The Academy felt different today.
It was the final day of orientation week, and for the first time, students from all six houses—House Vale, House Ember, House Hollow, House Draven, House Ignis and House Thorn—were to attend integrated classes. It was the beginning of the real curriculum, a taste of the true mystical melting pot that was Arcarnis Academy.
Seraphina stood silently in front of the towering onyx doors of the Hall of Foundations. Her fingers nervously traced the edge of her sleeve, hiding the birthmark that had burned faintly since her vision in the library. The silver strands in her once-brown hair shimmered beneath the sun's early light. Violet eyes, once brown, now carried the secrets of her lineage—mysteries still unfolding.
Beside her, Cam adjusted her satchel, her vibrant red curls pinned up into a high bun. She nudged Seraphina with her elbow and offered a wry grin.
"You ready for this? All houses. All species. No filters."
Seraphina arched a brow. "Should I not be?"
Cam's smirk deepened. "It's not about being ready. It's about not being eaten—figuratively. Or literally."
That earned her a rare laugh from Seraphina.
The two girls stepped into the hall—and it was like stepping into another realm entirely.
The Hall of Foundations was massive, with arched stained-glass windows that painted the floor in moving sigils of light. The room buzzed with tension, curiosity, and the occasional growl. Hundreds of students filled the space—each one radiating something otherworldly.
Seraphina's sharp gaze picked them out one by one:
A tall vampire from House Hollow leaned against a pillar, his hair obsidian black, lips stained faintly red, eyes glinting with an amused sort of hunger as he tracked every movement in the room.
Two sirens from House Tone whispered to each other in a melodic language, their silver-blue skin glistening like scales beneath their robes, their laughter echoing with hypnotic beauty.
A broad-shouldered werewolf from House Driven cracked his neck, golden eyes flashing, every movement loud and assertive, his wolf barely restrained beneath his skin.
A demon hybrid from House Ember hovered slightly off the ground, fire tattoos pulsing across his arms in sync with his heartbeat. His horns glinted under the light, his energy unsettling but mesmerizing.
And near the front sat a quiet, ethereal angelic being, wings folded tightly behind his back. His gaze was piercing, unnervingly gentle, and when his eyes met Seraphina's, something ancient stirred in her blood.
And yet, she didn't feel out of place.
Not anymore.
There were others like her—students who didn't fit cleanly into one box. Mixed-bloods. Half-breeds. Lost lineages awakening. Some carried visible signs—odd-colored eyes, magical tattoos, whispers clinging to their skin. Others simply felt… different.
"Integration," Cam whispered, her tone now more reverent. "This is where alliances are forged… and enemies made."
Just then, the room dimmed as Professor Astelle appeared at the front—her robes billowing like smoke, her voice laced with raw power.
"Welcome, initiates. Today marks the end of your safety... and the beginning of truth," she said, her silver eyes glowing. "Today, you begin to unlearn what you think you are. And remember what you were born to become."
Chills spread across the room.
Seraphina took a slow breath, steadying the storm within. This was no longer about survival. It was about transformation.
A voice echoed in her head—not her own.
"The blood remembers. Even if you don't."
She didn't flinch.
Cam leaned in, whispering playfully, "You've got your 'destiny face' on again."
Seraphina offered a ghost of a smirk. "Get used to it."
The room erupted in magic as the lesson began—and the girl who once hid behind the shadows of House Vale stepped into the light of something far greater.
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