Chapter Fifteen

The hall was filled with all the races, but though their features were different, the one thing that united them was the uniforms—all the races wearing the same attire. The sight of it was amazing, this was why the academy was started; the students sat in the same room, looking at the same stage.

Raiden walked in, mesmerized by everything. The way this school spent on mana orbs was puzzling for him. Raiden knew that if he bought those long light orbs even with the chest he found, he knew that those orbs would finish all of it.

As he walked the stairs to one of the seats at the back, he noticed that some people were pointing at him, murmuring; some even giggled. Most of them were females, mostly humans, dwarves, but even a few elves. Raiden thought that it was because of the incident that happened the previous week, but it wasn't.

Lizon didn't have a lot of girls his age, so he didn't really know that the reason why they were pointing, staring, and giggling at him was because of his looks. Raiden didn't know he was good-looking; how could he? The only woman in his life was his mom.

"Yeah, maybe it's best if I hurry," Raiden said as he hurried up the stairs to the empty seat he could find just to evade the gazes.

He was in such a hurry that he hadn't noticed he was sitting close to an elf, not that it was against the rule, but like in the exam hall, the races separated from each other. Raiden wasn't trying to start any trouble, so the moment he turned his head, he was greeted with the greenest pair of eyes he had ever seen.

The boy elf had white hair like Raiden maybe even whiter, but unlike Raiden, his hair was long and shiny that it must have reached his back. The hair was tied in a messy bun; four of the elf's locks were cast over his forehead and to the sides. The elf had cheekbones that were handcrafted by the gods themselves; his jaw had a weird combination of feminine and masculine look. He had long eyelashes, a crafted nose, thick eyebrows, and pink bow-shaped lips. He also had almond eyes and really smooth skin, but that was the same for almost all the elves here.

Raiden thought to himself, "Goddamn, this guy's gorgeous."

The elf boy was drawing attention, and with Raiden, the attention became more intense for multiple reasons. The first was because he was a human sitting in a desk filled with elves, and the second was because that desk had two good-looking students.

Raiden's white hair was long enough that it could cover his forehead; he had hunter eyes, gray eyes almost like a pure crystal. He had chiseled cheekbones, long lashes, a thick brow, a sharp nose a sharp jawline, and pink lips.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know…" Raiden started to explain as he stood up, but the boy dismissed him and turned his gaze back to the stage.

"Glad to see you are all settled down!" the headmaster's voice boomed through the hall as he spoke.

Raiden's plan to evade this awkward sitting position was halted with the headmaster's eyes scanning through the hall, so Raiden sat down and tried to sink himself further into the seat.

"Oh, Raiden, why do you always have to screw yourself?" he muttered under his breath.

*****************

The elf boy didn't seem to mind that I was sitting next to him; the people who did mind were the humans, elves, and the dwarves. I could feel their gazes burning a hole through me.

"Now if you would turn your attention to me, I'd like to take this moment to officially welcome you all. I know you are excited and that you feel accomplished in being admitted here, but being admitted to this school was the easy part; the hard part would be to stay at this school—competition would be tough," the headmaster paused so that the message would get across.

"But it's not like we are inconsiderate; we have the best team of professors who will help you during your stay here. We have a state-of-the-art library, equipment, and facilities, so if you don't meet the necessary requirements, then you have only yourself to blame. And to elaborate on the competition, I'd like to call Ms. Crawford."

As he said these, someone came from the side entrance to the stage. I couldn't really see who it was due to how I was sitting, but one thing was certain—they generated a lot of buzz from their appearance that I decided to sit up straight and see as I did I realized why she had brought more life to the hall.

She had long black luscious hair; her features were too prominent, like her chest wasn't too big nor too small—it was just perfect. Her waist was small, but her hips were large, making her body shaped like an hourglass (a really attractive hourglass).

Her face was proof that Aphrodite was real; she had the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen. Her lips were full, bow-shaped, and were red in color, and her jawline was the shape of an eagle's lower beak but in a more feminine and attractive way. Her cheekbones were just as pronounced as the pretty elf boy and her nose was slightly sharp.

"Heavens, she's hot," I whispered under my breath.

"Ms. Crawford is what we call a once-in-a-generation prodigy," the headmaster started, "she is the same age as you, but she was admitted early due to her remarkable brain. She possesses mana sight, but what sets her apart from everyone, myself included, is that she is 'blessed by mana.'"

Instantly, the quiet hall erupted in murmurs, and it was understandable; I was shocked myself—a fifteen-year-old rich girl who's blessed by mana, blessed by mana, a term I read a long time ago.

This is a person who is both an augmentor and a mage; she can shroud her body with elements, and she can also cast them away from her body.

"If that surprised you, then I don't know what you'll do about this next information," the headmaster said with a grin on his face. It was clear that he was proud of her. "Ms. Crawford here can manipulate seven elements: fire, air, water, lightning, plants, earth, and metal."

The murmurs stopped like someone had flipped an off switch. The two hundred and sixty students just watched the girl for confirmation. The girl took a fighting stance; she threw a palm strike, and fire came out. When the flame was close to the students who were at the front row, she stomped the ground, and an earth wall shielded them.

She then did a left jab, and lightning came out of her fist and destroyed the earth wall. The debris covered the students who went close to her, but she pulled her arms back, and a strong wind blew from behind the students who were covered with the debris, and it blew off the debris from their bodies.

She then stomped the earth, and instead of an earth tower or platform appearing, a strange thorny vine grew from the ground; she pulled back her left palm, and water was drained from the vine till it was dried up; then finally, she did a small nod, and the metallic bottle from someone (didn't know who) flew from them to her hand where she placed the water in.

"Oh my god."

"Did you see that?"

"How did she do that."

The girl then moved back and she pulled a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"But no worries like I said Ms. Crawford is a once-in-a-generation talent, but the other students are just as magnificent," the headmaster said.

"It'll be kinda hard to top that though," I said as I leaned back.

"Now you'll all be assigned a room specific to a house, there is a list which has already been hanged on the notice board just outside this hall. After a quick introduction to the professors who will teach you, you may all leave and see your respective rooms where each and every one of you will be provided a blazer with your house symbol and four extra pairs of your uniform," the headmaster finished. And like before, he walked away but before he did, he tapped the shoulder of Ms. Crawford to follow.

The professors came and introduced themselves, but to be honest, no one was listening to them; we were all mesmerized by the elemental display we saw. We were released, and as the headmaster said, the notice board had a list stapled on.

People rushed to see where they were placed. I didn't rush, not because I'm cool or anything, I just didn't want to get squeezed, and it's not like the list would disappear. So, after three-quarters of the students had left, I went there and tried finding my name.

"Hmm, Raiden Ragnar, east wing, room 206, Dark Claw house," I muttered. "Where's east wing? Oh, there's a map."

I noticed a map just below the list that showed the whole school. The hall we were at was at the south wing, so it would take a while to get there, considering this was a big school. But like I said, I wasn't in a rush. I walked over, checking out the labs, workshop, the classes, and also some of the resuming students were returning, so this place didn't feel like a ghost house.

Till I reached a huge double door in the east wing. On top of the door was a big black-colored square which had an eagle's carving, the square matched the one on our badge. I opened the door, and there was a long corridor which had brown mahogany doors on each side of the corridor, but I could hear some chatter inside the rooms as I walked by.

I walked over to the room door and saw 206. I twisted the knob, I felt a strange sensation in my body but I also knew that the feeling I got was the same as my key to the room just like my dragon tattoo. It meant that the door was enchanted it would prevent unnecessary intruders (not sure about professors though). The room was spacious; there was one of the fancy kitchens I've seen in Professor Vlad's house, except it was a smaller version of it. There were three beds; two on opposite sides of the wall, and one was at the window, just in front of the door. There were also three closets close to the beds.

There was a white door on my left, which was sprung open; it must have been the bathroom because inside it came an auburn-haired dwarf. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and because of that, I could see that he was really hairy. His looks were average. The dwarf saw me and walked over.

"You must be the other roommate, my name is Gloin son of Thror," he said as he held out his hand at me.

"Oh, my name is Raiden Ragnar," I said as I took his hand, "also who is the other roommate?"

Before he could open his mouth, pretty elf boy came out of the bathroom (wait were the both of them inside the bathroom) I leaned forward and I saw that there was a strange glass shaped closet but it wasn't see through also the elf's hair wasn't wet. He was dressed in loose clothes and was running some string between his teeth. We made eye contact, and I walked over to him and held out my hand like how Gloin did.

"Hi, my name is Raiden Ragnar, we sat together at the hall," I said.

The elf just looked at me hand then my face with an unamused look.

"Arthur Feyrith," he said as he turned and walked to the bed that was close to the window.

"Well, someone has a strong grip," I said as I pulled back my hand.

"Don't mind him; elves have a tendency to be assholes. So, the bed on the left is mine, and so is the closet. You can put your luggage in your closet, and changing can be done anywhere if you aren't much of a wuss," the dwarf said with a smirk.

I opened the closet, and on the middle shelf was a key to the room. Also, there was a light grey blazer hanging on the rack; the blazer had a huge house symbol on the back of it. I didn't bother taking it out; I pulled out a tunic from the leather bag I was carrying and some loose pants. I walked into the bathroom, changed (yes am a wuss but I'm not getting naked in front of anybody), and by the time I got out, both my roommates were fast asleep.