SND [2] Dorsehal Academy

Freja woke up excited to see how her familiar was doing. She barely got any sleep as she wanted to spend every waking moment the previous night with him or her? She still needed to complete the blood test to determine what sex Bjorn was. There were actually a lot of unknowns. She had no idea what the small creature was but he seemed docile and readily accepted the bond so she couldn’t be happier.

Normally she wouldn’t have been able to perform the summoning and binding. In fact without her friends and the dorm mother vouching for her she would have never been permitted to try. Without Mat she would have never succeeded in the summoning. Her magical ability was below even the most average wizard. If not for the fact she had the kiss of magic at all she would have been… well she tried not to think about that too often. Her family had already banished her from home so what is the worst they could do now?

She practically flipped out of the bed, grabbed her glasses and skipped over to her familiar. She had to be quiet since Julie was still asleep. Bjorn was curled up in the containment field near his egg. He was also asleep so she squatted down next to the barrier and tapped it with her finger. The barrier went through a sequence of colors. First blue, indicating the familiar bond was stable and strong. Then green which meant Bjorn was healthy and comfortable. This type of containment doubled as an incubator so it was warmer and more humid inside. 

The last one was the warning color which for Bjorn was purple. It meant he was venomous and if he bit her she would most likely die. Young animals are usually not good at controlling venom glands and would use way more than they needed. As long as the bond was in place Bjorn shouldn’t attack her unless she is hostile to him. However after Julie and Mat scolded her yesterday for taking him out of the containment she was thoroughly reminded that new bonds fail all the time and overconfident mages die because of it.

“He is so cute though.” Freja said to herself. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” 

Freja sighed as she looked at Bjorn’s wingless back and her jovial expression fell. There was movement behind her and saw Julie sitting up in bed stretching out with a yawn that sounded more like a squeal. She rubbed her tired green eyes. Which slowly focused on Freja who was squatted down in her underwear.

“Freja, what are you doing?” Julie asked she rubbed the last bit of sleep from her eyes. “You aren’t taking him out again are you? What did we say about that?”

Freja and Julie had always been morning people. They woke up at the same time everyday without fail and without any need for an alarm. 

“I know-I know. Don’t worry he is still in the containment and still asleep.” Freja said as she put her hands up in defeat.

“Good. The last thing we need is for you to get bit or something.” Julie said. “Or get me bit!”

“He’s not going to bite anyone. Come over here, look at ‘em he’s adorable.”

Julie sighed and got out of bed. She walked over to the containment and looked at the sleeping form of the lizard. Freja saw the ends of her lips curl upward and immediately pointed at her with an excusatory expression.

“See!” Freja whisper-screamed.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t cute. Just that he was dangerous.”

“Now, let’s get dressed. I don’t want to be late for the breakfast hall.” Julie said. “He will be here when we get back.”

“Maybe I should stay here for the day.”

“Ms. Dimii is here and she will take care of him. You know the professors are not going to let you take a day off just because your familiar hatched.”

“He might need me though.” Freja pouted.

“He is fine, what did the containment barrier show you?” Julie asked.

“That he’s fine.” Freja pouted as she stood up.

***

The two girls quickly got dressed which was fairly simple when they have to wear the same uniform everyday. Black cardigan and skirt with a white button-up dress shirt and tie. There was little freedom in their choice of outfit but Freja liked to accessorize with bracelets and bangles. Julie on the other hand had her good luck charms which were her multicolored beads and feathers hair accessories from her homeland.

Lastly but certainly not least were their wands. Freja’s wand was faded wood with a leather wrapping for a handle. There was a weak magic pulse from deep within the magic median. It was a beginner wand that her family expected her to grow out of a long time ago. She never did and every time she saw it there was a pang of embarrassment. She made a leather case for it which would attach to her belt but hide the entire wand from view. Julie never asked about it but it wasn’t like in the four years they had known each other she hadn’t found out.

Freja couldn’t help but look at Julie’s wand which was a magnificent magical implement made from twisted wood as red as her hair. Unlike her own wand, it was attuned perfectly with its wielder. Julie's magic suffused into it and was refined to a malleable state by merely holding it. Freja had to turn her eyes away from it before Julie saw her staring at it.

“Okay let’s go! We still have to meet with Mat.” Julie said.

“I’m coming. Bye Bjorn baby.” Freja said to the sleeping familiar.

***

The halls were full of young girls chattering and gossiping as they all made their way out of the dorm in the morning rush. There was a noticeable separation between most of them and Freja. Aside from Julie and Mat, people didn’t get close to her. She was used to it, she was, after all, the daughter of the noble family that owned the domain and academy. There were always wary glances pointed her way which made her tense up.

They didn’t see the dorm mother, Ms. Dimii in the mad chaos of the morning. They would have time later to catch up with her and ask about Bjorn since she took care of young familiars when they were left alone in the dorm. She was a nature mage with a specialty in taming and highly knowledgeable in healing magic. Even knowing all that Freja still wanted to stay just in case.

The courtyard outside of the girls dormitory held a small garden which was maintained to perfection by magic runes hidden beneath the soil. The atmosphere was pleasant as always as the girls walked along the brick walkways. The campus was large and held over a thousand promising young minds.

Before classes started everyone rushed to the dining hall for breakfast. Getting there late meant waiting in long lines and rushing to class. Mat was waiting for them with a couple of his guy friends that didn’t stick around after they showed up although they did tease him for being a player.

“It’s not like that guys.” Mat called after them.

“Not like what,” Julie said. “You get to hang out with gorgeous ladies like us; they are just jealous.”

Mat was human like Julie but he was taller than the two girls. Unlike them he carried a staff which was required for his specialization in evocation magic. It is common knowledge amongst the magic world that a lot can be said about a mage by the quality of their staff or wand in whatever form it takes. Mat was nobility like Freja but he was from one of the human kingdoms that bordered Yuhia.

His staff was a reflection of his skill, it was dark wood that emanated a sense of elegance. It was tall, six feet end to end and topped with a perfect wooden circle made from twisted wood that braided into itself. Inside this circle, a second, smaller wooden ring floats, held in place by invisible, magical tethers, maintaining flawless balance. A metal wrapped around the handle area mimics the wood's natural texture. The craftsmanship, while notable, reflects its purpose as a student’s tool: reliable and sturdy, but not exceptional.

The friends met up and Freja excitedly told Mat every detail she could remember about Bjorn. She nearly choked on a breakfast sausage while talking animatedly about Bjorn’s cute paws. Mat wasn’t as inclined with reptiles as Freja or Julie but he did hide that fact in his smile. He was more enamored with the girl telling the story than the content. It was because of that Julie let him sit in the middle between her and Freja.

“Mat.” Julie whispered out of Freja’s earshot while nudging him in the side. “Geez, could you be more obvious? You need to tell her, this is just getting sad.”

Mat tensed and his cheeks blossomed into an embarrassed pink as he turned from Freja to Julie. He looked as if she exposed his biggest secret. She just rolled her eyes and pointed at Freja who was still recounting stories of Bjorn completely unaware of the statement. Mat visibly relaxed but shot Julie a death-glare.

“After class today we can go to the library and see if we can find out what he is.” Mat said. “I am sure there are a couple of bestiaries we can look through.”

“That sounds like a great idea. He should be from around here right?” Freja asked.

Mat was the biggest contributor to the creation of the summoning ritual Freja used to summon Bjorn’s egg. As a student evocation mage he had a better handle on building out rituals and magic diagrams. He was the only evocation specialization mage in the academy because it was a rare specialization. 

“The summoning ritual would only bring something from the continent but it could be from anywhere.” Mat said. “Yuhia, the Force Isles, any of the dwarven kingdoms or even as far out as the Land of the Djinn.”

“I want to go to the Land of The Djinn some day.” Julie said. “I heard that they can grant wishes if you save them from peril or show them magic they have never seen before. Could you imagine if I became queen of Mesha or even a princess would be pretty cool.”

“Then you would have to learn all of the politics too.” Freja said.

Julia’s face turned sour as she breathed in sharply from clenched teeth. “Oh… yeah you’re right. You know what, I would just wish for ten-thousand platinum coins and my family would never have to work again. I could travel with a small army through any of the corrupted lands and see the world!”

“Too bad djinns don’t work that way.” Mat said.

“Aww come on don’t ruin it for me.” Julie pouted. “How would you even know?”

“You have met a few djinn’s already. We all have.” Freja said.

“W-wait what? When, who?” Julie asked.

“Professor Zafir is a djinn.” Mat said. “Wait-wait did you not know that he was a djinn this whole time? Red skin, three eyes and can make himself intangible. He is even the professor of foreign magic studies.”

Julie’s mouth hung open for a minute. “I thought he was a triclops or something. Wait does that mean that–”

“Yep, Rashid and Layla are both djinn’s too.” Freja said.

“Well, that doesn’t mean they can’t grant wishes.” Julie said as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “All we need is to save one of them from peril. Like what is the likelihood I could save them from falling off a cliff or something?”

“Don’t push anyone off a cliff, Julie.” Freja said in an exasperated tone.

“What? I would never?” Julie said completely unconvincingly. “Besides there aren’t any cliffs around here that… I know about. Then again it would probably work with a bridge too.”

“Julie.” Freja admonished.

“Yeah, yeah no pushing professors off of a bridge or cliff.” Julie said.

“Anyway,” Mat said to get the girls back on track. “We don’t know where he came from but there are plenty of books on draconic and serpentine creatures we can read through.”

***

“It may be quaint but it is important that everyone here understands where they are in their studies.” Professor Zafir addressed the class. “Everyone in my class is here because they have shown magical aptitude that places them above those that are magically inept.” His three eyes scanned the room and landed on Freja for the briefest moment longer than the others. “Well most people in my class have shown that aptitude.

“Magic is an innate gift you are born with and in the same vein you either have the talent to utilize it or you don't. At the bottom are the magicless—people devoid of magic even within their core. These individuals, sadly, contribute nothing to the advancement of magic aside from being the occasional test subject. Next we have the wizard which is the most pedestrian of magic users. They can perform simple spells but anything more is an uphill battle. They would be lucky to master even basic spell forms on their own within any discipline.”

Freja shrunk back in her seat as the professor continued. She could feel not only his gaze but also that of other students' eyes fell on her a few times during the explanation of wizards. Her magic was not at the level of a mage which was the minimum requirement to be in the class. The only reason she was permitted entry was because she was a Salstar. Her family owned the domain and everything in it including the academy. She was a failure in a long legacy of prodigies and everyone knew it and Zafir hated her for it.

The djinn man was a bright shade of red closer to the sheen of a perfectly ripe tomato than a natural skin tone. His hair and clothing flowed in the air as if he were moving through water. He stood at his podium in front of the fifty students in the tiered classroom. His eyes twinkled as he moved onto the next magic caster in the list. 

“Mages, this is where we see true potential.” Zafir made a grand show of the word by opening his arms wide. “Mages have the affinity for a magical discipline. Nature, Starlight, Darkness, Elemental, Spellcraft and the all too rare Anti-Magic. All of you have the potential to ascend to the highest echelons of your specialties. As a mage you represent the pinnacle of learned magic, a true testament to what can be achieved with real talent and perseverance.

“Even with that being said there is always a limit to what even a mage can accomplish.” Zafir had a wide grin across his face. “However, where mages fall short, sorcerers excel. Their power is not learned but innate, a raw, untamed force that sets them apart from all other magic users. Sorcery, granted by a True or stemming from a sage’s might, is unparalleled in its uniqueness and strength. Sorcerers are the true aristocracy of the world much like the Royal family here in Yuhia.”

“What about arcanists,” a young elf girl asked.

Zafir pressed his lips into a thin line. “Ah, yes how could I have forgotten. Some people consider them to be magic casters. They are not even fit to be called such. They are magicless that have derived their power through pacts of servitude and slavehood through patrons. They are mere vessels for another’s power.”

“And sages?” Mat asked this time.

 “Excellent question Master Matthew. Sages are surrounded in myths and legend although the truth of the matter is that they were the creators of magic disciplines. Each of them were magical genuses that advanced the study and exploration of magic for all of us. While tales of their magical exploits such as doing the impossible in mastering multiple disciplines or having a unique core may have been exaggerated. Their legacy is their undeniable contribution to magic.”

***

After the lecture from Zafir the group would have to split up to go to their next classes. Normally it would be their magic specialty class. Mat would go to the spellcraft class for his invocation magic and Julia to her elemental class for her geomancy. Freja on the other hand did not have a specialty. So she spent the time in the alchemy lab as an assistant. It was usually her favorite part of the day. Today however, what she wanted most was to finally get to the library then back to her dorm room with Bjorn.

The end of the school day could not come any faster. Freja and her friends met up at the library to finally find any information they could on Bjorn’s species. The Grand Library of Dorsehal Academy was one of the largest buildings on campus. From the outside even the colossal double doors looked intimidating. There was a hum in the air picked up by magical senses. It was the perfect resonance of hundreds of enchantments protecting the tomes inside. 

Freja’s group stepped inside, the air filled with the heady aroma of aged parchment.The space seemed all the larger from the inside as the towering bookshelves spread out in all directions and even ascended several mezzanine levels. The space was illuminated by the soft, ethereal glow of floating crystal orbs that drift lazily beneath the arched, vaulted ceiling. A ceiling that was a masterpiece of architectural design unto itself. It was adorned with detailed frescoes depicting battles, the creation of magical artifacts, and the ascension of the powerful Royal Family of Yuhia.

The group immediately went to find one of the archivists who would point them in the direction of the bestiaries. Three levels up and on the west wing. It was there that the real battle to discover what Bjorn was could finally begin. They chose a table and stacked any books classifying draconic and serpentine magic beasts and animals. Given the sheer amount of material they would have to look through them by region.

“What is the chances he is actually some kind of bird and his feathers just haven’t come in yet?” Julie asked as she pulled an avian book off the shelf. “There are those weird raptor things down south.”

“I don’t know if those are birds.” Mat said as he sat down and opened a book of his own. “I think they are draconic, maybe even just reptiles.”

“They can’t be reptiles, Mat.” Julia said with a snort. “They have feathers.”

“There are dragons with feathers.” Mat said.

“If Bjorn is a male he would probably have beautifully colorful feathers when he matures. If he is related to them.” Freja said.

“That sounds a lot like the kobolds around the Force Isles. Some of them are really colorful.” Mat said. “Those are the ones you have to watchout for.”