by Eric Vall
Shrugging to myself, I tried a couple of doors, but they were both locked. I turned and pulled on the one behind me. It slid open with ease, and I stepped in it before I realized that there was someone already there.
“Oh, my mistake,” I said hastily. I was already out of the cabin when the passenger beckoned me back in.
“You’re fine, darling. You may sit with me.”
A woman’s voice. I turned back around and almost dropped my jaw. The woman that sat against the window was stunning in every sense of the word. She seemed about a decade my senior, maybe a tad more. Her luscious lips smiled widely at me, and her amber eyes seemed golden in the light. Her hair was like a jet of flame that spilled out behind her and over her shoulders. Her cheekbones were high, her jaw slender, and her frame statuesque.
I realized then that I was staring like an idiot. She blinked and cocked her head, though her smile didn’t leave. It only turned to amusement.
“Are you okay, dear?”
“Oh, yes,” I said as I tried to regain my composure. I smoothed down my coat. “S-sorry, you just look incredibly familiar. Are you from Norrush?” That was a lie, but it sounded smooth when it left my lips.
“No, I can’t say I have ever had the pleasure.” If she thought anything of my staring, she didn’t show it. It was likely that my reaction was a normal one for her. That was fine by me. I’d hate to make a bad first impression in front of such a lovely woman.
“Well, you should go. It has a marvelous view of the mountains. Though I’d say the view in front of me is far more exquisite.” I offered her my hand. “Gryff.”
She giggled. The sound made her seem years younger. “You flatter me, Gryff.” She extended her hand. “Arwyn Hamner. Charmed.”
I took her hand and gently planted a kiss upon it. Her skin was smooth and creamy, and the alluring scent of jasmine perfume swirled around her. Intoxicating.
“I’ll enjoy this ride, I’m sure,” I said with a wink.
I put down my things and took a seat across from her. She gave me one last smile before she returned her attention to the window. That left me with another chance to give her a once over. With this second glance, I could see she wore a billowing silk robe as white as the clouds and trimmed in red. I recognized the design as the mage robes of an adept, though if she was a healer or a matter manipulator or an enhancer, I couldn’t guess. She hadn’t been one of the mages that had come to Ralor’s Stead, but I assumed she was coming back to the Academy. A teacher, perhaps?
That thought still in my head, the train whistle blared again, but this time the train lurched forward suddenly. I was thrown almost on top of the miss, but I caught myself. As I recovered, the train had started to lumber forward, though it did so with a few bumps and lurched, and the wheels screeched on the tracks.
Arwyn chuckled. “First time on a train?”
“That obvious?”
“You’re fine, dear. Trains are always a bit rough at the start, but once they hit their speeds, it becomes a smooth ride.”
I nodded and looked out the window. Within minutes, the landscape zipped past. We must’ve been traveling as fast as a horse in full gallop, maybe faster.
Before long, Arwyn’s voice drew my attention back to her. “So, the headmaster wired ahead about you. I’ve never heard of a summoner doing what you did.”
Wired? I didn’t know what that meant, but I assumed it was some form of communication the military used. “Yeah, that’s what everyone keeps telling me.”
“I wish I could’ve seen it.”
I scoffed lightly. “Trust me, it wasn’t pretty. There were monsters and bodies everywhere, and I was scared out of my mind.”
“That’s natural. We fight a terrifying enemy, and you’re just a boy.”
“I’m twenty,” I replied.
She smiled again. “A young man, then. Doesn’t change how terrifying a monster attack can be. I should know.” She trailed off and lifted her robe, revealing her slender thighs. Right above her left knee were claw marks, a jagged messy scar. My burns itched impulsively at the sight of the old wound.
“Monsters do leave their marks,” I remarked.
“Indeed,” she replied, her eyes on the raised red flesh of my neck that peaked out beneath my collar. I didn’t usually like people to see it, but she put me at ease, and she’d been so forthcoming with her own scars. I wasn’t about to disrobe though … unless she wanted me to.
I wanted to talk some more, but when my eyes went back from the window to her, she was already consumed in a book. Oh well. I turned back to the passing landscape, to the distant hills and forests and far, far, far in the distance so that it was only a blurry bump on the horizon, the Red Mountains. For a while, I opened the window to feel the wind. It was warm and caressed my face. I stuck my hand out and let it ride the wind as we zipped by. Never had I experienced anything like it. If this was what a train felt like, then I couldn’t imagine being on an airship.
After a few minutes of that, I closed the window and just sat and watched the scenery. It didn’t take long for my eyes to droop from the idleness. I was still tired from the fighting after all. Within seconds, I was asleep.
Chapter 4
“Wake up, we’re here,” I heard Arwyn say as she nudged my foot. I groaned and wiped at my eyes. When I opened them and looked out the window, I jaw dropped.
It was the Enclave.
I’d seen a couple of Enclaves before from a distance, but none like Varle. It was known for having the largest walls in the world and it didn’t disappoint. The massive orange walls glinted in the setting sunlight as they reached for the clouds and encircled the city. Airships of different shapes and sizes hovered over the city, some coming and going while others hovered aimlessly, their rudders tethered to an unseen anchor.
There was only one building that peaked out over the walls, and that was a towering fortress of huge pointy-gabled towers. The snow-white marble walls glowed with the golden radiance of the sunset.
And as if she had sensed my thoughts, Arwyn said with pride, “That is the Academy.”
I gulped, nerves and eagerness ready to overcome me. We had arrived.
The train slowed as we approached the walls. The closer we got, the bigger it became. By the time moved through the tunnel that cut through the wall, the massive thing felt like a mountain. Trying to see that top only proved to hurt my eyes. The darkness of the tunnel was brief, but those few seconds told me that the wall was immensely wide as well. When we emerged back into the light and into the city proper, I gaped again.
Varle was divided into two hills that the city climbed up to reach, and the train cut them right down the middle. To my left was a mess of stucco and old stone houses, multiple stories stacked tightly atop one another. Cracked alabaster pillars and facades, long creases and cracks showing in the stucco. Many of the buildings were not square and had the tendency to lean as well as sitting at off angles to one another. Some were so bad that the roofs of adjacent buildings touched. These, I assumed, were the slums. They rose up a ways before being cut off by a smaller limestone wall. Beyond that were more polished brick homes, with steeper roofs and metal chimneys that smoke billowed from. Even with the window closed, I could make out the stench of the burning coal.
The buildings got progressively nicer the further up they went, until they ended at the peak with an elegant four-story mansion. That one had massive windows, a green tiled roof, and trim that glinted like gold even in the shadow of the wall. Whoever lived there must’ve been very important.
The build up on the academy’s hill was much nicer and more open, with many squares and what looked like markets. I spotted a few fountains and even a theatre. The base of the hill still had its run-down shacks, but it was far nicer than the other had been. It was obvious that the wealthy wanted to keep themselves separated from the pauper folk.
Our train ground to a halt once we reached the train station, which was far grander than the small one back in Carvu
ule. This one was a hub, a massive limestone behemoth of a structure as big as a warehouse. It had a glass ceiling that let in plenty of light and illuminated the several other trains and tracks.
As soon as we got off the train, the pungent scent of urine and garbage assaulted my nose.
Arwyn chuckled when she saw the look on my face. “Don’t mind that,” she said. “The slums don’t have the same access to plumbing as the other districts. We do our best to keep the smell down, but obviously it’s not working.”
“Obviously.”
“Don’t worry, the Academy smells immaculate.”
I bet it did.
As I came to find out, our train station was several levels. The top and bottom levels were for military use and government officials. The middle levels housed the tracks that led all throughout the city, trams for the common folk to get around faster. That must’ve been a relief for them, for I couldn’t imagine having to walk around this city. It was much too big for my liking.
We’d pulled in at the top platform, so we took a large metal lift down to the bottom. For military use only, of course. The Academy, being a branch of the military, had full access. We crammed aboard, myself, Arwyn, mister Sleet, the other mages, and a few officers, including the one from before that I saw with the headmaster.
The lift descended faster than I would have liked. My stomach dropped at the sudden plunge, and it took all I had to stifle a yelp. I didn’t need to look foolish in front of these people.
When we reached the bottom, I released a breath. “Bloody goat balls, that was fast.”
Arwyn gave me a puzzled look. “Pardon?”
“What?”
“You just said, bloody goat balls.”
I arched a brow. “Yeah. It’s an expression… well, more of a swear, but uh… do you not say that?”
She smirked. She batted her long lashes and held up her petite hand to stifle a laugh. “No, my dear. We do not.”
Ah, great. I looked away in embarrassment. I made myself a fool after all. I had the feeling that Enclave people were more different than I had thought. I hoped the differences weren’t too obvious.
We exited the lift and marched onto the open square at the base of the train station. Cobblestone covered every surface, and every bit of it was covered by people. The train square doubled as a market, so I marveled at the large bay windows of shops displaying their wares and the dozens of smaller vendors hawking their baubles from carts. I still could smell some foul things, but then I caught the whiff of roasted meat, which made my mouth water.
The soldiers with us cut a path to the far end of the square where several coaches waited, horses tethered and ready to ride. They were fancy, with metal frames and polished wood sidings.
Mister Sleet, who hadn’t acknowledged me since we boarded the train, tapped my shoulder. “You shall be with me, Mister Gryff.” I nodded and followed him to the closest carriage. A soldier opened the door for us, and I scooted in while the headmaster gave a handshake to the officer from earlier.
The coach was lush with leather and cushion. The walls were a green felt lining and soft to the touch, and the seats were a warm brown leather, even more comfortable than the train seats. After five years of walking and horse riding, I welcomed the opportunity to travel in style.
Despite the luxury of the coach, it was struggling for space. Arwyn followed me in and sat beside me, her elbows touched my own.
“It’s pretty cramped in here, ain’t it?” I said while trying to make myself more comfortable, but between the bags at my feet, the door to my right, and Arwyn to my left, I didn’t have much wiggle room.
“I would prefer to call it … cozy,” she replied suggestively with a wink. I could feel my face go red. No sooner than it started to fade did the headmaster decide to join us at last. He hauled himself in slowly and sat across from the miss and me. He saw how close that Arwyn and I sat, which earned me a smirk.
“Apologies for the lack of room. The streets of Varle can be very narrow, so larger carriages would get stuck.”
I shrugged. “Sir, I’ve slept in rooms smaller than this.”
“Well, you won’t have to any longer.”
With that, the driver snapped his reins and urged the horses on, and then the carriage lurched forward and put us on our way. I smiled. I didn’t mind sleeping in confined spaces since I’d done it my whole life, but having more room would be a pleasant change.
I was too mesmerized by the city as we climbed up the Academy hill to speak. The narrow streets were crammed with people of all backgrounds, soldiers and merchants, nobles and artisans. Some poor in rags, and others in fine fabrics. The shouts of barkers on every corner and work orders yelled from every shop filled the air. The acrid smell of waste waged war with the smell of cooked meats, the aroma of flowers, and the sweet scent of cherry wood smoke that billowed from a nearby shop.
We passed open squares and long avenues lined with statues. We passed a massive cathedral to the One True Maker, with its impossibly steep gabled roof and massive bell tower. Stained glass windows lined the side.
As we rose, the buildings grew nicer and cleaner, the architecture more complex, the stonework more detailed. The people wore finer things and there were more horse riders and carriages, which made our going more complicated and slow. There were fewer city guardsman patrolling the streets as opposed to the slums, and I saw more mages out and about.
Eventually, the climb began to even out and flatten, and the buildings ended and gave way to an open stretch of grass. I looked ahead and found that we had arrived.
A large, smooth marble wall ringed the entire peak of the hill, with the Academy housed inside. Half a dozen banners hung from the walls over the gatehouse. Each was a deep royal blue and adorned with the golden image of a wolf’s head surrounded by four stars, the flag of the Varle Enclave.
A massive wrought-iron gate was lifted for us to pass through. On the other side was the main campus. Various stone buildings with gilded iron trim and massive foggy windows lined the walls, with open courtyards ringed with trees in front of them. There were small dirt clearings scattered about, and I think I saw targets and dummies. We cut through all of it, for the boulevard went back a long way to the Academy proper.
The Academy rose up as we approached. It was even more impressive and far larger up close than I’d suspected. The main building was built in a pentagonal shape. Each point had a massive tower, the towers I’d spotted from the train. The building had to be six or seven stories, and there were far too many windows for me to count. But the real attraction was the entrance. Raised above a set of large stairs and curling banisters, and set between pairs of massive columns, were the doors.
These doors were black bark oak, with golden trim, handles, and hinges, and I could make out magnificent beasts, monsters, and magic carved into the dark surface. But those details paled in comparison to the sheer size of the doors. They were as wide as two of the coaches I sat in, and as tall as the fire-eye had been. I couldn’t imagine someone had to open and close these hulking things. It had to be magic.
I’d once been to a cathedral to the One True Maker like the one we’d just passed, with its deep alcoves and colorful stained-glass windows. I used to think that that was the greatest feat of architecture I’d ever seen, but I was wrong. The Varle Academy wasn’t just a school or a military fortress. It was art. It was a masterpiece.
We pulled up to the entrance. The driver got down and opened the door for us. I was the last to exit. Up close, the doors seemed even bigger. I realized that they weren’t as big as the fire-eye had been, but for doors, they were immense nonetheless. I gaped up at them and still hadn’t the slightest idea how they opened.
The headmaster answered that easily enough. He strode forward, pulled out a small essence crystal tied to a necklace that had been hidden beneath his robes, and waved it in front of the doors. With a groan, they rumbled outward, slowly. I could almost feel the weight of them, even with the mag
ic. It was as I suspected. I then also realized that it could only be opened with a magical key, so I was essentially locked inside. I didn’t know if I liked that.
We followed him into an ornate foyer that smelled ripe with wealth and prestige. Alabaster columns sat in the corners of the room. Half a dozen marble statues of famous mages lined two of the walls. A wide hallway that went on to another large door a hundred paces back was in front of me, with a red-carpeted grand staircase flanking either side of it. This was only the foyer, so I couldn’t imagine what the rest of this place looked like.
“Welcome to your new home, mister Gryff,” the headmaster said, his hands clamped behind his back. “I do pray that your stay here will be pleasant and enlightening for all parties.” He smiled.
I nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“You are welcome.” He turned his gaze to Arwyn. “Miss Hamner, I have things to attend to. Could you please show our new student here to admissions and get him sorted?”
She inclined her head. “Of course, headmaster.”
“Splendid,” He turned back to me. “Again, welcome to the Academy.” Then with a twirl, he strode away in a whoosh of fine satin and leather, and disappeared down one of the side halls to my left.
Arwyn patted my shoulder. “Come, we should get you sorted quickly. Dinner is about to start, and I don’t know about you, but train rides always leave me hungry.”
I nodded. The sound of dinner did make me excited, but I’d eaten at lunch, and I was used to skipping meals every once in a while. Maelor and I were paid well, but sometimes there was simply no work to be done, and when that was the case, there were no funds for eating.
Arwyn led me to the hallway to my right. Old brass sconces hung intermittently around portraits of what I assumed where famous mages. The nameplates were small, so I couldn’t read them at a glance, and though I knew of many famous mages, I couldn’t guess what they looked like.
