"BRYAN MÓNTEHUGH!"
At the mention of his name, a boy rose up from the first row of the left column where all the First Years were seated. The boy, Bryan, had blue eyes and his distinguishing feature was that his hair was also blue; probably an Atlantean, Rafel reasoned. It was merfolk who had natural hair as pink or purple.
Bryan stepped up a raised platform before the Headmistress's diamond podium. This one had a single armless chair on it and in front was a stalk of pure ivory, bearing in its concave top the [Arc Crystal]. Like open palms, the white sphere rested in the curve of the alien orb.
Bryan took the seat.
"Please, Master Móntehugh, place your both hands on the Arc Crystal. Open your mind and let it read your energy. The location of your Mana Core might feel a little twinge."
Bryan did as instructed. He closed his eyes. Rafel watched intently. It seemed like forever, but it was just a second. The sphere of white gold glowed brightly atop the stalk. A sentient voice spoke as a shimmery blue holographic message floated into the air above Bryan's head.
[DING!]
[Bryan Móntehugh: PEGASUS ARC!]
On the right column in the hall, the students in blue jackets started clapping as Bryan rose, stepped down, and calmly walked over to take a seat among his new witch faction. The boy's strongest connection to the mystic-verse was Water and Spirit.
"Casperus Pickens, out of Brightburn Hall!" Nicara called out thr second name.
"What kind of a name is Pickens?—must be from the open country," the Fourth Year boys at the back of the hall laughed and shoved each other.
This time, Casperus, an albino with a completely shaven head and earrings running up the entire circumference of both his ears stepped up to the Manifest seat. When he touched the crystal, it glowed softly before dimming into black. Tufts of smoke was seen rising from the orb and darkening the holding stalk.
[DING!] A dark hologram apparitioned.
[Casperus Pickens: RAVEN ARC!]
He too, rose and went to join in comrades, feeling right at home in their ominous Goth enclave, black jackets, and hardcore fashion sense.
Dr. Shetty called more names. And the arc granted their manifest.
[DING!]
[Erika Burgess: GRIFFIN ARC!]
No one was surprised there. But the svelte Student President still danced when the crystal glowed gold and flipped her long hair as she pranced for the circle of gold jackets. "You're not even a real blonde. Your hair's strawberry," someone yelled in the crowd. Erika ignored it.
[DING!]
[Yvonne Colliérs: PHOENIX ARC!]
[DING!]
[Jean Fogarty: RAVEN ARC!]
Rafel ignored the dinging and clapping, turning his mind to Corazón and how he still hadn't found her body. It was a mild salve to her tragedy, for he still didn't want to believe she was dead. He missed her, especially in moments like these. Annabelle also, his slave Huntress was MIA. Hmm, where could an Immortal go to find sanctuary?
Rafel refocused when the gorgeous Headmistress came calling with the name of a friend;
"Out of Salem Hall, Rosamunde Spears!"
Rafel watched as Rosa stood and eased of the row. She walked to the high chair and took it, placing her two hands, palm down on the arc crystal as the others had done before her.
The Headmistress stepped up to the challenge.
"Hey! There's no judgement here. The sins of a man are his only. One doesn't inherit shame. I don't think I need to remind you, Normandie, of that—considering you have quite the scandal with our Gamekeeper's prize mare, do I?" Nicara slammed the coward.
Laughter bubbled up in the hall and for the sake of their beloved Headmistress, the young witches gave Ravenna a chance. She took the Manifest high chair for the second time.
[DING!] The crystal's pristine glow dulled to a grim, darkest purple. Rafel anticipated the next hum.
[Ravenna de Vries: RAVEN ARC!]
"Praise be! She's finally shown an arc!" Nicara visibly glowed, like she was proud. Unlike the Griffins, the Ravens accepted the green-eyed girl into their circle. Infact, the reality of it was that her father being the god of Corruption greatly favored her standing with the dark-loving faction. Ravenna did find those that would worship her.
She suspected her successful Manifest had something to do with discovering the truth about being Half-Angel.
A smile she couldn't suppress hit Nicara's lips, and while the entire Assembly Hall wondered why the Headmistress was blushing, she said, inviting to the chair a beautiful young man;
"Coming out again from Salem Hall, we have Israfel BlüdThïrste!"
This time the majority of the crowd went on their feet. Boys. Girls. But girls more than boys. The applause was viral. Rafel didn't even know he had this much kids crushing on him.
All present had heard of him. If it wasn't the tale of the handsome, semi-divine, 18yr old hero who had destroyed the crusade of the Nephilims, leading the charge with the mighty Atlanteans and Eldorians in tow; it was the gossip of the super, duper hot, redhaired hunk that lived in Salem Hall, going about the school.
Either way, Rafel was turned into something of a demigod.
He took the Manifest high chair, touched the smooth sphere with both hands, but he didn't close his eyes. He discovered the arc crystal was quite cold for such a wondrous mystic.
All the lights in the hall immediately winked out!
"WHAT THE—"
Rafel was as stunned as the rest of the crowd of seated pupils.
[Ding!] His system came on silently in his head.
[Blood Sphere seeks bonding with Mana Core?]
[Yes, or No?]
'Yes,' Rafel delivered telepathically.
And the lights came back on!
He looked down and his hands were glowing, but not any certain faction color. He could make two distinct hues of red and black pulsing in the crystal under his palms. He wondered what it meant.
[DING!] The voice of the sentient Manifest shrilled robotically, with the apparition of a hologram showing both crimson and swarthy notifications.
[Israfel Blüdthïrste: PHOENIX ARC!]
In her seat among the Pegasus Blues, Aya visibly sighed. But then. . .
[DING!]
[Israfel Blüdthïrste: RAVEN ARC!]
In the seven hundred year history of the [C. A. W], no one had ever showed the same grand affinity for two factions. It was. . .impossible.