Chapter 7: First day of school.
Ezekiel woke up in the early morning, his mind clear and alert. But the excitement he had felt the previous day was gone, and he felt a weight on his heart as he made his way downstairs. He was staying at Armin's house, Markus's uncle, and the idea of living under someone else's roof again so soon after arriving in the city was disheartening. This was supposed to be a time in his life when he would gain independence, and he had dreamed of one day owning his own house in the capital. But after yesterday's evaluation, those dreams felt further away than ever.
Ezekiel pushed the negative thoughts from his mind as he entered the kitchen and found Markus and Armin up and about. Armin greeted him with a warm smile, "Good morning, Ezekiel. Did you sleep well?"
Ezekiel just nodded, his expression giving away nothing of the tumultuous emotions within. Despite the events of the previous day sapping his energy, he had slept soundly through the night, his body finally giving in to exhaustion.
Armin, undeterred by Ezekiel's reserved demeanor, continued the conversation with cheer. "Excited about your first day at Elementium, Ezekiel?" he asked.
Ezekiel considered the question, searching within himself for the excitement he had felt just a day before. The memory of the other students' gazes weighed heavily upon him, casting doubt upon his initial enthusiasm. Yet, he remembered Lilly, his friend and classmate, who would be by his side. Her high potential in air magic was a source of comfort, a beacon of hope in uncertain times. And with that thought, Ezekiel couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement kindle within his heart.
He replied with a newfound vigor, "Yes, I'm truly excited for it." Armin smiled, pleased with the change in Ezekiel's demeanor. They spent the rest of their meal discussing Armin's work as a blacksmith and Markus's plans to assist him. Ezekiel was happy for Markus, who was eager to start his apprenticeship.
After breakfast, Ezekiel set out on his journey to the academy, taking his time to marvel at the sights of the capital city. As he walked, he noticed numerous guards posted in the crafting district, a sign of the city's dedication to the safety of its artisans. The contrast was stark compared to the lack of security in the outermost district, where Ezekiel had previously made a promise to one day help the people there. The reality hit him hard as he realized he would soon be joining the struggling people of the outermost district, rather than saving them. Shaking off these thoughts, Ezekiel quickened his pace towards the entrance of the Elementium Academy.
The guards at the entrance gate to the academic district were unfamiliar with Ezekiel, as he had never entered through the official entrance on foot before. However, the guards remained unalarmed by his approach, as Ezekiel was already donning the official robes he received the previous day.
As Ezekiel rummaged through his pockets in search of the token he had received along with his new attire. Finally finding the Elementium insignia, he presented it to the guard, who in turn held out a strange device towards Ezekiel.
The guard's device came to life as a crystal lit up, breaking the tension that had filled the air. The guards relaxed their stance, and Ezekiel realized just how alert they were to any potential threats. Ezekiel was given the green light to pass and made his way to the reception desk, on his way there, he was reflecting on how he had completely missed the guards' readiness to strike had the identification process failed.
Ezekiel arrived at the reception desk for first-year students. Ahead of him, a queue had formed, with each person seeking information about their classes and schedules. Ezekiel took his place in line and took note of his surroundings. He could tell that the majority of the students in front of him were from commoner families, much like himself. This conclusion was drawn from their nervous body language and uncertain expressions. Unlike yesterday, when he'd seen students with confidence and a sense of belonging, these students lacked that same assurance.
Ezekiel waited his turn, observing the interactions between the students and the woman behind the counter. The woman greeted each student with a bored tone, clearly exhausted from answering the same questions repeatedly. After waiting in line for a few minutes, Ezekiel arrived at one of the reception desks. The woman behind the counter greeted him with that same bored tone. "Welcome to Elementium, what is your affinity?" Wanting to hurry up and not disturb her further, he answered, "Blood, Space, and Mind."
The woman's demeanor changed immediately as Ezekiel revealed his three affinities. The change was mirrored by the receptionists on either side of her, a mixture of emotions flickering across their faces, the majority of which Ezekiel perceived as pity. He raised an eyebrow in question, and the woman in front of him cleared her throat.
"First and foremost," she began, "there are no dormitories for first-year students who do not possess one of the four elemental affinities. So if you want to attend the academy, you'll need to find living arrangements on your own." She paused, gauging Ezekiel's attention before continuing.
"In terms of classes, all first-year students will attend general magic classes in the mornings and specialized magic classes in the afternoons. Given your three affinities, you'll be attending Blood, Space, and Mind classes." Another pause, and another nod from Ezekiel, as he had expected no less.
"Lastly, it's important to note that any act of violence against other students is strictly forbidden," the woman said sternly. "Anyone caught attacking another student on academy grounds will face severe punishment. Do you understand?" Ezekiel nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him at the mention of this rule. He thanked the receptionist as she handed him his timetable and gestured to a map on the wall showing the locations of the classrooms.
Ezekiel arrived at his first class, "History of Magic," eager to expand his limited knowledge. As he took a seat in the back, he noticed several familiar faces from the orientation hall. The class appeared to be mostly attended by commoners, leading Ezekiel to surmise that nobles were likely not required to attend all classes, as they were taught the theoretical aspects of magic from a young age by their families.
The door creaked open, and an elderly man strode into the room, immediately commanding the attention of the students with his strict demeanor. As the students fell silent, the teacher stood at the front of the class, waiting for any stragglers to settle. After a brief pause, he pointed to three students who were still chatting and declared, "You, you, and you. Out of my classroom. Come back tomorrow when you have learned how to behave." Two of the students made to argue, but their friend quickly dragged them from the room. Ezekiel watched the exchange, thankful for not being among the students that were called out. He had a feeling that talking back to this strict teacher would not be well received.
The lesson, contrary to Ezekiel's expectations, turned out to be extremely boring and potentially troublesome for him. The teacher droned on and on about the virtues of the four elements: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth and how they were the only true schools of Magic. Ezekiel was initially excited, but he quickly realized that the teacher's claims lacked substance. The teacher never explained why this was so or provided any evidence to support these claims.
What worried Ezekiel the most was the teacher's complete and utter disdain for Blood Mages. He often referred to them as "The Enemy" or "Hellspawns". Ezekiel didn't understand why the teacher would speak about a school of magic so negatively while praising other schools to the high heavens, without explaining the rationale behind either of these statements. As the class went on, Ezekiel could see that a number of students were giving him wary glances. They clearly remembered him from the evaluation the day before.
Ezekiel sighed. It seemed the headmaster's words were indeed correct, and he would have a hard time making friends with his perfect blood affinity. But it didn't bother Ezekiel much. He had always preferred a small circle of true friends over a large circle of superficial friends. He was disappointed that he wasn't in the same class as Lilly for this subject, but he had several more in the morning, and he was bound to run into her at some point.
Against all odds, Ezekiel found himself not sharing a single class with Lilly. He didn't catch a glimpse of her throughout the entire day. This was only one of the concerning trends Ezekiel noticed in his subsequent classes. Most of the teachers displayed an attitude of disdain towards Blood Magic, even the teacher of Blood Magic himself appeared to view his own Blood affinity as more of a hindrance than a gift. Ezekiel was stunned by the negative tone with which everyone spoke of this school of Magic. He gathered that this disdain was rooted in the fact that most Blood Mages hailed from a kingdom at war with the Empire. While Ezekiel didn't understand how this was reason enough to look down on him personally, the teachers' attitudes left little hope for changing these preconceptions anytime soon.
What worried Ezekiel even more was that the warning against hurting other students seemed to not apply to the noble students. While the commoners appeared content to simply ignore him, the nobles seemed to make a sport out of committing small acts of bullying when no teachers were nearby. Ezekiel lost count of the number of times he was tripped or shoved by passing students.
Ezekiel walked down the corridor, heading towards his final class of the day, Mind Magic, when he felt the shoulder of a passing student collide with his own. The student was tall and well-built, and appeared to be an upperclassman. The impact caught Ezekiel off guard, and he stumbled into a nearby pillar.
"Watch where you're going, Valorian scum," the student snarled. "The empire has no place for your kind."
Ezekiel regained his balance and squared up to the student. "It was clearly you who ran into me, senior. Furthermore, I don't know what a Valorian is, but I'm pretty certain I'm not one of them."
The student was about to reply when a young woman rounded the corner and called out to him. "Arnold, that's enough. We're going to be late for class if you waste any more time."
Arnold turned to the woman sheepishly and tried to defend himself. "The Blood Mage boy ran into me and was disrespectful!" he whined.
The woman raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I'm sure that's what happened. I've had it with your excuses, Arnold. It's never your fault, is it?" She strode over and grabbed his arm, pulling him away. As she passed Ezekiel, she gave him a pitying look before turning her attention back to Arnold. "Have you no shame, bullying a first-year?" she scolded as she marched him down the hall.
"You know just as well as I, that no noble family will take him in. That means he'll be stuck, unable to access resources after becoming a True Mage. Why must you add to his troubles? He hasn't done anything to you personally." The words echoed in Ezekiel's mind as the two rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Though he didn't fully grasp the woman's meaning, Ezekiel felt a growing sense of unease. The prospects ahead of him seemed even bleaker than he had anticipated.
Ezekiel stood there, listening to the sound of their voices fading into the distance. He couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness at the encounter. Why did everyone have to treat him with caution, fear, or disdain? He could tell that the nobles knew something he didn't. From what he could gather, mages needed a mysterious resource to advance their strength at some point, and the only way to gain access to those resources was to join a noble family. Ezekiel knew that it was harder for him to advance than it would be for other mages, but didn't that also mean that he would be stronger? He had two greater and a perfect affinity after all. He refused to believe that there was no noble family out there willing to invest in a mage with that much potential, no matter how generally despised his Blood affinity seemed to be.
Ezekiel gathered his resolve, his determination to achieve his aspirations undiminished. He pressed on, marching towards the final lecture of the day. The other students could try to stop him, but he wouldn't let this academy defeat him.
Chapter 7: First day of school.
Ezekiel woke up in the early morning, his mind clear and alert. But the excitement he had felt the previous day was gone, and he felt a weight on his heart as he made his way downstairs. He was staying at Armin's house, Markus's uncle, and the idea of living under someone else's roof again so soon after arriving in the city was disheartening. This was supposed to be a time in his life when he would gain independence, and he had dreamed of one day owning his own house in the capital. But after yesterday's evaluation, those dreams felt further away than ever.
Ezekiel pushed the negative thoughts from his mind as he entered the kitchen and found Markus and Armin up and about. Armin greeted him with a warm smile, "Good morning, Ezekiel. Did you sleep well?"
Ezekiel just nodded, his expression giving away nothing of the tumultuous emotions within. Despite the events of the previous day sapping his energy, he had slept soundly through the night, his body finally giving in to exhaustion.
Armin, undeterred by Ezekiel's reserved demeanor, continued the conversation with cheer. "Excited about your first day at Elementium, Ezekiel?" he asked.
Ezekiel considered the question, searching within himself for the excitement he had felt just a day before. The memory of the other students' gazes weighed heavily upon him, casting doubt upon his initial enthusiasm. Yet, he remembered Lilly, his friend and classmate, who would be by his side. Her high potential in air magic was a source of comfort, a beacon of hope in uncertain times. And with that thought, Ezekiel couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement kindle within his heart.
He replied with a newfound vigor, "Yes, I'm truly excited for it." Armin smiled, pleased with the change in Ezekiel's demeanor. They spent the rest of their meal discussing Armin's work as a blacksmith and Markus's plans to assist him. Ezekiel was happy for Markus, who was eager to start his apprenticeship.
After breakfast, Ezekiel set out on his journey to the academy, taking his time to marvel at the sights of the capital city. As he walked, he noticed numerous guards posted in the crafting district, a sign of the city's dedication to the safety of its artisans. The contrast was stark compared to the lack of security in the outermost district, where Ezekiel had previously made a promise to one day help the people there. The reality hit him hard as he realized he would soon be joining the struggling people of the outermost district, rather than saving them. Shaking off these thoughts, Ezekiel quickened his pace towards the entrance of the Elementium Academy.
The guards at the entrance gate to the academic district were unfamiliar with Ezekiel, as he had never entered through the official entrance on foot before. However, the guards remained unalarmed by his approach, as Ezekiel was already donning the official robes he received the previous day.
As Ezekiel rummaged through his pockets in search of the token he had received along with his new attire. Finally finding the Elementium insignia, he presented it to the guard, who in turn held out a strange device towards Ezekiel.
The guard's device came to life as a crystal lit up, breaking the tension that had filled the air. The guards relaxed their stance, and Ezekiel realized just how alert they were to any potential threats. Ezekiel was given the green light to pass and made his way to the reception desk, on his way there, he was reflecting on how he had completely missed the guards' readiness to strike had the identification process failed.
Ezekiel arrived at the reception desk for first-year students. Ahead of him, a queue had formed, with each person seeking information about their classes and schedules. Ezekiel took his place in line and took note of his surroundings. He could tell that the majority of the students in front of him were from commoner families, much like himself. This conclusion was drawn from their nervous body language and uncertain expressions. Unlike yesterday, when he'd seen students with confidence and a sense of belonging, these students lacked that same assurance.
Ezekiel waited his turn, observing the interactions between the students and the woman behind the counter. The woman greeted each student with a bored tone, clearly exhausted from answering the same questions repeatedly. After waiting in line for a few minutes, Ezekiel arrived at one of the reception desks. The woman behind the counter greeted him with that same bored tone. "Welcome to Elementium, what is your affinity?" Wanting to hurry up and not disturb her further, he answered, "Blood, Space, and Mind."
The woman's demeanor changed immediately as Ezekiel revealed his three affinities. The change was mirrored by the receptionists on either side of her, a mixture of emotions flickering across their faces, the majority of which Ezekiel perceived as pity. He raised an eyebrow in question, and the woman in front of him cleared her throat.
"First and foremost," she began, "there are no dormitories for first-year students who do not possess one of the four elemental affinities. So if you want to attend the academy, you'll need to find living arrangements on your own." She paused, gauging Ezekiel's attention before continuing.
"In terms of classes, all first-year students will attend general magic classes in the mornings and specialized magic classes in the afternoons. Given your three affinities, you'll be attending Blood, Space, and Mind classes." Another pause, and another nod from Ezekiel, as he had expected no less.
"Lastly, it's important to note that any act of violence against other students is strictly forbidden," the woman said sternly. "Anyone caught attacking another student on academy grounds will face severe punishment. Do you understand?" Ezekiel nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him at the mention of this rule. He thanked the receptionist as she handed him his timetable and gestured to a map on the wall showing the locations of the classrooms.
Ezekiel arrived at his first class, "History of Magic," eager to expand his limited knowledge. As he took a seat in the back, he noticed several familiar faces from the orientation hall. The class appeared to be mostly attended by commoners, leading Ezekiel to surmise that nobles were likely not required to attend all classes, as they were taught the theoretical aspects of magic from a young age by their families.
The door creaked open, and an elderly man strode into the room, immediately commanding the attention of the students with his strict demeanor. As the students fell silent, the teacher stood at the front of the class, waiting for any stragglers to settle. After a brief pause, he pointed to three students who were still chatting and declared, "You, you, and you. Out of my classroom. Come back tomorrow when you have learned how to behave." Two of the students made to argue, but their friend quickly dragged them from the room. Ezekiel watched the exchange, thankful for not being among the students that were called out. He had a feeling that talking back to this strict teacher would not be well received.
The lesson, contrary to Ezekiel's expectations, turned out to be extremely boring and potentially troublesome for him. The teacher droned on and on about the virtues of the four elements: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth and how they were the only true schools of Magic. Ezekiel was initially excited, but he quickly realized that the teacher's claims lacked substance. The teacher never explained why this was so or provided any evidence to support these claims.
What worried Ezekiel the most was the teacher's complete and utter disdain for Blood Mages. He often referred to them as "The Enemy" or "Hellspawns". Ezekiel didn't understand why the teacher would speak about a school of magic so negatively while praising other schools to the high heavens, without explaining the rationale behind either of these statements. As the class went on, Ezekiel could see that a number of students were giving him wary glances. They clearly remembered him from the evaluation the day before.
Ezekiel sighed. It seemed the headmaster's words were indeed correct, and he would have a hard time making friends with his perfect blood affinity. But it didn't bother Ezekiel much. He had always preferred a small circle of true friends over a large circle of superficial friends. He was disappointed that he wasn't in the same class as Lilly for this subject, but he had several more in the morning, and he was bound to run into her at some point.
Against all odds, Ezekiel found himself not sharing a single class with Lilly. He didn't catch a glimpse of her throughout the entire day. This was only one of the concerning trends Ezekiel noticed in his subsequent classes. Most of the teachers displayed an attitude of disdain towards Blood Magic, even the teacher of Blood Magic himself appeared to view his own Blood affinity as more of a hindrance than a gift. Ezekiel was stunned by the negative tone with which everyone spoke of this school of Magic. He gathered that this disdain was rooted in the fact that most Blood Mages hailed from a kingdom at war with the Empire. While Ezekiel didn't understand how this was reason enough to look down on him personally, the teachers' attitudes left little hope for changing these preconceptions anytime soon.
What worried Ezekiel even more was that the warning against hurting other students seemed to not apply to the noble students. While the commoners appeared content to simply ignore him, the nobles seemed to make a sport out of committing small acts of bullying when no teachers were nearby. Ezekiel lost count of the number of times he was tripped or shoved by passing students.
Ezekiel walked down the corridor, heading towards his final class of the day, Mind Magic, when he felt the shoulder of a passing student collide with his own. The student was tall and well-built, and appeared to be an upperclassman. The impact caught Ezekiel off guard, and he stumbled into a nearby pillar.
"Watch where you're going, Valorian scum," the student snarled. "The empire has no place for your kind."
Ezekiel regained his balance and squared up to the student. "It was clearly you who ran into me, senior. Furthermore, I don't know what a Valorian is, but I'm pretty certain I'm not one of them."
The student was about to reply when a young woman rounded the corner and called out to him. "Arnold, that's enough. We're going to be late for class if you waste any more time."
Arnold turned to the woman sheepishly and tried to defend himself. "The Blood Mage boy ran into me and was disrespectful!" he whined.
The woman raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I'm sure that's what happened. I've had it with your excuses, Arnold. It's never your fault, is it?" She strode over and grabbed his arm, pulling him away. As she passed Ezekiel, she gave him a pitying look before turning her attention back to Arnold. "Have you no shame, bullying a first-year?" she scolded as she marched him down the hall.
"You know just as well as I, that no noble family will take him in. That means he'll be stuck, unable to access resources after becoming a True Mage. Why must you add to his troubles? He hasn't done anything to you personally." The words echoed in Ezekiel's mind as the two rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Though he didn't fully grasp the woman's meaning, Ezekiel felt a growing sense of unease. The prospects ahead of him seemed even bleaker than he had anticipated.
Ezekiel stood there, listening to the sound of their voices fading into the distance. He couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness at the encounter. Why did everyone have to treat him with caution, fear, or disdain? He could tell that the nobles knew something he didn't. From what he could gather, mages needed a mysterious resource to advance their strength at some point, and the only way to gain access to those resources was to join a noble family. Ezekiel knew that it was harder for him to advance than it would be for other mages, but didn't that also mean that he would be stronger? He had two greater and a perfect affinity after all. He refused to believe that there was no noble family out there willing to invest in a mage with that much potential, no matter how generally despised his Blood affinity seemed to be.
Ezekiel gathered his resolve, his determination to achieve his aspirations undiminished. He pressed on, marching towards the final lecture of the day. The other students could try to stop him, but he wouldn't let this academy defeat him.
