After the first lesson all the first year's are gathered together for an introductory lesson lead by the Headmaster. The grand amphitheater hummed with energy, a sea of fresh-faced first-years seated on tiered stone benches beneath the open sky. The air smelled of ink, parchment, and the sharp tang of spirit energy lingering from the previous lectures. Above us, banners representing each faculty—Physical Attributes, Spiritual Attributes, Alchemy, Healers, Beast Tamers, and Arrays & Illusions—fluttered in the breeze, their colors catching the light like woven flames.
I sat in the middle row with Aerin, Mira, and Caius, my back straight but my heart racing.
We were here to learn the shape of the world we had been thrown into.
At the center of the amphitheater stood the Dean of Students, a tall man with hair the color of storm clouds, his robes a patchwork of every faculty's colors. His voice, when it rang out, was like a bell striking the soul.
"Welcome, First-Years. Today, we speak of the Dividing Lines. Of power, of potential, and of purpose."
A low murmur swept through the students, but it died as the Dean lifted a hand. His eyes gleamed, sharp as blades.
"In this academy, you are not just students. You are heirs to legacies, bearers of burdens. And your faculty—the path you walk—defines the skills you hone and the future you shape."
He gestured, and the banners flared brighter, each unfurling like a story being told.
🌿 Physical Attributes Faculty
The dark blue banner shimmered, and a figure leaped onto the stage—a woman with hair braided in tight coils, muscles rippling beneath her uniform.
"Physical cultivators," she barked, "are the backbone of the mortal world. We are warriors, defenders, and soldiers. Our strength is built on raw force—speed, agility, endurance, and power. We train our bodies until they become weapons, capable of shattering mountains and standing unyielding against storms."
She demonstrated with a crackling fist, her punch splitting a heavy stone block in two. The crowd gasped, the sound echoing.
Aerin grinned beside me. "That's the faculty I wanted—until the test."
I felt a strange pang. They had assumed I was a dud, and yet my body…
The woman's eyes swept over the crowd. "For those in the Physical Attributes, remember: your body is your blade. Sharpen it."
🌌 Spiritual Attributes Faculty
The silver banner shimmered next, and a robed figure stepped forward, their presence as still and sharp as the surface of a pond.
"Spiritual cultivators," they intoned, "walk the path of the unseen. We command the energies that shape the world—telekinesis, elemental control, healing, and more. While physical strength may break a stone, it is spiritual might that can command the skies and alter fate itself."
They raised a hand, and the wind itself seemed to obey, swirling in an intricate dance. Sparks of flame and threads of light shimmered in the air. The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.
Kai Xu, sitting a few rows down, didn't react. But I saw the faintest tension in his posture—like he was fighting something within.
The speaker's voice softened. "Spiritual cultivation demands focus, balance, and an iron will. Many who walk this path are born to it. Few awaken it later in life."
I clenched my fists, a whisper of defiance in my chest.
🏛 Other Faculties
The banners shifted, introducing the specialized paths:
• The Healers (white banner): They soothe the wounds of both body and soul, weaving spirit energy into mending light. Their path is one of compassion, but their power is no less formidable.
• The Beast Tamers (olive banner): They form sacred bonds with spirit beasts, fighting alongside them in a harmony of fang and claw. Their strength lies in trust and understanding the wild.
• The Alchemy Faculty (violet banner): They master the art of transmutation, crafting pills, elixirs, and artifacts that can shift the tides of battle. Their knowledge is dangerous—and invaluable.
• The Arrays & Illusions Faculty (crimson banner): They are the weavers of reality, bending perception, shaping space, and creating traps that ensnare the unwary.
Each faculty had its champions, its risks, and its mysteries.
The Dean's gaze swept over us, burning like a brand.
"Choose your allies wisely," he said. "For the path you walk will not only determine your strength—it will test your heart."
As the banners faded and the amphitheater's murmurs swelled again, I felt a strange stillness inside me.
Physical… Spiritual…
I was born into one.
I had been placed in the other.
But I knew, deep down—I was both.
And that truth… it felt dangerous