Though the snow continues to fall, the light of the sun shines through a veil of clouds. It brings radiance to the white dust piling on the ground below. In a scene of serenity, a man slowly trudges forward with bated breaths as he clutches the bloody wound to his side. Crimson droplets stain the white canvas before him with every step. He had to make it to that place. The man could feel himself fading in and out of reality. But something stood in his way. A figure standing in the snow ahead of him. The visage of a young woman.
"What's your name?" Her voice danced across the cold wind, carrying her question.
"You know the answer to that. Why ask?" The man responded, inching past the maiden. The woman felt her heart sink, but forced her lips into a smile. She turned to face him once more.
"What's your name?" She pressed him once more. The man stopped in his tracks. He didn't bother to turn towards her. He stood still in an unwavering silence before finally giving in and answering.
"Avures..." The man was about to continue forward, but he knew that the woman wouldn't be pleased with that answer. "Avures Kovar."
"What's your profession? What's your goal?"
"I'm a Lancer...and I need to stop him." The wounded man kept lurching onward, reaching a treeline blanketed by snow. But, the next question made him stop in his tracks.
"Have you remembered..."
"..." He slowly turned his head back to the woman.
"To enjoy..."
"..."
"To value..."
"..."
"Life?..."
The man stared at her. He had felt the question coming, yet hadn't even a single answer prepared. What was there for him to enjoy? What was there for him to value? What did he have? He had…
…
…
…
…
…
Nothing.
As far as he was aware, his existence was a blank. A cold stamp of mortality. Did he enjoy life? Did he value life? A lingering standoff ensues, tired eyes boring into the woman’s elusive ones. Both waiting for the other to surrender. Eventually, the man couldn't gaze at her anymore. He looked down and saw his wound staining the snow red. His energy slowly depleted with each bead that fell onto the white blanket. He had no response. No more willpower to carry on with her.
"If that is how it is… Then so be it. What lies ahead shall surely shape your perception of the world and your future. But I suppose you already know the outcome. If you manage to keep clinging to your beliefs, after all of this, then you deserve what you wrought. But if you truly start to understand… Your eidolon of reality will shatter and rebuild. Change… Or don't change. This is goodbye, Avures Kovar."
The saintly image fades away, whitening into the snow behind her. The man stands there, not bearing to look at her as her final moments with him ticked away. He was frozen in place, not by the cold or snow, but by the hollowness of his own being. He knew what was ahead. But, he wasn't ready for it. There was nothing he could have done to prepare himself for what he was about to see and experience. Yet, he already knew what lay in waiting. Life has a funny way of doing that. He finally found the willpower to trudge forward. The accumulated snow on him slowly blew off of him as he traversed the white forest. And as he found the clearing which led to that place, his heart stopped...
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"Alright, you guys aren't exactly kids anymore, but be on your best behavior. The headmaster from the Academy is on his way and I don't want anyone making a scene. Are we clear?" An older woman spoke to a group of young teenagers.
"Yes, Mrs. Greene." The teens replied in unison. The caretaker nodded her head and exited the room. As soon as she did, many of the teens gathered around and started whispering.
"If the Headmaster is coming… That means someone is gonna be picked to go to Lancer Academy!"
"What's so great about being picked to go to a school? I don't want more homework."
"You idiot! Lancer Academy isn't like the schooling we know. They teach you how to become a Lancer and how to use magic and stuff."
"That sounds like a ticket out of this stupid orphanage. I hope they pick me!"
"What makes you think they're gonna pick you? They're gonna pick me!"
As the orphans crowded around and their voices became louder about the possibility of being chosen, a lone boy sat at one of the tables on the other side of the room. His hair was short, black, and unkempt, constantly giving the notion that he just woke up. His skin was a pale color, an indication that he didn't spend much time in the sun compared to his peers. And his eyes bore a dark green which blankly sat in the same spot, idling staring at the table. His appearance and actions could lead one to believe that he was brooding, but it could also show a lack of care. He had heard the words of Misses Greene. He had heard the words of his fellow teens. It made sense why Misses Greene had the younger children stay in another room for a while...But it really didn't seem to matter to him. What would happen, would happen. There was no use to him pondering it.
"Hm. Avures...quiet like always, huh?" A young girly voice spoke to him. Someone speaking his name was enough to snap him out of his current state. His cold gaze met her warm red eyes. Her scarlet hair was an immediate eye-grabber. Avures scanned over her.
"Oh. Hi Rael." Avures said, that of which was all he had the words for. The girl sat down next to him at the table as Avures's gaze once again fell onto the wooden tabletop.
"So...what do you think the chances are of that Headmaster taking one of us away from here?"
"Fifty fifty. It either happens or it doesn't." Avures responded quickly. Rael frowned.
"I should have guessed. That kind of response is so typical of you."
"Is it wrong?"
"I suppose not. It's not very positive, though." Rael rolled her eyes and huffed. Avures turned his gaze towards her own. They stared at each other for a few moments before she grinned and continued. "I don't mind it. After all, I choose to look out for you because you're my buddy."
"Who said you had to do that?"
"Must you always act so cold? Geez..."
"I mean. It's just the way I am, I guess." Avures responded, shrugging. There was no particular reason. He never chose to act like this because of something. He simply just wanted to go forward in life. It was a strange thing to explain.
"Oh don't worry. I know. But if I left you alone, then you'd have no one else around to bother you!" Rael shoved him at the shoulder.
"He's here!" One of the teens shouted.
Everyone, including Avures and Rael, looked out the windows. They saw Mrs. Greene, greeting a man who looked professionally dressed. His attire consisted of a dark blue button down coat, a black undershirt, and a red scarf around his neck. His long pants matched his coat, and he wore black boots with a golden buckle. The man also wore white gloves and held a cane using them. His eyes were a bright yellow, and his hair was a pure white color. His hair was tied back in a ponytail except for a few strands which were strung over his forehead, and he had a beard and mustache to go along with it as well. Alongside him were two other figures as well. They wore black cloaks, so it was hard for any of the teens to discern what they looked like, not that it mattered to them.
After a few more moments of deliberation outside, Misses Greene escorted the three men inside. The teens quieted themselves and watched onward as the three dusted themselves off and walked into the room.
"The academy is always looking for fresh new faces, miss. I figure a few of these kids might like the opportunity." The headmaster said to Misses Greene. A silent excitement stirred among the teens as the three men lined themselves up against the wall and looked out towards them.
"Alright boys and girls, listen up. My name is Xilvas Numidis. You will call and address me as Headmaster, or Headmaster Xilvas. Now line up in rows." The old man spoke. All of the teens did as he wished, lining up in even rows. There were a total of sixteen of them, so they lined up in two rows with eight in each. Avures stood at the end of the second row, and beside him was Rael of course. After they had finished lining up, the two cloaked men began to walk towards opposite ends of the rows. One walked to the start of the first row, and the other came straight to Avures who was at the end of the second row. The cloaked man in front of Avures seemed to grip something within his hand on the inside of his attire.
"My assistants here are going to show you a black cube. You are to touch the cube with your index finger. Nothing more, nothing less. Once done, stay in place." Headmaster Xilvas stated.
The man held out the cube in front of Avures. He slowly brought his right hand up, extending his index finger. Carefully, he inched his hand to the cube. A steady vibration and warmth crept its way into his hand. As his index finger made contact with the cube, Avures felt a sudden stroke of heat pass through him. He reeled his finger back in surprise and held it. For once, he didn't have an immediate cold or standoffish answer to the feeling he received. He couldn't compose himself. He felt...wrong.
After he had pulled back, the man took the cube to Rael. She didn't take nearly as long as he did. With no hesitation, she touched the cube. Though, unlike himself, Rael held her finger to it for a while. The look on her face was a mixture of curiosity and surprise. She soon pulled it back and the man moved on. Rael held her hand up and blinked a couple of times before turning to face Avures.
"Whoa...That was… Hey Avures, are you okay?" Rael grabbed at Avures’s arm. Avures had turned back towards his hand. His index finger was now a solid black color. The boy stood in shock. He didn't know what to do or think.
"Rael...My-"
"Quiet! No talking until we're finished here." The Headmaster asserted. The two immediately silenced themselves until the process was finished. Avures clutched his finger. He tried scratching and rubbing at it, thinking of it as a sort of paint or stain, but it wouldn't give. Eventually the two cloaked men returned to the headmaster's side. He cleared his throat and grabbed everyone's attention.
"Now! Those of you who felt a chill, and sudden coldness upon touching the cube, raise your hands." Xilvas commanded. Almost instantly, all of the teens raised their hands, except Rael and Avures.
"Hmm, lower your hands now. And those of you who felt heat and a tingle, raise your hands." Xilvas restated. Rael raised her hand, but Avures did not. Maybe it was Avures succumbing to his quiet nature. Maybe he thought himself to be too unimportant to bother answering. Perhaps it was even an unwillingness to show what the cube did to his finger.... He did not raise his hand.
"So be it. Come up here, girl. What's your name?"
"My name is Rael." She walked up to him and bowed.
"Excellent. Well, allow me to explain this. A cold feeling is a reaction to the cube from those who do not possess previous experience from a special and volatile form of magic known as Flow. It seems that, as you are the only one who experienced heat, you alone have some form of exposure or inherent potential with it. As Headmaster, I offer you an invitation to Lancer Academy."
"I-I-I would be honored, Headmaster Xilvas!" Rael responded, bowing once again. One of the cloaked men whispered something in Xilvas's ear.
"Hmm... You! Boy in the back." Xilvas pointed at Avures. "My assistant here tells me you didn't raise your hand at all. Come now, explain yourself. What did you feel? And don't try to lie to me."
"I-..." Avures didn't know what to say. He could feel everyone staring at him, anticipating his response. He didn't want to draw more attention to himself, but it seemed like it might happen no matter what now. "I…”
Xilvas’s eyes narrowed down on the boy. His focus unwavering, and the pressure on Avures mounting.
“Felt nothing at all."
"..." No one uttered a word as everyone stared at him.
“Is that so…?” The headmaster squinted his eyes and formed a confused glare at him, but quickly broke this gaze. "Well, that means you're the only new student among your peers here. Go ahead and start packing your things. We'll depart as soon as you're ready."
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"Wait! Only she gets to go? No fair!" A teen spoke up. The rest of them except Avures started groaning.
"Hmm. I suppose it might be hard if Miss Rael arrives with no previous friends. Therefore, Rael, I will allow you to pick one of your peers here to come along with you."
Perhaps placing such a life changing decision upon a young teenager was not a good idea, but the Headmaster was curious as to who she would pick. The orphaned teens started to beg and plead with Rael to pick them. She cringed at the sudden, impulsive pleas of the others, but regained her composure as she looked at all of them. She was friends with just about everyone there. But there was only one person she would take with her. If she left him here...she couldn't look out for him anymore, and he would never have a chance to change.
"Avures." She said, pointing straight at him. The headmaster grinned.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. He's my friend, after all." Rael’s lips curled into a small smile as she met Avures's gaze.
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"What made you think I wanted to go?"
"Does it matter? You packed your stuff and got on this carriage with me."
"Well...it wouldn't have looked good if I didn't come after you picked me."
"Then maybe you should have raised your hand in the first place, huh buddy?" Rael stated. Avures turned away from her and looked out the closed carriages window. He couldn't see much other than a long tree line and a dirt path which led away from the village their orphanage was in.
"Yeah! Don't think I didn't notice your reaction to the cube." Rael pressed on. "I also saw your finger. That didn't happen to me, but I figured you were hiding it cause you were ashamed or something."
"I'm sorry...you could have brought anyone else along. But instead, you had to make up for me being unwilling to draw attention to myself." Avures quietly stated, still looking out the window. Rael was surprised and didn't have an immediate response. She looked around the carriage, looking for something to say.
"Did you… Open up to me there? That's out of character for you. But I can't help but feel that's not the only thing to it." Rael responded. Silence hung between them for a few more awkward moments. "I know that our friendship has been mostly one-sided… But I won't stop looking out for you at the Academy. I just hope you come around at some point, or assert yourself better."
"Yeah… Maybe." Avures mumbled, not budging from his position. His mind was running with the sort of possibilities he had now. He wasn't trapped at the orphanage any longer, but he couldn't help but feel that he traded one annoying prison for another. He knew nothing of the Academy, but assumed that it would be just like school in the village. Avures figured that he could handle more school work, but there's no doubt that it would be harder in some way. No matter what though, he just had to work through it.
Rael on the other hand was thoroughly excited. Getting to go to the academy was the sort of big dream that she never expected to be fulfilled. A straight learning course on how to be a Lancer. A privilege that only the extremely gifted or rich usually get. A completely life-changing opportunity had fallen right into her lap. She wouldn't let it go to waste.
"You two doing okay back here?" The Headmaster asked. A smaller door towards the front end of the carriage opened up and Xilvas climbed on through. He sat down beside Rael and looked at both of the teens.
"Yep. We're just anxious is all." Rael spoke for herself and Avures.
"The nerves will go away in due time. I remember my-" Xilvas stopped, interrupted by the carriage jumping to a halt.
"Headmaster, sir. There seems to be a problem." One of the cloaked men reported, looking through the small door.
"This better be worth interrupting my recollections." The Headmaster replied with a serious tone. He climbed up through the small door again and back out to the seats of the carriage. Both horses were stopped by the assistants with several figures ahead. There were five men standing in the road ahead. All of them were dressed in some scrounge-together and dirty garbs. These men also appeared to be armed. From the looks of it, they were highwaymen.
"Good day gentlemen! We here stand in your path and ask you that you do not resist as we cut you down and take your valuables!" The one thief in the center yelled out towards the carriage.
"Do you know who you're talking to? You might be making a mistake in trying to rob the Headmaster of Lancer Academy." Xilvas rebutted.
"There's no mistake, old man! Now go ahead and start praying. I'll give you time to make peace." The highwayman pointed a sword out, circling the tip of it around the old man’s figure. Xilvas squinted his eyes at the robber with a frown on his face. The highwayman who spoke had brown messy hair, a mustache, and a goatee. His eyes were a deep blue, and his skin was quite tan and unclean. His outfit was a ragtag of dirty leather armor and other colorful items, and to his side was a sheathed sword.
"Hmm. So that's how it is." Xilvas spoke. His frown curled into a smirk as he turned his attention back to the teens inside the cart. "Come on out. You're going to watch a master grade Lancer at work. Assistants, keep an eye on the kids."
Rael and Avures obliged and exited the carriage through the door on the back end. Xilvas stepped off of the carriage and past the horses towards the highwaymen. The two assistants also got off the carriage and escorted the teens forward. Rael and Avures were greeted to the sight of the bandits ahead. Their eyes widened as they watched Headmaster Xilvas stand off against them.
"So. Who sent you?" Xilvas asked, reaching into his coat.
"Huh? Nobody sent us. You got unlucky, that's all." The bandit responded, reaching for the handle of his sword.
"You're pretty brave, lying to my face like that. Normally, I'd offer an assailant mercy, but you must have a death-wish if you insist on telling lies to me." Xilvas’s gaze ran cold as he pulled out a strange circular object and held it within his hand. "Surely your employer told you about my Shade."
"You? A Shade? You're an old man. Don't make me laugh."
"Oh...you poor, poor uninformed sheep. You've walked right into the slaughter."
And with that, four of the bandits pulled out various weapons and dashed towards Xilvas. They widened themselves out, forming a circle around him. The highwaymen intended to surround the headmaster.
"Oh god! No! Headmaster!" Rael called out. Her eyes widened with fear. She felt herself wanting to leap out to help. However, with one of the assistants holding a firm grip on her hand, she was basically rooted in place. Avures watched on, completely motionless. His eyes were filled with shock. He felt something strange about the whole thing. His lips quietly trembled with a fascination and confusion he had never felt before in his life. He brought his right hand up to his face, instinctively trying to relieve the overpowering nerve and tension by biting down on his fingers. A coping mechanism. But, that is when he saw it. That black finger. He stared at it, feeling a sort of draw. In his vision, the blackness of the finger peeled away from the center of flange and revealed something beyond. It was almost like it had gone transparent, but he could see something. Xilvas flicking his wrist, a mist of red flying everywhere. A glimpse of something to come? All at once, the truth of the matter set in. A faint idea on what it meant to be a Lancer, and the power they held came to Avures.
"Rael… I can see it… He's going to murder them all." Avuresmurmored, having received the strange premonition. And as soon as he said the words, a loud slicing sound split the air itself. The four bandits charging Xilvas stopped in place. It was so fast, so sudden. If the two teens had blinked, they would have missed it, but they saw a line whir in a circle around the Headmaster with untold speed. After a second of standstill, this moment frozen in time, several crimson waterfalls sprayed forth from the assailants. They slowly fell to their knees and onto the ground as pools of blood littered the soil below them. The Headmaster still held a grin on his face, but the object in his hand became more clear. What was a circular shape had actually unfolded out into a long, silvery line. It was hard to tell how long this thing was exactly, but at the end of the line was a metal like stud. The area of the line around the stud was covered in blood as well. The object was clearly a long metal whip.
"Uh-..." The remaining bandit was left speechless by the sudden death of his four comrades. However, he quickly came to his senses and pulled out his sword.
"Looks can be deceiving, can't they?" Xilvas spoke, still grinning. "Though, I guess I've revealed myself."
"Yeah, I'd say… But I'm nothing like those guys. I'll kill you, geezer." The highwayman spoke. The appearance of Xilvas had changed drastically. Though his outfit had stayed the same, the blood of the four men he just cut down had gotten all over him from head to toe. The Headmaster wiped the blood from his face. Rael and Avures were stunned. Though the assistants were holding their hands, they dared not move.
"You must know my full name if you came out here to kill me. So I won't bother saying it. However, I'll tell you what. If you manage to help me show these young bloods what a Lancer can really do, by fighting for your life...I'll be sure to remember your name after I make an example out of you."
"To think some old teacher like you would be this arrogant."
"Arrogance? This is merely how I conduct myself towards an enemy. I'm offering you an honor. Try not to disappoint." Xilvas finished.
"My name is Jarvar, and once I kill you-...you old man! I'll be filthy fucking rich!" The bandit shouted. He raised his free hand. A swirl of fast and bright bolts of electricity orbited the palm of his hand. Jarvar thrust the palm of this electrified hand towards Xilvas, expelling a bolt of lightning at high speeds. With his first move set in motion, Jarvar charged with sword in hand. His plan? Attack the headmaster while he was distracted.
However, this didn't go as planned. Xilvas took a quick breath, and summoned up a strong wind from his lungs. He blew this wind at the bolt, deflecting the attack upwards into the sky. And now, with the assailant quickly running towards him, Xilvas flicked his wrist and put his whip into action. The metallic line wrapped itself around Jarvar's sword. And, with another flick, Xilvas ripped the sword out of the bandit's hand and into the air. Jarvar stopped in his tracks after this, astonished at the speed at which Xilvas wielded his whip.
"You probably should have kept a tighter grip on your weapon." Xilvas smugly proclaimed.
"It works all the same for me, geezer. Watch this." Jarvar rebutted. He clapped his hands together and pulled apart with a glow enveloping his hands. A sharp sound was sent forth from above them. The result? The whip lost its grip on the sword, falling back down to the ground. Now, the sword was split into several pieces. The pieces were held and moved within the air by an electrical storm above Xilvas. They spun around and rotated.
"You have a Shade yourself? Excellent. Now let's see if-" Xilvas was interrupted by a whirring sound overhead. One of the blade's pieces spun at an extreme speed as it quickly cascaded at him. He hardly had any time to react as it sliced by him. The piece cleanly cut through his attire and wounded his left side. Xilvas's expression turned from smug to anger in an instant. Though the whirring blades were still above him, the headmaster paid no heed to that as he flicked his wrist upward. The whip traveled towards Jarvar and zipped upwards. In a blindingly fast slice, the whip cracked and cut Jarvar's nose in half down the middle.
"Ugh! fuck!" Jarvar screamed out, clutching his nose and trembling. His eyes went wide and bloodshot.
"Interrupting me was a poor choice. But, not as poor of a choice as your Shade. Surely you have another weapon on you, right? Because otherwise, you gave up your main defense. And against a longer range opponent too."
"Of course I have more weapons on me-you!...you!" Jarvar bellowed out. But then, he calmed. He took a deep breath, through his mouth of course, and recomposed himself. He pulled out two daggers, holding one in each hand while forgetting his wounded nose. "I'm at an advantage. And now it's time for me to take it."
"Then let's see it." Xilvas challenged. As he did, the blade pieces within the air spun up and made slashing strikes at him. The shards moved with a new urgency as they all barreled down at and around Xilvas. Suddenly, it seemed as if the old man kicked into a higher gear as he started furiously countering the blades with his whip. The sound of clashing metal and slicing wind overpowered all sounds outside of the battle. Jarvar was able to approach and set his sights on the old man as his Shade did the work of occupying his ranged capabilities. Within a few feet now, Jarvar swiped repeatedly at Xilvas with both of the daggers. With a similar speed to his whip, the old man weaved around the bandit's attacks while still deflecting the blade pieces. And with each deflection, it seemed like the battle was getting harder and harder to see.
Avures and Rael could only watch on as the onslaught ensued. With every deflected and dodged blow, Rael felt a stream of nerves and relief. To her, this all looked impossible. There was a mixture of fear, yet excitement. If this was what Lancers were capable of, then she wanted every little bit of it. Not that she necessarily wanted power, but she found it extraordinary. And perhaps, it was unoriginal, she wanted to help people. Rael was instantly exposed to a new way of life, something completely foreign to her, and she wanted nothing more than to live that exciting lifestyle.
Avures, on the other hand, was intrigued and slightly horrified. To think that someone could move that fast, deal that much damage, all of it with knowledge and training at the Academy? It was shocking. But, the possibilities were open. It was strange to say. Normally, Avures was only guided by his wish to stay quiet and unnoticed, but suddenly he felt a pull. Somehow, the power that Xilvas displayed had given the young teenager a new feeling. One that never crossed his mind fully before. Envy. Avures lifted his finger back up to his eyes. The darkness peeled away again and revealed something.
Avures could see something new. The assailant, Jarvar, was going to seemingly create more blade pieces by sacrificing the two daggers. Then he'd pull out another set. But then...
"The Headmaster...he's going to be overwhelmed." Avures whispered as he lowered his finger. The two assistants and Rael turned to face him.
"Then someone should help him, right?" Rael looked between the three of them. Avures shook his head in disapproval.
"But when that happens..."
Jarvar tossed his two daggers to the side, pulling out new ones as the discarded weapons fragmented.
"The battle..."
The bandit rushed down Xilvas one last time as all the pieces converged towards him at once.
"Will be over..."
The sound of crashing winds and blades filled the air in an instant, but what followed was silence. A full second of silence stood as the pieces of the blade were seemingly frozen in motion. The fragments hung near inches away from Xilvas, but then, they dropped to the ground. At the same time, a sudden gasp was heard. The origin? Jarvar. Xilvas's fist rested against the stomach of the highwayman.
"W-what?" Jarvar barely managed to whimper out. Xilvas pulled his fist away and Jarvar fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air.
"You made a mistake. If you ever invest in a full offensive flurry, you cannot ever let up until you do sizable damage. Let that be a valuable lesson to you, kids." Xilvas explained, in a matter-of-fact manner. "You also disregarded the element your opponent used. Wind. Every deflecting blow with my whip also manipulated the air around us, creating a second strike like the original. It was in preparation for the moment you let up. I released it to buy me the space and time I needed to land the decisive blow. A punch to the gut imbued with wind magic designed to release all air from your lungs instantly."
"That's...insane." Avures muttered out, cringing at the thought of receiving such an attack.
"That was...awesome." Rael whispered, teeming with excitement.
"And that ends the example. Thank you for your assistance, Jarvar...However, I'm not done with you." Xilvas finished then kicked Jarvar in the head and instantly knocked him unconscious. "I know it must seem overwhelming and confusing, but it'll make more sense in due time, children. Onward to the Academy."
And so their journey continued onward to the city of Tumae. The Capital city of Palmenae. Though the names of said places didn't really matter much to Avures and Rael, they knew that the Academy was there. Truly, where else would it be? The noise was unexpected though. When their carriage had slowly encroached towards the city, the droning noise of chatter and daily occurrences had filled their ears progressively. The slow gain in volume had inched its way into their heads in such a way they hadn't noticed until they thought about it. It was so unlike anything they had experienced. It was uncomfortable for Avures. But, Rael wasn't so off-put by it as she was annoyed.
The chirping of the city seemed to slow the journey down to a crawl. For the two of them, who had gone from an orphanage in a small village to a capital city, it was completely foreign. They could only sit in the back in silence, waiting on and on. The day dragged, and the late evening settled in. Eventually, it seemed that the chirping of the city died down. Whether due to the late hours, or the carriage leaving the city, Avures was thankful. It felt like they had traversed the entire length of the journey so far all over again, but then, the cart stopped. The backdoor to the carriage opened up. Both of the assistants were seen gesturing for Avures and Rael to come out. It was time. They grabbed their stuff out of the carriage and hopped out.
The building in front of them was massive. Bigger than anything they had ever seen. A large, dark blue tinted structure was held before them with white banners draped down both sides. Several rows of windows dotted the entire structure on both the right and left sides. There lay a metal gate in front of them which enclosed a massive front yard and a fountain to boot. The door itself was a deep brown color with gold-encrusted handles and fixtures. The two of them could feel the sort of prestigious aura the structure gave off. It did also seem that the academy was just outside the city as a wood-line could be seen beyond the building. This was it.
Xilvas was nowhere to be seen, nor was Jarvar. Avures and Rael could only assume that he carried him off somewhere. In the meantime, the assistants escorted them forward. As soon as the doors were opened, a whiff of a thick wood and sweat greeted them. It was a strange mix. Rael sniffed the air in front of her, but Avures felt his stomach churn as he nearly keeled over.
The assistants led them further into the building. They didn't bother to stop and explain things. Rather, they made some twists and turns until they started going down a dead-end hallway. Eventually, they stopped. Avures and Rael were greeted by the sight of the door the assistants stopped at. 2301. Was this really the 2301st room in this building? They were a bit confused.
"You both will be staying here. Orientation begins tomorrow at sunrise." One of the assistants spoke. "You'll meet your classmates there...oh, and welcome to the academy."
The assistants bowed and exited the room. Rael and Avures shut the door behind them as they dragged their belongings in. The two of them felt odd, actually having a room. The orphanage where they normally lived had two bedrooms separated by gender. They ended up sharing said room with a handful of other kids. But this room was just as big as any one of the two bedrooms from there, and they only had to share amongst each other. There were two beds on the opposite sides of the room. Each side had a bedside table, a drawer for clothes, a mirror, and a desk. The only difference was that one side had a window beside the bed.
"Dibs on the window side!" Rael quickly called out. She threw her stuff to the bedside and hopped into the bed. The waning sun's orange light shined through the window onto her.
"Fine with me." Avures spoke as he started to put away his things on the other side of the room.
The two of them didn't have too many belongings between each other. Besides clothes, all they had were a few nick-knacks. Avures was done in a short amount of time. He organized all his things on the dresser, though it was just a journal and a book. Rael had gotten started shortly after she was done laying down. As they both finished up, the sun had finally set. The two of them had also gotten changed into some pajamas, looking away from each other even in darkness. They then both lay down in their respective beds, though neither had fallen asleep just yet.
"Hey, Avures..." Rael spoke, staring into the ceiling. "You wouldn't happen to be thinking about it too, would you?"
"What's that?" Avures asked.
"That fight. The Headmaster. He-...He killed those people instantly."
"He did..."
"I knew that we'd be seeing a whole new world, but I guess I just wasn't expecting that. The suddenness of it all. It was kinda scary."
"Yeah...I almost felt sick watching it."
"Hmm." Rael muttered out. A long silence hung between the two of them. "Well. Tomorrow is a new day for both of us. I'm gonna try to sleep now. Goodnight, Avures."
"Night." Avures responded.
They were both in a completely unfamiliar place. They were both looking towards the new futures they had. Avures wondered what was in store for them, and hoped that it was a lifestyle he could stick to. Rael thought much of the same, though she had always been more energetic and joyous about such things. But the journey they would be heading into was beyond anything they could have imagined.