As Aurelie's boots clacked against the hall's pristine floors, she could only witness her awestruck expression reflected on the geometric tiles. Hundreds of other freshmen were already gathered in groups, others sidled by the pillars, and some already reached the hall's upper floors. Every conversation was echoing throughout the chambers, orchestrating a cacophony to resonate from above.

From there, elaborate, mosaic frescoes decorated the walls, depicting the whimsicality of witches, wizards, and mages coexisting in harmony. Where the sun sets should the moon rise, where all magicians paid witness with their arms extended towards the skies. It created the hues that Aurelie so loved, of a setting sun whose radiant orange oozed into celestial blue. But when standing beneath the grandeur of marble pillars, the dome ceilings overhead, and the iridescence of everything, she felt small compared to everything else—like a mouse that had wandered into the world's biggest castle. Or was this the biggest castle?

"Ack, I'd rather not know..." Clutching the straps of her satchel, Aurelie warily glanced at the other students. Her breaths felt tight in her chest, and upon looking at the other students' extravagant clothes, she glanced down at her own. It was comfortably modest, but it was the one thing making her stick out like a sore thumb amid all the exquisite bits and bobs. Shaking her head, she discreetly slipped out the terrace doors, before the hubbub receded into a faint droning. Where the cool, autumn air finally calmed her shaky nerves.

"Phew, I'm finally out..." Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked to see the campus courtyard extending beneath the terrace. A fountain was bubbling at the center, where it was encircled by bushes of every shape and size. Some of them were already bearing ripe fruit, specifically the ones whose berries appeared like blooming acorns. But beyond her vantage point, she could hardly see what was happening from behind the courtyard's towering hedges. Could it be a labyrinth of sorts? Or training grounds? Shaking her head, she noticed a bench nearby.

Plopping herself down, she patted one of the satchel's pouches. "You can come out now, Papa." When two twitching ears gave way to someone's blinking, beady eyes, Edward quickly whipped his head from left to right, before crawling up Aurelie's arm. Only to rest on her shoulder, hidden by the veil of her ashen hair.

"What's up, kiddo? You've been sighing for the last five minutes now," he asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. It's just..." Twiddling with her thumbs, Aurelie sheepishly admitted, "...This place is way bigger than I thought. And there are so many students here who already know what they're doing. What if...I'm just not cut out for this?" Having seen the glaring resplendence of this place boring into her soul, the students who paid puzzled glances her way, and the people who'd already found their own groups, she felt like a lone leaf drifting in the wind. Aimlessly wandering from one place to another, trying their hardest to find somewhere to settle. Before she sighed dejectedly.

"Maybe it was a good idea to have you come with me--"

"--Hmph, as if you should give a macadamia about that!" Edward interjected.

"Eh?" Blinking wildly, Aurelie looked to see the ermine stand on its hind legs, pressing a paw to her cheek.

"Relly, think about it, if these kids know anything about Kismet, which they don't, then all they'll say is that you're from some forgotten forest. But you know that isn't true, is it?" With her astonished expression reflected in those dark pupils, Edward continued, "Because the Haven of Kismet will always be your home, a place where you have a whole family who loves you. And above all, they want you to succeed."

"E-Even if..."

"Nuh-uh. We promised not to bring that up again, Relly. But if it makes you feel better..." Placing his other paw on his chest, her father resolutely declared, "Lewis and I are proud to have you as our daughter. Even if you were born to a family of hunters doesn't mean you'll become one. To us, you'll always be our most kindhearted child."

"Father Lewis...Hehe, I'm surprised you mentioned his name so soon. You two were always bickering the day I received my acceptance letter," his daughter chuckled. "If he was anything smaller than a lynx, then I'm sure he would have hitched a ride in one of my other pockets." Out of her two fathers, Lewis was always the most logical and aloof, yet when he received news of her acceptance, his boisterous yells were enough to rattle her bones.

"No way, I can't condone this! Relly has never been this far from home, and she'll be crushed by the number of stringent customs there are! If you really cared about her wellbeing, then you wouldn't have let her go through with this in the first place!"

"Ha, and you think you know anything about how humans interact with each other? I know better than anyone that Relly has what it takes to go to the best magic school there is! And you already know that we can't keep her cooped up like this forever."

The arguments went back and forth for days--until the morning before Aurelie left--when Lewis finally faced her with a look that a mother shows to a fledgling. A bird that was ready to leave the nest, where neither the harshest winds nor its mother could keep its wings fettered. It was that fear of broken bones and hearing its hopeless cries that made Lewis hesitate, his bearded face wracked in anguish. Reluctantly walking forward with heavy, broad paws, his feathery ears tickled Aurelie's cheeks as he went forward for a nuzzle. And he finally relented in a hoarse yet gentle voice. "Be safe, child. Make sure to pack enough food for the journey, and find a reputable inn to stay at for the nights ahead. When you get there, always remember this..."

"...Never let anyone tell you that you don't belong here," Edward repeated those words.

Widening her eyes, Aurelie felt her frantic heartbeat calm to a steady pace, and she could breathe easily again. Closing her eyes, she realized how much both her parents wished for her safety and happiness, and that despite how different they were from her, they'd love her just as much. Before she resolutely nodded. "You're right. The reason I came here was to witness all those possibilities I've seen in picture books, and maybe entertain the notion that I can use magic for real. But no matter what..." Placing her newly obtained handbook on her lap, she smoothed over the cover. "...I can't let you and Father Lewis down."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Relly...You don't have to worry about disappointing us. Don't do this for us, do this for you. After all..." Leaping down to sit beside her lap, Edward tapped the book's cover. "...You made it this far because of your own hard work. And that in itself is enough to make us proud of you. So don't start giving up now." Listening to her father's encouragement, her fingers curled around his tiny paw, squeezing it gently.

"Thank you, Papa." She fondly smiled before looking at the cover again.

"I made it this far...And this is my chance to bring my dreams to life," Aurelie thought while smoothing over the intricate embellishments. It had an ornate design, where gold, arabesque swirls grew from each corner of the book. The bindings of the book were meticulously added, and each one was connected to a side latch. A blank plaque was on the front, tempting her to call it her own. Pulling the quill out, she excitedly signed her name in fancy calligraphy, added with a touch of curling vines here and there. As soon as she finished the last curve, the book began fluttering wildly, responding to the ethereal luminance that appeared on its newest inscription.

"Property of Aurelie Erwin," the book addressed on the very first page--before flipping into a newly-formed Table of Contents. Tabs sprung up from between the pages, demarcating each section of the handbook: Introduction, Student Profile, Inventory, Spellbook, and Additional Notes. Flipping over to the next page, Aurelie watched as several words were neatly inked down.

Introduction

Welcome to the Hexaneus Academy, Ms. Aurelie Erwin. This handbook will serve as an important guide in navigating many of the academy's rules and protocols. In addition, it will function as a multi-purpose tool for your spellcasting career. Please read below to finish setting up your handbook, and how to make full use of its security features.

"Security features...Is it talking about the lock here?" Edward asked, playing with the dangling star-shaped trinket.

"Hm, I'll set that up later. Let's see...Looks like the Student Profile is on Page 6," Aurelie responded before skipping a few pages. As soon as she reached the next page, she witnessed many compartments pop up on the parchment, each of them labeled accordingly. Every box was framed like a miniature bookshelf, where the text was neatly organized on its shelf. In the first box at the uppermost left was her basic profile, including a framed portrait of herself.

Student Profile

Aurelie Erwin

Hometown: Haven of Kismet

Class: Yet to be added.

Elemental Attribute(s): Yet to be added.

Familiar: Yet to be added.

Roving over the words, Edward questioned, "You haven't joined a class, Relly?"

"Ah, I wanted to wait until classes start before making a decision. All first-years are assigned a homeroom class, and apparently, they'll cover the basics of what each class entails, and how the rest of the year will look. From what I know..." Raising her fingers one by one, she listed, "... There are four schools in total, and each one also holds several different subclasses you can choose from by your second year. Like being a herbalist, an illusionary, and even a beast tamer. But as for what each school specifically does, I would need to attend the orientation session."

"Huh, I see. Then what's this compass doing here?" her father asked, pointing to an unusually-shaped pushpin near the "Class" label. "Are we supposed to do something with it?"

"Hm, maybe it could be a help directory?" After pulling out the bronze pushpin, a flurry of lights emitted from the page, unleashing a thousand wingbeats to start fluttering around. Before they formed glowing letters on the pages, followed by a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

Hello! We're your navigation sprites! Would you like to have a brief synopsis of each class?

"Woah, they're so flashy..." the ermine remarked, while Aurelie nodded. "Yes, please." Upon her response, the sprites began arranging themselves into phrases, while also lowering the brightness of their luminance.

"The Witches' Apothecary not only includes witches but also alchemists and pharmacists. They learn the basics of potion-making, how to classify various medicinal and spiritual herbs, and how to cast healing spells. Since its founding, the school forbade any texts that allow one to trick those unwittingly with incurable symptoms, as to maintain the modus operandi of curing over cursing."

"The School of Wizardry is an all-encompassing institute for anyone interested in practicing a wide range of spells. Wizards, mages, sorcerers, and the like can study how to articulate incantations, infuse their magic into a medium of their choice, and compose a grimoire."

"The Artificers' Atelier functions differently from the other two schools, considering that it's made up of multiple workshops stacked on top of each other. Some of them specialize in making tools for magic catalysis, inventions that use various fuel sources, and even artistic endeavors that include bringing paintings to life. It's become an inclusive school of magic that encourages students to practice the art of innovation, invention, and creation."

"Lastly, we have the Amphitheater for Magicians. It's home to spellcasters who are interested in putting on performances, designing costumes, screenwriting, and developing special effects. The grand amphitheater is composed of an outdoor and indoor auditorium for students to rehearse and put on annual performances."

"Wow, that's enough to make an entire textbook page. Hey, Relly, which one are you interested in--?"

"--All of them sound so amazing," Aurelie gasped, staring at each of the synopses. "I mean, being able to concoct so many different potions, cast powerful spells with a flick of your wrist, make the coolest inventions, and even surprise everyone with how many tricks you have--there are so many paths you can choose from. I need to give it some serious thought before deciding."

"Well, if it were up to me, then I'd say the Artificers' Atelier might be a good fit for you," Edward discreetly muttered. "...I'm a better inspiration than Lewis will ever be, after all."

"Ahem, Father Lewis wouldn't like it if he heard that..." Aurelie awkwardly coughed before placing the compass back to whence it came.

"Well, is he here right now? Nope, it's just you and me!"

"Right, right, keep telling yourself that..." she said before looking at her profile overview again.

On the right was her dorm assignment, which read, "Freyridge Hall, Room No. 389". It depicted the building in question, where there was a sketch showcasing a thatched cobblestone building, where spires and winding staircases connected one floor to the next. Bushels of flowering gardens poured out from under the eaves, adding splashes of color onto the stenciled drawing.

"And my class schedule is still pending until orientation's over," Aurelie murmured with a sigh. Closing the handbook, she muttered, "Looks like there's a lot to go through," before looking at her watch. "Just an hour and a half before orientation starts."