"FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL." DIANNA SAYS LOOKING AT ADRIA WITH AN EXCITED EXPRESSION. "NOSTALGIC ISN’T IT?"

"DON’T REMIND ME." ADRIA GROANS SLAPPING A HAND TO HER FOREHEAD.

"AH YOU ARE SO CUTE WHEN YOU’RE SHY THOUGH."

"A TEENAGER SHOULDN’T BE SHY ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL!"

"THERE’S NO HELPING IT YOU WERE A PRINCESS THE WEEK PRIOR, YOU DIDN’T KNOW YET IF YOU COULD FIT IN."

"AND I DIDN’T. AH! JUST STOP REMINDING ME…" ADRIA AGAIN GROANS WHILE DIANNA LAUGHS.

"AL SHOULD BE OK THOUGH."

"JUST TRY NOT TO KILL ANYONE." ADRIA WARNS AL WITH A WAG OF A FINGER. SHE THEN THINKS BETTER OF IT AND ADDS A QUICK ADDENDUM. "UNLESS THEY TRY TO KILL YOU FIRST."

"UNDERSTOOD." AL REPLIES WITH A NOD.

"WELL YOU WILL BE LATE AT THIS RATE. ILUIN, DO YOU MIND?" DIANNA ASKS LOOKING AGAIN AT THE WOMAN WHO HAD GONE TO THE ACADEMY A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO GATHER THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK.

"RIGHT THIS WAY AL." ILUIN SAYS POINTING A HAND IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ACADEMY’S MAIN BUILDING.

ADRIA BEHIND THE TWO LOOKED A BIT DOWNTRODDEN TO SEE AL WALKING AWAY WITH ANOTHER WOMAN BUT SHE SEEMED TO STILL NOT GRASP WHY.

"ILUIN WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIM. SHE WAS MY TA BACK WHEN TEACHING. SHE KNOWS THE ACADEMY INSIDE AND OUT."

"I KNOW I’M JUST…"

"NERVOUS? MAYBE HE WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE THE MOMENT HE SETS FOOT ONTO CAMPUS." DIANNA PRODS WITH A GRIN. "HE’S HANDSOME AND FAMOUS, PEOPLE WILL WANT TO SNATCH HIM UP YOU KNOW."

"THAT’S… I WOULDN’T ALLOW…"

"WHAT WILL YOU DO? YOU’RE ONLY HIS BODYGUARD RIGHT?" DIANNA SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN HERSELF ONTO A ROLL AND IS NOW GRINNING EAR TO EAR.

"THAT’S… THAT’S RIGHT. IT’S NOT MY CONCERN WHO HE…"

"BUT ISN’T IT?"

«§»

THE ACADEMY’S WEST WING WAS BEGINNING CLASS WHEN RUMOR BEGAN TO SPREAD AROUND THE SCHOOL. THE SOURCE, OF COURSE, WAS THE SWORDSMANSHIP STUDENTS IN CLASS S1. WHY? WELL I THINK IT'S SELF EXPLANATORY BUT I WILL RECOUNT THE MORNINGS EVENTS ANYWAY.

"CLASS! TODAY, ALTHOUGH STRANGE I KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW STUDENT." THE MAN LEADING THE ROOM SAID WITH A HAND INDICATING TOWARDS THE UNFAMILIAR STUDENT WEARING THE STUFFY ACADEMY UNIFORM.

A BOY AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM RAISED HIS HAND BUT WAITED NO TIME TO BE CALLED ON. "WHICH IS STRANGE, THE TIMING OR THE DUDE?"

THE CLASS BURST INTO A SPOUT OF LAUGHTER AND SURPRISINGLY THE TEACHER DIDN’T COUNTER IT. "THAT’LL BE FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT."

MANY OF THE STUDENTS HAD ALREADY GROWN TIRED OF THE SETBACK AND SIMPLY WANTED TO RETURN TO CLASS BUT THE OTHERS NEARLY SIMULTANEOUSLY REALIZED WHAT ABOUT AL WAS STRANGE.

"THAT BUTTON." A GIRL IN A FAR BACK ROW ASKED STANDING UP AND SQUINTING HER EYES.

ANOTHER BOY A FEW SEATS AWAY FROM THE COMEDIAN ALSO LOCKED HIS EYES TO THE METAL PIN AT AL’S CHEST.

THE TEACHER THEN NODDED HIS HEAD SLOWLY IN RESPONSE. "EXACTLY. THIS IS AL THIRTEEN. HE’S A COURT RESEARCHER."

"WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOK-SLUG DOING IN…"

"POIN BE POLITE. HE’S A COURT BOOK-SLU… RESEARCHER. HE MUST BE HERE TO STUDY US OR MAKE OBSERVATIONS ABOU…"

THE TEACHER AGAIN INTERRUPTS THE CLASS. "NO. AL, WOULD YOU MIND DEMONSTRATING REAL QUICK?"

THE TEACHER REACHES UNDER A NEARBY TABLE AND GRABS A ROLLED GRASS TEST DUMMY. A SIMPLE ROD SHAPED TARGET HELD OR PLACED ON A STAND. THE MATERIAL IT WAS MADE FROM WAS EXTREMELY DENSE IN ORDER TO TRAIN POWERFUL SWORD SWINGS.

IN AN INSTANT AL DREW HIS SWORD AND SCATTERED GRASS AROUND THE ROOM. IN AN INSTANT HE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT THE FEW STAR GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL ONLY COULD.

THE STUDENTS WERE AWESTRUCK. NO ONE BUT AL AND THE TEACHER COULD COMPREHEND WHAT THEY HAD JUST SEEN. THEY COLLECTIVELY GATHERED THEIR THOUGHTS. A COURT RESEARCHER JOINED THEIR CLASS AND IS CLEARLY MORE PROFICIENT THAN ANY OF THEM. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

"WHO IS HE?" SOMEONE EVENTUALLY SAID, ASKING THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE’S MIND.

"HE’S ENROLLING IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. HE WILL BE IN CLASS OCCASIONALLY SO PLEASE TREAT HIM WELL."

"EVERY DEPARTMENT?" A FEW PEOPLE BEGAN WHISPERING UNABLE TO ACCEPT WHAT THE TEACHER HAD JUST SAID.

"ENOUGH CHAT. AL, SIT IN THE SEAT OVER THERE BY THE WINDOW BEHIND JULIA. WE ARE REVIEWING GREAT BATTLES IN HISTORY AND THE WEAPONS THAT WON THEM." THE TEACHER RETURNED TO HIS DESK AND SWEPT SOME OF THE GRASS OFF IT. "BY THE WAY, EXTRA POINTS TO WHOEVER HELPS ME AND AL CLEAN THIS UP BEFORE LUNCH."

IN AN INSTANT A DOZEN HANDS IN THE CLASSROOM SHOT UP, HALF WANTED THE BONUS, HALF WANTED A CHANCE FOR A FACE TO FACE WITH AL.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT WE WILL DRAW STRAWS." THE MAN SAYS WITH A HANDFUL OF GRASS. "FIRST THOUGH WE TALK ABOUT THE BATTLE OF CON MUTLIUS. ANYONE?"

"THE SABRE." A DILIGENT LOOKING MAN SITTING IN THE SECOND ROW QUICKLY SAYS AFTER RAISING HIS HAND.

"VERY GOOD, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE SAID THAT THE RUVIAN’S USE OF THE SPEAR WAS QUIET IMPORTANT AS WELL." THE TEACHER CONCLUDES WITH A NOD. "CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY THOSE TWO WEAPONS WERE INFLUENTIAL?"

A FEW HANDS SHOT UP AGAIN. THE TEACHER LOOKED OVER THEM SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE NEW ATTEMPTING TO ANSWER. IT WAS ALWAYS THE SAME GROUP OF BROWN-NOSERS WHO RAISED THEIR HAND. "AL, DO YOU KNOW?"

THE CLASS TURNED TO HIM, HE KNEW SWORDSMANSHIP, THAT MUCH HAD BEEN CONFIRMED. BUT DOES HE KNOW BATTLE TECHNIQUES? DOES HE KNOW HISTORY?

"SPEARS AND SABERS." AL STARTS, THINKING OF THE DATA HE HAD ON THE TWO WORDS. "SPEARS WERE WIDELY USED THROUGHOUT HISTORY BUT IT WAS ONLY THE BATTLE OF CON MUTLIUS THAT THEIR DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES WERE TRULY SHOWN. THE DEFENDING TROOPS WERE ABLE TO PREVENT THE SACKING OF THEIR CAPITAL FOR OVER THREE WEEKS ARMED WITH ONLY SHARPENED STICKS AGAINST A FORMIDIBALE FORCE."

THE TEACHER NODDED AS AL BEGAN AGAIN.

"THE MOUNTED SABER CORP WERE THE ONLY ONES CAPABLE OF BREAKING THROUGH THE DEFENSIVE LINE. IT’S OBVIOUS A STEEL SWORD IS SUPERIOR TO WOOD SPEARS BUT THAT BATTLE PROVED ONCE AND FOR ALL THE NECESSITY OF RETHINKING CITY DEFENSES."

THE TEACHER SMILES AT THE NEAR PERFECT ANSWER. IT WAS ALMOST AS IF IT WERE READ OUT OF HIS BOOK DIRECTLY.

"GOOD. ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?"

ONE HAND NEAR THE BACK RAISES. "IF THE SPEAR-MEN WERE ABLE TO DEFEND FOR SO LONG, THEN WHY DID CITY DEFENSE NEED TO BE RETHOUGHT?"

"AH, THAT'S NOT TO SAY SPEARS WERE REMOVED FROM A CITIES DEFENSE. THE OPPOSITE IN FACT. AS I’M SURE YOU’RE AWARE NEARLY HALF THE GUARDS IN TIRISH ARE ARMED WITH SPEARS. WHAT CON MUTLIUS SHOWED US WAS THE NECESSITY OF INTERSPERSING DIFFERENT WEAPONRY THROUGHOUT A DEFENSIVE PERIMETER. THE RUVIAN’S LACKED A SOURCE OF STEEL INSTEAD RELYING ON WOOD AND STONE WEAPONS. THEY COULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TRADE TO BOLSTER THEIR ARMORIES BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO, THEY CHOSE TO CLOSE THEMSELVES OFF. THAT CHOICE MADE THEM AN IDEAL TARGET FOR ATTACK."

CLASS CONTINUED WITH MORE QUESTIONS REGARDING HISTORY UNTIL EVENTUALLY A BELL RANG INDICATING LUNCH. THIS THRILLED MOST OF THE STUDENTS OF S1 FOR VARIOUS REASONS, BONUS CREDIT, TALKING TO AL, AND THE FACT THAT THE NEXT CLASS WOULD BE A PRACTICAL.

THAT MEANS A CHANCE TO SEE AL PRACTICING SWORDSMANSHIP. A CHANCE TO BETTER INSPECT THAT BIZARRE SWORD TECHNIQUE.

"ALRIGHT, JULIA, AL. YOU TWO WILL HELP ME CLEANING, THE REST OF YOU GET OUTTA HERE. TYLIAN WILL MEET YOU ON THE FIELD AFTER LUNCH. WILL SOMEONE BRING THE DUMMIES?"

A BURLY MAN STEPS OVER TO THE SHELF STACKED WITH GRASS DUMMIES WITHOUT A WORD AND LIFTS THE MASSIVE CRATE.

"THANKS AJ." THE TEACHER SAYS WITH A NOD. "ALRIGHT YOU TWO, JULIA YOU KNOW WHERE THE BROOMS ARE, CAN YOU SHOW AL? I WILL MOVE THE DESK OUT OF THE WAY."

JULIA NODS AND LEADS AL TOWARDS THE CLOSET BURIED IN THE CORNER IN THE ROOM. SHE SHOVES A FEW BOXES OUT OF THE WAY TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE DOOR TO NUDGE OPEN. SHE QUICKLY REACHES IN AND GRABS A COUPLE BROOMS AND A DUSTPAN BEFORE THE DOOR SLAMS BACK SHUT FROM THE VARIOUS BOXES OF TEXTBOOKS AND STACKS OF PAPER LEANING AGAINST IT.

"HERE." JULIA HANDS AL A BROOM TO WHICH HE RETURNS A STRANGE EXPRESSION. "WHAT? CAN’T USE A BROOM?"

JULIA LOOKS AT HIM FOR A MOMENT WITH AN INCREDULOUS LOOK. SHE IMAGINED HIM SUDDENLY AS A STUCK UP BOOK-SLUG, THE IMAGE SEEMED TO FIT WELL. HE HADN’T BOTHERED TO SAY A SINGLE WORD TO THE OTHER CLASSMATES. HE HADN’T EVEN THANKED HER FOR HELPING HIM CLEAN UP.

"FINE I’LL DO IT…" JULIA BEGINS TO SAYS WITH A SIGH, SETTING A BROOM TO THE FLOOR AND SWEEPING A PILE OF THE LOOSE GRASS UP THE AISLE OF DESKS. QUICKLY AL COPIES THE MANEUVER IN THE AISLE BESIDE HER. "AH, SO YOU CAN DO IT. SORRY FOR IMMEDIATELY JUDGING YOU. BOOK-SLUGS DON’T GET MUCH APPRECIATION IN THE S CLASSES."

"BOOK-SLUG…" AL REPEATS, UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TERM. IT BOTHERED HIM TO BE CALLED SOMETHING HE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND.

"SORRY. UM, I MEAN RESEARCH STUDENTS. MAGIC, ENGINEERING, BASICALLY ANYTHING BUT THE ARCHERY AND SWORDSMANSHIP STUDENTS."

"BUT AL IS A SWORDSMANSHIP STUDENT." THE TEACHER REMINDS HER HOLDING THE DUSTPAN IN FRONT OF HER GROWING PILE OF CLIPPINGS.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. HE’S A COURT RESEARCHER. I’M SURE HE FITS IN MUCH BETTER WITH THE OTHER RESEARCH STUDENTS."

"I AM NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT." THE TEACHER SIGHS DUMPING THE LOAD OF GRASS INTO A NEARBY BIN. "WELL LUNCH IS STARTING SO I SUPPOSE YOU WILL SEE VERY SOON."

"YOU DON’T THINK THE RUMOR SPREAD THAT QUICKLY DO YOU?" JULIA ASKS UNABLE TO BELIEVE HER OWN CLASSMATES WOULD BLAB THAT QUICKLY.

"OF COURSE. AND I AM SURE BY NOW THE OTHER TEACHERS HAVE MENTIONED THE NEW STUDENT JOINING THEM. IT WAS AGREED THAT TEACHERS WOULD INFORM THEIR STUDENTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT AL IS JOINING ALL CURRICULUM SIMULTANEOUSLY."

"SO HE IS ALREADY A TARGET." JULIA SIGHS LOOKING AT AL WITH A HINT OF PITY. "COME WITH ME. IF ANYONE MESSES WITH YOU I WILL DEAL WITH THEM."

AL SILENTLY NODS AND FOLLOWS BEHIND JULIA.

THE TEACHER NOW FINALLY ALONE QUIETLY MUTTERS TO HIMSELF WITH A GRIN. "I FIGURED I COULD COUNT ON JULIA."

«§»

JUST AS THE TEACHER ASSUMED. LUNCH WAS FILLED WITH WHISPERS ABOUT AL. SOME WERE BITTER ABOUT THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF AN APPARENT PRODIGY, OTHERS WERE JEALOUS ABOUT THE SILVERY PIN ON AL’S CHEST, BUT NONE WERE IMMEDIATELY OUTRIGHT MALICIOUS.

THE TEACHERS THAT ASSEMBLED AFTER VIEWING AL’S PERFECT SCORES HAD DEVISED THIS PLAN IN HOPES AL WOULD BETTER FIT IN. THEY REALIZED QUICKLY THAT IF HE JUST BOUNCED FROM CLASS TO CLASS HE WOULD BE VIEWED AS A THREAT TO THE OTHER STUDENTS. BUT IF HE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY ANNOUNCED ACROSS THE SCHOOL THE RUMORS WOULD LIKELY DIE OUT AFTER ONLY A FEW DAYS. ONCE STUDENTS GOT TO KNOW AL THE TEACHERS THOUGHT HIS CLASSMATES MIGHT BE MORE UNDERSTANDING OR JUST IGNORE HIM.

OF COURSE THE STUDENTS WOULDN’T BE TOLD THE OTHER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES OF AL’S LIFE, FOR INSTANCE LIVING WITH THE PRINCESS, OR BEING A PERSONAL FRIEND OF RETURNING MAGIC INSTRUCTOR DIANNA GOTFELL.

"THAT HIM?" A STUDENT ASKS GLANCING AT AL AND JULIA AS THEY PASS THROUGH THE MESS HALL TOWARDS THE KITCHEN.

"MUST BE," ANOTHER REPLIES GAZING LONGINGLY AT THE PIN ON AL’S CHEST. "THINK WE COULD HAVE HIM BORROW SOME BOOKS FOR US FROM SECTION F?"

"NO WAY DUDE, HE COULD LOSE HIS PIN IF HE DID THAT!"

"AH, BUT MAYBE HE’S COOL!" THE SECOND REPLIES WITH LIGHTENING EYES.

"COOL OR NOT THATS BESIDES THE POINT. LETS JUST KEEP A LOW PROFILE FOR NOW. I HEAR HE CAN USE THAT SWORD."

"BUT HE’S A MAGIC STUDENT. WHAT WOULD A MAGI…"

"HE’S WITH A S1 STUDENT AFTER-ALL. TEACHER SAID HE WAS IN ALL THE PROGRAMS RIGHT?"

"THAT’S…" THE BOY SAYS SHAKING HIS HEAD AS IF STILL UNABLE TO BELIEVE THE WORDS.

WITHOUT HEARING THE REST OF THE CONVERSATION THE TWO WALK PAST AND ENTER THE LINE FOR MEALS. AL HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS HAPPENING BUT HE SMELLED STEW SO HE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW JULIA TOWARDS THE SOURCE.

"STEW OR WICH?" THE OLDER WOMAN ASKS AS THE TWO REACH THE FRONT OF THE LINE.

JULIA ANSWERS FIRST WITHOUT A THOUGHT. "SANDWHICH. LIGHT ON THE MAYO PLEASE."

"AND YOU?" THE WOMAN AGAIN ASK TURNING TO AL. "OH? NEWBEAN?"

"RIGHT, COLEEN THIS IS AL. HE’S A…"

"HE’S THE SPECIAL PROGRAM STUDENT?!" COLEEN THE LUNCHLADY ASKS WITH GLOWING EYES, SEEMINGLY STARSTRUCK BY THE STUDENT IN FRONT OF HER.

"SPECIAL PROGRAM?" JULIA ASKS GLANCING AT AL. "SPECIAL SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT."

"MHM, ATTENDING DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ON DIFFERENT DAYS. I’VE WORKED HERE A DECADE AND I’VE NEVER SEEN A STUDENT TREATED LIKE HIM."

"IS IT REALLY SUCH A SPECIAL TREATMENT?" JULIA ASKS HONESTLY SURPRISED IT WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL.

"ENOUGH SO THAT WE WERE WARNED." COLEEN EXPLAINS WITH A SHRUG. WITHOUT WAITING FOR AL’S RESPONSE THE WOMAN PLACES A BOWL OF STEW ON THE COUNTER IN FRONT OF AL. "HE REALLY DOESN’T TALK MUCH THOUGH."

"AH, THAT’S TRUE I GUESS." JULIA SAYS WITH A NOD. "IS STEW FINE AL?"

"YES." AL REPLIES INHALING THE FAMILIAR SMELL OF STEW EXCITEDLY WITH A GRIN.

"WELL ALRIGHT THEN." JULIA SAYS TAKING UP HER TRAY AND WAITING FOR AL TO MIRROR HER BEHAVIOR. AFTER HE DOES, THE TWO WALK BACK INTO THE QUIETLY GOSSIPING MESS. INSTANTLY A DOZEN HEADS TURN TO HIDE THE STARING. "YOU SURE ARE POPULAR."

AL NODS AS HE SITS ACROSS FROM JULIA AT ONE OF THE LONG TABLES IN THE ROOM. MOMENTS AFTER THEIR FIRST BITE A LOUD BELL RINGS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING AND THE ROOM LEAPS TO ATTENTION. LEAVING ONLY JULIA AND AL CHOKING DOWN THEIR MEALS RAPIDLY.