarrassment or thoughtfulness often appeared on his face, like someone immersed in their own thoughts. Unlike the others, his appearance conveyed some uncertainty and pensiveness.

  "Luten, I'm catching stares."

  I barely heard my brother's whisper, but I also noticed people glancing at us. Cassandra looked at us with a very grim expression. Darius, on the contrary, only wanted to approach us, but then the office door opened.

  "So, everyone here? Please, come in."

  We entered the office and saw a fairly spacious faculty room. Each teacher had their own desk with stacks of papers. Six chairs stood in the center of the room.

  "Please, take your seats."

  Since we were last, we got the two leftmost chairs. The academy director stood before us. He had a gray beard and a wrinkled face. He wore a dark green tunic and slightly lighter green trousers.

  "Good morning, applicants. My name is Aldrin Ebercroft, I'm the director of Arcanum Academy. You are all this year's academy applicants. Based on your fight results, you all passed. We gathered you here to inform you of this in advance, but at the ceremony you'll all still be called to the podium before the entire academy, so be ready. On the table behind me you'll find your uniform sets with personal patches of your houses."

  "Why weren't we issued uniforms yesterday? It would have been easier to prepare for the ceremony in advance."

  I also wanted to ask such a question, but Cassandra beat me to it.

  " Evaluating each person's abilities took longer than we expected. As the future elite of the academy, you'll have your own uniforms, different from the regular ones."

  In designated rooms we changed into the issued clothing. I adjusted my collar with the academy emblem. It was a four-pointed star with small designs on each point. Each represented one of the main directions. On the other side was Alice's family crest. It was a red circle with an owl in the center and a royal crown above.

  The tunic itself, like the rest of the uniform, was dark blue. Like on the milk-white shirt, various golden runes were drawn on the sleeve endings. The trousers were tailored to my figure and fitted to my feet. The belt also featured various runes. Girls received skirts of the same color with different patterns instead of trousers.

  There was also uniform for training and expeditions. We were issued black-green jumpsuits, while the rest would be distributed when going on assignments.

  The morning ceremony was extremely boring for me. Many parents came to support their children's admission, as society is now beginning to reject magic. Thanks to the otherworlders, medicine and weapons became easily accessible to everyone. This, of course, significantly improved life, but the foundations of the world's ideologies are beginning to crumble.

  At the end of the huge hall stood a podium where the director delivered his speech.

  " We proudly present the chosen students who showed exceptional abilities and successfully passed the third exam. They are the academy's future."

  I and the other five chosen stepped forward.

  "These young people are not just students, but the future face of our academy. They proved themselves worthy continuers of traditions..."

  The director spoke of expeditions, of trials, of the future. I listened with half an ear.

  In the crowd I searched for the girl with wings. Foolish, but I couldn't stop myself. She was here—I felt it. Watching. Waiting.

  "Not yet time. But soon."

  Whatever that meant, I was ready. Or thought I was ready.

  Time would tell.