Before my studies would begin, the Prince suggested I settle down first. He told me to take the platform down to the ground level and ask the reception desk for help. When pressed why they had to cut away from this point forward, the prince would only chuckle and answer with "I have Princely duties to attend to."
When going downwards to the lobby and following the instructions forward, it didn't take long until I had been lead to a group of people around my age, somewhere in the range of early to late teens, attending a tour around the Academy. Despite the wide variety of species that were in attendance, I stood out like a light in the dark considering that there were no other Goliaths present and I had been covered in my base peasant wear compared to the cleaner and more formal attire the others wore, but nevertheless, the tour continued and I simply followed suit. I was audience to a wide variety of locations, which curiously was all perfectly spread out and fit within this massive capital building which apparently was the whole school. I had seen the training rooms, two separate expansive areas that separate weapons training and magic training, although from what I had seen, both practices weren't exclusive from each other as students flung spells off from their chosen weapons like projectiles from a staff or bow yet still clashing steel in the sparring match I was lucky enough to watch for a few minutes before I was pulled to the next location. This place was a treasure trove of any studious student as it was a library, filled with all sorts of books and reading materials one could ever dream of stacked in shelves upon shelves that reached at least 3 floors. It felt overwhelming just simply looking upwards towards the towering units and towards the students who spent their time here with stacks upon stacks of thick books. Goddess knows what they're learning about, it deserved the focus.
The next location we hopped towards was actually quite a pleasant stop. It was a garden. An open space terrace sat at the side of the building where it could catch the wind and sunlight of the day. One could only imagine how night would look in this beautiful space. It had carefully laid out flower beds sat in perfectly circular spots among the soft grass that blankets the whole terrace. Stone blocks were used to mark the pathways and it also seemed like together with the pathways back towards the building were some stone and wood benches that wrapped around gorgeous tall and thick trees with a strange red hue, shifting sometimes to orange or yellow to the leaves. It was as if fire had engulfed the crown of the flora while it danced along the wind. I did not even know trees could have this color other than the times before the cold would settle in. It was a beautiful contrast against the colorful bushes of flowers and the flat green of the floor. It was here that I could also see some students practicing more magic. A green glow that wraps around the plants and seemed to help revitalize some of the ones that were close to wilting.
We soon found ourselves on hallways with doors on each side, of which they quickly explained that these were the classrooms we would be using from time to time. I was not allowed to check inside with the fact that students were still using it though so I had no choice but to let the curiosity chew away at the back of my mind until I officially joined the students around here.
Lastly, after exiting the building and walking off to one of the towers connecting from the main body of the academy, they showed us where we would be staying. A dormitory they called it as we climbed flight after flight to a higher floor within the tower and into a long stretch of hallway filled with more doors, but instead of uniform in design similar to those in the classrooms, they were more...unique to say the least. One of the doors caught my eye especially. It had a beautiful creeping wood that hugged the doorframe and from its branches grew large flowers that were glowing in orange. However, what caught my attention especially from this door was the fact that above these flowers, I could see the distortion of the view from behind that could only be caused from intense heat. I would usually see this attribute from metal heated until they were easily malleable or stone close to melting into magma but never from something as delicate as a flower. Yet stranger still was this door was the only one in the highest floor and seemed like there was no other way to gain access to it or the platform in front of it.
We were soon spread out and assigned different rooms. The smaller species of the group would be assigned rooms with medium to average sized species while the larger species were matched up together or linked with more average sized species. Due to my special case however, I was left last and was told to join the room somewhere within the middle floor. The door I was assigned to seemed to be designed with all sorts of machinery and carvings of what seemed to be stacks of papers. Simply decorative of course as per usual with all the different doors that were assigned to the different soon-to-be students of this academy. From further observation though, I noticed that the doors aren't exclusive to a singular design. When the new students touched the doorknob, a surge of energy is injected into the doorframe, making the sigils that were pretty well hidden along the side of the frame glow with a variety of colors before landing on a few sigils that marked a combination of both attributes. As it does, the frame would extend and change its own shape, like it was alive and seemed to react well to the visitor. This hypnotizing show of shapes and colors would slowly slow to a halt as it finishes the shape that best represents the new student that would occupy the living space and mix together in a beautiful display along with the other design that had sat alone before.
Knowing what happens, I hesitated to grab the doorknob and it took a few minutes before I had built up enough courage to actually wrap my hand around the small metallic handle. When my hand rests on it, I flinched and closed my eyes to brace myself for the transformation but nothing. The sigils did glow but that was it. It was just a mere lightshow. That is until I took a breath and relaxed is when I felt the handle start to become hot. The energy present within me was being drained away. Not as painful as when I had practiced the rock smashing spell back home, but enough to make my head spin slightly. As my energy was pouring into the door, the sigils seemed to fade in light one by one before landing on a singular one. The one sigil I recognized among the whole list of symbols. The symbol for the source of Enesial. The symbol grew bright before the frame distorts and forms, but instead of being this beautiful display, it was violent. The frame cracked and broke apart and from these fractures grew spikes of rock and dirt, raw and pure nodes of clean stone and ore. From the base of these spikes grew smaller fissures that seemed to radiate pure Enesial energy as observed by the orange glow emitting from these cracks and the orange lightning that arcs in between the spires. This violent display was enough to tear apart parts of the other design. It was not conjoining with the design, it was consuming it.
When the transformation was finished, I let go of the doorknob to get a better look at the door. Seeing it from a wider perspective made it seem like the door was infected with this energy. Like it was ill with the Enesial energy that resides within it, growing tumors as a sign of its sickly condition. I was not sure if this was a common occurrence or not, but judging from the curious stares from the other students that passed by, I'd assume it was not. In an attempt to shy away from all the prying eyes, I retreated into the door and took a breather in the quieter and more private space.
As I set my bag by the wall close to the door, I was greeted by towers of books and stacks upon stacks of papers written from end to end with text and illustrations I couldn't even understand. The desk was even messier despite the clear attempt at organization. Tools littered the small work space and a variety of different size gears, nails, and screws were scattered about the table which circled this strange and curious trinket sat in the middle of the desk. It was a metallic piece, rich in all sorts of text that sat at the edges of a circle which had two metal rods reaching out and touching these texts. Afraid I might ruin any part of it, I decided to step back and turn towards the other side of the room, which was much cleaner, yet more empty than anything. I walked over to get by bag before setting it down underneath the bed as I turned to rest myself on the mattress. I took a long and deep sigh of relief as I sink further into the soft cushions. I had never felt comfort like this before. It was magnificent. Almost dreamlike as I took the comfort in. However, my relaxation was cut short when I could hear the quiet knocking on the window behind the closed curtains to my dorm. I walked over to see a familiar face when I pulled the covers back.
Miss Maryanne waved innocently at my direction from behind the window before she effortlessly flicked her finger and opened the locked window herself. Flying inside and settling to her feet, she snapped her fingers and following her were a stack of books. This could only mean one thing as she smiled devilishly in my direction from underneath her hat. When the books rested on the empty desk present on my side of the room, this meant my training had now started.
I would say it was nothing I couldn't handle, but then I would be lying. The scolding, the pointing, the guidance, and the long uninterrupted hours were simply natural when studying. I was prone to all sorts of lessons and advice being accompanied by yelling and scolding whenever I made mistakes by Master Kithran and especially my own father. However, Miss Maryanne was a new level I was surprised with. Despite her elegant and proper stature when presenting herself, all of that display would be thrown out the window if she was given a teaching role. I did not expect her to hit so hard when I made mistakes when I read or misspelled a word. Despite her smaller frame, she hit harder than Master Kithran ever could. She would be especially frustrated when I told her that I never knew of any Goliath language or script considering the fact I lived my whole life in that village. Perhaps she wanted to learn more about my culture and saw the chance to do so when she took me under her wing. I would simply apologize for the misunderstanding before we'd continue with the tutoring. Miss Maryanne had also pointed out that she does not work for free.
"But I don't have anything to pay you with?" I pointed out, still attempting to write a passage in a book she had assigned to me.
"I know, but there has to be some secret your people are hiding. They're so sneaky. So closed off! So, instead of monetary payment, I would like you to be my soon to be translator and bodyguard!" She says with a happy giggle as she clapped her hands together.
I wouldn't dare ask what for. It didn't matter though as she soon explained that she wanted a Goliath aid to act as a vanguard when exploring old ruins and caved-in crypts. When I asked her about hiring the obviously more experienced Esshiek-
"Ew. He's too barbaric, too destructive, AND he's too muscle brained to even understand the importance of my studies! Plus, he doesn't have magic so-" She complained, pouting and crossing her arms.
"Sounds like you know him well enough to come to that conclusion."
"Well duh, we studied here together." She replied.
I'd stop and turned in my chair to look at her. "Wait, I thought you two were adventurers?" I asked, showing curiosity in what she had to say.
"Emphasis on were, dear student of mine. We didn't even know each other when we were adventuring. We only really met here in Solus on our first year Trials when we faced off in the- HEY! YOU GOT ME TALKING AGAIN!"
Failing in my attempt to escape from my studies, I turned over and continued my assignments. It would take a bit more time before she'd consider today's classes finished as she left some materials on the table for me to read and practice writing and flew outside again. Although she was rough with her teaching, I'd have to admit that she did manage to teach me how to read long passages and properly pronounce complex words. My writing was still a work in progress though.
With the tour and the studies, I had felt like I really enrolled into a school. It felt exciting in a way. This fire would have to burn through the night however, as I lay on the dormitory bed, not even changing out of my old clothes, nor did I have the chance to as I soon slowly succumbed to my travel fatigue and fell asleep, awaiting what is to come for the next day.