Mike

(Conference Room 7, Academy Grounds)

The uproar lasted for about a minute before a laughing La'ar quieted the class down.

"Yes, yes it is very exciting indeed, but please save that energy for your own discussions after this. A small itinerary should show up in front of you via Link." La'ar didn't so much as move a muscle when a bold-looking itinerary popped into Mike's vision. It showed five planets and some extra information, though Mike knew he'd get a better chance to look at it later.

"On most of the planets we visit, you will have the opportunity to purchase goods and wares, sample the local culture and cuisine, as well as experience the highlights of each planet for a few hours before we move on. Now let me give a brief overview of the itinerary."

"This is seriously beyond the best field trip I've ever had!" Mike thought, the sentiment being felt by every other student in the room.

"Our first stop is going to be Nathon IV, my home, and the homeworld of the Livari. There you will see the birthplace of your current benefactors, sample our storied history, and see for yourself just what sort of people you've made an Agreement with. Second on the list is Greilik, the home planet of our 'best friends', the Rathau race, we wish you to see that we aren't some dictatorship, and of course, you ought to witness that there are in fact other races apart from us and yourselves in the Galaxy. To conclude our first day, we will be flying by the Ottravan Spaceyard, the industrial seat of the Livari Commonwealth. This will showcase our production capabilities, and also show you what sort of strength is 'backing' Earth when it signed its agreement with us." La'ar stated informatively.

"Joe would absolutely freak out if he heard this. This is information noone on Earth possesses, and we get to see it first hand! The homeworld, Industrial centre, and Allies? They're practically showing us their underbelly!" Mike thought with no small amount of awe.

"On our second day, we'll be visiting the fourth planet on the list, which is Penoma II, a resort planet. We're not always serious workaholics, and all Commonwealth species need a place to take a break now and then, so pack your swim-trunks, because you'll get to spend a few hours enjoying the mild sun and warm ocean of the most beautiful paradise planet in the Commonwealth. Our last stop on our journey will be the planet Errasus. There, a surprise awaits all of you, but to give you a hint, it will be a place which shows you the awesome power of your Gifts." La'ar finished.

Errasus was a blacked-out planet on the itinerary, with no defining features, the only information was the name.

"Maybe it's a gladiator planet? He said we'd see the awesome power of our Gifts? The best of the best must surely train somewhere, perhaps it's a military base! That's why it's blacked out, it's probably secret..." Mike's thoughts spun excitedly. It would have been weird if he didn't get excited to see some advanced alien military might.

"As you may have surmised, all of the planets will be visited in two days. The transit to Penoma II is a long one, and will allow you to rest after the first day's excursions. Please remember, you must be packed and ready by 7 o'clock on Friday morning, else you will be left behind and the field trip will carry on without you. Your House Representative Calum will make sure you are where you need to be for the transit to the Aurora." La'ar stated as the room began to whisper amongst themselves excitedly.

"Alright! That concludes today's talk. The rest of the day is yours. It's 2 o'clock right now, so feel free to unpack, explore your House, the grounds, or whatever you'd like for the rest of the day. Remember, tomorrow morning you will begin training in earnest, so rest well this evening. Thank you students." La'ar ended the session with a slight bow.

It was odd, no one could bring themselves not to be appreciative of La'ar, but none of them knew how to respond. It was then that Calum appeared at the door silently, and belted out "Thank you sir!" before he mimicked La'ar's bow with his own. Everyone looked rather bewildered at the display.

"Everyone, remember you are in the presence of not only a lecturer but one of the strongest beings in the Galaxy. La'ar may not be the formal type, however others will not be so lenient to any disrespect. Let us all rise and thank Sir La'ar for his gracious time." Calum sounded out.

Mike stood along with the rest of the class, looking at Calum with bemusement. Once more Calum called out, "Thank you Sir!" with a slight bow more reminiscent of a hunched-over nod than anything else. The rest of the room awkwardly tried to emulate the bow after shouting out "Thank you sir!". A booming laugh shook the room, clearly emanating from La'ar. His clear and pleasant voice coloring the laugh brilliantly.

"That was marvellous, thank you all. You gave me a wonderful smile today. Welcome to the Academy!" La'ar spoke before his image vanished right before our eyes. Several gasps went up as they all realized the 'La'ar' they'd been listening to and interacting with had not been the 'real' one. Calum walked to where La'ar had been and took over. "Alright, everyone, you are free for the rest of the day, as La'ar mentioned. As you make your way to the exit, there will be carts waiting to take you back to the House. I'll be in the Reception area until this evening, should you have any questions, or need directions. Have a wonderful day further." Calum finished.

Mike looked across to the other three members of their group, all still standing. He had an idea. "Hey guys, let's do the bow-shout to him too!" Mike whispered to the rest. Their eyes lit up and they quickly nodded. Mike counted them in. "One, two, three. Thank you Sir!" the four of them shouted out before bowing. Calum had the most priceless look of bewilderment on his face, the whole spectacle leading many in the room to laugh or giggle. That's when a seemingly irresistible urge to bow-shout started across the room from other groups.

"Thank you sir!"

"Thank you sir Calum!"

"Thank you hot sir!"

Calum was nearing shades of tomato due to the attention, and he consequently beat a hasty retreat out of the room.

"Hey Mike, let's go! I haven't unpacked yet, and I think we could all stand to get a little 'control' back into our lives, yeah?" Sam said, bumping him on the shoulder. She wasn't wrong, Mike hadn't unpacked either, although that was more by choice than for the others. Their group got up and exited the hall.

"Hey guys, I think I see some people on the field, let's check them out while we leave!" Daniel called out. Mike and the others moved to the field from the cafeteria they'd eaten at earlier. As they exited out, an incredible boom echoed across the field. There before their eyes, where the target area had been, a massive fireball was billowing out.

"Whoa! Did you see that!?" Daniel shouted, running straight towards the massive fireball which somehow was going out incredibly fast. They all raced to see what had happened, only to find La'ar and...

"The teachers? From the legacy group at the assembly?" Emma stated quizzically. They kept their distance, but it was clear La'ar was doing training with the teachers as well. The lady who had apparently unleashed such an explosion looked like she was receiving high praise from La'ar. The group stopped and stared in fascination. The next teacher took his place, said a few words to La'ar who nodded, and splayed his hands at the target area, which had somehow reformed its targets. A low crackling could be felt through their shoes as stone spikes shot out of the ground and disintegrated the target. The teacher turned to face the next one and with a flick of both arms pulled a huge boulder up from the ground, and hurled it, crushing the target with a resounding crack. The last target fared no better as the teacher pulled little pebbles from the ground magically and they floated in his hand. The pebbles began to spin vigorously and it looked as though he was drawing a line down his forearm. As he did so the pebbles' rotation increased, until he pushed with his arms, and the pebbles shot out from his hands like bullets, peppering...no, ripping the targets to shreds with each hit that landed.

The group's mouths were agape. Such a display of power from their teachers was beyond impressive.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Wow, they're amazing! Do you think they're the ones that will be teaching us tomorrow!?" Daniel exclaimed.

"I hope so! That was insane!" Sam ventured.

"What are you lot doing?"

The voice behind them startled them all into a yelp. Calum looked at them quizzically as they whipped around wide-eyed. "You shouldn't be so close to high-level Sorcerers. They aren't looking our for you right now, and their spells could easily kill you by mistake. La'ar is aware of you, but the teachers aren't. He won't always be around, so be careful in the future. Come, let's go." he spoke briskly. They followed him out of the Colosseum, glancing behind them as another thundering crash shook the ground. It didn't feel quite right to speak yet.

"So that's a Sorcerer huh? Man, they're powerful. I had no idea they would be so strong! I feel like an ant next to them." Mike mused as they walked. It was strange, and Mike rarely ever felt this way, but a burning desire was welling up inside of him.

"Gift, activate." Mike thought to the Link.

His blue Wisp winked into existence in front of him, following him as they walked.

"I...wanna be that strong one day! Stronger, even! You hear that Wisp?" he thought at the floating ball of flame. Mike could have sworn it shimmered a little brighter at the statement.

"...Nah, no way. It's just a flame...right?" Mike wondered to himself for the first time.

Inside him, a barely perceptible shift had taken place, one which had begun the day his Wisp first activated. The Wisp was waking up, and it liked what it saw.

* * * * *

Joe

(The Aurora)

They touched down within the colossal starship with scarcely a whisper running through the hull. Va'al led Joe back to the hatch where they'd entered, and Joe found a walkway had extended out of the craft to meet the deck of the Aurora.

"The ship seemed to be able to touch down after all! Why couldn't you touchdown back at my street?" Joe asked.

"Well, consider the potential deaths and the amount of destruction we would cause the surrounding buildings if we set down right across from you." Va'al replied with a smile.

"That... makes sense!" Joe said, his tone upbeat. They strolled down the walkway and Joe stopped just shy of the lip, taking in the sights. A gleaming silver deck, seemingly polished to perfection, an assortment of Livari milling about their duties, and controls dotting the cream-colored walls. But most of all, the deck was vast, with at least 20 of the crescent-shaped ships docked in the bay.

"Are you impressed?" Va'al spoke just below him, a small smile playing along his face. Joe met his eyes and beamed, nodding his head. "Good, then you'll love where we're going." he spoke, before turning and walking towards the access hatch to the deck, Joe hot on his heels. They entered the corridor beyond the bay, and Joe could have sworn the Livari had drawn their inspiration from a number of sci-fi films. A round corridor that curved slightly out of sight. The walls were adorned in a soft yet moving wave pattern, and the lights were set to a warm glow. The floor was once again soft yet firm, comfortable to tread on, but not solid.

"It feels so weird, the floor I mean." Joe blurted out.

"That's not all too surprising, it's made from the same nano-material we use in our walls. It's incredibly versatile, though it hardens when we require focus, not comfort." Va'al spoke as they walked. There were no markings of any sort to indicate where they were going.

"I guess that when you're asked to work here, you probably study the layout a ton. If you don't know where you're going as a crew, then you're probably not a great crew member." Joe mused. They came to what looked like an elevator and they stepped in. Joe expected Va'al to order it to move, but the doors slid shut and they moved of without a whisper.

"I am taking you to Deck 14, which is the research hub. There, I'll let you take a couple of tests, run you through your paces so to speak, and we'll take it from there." Va'al spoke matter-of-factly.

"Um, sir Va'al, could I ask what you'll be testing me on exactly? Cause, I just turned 16, and no offense, but I definitely know a whole lot less than you do about magic and science, so isn't this a little...premature?" Joe asked, wincing internally at his phrasing.

"I understand your trepidation Joe, however you needn't worry. We are fully apprised of the educational situation you find yourself in. I'm not expecting you to know anything precisely. I'm going to test your intuition instead, and gauge how you respond to your task. This reminds me, I've studied your history somewhat and came across a certain Leonardo Da Vinci, are you familiar with him?" Va'al asked as the doors slid open silently and he stepped out with Joe in tow.

"Yeah, I know him, he's legendary! We call guys like him 'Polymaths', because they were geniuses in multiple fields, and pioneered science and technology way ahead of their time. He proposed flight 450 years before it was invented, how can you not love the guy!" Joe remarked as they entered another corridor.

"Very astute! You're well read I see. Now, if you were to bring Mr. Da Vinci into the present day, would you say his inventions and propositions would be as revered or groundbreaking, had he proposed them now?" Va'al asked.

"Hmmm, I guess not. They'd be really basic compared to what we have now. Science has matured hugely since his time. Electricity wasn't even a consideration for him, so no, I guess not." Joe frowned.

"Precisely! However, does that take away from his genuis status?" Va'al proposed.

"Nope, not at all. I think that once he'd gotten over the shock of the present day's inventions, he'd probably come up with some other insane inventions using what we have today! He'd probably still blow us away if he could catch up to our knowledge. That's what I think anyway." Joe mused as they came to a hatch that led seemingly deeper into the deck.

"We'd never know, of course, but your suggestion holds some merit Joe. Here we are, welcome, to the laboratory."

Joe's mouth split into a grin. Here before him was a state-of-the-art lab, thousand of years ahead of Earth's technology, and he had been asked to be here. They stepped into the pristine workplace, with varied instruments and machines of every shape and size, each of varying purposes and designs.

"This is incredible! I am so out of my depth, though. If you took me to a lab on Earth, I'd also be totally out of my depth, but I'm so happy to be here." Joe said to the room at large. There were a few Livari here, scientists by the looks of things, though they weren't wearing shocking bleached white clothing, in fact, they all looked rather... Normal. If you could count alien scientists as normal that is.

"As I said before, you aren't expected to know everything. Rather, you will be researching the answer to a very specific question. You will have the help of the scientists in the laboratory, however they cannot give you answers, only assist you with using the equipment. Is that acceptable to you?" Va'al asked, turning to face Joe.

"I have no idea what I'm about to do, but this is the best day of my life. If I fail, it'll still be the best day of my life, so who cares?" Joe thought with gusto.

"Totally! Can't wait to get started!" Joe unslung his laptop bag and held it in his hands. "So where do I start?" Joe looked around.

"Haha! Goodness, are humans not just full of surprises! You don't wish for a tour of the Aurora first young man?" Va'al spoke, mirth clear on his face.

"Sir Va'al, this is the best day of my life. I don't have an infinite amount of time here, and sometimes I can be slow on the uptake of new topics. That being said, I'd like to hear what my task is so that I have the maximum amount of time possible. I want your faith in me to be justified, and the only way I can do that is if I succeed. I don't know how long that will take me, though I'd like to give it my best shot." Joe said resolutely.

Va'al's smile set firm at Joe's speech. "Very well then. First, however, allow me to show you to your quarters for the duration of your stay here." he said, walking back towards the hatch. Joe followed suit as they turned to the right and came to a hatch a little ways away from the Laboratory.

"Here are your quarters." he gestured, as the hatch opened. "It's not far from the laboratory, and you'll need sleep eventually, so feel free to use it at your leisure. You'll find food and refreshments available at the dispenser in your quarters, as well as the Laboratory. You'll find lavatories in both as well, naturally." Va'al said, before walking back to the Lab. Joe quickly glanced inside. It was a deep scarlet-colored room, about the size of a good hotel room, with a massive bed that looked to die for. He quickly caught up to Va'al.

"Va'al, sir, do you think there would be an outlet for my laptop charger? I know it's outdated compared to your technology, but it's comfortable, and I believe it will root me when my thoughts inevitably go awry." Joe mused.

"We anticipated the needs you may have with regard to your technology, and you will indeed find universal ports at your desk in the Lab, let me show you." Va'al said as they entered the Lab once more. Va'al walked past a vast row of machines and came to a rather plain-looking table that jutted out the wall midway into the room, replete with a hovering chair, some paper, pens, a cupboard that lay flush with the wall, and two circular nodes.

"Here is your desk. We tried to make it so that you're not too overwhelmed. I thought you might enjoy the floating chair however, it's far more useful than wheels. That is the food dispenser, and these two are the universal power ports." He gestured towards the 'cupboard' and 'nodes' respectively.

"Thank you, sir." Joe grinned, setting his laptop bag down and unzipping it. Va'al watched in bemusement as Joe unpacked his laptop and tablet, setting both down before fishing out their respective chargers. "So, how does this work?..." Joe asked himself, more than anything. The two 'universal' power ports had a metallic ring around them, with their center being what looked like some sort of putty. Joe threw caution to the wind and 'plugged' his laptop charger into the one, and his tablet charger into the other. It was like pushing a charger into Play-Doh. "This feels wrong." he said as they sank into the putty. At first, nothing happened, but then, his tablet showed that it was charging, and the charging light on his laptop lit up. "Alright! We're in business." Joe exclaimed, turning to look at Va'al. He found him grinning.

"Well, you seem to be ready. Your task is as follows." Va'al stated.

"I'm ready, I can totally do this. Mike, you'll be groveling in my dust." Joe thought with a grin.

"You have three days to ascertain the origins of magic."

"..." Joe's grin felt like plaster about to shatter. He blanked.

"Wait, What!?"