Magiana Imperial Academy - Volume 1: Path to Greatness

Monday, September 2nd had finally arrived. The opening ceremony of Magiana Imperial Academy would be going on that night. Living relatively close to the school, Phillip and his family would be leaving at noon. His parents thought that they’d arrive with about an hour to spare. Nonetheless, Phillip put his uniform on before they left. The school had delivered the uniform the week prior, and it just hung in his extensive closet.

He tried to convince the maids that he’d be able to dress himself, but they insisted. He stood in front of a tall mirror, having his navy blue blazer put on over his white dress shirt. A striped navy blue and yellow tie was fastened around his neck. His cream khakis were fastened by a black leather belt.

“You look good, brother.”

Phillip saw Eli in the reflection and grimaced.

“What’re you doing here?”

“I’m not here to make fun of you; it was a legitimate compliment. After all, I’ll be wearing this in a year too.”

“Everything’s ready for the trip?”

“Yeah. Your things were sent ahead. They’ll be in your dorm whenever you’re assigned to a house.”

“My things? I thought the school provided most things.”

“Yes, but you need some clothes to wear on the weekend, right? The maids packed those for you, though.”

“That would explain why some of my clothes have gone missing.”

The maids, having finished their work, left Phillip and Eli to their own devices.

“Excited? Only a few hours and you’ll be at M.I.A.”

Phillip smirked. “Yeah. Let’s get going. We don’t have that much more time before we have to go.”

Phillip got into his family’s limousine, followed by the rest of them. He was exhilarated. Charles caught on to his son’s excitement.

“Calm down, son.” He said. “You’ll be all out of energy by the time you get there at this rate.”

“But we’re getting there late, right?”

“Yes, but I remember that on my first day, my roommates and I talked all night about what we wanted to do during the year. Someone fell asleep. Regretted checking out as early as he did when we told him what we talked about. We actually forgot a lot of it, so he missed most of the details.”

“I’ll try to keep my excitement bottled up until tonight, then.”

The limo pulled away from the castle and out of Ferenicia. Many of the people in the street were waving or calling out to them, mostly likely having guessed what was going on, since school had been restarting all over the country.

Soon, the family was on a road in a wide, rolling plain. The road would continue on like this until the next town. There was the occasional pond or stream, with all sorts of animals going on with their lives.

For several hours, they drove through the country, passing through towns and cities, big and small, stopping only for bathroom breaks or to refill the limousine. There was a miniature refrigerator in the limousine, so there was no real need to stop for food. By the time the sun was setting, the two princes had drifted off to sleep.

Phillip was dreaming about what could happen to him once he arrived at the school. Would he make friends quickly? Would he be treated differently because he’s the prince? Would he be able to handle the work? Various scenarios played out in his head, some ending happily and others not so much. Some time later, someone shook him.

“We’re almost there, Phillip.” His mother said gently.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked out the window like his parents were. His jaw dropped. In the distance, there was a huge castle, almost as large as the one he called home. It was surrounded by five mansions, creating the shape of a pentagon, and several slightly smaller buildings. Right next to it was a gargantuan lake that looked large enough to hold the entire castle and the mansions around it.

There was a long line of driveway lights leading to the campus which was flooded with all sorts of cars. They went down the driveway themselves and stopped at the end of a long line of vehicles right near the entrance, with more lining up behind them.

Phillip and his family piled out of the limousine and into a huge crowd of people, most of them wearing the same uniform as him. The vast majority of them began walking towards four of the five mansions the surrounded the castle.

“Pay no mind to the other students, first-years!” The words came from another student, who was near the entrance, holding a megaphone. There were several others with megaphones scattered about. “Just head inside of the school; we’ll be on our way to the auditorium soon!”

“Well, I guess this is it.” He turned back to his family, and saw his mother dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “Mother?”

“Oh, don’t worry, dear. I’m just proud of you, is all.” She overwhelmed the boy in an embrace. “Be sure to keep in touch, okay?”

“I will, mother.” He said, returning the embrace.

When she finally released him, his father held out his hand. “You’ll do just fine, son, I know it.”

“Thanks, father.” He took the outstretched hand, much larger than his own, and shook it.

“Do you have anything to say to your brother, Eli?”

“Yeah,” Began the boy, a grin on his face. “Whenever you start thinking about the girls, remember that you’re engaged, okay?”

Phillip tried to grab Eli but was stopped by his father. The king gently pushed his son towards the crowd that was going towards the castle, saying goodbye once more. As he was walking, Phillip looked back and waved one final time before his family got back into the limousine and drove out of sight.

He was alone now. He began to think about when and how’d he make friends, like when he fell asleep, when his thoughts were interrupted.

Walking inside of the castle, Phillip and the others were met with an immense entrance hall. There was a hallway and a staircase on either side of a large pair of doors. While drawn to the doors, the first-years were ushered towards one of the hallways. It was a very plain looking hallway. There were doors on one side and wide windows on the other. At the end of the hallway, where a window should’ve been, was a door.

“Okay, everyone, try to fill the rows! If you happen to see a friend, just keep on following the person that was in front of you! You’ll get to see your friends soon enough!”

The older student opened the door and the first-years started entering what Phillip thought was the auditorium, as he heard outside. Past the door there was a magnificent stage with scarlet curtains at both ends. There was row upon row of velvet seats. The seats were each spaced apart so those in the middle of the rows could easily move. They gradually sloped up, with a large lane separating the upper and lower levels. There were five exits in total: the one Phillip went through, one opposite it, one on either end of the lane, and one behind the upper seats.

Only two of the five entrances were used as the first-years filed in. Phillip himself was in a seat in the third row. When he thought he was surrounded by complete strangers, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hey there.” Luna said, leaning over to Phillip.

“Hey. Looks good so far, right?”

“It certainly does.” Luna looked around the auditorium. “How many of us do you think there are? There can’t be more than one hundred.”

“In that case, a hundred. Out of everyone who took the entrance exams, how many do you think that is?”

“I’d rather not think about that.” She said, shuddering.

The auditorium was quite loud. It seemed that people had already started making new friends before school actually started. The people on either side of Phillip were talking as well.

The loud conversating was put to an end by the roar of a twister that had appeared on the stage. When the tornado dispersed, five adults stood. The one in the center was clearly the oldest; a man with a short gray beard and gray hair who was wearing flowing midnight blue robes that had dots of varying colors and sizes, as if they were the stars and his robe the night sky.

He looked over the crowd with his eyes, which were baby blue. His gaze was intimidating, as if he was trying to see which first-years would cower under its weight. The smile he put on afterwards was much warmer, the complete opposite of his stare,

“It would appear that we have a fine collection of young men and women joining us this year. My name is Theodore Goude, headmaster of Magiana Imperial Academy. For the last one thousand years, this institution has trained brilliant young minds and put them on the path of both magical and academic excellence. Time and time again have the graduates of this school made revolutionary discoveries. It is our mission to give you the necessary training that will grant you such fame and success in the future. While it might be our duty, it’s a team effort.” He raised a fist. “Only by working together and supporting each other can we meet our goal! Seven years may be a long, but in that time, wonders will be worked in your lives that will one day change our world forever!”

Almost immediately after the headmaster ended his speech, there was a deafening cheer from the back of the auditorium. The others quickly joined in, and soon the room was full of the sound of the students’ cheers. Phillip found himself as a part of the chorus, feeling that the headmaster said the perfect thing to encourage them. What would be a better way to get students excited about school than tell them they’ll one day become legends?

The roaring died down when the headmaster held out his hand.

“Now, I’m sure that you all have had a long day, making the journey here. We’ve prepared a feast for you all so that you can end the day feeling well fed and rested.” There was another brief round of cheers, and he once again held out his hand. “Before that, we must separate you into your houses.”

Everyone began whispering to their newfound friends, but with how many of them there were, it was quite loud. For a third time, the headmaster held out his hand to quiet them down.

“I will be taking my leave. I shall see you all in the dining hall.” He then disappeared behind the curtains.

One of the four adults stepped forward. It was a woman whose honey blonde hair was held in a bun. On her white blouse was a golden badge with red, yellow and black dragon. There was a messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

“Good evening, everyone. My name is Amelia Acre. I’m the head of House Bryne. The people in my house tend to be innovators; people who try to find new ways to fix problems that will make as many people happy as possible. We’re also known for being very open-minded. Until you give us a reason to dislike, you’re on our good side.” She pulled a scroll out of her bag. “When I call you name, please come up onto the stage and line up behind me.”

She unrolled the scroll and began reading off names. Each of the people called went up just as she said. When she was done, there were twenty students behind her.

After her, a kind looking middle aged man with thinning black hair came forward. He wore a gold badge with a brown, white and gold eagle. He smiled at the remaining students.

“Hello, everyone, my name is Nelson Pyke. I’m in charge of House Crowlin. Like with those in House Bryne, we must have a very good reason to dislike someone. However, those in my house are known for showing kindness to everyone we come across. We are the first to aid those who are in need and the last to leave our loved ones in times or hardship.”

Like Acre, he unrolled a scroll and began reading off the names. Another twenty students were lined up behind him when he finished.

There were only two houses left. House Sloane, which his father was in, and House Lychester, which seemed interesting, to say the least. Phillip wasn’t very worried. His mother herself said that she believed he’d be a Sloane, and if Luna wasn’t part of a house known for innovation or kindness, she’d be in the one known for… whatever trait those in House Sloane shared; Phillip still didn’t know.

Of the two remaining, a shapely black woman with midnight black hair tied in a ponytail stepped forward. She wore a pristine white lab coat and safety goggles were hanging around her neck. Her badge had a green, beige and red cobra on it. She appeared to be the youngest of them all, but not by many years. Phillip wasn’t sure how he didn’t notice it until now, but there was a gray and black kitten sitting on the woman’s shoulder.

“My name is Winona Black, and this is Cait Sith. “ She patted the feline’s small head, making it purr. “The students in House Lychester are my responsibility. As some of you might’ve heard, the people in my house could be called ruthless. We’re known for doing whatever it takes to get what we want, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that what we’re trying to do is selfish. You could go to great length for the sake of a friend or family member, for example. And many Lychesters have gone on to do just that.”

There was a surprising name on the scroll Winona held. Phillip, who was resting his head on his fist, shot up, wide eyed when he heard it.

“...Reginald Ultire… Luna Welshire…”

Luna herself was taken aback when she heard her name called. Still, she got up and walked towards the stage, saying goodbye to Phillip as she went.

Phillip was confused, but since Luna seemed to be okay with it, he convinced himself not to worry. There was actually a small smile on her face. He couldn’t tell if it was genuine or if she didn’t want people to think if anything was wrong.

The final person, and obviously the one in charge of House Sloane, stepped forward. The man had immaculately groomed black hair that was parted in the middle. It was shining, as if it was slathered in hair gel. There was a scabbard containing a broadsword strapped to his back for some reason. His smile was blinding. His own badge pictured a wolf, colored black, blue and white.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” He shouted. “I am Arthur Windsor, the head of House Sloane! This house is reserved only for the most noble of souls! Only those that would stick by their allies, no matter what the circumstance are worthy of the Sloane Wolf!”

When he called the remaining students, he didn’t need a scroll. He recited them from memory.

“Trevor Arc… and last but not least, his royal highness, Philip Magis!”

Phillip saw some of the students look in his direction as the crowd thinned, but when his name was called, everyone’s eyes followed him as he walked forward.

“Now, listen close, everyone!” Windsor cried. “We-”

Black patted his shoulder as she took her place next to him. “That’s enough for now, Arthur. Okay, everyone, we’ll heading to the dining hall for the feast. You’re supposed to dine with the people of your house, but for tonight, we’ll forget that rule. You can eat wherever you want.”

She left the auditorium, followed by all of her students. The other three groups followed.

After the feast, Phillip was very much full and ready for bed. All sorts of amazing food had been prepared for the students. When the feast was finally over, which was quite late, the heads of the houses led the first-years out. The older students were left alone, knowing the campus’s layout already.

Windsor led the twenty new members of House Sloane towards one of the mansions. When they arrived, they saw that there were two flags on either side of the door, both with the wolf that was on Windsor’s badge.

They entered the mansion to find a layout very similar to the castle. In the center of the entrance hall was a door. On either side was a door and a staircase and hallway. Windsor opened the door and led them into a large room, which immediately reminded Phillip of his game room. There was a large television on the wall above a fireplace with several consoles resting on top of it, cabinets of games were on either side of the fireplace, and a couch was across from the television. There were shelves of board and card games. There were several tables with chairs in the room. A few bean bag chairs were strewn throughout the room as well.

“This,” Began Windsor, not shouting for once. “Is the common room. Whenever you have free time, you can come here to enjoy yourselves or do some homework. You’ll find some impeccable ear muffs that will drown out noise so you can focus if it’s too rowdy in her.” Once they were all inside, he stepped outside of the room. “I have a bit of work to do, so I’ll be on my way. The prefects will drop by to tell you a few things soon. Good night, everyone.”

As soon as he closed the door, the students went wild. Some went right to the television to play videogames while others began setting up some of the board games. The people who sat on the bean bag chairs threw themselves on. Phillip just decided to sit and wait.

A group of girls who were sitting near him were whispering amongst themselves, stealing a glance at Phillip every once and awhile. He let it go on for a few minutes before speaking.

“Excuse me,” The girls were stunned to be addressed by the prince, and Phillip sighed. “Listen, I know that I’m the prince and all, but I’m still a normal kid like you guys are.”

“R-r-really?” Said one of them.

“Really. Just forget that I’m royalty.”

“T-then I could call you P-P-P-Ph-”

“Phil, right?” One of the boys, who had black hair and matching black eyes, wrapped his arm around Phillip’s shoulder. “You wouldn’t mind if I call you that?”

“Not at all. If anything, I’d prefer it.”

“Glad to hear it.” The boy, who was taller than anyone else in the room, released Phillip. “Miles Krenshaw. Nice to meetcha, Phil.”

“Likewise.” He said, smiling at Miles.

“P-Phillip!” He turned his attention back to the girls. “You’re parents went to this school didn’t they?”

“They did. Met here, in fact.” The girl turned a deep red and he held up his left hand. “I’m kinda taken.”

“I know, I know!” She blurted out. “But to think that I might meet my husband here…” She looked up at Miles and Phillip. “Oh, my name is Kylie, by the way.”

“It’s a pleasure.”

“Hey.” Miles added.

The doors to the common room opened again, and two older students walked in; a boy and a girl. The boy was slender with light brown hair and hazel eyes. The girl’s hair was dark brown and she had brown eyes. She was a head shorter than the boy. They were both wearing badges like the heads of the houses, but theirs were silver instead of gold.

“It’s good to see everyone.” Said the boy. “My name’s Isaiah Goude. I’m one of House Sloane’s prefects.”

“And I’m Marianna Frosche. If any of you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask us if we’re around.”

She was holding a small box. Opening it, she took out an armband with two blue bands and a black band in between them. A picture of the wolf on the flags was on the black band.

“These armbands will be how we tell each other apart from the members of the other houses.” She began handing them out to everyone.

“It’s time to turn in, so you’ll be going to your rooms after this.” Isaiah told them. “Now, if you paid close attention during the opening ceremony, you’d notice something that Marianna is doing right now.”

Everyone looked at each other, but it didn’t seem that anyone had a clue what he was talking about. A hand shot up at the back fo the room. It belonged to a girl whose brown hair was tied into a braided ponytail. She had brown eyes and freckles. Isaiah called on her.

“Yes, Dominique?”

“She’s giving us our armbands in alphabetical order.”

“Exactly. Inside each of them, you’ll find a tiny slip of paper with a number on it. That’s your room number. Giving you your armbands in alphabetical order makes this a little bit easier on us. When you get to your room you’ll find two keys on your beds. One of them is a key to the house. The second is much more important; your room key. You and your roommates are the only ones with a copy. That’s five people with it as opposed to one hundred and forty-one when you count Professor Windsor’s master key.”

Phillip looked inside of the armband and found a small slip of paper with the number ‘324’ on it. Everyone else was looking at their own slips of paper.

“Okay, girls, we’re heading upstairs.” Marianna said, closing the box.

When the girls were all gone, Isaiah had all of the boys leave. Phillip found room number 324 and opened it without any difficulty. Inside were four four-poster beds with black curtains. Next to one of the beds were the suitcases that he packed. He walked over to the bed and saw two keys on a keyring. Picking them up, he saw that one had a ‘D’ on it and the other had an ‘H’.

“Dorm… house…”

The door opened again and three more people entered. One of them was Miles, who yawned loudly. The one behind him had messy black hair and blue eyes. The final one had brown hair and brown eyes. Phillip recognized the one with black hair as Trevor Arc, who was called right before he was. After spotting their belongings, they went to their respective beds.

“I’m bushed…” Miles fell face forward onto his bed. “You guys as tired as I am?”

“Why does it matter?” Asked the brown haired boy. He, Trevor and Phillip were changing out of their uniforms into their pajamas.

“C’mon, Lloyd! I wouldn’t want to miss out on all of the crazy things you guys are gonna talk about! If you’re staying up, so am I!”

“Well, I’m going to bed.” Phillip said, tossing his keys onto his bedside table. He knew that his father and his roommates spoke all nights and had very interesting conversations, but didn’t want to be exhausted for his first day.

“You sure about that, Phil?”

“I’m going to sleep, too.” Said Trevor quietly.

“You too?” Miles sighed disappointedly. “Lloyd?”

“You said you were tired,” He drew the curtains around his bed. “Don’t force it, man.”

The lamps on each of the bedside tables, that had been on up until that point, were turned off until only Miles’s was on. He sat on his bed, disappointed, but eventually changed out of his uniform and went to bed, turning out his lamp, banishing the little remaining light from the room.