Getting on board just in time, the train started on its journey to the Academy and Jon held on to a nearby window as he had difficulty keeping himself stable and dragging his heavy traveling bag. As expected, there was a lot of mingling and chatting echoing from the left side of each wagon, where the traveling compartments were located, except for the last one which was reserved for luggage. On a small table in the farthest corner was a small notebook and Jon took one page and wrote his name and then attached it to his bag and left it somewhere around the beginning of the many different types of other bags that belonged to the other students. After this was done, it was time for the hardest task today, that is, finding a compartment to fit in.

Jon knew that finding a free compartment by this point was nigh-impossible as he was the last to arrive, so he strolled through every wagon that contained passengers and there were six of them each with eight compartments with at least four seats in every compartment. He went from one to another making sure to be quick enough so that he couldn’t be seen by anyone inside, and each had either three or four students inside already, and he had hoped of finding one with maybe one or two if he was lucky.

As he was inspecting the first wagon, he felt his heart’s beat nearly stopping. He could definitely hear some students murmuring about the ‘Phoenix kid’ and the ‘Devil’s son’ being on the train and being a first-year student. Then the hammer of reality hit him again. Traveling with Boc Rak had felt really pleasant as he was such a polite man who gave him a lot of valuable information for both his curiosity and to help him in the future, and he was faced with this hostility, when he didn’t even know anyone. Suddenly the idea of just hanging here outside any compartment felt much more attractive than having to handle questions and unwanted stares because of his lineage.

Jon’s deep thinking got interrupted not by any full compartment but by a nearby one from which only two voices could be clearly heard, and they seemed to be in an intensive ongoing debate.

“Well, I don’t see any rule which forbids me from putting my legs over the opposite seat, do you? Why not use the occasion when it’s free for me to benefit off it? Besides, I came here first, you only came in after me.” Said a male voice, with a hint of pride.

“You could use common sense, that is, if you know what that even means. Do you even know the meaning of that?” Replied a female voice, with a clear dose of dismissiveness and annoyance.

“Don’t get all philosophical on me right now. Since there are no rules, my feet can stay up on the seat, besides it’s good for the blood flow and circulation in my veins. You should try it too and then you’ll see that what I’m talking about makes perfect sense.” The male voice hit back with a hearty chuckle.

Jon’s eyes narrowed on the sliding door to this particular compartment. This sounded like a middle-aged married couple arguing with each other, more than students and future Mages in training. Did they get on the wrong train? Was it even possible for regular people to get on board this particular train?

“Ugh, you’re so dense and impossible to deal with, move your legs, I want to get out.” As Jon smirked to himself and his own thinking, the female voice once again replied in dismay and the door to the compartment suddenly slid open with a creak, surprising Jon as he retreated back a step and found himself face-to-face (albeit with his face looking down) with the source of the female voice.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, did I hit you?” A short girl looked up at Jon from behind the door as his eyes widened.

“Uh... no, it’s okay, don’t worry, I was kind of just standing here and, uh, I came late to the train so I’m looking for a place to sit down.” Jon nervously chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

The short girl’s eyes lit up as she moved back inside and sat on her seat, to Jon’s right side and right next to the window.

“Absolutely! Please come in!” She sounded a bit too enthusiastic for Jon simply asking to come in and he suspected that she was relieved that someone would share the compartment with her, aside from the guy that she was arguing with earlier.

“Yeah, sure, thanks.” Jon blurted out as he went inside and slid the door back again as he sat down opposite the girl, with the window to his left and the guy to his right.

“What’s up? My name is Adam, and this energetic little lady is called Artemis.” The tall and stocky-looking guy next to Jon grinned as he extended his right hand. Jon nodded as he smiled back and shook his hand, instantly feeling Adam’s strong grip and larger and thicker fingers which felt harsh and coarse.

“I can speak for myself! And I’m not little! Okay, maybe just a little below-average... but still! Height means nothing!” Artemis crossed her arms as her small ears got crimson and she looked outside the window, her expression looking highly offended.

“Nice to meet both of you, I’m Jon.” Although he tried his best to put on a friendly and happy smile, he still couldn’t help but feel the tension and dynamic between these two. Jon wondered whether Adam and Artemis knew each other from before or if they had just met. A deep and lingering feeling inside of him suggested the later...

Using the moment of respite, Jon took the chance to take a closer and better look at his potential future classmates. Adam appeared taller than him with wide shoulders, large hands and overall was easily the biggest of the three in the compartment. His skin was fair, his hair short and dark, with a Greek nose, long face and a V-shaped jaw, his eyes were brown with a slight hint of green. Also, judging from the blisters he felt when he shook hands with him and which he just noticed, Jon suspected that Adam came from a hard-working environment which was clearly evident from both his build and strength.

On the other hand, Artemis had a much softer and petite appearance. She was short and skinny, with pale skin, long and bushy light-brown hair that fell down to her hips, and Jon’s couldn’t help but think of it as similar to a lion’s mane, he had never seen such long and majestic hair this wavy and frizzy before. The girl’s eyes were a warm color of hazel, her round face was mouse-like and was covered in freckles, Jon also noticed her wearing braces for her teeth when she smiled earlier before, and her eyes were augmented from behind large and round glasses. Jon smiled internally as he had seen these types of girls so many times in his local library that it felt almost uncanny.

“So, first-years, huh? Are you guys excited? I know I am.” Adam broke the silence as he clapped his hands together, causing both Jon and Artemis to flinch as they were both staring outside the window.

“Absolutely! To be fair, I was a bit sad that I had to cancel my invitation to the oldest and best gymnasium in the country", at her words, Adam rolled his eyes, "but I don’t regret it one bit. Becoming a Mage and joining the Ashford Magical Academy is a once in a lifetime opportunity. After finishing this Academy and becoming a Mage, I can always finish the gymnasium or jump straight into my university of dreams – to become a professor of History and Geography in schools.” Artemis beamed at the two boys, her eyes shining with a particular light. She really seemed eager in her goals and Jon could see a bit of himself in that same determination.

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a lot of fun but also hard so we’re going to have to do our best.” Jon said as he was still feeling unsure whether he should tell them the real reason he was here. He had just met them, but something was telling him that these two people could be trusted.

“Meh, as long as we don’t get any of that theoretical nonsense that they put us through in elementary school, and focus on the practical aspect of magic, I think it should be fine. As for me, my dream is to become an Inspector for the U.F.M.A., since my father is one too. You know, just continuing the family tradition.” Adam said as he shifted in his seat and nodded affirmatively.

Hearing the word ‘Inspector’ greatly intrigued Jon and he opened his mouth to inquire further but was cut off by Artemis who was faster, and she sounded annoyed again.

“Surely, you’re bluffing, right? Both theory and practice are important, especially in teaching magic, you cannot hope of becoming a good and capable Mage without mastering both types. On the other hand, I didn’t know that your father is an Inspector. What’s his rank?”

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Adam narrowed his eyes at Artemis and looked ready to argue with her again but her second question softened his expression, and he crossed his arms.

“Rank 2 Inspector. His area of expertise is the apprehension and capture of rough Mages or in other words, criminals, murderers and evil Mages and magic users who use banned and regular types of magic to cause mayhem and destruction to other individuals. It’s the second most dangerous type of jobs in the U.F.M.A., only the extermination and elimination line of work is more dangerous.”

Artemis gasped and covered her mouth with her left hand while adjusting her glasses with the other hand. Jon looked from one to another and this was the first time that they didn’t argue and were having a normal conversation ever since he met them.

“Wow... your father must be very brave and strong to do that. I don’t know if I could ever do such things. So, Adam, when you said that you also wanted to become an Inspector after graduating from the Academy, what branch do you plan on joining?”

Adam smirked as he cracked his knuckles.

“The most dangerous one, of course. To exterminate and eliminate the enemies, whether they’re human or not. My father fights only to capture and must always use non-lethal magic to fight but Inspectors who are members of the Hades Branch fight only to kill.”

Artemis let out a high-pitched cry as she looked appalled at Adam’s words. Jon himself felt intimidated at Adam’s preferred career choice. For him, fighting to kill sounded way too intense and harsh to consider as a future job. He would very much prefer the duty of Adam’s father, taking down evil Mages but not killing them and instead capturing them alive and putting them behind bars.

But it also made Jon think about his own future as a Mage. When the time comes and he’s made many enemies and gets encircled, will he be allowed to kill in self-defense? The sheer thought of that made him shiver but for his own survival he might just be pushed to the extreme end of things.

“The thought of killing is ghastly itself but what’s even more tragic is the fact that Mages are slowly going extinct, and those numbers are dwindling day-after-day. And-”

“You’re kidding me, right? My father never mentioned that.” Adam leaned forward and once again startled both Jon and Artemis.

“...I would really appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt me every time I talked... thanks in advance.” Artemis scowled at Adam while Jon once again felt like he didn’t belong there.

“Like I was saying, the number of people all over the world who can use magic is dropping and I read extensively on this subject. The most widely believed theory is that with the rise and advancement of technology, a global phenomenon has caused magic to fade away from newborn babies who are blessed with the gift of magic. What do you guys think?”

Jon closed his eyes and felt great regret at not asking Rak about this. He surely would have known more on this subject but then again, he didn’t know about this until now.

“But that is a slow process, right? I mean, our generation is safe?”

“Oh yeah, we should be secure for a century at least but after that... a world without magic? Can you actually imagine that? That would bring such massive changes to everything.” Artemis glanced outside the window. Their train was now going on full speed and they were cutting right through the heart of Britannia’s central farmlands, going towards their destination up north.

While the bickering and arguing between Adam and Artemis made the atmosphere tense and Jon assumed the role of a peace mediator (against his will), over the next few hours, the trio got more comfortable as they talked about various topics, including themselves and their families. Adam came from a small village in Southern Britannia, his father, Robert, was an Inspector and his mother, Eliza, a housewife who also took care of their farm, garden and animals. Adam also has a younger brother and sister, Caleb and Kiara, who are twins and an older sister, Emily, who was one year older than him and was now starting her second year at the Academy. Jon had asked Adam why he didn’t sit with his sister and Adam explained how the two of them didn’t really get along and would argue even more than he did with Artemis, which prompted Artemis to defend both her and Emily, accusing Adam of being the problem. On the other hand, Artemis comes from one of the largest cities in Britannia, New Yorkshire, which was located on its western coast, with her father, Charles, being a lawyer and her mother, Becca, being a doctor. She was by far the best student in her previous school and had earned an official recommendation from her teachers which guaranteed her a spot to any Secondary or High School she wanted, but she didn’t even need to use it since she got invited to join the Academy. Artemis had planned for this outcome and didn’t have any doubt of her next step after finishing her training to become a Mage; complete the regular or ‘non-magic’ College and education.

As the sun was quietly descending down to the western horizon and evening was getting closer, Jon felt so happy and relaxed with his two new friends that he forgot the reason he felt anxious while getting here; meeting new people and those same people judging him for his lineage, getting isolated and bullied because of something that he can’t control and that wasn’t of his choice. So, with all this considered, it was like a sudden storm broke down from the sky when the inevitable change of topic happened.

“Everyone had been talking about it, you know, about that last remaining member of the Phoenix family, the once strongest magical family in the world. There were rumors that he might have been joining the Academy this year, but others also theorized that he might actually skip it altogether or that he might have even been born without the ability to use magic, but I seriously doubt that. I think that he’s somewhere on this train. What do you two think?” Artemis asked as she was writing something in her small leather notebook.

Jon gulped but tried his best to calm himself down. Before he could even think of what to say, Adam interjected.

“Hey, I just realized something. We’ve been traveling together for hours now and talked about many things, but we didn’t mention our surnames. Kind of weird, isn’t it? Well, I’ll start. Mine is Kenton.” Adam said as he punched his left palm.

Jon was now contemplating the urge whether to smack Adam in the head or to run away as fast as he could. But then again, where would he go? There was no way he could survive jumping out of a train that was moving at full speed, at least until he learned some magic. He also thought of inventing a new family name but that was only a temporary solution. Sooner or later, they would find out. And with how honest Adam and Artemis where to him these past few hours it would only make sense for Jon to also return the favor. For the first time in a long while Jon actually felt some hope from meeting new people.

“Nobody answered my question...” Artemis sighed as she shook her head and stuffed her notebook and pencil back into her bag. “Regardless, my surname is Barclay. But to me that’s completely irrelevant. A lot of people put very high emphasis on their lineage and family name but being proud of something that you get born with and don’t have control over it, is just wrong to me. I’m speaking from personal experience since my father often brags and explains how our family line was once noble and so on and so on. It’s very painful to hear it often... whatever the case, I’ll ask again my first question. Do you think that the last member of the Phoenix family is here on this train?” Artemis looked from Jon to Adam behind her large glasses with high expectations.

This time Jon was the first to answer. The time for honesty was now.

“I think he is. No, actually I know for sure that the Phoenix kid is on this train right now and will be a first-year student at the Academy.”

Both Adam and Artemis turned to Jon and leaned in closer. Jon stared at the ground, but he could feel their eyes glued to him. His tone of voice gave them no doubt whether he was telling the truth or not.

“You know it? Do you know him personally?” Artemis whispered, her breathing getting faster. Adam just looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You’re looking at him. It’s me. My full name is Jonathan Phoenix.”

Artemis shrieked so loudly in a high-pitched voice that it was a miracle it didn’t echo all around the train as she covered her mouth while Adam’s eyes widened. In a twist of events that he could never have predicted, Adam patted Jon’s shoulder hard and firm, feeling the sting of his strong hand.

“Now we’re talking! And I thought that this trip was going to be boring, but you just proved me wrong. Having to travel with and befriend the Phoenix kid is the best thing that could happen today.” Adam sounded way too excited for Jon to take him seriously.

“Wait, you’re not angry or scared or repulsed that I’m a Phoenix? Since everyone is calling me a devil...”

“Nah, those morons don’t know what they’re talking about. I hate boring things and this discovery is anything but boring. Can I be your bodyguard? You’ll definitely need one from now on.”

Jon was now more confused than ever before. The way Adam was looking at him made him seem genuine and accepting, which was completely different to what he was expecting; more humiliation and degradation, like he had been used to all these years.

“But... but this is impossible... according to all the calculations that I made there was only a twenty percent chance of the Phoenix heir being on this train and an even lower, a seven percent chance of him sitting with me. Truly intriguing...” Artemis was counting on her fingers and talking to herself as Adam snorted and waved his hand at her.

“Who cares about some calculations, don’t you understand Artemis? This guy has the potential to become the strongest Mage in the world and we are the first two people he met on this journey. We are his first friends, we got to keep him safe. Can we promise to do that?” There was a fierce amount of fire burning inside of Adam’s eyes as he clenched his fist and grinned at both Jon and Artemis. She smiled back at him and at once the two of them stared into Jon a little too hard which made him blush.

“I... I don’t know what to say, really... I thought you would attack me; this wasn’t the reaction I was expecting to be honest but I’m really grateful. Thank you for agreeing to be my friends.” Just for a moment Jon thought of Lara and how they loved each other and had a great friendship which all crashed down the moment she decided to uncover the secret and make Jon’s life a living hell from that point on. That’s why it was understandable for him to have trust issue, but some hidden inner voice told him to trust these two as they seemed earnest and honest.

The trio’s heartfelt moment made them oblivious of the fact that the evening had arrived, and the train had stopped. Only after the other compartments’ doors opened and the other students walked out talking and laughing did they realize what was happening. With all the loud rumbling happening outside, they waited for a few moments before Adam slid the door open and the trio left the train and went outside.

An ancient and nostalgic-looking train station awaited them outside as there were four groups of students and one older guy standing in front of them. Judging by the relative size of the students from each group, Jon deduced that each group represented their respective school year. The trio joined the group of the smallest students, standing at the edge. Jon quickly glanced around, analyzing both his and other groups. He didn’t recognize any student as he had expected and just as he turned his head to look at the old man who was standing alone in front of them, one familiar face nearly made his heart stop.

But how... there is no way... of so many people, for her to be here... Jon’s head started to get all dizzy.