Chapter 12:The Dorms and the Unseen Presence

The academy's atmosphere was a stark contrast to Ashen Grove. Towering spires, vast courtyards, and complex magical formations created a world that felt both awe-inspiring and suffocating. Axton followed Elias through the bustling hallways, where students from every corner of the realm whispered and exchanged glances, clearly sizing each other up.

"I still don't get it," Elias muttered as they passed under an archway inscribed with glowing symbols. "How could you not register? No one has ever been… blank."

Axton felt the familiar sting of uncertainty. He had hoped for something, anything, to indicate his power. But the orb had rejected him, leaving nothing but confusion.

"I don't know, Elias," Axton replied, his voice low. "But it's not like I'm special, right? I mean, I'm just me."

Elias looked at him with a raised brow. "Come on, you're smarter than that. If you weren't special, the academy wouldn't have chosen you. Something's going on."

Before Axton could respond, the woman guiding them stopped abruptly and turned to face the group. She was standing in the center of a spacious, open area where students were scattered in groups, talking quietly among themselves. The sudden shift in her stance grabbed everyone's attention, and the noise of the students slowly died down.

"Gather around," the woman instructed, her voice cutting through the murmur of voices. "The dorms are ahead, but there is something important for you all to know."

Axton felt the tension in the air as other students—many of them older, more experienced—shuffled closer, their eyes on the woman with a mix of curiosity and respect. Axton and Elias moved into the circle with the others, feeling slightly out of place.

"Your time here will test more than your magic," the woman continued, her tone serious. "It will test your resolve, your ability to adapt, and your capacity to think beyond what is visible. This is not just about strength; it's about who you are when faced with the unknown."

Axton exchanged a glance with Elias, both of them trying to make sense of the cryptic message. The woman's presence was imposing, but there was something else—something unspoken—that lingered in the air.

"Now, go to your dorms. Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, you will begin your training. But remember this: Not all that you see is as it seems."

With that, she gave them one last look and turned, her heels echoing sharply as she moved off down the corridor.

Elias let out a long breath. "This place… it's way more intense than I imagined."

Axton didn't respond immediately, his mind still processing the day's events. The towering structures, the powerful students, and the strange, subtle warnings—all of it felt so foreign to him. It was hard to shake the feeling that something more was at play here, something beyond what they had seen so far.

"Well, no sense in standing around," Elias said, heading into the room and dropping his bag on the bed closest to the window. "Let's check out the place."

Axton nodded and stepped inside. The dormitory was simple, with rows of beds separated by wooden desks. The light from the window filtered in softly, casting long shadows across the room. It wasn't much compared to the rest of the academy, but it had its own charm.

Axton's gaze wandered as he scanned the room, his thoughts still scattered. That's when he noticed it—a faint glow from under the pillow on the bed at the far end of the room. His curiosity piqued, he walked over slowly.

"Hey, Axton. What's up?" Elias called out, but Axton was already kneeling beside the bed, his eyes focused on the strange light.

Under the pillow, he found a rolled-up piece of parchment. He hesitated for a moment, unsure what to expect, but then gently tugged it free. The moment his fingers brushed the parchment, it gave off a soft pulse, as if responding to his touch.

Elias was standing beside him now, peering over his shoulder. "What is that?"

Axton unrolled the parchment, revealing a map that shimmered with faint, shifting lines and symbols. The map seemed to glow softly, outlining what appeared to be a guide to the academy—a path through the halls, landmarks marked with strange symbols, and routes that changed as he watched.

"This… this is the map the academy gives everyone," Axton murmured, realizing the truth. It wasn't a secret. It wasn't something hidden away. Every student must have one.

Elias squinted at the map, his eyes scanning the intricate details. "Looks like it's more than just a map, though. Some of these paths don't seem to match up with the halls we've walked through."

Axton nodded slowly. "It's like it's alive. It keeps shifting as if something's always changing."

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Now that's creepy. You think it's part of the academy's magic? Something to guide us?"

Axton didn't know. He could feel the weight of the map, as though it were more than just a tool to get them around. It felt… significant, but why? He had no answers, only questions.

"I don't know, but we'll find out soon enough," Axton said, his voice quiet but resolute.

Elias nodded, still staring at the map. "Yeah. We'll figure it out. But for now, let's get some sleep. Big day tomorrow, right?"

Axton rolled the map back up, the strange energy still lingering in the room. He placed it carefully beside his bed, trying to shake off the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far more complicated than he had expected.

As the two boys settled in for the night, the academy's massive walls seemed to close in around them, and Axton couldn't shake the sensation that he wasn't alone. Whatever lay ahead, the map was just one piece of the puzzle—and he wasn't sure if he was ready for what came next.