Moments before being eaten alive by a demon with my mother's face I get pulled away from the planet and being zooming back into the cosmos. I feel myself trembling and shaking with fear and exhaustion as I turn into a beam of light. I streak across the finite multiverse breaking through layers upon layers of reality before landing back into my body. Once my chair made contact with the ground my body rolled out of the chair and sprung myself back on my feet as my eyes slowly readjust to the normal degree of light and reality. The Ancient one was long gone and only Keacilius was at the doorway standing there silently with his arms behind his back.
"Master Keacilius!" I bow towards the man. My body shaking with cold sweat while I try my best to seem calm and steady. "It looks like you've been approved for the study of the mystic ways. I am looking forward seeing how you'll progress on your journey young one." He put on a simple smile as he turns away to begin walking. "Today you will start your training. I will show you to your room and after changing you can join our class of beginners." I quickly follow him as there seems to be nothing left for me in the now empty room.
We soon arrive at a wing of the student quarters, I was shown my room and given a set student robes before Master Keacilius left to go continue with his personal studies. I look around my room and let out a little sigh. Nearly 3 months of homelessness and constantly being on edge is definitely going to leave me with some sort of trauma. I know I'm definitely more fortunate and privileged than others to only have to experience it for a few months and to have nothing really bad happen to me. I quickly take my shower and put on the simple eastern robes. Huh this actually fits me perfectly. I wonder if they had taken my measurements while I was on my ayahuasca trip or if they could just make real tangible items out of thin air. I'll definitely need to look into that before I leave for America.
I left my room and began to wonder around the school. Man this complex really is like an older more ancient buddhist temple version of Hogwarts. The architect is very beautiful and give you a faint sense that you'll reach enlightenment in just a few more meditation sessions. "Hey you must be the new student that came in today." A voice called out to me from across the hallway. A student in her early twenties gently wave at me as she slowly approaches. "The new students are this way. Come in I'll show you to it. You wouldn't want to miss out on your very first lesson of the year don't you?" She smiles warmly before turning around to lead the way. "Uh t-thank you senior sister." I try to stumble my words to act like a child in front of her.
After a few minutes of walking we quickly arrive at an open dojo like room filled with students. The students were sitting about 3 arms length apart as they all try to draw a simple magic circle in front of them. The teacher leading today's class look up at me from the front of the class before getting up to walk towards me. "Young disciple, not only is today your first day but you're also late for class. You'll have to work twice as hard to catch up to your peers young one." He spoke with a frown as if trying to put on a disapproving look to motivate my young mind.
"Disciple Xu greets master." I bow towards the teacher. He gesture for me to follow him to an empty corner of the room. We both sat down as he begin to go over the basics of forming a spell circle. After a few minutes of snapping his fingers in the air at various points and angles a complex magic circle was form. Now I know I'm in a world that's full of magic and wonders but I still nearly shat my pants because the movies could not do justice to the real thing. The ruins aren't just constructs of light and energy they seem to be something more. It almost seems like they're full of life...anyways back to the present. The teacher could see that I looked lost after his first demonstration so he proceeds to erase the spell and repeat his short but complicated lesson a few more times before leaving me alone to study by myself.
The class of new students kept on practicing at their own pace while all I could do was stand by and watch from my little corner. Not that I'm complaining though, I come from a world of science with a hint of spiritualism so performing real magic is beyond what my tiny brain can comprehend at the moment. Maybe I should've read more western fantasies on webnovel instead of shitty fanfics in my past life. SIGH. Welp there's no use crying over what's in the past, I can only move forward from here.
After a few hours of watching the students practice, class was dismiss. We all got up and bow towards the teacher before leaving the room. Now that it's time for dinner....where the fuck do wizards even eat? I don't ever remember seeing Stephen eating anything besides an apple for that one scene. I follow the crowd and soon we arrive at an open court yard where food was being served. Since this is basically a Buddhist temple in location and architecture, the majority of the food being served is vegetarian. They do have some meat options but it's only a limited amount and is on a first come first served bases. Not that I'm complaining because I have more than enough money to go back out into the city to some meat.
After getting a simple bowl of soup and half a loaf of bread I begin looking for an open seat. There's not really anyone around my age group that I can see. Everyone is at least in their mid 30s and the youngest I've seen are maybe students in their early 20s. Oh well this isn't highschool so there shouldn't be that many cliques right? Right? Oh look an open table. I made my way towards the open unreserved seat and sat down to ingest my meal. It's been a while since I've had an all vegetarian soup with simple whole grain bread to dip in. I think the last time I had something like this it must've been in my previous lifetime but the last time I've had a vegetable soup with rice was probably last year when my mother made it. SIGH. For a seven year old I sure am sighing a lot.
In the middle of me eating, a couple students came up to sit next to me. I even though I prefer being alone I really don't mind since there's plenty of open spots by my table. "Hey you must be the new kid that just got in today." One of them called out to me. I turn up to look at them and next to girl was a very familiar depressed looking boy. "Y-yes I am. May I ask what I should call senior brother and sisters?" I smile at them while tearing my bread into pieces and putting it in the soup.
"My name is Sara and this James. He's the student that you kicked in the balls while trying to help you with your backpack." She and I let out a laugh before I turn to look at the poor boy. "I'm so sorry big brother. My body was moving by itself because I was attacked and robbed before and so I've been a edge for a long time." I offer him some of the last of my bread that I have put into the bowl yet. "Please accept this breakage of bread as a peace offering from this little lost soul." And with that everyone sitting at the table and nearby burst into laughter. "What? I'm serious." I put on a pouty face as my cheeks begin to burn bright pink.
"Disciple SīChóu there's no need to be so formal. We're all students of the mystic arts and we're all family through the teachings of our ancestral masters. We're just glad to hear that you know when to apologize when you need to." James finally spoke after nearly dying from laughter. He almost lost his family jewels today but was able to heal it through circulation of his magic. Out of everyone nearby he was probably having the best time because he was the master mind behind the prank they pulled on me.
"Well if bygones has been bygones then please, let us start a new page together James. I want you to call me Ned because I prefer going by Edward rather than SīChóu. Also do you guys have Wifi here?"