Menacing Misfits: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (Darkthorn Academy Book 1)

by Robyn Wideman

  10

  Darkthorn Academy was a massive campus. Jack had been to one other academy campus—Hawk River Academy—on business with his grandfather, but Hawk River couldn’t be more than half the size of Darkthorn.

  “Impressive, isn’t it?” Michelle Cyr said.

  “Truly,” Jack said as he spotted a dragon flying overhead. The magnificent creature was just gliding around in circles above one of the main buildings’ towers.

  “Have you dealt much with dragons?”

  Jack shook his head. “No. There was a dragon rider who liked to have Grandfather sharpen his sword, but I only ever saw his dragon from a distance. We’d see them all the time, but I’ve never seen one up close.”

  “Well, you’ll certainly see them up close here. Darkthorn Academy is the premier dragon school in the world. When the semester officially starts there will be an orientation that includes a tour of all the Darkthorn facilities, including the dragon birthing pens. If you’re lucky, you may see a dragon being born.”

  Jack was in awe of the beasts, it seemed impossible that something that big could move so gracefully through the air, and he’d heard stories of how smart dragons were. “That would be amazing. Is it true that dragons can talk?”

  “No. Most dragons don’t talk, but they can communicate with people telepathically. It isn’t a natural connection unless you bond with a dragon, but students do get to take a class where they learn to communicate with dragons. So in a way, you’ll get to talk with a dragon. Only, no one will hear it.”

  “Do you have a dragon?”

  “I have a wonderful dragon, Patracianna. She was rather perturbed that I chose to visit Sunder by carriage, but I don’t like taking her near the prison. Too many negative emotions messes with her moods. Now, let’s get you situated… You’ll be staying in the west wing of the Chargrin building. Named after Horris Chargrin, the third headmaster of Darkthorn, and the only headmaster who was ever a scholarship student. Let staying in this honored building remind you that it is possible for a scholarship student to achieve great things. There will be many who will tell you otherwise, but this place has many scholarship students go on to greatness. The only limitation on your success here at Darkthorn is you.”

  Jack followed her up the main path, turning left to go towards the Chargrin building. It was one of the three main buildings that formed a horseshoe in the center of the campus.

  As they entered the building, Professor Cyr continued her tour. “Scholarship students have their own section of the west wing. One of the student counselors will help get you situated. Ah, here is the one we’re looking for.” Michelle waved over a tall young man with short dark hair. “Garreth, this is Jack. He’s one of our new scholarship students.”

  Garreth smiled and shook Jack’s hand. “Hello, Jack, Garreth Minner.”

  “Jack Vance.”

  “Do you have any luggage?”

  Jack shook his head. What little stuff he had was in Sunder at Ramy’s old house. Miss Cyr had promised to make arrangements with Tolliver to make sure his grandfather’s business and house were well taken care of and that during mid-year break he could go back and retrieve anything he wanted. Although, Jack couldn’t think of anything he really needed. He had Ramy’s magical sharpening stone. Nothing else had value.

  “No worries. You’ll have all the school uniforms you need, and any equipment or tools required are provided. Come, I’ll show you to your room and explain how things work.”

  Jack looked at Miss Cyr.

  “Run along. I’ll come find you in a few days to get you organized for your extra tutoring.”

  Jack walked with Garreth down a corridor that opened up into a large open space with several couches around a fireplace on one side of the room, and several tables on the other side.

  “Welcome to the west wing, home of the second-class students of Darkthorn.”

  Jack glanced sideways at Garreth.

  “Don’t worry, we don’t call ourselves that. It is just the name that some of the regular students call us. Most of the students at Darkthorn aren’t that bad, but there are always a few who think we are beneath them. Don’t let them intimidate you.”

  “I don’t intend to,” Jack said. He was used to bullies. He’d avoid those students as much as possible.

  “Good. Is Professor Cyr your sponsor?”

  “Yes. Is that a bad thing?”

  Garreth chuckled. “No. Professor Cyr is a good teacher. She’s tough but fair. If she’s your sponsor she’ll push you to success. You won’t have much free time, though. She pushes scholarship students hard.”

  “I’m fine with that.”

  “This is the main floor lounge area. This is where first-year students hang out and do group study. The area with the tables is magically enhanced so the noise from the couches and the rest of the room is muted.”

  “That’s cool,” Jack said. “I haven’t seen much magic before.”

  “You’ll see plenty here, although most first-year students don’t have magic yet. But there are plenty of mages and witches around, and before the end of the year you’ll be casting plenty of spells if that is your thing. Do you know what you’ll studying?”

  “I have no idea. I’ve never been to school before. My grandpa taught me.”

  “Interesting. Most students know what field of studies they want to pursue when they get here. Although there are plenty who just do general studies and figure it out later.”

  Jack really didn’t have much clue about what “field of studies” meant, but he didn’t want to sound too ignorant. “What fields are there?”

  “Basically, all the areas of study that you would find in a normal academy, along with those that revolve around dragons. You’ll see lots of students that want to be dragon riders. Some will study caring for dragons just so they can be around the beasts. It really doesn’t matter what you want to be, if you can get to the point where you’re assigned a dragon you can go anywhere and you’ll be a prized asset.”

  “What are you here for?”

  Garret grinned. “I’m like everyone else. I want to be a dragon rider. Although my specific area of studies is languages and cultural studies. I want to be able to become an ambassador, or maybe start a trade company, or maybe become a teacher at the Academy one day. Sky’s the limit if you’re a dragon rider.”

  “Languages? Doesn’t everyone speak the common tongue?”

  “Pretty much,” Garret said. “However, knowing how to read the old languages is a valuable tool, and a good way to get ahead at the Academy. Questers are always bringing in ancient scrolls and documents in the old languages. I recommend taking a language class or two, especially if you have any magic talent. With magic you don’t even have to learn how to read the language, just how to use the magic.”

  “I supposedly have magic bloodlines, but I’ve never really used magic.”

  “That doesn’t matter. Magic is like most other skills in that you can develop it. Lots of students don’t even realize they have magic talent until they arrive here. You’ll know for sure the day after tomorrow when they start doing selections.”

  “Selections?”

  “Some of the courses are by invite only. They will test first-year students and choose the ones they want.”

  “Oh,” Jack said. It sounded like there was much he was going to have to learn in a hurry.

  Garreth smiled. “Don’t worry. Even if you aren’t invited into a course you can still study that subject. It is more for the people who’re already advanced in a subject despite being a first-year student. If you haven’t been going to a prep school, or in training, then the likelihood of getting picked is pretty small.”

  Jack relaxed a little. That didn’t sound so bad, he certainly didn’t expect to be picked for any classes, unless they had an apprentice tinker course—in which case, he should do pretty well.

  “Down this hallway are the first-year sleeping quarters. There are two students to a room, but you do g
et your own bathroom. Most of the first-year students get paired with someone from their town or city when possible, or if they put in a request. As a late arrival you get no choice. Hopefully you get along well with your roommate. The chance of switching rooms is not good.”

  “Hopefully,” Jack agreed.

  “I’m sure you will. I actually know your roommate. His name is Colin, he’s actually been here before. He’s a nice enough fellow.”

  “He’s been here before?”

  “He was a first-year student last year. He had to withdraw because of a family emergency. His father was really sick and he was needed back home. He’s been allowed to return as a scholarship student. You’re actually lucky to have Colin as a roommate. He already knows what to expect during the first half of the year. If he’s in the room I’ll introduce you right now.”

  They walked further down the hallway. There were only ten doors. Did that mean there was only twenty scholarship students allowed at the school at a time?

  Before he could ask Garreth about it, they stopped at a door. Garreth knocked and a boy opened the door.

  “Colin. I’d like you to meet your new roommate Jack.”

  …

  Jack looked around the room. It was approximately twelve feet wide by twelve long. It had two beds and two tall wardrobes, and one wall was all shelving around a big window. Colin had put a few knickknacks and books up on the shelves nearest to his bed. The beds were large and comfortable. Living in the dorms would be an adjustment from living on the road with his grandfather and sleeping under the stars and the wagon, but it was a big improvement on his most recent living conditions at the prison.

  “Where you from?” Colin asked. Garreth had already left to go check if other new students had arrived, leaving them alone together for the first time.

  “I’m not really from anywhere. I guess you could say Sunder, but I was on the road most of my life. My grandfather was a tinker and we travelled all over Westdrift.”

  “A tinker? That’s interesting. My father always said the best blade was one you got from a tinker. He said that the way a tinker sharpened a blade was unbeatable. I think that would be a very cool way to grow up, traveling around, seeing all the towns.”

  “It was fun most of the time. There were things that I didn’t like. I didn’t have many friends. We were friends with other travelers, but you would only see them once in a while, and I often had troubles with boys in the towns.”

  “I could imagine that. Westdrift is a very diverse empire, but there are many who don’t like it and harbor resentment over the Great War, even though that was hundreds of years ago. Personally, I don’t have a problem with dwarven folk, or any of the other races for that matter. My best friend back home was dwarven.”

  “What are the people like here?”

  Colin sighed. “I used to think they were great. But my dad was really sick last year and I had to leave. Now my family has a lot less money and I can only afford to be here on a scholarship. So far, I’m finding out the people I thought were my friends really weren’t. They now look down at me because I’m now on a scholarship. I guess I don’t actually have any friends here.”

  Jack smiled. “I think we’ll be good friends. I don’t care how much money you have.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I may need your help, I’m not really good at school stuff. My grandfather taught me. I’ve never been to a real school before.”

  “Really? That could make some of the classes very hard for you. Can you read and write?”

  “Yes. Grandpa Ramy made me learn.”

  “OK, good, that helps.” Colin jumped off of his bed. “Come on. I’ll show you around. You’re going to want to know how to use the library. I have a few tricks that will really help you get through first year.”

  “That would be great.” Jack knew he’d need every trick he could get.

  11

  Jack followed Colin out of the west wing into the main section of the Chargrin building. “One of the few benefits of being a scholarship student is we’re in the same building as the library and maps room. We don’t have to go outside to access the library, which is handy on rainy days.”

  “You spend a lot of time in the library?” Jack asked.

  Colin nodded. “Oh yes, the library is great. The archives go back hundreds of years, and there are always new documents and scrolls being recovered from the Ancient Lands. If you want to do well in your studies, the library is a must. Some of the rich kids don’t think that way, they have private tutors who help them, but I had those same tutors last year. I know that you can learn more in the library than you can from a tutor. Kids like you and me are going to have an advantage over the rich kids.”

  Jack wasn’t sure he’d ever have an advantage over the rich kids. They’d grown up going to schools, having tutors and attending classes. They all knew what to expect. He was starting from scratch. However, Colin’s enthusiasm for the library was infectious. Perhaps the library was the key to succeeding at Darkthorn.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t Colin Bentley. I thought you’d died. I see you’re slumming with the poor kids now. The rumors of your father’s demise must be true.”

  “Hello, Isaac,” Colin said coolly.

  “I don’t know why you bothered coming back, Colin. You’ll never make it here as a scholarship student, and you’ll never have enough money to get back in as a proper student.”

  “The only reason my family lost its money is because your father took advantage of the fact he was sick. He undercut my father’s company so we lost all our business.”

  Isaac grinned. “Don’t blame my father for your father’s bad management. My father saw an opportunity and took it. That is what successful businessmen do, not losers like your father.”

  Colin clenched his teeth.

  “Is your father as big a jerk as you are?” Jack asked.

  “Excuse me?” Isaac said.

  “You heard me. I asked why you are being such a jerk. What are you trying to compensate for?”

  Colin turned and whispered to Jack. “Don’t get involved. You don’t want to make Isaac mad.”

  Jack ignored Colin. He wasn’t going to let his new friend be bullied. “Your daddy must be an important man, no other way an idiot like you could make it at the Academy.”

  Isaac’s eyes narrowed as he studied Jack. “You should learn how to talk to your betters. At least Colin was once worthy of attending Darkthorn, I doubt your family is worth mentioning.”

  Jack grinned. “Nope, but I’m not the one trying to ride daddy’s coattails.”

  Isaac stepped closer. “Is that right?”

  Colin grabbed Jack and pulled him towards the library. “Nice seeing you, Isaac. Talk to you another time.”

  “Don’t bother,” Isaac said, as he turned and walked away.

  When they entered the library, Jack turned to Colin. “Man, that guy was a real jerk. I hope all the kids aren’t like him.”

  “Isaac Dixon is a jerk. But it is foolish to get on his bad side. His family is the most powerful in all of the Westdrift Empire. His father is one of the richest, if not the richest man in Sunder, and his uncle is a famous and powerful mage who once taught at the Academy. Isaac and I went to the same prep school. He’s a real jerk but he’s also smart and an excellent warrior. He’ll end up a dragon rider for sure.”

  Jack shrugged. “He looks like a bully to me.”

  “Oh, he is,” Colin said. “But it isn’t worth it to get into it with him. He’s the kind that all the rich kids will gravitate towards, because of his family. If you piss him off, all of the other first-year students who want to be like him will be against you.”

  “Let me guess, I already did that.”

  Colin nodded. “Yup. He won’t like what you said about riding his father’s coattails, or that comment about him compensating. Hopefully he’ll forget all about it, otherwise he’ll go out of his way to make our lives miserable.”

 
Jack sighed. He’d screwed up, again. “I’m sorry Colin. I just didn’t like the way he was talking to you.”

  Colin grinned. “It’s OK. It’s pretty cool that you were willing to stand up for me. Stupid as hell, but still pretty cool. Just promise me you’ll avoid Isaac as much as possible. We really don’t want him as an enemy.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Jack promised.

  …

  “The library is one of Darkthorn’s most important assets. Everyone thinks that the dragons are what Darkthorn is all about, which is mostly true, but the school is also one of the biggest collectors of ancient artifacts and knowledge. Everything that comes through the school gets catalogued and described for research purposes, even the stuff they end up selling or trading.”

  Jack frowned. “That’s from those questing people you were talking about?”

  “Yes. The school likes to call them questers. It sounds much more scholarly than scavengers and grave robbers.”

  “Grave robbers?” Jack wasn’t liking the sound of questing. It sounded dangerous and gross.

  “Well, the entire area of the Ancient Lands is basically one big graveyard. The Great War lasted decades and millions died. There were so many dead bodies that diseases and the rot of dead bodies were more deadly than the fighting itself. That is why the Ancient Lands were abandoned. Did you know Westdrift was originally three times its current size? They expanded during previous wars, and then lost ground, won it back and then finally, after the Great War, had to retreat back to what we have now. The same can be said about most of the other kingdoms. At one point the elven folk controlled almost all of the Ancient Lands, but then the dwarven folk combined forces with the three main human kingdoms and the orcs and they almost wiped the elven folk out. Then their alliance broke up and they went back to fighting each other. The history of all the kingdoms is really fascinating stuff.”

  “If you say so.” Jack wasn’t a history buff. He preferred to know what was going on now. What did it matter what happened two hundred years ago?