Section Selections

It is the first day of classes at Reigna Magic Academy. Knox landed at the academy courtyard after winning the race against his brother Lucien.

"Haha. Lucien, sometimes, he is really clumsy. How can he forget his ID Badge? Well, atleast, free treats for me later."

He murmored to himself.

"I hope he doesn't get late."

Knox lifted his broomsticks with one hand.

"Reformidant!"

A gray magical energy swirl from him to his arm then to the broomsticks. It glowed gray and started to shrink to something smaller before transforming into a keychain.

He attached the keychain to the leather belt around his waist and continue to walk towards the Great Hall.

"Woah. Today is my second time seeing this hall. And it is really huge!" Knox reacted as he looks around. Other students are coming in as well.

The Great Hall is a huge hall that can be found upon entry to the academy castle from the large courtyard outside. It is here that students gather to check for informations and announcement released by the academy administration.

The Great Hall is circular in shape with doors leading to different areas of the castle. Its wall is lighted with seven large torches with golden-colored fire. The torches are held by sculptures of seemingly armored knights.

At the middle of the great hall is an antique bulletin board that contains different informations, one of which is the section selection. The board is attached to curvy trees with golden leaves. One tree is on the left, one on the middle at the back, and one on the right.

The Antique Bulletin Board is no ordinary board. The announcements in here are not written in any paper but are floating infront of the board itself. They are like glowing golden dusts that form symbols and letters- A contrast color to the dark brown texture of the board.

ReigMA has four grade levels for junior mages, Grade 7 to 10.

Each grade level is further divided into three sections-Owlin, Ravenal, and Hawkin.

Once the Section is selected, that will be the mage's final section until he graduated the academy.

Today is Knox's first day at the Reignia Magic Academy. He is now a junior mage like his brother. Before attending ReigMA, Knox attended an Elementary School nearby their house at their village.

It has six grade levels, grade 1-6, wherein a young mage learn some basic knowledge including reading, writing, counting, basic magic casting and even flying with their broomsticks.

"So how do I know which class I belong to?"

Knox paused in front of the bulletin board, his arms crossed.

"Hi, uhhmm...are you a new student here as well?" someone whispered behind Knox.

Knox look back to see who is speaking. In front of him now is a cute girl with dark brown curly hair that extends to her shoulders and has emerald eyes. She wears a rounded eye-glasses.

"Uhhmm... I'm Mira Elef..." The girl shyly extend her hand for a shake.

Knox smiled and reached out his hand for a shake as well. "I'm Knox Spring. Yes, I'm new here. Grade seven this year. You?"

"Uhmm..me too. Me too!" she replied "sorry..I..I heard you earlier.. about the..the.sections."

"Ohh..no worries. So, how do we know our sections?haha. And please relax." Knox gestured for her to relax.

"Uhmm. Okay. Okay. (Inhale-exhale)...uhmm ..okay...see that star-shaped pattern there at the corner near the tree. You need to cast your magic energy there. Then the board will decide which section you are gonna be in."

"Ohh. I see. Let's go then!"

"Uhmm..Okay..okay."

Mira and Knox walk towards the star-shaped pattern at the edge.

"So how do we do this?" Knox asked.

"See the other students?" Mira pointed to the other side of the board.

There is another star-shaped pattern on that side and some students are pointing their wands to the pattern.

"Focus your wand to the star then cast some magic energy. And that's it." She finished her explanation.

"Okay. You first." Knox observe attentively.

"Uhmm..okay okay." Mira draw her wand, it is a dark green wand with vine patterns, and she focused it to the star-shaped pattern. Mira closed her eyes.

"Dimittis!" an emerald green energy surge from Mira towards the tip of her wand then to the star-shaped pattern. The star glows as it absorbs her magical energy. The glow intensifies until the star pattern is distinguishable anymore. Then **pooff. A symbol emerges from the previous star pattern. It is an Own Symbol. Its gaze seemingly observing the mage in front of it.

"Owlin!" The voice somewhere near announced.

"Huh? Who is that?" Knox looks around to see who shouted. "What's that?"

"Uhmm. Hehe..Knox. It is the board. Particularly this symbol. It can talk." Mira shyly pointed to the owl.

"Whatt...the board can talk?" Knox is shocked.

"Uhmm.. just the name of the sections only though." Mira shyly smiled.

"That's kinda amazing huh. Now my turn."

Mira stepped aside of the pattern. The pattern returned to the previous star pattern as Mira moves.

"I hope we are in the same section...same section..same section" Mira started inhaling and exhaling as she pray to an unknown energy.

"Okay. Let's see which section will it be!"

"Dimittis!" Knox focused his energy. A gray magical energy glow from him to his wand then to the star. The star started to glows intensely like earlier. The pattern starts to diminish into a bright light then. *Pooff

"Huh? What's happening?" Knox curiously observe the symbols.

The pattern on the board shifts back and forth from a raven to an owl then back to a raven. The patterns continued to shift for around 30 seconds before it stopped.

"Owlin!" The board exclaimed.

"Yayyy!!!yippee!" Mira jumped around. No longer a shy looking girl like earlier.

"We are in the same section!" Mira shake Knox's shoulders, his head intensely moving back and forth then she released her as she jumps some more.

Knox holds his head to gain his balance. "Wiew. You're strong Mira. I thought my head will fall off".

Mira realizing what she did, slowly turned around to see Knox. Panick then kicked-in.

"Oppps..uhmm..uhmmm..."

She walk back-and-forth "Uhmmm sorry...sorry...sorry!" she holds the back of her head and bow repeatedly.

"It's okay. It's okay. Stop bowing. I was just surprised a bit." Knox reach his hand to stop Mira from bowing.

As Knox tries to calm Mira. The golden color of the hall suddenly changed. Its hue seemed flickering. Then suddenly the fire at the middle torch changed its color. It is now burning crimson red.

"Uhmmm...what is happening?" Mira stopped panicking and now trying to assess what is happening.

"They said these torches change color when danger or something is happening

"Professors! Any professors around? Professors!" A male student shouts as he breaths heavily from running from the courtyard.

"I'm here!" A tall man with dark hair walked amidst the crowd. He is holding a wand that is shaped like a black raven claw in one end. "Calm down."

"Professor. Outside the barrier...(pants)...an Auxilium...is outside the barrier..."

"Okay everybody calm down. I'll see what happened."

"Reformidant!" the professor shouted while holding a broomsticks keychain. The keychain glowed as a dark-colored energy flowed to it. It grows into a dark-colored broomsticks with a Raven's head inscription at the end. The professor walk outside towards the courtyard.

Knox and Mira followed to see what is happening.

"Flight Ascendio!"

*Swisshhh....zoomm

The professor ascended to the sky towards a seemingly glowing blue orb outside the castle barrier.

"Okay. Everybody go inside. Go inside."

A lady professor wearing a dark brown robe from the great hall gesture the students to come in. "I have some announcements."

Knox and Mira look at the new professor and followed inside. Knox gave a final glimpse to the tall professor who is now following the blue orb to the direction of the Forest of the Lost.

"Okay. Everybody, gather round. I am professor Rootdee. Nice to meet you. Yes? Yes."

The lady professor shouted in front of the Antique Bulletin board as she clasped her hands together and nods her head. The previously crimson red fire in one of the torches now returned to golden flickers.

"As you have observed. Something seemed to happen outside. That is the Auxilium spell. You will learn that here soon. It is the emergency signal magic. Some students use that spell in case they encountered some trouble in the surrounding forest or the lake area."

"Uhmm..uhmm . professor...what could have happened?" Mira asked, her voice kinda shaking.

"Calm down my dear. Sometimes,students get lost at the nearby forest when their broomsticks malfunction or sometimes they encounter troubles with some creatures or alike and they send those signals for rescue. No information yet for now. But don't worry. Professor Nebi is on his way for help."

Knox cannot stop thinking about that blue orb. Did he saw it somewhere before? But he haven't encountered any emergency before.

"So for now, for those who haven't had their sections, continue with the selection. To those who have their sections already. Follow the root guides." Professor Rootdee instructed.

"Lumen Antiques!"

A light brown energy flowed from Professor Rootdee to her wand. The energy flowed to the three trees, from the left side tree to the middle tree until it reached the right side tree.

Suddenly glowing roots radiates from the trees then it crawl towards the three doors on the wall. The brown roots from the left tree leads to the left-most door; the black roots leads to the first middle door at the right side of the torch; and the golden root leads to the right most door. The roots then creep towards the door beams where leaves of the same color grow from them.

"Owlins, follow the dark brown roots. Ravenals, follow the black roots. And Hawkins, the golden ones. These doors serves as your portals towards your own Section Halls where your classrooms are located."

"Always wear your ID badges with you. They serves as the key to teleport you to your own section halls. Students from other section halls are not allowed to enter the Section Doors to which they don't belong. You may try it if you want, but just a warning, it will teleport you to none other than the dungeons itself."

"Go to your Section Halls after it is determined. The Section Staffs will give you a tour. Come back here after lunch and enter the fifth door from the left. It will lead you to the Greater Hall where the official welcome ceremony will be held. Adios!"

After giving here speech,Professor Rootdee walk towards the eight door and suddenly disappeared as she entered. The door then slowly closed on its own.

"So the doors have teleportation magic huh?" A badboy looking mage with dark brown eyes suddenly is now standing besides Knox and Mira. "The name's Drake Steel, 7-Owlin, you two?"

"I'm Mira."

"I'm Knox."

"7-Owlins"

*Exchange of shakehands

"Knox, huh..." Drake smirks as he looks at Knox from head to toe. "Nice to meet you Knox Spring."

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

"Protectio Dispersio!"

The dark colored energy surge from his wand towards a common barrier below him. The barrier melted slowly as the energy clash into it.

In the middle of the Forest of the Lost, the tall professor landed in the small forest clearing as he followed the blue glowing orb. A young mage is lying on the forest floor, unconscious. His broomsticks is nearby him. He is holding a wand on his left hand.

"Spring..."