Rules of the academy

After eating and resting for the day, the students would be given a full tour of the school the next day and classes would begin the day after.

A well deserved rest was taken and the students were up the next day. Raten looked at his things still scattered around and pinched the bridge of his nose as he groaned.

"I should have done this yesterday." He grumbled. He wasn't the only one though, Lecter and Red hair still had their things on the floor.

"Who's the lazy one now, eh Raten?" Kiyan looked up from the book he held in his hand and stuck his tongue out at his brother.

Raten clicked his tongue and carried on sorting out his things.

Damien was busy chatting along with Lecter. It was more of him talking and Lecter pretending to understand what he was saying.

They were waiting to be called out for the tour of the school.

After a short while, the time came.

The bell was rung and the students all came out.

The sun was high up in the sky shining down on the earth. The colours of the grasses, trees, flowers, walls, dresses, flags, everything, radiated beautifully. The sound of the rushing waters of the waterfall could be heard from the school's yard.

The cobblestone path that lead from each tower to the academy's building now had a golden colour about it, different from the blue of yesterday.

The cool breeze blew their hair about a bit and the students breathed in the refreshing air. Most of them did not believe they were in Darkmoon yet and still saw it all as a dream.

As the twins left their room, they met Enoe who was standing at their room door.

"What an annoying way to start the day." Kiyan sighed.

"Even after I was courteous enough to not barge into the room and pull my spawns out?" Enoe looked shocked and acted hurt. "I will overlook this behaviour since we're still in the reunion phase. Now, let's go!" He dragged them to the lifter's point. Once they opened the railing, it came up to take them down.

"How did you even get out of bed?" Raten asked.

"Do you really think ropes can keep me down?" Enoe replied with a smug expression.

"You're right, we should use chains next time." Kiyan took corrections.

The students gathered in the courtyard, where twenty staffs waited.

"Today you'll be given a tour of this academy, and you will be told the rules which you must obey." A man stepped forward and addressed them.

"Follow us and be very attentive." He said and carried on walking.

Two wizards led in front. Four stood in between the students. Two stood at one end and another two at the other end. Four wizards walked behind them.

Behind the lot were six students with every one of them having their own reason for keeping the distance.

"Move forward." One of the wizards said to them.

The six of them closed the gap only by a little and kept walking, keeping a distance.

The students were first taken past the school's hall and to the classes.

Through different halls was a total of fifty classrooms. The doors then opened up on their own.

"These are where you will have homeroom lessons. The classrooms are divided into sixty students per class attending according to your student number. The homeroom class will strengthen the foundation of your magic. This class is a must pass." The wizard said with his voice sounding as though he was speaking into each student's ears.

"I shall also start with the rules," he said as they walked by. "One - every student must be in class at the appointed time. Any student caught loitering about when they're supposed to be in class will be punished."

As they walked past they looked into each classroom.

They were very big looking like an auditorium but nowhere near the one they had their orientation in. The walls had different paintings and symbols on them. The classroom had lit torches with glowing orbs as flames and the same orb lit chandelier hanging from its ceiling gave a warm orange light to the room which added to the light penetrating from the school's windows.

Then they took the stairs up to the school's library. 

"This room holds knowledge on not just magic, but anything you want to find out. History? The different races? Anything at all." The wizard explained.

The library had countless shelves of books written all through the years. The shelves were very tall that the amount of books looked like a nightmare to some students. While to some, it looked like paradise.

"Rule two - no student is allowed to borrow a book for any more than three weeks, it will result in a fine. Duplication isn't allowed either. Use magic and we can tell. The originals must be returned."

 And of course, you should know the basic rule of a library."

"Rule three - during the hours of 2am to 5am, the library is off limits. Break this rule and whatever happens to you is entirely your fault."

"The heck?"

"I knew libraries are dangerous."

"In other words, we should never go in there? Nice."

They walked past and headed up to the infirmary where any health related issue would be resolved.

"Rule four - any student who sends over sixty students to the infirmary in a single day will be suspended for a month and will have points deducted from their scores unless on the days the academy allows it."

"What sort of rule is that?" A student asked.

"Seems oddly specific to me."

"I feel sixty as the set limit is way too high." A student gulped.

"The academy allows it sometimes?"

They had already been to the dining hall and restrooms they needed not to be shown again, so they went past it. They were taken to the school's museum, but the door wasn't open to them. That would be for a later time.

"Rule five - only those with granted access or on days of exhibitions are students allowed in this room. Any student caught sneaking in will be severely punished."

Next they were taken through a corridor that had a sheltered path moved through the outside of the school to another part of the school. The sheltered pathway divided into four paths leading to four more buildings.

"These buildings are for the different departments." The wizard spoke. "In the forms you filled, there were boxes to tick what department you'd prefer. Warriors, Forgers, Healers, Tamers, the different classes are here."

"But, the first half of the first year, every one of you will attend the general physical training class." The man led them into the building directly in front of them. Although the outside was grey like the walls of the school, the inside was painted white.

"Just like the homeroom classes, there are fifty classes for sixty students each separated according to student number."

"Here, you will be taught how to use your magic as a shield, and as a weapon."

As they got to the training halls, the first thing the students noticed were the numerous weapons hung on the walls, and a lack of chairs and desks. The ceiling was made of glass leaving the bright blue sky visible. Nicely trimmed grass covered the ground and although it was meant for sixty students per class, more than half of the total number could fit in a single class.

They already began to imagine what they would be put through in those classes as they glanced at the equipments that were set up.

"You each will be choosing a weapon from the pile for lessons and not to keep. This brings me to rule five and six - no student is allowed to keep weapons given by the school, if you want one, get one. And, usage of personal weapons on fellow students will have you punished depending on the severity of the injuries caused. Weapons are only to be used when the school permits it."

"The school permits using weapons on each other outside of class?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Next, they were taken to the subclasses for the warriors; the elemental class and non-elemental class which were further separated according to element and non-element. For instance, fire wizards under element were in one class, potion masters under non-element were in another.

This building had five infirmaries in total at the highest floor.

"So many doors and turns, I'm sure to get lost." A student said.

After getting a briefing and going around each room, they got to a room at the far end of the building. It had two armoured statues wielding weapons guarding it.

One guard had a sword and the other an axe.

"The most important rule of the academy is this - Do not, under any circumstances, go close to this room. Do not indulge the thought, in fact looking at it is punishable but you are being pardoned because it's your first time. The penalty is death."

"Wh-what?" A girl asked.

"Surely this is a joke." A boy said.

The wizard then removed a button from his shirt and threw it in the direction of the door. The statue wielding a sword immediately moved, slicing the button in half.

The students watched in horror. Their eyes widened in shock. Jaws dropped. They were genuinely scared. Impressed and scared.

"The heck kind of school is this? Willing to kill its own students because of a room?"

"The school is very serious about this rule. If caught just staring at this door, you will be expelled." The wizard continued.

Murmurs rose amongst the students.

"Keep silent." A wizard said.

"I see you three didn't hear what was just said." One of the wizards behind said to four of the six.

"Are you trying to get expelled before your first day?"

"Apologies sir." Jarett said. "I was merely wondering." He said taking his eyes off the door.

They were taken outside the building and back to the school's courtyard.

"Rule number eight - no student should be caught wandering the island during week days unless granted permission to go out."

"Rule number nine - every student must be in their dorms after the sun has set."

"Rule number ten - Although you are allowed outside these walls during the two days off at the end of the week, no student should be caught outside once the sun starts to set."

The wizard kept listing rules one after the other. The students were getting tired of listening.

"So many restrictions." A student said with disappointment in his voice.

"Why does this school sound very dangerous?" Another student said worriedly.

"Lastly, your performance this year matters a lot. Any fall back can cause you to be withdrawn. Take this year very seriously and be alert." The wizard warned.

"Alert? For what?" A student asked.

"I have to do my best to stay here if I want to be free for the time being. Or at least until I come up with a plan." The blindfolded girl thought.

"You all may enjoy the rest of your day. When it's lunch time, make your way to the dining hall. Thank you." The wizard said and all twenty of them left.

"We haven't even started yet, I already feel like this place is going to be full of..." Lecter was saying but trailed off when something caught his attention.

"A fight? Today?!"

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