Mages Academy

Headmistress’ Office

Cassandra Moonscar found herself staring across her desk at Instructor Burns for the second time in as many days. The difference now, being that he’d brought the subject of their conversation with him.

Taking her first opportunity to examine the two young men standing on each side of Burns. She had to admit they were an appealing pair.

Above average height, though, Quinten appears to be a bit bulkier. Both fill out their white mage robes nicely. I expect that you’d have all the silly young ladies following you around like lost puppies. If it weren’t for your father. She thought, her gaze settling on Q.

“You requested this meeting. What is it you felt was important enough to keep us all from our mid-day meals?”

Quinten opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when Burns cleared his throat.

Brave enough to speak, but smart or disciplined enough to listen, Cassandra mused.

At her nod, Instructor Burns began. “Headmistress, Mages Vaelmara and Valtieri would like to test out of their first-years at the academy.”

Cassandra had to fight to keep the surprise from her face. She’d heard about the difficulties young Quinten had been facing from his fellow students. It was the reason she’d thought he’d requested the meeting.

I thought he’d ask for my assistance… but this—yes. This could be for the best. She thought with growing excitement. The sooner he graduates, the sooner he’s someone else’s problem.

Shifting her gaze to her instructor, she asked. ”Do you believe they are already prepared for second-year? Hardly a week of class has passed.”

Nodding, Burns met her eyes levelly. “Yes, headmistress, I do.”

The man had earned her respect over the years he’d been an instructor. Not just because his group of students consistently performed well during testing. It was the way in which he played the game that made her trust his judgment.

“You, I understand, Mage Ashford.” The use of his name, intentional. Focusing on the other young man, she asked. “But why would you want to leave the academy early…? Are you not being challenged? Or has your mother already taught you everything you need to know about being a mage in the Core, Mage Vaelmara?” Her eyes narrowing in anticipation.

The boy frowned slightly, his eyes darting toward Q briefly before settling on her once more.

Visibly swallowing, he replied. “I am not benefitting from my current classes, headmistress. I would like to progress and be challenged.”

Amusement had the corner of Cassandra’s lips curl up into a small smirk.

“To be challenged, he says. Your Instructor in Transmutation has expressed concerns that his class is already too challenging for you—”

Whatever she was going to say, forgotten in the snort that burst out of Q in surprise. The room went quiet as everyone stared at him, scarlet faced in embarrassment.

“I—my apologies.” The boy said as he stared unblinking at the wall behind Clarissa.

“As I was saying…” Trailing off when Cedric began to shift. Growing nearly a foot in height, his ears elongated and large canines pushed out from between his lips. Black hair began to sprout across his exposed skin before rippling in reverse as he shifted back to his normal form, and the light tan he had since walking in.

That incompet—stars above. If it wasn’t for the Archmage. Cassandra raved internally, still managing to keep her composure in the face of this revelation.

“I see.” She said. The air growing tense when she failed to say more, like a musician tightening the string of a lute.

Finally, she asked, “Did they pass the physical portion of the exams this morning?”

“They did. They came in at the top for their year, and would have beaten roughly seventy-five percent of the second-year’s scores.”

His answer caught Quinten by surprise. She could tell by the way his eyes flicked to the older man, widening slightly. Overconfident, she thought. He expected to be the best.

Making her decision, Cassandra said, “Instead of the standard testing this afternoon, take them to the Proving Grounds. If they can pass the end-of-year requirements, I will sign off on you advancing to the second year class.”

“Thank you for your time, headmistress.” Burns said before turning and indicating for his two students to precede him out.

Cassandra remained at her desk, watching as they left her office.

I may have to let a few ladies know about those two. They could be trouble, but they’ll undoubtably make a splash. Lost in thought as she stared at the heavy wooden door closing behind them.

*****

Q and Cedric let out twin sighs of relief as they left the headmistress’s office. The meeting had been intense. Leaving them a little slouched in the shoulders, even if the rest of them buzzed with energy.

“Are either of you hungry, or would you rather get the testing started now?” Burns asked.

Q’s stomach rumbled, but he was too excited to sit through lunch.

Making their way toward a section of campus neither of the boys had been to before, Cedric asked, “We saw the requirement list, but do we just go down them one by one, with you checking them off, or…?”

“It is a practical test, set by the Crown, and dependent on the individual’s Gifts. They want to know the Mage Core can send out any of their members, and they’ll be able to perform these tasks when needed.” He explained, leading them into a large stone building.

Unlike most on campus, this one had large windows of colored crystal lighting the entryway. The colors highlighting the polished stone floors and the expensive furniture dotted throughout.

Peering around at the opulence, Q asked, “What is this place?”

Burns let out a small sigh. “This building is commonly referred to as the Proving Grounds. All of this,” he said, indicating the entryway, “Is for show. It is common for high-ranking nobles to attend their children’s testing or to scout out potential marriage prospects.”

Q raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.” He said with a small shudder. “They host the Mid-year Ball and hold the graduation ceremony here as well.”

The news about the Ball was interesting. But this was the first time Burns had mentioned anything close enough to the topic, that it felt appropriate for Q to ask.

“Uh… how did—how do you find being married?”

Pausing beside a gilded bench, Burns considered him and his question. He placed a hand on the shining surface, gripping it hard enough to turn his knuckles white. His gaze darting to Cedric where a similar curiosity burned in his eyes.

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“It’s… different. But, as are many things, complicated.” The older man stared at the colorful lights streaming through the window as they played across the floor. “I was selected by a high-ranking noble family. They wanted me to wed their daughter after they saw my final exam. It didn’t matter to them that I already had someone in mind. Someone I grew close to here at the academy.“

The lines around Burns’ mouth tightened, and Q watched as he took a calming breath. “They offered much in consideration, but I still declined their proposition. Not long after that, our family’s trade agreements with nearby towns started drying up. One merchant said he was going out of business, only for us to later learn he’d just changed his route. Another said they could no longer supply us with the materials we needed to make our main export. It put us into trouble financially. My father—came to me asking me to reconsider.”

Lips pressed together in a thin line, he looked up from the floor and shrugged. “I did what was necessary to support my family. It was like I’d unblocked a dam. The moment I agreed to the marriage, all of our lost contacts suddenly reappeared.”

He peered between the two young men, listening with rapt attention. “As you can imagine, our marriage was not one filled with love. I did my duty, but was due for my service to the Mage Core. During my absence, there were rumors my wife had taken a lover. She was already starting to show with child when I returned.”

Q winced at the man’s tale. Both boys sympathizing with the shame and embarrassment that betrayal must have wrought.

“She chose to return to her family’s estates in shame, and likely to birth the babe. I’d already seen what they were willing to do to force the marriage. Destitution would be the least of my family’s worries if I’d chosen to make public their daughter’s transgressions. I couldn’t petition the King to have the marriage dissolved—I was stuck. Until…”

In that pocket of silence, a small smile was born. “Until… the King’s Edicts. It was like a stay of execution removing the noose from my neck. I was free to marry once more, and if I was quick enough—to choose my own bride this time.” Leaning against the pew, he smiled up a the ceiling as he recalled those frantic few weeks. “Which, is exactly what I did. I set out the next morning to where I knew my lost love to be stationed with the Core. I asked her to marry me within moments of finding her.” Chuckling, he continued, “Nearly fell off my horse and broke my neck doing it. That was 3 years ago, and we could not be happier.”

Q and Cedric grinned along with him, Cedric’s expression scrunching up a moment later,

“Uh… Not to ruin your story. But, don’t you have to marry three mages under the Edicts…?”

Q wasn’t sure how he’d expected the man to react to Cedric’s question, but a grin wasn’t it. “I do, within the next year, actually. I’m not concerned. Lara has already picked out a friend of hers that she’s willing to bring into our family. We live in odd times, gentlemen. Sometimes, all we can do is embrace them.”

*****

The large chamber Burns led them in to, was very similar to Q’s own magic chamber back in Wycliffe, just on a grander scale. This must have inspired Grandmother when she built mine.

The crystal in the very center of the room’s ceiling was huge, nearly twice the size of a man, and it reflected enough light that left not a shadow visible from where they stood on the ground floor. Outside of the main area were raised areas for spectator seating. Q turned in a circle and whistled. They could fit nearly three hundred people in the room without feeling cramped.

Burns clapped his hands once and said. “The practical assessment covers each of your gifts. They will all be the same, except for the addition of your Elemental magic, Q. You will be given a task that you must complete to the best of your ability while using only the designated gift…”

*****

“Remember, these tests are not about your fighting ability. These are meant to simulate real-life scenarios that you will commonly see while serving in the Mage Core.” Burns approached a podium where Q could see different colored crystals imbedded in the stone. Placing a hand on each side of the podium, they began to glow. A moment later, the room began to shake. Stone shifted as a miniature castle rose out of the floor.

Q and Cedric stared openmouthed, watching in disbelief as castle walls followed by a water filled mote were formed. Stone figures appeared on the parapet circling the castle, shields growing out of their arms, forming an even more intimidating defensive structure.

The pair turned to their instructor, incredulous. Grinning from ear to ear, he said. “I never get tired of seeing student’s reactions to that.”

Q readied himself as Burns announced the objective of his first trial. To either breach the front gate, the walls, or to circumvent them entirely. Penetrating the defenses using only his Physical gift.

“Begin!”

Q dashed toward the gates. Pumping his magic through his legs. He felt the energy boosting his speed and endurance as he focused on the muscles and tendons propelling him forward. He was ready when the golems began to throw balls of earth. Dodging them as they flew or shattering them with a strengthened fist. Closing the distance, the ranged attacks grew more frequent, more accurate, and more powerful. Q had to resist tapping into his other gifts to aid in the challenge.

Just as he was getting close enough that the walls would hide him from view. The defenders changed tactics, launching several projectiles at once. Q knew immediately that at least one would hit. Dropping the boost being sent to his legs, he redirected it into his bones and skin, strengthening them to withstand the hits. He crossed his arms in front of his face, and ducked his head, bracing for impact. The first strike hit his elbow, numbing the limb. The second clipped his knee. Forcing out a grunt of pain.

Shit, they are not playing around. That would have broken my arm if I wasn’t enhancing it.

He dove forward, rolling out of their area of attack. He took a moment to catch his breath. Crouching, he pushed power into his lower body. Leaping nearly a dozen feet, he drove his strengthened fingers into the stone, doing the same with his toes. Destroying the soft padding making up their white uniform shoes, he began to climb.

When he reached the parapet, he wasn’t surprised by what he saw.

Peeking between two crenelations, he locked eyes, or what would have been eyes, with the earth golem standing before him. Realizing he had no other options. Q pulled his toes free and braced his heels flat against the stone. Shoving off with his legs and freeing his hands in the process. He swung up and over, clearing the wall.

That was where his good luck ended, his momentum taking Q’s crotch right into the golem’s face. Pain shot through him, making him collapse, clutching himself in reflex. Thankfully, he was hidden from view by the low wall. It took him several minutes, but Q eventually rolled off the side, landing in a crouch within the castle walls.

I am never telling Cedric about this. He thought as he limped toward the gates.

His friend’s strategy was very different from Q’s. Instead of scaling the wall, he went with a straightforward gatecrash. Catching one of the thrown projectiles, Cedric used it as a shield to reach the wall, proceeding to bash the gate’s wooden exterior until it splintered. He then used the cracks in the wood to create a hole where he could reach in and lift the locking bar. It took him longer and against anyone living, would never have worked, but it got the job done.

For the test of their Mental gifts, the roles were reversed. The two young men having to defend a section of the wall from attacking golems, using only their telekinesis. Without the attackers shooting at them, It was a surprisingly easy task. The main concern being running out of energy too quickly. With the simulated defenders still throwing their projectiles, Q was able to beat back any golems that reached the walls, crushing them on the stones below. It reinforced why so few cities in the Kingdom of Rivenna had been attacked in their history.

Cedric followed Q’s example, but chose to grab a few of the earthen balls the defenders launched, and used them to target the golems at range.

Their transmutation test required a change of scenery, with Burns once more using the pedestal. The stone castle melted back into the floor, a bridge made of earth taking its place. The required task was for each of the students to transmute the bridge so that it was strong enough to support a loaded wagon traveling across.

Having seen what was required to supply troops in his time on the kingdom’s border, Q recognized the practicality of the task, and happily started reinforcing the bridge. Starting at the base, he transmuted the support columns to stone, and combined the smaller stones interspersed throughout the dirt, forming the bridge to interlocking stone blocks. The deck, or bottom layer of the bridge that the wagon would cross, Q turned into a single piece of granite. He then covered it in a layer of small, loose stones, and finally, created a final layer of granite across the top.

The entire process took Q half an hour, and when he stepped back, he looked at his work with satisfaction.

Burns, on the other hand, stood dumbfounded. At most, he expected the stone pillars and a single layer of hardened earth across the top. It would have earned the student a passing grade. This—this was something all together different. The instructor approached the bridge and looked it over thoroughly. Noticing the finer details of the interlocking stones and the gravel interwoven between granite layers.

Turning back to Q, he couldn’t resist asking, ”By the stars, where did you learn bridge construction?”

Scratching the back of his neck, he shrugged. “This is how my grandfather taught me to build them. We saw similar ones all throughout the Western Marches.”

Burns just shook his head. “Let me reset the bridge and we will see what you can do, Cedric.”

Cedric completed the task without issue. Putting in significantly less effort after seeing Burns’ reaction to Q’s work.

With no great fanfare, Burns ran Q through the Elemental portion of the test. Having him conjure a shelter made of earth, draw water without a readily available source, and cast a flame to simulate an attack. Finally, he harnessed the wind, simulating filling a sail, and maintaining it for fifteen minutes.

Grinning as he released the current of air, Q and Cedric traded a fist bump. As anti-climactic as the end of the test had been. They’d done it, they were now second-years.