Spellcaster Nova

Slowly but surely all the adults in the courtyard left, leaving the various youths left behind. Ares had no idea what would happen next so decided to speak to a short squat looking boy next to him. After speaking for a few seconds, he uncovered the dumpy looking kid was 11 years old and was from the sewing district of the third city. This was miles away from where Ares lived and the living conditions were far better. The boys name was Joe. Joe seemed happy to be in the Space guild, despite being only talent level of 2 he had an opportunity to get out of his family trade. Being a tailor wasn't the most exhilarating of jobs admittedly.

Ares didn't tell Joe or anyone else that his talent level was 10, this would clearly set him apart from others and he didn't want to isolate himself on the first day.

It had been about twenty minutes since the departure of the recruiters and the courtyard had split into several groups. Ares was surrounded by four different people. Somehow, he seemed to have become an impromptu leader of sorts. The others continually spoke around him. Besides Joe there was a young tom-boy looking girl called Tracy. She proudly announced her talent level to be 5. There was a shy looking tall boy called Den, he didn't seem to talk much but after much prodding from Tracy admitted his talent level was 4. Finally, there was another boy called Sisaro. He had dark skin and wore a strange curved blade at his back, after initially prying into his background Tracy was rebutted. Seeing the serious look in Sisaros eyes she bit her tongue and did not persist.

"RECRUITS" a voice boomed from the corner of the hallway. Ares turned in time to see a beautiful woman enter the courtyard. She looked to be around 30 years old and was gliding in a blue flowing dress towards them. Initially Ares looked behind her to see who had shouted but she arrived on her own and there were no signs of others.

"LINE UP." She shouted, having seen her speak the twenty or so youths all lined up quickly anticipation visible within their faces. While moving Ares took another second to examine her. The woman had a youthful air at odds with her booming voice. Her hair was black and it was lying straight over her shoulders. Her face was oval with a clear white complexion and without blemish. The woman was not smiling and instead exuded an air of indifference as if she couldn't care less about the children in front of her.

"I am Halley Nova and I am one of the deputy leaders of the Space guild. You will call me Spellcaster Nova. I will take you to your dormitories, lessons begin at seven am tomorrow all must attend. We will meet in this square tomorrow at that time. Follow me." She said this all in one breath before walking to the end of the line and leading off into an adjoining building. Ares was towards the end of the line in front of the group of youths he had just befriended.

The new recruits were led around a few winding staircases before arriving at a long corridor with several doors off from the sides.

"Each dormitory has four beds, you will enter in the order you arrived. Boys this is your corridor Girls follow me." Spellcaster Nova ordered.

Ares was unfortunately at the front of his group and the people he had befriended were cut off after him. This left him to enter a dormitory with three other unknown males. He had also ended up with the recruit of Julius in his dormitory.

As the last in the group of four to enter he had a quick glace around the room. It wasn't a large room with more than two bunk beds and four cheap looking lockers by the door there was also a small rectangular window on the far wall. Ares walked towards the only un-claimed bed on the left side of the room. It was a bottom bunk.

"That beds taken." Ares heard a voice from behind.

The recruit from Julius was looking at him, hostility in his gaze.

"Well which one isn't taken." Ares asked, he didn't want to provoke any resentment on his first day but if he allowed himself to be bullied now it would continue while he lived here.

"They're all taken." The boy said again snickering to his two friends by his side. The applicants of any guild had to be less than 14 years old, this was reflected in the size of the others Ares was speaking to. The two unknown boys looked to be about the same size as Ares but with thin sickly bodies. The other boy Juilius's recruit had a more solid body, he looked to be from a less poor area where he could eat his fill.

Ares didn't like his chances in a fight against them but he couldn't allow these boys to bully him now. He couldn't anticipate how long he would stay in the dormitory with them and didn't want to be at the bottom of the food chain.

"I'm taking this bed." Ares said sitting on the bunk.

"I said it was taken." The boy replied.

"Make me move or leave me alone" Ares responded already clenching his fists in preparation for a fight.

"let's teach him who the boss is here." Julius's recruit said, he nodded at his two friends. Ares considered his circumstances. He couldn't understand why they had banded together so quickly, these kids barely knew each other and they were already ganging up on him, for what? To control the dormitory? He asked himself.

At this point there was a knock on the door.

Ares looked up.

Nova poked her head in.

"I will expect you at seven am, I do not tolerate tardiness." Her eyes scanned the faces of the boys like a hawk. She could sense the tension in the room.

"Know also that all conflicts are dealt with in the training dome, breaking this rule will result in punishment." Her eyes stared deeply at Julius's recruit singling him out. He squirmed slightly as he attempted to return her gaze, after less than a second, he looked at the ground and replied.

"I understand Spellcaster Nova."

Without waiting for a response, the door slammed with Spellcaster Nova leaving. A tense atmosphere ensued.

"Let's go to sleep Victor." One of the sickly sidekicks commented to Julius's recruit.

"Fine." Victor replied looking annoyed that his plan had been thwarted.

It had been a long day for Ares leaving his home and arriving at the city. He lay on his bed tired and gently shut his eyes. Before he knew it he had drifted into a dreamless sleep.