Chapter 5 Starfall Academy

What has more beauty and terror then innocence. Leave your answer in the comments and I'll release an extra chapter

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As Jaylen stepped through the gate, an uncanny sensation swept over him, a feeling so familiar yet unsettling, one that defied normalcy.

"Lilith, did we just walk through–?"

"Yep, it's exactly what you think," Lilith interjected, her tone tinged with a hint of exasperation. "What did you expect? One of the four largest academies smack dab in the middle of the city? That would be stupid and harder to defend."

"Fair point," Jaylen conceded, though his expression betrayed his confusion. "I didn't think it would have a Dimensional Subspace of its own. It's not easy to get one after all; our family only has five, accumulated over thousands of years."

"Well, the academy specializes in magic related to celestial bodies, hence the theme," Lilith explained matter-of-factly, shooting Jaylen a look as if he should have known better.

"How big is it?" Jaylen pressed, his curiosity piqued.

Lilith hesitated before whispering, "The size of a planet."

"What? I couldn't hear you. Can you repeat that?" Jaylen leaned in, cupping his ear in an attempt to catch her words.

Once more, Lilith whispered, "Um, the size of a planet."

"WHAT! You said the size of a planet," Jaylen exclaimed in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the enormity of what he'd just heard.

Muttering to himself in disbelief, Jaylen couldn't shake his perplexity. "How did they get it? Those are exceedingly rare, even our own family has only one among the ancient families."

"Well, it's not completely a Dimensional Subspace," Lilith clarified. "They formed a contract with a small planet somewhere and created a spatial rift connecting it to Yonus at a fixed point. So it's not really a Dimensional Subspace, but they call it one to fool others."

"Oh, okay, that's a relief," Jaylen sighed, wiping away imaginary sweat from his forehead.

"Why were you so worried about them having a planet-sized dimensional subspace?" Lilith inquired, genuinely curious.

"Well, if you found out that someone had something that your family is supposed to have the only one of, then how would you feel?" Jaylen reasoned. "Plus, even though our family owns it, it's used by all the common empires for research and development."

"Huh, I didn't think of it like that," Lilith admitted, impressed by Jaylen's perspective. "As expected of the heir of the Orpheus family. Always thinking of the family."

"Are you trying to tease me, Lilith?" Jaylen retorted, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "And don't forget your position as the 8th branch family head."

"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Lilith relented, holding up her hands in surrender. "But on a more serious note, you should really hurry to the auditorium so you're not late."

"You're not coming with?" Jaylen asked, surprised.

"Nope, none of the upperclassmen will be staying for orientation. We all have things to do before the term officially starts," Lilith explained.

Nodding in understanding, Jaylen prepared to depart. "Tell me the way then."

Pointing in the direction he needed to go, Lilith provided detailed instructions. "If you follow this path and turn left twice, then right once, and continue forward, you'll get there."

"Thanks, Lilith. See you later," Jaylen said, waving as he began to walk away.

"Yeah, see ya," Lilith replied, returning the wave before heading off in her own direction.

After making the last turn, Jaylen is immediately greeted by an imposing proscenium-shaped building. Crafted from polished marble, the exterior exudes an air of elegance and sophistication, drawing the eye to the two towering golden doors that serve as the gateway to its inner sanctum.

'This is the only building here I must be in the right area. Hmm what is this warm feeling I get from standing here.' pondering this, Jaylen's gaze happens to go up causing him to see a giant star above the entrance.

Above the entrance, a celestial marvel awaits, a giant star intricately inscribed into the marble façade. Each point of the star represents a fragment of a miniature star, captured within a magical array that harnesses and contains its radiant heat, casting a warm and inviting glow upon all who enter.

'Whoa, that's so cool this is definitely the right place. Let's go in then.' Taking a step forward, Jaylen walks through the golden doors entering the auditorium.

Stepping through the golden doors, Jaylen is enveloped by a sense of wonder and awe as the interior unfolds before him. The walls, also hewn from marble, bear witness to celestial splendor. Life-like portraits of the avatars of the constellations adorn the space, their gaze seeming to follow your every move with an otherworldly intensity. Each painting is framed by golden marble pillars, standing as guardians to the cosmic artistry that surrounds them.

'Whoa it's a little bigger than the ballroom back home and definitely looks better too.' Jaylen couldn't help but to think of home as the only other place he could possibly compare this sight to.

"Hello, are you a new student here?" a smooth voice questioned from next to him.

"Huh." Turning his gaze was met with a red-haired girl wearing a similar outfit to Lilith with a slight difference. Instead of the balance scale a red scorpion took its place, who spoke, surprised he did notice her before.

As Jaylen locked eyes with her, he was drawn into a mesmerizing gaze, captivated by the enigmatic depth of her singularly lined pupil. It seemed to pierce through the veil of reality, beckoning him into a trance-like state.

Suddenly, as if snapped back to consciousness by an unseen force, Jaylen shook himself from the trance, a surge of awareness coursing through him. Blinking rapidly, he refocused his attention, the intensity of her gaze lingering in the recesses of his mind. "Oh, yes, I am," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of lingering awe and confusion.

'She must have a part of her from one of the many races good at seduction, only they have the capability to mesmerize me for that long after all members of my family can't be seduced.' 

"Okay then, can I please have your name so I can tell you where your seat is located." she says with a bright smile.

"Yeah sure, it's Jaylen Orpheus." he answered with a smile of his own.

A shocked expression briefly appeared on the girl's face before quickly fading, replaced once again with a smile. "In the center of the front row is where your seat is located," she informed him.

"Thank you very much for your help." taking his eyes off of her for a second he turns back to trying to thank her for her help but she has already gone to help the next student.

As Jaylen made his way to his seat, he couldn't help but marvel at the swift and silent movements of the mysterious figure he'd just encountered. "Wow, she moves fast," he muttered to himself, a tinge of awe in his voice. Once again, her movements had gone unnoticed by his ears, leaving him to wonder at the enigma she presented.

Amidst the shuffle of students settling into their seats, the buzz of conversation gradually reached Jaylen's ears. Nearby, two boys exchanged excited whispers, their voices carrying over the classroom's ambient hum.

"Hey dude, I heard all four Ancient families are sending students here this year," one of them exclaimed eagerly, his words tinged with anticipation.

"Yeah, I heard that too," his companion chimed in, sharing the same fervor.

A glimmer of hope danced in the first boy's eyes as he pondered the prospect. "I wonder if I'll be able to befriend one of them?" he mused aloud, his voice tinged with longing.

But his friend's response was less optimistic, dripping with mock derision. "Dude, you wish. They'll never bat an eye in your direction," he retorted, dashing his friend's hopes with a blunt dose of reality.

Further ahead, two girls engaged in their own hushed conversation, their voices carrying a different tone of anticipation.

"I wonder if anyone from the Orpheus and Astros family would be willing to teach me more in-depth about dark magic or fire magic?" one of the girls sighed wistfully, her eyes reflecting a deep-seated desire for knowledge.

Her friend nodded in agreement, the fire of hope burning bright within her gaze. "Yeah, I heard all the members of this family are very proficient at magic," she affirmed, her voice brimming with excitement at the prospect of learning from the best.

As Jaylen reached the front row, he noticed two other individuals already seated nearby.

Closer to the aisle sat a girl with light red hair, her bangs obscuring most of her face save for the glasses perched atop her nose. Engrossed in a large book titled "Alchemical Analysis," she seemed wholly absorbed in her reading, lost in the world of academia.

Two seats away, a boy with dark red hair caught Jaylen's attention. Two distinctive horns protruded through his hair, marking him unmistakably as one of demon lineage. His posture exuded an air of nonchalant relaxation, with one leg stretched out and arms crossed, his eyes closed in apparent repose.

Passing them with a final sweep of the almost empty hall, Jaylen's thoughts turned inward. 'I still have some time,' he mused to himself. 'I guess I'll do some meditation to stabilize my cultivation.'

Seating himself, Jaylen closed his eyes, letting the quiet of the hall envelop him as he prepared to delve into the depths of his own mind.

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Chapter End

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One of the Chapters Edited out of order.