All magic requires celestial light for activation. However, there is a stone that is able to absorb light and release it at a later time. This stone, kendrite, is an invaluable tool for mages. Kendrite can store light based on its color, with white being able to absorb all visible light and black none.

“What in the world just happened?” Chad asked. Their escort had left them in the Academy guard house then left with the prisoner.

“I think we just witnessed a Shadow Men getaway,” replied Quartz excitedly. Chad had no idea what Quartz was talking about.

“Quartz, please don't get excited about this. This is serious,” Selena said, glaring at Quartz. “Chad, the Shadow Men are a group of bandits that popped up in and around Candra a few years ago. They use the light absorption of kendrite to cloak themselves in shadow and protect themselves from short range magic. This was the first time I have ever seen them myself. From the shadows that they were able to generate, they must have very pure kendrite.”

Jet added, “They appear to mostly be unskilled mages who specialize in close quarters combat. This keeps their opponents within the shadow they generate, preventing them from using magic. Rumor has it that most of them are ex-Academy mages who never made it to abecedarian. The really crazy rumors even claim that some mages currently at the Academy are involved and that is how they get the kendrite.”

“They always attack or steal from other mages,” Quartz joined in on the explanation. “It would appear that they have a lot of resentment against those who succeeded where they failed. Whenever they make their getaways, they gather together causing a larger shadow and thus making it harder to attack them with magic. If you ask me, it's pretty cool.”

“Well nobody did ask you,” replied Jet.

As they were talking, two of the mages returned and addressed them. “Selena Yellowborn and Jet Miller, you are to come with us. You other two are free to go.”

As the mages and the girls left, Quartz grumbled, “Why do they get all of the excitement?”

Chad and Quartz returned to the festivities within the Academy grounds, but didn't venture onto the bridge again that day. Shortly after sundown, they found Jet outside of the dormitories and asked her what had happened.

“Not much, really. They asked us questions about what happened. Selena was questioned because she is a full mage and I was questioned because I participated in combat. Then we just sat around for a few hours waiting for them to decide that there wasn't any more need for us to be there. When they finally did let us go, they confiscated my knives, even though it was because I had my knives that they got a prisoner. They said that it was against the rules for apprentices to be armed except on formal occasions, and even then it didn't seem fit to have concealed weapons. At least they only knew about the ones on my arms. I guess it didn't occur to them that I might have more.”

“Just how many does she have?” Chad whispered to Quartz.

“I have no idea.”

----------------------------------------

Two days after the equinox was the official start of the Fall quarter. Right before the festival, recruiting parties had started to return bringing anywhere from zero to fifteen new novices each. Now those novice were all gathered to the tower for orientation. Because of his unusual circumstances in entering the Academy, vice principal Vanderbuilt had directed Chad to attend as well. He was also supposed to attend the new apprentice initiation later in the morning.

When Chad reached the great hall, he stood out like a sore thumb. He towered above all of the new novices and was the only person wearing any white in a sea of black. Only his belt and the patch on his hat were white, but that was enough for everybody in the room to turn and look at him. He found an open spot on a bench in the back of the hall and waited for the talking to begin. He didn't have to wait long before a line of seven mages entered and six of them took seats on a raised platform at the front of the hall. The six that had seated themselves were dressed in formal, colored robes with white sashes. Their robes represented all six of the disciplines of the Academy. The last person stood at the front of the platform in her brilliant white robes and addressed the new novices.

“Greetings, and welcome to Lord Ferdinand’s Academy of the Knowledge and Practice of the Art known as Magic. I am the Overseer, and that is all you need to know about me at the moment. By the time you have earned the right to address me by my name, chances are you will have long ago heard all about me.

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“I understand that many of you think that you are special. Many of you were probably the only person where you lived who could do anything worth calling magic.” This statement surprised Chad; everyone in his village could use at least basic magic. “A few of you will have come from mage families and learned from relatives. However, here you are all equal. You will quickly find that your magic no longer makes you special, because everybody has magic as good as or better than yours.

“Please remember that we are allowing you to be here and that as of now, you have earned no right to study at the Academy. Over the next one to two years you will study, you will practice, and you will probably curse my name at times. Once you have studied here for one year, the Academy Initiation Trial will be opened to you. You can attempt the trial as many times as you wish, but if you have not passed it by the end of your second year, you will be asked to leave with only enough Stars for the journey home. However, if you pass, you will be initiated into the Academy as an apprentice. Only at that point will you officially be part of the Academy.”

The Overseer's words surprised Chad and and struck home just how rare his situation was.

“I will now ask principal Gregson to come forward and instruct you on the basic rules for novices.”

Chad had already heard everything that principal Gregson had to say from the Millers, with Selena filling him in on some of the finer details. When principal Gregson had finished speaking, the novices were dismissed. Chad was supposed to attend the new apprentice initiation in the Hall, so he stayed where he was. A few minutes after the last novice had left, apprentices started arriving and sitting down on the benches. Most of them noticed Chad sitting alone in the back and gave him weird looks. As the room filled up, it was pretty evident that people were intentionally avoiding him, as they squeezed together on benches further up while the benches immediately around him were empty.

With only a few minutes until the initiation ceremony was supposed to start, Chad was feeling pretty lonely and dejected. He thought back to wizard Ferdinandson's warning about being old to start at the academy and thought that the wizard had only scratched the surface with that warning.

“Excuse me,” a soft voice brought Chad back from his thoughts. He turned and saw a young girl standing next to him. “Would you mind if I sit here? They are about to start.” Chad looked up and saw that the same seven mages from the novices' gathering were on stage.

“Sure,” Chad said, before turning his thoughts inward again.

“I'm Mallory.” The girl cut into his thoughts again, though it was not unwelcome. “I have never seen you around before. That is really surprising after being here for a least a year together. I like your hat!”

“Um, thanks. I'm Chad. Actually I only just got...” Before Chad could finish explaining himself, the Overseer addressed the new apprentices.

“Greetings! I would like to congratulate all of you for earning the right to officially be part of the Academy. You have studied and worked long and hard to get here. However you still have a long way to go before you are fully fledged mages. I look forward to seeing your continued growth. Vice principal Vanderbuilt will now explain to you your new rules as apprentices.”

“I would like to echo the Overseer's congratulations on becoming apprentices,” Vanderbuilt started. “I am vice principal Vanderbuilt. Principal Weaver could not be with us today because she has just recently given birth to a son. If you ever need anything or have questions beyond what I explain today, please feel free to come and talk to us.

“Before we get down to business,” here, he stopped and took a sip from a teacup that he pulled from who knows where, “I would like to officially welcome Chad Lawrenceson to the Academy. Because of certain circumstances, Chad has joined us directly as an apprentice. So, please make him feel welcome and help him where he needs it.

“Now....”

Chad missed what the vice principal said next because Mallory elbowed him and whispered: “You said you were Chad, right? Are you that Chad? That would explain why I have never seen you before. It's a pleasure to meet you!” She stopped speaking just long enough to grab his hand. “As I said, I'm Mallory, Mallory Ferdinandson, and before you ask, no, I am not related to any of the other Ferdinandsons at the Academy. At least, not that I know of. I am the first person in my family to study at the Academy in a long time.”

When Mallory had finished speaking, Vanderbuilt was saying: “as for classes, your schedule will be less strict than when you were novices. Actually, excluding mandatory self-defense, you will not have a schedule at all. You are free to attend whatever lectures you desire whenever you desire. Just be aware that you should desire to attend as many lectures as you can. You have just four years to pass the test to become abecedarians. If you have not passed the test in that time, you will be expelled from the Academy with no chance of returning.”

He kept talking, and Chad was amazed at how thorough Jet and Quartz had been in introducing him to Academy life, if in a somewhat roundabout way.

When the ceremony was finished, Chad headed to the dining commons to meet Quartz for lunch. On his way, Mallory caught up to him and asked: “the vice principal said we should make you feel welcome. Would you like to come eat lunch with me?”

Chad turned to look at her. He had to look down to address her. He guessed that she was thirteen or fourteen. She was short, with tight dirty blond curls down to her shoulders. He was pleased that she was being nice to him, but he also felt awkward seeing as she was several years younger than him.

“Thanks, but I was actually going to meet a friend for lunch.”

He started to turn around when he thought about how she was the only one who sat next to him. He looked behind her, and it didn't seem like anybody was waiting for her.

“Actually, if you want you can join us.” He hoped that Quartz wouldn't mind.

“Great, let's go eat. I'm famished,” she said. That convinced Chad that Quartz wouldn't mind.