Since today was given as a day off for all students –on account of the fresh first years–, numerous teenagers crowded the streets of Askesis eager to catch up with each other and have fun all around the island as they have been separated by a two month long holiday and school was bound to resume earnestly tomorrow.

Xenon, Jason and Aoi strolled past the buzzing streets, watching students –mostly seniors– go about doing things that never failed to attract curious passersby.

Some were engaging in different small competitions that revolved around a particular set of abilities. For example, a bunch of third years were weightlifting –if lifting a pack of students, numerous objects, or boulders ten times the size of an average human could still be classified as weightlifting.

Another group was competing to see who could shoot down the most 'Drunes' – small circular objects that flew erratically in the air in response to the commands of the runes in them. And the competing group that attracted the most attention was the one where people with different abilities that enhanced mobility ‐from people sprouting wings to those shooting off like rockets– were racing each other.

Xenon wanted to join in on the races but was dragged away by both Jason and Aoi as the plan was to explore as much of the academy grounds as possible before sunset.

They walked away from the energetic bunch and passed by a section of the streets where fragrant aromas from different makeshift stalls made their stomachs rumble. They moved away quickly after spending a respectable amount on snacks and sweets, afraid they would completely drain their allowances if they tarried longer.

Xenon muttered something about the air around the stalls being dangerous to any hapless student with a lot of money, but nevertheless helped himself generously to the things he had bought.

They explored around for a while longer before stumbling upon a wide open space where lots of people in white shirts, sweaters, scarves or headbands were seated one or more at different tables displaying assortments of different gadgets.

The trio weaved through the tables, admiring each unique creation they found, they even spotted some of the seniors who were sniping drunes come to buy more.

"No wonder!" Aoi said to the other two as he pointed to a large mass in the distance which occasionally glinted because of the white runes around it. "It's Hwita's Alcove." He added.

Xenon stared at the structure in the distance. At first he thought it was a giant pyramid of cards, then it seemed to change into a large diamond shaped structure made of glinting crystals, then it changed into a mess of geometric shapes that Xenon couldn't make sense of.

"I wouldn't bother if I were you." Jason said, drawing Xenon's attention away from the alcove. "Each year, everyone one of the graduating students add their own extensions to the alcove. It has been altered so much since the start of the academy that no one can discern it's real appearance."

"But all that belongs to house Hwita can see the Alcove's true form after going through the bloody ritual of shaving the proprietor's extremely deadly nose hairs." Someone said in a spooky tone. Xenon, Jason and Aoi stared at each other for about three seconds before jumping and turning around swiftly after realising the voice belonged to either of them.

"Hey, Xenon." Steve said, holding in laughter.

"Hey, Steve." Xenon replied, trying to mask the frightened look that had been on his face a second ago.

"You should have seen your faces a second ago. You looked like you've just saw a ghost that was trying to murder you." Steve spoke and gestured with his hand at the three of them.

"Anyways, what brings you to my house's exhibition?" Steve asked.

"We were just strolling around. Wait... why didn't you tell me anything about the academy being an island and about the houses and stuff? It could have saved me from almost drowning in the sea yesterday."

"Didn't want to spoil the fun." Steve simply replied.

"Was what you said... about the nose hairs true?" Aoi asked the black haired, black eyed and slightly muscular senior – Steve — who seemed to be on friendly terms with Xenon.

"Oh no, that was a joke. The only way to see it's true form is to work it out yourself, there's a way we do it but I couldnt possibly tell you 'cause even if I did you still wont be able to get it. I am almost done solving mine, have less than a year left." Steve tapped the golden wristband on his left arm, upon which an holographic "III" in white text flickered to life, he was a third year student.

Steve dropped his right arm on which he had the wristband on, but not before the trio saw the little 7 in the top right edge of the wristband.

"Let me release you guys to explore, I am still very busy with assisting Miss Felicity in sorting out this year's schedule. Bye!" Steve walked a few feet away from them before teleporting away.

The trio continued their walk through the exhibited stuff, but not before Jason asked several questions about how Xenon knew Steve.

Xenon spotted something like a pocket watch among a number of exhibited materials at a particular table, he bought it for 15 Shishy before he and the other two decided to leave for the beach as the sun was approaching the western horizon – yes, the sun rises and sets the same as the earth Brayden came from.

They got to the beach, found Jeage emerging shirtless from the sea with glistening, blue scales on his skin and what seemed to be like gill slits across his neck and ribs.

Jeage tried to get them to swim but was met with outright refusal from both Xenon and Aoi as both couldn't swim and didn't fancy a swimming lesson just before their first day of studies at Askesis.

Jason however agreed to join Jeage on the condition that he is allowed to stay in his protective bubble. And so they raced across the sea, Jason in his green bubble which glided smoothly over the surface of the water and Jeage whose fingers became webbed and legs joined together into one large blue tail fin which granted him unmatched speed in water.

Jeage dried himself – once he had gone back fully human – by heating up his body so that the water evaporated, and they all walked back into the streets as the sun began to set.

They parted ways at a point, Jeage heading back to Puretanic's Castle –which they heard from Jeage was a very small but actual castle which had been modified and expanded by runes to meet the needs of the students.

The trio went back into the tower and had a light, quiet dinner –they were still half full from the snacks they bought earlier– at a table in one of the corners of the cafeteria.

They consulted their wristbands before leaving the cafeteria to know if their rooms have been moved, and unsurprisingly, they had. They walked out of the cafeteria together but part ways after a while, bidding each other a good night before heading to their respective rooms.

Xenon was almost at his room before a pair of glowing green eyes made his stop. Regina was walking through a corridor to his left, going further and further in. Xenon ditched his advance towards his room which was just past the corridor in front of him and went after her.

"Regina!" Xenon called once he caught sight of her. She turned her head backwards slightly, saw it was him and attempted to ignore him and rush to her room, but before she could take a step forward, Xenon was right in front of her.

"Hey, um... I wanted to tell you that er... we are required to meet at the hall at the, um... top of the tower tomorrow morning." Xenon spoke nervously as Regina's eyes were boring into his own.

"Yeah, I know already." She replied and made to continue through the corridor.

Xenon moved aside to let her pass through. "A-about yesterday, sorry... I didn't know." Xenon said before she could move away, his voice dropping with every word.

Regina looked at him carefully, her expression showing that she didn't believe him. "It's okay." She said, and walked off.

Xenon grabbed his head and sighed, he retraced his steps and shortly after arrived in front of his room. He placed his palm on the door which vibrated slightly before opening up. Xenon went in, locked the door behind him, took a quick shower and sat down on a very comfortable bed.

He took out what remained of the 2 Mula he took earlier in the afternoon. There were 1Mula, 24 Kudi and 1 Shishy left; he had spent one Shishy on snacks and fifteen on the pocket watch. He put the coins on his bedside table and grabbed the watch from the corner of the bed where he had tossed it before taking a shower.

The chains on the pocket watch were white as the small pocket watch –which was just a little bigger than half a palm– was. Xenon pressed a button at the side just as the seller had instructed him to, causing a cluster of bronze runes to explode outwards, all scattered.

The runes arranged automatically, forming into 4 rings of decreasing sizes, the smaller rings inside the bigger ones. Then a new smaller ring appeared in the midst of all other, this one sporting the numbers one to twelve instead of runes.

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