They all gathered in the auditorium, the smell of blood intoxicating the air. It filled the room with a stench of corpses.

One of the bow-wielding twins escaped with a broken arm. If not for his sister and his bow taking the fall.

His sister's limbs were shrouded in deep cuts; burn marks covered her body. Bone fragments poked out from her crushed arm.

Despite her injuries, she was calm.

The green-haired girl was struggling to breathe.

She clutched her left arm as it bled onto the floor, revealing several deep bite marks and bruises on the other arm. She gritted her teeth.

The tall, attractive man was leaning on a wall; he only had half a leg attached to him. His hands were burnt and bloody as he carried the other half of his leg. 

His pained stare spoke louder than his injuries.

Cale reeled as he made his way to the auditorium, leaving trickles of blood to stain the ground.

Stabbing at the ground, he made his way to the auditorium. The cold, sharp wind thrust needles into his wounds.

The door loomed over them.

It creaked as it opened, revealing the other candidates.

They looked at each other with intrigue, analysing their wounds.

Issac stared into their eyes, his mouth curving into a smile.

"How..." the tall man cringed, "pleasant."

A blue-haired man interrupted their brief conversation.

He bowed and gestured with his hand to follow them.

They obeyed, with doubts, of course. They followed him to the entrance, which had now looked more battered and worn. 

The air rotted of corpses.

Cale swerved to look behind him, a dull wasteland staring back at him. Piles upon piles of corpses formed a grotesque wall, and clusters of flies dangled over them. 

"I hope you enjoy your stay at Starsnatch Academy." the man greeted,

A thick, smothering liquid enveloped them. Choking them. Suffocating them. It slithered into their bodies and filled their lungs with poison. The toxin spread through their bodies, clawing at their organs. 

Cale roared as he set the liquid ablaze, escaping as he rushed to kill the man. He grabbed him and dragged his arm back as black, sharp blades penetrated his flesh from within his fist.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!"

Cale woke up in a cold sweat, panting in short intervals. 

He scanned the room: there was a chalkboard, 26 empty chairs and desks with colourful name cards. Filled with bright books and scrolls in many languages, a large, shiny bookcase hung in the back. He didn’t give them a second thought as he darted out of the classroom, searching for Issac. He ran, crashing into walls and doors alike. He swerved into a dark hallway with a faint light at the end. A silhouette of a tall man seemed to block the entrance. Cale sped up, going faster and faster, chanting a spell he’d never thought he’d use. He couldn't let him go this time. 

The man turned around, hearing the stomps of the thing coming for him.

Cale kicked himself off the ground, seizing his neck. He slammed him onto the cold, rough floor, his hand clenched his neck as he prepared to crush it.

"You've finally arrived, 11034," a voice said in front of him, "Out of everyone here, I thought you wouldn't kill him."

What the hell was he talking about?

Cale took a good look at his victim.

He was wearing a dirty grey t-shirt with holes scattered in it, with black soot smeared around the edges. Bloody scars and scabs covered his arms. Splattered on his arm were shades of pale red to pitch black: which was evidence of his victory and misery.

His messy, dark brown hair, the dandelion too. It even grew a bit. On the bastard's face was an irritating smirk. He hated that he loved it.

Cale loosened his grip on his neck. Issac coughed as he got up, reaching his hand out to him. Cale grabbed it as he shot a sharp glare toward the blue-haired man.

"Welcome to Starsnatch Academy," the man greeted,

 "As of now, you are all honoured students of this academy."

Honoured? What a joke.

"Your wounds may have been cured. But you aren't out of the woods yet," he paused to take out his watch, "Dorms are to the left, and feel free to decorate them as you please. Come back here by 7:00 am. Any later, I'll drag you here myself. Do I make myself clear?"

There was no response.

His hair hissed, snaking around their wrists.

"Good," he muttered, smiling.

His body began to crumble. White ash grew from his flesh as they watched. 

They all stood in silence. Several questions remained unanswered.

RRIIIINNNNGG!