Demon's Entrance Ceremony

A massive academy stood proud before her, the tall doors only a short walk through the courtyard on the opposite side of the stone gate.

Lilac’s eyes shone with excitement as she gazed at the large building. On either side of the academy were some tall square buildings that she assumed were the dormitories.

“I shall return the carriage to the king. I’ll come back as soon as possible, but if you need me before then, simply–”

“Say your name,” she glanced at the vampire behind her with a grin. “I understand.”

“Well then, I’m off. Toodaloo, my lady,” the lanky blond hopped back onto the carriage and pulled the reins. With a neigh, the horses turned the carriage around and trotted down the same path they had just walked.

“Um, excuse me…” a soft, nervous voice sounded from behind her.

Lilac turned around to see a girl her same age staring at her feet through her large circular glasses. Her fiery red hair was styled into braids that rested against the front of her shoulders. Strapped to her chest with her arms was a book nearly half the girl’s size, yet she carried it with ease.

Excitement surged through her; this was the first interaction she had ever had with a human. She recalled one of the first lessons Jharis had taught her about conversing with humans. “Hello! My name is Lilac, nice to meet you. What’s your name?” She smiled as she reached out her hand for a handshake.

The girl shrunk behind her oversized book. “S-scarlett…” Her voice came out in a whimper. Um… D-do you know where we check in?”

“Check in?” She vaguely remembered Jharis saying something about needing to check in before the entrance ceremony. “Sorry, I’m not sure. Do you want to look for it together?”

Scarlett almost jumped out of her skin from the suggestion. “I, um… I think I’ll be okay… Thank you,” she dipped her head and hurried through the open gate.

Lilac stared after her for a second. “Did I say something wrong?” She shrugged her confusion off and started for the academy.

Flourishing trees decorated the courtyard in front of the school with dazzling browns and greens. Beautiful shrubbery ran along the walls of the academy, interrupted by the light grey pavement that led to the academy’s doors that were propped open.

Inside was a spacious room with a red carpet and a chandelier shining its light from the ceiling. Underneath an arch on the opposite side of the room was a passageway into a massive hall with numerous seats organized into rows on either side of the room, leaving a walkway through the middle.

In front of the arch was an elderly bearded gentleman clad in a black suit, his grey hair tied back in a ponytail, shuffling through a stack of papers behind a small table. In front of the table was the girl that had tried asking Lilac for directions.

“Scarlett Leminine, Scarlett Leminine…” The man repeated while he sorted through the papers. “Ah, there you are.” He reached for the quill that stood in a small vial of ink and wrote something on the paper. “Enjoy your time at Silverten Academy,” he dismissed her with a nod.

Lilac took a deep breath and approached the table after Scarlett walked into the assembly hall. “Hello! My name is Lilac, nice to meet you. I’m assuming this is where I check in?”

“Yes, it is. Lilac, you say? What’s your family name?”

“Ve–” she paused. It had almost slipped her mind that she was given a different name to use in the academy because her true name was in the demon tongue. She cleared her throat in case he was suspicious of her pause. “Astrine.”

“Astrine? I haven’t heard that name before. Your father must be a baron in the outskirts of the country,” he reasoned to himself as he thumbed through the stack of papers. “Here it is,” he marked something on the paper again and gave her a nod. “Enjoy your time at Silverten Academy.”

“Thank you,” she smiled and stepped into the assembly hall. There were already a number of students sitting in the front rows. At the back of the large room was a podium raised on a long platform. A few important-looking adults sat on chairs that were placed on the back of the platform, facing the students.

Noticing movement from the corner of her eye, she turned to see Scarlett sitting by herself in one of the back rows. The oversized book leaned against the back of the chair next to her. “What are you doing all the way back here?”

Scarlett nearly jumped out of her seat. “T-there’s too many people up front… If I sit back here, I can be by myself…”

Lilac glanced at the growing number of students seated by the front. “There aren’t many there right now. Why don’t we go over there so we can get a good seat? I’ll sit next to you so if that will make you feel more comfortable.”

Scarlett shook her head. “No thank you. I’m not good with crowds.”

“Oh, okay. Then how about I sit back here with you so you don’t look so lonely?”

Her gaze moved to the wall away from Lilac. “I guess that’s okay…”

Squeezing between the two rows of chairs, Lilac moved closer to Scarlett and sat down beside her massive book. It felt strange to sit down without a tail to clear. The book next to her was a rusty orange color. Gold letters formed the words Magic as We Know It. “Is that a grimoire?”

Scarlett shook her head. “It’s a comprehensive study of magic, including types of magic, their history, and how they work. I’ve only made it to page five hundred so far…”

“Five hundred…?” Lilac’s eyes widened. “That’s more than any book I’ve ever read. How many pages are there in total?”

“I think… Six thousand?”

The information almost gave her a heart attack. “Six thousand?!”

A simple nod was all she was given in response. Before she could continue, her attention was caught by a sudden bout of whispering and gasps.

Most of the students up front were staring at a young man, tall and fair, as he walked toward them. Judging by his short blond hair, the gawking of the students, and his fine garments, Lilac presumed the man was Prince Glenn Luxenis, the second prince. Jharis made absolutely certain that she would recognize him when she saw him.

“That’s the prince…?” She studied him for a moment longer. Behind her, Scarlett let out a captivated breath.

“Prince Glenn…” Scarlett muttered under her breath in fascination.

“Oh, you like him?” Lilac turned toward her.

“N-no! Of c-course I don’t!” The deep shade of red that surfaced on Scarlett’s face gave her the answer despite her denial. “He’d never look at someone like me…”

Her lips widened into a grin. “Oho, that’s spicy… Maybe I can help you talk to him?”

Immediately, Scarlett’s demeanor changed as she perked up and clasped her hands in front of her chest. “R-really? You’d do that for me?”

“Of course! There’s little I like better than a good romance story. Seeing one unfold before me would be gold,” she winked.

Scarlett’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Thank you! Um, what was your name again?”

“Lilac,” she smiled. “Do you want to be my friend?”

“F-friend?” Scarlett blinked. “I can try…”

One of the adults sitting behind the podium–a middle aged woman dressed in red and gold robes–got to her feet and approached the stand. “Welcome to Silverten Academy, new students! I am your principal, Annalu Valeshine. We are honored to have you all join us here at the academy. As you may know, Silverten Academy is funded and supported by the crown. As such, we guarantee that you will receive only the highest quality education.”

She paused for a ripple of quiet applause to pass through the gathered students. “We will also take your magic from where it is now, and hone it into its highest potential by the time you graduate. Because of that, we must identify the magical prowess each of you possess.”

With a wave of her hand, an elderly man dressed in white robes stepped forward on the platform. Thick grey fur adorned the robes upon his shoulders. He matched the description of nearly all wise sages in the books Lilac read growing up–a long white beard, bald atop the head, and a stern expression on his face. In his hand was a white staff with a golden crest on top.

“This is Keern, the head of Silverten Academy’s magic department. As one who has dedicated his whole life to studying magic, he will be able to ascertain both your type and level. All of you will stand before him and learn about your magic. Be sure to introduce yourself to everyone when you come up. Let’s start on the right,” the principal motioned for the student on her far right to come forward.

A girl with long, silky white hair stepped forward. She walked with an elegance that garnered the attention of the students. Her dress, as white as her hair, made her appear as a divine priestess, blessed with the beauty of the gods. The girl stopped in front of the old wizard and faced the audience, beginning her introduction with a flawless curtsy. “I am Ella Elhart, the only daughter of the high priest, Zeke Elhart.” Gasps of wonder accompanied her introduction. She pivoted to face Keern and looked up at him expectantly.

The old man stared at her for only a few seconds before stamping his staff on the ground next to him. “As expected of the high priest’s daughter. D rank holy magic.”

More whispers filled the crowd. Lilac picked up on a few of the students’ words.

“D rank? That’s incredible!”

“I thought most first years had F rank magic. Those who train a lot usually only get to E before school, right?”

“That’s the high priest’s daughter for you…”

Ella curtsied again and returned to her seat. The next student took her place in front of the wizard and introduced himself.

Eventually, the student that introduced himself was Prince Glenn. He performed a slight bow with his arm to his chest. “Hello my fellow students. I am Glenn, the second prince. I look forward to my time here with you all.” He finished with a wink.

Squeals of affection sounded from several girls in the room. It was clear that he was popular with the girls. Lilac glanced at Scarlett, who was staring starry-eyed at her crush like her life depended on it.

“E rank space magic,” Keern declared.

“Space magic is rare,” Scarlett sighed with admiration. “I wonder what kind of magic I have…”
“You haven’t awakened it yet?” Lilac asked, surprised.

She shook her head, but her eyes remained on the prince. “I’ve tried, but nothing has worked…”

“Strange… I thought everyone could use magic at this age. Do some humans not have magic…?” She added the last part under her breath.

It wasn’t long before the last student before her and Scarlett stood up front and introduced himself. Lilac looked around the room, taken in confusion. She was given a description of the hero, but none of the other students matched that description.

“You two in the back are not exempt from introducing yourselves, you know,” the principal called out to them.

Lilac rose to her feet and quickly hurried over to the front of the room. She spun on her toes and bowed toward the assembled students. “My name is Lilac Ve–Astrine. Um… my father is a baron, I think…” Laughter could be heard from a few of the students at her uncertainty. “I’m excited to spend this year with you all!” She moved to the side and turned to face Keern. Up close, a powerful aura surrounded the old wizard.

He narrowed his eyes for a moment, and then hit the floor with his staff as he had done with all the previous students. “C rank dark magic.” Murmurs followed the declaration of her magical ability.

“C rank? How can she be so strong?”

“I heard dark magic users tend to go mad when they reach a certain level…”

“Just who is she…?”

In the back of the room, Scarlett stared at her new friend with wide, shocked eyes.

Without another word, Lilac returned to her seat. “Your turn,” she whispered once she sat down.

Scarlett blinked herself out of her shock and timidly stepped toward the front. She shrunk under the gazes of her expectant peers. “M-my name is S-s-scarlett L-leminine… My d-dad is also a b-baron…” Even from the back of the room Lilac could tell she was shaking. The anxious girl faced the old man and awaited her evaluation.

The staff slammed against the ground again, echoing through the spacious hall. “F rank space magic.”

“Another space user?” Someone from the group wondered aloud.

The principal knocked on the wooden podium to gain the students’ attention. “Now that we have finished evaluating all of your magic, we can now move on to–”
“Wait!” A voice yelled from the arch that connected the hall to the foyer. Everyone turned around to see who had interrupted their entrance ceremony.