The projection above the dais flickered, threads of glyphs folding inward until they reformed into a new lattice—tiered, structured, deliberate. Columns of pale-blue light stretched upward, each one etched with names waiting to be filled.
Archmage Selenne extended her hand toward it, her voice smooth, crisp, absolute.
"Within these walls, as I am Magister, so too will you bear rank. Not merely as students, but as competitors. This is how we measure you. How we track your growth. How we decide what doors open for you—and which remain shut."
The first tier flared, letters etching themselves into the air.
"Initiates. All of you begin here. This is your foundation. You are given full access to lectures, basic cultivation chambers, and the standard dueling grounds. It is the ground floor of the Academy. Do not mistake it for comfort—it is only where you begin."
A second tier glowed above it, lines branching like steps upward.
