The grand hall hummed with anticipation. Headmaster Orlon stepped forward once more, his amplified voice commanding the attention of every Apprentice Wizard in the room.

"Now that you have been welcomed," he began, "it is time to determine which house each of you belongs to. This is not a decision made lightly, nor is it one I make myself. Instead, your house will be chosen by a very old and wise spirit."

The headmaster gestured, and an orb floated into view from a wooden pedestal. It was the size of a large apple, glowing faintly with shifting colors. Whispers filled the hall as the orb hovered before the students, its surface pulsing gently like a living heart.

"This is the Orb of Veritas," Orlon announced. "It has existed for centuries and will reveal your true affinity. Step forward when your name is called, and the orb will do the rest."

"Who the hell do you call old?" the orb boomed, sounding like the headmaster. "I'm not old. I only have lived longer than all of you."

The hall filled with new Apprentice Wizards erupted in laughter, but the Orb of Veritas interrupted, "Silence! It's not funny."

Everyone struggled to hold back their laughter. The Headmaster, however, paid no attention to the orb. He continued to magically transfer the list of students into it.

The first name was called, and each student approached the Orb of Veritas individually. Some were sent to the House of Drakar, others to Pyraeus, Leonis, or Vespera. The orb would glow with a specific color and shout the house's name in a clear, echoing voice.

Soon, it was Jarin's turn. He approached the orb confidently, and it glowed a deep crimson.

"House Drakar!" the orb declared, echoing through the hall.

Jarin turned, grinning at Kaelen and Liora, his eyes full of excitement. He gave them a reassuring nod before joining the students beneath the Dragon banner.

Moments later, Liora's name was called. She took a deep breath and walked up to the orb. It pulsed for a moment, then shone the same crimson shade.

"House Drakar!" it repeated.

Liora looked back at Kaelen with a beaming smile before joining Jarin. Kaelen felt a twist of excitement and nervousness in his chest—two of his new friends had been chosen for the same house. What would the orb say when it was his turn?

The sorting continued, and each name echoed in the grand hall. Suddenly, a hushed excitement spread among the students.

The next name was called, and the Apprentice Wizard who stepped forward wasn't just any student—he was Alistair Valen.

He was already a figure of fascination among his peers, not because of any feats he had accomplished himself but because of his lineage.

"Isn't that the Valen family heir?" one student whispered.

"I heard every Valen knows basic spells before they even step foot in the academy," another replied.

"It's true," a third added quietly. "The Valens are one of the Great Wizard Families. Every heir is expected to master basic magic by age ten."

The orb hovered in front of Alistair, its colors swirling rapidly. Then, it settled on a deep violet, glowing brighter and brighter.

"House Leonis!" the orb proclaimed, its voice even stronger than before.

Alistair smiled with calm confidence as he moved to the section marked by the Tiger banner. The murmurs among the students grew, excitement mingling with envy as the choosing continued. Kaelen's heart raced—his turn was coming closer with each name that was called.

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After a few more names were called, it was finally Kaelen's turn. His palms grew clammy as he stepped forward, his footsteps echoing in the vast, silent hall.

As he walked, he couldn't help but glance toward the crimson banners of House Drakar, hoping he'd join his friends, Jarin and Liora.

The Orb of Veritas floated before him, its light shifting and swirling. Kaelen took a steadying breath and touched the orb. He was fifteen years old, with dark hair and a calm, handsome face that spoke of quiet resilience. Life hadn't been easy for him, and each step he took to the orb carried the weight of his past.

Kaelen had grown up in a small, remote village. His parents were a mystery he had never solved; they had vanished when he was a baby, leaving him in the care of his grandmother.

She had been his only family, and her gentle guidance was all he had known until she fell ill. For two long years, Kaelen had watched over her until one cold morning, she passed peacefully in her sleep, leaving him truly alone.

Before she died, she gave him a ring—a simple silver band with strange markings—and whispered, "Go to the city, Kaelen. Join the Valoria Magic Academy. It's time you learned who you truly are… about our family, about your parents."

Kaelen sighed, believing he lacked the talent to become a Wizard. But his grandmother smiled gently and reassured him, "That's what you think...but not what you are."

She continued with warmth in her eyes, "Trust me. You will pass the test and be accepted into the academy."

So he did. With the help of the villagers who had cared for him like their own, Kaelen made his way to Ravendale a week ago. He had passed the test and was now standing before the Orb of Veritas.

The orb pulsed as if sensing his thoughts. It flickered, glowed, and seemed to take longer than it had with any other student so far. Kaelen's heart raced.

Would it place him with Jarin and Liora in House Drakar? He desperately hoped so. He didn't want to be separated from the only friends he had made since coming to this strange, new world.

The orb's glow intensified, swirling with colors so fast that it was impossible to tell them apart. Kaelen felt the weight of every student's gaze upon him as if the whole hall held its breath.

The orb's glow suddenly stopped swirling and pulsed with a steady, radiant light. In that brief moment of silence, Kaelen felt a voice—soft and ancient—whisper in his mind.

"Who are you..." the spirit of the Orb of Veritas said, its tone filled with curiosity and a hint of awe. Kaelen froze, his eyes widening, but he didn't dare move or speak.

The voice continued, calm and knowing. "You are...different. Your heart, mind, and magic are all in balance; each quality is at the pinnacle of potential. You remind me of someone from long ago…"

Kaelen felt a chill run down his spine. "Who?" he asked silently. "Who do I remind you of?"

The spirit seemed to hesitate, its presence wavering. "I...I can't recall..." it murmured, almost as if struggling to remember. "But I know this—there was another like you thousands of years ago. You share...a resemblance."

Kaelen's heart pounded. Before he could ask more, the spirit's voice grew firmer. "No...this is not the time for such answers. It is for you to discover the truth."

All around him, whispers began to rise among the waiting students. It was taking longer than usual, and the tension in the hall was growing. Some students started to murmur, their voices filled with skepticism and mockery.

"Maybe he's just not good enough," one said with a snicker.

"Probably doesn't belong in any house at all," another added, rolling his eyes.

Kaelen's face burned, but he forced himself to stay still. He could feel their eyes on him—judging, ridiculing. Standing with the House of Leoni's students, Alistair watched with a satisfied smirk, clearly enjoying Kaelen's struggle.

The orb pulsed again, this time with a more urgent glow. "Ignore them," the spirit said gently. "You are stronger than their doubts. Now, I will ask you—where do you wish to belong? You are a rare case, Kaelen. You would thrive in any house, but your choice is yours alone."

Kaelen's mind flashed back to Jarin and Liora, how they smiled when they were chosen for House Drakar, and their excitement and encouragement. He knew where he wanted to be.

"House Drakar," he thought firmly, his heart steady. "That's where I belong."

"Then House Drakar it is..." The orb glowed brighter momentarily, almost as if smiling, and then it flared a brilliant crimson.

Finally, the orb flared a brilliant shade of…crimson.

"House Drakar!" it shouted, its voice louder and more vibrant than ever before. The hall echoed with the declaration, and the crimson light bathed Kaelen's face.

There was a stunned silence for a moment, then a ripple of surprise moved through the students. Jarin and Liora were already on their feet, waving excitedly for him to join them.

Kaelen released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, a relieved smile spreading across his face.