Crossing the gate from the Common to Noble District was a magical journey I never thought I'd experience in my entire life. It was like entering an entirely different world, even though I have never experienced how that felt. No simple townhouses could be seen standing here. There were only mansions — mansions that were twice — no — thrice as much taller and bigger than those in the Common District. These were exquisitely built and constructed with the finest pieces of lumber paired with sturdy bricks or magnificent stone. Their colorful gardens with freshly bloomed flowers and professionally cut topiaries also decorated the front of these extravagant homes. Even the environment was better due to all the trees that made the ambiance comfortable and relaxing. But what truly captured my attention were the three tallest towers that stood impressively in the middle of the District — towers so tall that they almost touched the clouds. Below these three towers laid

A month had swiftly passed since Arcanus held its new students' admission exams, but for Mariana, it felt like an eternity. She was anxiously anticipating the day that she would be returning to Arcanus after she (almost failed)  passed the exams with flying colors.Mariana had been so over the edge — even Lucia and Robert lost their temper at some point because Mariana wouldn't stop screaming every time she laid her eyes on her uniform that she hung on the door to her room.Lucia and Robert were the first individuals that Mariana knew to find out that she passed the admission exam to Arcanus, and they should've been also the last to know about it. However, the old couple didn't want Mariana to receive bad rumors any longer, so the next day the two learned of the good news, they deliberately spread the information about her to everyone; they said that a simple village girl from Pago, faced all the odds and passed the 'insanely difficult' entrance examination

Ignis leaned his head closer to the struggling Jack. He opened his mouth and sucked in all the fire engulfing Jack, just like inhaling air. Jack, now unconscious, fell hard on the ground face first. Jack's charred limbs hugged the cold marble floor. He was unrecognizable. His clothing and body hairs were in ashes. If the spell had lingered any moment longer, he would have definitely expired. Although seeing his state, one would wish he had died instead. It was beyond terrible for a human — or any race — to experience this. But more than Jack's overcooked body, the crowd fixed their attentions towards the person who caused it. "He's real..." "He ate the flames." "No, he didn't! He sucked it from Jack." "I know what I saw!" Many more comments livened the silent hallway, but not everyone was on the same page. For Mariana, what happened was inhumane. Her beliefs were being challenged in front of her eyes, and she didn't kno

"What the—?!" Mariana pinched herself in the arms to check if she was still asleep, but she clearly felt the pain and realized that she was wide awake. Waves of students from the three towers had scattered on almost every nook and cranny of Arcanus' Center Grounds. This place, located in the middle of the three towers, was usually peaceful and orderly as most of the students who went there had their lunches or did their training while in the area. However, at that moment, Mariana saw the students present were currently focused on something else. "We are looking for an earth mage to join our Triad!" "Any demonologists around?" "We need a priest! Priest, anyone?!" Mariana wandered her eyes to read the placards these students were also holding and raising in the air. The words written in their signs were all asking for the same thing: an invitation to join as a member of their Triad. Mariana's blood was pumping. She couldn't help