While waiting for an administrator to see him, Ethan was allowed to see the expansive list of courses he could take. Even though he was limited to Gale House courses available to first years without a specialization, the list seemed endless. Although it was too early to tell, he thought he had a leg-up on others in their first year. He had a plan, even if he didn’t know his end goal.

  The literature he had been handed suggested taking four classes to start. He could pick up more later in the semester if the load was too light and even drop a total of one if it was too difficult. Ethan targeted classes that focused on both foundational learning and participation-based grading. That narrowed a list of hundreds down to about twenty. Since this was a world with magic, something he wasn’t sure he fully comprehended yet, he narrowed that list down to six.

  “First year. Walsh, Ethan,” a voice called from behind the counter.

  Ethan looked up, blinking away his confusion. For a moment, he thought he was sitting at the DMV. It took his brain far too long to figure out where he was and he stumbled to his feet. Barry laughed at that, slapping him on the butt as he went. The waiting area for the administration building was large. There were rows of seats for people to wait upon and all those visiting were there for different reasons. Some were dropping classes, while others were taking on new ones. Then there were those people who weren’t members of the academy, but had business with the de facto leader, Vesper.

  “Just back there.” The attendant at the front gestured to a hall. “Room seven.”

  Ethan followed the instructions, heading back through an old wooden door and into a hall. He counted the rooms until he found seven. The door was open but he still knocked, hearing a shrill voice call from within.

  “You may enter!”

  Ethan entered the room, pausing and blinking a few times to assess what he was seeing. A tiny, hamster-sized creature was sitting on a tiny chair on a wooden desk. The room was illuminated by one of those magical crystal lanterns, casting it in an eerie glow.

  “Ah, a new soul,” the hamster said. “I’m a brogling. We’re tiny. Call me Tim.”

  “Okay…” Ethan felt his way into the chair, sinking and rollin the information over in his mind. He simply couldn’t process it. He sat down tentatively, never taking his eyes off the person before him. “Very tiny.”

  “Indeed. We’re the smallest sapient race in the sector. Now get over yourself. You’re here to enroll in some classes, huh? Your handler hasn’t given me the go-ahead for classes.”

  “Yet I’m not going to waste time sitting around while classes are rolling. I can’t afford to fall behind.”

  Tim did something that made a sharp snapping sound. Ethan couldn’t tell if he clicked his tongue or just randomly popped. “You’re marked as having a weird system, but your handler didn’t specify. That makes me think your system hasn’t come in, which means you don’t have a class. How can ya cast magic if ya don’t have a class?”

  “I’m not worried about it.”

  Tim got up from his chair and marched across the desk. Just as Ethan was trying to figure out how the little guy could project his voice so well, the brogling looked up at him with boggling eyes. “I know your type. All too common in Gale House. What if your system comes in and you have a combat class? You’ll transfer to Fangbrand and your points won’t follow.”

  “I’ll deal with that later.”

  “There are hundreds of classes to pick from.”

  “I’ve got 4 selected.”

  “This thing says you’re homeless.”

  “I found a place.”

  Tim got a bit closer, sniffing the air. Eventually, he made a motion Ethan couldn’t discern and walked back to his chair on the desk. “I like you, kid. Unfortunately, this isn’t for me to decide. While I’m sure you’re… ready… and…”

  Tim trailed off. Ethan took a while to realize it, but he felt something behind him. Turning, he spotted a man’s darkened face under a brilliant red cloak. The cloak was the first thing that caught his eye since it was embroidered with shining golden thread. More confusing was the familiar scent of ozone that washed into the room, reminding him of an oncoming storm.

  “Master,” Tim said, his little hamster face hung low. “I didn’t…”

  “I’ll take him from here.” The figure’s voice carried a rumble that sent a chill up Ethan’s spine. “Follow me, Mister Walsh.”

  Looking from Tim to the new guy with confusion, Ethan stood. He figured he had pushed the line too far, but that was to be expected. This plan to muscle his way into those classes was a longshot, and now it was time to take his licks. That was fine by him, falling in line with his plan to understand where those lines were. He followed the cloak man through the halls, eventually stepping out the back of the building and into a secluded yard. There was a decent garden here with a few employees taking breaks.

  Upon seeing the cloaked figure, they gained a look of terror on their faces, bowed, and fled as quickly as they could.

  “Any idea why you’re here?” the man asked.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Ethan still couldn’t see any of the man’s features. He was tall, and broad-shouldered but that was all the detail he could get.

  “‘Here’ in the general sense, or what?” Ethan asked. He cleared his throat, holding out a defusing hand. He could read the room. “Sorry, sir. No. Just trying to sign up for classes.”

  The man let out an amused chuckle, reaching out a hand for Ethan to shake. “I’m Armel Batteux. One of the benefactors of this world.”

  That was a word he heard the others use before. Ethan shook his hand, nodding as though he understood. Truth was, he understood little about what that meant. He assumed it meant this guy was a ruler of some kind. “Nice to meet you.”

  “How many classes were you planning to sign up for?” Armel asked.

  “Four, I think. Three foundation classes and a dungeon-based class.”

  “Four total, drop the dungeon class. I want you in Anomalous Materials.”

  Ethan consulted the pamphlet, flipping through a few times before giving up. “I don’t have it here.”

  “You wouldn’t. Anyway, I already enrolled you. Submit your other three classes to the administrator. Be prepared to drop one, maybe two classes as the semester wears on. Anomalous Materials will take most of your attention.”

  With a dramatic sweep of his cloak, the mysterious Armel turned without a word. Before Ethan could say anything, he was gone. Not that there was anywhere to go. The courtyard was enclosed.

  “Guess he just… vanished. Why not?”

  There was a lot to think about with that guy, but Ethan focused on the class. Anomalous Materials could’ve been anything. If Armel was a person who he assumed was one of several persons in charge of the entire planet, he was a heavy hitter, no matter how he looked at it. The mantis lady said someone wanted him here. Perhaps he had just figured out the ‘why’ of the whole thing.

  Ethan stood awkwardly in the courtyard for too long before he turned, heading back through the door he had arrived through. With no other idea where to go, he found his way back to Tim’s office.

  “Is he gone?” Tim asked, poking his head around his chair.

  “Yeah. I think I got the rubber stamp to sign up for classes.” Ethan closed the door behind him, taking his seat and folding his hands in his lap.

  “Gods save me.” Tim took a deep breath, sagging down into his chair. He removed miniscule paperwork from nowhere and scowled. “Yeah, he put you in a pretty weird class.”

  “Anomalous Materials? What’s that class about?”

  “Dunno.” Tim offered a microscopic shrug. “There’s no class description. That’s an invite-only class filled with long-term students.”

  “Long-term meaning they stay for longer than normal?” Ethan asked.

  “Yeah. Average time in the academy is 5 years, with some going to 7 or 8. The long-term folks stay for up to twenty years as ‘students,’ although they’re mostly staff at that point,” Tim said with a chuckle. “Okay. Screw it. You’ve got the Master’s rubber stamp so you can pick whatever else you want.”

  “Excellent,” Ethan said, sliding his pamphlet across the table. He had circled the classes he wanted to take.

  “Are you sure about the ritual class?” Tim asked. “Professor Eggs is… weird.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Another tiny shrug later, and Tim was smacking an equally tiny stamp across some paper. With a wave of his hand, the papers grew to a size more appropriate for Ethan. “Read those over. Make sure all the info is correct.”

  “Array Foundations 1, Ritual Foundations 1, Mana Control Foundations 1, and Anomalous Materials. Absolutely perfect.”

  “Excellent. You’ll have Ritual Foundations tomorrow, so be ready for that. Now, how about we get your clothes and badge sorted?”

  ***

  Ethan shook out the sleeves of his new robes, nodding with approval. Although they were still gray, and mostly unadorned, they were made from a better material than the rags he had been wearing. They also came with underclothes, including a shirt and some slacks, and even a pair of shiny shoes. Not only that, but he was given several pairs which he had been told could all be laundered at approved facilities.

  Then there was his shiny badge. Ethan turned his brass badge up, reading his name upside down, along with his grade. Ethan Walsh, First Year. It wasn’t much, but he felt good for his first full day. Standing outside of the administration building, he obsessed over how decent he finally looked. Running a hand through his tangled hair, he realized he needed to take care of that very soon.

  “Hey, are you ready to head out, fancy pants?” Barry asked, coming alongside him with a wide grin on his face. Of course, he was still shirtless.

  “No classes for you, I guess.” Ethan shook his head in disappointment. He had expected more out of Barry. “You can’t be lazy. Gotta push these people and squeeze as many points as we can.”

  “Oh, I signed up. All them foundation classes like you said.” Barry gestured to his pants. He had clipped his badge to his belt. “I’m just too hot. Let’s get some dinner, then we sleep on the floor of our stinky shack. Too bad they didn’t give us beds for signing up…”

  When Ethan approached the dining hall this time, he felt more full of himself. Maybe it was a small thing for most people, but he was excited to have a proper badge and robes that helped him blend in. As they waited in line this time, students around them were happy to chat… even if they were intimidated by Barry.

  Of course, the big guy got a bunch of meat. The dinner menu had some sandwiches Ethan was interested in, so he grabbed a few of those along with some more fresh fruit. This time, they both remembered to get a drink. The sandwiches were fine, and he appreciated how light they were. Barry appreciated how much meat they would let him snag before yelling at him. At least he took some bread this time.

  “We’re in this together, right?” Barry asked through a mouthful of food.

  “Seems that way.”

  “You’re the brains and I’m the muscle.” Barry flexed to emphasise his point. “We’re gonna set some impressive records in this place. I’m getting pumped.”

  A smile spread across Ethan’s face, and it wasn’t caused by the sweet filling in one of the sandwiches he had snagged. The flavor was unexpected, but he liked it more than he had expected. “I’m also getting excited,” he said, feeling the sugar rushing to his head. “Might be getting tired, though. Long day…”

  “Yeah, you’re looking kinda pale,” Barry said, leaning in with a concerned look. “You sure you’re actually…”

  The sound of Barry’s rumbling voice faded out. Ethan’s eyes fluttered as his sandwich dropped to the ground. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was a feeling as though the world had been turned upside-down, a sharp pain in his chest, and a screen that had flashed into his vision.

  [System Unfurled Successfully]

  Your system has successfully unfurled!

  Please stand by…

  ERROR detected…