Chapter 3

"So, where are you going?"

I smiled as I hailed a coming bus on our side of the street, "Crysalia Military Academy. I will try my luck with the scholarship. How about you?"

"Funny you should ask," she simply replied as she proceeded to get on the bus before me, dragging her rugged backpack and duffel bag with her, "We are on the same boat."

"Or bus," I said pointedly, making her chuckle as we settled down on our seats and the bus began speeding its way towards the central part of the city.

"My mentor warned me not to take the examinations lightly," she said in a whisper as we enjoyed the scenes of the holy city, "I am actually lucky that he used to work there and didn't have a family of his own, so he passed his privilege to elect a scholar enrollee to me."

"My father also used to work there, so here I am," I answered before glancing at my new acquaintance worriedly, "Is it that difficult? The examinations, that is, Cady?"

She nodded and massaged her temple, "That was what the old man said. If I remember correctly, the test consists of economics, biology, elemental studies, and politics, among other things."

"There's also a practical examination as well. Or so my father told me."

Cady gasped and looked panicked, "Really?! I am not aware of that! I wonder why my mentor forgot to tell me that?"

"Maybe he is confident that you will breeze through it," I answered quickly as I remembered what papa mused when we were together, "My father told me that I will sooner pass the academics than practical tests. Tell me, Cady, have you ever fought monsters before?"

Not to my surprise, she nodded, "I did. Until recently, I was really from the outskirts of Apolion, so you can imagine how often one can experience monster attacks on a weekly, heck, daily basis. My hardest battle was against a bigfoot ransacking my yard. I almost exhausted all my elemental reserves because we fought for a few hours back and forth before I disintegrated it."

"Wow. A bigfoot, and you are about the same age as I am!" I exclaimed approvingly before sighing worriedly, "I never fought anything before."

"No way! They wouldn't let you graduate even primaries if you didn't at least have a hands-on experience," she remarked in disbelief.

"I was homeschooled, you see," I said pointedly, which made her nod slowly as the bus zoomed past the busy streets where countless tourists were buzzing around a temple dedicated to the earth element.

"So that's what it is," Cady replied before pointing excitedly out of the window, and when I looked in the direction she was looking, I let out a laugh.

It's the billboard of Lythena. Or should I say...

"Layna Averie! Oh, my element, she will have a concert here at the end of the month!" my companion exclaimed longingly, "But even the cheapest tickets are already sold out months ahead. Darn, I really want to go to a Fraiser Indigo show at least once in my life, but aside from costing a lot of crys, getting a hold of a ticket is a fist to the moon."

Honestly speaking, I never really think about my sister's "side gig," or so she called it. I went through several of her concerts with mama and papa, and tickets are obviously never our problem.

Welp, you never really understand the value of things until you realize how hard it is for others to get something you always took for granted.

"Well, let's just hope that if we ever get accepted at the academy, they will invite the band to perform then you will get your chance," I offered hopefully that making her smile before looking in the direction of several limousines crossing the street in convoys, "Looks like we have several big shots going to school this year. I am sure they will want to offer only the best."

"I heard the students talking earlier in the train that the heirs of Crysalian monarchies are going to start studying at the academy this school year."

I glanced in her direction and inclined my head, "So they are all around the same age? That's neat."

"Yes. That's why they are so excited. They are so lucky to be attending the same time as the future world leaders and heraldry bearers."

"Heraldry, huh..."

Cady smiled in my direction and nodded, "Heirs to the thrones can use elemental magics on many different levels than normal people. They can also wield ancient enchantments that are not accessible to mere humans."

"Right," I said dismissively, changed the subject, and stood up, "The bus will stop soon. Better get our bags ready."

She followed suit, and true enough, the bus stopped around the corner right after the convoy of limousines entered the giant golden gates of the school.

"The Hallowed Crysalian Military Academy..."

I sighed and nodded, "In the flesh. Welp, let's get inside, Cady. We shouldn't waste any more time gawking."

"True. We will have more time for that once we failed the examinations."

"Right you are," I agreed entirely before giving my identification card to the soldier manning his post in front of the entrance, "Arcelon Mcreinen, Viceroyalty of Alcrima, here to take the scholar examinations."

He looked at my i.d and to my face before nodding and looking at my companion, who produced her own and handed it over, "Cady Vivier, Viceroyalty of Alcrima, same as him."

The soldier checked our identification cards one last time before radioing someone to verify our identities, and after a few seconds, he returned our i.d and pointed at the entrance where all students who saw us dragging our luggage began whispering and throwing curious looks at the two of us.

"Ignore them and head straight for the examination area located at the end of the corridor to the west."

Cady brought me back to reality with her harsh words, and I nodded in answer and followed her as we briskly walked past the academy students being rounded up by the chaperones and loaded up into another fleet of coasters that would take them further into the school grounds.

"If I remember correctly, there's a town within the city of Mari, right?"

"Yes. Seven or so kilometers from here, there's a town called Valeria where students, staffs, and teachers of the C.M.A reside. That's also where the main campus of the academy is located."

I couldn't help myself but be impressed by her knowledge. Someone, even me, has no idea, and I have all the best tutors my mother can provide.

"How did you know all that stuff, Cady?"

"Believe me, you learn many things on the streets if you know where and who to listen to. Oh, here we are. Good morning! I am Cady Raviere and this is Arcelon Mcreinen, sir."

A soldier is blocking our way toward the place where several teenagers like us are beginning to sit down and prepare for the examinations that will start.

"Oh, the last stragglers. I got a word of your arrival. Hurry inside, the vice principal will be here soon and she is not the one who tolerates tardiness."

He quickly stepped aside to let us in, and we ran as fast as our feet could carry us and our luggage towards the easternmost corner at the very back of the room, where two remaining seats remained empty and waiting for us.