The Crystal Trials

5

After registering, the University took down information about where to send our stipend. We were also told to send word to our families about being invited to the Welcome dinner to be held on Astrus, the first day of the weekend. Faolan's family decided to stay within the city until then. I choose to send half my stipend to my mother and the woman at the registration table said I could open an account with the city savings bank over the weekend for the rest.

Master Ahren led us to the dining hall. We made our way up many flights of stairs. On the way, he explained that though we just ate, we would be hungry again soon from the energy we had expelled. Faolan was very enthusiastic to hear this. Master Ahren was a middle-aged man with a kind face covered by a manicured white beard that matched his chin length hair. Silk brown robes cover his lean body and he walked with confidence. When he spoke, it was warm and welcoming. He kept looking my way, which was strange.

"You are encouraged to mingle amongst the other new students. Once everyone has finished testing, it is tradition for each of master's to nominate a student to be a Prime. The Primes are a group of six students that are chosen based on their potential leadership abilities. This is the first time the university has allowed the general population to attend so it should be interesting to see the outcome. Primes usually carry high marks on their magic potency, the exam you just took. Though, we have had lower marks be excellent Primes. Should you be elected, a vote will be taken amongst the masters and from there, given a room and silver robes of status. Though personally, I highly suggest you keep in mind, that though there are student leaders, everyone is in fact equal and subject to the same rules as everyone else."

We all nod our approval, too overwhelmed to do anything else.

"Also, I will be your Terramaster and your first class will be with me," Master Ahren said to us with a smile. "Though, you don't know that yet. Your schedules will be given to you once you are settled in your rooms tonight." He winked at us and with a flourish of his robe, turned and walked to a landing at the front of the room with its own long table.

It wasn't surprising to see that the dining hall was built of the odd white stone. What was surprising, was that the tables around the room were made from the stone too. They seemed to come straight out of the floor, as if carved from one gargantuan slab of it. The seating was not stone but a random mix of chairs, stools, and benches but they were all upholstered in tones of burgundy, deep purple, and wine.

Our group stuck together awkwardly, unsure of where to sit in the gathering of strangers. We walked toward the other end of the room where there were less people. Back there was a seating area along the wall with smaller round tables made of mahogany. The area provided a glorious view of a rooftop garden below. Next to the garden, I could make out an outdoor training area.

Sitting alone at one of the tables was a man with thick cords of black hair that had silver clamps and beads strew throughout. He turned toward us as we approached and I noticed one side of his head was shaved, leaving his beautiful locks to lay to one side of his face. A thin silver ring was pierced through a nostril and wrapped around it snuggly. Gods, the men here were seriously going to kill me. He rose a rich umber hand to us in greeting.

"Come and join me. I am alone so these other tables are not taken. You lot seem to be friendly enough. Not like the pompous company over there." The man had an accent I couldn't place. He pointed behind himself towards Alden and his brothers who now had a girl I hadn't met yet with them.

"I am called Ameer. What are your names?"

We all introduced ourselves and shook his hand.

"Where are you from? Your accent is not one I've heard before. It's wonderful." I ask Ameer.

He responded in his lilted tones and, and I smiled at the sound. "My family hails from Aegran, on the other side of the Sieghild mountains. Though I was born and raised here in the city, my mother and father made sure the language was not lost to me." He said father and mother like 'motha and fatha.' "What about you?"