Following the introduction booklet’s reference map, Kor made his way through the streets of Conflux. Everywhere he looked were new students, their badges attached to an eclectic mix of apparel. Their motley array of clothing stood in stark contrast to the older students, who wore standardised robes—white with silver trim for second years and gold for the thirds. They moved with the easy confidence of those who belonged. Kor wondered if perhaps the first years might receive similar clothing once classes started. Maybe robes with bronze trim?

“Hey! Watch where you’re going, firster!” A sharp voice cut through his musings. An older girl in silver-trimmed robes glowered at him from the other side of the path, her hands planted on her hips. Mana swirled around her dangerously as a ball of metal coalesced into orbit around her waist.

“S-sorry,” Kor ducked his head in alarm, beating a hasty retreat. Was bullying first years a common pass time? He certainly hoped not as he hurried along the path to the food hall, adjusting his glasses nervously. He wanted to avoid provoking anyone, and judging by what he’d read in the booklet, student duels were both commonplace and encouraged by the academy.

The idea of using magic to defend himself laughable, considering he’d never even cast a spell. If he applied himself, he might bridge the gap; but it wasn’t his nature to get into unnecessary fights.

The food hall was massive, its interior space larger than any cafeteria Kor had ever seen. Heading inside the bustling building, Kor found countless rows of tables and benches packed with students. Around the edges were smaller, more intimate seating arrangements. The ceiling soared high overhead, magical lights floating like stars against the arched stonework.

The wall of noise crashed over him, each sound amplifying the strange thrum of mana in his veins until it felt like his skull might split. Students talking and laughing, the clatter of plates and cutlery and more magic being used than he could ever hope to identify. Different languages and accents mingled in the air as students from all seven worlds congregated. The queue for food snaked its way along one wall, past gleaming display cases.

Kor pressed two fingers against his temple, trying to push aside the pounding in his head. The cacophony of sounds seemed to pulse in time with the mana surging through him. He joined the line, his stomach rumbling as an unfamiliar but enticing sweet aroma wafted past. Breakfast felt like a lifetime ago, his sense of time feeling disconnected from the local time zone. Shifting to a planet with two blazing suns sitting high in the sky was likely to do that, he guessed.

As he drew closer to the kitchen staff, he found himself faced with an array of dishes he couldn’t hope to identify. Crystalline fruits that pulsed with inner light sat beside what appeared to be floating puddings. Strange, spiral-shaped meats gave off multi-coloured steam, while iridescent vegetables arranged themselves into patterns when anyone looked at them.

“My parents have been pressing me to become a transmuter,” the boy in front of him was saying to his companion.

“I know how you feel,” his friend sighed. “Mine want me to focus on environmental magic when I haven’t even discovered my affinity...”

The archetypes? He’d read a little about that, but didn’t have any frame of reference as to what it meant. Kor would have kept listening, but soon reached the front of the queue, picking up a tray and searching for any sign of the price.

“What’ll it be then?” A robust woman in a pristine white apron prompted him, her accent marking her as a non-Lexican. Instead of choosing a dish that might have hidden dangers, Kor opted for a familiar dish.

“I’ll have the sausage and mash,” he said, picking the most normal dish, although even the gravy looked to shimmer in the magical light. “Um, how much?”

The woman was already loading his plate. “Part of your attendance, dear. Eat up—you’ll need your strength for classes tomorrow.”

At least that was one less thing to worry about, Kor thought as he accepted the loaded plate. His appetite for food certainly hadn’t dimmed in this new environment, though he couldn’t help but notice how the gravy started to change colour as he carried his tray away in search of an empty seat.

The outer tables sat mostly empty, but just as Kor was taking a seat, Marcus spoke. “Over here, Kor! Those seats are reserved for staff.”

Relief flooded through him as he spotted Marcus’s waving, though it dampened when he noticed the two young men flanking his new friend. Both had the same sharp features and athletic builds, their matching bright blue eyes marking them as Solarians. Kor adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses as he made his way over.

“Join us,” Marcus gestured to the empty seat across from him. “Let me introduce you—this is Kelleth, my roommate,” he gestured towards the taller of the two brothers, “and his twin, Teneth.”

The brothers inclined their heads, their movements carrying that fluid grace that bespoke their confidence. He mumbled a greeting as he settled his tray, trying not to slouch under their appraising gazes.

“We were just discussing electives,” Marcus said, oblivious to the tension. “We were all thinking of taking Advanced Combat Studies, given how much emphasis the academy places on fighting. A good idea, don’t you think, Kor?”

Kor nudged his food around the plate. “That seems prudent, but...” he hesitated, aware of the brothers’ attention. “I’ve never even cast a spell, let alone fought somebody.”

The three boys froze mid-bite, forks paused in midair. Teneth let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head like he’d just heard a bad joke. “You’ve never cast a spell?” he said, his voice dripping with disbelief.

Marcus blinked, then plastered on his usual grin. “That’s fine, Kor,” he said, waving dismissively, as though erasing Teneth’s words from the air. “You seem like a scholarly type, I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time. Most of the students here don’t seem that capable to me.”

“You’re right, Marcus,” Teneth said, though his eyes lingered on Kor with barely veiled condescension. “Despite their capacity for mana, most here are simply a waste of space.”

His brother nodded along, and Kor felt that his brother was aiming the comments at him. His shoulders hunched as he took another bite of his meal, the gravy’s shifting colours losing their lustre.

Marcus either didn’t notice or ignored the undertone. “You’ll want to get up to speed as soon as possible,” Marcus said, his tone light but insistent. “I need to build a firm base of support here, especially if I’m going to be taking one of the top spots.”

“Top spots?” Kor echoed, stalling, as his fork hovered over the plate. “That sounds... ambitious.”

“Of course!” Marcus leaned in, his grin broad. “This place runs on reputation. And reputation starts with connections. So, I can count on you to join us in Advanced Combat Studies, right?”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Kor hesitated, the weight of three gazes pinning him down. He didn’t want to disappoint Marcus, but the idea of combat training made his chest tighten. “I—uh—” He glanced at the brothers, whose smirks were sharp enough to cut. “Sure, I’ll think about it.”

“Excellent!” Marcus beamed, launching into a discussion about different combat styles, while the brothers interjected with comments about their own extensive training.

Kor focused on his food, his appetite diminishing as he wondered if he hadn’t just made a terrible mistake. He’d always found it difficult making friends and didn’t want to let Marcus down, but signing up for Advanced Combat Studies seemed like trying to run before you could walk.

He tucked into the food, savouring the familiar flavour of pork, even taking a liking to the fruity gravy that seemed to change it’s taste to match the colour.

Thankfully, the other boys didn’t linger long, their own meals long since finished. Marcus rushed them out, “We’ve got a lot to do and not much time!” even though they’d just finished their meal. Barely a day in, and already the pressure was building. He needed to get a head-start on his studies, and the library ought to be just the place to start.

Heading outside, he navigated between the other students, giving any silver or gold-trimmed robes a wide berth as he sought the building listed as Ether’s Archive. Hopefully, his years of studying advanced mathematics would give him some kind of edge.

As Kor followed the signs, he noticed the campus appeared to be a small part of Conflux. Everyone he’d seen was a student or a member of the faculty. He was so caught up in the countless foreign sights—such as a small bird whose feathers blazed in magical fire perched on a second year’s shoulder—that he nearly missed the unassuming library.

Unlike most buildings that glowed with magic, the library itself was made of a strange dark wood, standing as one of the smallest buildings he’d seen. ‘Is this it?’ his shoulders slumped as he headed over, spotting only a single third-year student entering the building.

He’d expected more from Conflux. Their history predated most nations—it seemed strange that they wouldn’t value knowledge more. Even the library at his parents’ university dwarfed this one.

Reaching the double doors that opened at his approach, he stepped inside. The distinct smell of parchment, leather bindings, and ink washed over him, underlaid with something else—an electric tang that made his skin tingle, like the air before a storm but somehow... welcoming.

His disappointment evaporated as his eyes widened, taking in the impossible space before him. In this case, the cover was a poor representation of the book’s content. The interior of the library expanded beyond reason; there was no way all of this should fit inside the modest building he’d stepped into. The structure stretched beyond comprehension, shelves towering upward until they vanished into shadows far above, extending further than his eyes could follow in every direction.

The air buzzed with welcome, and he felt a distinct sense of being greeted. Without thinking, he bobbed his head, glasses slipping down his nose at the motion. The peace and quiet was a refreshing change for the bustling campus, all sound seemingly swallowed by the vast hall. Nobody paid him any attention as he stood gawking at the endless rows of knowledge stretching out before him.

Numerous advanced students sat quietly at wooden tables, their heads bent over thick volumes, fingers tracing lines of text or carefully turning pages. Some were hunched intently over open books, others had multiple texts spread before them like scholarly fortresses.

To avoid bothering anyone, Kor moved towards the massive reception desk, unsure of his first step. The sheer number of books overwhelmed him; he realised he could never read them all, and was certain he’d only glimpsed a tiny part of this place’s vast collection. His fingers itched to explore the shelves, but for once in his life, even he felt intimidated by the sheer volume of knowledge presented to him.

A cheerful second-year girl at the desk greeted him with a bright smile. “How can I help you?”

Before he could even stammer out a response, she continued, her eyes lighting up. “Oooh, you’re a Lexican, aren’t you! You must be very confident, being the first of the newest batch to visit Ether’s Archive.

“Uh, yes, I’m a Lexican—” Kor began, but she cut him off.

“I knew it!” She beamed at him. “Just remember, don’t go casting any spells in the stacks. Keep your voice down and be respectful of Ether at all times.”

“Ether?” Kor fiddled with his wire-rimmed glasses.

She bobbed her head. “That’s the Archive’s name, silly. Just make sure you don’t do anything to upset him. Even the First Magus himself remains on his best behaviour here.” Her eyes narrowed. “Not that you were planning on doing anything stupid, were you?”

“No, no,” he assured her. Her expression brightened as something seemed to occur to her.

“What was it you wanted help with, anyway?”

“I, uh, just wanted to make sure I’m allowed to check out books.” Kor fought the urge to hunch his shoulders under her gaze.

“Of course,” she said. “Ether keeps track of things on his own and won’t let you borrow any more than he feels is suitable. Treat the books with proper respect. A good number of firsters have been permanently barred from his archives, a surefire way to fail out of the academy.

He nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” She said, returning to her book.

He’d planned on asking more questions, but not wanting to push his luck, he made his way toward the stacks. Looking at the endless rows of books arrayed before him, Kor shook his head. He ought to have looked for an index or catalogue to help him navigate the extensive collection. The very thought of going back to admit his ignorance made his cheeks burn.

Looking around, he noticed a few other students coming and going, all wearing silver or gold-trimmed robes as he headed toward the primary avenue. Gazing up at the towering shelves, he sighed, searching for a catalogue or a guide of some kind.

He felt a subtle tug of mana guiding him onward, wondering if it was Ether’s way of saying hello. As a magical library, perhaps it would direct him to the perfect book. Kor reached the shelves, his eyes scanning over the spines with a practised eye—he’d spent more hours poring over books than was reasonable for a sixteen-year-old boy.

The titles here were focused on magical botany, everything from “The History of the Acorn” to “Soil Solutions for Success.” Looking up and down, everything was plant-related; but he felt the tugging sensation guiding him deeper into the library, past the shelves at the front.

‘If I’m going to be some sort of wizard, I need to start acting like one, don’t I?’ he thought, trying to convince himself.

He’d be searching these books until the end of time if he tried doing it manually. No, he needed a way to find a book on the basics of mana before moving on to anything more complicated.

A thought occurred to him as he remembered the librarian’s words. “Hello Ether,” he whispered. “I’m new to your archive and was wondering if you could help me locate a book about the fundamentals of mana?”

He waited for a moment, hoping for some kind of response. But nothing happened. Kor looked around in embarrassment, grateful that no one had seen that. He moved to another shelf of books when something brushed against his mind—a sensation somewhere between recognition and beckoning.

Excitement coursed through him. Ether had heard his plea, after all. Even without having studied anything magical in his life, the pull he was getting was unmistakable as he walked further along the primary avenue of books, his glasses reflecting the soft magical lighting that emanated from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Wherever he was being led was quite a distance away. He passed countless shelves of books, and several students browsing the stacks. He wondered to himself why they didn’t keep the books for beginners closer to the front. The further he travelled, the more active the library became—books rearranging themselves of their own volition, pulling free of the shelves to seek homes elsewhere as they floated high above his head like a migration of leather-bound birds.

The guiding sensation soon pulled him aside, directing him into the space between two imposing shelves. The lighting grew dimmer as he stepped from the path, and a creeping sense of something ineffable tingled up his spine. ‘Perhaps this isn’t the best idea,’ he thought to himself, coming to a stop several paces later. The path between the shelves ahead looked darker than he thought comfortable.

Turning around, he froze. The path he’d just stepped from was gone, replaced by an unbroken wall of bookshelves. A shiver traced his spine as he stared at the seamless rows, the spines of the books shifting subtly, as if breathing. The air thickened, carrying the scent of aged parchment and something darker, like charred wood.

“Hello?” he whispered, his voice swallowed by the oppressive silence. His chest tightened as the hairs on his arms stood on end. Whatever this was, it wasn’t normal—not even for a magical library.

Looking around in near panic, he realised there was only one path forward; everywhere else had transformed into towering walls of bookshelves. There was a unique quality to the air, aged and stagnant, pulsing with a power that made his nerves crawl with an icy dread.

His heart hammered against his ribs as he recalled the librarian’s warning about showing proper respect. Had he somehow offended Ether? Or was this how the Archive guided its visitors? Either way, this didn’t feel like a normal library visit.