In a blur of faint black light, Asher, Finch, and William materialized within a long, gleaming hallway. The trio immediately recognized the surroundings: this was the same corridor that led to the hall where their orientation had been held, the space where the Principal and Vice Principal had addressed them just days ago.
Asher's sharp purple eyes swept the hallway, noting the steady arrival of students, one after another. Some wore expressions of excitement, their enthusiasm nearly tangible. For many, this conference was more than a gathering, it was an opportunity to gain free points, a commodity of immense significance within the Academy. After all, in a place where merit and ranking determined every aspect of a student's life, points were not merely a measure of progress; they were the lifeblood of ambition. And beyond the conference, classes would resume tomorrow, reasserting the structured rhythm of their academic existence.
