Chapter 6

The richly furnished classroom was a picture of order and elegance, its walls lined with shelves of ancient tomes and its floor polished to a mirror-like sheen. Sunlight streamed through tall, arched windows, casting golden beams across rows of wooden desks where students sat in attentive silence. The air hummed with the faint scent of incense and the quiet rustle of parchment. But the tranquility was shattered in an instant.

A sudden tear ripped through the fabric of reality, and a window of swirling light appeared in the center of the room. Through it stepped Aster, disheveled and wide-eyed, followed by the radiant figure of Aerathena. Her presence was overwhelming, a force of nature that pressed down on the room like a collapsing star. The students gasped, clutching their chests as the air grew thin and heavy. One by one, they crumpled to the floor, moaning and struggling to breathe. The teacher, a wiry man with a stern face, managed to stay upright, but his knees trembled under the weight of her aura.

Aerathena tsked, her fiery hair flickering like a dying flame. With a wave of her hand, the pressure lifted, and the room filled with the sound of gasping and coughing as the students struggled to recover. The teacher dropped to his knees, his forehead pressed to the floor in reverence. “Lady Thena,” he stammered, his voice trembling. “How may we serve the Sun Goddess?”

Aerathena’s expression flickered with mild embarrassment, but she quickly brushed it aside. “I have a new student for you,” she said, her voice calm but commanding. “He has an unusual cultivation type and will require special attention to ensure his growth.” She turned to Aster, her glowing eyes softening as she handed him a letter and a ring. “Rhyden found these next to you when he first discovered you. You are the heir to both the Elchen and Sikewa families and entitled to your Inheritance. Wield their legacy wisely, and master the power of the creature within you.”

Before Aster could respond, she tore another window in space and vanished, leaving him standing awkwardly in the center of the room. He looked down at the letter and ring in his hands, his mind racing. ‘Inheritance? What inheritance?’

Someone clears their throat, and Aster snaps out of his thoughts. He suddenly realizes that all eyes are on him. The room is filled with curious gazes, the thirty students now focused solely on him.

"Was that really Lady Thena, Mr. Xiou?" a young woman in the front row breaks the silence, her voice laced with awe.

"Yes, it was," the teacher, Mr. Xiou, answers absently, his mind processing the situation. He looks at Aster and straightens, finally addressing him. "Your name?" he asks.

"Aster," Aster stammers, still reeling from the encounter. "Aster Elchen."

"Mr. Elchen, I’m Professor Xiou," the teacher introduces himself, still recovering from the shock. His gaze sweeps across the classroom, landing on a blonde woman with glasses. "Ms. Bramble, you’ve finished your required reading over a month ago, and I’m sure you won’t miss much. Would you mind taking young Mr. Elchen to registration and showing him around the school? Help him get oriented."

The girl, Lena, looked momentarily disappointed but quickly perked up as she realized the opportunity. She stepped forward, linking her arm with Aster’s before he could protest. “Hi, I’m Ellena Bramble,” she said cheerfully. “But my friends call me Lena.” Without waiting for a reply, she led him out of the classroom and into the grand hallway beyond.

The hallway was a marvel of architecture, its walls carved from dark gray marble that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. The ceiling soared nine meters above, supported by towering columns adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures. Windows lined the walls, offering glimpses of the sprawling landscape outside. The floor stretched endlessly in both directions, broken only by branching hallways and the occasional classroom door.

Lena leads him towards a large mirror, standing alone in a spot that seems to be of special importance. Aster can’t quite place the significance of it, but he’s distracted when the mirror suddenly lights up, and a group of students steps through it.

"I said, how do you know Lady Thena?" Lena asks again, raising her voice slightly to bring Aster back to the present.

Still in shock from the teleportation he’s just witnessed, Aster stumbles over his words. "She helped me... from being executed... for having a bug inside of me?"

Lena stops in her tracks, her brows knitting in confusion. "A bug? Why would you be executed for that?"

Aster seemed to realise something as he suddenly looks sick before asking “Do people frequently have bugs inside of them here”

“Here?” Lena slowly asks, trying to talk slower as her assessment of Aster’s simpleton levels was slowly being raised with each sentence.

“You know” Aster gestures around him with his arms “The Astral Plane?”

“Yes they do” Lena answers matter of fact. “The Rhenus family as well as the Soqwe family both use cultivation types that incorporate implanting insects into themselves and that’s just from our own year’s initiates, many families practice cultivation techniques that incorporate insects into themselves around the world. So why did they want to have you executed for having an insect inside you?”

“It wasn’t an ordinary Insect…. it was a void wyrm” Aster tries.

Lena’s eyes widened, and she nearly jumped back in alarm. “A void wyrm?!” she exclaimed, her voice rising an octave. Aster quickly reassured her, explaining that the wyrm had been sealed away. Lena’s expression shifted from fear to disbelief, then to awe as she realized the implications. She is silent for a long moment before her disbelief melts into something else—realization, and maybe a bit of awe. "They were able to cure you of your Void Wyrm?" she asks cautiously.

"Kinda," Aster replies, hesitating. "A family friend figured out the cure, but Aerothena and her friends warned me not to share too much. She said it's very difficult and that they’re still working on it."

Lena doesn’t fully understand what Aster means by "Aerothena's friends," but her mind quickly connects the dots—The Celestial Council. Her eyes widen in shock. She almost stumbles, catching herself just in time.

Her expression shifts, becoming somber. "A friend of mine had a Void Wyrm. A Class D... not necessary for the protocol. Her family had a choice—either all die, or execute her. They were a poor family with only each other. They chose to die together, one by one. As each person ran out of Faith and Karma for the Wyrm, they each died followed by my friend going into a coma, and then the officials... dispatched her. It’s a horrible affliction. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m glad you were saved."

Aster’s heart sinks as he listens, realizing the true horror of the Void Wyrm. He thought his experience was a nightmare, but hearing about Lena’s friend and the tragedy she faced makes him feel a pang of guilt and determination. He hadn’t realized how devastating the void wyrm was for others. His own suffering had been unbearable, but the thought of entire families being wiped out was unimaginable. He made a silent promise to himself: he would do whatever it took to help others like him.

He turns to look at Lena again, really seeing her for the first time. Her disheveled appearance, messy hair, and oversized glasses hid a beauty that he hadn’t noticed before. She was kind, and her warmth made Aster feel something inside him that he couldn’t quite explain.

"Are you going to show me how this portal works, or are we just going to stand here all day?" Aster asks, his voice light, trying to shift the mood.

Lena glances around, noticing the impatient students trying to squeeze past them to use the mirror. "Oh, right," she says, flustered.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Moving from one side of the mirror to the other felt instantaneous. Aster could have half his body on one side and the other half on the other without feeling anything out of place.

"If that gate collapses while you're halfway through, you’d be split in half, you know," Lena remarked, standing patiently as Aster experimented—moving his hand, leg, torso, head, and then his crotch through the gate, utterly fascinated by what was happening.

Aster yanked his crotch back in pure terror, his face draining of color. "I thought you said it was safe!" he cried, white as a ghost.

Lena burst into laughter at his reaction. "I was just kidding! But, to be fair, those who cultivate space can cut you in half like that, so I wasn’t entirely lying."

Aster continued to glare at the gate like it had tried to bite him, subconsciously covering his crotch protectively. "So... where's the registration office?" he asked, eager to change the subject.

"Just a small detour first. We need to get your typing first."

"That's not the first I’ve heard people mentioning 'typing.' What is that?" Aster asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I figured you wouldn't know," Lena said. "The Astral Plane is made up of seven different energy types: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Wood, and Lightning. Each person is born with their Astral Vessel aligned to one of these elements—that’s what I mean by typing."

Aster mulled over her words. “You only just listed only six elements. What’s the seventh type?"

"The seventh type is... tricky to explain. It’s a rare typing that not many people have, so let’s first get your typing confirmed. I'd rather avoid diving into the technicalities of cultivation right now."

As they turned a corner, a large courtyard opened up before them, revealing a vast arena-like area the size of a park. Jagged pillars of crystal were evenly spaced throughout, with people moving between them. Some touched the crystals while others scribbled notes. Aster’s eyes widened as he watched one crystal suddenly glow a dark rust-red. The person who had touched it jumped into the air with joy.

They approached an unoccupied crystal where a woman in a white uniform stood beside it.

"We'd like to perform a typing," Lena informed her.

"Only typing?" the woman asked.

"Yes, please," Lena answered.

"What else can it measure?" Aster asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"A lot—strength, endurance, speed, will, spiritual power, and more. But don’t bother looking at that stuff now. It’ll just bum you out."

Anticipating his next question, Lena continued before he could ask, "Because right now, your strength is about a three. Mine is an eighteen. I’m not even a strength type, and I could wipe the floor with you six times over. But that’s only for now. Cultivating your chosen typing will gradually increase your stats. Even though I’m six times stronger than you, I still rank F- in strength, just like you. We won’t reach F until 100, and F+ until 200."

Aster quickly did the calculations in his head and blanched. "So an A+ would have a strength of around 1800?" he exclaimed incredulously.

"More or less, yes."

Aster didn't consider himself particularly strong in the material plane, but he wasn't weak either. He had worked labor jobs before, alongside a gym-head who frequently talked about human potential. The record for the heaviest weight lifted by a man was around 2,500 kilograms. That gym-head had trained for two years and managed to lift 300 kg, whereas Aster had maxed out at 100 kg. If 100 kg translated to a strength of three, then a strength of 1800 should be about 60,000 kg! Even the world record holder would barely rank a 75—still falling in the same F- category as him and Lena.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

'What kind of monsters do I share this world with?!' he thought.

"And above A+, the ranks double—S, SS, SSS, Beta, Omega, and Alpha. An Alpha strength is around 120,000," Lena casually mentioned as she nudged Aster toward the crystal.

Shoving his overwhelming thoughts aside, Aster focused on the woman’s instructions.

"Place your hands on the crystal. Your typing will appear as a color: red for Earth, orange for Fire, yellow for Air, green for Wood, blue for Water, indigo for Lightning, and purple for Spirit. Ready?"

Aster nodded and took a deep breath before pressing his hands against the crystal. A strange magnetic pull latched onto his hands as they made contact, locking him into place. He felt a current surge through him, linking him to the crystal.

The crystal suddenly turned a deep purple.

"Typing: Spirit," the attendant announced, handing him a printed form listing his attributes anyway. Lena wasn’t wrong, everything was F-, except for his Will, which was an F+.

Lena peered over his shoulder. "Wow, Aster! An F+ in Will? That’s insanely high for an Initiate. I’ve barely made it to F in Spellcraft, and my parents have been tutoring me since I was sixteen. With your Will so well developed, picking classes for you will be a lot more straightforward."

Aster hesitated. "You said earlier that Spirit typing was different from the others. What did you mean?"

Lena sighed. "I’d rather not explain all of cultivation right now—you’ll eventually learn it in Cultivation Studies. But I'll give you the basics."

She adjusted her glasses and continued, "Imagine your Astral Vessel as a prism that refracts light. Since there are different types, imagine seven types of prisms, each refracting only one of the seven colors. Each typing consists of seven hues that define the attributes of that element. For example, Fire has Ash, Heat, Smoke, Ember, Combustion, Destruction, and Astral Fire, also called Fire Spirit or Fire Essence. A cultivator can use the different hues of their own element, with the final hue being that element’s spirit."

Aster nodded to show he was following.

"Spirit typing is unique because you can interact with all elements—but you can't cultivate the powerful energies of the other hues. You can only use their spirit, which is like the nucleus holding the other hues together. Every material is made from different hues, complexities, shapes, and functions, all bound by their spirit which acts as its identity. That’s the foundation of spellcraft, enchantments, rituals, and artifacts.

The downside? Spirit typing cultivation is much harder than others. But don’t worry," she reassured him, seeing his downcast expression. "There are ways to overcome these limitations—and even excel. Three members of the Celestial Council have reached celestial ranking with Spirit Typing. You just need to choose your classes carefully to maximize your strengths and cover your weaknesses."

She smirked, lifting her head high and looking down at him over her glasses. "Lucky for you, you’ve run into me. I’m frequently referred to as the 'Class Build Goddess.'"

Aster raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I know exactly what classes you need to sign up for," she continued confidently. "Let’s head to registration."

_________________________________________________________________________________

“We can quickly go pick your classes, register you, and get your prescribed materials list and uniform. After that, we’ll take a quick detour to show you the highest place in Galalamad and get you familiar with the layout before heading to the markets to gather everything you need to start tomorrow,” Lena explained as they stepped through another mirror into a large corridor. This one was made of bright white marble that shifted hues with each layer, patterned with intricate designs of varying colors.

Aster could only nod. The consecutive shocks of his new reality had left him somewhat numb. Just two weeks ago, he was living on the streets—now, he felt like he had stepped into Narnia.

They entered another grand room, where statues and intricate engravings converged around a wall of desks behind large windows. Each window had an attendant assisting long lines of students waiting their turn.

“When we reach the front, you’ll be asked which classes you’d like to register for. Each Initiate must choose seven classes to pass before advancing to Year Two. The first four classes I want you to take will help you establish a strong foundation and understand the Astral Plane: Cultivation 101, Combat 101, Spellcraft 101, and History 101. The remaining three are tailored to your Spirit Typing: Artificing 101, Alchemy 101, and Scripture 101. These classes will best utilize your strengths and depend heavily on Will, which you already excel in.”

“Do you have any questions for me?” she asked as they queued up.

“Tons, honestly, but I doubt you could answer them all at once, nor that I’d even understand everything right away. But I trust you, and I believe you know what you’re doing,” Aster admitted.

Lena smiled, appreciating his trust. “If you don’t know anyone here, you should hang out with me and my friends. We’ll meet them at lunch after we see the view. One of my friends is also a Spirit Type user—she uses artifacts to compete on equal footing with the elemental users in our year. I’m hoping she can tutor you in Artificing, while I can help you with Cultivation, Spellcraft, and Alchemy. Another acquaintance, Musa, will assist you with Combat and Scripture. We’ll get you up to speed in no time.”

They reached the front, and Lena nudged Aster forward before he could respond. He gave his name, type, and preferred classes. After registering, a printed schedule and list of lesson requirements were handed to him before he was ushered away for the next student.

Lena, already speaking to another student, motioned for Aster to join them. “Aster, meet Musa. He’s the acquaintance I mentioned who will help you with Combat and Technique.”

Aster examined Musa—a tall, muscular African man, draped in a cheetah skin over his white uniform. He exuded confidence, triggering Aster’s internal ‘Do not mess with him’ alarm. Clearly, Musa was someone who knew how to handle himself. Aster hoped he’d be able to teach him to do the same.

“Nice to meet you, Musa,” Aster greeted, extending his hand. Musa’s handshake was like gripping solid steel.

“So, you just finished registration?” Musa asked.

“You literally just saw him walk away from the desk, and I just told you,” Lena teased.

“I’m taking him to see the school’s viewpoint before lunch. After that, we’ll hit the market for his supplies,” she continued.

Musa nodded, turning to Aster. “Before you go to the market, you should visit the Weapon Depository with me. There are tons of weapons and scriptures there. Most Legacies don’t bother since they just follow their family scriptures, but I checked it out after signing up and found several high-end scriptures—great for starters like yourself or for reference while refining your own.”

Aster was lost. Weapons were easy enough to grasp, but scriptures? Was magic actually based on quoting Bible verses? He imagined two priests battling with increasingly elaborate sermons while holy beings fought on their behalf.

Musa and Lena exchanged glances, waiting for Aster to say something, but he was clearly lost in his own head, grinning dumbly. They shrugged.

“Tell Aster to meet me at the Depository entrance after lunch. I’ll take him to the market afterward,” Musa said. “We’ll meet at Material Needs in Alloy Alley.”

Lena had secretly hoped Musa would want to join them at the viewpoint. Many students went there for its romantic atmosphere and breathtaking views. “That works for me. See you at Alloy Alley.” She says dejectedly.

Musa departed, disappearing into the mirrors below.

Lena turned to Aster, who was still lost in thought, completely oblivious to her time and Musa’s departure. Irritated, she grabbed his ear and twisted it, dragging him up the stairs.

With only a fraction of her strength, Aster had no choice but to comply, yelping in pain. “What did I do?!” he cried out, baffled by her sudden aggression.

As they ascended, students snickered and whispered. Many came to the viewpoint to make out, and they hadn’t expected Lena to be so direct with the new Initiate. The girls cheered her on, while the guys could only grumble in jealousy.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Aster had to make sure his ear wasn’t torn from the side of his head as he pouted in the corner, well away from Lena’s reach.

“How long are you going to sulk about that?” she asked, far too amused.

They were on the last set of stairs before the viewpoint. She would have dragged him up the rest of the way by his ear if his screaming hadn’t turned so high-pitched and frantic that she’d let go out of sheer alarm.

“I don’t see any blood,” she pointed out innocently.

Aster refused to answer. He confirmed there wasn’t any, but that wasn’t the point. The real wound was to his pride. He had known Lena was stronger than him—what he hadn’t expected was just how much stronger.

Swallowing his frustration, he followed her up the final steps, stepping into an open plaza.

The space was lively—benches tucked beneath elegantly twisting trees, pathways weaving between small, rolling grass hills. Students moved about, some in heated discussions, others practicing spells. Floating lanterns bobbed gently in the air, flickering with a soft golden glow despite it seemingly being broad daylight.

Lena took his wrist and pulled him forward. “Come on.”

They stopped at the railing, and Aster’s breath caught as the world opened before him.

Below him sprawled a massive floating island stretching to the horizon, an entire civilization hanging in the sky. The scale was overwhelming—an entire continent suspended above the clouds, defying every law of nature he had ever known. And at its heart, rising like the crown of a forgotten god, was the school.

To call it a school felt like an insult. It was a fortress, a city, a kingdom all in one.

Seven impossibly tall towers dominated the skyline, each one forming the backbone of the city, their sheer faces dropping at least a kilometer before they thickened into massive stepped strata. From above, the towers resembled an enormous ring, their foundations merging seamlessly into the landscape, their placement forming a protective barrier around the center. They weren’t just buildings; they were mountains shaped by human hands, stretching thousands of meters into the sky.

The tower he stood atop was the tallest, the highest point of them all. The others stood in formation, each crowned with spires and adorned with intricate archways that gleamed under the sun. “You’re looking at the biggest floating island on the southern hemisphere,” she said. “It’s about the size of Gauteng, and the seven islands orbiting us are each about as big as Swaziland.” She pointed at the enormous cityscape sprawling out beneath them. “And this? This is Galamad.”

Aster’s eyes darted to the seven towering spires piercing the sky, each one massive enough to dwarf anything he’d ever seen.

“The towers,” Lena continued, following his gaze. “Each one’s named after the elemental islands that orbit the school. They’re more than just landmarks—they channel the gateways so people can teleport here from all over South Africa. You can also use them to orient yourself if you ever get lost, which—” she gave him a knowing look, “—you will.”

Aster barely heard her, still trying to process the sheer scale of everything. His eyes drifted downward, toward the deep crater-like dip at the school’s center.

Lena grinned. “Ah, you noticed the Fight Grounds. That’s where the tournaments and battels take place. It’s reinforced with layered barriers, so we don’t accidentally level the city. Not that people haven’t tried.”

Aster’s stomach twisted at the thought. He hadn’t even set foot in the school yet, and already he felt out of his depth.

Lena, oblivious to his internal panic, kept pointing things out. “That district closest to the towers? That’s the Scholars’ Quarter. Libraries, archives, research halls—if you need knowledge, that’s where you’ll find it. Some of the books in there are so old they predate the first of the Forgotten, but those are locked behind spells not even the Celestials would manage.”

Her finger shifted to another part of the city, where he could see massive, open-air workshops teeming with activity.

“That’s the Artificers’ District. If something needs enchanting, forging, or breaking apart to see how it ticks, that’s where it happens. They build everything from weapons to spell-infused constructs.” She nudged him. “You’ll have to make yourself familiar with its outlay if you want to master your Spirit Typing.”

He studied it carefully to make sure he understood it’s outlay.

Lena motioned toward the liveliest part of the city—a district overflowing with floating stalls, moving platforms, and winding streets packed with people.

“The Market Ward. You can buy just about anything there—spells, artifacts, even bottled storms.” She laughed. “Or, if you’re really desperate, you can sell a lock of your hair to the fae vendors. They pay well, but don’t come crying to me if you wake up speaking in riddles.”

Aster shuddered.

“And over there,” she continued, motioning toward the lower levels, “are the Residential Districts. While you’re an Initiate, you’ll travel to and from your material form, but after the severing you’ll live in those dorms, but others have entire estates if they come from powerful families. And see those floating properties?” She points at a collection of small homes surrounded by a high wall and gate, drifting in clusters by themselves around the towers, “Those are pocket dimensions and their size is very misleading, not taking up more size than a small duplex, behind those walls entire estates can be found, stretching for hundreds of acres.”

Aster’s head spun as he took in the sheer life of it all. This wasn’t just a school—it was a world in itself.

Only then did Aster truly take in the landscape beyond the school.

Encircling the main island, like celestial bodies in orbit, were the seven floating landmasses, just barely visible on the horizon, each an entire biome unto itself. They hung suspended in the sky, tethered by invisible forces, their terrain a testament to the elemental forces they embodied.

To the north, a mountain island crowned with a molten peak smoldered, lava flows carving fiery veins through its surface. Opposite it, to the south, a land of ice and jagged crystalline spires gleamed in the sunlight, an eternal winter locked in time.

To the west, an island of endless forests stretched out, ancient trees rising like pillars, their canopies thick enough to obscure the ground below. In contrast, the eastern island shimmered with interconnected lakes and waterfalls, a world shaped by water, its rivers snaking like veins through the terrain.

Further still, islands dedicated to wind, lightning, and earth completed the formation, each one distinct, each one a world of its own.

“The islands drift, but they never stray too far from the school,” Lena said. “They represent the elemental affinities, each one aligned to a particular typing. Students train there, study there. Some even live there.”

Aster exhaled slowly. The sheer scale of it all was humbling. Two weeks ago, he had been nothing. A street rat. A nobody.

Now, he stood at the highest point of a floating city, staring down at a world built for legends.

And somehow, impossibly, he was meant to be part of it.

Lena nudged him. “Don’t pass out.”

He let out a breathless laugh. “No promises.”