Entrance Exam
Words are mightier than swords, so they say. But that just isn't the case. No matter how great at magic you are, a swift ranger or an agile swordsman could easily close the gap while you're reciting poetry. Sure explosions are cool, but the chant for that they said, takes 20 seconds to recite. What incompetent rotten enemy would wait that long?
But well, what can I do really, I was born in this pitiful place. In the country of Silverquill. The "land of magic"! Wow! Sounds amazing right, but it's really crap. Why wasn't I born in a neighboring country like Isienbow, the country of elven archers who could annihilate a horde of orcs in a matter of seconds? Or Atherdaine, the land of formidable cavalry who could easily bulldoze even an army of giants. I'll even take Stonefort, sure they're a country of stinky dwarves, but they have impenetrable fortresses and undefeated heavy infantry.
I must have been evil in my past life. All Silverquill could provide were mages who could heal bruises in battle, or conveniently light a bonfire anywhere. We have not been able to expand our territory because of preachy grumpy old men, who say we should not go to war. Cause war is bad. Yeah, "profound", or just obsolete and irrelevant.
These were my thoughts as I walked toward the academy. I was 18 and my parents said it was time for me to learn the ways of a mage. And because I could not refuse, I took the journey that damn cold morning to take the entrance exam. I plan to fail it really, I'd rather be a woodcutter and find some fairy in the woods to make babies with, than die a virgin old man within a tower with nothing but books and a cat.
The road I took was pure dirt. Just dust, dirt, and a few pebbles. Even our roads suck, how hard was it to bring stones to the middle of the road? Every time it rains, our boots drown in mud.
That day, however, was a clear day. And so instead of mud, we got smokes of dust at every horse and carriage that pass us by.
And I said we because I was not alone. Some lads were walking with me, who like me could not afford a better mode of transportation than our two hairy feet. I saw some of my neighbors' kids, but I hate company and so I chose to walk alone while they giddily talk to each other. But there was one I hate most of all.
"Hey, Avalon! Wait for me!" shouted an ugly, snotty idiotic kid behind me, I believe he was called Jason, the son of my mother's friend. He was about my age, but he would still do childish stuff, like idolizing the archmages.
"Who do you want to meet first!? Sir Eldoril? Sir Delgolad?" he asked me the question in between heavy breathing after catching up with me. He just wouldn't shut up, and if I ever learn magic, I'll learn something that could make him close his mouth.
"I don't wanna meet anyone," I said, trying not to make my hostility too obvious. While I hate him, his mother makes good apple pies. And I don't wanna alienate her just because I slapped her kid to death.
"Why not?" he said with a frown.
"Actually, no, I do wanna meet someone" I replied, now with more life in my voice.
"Who!? Is it Lord Lemrod! The Archmage of Fire!" his eyes beamed with curiosity and how I wanted to pluck them out.
"Female students, beautiful and plump mages," I smirked, my hands drawing curves in the air.
"You... you do know there are no girls in the academy?" he stammered, he looked like he was afraid I would be disappointed, which I was.
And that was how I lost the last of my interest in becoming a mage. I remembered magery was exclusively for men. Women could try witchcraft, but I heard they burn them in stakes.
Very sad.
Anyway, I stopped talking to the guy after that. But he would not end our conversation and continued to talk about things I couldn't give a damn. His words entered my ear like some buzzing background noise, and it felt terrible that I couldn't squash him like a mosquito.
The walls of the ancient town of Ironstaff soon loomed in the distance. The sun had fully awakened and took the cold air away. I could only see a few people coming in and out of the gates, and to me, that was a relief. Nothing is more irritating than making way through a tightly-packed crowd, being forced to savor every flavor of body scent.
The walls of the town were as old as itself. There were cracks everywhere along the stone wall and vines had slowly crept over. Soldiers wearing faded gambeson and rusty kettle hats man the ramparts. A testament to the town's status of being a backwater settlement in a backwater country.
At the gates, the guards took a brief scrutinizing look at us and let us in without much ruckus. It was understandable, what would bad people get from the place, fat rats to sell to the cat market?
Inside the town was even more terrible. Worn and dirty, the streets stink and were sticky like mud. They had hay scattered around as if that would help.
Houses and buildings were all made of stone, but like the town walls, they looked old and abandoned. I saw Jason, being impressed by what he was seeing. He is a moron, so I did not expect much.
I, on the other hand, had reached the capital that one time my uncle asked for my help to smuggle in some opium. Illegal, I know, but I did earn a silver coin. Anyways, it was not the best place but it was leagues ahead of Ironstaff.
"Are you here for the entrance exams?" a man wearing an overly stretched smile on his bearded face addressed our caravan. He was in a mage outfit, a long dark green cloak covered his white robe. He was near the gate, dismounted behind his horse.
"Yes, sir mage." Jason promptly answered his eyes all over the man.
"Is that what we will be wearing." he quickly turned to whisper to me.
I shoo him away with a dismissive wave.
"Well then follow me." the mage then mounted his horse. Our group which consisted of no more than twenty lads obediently trailed behind him.
For a while, we walked in a straight line. Deeper into the town, I could see more stalls, and shops like the smithy and armorer. There were almost no customers, which could be because it was early in the morning, but with how they look so shabby, I bet they get the same treatment the rest of the day,
We took a sudden turn, and a towering building caught my attention. It looked like a castle with towers too pointy and too tall. Banners of the kingdom proudly waved on its tiled rooftops, and the architecture looked out of place in its relatively bland neighborhood.
I thought it was the citadel at first, but then we stopped at its entrance. Above the metal, gates was a stone arc with foreign letters engraved on it. Through the metal fences, I could see the wide courtyard preceding the main buildings.
The gates creaked open, and the mage led us into a small crowd of youths. It surprised me how few we were. Overall we were only almost fifty. Turns out it was not only me who thought magery was a terrible profession.
"Is this everything we got?" an elderly mage whispered too loudly to his aide. He stood in front of us, wearing a purple cloak and a long white beard that hung from his face down to his waist. His wrinkly eyes were barely open, almost ready for the coffin.
The aide whispered back, and I could not hear what he said, but it made the old mage shake his head.
"That's an archmage's attire," informed Jason, who for some reason just would not leave me alone. "I wonder who he is?"
"Our nation is in dire need of more mages, and I thank you for answering the call." the old mage began to address us. And ongoing conversations quieted down and heads pivoted forward.
"However, one cannot simply enter the academy" the old fart continued "only those of pure hearts and mind shall be able to enjoy the power of runes and spells."
"For everything mighty is a double-edged sword, it could bring the world to new heights, or it could bring its ruin."
He paused for a while and scanned the crowd while he caressed his beard.
"Now, I assume everyone here wishes to learn magic and deny himself, for the good of all."
What a stupid question, of course, anyone would say yes to that, and they did.
"Well then, we welcome you all to the Academy of Magery! You all pass!" he announced with sudden cheer.
And I stood there confused for a second midst the clapping and cheering. What does he mean we all pass? There are no more exams?
Crap.
My plan of making babies with fairies tumbled just like that like an old woman pushed down the stairs.