Chapter 16: The Headmaster

When I looked around, I saw that everyone was getting into formation. While this was happening, I saw that there is an old man standing in front of us. Seeing them both Claire and I followed suit.

As everyone stood in formation, the old man spoke, “Welcome to the THORN HILL MAGICAL ACADEMY. My name is Rupert Dyne and I work here as the HEADMASTER.”

When the students heard that everyone gasped. Rupert Dyne is one of the legends that are alive. He is a Level-9 Magician but some say he crossed that level. There are rumors of levels that are beyond Level-9 but they remained rumors.

No one came out and said that they crossed to a level beyond Level-9. So the realms that lay beyond stayed in the rumors realm. I shouldn’t think about that for now.

The only way to confirm is to first become a Level-9 Magician. Anything else can wait for now.

“I know many of you have arrived from far places and you are tired, so I’ll keep my speech simple. We all know that weakness is a sin. There may be some of you who love to bully weak people. In the academy, we teach you by hands-off approach as long as it won’t cross a line.”

“To those bullied don’t come crying like a baby if you get bullied. Make them your goal and grow stronger to beat them down. When I say beat them, I mean only in a sanctioned duel or a competition. So what I say is, if someone beats you fight back, and only then you prove yourself to live in this cruel world.”

As the headmaster was giving us the speech, a few older kids came and stood behind the headmaster. I think they are seniors from the academy.

“That is all I had to say and these are your seniors and act as guides to new joins. Now when you hear your name, come out and stand behind the person who called you. They will be your guide for the next year.”

“In that time you can ask for their help and don’t be shy. One thing before I leave. They are seniors and some of the most powerful, so don’t make them angry by wasting their time asking stupid questions. They may not harm you but that doesn’t mean they can’t make your life hell.”

“Goodbye for now and once again Welcome to the Thorn Hill Magical Academy.”

Saying that the old man disappeared in a puff of smoke. I meant it literally in a puff of smoke. One second he was here and the next minute he wasn’t.

One of the seniors spoke, “As the headmaster said, we would be calling your names. The one that called would be your guide. Now everyone whom I call come to me.”

One by one the seniors called out the names. There were ten seniors and each got around thirty people making the new students over three hundred.

Claire and I got under the same senior.

The senior introduced herself, “My name is Emma Thornby, a third-year student at the academy. Many may not know that there is no actual year indication after year two. You would be taught by professors here for two years, after which you are essentially not a student.”

“Everything about that will be described in the guidebook which also includes the rules and regulations of the academy. Anyone who violates them shall be punished irrespective of their backgrounds.”

“Now follow me to your dorm room,” as she led us she spoke again, “Everyone was pre-assigned to a dorm room. Don’t worry, every dorm has an attached bathroom for personal use.”

“The rooms will be similar. A room to live in with a simple bed and a chair, with an attached bathroom. If you want better amenities, you can buy them in the academy shops or whatever you brought from home. No restrictions over that.”

“You were provided with a guidebook and two sets of Academic wear and one set of Battle wear. Inside your dorms or outside the academy wear whatever you want but when you leave your dorm room, you can wear only one of the two, academic or battle wear.”

“As you understand, academic wear doesn’t have much protection. They shouldn't be worn if you going to a battle. It is for only academic classes and you could conclude what the battle wear is for.”

“If there is a spar session, the professors would inform you beforehand. There won’t be any impromptu fights inside the academy. You can buy more from the academy shop if you lose them.”

“In competitions or life and death matches, you were exempted to wear any gear you want but you should wear the symbol of the academy if you participate officially.”

Taking us through different roads and junctions, the senior finally led us to the dormitories.

“This is the section of the academy where you will live. The academy is divided into different sectors. Each sector has a specific role. There are also a few sectors with the same role but a sector doesn’t have multiple roles. You can check that in your guidebook.”

“The sector where you’ll stay is S22. The roads may have the same names as in other sectors except for a few. So know the sector first before the road name, if go out to look for something.”

“Now you’ll be staying on the Y-Road. Lucky for me, everyone in the group would be on the same road. Now I’ll hand you as I call you one by one. Listen carefully as I show you how to open dorm rooms for the first one.”

She called someone to demonstrate; I couldn’t understand the name properly. Anyway, each one of us was handed a card key. There are runes inscribed on it. There is some kind of reader attached to the wall.

Once we place the card on the reader if it is the right one it would open the door much like electronic cards in hotels on earth.

 If you lose the card, you have to pay for a new one; I mean a lot, and that too not in common currency but in Mana Stones.

The one I got placed in is S22-Y-27 and Claire’s number is S22-Y-06. The S22 is the sector, Y is the road, and 27 is the dorm number.

From my guess, the arrangement is made probably depending on grade. Since we are all new, there was no strength gauge between us.

“Now, you’ll stay here or you can get better rooms when you prove yourselves. Yes, there are cottages for high-rankers. The cottage and the field would be at least half of S22 for the one at the bottom of the top list. You can speculate what the academy provides for top rankers.”

“Now my business is concluded. Go to your rooms. There you’ll find your schedule for most of the year. Don’t be late for the first class. It leaves a bad impression.”

The senior left after that and we all went back to our rooms. Everyone looks pretty exhausted.

I entered my room and saw an unopened box on my bed. I opened them and saw the items the senior told us. I placed them away after checking that my class starts at eight in the morning.

After that, I stashed my luggage on the shelves. I can arrange them later.

After situated in my room I checked my status. There should be five more points for today.

--

Name: Damon Oswyn

Age: 16

Race: Human

Shop Points: 40

Level Alter points: 5; Cool-down: 24 hours

Level: 1 <+/-> (Locked)

Orbit-1: 9 < - >

Affinity: Ice

Grade: Black<->

Innate skill: Ice Dragon Level-1 <+/->

Skills: Ice Breath Level-3 <+/->, Ice Field Level-3 <+/->

Weapons: None

<Stats>

Health: 52 (+18) < +/- >

Strength: 26 < +/- >

Stamina: 26 < +/- >

Speed: 22 < +/- >

Intellect: 42 < +/- >

Essence: 18 <+/ - >

Mana: 70 < +/- >; Mana refill: 6 < +/- >/ minute < +/- >

--

Now, what should I increase? Everything looks as if I’m a level four magician. For now, I think this is enough. I should stabilize myself before making a decision.

Tonight, only sleep is on my agenda.