So overdue to post this, on the bright side after not liking (and before eventually redoing) part four I wrote out most of chapters 17 and 18. So maybe the gap after these shouldn't be too long?
... I should avoid instilling false hope. Here's the first chapter of four.
Chapter 13
The last week has passed so fast that I don't exactly know how to handle it. After the revelation of my parentage being made public I have secluded myself within the school tower. Only visited by a select few students and teachers while everything blows over.
I stare down at the piece of paper before me detailing my new timetable, after asking around I was able to obtain it ahead of schedule. It works on a ten day system independent of the seven day week we use, which is kind of awkward but otherwise everything seems sound. Only six of my ten days actually have required lessons, a mixture of mathematics and foreign language options as well as the required combat theory class. The elective choices were pretty vast and took up large periods of the timetable though, from specific primers on each mana type and specific fields of magic to extra time in the warded rooms. Even things like horse riding and swimming were represented as well as an bi-annual course on survival skills, running a summer and winter variants specifically. My eyes scan further down the page.
The required classes for a first year take up much of the timetable though, combat theory takes up two days of lessons by itself. “combat theory” doesn't describe half of it, it's more like “the theory underlying every single act of magic you will ever perform.” in practice. Or at least so it says.
While I'm sitting on the bed, my companion in misery Zan is lying on the end of the bed. He's grown so much recently… Zan before looked a lot like the normal infant dragon, albeit slightly longer and having a bit of hair. Now however his traits have tended towards those of the more serpentine imperial dragons, doubling in length as well as having a longer tail. Naturally his four limbs have grown stronger to compensate and he almost seems large enough to properly retake human form.
While you are given three elective slots as a first year, one is already chosen for you. That being combat theory. While I was tempted to pick an introductory course on time magic I doubt it'd help much at my current level. Which is why I decided on doing the introductory courses for death and lightning magic. While lightning magic is straightforward enough my other option is supposed to be the hardest course. Whatever, I have the death god on my side. It can't be that hard, can it?
Although it's not just me and Zan in the room anymore, the egg hatched.
Standing in the window is a small bird, similar to an eagle in shape. Perched on the ledge it silently basks in the rising sun. It senses me looking at it and speaks. “Hi there.” It says through some strange mental connection we have, sounding like an overenthusiastic child. It tilts its head and looks at me.
“You wanna talk? Oh I like talking!” It keeps up it's cheery tune and asks more and more questions. Like ‘what is red?’ And ‘why is Zan scaly,’ among other things. I extend my arm and the bird flies onto it, not even large enough for its talon's to close about my arm. “I'm thinking about how to name you.” I say to the little bird. “A name? A name!” It hops off my arm and on the bed with joy, dancing around.
He's been pretty different to how I expected, most crystal beasts are meant to be brooding and quiet. Mostly emotionless. I like it though. The little eagle started off small and fluffy, not even half its current size. Now brownish feathers are beginning to form with silvery tips, betraying the beasts attributes somewhat. I'm not sure if the bird is meant to be male or female… Should I pick a name I can make into either? That would be good but perhaps... should I let it name itself? That idea I dismiss after thinking back to Tyr's full name.
“I'll call you Lore.” While my choice isn't a normal name it's also simple and short. The eagle chirps happily, content with its name then flies out of the room. Before going on it's morning flight. A feeling of unease comes over me, I'll have to leave my sanctuary soon, in a couple hours school begins.
* * *
After having breakfast delivered, a convenience that ends today, I dress in my newly made clothes. While the academy itself has no formal uniform, individual groups within have their own dress requirements. As a new student, a first year, I should dress simply and avoid anything extravagant. When you are among the weakest in the school any attention is bad attention. Gold and purple are reserved for royalty, as a sign of respect and darker shades of blue denote seniority among staff.
I'm not an idiot so my choice is rather simple, black trousers along with a long blue tunic and a dark grey cloak. Despite appearing drab the set is rather comfortable and have runes to ward fire, cold and lessen wind. I should thank Tyrell for paying for all this…
“Hey Zan, we have to go down for the first day.” The dragon turns it's head and lazily jumps off the bed to join me on the walk down. My bag is heavy with books and my footsteps echo down the stairwell. The hall at the foot of the stairwell is empty, and the maid inside heeds me no notice as I step through into the main tower and it's winding halls.
It takes me ten minutes but I find the stairs and climb down to the fifteenth floor, where my school days begin.
The entire floor is abuzz with students, not just the first years but those of the various cabals and societies within the tower. Despite the events of last week no one notices as I step onto the floor, or at least no one looks straight at me. A couple hushed words and sideways glances are all I'm given.
Crossing the long hall I join a familiar group. “Hey Kadimae.” Tyrell says as I join our small gathering, a small room on the west wing. Inside are some of the nobles I met over a week before as well as some fresh faces. “Welcome to the Faro society.” Another says as I take a seat.
“Faro?” I ask, questioning the naming sense of the group. “Faro Edelban, great grandfather of the current head. He was the original leader of the group.” The scolding voice of Karina Edelban comes from behind me as she passes into the meeting room. A look of awe comes across the faces of many sat down. “Boss! Welcome.” Wait Karina is the leader? She takes the head of the table, although this table is actually round but by the virtue of her presence that spot became head of the table.
“So, have we scouted out the new students?” She asks the gathered around, “A few seem good, Rantor is talking to one now.” A brown haired boy answers timidly, “Eldric and Jack both already had ties with recruiters, Pyrite is actually related to Castor so will join the Avitas group. Aaron Karthwight however seems interested.” Another says, to which she nods understanding. “He knew that sound based magic, rather impressive. Who is Rantor recruiting?” Tyrell is the one to answer this time. “Heltor Aris.”
That name is familiar, the one who fought with me during the exam. “That boy is alive?” She says confounded, “I saw what…” She stops and looks at me a second, as if asking permission to continue. I mouth out a silent 'yes’ and she carries on, “That ghost did, he cut the space around him. How is he already recovered?”
“Only his hands got cut, and the stage too but the only part of his body hurt was his palms.” Tyrell says before adding, “They were easy to heal… I just heard he went a little mad.” No one spoke after hearing that, but after a few seconds Karina can only carry on with the meeting.
“I think we should consider inviting Olivia of Palisol, I heard a rumour that she used a mental attack. A difficult nature attribute mystery, even without it her attributes are worth it.” Karina says to which she is met with resounding applause and agreements. She sighs causing me to muse. The joys of popularity, she seems unsure if they agree because it's right or because it's her.
“Tyrell, don't you have somewhere to be?” She looks at him, then at me and Talon as if… the orientation for new students. We don't say anything and walk out, the orientation is being held on the same floor. Not only a minutes walk away. “We almost forgot.” Talon mumbles. Most of the people in the hallway had already moved on to either the grand hall or elsewhere. While we and a few other stragglers walk through the great obsidian doors of the grand hall.
The grand hall is a great circular room, taking up the center of the floor as well as most of its space. A platform at the front remains empty and most are standing waiting for processions to begin.
After a couple minutes a familiar frail man walked out onto the platform. “Quiet down, please.” It’s Professor Sait, one of the proctors from our exam. Despite his small stature he casts the greatest shadow of any of us. A strange, new, aura surrounds him. “I am to formally welcome you to our academy, congratulations to you all.” He claps a couple times, which some of us reluctantly join before he begins to speak again.
“This is, as you all well know, the royal academy of magic. Within this kingdom it is the highest institute of magical instruction, and its foremost in research.”
“In joining this academy you are also inheriting and becoming part of this legacy. Precious though it is…” The old man grows silent.
“Ultimately that legacy is a trifle gift compared to what can be obtained. Magicians are not kind creatures, students I do warn you that each and every one of us has our own will and agenda. Each of us has our own wishes, means and resources. This academy is a bulwark of protection and a bastion for its Magi, but vast knowledge you shall not find within.” The voices of the new students murmur, I recognise a few but most are unfamiliar. Probably applied on the days after mine.
“What you should seek in your time here, is your own path! Your own destiny! Those of great fortitude may seek a master, so that a legacy may continue. Those of great genius may forge their own path and achieve heights even I can scarce imagine…” The professor's voice grows quiet for a moment. “Use this time wisely, heed the counsel of your seniors but believe in yourself above all. I trust none here will disappoint me?”
Afterwards the professor takes the chance to brief us on some small things, which parts of the tower are out of bounds and basic rules. Time seems to grow short however and with a beckoning from offstage the professor, as calm as when he enters begins to walk off the platform, before turning his head. “Before I forget, you are dismissed.” He says before leaving.
His speech gives me mixed impressions. I expected this to be about learning but it seems to be more a competition? No… a conflict between each other? I think over what Sait meant again. No again, this entire place is a battleground. For magicians knowledge is power, they’ll give us the first book but we have to submit to obtain their research and knowledge… Then what is the point of the school? To find good disciples? While thinking this over I become aware people are filtering out of the hall. The orientation was a warning, or a thinly veiled threat. “You are in our world now.” Well I can think about this later, time to go.
I already memorised my schedule, first is magical combat theory. On the Twelfth floor in room five. Talon and Tyrell have already left and Zan sits passive at my feet, I poke him with my foot. “We're going.” I recall that Zan has the same schedule for today as me, rooms and all so I'll just lead him about today. From the fifteenth I descend three floors and begin to walk along the outer corridor, sometimes with flashes of daylight peeking in through a window. After a couple minutes I reach room five.
“Young Kadimae? Come, we begin shortly.” A relatively youthful man stood at the head of the room, a person I recognise to be the Archmage. “Archmage, sir! This is your lesson?” I ask, to which he says. “Yes I get that all the time, this isn't favouritism however, even I have to teach some classes. The school charter is rather clear.” He mutters the last sentence before returning to his previous disposition.
“It's not like I teach any specialist subjects, so this is my only choice.” The Archmage tells me as he shooes me to a free bench. While being shoved I look about the room to see who else is with me, we seem to have sixteen people. I recognise Tyrell in the far corner and, to my surprise, Heltor Aris. Is he ok? I think, although I can't see his face. Is he refusing to look at me? It's probably going to take awhile if ever for us to talk again.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Now, it seems we are in full attendance. I shall tell you all only once, the point of this lesson is to understand the full breadth of the basics for magic. The foundation of all mystery and what else you may research.” The Archmage begins his lecture.
“No matter where you are in the world the primary use of magic is combat. Conflict between individuals, organisations and countries. It's not the be all and end all of magic however it's very close.” The Archmage raises his hand and materialises a sphere of water. “You are all familiar with the word concept? It's a vague idea, a notion of something. Magic is the realization of the conceptual, what we call mystery.” The sphere is turned to steam and he closes his hand.
“The fire consumes air and fuel, thus it burns. Let mana be the fuel and let mana become the air. Let the result be heat and the reduction of what is burnt to ashes.”
“Now when you first make fire imagine you don't go into such detail. The less defined a mystery the less effective it is, the more mana it requires of you. Your magic will always realize what you wish it to, with few exceptions. If you use the wrong commands, that is for example create a wrong concept, you will create a false mystery. Something that cannot be predicted and costs great amounts of mana…” The Archmage’s lecture carries on for some time, enlightening in some ways. Very dull… He had spent ten minutes talking about rather mundane applications of magic, building to plant growing and what else. If it was any other time I'd find it interesting, but the Archmage can't keep on one topic for very long.
“...-now, I need to see how much you all already know. Please could each of you demonstrate a magic, the more complex the better.” He regains my attention with that line, practical work always trumps theory. Or at least I like doing magic more than talking about it. “Introduce yourselves as you demonstrate and avoid wrecking the room too much.” The Archmage says, then pointing at a boy on the front row who introduces himself as Arvel.
Arvel does something with metal I don't recall seeing, so he wasn't from the first day when I applied. He makes a small metal sphere attached to his bracelet float. “Hm, not wind or spatial related. I've heard of using metal attribute related forces to levitate but… has Sait already contacted you?” The archmage peers down on Arvel, who looks a little startled. “H-he has.” The archmage tuts, “Shame, very interesting line of magic. It's his expertise so you're in good hands.” With a smile on his face Arvel takes his seat and the Archmage asks the next person. Various skills from ice crystal formation to something he said was almost thaumaturgy, a magic to make things transparent.
“Kadimae, no repeats of the exam please. You are next.” He avoids saying my last name, seems we all want to avoid it. I stand up and walk to the front of the room, “I am Kadimae Seteri, this is my magic…” I almost choke on saying my own name, Heltor on the back row winced at it and the whole room developed a sudden tension.
I invoke my time magic, a burst of silver mana surrounds me and my perception of time slows to half. I feed it enough mana for five seconds, now only a third of my reserves and set myself to perform a second magic. I need some way to exhibit what my magic actually does. With that thought in mind I try to cast as many spells as possible in five seconds. Blue mana gathers at my fingertip and I begin to create small sparks of lightning, arcing to the ground.
After five seconds the magic ends and I stop. “Kadimae, I said only one magic. No need to waste mana.” I mentally berate myself but he continues, “So that was your time compression magic, I think it was called. I counted twenty casts of lightning within five seconds, excellent for a first year.” A faint smile appears on his face, “I think I know the perfect colleague… don't worry, she'll find you.” Sounding half promise and half threat the Archmage chuckles and sends me back to my bench.
“Now, Zan Cecil...” I move my hand to nudge Zan and find, a leg? With my hand still on his thigh I look up to see Zan's almost unfamiliar smiling face as he tries to not laugh. “... while I would prefer you fetched some clothes, your next. Borrow Kadimae's cloak for now.” I untie the cloak and pass it to Zan, who in a half hearted attempt to preserve modesty covered himself up.
Standing at the front of the room he says, “I am Zan Cecil. Nice to see you from up here,” he jokes to what is a humourless audience. Zan standing at the front very lightly hops into the air. He takes too long to slow down and an equally long time to descend, taking ten seconds to touch the ground once more.
Zan then looks toward the Archmage. “Not valid, no using racial skills. Imperial dragons are naturally weightless, unhindered by the pull of the earth, show me something else.” The Archmage says causing Zan to frown.
“...” Zan moves his lips but nothing comes out. He's silencing himself. “I heard that. Sit down.” The Archmage says in a low voice before we carry onto the next. Whatever Zan says it's quickly forgotten as we continue through the class. Heltor shows off his sword making, although at a reduced pace to before. While Tyrell shows off his favourite mystery, increasing air resistance. Which earns him a compliment from the Archmage.
The rest of the class passes uneventfully and although it's made awkward by Zan's nakedness we reach the end intact. The Archmage Reynold dismisses us all but as we leave he adds, “Zan, do remember nudity is prohibited in the halls. Unless you happen to also be a Harpy.” He adds with sarcasm at the end. Zan rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner and we leave.
“It's been so long since I could talk, ohhh! That old man can't hold a conversation at all.” Zan says as we walk towards the stairs, “So, where are we going?” He says while looking around at the walls and other people walking by.
“Downstairs. We need to find out where our permanent rooms are, we can't stay in the tower forever you know.” Zan frowns hearing this but follows steadily behind me. I understand why he doesn't like it but it's someone else's room, plus those stairs are a huge pain. From the twelfth floor we descend all the way to the second, where the offices and reception area for the entire tower resides.
Our conversation is quick, they explain to us how the system works for rooms and residences.
There's no particular floor or block of rooms where any students stay, the fifth floor or the fifteenth might have a few rooms or many or none. However the higher up the tower, the larger and better equipped the room. We have two methods to obtain decent accommodation, the first is academic merit in which the best students are given certain rooms. Those who do well and find themselves a master can have them sponsor and pay for a high level room and finally you can rent one yourself.
The prices are from the dozens to hundreds of gold. Who the fuck can afford this!
“Uh lord dragon priest made a request to have you both take room twelve on floor forty eight. As well as a letter.” The female secretary's hand shakes while holding the letter which Zan takes with his clawed hand. This causes her to almost shriek. “You have the room for six months, until the start of spring.” She says in a hurry before leaving the desk and running into the backrooms.
“Really Zan?” I ask him, he just shrugs and says. “I don't get why she's scared.” Whatever. I think and then we begin yet another climb of the towers stairs.
Stepping out on the forty-eighth floor I'm huffing while out of breath, I can see the climb being a pain. I bet it's why we don't see magicians everywhere, who wants to walk all the way up! Wait can't magicians fly? I've never seen it… if you don't count dragons. The forty-eighth floor is in the heart of the tower, still large as well as high up. Walking along the outer corridor I peek out onto the city below. Very little is built this tall, I can look across and see the great mound of stone that is the palace. A couple other towers are in the capital but I don't know who owns those.
After a minute or so of walking the path curves inwards, meaning that there's a room on the outer wall. And I come upon a door marked “Room twelve, residential.” It looks dull and unassuming but I'm sure this is the place. I was given no key and the door doesn't appear to be locked so I enter. A small tingling feeling covers my hand but disperses soon after I enter.
“Nice place.” Zan says peering over my shoulder, I agree with him. Walking in I admire the furnishings, a deep red carpet covers much of the ground and in just this part of the “room” there's a large bed, desks and a bookshelf. Looking around I see two separate doors, each leading to their own rooms. The crowning feature though is the view. I step towards the outer wall of the tower, thin pillars between tall panes of glass. “I can see everything…” I mumble, half to myself. I turn back to Zan and see him sitting on the bed reading the letter.
“Damn lizard expects me to sleep on the floor.” He mutters as he reads onto the next page. “Can't he just get you your own room?” I suggest to Zan but he shakes his head, “I'm meant to be babysitting you he says.” Bodyguard duty, am I more or less threatened now people know who I am? I wonder…
“I should get going, I have primary death magic next.” I say to Zan, to which he waves me off not even making eye contact. It's on the fifth floor I think. Supposedly most of the death attribute magicians inhabit the basement floors, so the rooms they teach and hold lectures in are very low down.
On the fifth floor I find myself entering a rather empty room, unlike combat theory this class isn't required and it's not commonly picked. Three other students sit dotted about the room with a tired looking man upfront.
“And here's our last member, come in! Come in!” I recognise one of the three to be Talon and take a seat beside him.
“Now, I'm Linus Aribald. Eighth year and the teacher for this little group. Castor and Makari are the only death attribute magicians who are also professors so we have this little arrangement.” Linus laughs at something but I can't figure out what's funny while no one else makes a sound.
“Anyway, let's begin.”
Despite my first impressions of Linus, those of a sleepy and sloppy senior, I admit he knows his stuff. Although after listening to him a mild frustration comes over me, not the lecture but rather it's contents. Half of death magic concerns the soul, an area deemed as strictly dangerous and illegal so I have to look into the other branch.
Death magic concerns itself with that which do not have physical life, as well as the attributes and properties of inorganic things. Which explains why death attributes allow you to better manipulate the elements, air flows but doesn't grow or have a soul. The other main branch consists of two schools of thought, thaumaturgy and alteration. The first gives the properties of one thing to another while the second physically changes it.
I take down a few notes before we reach the end and Linus dismisses us. “Young Talon is it?” I hear him address Talon as I exit the door, on a whim hide against the doorway to listen in. “Sir?” Talon says but Linus laughs, “Don't 'sir’ me, I'm not that old it's embarrassing. My master would like to meet you, you've seen him no? Castor and your grandfather are old friends, so he wants to welcome you. Would you come along?” I don't hear what Talon answers before Linus says, “Splendid! He is free past lunch in two days, have a good day.”
I don't wait for Talon, he has enough to think about, and make my way back to my room.