Corvus - Legacy of a Constellation

Corin left the Great Hall when the ceremony was officially over. Students streamed in all directions, some stayed together in groups, discussing the Headmaster's speech or exchanging information. Others, mostly those who seemed confident or already established, moved purposefully towards the wings of the academy as if they knew where they belonged long ago.

He let his gaze wander over the faces. It was noticeable how certain groupings had already formed, family members or students who had known each other for some time. Loners like him were rare.

Corin didn't care. He wasn't here to become directly entangled in any noble network.

His first port of call was his dorm.

The residential area of the academy was divided into different buildings. His dormitory was in one of the outer areas of the campus, an elegant but simple building with tall windows and black stone pillars. The rooms were spacious, more like small apartments than simple dormitories. Each student was given their own quarters. 

When he opened the door to his room, a minimalist but stylishly furnished room awaited him. A large bed, a desk with several shelves, a wardrobe for his clothes and a small sitting area. His things had already been delivered, the customized suitcase from Viviana's people stood neatly in the corner.

He had gotten used to the fact that his footsteps hardly made any noise, a side effect of his Blessing or simply years of survival training in the slums. But when he closed the door and looked around, he was greeted by an unexpected reaction.

"What the-?!"

The other boy, who had been sitting relaxed on his bed playing with a small knife, flinched. The knife flew from his fingers and dug into the wooden wall with a slight zing. His gaze darted to Corin, red eyes wide, before his features changed from shock to a smirking expression.

"Holy-! How long have you been standing there?"

Corin leaned wordlessly against the doorframe and eyed his new roommate.

He looked ... remarkable. Even among the well-born academy students, he must have stood out. His snow-white hair with a soft purple tinge fell into his forehead, a few strands occasionally obscured his eyes - red as ruby. A three-piece silver earring, pointed like needles, adorned his left ear. His outfit was casual but elegant, a mixture of aristocratic fashion and personal style that gave him a certain carefree air.

Corin raised an eyebrow. "Just got here."

He jumped up, pulled the knife out of the wall and twirled it playfully in his hand.

"Man, you're quiet. I could have sworn I was alone."

Then he let his gaze wander curiously over Corin, lingering briefly on his face, then on his clothes ... and finally on the spear leaning against the wall. His red eyes widened.

"Whoa, wait a minute." He pointed the knife at the weapon. "Is that yours?"

Corin followed his gaze, then nodded slowly. Cearen whistled appreciatively.

"You can't be serious. That thing looks like it could impale a bloody dragon. Where did you get it? You don't see quality like that every day."

Corin shrugged his shoulders. "A gift."

Cearen blinked, then laughed.

"Okaaay. Mysterious. I can see you're not the talkative type."

He dropped back onto his bed, stretched, and looked at Corin with a wry grin.

"Whatever. I'm Cearen. Cearen Veil. Second year here, first time with a roommate. And you are?"

"Corin Denoir."

"Corin...?" Cearen waited a moment, but when no further explanation came, he shrugged. "Corin, then. All right."

Corin put his bag on the second bed and began to put his things away. Cearen left him alone for a moment, then continued talking.

"So, since you're new here and don't look like you're up for wandering around forever ... what do you say we take a little tour? I can show you around the campus, tell you which teachers to avoid, where the best food is ... and maybe chat a bit about who's enemies with whom here."

Corin paused and thought for a moment. A guide from someone who had been here for a year might be helpful.

"Why not?" he finally said.

Cearen grinned.

"Great. Then come on, before all the other newcomers snatch up the best places."

And in one swift movement, he was on his feet and marching towards the door, ready to introduce Corin to the world of the Academy. Corin lowered the letter and looked at the bank card and student ID in his hand.

Corin Denoir.

It felt strange to have a surname. Almost as if a new identity had been imposed on him, one that wasn't quite his own. But it was necessary. "Virelli" was not to be associated with him.

He put the card away, took one last look at his sparse luggage and looked at Cearen, who was leaning against the door with his arms folded.

"Ready?" he asked with a grin.

Corin nodded. They left the Dorms together.

It was busy outside. Small groups of students were milling around everywhere, some with maps of the academy in their hands, others already deep in conversation. There were groups that obviously belonged together, probably from the same noble family.

"So, listen," Cearen began as they strolled across the campus.

"The academy is primarily for the nobility. Most of the people here belong to old, influential families. Exceptions like you or me are rather rare."

Corin listened carefully.

"That means if you want to make it here, you need two things: ability and the right attitude. The nobility only tolerate people who deserve their place here. Anyone else will be ostracized."

Corin snorted softly. "Sounds charming."

Cearen shrugged her shoulders.

"That's just the way it is. So, the academy is divided into four faculties, each with its own wing. When you officially enroll somewhere, that's your main focus."

He counted them off on his fingers.

"First, path lore. All about the different paths, their history, rituals, theories. Perfect for would-be scholars and those seeking deeper understanding."

"Secondly: Blessing practice and theory. How to awaken, train and perfect Blessings. This is for those who want to maximize their potential."

"Third: Combat and tactics training. Doesn't need much explanation. Martial arts, war strategies, weaponry - anything to do with direct conflict."

"And lastly, death zone lore. Dangerous places, monster lore, survival training, information about corruption. More for those who want to work as hunters or explorers later on."

Cearen grinned at him.

"But you can also take courses from other faculties if you want. You're not completely restricted."

Corin stored the information away.

"Then there's the unofficial stuff. Duels. The academy has its own ranking system for that. If there are conflicts, and believe me, there are, they're settled in the arena. It's much better than nobles just stabbing each other in the street."

Corin raised an eyebrow. "Tactful murder, then?"

Cearen laughed. "If that's what you want to call it."

He pointed to a large building with tall windows.

"There's also something like political science, but that's more for nobles. They learn how to play politics, forge alliances and run each other into the ground."

As they walked on, Corin noticed that they were attracting a lot of attention.

It wasn't unusual, the first day was always a time of observation and assessment. But it seemed like Cearen was getting a lot of them. Corin eyed him out of the corner of his eye. His appearance was striking, that was for sure, but was that the only reason?

He decided to leave the question for later. For now, what mattered was finding his way around the academy.