“So, Torin, what classes did you pick?” Daniel asked as they walked.

“I ain't too sure yet about my choices, but I went with herbology and botanical application, beast knowledge, potion brewing, and alchemy,” Torin replied. “Always been interested in potions and alchemy, but never had the chance to practice back home. What about you?”

“Sounds like a solid foundation to learn alchemy! I never really got that interested in alchemy, but I appreciate the art,” Daniel remarked. “I went with Introduction to Artefact Crafting, Runic Theory, and Metallurgy. Don’t worry too much about your choices. You can always switch them around in the first two weeks if you find something else that interests you more.”

They walked in silence for a moment before Daniel spoke up, “So, Torin, you’re from Emberfall, right?”

Torin nodded. “Yeah, why d'ya ask?”

“I was just curious. I heard about the cultist attack at Amberkeep, and since Emberfall is a district of Amberkeep, I wondered if it impacted you in any way.”

“Emberfall's pretty much a slum, not a target for those cultists. But yeah, we had some trouble. Checkpoints on every street had to scan our status and get inspected,” Torin said with frustration. “Took me near a whole day to leave the city to get here. Church locked down the inner city. Some drow and half-humans got arrested in the surrounding districts.”

“What about you, Daniel? Where are you from? Noticed most noble kids avoid you,” Torin asked, curious.

Daniel laughed. “Yeah, I never really got along with most nobles. But I was also selected to be the representative of our counsellor, Shadewood, so they have an extra reason to avoid me now. I grew up on a baron’s estate. They took me in after my parents left me there.”

As they talked, they navigated the bustling hallways, weaving through the crowds of students. Daniel led the way, and Torin followed closely, taking in the academy's surroundings. They finally arrived at their first class: Basic Mana Manipulation. Daniel paused at the door, turning to Torin with a reassuring smile.

“Here we are,” Daniel said. “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. Just stick with me.”

….

The pair found two desks next to each other in the large classroom. The room was arranged in a semi-circular fashion, with tiered seating that ascended in layers, allowing every student a clear view of the central teaching area. The desks were made of sleek dark wood with bronze accents, each equipped with a built-in mana crystal for practice.

A large chalkboard dominated the front of the room, flanked by two massive windows that let in ample natural light, giving the space an open and airy feel.

Daniel turned to Torin, offering some advice as they settled into their seats. “The academy can be pretty overwhelming at first but don't stress too much. Just keep up with your readings and practice as much as you can. The teachers here are great; don't hesitate to ask if you ever need help. Shadewood, our counsellor, can come off as a stoic, uncaring man, but I’ve found that he cares a lot for his students, as long as you put in the effort in his classes.”

Torin nodded, absorbing the information. “Thanks, Daniel. I keep it in mind. This place is different than what I am used to.”

Daniel smiled. "Yeah, it can be a big adjustment, but you'll get the hang of it. Also, try to join a study group. It helps to have people to bounce ideas off of and help each other with homework, and it helps to keep you motivated."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the classroom door opening. A tall figure with a commanding presence entered the room. It was Shadewood, their counsellor and the instructor for Basic Mana Manipulation. His dark robes billowed slightly as he moved, and his sharp, attentive eyes scanned the room.

“Good morning. It's good to see you all again, and to those who didn't have the privilege to attend my classes at the pre-awakening academy, welcome. I am Virgil Shadewood, your councillor for this year and professor for this class.” The professor greeted the class calmly but authoritatively. “I trust you all are ready to begin your journey into the fundamentals of mana manipulation.”

The students quickly quieted down, their attention entirely on Shadewood. Daniel glanced at Torin, giving him a reassuring nod before focusing on the lesson ahead.

Shadewood moved to the centre of the room, gesturing to the chalkboard where intricate diagrams of mana flow patterns were already drawn. “Today, we will start with the basics, understanding how mana flows through our bodies and how we can harness and manipulate this energy. Pay close attention, as mana manipulation is the foundation for all magical practices.”

….

As the class concluded, Shadewood called Daniel over. “Go ahead to our next class, magic theory. You know where it is, right?” Daniel asked Torin before he walked over to Shadewood. Torin shook his head. “Down the left, then a right, and it should be the third door on the left. Or follow the rest of our class.”

Torin nodded gratefully. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Daniel replied, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before heading towards Shadewood.

Daniel approached the professor, who was sorting through a stack of parchments on his desk. The classroom was emptying out, students filing through the door in small groups, their conversations blending into a low hum.

“Daniel, how are you doing?” Shadewood asked, looking up from his papers. His expression, usually stern and focused, softened slightly as he addressed Daniel.

“I’ve been alright, sir. How about you?” Daniel responded, standing at attention.

The professor smiled slightly, a rare sight that made Daniel feel acknowledged. “Besides the stress of assigning three thousand students, I’ve been wonderful.”

Daniel nodded, understanding the immense responsibility that came with Shadewood's position. “I can imagine, sir.”

Shadewood leaned back in his chair, considering Daniel for a moment. “Can you come to my office in the evening?”

Daniel’s curiosity piqued. “Sure, what time?”

“Around nine o'clock should be fine,” Shadewood replied. “I’ll give you a private lesson about runes. Since you'll be attending the convention soon, I don't want you to lack the necessary skill.”

Daniel smiled “Sure, I'll be there, thank you, sir.”

“Good. Also, bring your notes of the assignment I gave you the other day” Shadewood said with a nod. “I look forward to it. Now, off to your next class. I don't want my representative to be late on his first day.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Yes, sir,” With that, he left the room.

The corridors of the academy were filled with students moving between classes, their voices echoing off the stone walls. Daniel navigated through the crowd, his mind buzzing with the prospect of the evening’s private lesson. He followed the directions he had given Torin, turning left, then right, until he reached the third door on the left. The plaque read “Magic Theory.”

….

After magic theory, Daniel parted ways with Torin, but they agreed to meet up in the dining hall for dinner. Daniel then made his way to his first personal class, Artefact Crafting. After a short walk, he arrived in the classroom. The classroom was filled with long workbenches that provided enough space for two people to work on one workbench, each laden with two pairs of various tools and materials. Along the walls were shelves filled with components and materials, and above those hung posters displaying basic diagrams for various artefacts.

At the head of the room was a smaller crafting table on an elevated step, and behind it was a large chalkboard, already covered with complex sketches and notes.

Daniel spotted Lucia and approached her, “Hey, Daniel!” Lucia greeted him with a smile. “I’m bummed that I'm not in Shadewoods class, but at least we still have the personal classes we share.”

“Hey, Lucia,” Daniel replied, finding a seat next to her at one of the workbenches. “Yeah, I was also bummed to not see your name on the list in the morning, who is your councillor?”

“Windbrand…” she said with a deadpan face. He’s good at explaining, but I feel like he doesn't care about the students at all.”

“Yeah… last year, I heard multiple classmates say the same thing, but luckily, this teacher is supposed to be one of the best!”

Lucia nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely. I talked to a senior earlier, and she had a lot of positive things to say about her. By the way, how was your first class?”

“It was good. We had Shadewood’s class and had to channel our mana into a crystal,” Daniel said. “And I’ve invited a classmate to eat dinner with us tonight.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Lucia said, “Who is this someone?”

“Torin, he is a commoner and is new, so I want to show him around a bit and make him feel welcome,” Daniel replied. “You know how some of the nobles here treat commoners.”

Before Lucia could respond, the room fell silent as loud footsteps approached. The professor, a tall woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes, entered the room and walked to the elevated crafting table at the front.

“Welcome to artefact crafting,” she began, her voice commanding attention. “My name is Rose Kithe. This class teaches you how to create basic magical artefacts and understand the materials involved. Let’s get started.”

Professor Kithe scanned the room, her sharp eyes assessing the students before her. “We’ll start with a basic light crystal for our first project. Learning to craft it will give you a solid foundation for more complex projects.”

She walked over to the chalkboard and began drawing a diagram of a crystal with intricate runes etched into its surface. “A light crystal is essentially a mana-infused crystal that emits light when activated. We’ll use quartz for the crystal and a basic illumination rune to channel the mana.”

Professor Kithe moved to one of the workbenches and picked up a clear quartz crystal. “First, you must inscribe the illumination rune onto the crystal. You can carve it or write it with one of the inks that are provided. Precision is key here, so take your time. Use the tools provided at your station,” she explained while pointing to a diagram that was drawn on the chalkboard.

She demonstrated the careful etching of the rune onto the crystal’s surface, her movements precise and deliberate. “Once the rune is inscribed, you’ll need to infuse the crystal with your mana. We will use the conduit that is built into your workbench, which will help regulate the flow of mana. Place the crystal in the mana conduit on your workbench, and slowly channel your mana into it.”

Professor Kithe placed the crystal on to a small metal device on the workbench. The device glowed softly as she infused it with her mana. After a few moments, the crystal began to emit a steady, soft light.

“That’s it,” she said, holding up the glowing crystal. “Now it’s your turn. Remember, the key to successful artefact crafting is patience and precision. Don’t rush the process.”

Daniel and Lucia exchanged excited glances and then got to work. Daniel picked up his rune carving tool and carefully began etching the illumination rune onto his crystal. Lucia opted to use the ink.

After a few minutes, Daniel finished carving the rune. He placed the crystal in the mana conduit on his side of the workbench and started channelling his mana. Slowly, he felt the conduit absorb his mana, and after a few moments, the crystal began to glow softly.

Lucia’s crystal soon followed, lighting up with a gentle, warm glow. They looked at each other and grinned.

Professor Kithe walked around the room, inspecting the students’ progress. She paused by Lucia, nodding approvingly. “Well done, Lucia, Your runes are precise and clean. Keep up this level of work, and you’ll do well in this class.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Lucia said with a bright smile on her face.

"You too, Daniel. Your lines are exceptionally well done," the Professor said, bending over to inspect Daniel's work.

Daniel felt a flush rise to his cheeks and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “Thank you, ma’am, I try my best.”

“Daniel has always been interested in crafting things, Professor! He made a gorgeous chess set last year, you should see it!” Lucia added enthusiastically, much to Daniel's dismay.

“Lucia, please,” Daniel whispered, trying to stop her from drawing more attention to him.

“You should bring it to the next class. I’d love to see it,” the professor said, her interest piqued.

Daniel felt his face turn even redder as he noticed more heads turning in his direction. “Uh… I’ll bring it for the next class,” he stammered.

As the professor moved on, Daniel turned to Lucia, exasperated. “Why did you say that? You know how awkward it is for me?”

“Come on, Daniel. You should be more confident in your creation—” Lucia began, but she was cut off by the professor’s loud voice.

“No, don’t channel your mana direct—” Before she could finish her sentence, the crystal in front of a boy exploded. Shards flew in every direction, but the professor quickly conjured a dome around the crystal containing the explosion.

“THIS is why we use the conduit!” she said, exasperation clear in her voice. “You don’t have enough control over your mana yet.” She held her face in her hand, sighing deeply. She removed the dome with a flick of her wrist, and the shards fell harmlessly to the ground.

“Tobert, you must listen to my instructions if you want to continue attending this class. I can't risk you endangering yourself and the other students here. This goes for all of you!” she said firmly, looking directly at the boy.

Tobert’s face flushed with embarrassment as he nodded quickly. “I’m sorry, Professor Kithe. I’ll be more careful.”

Professor Kithe sighed but nodded reassuringly. “Just remember that we’re working with delicate materials here. So listen to my instructions when I give them.”

With that, she moved on to the next pair, leaving Tobert and his partner to clean up the remains of their crystal.

….

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the academy grounds, Daniel finally made his way back to his dorm room. The day had been packed with new experiences and information, and he was eager to unwind and share his thoughts with Alex.

Opening the door, Daniel was greeted by the sight of Alex sprawled on his bed, still in his knight training gear. His face was flushed with exhaustion, and he barely managed a weak smile as Daniel entered.

“Hey, Dan," Alex said, his voice tired but cheerful. “How was your day?”

Daniel dropped his bag by the door and flopped onto the couch with a sigh. “Busy, but good. Classes were intense, especially artefact crafting. We made light crystals today. What about you?”

Alex groaned, rubbing his sore muscles. “Knight training was brutal. They had us running drills all day, and then we had a sparring session. I feel like I've been hit by a carriage.”

Daniel chuckled, “Sounds rough. Here, maybe this will cheer you up. Come out, Gnarl.” A small portal opened in the centre of the room, and Gnarl tumbled out with an excited chirp.

Gnarl immediately started darting around the room, exploring every nook and cranny. Alex watched him with amusement, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Hey, Gnarl.”

The imp chittered happily, hopping onto Alex's bed and inspecting his training gear. Daniel laughed as he watched the imp's antics. “Yeah, he's full of energy. How are you holding up with all the training? Think you’ll survive?”

Alex smiled, shaking his head. “Barely, but I just need to get used to the intensity.”

“Good luck. You can always try to switch to the magic academy,” Daniel teased while dodging the glove Alex threw in response. “Oh yeah, I made a friend today and invited him to dinner with us tonight."

“Oh? Who?”

“His name is Torin. He's a commoner and just enrolled this year. He's friendly, but you know how those noble dickheads can be towards new people.”

Alex nodded approvingly. “That’s good. It’s always tough being the new guy. Glad to hear he’s settling in.”

Gnarl, now thoroughly bored with Alex's gear, scampered over to Daniel and sat down next to him. Daniel reached down to pat the imp's head. The two friends continued to talk, sharing stories from their day and catching up on everything that had happened.

“FUCK, I forgot” Daniel jumped up and ran towards his desk.

“What did you forget?” Alex asked.

“I'm supposed to show Shadewood the progress I made for an assignment he gave me, but I haven't even started yet,” he said while quickly opening the book.

Alex laughed. “Good luck, Dan.”