Surprises At Opening

The doors of the Santyran Academy were open for the start of another school year. The streets decorated and everyone chatting animatedly. Parents taking their grown children for the first day. The seniors returned with their friends, sharing the news from their vacations.

The spirited enthusiasm of the new students was something the veterans envied; some times they missed that fire. That eagerness to prove their worth, to bring pride to their people. They still felt that, but in a more conscious way. Sometimes the impulsiveness was missed, and they needed to remember the reason they were there.

Since the disappearance of the Seal of Dawn, the world has never known peace again. The seal protected the world from the Forgotten. Creatures without origin, without purpose, the only thing they did was destroy and consume everything they touched. When the seal disappeared, nothing separated the Forgotten from the World of Trazya. The disappearance of the seal did not only bring the attacks of the forces of oblivion. The distrust grew, the kingdoms blamed each other, the Immortals were not able to protect all the Kingdoms. The people's hope was being lost and chaos spread.

Thousands of years passed until the Kingdoms reached an agreement. Prioritising the protection of Trazya and the Realms. The Immortals agreed to help one last time, forming the Santyran Academy, offering the training of elite soldiers to fight against the Forgotten. A place where old differences and frictions were to be set aside. An attempt to unite the nations again.

— Stop pulling my arm, Celestia! — The female voice was soft and sweet, accompanied by a laugh at the end of the sentence.

The two women wore simple clothes, in light tones and light fabrics, walking among the people in military uniforms. The scene caught the attention of the visitors. Even the new students wore training clothes. The difference in clothing made it easy to identify the origin of those people. People's opinions were always extreme: they either loved or hated the people of Klillash.

For some, it was a waste of resources; their spot could be given to someone useful. While others believed that they should not underestimate a people who remained intact during the Great War. Klillash rarely had any students in Santyran, so this little buzz almost never happened.

— I want to be in front, Sage! Hurry up! You look like an old turtle. If we stay behind, we won't see anything! — Celestia said, laughing, without letting go of her friend's arm.

Klillash, a kingdom known for its joy, connection with nature, and great healers. It was made up of elves, nymphs, fairies, and forest spirits. Considered peaceful, they avoided conflicts. Some said they didn't apply for the Santyran, while others said they didn't pass the basic test. So one person from Klillash was already considered an event, two people were something almost impossible to see.

— It's still early. You don't need to rush like that! — Sage laughed at her friend, her exaggerated reaction only making her more amused. — If you want to get there early so much, go ahead.

He let go of her grip and waved his hand for her to keep running. He said he would join her soon. Sage shook her head watching her friend run more and more excitedly towards the entrance of the Academy.

She looked to the side, the street was crowded with new students and families saying goodbye. She felt slightly uncomfortable seeing the contrast between her clothes and those of the other students. The light fabric, which would flutter with the slightest breeze. The long hair covered with small flowers, wavy brown with a natural definition, highlighted

Sage's delicate features. It created a harmony with the orange eyes, an unusual colour among the fairies of Klillash. It wasn't the kind of appearance one would expect. Not from someone at a military academy. Sage knew that, but didn't let the discomfort continue.

She raised her hand, smiling at those who looked at her with curiosity and even a hint of disdain. The gentle expression never leaving her face for a moment. It wasn't difficult to ignore those looks, and the scared expression on their faces was almost funny.

— Damn ignorant people. — The voice was low, just for her to hear, and yet, the smile was there.

The lively conversations on the street, the anxious footsteps. Everything stopped. The heavy sound of footsteps against the asphalt, accompanied by the clinking of metal. Sage turned around, the simple image made her understand.

Myrophale.

Even though thousands of years have passed, the culprit behind the disappearance of the Seal has never been revealed. At the time, there was a rumour and a general uproar; they said the evidence of the time pointed to Myrophale. That simple rumour caused people to revolt against Myrophale.

Even though currently all the Elite soldiers are from Myrophale and they are the main ones responsible for border security, people still felt strange around them. They were also not friendly with outsiders.

People treated them like criminals for years, so they couldn't be judged.

People respected them. A respect that was earned through fear. Myrophale had the best soldiers, a population almost entirely composed of dragons. The army had control of one of the entrances of the forgotten. Besides being the largest supplier of jewellery, metals, and weapons.

The contempt for them continued, but they feared them more than they despised them.

— They are so... unnecessarily extravagant. — Sage stared at the leather clothes adorned with pieces of gold and silver. — Dragons and their treasure chests.

She rolled her eyes while observing the scene. Sage couldn't feel sympathy for them. The way they flaunted themselves, as if they thought they were superior, walking in groups and looking at others as if they were mere insects. I couldn't stand it.

— An elf from Klillash should learn to keep quiet. You're not going to a nature retreat... — a dragged-out and sarcastic male voice, the laughter among the group began to spread exaggeratedly.

— You sound like a child talking, weird. — Sage didn't bother correcting him about being a fairy, it was a waste of time. — You're going to say, "Hey, you don't know who you're talking to, do you want to cause trouble?". And did you really feel offended? For calling you extravagant? Then, nymphs and fairies who are emotional. — Sage's soft and gentle tone contrasted with the biting words.

The people on the street who seemed to have frozen in place let out a laugh, hands placed in front of their lips trying to stifle the laughter, while the group tried to control their irritated expressions.

Sage noticed the boy's movement, his body leaning forward, the way he moved his irritated shoulders. She waited for the insults or even something worse, but nothing.

— Do you really want trouble on the first day? — The voice was deep, a lazy tone, as if speaking were an unnecessary task. — She's a fairy, she's even more useless. Elves are good marksmen. Learn to identify who you are going to offend.

The icy atmosphere of the street returned with the first word he said, but worse than before. No one dared to breathe too loudly.

Sage saw everyone's face turn towards the center of the group. A person in the center was the first to move, taller than everyone else. I could see the black strands moving, looking between the people trying to catch a glimpse of who it was.

It was then that he saw. The red eyes staring directly at her. A shiver ran through his entire body, his shoulders tensed, something in his mind screaming danger. It was like looking death in the face.

Santyran had a rule that was above any nation. Secrecy. Their training, notes, internal information, nothing could leave the Academy. But that didn't stop the rumours, especially one. Kyros Pyro Sterling. People knew the surname. By General Pyro, a name that even the forgotten recognised and feared.

The rumours said that Kyros was the General's son. People deduced that he must be as lethal as his father. Then the research on the Pyro family began, with many people from all over the world curious to find out. The Pyro family had an entire lineage of imperial dragons, which made them something worse than lethal.

The opening of the Academy did not only bring together the new students; the veterans were also expected to go to welcome them. This explained Kyros's attendance at the opening. The reason they were gathered as a group, Kyros was like a crownless prince.

The mere encounter with the red eyes made Sage start to doubt the rumours. She no longer used to believe in those things, but now she doubted. Not because they were lies, in fact, Kyros seemed to be much worse than the rumours.

The crowd followed Kyros, and gradually the rest of the people began to move again. Sage remained in place, contemplating the event. The deep voice seemed to have the ability to stop even an army without needing to shout, the red eyes that sent shivers down the spine with any small contact. And then, his words.

— Of course he considers fairies useless. — She rolled her eyes, continuing to walk.

Sage muttered under her breath, complaining about the previous situation, rolling her eyes and commenting on how Myrophale was surrounded by brainless people. For people who were accused of treason, they had a lot of ego.

The opening ceremony of the Academy was held behind closed doors. No guests, no friends, and no one who wasn't enrolled. They believed it was the best for everyone's safety. The Academy was the responsibility of the immortals, who, after thousands of years of wars, severed contact with the mortals. The academy was the only place where they appeared. The distancing of the Immortals from the people occurred after the population's revolt against them. Some people even started blaming them for the disappearance of the Seal. That was the last straw for them. The day after the rumours surfaced, the Immortals cut off all aid.

When the immortals stopped helping with the Forgotten, it was disastrous, many deaths, entire cities being destroyed, but they refused to help. The Academy emerged after an act of kindness from the Immortals, saying they would help as long as their rules were followed. They would train the best soldiers, but they had to leave the past behind and maintain confidentiality within the Academy.

— Welcome, everyone, to the beginning of another year at Santyran. — The tone was melodious, full of joy, the man's smile was so bright it could almost hurt the cheeks of those watching. — As you know, Santyran has strict rules about confidentiality and security; these are points we consider important to maintain the high standards of the Academy. Any disclosure about classes, training, or other students will be punished with exile. Disclosing information about the immortals, those responsible faced a celestial trial. It's just a reminder, it's not up to us to judge the decisions of the immortals.

The curious gazes of the new students filled the entire audience. Sage and Celestia were in the middle of the crowd, sitting in their designated seats with their eyes attentive to everything happening. The enormous encouraging speeches from the teachers began.

To be honest, the mortal teachers did not attract much attention from the public. Almost everyone was anxiously waiting for the entrance of the Immortals. Some whispered among themselves for those long speeches to end soon.

— I imagine everyone is anxious… but did you think entering here would be that simple? — The gentle expression on the man's face began to give way to a serious one. — I am the Mortal Coordinator Lincam, responsible for resolving public matters and directing you. There is one final test conducted before you are officially accepted in Santyran. The test is conducted for both Veterans and Freshmen. We have to ensure that the level of the Veterans did not drop during the holidays, and for the freshmen, it is to be sure of their skills and to direct them to the right teachers.

In the sky, covering the school, a barrier began to spread. Vibrant colours forming patterns on the barrier, preventing anyone from outside from accessing what was happening inside. The enormous clouds in the sky began to disperse, revealing a vast field with a huge mountain behind it. On stage, a huge projection appeared, the map of an arena with a river cutting through the middle.

— The test can be called a reconnaissance mission. You will be placed at random points in the Arena and divided into teams of 6 members, 3 freshmen and one veteran from each year. Your objective is to activate 3 reconnaissance posts and go to the meeting point. Simple? The freshmen are only there for your safety, they will not participate, after your test, they will have their own test. — At that moment, people started commenting excitedly, some even finding it too easy. — Each post has a level of difficulty and will be protected by a senior student. The higher the difficulty, the higher your score. You will be covered by 3 protection spells, and when the last protection spell is broken, you will be removed from the test. Worry about your performance, the score is just a detail.

— The veterans should not interfere in the decisions and disputes between freshmen, only guide and follow their own instructions. — The woman stood up relaying the notice. She spoke calmly — Understand your limits and complete the test in the best possible way.

The woman snapped her fingers and a white light filled everyone's vision, Sage looked around trying to find Celestia or anything that could give her support. She tried to open her mouth, looking for a way to scream, but no sound came out. She clenched her hands tightly.

It didn't take many seconds for the sound of the birds to be heard, she felt something soft under her feet that resembled wet soil. The smell she so recognised from nature and the sound of the water flowing through the river brought her a bit of peace. A peace that lasted little.

— Great, a useless fairy.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***