The last stretch of road before the tower completely changed Chadwick’s perspective on the world.

At first, he thought the dark stone tower that stretched impossibly high into the sky would be the most impressive thing he ever saw. But only because he hadn’t seen the town that surrounded it until they got closer.

The tower itself became visible from miles away, sticking into the horizon like the largest tree he could imagine. As he got closer he could see the town walls. Fifteen feet tall and made of solid granite blocks. They stretched all the way around a town that sprawled out across the countryside.

He had little to compare it to. The town looked like it covered an area as big as the furthest he had ever explored from his village. A walk to his most distant fishing spot would only be about the same as walking halfway across this town.

Mostly it was the same type of buildings he was used to seeing. But just infinitely more of them. And mostly packed closer together. Even from this far distance as they trundled along the road, Chadwick was gawking like a baby seeing a kite for the first time. Mage Sloan just chuckled at him and looked as relaxed as ever.

Their cart was rolling by farmlands that surrounded the town itself. The farms stretched three times further than the town itself did. The scope of the whole thing just made Chadwick sit and stare with wonder as they got closer. Chadwick saw a wonder that topped anything he had seen in his 11 years of life and felt that, even if he travelled for the next 11 years, there was no way he could see something as grand. The horses didn’t seem to care and kept up the same pace they had for 3 week’s straight.

He was sure he had never seen so much flat land. All of it free of trees. Like some giant had snatched them all as far as the eye could see. There was also an almost overwhelming amount of people in sight already. The road itself had as many travelers on it as his entire village had living in it.

He got distracted by the mage attempting to straighten up his very travel-stained clothes. Then pulling out a necklace Chadwick had never noticed before from beneath his shirt. It was largely the same as the one Chadwick had on, but larger and with more detailed patterns on it. Chadwick had quickly forgotten he was even wearing one after three weeks of travel.

It was enough of a surprise to draw his attention away from the city they were slowly approaching, “you also have a necklace Mage?”

The mage just grunted as answer but then elaborated, “you will learn about the benefits of attaining the rank of Mage soon enough. Once we reach the lake in the center, I will be traveling across with you. But then you will be handed over to the Dean. I’d… appreciate it if you didn’t mention the wolf. Obviously you can’t lie if asked directly. But perhaps don’t mention it?”

The mage seemed pensive as he looked askance at Chadwick, waiting on an answer.

“You couldn’t have known there was a wolf any more than I could have. I decided to go fishing and that could have just as easily been one of the many other times I fished alone at my village. I’m just glad you were there to save me,” responded Chadwick, catching on quickly to what the mage was hinting at. He figured the Dean must be something like their town mayor, sometimes you just didn’t tell him things and life was smoother.

The mage seemed relieved. He decided to show his gratitude by filling in Chadwick on some of the history of the surrounding town.

Apparently the tower had gone up first on an island in the middle of the lake. Since they had wanted a defensible position and a way to keep students from wandering. Those who managed the boats across to the tower were not to be trifled with, they reported directly to the chief steward of the tower and even teachers had to follow the strict rules they kept.

The town had gradually built up around the edges of the lakes out of a need to serve the tower. With all the students and teachers present they needed large quantities of food and mundane things like laundry services and seamstresses.

A carpenter in the local town even built the cart they were currently riding on. And a horse breeder in a surrounding farm provided the stout horses that currently pulled them along.

There were also large quantities of luxuries that were shipped in. Apparently the wealthier families tended to produce more mages. And while their lives were now the property of the kingdom by ancient law, they didn’t intend to live anything remotely approaching an uncomfortable life while they served.

Chadwick was fairly sure he could see some of those luxuries coming in as they got closer to the city. There were lines of large covered wagons coming in through the same gate they now approached.

It didn’t seem to be moving very fast and Chadwick was a little worried they would end up stuck out here for hours. Now that he had seen his soon-to-be home, he was done with the long boring days of travel. Well, boring except for the day the wolf tried to eat him.

Chadwick’s worry was unfounded though as the mage rode right past the lines of carts and headed for the clear section of the gate that no one was currently using. Some large men with spears stepped out onto the road as they approached, but didn’t seem alarmed.

The mage just held up his necklace and the guards gave a nod and stepped back out of the way, letting their cart straight past the line and into the city.

The mage quickly gave up trying to give Chadwick a history lesson as he was now experiencing a city for the first time. Somewhere between terror and awe at the sheer volume of people. His jaw was almost hanging when they went past a flower shop that had wreaths hanging out the front that were as big as he was.

As big as the town was, they had a clear path down one of the biggest roads Chadwick had ever seen and the horses kept up the same plodding pace they had for weeks. It seemed slow, but they ate up the miles. For Chadwick it seemed far too fast as he gawked at displays of animal bones that seemed to come from colossal fish the size of houses, glass-fronted bookshops with shelves stocked floor to ceiling and just endless smells of tantalizing foods. All of which Mage Sloan ignored, making it clear there would be no stopping.

The mage pulled around to a large stable once they hit the water line and several attendants came out, treating the mage like an honored guest. They handled all his luggage rapidly as he split off personal items from various supplies. Once he was satisfied that all was in order, the mage directed Chadwick to grab his packs and follow along. The attendants were extremely deferential to the mage, but kept giving Chadwick sideways looks. All obviously curious, but not daring to ask him any questions.

Past the stables they approached a large building that was mostly out over the water and more deferential attendants there greeted the mage. Asking him if he needed anything while he waited on the barge to return.

He just waved them off and moved to a bench.

A man in a much nicer set of cotton clothes than the attendants had been wearing stepped out of an office with glass windows that he could see into the whole boathouse, “that was one of your longer trips Mage Sloan, welcome home.”

“Thank you Gyee, some of the villages on this route are remarkably remote and I only had to return on my very last stop. But as you can see it was worth the effort,” said the mage, waving a hand towards Chadwick.

The man raised an eyebrow, “not a lot of mages come from that far out. Shall we get the formalities out of the way?”

The mage nodded, stood and faced Gyee.

Gyee pulled out a dark blue rod of some kind, touched it to the necklace Mage Sloan was wearing and asked a question that sounded like he had asked it a thousand times, “do you intend any harm to the tower, or those inside?”

“No,” the mage answered immediately, then he turned to Chadwick, “you’re up next lad. Nothing to worry about.”

Chadwick tried to follow suit, standing before the man. With the height difference, Gyee had to lean down to touch the smaller necklace with the rod, “do you intend any harm to the tower or those inside?”

“No,” answered Chadwick.

“Good, can’t see how a brand new student would ever have a different answer when you haven’t even been in the tower yet. But that’s tradition for you,” Gyee said, mostly to the room.

“Ah, the barge is almost here. I collected a few things that might interest you on my trip. Usual place at the end of the week?” Mage Sloan asked Gyee.

Gyee’s eyes lit up, “hope you snagged some of the brandy for me. Been getting a lot harder to get lately.”

“Will have to see at the end of the week won’t we,” said Mage Sloan with a smirking grin.

“Bah, onto the barge with you then,” said Gyee. Then he turned to Chadwick, “I doubt I will see you for some time lad, good luck with your studies.”

“Uh, thank you… sir?” Answered Chadwick.

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“Close enough lad, onto the barge with you,” said Gyee, shooing him towards a large barge being pulled by chains that had just came into the covered dock with a thump.

The trip across was fairly calm and Mage Sloan seemed almost cheerful as they floated across. A large chain towing them over, ever closer to the huge stone tower.

Chadwick supposed that while he had just had to leave his home, the mage was getting to return to his. Perhaps he would consider this home one day too.

After the barge docked, there was a whirlwind of various attendants. Chadwick was told to sit to one side while the Dean was informed of their arrival. Mage Sloan said his goodbyes and told him he would undoubtedly run into him around the tower. If he ended up with an affinity that required learning from a stone mage he might even be one of his teachers. He also reminded him to write to his parents.

Chadwick sat while attendants went about their business until a tall man with white hair stepped into the dock-house and his eyes immediately landed on Chadwick and he strode over, “I suspect you are Chadwick.”

Chadwick stood and nodded, “yes Mage.” He felt it a fair safe bet that the man was a mage, just from the sharp clothing that marked him as obviously not one of the workers.

“My, you are rather younger than most of our students. But, not to worry, stature has very little to do with magical ability,” said the man.

Chadwick was still slightly embarrassed as the mention of his size, he supposed a magical school was still just people at the end of the day. Being small was still going to mean being looked down on. In every sense of the word.

“Well, student, as the Dean I get the honor of helping you discover your affinity. Would you like to find out what type of mage you are?” Asked the Dean with a grin.

The man was obviously older, from the white hairs and beginnings of wrinkles. But he certainly seemed spritely.

Chadwick immediately answered, “absolutely mage. How do we do that?”

The Dean just smiled and beckoned him to follow.

They walked out of the boat house and started navigating well-lit stone hallways where Chadwick immediately lost his sense of direction. He was not used to being inside buildings with more than 3 rooms. The frequent windows gave him a view to outside, but he had no real frame of reference to landmarks outside to give him any useful inkling of which way he was facing. It felt like a maze.

They came to a large hallway lined with doors that were staggered on both sides. There were numbers on all the doors and nobody in sight, except for a lady who was sweeping at the far end.

The Dean stopped in front of the door labeled 73, “this will be your room for at least the next few years. You can place your bags inside and then we will see the stewardess for your key.”

Chadwick hurriedly complied, eager to learn what his magic would be. The room itself was just a simple bed and dresser, a window facing outside. But the bed did look far larger and more comfortable than what he was used to.

The stewardess turned out to be a very large woman who insisted on mothering Chadwick, making him eat several cookies and drink a glass of milk. She might have sat him down for a sandwich if the Dean hadn’t cleared his throat and reminded her about the key for Chadwick’s room.

“Lovely woman, but no kids of her own at home anymore. She will fatten you up until you can’t walk, given half a chance. You can go to her with any questions about your room or meals,” said the Dean as they walked up several flights of stairs.

As they walked the Dean fished a cookie out of his pocket and took a bite out of it while winking at Chadwick. He hadn’t even seen the man steal it when the stewardess had brought out the jar with the cookies.

They finally entered an office somewhere on the third floor, in a door that appeared identical to every other door in the hallways that all looked the same. Chadwick was convinced he would never leave this place, because he wouldn’t be able to find an exit.

The Dean's office turned out to be a desk and then several large tables covered in all matter of random paraphernalia.

“Let’s get straight into it then,” announced the Dean and brought Chadwick over to the first table, asking, “do you know what time it is student Chadwick?”

“No, around lunch perhaps?” Responded Chadwick. Attempting to give at least part of an answer. His dad had wanted him to learn, he was going to put his best effort forward if this was to be his new home.

“Right. Not a time mage then. Easy enough one to check off,” said the Dean.

The next hour involved the Dean taking Chadwick to various objects on the tables and asking him to move them. Or heat them up. Or smooth them out. Or make them explode.

He asked him to move a stick without touching it. Then, when nothing happened with the stick, the Dean set the stick on fire and placed it on a deep metal dish in front of him. Then asked him to change the fire in whatever way he liked.

Chadwick, who had grown up in a wooden house in the middle of a forest, had a healthy respect for fires and didn’t like the sight of the metal dish on a wooden table. He changed the fire by taking the cup of water he had failed to affect on an earlier part of the table, and dumping it into the dish. Putting out the blazing stick.

The Dean just chuckled, “definitely not a fire mage.”

Chadwick felt like a little something was happening during some of the attempts, but nothing visibly showed itself.

He had obviously gotten some report from Mage Sloan, because he also handed Chadwick an ink bottle and asked if he could fix it. Chadwick did, but the Dean couldn’t discern any difference in it when he held the ink bottle up to his eye and peered into it. Though, he did write with it and thought it might be better than before.

While trying various activities with brass cubes, glass containers of swamp water, sticks, sand and even a beetle, the Dean would ask him questions that seemed to lead to less physical types of magic.

Some of the questions were quite odd, like, “how would you quantify love?” And some were as simple as, “what is behind that sheet?”

The Dean always explained the purpose of the question after. Apparently the sheet had a pillow that was decorated like a cake behind it. Something his mother had made for him. The question was intended to detect various abilities that would let him know what was there. His guess of “another table?” had apparently ruled out him being able to read thoughts, or having an affinity for something like the contents of spaces.

The Dean’s final question was, “what will I will ask you next?” After they had exhausted all the objects on the table they were currently at.

Chadwick thought his guess of, “where do trees come from,” was quite good.

But, the Dean just shook his head, “well, that rules out predicting the future. Because I was going to ask you if you wanted to stop for lunch.”

Chadwick looked over the table of objects, slightly frustrated at what seemed to be just at his fingertips, but that he couldn’t quite grasp. He was about to ask if they could continue when his stomach gurgled. It had spoken for them and decided it was, in fact, lunch time.

The Dean laughed and walked back over to the door, motioning Chadwick to follow him.

He walked them down more stone hallways that all looked the same to Chadwick, taking them back down to the first floor. Chadwick quickly realized they were near the kitchens when he got a whiff of some earthy spices and something sweet. He couldn’t have predicted it was the kitchen by the directions the Dean had been rambling off as they walked, still thoroughly turned around.

The Dean did pause and point through a set of double doors that led into a giant room full of tables, “that’s where we eat most meals, though we are between sittings right now. So, we will go directly to the kitchen.”

Chadwick stared at the room, there must have been fifty tables in there. The room was big enough that the biggest house he had seen would fit inside it. And he would get to eat there every day. He really hoped the food matched up to the grandeur of the room. Experiencing wonders like this every day would make having to leave home much easier to forget.

He felt a pang of homesickness and anger at himself. A giant room and the prospect of eating like it was a festival every day and he was already ready to forget about home? As it turned out, when the Dean handed him a roast beef and gravy sandwich the kitchen had put together from leftovers at his request, he really did forget all about home at that moment. It was easily the best sandwich he had ever eaten.

The head of the kitchen also turned out to be another large lady that easily could have been the sister of the stewardess that had given him the room key and some cookies. And, apparently, she also thought he was too skinny because she brought out slices of pie.

“Apparently I should eat with you more often, student Chadwick, the ladies are usually very sparing with the treats. I tried to snag one of those pies once and almost lost a finger,” the Dean said happily, wiping crumbs from his white mustache.

Chadwick just made a ‘slightly too full’ noise as he stood from the table, “are we continuing?”

The Dean seemed to be staring at his fingers, rubbing some crumbs back and forth, “hmm,” was all he said.

Suddenly he stood up, “we shall, and I think I have some ideas of directions we haven’t tested yet, come.” The Dean suddenly seemed in a hurry to test out whatever idea he had and rushed Chadwick back to his office.

He waved Chadwick towards the last table they hadn’t tried and told him to, “continue as they were before with those various elements. Just try to move each one without touching them and see if any respond. I’ll be preparing something.”

Chadwick nodded, slightly confused but set about his task. For another five minutes he experienced the same as before, he would reach out and try to push the object on the table. And sometimes he could feel a little something. A very tiny ball of what looked like animal dung gave a slight shudder.

He turned to the Dean, excited to tell him something had happened, though not particularly interested in being labeled a dung mage. But, the Dean was already approaching with a tray with a mortar and pestle on it. And Chadwick was very interested to see what he had come up with.

The Dean placed the tray down in front of him and then began placing little stones and pieces of wood on the try. Getting smaller and smaller. He got down to a piece of sand and then finally he fished a speck of dust out of the mortar and pestle.

The Dean pointed at the biggest piece on the tray — which was still smaller than anything from the tables, “I want you to try and launch that across the room.”

Chadwick complied and the small stone gracefully rolled over. He was disappointed, was this all he would ever be able to do? Fix ink and make tiny stones wobble around?

But, the Dean seemed pleased with the result. He pointed at the next largest item, a little lump of charcoal, “now that one.”

Chadwick complied and the charcoal slid backwards. Going just a little further than the stone.

The Dean clapped excitedly, “continue down the line until you get to the smallest one.”

Chadwick’s spirits started to lift as he moved through the objects. Each was a different type of object, so it didn’t seem like he had an affinity for any of these particular materials. But, the smaller he went, the further the object moved. Five objects in and he was causing them to leap off the tray.

The Dean shifted to one side as Chadwick got to the last object, a barely visible speck of dust. Chadwick quickly lost sight of the speck when he willed it to launch across the room. But he was pretty sure he knew where it went because the beaker full of swamp water shattered on the other side of the room.

“I believe we have our answer young student, you have an affinity for small things!” The Dean announced proudly.

Chadwick groaned internally, he was never going to get a break from being small for his age.