Intimidating.
That is the word Xavier would use to describe his first impression of the Academy.
In his first life, Xavier was the intimidating one to arrive to the cluster of students waiting outside the entrance of the school. He used to be the Prince of Eldrath and the Bloodstone name used to be one of immense power from the get-go, even when he was a kid.
Now the Bloodstone name was still important, but not to the grandeur it held in his previous life. His bloodline did not uphold the same prestige it had before. Xavier cursed under his breath slightly as his carriage made a stop to the side of the cluster of excited students.
His current status wouldn't allow him as much commanding power.
However, it would allow him to remain under the radar.
Xavier smiled as he stepped out of the carriage.
He waved goodbye as his carriage left and he was left to his own devices. A few of the students at the entrance whispered and glanced at Xavier as they spotted him. He may not be the prince, but he was still a noble. Being the son of an Earl still warranted decent attention.
He pulled his red hood over his head as he tried to blend into the crowd. In this new unfamiliar, yet familiar world, Xavier wanted to confirm the fact that everybody he knew from before was still here. That he was indeed set back in time, in the same world, just in a different body with the same name.
He wondered what gods were playing with him.
Just as he was looking around at the crowd, everybody stopped talking to each other. A hush fell over the crowd as everyone noticed a carriage pull up to the crowd. This wasn't just any ordinary carriage.
It was the carriage carrying the Royal seal of Eldrath.
The carriage came to a stop. Several royal guards stepped down from the carriage and positioned themselves on both sides of the carriage steps leading down to the ground.
A magnificent figure descended down the steps wearing a golden robe.
Xavier didn't need to think twice to know who this figure meant to everybody.
It was the Prince of Eldrath. Only Royal Family students could wear the legendary golden robes that marked them as a Primordial Candidate. Xavier remembered when he was once wearing those same robes.
It struck him in awe at seeing it being worn by someone else.
The Prince smirked as he saw everybody gawk at him. He stepped onto the ground and threw his hands out into the air as if to give a world-defining speech.
"Your Royal Prince, Colin Eldrath, grants all of you good luck at the academy! My presence today is a gift to all of you. Good luck on the entrance exams, and if you are lucky enough to score high and be born in the right bloodline, you have the chance to be my friend!"
Xavier scowled under his hood. Apparently, this Royal Prince was simply an arrogant prick.
The Prince moved through the crowd with confidence as everybody stepped to the side. At the same time, the gates of the Aetherion Arcana Institute swung open as if to greet the Prince with welcoming arms.
Luckily, this was farther from the truth.
Several figures in Black Robes lined with golden trim emerged from the gates. The robes marked them as the highest level of authority within the Institute, which included the Principal, Vice-Principal, and other senior officials. They were mages with lots of experience.
The Principal sighed and approached the Prince.
"Your highness, even though you are royalty, you may not act like that. Your father and I talked about it and he said we need to work on your arrogance. If you fail to comply, we have full authority of the crown to punish you how we see fit."
Those words caused the Prince to stop smiling, but not to stop doing what he saw fit.
"I think you are lying. I know my father can be a little harsh, but I doubt he would let you have that control over me. Even if you are more powerful than me right now, as soon as I am fully trained I will come back for you. I suggest you don't mess with me."
The Principal gave a glare so strong it caused the Prince to gulp.
"If you are so confident, I challenge you to a duel after the official welcome ceremony. If you manage to make me surrender or knock me out, you may do whatever you like during your four years at the Institute. Do you accept?"
The Prince looked slowly around him, realizing that nobody would be able to get him out of this.
"I accept," he said, knowing that he would look cowardly if he backed down from it.
Silence followed this conversation exchange as the group of Black Robes gestured for everybody to follow them through the gates. As everyone filed through, Xavier made sure to note each of the robes people were wearing and if he could recognize any faces.
He noticed a girl in the crowd about his age. She was wearing the diamond blue robes which signified her as a High Arcana Student. This also meant she came from an upper noble family. Xavier's eyes widened as he slowly started to recognize her.
Blue eyes. Blonde Hair.
Ariel Icefall.
The name burned itself back into Xavier's mind.
The girl looked at Xavier across the crowd as she accidentally caught his gaze. Xavier quickly looked away and pulled his hood further over his head. Hopefully she just thought I was another admirer, she does come from the noble Icefall family. He reassured himself as they all made their way through the front doors of the school and into the grand hall.
The grand hall was filled with chatter as everybody looked around at the amazing architecture. Since the Institute was sponsored by the Royal Family itself, it had the money to even make nobles look on in amazement.
The Principal, in his Black Robes lined with golden trim, walked onto the platform overseeing everybody. The room then once fell into silence as everybody waited to hear what his words were going to be.
"Welcome officially to Aetherion Arcana Institute!"
Everybody cheered as they celebrated their accomplishment in getting into the prestigious magic academy.
The last thing on Xavier's mind was happiness.
He didn't expect to run into his second future Apostle, Ariel Icefall, so soon.
One of the ones who killed him.
I hope I can change that.