The Royal Mage Academy sat on a hill overlooking Endria City. It provided a breathtaking view of the skyline and the Gulf of Madora behind it. If this wasn't enough, the Forest of Giants loomed on the other side of the campus. They called the forest this because of the gigantic trees, but rumors said giants once roamed the woods. To compliment these beautiful vistas, they built the academy buildings out of red brick and designed them in a vintage style, which made the school seem older than it was. It looked like the kind of place that would teach magic in old storybooks. The Endrian government went out of its way to entice people to pursue magical careers because they needed the manpower. But they didn't need to worry. Most people who carried the necessary gene for using magic wanted to go to the Mage Academy, whether it had an exquisite view. The academy taught and trained three types of magical users, which were red, blue, and yellow mages.

Red Mages used physical magic. They became masters of their bodies. A red mage could employ magic to enhance their strength, senses, and endurance. These traits made them great warriors, fighters, and survivors. Some became known for enduring extreme environments stark naked because they could regulate their body temperature. Furthermore, Red Mages could change their appearance or the appearance of others by magically manipulating a person's anatomy. It made them handy for espionage, protection, or simply pranking your friends.

Blue Mages practiced elemental magic. They could combine and mix elements to create new metals. Plus, they could enchant objects and imbue them with magical properties. Additionally, they could open portals and teleport themselves and others. And, of course, they utilized earth, wind, fire, and water spells, but they also combined them to unleash ice and gasses. Their abilities made them great ranged fighters in the days when mages fought in wars. However, most kingdoms switched to non-magical soldiers after the Great Mage War almost devastated the world.

Yellow mages performed mental and spiritual magic. Their gifts included telekinesis, telepathy, visions, prophecy, illusions, and healing. They were the most versatile of the mages due to their vast array of abilities. Some became oracles if they showed enough proficiency in visions. However, that was a position that many didn't want due to the toll it took on your mind.

Graduates from all three mage classes gathered on the academy lawn for the Royal Guard orientation. They chatted among themselves while they waited. A feeling of nervousness and excitement ran through the crowd, especially between two friends, Jake O'Reilly and Bret Cable. Jake was a tall young man with shoulder-length dark brown hair, and Bret was of average height and had sandy blond hair. Bret was the more anxious of the two, but that was because Jake appeared too hungover to feel much of anything.

"How are you feeling?" Bret asked.

"Not so loud," Jake mumbled, adjusting his sunglasses.

"I wasn't loud," Bret laughed. "You shouldn't have gone drinking last night."

"I had to get it out of my system before today."

"It won't be that bad," Bret said, but Jake didn't think he meant it.

"Easy for you to say, Mr. Top of the Class."

"I was number four."

"That's still in the top five."

"You could have ranked higher."

"There was no chance. Donaldson had it out for me."

"You shouldn't have gotten caught with his daughter in your dorm room."

"You're right," Jake said, which brought a smile to Bret's face. "I shouldn't have gotten caught," Jake added, erasing the smile. Then Jake laughed, but he stopped quickly and rubbed his temple.

While Jake grumbled under his breath, Bret glanced at the people around them until he noticed someone unfamiliar. She was a few inches shorter than him and had the high cheekbones and tan skin of someone from the eastern continents. Her umber hair fell past her shoulders in light curls and shined in the early morning sun. Bret didn't realize he was staring until she caught his eye and smiled.

"Are you listening to me?" Jake asked.

"Huh?"

"I said a giant walked out of the forest and did interpretive dance in his underwear."

"What!?" Bret asked, turning to look at Jake.

"Just seeing if you're paying attention. Who's the girl?"

"Don't know. I never saw her at the academy."

"Well, go learn her name," Jake said, nudging Bret forward. "And don't do that thing you always do."

"What thing?"

"You say something stupid every time you meet a new girl."

"No, I don't," Bret said, but he walked away before Jake could argue. The girl smiled again when Bret approached, but Bret froze when he reached her. His mouth opened and closed several times, so she looked toward Jake for answers. Jake shrugged. "Hey, um, nice face," Bret said once he found his voice, but he turned to leave immediately. She grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Sorry. I meant my name is Bret Cable. What's your name?"

"Maya Abbott. It's nice to meet you," she laughed.

"I like your accent. Where are you from?"

"I'm from Kotan. My family immigrated here recently."

"What made you guys decide to come here?"

"We were trying to escape the Kotani civil war, and Endria offered refuge."

"Did you go to school here at the academy?"

"No, I went to the academy in Kotan, but you have a beautiful school here. It's much nicer than ours."

"You're beautiful," Bret thought to himself before speaking. "What kind of mage are you?" Bret asked.

"I'm a yellow mage, and thank you."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Maya chuckled. "What kind of mage are you, Bret?"

"I'm a blue," Bret said, but he flinched because a pebble struck him in the shoulder. He ignored it until a second one popped him in the head. "Will you excuse me for a second," he said and hurried over to Jake, scowling at him. "What!?"

"I'm trying to save you. You don't want to date a yellow mage."

"Don't eavesdrop on my conversations. And why shouldn't I date a yellow mage?"

"They remember everything. You don't want a girl who can't forget. Besides, she was reading your mind."

"She was?"

"No offense, but you're dense sometimes."

"I take offense," Bret sighed. "Now, I'm going back over there before she thinks I'm not interested," Bret added, leaving before Jake could protest.

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"Your friend doesn't like me," Maya said when Bret returned.

"He's distrustful of new people. Don't mind him."

"I'm used to it. People always distrust yellow mages. They think we're out to mind control them."

"I like yellow mages just fine."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Would you like to get coffee with me later?"

"Look, you seem nice, but I don't want to give you the wrong idea. I'm not looking to date right now."

"Oh, right. That's fine. It was nice meeting you, but I should probably go," Bret stammered. Maya seemed confused and disappointed, but Bret left before he could make more of a fool of himself. He returned to Jake, who stared toward the city, pretending he had stopped watching their exchange. "What? No witty remark?" Bret asked.

"That was rough, so I figured I'd give you a break."

"Was it that bad?"

"It could have been worse, but at least you put on a nice face."

"I hate you sometimes," Bret grumbled.

***

They only had to wait another twenty minutes before a tall, dark-skinned man with graying black hair appeared before them. Two men and one woman followed behind him. They all wore the black coats of the Royal Guard.

"Attention, recruits!" the tall man said, his magically enhanced voice reaching even the farthest person. "My name is Marcus Hamilton. I will be your head trainer. These are my assistants, Franco, Hurst, and Davies," he continued, motioning toward the people behind him. "Today is merely an orientation. Your formal training will begin tomorrow. Now, I want to get a headcount and speak with each of you. So, I want you to group up with your mage class. Yellows go to my right. Blues stand in front of me. And reds move to my left." Marcus waited as everyone moved into position. He stood at attention with his hands clasped behind his back, watching them with an intensity that made Jake a little uncomfortable. "Keep the noise down! Just group up and remain silent!" he added when the muttering became too loud.

Once everyone was in place, Marcus walked up and down the line in front of them. He left them silent for what felt like minutes before he spoke again. "We will test you tomorrow to see how much you learned and retained from the academy."

"Didn't they test us enough in school?" Jake whispered to the man next to him.

"I want to see where you all stand, O'Reilly," Marcus said, staring Jake in the eyes. "Yes, I know who you are. Your reputation precedes you."

"He has ears like a bat," Jake said.

"No, just ears like a red mage," Marcus said. Jake noticed the irises of Marcus's eyes were glowing red. "If you have finished, I'd like to continue."

"Sorry, sir."

"Now, I want you all to line up alphabetically within your groups," Marcus said, which caused a cacophony of confused muttering. "Most of you attended classes together, and you've had thirty minutes to socialize. This shouldn't be that hard!" It took a few minutes, but everybody settled into place and waited. Marcus let them stew anxiously for a moment before proceeding. "Okay, I will walk down each line and speak with you. If I am not talking to you, you will remain silent!" he said, moving toward the yellows first. Maya stood at the front of her line, so he approached her. "Miss Abbott, I haven't received your file from Kotan yet. Tell me about yourself," Marcus said, eyeing his clipboard.

"My name is Maya Abbott. I graduated from the National Mage Academy of Kotan and ranked sixth in my class."

"What are your strengths in yellow magic?"

"I'm strong with telepathy and illusions."

"How about visions? Have you had any?"

"Um, yes. I have," she said, breaking eye contact and staring at the ground.

"Have you been tested as an Oracle?"

"Yes, sir."

"Results?" Marcus asked, but Maya hesitated to answer. "The results will be in your file, Miss Abbott."

"Positive, sir," Maya said in almost a whisper.

"Do you plan on pursuing that calling? Only a few Oracles choose to join the guard. Your talents are usually needed elsewhere. I can put you in touch with Hester Lane."

"No, sir. I prefer the guard."

"Very well. I know it isn't for everyone, and you aren't obligated to do it. We will be happy to test your mettle here."

"Thank you, sir."

Marcus nodded before asking his final question. "And what are your weaknesses in yellow magic?"

"My healing abilities are average, and I have problems with dreamwalking. I could never get the hang of it."

"Fair enough. That is a difficult ability. Thank you, Miss Abbott," Marcus said, moving down the line. Once he finished with the yellows, he joined the blues. Soon, Marcus stood before Bret, who fidgeted with his shirt but maintained eye contact. "Mr. Cable, you have high marks in fire spells, teleportation, and portals, but you scored low in metallurgy."

"Yes, sir. The scientific side of blue magic isn't my strong suit."

"That's fine. You won't use that side often in this line of work."

"Thank you, sir," Bret said. Marcus seemed ready to move on, but Bret stopped him. "I'm pretty decent with some light enchanting, though."

"That's nice, but you won't need much of that in the guard either," Marcus said, leaving.

"And my skills with ice spells ranked slightly above average..."

"That's all, Mr. Cable," Marcus replied, progressing forward before Bret could interrupt again.

Jake heard the conversation from where he stood and laughed, earning a stern glare from Marcus. He felt thankful the recruiting class was small but still grew impatient. By the time Marcus reached him, Jake thought the sun had started to bake his brain.

"Please remove your sunglasses, Mr. O'Reilly," Marcus said without looking up from his clipboard. Jake obeyed and hung the glasses on the collar of his shirt. He squinted in the noon sun but stared into Marcus's eyes. Looking eye-to-eye with him gave Jake a realization that made him grin. Jake was an inch taller than Marcus. He must have noticed Jake sizing him because Marcus asked, "How tall are you, son?"

"Six-foot-five, sir."

"Is that your actual height? Or are you enhancing your size right now?"

"Actual size, sir. No glow," Jake said, pointing at his eyes with a smirk.

"Very well. I had to ask because it says you scored exceptionally high marks in shape-shifting with proficiency in transfiguration. But it also says you have a reputation for using it for pranks."

"Yes, sir," Jake replied, beaming.

"I wasn't complimenting you, O'Reilly. We won't tolerate too many shenanigans. Are you going to be a problem?"

"No, sir."

"Your file comes with some rather interesting remarks."

"Let me guess. Donaldson?"

"Yes. He says, and I quote, 'O'Reilly is a drunken idiot, and I do not recommend allowing him into the guard.' I choose to ignore this because you have massive potential. Don't disappoint me, O'Reilly."

"I won't, sir."

"We will watch you closely, so keep your nose clean," Marcus said as he moved on to the person behind Jake.

Another half hour passed before Marcus finished. When he returned to the front, Marcus resumed his earlier position and addressed the crowd. "Remember this. You haven't earned a spot in the guard yet, but your actions still reflect upon us. Therefore, you will wear these as a reminder of who you represent," Marcus said, reaching into a box on a stack behind him. He pulled out a red armband with the silver hippogriff logo on it. "Place this on your upper right arm and wear it publicly until you complete your training. You will be on my bad side if I catch you without them!"

"Do you have a bigger size?" Jake asked, adjusting the tight armband.

"No!" Marcus smirked.

Once they passed out all the armbands, Marcus dismissed them, so Jake rejoined Bret. "I feel like I'm pledging a fraternity," Jake said, glancing at his arm.

"In a way, we are," Bret replied.

"Well, as long as they don't involve paddles, I'm good," Jake laughed. Bret joined in, but his heart wasn't in it. He focused his gaze elsewhere. "Come on, man. Let's get out of here before you make a fool out of yourself," Jake said, directing Bret away by the shoulder.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you. You're a hopeless romantic. Emphasis on hopeless."

"Fine. Let's head into town and get something to eat, but I'm driving."

"You won't hear me complain," Jake chuckled.

"Cool, but you're buying dinner," Bret replied over his shoulder as he headed for the car.

"I take it back. You will hear me complain."

***

Meanwhile, the royal oracles were deep in meditation inside the king's tower. The head oracle, Hester Lane, sat cross-legged at the front of the room with his eyes closed. He breathed the sweet smell of incense and focused his thoughts. Hester kept his head shaved, but it wasn't out of tradition. Most of the men in the room kept their hair. He wore it that way to hide his receding hairline. His face bore a look of serenity and a hint of a smile, but a powerful rush of energy turned the expression to one of surprise. He hadn't felt the onset of a vision this strong in years. Hester knew this would be significant. Before he could even set himself, a voice filled his thoughts.

"Seasons come and go, and eras come to a close. At the new season's dawn, the king shall fall by a mage's hand and by fire consumed. From the fire, the kingdom shall be reborn."

Images entered Hester's mind. He saw fire surrounding the tower, which frightened him. Hester fought to maintain his composure and concentration. He watched the flames climb the tower, but the surface didn't burn. He could almost feel the heat. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

"The king shall bring about his fate by hands stained with innocent blood. A tide of death will wash over the city, but a few shall rise from the remains of this fate and become a thorn in his side."

Now, Hester witnessed blood-red water flooding the streets and crashing against the buildings in great waves. The fire still consumed the tower, but the water didn't affect it. However, the torrent damaged other buildings and swept up debris. Yet the tower stood firm in the middle of the flood, still burning.

"They will feel no joy in his fall. He will not fall for the sake of power but for love. The Red Sparrow comes on the wind to send the king to his fate."

Then Hester viewed a small bird with glowing blue eyes. He didn't feel fear. The bird filled him with peace and hope with a slight undercurrent of sadness. As he watched, the glowing changed from blue to white, and burned with an intensity that enthralled and confused Hester. The tension built until it threatened to overwhelm him, but the vision ended before that happened. Hester didn't even realize he had stood up until he was already sprinting toward the door. The heads of the other oracles turned to watch him leave with puzzled looks.