He sat all day meditating and trying to feel his core, but it was much harder than he realized. All the books made the process seem relatively easy, but they didn’t explain how hard it was to cut all external stimuli off and focus on one’s body. By noon, he’d given up completely on the meditating, opting to just try and recreate the candle trick he’d performed the night before, to no avail.
He only stopped when Jinx had pecked his ear a little before the 13th bell.
Later that day, he’d received his schedule. Sitting in the garden outside the unclaimed tower, he opened it.
Day
- 7th Bell
- 9th Bell
- 13th Bell
- 15th Bell
- 17th Bell
Solmorn
- Magic Theory – Master Rell
- Magical Creatures and Fauna – Lady Lyswen
- History of the Realms – Mistress Emerith
- Lands of the Known World – Lady Talryn
- Foundations of Magical Combat – High Warden Cassien Flamebloom
Thalun
- Rudimentary Spellcasting – Master Rell
- Elemental Control I – Mistress Ilyra
- Arithmetic – Master Quill
- Meditation and Mana Control – Solan of the Deep
- Familiars 101 – Professor Vex
Aeris
- Magic Theory – Master Rell
- Magical Creatures and Fauna – Lady Lyswen
- History of the Realms – Mistress Emerith
- Lands of the Known World – Lady Talryn
- Foundations of Magical Combat – High Warden Cassien Flamebloom
Ifraun
- Rudimentary Spellcasting – Master Rell
- Elemental Control I – Mistress Ilyra
- Arithmetic – Master Quill
- Meditation and Mana Control – Solan of the Deep
- Familiars 101 – Professor Vex
Luxen
- Magic Theory – Master Rell
- Magical Creatures and Fauna – Lady Lyswen
- History of the Realms – Mistress Emerith
- Lands of the Known World – Lady Talryn
- Foundations of Magical Combat – High Warden Cassien Flamebloom
Mortimer had stared at the parchment until the words began to blur together.
This was more structured than anything in his village, where the lessons were held from the noon bell until the teacher lost control of the class or everyone had to go home to finish chores. They were usually held underneath the trees in the village square, taught by whatever elder had some free time that day.
Now, his days were full, from the 7th bell’s early chime in the sharp morning air until the 17th’s when the sun would cast its long golden shadow.
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As foreign as the concept to him, Mortimer couldn’t quench the spark that had arisen in his chest. He was especially excited for his electives:
Magical Creatures and Fauna, where he’d learn more about the naturally occurring ‘monsters’, as most people called them, such as wyrms and goblins.
Foundations of Magical Combat scared him as much as it excited him; he ached for the challenge and the chance to be able to prove himself.
Familiars 101 had to be the class that Mortimer was most excited for; He often grew envious of the witches who gained a familiar right upon awakening. Just the thought of forming a bond with such a creature filled him with wonder.
He imagined what sort of familiar he would eventually form a bond with. A fox, maybe, or some sort of winged creature. Ideally, Mortimer hoped it would be small enough to go with him anywhere. He wanted something clever, something with eyes that knew more than they let on. He’d seen some of the older students with iridescent serpents draped over their shoulders, falcons, and had even seen someone with a water spirit.
Before he could get much farther, he’d heard a familiar voice from behind him, further in the garden.
“Hey Mortimer!” Caelum called, leaning lazily on a stone column. The late afternoon sun caught the crimson glint in his hair. He held his schedule, folded once, creased, and smudged. The two grinned at each other as Caelum made his way over to where Mortimer was sitting.
Caelum stood next to Mortimer and peered down at his schedule, which was still sitting in his hands.
“Oh, so you’ve got Master Rell too, huh?”
“Looks like it. So we’ll be seeing each other every morning,” Mortimer grinned. “Hope you don’t get sick of me.”
“It looks like we have Combat together as well. Are you excited?”
“I am,” Mortimer said, trying not to sound too eager. “You?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss that class for anything,” Caelum said with a lazy smile on his face. “High Warden Flamebloom runs it, and he’s got a bit of a reputation,” He said mysteriously, “ It should make for a fun class.”
Mortimer raised an eyebrow as he rose off the bench, “Fun?”
Caelum snorted,” Yeah, for me at least. You may not be able to handle it.”
Mortimer chuckled, “Yeah, we’ll see who can’t handle it.”
Chuckling to themselves, the two began to walk toward the dormitory. Above them, a lone wyvern circled in lazy spirals, the setting sun running off its leathery wings. The great clock tower tolled the 17th Bell somewhere far below. Mortimer felt the sound in his chest, deep and slow, like the pulse of the academy itself. Students were leisurely strolling, discussing classes and other mundanities.
Mortimer rubbed his eyes, the weight of the past few days settling on him.
“You look like you haven’t slept in days,” Caelum remarked, glancing at Mortimer sideways.
Mortimer sighed. “I’ve been... trying some stuff out,” he said cryptically, Noxmere’s warning rushing back to his mind. “It hasn’t been working out, but maybe that’ll change once we start learning.”
Caelum nodded, a bit skeptical, but still cast a concerning glance towards Mortimer.
They reached the upper landing, and for a moment, they stood watching the sky blaze in streaks of amber and rose.
“Do you think we have what it takes?” he asked quietly. “To make it through all of this? The classes, the expectations…” He trailed off.
Caelum was quiet for a few minutes, mulling over the question. “Some of us won’t. But I think you’ll be fine.”
“Why”
“You don’t seem as ‘hardheaded’ and stubborn as some of our classmates.” He paused, giving Mortimer a once-over, “Plus, you have this quality to you. I can’t explain it, but it makes me think you’ll do all right here.”
Mortimer didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t expected such an honest and in-depth answer from Caelum. Despite how comfortable the two felt around each other, they had only met a few days ago and hadn’t spent much time together. Even now, the silence between them felt comfortable, unforced. Even jinxed seemed okay with the young resting aside from the occasional glance the raven spared him.
Before Mortimer could continue to stew in his thoughts, Caelum pulled him out.”
“Come on,” Caelum said at last. “I hear the dining hall’s serving skyfruit tarts tonight.”
“I have no idea what that is.”
“Even better.”