Chapter 24: First Day

The hum of the taxi was steady beneath us, but my focus drifted to the glossy brochure in my hands. The school's crest gleamed faintly under the light, bold and polished, as if establishing its prestige. My fingers traced the embossed letters “St. Elms Academy” as I flipped through and scanned the pages, each color-coded into distinct sections.

My eyes traced the design on the pages. Three bold streaks of color slashed across the white paper, brown, blue, and black, like they were branding you before you even stepped through the gates.

The brochure dressed it up in polished words, talking about “individualized education” and “personalized pathways,” but under all the flowery language, it was just categorization. Neatly sorting students into where they’d see fit.

Nora’s voice broke the steady hum of the taxi. "Going through that brochure again?" she asked, her tone light, but I could feel her eyes on me.

I shrugged, fingers still brushing over the raised letter. "Just… trying to wrap my head around it."

Nora leaned closer, her warmth brushing against my side. "It’s not that complicated," she said, plucking the brochure from my hands with ease. Her fingers tapped the brown streak. "You’ll be in Tera, that’s where they put the tame ones. They’re not too dangerous, if you can play nice in society. That’s where you’ll be."

I didn’t miss how she stressed that last part.

Her nail slid down to the blue stripe next. "Ferox. That’s for the ones who bite. Literally, sometimes." Her lips curled slightly. "Predators. Monsters with an appetite and no self-control. You’re not gonna cross paths with them much, and that’s a good thing."

Her thumb brushed over the black slash at the bottom. "Eclipse," she said. "It’s for those with special abilities, people who have the potential to do something more. They guide us to understand and control our gifts better.

“It’s not just about power, though," she added, her voice growing warmer. "It’s about refining what makes us unique. They believe that with the right guidance, we can reach our full potential and… maybe even do things no one else can."

I glanced at her, curiosity tugging at my thoughts. "And… what about your gift?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Nora’s expression softened, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Still untapped," she admitted, her fingers idly toying with the hem of her skirt. "They say I have the potential for something… but no one’s really sure what it is yet."

She shifted slightly closer, her warmth brushing against my side. "It’s not like I can shoot fire from my hands or read minds." Her voice lowered a bit, like she was sharing a secret. "But they wouldn’t have placed me in Eclipse if there wasn’t something special, right?"

As the taxi rolled smoothly down the road, I found myself staring out the window, scanning the horizon for any sign of the academy. All I saw were massive buildings stretching far into the distance, their sleek, towering forms blending into one another. It felt more like we were entering a city than a school.

I frowned, still not spotting anything that looked remotely like a campus. “Hey… where’s the academy?” I asked, glancing toward Nora.

She smiled faintly, like she’d been waiting for me to ask. “You’re looking at it.”

I blinked, turning back to the window. “Wait… this? This is the academy?”

Nora let out a soft, amused breath. “St. Elms isn’t just some ordinary school. It’s basically its own district. Everything you see…” she gestured toward the rows of grand, sprawling structures, “...is part of it.”

I stared out again, trying to wrap my head around it. The roads branched out into endless pathways, each lined with buildings of varying sizes. Buildings, research centers, dorms, even what looked like a shopping district further ahead. The sheer scale of it left me speechless.

“This place is as big as a city!” I blurted out, still struggling to believe it.

Nora laughed softly under her breath, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Well, when you’re accommodating different branches and thousands of students, a regular campus isn’t going to cut it. You’ll get used to it.”

Nora's fingers trailed up, brushing against my hair as she adjusted the strands over my forehead.

“Remember what I said earlier,” she murmured, her tone gentler now but no less firm. “Don’t get too close to people. Don’t stand out.” She tilted her head, scanning my face with quiet intensity. “It’s better that way.”

Her fingers lingered, carefully shifting my bangs until they fell over my eyes, casting a slight shadow across my face. “There.” She smiled faintly, but something about it didn’t feel playful. “Now you look better.”

My eyes glanced at the rearview mirror. If anything, I looked like I’d just crawled out of bed.

A quiet sigh escaped me as I leaned back against the seat.

“I’ll miss you, you know,” I admitted.

Nora’s expression softened immediately. Without a word, she leaned in, pressing a warm kiss against my cheek. The tenderness of it caught me off guard, and before I could react, her arms wrapped around me, holding me close.

“I’ll miss you more,” she murmured against my ear. Her voice, usually so teasing or sharp, held a warmth that settled deep into my chest. She didn’t let go right away. Her embrace gradually tightened, “I’ve always missed you when you weren’t with me.”

Her face closed in on me again, giving me another kiss on my cheek, this time slower. "I’m really, really going to miss you," she said softly, her breath warm against my skin.

I shifted uncomfortably in her embrace, feeling the heat rise to my face. Out the window, a few students were already gathering near the school gates, chatting and laughing as they passed by. The sight made my pulse quicken. I could already imagine the stares if anyone saw us like this.

“Nora,” I muttered, trying to gently push her away. “People are gonna see…”

Instead of letting go, she only tightened her hold, her fingers curling possessively around my waist. A playful hum escaped her lips. "So? Let them." Her voice dipped lower, brushing her hand against my hip. "Or… are you embarrassed of me, big brother?"

My cheeks burned hotter. "That's not-" I tried to create distance but her grip remained firm.

She laughed lightly, the sound low and sweet. "I am gonna miss how you get flustered too," she whispered, nuzzling her face against my neck one last time before finally releasing me.

I shot her a look, still warm with embarrassment as I smoothed down my uniform. "I don’t know what to do with you," I grumbled under my breath, but the corners of my mouth twitched despite myself.

“And yet,” she leaned back against her seat, landing her head on my shoulder, “you still can’t get enough of me."

The taxi soon slowed to a stop near a sprawling courtyard, and Nora gave my hand one last squeeze before the driver pulled back onto the road. The driver glanced back, waiting to pull away, but she didn’t move just yet.

Her eyes faltered as they met mine. Then, in a quiet, almost reluctant voice, she murmured, “Take care… I love you.”

I squeezed her hand gently, meeting her gaze. "I love you too," I said.

Her lips curled into a faint smile, but there was still that shadow of hesitation in her eyes. Before I could say anything else, I slipped out of the car, feeling the warmth of her touch still on my skin.

As I closed the door behind me, the car eased back onto the road. I stood there, watching as her figure grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared around a bend, leaving me alone in front of the towering academy.

The structures of St. Elms stretched high above me, the sheer scale still making my head spin. I exhaled, turning toward the entrance. The lobby was grand, like I had just stepped into some resort rather than a school.

Sleek marble floors stretched across the hallway. Students bustled around, their chatter filling the space as I made my way toward a large map mounted on the wall. My eyes scanned over, trying to make sense of the layout. My class was supposed to be somewhere on the east side, but the twisting corridors and endless blocks made it a bit difficult to figure out.

Where am I supposed to go?" I muttered under my breath, squinting at the complicated display.

"You lost or something?" a voice chirped from beside me.

A girl about my age stood there, grinning widely. Her light blue hair was messy, cut short with uneven strands falling over her forehead. Round, furry ears twitched slightly on the sides of her head, and a thin, hairless tail flicked behind her.

She had sharp, twitchy energy, like she was ready to bolt at any moment, but her amber eyes gleamed with curiosity. Her uniform looked a little rumpled. With her rounded ears and hairless tail, I guessed she was some kind of rat girl.

I immediately remembered Nora’s warning: Avoid people.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to sound casual. “Just figuring things out.”

“Yeah, sure you are," she snorted, leaning in a little closer to the map. "You’re definitely lost. First time here?”

I forced a smile, hoping this conversation wouldn’t last long. “Something like that.”

“Well, lucky for you, I’m a pro at this,” she declared, tapping the map with a finger. “2-C huh? It’s down that corridor, take a left past the garden thing, and you’re golden.”

“Thanks,” I said, shifting my weight and preparing to leave.

But she wasn’t done.

“Oh hey, wait up! I’m heading there too,” she blurted, already stepping in line beside me. “Man, this place is a maze when you’re new. I had no clue where to go my first week, and the upperclassmen love messing with fresh faces. You are a new student, right? You gotta be. Haven’t seen you around.”

I bit back a sigh. So much for a quick escape. “Yeah… first day,”

Her face lit up with even more curiosity. “Nice! You’re joining Class 2-C, yeah? That’s my class. What’s your name?”

“Markus,” I answered, hoping she’d run out of steam soon.

“Cool, cool. I’m Kael. You picked a weird time to transfer, though. Mid-term’s rough. What’s your deal? Parents work here or something? And seriously…” Her eyes squinted slightly as she leaned in, inspecting me too closely. “What’s up with your hair? It’s all messy.”

I knew it, I groaned internally.

I kept my steps brisk, hoping Kael would take the hint and leave me alone. She didn’t.

"So, where'd you transfer from?" she asked, her tail twitching slightly as he strolled beside me.

I hesitated. "Out of town," I said vaguely.

"Ooh, mysterious," she grinned, undeterred. "What, your old school not cool enough for you? Or did your parents pull some strings to get you in here? St. Elms is kinda elite, you know. Well, unless you're in Tera. They’re a bit more relaxed." She nudged my shoulder like we were already friends. "Guess that means you're one of the chill ones."

"Guess so," I muttered.

"Man, you're all kinds of quiet," she mused, tilting her head. "Not much of a talker, huh?"

I shrugged, hoping she’d let the silence stretch long enough for me to break free.

Kael laughed under her breath. "You're lucky you ran into me, then. Most people here? Totally uptight. But me? I’m super understanding." Her voice took on a mock-serious tone as she gestured to herself. "Patient. Generous with my time. I’m basically a saint."

Great, I thought, biting back a sigh. A saint who doesn’t know when to shut up.

“And hey, since I’m so understanding, I won’t ask too many weird questions,” she continued, like she was doing me a favor. “I mean, except for the hair thing, seriously, dude, what’s up with it? You got a rebellious phase going on, or what?”

“It’s just hair,” I said flatly, wondering if I could fake a sudden stomachache to escape her.

"Right, right, ‘just hair,’" she echoed, making air quotes. "Hey, no judgment. You do you. I respect that."

"And if you need a guide, I’m your gal," Kael added, spreading her arms wide like she was offering a blessing. "I know all the shortcuts. Seriously, this place is massive, you could probably get lost for days. And trust me, you don’t wanna stumble into the Ferox wing unprepared. Those guys? Freakin' wild."

I swallowed back another sigh and gave a stiff nod. "Noted."

Kael, oblivious to my suffering, just kept talking.

Meanwhile, I had already mentally checked out and was halfway through planning my dream vacation to a place where no one could talk to me for the next 5 minutes.