Endyr, Jace and Sia stepped out of the carriage and looked at the settlement before them. Large and imposing walls stood proudly, stretching as far as the eye could see in both directions. In front of them were multiple large queues of people and a few expensive looking carriages with crests on the side. Everyone was heading towards the same place: a big gate and likely entrance to the city. From here, Endyr could sense several powerful; figures, all Master Tier. He was fairly certain he even sensed a Grandmaster at one point.
The trio joined the closest line and slowly shuffled forward. The lines were comprised of many different types of people, young and old. Not everyone was human either, as Endyr and Sia saw multiple Elves and Beastkin ahead of them. The children stared excitedly at those individuals, as they had only seen humans up to this point. Jace followed their gazes and slapped them both on the back of the head. "Don't stare at those folk!" he scolded them.
Sia and Endyr rubbed the back of their heads and scowled. Clearly, they felt Jace's actions were a great injustice. "Why can't we look?" Sia grumbled. Jace frowned and looked down at her "First of all, it's just plain rude. Secondly, you will get the chance to see all sort of Races in the Academy. You cant just stop and gawk at everything hat surprises you, right? Best build up your tolerance now."
Endyr turned away from the non-humans and looked at Jace in excitement. "There will be different Races at the Academy?!" he blurted out. The prospect of meeting different species and learning their cultures was a fascinating prospect to the young boy. He was especially eager to cut one of them open, and see if their insides were any different from a Human's. Jace was thankfully ignorant of Endyr's sadistic intentions and so he answered him casually.
"Sky Cross is the centre of learning for Ascenders in the entire Gaia Continent. The Principal is a man named Le'garde, am immensely powerful Ascender who's Core Rank is SS. His Level is believed to be in the 700's, making him a Sovereign Tier existence. He's also an ancient Ascender and founder of his own Lineage, being over 800 years old. According to rumours, he is quite close to breaking through to SS+ Rank too. Once that happens, his Level should also start increasing."
Sia and Endyr both stared wide-eyed at Jace's words. A Sovereign Tier existence! That put this man, Le'garde, on par with the likes of Dragons, Devils and Angels. The only other Sovereign Tiers on the Gaia Continent either served the Churches, or the Royal Family directly. The number of Sovereign Tier existences numbered no more than a dozen, and there was no Supreme being on the Continent either. Le'garde was a true powerhouse, capable of shifting the political scale of the whole Continent with a single action. And they might meet such a figure during their stay at his Academy!
Endyr felt giddy at the thought of meeting such a figure and had to contain himself from pushing ahead in the queue. He wanted to reach the Academy as soon as possible! But as he took in the gigantic and snaking lines of people also trying to enter the city, frustration bubbled up inside him. He turned to Jace and complained "Can't we skip this? We are children of a Duke and Magi in our own right, so why don't we have special access to the Academy?"
Jace shot him a look of distaste and Sia nudged him disapproval. "Nobody, not the Churches nor the Nobles, can abuse their power like that here. Sky Cross Academy is zealously protective of its neutrality and will not hesitate to deal harsh punishments to those who infringe on it. Didn't you read the guidebook Mother gave us?" she stated exasperatedly. A rush of shame filled Endyr at her tone, as he desperately went over his memories for such a book. He remembered seeing Sia with it in Fellise before he took it...and left it on his bed.
"I didn't get a chance to read it before the attack, and it was destroyed" he admitted, tucking his head. Jace scoffed at the side "You're acting like a little kid for once. Try to keep that up, it'll make finding friends much easier for you" he mocked. Endyr glowered at him before turning away with a huff. Sia watched this with amused eyes and she ruffled her brother's hair affectionately. "But in all seriousness, you really should try and make friends while you're here. As a Great Noble, connections are very important, even if you are not the heir apparent of our House."
In the Gaia Continent, House successors are based solely on birth order, not gender. A female will become the House Head is she is born first, and vice-versa for a male. Of course, if the heir is overly incompetent or lacks potential as an Ascender, they are usually discretely replaced with a younger sibling. If Sia failed to properly Bloom, it was highly likely she would be regulated to the side-lines of the House and Endyr being groomed as the successor instead. Even Raphaniel, who loved her children greatly, would have to place the interests of House Atrazark before them in such a scenario.
Endyr let out a snort as his sister's recommendation "Any relationships will depend on the other parties attitude. I have no intention with associating with the hypocritical and distasteful. I will carry out my primary duty as a member of House Atrazark, but I am here to learn and gain an education." Sia and Jace both shook their heads and let out a sigh at the same time. Endyr turned to Sia and looked her squarely in her eyes "Besides, I have you. I need no one else by my side" he proclaimed without a shred of embarrassment or hesitation. In fact, Endyr lacked the former entirely. He felt no such thing as shame or social inhabitation.
Sia blushed and looked away while Jace raised an eyebrow and facepalmed. "You need to watch your words kid. Don't want to give people the wrong impressions." Endyr was confused at what he meant, finding no flaw or misstep in his words. He tried to gauge what he said wrong from Sia, but she was avoiding looking at him, her cheeks still red. 'What's up with them? Man, people are really strange sometimes' he remarked internally. By this point, the lines had moved up a fair bit, and Endyr could get a better look at the city entrance.
The soldiers guarding it all leather armour with a chainmail vest and iron gloves. They all had a spear clasped in their hands and a short sword hung on their waists. Some wore helmets, but most found it too hot to do so. The guards looked like rather ordinary, if not rather well equipped, people. None had vibrant or flamboyant features like Sia, Jace and Endyr. As such, he associated such things as proof of being an Ascender with a powerful Affinity, which wasn't far off. Most Magi inherited strange characteristics from their Lineages and was a tell-tale mark of their status, such as markings, hair and eyes.
Time passed as Endyr and Sia waited in the line, asking Jace the occasional question. After what felt like an eternity, the trio reached the gate to the city and Jace stepped forward to talk to the guard. He showed them his papers and held up his finger, letting out a weak bolt of lighting. A piece of the paper lit up in response, causing the guard to nod his head and gesture them through. "Enjoy the Academy" he stated casually. With a polite nod of acknowledgment, Jace and the children stepped past him and into the city. Once they were inside, Endyr couldn't stop his jaw from dropping in shock.
As far as the eye could see, tall and perfectly sculpted structures formed orderly grids. Each building looked like it cost a fortune, and it was constructed from a strange shining material that screamed expensive. Several carriages drove up and down the wide streets with what Endyr assumed was the Academy logo on them, and the streets were bustling with pedestrians. Just by the front gate, Endyr could feel a hundred signatures that possessed the power to kill him. Raphaniel and Jace had not been lying: Sky Cross Academy was the centre of Ascenders on the Gaia Continent.
Speaking of the Academy, Endyr squinted as he pushed his enhanced eyesight as far as he could. In the distance, he made out a towering complex, dwarfing every other building in the city. From what he could tell, there were several neighbouring towers and other buildings, likely making up the Academy campus. Though he could only vaguely make it out, Endyr nodded in approval. "That really is a massive school" he commented. Jace followed his gaze before laughing, much to his and Sia's confusion. "That's not the actual Academy, just its lecture halls and headquarters. Teachers, employees and students stay there when classes are on or if they have a high enough status."
"Then where is the rest of the Academy?" Sia asked, failing to see any other building that stood out. Jace smiled at her before spreading his arms wide. "This entire city is the Academy. From the moment you walked through that gate, you became students. Welcome to Sky Cross Academy, kids."