
72Please respect copyright.PENANAOyucGxE5wV
72Please respect copyright.PENANAbW7Ckojgis
72Please respect copyright.PENANANo0YQ3xnl8
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAX6JhNIaKBS
Nope.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA1xYVwOcapR
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA3QiWDEKunc
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA7CuMppJl7I
Blah and bleh roll around in my thoughts, deep in the mud pit.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAqr7InRR6wU
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAds4BbAdIiI
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANApJq3UUNrl0
"Godsdammit!" I said aloud. Sauntering down the hall, some passing students glowered at me.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXUMMMfSkbc
"Hey!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAcAjIudlqdL
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAYwS7SofrSk
"Hey!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANA9mgzaMxm3V
Who was being so loud?
72Please respect copyright.PENANALgrI99Yq6Q
"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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAIB22nhOekk
"You are Pollux!" he stated, tightening his dimples wit a smile.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAhjMqZVUVDv
"Am I?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANASDIOzNnAxe
His face frowned in self-doubt. Gullible little meatball.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAizmgAdqzrm
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am..."
72Please respect copyright.PENANA6XZQNdo8Fh
"I saw you chant that spell in Tome Study! Are you, like, some savant or something?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAbGTGRducBn
"I don't know; that was my first time."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAlmfzu07L2U
"So, you are a savant!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAg2ev3zXX8f
"Listen!" I said sternly.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAQLY91tdznK
The little gentleman froze. When he froze, I walked ‘round and right past him, silently. Unfortunately, he decided to follow me.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAl6jMJATFv1
"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?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANA5IxIifvtSV
"I'm going to Physical Education, er...”
72Please respect copyright.PENANAz1VT7LoPgR
"Roy!" he said cheerfully. "That's my next class, too!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAIUP0RHbvFD
You're kidding. "You're kidding..."
72Please respect copyright.PENANALseBeyws0w
"I bet you're a real acrobat in the field."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAozqsKTLpIb
The fuck does that mean? "No, Ross, I'm not."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAHrYa7hvxVs
"It's Roy."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAB9An46mHUF
"Ron. As you can see," I gestured to my cast with the limp leg within, "I can do neither acros nor batics."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAJHPZqg2IWA
"Hehe, you talk talk funny. Is it true that you lost your memory?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAqxrxnRIhyQ
I stop. "And where did you hear that from, Roy?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAPzh10rUZdl
"I just heard it through the berry vines."
72Please respect copyright.PENANA7g0u0LSPxA
"Berry bines?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAlzQFczuRYJ
"Some other students were whispering in class about it."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAvbT0OgDnqG
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANADiDkX0YK4X
"Is it true that you're an orphan?" exclaimed Roy.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAAyyXCJgBr4
Goddess, help me
72Please respect copyright.PENANAQBDRY6LZrn
72Please respect copyright.PENANAVKmZnyMQME
72Please respect copyright.PENANALu8Y1c04Rr
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAo7mBpX88ER
Nope.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXpweZ6WvrF
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA4NfmTiEN5X
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANApuRY2nC4Rl
Blah and bleh roll around in my thoughts, deep in the mud pit.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA8puNYSwN0T
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAzkduTBzi1y
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAkiQqJT3xWT
"Godsdammit!" I said aloud. Sauntering down the hall, some passing students glowered at me.
72Please respect copyright.PENANA6jact5emMZ
"Hey!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANA18Y49vO9T5
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXcmmMC96u3
"Hey!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAGGA200HPsM
Who was being so loud?
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUI5iE0rPJr
"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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANATMLxhWU0dC
"You are Pollux!" he stated, tightening his dimples wit a smile.
72Please respect copyright.PENANACVuGdJZ7Ma
"Am I?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANALuI2VlrA2j
His face frowned in self-doubt. Gullible little meatball.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAis4hN2rOdL
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am..."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAsOB7jFjML0
"I saw you chant that spell in Tome Study! Are you, like, some savant or something?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAtfufBWKzIY
"I don't know; that was my first time."
72Please respect copyright.PENANArKbPaGlhfQ
"So, you are a savant!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANA8vlrZQ05kP
"Listen!" I said sternly.
72Please respect copyright.PENANASElf2WJSZp
The little gentleman froze. When he froze, I walked ‘round and right past him, silently. Unfortunately, he decided to follow me.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAQ169ulKoQW
"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?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAxJpuaN9WLj
"I'm going to Physical Education, er...”
72Please respect copyright.PENANAlj0vikJEWh
"Roy!" he said cheerfully. "That's my next class, too!"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAAY1DP3CMW5
You're kidding. "You're kidding..."
72Please respect copyright.PENANA5ca7Dmhapa
"I bet you're a real acrobat in the field."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAHQuPcFEuaq
The fuck does that mean? "No, Ross, I'm not."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUhCkCzk1dY
"It's Roy."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAMolT9955Xk
"Ron. As you can see," I gestured to my cast with the limp leg within, "I can do neither acros nor batics."
72Please respect copyright.PENANA1SPVVjrWK0
"Hehe, you talk talk funny. Is it true that you lost your memory?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAnB7vLPXK4j
I stop. "And where did you hear that from, Roy?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANACx82T2UXf9
"I just heard it through the berry vines."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXijgGO9MAZ
"Berry bines?"
72Please respect copyright.PENANAH94nQZkftj
"Some other students were whispering in class about it."
72Please respect copyright.PENANAASPA7WONRe
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.
72Please respect copyright.PENANABNpBPWLIDA
"Is it true that you're an orphan?" exclaimed Roy.
72Please respect copyright.PENANAOUJh9zhmWM
Goddess, help me
ns216.73.216.224da2