The entire area was filled with excitement as a large crowd of new students, most of them around twelve years old, stood alongside their parents. They gathered on a wide, open lawn covered with soft, freshly grown grass that seemed to glow in the morning light. At the front stood the grand entrance to the School of Powers, a massive gate made of shining silver metal. Its surface reflected the sunlight, and the intricate patterns carved into it sparkled with a quiet brilliance. The gate stood open, inviting them in, though the true campus remained hidden beyond.
They were on SP-1, one of Orionis's naturally occurring orbital bodies, made livable for educational use. Like many major planets in the Zorgonax Dominion, Orionis also had several orbital planets. These orbitals, while smaller in size, had been made liveable and are used for specific purposes by the parent planet. SP-1 was one such orbital, designated solely for education.
SP-1 is where Phase 1 of the School of Powers takes place. The School of Powers is divided into three distinct phases. Phase 1 is conducted entirely on SP-1 and lasts for five years, starting from the age of 12 and lasting until their final year at age 16. Phase 2 is not tied to any orbital planet, while Phase 3, the most advanced stage, takes place on SP-3, another orbital planet of Orionis.
SP-1 has been reserved specifically for the training and development of young learners from all across the Zorgonax Dominion. It was mandatory for every living being in Zorgonax to attend the School of Powers and complete their training. This system had been established 6,126 years ago during the legendary revolution, and since then, Orionis had continued to manage and uphold the schooling for every planet under its rule without bias or exception.
Within this system, experienced instructors passed down their knowledge on power control, combat skills, and weapon mastery. Students are taught how to wield lending power weapons and, in time, how to equip real weapons. These were not mere tools of battle but vital instruments for survival in the world of Zorgonax.
The school campus stood at the center of SP-1, covering a vast area. It included buildings for education like classrooms, training grounds, combat arenas, libraries, cafeterias, canteens, and more. Surrounding the main campus was a smaller circular city, built to support the daily lives of students. This city included hostels, streets lined with shops, basic necessities, food stalls, and all the essentials a student might need during their five-year stay.
As Shay looked around, he noticed how almost every parent was holding their child with warmth and affection, whispering soft words, sharing hugs, and saying their goodbyes. From this point on, many of them wouldn't see their children for a year or two.
When Shay turned to look behind him, he saw his parents, Shivon and Viden, chatting cheerfully with other adults around their age. They looked like they had stepped into the past, laughing with pure joy, their faces glowing as they exchanged stories with old friends.
Just then, Shivon spotted Shay and lifted his hand, gesturing for him to come closer.
"Shay, come here, meet him," Shivon said, clearly excited. "This is Bendric. We were classmates when we were your age. We studied right here, in this same campus. Spent years together. Seeing him again brings back so many memories."
Shay glanced at Bendric, a tall man with kind eyes who greeted him with a firm handshake and a warm smile. Nearby, Viden was also talking to a group of her own childhood friends, her face bright with excitement.
Shay noticed it wasn't just his parents. All around him, other adults were reconnecting with people from their past. The entire lawn felt like more than just the entrance to a school. It felt like a place where memories were coming alive again, where time folded for a moment to let everyone smile at who they used to be.
Bendric turned to Shay with a cheerful grin. "Shay, come here. Meet my son, Rei. He'll be joining the school with you." Then he glanced at Shivon and added with a laugh, "Looks like our kids might end up as batchmates just like we were back in the day."
Shivon chuckled, and both of them shared a warm moment, caught in their memories.
Rei stepped forward and pointed his thumb at himself with a friendly smile. "Hey Shay, I'm Rei. How's it going?"
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and clearly strong, with a muscular build that spoke of dedication and training. But his easy smile and relaxed posture made him seem approachable and kind.
Shay, who had an average height and a lean, toned frame, looked at Rei with a mix of curiosity and quiet admiration. He wondered what kind of effort it took to build such a body, and what kind of person Rei really was.
"Hey Rei, I'm Shay. Nice to meet you," Shay replied with a friendly smile, reaching out to shake his hand.
Suddenly, a clear voice echoed through the large speakers near the entrance, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Attention all students and their parents. It is now time to say your goodbyes. Students, please proceed through the main gate. You will find volunteers stationed at the entrance. Share your details with them, and they will hand you your room keys along with an information card that tells you where you'll be staying for the next five years. Welcome to the School of Powers."
The crowd quieted for a moment as the message sank in. Then, like a gentle wave, emotions began to ripple through the crowd. Parents leaned in to hug their children, giving them words of encouragement, pride, and love. Some smiles trembled with hidden tears, others were wide and proud.
Shay turned to his parents. His mother, Viden, pulled him into a warm embrace while his father, Shivon, placed a firm hand on his shoulder and smiled with quiet strength.
"Take care of yourself, Shay. And give your best," Shivon said.
Rei, too, shared a heartfelt farewell with Bendric. The two friends then gave one last look to their parents, who stood together with proud yet emotional faces.
As more and more students began to step forward, the once-busy lawn began to clear. Parents slowly started boarding transport pods that would take them back to their home planets, waving from a distance as their children moved toward the towering gate.
Shay and Rei began walking side by side, stepping through the grand silver gate that marked the beginning of their new journey. A wide, well-paved path stretched out before them, leading deeper into the campus. The excitement from the crowd behind slowly faded, replaced by a quiet sense of anticipation as they moved forward.
To their right, a little further down the path, four volunteers stood behind a set of tables. Each table was neatly organized with rows of metallic keys and slim information cards that reflected the soft morning light. The volunteers, dressed in the standard navy-blue uniform of the School of Powers, were busy helping the new students, asking for their details and handing out keys and cards.
Shay and Rei walked up to one of the volunteers, a man with a kind expression and alert eyes. He greeted them politely and asked for a few details like their full names, home planets, and the registration numbers that had been provided during the admission process, which most parents had already completed in advance.
After quickly checking the records on a screen embedded in the desk, the volunteer found their names and handed each of them a room key along with a silver-edged information card.
"Welcome to SP-1, students", he said with a warm smile. "Your room address, SP-1 map and other details are written on the card. Keep walking along this path and follow the signboards ahead."
Shay looked down at the card in his hand. It felt more like a folded ID booklet than a simple card. There were no inner pages, just a front and back cover, each packed with important information.
The front cover displayed the student's personal details. His name was printed at the top, followed by his native planet, registration number, room address, and team number. Everything was neatly laid out and clearly labelled. It was obvious that this card would serve as his primary identification and access key throughout his time at the school.
He glanced at the front. His team number was 9, planet mentioned as Luminae and his room address was written as H10-F2. The format made him pause. What exactly did H10 and F2 mean? Maybe "H" stood for hostel block, and "F" for floor? He wasn't certain.
He looked over at Rei, who was staring at his own card with a puzzled expression. His address was H6-F1, and he seemed just as confused. Their eyes met, both wearing nearly identical expressions.
Curious, Shay flipped the card over. The back cover listed the names of his assigned team members: Kenoma and Alex. Below the names were two additional details, his profile score and the money he had been allotted. Both looked important, though he wasn't entirely sure what they meant or how they would be used.
Just then, Shay noticed something he had missed earlier. As he gently opened the ID booklet, a map unfolded across the inside of both cover pages. It wasn't just a plain illustration. The map was detailed and vibrant, clearly designed to guide students through their new life on SP-1. In the top right corner, the name "SP-1" was written, confirming that the entire layout was of the orbital planet they now stood on.
At the center of the map was a large circle labelled "School Campus." This central area seemed to be the heart of SP-1. Within it, small symbols and labels marked important locations such as the library, the administration office, the canteen, the main lawn, classrooms labelled A through C, training grounds, the combat arena, and more. Everything a student could need for learning and growth was placed within this boundary.
Surrounding the school campus in all four directions—east, south, west, and north—were rows of identical symbols labelled "Hostel." Each direction had three hostels, making a total of twelve. Starting from the east, the hostels were numbered H1, H2, and H3. To the south were H4, H5, and H6. Then came H7, H8, and H9 in the west, and finally H10, H11, and H12 in the north. The numbering moved clockwise, forming a perfect circle around the campus starting from east.
Between the central school campus and the outer ring of hostels, there were even more symbols. These marked places like gardens, small mess halls, local shops, and cafeterias. Every direction had its own garden and mess, while the shops and food stalls varied slightly, adding a unique touch to each region.
Shay's eyes moved quickly over the layout. It was like a whole miniature world, perfectly structured for student life. He traced his finger from the central circle labeled "School Campus" all the way up to the northern side, where his hostel block, H10, was clearly marked.
"Looks like I'm in the north," Shay muttered, glancing again at Rei.
"South for me," Rei said, tilting his card to catch the light and pointing to H6. "Guess we're on opposite ends."
Shay nodded thoughtfully. "Still, we'll probably meet during lectures and training."
"Definitely," Rei said with a grin.
Just as Yash was trying to absorb all the information from the map, a sudden wave of noise swept through the area. Voices rose in excitement, footsteps echoed across the entry road, and students all around began hurrying in one direction. Someone shouted that an orientation was about to begin in the library's assembly hall, led by none other than one of the greatest warriors in all of Zorgonax.
The name alone sent a ripple through the crowd.
Astrach of Orionis.
A world-renowned figure, wielder of the legendary Time Enigma weapon, and the Principal of the School of Powers himself.
Yash's eyes widened as he turned to Rei. Without a word, Rei looked back with the same spark in his eyes. They both knew this wasn't just any introduction, it was a rare moment to witness someone who had shaped history. Without hesitation, they joined the rush of students heading toward the library, their curiosity and excitement pushing them forward.
As they ran, the grand halls of SP-1 began to unfold ahead of them. Their journey was no longer just beginning, it was already in motion, and there was no turning back.