Once all of the students had been tired out, the steely instructor that was Layla, allowed them a 100-minute break, which Cael remembered was customary. Trista had said it was because it took about that long to regain all of your energy from an exhausted state. Layla had also ordered them all to consider their disappointing performances, but that was neither here nor there.

Cael had been pretty entertained to watch the mages throwing nearly invisible attacks at completely invisible attackers but was much more grateful to be able to talk to Layla more privately. Oscar had been left in the training room with the students to monitor them during their short break.

Layla led him back down the hallway and into a lounge where she poured them both drinks with a practiced hand. Like, really practiced. She handed him a filled glass before he could even park his luggage by the door.

He eyed the ice bobbing in the mystery juice.

“Thank you, but what exactly is this?”

“Iced Havschar.”

“Is that an alcoholic drink? Or, like, the blood of some guy named Havschar?”

“It’s iced tea.”

He gave it a small sip. It really was similar to a regular iced tea, albeit with a hint of cinnamon. Or at least something that tasted like cinnamon. It was so normal and jarringly familiar.

:[:]:[:]:[:]:

He set down a burger and reached for his water; a big styrofoam cup with a plastic lid and a fat straw poking out of the top. After a bit of awkward lip wiggling to get the straw in the right place, he took a big drink. Ugh. He hated iced tea.

He turned to his sister with a frown. “You need to start putting your cup on the other side.” He gestured to his own cup, right next to where he had grabbed the iced tea. “We keep swapping drinks.”

“What, do you think I’ve got cooties or something?” She turned to him, her face slightly blurred, lost to years without a reminder.

Only a caricature remained in its place. Brown eyes stared back at him framed by straight brown hair, close to black. Her teeth were straight as she grinned back at him.

“Without a doubt. You’re a real disease vector.” He responded flatly.

“That’s not what a disease vector is.”

“Whatever, just move your cup somewhere else. I hate iced tea.”

“Fine.” She put her drink right beside his own and continued to eat.

He rolled his eyes and did the same.

She was paying anyways.

:[:]:[:]:[:]:

‘Cael.’ Tar nudged him mentally.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Tar…” He blinked tears out of his eyes.

‘I know, but not right now.’

“Yeah.” He sniffed once to clear his suddenly stuffy nose and looked up at Layla. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize. Is the drink not to your liking?” She politely distracted from his current thoughts, and Cael noticed. He was grateful.

“No. It’s great, thank you.” He pursed his lips and took a deep breath.

Layla beckoned him to sit before taking her seat across from him.

Because of the poison still coursing through him, Cael couldn’t even sit quietly and process that memory.

He forced himself to focus before he was made to tell Layla about his long-gone sister.

“I think Trista wanted me to come to this planet to get a formal education, or maybe she just wanted me to survive to be level fifty.”

“That does sound like her. Well, unfortunately, I cannot help you all that much with attending Genus Academy. The academic year has already begun, and it is not permitted to admit students who did not register in time.”

“I almost expected that.”

“Shush.” She put down her drink on the solid wood table, “I can instead recommend you a few alternative schools on the planet. Around sixty schools are admitting students for the next week— I assume you wish to get started as soon as possible— Of these schools, I would personally recommend two. Of course, The admissions requirements for both are quite stringent, though Heru is more reliant on connections.”

She pursed both pairs of lips, “I don’t suppose you have any recognizable names in your family?”

“I do not.”

“No friends in high places? You know what they say; nepotism is always righteous if you are the one doing it.”

“I can’t say I’ve heard that specific phrase before.”

“No matter.” She waved him off, “In that case, Mereo is your next best bet. As it is a school focused on merit before anything else, its alumni are all exemplary. That does make it more difficult to gain entree, but if it doesn’t work out, we can always try out a different school next week…” While her right face appeared to be lost in thought, her left face was scanning him critically.

“That’s-” he began.

“Oh!” She clapped, “I never even asked! I assumed you wished to be an adventurer because Trista referred you. Did you by chance wish to become a chef or a dancer? I know a few talented instructors who are always looking for students.”

“Uh. Tar?”

‘Don’t ask me, I’m just here for the show.’ The cat shook his head and leaped onto the table, leaving Cael to answer the question on his own.

“Then let’s do adventuring.” He decided

‘And why is that.’

“I think our survival rate is equally low regardless of what we choose. Might as well see cool monsters and magic before we go out.”

‘I've always wanted to travel.’ Tar nodded sagaciously.

“For all two days?”

The elemental nodded again, ‘That’s right. And just look at all the traveling we’ve done in that time.’

“Alright. If you two have decided, then we should get you packed…”

“Done.” Cael cast a quick glance at the box he had never even gotten the chance to look inside.

“Right. And Mereo is good?”

“Mereo is good. When are their admissions?”

Layla gestured for him to wait a moment before raising her hand to look at her watch. “Officially they begin in two minutes, but it’s probably fine. Everyone knows Mereo takes forever to get to the point.”

“I didn’t know that.” He furrowed his brows, “Wait. If they start in two minutes, then haven’t I already missed it? Mereo is a completely different city. There’s no way I make it in time.”

‘I think you're forgetting Layla teaches space magic professionally.’

“The elemental is correct.” She waved her hand and a paper appeared on the table before him. “Sign this and I can get you there with a minute to spare.”

“What is this?”

“Long-Distance Teleportation Consent form.” She explained tersely, “I can’t legally take you out of the city without it.”

“Alright.” No pen had appeared with the paper. “How do I sign it?”

“It’s a magic contract. Put magic in it.”

Cael pushed mana into the paper until it lit up. "Like this?"

Layla smiled and took the paper. “Exactly like that.”

The world went black.