01. Welcome to the VIA

After hundreds of years of war, peace finally emerged. Amongst the chaos and suffering of many different species, the humans who were on the verge of extinction, getting involved in the crossfire, begged for the beasts and monsters to cease their fighting.

The wars started from the beginning of dawn but only came to light publicly when things had escalated. Thus, they no longer hid from humans. The countless loss people were far too many to ever count within human history, hence deeming the event the "Darkness Amongst the Interspecies Light." Barely any humans survived, tribes went extinct, and some had lost more than they bargained for amongst the hundreds to nearly a thousand years of war they called their own daily life continuing on despite never knowing when the end would truly come.

At least, that's what Raphaël knew of it. The end of the war and a peace treaty signed by one of each leaders, including humans, stating to cease and try to live amongst each other and further notice, the Hope of the People treaty.

He hadn't actually known much. Records were lost in history for the humans as they were unable to leave. A safe shelter in the village far off that everyone had strayed away from, deep inside a forest.

A small population of barely a hundred remained and only now started to repopulate. His grandfather stood at the negotiation centre and spoke of it highly to him. Honestly he wished he never had to come to the VIA but he was the only child of age.

All adults were now elders, and the little ones were barely five making him one of the only candidates, especially due to his position. Truthfully almost all humans were related to him in that village, probably a fourth, but that still that not sway the mind of the old man.

Viperfort Interspecies Academy. A place of great prestige ran by the headmaster and man of wyverns. He proposed the treaty and created the safe space.

Raphael did not like it one bit. The second he left the village he was thrust to a nine hour travel before rest and continued for many weeks. He had heard once his humans had technology of great advancements but now it was lost in literature hard to get your hands on.

Due to the battlefields machines had to stop being made as a waste of resources. Still, couldn't he have gotten something like a portal?

That was not the worst of it but the beginning. He knew he would have to live on campus but not about roommates. The second he got to school he got glares and curious stares as though he were a piece of meat.

Humans, the very bottom of the food chain. Although not extinct they were on the verge, he knew, very well.

Their skin was not bulletproof and they were little, could not regenerate limbs, did not stick out, held no magic, and could not defend theirselves if a dragon walked up to them and demanded their money.

Raphael almost shook just thinking about it as he walked to his room. The people around him were not only bizarre, but extremely scary and way too many at once for a school as he was one of the ten to thirteen kids where he came from. The house would be near, he figured in the very least according to the map which was nearly an hour walk due to it being not to scale and avoiding the public.

A large castle, well actually it wasn't too large. The VIA buildings all looked like magnificent castles he heard of through tales, but this was much more toned down. In fact, it was nearly surprising. Definitely larger than any village house but quite small for different people.

The exterior had an abundance of vines which reminded him of his old village, which nearly made him feel relief. It looked a bit old with white-black schemes and differing shades of brown, it seemed made of solid wood. It wasn't a solid shape, but seemed to have a larger first floor, with terraces on the second.

He was told rooms were separate so just how tiny were they? At most only eight on the floor top and bottom, he'd thought as he read the list of accommodations. Laundry room, kitchen, bathroom, dining room, closet, bedroom, storage, study room, library, indoor gym, shared commons, magic room for potions, a pantry, and at the very bottom read indoor garden, indoor pool, and indoor beast room (?), and an indoor office for other roommates along with himself as requested ahead of time, with a giant notice of bathrooms are separate and if they don't work just use a roommate's for some time.

He wasn't sure exactly who they were, or how many there were other than him but considering all the rooms listed, with a private bathroom each, the rooms must be small to fit multiple people in at once, right?

He had never actually lived in a house this large, the village was quite small to stray away from the outside world, so it was still an upgrade he supposed. As long as he received his indoor office, he would be happy in the end.

With a deep sigh he prepared himself to enter his room with his limited luggage. He had came in his casual attire, and when traveling campus saw all the different types of people around. Each had their own unique style, and even people of similar races yet different tribes dressed differently, it would be hard for him to tell them apart when they all wore their uniforms.

He managed to finally prepare himself to enter, and knocked on the door in case anyone was behind, before entering. After opening the door, a strong sensation hit him. He had felt it the first time he left the village, but now it felt overpowering.

His legs buckled as he gasped for air clutching at his throat and scratching. He could barely move as his eyes twitched before it finally relented although it was only a mere forty seconds.

"What a frail creature." A man with long silvery white hair and ice blue eyes says before turning on his heel. He wore a long sleeve-like garment that nearly touched the floor when he walked and was stunning. His hair too, nearly reached the carpet of the rug he was standing on if it weren't for the hairpieces in his head tying his hair up all the way.

His body was much paler than the average person's, leading him to believe that was very much not a human but a vampire. He couldn't his fangs thanks to the sleeves over his mouth, but he had a feeling. "Ahem." Someone coughed.

Turning, he craned his neck again and saw a second man with grey-like hair and a blue streak at the top. That man was huge for a vampire but this one was much larger. He could see fangs and a tail. "Uhm, sorry." He said while moving out of the way.

Vampires do not have tails was his first instinct but he could not think of any other species. To be fair, humans do not often see other people since they do not leave the village. The man had striking red eyes and carried an air of confidence.

He walked passed as though the air had no affect on him and did not bother to pay anymore mine to him. Instead, he only growled, "sounds like the vampire king, tch." Confirming two suspicions.

The first was a vampire, but what he did not expect was for the king of vampires to not only be attending but actually living as his roommate. Secondly this man was definitely not a vampire. He was hostile to them, leading to a few different conclusions from his tone. Perhaps he was one of the few who were still at war with vampires before the ordeal?

Dusting himself, the tour continued. He took care of his luggage and gripped it tightly under his arm, trying to calm his nerves as he had no clue where he was actually going, only he had a list. He knew his room was O4, at the very least. The only student that had the number four in his id.

His first impression was bad with not only one roommate, but the third as he wandered into the kitchen. A small child who had cotton candy pink hair with peach eyes and a thin body. "You don't need to help me, idiot." The boy said as he reached for a plate he had been trying to grab, taking him aback.

Was that a fairy? Perhaps an elf by the looks but this child definitely didn't seem in college. He was just trying to be nice! "Ah sorry, whoopsy!" The pink-haired boy said with a smile and it was like hearts were in his eyes. Did… he just do a personality change?

"No worries…" he said trying not to offend the thing. He knew better than to get mixed up with not only his roommate, but a creature who with one flick crush his entire body in some sort of twisted idea.

In mind and body, the people around him could obliterate him. The thought terrified him and he didn't want to show it but the nerves of never seeing kids nor non-humans were scary.

He originally rejected but only agreed for the indoor study! He knew books were rare but at a school with actual knowledge… he just couldn't refuse.

"Are you alright?" The boy giggled before reaching up and patting his head. He felt his eyes familiar as though a specific being would gave them but he couldn't remember.

Nothing about his appearance gave anything away either. "It's just my first time around so many kids." He said with a smile as the young boy glared.

"Not a kid, I'm older than you. If I were in my true form you'd see me as long as a whale, the true king amongst sea dwellers and best of all, truly tall." he muttered.

It suddenly clicked. "King of the sea?" He asked while looking down at the boy who tilted his head to the side.

Everyone here was a representative for their respective people, "You have never heard about us Merfolk? Perhaps you're a dwarf who ate too much- but the king of dwarves is tiny." He put his sleeve to his lips.

Human… the only human and thereforth the only representative available was him as he was the grandson of the geezer. His eyes widened and shook as he realised his position amongst all at the house, the weak human with a vampire king, the merfolk prince, and the leader of a whole separate specimen who were insanely tall and rivaled vampires!