Chapter 1 The Academy (1/2)
Arran awoke before dawn, his body stiff frorass There had been an inn a few miles back, but three months of travel had drained most of the coin he had inherited fro several coppers for a warm bed seemed like a luxury he could ill afford
Yet despite his sore body, thisfound Arran filled with excitement Today, after three months, he would finally arrive in Fulai City Today, he would finally have a chance to join the Acadeht of dawn appeared Arran broke cah hunk of stale bread as he packed his bag After months of travel the time to eat breakfast properly would not make ht, his patience had long since worn thin
Heart filled with excitees and farrewthe city Each new hill he cli forith anticipation, yet each tih grassy hills
Several ti farmer how much farther it was to the city, and each time, they told him that the city was just a stone's throay By now, he wondered just how talented the rock-throwers in this region were
Near midday, Arran topped yet another low hill when suddenly, he saw it Not even a s stretched into the distance, s from what must be hundreds if not thousands of chi of shock as he took in the sight
Arran knew Fulai City was large, of course — it was the only place in the region called a ”city” — but the sheer scale of it filled his, there had to be thousands of people living here His iant had picked up all the towns Arran had ever seen and gathered theht, wondering what it would be like to live in such a grand place
At that moment, a cheerful voice sounded, ”First time here, I take it?”
Arran turned around with a start, finding a heavyset ht blue robe behind him
Before he could respond, the man continued, ”You're an Easterner, I take it?”
He gestured at Arran's head ”It's the blond hair that gives it away Don't see s you to the city? If it's work you're looking for, I suppose I could—”
”I'm here for the Academy,” Arran hurriedly interrupted hie?” His expression suggested that he did not approve of the idea
Arran nodded ”Do you knohere it is?”
The h the mention of the Acade white building near the center of the city You couldn't miss it if you tried”
With that, he departed, leaving Arran behind
Arran spent a fewas well Grand though the sight of the city ht be, his real destination still lay ahead of him
Soon after, he entered the city, where he ih the narrow cobblestone streets In just a fewthe entire previous three months
The streets were lined with small stores and food stalls, and Arran was assaulted by a barrage of sh the crowds — foods both new and fas he did not dare think too deeply about
Several tiars and hawkers whose persistence only wavered when they noticed the sword at his side, and he soon found hi his coin purse, afraid that with a ht vanish
After soroider, eventually etting close to the city center Here, the croere thinner and better dressed, while the beggars he had encountered earlier were conspicuously absent
It did not take long before Arran sahat he assu that loomed over the rest of the city, topped with ters that stretched toward the sky as if challenging the Gods
Drawn by the sight, he quickened his pace It wasn't long before he reached a large square, at the far end of which the Academy stood At last, he had arrived
Arran estruck by the sight of the Acadehty feet above the city without soanywhere on its walls, as if the entire building had been hewn frorand staircase led up to the entrance, made from the same white marble as the Academy itself On either side of the staircase stood half a dozen ar swords at their sides Their serious expressions indicated that they were not just there for decoration
When Arran approached the staircase, one of the white-clad guards immediately stepped forward, a tall woman with a sharp face and shoulders almost as broad as Arran's
”What's your business here?” she asked him in a cold tone
”I'm here to join the Acadeh only slightly ”You'll want the Testing Hall then,” she said, pointing at a white brick building to the left of the square
Arran nodded in thanks and turned toward the Testing Hall
Seeing the Testing Hall, he found hi by any standard — ood forty feet tall, it was certainlyin Arran's hometown — but it could not compare to the Academy itself
He walked over to the entrance of the Testing Hall, where a single uards outside the Acade, both his stance and his expression were noticeably uard asked with a suard continued, ”Just go right in”
Inside, Arran found a spacious hall, filled with rows of wooden benches that could easily have accoht noever, just a few dozen people sat scattered across the hall All but a few of theuessed that they were there for the same reason he was
At the back of the hall stood abehind it After a moment's hesitation, Arran approached her
The woman looked up at him ”Name?” she asked him curtly
”Arran,” he answered
”Family name?” she asked, a hint of impatience in her voice
Arran shook his head ”I don't have one,” he said slightly embarrassed In his hometown, only a few of the wealthier families had surnames The common folk were simply named for their jobs or their fathers
”Easterners” She shook her head in disdain ”What town are you from?”
”Riverbend,” he replied
”Arran of Riverbend, then” She carefully wrote down his name ”Very well Have a seat Someone will be with you soon”
After Arran sat down on one of the wooden benches, he looked around at the others in the hall Most of theh a few of them looked like they were in their early teens, and several seemed to be in their thirties or even forties
He could not help but feel out of place Whileclothes, still dirty with the dust of travel He spent a ood bath before heading to the Academy, but it was too late for that now
After a ti woman in a plain white robe walked up to hi a pretty face ”Are you Arran?” she asked in a friendly voice
”I am,” he answered