Celestars started walking towards the auditorium as the announcement was going on for everyone to gather there.
Elyndor Academy's grand auditorium glowed under a ceiling of swirling mana threads, casting prismatic light across rows of polished wooden benches. The freshers' welcome ceremony buzzed with energy, hundreds of new students—mages, knights, and mage-knights—filling the space with chatter and nervous laughter. The Celestars sat near the front, their dorm's chaos forgotten as they took in the spectacle. Banners emblazoned with Elyndor: Where All Paths Shine fluttered above, and the stage held a long table where professors and senior students sat, their wands and weapons gleaming.
Lui adjusted his ruby-hilted sword, red eyes scanning the crowd. "Big turnout. Everyone's sizing each other up."
Iuro, Tofu buzzing softly on his shoulder, grinned. "Look at that fox girl over there—her tail's glowing! Think she's a light mage?"
Ishi, arms crossed, muttered, "Focus. This isn't a zoo."
Izumi, flipping through a welcome pamphlet, nodded. "Lots of talent here. Could be allies—or rivals."
Rick, clutching his blue wand, was only half-listening, his violet eyes darting to the side where Selene Veyra sat a few rows away. Her black hair shimmered under the mana lights, and she was chatting with a wiry human boy whose wand sparked with lightning runes. Rick's heart twinged, but he played it cool, straightening his tunic.
The ceremony began with a boom as Master Varyn, the principal, stepped forward—a tall man with a silver beard and a staff radiating starlight, his presence warm yet commanding. "Welcome, freshers!" he boomed. "Elyndor is your forge—craft your path, no matter your origin. Classes, clubs, and quests await. Shine together!"
The crowd cheered, and seniors on stage demonstrated spells—fire arcs, ice sculptures, and a wolf-eared girl's wind gust that sent papers flying. A grumpy noble in a velvet cape, his wand encrusted with emeralds, scoffed loudly. "Commoners won't last a week," he muttered, earning glares from a nearby owl-hybrid girl with feather-tipped braids.
Post-speech, the auditorium opened into a meet-and-greet, students mingling in a whirlwind of introductions. Iuro bounded toward the fox girl, who introduced herself as Kiri, a light mage from a forest clan. Her orange tail flicked as she showed him a glowing orb trick, Tofu buzzing in delight. "Your bug's cute!" Kiri said, grinning. "Ever tried plant-light combos?"
"Totally!" Iuro said, pulling out his green wand. "Let's test it in gardening club."
Lui and Izumi approached a pair of mage-knight twins—human brothers with short brown hair and matching iron wands. "I'm Torin, this is Kael," one said, shaking Lui's hand. "Heard you aced the team trial. Want to spar sometime?"
Lui nodded, a rare smile forming. "Count us in."
Ishi, lingering near a pillar, was approached by a lanky panther-hybrid boy named Zev, his claws etched with shadow runes. "You're the shadow guy, right?" Zev said, yellow eyes glinting. "Bet I could take you in a duel."
Ishi raised a brow, daggers flickering. "Try me."
Meanwhile, Rick spotted Selene by a refreshment table, pouring starfruit juice. He sauntered over, heart racing. "Hey, fancy seeing you here," he said, twirling his wand.
Selene smirked, her black eyes twinkling. "Not fancy enough to dodge your water disasters, water boy."
"It's Rick," he corrected, grinning. "And those were artistic splashes."
She laughed, handing him a cup. "Artistic, huh? Stick to spells, not floods."
Their banter flowed, Rick leaning closer as Selene teased his exam flop. "You almost drowned that diagram," she said. "Lucky I saved you."
"Lucky I'm charming," Rick shot back, earning a playful eye-roll.
Across the room, a hush fell as a girl with amber eyes and blonde hairs stepped forward to greet seniors— Chloe Silvamillion, the academy's star fresher, she was stunning with her perfect body figure. Her flora-healing wand glowed faintly, and her kind smile lit the room. Seniors swarmed, a lion-hybrid captain praising her rumored rejection of a prince. "Miss Chloe, join our healing club!" a senior begged. Chloe smiled, shy but poised, deflecting with a soft, "I'll think about it."
Rick didn't glance her way, too caught up in Selene's laugh. Selene noticed, her smirk softening. "Not chasing the crowd, huh?" she said, nodding toward Chloe. "Most guys would."
Rick shrugged, eyes locked on her. "Got better company right here."
Selene's cheeks pinked slightly, and she sipped her juice to hide it. "Smooth talker. We'll see if you keep up."
The meet-and-greet wound down, the Celestars regrouping with new friends—Kiri, Torin, Kael, and Zev—swapping stories of exam trials. The grumpy noble, named Darius, glared from a corner, muttering about "upstart guilds." The owl-hybrid girl, Lila, rolled her eyes at him, whispering to Iuro, "He's all bark."
As they left the auditorium, the spires glowed under the night sky, and Rick stole one last glance at Selene, who waved subtly. The Celestars felt the weight of new bonds—and rivalries—forming, their path at Elyndor just beginning.