It took a couple of hours for the last of Cal’s rooks to finish registering for courses. Otter was the last because he had the return to the end of the line. The other’s were visibly impatient by the time he joined their group.
“All right, rooks,” Cal began, his tone brisk but not unkind. “Time for the rest of your orientation. I’m going to show you around the campus—the places you’ll be spending most of your time. Stick with me. I’d hate to lose anyone.” He smiles slyly and winked at Victoria, then took off at a trot.
Their first stop was the Academy Library, a towering stone building nestled between two older halls. The arched entrance was carved with ancient runes that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
Cal pushed the heavy doors open, revealing a grand hall lined with shelves stretching up to the vaulted ceiling. Enchanted lanterns floated above, casting a warm glow over the rows of books and scrolls.
“This is the Library,” Cal said, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. “You’ll be spending a lot of time here, especially if you’re serious about your studies.”
Otter’s gaze swept across the shelves, heart quickening. He’d always loved libraries—the quiet, the sense of endless knowledge waiting to be uncovered.
One of the recruits raised a hand. “What about the Restricted Section? I’ve heard rumors.”
Cal chuckled. “Yeah, there’s a Restricted Section. And no, you’re not allowed in without permission from an Overseer. Trust me—if you try sneaking in, you won’t like the consequences.”
Otter’s eyes lingered on a heavy iron door at the back of the Library, marked with a bronze plaque that read Restricted Access. He felt a spark of curiosity and made a mental note to learn more. He couldn’t help but wonder what secrets were locked away behind that door. Maybe that’s where he’d learn what happened to his father.
Next, Cal led them to the Commissary, a large, bustling building filled with shelves of supplies and enchanted items. The scent of leather, parchment, and herbs filled the air, mingling with the chatter of students exchanging Academy credits for gear.
“This is where you’ll buy your supplies,” Cal explained. “Everything from cloaks and boots to enchanted gear and potions. But nothing’s free. You’ll need credits to buy anything.”
Otter glanced at the price lists posted on the walls. Basic supplies were reasonably priced, but some of the enchanted items cost a fortune in credits.
“How do we earn credits?” someone asked.
“Through work assignments and performance,” Cal replied. “You’ll get assigned tasks based on your skills, and the better you do, the more credits you earn.” As an afterthought, he added. “You can also buy credits, but the exchange rate is a joke. Save your dregs for liberty.”
“What’s liberty?” a doe-eyed girl asked.
“That’s when you can leave campus. Everyone gets five liberty days per month. You have to request them at least a week in advance at the Hall of Assignment. If they are granted, you can use them however you want. Go home for a visit, explore the city, whatever.”
“Can we trade credits for dregs?” Otter asked.
“Yeah, you can. But the exchange rate, again, is pretty abysmal. You can get more from the commissary with credits than you can in the city with the equivalent dregs. But...there are some things in the city you can’t get here. Plus, there isn’t any other way of making coin here. So...yeah.”
As they made their way through campus, Cal pointed out all the academic buildings, but didn’t linger.
Their last stop was the Rec Hall. It was a lively, open space filled with two dozen or so students playing games, sharing stories, and lounging on cushioned benches. The sound of laughter and clinking mugs echoed through the hall, making it feel welcoming and chaotic all at once.
“This is where students come to relax,” Cal said. “Games, conversation, and general camaraderie.”
Back at the dorm, they gathered in the common room again.
“Last thing before I let you all go,” said Cal. “Let’s talk about work details. I assume everyone got their assignment?”
There were nods all around. Otter retrieved his schedule from a pocket and read over it again.
Work Detail: Library Duty. Report to Archivist Dane at 7:00 am.
“Does everyone know where they're going in the morning?”
Alfred raised his hand. “Um, where are the stables? You didn’t show us those.”
Cal winced. “Sorry. I’ll show you when we’re done here. It isn’t on the standard orientation tour. Anyone else? If you aren’t certain how to get to your work detail from here, I suggest you spend a little time this evening figuring it out. You don’t want to be late your first day.”
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“How do we switch work details?” asked Lyle without raising his hand.
“You don’t. At least not until next semester.”
“That’s bullsh—” Lyle stopped himself at a sharp look from Cal.
“Being respectful of your fellow recruits includes using appropriate language. If you want to talk like that, there are places for it, but not here. Understood?”
“Well, what if we really don’t like our assignment? I mean...I got chore duty, whatever that is. Sounds like servant work to me.”
Cal nodded. “It pretty much is. But nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. Everybody works their way through Academy. Nobody gets chore duty twice in a row.”
“What if we’re really bad at it? Will they switch us out?” Lyle whined.
“Not right away,” Cal said. “First, they dock your credits. Then they dock your liberty. If you haven’t figured it out by then, they’ll switch you to latrine duty.” Cal made a face. “You really don’t want to do latrine duty.”
“Okay, one final thing. When you show up for work detail tomorrow morning, you’ll get a System notification with your full schedule. Don’t ask me why it waits until then instead of after registration, but it does. Have a good night. And don’t forget curfew.”
Since there were a few hours left before dinner, Otter decided he would finally go exploring and start working on his map. He went back to his room and retrieved the leather journal before heading out.
The courtyards were filled with students milling about. It wasn’t the ideal situation to explore things thoroughly, but it was the opportunity he currently had. He decided to begin by mapping all the routes from his dorm to the library, since that would be his first destination in the morning. He stood for a moment just getting his bearings, taking note of the building layout and various paths leading to and from the courtyard. He felt his Navigation skill kick in and determined the most likely direction of the library based on the tour earlier. While their route had been circuitous, he had a pretty decent grasp of the basic layout of the campus.
He picked a path that went that direction and began walking slowly, keeping his head on a swivel, looking for anything interesting. He stopped at a fork in the path, where one narrow lane twisted toward the training fields, while the other wound down toward what he assumed was the river. He’d seen it from the wagon on the way in. His pencil hovered over the notebook’s blank page as he sketched the fork and labeled it:
Fork between Training Fields and River Docks, Shortcut potential: Unknown
Otter knelt to inspect a small drainage tunnel near the fork. It was narrow, barely wide enough for him to squeeze through, but it might connect to the lower parts of the campus.
He scribbled a note beside the sketch.
Possible hidden route? Check later.
Rising to his feet, he continued on. The path meandered quite a bit. At one point, he realized he was no longer headed in the same direction as the library and diverted onto a smaller path. He made a note of it. This path led to a small building he hadn’t seen before. There was no signage identifying it at all. Which was strange. Every other building he’d seen had banners or placards proclaiming what they were.
He added it to his map with the label: Unknown. He walked around its perimeter and found a narrow alley running between another dorm and the alchemy building, noting the covered archways and stone staircases that twisted up toward the dormitory towers. His map was starting to take shape—paths, shortcuts, hidden corners that most students would overlook. The alley emptied out at the rear of the library. A small door was tucked away in a shaded alcove, half-hidden by ivy. He added it to the map, marking it with a star.
He went around to the front of the library and readjusted his bearings, then set off a different way, hoping to find a quicker route back to his dorm.
As Otter made his way back to the dorms, two things happened. First, he got a notification on his wrisplay.
New Skill Acquired
Cartography Novice- Lvl 1
Interesting. I’ve been making maps for a while. I wonder why I just now got that?
Second, he spotted Erin crossing the courtyard. She was carrying a stack of books, her auburn curls shining in the late evening sun.
“Erin!” Otter called, waving.
She turned, her face lighting up when she saw him. “Otter!”
They met halfway, and Erin pulled him into a quick hug.
“I was wondering if we’d run into each other before dinner,” she said, smiling. “How was registration?”
Otter shrugged. “It was… interesting.”
Erin chuckled.
“What’s your work assignment?” Otter asked.
“Messenger,” Erin replied. “Apparently, they have a lot of messages to deliver today. They wanted me to start immediately. My legs are killing me.”
Otter grinned. “Sounds rough.”
“I’m used to it. And at least I’m getting to know where everything is.” She glanced at him, “This would have been a great work assignment for you.”
“Yeah, but I ended up with a good one, I think.”
“What is it?”
“Library duty,” Otter said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
Erin laughed. “Of course. That’s perfect for you.”
They walked together toward the dorms, chatting about their courses and the students they’d met.
“Hey, we’re in the same Navigation and Survival class,” Erin said suddenly. “That’ll be fun. We can partner up.”
Otter felt a wave of relief. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
As they reached the dormitory, Erin paused, glancing at him.
“You’re going to be fine here, Otter,” she said. “I know it feels overwhelming now, but you’ll find your way. You always do.”
Otter smiled, her words giving him a sense of comfort he hadn’t realized he needed.
“Thanks,” he said softly.
Erin grinned. “See you later.”
As she disappeared into the dormitory, Otter stood in the courtyard for a moment, gazing up at the Academy towers.
I will find my way, he thought. One path at a time.
With renewed determination, he turned and headed inside, ready to tackle whatever the Academy threw at him next.