Life Goes On
Hazel, Evervine, and Marcel rose through the levels of Vertin Alley without much thought. It was like rising through a mall that spanned for miles in every direction. They were going to the Zenith Exchange—the Aetheric Ledger's branch on Vertin Alley.
Hazel exhaled heavily as she stepped off the levitating rails to take the final journey up to the highest level of Vertin Alley. She looked to Marcel. "Do you need any potions materials? I heard there is a new apothecary close to the bank."
Marcel perked up, but before he could speak, Evervine shot him a look. "Um, yes, I've got everything I need."
Hazel shrugged absent-mindedly, and the other two shared a knowing glance.
They stepped onto the final light-blue walk-elevator and rose through a bank of clouds to come face-to-face with the bank. The Zenith Exchange was a massive mansion made of a thick crystalline material, and it sat on a wide, dense sea of clouds. The doors were made of deep azure-colored glass and opened for them as they neared.
They entered and took seven crystalline steps up to the foyer—a massive space with floors and walls of blue crystal. There were seven windows positioned at the center of the far wall.
The bankers of Tan were the Nephilim. They all stood at least eight feet tall, with perfect forms and faces. Their eyes were like faceted diamonds, and they could see the fate-lines of other beings.
A tall, graceful Nephilim approached them. "Good morning. I will need you to please move to the windows. No loitering at the doors, plea—" The beautiful, androgynous being paused in shock. "My apologies, Fate-Seer. You have a secure account. Please move to the blue diamond door."
Hazel frowned, but the Nephilim didn't give her a chance to speak. The crystal floors shifted below the three friends, and they found themselves at a huge door with a large blue faceted stone placed in its center. Two large Nephilim stood to either side. One looked down at them with a frown. "Place your hand on the facets, and what you need will be given. If you do not have a secure account, you will be sent away."
Hazel paused; she didn't remember her father having a secure account. Tan currency was Aether-Shards, and her father usually pulled out enough for both of them. Now she had to do it herself.
Evervine saw her friend's hand slip to her side and nudged her. "They say you have a secure account. Come on, before we are late for the sorting. I want to see the new runts entering my house."
Both Evervine and Marcel had been made Ductors of their houses, and Evervine had already begun focusing on her duties. Hazel sighed, reached up, and placed her hand on a facet set high upon the stone.
Aether-Shards were a currency of spirituality; they were deposited into the soul and could be transferred from soul to soul or within crystal shards. Hazel's eyes went wide when the exact amount she wanted was deposited into her soul. She nodded, and Evervine and Marcel looked to her.
"Is that it?"
Hazel shrugged without looking at Marcel. "Seems so. I got all the Aether-Shards I need."
A Nephilim quickly approached them. "Fate-Seer, would you like to secure that artifact as well? It seems to be a very powerful item."
The Nephilim spoke calmly and politely, but the hairs still rose on the back of Hazel's neck. "Um, no. I want to create something with it."
The Nephilim nodded in excited agreement. "Of course you do. Of course you do. When you are ready, we have secure vaults that will be able to accommodate you."
Hazel thanked the Nephilim and hurried out. Evervine and Marcel laughed as they rode a walk-elevator back down. "You are a diviner, and divination creeps you out."
Hazel pursed her lips at Evervine's laughter. "But they see more than I do."
Marcel side-eyed her dramatically. "No, they don't!"
"Whatever! Aren't we trying to hurry back to school?"
The Star Academy Sorting Tree was a sentient being that had lived within the Tan Dimension for eons. Its planet was a great distance away, but its core was divination, just like most native beings of the dimension.
The house sorting of Star Academy occurred in the Great Hall right before the first dinner. The room was at the center of the great academy, shaped like an eight-point star. The great tree had leaves of blue for Samon House, red for Sof House, turquoise for Pilar House, yellow for Xason House, and purple for Tiron House.
But it also had leaves of other colors, and leaves that were a swirl of two colors. Just like people, divination was a fickle thing and, depending on a person's mood, they could fall into two or three houses on any given day.
It was up to the Sorting Tree to allow the student time to choose wisely. The student walked under the boughs of the great tree, and the multicolored leaves would fall upon them like large, glittering drops of rain. For a breath, the student would be in a shifting illusion. Within that breath, their choice was made, and when they awoke, a leaf would be in their hand—the color of their new house.