– Guide Luria! It’s half past 7, we need your confirmation for the last preparations and previews for the day. Are you ready yet? – exclaimed Justina, the Chief of Order, while knocking furiously, and nonstop, on the door. – Are you in there Luria? Please, we all need you down there in the next 15 minutes! – shouted one last time, waking me up.

– Yes, yes, I’m coming! Be right there, Chief! – I screamed while getting up very startledly. – Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no... – I mumbled continuously to myself. I can’t believe I overslept on my first day as First Guide at the Academy. I’ve been waiting for this day for the past 8 years! How is it possible I am ruining everything already when the school year doesn’t even started?

– Okay Luria, calm down. You just need to be quick and everything will be just fine. – I told to myself while combing my golden hair. – After all, you must set an example for all the young folks from now on. You are the First Guide, the one that will lead them through their entire school year and advise them in every way they need. You got this. – I continued to encourage myself, while I grabbed my uniform from the hanger on the door of my wardrobe. – Yes, but oversleeping isn’t exactly the kind of example you should set for the students, otherwise the classrooms would be really empty, you know? – said that awful voice in my head. I hate that voice.

I looked through my bedroom’s window and saw a hundred students lining up on the school’s vast and green frontyard, some were standing and chatting with their friends, while some groups were sitting on the sett roads leading to the entrance, or at the krawberry bushes reading. And that only made me realize that, they are all here to discover themselves, and make friends along the way, meeting goals and fulfilling dreams. This shouldn’t be too hard.

I opened the orangewood doors of my bedroom and immediately noticed my Assistant Guide Aliana standing in front of me.

– First Guide Luria, we have little time left before the door’s grand opening, we need to go, now! – started rambling nervously.

– Do not worry Aliana, we have plenty of time for everything. I trust everyone did their job and finished all tasks in time. And what did I tell you about the whole title thing? Just call me Luria, after all we’re going to be teammates for... the forces know how long? – I replied softly, trying to calm her down, while we walked down the stairs towards the kitchen corners.

– Yes, I know... Luria... it’s just... – she stopped herself.

– I know you are nervous, Aliana, don’t you think I’m nervous too? – I replied. – It’s my first day too, you know? I’ve been in your shoes for the past 4 years while assisting your mother, but believe me when I say, it does get a lot easier with time. – I continued. – Specially after seeing all the young and happy faces of the children you get to help, and guide, and advise while they make their own destiny. It helps a lot. And it will help you while you guide them too. – I finished.

– I hope you are right, Luria. After all, my mother always told me how kind and thoughtful you were as a Guide. And I know it’s going to be tough to fill your shoes as an Assistant, but I’m gonna do my best... I promise. – she pronounced while looking the most confident she ever did in the last 2 years I’ve known her.

– I’m sure you will, Ali. Now let’s find Faust. – I replied smiling at her.

We walked through the corridors until we got to the kitchen’s doors, and just after opening them, we ran into Klaus, the sub-chef and the Kitchen Chief’s right hand, carrying at least fourteen plates filled with food with both hands.

– Oh, hey Guide! Sorry, I didn’t hear you two coming. If you’re looking for the Chief, he’s at the freezer trying to find a can of starbeans he needs for dessert. – he said while sort of juggling with the plates. – Now if you’ll excuse me, I must get everything ready for the midday banquet. – shouted while walking away from us.

– Thank you, Klaus! Do you need any help? – I replied.

– No, no, no. I’m doing just fine Guide, thank you though! – he shouted from the start of the corridors.

We entered the kitchen and saw everyone at their stations working very quickly, almost hipnotized with their task. Some were chopping vegetables, or fruits, others were sealing meat, while stirring something with the moving spell. Everything looked good, but we needed to find Faust to check it off the list. We walked all the way to the kitchen’s bottom to find the freezer, and inside it, we saw a big, tall, dark-skinned man, searching frantically through boxes of canned goods and looking very worried.

– Is everything okay, Faust? – I asked in a serious tone, trying to contain the laughter.

– G-G-Guide L-Luria, hey... no, no. I mean, yes, everything is a-okay! – he replied while nervously smiling.

– Faust... I wouldn’t dare to punish you even if you lost our yearly supply of Greettu berries. You know I wouldn’t. And those are my favourite. Just tell me what’s going on.

He looked down and sighed. – I... I lost the starbeans cans. They are the main ingredient for my famous starbean tart! The star of the Opening Day’s banquet! And I’m losing my mind trying to find them... – he said, while disappointedly sitting on the freezer’s floor.

– This freezer is big enough for everything to get lost, Faust, you don’t need to worry about that. Have you tried conjuring them? You know starbeans are kind of sneaky. – I replied, trying to comfort him.

– Yes, but you know I’m no good at spellcasting. The last time I did the whole kitchen ended up covered with algae. That’s why I, and almost everyone in this kitchen, like to do everything with our hands, no magic required. And it works just fine. – he said. He knows what he’s talking about. The food in the Academy is famous all around the System. He’s really good at his job.

– Okay, let me do it for you. – I said while I smiled at him. – Attracto! – I shouted, while the starbeans were the only thing in my mind. Only to see a giant box flying towards me from one of the freezer’s corners.

– Vanisco! – said Aliana firmly while pointing at the flying box with their hand and stopping it from hitting us.

I sighed. – Thank you, Aliana. Getting hit by a box that big and full of cans wouldn’t be good on the first day of school. – I said while watching her smile at me.

– My cans! Thank you so much Guides. I promise I’ll get everything ready for the midday banquet. Thank you again. – thanked Faust almost shouting.

We smiled at Faust and walked out the kitchen. We only needed to find Justina and Mr. Guhnvadaar and we’re set for the first day. That’s a relief. We walked up the stairs to the second floor to find Justina standing with her team behind her looking flawless and successful.

– I assume by the look on your faces that everything is ready? – I asked Justina.

– Of course it is, First Guide Luria. We finished an hour ago, we wanted to make sure every little detail was on point so the students find only perfection when going in the dorms.—she produly replied.

Justina is a perfectionist. A real, hardcore, perfectionist. And her job as the Chief of Order couldn’t fit her best. After all, she has been in that position for the past thirty-five years.

– Excellent, remarkable job, as always. – I replied, half to fulfill her need of validation and half mocking her, because I know that the clean look would only last a few hours until everyone is in their dorm.

Aliana softly clears her throat – Now that we checked this off the list too, we should look for Mr. Guhndavaar and make sure he has the test ready, Luria. – she says.

I nod my head and we start walking up the white marble stairs when suddenly, a dark figure appears in front of us.

– No need to look for me, child, the Quiz is ready as always. – speaks the figure in a serious tone while turning into Mr. Guhndavaar, looking directly at Aliana.

– For the Forces’ sake! – exclaims my assistant.

– Couldn’t you walk down the stairs like a normal person? – I asked him. We never had a good relationship. Well, to be honest, he doesn’t really like anyone besides headmistress Friedham, so it’s nothing personal. But still, he is somewhat mean to students.

Mr. Solomon Guhndavaar has been in charge of the Academy’s administration and finances for thirty years and also, for the past eighteen years, in charge of the Al’kin Quiz, the test all the first-years must complete to be sorted into their respective classes, wings and dorms.

– As I was saying, the Quiz is all set and ready to be taken... Guide Luria. – he said with something alike despise, but not quite it.

– Wonderful, Solomon. A great performance indeed. – I replied almost defying him. He made my life a living hell when I was in my school years and now he cannot stand I’m almost his direct boss. Funny.

I turned my back at him and walked towards the stairs to prepare for the grand opening. Aliana was confidently walking by my side. Now, on the first floor, I walked to the centre of the floor, right behind the railing of the balcony, and while looking at my pocket clock, I knew the time had come.

– Okay, everyone, please gather around. – I shouted, while watching every single being that works in the Academy stand behind the first floor railing. – I wanted to thank you all, beforehand, for what you’ve done to make this first day, a great day. Each of you did a wonderful job and I hope that we stay this great team all year long. Thank you, with all my heart. – I said while smiling proudly at every single face that was looking at me.

I looked one last time at my pocket clock and I put it away. – Are you ready, Aliana? – I asked to the nervous girl with red hair, standing right beside me. – As ready as I can be. – she replied.

I smiled one last time, and looked to the stone guards on both sides of the arched and gigantic doors of the Academy. 

– Please. – I asked. And after nodding affirmatively, they opened the doors. Only seconds would pass until the main hall was full and packed with students, of all ages and races. After making sure that no one was left outside, I proceeded.

– Hello, everyone, and welcome to Aelhollow Academy. – I said, while looking at all the smiling faces beneath me.