Chronicles of Dras

Chapter 9: The Call of Nobility

As dawn greeted the Academy, Dras found himself walking along the familiar stone pathways. The early morning sun painted the Academy buildings in a soft, golden light, casting long shadows on the cobblestones. Wisps of mist danced over the paths, lending an ethereal quality to the scene. His mind was abuzz with thoughts and curiosities - his newfound magic, the mystery of his father's armour, and his recent elevation to nobility.

His steps led him to the austere administrative offices of the Academy, a place where he had rarely ventured. The building was an imposing structure of stone and wood, with tall windows that looked out onto the training fields. Inside, the air was cool and filled with the rustle of parchment and the faint aroma of ink and old books.

Behind a high counter sat a stern-looking woman, her spectacles perched precariously on the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were sharp and attentive, and she seemed to regard Dras with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

"Good morning," Dras greeted, stepping up to the counter. "I wish to request a formal audience with Emperor Aurelius."

The woman's eyebrows rose slightly, but she quickly composed herself. "A formal audience with the Emperor, you say?" she echoed, her tone carrying a note of surprise. "You do understand that those are usually reserved for nobility, yes?"

Dras nodded, standing taller. "Yes, I'm aware. I've recently been granted the title of Noble after my acceptance into the Academy's ranks."

A flicker of understanding passed over the woman's face. "Ah, I see. My congratulations on your new status," she said, reaching for a large ledger. She opened it, her fingers deftly flipping through the pages.

"Thank you," Dras replied. "It's a matter of personal importance."

The woman nodded, her eyes scanning the ledger. After a few moments, she looked up at him. "You're in luck, young Noble Dras. Emperor Aurelius has an opening in his schedule the day before you depart for the desert of Trex."

A wave of relief washed over Dras. "Thank you," he said, a sincere smile on his face. "That works perfectly."

The woman noted down his name and the appointment time in the ledger. "Very well," she said, closing the book with a thud. "The Emperor will see you then."

As Dras turned to leave, his mind was already spinning with questions he wanted to ask the Emperor. The answers, he hoped, would shed light on the mysteries that had been plaguing him for days.

In the days leading up to his audience with Emperor Aurelius, Dras found a kindred spirit and a partner in learning in his fellow cadet, Toren. Although they were of the same age and Toren was no master mage, he had a deeper understanding of magic, particularly of water element, due to his early exposure to it.

The Academy grounds housed a small serene pond, and this is where they spent many early mornings. Toren, who had been dabbling in magic a little longer than Dras, became his guide. His teachings were not from the perspective of an expert, but rather from the shared experience of a fellow learner.

"Magic, Dras," Toren began one morning, his gaze focused on the calm pond, "is less about casting spells and more about forming connections. To command an element, you need to feel it, understand it, and form a bond with it."

With his words hanging in the cool morning air, Toren turned his attention back to Dras. "We start with water because it's adaptable, always changing yet always the same. Feel the water, its motion, its life."

With Toren's words echoing in his mind, Dras stretched out his senses towards the pond. He could feel the cool touch of water, the gentle ripples on its surface, the subtle currents beneath. The water was a ballet of movement and grace, a living entity full of energy and life.