Once inside the academy, it was easy to find my way. Just by following the crowd I ended up at the welcoming ceremony for new students. An outdoor location with a podium set up on a wooden stage along the grass, where students were already starting to line up into rows under the watchful supervision of teachers and faculty.

A female human with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and a jeweled rapier attached to her belt approached me, from the look of it she was probably a teacher.

"Why hello there, aren't you a cute one?"

I blushed at the unprompted compliment, unsure how to respond, I looked down shyly.

"You're a first year student?" she asked while smiling, I just nodded my head.

"Do you see those girls over there, go ahead and line up behind them." She pointed out a location with her finger, guiding my line of sight.

To be honest, I had noticed earlier, but the areas seemed to be segregated by gender. One half of the assembly was filled with women while the other was men. Did she think I was a girl? My face paled with a mortified expression. It's true that we did look a bit effeminate by human standards, not to mention that I was only about 5'2". I may be considered tall by my species' standards, but compared to humans, even most of their females were larger than I was.

"Um, Mrs. Teacher... I'm actually a man." I said, trying to make my voice sound deeper to hide my own embarrassment.

She gave me another look, her turn to be embarassed. Scratching her cheek with her finger while she apologized, she pointed out a new spot behind a few fellow beastkin for me to line up at before sending me off with a wave.

Hearing a few snickers behind me from some humans who seemed to have overheard our conversation, my cheeks flushed red.

Getting behind the group of beastkin males, wolves apparently, by the appearance of their ears, it was significantly harder to see, having to strain on my tippy-toes just to catch a glimpse of the stage through the gaps in their shoulders. Perhaps I should have just gone over to the women's section after all. My ears drooping down while I sighed, waiting for the event to start.

Eventually my excitement returned, and I managed to spot a crystal ball set up next to the podium. Elevated on a small stand and resting on top of a satin cushion to prevent it from rolling, it was a palantir. I recognized it, as did probably every other student. This was the tool they used for diving a child's blessing. And it was always customary to do it upon the day of the 18th birthday, most of us here probably should have already received theirs by now. Which meant only a small handful of us would be getting it today, and so publicly even. I couldn't be the only one with a birthday today, could I? I scanned the crowd trying to count the numbers, but failing due to being boxed-in by people far taller than myself. Most of the human males were easily 6", and the beastkin were even taller.

"Ahem!" I heard a powerful voice which jolted me to attention. Magically amplified. I thought, wonder filling my head as the sound filled my highly sensitive ears.

"I'd like to begin by welcoming you to Ashton Academy. Some of you may know me, but I suspect most of the new faces here have no idea who I am. Let me introduce myself. My name is William Ashton, I'm your principle and head-master." My eyes lit up at the mention of his name. How could anyone here not recognize him, he was a legendary knight. One of the Ashtons. The greatest military family the empire has ever known. Hopping up just enough to crest the top of the crowd so that I could get a look at his face.

"Settle down, you rabbit." I heard someone mutter several rows behind me, remembering with a blush that I should have behaved myself.

"Each and every one of you will one day be responsible for the safety of our empire. I want you to remember this, because even now our enemies work to destroy us. To destroy what your forefathers have built. Our empire has lasted centuries, centuries of war, centuries of peace, all earned through the blood of the royal knights who give their lives to protect it." The more he talked the more I began envisioning myself as part of the battlefield, standing proudly among the most respected of warriors.

...

"...and that's why I have full confidence when I say, the future is safe in your hands." The man had apparently ended his speech, but I was too enamored with the fantasy of being a knight that I had apparently daydreamed off for the majority of it. Only snapping out of it from the sounding of applause.

After the crowd quieted down, the woman who had mistaken me for a girl earlier took the stage next. I couldn't see her from here, but I knew who it was from the sound of her voice.

"Thank you principle Ashton for that wonderful speech. Now, as all of you know, your 18th birthdays are a very special time. This is the time that each of you receive your God's blessing. Most of you have already received yours, and I would like to congratulate those of you who have already taken that important step, but there are two of our students who have yet to receive their blessings. That's because today, this auspicious day and wonderful day, is their birthday. It is a time-honored tradition here at Ashton Academy that we all respectfully observe and congratulate these fellow students, the youngest in your class, on taking this step towards adulthood."

"Ella Hartford, please come up to the stage." Everyone applauded for the girl while she made her way up. My heart tensed, I knew it was my name next.

"Fenton... uh, how do I say this name? Fuzz.. Fuzz Ear? Please take the stage." I could tell she had a hint of panic in her voice. If not I would have almost thought she was trying to intentionally embarrass me. My face flushed somewhat red, given that my name was supposed to be pronounced like "Foo-Seer", but for those unfamiliar with Rabbit names it was an easy mistake to make. Letting out a helpless sigh, it wasn't that important. I'd be getting my blessing soon. That meant more to me than anything.

"Excuse me, coming through" I said politely to each student while I pushing my way through the crowd, my head far below the sea of taller male students surrounding me.

"Fenton? Do we have a Fenton here?"

She was trying to look for me, but clearly failing at it.

Finally popping out next to the stage, I made my way up. The teacher's eyes widening when she realized I was the same student from before.

Seeing where the other student, 'Ella', was standing at I went over to stand next to her. She was just a little bit taller than me and fairly athletic looking. Blonde hair which was split into a twin-tail that hung from the sides and curled into a spiral shape.

Giving her a kind smile, she responded by turning her nose up in the air. Making a "hmmph" sound as she looked away dismissively.

"Okay Ella, can you put your hand on the crystal ball?" The female teacher said while turning around, apparently she had her back turned earlier, having been saying something to a man just off-stage who was dressed in religious garb. A priest, judging from his appearance. Who was just now climbing the steps.

Ella placed her hands on the orb, waiting for the priest who said a few words in some indecipherable language that sounded magical to the ears, causing the orb to begin glowing. The glow was strange, seeming to have mesmerized Ella whose hand was still transfixed, locked in place touching the crystal ball's surface. Her eyes were shut, but were darting visibly behind her eyelids. All the while, the priest peered into the glowing light, as if reading something, rolling the words he witnessed silently off his tongue.

The light shut off abruptly, apparently done with the blessing ceremony, and Ella opened her eyes once more. A smile on her face while she grinned at the priest, apparently pleased with how things had gone.

"Agility!" The priest declared in a loud voice. "Good, very good. You're a gifted girl. You must have caught the attention of the Human God with your talent. This blessing will make you both faster and quicker-witted than your peers. Congratulations."

Everyone applauded, looking at her with admiration, but with every second passing the cheers began to recede, and the crowd's attention shifted towards me. My breath grew quicker, expectations rising within me. Please, Rabbit God, if you're listening, please give me something good, at least as good as hers. I've trained my whole life for this. I don't want to be weak anymore. I pleaded with my race's god, who I had heard of many a time, but never met.

"Fenton, it's your turn now. Can you put your hand on the orb?" The teacher asked.

I followed her instructions.

Putting my hand out while I waited for what seemed like an eternity.

*badump*

*badump*

My heart beat heavily in my chest. Licking my lips which now seemed extremely dry to me for some reason, the stress of the situation getting to me.

The priest chanted and the orb began to glow. Dim at first, then blinding. My eyes snapped shut, not of my own volition, but the light remained. Practically roaring as it filled my sight, then my ears. And then... it was quiet.

Before me was a throne, a golden throne. And seated on that throne was a rabbit. Fur white as snow.