The beautiful, daunting academy looked over me. Light academy. I had been waiting so long for my parents to send me. Only at 16 did my parents send me there. I was finally going to figure out my power. Get to know how to use my power. The castle-like building cast me in its shadow as I walked toward the entrance. I stepped through the open archway. My leather shoes made little sound against the stone. I could see students of various different ages, milling about the building. Some were sitting in the gardens, talking or pying with friends. Some were in css. I passed one of the csses, gncing into the room. It seemed to have about 20 young teenagers. The teacher raised his hand and a thin but long vine shot out the floor. The students didn’t seem phased, probably used to what they saw, but I was amazed. The Vine Power. How extraordinary. I continued walking past the css.

  To think that some people have been at this school from ten years old, and stayed right until they were twenty one. Some stay longer to become magic teachers. I no doubt had to take extra csses. Most magic students require at least 6 years of magic csses to master their power. If I continued until I was twenty one, it would only be 5 years.

  I was so lost in thought, I passed the principal’s office. I quickly backtracked and stood in front of the wooden door. I exhaled, fidgeting with my fingers before knocking, almost too softly.

  The door opened, revealing a blonde woman, with a smile too bright. She stepped aside, holding the door open for me.

  “You must be Harriet Hue. Come in,” she said in a sickly sweet voice. I didn’t know how to feel about her. She seemed quite fake, but maybe just too much of a try hard. I quickly walked in, sitting on a chair in front of a desk that I assumed was hers. She sat down on the chair behind the desk, sitting up straight, making me unconsciously fix my posture.

  “I am the principal of Light Academy. You may call me Mrs Helovi. Tell me a bit about you and your powers Miss Hue,” she smiled, her white teeth blinding me.

  I fumbled over my words nervously.

  “I-I uh, well, I don’t really know my power per se. I just have an idea of what it might be. See, my parents both have Light Powers. They said that when I was younger, I did some strange things that involved light or electricity. So I might have Electric Powers or Light Powers,” I expined, hoping it was enough information for her.

  Mrs Helovi nodded.

  “Of course, of course. It’s not unusual for a student to come in without knowing their exact power. Usually we just put the student in the csses that have to do with what powers they think they have. So you will be put in the Electric and Light csses. Don’t worry about failing, because you’ll only have one of them. This year is just about figuring out the power you have. But do still focus on your human csses as well. We still teach math and all the basic things you need in life? Do you understand?” She talked very fast and I had a hard time keeping up, but I understood most of what she had said. I nodded quickly but before I could say anything, a boy, maybe just a bit older than me, stepped into the room.

  His hair was brown, with dark green dyed on the ends. His gaze never strayed from Mrs Helovi, even with me present.

  “Ah, this is Forest Green. He is the Main Student Representative of Prime,” Mrs Helovi directed her hand towards the boy named Forest, as if he wasn’t the only other person in the room.

  “Prime? What do you mean by Prime, Mrs Helovi?” I asked. I wondered what it meant.

  “He will expin it to you while he shows you to your dormitory,” she stood up, probably waiting for me to leave with Forest. I stood up, turning to look at the boy. He gave me a charming smile and walked out the room. I quickly followed him, and walked beside him through the hallways.

  “As you know, my name is Forest Green. I have the Animal Communication Power and that’s probably all you’ll know about me, unless you want to be my friend, that is,” he looked at me out of the corner of his eye and fshed another smile but started speaking again before I could even answer him.

  “So, the earliest css you will have, unless you have a free period during the first period, is at 7am. Csses end at 2:30pm for 10-13 year olds, so they have 8 periods, and 3:15 for anyone older, which is 9 periods. Breakfast is from 5:30 to 7am, lunch is 11:30am to 1pm and dinner is 7:30-9pm. You can come to the food hall at any time during those times, or not at all,” he spoke even faster than Mrs Helovi so I could barely even understand, let alone remember what he was saying, but he just kept going.

  “So I’ll expin to you now what Prime means. So basically, there are csses. Csses for year groups and their levels in their powers. Prime is for 16 to 18 year olds, which is for me since I am 17, and it’s a Hard Css. There is Easy, Intermediate and Hard for 10 to 15 year olds, and just Intermediate and Hard for anyone older. I assume you will be put in Performers. Performers are 15 to 17 years old and it’s an Intermediate Css. Do you understand everything I’ve just said?,” He looked at me expectantly. I stared at him bnkly for a few seconds before nodding my head, feeling my head bob up and down multiple times.

  He smiled and stopped walking, standing in front of a door. I hadn’t realised we had reached my dorm already because I had been listening to him so intently. He took my hand, facing my palm up, which surprised me until he slid a piece of paper into my hand.

  “The front is your timetable and the back repeats everything I just said. I’m usually in my office, second door on the fourth floor, if I’m not in css or asleep. Come to me there if you have any questions, or just want my company,” I’m sure he winked but he turned away so fast, I couldn’t tell. He started walking away, but turned back to look at me one more time.

  “Oh, and I’m sure your roommates will be back from css soon. They’ll introduce themselves,” He finally hurried away. I waited in front of my dorm door, watching him leave to make sure he didn’t have anything else to say. I gnced at the paper in my hand then turned to the door. I sighed, suddenly feeling the weight of the bag on my back. I put my hand on the doorknob, feeling the coldness of the metal seep into my skin. I opened the door to see a rge room with four beds. It was amazing. Luxurious. Astonishing. The beds all had their different themes, as if made for the specific person that was going to sleep on them.

  Three of the beds already had belongings and clothes on or around them, so I took the empty bed at the back of the room, right next to a window that had a wonderful view of the forest next to the academy. I set my backpack down, looking at the bedding. It had little lightning bolts on the duvet. It was quite common for two Light Powered people to have an Electric Powered child. And I suppose the lightning bolts could also be for a Light Powered person. I ran my hands on the yellow pillow. Silk pillow. Very soft. I could lie in that bed and fall asleep forever. It looked like heaven.

  My head snapped up as I heard the door creak open.

  My roommates.