The Luna Academy

Echoes of the Past

Elder Yona stays ahead of me and recites the dormitory rules as we turn every corner, until we emerge outside, where a small mass of at least sixty people has gathered. Elder Yona uses her hand to gently push me into the crowd before ascending to stand on top of a boxed pedestal, so she hovers nearly over everyone.

“Welcome, apprentices. As you well know by now, I am Elder Yona. Until you either ascend in rank, or demonstrate exceptional skill and control over your abilities, you shall remain under my care. I will first lead you on a grand tour of the grounds. Following that, you shall have an hour’s rest before dinner. Once we’ve eaten, you shall have a few hours to prepare for the Power Ceremony, which shall commence tonight when the moon is high in the sky. This will be your chance to reveal what you are truly capable of…”

Murmurs begin from her announcement, causing her to raise a hand in the air, which makes the huddle fall silent once more.

“Take heed, tonight is not merely about participation. The apprentice who displays the most remarkable skill shall be rewarded with a private dormitory and the esteemed title of First-Year Representative. And before anyone asks—yes, your attendance is mandatory,” Elder Yona announces before stepping down and leading everyone back inside.

The whispers continue as people break off into pairs and small groups while Elder Yona begins reciting the history of the Academy. I walk alongside the group, staying closer to the back, and let the conversations of those surrounding me drown out my nerves.

“I started preparing for this the day my parents told me I’d be coming here. What about you? What kind of demonstration have you prepared for everyone?” a blonde with lengthy legs asks the short, brown-haired girl with a small beauty mark underneath her left eye, standing next to her.

“I’ve got a display that will be sure to make everyone remember my name after I show off the potion I’ve been working on for weeks.”

“You’d best live up to your words and make an impression. Can you imagine how tragic it would be to fade into nothingness among so many extraordinary souls?” the blonde jests before the two break out in haughty laughter.

My eyes automatically roll, compelling me to slow my step and focus on the other conversations continuing around me. Much to my dismay, everyone seems to be speaking on the same topic, nearly drowning out Elder Yona and her history lesson.

“…Nearly three centuries ago, this institution was founded by the Enchanted Luna Callie, alongside her companions, Lewis, the immortal sorcerer, and Myra, a witch once steeped in dark magic who chose the path of light. What began as a humble tent has transformed into the grand academy you see before you. With the aid of their devoted spouses, mighty Alpha and Beta wolves, they raised this sanctuary of learning stone by stone. In the years since, the entire structure was relocated to the heart of this realm, ensuring students’ ability to train in a safe environment, free from the risk of dark influences or harming unwitting bystanders…” Elder Yona recites.

I try to focus on the Elder’s voice, but dread fills me up. My thoughts race, repeating the same thing over and over again. I’m not supposed to be here. I have never felt even a trace of magic, and now, surrounded by those who clearly have, I am struck by the aching sense that something within me is missing. Judging by the smiles and the excitement for the trial ahead, I seem to be the only one who feels this way.

We arrive at the marble statue I saw earlier from my room, which has me stopping for a moment to admire it up close. I find myself staring intently at the woman in the middle, my eyes fixed on her face as if trying to place where I’ve seen it before. Suddenly, she turns and looks directly at me, causing me to jolt back in surprise.

I blink a few times, convincing myself I must’ve stared too long and it’s caused my mind to play tricks, because now everything looks normal. I check my surroundings to see if anyone else noticed, but everyone seems to have moved on ahead. I get ready to join the others when the sun hits the plaque by the statues, nearly blinding me.

I turn around and look down when the bolded letters The Enchanted Luna glow for a second, drawing my attention to the inscription, The bond between chosen sisters will always be unbreakable, with three connected diamonds engraved underneath it.

“We mustn’t linger, Alyssa,” Elder Yona pops up behind me in a grey dust cloud for a quick second, nearly startling me out of my skin before vanishing back to the front of the crowd up ahead.

I quickly step to join the rest of the group and end up walking behind a few girls gossiping about the men in front of them. I attempt to control the annoyance displayed on my face when I accidentally bump into the person next to me.

“Oh, sorry,” I mumble under my breath just loud enough so they can hear.

“I’m alirght, miss. I should be the one apologizing for not paying attention,” the man with tan shaggy hair and silver wire rimmed glasses turns to me to say. “I’m Arnold from the Western Night Pack.”

“Nice to meet you,” I murmur with a fake half smile.

“From which realm do you hail?” Arnold asks offhandedly as if it’s no big deal.

“In the middle of the northern realm… It’s a tiny place for small covens and packs…” I stutter, upset with myself for not coming up with a backstory while listening to those around me.

Before I woke up this morning, I’d been living in the magicless realm for as long as I could remember with Mom. She never really spoke about the other realms. I got the feeling after the usual drunken rant, it was because she was bitter more than anything for not being able to access it.

There were times, usually when harder liquor was involved, that I could sense the twinge of sadness in her because, like me, she believes Dad fled here, which is why we’ve never been able to find him.

“Very interesting. I haven’t heard of a coven from so far away. You must tell me more.”

“It’s rather minimal. There’s really only a handful of us left by now,” I lie, hoping it will dig me out of the hole I created for myself.

“How quaint. I genuinely prefer smaller packs to the larger ones. Although yours might be a bit too small. You see… There are certain luxuries I require that I don’t think can be accommodated by such small groups. May I request your name?” Arnold asks, bowing his head slightly while he waits for my answer.

“I’m Alyssa,” I mumble low enough so only he will hear.

“Alyssa? How beautiful. I hope to be seeing more of each other soon,” Arnold coos with a smile, leaving me with a somewhat unsettled feeling.

The ground beneath us transitions from gravel to a stone walkway, leading to a building adorned with windows surrounded by beautiful edible plants. The doors swing open from the wave of Elder Yona’s hand, revealing a large hall filled with tables.

“Here we arrive at the mess hall. Everyone shall meet here in the morning for your daily breakfast, after which you will all be released to your respective classes based on your ability,” Elder Yona announces, followed by a list of other rules. “Wonderful. Now, everyone, find a seat.”

The sound of footsteps hitting the wooden floor and chatter filling the large dining area echoes within the room. This place reminds me of the pack hall I went to when I was a child with my mom for the first and last time. It was for some sort of ceremony, but I can’t remember what. At the time, the only thing I was focused on was all the treats and cool new places to hide.

I take a seat across from a girl who is wearing a hoodie that nearly covers her whole face. I can barely distinguish anything about her aside from the reddish-orange curly strand of hair slipping out of her hood. She takes note of me and shares a curt smile with me before putting her head down.