
63Please respect copyright.PENANAaznoehkPBq
63Please respect copyright.PENANAnm8RvCP4vz
63Please respect copyright.PENANAFAieG3zlLi
Thanks to strict academic standards, Cinderfall Academy was brimming with students of high magical aptitude. High indeed, for the academy was ranked amongst the top schools in the Imperium, easily the top in the south-west, based on the magical median. As much a curse as it was a blessing, from where I stood. Stiff competition and multiple curses threatened to rob my standing right out from under me. If I maintained peak marks, I didn’t have to concern mtself with giving up my dorm to Lord so-and-so's brat. Unfortunately, book smarts had limits, and the practical exams were bound to hit with a vengeance. If not for Cinderfall, I’d be back at the orphanage. My anxiety returned, just thinking about it, and I swiped those thoughts away.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAE22i0C1XNX
Nope.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAvJhLe18T4q
My anxiety came anyway. Why? Because physical education was next on the schedule. It was the second semester, boys and girls. This is where the world ended, where my inadequacy really prepared to rear its head.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAwlj4NmUQkD
So, why was I forced to attend this course? Right, physical eduation was a mandate. It just happened to be one of Calum's recommendations on the road to academic success. Of course, the goal could be nothing but a pipe dream.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAuk8UtJ2BZB
Blah and bleh roll around in my thoughts, deep in the mud pit.
63Please respect copyright.PENANACRLZmwtaNg
Trudging through concrete arches, wading through hosen, tunics, and what the scholars call pheromones, I began to second-guess everything about my future. Why did I care so much about having a prestigious occupation anyways? Maybe, it’s because nobody told me I couldn’t be a Magistrix? Somehow or another, I would harness the arcane and manipulate elements on a whim.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAkRmUv7bc5Z
I beseeched the gods for the power to set my enemies on fire. That is all. Too much to ask? Yet, that ship sailed farther away with every lesson. To channel the mara crystals seemed impossible. Without that basic abilitity, what could I be but a priestess? But, but, but did I want to take those vows? No! I coud never blend in with the clergy or those sisters. What did they need to be strong casters? Zeal! Everybody knows that clergy members need zeal. My zeal was zero.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAfxGYJMymWi
"Godsdammit!" I said aloud. Sauntering down the hall, some passing students glowered at me.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA5KSw0a7EFS
"Hey!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAdRogCBgDt9
After dallying in the halls for too long, stuck in my head, I tried to hop, skip, and jump toward the arena. And I failed.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAJw63qAkWO6
"Hey!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAUDB38GdqoG
Who was being so loud?
63Please respect copyright.PENANAvKCqNna2DG
"Hey!" A random ball of pale skin jumped in front of me: a boy. It startled me so, I almost tripped over the tiles. My hand shot to my cast to keep from stumbling. Who was this boy? Why did he do that? Confusion. Annoyance. Here I was, stuck before the combed and blonde piece of dough in front of me. He wore a silly cap on top of a goofy smile sliced with reddish dimples and a particular incision in between those buck teeth making him appear plumper. Somebody needs to lay off the cafeteria toffee, know what I mean? But then I recognized him. He was in my last class; was he not? Yes, yes, he was.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAv5DRC96gyJ
"You are Pollux!" he stated, tightening his dimples wit a smile.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAg59pk2ljZb
"Am I?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANABOBy0BP1uL
His face frowned in self-doubt. Gullible little meatball.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAqjPqU7uVvL
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am..."
63Please respect copyright.PENANA1DExi1YWBt
"I saw you chant that spell in Tome Study! Are you, like, some savant or something?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAfRDpEu4AOi
"I don't know; that was my first time."
63Please respect copyright.PENANABcgf440aSy
"So, you are a savant!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAzr5xhS5Ifk
"Listen!" I said sternly.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAeKN1PRIYyN
The little gentleman froze. When he froze, I walked ‘round and right past him, silently. Unfortunately, he decided to follow me.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAVersDaP1Zx
"So, Pollux, are you going to be a priestess? Maybe become Hierophant one day? My mother wanted to be Hierophant, but she said she couldn't because she had me. She said I can be Hierophant, so she takes me to the chapel and teaches me the Sacred Verse. You seem like you know you're way around holy magic, which is surprising! I have never seen you at the chapel! Maybe, I missed you. I ask because I was wondering if you tutor? I bet it's hard, though. Though, probably not for someone as good as you. Where are you going?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAy4J956qSpA
"I'm going to Physical Education, er...”
63Please respect copyright.PENANAFbT6hJVSEy
"Roy!" he said cheerfully. "That's my next class, too!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAQPh4rDAxDd
You're kidding. "You're kidding..."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAk9FMgPqnMB
"I bet you're a real acrobat in the field."
63Please respect copyright.PENANADyGtTGZeba
The fuck does that mean? "No, Ross, I'm not."
63Please respect copyright.PENANA3GMHbRkQGS
"It's Roy."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAUSiHgnwsVh
"Ron. As you can see," I gestured to my cast with the limp leg within, "I can do neither acros nor batics."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAriuh3qHpxK
"Hehe, you talk talk funny. Is it true that you lost your memory?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAOTCxaQvztp
I stop. "And where did you hear that from, Roy?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA2eeTsQKg6X
"I just heard it through the berry vines."
63Please respect copyright.PENANATCUJfupovV
"Berry bines?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA2UMF55G1ig
"Some other students were whispering in class about it."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAaADm8XMf19
For such a big academy, word spread spectacularly fast. Maybe ‘twas a fluke, a pebble in the stream. Roy was an anomaly. Most students couldn’t know about my condition, of which there is more than one, one being obvious. I refused to accept it. Sigh. I made my way through the open halls, which were all but empty now.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAU7zBI33sj0
"Is it true that you're an orphan?" exclaimed Roy.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAngUHLS69bc
Goddess, help me
63Please respect copyright.PENANAoI7G1GxeyW
63Please respect copyright.PENANAjwI3SLQbsH
63Please respect copyright.PENANAOhRBpLbnuM
Thanks to strict academic standards, Cinderfall Academy was brimming with students of high magical aptitude. High indeed, for the academy was ranked amongst the top schools in the Imperium, easily the top in the south-west, based on the magical median. As much a curse as it was a blessing, from where I stood. Stiff competition and multiple curses threatened to rob my standing right out from under me. If I maintained peak marks, I didn’t have to concern mtself with giving up my dorm to Lord so-and-so's brat. Unfortunately, book smarts had limits, and the practical exams were bound to hit with a vengeance. If not for Cinderfall, I’d be back at the orphanage. My anxiety returned, just thinking about it, and I swiped those thoughts away.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5z67LHphn
Nope.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA7tYrMVpe8i
My anxiety came anyway. Why? Because physical education was next on the schedule. It was the second semester, boys and girls. This is where the world ended, where my inadequacy really prepared to rear its head.
63Please respect copyright.PENANApRDfpZyanL
So, why was I forced to attend this course? Right, physical eduation was a mandate. It just happened to be one of Calum's recommendations on the road to academic success. Of course, the goal could be nothing but a pipe dream.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA06Blx1aMSY
Blah and bleh roll around in my thoughts, deep in the mud pit.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAd2qhuaEMtS
Trudging through concrete arches, wading through hosen, tunics, and what the scholars call pheromones, I began to second-guess everything about my future. Why did I care so much about having a prestigious occupation anyways? Maybe, it’s because nobody told me I couldn’t be a Magistrix? Somehow or another, I would harness the arcane and manipulate elements on a whim.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAE3AfZ3QkfJ
I beseeched the gods for the power to set my enemies on fire. That is all. Too much to ask? Yet, that ship sailed farther away with every lesson. To channel the mara crystals seemed impossible. Without that basic abilitity, what could I be but a priestess? But, but, but did I want to take those vows? No! I coud never blend in with the clergy or those sisters. What did they need to be strong casters? Zeal! Everybody knows that clergy members need zeal. My zeal was zero.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAw7GXJlv1as
"Godsdammit!" I said aloud. Sauntering down the hall, some passing students glowered at me.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA6XI45H4eKD
"Hey!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAesUgDAUBFo
After dallying in the halls for too long, stuck in my head, I tried to hop, skip, and jump toward the arena. And I failed.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAcbj4U2YDoi
"Hey!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA9vPRoFaVZc
Who was being so loud?
63Please respect copyright.PENANATWXrP53BLo
"Hey!" A random ball of pale skin jumped in front of me: a boy. It startled me so, I almost tripped over the tiles. My hand shot to my cast to keep from stumbling. Who was this boy? Why did he do that? Confusion. Annoyance. Here I was, stuck before the combed and blonde piece of dough in front of me. He wore a silly cap on top of a goofy smile sliced with reddish dimples and a particular incision in between those buck teeth making him appear plumper. Somebody needs to lay off the cafeteria toffee, know what I mean? But then I recognized him. He was in my last class; was he not? Yes, yes, he was.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAvcm8gsBLPU
"You are Pollux!" he stated, tightening his dimples wit a smile.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA2AUrol0x6N
"Am I?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA6xZTNQwqlz
His face frowned in self-doubt. Gullible little meatball.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAmLhg4Foa5r
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am..."
63Please respect copyright.PENANA7fkcSdBzf1
"I saw you chant that spell in Tome Study! Are you, like, some savant or something?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAGcNrmArYEv
"I don't know; that was my first time."
63Please respect copyright.PENANABy5z4yVgfv
"So, you are a savant!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA0Y5LLG4Wun
"Listen!" I said sternly.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAlE9oA0WDwl
The little gentleman froze. When he froze, I walked ‘round and right past him, silently. Unfortunately, he decided to follow me.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAuW6Vxg99hG
"So, Pollux, are you going to be a priestess? Maybe become Hierophant one day? My mother wanted to be Hierophant, but she said she couldn't because she had me. She said I can be Hierophant, so she takes me to the chapel and teaches me the Sacred Verse. You seem like you know you're way around holy magic, which is surprising! I have never seen you at the chapel! Maybe, I missed you. I ask because I was wondering if you tutor? I bet it's hard, though. Though, probably not for someone as good as you. Where are you going?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAar4GGMNYBG
"I'm going to Physical Education, er...”
63Please respect copyright.PENANA4TDMWb8uVT
"Roy!" he said cheerfully. "That's my next class, too!"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAML5Ufgli2f
You're kidding. "You're kidding..."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAc3Q8K60Cjk
"I bet you're a real acrobat in the field."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAVoMyArSskM
The fuck does that mean? "No, Ross, I'm not."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAUHyzarndub
"It's Roy."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAUGdDb88nm1
"Ron. As you can see," I gestured to my cast with the limp leg within, "I can do neither acros nor batics."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAfMxYsU36uP
"Hehe, you talk talk funny. Is it true that you lost your memory?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAx0O3GCK4A6
I stop. "And where did you hear that from, Roy?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANA4rfaU92mD0
"I just heard it through the berry vines."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAzL4NQZKUNn
"Berry bines?"
63Please respect copyright.PENANAvzkxejJnyg
"Some other students were whispering in class about it."
63Please respect copyright.PENANAimcKJO2Yw9
For such a big academy, word spread spectacularly fast. Maybe ‘twas a fluke, a pebble in the stream. Roy was an anomaly. Most students couldn’t know about my condition, of which there is more than one, one being obvious. I refused to accept it. Sigh. I made my way through the open halls, which were all but empty now.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAB68TPoZN46
"Is it true that you're an orphan?" exclaimed Roy.
63Please respect copyright.PENANA4PJMg3GHOo
Goddess, help me
ns216.73.216.224da2