Beyond The Imagination

"Brother, hurry up! We're going to be late!" Alicia's urgent shout pierced the calm of the morning in front of their house. Her face was tense with anxiety, her eyes fixed sharply on the front door.

Aray, still casually tying his shoes, glanced up lazily. "Relax, no need to rush." He continued with his task, completely unbothered.

Alicia rushed over to him, her steps quick and purposeful. "How can you be so calm? This is our first day of high school! If we're late, it'll leave a terrible first impression!" Her voice rose, fully reflecting her panic.

Aray shot her a half-amused, half-mocking look. "You're way too uptight. If you keep following the school's rules all your life, you're going to burn out." Though he spoke lightly, there was an unmistakable hint of sarcasm that made Alicia's face flush with frustration.

"You're so slow! Like a child learning to tie their shoes for the first time," Alicia grumbled, grabbing Aray's arm in a futile attempt to make him stand up faster.

Aray, still calm, flicked her forehead. "My shoelaces aren't tied yet," he said, pointing at his shoes. Alicia sighed, realizing her mistake, and quickly bent down to tie them for him.

"Done?" Aray bent slightly to check her work.

"Yes, now hurry!" Alicia stood up, trying to hide her anxiety. For Aray, being late was no big deal. But for Alicia, the first day of high school was something too important to mess up.

They started walking down the narrow road that cut through their neighborhood. Large houses lined both sides, a clear sign that the owners weren't ordinary people. Alicia paid no mind, but Aray glanced at each house with mild curiosity, wondering how their owners became so wealthy.

After a few minutes of silence, Alicia spoke again. "Brother, do you think we'll be in the same class?"

Aray barely turned his head. "I don't know. If you want it that badly, start praying." His response was short, expressionless.

Alicia nodded, though her face still showed uncertainty. "I'm just worried we'll be separated." She usually wasn't the worrying type, but today, something made her act more clingy than usual.

"Don't worry, you'll make plenty of friends," Aray said nonchalantly.

"I know," Alicia muttered softly, "But I'm worried about you. Isn't it about time you started hanging out with other people? We're in high school now."

Aray smirked slightly at her concern. "Hang out with people?" he asked, his tone sarcastic. "The more friends you have, the more you have to deal with. It's just a hassle." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, avoiding Alicia's gaze.

Alicia stopped in her tracks, clearly annoyed. "Fine. I won't bother you about it anymore," she snapped before speeding up, leaving Aray a few steps behind.

Aray watched her quickened pace, knowing that even though she was upset, Alicia's behavior came from a place of care. She really was the doting little sister, he thought.

By the time they arrived at school, the bell had already rung a few minutes earlier. Alicia glared at Aray. "See? We're late on the first day because you were too relaxed!"

Aray merely shrugged. "Maybe we're not that late. Let's just try going in." With no sense of guilt, he walked casually toward the school gates. Alicia, despite her reluctance, followed him.

However, a stern-looking guard stood at the gate, blocking their way. "You can't enter. Rules are rules," he said firmly.

Alicia, her face full of hope, tried pleading. "We're only a little late. Can't you make an exception?"

The guard didn't budge. "Even if a noble's child were late, I wouldn't let them in," he said, his sharp gaze locking onto both of them.

Aray snorted in disbelief. "Ridiculous," he muttered without thinking.

The guard's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?" he asked angrily. But before he could react further, Aray stared deeply into the guard's eyes, his focus intensifying.

Telepathy, a rare skill, allowed Aray to manipulate people's thoughts at will. In an instant, an invisible wave of magic flowed from his mind, piercing the guard's brain, altering a few memories in mere seconds.

The guard's eyes went blank for a moment before he snapped back to reality. "What are you standing around for? Get inside, quickly, before the bell rings," he said, as if completely forgetting that the bell had already rung.

Alicia looked at the guard, confused. "Before the bell rings?" she whispered, unsure of what had just happened.

"Let's go before he changes his mind," Aray nudged her forward, urging her to move.

As they passed through the gates, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl suddenly approached them. "Hey, did the bell really not ring yet?" she asked, panting slightly from running.

Alicia turned to explain. "I don't know. The guard tried to stop us, but then he suddenly let us in."

The girl chuckled. "That's weird," she mused. "Oh, by the way, I'm Vania Vasco. Nice to meet you!" She offered her hand with a bright smile.

"I'm Alicia Kenzie. You can call me Alicia. Nice to meet you too!" Alicia responded warmly, shaking her hand.

Meanwhile, Aray had already distanced himself from the conversation. "Don't mind me, I'll be heading in first." He walked off, uninterested in the social interaction.

Vania watched him go, puzzled. "He's so cold," she murmured.

Alicia gave a small smile. "That's my brother. He's a bit shy, don't mind him."

As Aray entered the large, trapezoidal building, the tension in the air was palpable. The new students stood in orderly rows, but their nervousness was evident on their faces. Macht ist alles—Power is Everything—was the name of the prestigious magic academy, a place where only a select few could train. Not everyone could wield magic, and only those with exceptional talent were admitted here.

The school had been established centuries ago with the goal of producing the greatest witches, wizards, leaders, and world rulers. For the students, being accepted here was both an honor and a great challenge. They had to constantly prove their worth to survive the school's rigorous curriculum. The philosophy was simple: Power rules everything—not just magical power, but also bravery, intelligence, and the will to endure under any circumstance.

Standing in the back row, Aray observed the scene with his usual indifferent expression. Meanwhile, Alicia, standing further up in the middle, felt a mixture of excitement and nerves. All eyes were on one person walking onto the stage—a student with striking white hair and blue eyese that gleamed under the auditorium lights.

"Will the representative for the new students please come to the podium?" the announcer's voice echoed, silencing the room instantly.

Devdan Bayanaka, a name already circulating among the new students, walked confidently to the podium. He was known not only for his striking appearance but also for his perfect performance in the entrance exams last year. Everyone knew he wasn't just an ordinary student.

As he stood before the crowd, the atmosphere shifted. Every eye was locked on him, including those of the teachers seated at the front. Devdan scanned the room for a moment before speaking.

"My fellow students," his voice was calm yet filled with confidence, carrying effortlessly through the room. "We all know this school stands on one simple principle: Macht ist alles. Power is everything. Here, we don't just learn magic. We learn how to survive, how to grow, and how to become the best."

A murmur ran through the crowd, but Devdan's voice held their attention.

"This school isn't for the faint of heart. Each of us standing here today is among the chosen, the strongest of the strong. But this is only the beginning. Getting accepted is just the first step. The real challenges start now."

His gaze sharpened, and the tension in the room thickened. "In the coming years, we'll face countless tests—not just academic, but physical, mental, and most importantly, moral. Not all of us will make it. Some will fall. Some will give up. And that's okay because in this school, only the strongest—the ones with the most determination—will survive."

The students' reactions were mixed. Some faces showed growing anxiety, realizing the uphill battle that awaited them. Others seemed motivated, their eyes lighting up with renewed energy. Alicia, listening intently, felt her heart race. Devdan's speech didn't just inspire her; it made her think about the obstacles ahead.

In the back, Aray watched in silence. To him, speeches like this were just a bunch of motivational fluff meant to ignite the dreams of people desperate to be heroes. But he knew that despite Devdan's confident words, even he understood the difficulty of staying on top at this school.

"We're not here to be average," Devdan continued, his voice growing stronger. "We're here to sharpen our abilities, to become the best. Some might think we've come here just to learn, but it's more than that. We've come here to change the world. You, standing here today, are the future. And that future won't come to you on its own. We'll have to fight for it."

Cheers erupted from the crowd. The speech had done its job; the freshmen were fired up. Even Alicia found herself clapping along with the others.

Aray, on the other hand, yawned, stifling his boredom. "That guy's way too serious," he muttered under his breath.

As the applause continued, Devdan glanced over the crowd again, as if assessing his competition. His eyes briefly locked onto Aray, but Aray didn't flinch or react, maintaining his indifferent stare. Their eye contact was brief, but it felt like a silent challenge—a recognition that they were now in the same game, though playing on different terms.

Devdan turned his gaze away, returning to the podium. "This is where it begins. Let's make it count."

As Devdan's final words echoed, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the assembly and the beginning of their new journey at Macht ist alles.

After the speech ended, Alicia approached Aray with a wide smile. "He was amazing, wasn't he?" she said, her eyes still sparkling with excitement from the speech.

Aray just shrugged, not sharing the same enthusiasm. "I thought you were still mad at me," he replied casually.

"It's the first day of school; I can't stay mad," Alicia said with a soft shake of her head. "Besides, weren't you even a little impressed?"

Aray gave a faint smile but didn't say anything. The two of them walked toward the class assignment board, leaving the auditorium, which was still buzzing with whispers about how impressive Devdan's speech had been.

When they arrived, a group of students had already gathered in front of the class list. Aray glanced at the board lazily and chuckled softly. Their conversation from the morning had come true. As expected, Alicia was placed in Unver Class—the class for talented students. Meanwhile, Aray, with a knowing smile, saw his name listed in Anfänger Class, the one for beginners.

Alicia looked a bit disappointed. "Too bad we're not in the same class."

Aray just shrugged. "I prefer it this way. Less attention, the better."

Alicia glanced at her brother with concern. "I still worry about you, though."

Aray smiled faintly. "Don't worry too much. You might die from it."

"What's that supposed to mean? You're so weird!" Alicia huffed, but anyone could see the small smile that crossed her face as she walked off toward her class.

Meanwhile, Aray headed toward his own class, hoping to be surrounded by quiet, unassuming people.

"Let's hope it's full of nerds," he muttered to himself.