As the two walked along the bustling street, they witnessed the vibrant tapestry of daily life in Lunethra. Despite its reputation as an academy city, the population wasn't limited to students, teachers, and scholars. Regular citizens formed the backbone of its thriving economy and unique culture, creating a harmonious blend of the mundane and magical.

Merchants called out from their stalls, displaying exotic goods imbued with minor enchantments. Self-warming cloaks hung beside ever-fresh fruits that gleamed with preservation spells. Street performers drew crowds with displays of magical artistry, their enchanted wands painting the air with ribbons of shimmering light.

Aiden and Eris passed a blacksmith's workshop where azure-tinged sparks danced like fireflies as a muscled craftsman shaped a glowing blade upon a rune-etched anvil. The adjacent bakery filled the air with the intoxicating aroma of fresh pastries, its display window showcasing bread and confections spelled to maintain their perfect warmth and texture.

"Smells good," Eris murmured, her gaze lingering on an array of golden-crusted pastries.

"Want to grab something?" Aiden asked, already slowing his pace.

She shook her head, though her eyes betrayed her reluctance. "We shouldn't waste time, remember? The orientation."

Aiden chuckled. "You're more disciplined than I expected. Guess I'll have to skip it too, then."

The streets grew increasingly animated as they approached the city's heart. They passed an enchanted fountain where water danced in impossible patterns, suspended in mid-air and radiating a soft, ethereal glow. Children's laughter rang out as they played around its base, their innocent joy a stark contrast to Aiden's perplexed expression.

"Is it just me, or does all of this seem a bit too..."

"Lively?" Eris supplied.

"Yeah..."

Before arriving in Lunethra, Aiden had imagined something far more sinister—a city shrouded in shadows and secrets. The reality before him was jarringly different from those dark expectations.

"Were you expecting some kind of fight the moment you stepped inside the city?" Eris teased. "I never thought my dear brother would become such a musclehead after all this time."

"Aren't you guilty of the same?"

"We humans are creatures of thought and imagination, you know," she replied with scholarly affectation. "Anyone with common sense would realize there's no way such an ominous group would openly reveal themselves in this kind of environment. Anyone who thinks otherwise would be either foolish or lacking basic judgment."

"Are you calling your brother stupid?"

"Not at all. I'm just stating facts."

Eris shrugged with theatrical indifference, clearly unconcerned whether Aiden took offense at her analysis.

"Hah," Aiden sighed. "I suppose that means it's not the city itself but either a group targeting this place or operating from within it."

Although somewhat deflated that his dark imaginings of Lunethra had been shattered, he felt a measure of relief that at least—

A thunderous explosion shattered the morning air.

Aiden and Eris lifted their gazes skyward in perfect synchronization, their movements eerily calm amid the sudden chaos. Above them, an elegant passenger airship listed badly to one side, flames erupting from its starboard engine housing. The vessel's crystalline navigation fins flickered erratically as it began a slow, inexorable descent toward their position.

Around them, the street erupted into panic. Merchants abandoned their stalls, parents scooped up their children, and the once-orderly crowd devolved into a chaotic mass of fleeing bodies. Yet the siblings remained still, islands of calm in a sea of chaos.

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"Well," Eris muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, "I suppose you got your wish for excitement after all."

Aiden's eyes narrowed as he tracked the airship's trajectory. "It's definitely coming this way."

"It is, isn't it? So?"

Aiden cocked his head and stretched his hand toward Eris, a familiar glint in his eye. "We're going to be living here for the next four years, so we might as well keep this place safe and clean, right?"

"We better not be late on our first day." Eris sighed and grabbed Aiden's hand, her grip firm and assured despite the gravity of the situation.

Aiden closed his eyes and swiped his hand across his face in a practiced motion. In an instant, his entire body shimmered with prismatic light, as though he were being painted anew. The glow intensified until his form dissolved into a radiant silhouette. When the light subsided, an identical image of Eris stood beside her, mirroring her every detail—from her fiery red hair down to the determined set of her jaw.

"Ready?" Aiden—now Eris's perfect double—asked, his voice an uncanny match to hers.

The real Eris glanced at him with a mixture of approval and exasperation. "Just don’t embarrass me this time."

Both of them raised their hands toward the incoming airship, their movements synchronized with eerie precision. Magic circles, intricate and identical, materialized around their fingers in glowing patterns of interlocking glyphs.

"Levitate."

Their voices rang out in perfect unison, the command reverberating through the air. The street thrummed with power as concentric rings of magical energy expanded outward, wrapping around the falling airship like ethereal ribbons.

The massive vessel’s descent began to slow, but the strain of supporting such weight was evident in the siblings’ tensed postures. Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they fought against gravity itself.

"This thing’s heavier than it looks," Aiden muttered through gritted teeth, his voice an unsettling echo of Eris’s.

"Less complaining, more concentrating," she responded, her brow furrowed in focus.

Just as their arms began to tremble from the effort, a commanding voice rang out from behind them.

"City Guard! Stand clear!"

A squad of uniformed figures rushed past them, their official robes bearing the emblem of Lunethra's shield. Their captain, a tall woman with striking silver hair, took point at the head of the formation.

"Glacial Embrace!"

Streams of crystalline ice shot upward, wrapping around the airship's damaged engine and creating a stabilizing lattice of magical frost. The combined efforts of the guards and the siblings finally brought the vessel to a complete stop, hovering safely above the street.

As the last passengers were safely evacuated, the guard captain approached the siblings. Her sharp eyes took in their identical appearances with barely concealed surprise. "That was exceptional work, young ladies. I'm Captain Leaze, and you have my deepest gratitude for your quick thinking."

Aiden, still wearing Eris's form, clasped his hands together and bounced on his toes. "Oh my, thank you so much, Captain! We're just happy we could help!" He batted his eyelashes and gave a girlish giggle that was so over-the-top, that several nearby guards had to suppress their smiles.

Eris's response was swift and merciless. Her fist connected with Aiden's stomach with surgical precision, causing him to double over with a decidedly un-ladylike grunt.

"Please excuse my... sister's behavior," Eris said smoothly, though her eye twitched slightly. "The excitement must have gone to her head."

Captain Leaze's gaze flickered to their uniforms—the distinctive silver and azure of new academy enrollees. "Ah, you must be among this year's incoming class. You should hurry along to orientation; I wouldn't want your heroics to make you late on your first day."

"Thank you, Captain," Eris said, practically dragging her still-winded sibling away from the scene. "We appreciate your understanding."

As the siblings disappeared into the crowd, Captain Leaze watched them go with barely concealed amazement. To her trained eye, their feat was nothing short of remarkable. The power required to even slow such a massive airship, let alone hold it steady, would have challenged most seasoned mages. Yet these two had managed it with what appeared to be minimal strain.

"I guess I can expect great things from this year's students," she murmured to herself, turning back to oversee the recovery operation. "Let's hope we meet again soon."

Once they were safely out of earshot, Aiden released his transformation with a shimmer of magic, returning to his natural form. He was still rubbing his stomach with an exaggerated grimace.

"Was that really necessary? I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Consider it a reminder to take things seriously," Eris replied, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice. "And if you ever imitate me like that again, I'll aim lower next time."

"Point taken," Aiden chuckled, falling into step beside her. "Though I have to admit, that wasn't quite the exciting welcome to Lunethra I was expecting."

"No," Eris agreed, her expression thoughtful. "But it does make you wonder if it was really an accident, doesn't it?"

Aiden’s smile faded slightly as they hurried toward the academy grounds. "Yeah... it does. Well, let’s leave it to the city guard. It’s not our job to meddle, not yet anyway. I’m sure they can figure something out."