“Class schedule?”

Even as I asked that, a portion of Dex’s database flashed behind my eyes, and I saw a multitude of “classes” and was able to ascertain what that word meant. I saw different teachers instructing students on a variety of topics, from meditation, how to cultivate, efficient spellcasting, and even how to read or write.

“You won’t have a lot of class options as a first-year, but you might be able to choose one or two.”

A wide grin spread over my face. “What types of classes are taught here?”

I could hear the excitement lilt my voice to a higher register, but I didn’t care enough to feel embarrassed by it.

I did it! I’m a student at a place that could teach me more than I could have ever imagined!

I caught myself craning my neck upward, subconsciously searching for Drayek’s approval of my success so far. Just by picturing him, I could almost feel his excitement budding with my own.

“Oh, there are lots of classes.” Emmett waved a hand. “There are some dueling classes, classes that teach you how to battle in a group, classes where you can learn more about what essence is and why it exists…”

I perked up at the last one. “A class that dives into the meaning of essence?”

“Yeah. That’s a requirement for first-years, actually. So, you’ll have to take that. Probably one of the more boring classes I've ever taken at the academy, but there's some good stuff, I guess."

Emmett had no idea. I knew the basics of essence, that the streams made up everything in existence, but maybe there was more. Maybe there was more I could learn that could help me better understand the essence I saw on a daily basis–the essence I took in or stole to strengthen myself or my spells. And maybe I could learn precisely how Lord Solomon’s Celestial Tier 1 Skill worked. That Skill had allowed Lord Solomon to further read essence, not just to copy and cast spells, but to read the past and present of all streams. Maybe I could learn to do that–to an extent–even without a Celestial Skill.

“You’ll also complete your registration as a student at Solomon’s Realm Academy,” Emmett continued. “That means they’ll situate you with your own neural implant.”

I didn’t respond. I’d heard mention of needing a neural implant in this city my first day when I’d tried to buy food from that rude merchant. The merchant had described a gory procedure that involved digging into my skull and inserting a piece of metal into my brain. However, the merchant also said that the neural implant acted as a necessary component for living and working in this city.

I shuddered, unable to shake away the discomfort that arose from the idea of putting something foreign in my head. It appealed to me about as much as it had when I’d first learned about it. But, I convinced myself that I would do what I needed to in order to fit in on this planet and learn as much as possible. As long as it was safe.

The floor Emmett and I ended up on branched out into five separate hallways, all decked with the academy’s seemingly favorite deep maroon wallpaper and furnishings. We took the path that split the others directly down the center and passed many students with stacks of books piled on their arms and others with sharp weapons and bright, glowing staffs that I could only assume were also weapons.

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I received a handful of curious stares but nothing that made me feel too uncomfortable. But I found myself searching frantically for Cinthara at every corner. Now that I knew for a surety that she had something to do with Euridice as her clone (maybe one of many Euridice clones–only the gods knew), I wasn’t keen on running into her again anytime soon. Or ever.

Though, I knew it was inevitable that I’d see her again… eventually. We lived in the same city and were both students. Maybe the best thing for me to do was to try to remain in the sight of large groups of people at all times. Maybe outside of the setting of a duel, she’d feel less inclined to attack me around groups of onlookers and witnesses.

But I had no way of knowing what she had planned for me at all, or even if she knew she was a Euridice clone. But her obvious dislike of me didn’t bode well for her intentions.

I caught no sign of Cinthara anywhere as Emmett led me to our destination. He took me through a wide-open door. Above the doorframe, a silver sign had been nailed into the wall and read, “Citizen and Student Registration.” On the door, I saw metal carvings of different types of fish welded onto its surface. Information from Dex tried to explain to me every species represented on the door, and there were so many it made my head hurt.

I attempted to tune out the information piling into my head, but it proved difficult. Most of the time, my AI’s database was extremely useful, but at other times, I found it inconvenient. I made a mental note to try and practice turning away my focus from major data loads. Maybe that was something Dex knew about and could help me with.

A very bored-looking woman with eyelids drooping over her eyes as she napped sat behind a wide black desk. The entire surface of the desk was a sleek screen that had a soft glow to it.

“Hey, Lucinda!” Emmett sang loudly.

Lucinda jerked awake with a snort. She adjusted the thin, gold-framed spectacles on her wide nose and looked the two of us up and down.

“Yes. Hello, Emmett. You have a new student for me?”

She knew Emmett by name. And with such a huge school, that felt improbable. Did Emmett serve as a student companion for a lot of people?

“Yeah! This is Rayden Grim!” Emmett gestured for me to step forward, and I did, simultaneously nodding at the woman.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, holding out a long-fingered hand for me to shake. Her soft voice came out in a croak. That, plus the dark circles under her eyes, made her seem older than she was. In reality, she couldn’t have been more than 25 unless she was Tier 7 or higher. The woman scanned me up and down, and her frown only grew deeper.

I smiled and leaned forward to shake her hand. So, handshaking was a thing on this planet. The many times Cinthara had refused to shake my hand when I offered made me hope that handshaking wasn’t customary here. But no, Cinthara just despised me.

I shook Lucinda’s hand and flinched at the feel of her sharp fingernails digging into my skin.

“I heard about you,” she mused with large eyes studying my every movement. “You’re the Tier 2 who had to survive a 60-second duel. Congratulations, by the way. It’s impressive that you passed.”

“Uh, thanks.” I ripped my hand out of her grip and tried to offer a shaky smile so as not to offend her in any way.

I wanted desperately to correct her and blurt out that I was now a Tier 3, but I didn’t know how advancement worked on this planet. In Edrona, people had to attend the goddess’s temple to unlock a Tier and receive a new Skill. Of course, I never had to do that, but I needed to search Codex's databases or find out for myself how people advanced on X-47-35 and keep up pretenses that I was the same. I didn’t want to attract suspicion.

“Let’s set you up with a class schedule, then.”

Lucinda danced her elegant fingers along the screen, brilliant lights bursting in reds, yellows, greens, and purples on the surface with her every touch.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Emmett chimed in, throwing us a goodbye wave. “I’ve got to get to my next evening class. If you need anything, Rayden, my dorm is number 103 on the seventh floor.

I watched Emmett leave with his stubby black tail that poked out of his trousers, wagging as if waving goodbye. I mentally pleaded with him to not leave me alone with this strange woman and her cold stare. But, of course, Emmett couldn’t read my thoughts, and the door shut behind him with a click. And I found that I missed Emmett's cheery company. Maybe I wouldn’t feel so against making friends after all.