The next day, 15th Nuru.
Morning
The sunlight filtered through the curtains, falling across Ambra's face.
Feeling the early heat, she turned over in bed, but found no peace.
So she lay back, her arm resting across her forehead.
This damn sun... Next time I have to remember to close the curtains properly...
Between yawns, Ambra got out of bed and got ready to go downstairs for breakfast.
In the first-floor corridor, as she left the bathroom, she found Alice in front of her brother's door.
*Knock Knock*
Ambra was not surprised at the sight of her mother, who was puzzled by Adamas's lack of answers.
He hasn't woken up yet... He probably stayed up late working on his gadgets.
I should try to slip past her, otherwise she asks me to wake him up.
Her first steps made no sound.
The third gave her away.
Alice turned around slowly, then smiled softly.
"Good morning, honey."
Approaching her daughter, she gently arranged a stray strand of violet hair.
Ambra initially did not respond or move.
After fixing her daughter's hair, Alice started knocking on the door again.
Ambra, on the other hand, passed by her mother and went down the first two steps of the wooden stairs.
Then, she stopped.
"Good morning, Mom," she finally said, continuing the descent.
In the living room, another yawn caught her, which made her close her eyes and nearly bump into a chair.
Once in the kitchen, Ambra found her father preparing breakfast.
Looking at the pendulum clock on the opposite wall of the living room, she raised her eyebrows.
It's 8:30, theoretically it's late for him-
"Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?"
Ethan spoke, pulling Ambra out of her thoughts.
The next second, she nodded in response and sat down, letting her father serve breakfast.
Today is the day I will finally register at the Red Tower...
Ambra rested her head on her hand, staring blankly at her father as he poured the coffee with milk into the cup.
Should I act excited? I don't know...
*Thud*
Focusing in front of her, Ambra saw a cup full of coffee with milk appear.
Maybe there is no correct reaction...
Looking through the steam rising from the cup, Alice passed by Ethan, greeting him with a kiss.
At the head of the table, Adamas appeared.
His hair says enough... Ambra thought instinctively.
******
After breakfast, the trio immediately set off towards the red tower to fill out the registration forms and all the necessary paperwork.
The road in the early morning was still noisy, filled with laughter and chatter from people heading to work.
To reach the Tower located in the center of the capital, Alice, Ambra and Adamas took a carriage, as it was quite far from their home in the Northeast district.
Amid Adamas's yawns, and the soft chatter between mother and daughter, the trio arrived at their destination.
Getting out of the carriage, Ambra and Adamas looked out at Red Square and the Red Tower.
Its Gothic-style windows and sculptures adorned the walls like silent sentinels of arcane power.
The Tower could be seen from every point in the capital...
Ambra looked up at the summit, covering her eyes from the sun with her hand.
But up close it's something else entirely... You can't see the top.
Beyond the first park, the trio approached a vast fence encircled another immense open-air area.
At the entrance, two guards blocked the road.
Ambra looked at the two men: the black and green uniform resembled the woods at night, while on both of them the emblem of an axe was outlined by a red line.
That symbol... where did I see it?
Ambra thought, slightly angry with herself at the gap.
"Good morning. Documents." said one of the two guards.
"Good morning,"
Alice answered with a smile, pulling the two recommendations out of her bag.
At the bottom of both was the Commander's signature.
After a brief moment of verification, the two guards handed the trio small red badges, explaining that a guide would meet them just beyond the gate.
After returning the papers, the two guards looked at each other, letting the trio pass with a slight bow.
"Welcome," they said at the same time.
Bowing slightly with a smile, Alice, Ambra and Adamas crossed the entrance and their surroundings changed: the base of the tower was not on the same level as the gate, as a portion of the ground had been lifted.
Around the floating rock there were reddish stones set in similar clouds, supporting it.
Ambra slightly widened her eyes as the environment changed.
It didn't match what she saw outside. The scale felt wrong.
The ground... it's not grounded at all.
Her brother Adamas was equally speechless, his eyes wide as he took in the glowing runes, hovering paths, and the intricate layering of magical mechanisms around them.
From the central avenue leading to the tower entrance, a man could be seen walking at a brisk pace.
"I assume that's our guide," said Alice, thinking out loud.
Arriving in front of the trio, the guide spoke: "Welcome to the Red Tower! I'm Edwin. I will guide you to the registration office."
The man's tone was oddly bright, in contrast with his restrained, almost empty smile.
Adamas and Ambra looked at the man in front of them: dressed in a wine-red suit, neatly tailored, his white shirt crisp beneath the jacket. The most striking feature, however, was his pitch-black helmet-like hair and his eyes the color of burning embers.
This guy... Looks like a reptile.
Ambra had a shiver down her spine when she saw the man.
Ambra turned her head towards her brother.
Noticing his sister's gaze, Adamas turned slightly, and moving only his lips, said: "That's incredible!"
I'll never understand him.
Ambra sighed slightly.
The eyes of the guide... His eyelids didn't move...
Ambra was internally surprised, but did not let it show, as always.
*****
"The tower was built to serve several functions," Edwin began as they walked.
"It houses researchers and magicians devoted to magical study.
However, student training happens primarily at the Red Academy, where students live. This tower mainly serves as an administrative and advanced research hub."
"Excuse me, will my children be provided with food and lodging?" Alice asked, puzzled.
"Exactly, milady. Your children will stay in the Academy's dormitories, with personal accommodation." Edwin replied, his chest puffing with pride.
Alice raised an eyebrow and looked at the guide.
"We had not been informed about this."
At that moment, Edwin stopped.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Tural, but that is the rule. Students must remain in the academy facility, at least during the week."
Ambra watched the guide lower his head slightly, while her mother was puzzled by the claims.
So we have to stay in the dorm... Why?
While Ambra was asking herself internally, Alice spoke again.
"I will ask during the registration. Thank you for your answer," she finally said coldly.
Meanwhile, Adamas had not listened to anything, because he was taken entirely by the environment. The courtyard glowed with light captured by runes reacting to the position of the sun. It was like watching magic breathe.
"Excuse me, can I ask you a question?" Ambra said, taking advantage of Edwin's silence.
"Please, go on" said the guide beamingly, clearly unused to being asked questions.
"How is it possible that from the outside it is smaller than what this place actually is? Besides the fact that to contain all the things you said, the space of the tower seems too limited."
"Nice question." said Edwin satisfied, recovering from before.
"Everything you said is right, but you're missing one detail: space magic," said the guide, amused by Ambra's puzzled face.
"It's complicated to explain. I assume you're the girl for the magic section. Once you get in, you'll understand how it works,"
Edwin finally said with a cold look.
Hmm... I don't get it, but... You can do that with magic too...!
Ambra's purple gaze drifted into the void. But her eyes were far from dull.
During the explanation, Ambra and Adamas continued asking questions, insatiable to know more than the guide actually knew, flanked by their mother Alice amused by the scene.
So they got to the base of the floating rock, the base where the tower was.
Two cage-like platforms stood ahead, each holding two people, connected above by what, at first glance, appeared to be an arch of dark material.
"Well, go through the two cages, then wait a few seconds and go up," said Edwin quietly, showing the direction with his hand.
The first to go was Ambra, who, after passing under the arch, felt the tiredness of the walk coming out of her body, while the obsidian above became clearer.
When they saw that scene, the facility's technicians watched the girl in surprise.
Out of the corner of his eye, Adamas observed the peculiar reaction of the guide: his eyes showed for a moment a flicker of confusion, almost frightened. The next second, it vanished.
"Wow, I feel lighter. What happened?" she asked the guide with a nod of surprise.
"Nothing, the obsidian contained in the arch above you is a material as well as a magical conductor with properties of collecting impurities. Let's say it 'cleaned you up'." said Edwin with a slight laugh.
Immediately after the explanation, Ambra walked forward as the guide had indicated, stopping herself on the edge.
Just the time to formulate a thought that one by one, steps of celestial flames formed in front of her, ending exactly at the main entrance of the tower.
For the first time, Ambra showed her astonishment openly, observing the flaming stairs for a few seconds with wide eyes, and then hinting at a smile of excitement.
Turning to the duo of her mother Alice and her brother Adamas, she noticed that they were both stunned, as she was.
Ambra crossed first, followed by Adamas, then Alice, and finally Edwin.
Arriving at the entrance, Edwin finished his overview of the tower: "Finally, on the top of the tower, resides the Commander, the person in charge of protecting Ufalme Bora, as well as continuously monitoring the powerful barrier created to protect the Capitals, the cities where the towers resided," he said, showing a friendly smile to the trio.
In the pause, Ambra took advantage of the silence to speak.
"Excuse me, why is the tower structured this way? Elevated from the ground and everything?"
"I can only tell you it is for emergency. The capital's population is close to one million, and as a landmark, there are also... threats that might break in," Edwin replied, then turned to the trio.
"Now we will enter the tower, please stay close to me, it's easy to get lost."
Saying this, Edwin presented a card to the sphere at the center of the door. It glowed red, and the gate opened.
Fiery mechanisms appeared in front of the gate, which began to rotate, opening the view of the trio.
Ambra and Adamas were both enthusiastic, but for different things: For Adamas, it was the chance to observe closely the mechanisms and runes used for the avant-garde of magical craftsmanship; for Ambra it was a pleasure for the eyes to finally be able to admire the interior of the tower.
Ambra, Alice and Adamas entered the tower, but the view from the inside was completely different from what they expected.
As the door opened, a magnificent interweaving of the wild nature welcomed them.
Lush vegetation surrounded a white marble structure rising in the green foliage.
The majestic white dome highlighted an immense oak trunk extending upward, likely connecting multiple floors.
The sunlight filtered through the space, giving the illusion of open sky.
After giving the group time to be stunned, Edwin turned around and said proudly:
"Welcome to the Red Tower, 1st floor, also called the reception of nature!"