The three gulped. They couldn't believe they were there.

When Rayo told them to wake up at 7, this was not what they had in mind. This morning, they were commanded to dress in the black uniform provided while Rayo and Liam themselves were dressed in their ones, heavy with medallions. Their last night's tranquil composures were replaced with a dominating regal arrogance that they knew all too well.

Too intimidating to ask the occasion

But now that they were standing in front of a yard full of Nix shredding them with their glares.

Even if no one ever told them what this place was, they'd still know. The gargantuan onyx gate with a mammoth glistening phoenix spreading its wings from one side to the other and watching down with its ferocious eyes, who'd mistake this place with something else? If nothing, the yard full of scattered black uniforms shredding them with their glares should be enough to let them know they were standing in front of the one place they shouldn't be.

The Aerie Academy

The most prestigious institution on earth. An institution exclusive to Nix cadets only. No one outside of Phoenix could even reach so far, let alone stand there, gaping. And now here they were, standing in front of the doom hole with absolutely no idea what they were doing there.

But no matter how much unaware they were on this matter, the news of their arrival spread across the compound like wildfire. Currently, the whole attention of the crowd on the other side was on the three creatures standing outside who dared to step on the holy ground of the Nix with their filthy bloodline.

Undecided on what to do, Claire looked around, wondering if they were dropped here by mistake. They weren't told anything about what they should do or if they should do anything at all. Neither Liam nor Rayo came with them and the car that dropped them off was gone long back. As she pondered over if they should make a run for it, suddenly the gate swung open. The three looked at each other. Having nothing else in mind, they stepped in and could see lots of jaws clenching making them stop on track. They looked at the crowd as the crowd glared at them and for a while, everyone held their breath. They could feel the tension in the air even from the good 20 feet away. But the gate being the soul reaper it was, swung effortlessly on its own, ushering them inside.

In one piece

A warming bell shrieked somewhere and like an ant colony on fire, the crowd dispersed off just like that making the yard ghostly empty.

They still had no idea about what just happened. If anything, they're still convinced they're dropped off wrong. Even Xen rolled his lips in to contain his sweet curses.

" Being late on the first day is the worst impression to give you know," a fruity tone chimed from beside Derek making him jump.
They all did. They did not
see her walking in.

She was willowy with Bob cut burgundy hair covering almost half of her face. " You don't plan on standing there the whole day, do you? Come on," she said again and by this time already a good two-hand ahead of them. They had no idea how she had that fluidity of motion.

They followed her into a grand atrium. It was the most flawless architecture Claire had ever seen. She could tell it was the best application of the golden ratio she would ever see in her life.

The whole foyer was virgin white glistening under the flooding sun rays pouring through the roof light. A proud phoenix statue sitting atop a giant silver globe was placed in the middle of the white vastness adding all the more dimensions to the gravity of the room. And right behind it, across the hall was a wall where two stairs took off in opposite directions. And on it were the pictures of the current Oracle members. And right there, on the last row were the familiar sets of eyes that had been threatening to them for the last few days. Claire pulled her breath in.

They're Oracle ...? We... had been with the...?

Claire was so lost in her thought that she jumped back as fingers snapped in front of her.

"Uff! You must love interiors."

Claire snapped back to reality closing her mouth. She looked at Derek and Xen, the two wearing two different shades of fluster.

"Silly me! I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Major Jennifer Kimbel of House 8," the girl smiled.

They stayed motionless. Even the boys noticed the pictures on the wall.

Living with the Oracles?
Speaking with a Major? INSIDE THIS PLACE? WHAT'S GOING ON?

"Really? It's you guys who broke into the facility? With this reflex, they'll bite you off on the first day." Jennifer said narrowing her eyes which did little to ease them up. She could tell they had no idea what they were doing here making her feel pity for them.

"Don't worry I don't bite. I'm a vegetarian," she retorted with a wide grin trying to lighten up the situation.

They gave off nervous chuckles. Derek rubbed his neck," Umm.. uh..could you tell us what exactly is going on ma'am? What are we doing here exactly?"

" Whoa! Ma'am?"  Jennifer exclaimed, "those two didn't say like.. anything to you peeps?"

They nodded not knowing what to expect.

"Geez, those knuckleheads! Ok ok. First off, just call me Jennifer. Or Jenni would do. I might be a Major but I'm a sophomore here. Only one batch senior to you."

They were flustered.

What do you mean 'to us'?

"You were each given the cadet kit, right? It had a broucher in it."

" You mean the yellow toilet paper?" Xen spoke for the first time in the whole while and just the wrong thing. Their heads shot in his direction making him bite his inner lip.

"What! There was no toilet paper in the washroom. It was the softest paper I got," Xen said shrugging like he's surprised they didn't do the same. Claire and Derek both gave him a hard glare.

Someone put a filter on his mouth

But Jennifer cracked up. She was laughing so loud and so hard that she slouched down making her laughter echo throughout the atrium with tenfold drumming.

" GOD!! UFFF...YES, THOSE... EXTRA SOFT PAPERS!!! THOSE...SOFTEST ONES..." Jennifer said in between her feats making Xen blush red.

"Ufff! Ok ok. Look. Yes. That brochure. Don't worry you can get some extra from the registry office. Remember to take a few more just in case," Jennifer winked at Xen. He looked away. He was only realizing now that it sounded less stupid in his head. Even Derek was smiling ear to ear.

"And if I'm not wrong the first freshman class starts in another 5 minutes. That gives you guys another 5 minutes in saving your neck the first day," Jennifer said straightening up on the que of another bell going off like a maniac, this time too loud to bear. They squeezed their eyes shut covering their ears.

And once they opened them, she was gone just as silently as she came.