The forceful doctor rushed the young boy to get dressed and rushed him out the door in a haste.

Dazed from what just happened, Shynerai was about to stumble back into the Medical Ward but...found himself frozen in embarrassment, and a female student stood outside the Medical Ward.

Having caught a glimpse of the confused half-naked boy before she starts trying to berate him to get dressed, after chasing him down the corridor, he eventually tells her to stop and explains what happened.

After turning around for him to get dressed, they introduced each other and she explained to him what she was doing outside the Ward.

"I'm Luciana, a Second Year of Class 2B."

"Hello, I'm Shynerai Astrapordt, a first-year but I'm not sure in what class."

"Shy–shyne–"

"....eh, you can call me Erai."

"I guess.” She giggled.

“Has anyone ever told you that you've got a strange name?"

"Oh yeah..."

"Anyways, I was ordered by the Student Generals to help in the guiding of the freshmen to their homeroom classes.”

“If you'll follow me I can take you there."

"Uh...alright, but if I may ask, what class will I be in?"

Luciana hesitated for a moment:

"Don't worry about it, you'll get to meet everyone when you get there...Eh, how about I get you up to speed with a personal orientation?" She responded with a plastic smile.

"O–Okay, I'd appreciate that", the flustered Erai accepted.

The two of them left the Medical ward and made their way to the Student buildings, all the while she filled him in on crucial details of the school's goings-on. She explained that there are four years and six classes in total, all ranked from F to A.

Those with higher ranks have greater prestige and enjoy better benefits from the school, though what those benefits are will only become available some time after they’ve been settled into the school. She went on to inform him that every class has a base number of students with each one being responsible for either maintaining their numbers or bolstering them.

"So it's possible for students to personally recruit people into their class?"

"Yes, but if your class falls below 60% of its initial number...the whole class is—Expelled!”

“With no second chances or excuses. Forcing them to retake their entrance exams"

"..."

"It's alright” She jumped in front of the stunned snow-haired, greeting his shock with an expression of relief.

“All the classes have a score that increases by accumulating points throughout the year. The points can come from any Guardian-related activities like the Carnivals, Circuses, Quests and Inter-Challenges.”

“All of these can get you points, which allow you to have access to various things."

"I don't get it! How is any of this supposed to stop me from worrying?" Shynerai asked, trying to laugh off his concerns.

"Well since a class's score carries so much value, the gathering of points usually takes precedence over poaching other classes for students." Folding her arms with an equally curious grin

"Ohh...that's how, hmm..."

"Yep. Now, there's your class. If you still have more questions–"

"I have several."

"Really, well....” She took a second to think before answering.

“Hmmm. Alright, tell you what..." Taking Erai's Notebook and pulling her own out, paging through it until she found the page she was looking for.

‘'Lu...ci...an...a' Her name etched itself into one of the blank pages.

"There, if you have any more questions after your orientation, then feel free to call me."

"With my Notebook–"

"Yep. Now I have to go and help any students that might have woken up.

I'll see you around Erai", she says goodbye before walking back to the Medical Ward.

"I appreciate the help, Luciana, see you around."

With Luciana taking off, Shynerai was left to face down the oak door of what would be his class for the next year. As a panic fuelled sensation welled up in his stomach at the sound of the murmured voices from beyond the door, a distinct voice amongst the inaudible tones was projected with obvious clarity:

"Now then, it seems we have another student who'll be joining our class. You are welcome to enter"

Taking a deep breath, Shynerai pushed open the door.

As he walked in, his eyes were greeted by the vibrant light of the setting sun peeking through the windows across him, though his sight quickly adjusted and he was able to see the person that called for him...

"You...sir"

'Oh, another male...oh well' The professor locked eyes with him as he thought to himself.

"Alright then young man looks like you'll be in this class the remaining days of this year. This is class 1F, welcome.”

“Now, would you step in and introduce yourself to everyone."

“...Okay.”

“My name is Shynerai Astrapordt. It's a pleasure."

"Is that it? Dear boy, surely you can at least tell us something more about yourself, like where you come from?" He pressed.

"Where I come—" Shynerai was about to speak but his mouth quickly dried out as the intensity of his grit teeth began to show.

"I...I grew up in Sprite Fontiss, it's a small trade city, North of this Continent."

A noticeable grin appeared beneath the professor's eyes.

"How interesting, I haven't been up North that often to know of any clans with alabaster mane" He pondered curiously.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The rest of the class's eyes could be felt on him, staring with anticipation.

"I got my hair from my mother, she was a Southern Elf, my father...he was a human"

"Oh, so a Daumier? "His sharp crimson eyes loomed over him with a piercing gaze as he asked.

He clenched his fist."Yes—now may I be seated?"

"Of course, thank you for sharing, you may sit at any open table."

The professor's questions left him with a sour taste as a wrought scowl laid across his face while he was walking towards his chair in the back of the class...

"Shy—Erai, you're here?"

He looked up in surprise from how familiar the voice sounded

"Wait, Vaceris…” Looking beside himself.

"Yeah—we're in the same class...I can't believe it!"

"Wait, how's this possible?"

"From your reaction, I can't tell if you're excited or disappointed." She said with a furrowed brow.

"Honestly...I'm more surprised than anything else..."

"Well, that's enough!"

“There will be plenty of time to chat after my class. Mr Astrapordt, please be seated and Ms Ieollavard, pay attention."

"Y-Yes sir" He left her desk and continued to his chair.

"Right. Before we can begin, allow me to introduce myself, once more.

“I am Dr Blutzsicht Reiss, but you are all welcome to call me Professor Reiss. I will be your homeroom teacher for the foreseeable future, so I do hope we can get along." He announced before winking at some of the students sitting in front of him.

"Cut the crap! What the hell was that, that..."

"Ahhh, I see, you're referring to the Configuration?" Reiss looked over at the frustrated students that all shared in their classmate's desire for answers.

"Alright. The Configuration as you all experienced is a pocket dimension that contains a near-infinite number of connections to other free-forming pockets in space-time.”

“Ordinarily, we only allow for the students to venture through just three layers of the ‘Hell’, it's what we call them, but I'm sure if anyone would agree it would be you."

"So if there were only supposed to be three layers, then does that mean...the place should have–" Tersia asked with resounding concern.

"That is correct. Seems things might be more interesting if the rest of you turn out to be this bright." A boy with bright blue eyes and messy brown hair that was bound in a white and gold bandana stood in confusion as he asked the rest of the class to clarify.

"Eh–”

“Well, it means that the Configuration was only supposed to change three times", Ketsuiko conveyed the news with a disturbed expression aimed at the professor.

"So tell me, SIR, why, if there even is a reason, why were we in there for so long?" His disturbed expression began radiating a fierce storm, so noticeable that the Shynerai was able to feel it at the back of the class.

"Well, even though the Configuration can hold an almost limitless number of locations, we only ever found a need to use seven, since time flows differently, we set out to get you after 7 minutes, or hoped that you found your way out. You didn't, and so we had to act"

"You didn't answer my question, sir. Why–” Getting up from his chair and stepping away from his desk.

“Did you choose to go so far if it wasn't necessary" As Ketsuiko stood up, the violent energy was spurred even more as scarlet and black lightning sparked from him with each step he took.

"You put our lives in danger, so many people could have been needlessly killed.

So why, did you take it so far…why—", he stopped in his tracks as the student that was sitting beside him, got in his path.

Shaking his head as he stared into Ketsuiko's eyes, the crimson sparks died down and all the rest of the class came out from the cover of their desk...

"Sorry Sergei, I shouldn't let my temper flare like that."

Resting a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't like you, worrying about others doesn't justify a lack of control", Sergei responded to his apology.

'Looks like the King's power is not to be underestimated, how very interesting...' Reiss thought to himself as the student calmed down.

"Listen, I hope you haven't forgotten what I told you before you went in.

The reality is that the test had always involved all seven layers, but recently, the strength of the Guardians has begun to wane as more and more individuals acquire the title, with that, administration over the years reduced the challenge of the Configuration down to only three layers.

But with the sudden increase in threats, within the Havens no less, the Headmaster gave the go-ahead to restore the challenging nature of the Configuration.

As a result, you guys will probably be the smallest group of first years in decades."

"H-how small are we talking here?" Tersia asked.

"There are only sx first-year classes, your class was supposed to be about seven or eight students.

Sadly of out the two hundred and sixty that survived exposure to the miasma, only a hundred were in a condition that would allow them to continue, that's you"

"Only a hundred out of a thousand-four hundred and fifty entrants, a success rate of less than 10%.

“This is insane!" Stephen remarked in an unsatisfactory tone.

“That's simply how it is. So cherish the classmates that you have, you've each worked hard to make it here, never forget that sitting here is proof of that effort."

An audible chime rang throughout the halls of the building, sounding from within the classes.

"And with that our time together has ended for the day. See to it that you arrive early for my class tomorrow. And not to worry, you'll get your schedules by the end of Thursday." Punctuating his announcement with a wave to the class before walking through the door.

"Well, that was something..." Stephen remarks before following suit.

"Oh–before I forget" Reiss popped his head through the door

"Whoa..." Stephen leaps back in surprise.

"Before you leave, can you decide on who your class captain will be? Once you do you can fill in the necessary paperwork on my desk and drop it off in the Lecturer's Lounge. " After which he closed the door and continued walking down the hallway.

"Huh, I'm not going to be a fan of his" Stephen whispers under his breath, before proceeding to open the door.

"Hang on, we have to decide on—" Vaceris called to him.

"Ketsu's got my vote, he's the obvious choice" He answered before closing the door behind him

"That guy..." She remarked with a scowl.

The rest of the class took a moment to decide among themselves but quickly came to the same conclusion as Stephen:

"If it wasn't for our 'fearless leader', we probably wouldn't have made it out of the Configuration.” Torren comments.

"It's true, he made sure that as many as possible could make it back." said Tersia.

Shynerai wasn't too familiar with Ketsuiko nor was he in the same group as the rest of his class when they were trapped in the Configuration so he didn't have much to go on except the respect the rest of class seemed to have for him.

"If everyone thinks you're the man for the job, then choosing you makes sense." With Shynerai adding his support from the back, the decision became unanimous with Ketsuiko becoming the class captain of the class.

After applause to congratulate their new captain, Shynerai got up to try and talk to Vaceris but before he realized, both her and Tersia had already left.

"Hey...there, you're Shynerai, right? "Someone tried to reach out to him out of his daze.

"Eh...yeah, you're..." Shynerai's gaze moves to the messy-haired boy standing beside the captain and his companion.

"The name's Torren Sujin." Reaching to shake his hand with an endearing smile.

"Oh…ah, it's nice to meet you. Sorry about that, just not used to people getting my name right" He returned the gesture.

"Well, I heard Lady Vaceris call you Erai before, so I guess I could call you that too."

"Ah, sure...' Guess she makes everyone call her Lady'..."

"So do you want to head out...I'm guessing you also live at Cross Gardens too?"

"Eh...sure, I didn't realize that you live there too...Torren, but I don't mind." Erai was taken aback by the friendly exchange he just had.

The two of them left the class and went out of the building towards the tram station.

With the transport having parked at the Cross Garden's station, the two left and made their way to the first year building.

Before Erai got to his room, Torren asked him if he had anything to do or they could hang out. Erai took a look at his stitches, noticing that there was no longer any pain or strain from the injuries, he excited agrees to join him:

'Sarah's not going to believe it, I made a friend...she's going to tease me about it for sure', Erai thought to himself as he and Torren dropped their jackets in their rooms before heading to explore the Southern Residence.