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Fen stood outside Phoelles Southern Gate. After a long month of travelling, she was here at last.

As the caravan entered the city, Fen couldn’t help but marvel at the gate itself. A clockwork mechanism operated the brass portal. Capable to move on its own, the gate required no manual labor to open it. Not when crystals did the trick. Impenetrable, unmovable, a work of both akademic ingenuity and craftful design, the gate was already a symbol for Phoelles.

“This is where we part, lass,” Ledwig said. “We have to go through customs, but you can go straight ahead.”

“Z’sof light shine on you, girl,” added Maere. “You’ll ace that exam, I’m sure of it.”

After Ledwig gave her the directions to the Akademia’s Central Office, Fen thanked everyone in the caravan and went her own way.

Phoelles. Despite how many times she reminded herself to be careful, the excitement of finally being in the city took over her. Her blood pumped both thrill and alertness, and Fen forgot about her lack of sleep.

She walked northward through the wide Gate Avenue. The smooth black building stone used was unlike any she had seen before. And it was used everywhere. But the stone was not the only remarkable thing about Phoelles’ architecture. Brass seemed to find its way to any corner of the city. From a simple aesthetic function to the five distinct Railways that drew lines through Phoelles’ sky. Fen thought it was unlikely that all of it was brass though. Brass, steel, and stone were the bones and muscles of this city. And crystal its blood.

Fen walked under a set of rails just as a cart zipped eastwards above her. How did they work? They were similar to the ferries in Reiss Bridge, yet they moved faster and crossed over the entire city. It had moved impossibly fast, yet it had been silent. Silent… Fen stopped gawking at the Railway to pay attention to her surroundings. Her definition of ‘multitude’ changed that very instant. She had thought she had seen a multitude back in Baysend, but it was nothing compared to this. And as in Reiss Bridge, the sound it made was a whisper. From Andaaran traders in their colorful wagons to akademics in their pristine white robes, from merchants in their storefronts to onlookers and passer-bys, the crowd of Phoelles flowed unperturbed. Taking a deep breath, Fen kept moving forward.

She walked until the road widened then split into two, one heading east, the other west. At the center of the intersection, a stone statue stood at its center. Of the same black stone as that of the city, the statue greeted those coming from the south in open arms. The figure was heavily robed and had his face covered by a mask reminiscent of a crown. Despite being made of rigid stone, the figure seemed to float. So-Phell, God-King of Phoelles welcomed everyone who came into his city. One of her father’s poems mentioned ‘God waiting in open arms’. Could it refer to this? It had been some time since she read the poems, Fen would have to check them again later.

North of the statue, past the intersection, a brass pillar stood between black-stoned buildings. Shading her eyes from the sun, Fen inspected the structure. The pillar stretched perhaps fifty feet upwards. At the top, there was a platform, by which a Rail Line passed by. That very moment, a cart passed by the platform. It stopped for a moment before continuing its trail. Shivers crawled through Fen’s arms. She was going up there.

Standing at the base of the pillar, it somehow seemed taller. There were glass openings spread along the length of the brass building. She heard a soft sound coming from within, the sound of smooth metallic plates rubbing against each other. A breath later, the front of the pillar split in two, both parts sliding around the brass cylinder, revealing the inside of the structure. People poured from within. Fen noticed three Akademics in their layered white robes stepping out. She followed them with her gaze before someone urged her in. She hadn’t noticed there were other people waiting to get in. After a few hesitant steps, Fen entered the brass pillar.

Fen huddled to the side as the rest of the people stepped inside. A moment later, the front of the pillar slid shut, and the floor began to move. Fen almost stumbled, but she managed to use the side of the structure to support herself. So these were the Raisers Ledwig had told her of. As the whole thing sped upwards, Fen saw the city loom into view from the intermittent glass windows. The Raiser stopped and the front slid open again. Fen waited for the rest to step out before she exited the Raiser.

The platform was large. Fen walked cautiously despite the sturdy floor beneath her feet. As in Reiss Bridge, a fence divided the outer edge of the platform from the fall, with two gates in between. One guard stood by each gate. A moment later, a cart stopped by the platform. The guards opened the gates and the side of the cart slid open, letting people descend. After some people left the cart, the guards hurried the people in, and Fen stepped inside the cart. The opening slid shut behind her.

The cart was similar to the ferries in Reiss Bridge, yet it was larger. Way larger. Fen noticed about twenty people inside, yet there was plenty of space left. She stepped by the windowed side of the cart as it began to move.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Phoelles stretched beneath her, the ground about fifty feet below. The cart moved eastward, then softly turned northeast, before setting a northern path. From her position, Fen could see all the way to the Great Bay. Sunlight reflected from the thousand rooftops beneath her. Another Railcart zipped underneath.

‘A view worthy of a song,’ El would’ve called it.

Despite the distraction of the view, Fen kept count of the stops the cart took. After the fifth stop, Fen left the cart and descended from the platform. If she had followed the directions correctly, then she now stood in the Akademia District. She thought she had recognized what Ledwig had described as the Industrial District three stops before, so she should be on the right path.

A few steps later, she knew she was in the Akademia District. It was as Ledwig had described it. Various plazas, inn and taverns, five looming buildings in the background, and a sea of people in grey and white. Those robed in white she recognized as Akademics, but not the people donning grey. Upon walking past a group of them, she noticed that the grey attire was a simple coat. Considering that there were about three times more grey than white, Fen deduced that those were the students in the Akademia. If all went according to plan, she’d be part of that crowd in no time.

As she walked, Fen took notice of her surroundings. She took note of the various inns, trying to pick the best ones. Not that she had that good an eye, but it was a good distraction from the amount of people surrounding her. She passed by the first of the looming buildings she had seen before. It was Akademia's library. The huge structure was built of the same black stone as the city. Perhaps it was the building itself that was huge, or maybe the surroundings were shorter. Either way, the library was already imposing. Fen kept moving, she would return to study there. If everything went according to plan.

Fen reached the end of the avenue, which stopped against another imposing building. The entrance, a double door over fifteen feet tall, stood open; people came and went from within. Above the door, an all too familiar symbol gazed back at her. An eye, made of crisscrossing curves and circles.

Eye that is watching...

Warily, Fen made her way inside.

There was a line of people before a sort of reception. Fen walked behind the last person in the line and waited. She tried to go over the story she had devised, but the drumming of her heart kept her from thinking straight. She brought her hand to her chest. She felt her heartbeat, felt her father’s rings beneath her shirt, and tried to find balance. A moment later, and her heart began to slow down.

“Next.”

Her heart began racing again. It was her turn.

The reception table stood higher than her; a greying man in squared glassed sat behind, a tired expression in his eyes. Fen fidgeted with the leather strap of her bag.

“Purpose,” he said in monotone.

“I wish to enrol,” Fen answered. “Full Scholarship.”

The man’s eyes widened for an instant, then blinked slowly.

“Name, please. And the name of one of your parents. Or family name, if applicable.”

“Fen–" she bit her tongue. She had already failed a part of her plan. No time to change that, now.

“Fen Drake,” she continued. “Of family Drake.”

The man scribbled something on his high table. “Never heard of the Drake family.”

“It’s, uhm… a rather new and small family from the outskirts of Wilberg. In the textile business. An akademic in the family could bring new ideas for production.” Fen wished her story was convincing.

“Do you have a letter of recommendation?”

Fen looked sideways and hoped her nervous flush could be interpreted as shame. “I… lost it…”

The spectacled man sighed, then scribbled something else.

“My teacher…” Fen added, suppressing the thought of her father, “he said I’m qualified as a second-year student.”

The man eyed Fen in return. “We’ll see about that,” he said, then gave Fen a piece of paper. “Your exam is two days from now. Be here when the clock strikes eight. Bring this paper with you. Next.”

Fen stepped away from the table, eyes on the piece of paper. In it, the details of her enrollment were written, as well as the date and time of the exam and the subjects she’d be tested on. She had been prepared. And now, she had two more nights to study. That had not been too hard. Hopefully, the exam wouldn’t be too hard as well.

Fen left the Central Office, and went to the library. Against her wishes, in order to enter she had to be a student already. She still had resources, but the extra books could’ve been helpful. No more time to waste, she could be studying.

Fen headed towards one of the inns she had noticed. One of the larger ones. After her journey, and the nights that awaited her, Fen was willing to spend a whole round on a room. The innkeeper at ‘The Lumbering Akademic’ welcomed her warmly, as to any client. She rented a large room, with a table, for two nights and requested that any meal be taken to her room.

Once in her room, she spread her books on the table. She took out her paper and ink. With a leather cord, she tied her hair in a tail. And, not long after, she was immersed in her studies. The night was as long as the day, and she was determined. She was getting the Full Scholarship.