Over four hundred students had been standing in front of the stone-made administrative building of the academy for hours. Bell had been standing there before the sun came up. When the letter from the academy came in, she couldn’t sleep. Travelling hundreds of miles from her village at the far forests of the north, she had rushed to the academy, arriving in fourteen days.
Arriving in the city was splendid. The people were nice, telling her the direction that led to the academy. The gates of the academy had her breaking into a warm smile, and without a shred of respect for her body and its fatigued state, she broke into a run when the gates opened and found herself in front of the academy’s large wooden doors.
She was running out of nuts, and fast. She shuffled through her bag, checking if she had any left. Chewing nuts was the only thing she had been doing, seeing as no one was comfortable enough to hold a conversation with her. Not that she was bothered. Most of the people here were too busy showing their anger and disgust at being locked out.
“Let us in!” Some yelled. “Open the bloody doors!” A couple of them even went on to bang on the doors. From their faces and clothing, they looked like city kids. Ah, yes. They act like they own the place. Bell rolled her eyes.
Of course, there were a couple of quiet ones like her around. She spotted a small group of boys in red sitting in a corner. She thought all of them looked like thorns underneath warm roses. Her mother called men like that, ‘monsters to be with’. As she stared on and chewed, observing them, she would occasionally mutter, “I want one…” And proceed to slowly bite her lower lip.
The boys in red paid her no attention. There was the little guy in glasses who looked like he was reading a book who did try waving with a smile, but she shrugged at him, walking away from him as fast as her legs could carry her.
Then there was the guy she did approach, tall with dark hair and black eyes. He’d been leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. She had hesitated at first, but he arrived at the academy almost the same time she did.
Test your luck huh? She thought.
“Hi there…” She said as she walked over to him.
The boy rose a brow, staring at the blonde who was attempting conversation.
“I’m Bell,” She said, offering her hand for a handshake. The smile on her face was the best she could give at the moment.
The boy looked at her, then tilted his head to look at the bow slung behind her. Bell turned, thinking he was staring at someone else and turned back to stare at him.
“Nice bow,” the boy said with a nod. His voice was everything she imagined.
“A gift from my mother,” Bell replied still smiling.
The boy got up from his leaning position. Standing up, he was tall, as tall as the red boys. He looked into her eyes like he was searching for a lost toy. An uneasy Bell found herself taking steps backwards. Her face was burning red as he drew closer.
“You…” The boy said. Bell began drawing shorter breaths as he continued, “You bring a bow to a school where they teach magic. Only those seeking to learn anti-magic use weapons. Or…Is it that you can’t use magic at all?”
Bell blinked her blushes away. “I, uh…I can’t control it. So, you could say, I’m here to learn still. I uh, I just like my bow.”
The boy scoffed, “If you have that much confidence in your bow, perhaps you should be in the garrison.” He put his hand in his pockets as he turned to walk away. Bell knew when someone had become tired of a conversation, she saw it in his eyes.
“My name’s Finn. Remember that and I might just see you in the garrison when you fail the test,” his steps grew distant after that.
Bell smiled, left alone by the wall. Wasn’t the first time people had questioned her ability to use magic. And now the first person she spoke to in the academy was doing the same. Things weren’t going to be easy just because she got into the academy. Clearly, he didn’t think much of her, relegating her to the garrison on her first day.
She shook her head and smacked her face back into a smile. After contemplating in her head, she decided the best thing to do was smile now and stress later. If anything, now she knew there was a test coming. She at least knew, nothing more.
Bell’s eyes would-however-be shifted to a long white vehicle that honked its way into their midst. Murmurs began among those who had been waiting. Two people stepped down from the car, a boy and a girl. Both with white coloured hair. The girl walked in front. Grey eyes and lips with the deepest red. She wore a long white coat covering her white shirt and pants. Her white laced boots allowed her elegance with each step. She turned neither left nor right, a straight look worn on her face, walking straight to the door.
The boy behind her took his time in his steps. Tall, with long white hair falling below his shoulders and clear blue eyes. He wore white as his sister did, but unlike his sister, tore a golden smile as he walked. Almost like he knew he was a celebrity.
If only I could get some of that… Bell thought.
The Arcstones. Who didn’t know them really? The pure mana that followed them with each step, like an aura well collected and controlled. Whether the two of them were doing this on purpose or not, they definitely had everyone talking. Bell kept on staring with her jaw dropped at the two most beautiful creatures she had ever seen when suddenly, behind the crowd a horse neighed.
The silence was instant. So much so, that the twins themselves turned for a glance at who had stolen the spotlight. The horse was black but the rider was no Imperial guard. The rider had a hood on and wore clothes of deep black and grey. But more than that was the mana that suddenly filled the air, spreading with no literal direction. If the Arcstones were the peak of elegance and beauty then this person was a mockery of that.
Bell noticed this, swinging her head to take a quick look at the twins before turning back to the unknown rider. If there was any chance he was as powerful as he looked, perhaps he could mould her into being strong. She bit her lip and took brisk steps forward to the rider in the midst of the silence. She stood right in front of him as he landed on the floor.
“Hey,” she said, wearing a smile. She had honestly had enough smiles for one day.
The rider turned and took off his hood. Brown hair, brown eyes, pink lips. The scar by his left cheek, the continuous flow of mana.
He’s not normal.
“If you pass the tests, join my Cadre. I like you,” she said.
The rider stood silent for a moment before he replied, “…Excuse me?”
Bell kept talking. “My name’s Bell.”
“Tobey.”
She stretched her hand and shook his.
“Nice Horse,” Bell said. “What’s her name?”
“I…Hadn’t thought about that,” Tobey replied. He was not expecting this.
“Well, you should. It’s a beautiful horse.”
“Oi.” A boy called out from behind them. He looked gangly, wearing a white band around his head, his black hair leaking out in bangs. There were two others with him.
Tobey didn’t need anyone to tell him to get his guard up. He knew these types. Tobey watched as the three boys circled him and his horse. His fists gripped the reins and his eyes followed their movements. The boy continued.
“Bet you stole it eh?” The boy said pointing to the horse.
“No, it’s mine,” Tobey replied.
“Yeah? Who gave it to you?” The boy asked again.
“An Imperial cavalry commander,” Tobey replied.
The boys paused and looked at themselves, suddenly bursting into mocking laughter. They weren’t the only ones. Others around burst into laughter as well.
“An Imperial commander? To you?” The boy said laughing hard still. “You think we don’t know who you are?”
Bell raised a brow in confusion. She didn’t know who he was.
“What does it matter? It’s a black horse isn’t it?” Tobey asked with a brow raised.
The boy’s laughter calmed. “Well, you’re right about that.” He said as he turned. “Careful, you might lose it.” Tobey watched the edge of his mouth twist into a conceited grin.
“Who is that guy?” Tobey asked.
“Dunno. Probably another trouble maker,” Bell replied shrugging. She turned back to him. “Are you supposed to be someone important?”
“You…You don’t know who I am?” Tobey asked staring into her blue eyes.
“Should I? I mean your mana is leaking all over, but that aside, I don’t know anything about you.”
“True,” Tobey said. He let go of the reins. He didn’t want to draw more attention to himself, the horse had done enough. He could tie the horse outside the building near a tree or something. First, he’d have to get inside. And then there was the test she mentioned.
Shit.
“Hey,” Tobey called to the girl who was chewing on something. Bell looked up, too eager to respond. “You mentioned something about a test?”
“…Ah-” Bell remembered she didn’t know shit about the test either.
Suddenly there was a change in the air, a long breeze blew past the crowd gathered and with the toll of the bell at the top of the tower, a man suddenly appeared before them, standing on the stairs near the door of the building.
The bell continued ringing and all eyes were on the man who wore a brown coat on a vintage suit and a hat. He had a fuzzy moustache. He looked mid-forties. He had a cane in his hand and rings in eight out of ten fingers. What kept their eyes on him however would have been the golden-eyed eagle that rested on his shoulder.
They all watched as he raised a finger to the eagle and rubbed its feathers.
“Quite the number this time, won’t you agree, Thaus?”
Everyone assumed he was speaking to the bird. The man cleared his throat and took a long breath as he prepared to address them.
“Welcome to the Imperial Mage Academy,” he began. “I am the Principal, Lord Sinix and I am the greatest authority in this Academy. For some of you, I will be the one in charge of your lives for the next four years. And for others, this will be the first and last time we will ever see each other.”
The students began to whisper among themselves. Sinix watched in amusement.
“Now that you’re all here, let’s begin,” he spoke.
Silence fell on them as they watched him raise his hand and closed his eyes.
“Spirits of Ilia, hear me. I call for the four-walled void.” He chanted.
Within the blink of an eye, all the gathered students were transported to a large white hall, each sitting on a table with a pen and paper before them.
Tobey turned around him, he was lost beyond doubt. Bell sat by his right and the gangly boy by his left. Finn was a row ahead of Bell, the twins and others further upfront.
Principal Sinix grinned at the confused students, his finger stroking his bird.
“Let the test begin.”
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