Decision

"The Esoteric Academy."

Sophie repeated, her tail swaying gently as she stepped away from the window and turned back to face Indra. "It's the heart of training for all new Paranormals."

She approached his bed, her eyes — one stormy blue-gray, the other emerald green — shining with an intensity that was almost intimidating. "It's where you'll study everything about the Esoteric Society, the Other Side, and what it means to be a Paranormal. There, young people from every corner of the Society are gathered… including the heirs of the Clans."

Indra swallowed hard. "Heirs… of the Clans?"

"Yes," Sophie confirmed firmly. "They are the children of the oldest and most powerful families in the Esoteric Society. From a young age, they're trained to become leaders, warriors, or unbeatable strategists." Her lips curled into a faint, humorless smile.

"If you want any chance to survive — or better yet, to compete with them — you'll need to dedicate yourself like never before."

"You'll be sent to the Esoteric Academy," Sophie continued, crossing her arms. "It's there you'll learn everything about the Esoteric Society, the Veil, the Realms, and the creatures of the Other Side. You'll study history, energy theory, combat, and much more."

"And after a month at the Academy," Sophie said, her voice sharp as a blade, "you'll take the Paranormal Exam. A practical test that gathers all young people, both Clan heirs and outsiders, to assess their abilities. It's a tradition. And also… an opportunity."

Indra furrowed his brow. "Opportunity?"

"To prove yourself," she answered. "To show you're not just another lost soul wandering the Other Side." Her eyes gleamed, as if measuring his potential. "Or to be crushed before you even have a chance to grow."

A heavy silence fell between them. Beyond the window, the landscape pulsed in shades of purple and silver, as if the world itself waited for his response.

"So that's it…" Indra whispered, his voice tinged with both fear and determination. "One month to learn how to survive… and then fight."

Sophie nodded slowly, her eyes serious. "And remember, Indra… you're no longer in your world. Here, weakness means death. But strength… strength means freedom."

He clenched his fists over the sheets, feeling the weight of her words.

"I understand. I'll learn everything. I'll survive."

Sophie drew his attention with a firm voice.

"Indra, at the Esoteric Academy you'll have to move quickly not to be crushed by the descendants of the Clans. They were born into this world and have been trained since childhood. You weren't."

"When you arrive, find Professor Carl Bennington immediately," Sophie continued, giving the instructions like handing him a lifeline. "He's responsible for the courses Phenomenon Realm Studies and Survival. You'll need to enroll in those if you want to understand the Other Side and come out alive."

She then gripped his shoulder firmly, as if trying to etch her next words into his bones. "You'll also enroll in Combat Theory and Practical Combat. Even if your energy is still weak, you need to learn how to fight, how to think like a warrior. Only then," she took a deep breath, staring at him intensely, "might you have even the slightest chance of competing with the Clan heirs."

Indra felt a chill run down his spine.

"If your goal was to motivate me… you failed," Indra said ironically.

Sophie let out a small, almost imperceptible smile and shook her head lightly.

"The Esoteric Society expects nothing from a nobody. But if you want to prove you're someone… fight. Learn. Evolve. Don't make me regret saving you."

She said it with a firm voice.

"But first of all, you'd better start getting used to the Esoteric Society," Sophie added with a satisfied smile, her tail swaying from side to side as if following some secret rhythm of her thoughts.

Indra couldn't help but notice that sinuous movement. Curiosity flared in his chest, irresistible.

"Sophie… can I ask you something?" he ventured hesitantly.

She seemed momentarily surprised, but her eyes soon softened, as if she already expected him to be bursting with questions.

"Of course," she replied, her voice firm but gentle. "I'll answer as best I can."

Indra took a deep breath, summoning his courage, and then asked, still with a trace of reluctance:

"Why… do you have a tail?"

This time, Sophie's surprise was more genuine. But it didn't take long for a flash of understanding to cross her face: she seemed to realize she'd forgotten to explain something that, for her, was natural, but for him, completely outside reality.

With the air of someone preparing for a short lecture, she began:

"That's because I'm a half-demon. Here, on the Other Side, there are so-called semi-humans: people who carry traits of animals or other creatures. It's quite common here. So you'd better get used to seeing people with tails, cat ears, horns, and much more."

Indra processed the explanation in a heartbeat. As a die-hard otaku, he knew exactly what that meant. And deep down, he couldn't hold back the excitement: from now on, he'd see plenty of girls with cute animal ears and tails.

I love this place, he thought, a smile spreading across his face.

Sophie, noticing his satisfied expression, asked:

"Any more questions? If not, go get changed. We fixed your clothes and left them in the bathroom. Take a shower and get ready. Then we'll take a walk so you can get to know the Esoteric Society."

"Ah… okay."

Indra nodded, pushing aside the thoughts still bubbling in his mind. He got up quickly and went to the bathroom. The shower he took wasn't long or short: just enough to wash away the stress clinging to his body and get his thoughts in order.

In the mirror, he noticed the changes: there was a spark of life in his eyes. Maybe it was the Energy that had awakened inside him. His onyx-black eyes looked deeper. His ebony hair, which fell to his shoulders in a style reminiscent of 2000s emo cuts, was softer and shinier. His muscles, while not as big as a bodybuilder's, appeared more defined; he even suspected he'd grown a few centimeters, though he was already tall.

He got dressed: a simple black t-shirt, fitted to his torso; dark jeans; a black belt; high-top black sneakers with white soles. On his wrists, accessories completed his look: on the right, a spiked bracelet; on the left, a black fabric wristband with a metallic plate. And to finish, some silver chains attached to his waist.

When he looked in the mirror, it barely looked like he'd been on the brink of death, hunted — or hunting — a ravenous creature. No injuries, no scars.

This Energy… really is miraculous, he thought.

---

Indra stepped out of the bathroom to find Sophie sitting in a chair, focused on an object projecting floating lights — like a pulsing hologram. Curiosity flared again in his mind.

"That's what you used to explain the Esoteric Society to me earlier, right? Is it some kind of magic?"

Sophie looked up, a half-smile lighting her face.

"In a way, yes. But it doesn't come from me. It's an Esoteric Society smartwatch. It uses Technomagic," she explained, like revealing a precious secret.

"A fusion of technology and magic. You'll receive one when you enroll in the Esoteric Academy. When that happens, I promise I'll explain everything in detail."

"All right," Indra replied with a brief nod. He didn't want to dwell on the subject: his thoughts were already far away, imagining the feeling of the Other Side's silvery sunlight warming his skin while he gazed at a sky painted in vibrant purple.

Sophie stood up, walked to the door, and as she opened it, looked at him with a spark of excitement in her eyes.

"Ready to start your new life?"

"Yes!" Indra answered firmly, his voice full of determination.