The rest of the Speech class went by quickly. Even though they didn’t cover much more than ‘notice what you’re doing’, it felt productive. Theo felt more aware, of his speech and in general, and wanted to just carefully say the same things over and over and savour the differences and variation.

“So consider how you talk, and start examining why that is the way it is. I’ll see you in your Persuasion class on Gilsday.” Fred left, as he said his farewells and waved goodbye, gently closing the door behind him. Which wasn’t exactly necessary, seeing as they were all leaving straight after. And there was only one entrance.

Theo stood up and grabbed his stuff. It was mostly his lunch. That and the piece of paper that Maria had whistled towards them. Theo did his best to read and understand the words that were on it. He slowly sounded out each word (and even though he was focused on this, it took a fair few minutes to decipher the location).

“Anyone know where the General Knowledge class is gonna be held?” Finn asked strolling around leisurely, arms behind his head as he meandered slowly to the door.

“The paper that A Thousand Spiders’ Webs gave us has our schedule, as well as a map of the College and where our classes are.” Rowena piped up, tracing her finger along the map and plotting out routes in advance, still seated. Her eyes were focused and studying the paper, memorising important details.

“Right, I’m relying on you to get me to class then. If I don’t it’s your fault.” Finn walked out of the room, as Rowena caught up with what he just said, and whipped her head around with a look of confusion on her face.

“Wha- but, wait. Hey. HEY!” She spluttered, urgently grabbing all her supplies as she stumbled out of the seat and dashed out to find Finn (presumably to thank him for giving her such a rewarding and valiant quest).

Theo shook his head and chuckled. By his side, he heard a sledgehammer strike an anvil three times in quick succession. Looking over, he found it to simply be a giant’s laugh (and while giants do exist, those are not the metaphorical nor exaggerated giants that Theo was referring to). The giant was slightly taller than Theo (which mean almost double the average person) and had enough muscle for his arm to weigh as much as Theo’s whole body.

“New environments, new people, new adventures.” The giant mused, looking down at Theo. He cracked a smile. Theo had to admit, he was not used to looking up at people, and his neck protested at the almost-entirely foreign action.

“But always someone very serious and someone to mess with them.” Theo mused. The sledgehammer struck the anvil again, as the giant threw their head back in laughter. After thunder subsided into a low rumbling chuckle he looked at Theo.

“Drew.” The giant introduced themselves, extending their arm for a handshake. For some reason Theo had an ominous feeling, but ignored it (being polite), and introduced himself.

“Theo.” Theo grabbed his large hand (big enough to feel more like a snake swallowing a rat instead of an equal shake), and regretted his choices as Drew gripped and crushed his hand as he shook it.

It might have been the way the blood drained out of his face (which was odd, because it was his hand that Drew had squeezed the blood out of), or the way that it surely must have felt like grinding twigs underfoot, but Drew quickly released his hand with an apologetic look.

“Sorry, sorry. I forget my strength.” Drew apologised, face turning a slight red that shone through behind his beard.

Theo shook his hand out trying to get blood flowing back in there, using the first step of Striding Wind to massage his muscles. Unfortunately, that did nothing for his poor bones, and Theo was starting to understand why a proper warrior didn’t just rely on one or two first tier internal magics to stay alive. At the very least, Theo consoled himself, nothing was sprained or out of place.

Still, Theo forced a strained smile to his face as he turned back to face Drew.

“It’s okay, no harm done. I’m very glad I picked up some internal magic right now.” Theo joked. Even though it hadn’t solve the whole problem, he was sure that he would have told a different story if he didn’t have it. Drew had a surprised look on his face.

“I thought bards didn’t really use body strengthening.” Drew said, asking a question with his statement. There was curious look on his face, but before he could follow up on his question, a different form of thunder came rolling through. Namely, the one inside Theo’s stomach. It was now his turn to blush, and Drew simply grinned wider.

“Lunch?” He asked. Theo just nodded in response. They walked out of the classroom together, chatting as they passed poor Maria buried under the usual mountain of paperwork. Theo’s step was as light as his bag, and the same held true for Drew. Except Drew carried a large filled rucksack slung over his shoulder, and was as subtle as an earthquake. Every step forward carried with it the croaked moans of the College of Song’s floorboards, as well as the errant jangle of a thousand hanging things tied to its outside.

“Like I was saying.” Drew began, trying to subtly steer the conversation back to that last thought that they’d shared before they left (which was as subtle as his footstep). “I didn’t expect a bard to use body strengthening, especially non-voice related ones.” Theo considered how to answer this question disguised as a statement, and decided to be honest.

“Well, my master has been teaching me almost nothing but internal magic. He said he’d leave the magic to El- The Doomsday Siren.” Theo quickly corrected himself. It probably wasn’t a good idea to spread around everyone’s actual names. Drew quirked an eyebrow (but Theo wasn’t sure if that was towards the part about having a master or almost letting slip Eleanor’s name and potentially getting in her bad books before class even started).

“You have a master?” Drew asked. Theo shrugged as they passed the performing circle, and he noted that both Astor and Olivia-Marie sat there, eating. The person performing currently was another person from his class, singing and on a lyre. He tried to remember his name, but couldn’t manage to come up with anything.

“I mean, they give me advice and training, and they’ve called me their “project”, but I’m not sure if that counts.” Theo responded, eventually. It took him a moment to ponder exactly what his relationship to Sparrow was, and after concluding that it would make no change to what their relationship would involve, filed the question away as something to truly dissect on a less busy day.

“Sounds pretty master-apprentice-y to me.” Drew helpfully supplied. They walked into the park together, deep enough that they had some privacy and quiet, but still close enough to the edge that they could reach their next class relatively easily. Theo shrugged in response as he took out his lunch of bread, smoked salmon, and oranges. He grabbed a strip of smoked salmon in his left hand and held the chunk of bread in his right, alternating bites as he went (and grabbing more smoked salmon), occasionally sipping from his water skin.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Anyway, they got me started on a lot of internal magic, and I’ve been finding them pretty useful. They pretty much said that the magic matters less than the charm and the arts, and that you use whatever you have to get the job done. So I haven’t even touched action magic yet.” Drew looked lost in thought, as he unpacked his own lunch. It was a sandwich, with tomato and mayonnaise and pepper, and Theo was currently cursing Dog’s Nose’s existence for subjecting him to something that smelled so good. Drew took a bite, and Theo turned his body to conveniently face deeper into the park (and moving the drool threatening to escape his mouth out of his line of sight) as the giant chewed.

“Use whatever you have, huh?” Drew asked, rhetorically. They sat there in the silence for a moment, both eating their lunch (but only one wishing they could try the other’s).

“My family is made up of warriors, so joining the College of Song instead of the College of War really worried them.” Drew said, with a grimace that said that “worried” was an understatement. Theo pretended not to notice.

“Especially if it meant I was ‘getting drunk chasing women and bringing shame to the family’…” He trailed off. Shaking his head and loosening his expression, Drew turned to Theo.

“How does your family feel about you joining?” Theo almost choked on a bite of bread, and the conversation was paused as he desperately reached for his water skin. Eventually, his airway was clear enough that he could speak. Collecting himself (to not choke for the second time in as many minutes), he croaked out a response.

“I’m an orphan.” Drew’s face turned surprised, then mortified, but before he could apologise or dig himself deeper Theo switched the topic.

“So, how do you channel your action magic? I can’t imagine you playing a flute or a lyre.” Drew’s eyes lit up as he began to talk (only partially because he was given a rope while drowning).

“I play drums.” Drew said proudly. “I hit things in battle and I hit them in music.” He chuckled at his own joke, and Theo joined him. It was now that Theo noticed the massive mace hanging from the giant’s belt, carelessly lying in the grass.

“So that’s how you cast things? The swings of your weapon there?” Theo asked, pointing to the mace. Drew’s eyes followed his finger, and he picked up the mace, unhooking it from his belt and giving it a few gentle swings. Even at a slow speed, Theo could feel the force and momentum behind it, and made a note to not fight Drew if he could help it.

“Yeah. I think of it like drumming. Anything becomes a drum if you hit it hard enough. Well, enough for a single swing anyway.” Theo imagined Drew hefting the mace and swinging it into a large upright drum, and the hole that would be left in the skin once the mace made contact. He also thought about how much momentum would drag after each swing.

“Is that hard to control? I always have trouble staying in time, and that’s without being in the middle of a brawl.” Theo asked. Drew scratched his chin.

“You’d think so, but tempo changes in music all the time. A bigger problem is the sound – fighting someone in leather armour means the music will be very different compared to someone wearing metal. Not to mention the sounds of my armour, the environment around us, all of that. It’s really hard to keep consistent.” Drew explained, half-complaining.

“That sounds like a lot to keep track of.” Theo observed. He peeled his orange, and started working on the sections. It was bright, but sweet. A perfect way to cut through the flavour of smoked salmon still lingering on his tongue.

“You get used to it.” Drew shrugged. “Rhythm-based action magic is slightly forgiving in that sense, and even if my tempo gets predictable, where or how I swing won’t be.” Drew ran his fingers through his beard, shaking out any crumbs. “What do you play?”

“I’m a singer.” Theo supplied. “I can play the lute, but not that well… just enough to accompany.” Theo downplayed. There was a comfortable lull in the conversation as they sat there in the park, and eventually Theo inclined his head at Drew and motioned of they should get going. Drew nodded back.

They’d both eaten their respective lunches at this point, so they started to make their way back, leisurely walking back past the courtyard, where Astor was currently playing on his accordion. Theo surreptitiously was a half-step behind Drew. He had a good idea of where the General Knowledge class would be, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure.

They made it to the classroom a little early, and there was a second where Theo was afraid that they were in the wrong place, but his worries were quickly assuaged by Thelonious patiently waiting outside the door. He gave them a friendly wave before returning his attention to the sheaf of papers in his hands.

Soon, everyone else trickled in, with the final two being Finn and Rowena…bickering and arguing. Well, it was more Rowena yelling at Finn while he didn’t seem fazed at all (and was possibly even amused, going by the slight quirk on his lips).

“You cannot do that! Do not dare do that again or- oh hello there, Thelonious.” Rowena’s rant was cut short as soon as she saw Thelonious standing there, with an amused twinkle in his eye. Her furiously red face easily transitioned to an even-redder, flustered face.

“I am deeply sorry you had to see that, sir.” Rowena apologised, clearing her throat and smoothing down her skirt. Her hands fidgeted as she looked like a dog being yelled at. Thelonious simply looked at her with kind eyes, and gently shook his head with a slight chuckle.

“That’s alright, Rowena. I’m just glad to see that everyone is here and on time. Well, time to start class then. Follow me!” Thelonious said, opening the door, and stepping into the classroom.

It was similar to the first room they had been in for Speech, except there was a massive blackboard behind the lectern and a box of chalk.

“Welcome to General Knowledge! I already explained this morning why it is so important, so let’s get started with the basics. I’m going to check and make sure that everyone can read and write to a level I approve of.” He took in the confused looks on all the student’s faces and an understanding smile filled his face.

“Now, I know to many of you this seems like a waste of time, because of course everyone knows how to read and write, how could they have gotten here otherwise? But it is precisely because of how important it is to understand it that we must confirm that this is not being overlooked. This is also something important I wish for you to learn – never assume, always verify.” He paused, letting that sink in as he looked over every student and tried to drill that in. It wasn’t a menacing or intimidating stare, more one of concern and clarification. Having looked at everyone, Thelonious nodded, and continued.

“And to those among you who have managed to get this far without having much to do with writing, who might be sitting there incredibly confused to why this is important, it is simple. Your memory can only retain so much. There is a second tier internal magic that could improve your memory, but it is rare and requires such a talent for internal magic that I would not count on learning it.” Theo tried to hide his surprise (but sat a little straighter). Thelonious continued. “Being able to read means having easy access to information. Being able to write means a silent way to communicate. Reading and writing are basic tools in order to be effective both here and out there in the world.”

“So, in a moment I will give each of you a stone, and one by one, you will show me your stone. One side will be painted black, the other white. If you are confident in your skills, show me the black side. If you are not, show me the white side. Nobody else will be able to see it, I assure you. If less than half the class is confident, I will teach everything from the beginning. If more than half is confident, then I will administer a test, and for those that do not pass I will organise extra classes to ensure they are up to my standard.” Thelonious whistled, and from the box of chalk, a number of stones flew up in a straight line, spreading out into a grid, one over each student’s desk. Most had craned their necks up to see, and they gently drifted down onto the desks.

“Line up now, this will be kept private I promise.” Theo got in line, between Olivia-Marie and a quiet girl who he didn’t remember the name of. He flipped the stone over in his hand, considering what to choose. It was a flat disc, so it was easy to see which side was which. He held it between his hands, and the line quickly moved up as Thelonious scribbled on a page with each student who approached.

Theo held the disc carefully in his hands, holding it cupped between his palms, as he walked up to Thelonious. He stopped scribbling, looked directly at Theo, then nodded. Lifting his right hand, which rested on top of the stone, Theo let him see how he felt.

White.

Thelonious nodded, scribbled on his page, acting in the exact same was as he had for everyone who had gone before him. Theo returned to his seat, and anxiously waited for everyone else done.

Once everyone had return to their seats, Thelonious nodded once to himself, and started to gently tap his foot. The world turned dark, but before it did Theo thought he saw Drew starting to swear.

Soon, he realised that the world had not gone entirely dark, merely everything outside of the area of his desk. Theo heard a whistle, and a sheet of paper rifted onto his desk, with a pencil arriving shortly after.

“There are some that are not confident in their skills, and that’s okay. You will all have ten minutes to complete this. If you find it trivial, feel free to finish it early and take a nap. If you find it difficult, do not worry about not being able to finish it in time. Just do your best, that’s what matters. Your time starts now.”

And with that, Theo pulled his eyes away from the walls of darkness surrounding him, and onto the piece of paper in front. The top half of the page was text, and the bottom half was (what Theo assumed was) a few questions about the text. He noticed that in the top right corner, a neat little “Theo” had been written.

After trying to parse the first sentence, he considered writing “Just teach me” and not even trying. He sounded out the question, whispering as quietly as he could manage.

“Unyun. City. Was. Es-, es-tab-leesh’d. By. The. Found-ers. Of. The. Four. Colleeges…” Theo lost track of time, focusing on understanding all the words and what the questions were asking. He started getting into a rhythm, and felt like he was going to actually answer this.

He started to answer the first question, focusing on making his writing as neat as possible.

Suddenly, as he finished a word and lifted his hand off the page, the whistle ran out once again, and the paper and pencil zipped off his table. Moments later the darkness dropped, and Theo looked around. Some of his classmates, including Rowena, looked thoroughly bored. Even Finn looked carefree. Theo swallowed.

“Okay, that’s your time. Do not worry about how you’ve done, I’ll get in touch. For now, let me go over what was in that passage.” Thelonious said, beginning the rest of the class.

Theo sat there in shock. He had barely written his second word.