***
"There."
"Look."
"Do you see him?"
"He's an Avatar."
"An Avatar of Mars."
Whispers trailed Leonidas ever since he left his dormitory. He was having a worse than usual day. Not only had he dozed off the day prior – missing instructions as to where the portal that would transport him to his classes was stationed – but it took him ten minutes of aimless wandering before he finally found it. Now, he hastened towards his first class; Battle-Magus Training, with no clue of its location whatsoever.
The portal had transported him to the sole building in Valhalla that held twenty stair-cases all jittering with Celestia, almost making it impossible for Leonidas to remember where he had last been. Even the portraits adorning the wall seemed to continuously change. Adding to his confusion was the fact that this building housed roughly three-hundred and six distinct classes.
As he hurried to find his class, he ran into Leo, who was also lost, yet for a strange reason, seemed oddly enthusiastic about it. Dark, blotchy ovals bagged under his eyes, indicating he hadn't gotten enough sleep. Leonidas could hardly blame him, after all, Leo is the only one who hadn't been blessed. Yet, Leo continued to hone his infamous mischievous smile on his lips, prancing around as if it didn't bother him.
Leonidas asked him why he was late, and Leo said the Al'Father asked to speak with him, though he didn't elaborate. He seemed excited, so Leonidas assumed it was something beneficial.
They trudged on for over ten minutes, and the whispers grew louder as they passed. Some gave envious looks, others admiration, and the rest disbelief. Leonidas felt his sanity slipping away until they were saved by a Venus-Blessed, Third-year. She showed them to their destination and Leo couldn't help but feel a strong connection; he said she 'totally wanted' them.
Much to Leonidas' exasperation, Battle-Magus Training turned out to be outside the building, meaning they had to spend five more minutes getting there. After a quick sprint, they reached the lush backyard of Valhalla, which was blanketed by a leafy meadow.
From a distance, a large and imposing red-colored coliseum towered over them in the center of the field. Its wide walls casted an intimidating shadow on the duo as they approached. Inside, a throng of students filled up the seats while an adult held court in the middle, presumably teaching.
The students were all standing with a weapon of their choosing. Some had a long-sword, others readied their bows and drew an arrow, whilst the rest only held staffs.
All eyes turned to Leonidas when he entered, trying to walk in with a casual air though he felt a little embarrassed about his tardiness.
The professor; a tall, muscular man with brown hair and an injured left-arm, immediately paused his lecture upon noticing Leonidas, his face displaying nothing but curiosity. "What a pleasure to have the Avatar of Mars joining us today," he said warmly with a friendly smile.
Leonidas was confused as to how it was already public knowledge that he was the Avatar of Mars, though he tried to bear it no mind. He put on a mask of politeness and said, "I apologize for being late, mentor," All the while, Leo internally complained at being ignored.
"I am Professor Oa'Zora," the instructor said. "We are currently discussing Celes-Shields, are you familiar with this concept?"
Leonidas shook his head. Leo opened his mouth to reply, but Professor Oa'Zora interjected swiftly.
"A Celes-Shield is, let me show you." Professor Oa'zora stretched, and straightened his back. "Choose any weapon you like," he gestured towards a pile of weapons a foot away.
Despite his confusion, Leonidas obeyed the order. He carefully selected a worn long-sword which felt too light in his hands. Ignoring the strange sensation, he strode towards his professor.
"Now, attack me." Professor Oa'zora ordered. "With all your might."
"Attack… you?" Leonidas repeated, confusion rippling throughout his head.
"Yes," confirmed the professor.
Leonidas gave a dismissive shrug as he crouched low, before launching himself forward with lightning speed.
Murmurs of admiration filled the room, though they weren't directed toward Leonidas. A brilliant golden oval materialized, encasing Professor Oa'Zora. It shimmered like the grass beneath a blazing sun, and sent ripples of energy through the air with each vibrating beat. Leonidas's sword cracked against it, shattering into diminutive pieces before he was flung back by its power.
Leonidas rubbed his head, astounded by what had taken place.
"This is a Celes-Shield: created with the aid of Celestia, one of the most fundamental skills that even veteran Battle-Maguses learn." Professor Oa'zora offered Leonidas a hand, gently helping him up off the ground.
The students vigorously took notes on the floating parchment, their heads bobbing up and down in acknowledgement. Leonidas was about to ask a question when suddenly the air was filled with the sound of joyous bells ringing. A brilliant light shone in the sky, an announcement that class had come to an end.
"You are all dismissed," Professor Oa'zora said. He turned to Leonidas, and smiled. "Next time don't be late."
Leonidas responded with a curt nod.
As they left, Leo vented his frustration over not being welcomed by the professor. Leonidas merely chuckled in response.
The next class was 'History of Skygard.' Leonidas had the fortune of being on time this time, thanks to an
As he walked through the door, a pleasant smell filled his nostrils. The room was awash in a warm golden hue. Elegant emerald desks were positioned around the chamber, and soft letters hovered above them. In the front, proudly displaying his name, Leonidas' desk floated majestically above all the others.
He slowly walked toward his desk, feeling all eyes on him. The professor was an elderly woman of tall and slender stature, with a head full of curly locks and orange-tinted glasses. Leonidas recognized her as the woman he met upon arriving at Valhalla for the Recruitment, though he had since forgotten her name.
A minute later, the sound of a bell reverberated through the halls. In a nearby window, Leonidas detected a glimmer of light in the sky marking the commencement of class.
The professor cleared her throat. "My name is Minea Ver'Az," with a wave of her hand, the room was filled with a brilliant light that spelt out her name in glimmering font. She watched as each student gasped in amazement at the sight.
"I am the Professor of History of Skygard. Now, open your book to page three." With one more theatrical flourish, a dozen thick-sized books appeared and began to hover around before landed on every individual student's desks.
Minea explained the origins of Skygard to the class, detailing how humans were crafted from clay in the Third Continent. She described their customs and beliefs, touching upon ancient scriptures as well. Before long, the bell sounded again to mark the start of the next lesson.
Leonidas was on the verge of dozing off, but somehow managed to stay awake. Fortunately, his next class; D.A.C.M, happened to be nearby.
As he stepped into the classroom, his senses were met with a marked difference from the one before. Instead of warm cheeriness and wonderful scents, there was only dryness in the air. The small room was dimly lit, scarcely spanning a few miles across. Everything was coated in darkness - the ceiling, flooring and walls all perfectly black and foreboding.
He settled himself at one of the empty desks, alone in the room. With no professor in sight and time ticking by, he continued to wait patiently even after the bell had rung.
After a few more minutes, a figure appeared from the shadows. His skin was as white as snow, and his hair was like an abyss of darkness. Red eyes shone brightly from underneath his dull lips, and a red sword glinted in his grasp. He faced Leonidas with a weary voice, and said:
"Prepare yourself for combat."
***