Alex

If you had told Alex he would be standing in front of a desert next to a convenience store to go to school a few years ago, he wouldn't have believed you. Things change over time, though. Now, he would've walked away faster.

Well, not entirely. He was here, after all.

Alex wasn't very happy about being outside, anyways. It was almost 100 degrees out, and he had stepped out of the cool air of the car in the middle of nowhere. Plus, being confined to the backseat for 2 hours was not his idea of a good time. He didn't even have good service. "Chris, stop saying bye to your mom and let's go. I'm burning up!"

His best friend rolled his eyes, said one last goodbye to his mom, and stepped back. "She's the one saying it, not me. Relax."

Alex sighed and grabbed Chris by the hand, dragging him to the store. "Come on, mommy's boy."

Chris simply scoffed and followed Alex into the coolness of the store. It was surprisingly smallA bored boy sat at the counter, looking up at the pair. "What can I help you with?" he said.

Alex looked at Chris expectantly. Sighing, the taller boy began. "We're here for the event happening today. An... initiation of sorts?"

The clerk perked up, eyes shining. "Thank god. I though nobody was gonna come all day. They always just teleport in instead. Follow me!" He said. Shrugging, the pair followed him to the back. In the employee room was a single door, a bright light pulsing in the cracks. The clerk opened it, blinding the two boys. "Keep your eyes closed and walk through!"

Alex cautiously stepped towards the door, moving through it. When he stepped out, the desert was only visible in a small shimmer that quickly faded. In front of him was a large cathedral, backed by an incredibly large castle. By the cathedral was a long line to enter, stopping right in front of them.

"Whoa..." Chris muttered behind him.

Alex blinked in the bright sunlight. The heat of the desert was replaced by the coolness of the forest, the trees rustling nearby as the wind blew through them. As the magic of the giant castle began to fade, Alex looked at the line that extended to the very door they had come through. The door disappeared, leaving a shimmer of where it once was.

"Well," Alex said. "Wonder how long this'll take," he grumbled.

And alas, he waited patiently. Despite the length of the line it was shrinking at an extraordinary rate. Soon, Chris was at the front of the line, where he was pulled into the booth that seemed to separate the cobblestone path to the cathedral in two. After a few moments, Alex was called inside.

The booth was cool, darkened by the draped covering the entrance and exit. Despite this, Alex could clearly see the man in front of him. A black bandanna covered his mouth, leaving only his azure eyes visible. They seemed to glow in the dark as they looked down onto the sheets in front of him. He scratched his head of brown hair as he read. "Alex Mcyntire?"

Alex responded with a head nod, and the man continued. "I'll need ya to read over this and sign. The cliff notes version is that you ain't holding us responsible for any mishaps that happen while you learn here or if ya die when huntin' down a demon. We'll take care of room an' board, although you can stay off campus, and we also feed ya. Signing this also means you accept that you won't cast any spells above your level unless approved by a teacher, and ya are willing to get your powers stripped if we catch you breaking the rules."

Alex must have seemed shocked, because the man laughed. "Relax, kid. It ain't permanent. That's what the Witches' Council is for."

Alex sighed and grabbed the quill offered to him by the man. "Blood ink, please. You'll re-sign every year if you pass finals. Keep in mind this won't matter if you don't pass the entry exams, but we do it before to simplify things."

Alex looked down at the quill, and lightly pressed it against his skin. He clenched his teeth as the tip pierced his skin, turning the feather a dark black. He winced and drew the quill across the line, scrawling a signature.

The man raised a brow. "That's interesting. Dark witch?" He asked.

Alex shook his head. "Normal one, as far as I know. I can do dark magic, though," he offered in explanation.

The man shook his head. "Anyone with a brain stem can do that. You, though. You got something dark in ya. Keep it on a leash, and we don't got troubles." He looked down at his paper. "One last thing. Family we can contact?"

Alex flinched, then clenched his jaw. "No."

The man raised a brow, but said nothing further, only scribbling. He looked back up. "Congratulations, Alex. You're an official student at the Academy for Magicalia. Exit to your left."