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[b]𝙽𝚘𝚟𝚊 𝙻𝚞𝚡 𝙰𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚢 [/b]
[b]𝙰𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚕 𝟷1𝚝𝚑, 𝟷𝟷𝟽 𝙰𝚅[/b]
[i]Dana Noel, Penny Grenoble, Nicole Cognoscenti, Diana Khay Vanna, Astrelle Lennox[/i]
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Those who can manage to sleep will only get to enjoy it for a few brief hours before they’re rudely awakened by the blaring of trumpets and insistent knocking on doors. Each of the new candidates finds a faculty member behind it, who hands off a blue and gold school uniform and instructions to meet in thirty minutes in the main hall. Directions are given as asked, which mostly amount to ‘follow everyone else’.

And, thirty minutes later, they find themselves in the central auditorium. Blue and yellow flags bearing the Imperium symbols line the walls, and huge glass windows pour in vibrant light from the near cloudless skies outside. Rows of chairs are set out on blue carpets, and all the students file into place to hear the opening speech.

It’s not very substantial. The speech itself consists mostly of the introduction of the headmaster, Nikolas Gaelle, and a formal greeting to the gathered cadets. There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance, well-wishes for the coming year, and brief explanation of the coming curriculum. Afterward comes the tour of the facilities led by another staff member. It’s a short round of the dormitories, cafeteria, library, classrooms, and gardens before the group is dismissed back to the dormitories.

It’s another few hours of waiting before, one at a time, each girl is called and escorted to the infirmary. The building has temporarily transformed into a testing facility, filled with magitech machinery and medical equipment.

There the tests begin again. It might seem as if they’ll never get away from all the poking and prodding, but the earlier visit to the hospital at least spares them from having to draw blood once again. Still, the process takes several hours each, composed of physical examination, exercise, cognition testing, and a dozen other examinations before, finally, each girl receives an ALL CLEAR and instructions to report to an off-site medical facility tomorrow for their surgery.  In under 24 hours they’ll receive their Ars Armagus and become full-fledged Ars Magi.

By the time all of the candidates finish with their testing it’s time for dinner, held in the academy cafeteria. It’s a well-lit rectangular building near the dormitory, furnished with long wooden tables and the ever-present Imperium symbols and decorations. A buffet of acceptably cooked food is available for all, though those used to grander meals may find the selection somewhat lacking. 

There are just under a dozen other girls sharing the cafeteria with the cadets from the Laurus, but it’s the most company they’ve had for several days now. Everyone is assembling along the tables, making introductions and finding places to settle. It’s not long before conversation, both awkward and amiable, begins to fill cafeteria:

“I can’t wait to use real magic, it’s going to be awesome!”

“Do you think the surgery is gonna hurt?”

“Well nobody’s ever died becoming an Ars Magi, right?”

“What do you think you’ll look like after you transform?” 

“You know, after initiation they host a big ball, my brother told me.”

“Do y’think we’ll get to meet the students from the officer’s academy?”

“I hear there’s someone from the Duodecim here, who do you think it is?”

“When’ll they let us see the city?”

“You know, my dormmate never showed up...”

“I heard there was some kind of accident that caused delays.”