Stars of Destiny

The others looked at each other for a moment, clearly not expecting to be directly addressed. Nevertheless, they all decided to respond favorably to Phaistos' request. The first to speak was the cold beauty Freya. "My name is Freya. I am the princess of the Suiones tribe from the frozen lands of the north. Pleased to meet you." Her tone was cold, but it carried a certain trace of royalty. When she spoke, one felt compelled to follow her orders. It reflected the particular education she must have received from a young age.

Miki was the second to speak: "My name is Miki. I come from a nameless tribe. I am the son of the strongest warrior in my village and my vocation is to achieve that status as well." This surprised the others, as it was rare to meet people who did not identify things. This created a certain mystery around Miki.

Zara continued: "I am Zara. I am the apprentice healer of my tribe, the Masaesyli. If you ever get injured, don't hesitate to let me know." Her radiant demeanor was in stark contrast to Freya's cold appearance.

Finally, Kibi was the last to speak. "My name is Kibi. I come from the great southern steppes. I am one of the scouts of the great Ashanti tribe. If we are to work together later, you can count on me as your eyes."

They all began to smile. The statements by Zara and Kibi had created a budding sense of camaraderie among them. Miki joined in by saying, "I will be your sword." While Freya said, "I know how to command armies, but I am primarily a front-line warrior. After all, my people only respect the strongest."

After a few seconds, seeing that Phaistos was not saying anything, they turned to him. Phaistos felt that he needed to intervene quickly as this could break their fragile cohesion. "I don't have any particular talent except for being a navigator. But during training, I enjoyed mastering spells. I will then be your magic."

At these words, they all began to laugh. "Dude, you forget that we are all going to learn how to do magic," said Kibi, laughing. "Then I will be better than you," retorted Phaistos. This made everyone in the group laugh.

Phaistos, observing his friends, felt a new warmth blossom within him. This heterogeneous group had become his new family, a group ready to support each other in difficult times.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That concludes your first day of classes. Tomorrow, you have an appointment at 8 a.m. in this classroom for a joint lesson. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the various element learning halls. As for the different common courses, you will have classes on magical ethics, elemental magical manipulation, stellar socialization, history of magic, and finally, universal geopolitics. These courses are important for you because they will help you catch up in understanding our world. Before you leave, remember to take one of the earrings located near the door. It will be very useful to you," said Thalor, who then left the classroom, and the students began to rise.

As he was leaving the classroom, Phaistos made sure to take the famous earring. But he did not put it on immediately, as it would hinder the passage of the other students. So, he continued his way through the majestic corridors of the academy, where colorful stained-glass windows cast radiant patterns on the walls, and ancient statues seemed to watch them.

Upon arriving outside, the five earthlings regrouped under a large oak tree with sprawling branches, providing refreshing shade. They decided to put on their earrings before continuing with the introductions. When Phaistos held the earring near his ear with the intention of piercing his lobe with it, the earring stirred in his hands and left his grip. It began to fly by itself and pierced his lobe.

Fortunately for Phaistos, the process did not create the pain he was expecting. Once the earring was in place, he heard a voice he thought he would never hear again.

[System initialization...]

Indeed, the cold and mechanical voice that had tormented him during his stay in the examination room had returned to haunt him.

[Initialization complete... Updating host data.]

[Phaistos Astraeus]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 15]

[Combat Power: 15]

[Light initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Water initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: B-]

[Magical Control: E+]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

The data had not changed. This puzzled Phaistos, as the voice had just said the data was updated. Fortunately, it seemed the voice could hear his thoughts and explained its statement.

[You have received 2 invitations to visit halls. The first is from the Hall of Light, and the second is from the Hall of Water.]

When Phaistos thought about visiting these places, a map of the academy appeared in his mind to show him the way. Phaistos was always amazed at how magic could change a person's daily life.

While he was lost in thought, Zara called out to them. "I was wondering if we could share our values to get an idea of everyone's strengths and weaknesses."

"No problem," the others replied in unison. Nevertheless, in their minds, they were afraid. Afraid of being inferior to their comrades. Upon realizing that they had been chosen for the academy, a certain pride had been born within them. They did not want to see it die so soon.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Zara Ibn Malik]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 17]

[Combat Power: 10]

[Nature initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Water initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: B-]

[Magical Control: D+]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Miki Takahashi]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 12]

[Combat Power: 12]

[Dark initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: B+]

[Magical Control: E-]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Freya Sigurdsson]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 10]

[Combat Power: 20]

[Ice initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: C+]

[Magical Control: E]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Kibi Osei]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 20]

[Combat Power: 15]

[Metal midal stage - 0%]

[Thunder initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: A-]

[Magical Control: E]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It seems that Kibi is the best among us for now," said Zara, laughing. Kibi laughed as well and said, "Our talents are not that different. Besides, we must remember the words of the old man at the academy's entrance. Talent alone does not make a magician; otherwise, it wouldn't be so hard to become one. In any case, we seem to complement each other well. I propose that we form a team to support each other throughout our studies."

As he said this, Kibi held out his lance and continued his speech. "In my tribe, a warrior only lends his lance to his closest brothers-in-arms. Today, I make you my brothers. Do you accept to see me this way?"

Without hesitation and with the emotion of his declaration, they grabbed the handle of the lance and swore an oath in their hearts, sealing their promise of loyalty and support.

Based on a mutual decision, the five friends sat under the large oak tree and began to share their memories and way of life. Freya spoke of her childhood in the frozen northern lands, describing the rigorous training and battles to prove her worth in a society where only the strongest are respected. As she spoke, one could see the pride on her face for having integrated into this male-dominated society.

Miki talked about the vast plains of his region and the lessons from his father, the strongest warrior in his village, who had taught him the importance of strength and honor.

Zara, with a warm smile, recounted the care she provided in her tribe, the Masaesyli, where healing was both an art and a sacred vocation. It was well known that it was best not to fall ill in the middle of the desert. The healers were therefore seen as divine messengers sent to protect the populations of the endless deserts of North Africa.

Kibi described the infinite southern steppes, the traditions of the Ashanti tribe, and his determination to protect his people as a scout. Scouts were seen as heroes in his tribe. They ensured the tribe's survival and prosperity. The status of a scout was immense, and for a family, giving birth to a scout was one of the greatest honors.

Phaistos, for his part, shared his adventures at sea, where he had learned to navigate by the stars and master the elements, always dreaming of new horizons. As they exchanged their stories, they realized the richness and diversity of their experiences, thus strengthening the bonds of camaraderie that united them. Their differences became their strength, and each found comfort and inspiration in the other's tales.

After talking for a few hours, they each received a notification from their earrings.

[Your house is ready. For convenience, people from the same planet are placed in the same housing during their first year.]

They were all teleported to a house in a style unfamiliar to all of them. Their lodging was both sturdy and imposing, built of basalt brick, a dense black volcanic rock. This building, though austere in appearance, exuded reassuring solidity. Its thick walls protected against the elements, and the slightly rough texture of the basalt provided a pleasant grip. The bricks, carefully cut and assembled, formed symmetrical and imposing structures with straight angles and smooth facades.

Inside, there were rooms for each of them, along with a kitchen, a living room, and several bathrooms. This house was clearly a luxury for any of them. After all, how could a house made by a magic academy be inferior to one dating back to antiquity?