"ALEX!" the twins shout as they rush to give him a big hug.
"My brothers, I'm doing great! It's truly wonderful to hear that you're safe, too," Alex replies, his voice filled with joy and gratitude as he wraps his arms around them again.
"Sweetie, I'm so excited about what happened yesterday because now we truly understand your magic!" Miranda chimes in with a warm smile.
"What? M-Magic?" Alex stammers, his voice filled with surprise and confusion.
"Indeed, we believe you hold both Lux and Infernus, which translate to Light and Fire," Miranda replies.
"Additionally, we discover that the fire you used on one of the Order of the Dagger's henchmen is a unique active spell known as Dazzling Fire," Miranda exclaims with delight.
"Dazzling Fire?" Alex asks (seriously, that's what it's called).
"Yes, imagine it as a fire illuminated by starlight," Miranda responds, clarifying his magic.
Alex looked at his grandma and closed his eyes, echoing his thoughts, 'Imagine a fire illuminated by starlight.' Everyone's eyes opened wide, and they were surprised to see Alex's hand sparkling. When Alex opened his eyes, flames surrounded his hand, lighting the room with bright yellow flames that sparkled like starlight.
"Amazing, it isn't even burning my hand," Alex murmurs.
As soon as Alex closes his hand, the flames surrounding it extinguish. Just then, Alex's grandma walks by and hands him a letter.
"What's this?" Alex asks, grabbing the letter. His curiosity is piqued as he wonders what is inside.
"Open it," Miranda replies with a radiant smile.
As Alex opens the envelope, he finds two sheets of paper inside.
Dear Alexander Griffin,
We are pleased to
congratulate you that you've been accepted to Strasmiara, Academy of Magics and Spells. Your acceptance is a
testament to your potential, and
we are confident you will have a bright future as a new Sorcerer.
Please find the enclosed
list of all necessary books and equipment.
In three weeks, classes will begin; we
welcome you to Strasmiara in Crystalcliff,
Etheria.
Alex looks at his grandparents upon finishing the letter.
"Ah, Grandma, what is Strasmiara?" Alex asks.
"Strasmiara is one of six magical colleges for those gifted in the art of magic," Miranda replies.
"Oh yes, you two, *glancing at Kevin and Nate.* Will be taking some classes at Charms Magic High," Miranda states.
"Is Charms Magic High a high school?" Kevin inquires.
"And why are we being sent there?" Nate adds.
"Yes, it's a high school for magical teens, and you'll only take three classes there. The rest of your classes will continue at your current high school until I get everything sorted out," Miranda smiles as she responds.
The twins exchanged glances before turning to their grandmother, anxious to learn they'd be attending Charms Magic High for several classes. They thought this would be a valuable chance to deepen their understanding of magic and explore their father's childhood.
"We're excited to go to Charms Magic High!" the twins announce brightly.
"I'm glad," Miranda says with a smile.
As Alex looked back at the letter, something seemed off until one word stood out, preventing him from figuring it out.
"Gran, the letter said 'acceptance,' but I haven't applied to or learned about this college until now. How did I receive this letter?" Alex inquires, hoping his grandma has the answer.
"I won't sugarcoat it, dear; it appears someone in Etheris has detected your magic and has sent you this letter. That's my belief," Miranda responds, hoping this will satisfy him.
After rereading the letter, Alex closes his eyes momentarily, pondering his next steps. The words, "Your potential is great, and we are confident you will have a bright future as a new Sorcerer," still resonate in his mind. When he finally opens his eyes, he looks at his grandparents again.
"Grandma, I want to go to Strasmiara," Alex declares, his expression serious.
"I'm so glad to hear that, my dear!" Miranda says with a warm smile.
"I wonder what I'll be up to for the next three weeks," Alex muses with curiosity.
"To start, you'll want to make sure you have your things ready since you'll be spending some time on their campus," Miranda says with a playful smile.
"Oh, such as?" Alex inquires.
"Oh, sweetheart, don't you have a list of things you'll need?" Miranda says with a warm smile, playfully teasing him.
As Alex looks at the letter, he notices the second page, which lists everything he needs to get for his first year in Strasmiara.
Uniforms:
All first-year students will be given their uniform at the
determination of their Magic type.
Books:
All students should have a
copy of the following books.
A Book of Spells, level one by Xuqirax.
The History of Etheria by Trusior.
The Guide to Pixies
Trickery by Sewen.
The Fields Guide to Herbs
and Magical Ingredients by Pinea.
Art of Alchemy by Ravynne Darkwood.
Enchanting Lore and
Artifacts by Scarlet Appleheart.
The Fields Guide to Magical
Creators by Cahi.
Other Equipment:
A quill pen.
A cauldron for first-year
students.
And lastly, a measurement scale.
"Wow, that's quite a list! How am I supposed to find these?" Alex asks, looking at his grandma.
"It's simple: we're heading to Etheria. I know a place where we can buy your items at a reasonable price," Miranda replies, confidently sharing her knowledge.
"We are headed to Etheria?" Alex asks, more surprised than anything.
"Yep, it's time to get ready, boys!" Miranda says with a big smile.
Alex and the twins came down, prepared for their adventure. Although they feel nervous about visiting Etheria for the first time, the excitement of seeing where his grandparents lived is overwhelming. They spot their grandma at the front door as she adjusts the nozzle.
"Um, Grandma, I hate to change the subject, but how do we get to this Etheria place?" Alex inquires, having never been there before.
"Just wait and see," Miranda says, her eyes sparkling playfully as she leaves the boys excitedly buzzing.
Alex tilts his head in confusion, wondering what she is thinking and how she said that. Suddenly, the boys see her right-hand glowing; they witness her cast her spell for the first time.
"I find myself here, yet I long to be over there. Here is a strand of a hare's hair; now, guide me there," Miranda intones her incantation.
Alex and the twins quickly notice magic swirling around their grandma, holding hair from the hare. The magic flows toward it and changes into an unusual key. All three were astonished to see actual magic; however, Alex secretly felt embarrassed to discover that spells were expressed in rhyme.
As Grandma inserts the key into the front door's keyhole and turns it, an unlocking sound echoes. The front door starts to glow, and as she opens it, Alex and the twins are met with a mysterious sight: a swirling vortex within the door frame, which they approach nervously.
"Shall we, boys?" Miranda asks, extending her hand to invite them to travel through the magic portal.
"*gulp* Well, there's no time like the present," Alex says, moving near the door.
The twins grasped their grandma's hands as they stepped through the portal. Alex felt more anxious, watching them enter effortlessly. He shut his eyes and stepped forward, feeling the cold, slimy tension until he passed through the portal.
As Alex emerged, he suddenly felt dizzy. His eyes were still closed, and he was anxious about what might happen. Then, he felt a touch that reminded him of his grandma.
"Take it easy, sweetie. Here, allow me to help," Miranda gently reassures, wiping his eyes, "This often happens to first-timers using portals. Now, go ahead and open your eyes!"
As Alex slowly opens his eyes, he is overwhelmed by the bright sunlight. Once he adjusts, he is amazed to discover two suns in the sky, revealing a stunning landscape, a valley teeming with fascinating creatures he has never seen.
"Boys, Welcome to Etheria!" Miranda exclaims, her voice brimming with excitement.
Words cannot capture what Alex sees: magical, enchanting creatures and a beautiful valley. As Alex and the twins follow their grandma, they reach a hill where they can see a town fifteen miles away, filled with lively sounds from below.
"Welcome to Sweet Harvest Valley," Miranda adds with enthusiasm.
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