I exited my house, quickly shedding my distress and worries about Holland, Ohio. Jonathan took me back to the cart, and we went through Port Harbor and sailed back to Attleton. There wasn't a single issue during our travels.

We arrived in Attleton late in the evening. I dropped off my stuff in the same room I stayed in last time.

"Don't get used to this room. It's only temporary until tomorrow, and then we can get you admitted to the Fyron Dormitory," Jonathan said.

Jonathan had prepared a dinner in a separate room of the clock tower building. I thought I was in the staff lounge, but it wasn't labeled. There was a brick fireplace, high arched ceilings painted with majestic-looking mages of the six different abilities, arched windows, plenty of bookcases, and a separate room with a kitchen. I could hear a large pot of boiling water and the fireplace crackling. There were a few circular tables and candles lit all around, including a chandelier of soft light above. It was the coziest room I'd ever had a meal in.

Jonathan worked in the kitchen attached to the room with a swinging door. While he was preparing in there, I sat with Principal Pine and Professor Shia.

"So, Rollie, it's good to see you back again so soon. I take it you are enrolling in Attleton, yes?" Principal Pine asked.

"Yes, I would like to try it out, at least for a year," I said. "I'm a little nervous, though. It sounds like the school year has been going on for a month. Won't I be really far behind?"

Principal Pine shook his head. "I don't think that's anything you have to worry about. We're putting you in the hands of a good mentor, and we will do what we can to ensure you are acclimated and caught up."

"And Jonathan can help with private tutoring sessions if you feel that you are still behind regarding the rest of the class," Professor Shia said. "But, I will understand that you need extra time and care. So please, there's nothing to stress about."

I chuckled to myself. "I'm worried, though, because I wasn't the best student in my home world."

"And that's okay too. This is an entirely different curriculum. You might excel in this environment. Practically all of our students do," Principal Pine said.

Jonathan came out of the kitchen holding a big cauldron of soup. He put it at the center of our table and filled our bowls with savory contents. It had a tomato base with potatoes, beans, noodles, and chopped vegetables. There was a side of garlic-flavored bread as well." Sorry for the late dinner, but nevertheless, it is served." Jonathan smiled.

I held the spoon up to my mouth and blew on it until it seemed warm enough to enjoy. It was one of the best soups I've ever had, seasoned with something peppery, and the vegetables had a perfect texture. I scarfed down the entire bowl and poured myself a second.

"So there are two semesters here at Attleton. One goes until winter break, and the other go until summer break. You will only have four classes this semester and four classes next semester," Jonathan said.

"Only four classes this semester?" I blurted a little too loud. Professor Shia arched her brow at me, and Principal Pine paused mid-bite.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Jonathan asked.

"That's amazing. I had six classes back in the regular world, and I'm not going to lie, it was hard to manage."

"Well, not to worry this time around. You will only have four classes. You will have boltology, studying how to shoot out your elemental bolt. You will have that class all year long with me since I am the lead professor of the fire mage students," Professor Shia said.

"And then you will also be taking Intro to Elixirs, Lementum Geography & Social Studies. Then finally, you will have Careers," Jonathan said.

"What's Careers?"

"It's where you'll be going over all the different careers found in Lementum. It's to give you ideas and what direction you might want to go in with your life here," Jonathan said.

"I really wish we had something like that when I was growing up. All right, cool. I'm excited to get going with this. When can I learn about arcane abilities?

"Glad you asked. You will have that class next semester.” Something caught Jonathan’s attention at the other end of the room. “Ah, wonderful. Patrick is here now."

I turned behind my seat and saw a kid with curly blonde hair and acne. "I'm sorry I'm late, I had to finish up some homework, and it took me a little longer than I thought," Patrick said as he approached our table. "This must be the student I heard about. Rollie? Pleasure to meet you. I'm Patrick Wivner."

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I stood up and shook his hand. He was a few inches shorter than me.

"So, this kid is 14? You certainly seem a lot older," Patrick said and snickered. "Sorry, it's just many of the first years at Attleton still have some growing to do."

"Not me, I guess. I might still grow a few inches. Who knows." I smirked.

"Ah. This is exciting. I was the last student from the Nomagi World, but not anymore. The spotlight is being taken away from me. What a relief," Patrick said. "So you wear a mohawk, eh? I think you'll be the only one around with that. Is that even allowed on campus?"

There was something about Patrick's tone that felt judgmental, but I didn't let it bother me. I would have gotten in his face if we were two normal people in my home world.

Jonathan laughed, trying to alleviate the awkwardness of Patrick's remark. "Why, of course, he can have a mohawk if he wants. We don't have any rules or bans on hairstyles here. I, for one, embrace Rollie's unique style. He might inspire other kids to do something similar."

"Don't get your hopes up," Patrick said.

“That’s a rude thing to say. Sorry, Rollie, Patrick seems to have left his manners back in his dormitory," Principal Pine said.

I shrugged. "That's okay. I like my hair the way it is. I don't care if it's different or if anyone else copies my style. So, Patrick, where are you from?"

"I'm from the Eastern Amerzia Islands."

"I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. Where are you from in the regular world?"

"You mean the Nomagi World?" Patrick's smirk faded. "I grew up in New York.”

"The city?" I asked.

"Of course, if I meant somewhere else, I would have said something like Buffalo or Albany," Patrick said.

I thought he would ask me where I was from, but he didn't.

"So originally, I opted out of the mentorship program, but Counselor Jonathan convinced me to join. How often are we supposed to get together?" Patrick asked.

"Mentors meet with their mentees on Sunday right after breakfast," Jonathan said.

“Got it. Is anything else needed from me? I'm not that hungry, and I want to get ready for bed soon," Patrick said.

"No, nothing else is needed. Thank you, Patrick," Jonathan said.

Patrick waved and left the room.

Jonathan took a few bites of his soup. His metal spoon clanged against the bowl. ”Rollie, I'm terribly sorry about that. Patrick is a good kid. I'm not sure what that was about. I'm going to chalk it up to stress. Since it's his last year at Attleton, I think he has a lot on his mind."

"So he's not normally like that?" I asked. "Sure was a brief introduction for someone that's supposed to be my mentor.'"

Jonathan wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. ”I'll chat with him, and I'll make sure the next time you meet on Sunday that everything is all straightened out. Something is bothering him."

“I see. So, what’s my day look like tomorrow then?" I asked.

Professor Shia cleared her throat. "First thing in the morning, I'll announce that we have a new person staying with us in the Fyron Dormitory. As long as you don't mind?"

I thought about it for a moment, and I winced.

"It's a good idea for your classmates to get to know you a little bit. I know you don't want all of the attention, but it's important to know there's someone new. In fact, all of the new students introduce themselves to the other classes at the start of every year. We're just making sure you don't miss that opportunity," Professor Shia said.

I smirked as I looked at the three of them. "Okay, fine, you can give me a proper introduction. What time shall I meet you?"

"Come to the main lobby of the Fyron Dormitory at 8:00 a.m. sharp."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

We finished eating, and then we all had to leave, but I felt like I could have sat in that room another few hours asking them more questions about Lementum. Not to mention, the glow of the soft candlelight and the fireplace made the room all the more cozy. But it was time for bed.

"Good night, everyone. I'm excited to start my first day tomorrow," I said.

"Goodnight, Rollie, and congratulations on becoming a student here. I'll be sure to tell your grandfather, and perhaps the two of you could meet soon," Principal Pine said.

"I love that idea. See you all later," I said as I left.

***

I went to my bedroom and fell on the bed. Gazing up at the ceiling for a few minutes, I wondered what adventures lay before me. I remember hardly getting any sleep the first night I began high school almost a month before. It was surreal how long ago that felt.

Closing my eyes, it felt impossible to fall asleep again, but it must have happened eventually because the sun beamed through the window at 7:00 a.m. Jumping out of bed, I went straight to the shower, cleaned myself up, and spiked my mohawk. I still had a bruised black eye, but it was fading. Back in my room, I threw on a Ramones t-shirt and my favorite pair of tight blue jeans. As I was about to go to the Fyron Dormitory, there was a folded scarlet cloth shaped like a square in front of the room’s entrance. A letter sat on top of it with my name on it. I opened it up.

Rollie,

I can still clearly remember my first day at Attleton. Being introduced in front of the water mages and seeing the joy on their faces is a memory I cherish. One of my favorite parts of this job is when I go to the Nomagi World and bring in a student who isn't familiar with their elemental abilities. They are some of the most enthusiastic and successful students. Please, never be afraid to reach out to me. I'll check in periodically to ensure you have a good experience. Here is your mage cloak, wear it over your clothes. It’s part of the dress code. It's imbued with special arcane magic and elixir solutions. Don’t worry about dirtying it, it cleans itself, can be worn at any temperature, and always keeps the user comfortable.

Leave all your stuff in this room. We'll transfer it over to your dormitory later this evening.

-Jonathan

I unraveled the folded-up cloak and admired it for a moment. It was soft yet durable. The scarlet color was so brilliant it had a natural shine. Putting it on over my t-shirt and jeans, it fit me perfectly, and it was the most comfortable piece of clothing I'd ever worn. Returning to my bedroom for a quick moment, I looked at myself in the mirror. As much as I didn't like the idea of a school uniform, the cloak felt comfortable and looked cool. It was like wearing a trendy hoodie without sleeves. There was a golden hook at the neck to keep the cloak closed, but I wanted to show off the Ramones shirt to the world.