Outside starter pack for newbies

I glanced around, taking in the scene. Xiang, Mingyu, and the old man all appeared unscathed, their faces calm and composed.

"Ash, that was some good work done. Well done, everyone," Xiang complimented, her voice echoing in the stillness. She threw her arms in the air in a gesture of celebration, her face alight with excitement.

Meanwhile, Mingyu seemed to be in a world of his own. He ignored Xiang's words, his attention solely focused on the old man. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked the man up and down, a frown creasing his forehead. It was as if he had noticed something peculiar about the man, something that wasn't quite right. His silence hung heavy in the air, adding an element of mystery to the situation.

After a moment of contemplation, Mingyu finally broke his silence. His voice was firm and resolute as he addressed the old man, "Whoever you are under that cover, come out." The command hung in the air, a challenge waiting to be met. The tension was palpable as everyone waited for the old man's response.

With a swift flick of his finger, the old man activated a screen that materialized in front of him. The screen displayed a message, "To save tab and turn back to normal, click accept." Without hesitation, he clicked 'accept' and then began an agonizing wait.

"Gosh, why does it take so long?" he muttered under his breath, the frustration evident in his voice.

Suddenly, a brilliant light enveloped him, obscuring him from view. The room was bathed in its glow, casting long shadows on the walls. As quickly as it had appeared, the light receded, revealing not the old man they had come to know but a young gentleman. His transformation was as astonishing as it was unexpected.

"I'm Yìchén. Nice to meet you all," he introduced himself, giving a casual wave before rising to his feet. A timer materialized, displaying '3:00'. "So, 15 minutes left," he announced.

"Nice to meet you too," Xiang responded, sauntering over to him and casually resting her elbow on his shoulder.

"You guys know each other?" Mingyu asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed Xiang's familiar behavior.

"Nah, just met," Yìchén replied nonchalantly.

"15 minutes for what-" I began to ask, but before I could finish my sentence, a sudden realization hit me. My mind went into overdrive as I remembered the day's schedule. "Oh no! I completely forgot we're getting our dorms assigned today. I can't afford to be late like last year!" I exclaimed, recalling the trouble I had gotten into for being just a minute late. The memory of the master's harsh reprimand was still fresh in my mind.

Without a second thought, I bolted out of the gates, leaving behind the crowd of people who were standing outside. They were sweating, their faces etched with fear. I could feel their eyes on me, their gazes filled with confusion and curiosity. But I didn't let that deter me. I continued on my path, running as if my life depended on it.

Behind me, Xiang, Mingyu, and Yìchén were hot on my heels, keeping up with my frantic pace. We were a strange sight, no doubt, but at that moment, all that mattered was reaching our destination in time. The memory of last year's incident was a stark reminder of what was at stake. I couldn't afford to be late. Not this time

At the heart of this city lies the Grand Academy, a sprawling complex of ancient stone and modern steel. It's a beacon of knowledge and power, where students hone their abilities and prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.

To the east of the Grand Academy is the Arena of Valor, a vast fighting field encircled by towering walls. This is where students test their mettle against each other, under the watchful eyes of their mentors.

Further east, you'll find the Artisan's Alley, a bustling district filled with crafting factories. Here, students can learn to create everything from simple tools to complex magical artifacts.

To the north lies the Forbidden Forest, a place teeming with dangerous creatures and treacherous terrain. It serves as both a deterrent for those who dare to venture off the path and a training ground for those brave enough to face its challenges.

In the west, you'll find various guilds in Guild's Grotto. Each guild has its own unique focus, from combat to magic to stealth, offering students a chance to specialize in their chosen field.

To the south lies the Sanctum of Serenity, a facility dedicated to helping students improve their powers. With state-of-the-art equipment and experienced mentors, it's an ideal place for students to push their limits.

Scattered throughout this world are various unique landmarks - the Whispering Waterfalls, the Crystal Caves, and the Eternal Ember - each with its own unique properties and mysteries waiting to be discovered.

I darted past the Arena of Valor, my heart pounding in my chest. Taking a shortcut, I squeezed through a narrow alleyway that led directly to the Hall of Heraldry, the third largest hall in the Grand Academy. This grandiose hall was typically used for disseminating important information and distributing materials.

With a burst of adrenaline, I increased my pace, rushing past the imposing doors and into the back of a massive line of students. As I caught my breath, I looked around and spotted Xiang, Mingyu, and Yìchén. They were already there, looking back at me with amused expressions.

"Weren't they just behind me?" I wondered aloud, puzzled.

Xiang simply winked at me and said, "The teleportation spell, remember?" Her words brought back memories of our magical studies, and I couldn't help but laugh at my own forgetfulness.

In front of the hall, a large screen displayed a list of student numbers, each paired with a corresponding dorm assignment. My eyes darted across the screen, scanning the sea of numbers in search of my own. The anticipation built with each passing second as I navigated through the list, eager to discover my new dorm assignment.

Hae: Student Number - 10234, Dorm - D12

Xiang: Student Number - 10567, Dorm - D12

Mingyu: Student Number - 10789, Dorm - D12

Yìchén: Student Number - 10901, Dorm - D12

Mingyu mumbled, "Wow, just my luck," a hint of sarcasm in his voice. But then, he straightened up and announced, "Let's go. I'll be the guide." With that, he took the lead, ready to guide us to our new dorm. He pulled out his phone pulling up a map of the school.

Grand Academy:

Aegis Avenue: Main entrance corridor, lined with statues of notable alumni.

Basilisk Boulevard: Houses laboratories for magical creature studies.Celestial Causeway: Connects the astronomy tower to the main building.

Dragon's Drift: A winding corridor leading to the Arena of Valor.

Elysium Esplanade: A peaceful corridor with a view of the central courtyard.

Frostfire Freeway: Corridor leading to elemental magic classrooms.

Gorgon's Gallery: Display of historical artifacts and relics.

Hydra Hallway: Connects to the aquatic magic training rooms.

Icarus Isle: Elevated walkway leading to the flight training area.

Jade Junction: Corridor decorated with precious stones, leads to geology classrooms.

Kraken's Krevice: Underground tunnel leading to subterranean studies.

Labyrinth Lane: Maze-like corridor, used for navigation practice.

Merlin's Mile: Longest corridor, lined with portraits of famous wizards and witches.

Nimbus Nook: Cloud-shaped corridor leading to weather magic classrooms.

Oracle's Orbit: Circular corridor surrounding the divination tower.

Phoenix Passage: Corridor leading to healing arts classrooms.

Quicksilver Quay: Metallic corridor leading to alchemy labs.

Rune Ridge: A Corridor filled with ancient symbols, leads to rune studies.

Serpent's Stretch: Winding corridor leading to potion brewing classrooms.

Titan's Trail: Grand hallway leading to the Hall of Heraldry.

Dorm Building (D12):

The Dorm Building is a four-story structure with a central courtyard. Each floor has a common room and individual rooms for students.

Ground Floor: Common room with a fireplace, kitchenette, and study area.

First Floor: Rooms 1-10, each equipped with basic amenities and enchanted for personal customization.

Second Floor: Rooms 11-20, similar setup as the first floor but with a balcony overlooking the courtyard.

Third Floor: Rooms 21-30, these rooms have a loft-style layout with a view of the Academy grounds.

Rooftop: A small garden and recreational area for students to relax.

(This is just an overview of the layout)

The four of us huddled around the phone, our eyes scanning the digital map displayed on the screen. "No, that's not the map!" Xiang, Yìchén, and I exclaimed in unison, our voices echoing in the empty corridor.

"When did they change everything?" I asked, my mind racing to process the new layout. The familiar corridors and classrooms were replaced with unfamiliar ones. It was as if our school had undergone a complete transformation.

Yìchén was the first to break the silence. "During the witch trials they added more corridors and classes," he explained. His voice was calm, but I could detect a hint of surprise. "I knew they would change the setting, but I didn't expect it to be this extensive."

We all shared a moment of silence, taking in the magnitude of the changes. Our school was no longer the place we had left behind at the end of last term. It was a new world waiting to be explored.

Suddenly, a screen materialized in front of us. The glowing digits '4:00' were prominently displayed, indicating the time we had left to locate our dorms. The realization that we had such limited time sent a wave of panic through us. The enormity of the task ahead, coupled with the ticking clock, was overwhelming. In unison, we all let out screams of frustration. The race against time had begun.