Book 2.
Volume 2: Becoming Stronger
Chapter Three: Academy of Fire
*****
The guys made it to the capital of the Fire Nation, Phoenix City, without any problems. There was no traffic jams, no crowds of people, it took only a couple of hours, the carriages because they are fast enough, it is not difficult to pass a hundred kilometers in twenty minutes, just need to strengthen the horses with magical energy. And now Miyazaki and her friends drive right up to the tall red building. The carriage stops at the steel gate and two men in military uniform run up to it and open the doors. Usually you have to do all this yourself, it's just that Officer Toshio is sitting with the guys, so he gets special attention. Miyazaki was even surprised when a military man opens the door and asks the officer to come out, all bowed down, but as soon as she or her friends turn to her, the soldiers frown, as if they don't like strangers.
- It's all right, they're with me. - Hoshi reassured the two soldiers, and then took Miyazaki's grandmother by the palm and gently led her outside.
- How hot it is here, even hotter than in Kostra! - Kai was surprised by the sunny weather, well he was already sweating on the way here, for him walking in hot weather is an ordeal.
- Officer Toshio, is this the Warrior Academy you were telling us about in the carriage? - asks the girl, no, if this tall house really is an academy then it's fine, it's a pleasure to live in a building like this.
- Yes, this is the Fire Country Warriors Academy, but you won't be living and training here. - There's something about Hoshi Toshio smiling too much.
- You promised us that we would be trained at the academy! - Miyazaki is indignant, but what's wrong with that? You promised one thing and ended up with another.
- Exactly, and I'll keep my promise no matter what! - The officer is too hot and takes off his red cloak and gives it to the soldier. - It's just that this is the premier academy in the country, and I came here to warn the principal about the new students. Your grandmother and Toda can walk around and see the surroundings for now, they'll probably be interested, but you, Miyazaki and Kai, I'll ask you to come with me. - The man smiled once more and went to the gate.
The soldiers at the entrance saw the officer walking towards them and began to open the gate. The huge gate swings open and the guys see the academy courtyard, so big and beautiful, now no wonder why this academy is the most important in the country, there are so many beautiful things! A fountain, stone statues, flower meadows, polygons, common areas for relaxing, where you can lie on a hammock, but now there is no one here, which surprised Miyazaki a lot.
- Surprised, why is there not a single soul in such a beautiful courtyard? - Asked the officer in a quiet voice, the boys nodded silently. - Everyone is studying now. There are over a thousand youngsters of different ages studying at this academy, one class lasts an hour and a half, then everyone goes outside to take a walk. The break is an hour and a half, which is enough time to rest.
- Where exactly are we going, if it's not a secret? - Kai likes it so much that he's already dreaming of studying in this paradise place, with all the conditions for future Warriors. He's probably got free food, too. A dream for him.
- We go to the third floor, there is the director's office. I just want to warn you right away. - The officer stopped at the entrance to the building and looked menacingly at the boys. - The director of the academy is very stern, behave yourselves and try to keep quiet. He does not like too talkative.
The man's words frightened Miyazaki so much that she began to wonder if they were really going to the headmaster, or some executioner for the death penalty? Well, now we can't back out now, if we agreed - we have to go. They went through three floors, the academy employees at the sight of Officer Toshio as if frightened and dispersed to the sides, so much afraid of him in this circles shortly. They finally reached the door with the inscription "Director" and Miyazaki's forehead broke out in sweat, she got scared after the officer's words. Hoshi Toshio opens the door and goes inside. Nothing unusual in the office, a closet near the wall, at the end of the room a table with a pile of papers, and next to the table, comfortably seated in a chair sits a man in a military uniform.
- Officer Toshio? - The director wondered. He had shoulder-length light dark hair, brown eyes, a calm expression and a beautiful darkish uniform with a red ribbon on the chest, with different medals on the ribbon and a bright golden epaulet on his left shoulder. The look of a real military man, but why does he work as a director?
- Director Masano, nice to meet you! - Officer Toshio greeted the man as a comrade in arms.
Arai Masano, twenty-eight years old, director of the Fire Warriors Academy, the youngest director in the country's history, extremely calm and cool-headed, experienced in the war with Titania, loyal to his friends and faithful to the Fire Country, ready to give his life for it, which is why he was sent away from the front, such people are very important, it is dangerous to squander them in vain.
- I didn't expect to see you here. - He said, then noticed the officer behind him two goblins, either children or not, and the second choice was correct. - I see you've found yourself some new apprentices already?
- Yeah, that's why I came to you. I wanted you to put them on the list of new students. I'll personally take care of their training. - the officer added.
- [Principal Masano talks to the officer as if they were friends. And what happened to his face?] - Miyazaki was amazed, like Arai's face is a bit different than normal people's. - [His left eye looks normal, but what about his right eye? It feels like it's not an eye, but some kind of prosthetic. It is! What the hell is going on here? Officer Toshio with a red eye, the principal without an eye at all...]
- М? - Uh-oh, I think the headmaster noticed Miyazaki looking at him too strangely, so he didn't like it. - What's wrong? - he asked her.
- Huh?" So she got scared and spilled her guts, so to speak. - No, it's o-okay...
- You looked at me for a minute. Is this the first time you've seen a man with a prosthetic eye?
- Y-yes, it's true. - She nodded innocently.
- Heh, Hoshi, you've got some young boys in your class, no experience at all. - The Headmaster smirked as he looked at the officer calmly.
- Yes, they have no experience at all, but they have an incredible magical energy, if you unleash it, the guys will be very strong warriors. - Hoshi spoke up for the students.
- Well, then let me tell them what to expect if they become Warriors.
- Arai, you don't have to. - The officer's expression changed to one of seriousness. Oh he doesn't like this at all.
- Why? Let them know, being a Warrior is not a toy to play with. Girl, do you know why I lost my right eye? - That's it, the director's going crazy. Basically he's right, there's a war going on now, and the Warriors are almost all dying at the front. You should tell the young ones about all the difficulties that lie ahead of them.
- No." Miyazaki shook her head negatively, how could she possibly know? She certainly threw in a few ideas, like a branch accidentally hit her eye, or a sparrow knocked out with its beak.
- Arai Masano, no need to talk about that story! - The officer clenched his fist and looked negatively at his friend, but no, they're not fucking friends.
- Hoshi, you're too soft. These kids don't even know what it is to be a real soldier, you feel sorry for them, that's not how you should train the young ones! - Arai was upset, just when he wanted to tell the tale of the lost eye, he was forbidden. Of course, Officer Toshio is higher in status than some principal, so Arai can't disobey.
- Officer Toshio, let him tell it! - Wanted to listen to Kai. Why? It'll probably be romantic, sci-fi, detective, thriller, and interesting, especially for a boy of fifteen.
- No, I forbid it! Arai, put these guys on my student list. Miyazaki Asaka, Kai Akihito, both 15 years old. And now we're leaving.
The headmaster did so, putting the boys on the officer's list of students, of which there are very few, and wishing Miyazaki and Kai good luck in their studies, he also smiled wryly as if difficulties awaited them there. But what hardships can await those who lived and grew up in the countryside, when you have to plow from morning till night, when war has come to your house, when you have seen bombing and shelling, what can be worse than that? Unfortunately, the boys don't get to know that yet.
- Officer Toshio, why didn't you want to listen to the principal? All he wanted to say was that he lost an eye. What's the big deal? - Kai asked, just for fun, because Hoshi had ruined his buzz with his "No, you're not going to tell that story!
The officer stopped at the stairs and sighed heavily. Then he looked at the boy so calmly and shook his head.
- Do you really want to know? Then listen. The director's name is Arai Masano, he's twenty-eight years old, he became director six months ago, and before that he was a scout.
- A scout? - Miyazaki was surprised.
- Yes. Arai was one of the best spies in the country, at one time he could have been the right hand of our president, but instead he decided to stay in the job he loved. - The man went down to the first floor with the guys and left the building so that the academy staff wouldn't hear the conversation unnecessarily. - A year ago, Arai had a very secret assignment. He was supposed to go to Titania under the guise of a worker and steal documents from the upper management, but he was caught. Then the worst began to happen. They tied Arai to a chair and tortured him. They cut his hands, tore off his skin, and finally decided to poke out his right eye. Arai fought the pain but never gave any information to the enemy. He should have been killed in the morning, but he managed to escape from prison and cross the border, where our soldiers found him and sent him to the capital. There are very few like Arai, he's a true hero. I told you the story of him myself, if Arai had told it from his mouth, there would have been so much cruelty. Believe me, what I said is just flowers, and Arai was there, he was tortured and beaten, that's why I don't want him to tell you everything.
- Are you afraid for our psyche? - Kai smiled, for him such stories are really scary. It's not easy being a scout, anything can go wrong.
Both Kai and Miyazaki felt uncomfortable after hearing this. The girl doesn't want to study anymore at all, even though she hasn't even started. But it's hard to work in a foreign country, so it's better to train than to work. And it's not a fact that on her salary she would be able to support herself, Toda and grandmother, the prices are very high in the cheapest hotel in the Fire Country, in the cheapest!
- Yes, I don't want you to lose heart. It's Arai's own fault for getting caught. He shouldn't have had his military uniform in his backpack, that's how he got caught. And now he works as a director, away from the front. He'd rather teach boys and girls than get killed.
- What about us? Why did you say let him educate the boys and girls, and are we any different? - Well Kai is in his repertoire. They've already left the academy and are on their way to the carriage, and the guy is very sorry to leave here, there's so much beautiful and free, well just a cry from the soul inside him.
- You are not like the others. - The officer said confidently. - You have a very weak Hikari signal in your bodies, but it's so frightening, and what would happen if you mastered magical energy and could use it like I do? I will make strong warriors out of you, now let's get back in the carriage, we are going to my academy.
- Your academy? You have your own academy? - Miyazaki wondered. The farther she is from her home, the more she learns.
- Well, not exactly mine, but I'm one of the main ones there, so there you go. - The man scratched the back of his head and smiled modestly.
Everyone is in place, Granny is asleep, Toda is next to her sister, the poor guy is tired of running near the gate, the kid has put his head on Miyazaki's shoulder and is asleep, Kai and Officer Toshio are also inside. The carriage is packed, and we're good to go. The boys are officially enrolled as Hoshi Toshio's apprentices, so they can train, but before that they will stop by a local luxury hotel and leave Grandma and Toda there, just as the officer promised.
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Author: Youn Ji-min
Cycle: Madness
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