As Xander placed his hand on the Affinitas Orb, the entire room seemed to hold its breath. A sudden burst of light erupted from the sphere. First came a vibrant green hue—Plant.
Then a rich, earthy brown—Earth.
Next, a soothing cerulean wave—Water.
The orb pulsed for a moment, glowing brighter.
Then, a gentle swirl of white danced upward—Wind.
The light calmed, dimmed… and then suddenly darkened. A black shimmer, ethereal and deep as a void, surged across the orb's surface—Darkness.
Gasps filled the chamber.
From somewhere unseen, a hushed voice echoed in solitude, unheard by all.
"I knew you were special," it muttered.
None could hear him. None could see him. But he was there—watching from the shadows. Not even Magus Santra sensed his presence.
A screen shimmered to life.
Xander
[Planet: Earth]
[Magical Aptitude: SS]
[Magical Affinity: Plant, Earth, Water, Wind, Darkness]
[Physique Power: 70]
[Magic Power: 80]
The chamber erupted in shouts of astonishment and disbelief.
Magus Santra took a slow step forward, her gaze unreadable—then she spoke.
"What a genius... you must be the most affinited acolyte we've seen in a long time. It seems Earth is filled with prodigies."
Stunned silence settled for a moment.
Then came the growls.
"The orb is clearly broken!" one of the Khaedros nobles barked. "It's faulty!"
"Impossible! This is rigged!" shouted Valen Khaedros.
But the Earthlings rose from their seats with firm stances and flashing eyes.
"Jealousy doesn't suit you," Thor said coldly.
"Maybe the problem isn't the orb," added Cleopatra, folding her arms elegantly. "Maybe it's your pride."
Xander turned and gave Magus Santra a respectful nod. Then, with a calm smile, he walked over to join his fellow Earthlings—Thor, Bahubali, Xia, Cleopatra, and Elizabeth—each standing taller in that moment of unity.
Magus Santra cleared her throat, drawing the room's attention once again.
"This is only the beginning. Your affinities and stats are the foundation of who you are, but it is not what defines you. Here at Magus College, you'll learn to harness them, grow through challenge, and rise through struggle."
She walked slowly to the center of the class, her voice firm and solemn.
"You come from different worlds, but you are all students of this academy now. Stick together. Stand together. And most importantly, do not look for trouble… because here, trouble will gladly look for you."
The class absorbed her words in silence.
"Now," she continued, "access your Core."
Murmurs rippled through the chamber.
"The Core is your anchor," Santra explained. "It is your mind, your spirit, your essence. From your Core, you can view your full stats, abilities, growth—and the details of others as well. It will guide you through your journey."
"Remember to attend the welcome party tonight, it will be held in the main hall"
She paused, then offered one last glance across the class.
"Class dismissed."
With a flick of her robe, Magus Santra turned and left the chamber, her footsteps echoing against the marble floor.
There was a brief moment of stunned silence before a voice rang out, breaking the trance-like atmosphere.
"We are not sleeping in this class, are we?" Rynas grumbled, stretching his arms dramatically.
Elantra Virdelion, always poised, turned to him with a small smile. "Of course not. The academy has made residential provisions. A residential zone has been built on a nearby planet, just a portal jump away."
She addressed the group with a calm grace, her words commanding attention.
"All accommodations are listed in the information section within your Core. That includes your room assignment, apartment layout, and even a digital map of the entire Magus College. Also, acolytes from the same planet are housed together to encourage unity."
As she spoke, the rest of the lower realm acolytes, especially the Earthborns from Class 7, formed a loose circle around her, hanging on to her every word.
"Thank you," they all chorused in unison.
"You're welcome," she replied gracefully, her silver-blue eyes lingering on Xander for a moment too long.
The look did not go unnoticed.
"It seems she likes you," Thor whispered with a sly grin, nudging Xander.
"It's love at first sight!" added Bahubali, chuckling.
The entire group of Earthborns burst into laughter.
They settled into casual conversation as they walked toward the hallway.
Mulan spoke first. "I was meditating in the Temple of Pangu when the portal appeared before me. I thought it was a spirit... until it dragged me in like a vacuum cleaner."
"Spirit? More like a celestial sucker!" Bahubali laughed.
Thor joined in. "I was hunting a deer in the woods. I had just drawn my bow when—bam!—the portal showed up. Deer gone. Me gone. Arrow still somewhere in Norseland."
"Don't worry, Thor," Elizabeth said with a giggle, "maybe you'll shoot your way back there someday."
"I was practicing swordsmanship in our palace courtyard," Elizabeth continued. "I thought the portal was some kind of illusion. Next thing I knew, I was tumbling through time and space."
"And still managed to look perfect while tumbling," Xander commented dryly.
Elizabeth smirked. "You noticed? Must be the Briton blood."
Everyone laughed again.
"I was about to be crowned king," Bahubali said, striking a mock-royal pose. "But my cousin tried to kill me mid-ceremony. Luckily, the portal opened up—guess even the multiverse didn't want a dead king."
"That's one way to skip coronation duties," Cleopatra teased. "I was reading ancient texts in the Library of Alexandria when my scrolls lit up. Thought I'd uncovered a secret spell. Nope. It was a portal—rude one too. Didn't even let me pack."
Everyone turned toward Xander.
"And you?" Mulan asked gently.
Xander's expression shifted. "Not today," he said quietly. "I don't want to think about it."
There was a pause.
Elizabeth smiled softly. "That's fine. Let's go check out our apartment. Hopefully it's not a multiversal dungeon."
"With my luck, we'll be bunking next to goblins," Thor muttered.
"I call top bunk!" Bahubali shouted.
"What top bunk? It's a magical apartment," Cleopatra laughed. "What are we, toddlers at camp?"
Mulan added with a playful wink, "As long as no one snores like a dragon."
"Don't look at me!" Xander said quickly.
"Oh, we are definitely looking at you," Elizabeth replied.
As the Earthborns, now bonded by laughter, began making their way toward the class exit, the mood light and hopeful, their path was suddenly blocked.
Standing tall, arms crossed and smirking was none other than Godas Khaedros. Behind him stood his entourage of sneering nobles, their gold and crimson cloaks billowing like arrogant banners.
The Earthborns came to a stop.
The light mood vanished.