Chapter 2: Old Friends

Highborn Academy, Headmaster’s Office…

The hexagonal room had a single radius window at the furthest wall from the door, behind the office desk. The radius window composed of a white rectangular frame on the bottom combined with a half-circle frame on the top. The left and right walls contained two-meters’ cabinets made out of the sturdiest wood with a transparent glass. Trophies and awards rested on each level of the cabinets with the biggest trophy at the highest level. A red and peach colored rug laid in front of the office desk, depicting a fork with a sword, bow, and staff. Leather couches located on both side of the rug, and in front of the office desk.

A middle-aged man around his fifties viewed a twenty-inch screen that was carved into his desk. The Headmaster of the school and the Remnant of Highborn were on the line discussing their future plans.

“Yes, Remnant. I will ask them this afternoon. Regarding the intel, I’ve already sent someone to personally deliver it. My assistant should be there in four days.” The Headmaster said.

“Good. I’ll be waiting for it. As requested, recent activities on the front lines indicates that we’re at a standoff. The scouts reported that they cannot infiltrate any deeper due to some unknown magic. Something about a weird formation that clouded their minds and lead them astray.” The Remnant said while sipping a cup of hot tea.

“Nobody would bother setting up a defense if they didn’t have anything to hide. It sounds like a magical formation, but I find it hard to believe that the scouts wouldn’t notice it.” The Headmaster commented.

“Right. Magical formation isn’t my forte, but I presumed that there must be an active formation to prevent unwanted eyes. However, our scouts reported that they didn’t notice any magical formation by conventional standards. I’ve already sent Ashward to investigate this matter. Hopefully he’ll bring back some good news that can shine some light to their enigma.” The Remnant said.

“General Ashward, huh? He specializes in magical formation, but is he really the right choice? That guy is…” The Headmaster’s voice quickly came to a silence and his eyes moved from the screen to the front door.

Sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the hallway connected to the headmaster’s office.

“What’s wrong?” The Remnant asked.

“I must apologize, Remnant, but it seems that my guest has finally arrived. If possible, I would like to continue this discussion tonight.” The Headmaster said.

“I see. I’ll contact you later then.” The Remnant bid his farewell and the screen turned off.

Just as the Headmaster expected, three knocks came from the other side of the door before it opened.

Yin and Aoblue stepped inside expecting to see the three children waiting for Yin’s arrival.

“Where did they go?” Aoblue asked.

He leisurely walked over to one of the couches and sat down as if he owned the place.

“The kids? They got bored of waiting, so they went to the annual meeting for first year students. It was hardly appropriate for me to stop them.” The Headmaster said and walked over to the boy standing at the doorway.

“You must be Yin Yore. Aoblue and Majes has told me so many things about you.” The Headmaster extended his hand and smiled.

On a closer inspection, Yin thought that the Headmaster, with his long, white beard and grey hair, had an old, and wise demeanor. The way he walked, the way he talked, his posture, the slow and smooth motion of his body; every little detail made him think of one word: Sage.

“Hello, Headmaster.” Yin extended his small hand and humbly greeted.

“Yin, I have to get going. I’m going to get lectured for a whole hour if I’m another minute late to work. Nell, good luck with this kid.” Aoblue walked towards the doorway and patted the top of the boy’s head.

“Wait, Aoblue. Meet me here after your shift is over. I have important things to discuss with you.” The Headmaster said in his usual soft, and low voice.

Aoblue glanced back and saw Nell’s solemn eyes. He nodded and departed from the office.

“We should be leaving as well. It’s almost time for the ceremony.” The Headmaster said as he slowly walked out of his office.

“Where to?” Yin asked,

“The cafeteria. It’s lunch time, aren’t you hungry?” The Headmaster said and lead the way to the cafeteria.

After leaving the office, they walked through the hallway and down the stairs. The building they’re in was one of the four castles that Yin saw when he arrived here. This castle was the closest one to the train compared to the others.

Arriving at the lowest floor, the Headmaster lead them to the cafeteria, which was located behind a wooden double door.

Opening one of the doors, Yin stepped inside and felt astonished at the scene he saw.

Rectangular-shaped tables occupied the majority of the space in the cafeteria. Forty rows and four columns of tables and chairs allowed the hundreds of students to comfortably sit and dine. Each table had a capacity of twenty people.

The amount of seats and students were not the only amazing thing in the cafeteria. There were large rectangular windows reaching a height of thirty feet and a width of ten feet. Six large screens, two on each side and back wall, televised a variety of channels, like the news, or other entertainment shows.

Three huge flags hanged on the front wall with different emblems. The left banner had a red colored background and a sword and shield as it’s main focus. The middle banner had a blue background and a staff and wand. The right banner had a green background and a bow and arrow. Three vacant seats were stationed below each flag.

“I’ll have to go now. Meet me back at my office with the others after the ceremony ends.” The Headmaster whispered before disappearing from Yin’s sight.

Looking around him, all the students were seated and chatting or viewing one of the large screens. They all wore beautiful dresses and fancy outfits as if this was a gathering of nobilities. Their white plates in front of them suggests that none of them had ate anything yet.

His eyes fell upon a girl within a group of three sitting at their own table. She had long, black silky hair that gently fell onto her lower back. Her tight, red dress was very simple, and it manages to enhance her slender beauty. Her fierce, cold gaze seems as if she’s peering into your soul through the windows in your eyes.

Yin immediately turned around and acted as if nothing had happened.

Was that… nope! I didn’t see anything! I did not see a thing!  Yin constantly repeated this train of thought while whistling. He subconsciously walked toward the opposite direction before stopping upon hearing his name.

“Yin! Hey, Yin! We’re over here! You’re walking the wrong way!” A female shouted in a cheery and lively voice.

“Yo Yin! Where are you going? We have a seat saved for you!” A male shouted, and added more pressure onto Yin.

Yin turned around with a bittersweet smile and slowly made his way over to the group of three.

“Hello Melody, Vega, and Vale.” Yin resigned to his fate and greeted them.

“Hello, deserted friend.” Vale immediately brought up the subject.

“Oh, come on, Vale. I’m sure Yin had his reasons, right?” Melody smiled and asked.

This was the girl who shouted Yin’s name. Her straight, blonde hair reached to the lower end of her neck. She wore a white and red dress that complimented her personality and natural beauty. For as long as Yin could remember, Melody always had a genuine smile on her face.

“Definitely. We’ve been the four adventurers for so long. Dashing through the markets and pillaging everything they have, saving the homeless animals, and beating up all the bullies!” Vega gave Yin a thumbs-up.

Out of the three, Vega is the closest one to Yin. He wore a grey dress shirt with a black vest on top. His lower half compose of black slacks with a black dress shoe. Vega rocked a fluffy, brown hair that resembles one of the popular boy bands that made teenage girls screamed in ecstasy.

“Really? I would love to hear your reason. While you’re at it you can also include an explanation as to why you were late today.” Vale refuted.

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“You’re as approachable as ever, Vale. So what do you guys think of the school?” Yin dodged the question and tried to bring up a different subject.

“It’s really big! Did you see the four castles on your way here? It was small from afar, but really big up close!” Melody exclaimed.

“I saw a group of students training and sparring on my way here. I can’t wait to get my hands on a sword and challenge all of them! You’re coming too, right, Yin?” Vega asked.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Vega.” Yin replied.

Vale sighed and watch the three chit-chat in silence.

Yin thought that if it wasn’t for Vega’s overly competitive attitude, Melody’s naïve optimism, and Vale’s sharp tongue, then maybe they’ll be easier to handle. On a second thought, Yin also had his shortcoming, which is why he preferred to be alone.

The three continued their discussion until an elderly voice entered the ears of all the students in the cafeteria. They turned their attention to a woman in front of the chair under the blue banner. None of the students noticed the vacant seats had been occupied.

“Children, congratulations on your acceptance to Highborn Academy. Being a student here means that you all are special in your own ways. We hope that after three years of learning at this institution you’ll be able to bring that knowledge into the real world and prosper. Many respected and renown individuals had once attended the very same academy you’re enrolled in. Reynold the Grey, Marn of the Faceless Mask, Grand General Nora, all of them were once in your very seat as a young and naïve student. We won’t encourage you to be like them; we encourage you to surpass them!” The elderly woman continued her speech for another minute, discussing subjects pertaining to protocols and rules of the school.

The sea of students quietly chattered. The main topic was the woman speaking without any amplification device like a microphone.

Mana imbued lungs were a rare sight, which was why the elderly woman was able to talk without shouting or using a microphone or megaphone. Gifted singers enhanced their live performance by using the same technique. It allowed their fans to experience a more personal performance as if they were singing right next to them.

A brawny man stood up from the seat under the red banner with a microphone in his hand.

“Achievements and glory are not gifted to those who ask for them. They are not entitled to anyone who believes so. One must work hard, be determine, and stand up after every fall. You must persevere, endure, and have an open mind. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from your opponent. Look around you and take a moment to see what they have to offer; what you can learn from them. Take the next three years and learn from whoever or whatever you can. The outside world won’t be so kind, nor would they pick you up in your direst state.” The brawny man finished his speech and sat on his chair.

Utter silence filled the room. The sound of people breathing filled the air as they stare at the brawny man under the red banner.

A slender man stood up from his seat and also held a microphone in his hand. He coughed a few times into the microphone to break the awkward silence.

“I don’t have a glamorous speech like my two colleagues here, so I will just say it plainly. Your three years will comprise of general studies and specialization. Both are mandatory and have to be completed before you can graduate. However, you have three options to specialize in, so pick one with your future in mind. Casters learn advance knowledge about magical spells, formation, theories, and technology. Fighters will take advance courses in leadership, weaponries, and combat. Rangers will learn more about geography, environments, accuracy training, and stealth approach. That is all.” The slender man said and snapped his fingers.

Attendants dressed in the school’s uniform began passing out papers to every student in the cafeteria.

After confirming that every student had the paper, the woman under the blue banner said, “Without further ado, please enjoy the feast. We’re also hosting a festival tonight, so please have some fun after you’re done here.”

The same attendants that passed out the paper were now pushing food carts around the table. Freshly cooked turkey, smoked ham and steak, and vegetable soup were the main dishes. Sweet bread, bacon-stuffed-mushrooms, and ice-creams with a variety of flavors were found on some carts as appetizers. Sodas, juices, and water were also handed out on demand.

“What are you going to choose, Vale?” Melody asked as she cut her ham into small, bite-sized pieces.

“Caster.” Vale replied and sipped on her grape flavored drink.

“Oh, me too! I can’t wait to go to class together with you!” Melody exclaimed and squeezed the life out of Vale with her bear hug.

“What about you, Yin? Are you joining the other two?” Vega asked while chewing with a mouth full of food.

“I don’t know… I haven’t really thought about it.” Yin pondered.

“If you can’t decide, then come with me! I heard it’s dangerous to travel alone.” Vega smiled with puffy cheeks.

“What are you talking about?” Yin chuckled.

“Me and Vale are more than happy to have you come along with us. You know what? We should all go to the same class.” Melody said while tugging on Vale’s slender arms.

Vega shook his head and said, “No thanks, Melody. My brain and magic don’t go well together. I can probably learn the basics at most. My heart belongs among the ranks of Fighter anyway.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. Oh! That lady mentioned something about a festival tonight. Do you guys want to check it out after we’re done eating?” Melody asked with a brimful smile.

“Ok.” Vale complied.

“Sure.” Vega said.

“Wait, can I borrow the three of you for a moment after this?” Yin interjected a question.

“What for?” Vale eyed him suspiciously and asked.

“The Headmaster wanted to meet us at his office.” Yin replied.

Melody shot Vega a glanced and asked, “Did you do something bad while we were away, Vega? You have to start behaving yourself at school otherwise bad things like this will happen.”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that. At least I don’t think it is.” Yin blurted.

“I haven’t done anything to catch that old man’s attention… yet. Sure, I guess we can go and find out.” Vega said.

The three of them finished their meal and cleaned up their station. Afterwards, Yin led the four of them back to the Headmaster’s office.

Yin knocked three times before receiving the word “Enter.”

Pushing the door aside, the four of them greeted the Headmaster and sat on the couches in front of the desk.

“Do you know why I’ve called you here?” The Headmaster asked.

The four of them looked at each other and shook their heads.

“General curriculum aren’t separated like the classes you take as a Caster, Fighter, or Ranger. One of the general courses mainly deals with group coordination. To put it bluntly, I want the four of you to form a group and show me what you can do as a team. A tournament is held at the end of every year to encourage and entertain students. Prizes are based on placements in the tournament.” The Headmaster said.

“What kind of prizes are we talking about?” Vale asked.

“The Sword of Grendel, and the Wand of the West Witch.” The Headmaster enticingly said. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are the four of you interested?”

Yin examined the faces of the other three carefully. Likewise, they did the same before coming to the same conclusion.

Melody smacked her thigh and shouted, “Definitely!”

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Sorry for the late chapter. School related stuff got in the way, so the next ETA will be about four days... hopefully. I think I caught all the errors and fixed the font/paragraph spacing problems.

Anyway, inputs are always welcome! I have ideas in store for story progression and character development, but I would love to hear your thoughts.