Dante woke to the familiar sea of Essence. The cold, silver like liquid felt refreshing on his skin but a quick jolt of fear sent his heart racing as he realized that he was drowning again. The difference was somewhat insignificant at the moment but he focused on the thought.
“I’m dreaming. I’m just dreaming.” Dante repeated the thought in his head until he was greeted by Essence, once again, sounding quiet in his head.
“Breathe Dante. Just breathe. Trust me.” She said in a calm, soothing tone.
Dante wrestled with his fear. If this was a test, he would either pass or fail horribly, but he would not do nothing. He gathered his courage and made his choice.
Slowly, Dante breathed in the Essence, allowing it to fill is mouth and lungs. The taste was slightly metallic but not unpleasant and his heart slowed as he felt the burning of his lungs cease. Dante kept the slow breathing even and relief flooded him.
After a few moments, he glanced around, but could only see past a few feet in any direction. Failing to find anything to focus on, he cupped his hands around his mouth and tried shouting as loud as he could.
“HELLO?”
The sound was muffled and he smiled as he watched a small ripple in the shape of a circle move away from him. He shouted in each direction, watching the ripples carry off into the distance.
Faintly, a light pulsed in the distance. The light was either very small or very far away but one thing was certain. The only way to get there would be to swim.
What was supposed to be swimming looked more like a fish pulled out of water. Dante flailed back and forth, kicking his legs while trying to steer his direction with his arms. Needless to say, it took him quite a while to start moving forward.
After what felt like hours, Dante started to get a relatively forward like momentum going, meaning he was moving more forwards than backwards. The steady pulse of light was still small but Dante couldn’t tell if he was getting any closer.
An invisible pressure slowly surrounded him as he swam forward. His hands and feet started to cramp. His arms and legs were having difficulty moving and his chest and head felt like they were being squeezed.
Dante thought that now was a good time to panic and tried swimming away. The intensity of the light kept growing and Dante felt himself being pulled backwards through the Essence. His eyes were wide with fear and he redoubled his efforts. The Essence flared all around him until all he could see was brilliant silver light.
“Ahhh!” Dante screamed as he sat up in his bed.
He immediately shut his eyes to protect himself from the brightness of the room’s essence lamps. Ferris stared at his roommate with a mixed look of confusion and delight.”
“And good morning to you as well, Dante.” Ferris called out. “Tell me, was that a form of Ancient Kahlean you were speaking right now? I didn’t hear the dialect quite well.”
Dante attempted to glare at Ferris but the light was still hurting his eyes. He decided to feel around for his pillow to throw at him instead.
Ferris just laughed and quickly headed to the door.
“Just so you know. It’s time for breakfast. I suggest you hurry. It’s a big day.”
Dante squinted at Ferris, somewhat confused.
“Big day?”
Ferris dropped his head in mock defeat.
“The last day at the orphanage? Heading to the Academy? Finding out our affinity? Ringing any bells?” Ferris teased.
“The only bell I plan to ring is yours, you idiot.” Dante replied, raising his pillow behind his head, preparing to launch said pillow into said friends face.
Ferris quickly ducked out of the room laughing, leaving Dante to get dressed.
Dante quickly jumped out of bed to get dressed. He looked around the bare room, thinking of the past twelve years he had spent there. He didn’t have any luggage to pack, just a bag for their laundry to be left behind. He owned nothing, just like all the other orphans, so he didn’t have anything to bring with him. That didn’t bother him so much. He had Ferris and Kelsi and even the rest of his class. Without another thought, he ran to the mess hall for his last breakfast at the orphanage.
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“Attention class!” Miss Telis called out as the last student entered the classroom.
“Welcome to your last day at the orphanage.”
The class cheered and applauded. Miss Telis smiled and reigned them in once again.
“We still have a few things to cover. First, your new academy uniforms will be waiting for you in your rooms along with a carry bag, an orientation packet as well as a map of the Academy grounds.”
The students smiled.
“Also,” Miss Telis continued. “You will be meeting many new kids in the next few days. Some will be from another orphanage; others will be from common homes and a few will be from the upper tiers of the tower. Everyone is taught equally. No matter where you come from, you are all equals in the Academy's eyes.”
A hand raised near the front and Dante noticed it was Jasmi. She stood without her normal confidence. She stared at the floor, her dark red hair hung forward, blocking her face from the rest of the class.
“Miss Telis?” Jasmi asked quietly. “What do we do if someone recognizes you? Like someone from…from before.”
The excitement in the classroom dulled down to a quiet realization. Some of the students might run into people they knew from before. Miss Telis silently berated herself for not thinking of this problem beforehand.
“I apologize Jasmi. It’s hard to remember that some of you have only been here a few short years. So, let me tell all of you. The law states that you have no connection with your past. You have been given a new life but still, some of you might run into past…acquaintances.”
Miss Telis gave the room a good look, connecting for a moment with Jasmi as well as a few other children.
“If you happen to meet someone from your past, you may reintroduce yourself and become new friends…”
She gave Jasmi a knowing look.
“…or not. The choice is completely up to you.”
Jasmi nodded and a hint of a smile touched her lips.
“So!” Miss Telis said, quickly changing gears. “This afternoon we will all teleport to the sixteenth district where the Academy is located. From there, we will attend a small orientation covering certain guidelines for your training. Once that is done, they will call you up individually and test for your affinity.”
At this the class erupted into cheers but there were a few who looked hesitant. A boy by the name Ellis, raised his hand.
“Miss Telis, are we going to be tested in front of everyone?” Ellis asked nervously. Some of the other students nodded their heads in agreement to the question.
Miss Telis nodded.
“Yes Ellis. There might even be other children there, but there is nothing to worry about. They simply call your name, you walk on stage, stand before the Essence Crystal and place your hand on it. They will push a little Essence into you and it might feel weird but it doesn’t hurt. Then they record the results and you sit back down. You don’t even need to speak.”
Ellis simply nodded his head but he still looked a little nervous. “Best not to sit next to him just in case he throws up.” Dante thought.
“Once that is done,” Miss Telis continued. “the Academy will assign you a Magic Instructor to help you learn your new magic. You might be trained in a group or by yourself, it just depends on how many of each affinity there are.
“Now who can tell me what else happens once you get your affinity?”
Hands shot up and Miss Telis pointed at Gretta, a short, pale skinned girl with freckles and a tangle of reddish-orange hair. Gretta bounced excitedly from her seat.
“You receive your blessing!” Gretta said excitedly. “Your eyes change to the color of your affinity. That’s how they know what your affinity is when they record it.”
Miss Telis nodded. “And what colors are those Gretta?”
Gretta cleared her throat daintily.
“Ruby for Fire, the heart does desire.
As Water is knowledge contained in Sapphire.
Topaz holds Life and Amethyst Death.
Emerald is fleeting as Winds dying breath.
Amber and Alchemy go hand in hand.
Metal calls Steel, Earth’s colors in Sand.
Enchanting is lovely like Pink Tourmaline.
While Gold stands proud for Dez the Divine.
Violets sing Songs, Jades Beast will tame.
Essence’s Silver known only by name.”
Gretta rattled off the kids’ poem and the rest of the class had joined in before the end. Gretta then turned and gave a bow as everyone else clapped and laughed. Miss Telis was quick to get them back on track.
“Very good Gretta. You may stop bowing now.” Miss Telis said, the corners of her mouth hinting at her amusement.
Gretta blushed and sat down.
Miss Telis continued. “After you find out your affinity, you will be given housing assignments. Apprentice Instructors will guide you each to the mess hall for dinner and then to your dorms. Tomorrow and the next day you will be receiving your schedule and meeting one on one with your assigned Magic Instructor. Only leave the dorms during meals, you need to be present when they bring you your schedule.”
Dante smiled as his thoughts raced in excitement. The other students were just as happy, some whispering back and forth.
Miss Telis cleared her throat, grabbing the attention of her class again. “Now there is one more bit of news I wish to share. I will also be transferring to the Academy. Some of you might even be in my class.”
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A hand raised quickly. “You’re going to be an Academy Instructor Miss Telis?” The young student asked.
She raised her eyebrow at the student. “You didn’t think these pink eyes were for decoration now did you?” The class laughed as the student quickly sat down, blushing scarlet. “I will be an Enchanting Instructor.
“But just because you are not in my class doesn’t mean you can’t come and talk to me. You are all taking a large step into the world today. Some of you only have memories of this orphanage and some will be thrust back out into familiar sights and sounds that might be hard to handle. Myself and the other Instructors at the Academy are there to help you. If you find yourself in need, do not hesitate to find us.
“Also, you will be preparing yourselves for a hard life. Adventuring might come off as fun and exciting but it will test your resolve. Pay attention, learn everything you can and find friends you can trust to watch your back. Later on, in life you may become a great Enchanter working for the upper tier merchant families. Or maybe you become a Life Mage and find your place at one of the many essence farms in the tower. But first, you will be entering those dungeons as every citizen of this tower has. It is a dangerous life so prepare well.”
The excitement died down as Miss Telis tried to help the students understand the gravity of their situation. They would be thrown into danger soon enough. She could only hope they would prepare accordingly.
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An hour later the class stood in the orphanage courtyard in their new uniforms. The boys wore a formal white button-down shirt with a blue and gold tie and a lighter blue and gold vest and dark blue trousers. The girls wore the same the but the colors were inverted on the vest. Ferris and Dante kept pulling at their collar while Kelsi kept slapping their hands away.
“Touch those collars again and I will punch the both of you.” Kelsi said. She was as nervous as the two boys and their fidgeting was not helping her.
Miss Telis stepped out and called attention to her class.
“Good. I see everyone is prepared. The Teleport Terminal is only a block away but we will be maintaining a steady pace, so try and keep up. Many of you have not seen the outside of this orphanage for a long time so you will understandably be a little overwhelmed. Luckily, the thirteenth district mostly houses large factories and warehouses. There will be very little traffic. However, once we reach the sixteenth district, it will likely be flooded with people. Stay together and follow me. We will arrive at the front of the Academy and it’s only a short walk to the auditorium. You will have plenty of time to search and discover in your next four years.” Miss Telis then lead them out of the courtyard and into district thirteen.
Like Miss Telis had said, the thirteenth district was uneventful, however to Dante, he was trying to soak in every detail. He had no memory outside of the orphanage and looking at the buildings towering above him was amazing. The ceiling was suspended high overhead and was covered in blue essence crystals that provided magical support for the tower and light for the entire floor below. Dante had often stared up at those lights, wondering what else the light touched.
Soon the class walked up to a large white building with essence crystals running through the walls giving off an impressive glow. An elderly man stood at the entrance. His robe was white and trimmed with gold along the edges. The design of the Tower of Metris was placed over his left breast and his steel gray hair was well groomed. He smiled wide at Miss Telis and the students.
“Welcome young ones.” The old man exclaimed. “My Name is Gerald and I will be transporting you to the Academy today.” He said the last part with a flourish and bowed, much to the delight of the children. Miss Telis smirked at Gerald’s antics. The man was obviously trying to put the children at ease.
“Now right this way young lords and ladies, not a moment to spare.”
Gerald swept his arms towards the open doorway where a large circle, lined in essence crystals and enchantments, sat in the center of the room. The students hesitated until Jasmi walked into the circle confidently. Soon, the rest followed and they easily fit with room to spare. Miss Telis walked in after her students and turned around to face the old mage with a smile.
“Thank you.” She mouthed. Gerald just gave her a knowing wink.
“Now remember young Mages in the making!” Gerald stated after walking behind a podium with a large glowing sphere on top. “There are three rules to follow. Do not step outside the circle. Try and keep still. And most importantly-”
Gerald activated the teleport sphere and they vanished from the platform. Gerald smiled toward the empty room.
“That never gets old.” He said to himself.
A bright light suddenly surrounded them and as it faded away, they were standing on the sixteenth teleportation platform. A few looked completely confused while others like Kelsi and Jasmi just smiled and shook their heads. Miss Telis pulled the rest of her class out of their stupor.
“Alright everyone. We will move off the platform and head straight to the Academy. Just remember to keep walking.”
Dante was immediately overwhelmed. As they moved into the street, an invisible barrier was crossed. The abrupt sound led him to stumble, almost falling to the ground. Only the continued urging of Miss Telis kept him and a few others moving forward.
The sound of thousands of people going about their day to day lives was almost terrifying to him but the sights were equally as wonderful.
The people created a sea of colors. From long robes, brightly and variously colored, to the extreme variation among suits and dresses worn. All paled, however, in comparison to the vast array of armor that was worn among the Adventurers in the crowd.
Leathers were dyed and stylized in an amazing combination of aesthetics and utility. The telltale of glowing essence crystals set into gauntlets, bracers and chest plates accentuated the power in such armor.
Dante’s mouth hung open as he pointed to a figure looming over the crowd. The person, whomever they were, was almost seven feet tall and was covered in red and silver colored plate mail. Ferris followed Dante’s gaze and immediately became giddy.
“Dante!” Ferris exclaimed. “That is Terroth Gladus!”
“Who?” Dante yelled over the cacophony of the street.
Ferris rolled his eyes. “Terroth Gladus! He is a ranked Adventurer! His dungeon team has more kills than any two teams combined! They are ranked Third in the Guild!”
“If they have more kills, then how are they not ranked first?” Dante shouted back in confusion.
“Ranks are dictated by Essence. Weaker monsters give fewer essence crystals. They have only taken down a handful of dungeon bosses.” Ferris replied.
Before he knew it, Dante was walking through a gate which towered above him. He was so busy looking up that he bumped into someone. She stumbled a step but quickly turned and gave a smirk to Daunte and his stumbling apology.
“Sorry Jasmi.” Dante said with a blush on his cheeks. “I umm... I was a little distracted.”
Jasmi looked over her shoulder to see Miss Telis talking to one of the gate guards. She turned back to Dante and stepped a little closer than Dante was accustomed with.
“Don’t worry about it, Dante.” Jasmi said with a suspicious smile touching her lips. “I will just have to pay you back in field training.”
Jasmi then twirled around and happily skipped towards Miss Telis who was now leaving them behind.
Dante jogged to catch up to the back of the group where an amused Kelsi and a grinning Ferris waited.
“Dante, if you don’t like Jasmi then why must you flirt with her so?” Kelsi asked with wide innocent eyes.
Dante eyes widened in panic. “It was an accident! I-”
“Sure, it was.” Ferris interrupted. “I will have to use that excuse sometime to- Oof!”
Kelsi had punched Ferris in the stomach.
“When exactly will you use that excuse?” Kelsi asked threateningly.
Ferris quickly put his hands up to claim defeat but Kelsi just turned away and followed the other students. Ferris and Dante shared a look and shrugged, following behind.
The Academy was less crowded than the streets outside but no less amazing. The buildings looked as if they had been carved from marble and each was no less than three stories tall. Fountains and greenery were spread out around the buildings making it feel more like outside than in. At the center of the Academy was a marvel to be seen. The building looked as if made from marble but the strata inside the marble glowed like essence crystal. With five stories of intricate detail to every window and column, the place looked as if it was the heart of the Tower of Metris.
Miss Telis paid no attention and continued to usher them along through a large set of wooden doors. The inside was no less impressive. The floor and ceiling both had faint glowing strata worked through the stone. Paintings and white marbled statues lined the walls and even an occasional glass case with small animals running about could be seen. They were quickly ushered into a large auditorium. Hundreds of seats filled the auditorium with a large stage at the front. Upon the stage was the largest essence crystal Dante had ever seen. The crystal hung suspended above the stage and the warm light blue glow was gently pulsing. The crystal was at least six feet high and half that across and the imperfect cuts along the sides gave it an ethereal kind of beauty.
Slowly, they made their way down the center row of seats until Miss Telis ushered them into the front before the stage. Dante sat between Kelsi and Ferris at the end of the row as the rest of their class filed in. There were a few other kids, around thirty or so and each small group was accompanied by an adult. Dante assumed they were from the other orphanages of the tower.
As they settled in, a door at the side of the stage opened and thirteen well-dressed adults filed on stage, all in robes of various color. The eldest of the group was a man with very little hair still atop his head and large bushy grey eyebrows. He stood before a podium set to the side of the stage as the other men and women sat behind him. Dante thought that Mage would look comical if he didn’t seem to be set on scaring the living Essence out of each and every one of them.
“Listen up!” The man bellowed. His voice carried a hint of his magical power and Dante shuddered.
“I am Dean Marcus, the head of the Academy. Those behind me are the senior instructors of this school. They and myself only teach the fourth years at the Academy so no need to worry. You won’t have to deal with us…”
A sigh of relief escaped the young students.
“…yet.” Dean Marcus finished with a grin. Any relieved looks quickly disappeared.
“The rules for the Academy are quite simple. No fighting outside of approved duels. Do not leave the campus without written approval. And work hard. Do you understand?”
Dante and the other children quickly nodded.
“Good. Now when your name is called, come up to the stage and place your hand on the crystal. We will record your affinity and then you will sit back down in your seat. We don’t have all day so let us be quick about it.” Dean Marcus finished.
While the children were being called up, Dante looked down the row where the rest of his class sat. Their feelings were apparent, with tapping feet and fiddling thumbs playing out like a silent orchestra of anxiousness. Dante let out a deep breath. At least he wasn’t the only one. Ferris was silently counting off the affinities and their value as Kelsi just stared down at her hands. Dante nudged her shoulder.
“I think if anyone would ever receive multiple affinities, it would definitely be Ferris.” Dante whispered to Kelsi.
She broke out of her thoughts and eyed Ferris with a smirk.
“Definitely!” She whispered back, holding in her laughter.
Miss Telis’s class was the last group to be called up. Gretta was called first. With a quick look of uncertainty, she walked over towards the stage. Once she placed her hand on the crystal, the Dean pressed the sphere on the podium. It was all very anticlimactic. There was no wind or voices of the Gods descending down. Gretta simple open her eyes and showed their color to the instructors. A few notes were written down and she was sent to her seat.
Ferris leaned forward in his seat to get a clear look at her eyes and sat back with a grin.
“Gretta got the Song affinity. I knew it. She is always quick with the poems and singing.” Ferris told them.
Kelsi smiled. “Good! She told me more than a few times that she wanted Song. I wonder if she would join our dungeon team?”
Ferris snorted. “She will only team with Jasmi. So, unless Dante gets passed his lovers quarrel, we will never get her.”
Dante scowled at Ferris and gave him a rude gesture or two.
Ferris was called up next and Dante was sure Ferris would pass out on the way to the stage.
Ferris placed his hand on the crystal and squeezed his eyes shut. After the Dean had pressed the sphere, Ferris blinked his eyes open with a bewildered look on his face. He faced the instructors and then hurried back to his seat. When Dante and Kelsi finally saw his face, vivid Emerald irises stared back. Dante and Kelsi just quietly snickered into their hands while Ferris looked somewhat offended.
“What?” Ferris whispered.
Dante tried to gain control of himself but ended up laughing even harder.
“What did you expect?” Kesli said. “You couldn’t even decide on what you wanted. Of course you were going to get Wind.”
Dante cleared his throat.
“What will this mean for our team?” Dante asked them. “Ferris has always been our Tank.”
Ferris just waved it away. “Depending on my specialty, it should be fine. Plenty of Wind Mages can be Tanks.” Ferris stated.
“Well, what’s your specialty?” Dante asked.
Ferris just shrugged. “We won’t know until we get some training and it manifests itself.” Ferris replied.
Before they even noticed, it was Kelsi’s turn. Dante took a look and realized that their whole class had already been tested. Kelsi just nodded to Dante and Ferris and strode over to the stage.
Secretly, Kelsi had done everything imaginable to try to get the affinities she wanted. She had spent countless hours studying for the Water affinity. She had learned first aid and even found books on field surgery and plant life for a Life affinity. She dreaded the idea of having the Death affinity. She knew how much her thoughts went back to her family. She would lose herself in the middle of the night, quietly crying into her pillow as she remembered her mother’s warm smile and quick wit. She would cry even harder when she would try to remember her father and simply couldn’t. She wanted to move past it. She didn’t want to grieve over the past anymore.
She hesitantly placed her hand against the crystal and closed her eyes as the Dean pressed the sphere. Her friends held their breath as the seconds ticked by. After a few deep breaths, Kelsi blinked her eyes open. She felt tears well up and quickly blinked them away. She looked towards her friends with a smile. Even from the seats, Dante and Ferris could see the brilliant shine of Topaz. She was a Life Mage.
She came quickly back to her seat as Dante was called forward. He gave her a quick wink and walked past her towards the stage.
Dante wasn’t sure if his dreams of late were real or just some fantasy conjured up. He never felt as if he needed to be special though. He had friends and his life might not be perfect but he didn’t have any problems with it. He simply needed to take the test, and if it wasn’t Essence, then he could put it behind him.
Dante walked onto the stage and headed for the crystal. He felt ready for whatever the gods threw at him. Essence or not, he was going to be a Mage. Without hesitation, he stood before the crystal and placed his hand against it.
The Essence crystal felt cold, just like the sea of Essence he had dreamt of. He could feel the rush of Essence run through his arm and into his body where it swirled around like a whirlpool. The pressure built and his jaw suddenly clenched as if he was being squeezed from the inside out.
“This is taking too long.” Dante thought to himself. “Somethings wrong!”
Dante felt a turbulent build up as more and more Essence poured into his body. His ear suddenly popped and he could feel a wet trickle run down his neck. His back spasmed and his toes curled so tightly that his feet started to cramp. Dante felt a tooth give way, cracking under the strain, and then another.
With a final pulse of Essence, the pressure released and his vision was blinded by dazzling silver light. He stumbled backwards and then fell into darkness.