The room was better than William expected.
That wasn't praise.
It was surprise.
He stepped inside slowly, letting his eyes move across the space. Two beds on opposite sides of the room. Two desks. Shelves built into the wall. A narrow wardrobe near the corner. One tall window overlooking the courtyard outside.
Simple.
Clean.
Suspiciously normal.
"…I was expecting chains," Kai said behind him.
"You complain when things are bad," William replied. "Now you complain when they're decent."
"I'm staying consistent."
"That's not what consistency means."
Jonah walked past both of them and dropped his bag beside the bed closest to the window.
No discussion.
No hesitation.
Kai pointed immediately.
"See? That's what he does. He just claims things through confidence."
Jonah sat down.
"It worked."
Kai looked offended.
"…I dislike that answer."
William tossed his own bag onto the remaining bed.
"So we're all in one room?"
Mara stood by the door, expression unchanged.
"For now."
William stared at her.
"That phrase is becoming violent."
"You'll survive."
"Everyone here says that like it's guaranteed."
"It isn't."
Kai slowly turned toward William.
"I officially miss normal school."
"You got suspended twice."
"That's unrelated."
Mara stepped further inside.
"You'll remain here until placement."
"Placement where?" William asked.
"Classes. Housing. Evaluations."
Kai frowned.
"Evaluations sounds rude."
"It usually is."
Jonah finally looked up.
"When?"
"This afternoon."
"That's soon," William said.
Mara glanced at him.
"Yes."
He sighed.
"Of course it is."
She reached into her coat and placed three thin metal bands on the desk.
"Wear these."
Kai took one carefully.
"…If this explodes, I want it noted I was against it."
"It won't explode," Mara said.
"That sounds like something said before explosions."
William picked his up.
The metal was cool, lighter than it looked. No markings except a small line that glowed faintly when it touched his palm.
He frowned.
"…What does it do?"
"Tracks location. Restricts certain doors. Alerts staff if you attempt something dangerous."
Kai froze.
"Attempt?"
"Or succeed."
"…I don't like this bracelet."
"It isn't jewelry," Mara replied.
William slid it onto his wrist.
It tightened slightly, then settled.
No pain.
Just a faint hum.
Jonah had already put his on.
Naturally.
Kai still held his like it had insulted him.
Mara looked at him.
"You have five seconds."
Kai quickly put it on.
"Threats would have worked sooner."
"That wasn't a threat."
"That's worse."
Mara turned toward the door.
"Meals are downstairs. Curfew at ten. Do not enter restricted areas. Do not provoke senior students. Do not test barriers. Do not wander after lights-out."
Kai raised a hand.
"Hypothetically, what happens if we do all of those?"
Mara looked at him for a long moment.
"Then I meet you again."
Kai lowered his hand.
"…Understood."
She glanced once more at William.
"Report to Hall Three in one hour."
"For what?"
"Observation."
"That sounds creepy."
"It is."
Then she left.
The door closed softly behind her.
Silence followed.
Kai turned immediately.
"I hate her."
"You hate everyone who gives instructions," William said.
"I hate how she gives instructions."
Jonah lay back on his bed, hands behind his head.
"She's efficient."
Kai pointed dramatically.
"Stop defending strangers."
William walked to the window.
The courtyard below was alive with movement. Students crossed in groups. Some wore uniforms. Others wore ordinary clothes. One guy appeared to be carrying a sword like it was a backpack.
William blinked.
"…That seems unsafe."
Kai joined him at the window.
"Oh, no, that's where you draw the line? Not teleport walls?"
"Everyone has principles."
Two students below were arguing. One snapped his fingers and a spark jumped between them.
Neither seemed surprised.
Kai stepped back.
"Nope."
"You keep saying that," William said.
"Because there keeps being new reasons."
A knock came at the door.
Three short taps.
William opened it.
A tall boy stood outside carrying a folded blanket over one shoulder.
He looked at William once, then into the room.
"Temporary overflow?" he asked.
"I think so," William said.
The boy nodded slowly.
"You're the late arrivals."
"That sounds dramatic."
"It was said dramatically."
Kai called from inside, "Ask him if this place has snacks."
The boy ignored that.
His gaze rested briefly on William's wristband.
Then on William himself.
Recognition.
Small, but there.
"You're being watched," he said.
William frowned.
"By who?"
"Yes."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you'll get for free."
Kai groaned.
"Why does everyone here speak like riddles?"
The boy finally looked at him.
"Practice."
Then he walked away.
Kai stared at the empty doorway.
"I would like to fight one person a day here."
"That line is already full," William said, closing the door.
An hour passed strangely.
Too fast and too slow.
They unpacked almost nothing. There wasn't much to unpack.
Kai tested the mattress, declared it suspicious, then tested Jonah's mattress too.
Jonah kicked him off without emotion.
William sat at the desk staring at the metal band on his wrist.
Every few minutes it gave off a faint pulse.
Like it was listening.
He didn't like that.
More than once, he caught himself glancing at his hand.
Waiting.
Nothing happened.
Still, he could feel something under the skin.
Quiet.
Present.
Not asleep.
When the hour ended, another knock came.
This time, no one rushed.
William opened the door.
A younger girl in a dark uniform stood there holding a clipboard.
"Hall Three," she said.
"You people love short sentences."
She looked confused.
"…Now."
"That part I understood."
Kai stood.
"We're all going?"
She checked the clipboard.
"All three."
Kai looked relieved.
"Great. If he explodes, I want witnesses."
William stared at him.
"Why am I exploding?"
"You're the mysterious one."
"That's not a real category."
"It is here."
They followed her through long corridors and down a staircase that curved beneath the main building.
The deeper they went, the quieter it became.
No chatter.
No footsteps except theirs.
No students lingering.
Kai leaned closer.
"If this turns into experiments, I'm screaming."
"You'll scream anyway," William said.
"Correct."
Hall Three was circular.
Stone walls.
Tall ceiling.
Symbols carved around the edge that William didn't recognize.
At the center stood six metal pillars arranged in a ring.
Mara was already there.
Of course she was.
"You're late," she said.
"We arrived exactly when your assistant brought us," William replied.
Mara considered that.
"…Acceptable."
Kai whispered, "That's the nicest thing she's said."
Mara pointed toward the center.
"Stand inside."
William didn't move.
"For observation?"
"For answers."
That changed things.
He stepped forward.
Kai grabbed his sleeve.
"If you melt, I'm taking your bed."
"Touching," William said, pulling free.
He entered the ring of pillars.
The moment both feet crossed the line—
the room reacted.
Light moved through the carvings.
The pillars hummed.
The band on his wrist grew warm.
William's chest tightened.
Not pain.
Pressure.
Like the air itself had noticed him.
Mara's eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
"That word is becoming a problem," William said.
Then the pulse in his hand answered.
Stronger than before.
The nearest pillar cracked.
Everyone froze.
Kai took one step back.
"…I would like it known I predicted this."
William stared at his glowing hand.
"…Yeah," he said quietly.
"This feels bad."