a/n i t may seem a bit...weird in the end, but that is because my sense of humor is rather different back then than now. I've finished this, and i apologize for it being a bit inexperienced, though i've matured quite a lot during the course of this book!

I looked around. The vast dining room of Celestial Academy was packed with students from around the world. I spotted a black, Nigerian boy off the corner of my eye,he was talking to my best buddy, Alfonso Rivera. Or as we like to call him,Alfie. Alfie's from Spain, born in Spain,lived in Spain, literally grew up in Spain. He has spiky black hair and an olive skin tone. he's tall, like a few inches taller than me. I scanned the room for familiar faces, and i found mostly all my friends from the Capitol here. We grew up together, hung out, played together. I couldn't imagine going without them. Only one face i didn't recognize was a pretty, auburn-red haired small girl with steely grey eyes. it doesn't matter,i think.i have time to make friends later, seeing how these will be my classmates for the rest of my Novice year. But she didn't even look to be 14, like maybe 13, seeing how her face was serene and flawless.
"Welcome! Welcome to The Celestial Academy of Supernatural Arts. We are glad you've joined. In just mere minutes, you all will find out what your power or gift is. From the 5 categories. Summoners,Runic Wizards, Physical and Mental Lylics, and Transmogrification. Are you ready? Let's go!" exclaimed the Herald. "Each of the students will come up here when i call your name, and stand right next to the Prophet." The Herald points to the Prophet, a wizened old man with a golden cane in one hand. he held no expression, only nodding to the crowd."Adams,Jarrett!" and on it went. I half heard the names because i was too busy talking to that Nigerian boy, Keb Balewa. he told me his name means the Earth. I told him my name meant the Son of the Waves. he told me to shut up. Then we started chuckling, eventually the Herald glared at us before continuing on the next name.
"Balewa,Keb!" Keb glanced at me, and made his way up.
"I place you in...The Lylic of Summoners!" the Prophet said. Then he closed his eyes like he did for the others, and chanted Keb's name like 10 times, and whispered," You have the gift of...summoning creatures of the bird family!" that got a roar of applause, because it was really rare to get a big group of animals to summon. Keb grinned, and walked to the table where all the other Gifted Novices sat. Meaning other Novices whose gift/power has been named. 30 minutes passed and went, and that red-haired girl came.
"Grey,Scarlett!" Huh. i guess her name actually goes with her appearance. You don't see that everyday. She walked up to the Prophet.
"I place you...in the Lylic of...Physical!" The old sage hesitated."Your gift is...a Full Elementalist!" that got a burst of applause since she's controlling all the elements. Man! i want that! Other people came and gone, and then it was my turn.
"Knight,Dylan." I nervously stepped up the silver stairs, onto the platform. The Prophet gently put his aged hands on my head.
"I place you in...transmogrification." He said without ! that rhymes!" You're gift is, to transform into any ocean animal." I got a thunder applause, and i walked and sat next to Alfie, who gave me a fist bump. more names got passed, I never knew how many students are Novices, I'd say around 200-250. Finally, it was over.
"We hope you will enjoy you're time here at Celestial, but not everything here is fun and games! we are known for the amount of homework we give," Dad's blue eyes twinkled. He had gotten up there before the last boy left. The parents chortled, as the students shifted their feet uneasily."I give you, the Lyralians of the future!" there was an explosion of cheers, when finally,finally, it simmered down."Parents, if you wish to say goodbye, you may do so now. We've canceled the invitation to stay for 3 more days here, because of last year's incident." the Headmaster smiled down, and left down to chat with another girl's mother about dorms. I remember the thing that happened, apparently the kid was so homesick before even school started, so he dragged his parents for 2 weeks, before his parents just let him go to regular school at one of Celestial's cities. I started conversing with Keb and Alfie, only to get interrupted by a tall girl with short,light brown hair and freckles.
"Um, sorry to bother, but uh, do you know when their starting dinner, im really hungry," she said. I recognize her now! she's Bree. One of my classmates at school. Next to her was Scarlett.
"Hey, Bree! i haven't seen you since...3 days ago! how you be doin?" i say in a false ghetto accent.
"I be fine,yo! you is gettin taller!" she say back to me in the same accent. I grin, while Scarlett smiles,her cheeks pink from the cold weather.
"Ya know it gurl!" Alfie, Keb, Bree, Scarlett and I burst out laughing, when i did all these hand movements while talking,not to mention the neck rolling, Tyra Banks style. When we calm down, i say, " Dinner's in about...now". And true to my word, the colossal bronze gong near the platform, where the teachers eat, chimes loudly 3 times, signaling time for dinner. We sit down together, and start eating the scrumptious food magically appearing. I was used to this, so i had to try not to chuckle at Scarlett's and Keb's gape when a brownie appeared on their plate when they announced at the same time, 'Im done.' After dinner, we followed one of the professors, Sir James Preston, to our rooms. I can tell this is going to be a good year.