Auralis City buzzed with life.
Alex and his sister walked through the crowded streets, heading for the centre.
Above them, the towers stretched high, their glass and metal flashing under the late morning sun.
People rushed past — workers, merchants, soldiers — too busy to notice two teenagers moving through the flow.
Ahead, the road rose slightly — leading to a massive field surrounded by heavy black walls.
Above that field, a huge Dome shimmered faintly, covering everything inside.
It wasn't natural.
The Dome was pure technology, reinforced with strong magic.
It protected the place where Vanguard Academy stood.
As they approached, the air grew tighter.
Security officers in black armour checked every person.
Drones floated overhead, scanning the crowd with blinking red lights.
A long line had already formed at the gate.
Humans, werewolves, and vampires, young and nervous, carrying bags or standing stiff.
Alex's sister glanced at him, her mouth twitching into a smile.
"First one through buys dinner," she said.
He bumped her lightly with his shoulder, not answering.
When they reached the front, a guard stepped forward.
"ID," the guard said in a rough voice, hidden behind a helmet.
Alex handed over his acceptance card.
The scanner flashed blue, then green.
Cleared.
He stepped through a narrow tunnel of cold blue light.
It felt like walking into a storm.
For a second, deep inside, something in him stirred — faint, but real.
He ignored it.
His sister passed through easily, tossing him a quick wink.
Together, they crossed into the world of Varguard Academy.
Ahead, huge buildings stood under the Dome, bright and sharp against the sky.
It had begun.
The doors to the main hall of Vanguard Academy swung open.
Alex and his sister stepped inside, joining a group of students moving forward.
The hall stretched wide, with high ceilings and stone walls adorned with banners and insignia.
Everything here was built to impress, to remind you of the weight of what you were about to begin.
At the front stood a woman in a dark blue uniform, her posture rigid and commanding.
She stood with a quiet stillness, the air around her almost vibrating with something unspoken.
"My name is Sia," she began, her voice low and smooth, cutting through the air.
"I am one of the Academy's Watchers."
Her gaze swept over them, measuring, watching.
The silence in the room deepened like a dark shadow had fallen across the students.
"You are here because something changed long ago.
An event that shifted the balance of humanity. Since then, we've worked to correct that change."
Her voice held a certain weight, and her eyes glinted with an edge of something ancient, something that made Alex uneasy.
"We honour those who came before us — Ciara, Peter, and Jack — the first immortals who stood during the wars and chaos of old.
They walk with us still. They are the keepers of balance."
Sia paused, allowing the words to settle.
Alex glanced at his sister, but her expression was unreadable.
There was something about Sia that felt... wrong.
Not in an obvious way, but something deeper — a quiet, suffocating presence.
"Today, you will wear your identity," Sia continued, her voice shifting slightly, almost like the murmur of wind through dead trees.
"Though your blood may shift, your place here is defined."
As if on cue, a staff member stepped forward, distributing badges to each student.
- Silver for werewolves.
- Black for humans.
- Red for vampires.
Alex took a black badge, pinning it to his chest. His sister did the same.
"Remember," Sia's voice rang out, sharp and unforgiving. "You are not here for yourself. You are here to fix the world. Break the rules, and you will be dealt with."
Her eyes narrowed, as though she knew every secret hiding in the room.