The Mark of Aether

The First Norm

As the sun vanished behind the burning ocean lining Vemor, we rode. Silently trotting, we took up the side of a farther hill, away from the busy life blessing the capital. And after an hour and half, the first norm came to sight.

And it was a marvel.

A real beauty to the eyes it was, standing proudly in the midst of nature and life. Like a small village existing by itself, the best academy of magic graced the lands. Humongous buildings stretched to the farther skies, so lofty and high that the beige of their walls seemed to breathe the fire of sunset. And in the front, a majestic gate stood. Curved and made of a dark, heavy metal, it opened, showing the pathway to my new school.

In front of me, Ramos dismounted his horse. And like mirrors to his actions, we all followed. Everyone except Leon who had left us once we crossed the bridge. He did it so discretely that if I wasn't watching, I would have missed him leaving. A shadow indeed, in his every move and word.

A young stable boy made it his job to take the horses to rest while Ramos guided me through the beautiful structures. Mayra was walking alongside, unlike all the other trainees that saw it better to crash on their mattresses.

And as we sauntered in the maze they called a school, Ramos showered me with a brief summary about the history of the place and what each construction was for.

''Five buildings, each for a special need. Respectively, the four first ones are the buildings reserved to students, all sorted by their years. The fifth is the dorm where all students meet. Divided in two sections, the main hall is the separating construction between the women's dormitories and the men's.

In the behind, where the blue lake rests, reside six gazebos. Five for the students and one for the teachers.''

The court leader then showed me the insides of my year's building, passing by classroom after classroom. In some of them, arched ceilings of woods adorned with green foliage ignited an air of ease around us. And in others, it was an extravagant, huge room fancily decorated and prepared with burning chandeliers.

"Unlike all the others, our famous library rests alone on the highest hill. Quiet and silent, it is the most fitting place to keep the weapons of knowledge. For they are the most powerful of all, a force not to slur.''

''And in the pages of my books I found solace. For every word is a new world by itself, breathing magic and creativity. For a sentence is a pleasure and a curse. A heaven and a hell, depending on the reader. For the same letter might drip with the sweetest of honey or the darkest of blood,'' said Mayra, her words sending me a wave of an indescribable feeling. Words so deep, so true and so magical. And as she caught my eyes, she smiled. ''Words of Aender the Third, one of the most favored writers in all courts.''

''No wonder from where he got his position.''

''Indeed,'' replied Ramos, ''resuming the grand tour, I must warn you. This school holds the tendency to change a lot.''

''What do you mean?''

"Magically charmed, the rooms are always in continuous movements. Let's say in the beginning, your class took place on the fourth floor. When it is done, even as you exit from the same door, your destination shifts. You might as well end up on the ground floor or the halls.

The stairs move also on a specific interval of time, making sure that our students make it to their classes when time strikes.''

''Then how are we supposed to manage?''

With a simple flicker of his fingers, a golden scroll appeared in his hands. Handing it to me, he said, ''this is the key to the entire school. Every new information, activity and everything you will ever need to know will appear here and on the great board in the first hall. It also contains the school's rules, uniform codes and all the basics. They come and go at your will; as for the rest, you will discover it yourself.''