Chapter 249: Astralis College City Cluster

Words : 1076 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Chapter 249: Astralis College City Cluster Ethan sat up slowly, the faint pull of excitement starting to build in his chest. Not loud. Not rushed. But real. The kind that settles deep and doesn’t need words. Evelyn was already awake, standing near the viewing panel, arms crossed. Her eyes hadn’t moved from the window since the last chime. Everly stretched out beside him, groaning like she hadn’t slept enough. She rubbed her eyes, then pushed herself upright on the couch. "Is it time?" she asked, voice scratchy. Evelyn didn’t look back. "Come see." They joined her. And the second, Ethan, looked out the window—he froze. It wasn’t a school. It wasn’t even close. Astralis University filled the entire view like a floating continent. Towering structures rose from a central platform that spiraled upward layer by layer, with glowing rings drifting in lazy orbit around the uppermost towers. Some of them moved. Others hovered still, pulsing with soft blue and silver light. All around the central university were floating cities. Not buildings, but cities. Each one connected by light bridges or skyrails. Some looked industrial, packed with towers and blinking lights. Others glowed with strange colors, almost like festival grounds. There were zones that looked like they had grown out of mountains, and others that felt like underwater domes reimagined in the sky. A chime rang out from the panel above. [WELCOME TO THE ASTRALIS COLLEGE CITY CLUSTER] [ASTRALIS CURRENCY SYSTEM ACTIVE] [1 ASTRALIS POINT = 10 STANDARD CREDITS] [ASTRALIS POINTS CANNOT BE BOUGHT, ONLY EARNED] Ethan didn’t speak. He couldn’t. Everly pressed her forehead to the window. "We’re really going to live in that?" Evelyn’s voice was quiet but firm. "We’re not here to live." Ethan turned his head slightly. She was still watching the view, but now she met his eyes. "We are here to learn and make this our first stepping stone." The air in the cabin didn’t change. But something in the room did. Not fear or pressure. Just... awareness. The ship didn’t slow in a dramatic way. It just shifted trajectory, aligning itself with one of the docking rings. Small escort lights blinked along their path, and in the distance, dozens of transport lines drifted past, each labeled in Astralis script. Then another message flashed: [LANDING SEQUENCE AUTHORIZED: HALL OF ENTRY] [PRE-SELECTED TERMINAL: PRIVATE ARRIVAL ACCESS] The ship’s AI voice followed right after. "Final approach in sixty seconds. Please prepare for docking." Everly backed away from the glass like it had suddenly become too real. "Okay. Okay. Now I’m nervous." Ethan smiled faintly. "Weren’t you nervous before?" She shook her head. "I thought I was. But now I’m sweating." Evelyn inhaled slowly. "No one knows us here. But they’ll learn." The docking was smooth, barely a sound. The ship clicked into place with soft hydraulic seals. The lights shifted green, and the door slid open without any hiss or fanfare. For a moment, no one moved. Then Ethan stepped forward. The corridor was silent. Polished floors, illuminated faintly, traced their path forward. No crowds. No chaos. This wasn’t a public entrance. It was quiet. Intentional. At the far end, a wide glass gate stood open. Two students were stationed on either side, wearing silver-lined robes. They didn’t speak. They didn’t salute. But as Ethan and the twins walked past, both gave a short bow of the head. Not as a greeting. As a sign of recognition. Beyond the gate, the real entry hall stretched wide and tall—a circular space with glowing floor panels that lit up based on who stepped where. Each registered name was followed by directional data, including housing location, building orientation, and sector alignment. Floating screens showed welcome messages in dozens of languages. There were groups of students here, but not crowds. Small clusters. Tight circles. No one is loitering. Everyone had a purpose. Still, even with the calm setting, people were starting to look. Not everyone. But enough. The moment Ethan stepped under the center crest of Astralis, the panel above flashed. [IDENTITY CONFIRMED: ETHAN NOCTURNE] [SECURITY CLEARANCE: LEVEL 3] [HOUSING STATUS: PRIVATE SUITE — EAST WING] [MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: PENDING ACTIVATION] Another message followed immediately: [MOONSHADE TWINS: AFFILIATED. HOUSING MATCHED.] Everly blinked. "Did we just get name-dropped by the building?" Evelyn didn’t look surprised. "Looks like it." Whispers started nearby. Not loud. But steady. The kind of background noise that meant rumors were already forming. Ethan kept walking. At the end of the hall, a woman in a black uniform with a red sash was waiting. She looked like an instructor, or maybe someone one rank below admin-level. Either way, she wasn’t new. She bowed slightly. "Welcome to Astralis. Please follow me." No smile. No unnecessary words. She led them through another hall, this one curved and quieter. Instead of elevators or doors, there was a smooth wall panel that opened when she tapped her badge. A transit pod waited inside, with transparent walls, plush seating, and no driver. They stepped in. The pod moved as soon as the door closed. No delay. Outside, the view widened again. Gardens. Floating lecture halls. Combat training zones. Meditation towers with waterfall walls. The entire university wasn’t just functional—it was beautiful. Designed for students who were expected to control empires one day. Ethan leaned forward slightly. "It really is a city." The woman nodded. "A continent-sized one. Built by over fifty allied factions. Updated constantly. Maintained by students. You’ll learn how it works." They crossed a bridge suspended above a glowing lake. Students in uniform walked across another platform nearby. Some paused to look at the pod. Others kept walking like it didn’t matter. The pod slowed as they reached the East Wing. A transparent doorway slid open, revealing a wide lobby with stone floors and soft lighting. The air smelled faintly of fruit blossoms and clean incense. The woman stepped aside. "This housing has been assigned to you. Your rooms are already prepared." She didn’t explain who arranged it. She didn’t need to. They stepped inside. The main suite was huge. Not hotel-huge. Estate-huge. Open kitchen. Wide seating area with sunken couches. Full wall of windows overlooking a distant park zone. Warm lighting. Soft floors. Off to one side—three bedrooms. Separated, but all connected through the central hall. Everly dropped her bag and spun around. "Okay, this is... just ’wow’." Evelyn didn’t comment. She was already scanning the windows, checking the view. Ethan stood in the middle of the room.

Chapter 249: Astralis College City Cluster

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