[b][u][center]Chapter 1: Part 2: School begins.[/b][/u][/center]
[i]Ah, good.[/i] Alto thought. [i]I’m not the last one here.[/i]

Looking over his shoulder, he saw there were still a few students later than he was. That was probably a good sign. Finding an empty seat, he quickly sat down as if he’d just gone to the bathroom.

[i]Phew.[/i] He thought. [i]We haven’t started yet.[/i]

His gaze drifted to the large circular stage at the front of the huge auditorium. He could see the speakers for today were just about finishing their preparations. The students quieted as the school staff started the opening ceremony.

Alto doubted there were many people who hadn’t sat through this kind of thing before, besides the freshmen. He allowed his gaze to roam the auditorium, taking in its sheer size. The majority of it was arranged in a semicircle around the central stage, which ended maybe about 50 meters before the foot of the staff tower.

The Auditorium was of course decorated with vast numbers of awards, Pantheon College being one of the best in the world. There were also other extravagant decorations, most of which one would associate as coming from a rich school. But there was one such decoration that truly caught the eye.

Many students upon seeing it for the first time would be astonished at the sight of it, but eventually as they became seniors they would become accustomed to its presence. High above the stage of the auditorium was a round stained glass window depicting 6 Dragons in flight.

Each dragon had a slice of the window for themselves, and each was a different colour with different designs. But the designs were usually indistinct, mainly because at any given moment light was always streaming through the window.

The most distinct one was a black dragon, mainly because of how dark it was dyed. But now that Alto looked at it, it struck him as awfully familiar. In fact, using his imagination, it looked almost exactly like Nuul did. Or as he imagined he did anyway.

He couldn’t see Null clearly in his dreams, the dragon had been in shadows the whole time and it was really hard to make out any distinguishable features. But in his mind, if Nuul did look like anything, he would look exactly like the black dragon in the stained glass.

[i]Nuul, you can hear my thoughts right?[/i] Alto thought to Nuul.

[b][i]”As much as I would like not to, yes.”[/b][/i] Came the quick reply.

[i]Are you seeing what I’m seeing?[/i]

[b][i]”Yes I am, yes that is me, and no I do not know why it’s there.”[/b][/i] Nuul replied in a tired tone. Suddenly, Alto felt Nuul’s attention snap towards the stage.

[b]”…And now, the opening speech from the school principal.”[/b] Came the announcers voice.

[i]The opening ceremony is nearly over…[/i] Alto thought. [i]Now it’s time for the principal’s speech.[/i]

The principal had a rather odd trait. Most of the time his grey hair, suit and eyes allowed him to blend into most places and he was normally not noticed. However, attention would always fall on him exactly when he needed it, almost as if it was magic.

[i]You know what,[/i] Alto thought. [i]It really could be magic.[/i]

He watched as the principal climbed onto the stage, and he felt Nuul following his gaze as well.

[b]”First of all, I would like to say this,”[/b]

The principal started. Alto had heard all of this before, but as with each of those other times, he still felt like he was hearing this for the first time.

[b]”Welcome, new students to Pantheon College. I want you to know that this school, in every facet, is amongst the best, if not the best, in the world. The educational experience you will receive in Pantheon College will be like no other in the world. It is my aim to guide our future generations, and to make them the best of the best.[/b]

The speech had always been the same, all the years Alto had been enrolled.

[b]”To all of of our returning students, I wish to say: Welcome back to Pantheon. We hope that the year that you are about to experience, will be as good as, if not better, than your last year.[/b]

[i]This year promises to be interesting.[/i] Alto thought smugly. After all, he had a dragon in his head now, which was always fun.

[b]”Pantheon College is dedicated to bring you all the best possible educational experience, and as the 5th principal of Pantheon, I too will strive to uphold our values. Let me tell you about the legend of Pantheon.”[/b]

[i]A legend?[/i] Alto thought. [i]What legend?[/i]

He could hear that many students had erupted into whispering, wondering what this ‘legend’ was. Alto hadn’t heard of it, even though he’d been here for three years already.

[b]”It is said that once long ago, this mountain was once the focal point of a great war between gods. Six of seven gods of creation sought to conquer each-others’ territories to expand their own, but each of their armies were equal in strength and could not defeat the other. In an attempt to end the stalemate, each god created a dragon in their image, and imbued it with all of their powers.”[/b]

[i]Whoa.[/i] Alto thought. [i]Nuul, do you know this legend?[/i]

There was no response, but he could feel that Nuul was as confused as he was.

[b]”It is said that the Dragons met here, on this mountain. The gods saw that their powers were equal, but they were so desperate to end the stalemate that they desperately pitted the Dragons against each other. It is said that the Dragons were so powerful, that their battle destroyed much of the world as it was then, and also each other.”[/b]

Alto could feel Nuul was surprised at this. That most probably meant that what the principal was saying was true after all. There was a high chance Nuul was one of those Dragons, there probably weren’t any others made.

[b]”The seventh god, the God of Destiny, wishing to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again; decreed that at an unknown date in the future each god would put forward a champion to represent them in combat, and they would meet here to decide who would be the one to rule them all.”[/b]

[i]If this is true, I’m one of those Champions aren’t I?[/i] He thought grimly.

[b][i]”You are one of the Champions. That is why I am bound to your soul.”[/b][/i] Nuul said finally. [b][i]”I am bound to your soul as a means to use my power, as my body was destroyed in the battle.”[/b][/i]

[i]If there was such a massive battle,[/i] Alto thought. [i]Shouldn’t there be craters everywhere or something? Or maybe even your bones?[/i]

[b][i]”Our bones where never meant to last the ages.”[/b][/i] Nuul said. [b][i]”For all I know, they could have turned to dust as soon as we died.”[/b][/i]

[i]Man, I have so many questions![/i] Alto thought to Nuul.

[b][i]”Ask them later, human. I have questions of my own.”[/b][/i]

The Principal then got to the final part of his speech.

[b]”This is the legend that inspired our first principle to build Pantheon College. This legend is what inspired our motto. As you leave here today, students, remember what the first principal wanted from all of his students.”[/b] The Principal said, putting on a warm smile. [b]”Become Worthy of the Gods.”[/b]

As soon as his speech ended, the auditorium erupted into wild chatter, students discussing the 'legend', teachers trying in vain to regain order, and Alto stood up, a storm of thoughts buzzing around in his head.