Hidden Before Their Eyes

Chapter 4: A Little Intimdation

In the morning I am awoken by the sound of Ronan calling out that the dates of our first battles have been set. I stumble out of bed and laugh a little. Erphi is wrapped around my forearm, squeezing just enough that he will be a pain to pry away, but not enough to actually hurt.

I comb my hands through my hair quickly as I stumble to get dressed. I end up deciding on a shirt of mine that only has one sleeve, such that I, conveniently, do not have to deal with removing Erphi from my forearm. After slipping shoes on I head out of my room. The others are already out, and look my way when I emerge, showing signs that they had been waiting for me.

Ronan starts to rattle off dates to us attached to our names, my battle is only a few days from now. I am not worried, but I do have to wonder exactly how skillful my opponent will end up being. If I am facing another of the new students, I have a feeling I will fair fine. A more experienced opponent could turn out being a challenge.

"For now, we have lectures each morning and training in the afternoons. We will all be sticking together during these times. On the days of your battles, which is most nights, the battle will take place before dinner and everyone on this level will be watching them," Ronan informs us.

I was not really worried about what we would be doing when not in battle, but I am glad to know we will be receiving an education for the pile of gold we each paid to get in the front door. I hope whatever theses lectures are going to cover will be useful information, however I have a strong suspicion they plan on teaching us, as a group of humans, is going to be rudimentary magic knowledge, at least to start off with.

It turns out to be a decently long walk to the lecture room. Inside many of the other new students are already seated. I attempt to angle us towards the back half of the room, but Ronan thwarts me by saying that being right in the front will lead to a better overall classroom experience. After seating us he leaves to go to his own class and I shrink into my chair.

Soon the professor comes in with a slight drag in his steps. He looks less than excited to be teaching a bunch of new students. He goes to the board and begins scribbling on it. When he backs away I want to scream. I am not exactly fluent in the human writing system.

"To give humans a leg up once they leave the Academy we teach you this," the professor says, pointing at the scribbles. The room audibly lets out a sigh and I join in, my fear dissipating completely. "I will be writing in the common tongue as you begin learning written human language."

He starts writing on the board again and I am grateful that I was taught the common language as well as my native one in my youth. I had not thought about language barriers when I decided to go off on my own. What he writes next makes me want to bang my head on the desk. The basics. We are learning, as to be expected, the basics of magic.

The professor looks straight at me and his eyes widen in excitement. However he moves on, probably planning something for later. I can only guess at what has caused his eyes to light up. "I am Professor Orelin. Please refrain from trying anything behind my back. I'm a heifer nymph, I will see you even with my back turned."

I stifle a chuckle. Heifer nymphs are rumored to have a hundred eyes. Due to their ancestors detaching from nature they've been cursed, or gifted, with sight unlike any other. Whether that is because they have many eyes or it is an innate part of their magic I have never bothered learning.

"Magic is accessed through the mind and body pulling on the natural energy in the air around them to have some effect on either them or their environment," Orelin starts lecturing.

He drags on for a while explaining how magic works and how those who have access to magic use it. Then again it is a bit different for each species but that might be information overload for my, apparently ignorant, classmates. Once he has basically explained how magic is accessed and used, he walks up to me. I look up at him, bored, and inquire, "You want to see Erphi, I assume?"