Chapter Forty-One: Classes

Ash wasn't out for long. He blinked his eyes open, finding himself face-to-face with the bald master.

Delvan, I think his name was, Ash thought groggily.

“Just unconscious then. All right up an at em’, move on to the next room.”

Moments later, Lilith was beside him, her eyes worried. He placed a hand on her head and briefly closed his eyes.

“Nice to see you worrying about me for a change. I'm okay.”

Lilith scowled at him, but her eyes looked relieved.

Ash looked around for Mina, intending to congratulate her on her victory, but she was nowhere to be found.

He stretched and held a hand to his head. It throbbed like a steady drum beat.

Every tiny noise was like a fresh slap to the head. He practically fled the arena through the next door.

This room was like the grand reception area. Except on a much smaller scale.

Fire, Master Hunter, stood beside another door.

“When your name is called, you go through; until then, please wait.”

His head still throbbing, Ash was happy to take a seat.

After a few moments, he looked around and found that there were not very many in this room. Many people had been before him in the dueling portion, so it made sense that they had already done the test for potential.

Mina was there, and in behavior that Ash was beginning to associate with Amalia, she said nothing and simply sat there.

Ash stood up and walked over to her, holding out a hand.

“Hello, I'm Ash. You know how to fight, so I just wanted to say congrats on your win.”

She looked down at his hand and did not take it.

“Thanks. You’ll take this the wrong way, but I'm not interested in making friends.”

Light, but her voice was musical; Ash halfway expected birds to burst into the song when she spoke.

He withdrew his hand and shrugged.

He returned to his seat. It wasn't long before Mina's name was called.

This is my last chance, Ash thought.

He had failed his duel. If you failed here, he is, and he would be denied entry into Wyrmhaven, which meant he would have to find some other way to reach his goals.

This wasn't impossible. It was impractical and not bright.

There was a reason adventuring academies existed, and so much knowledge was locked behind their walls. If Ash didn't get in, he'd be forced to figure it out alone.

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Ignorance such as that was likely to get him killed.

But if he had no other option? He would do it.

Lilith looked at him and snorted. He would pass because he had her.

Ash chuckled at the dragon girl.

“Ash Lorcan,” Master Hunter called out.

Ash stood; here we go, he thought.

He walked into the next room and found amalia, inside there was a table with a crystal set up on a little mini altar on top of it.

It wasn't a large crystal, translucent, its light cast shadows around the room.

“Normally, I would have you put your hand on this crystal and send your elar into it. But I'm not going to do that. Congratulations are in order, Master Lorcan. You have passed the Wyrmhaven Entrance exam.”

He didn't understand and he said, so to Amalia.

“Why aren't I taking the test? I don't understand.Isn't it kind of unfair that you're just passing me?”

Amalia shrugged,

“Perhaps.You did well enough. On the hunter portion and even in the duel portion, myself and the other masters recognized your skill, near mastery, in fact of the blade.”

“Why am I not being allowed to take the test of potential?”

Amalia start past him at the door.

“Because of what you are. Should you take this test Nearly all of the masters would know immediately. You do not want that, Master Lorcan, and neither do I.”

Ash was going to ask more questions, but Amalia held up a hand.

“No more questions. It is enough that you've passed.”

Amalia pointed to the door opposite of her.

“Head through that door, take a right and follow the hallway. All the way down, you will take a left and head through the first door you see, that is the registration room there you will pay your first semester's tuition and register for classes.”

With that, Amalia strode through the door that Ash had come through. Lilith entered a moment later.

She looked at him green eyes knowing.

Ash wanted to feel excited, he wanted to share that with her. Instead, he just felt like he had cheated, as if his entrance had been unearned.

Uncle Derrick had always told them that a man should earn his keep. This felt like it had been handed to him.

There was nothing for it He could back out, but if he did, he would have to advance the bronze rink on his own, and that just wasn't something he wanted to do.

If he did his foundation would be shoddy at best and there was simply too much he didn't know. Not to mention the fact that he had a feeling Amalia would add surprise conditions to obtaining the information she held from him.

The storyteller wanted him to attend Wyrmhaven Academy. He didn't know why yet, but it was clear as day.

Running hand through his hair, he took one last look at the crystal sitting on the table, wondering what would happen if he took the test anyway.

Deciding not to press his luck, he and Lilith left through the door Amalia had indicated.

It was time to register for his classes.

____

Not only was Ash now broke, but he wondered how he would ever have time to do anything.

He was now enrolled in the following classes:

1. Bronze Monster Lore: Taught by Master Hunter. Ffith day, from thirteenth hour until the fifteenth hour.

2. Bronze Alchemy: Taught by Master Alchemist. The second day, from the seventh hour until the ninth hour.

3. Bronze Combat: Taught by Master Swordswoman. First day, from the fourteenth hour until the sixteenth hour

4. Bronze Dungeon Lore: Taught Master Delver. Third day, from the seventh hour until the twelfth hour.

5. Bronze History: Taught by Master Delver Fourth day, from tenth to twelfth hour.

6. Bronze Understanding of Elan and Elar: Master Magics First day day from tenth to twelf hour.

Six classes, all at least a couple of hours long. Add in homework? Ash shuddered, closing his eyes. Worse than that, he had to find time to make money. Yes, he was good on tuition this semester, but there was next semester to consider, plus little things like needing to eat.

If it were just him, he’d probably be okay; he could go a little while without food.

But it wasn’t just him.

He glanced at Lilith. The dragon girl sent him an image of her dragon form hunting a rabbit in the forest near Ivalia.

She could provide for herself, she was trying to say.

Except that, if he let her do that, she could get caught. Adventurers frequented that forest. No, he wouldn’t take that chance.

His head spun from a sudden wave of exhaustion, and he put a hand against the wall. Lilith’s gaze turned worried.

“Just tired,” he muttered.

Wyrmhaven had student dorms divided by rank. Ash had paid for a spot in the dorm, and Lilith was considered his roommate. He had to pay for both of them, though.

So, at least he didn’t have to worry about being homeless.

He made his way there now, collapsing into one of the two available beds as soon as he could get in and close the door behind him. He didn’t even see if Lilith found her own bed.

He was out in moments.