- Hurry up or you'll be late for your precious test.

I waved tiredly at my friend as she emerged from behind the lockers.

- Well, how is the cafe?

- Oh, the usual eatery. You better tell me what you did at the

stadium? From the chaotic statements of our nerds, I realized that I missed

something very interesting.

“Nothing special, got a thrashing from an undergrad, that’s all.

- I didn’t notice before that you tried to fight with someone.

- She's in shock. But in the end, I shamefully rolled on the grass.

- And what, even your shield did not help? Joan was amazed.

- It's not about the shield. Jason tricked me by trying to attack our, as you

say, nerds. I threw my shield on them and opened myself ... That's it, let's go.

- Wait, you mean you fought Milton? Jason Milton since third year? - a

friend looked at me in surprise when we returned to the educational building.

- I do not know his last name, but I have already been informed that he is

aiming for the High Guardians.

- Wow. Decided to measure strength with the candidate?

I think he's just an ill-mannered cretin. And people like him are completely

unsuitable for the role of defender of the city.

- Come on, did you see his shoulders, pumped up arms and a courageous

muzzle with a scar?

Jo was in her repertoire. Near the entrance to the educational building we

were stopped by one of the students.

“Beautiful ladies, don’t pass by,” he called out to us in a conspiratorial

voice.

I was always suspicious of guys with long ponytails and beards. He

looked clearly older than his years.

- Do you know him? my friend whispered to me, but I just shook my head.

- An invitation for you, milady. All first-year girls must be, - Joan giggled at

his grandiloquent words.

- The Last Supper? I read it on the booklet. - What is it?

"Very secret," he whispered. If we knew what it was, it wouldn't be called

that.

- And where to go? Or is that also a secret? the friend asked.

- I can only give you a hint, - the guy winked, then looked around and

added quietly. “At nine o’clock, behind the student campus, look for the

jester. He will take you where you need to go.

We were in a hurry for a history test, so I almost dragged Joan by force.

- At nine o'clock? Have you heard what's going on in the city? Maybe we'd

better sit at your house, like we planned?

As soon as the big moon rose in the starry sky, the city changed. Adepts

of Darkness entered into their full rights, and the streets became

dangerous. And today only everyone is talking about a strange suicide.

- It's a dedication. Moreover, it will be in the Academy! What can happen

here?

- Stupid mockery of senior students over beginners. That's enough for me

today. Yes, and for sure, it is against academic rules.

- That's it! Aren't you interested? - in the eyes of a girlfriend burned a

gambling light. - Let's go through initiation and join a friendly student family. In

addition, you can meet other guys besides our group.

- Joe, you're on your own again. I'm not at all up to now...

- Guys? Honey, you excite me, - Ackles looked suspiciously.

- I still think it's a bad idea.

“Okay, okay, after history, essential formulas and political science, let's go

to my house, as planned,” the friend whispered when the test had already

begun.

And, of course, at half past eight in the evening, Joan and I stood at the

entrance to the academic campus, not yet knowing what we had agreed to.

***

Dear readers, if you liked the book, we, as authors, would be pleased to

know about it in the comments or see a like. Thanks in advance!

“It looks like someone’s bad joke,” I looked around in confusion. “Give out

an invitation to a party, but there is no party. And that bearded man, I suppose,

laughed heartily at us.

The chimes on academic square struck nine o'clock, and the backyard of

the campus was quiet as the underworld.

- Maybe we're too early? Joan didn't seem to hear my depressive

thoughts.

Her friend adjusted her black corset, her bare shoulders looking deathly

pale. I, despite Joan's critical eye, simply changed my academic uniform to a

loose white blouse and blue jeans.

- Joe, it's night outside, I don't think it's worth getting naked and attracting

too much attention.

- Lady, don't be a bore, you speak directly, like my grandmother. In the end,

we can quite stand up for ourselves, - she winked.

If Joan Ackles has driven something into her head, then it is already

impossible to convince her. We walked along the stone paths of an unusually

empty square, which were brightly lit by multi-colored crystals in street lamps,

like garlands for the Renaissance.

- How beautiful! The friend tilted her head up.

All of a sudden everything went out, only to catch fire in a few seconds.

- What was it? I tensed, but Ackles just shrugged and pulled me along.

But as soon as we took a couple of steps, the light flickered again, and

then completely disappeared. I almost yelped and surrounded us with a

barrier, just in case. A fire flared at Joan's fingertip.

“Do they really want to scare us with this?” - giggled Ackles, - Kindergarten

- trousers with straps.

Unlike my friend, I was a little nervous. We moved away from the main

building of the Academy and approached the forest, where the guards often

trained. In the distance, a red light burned among the trees, as if someone

wanted to be noticed. For a second it even seemed to me that I saw

someone's figure there, immediately hiding behind the bushes.

Joan finally stopped and looked doubtfully towards the woods.

- Something too quiet, it is unlikely that we are in that direction, - a friend

looked around, - Look! Someone else has come.

From around the corner of the dormitory, a company appeared, which was

discussing something animatedly and looking around uncertainly. Probably,

like us, we were trying to figure out what to do next.

- Shall we come closer? Joan asked and ran towards them, and I breathed

a sigh of relief that we were no longer alone. - Hi! Are you also at the Last

Supper?

The two girls shuddered in fear at the exclamation of their friend. The light

of the lanterns lit up as suddenly as it went out, which gave me acceleration.

- Quiet! Why are you so loud?

Is this really such a secret? I asked skeptically, catching up with my friend.

I recognized two classmates - the modest and smart brunette Tina Storell

and Kirsten Shane, who compensated for the lack of ethereal abilities with a

sharp temper and defiant appearance. Today she hoped to draw attention to

herself with her spiked red hair.

- If one of the deans cuts the chip, we can be expelled, - she whispered in a

conspiratorial voice.

Joan, did I already tell you this is a bad idea?

There were two guys with them - Billy Banks, another of our classmates,

and a stocky guy with prominent ears I didn't know. I hadn't seen him before,

probably from somewhere in the ministry.

"Great idea," Billy said enthusiastically. They say it's one of the coolest

events of the year!

- Do you already know what awaits us?

The red-haired girl leaned forward and lightly squeezed my shoulder. As

soon as she spoke, she immediately smelled of fumes.

- Darling, that's the point, that no one knows what awaits us.

- Have you found the jester yet? What did he say? Joan asked.

- Follow the lights! Kirsten giggled.

Laughing merrily, she rushed somewhere, as if seeing the road. Finally

breathing in some fresh air, I looked at Joan the way she said her

grandmother looks at her granddaughter.

- You're freshmen, right? asked the one whose ears stood out well in the

light of the lanterns. I had my doubts last year too.

“But you must never miss an initiation,” Billy added.