The South-Land Royal Capital.
Being the epicenter of the entire South-Land, it was a very popular city brimming with life and all kinds of activities. With a massive area of 2.5 square kilometers in a roughly square shape, it easily holds over 20 million residents of different statuses.
Among its various popular tourist sites including the Royal Castle where the royal family stays and the Royal Army Headquarters which, being the pride of this military kingdom and also the reason the 500 year ended in the first place, made it an especially famous site, most notably its Royal Knights divisions.
Because it's such an important city, the process on gaining entry into the capital was also a little complicated, especially to commoners.
At one of the 8 capital gates surrounding the capital in the middle of the afternoon…
A small crowd of people all bringing different items and belongings were being screened by the capital's security guards.
"Next!" A guard shouted as the caravan he finished checking moves on while the next one comes in.
Some distance away, there was an outpost with 8 different stations where assigned workers provide passes for new comers. A lady moves towards one of these lines with her eyes fixed on her hand-bag which she searches restlessly.
"Please tell me I didn't leave the money at home. Frank will kill me." She mumbled in fear before finding the cash bills hidden among her makeup. She lets out a sigh of relief and lowers her bag… just as a cloaked man snatches it out of her hands and runs. "No! Help! Thief!"
Two guards patrolling caught this action and immediately chase the man. "Seriously? That's the third one today." The male guard grumbled.
"Stop!" The female guard shouted but the thief smirks as the cloak lifts up, showing his legs transform into that of a deer, increasing his speed.
"Damn it." The guard grumbled and the thief laughs as he continues to get away… just as a muscular forearm collides with his face, sending him into a vertical spin before landing with a heavy thud on the ground.
The guards stop once they get to the 5'8" feet tall figure who crouches to pluck the bag from the unconscious thief. "Hey you go, officers." The figure said to them with a deep voice while holding up the bag and their eyes widen once they finally see the figure's face.
A now 16 year old Dom now wearing a sleeveless blue-black hoodie and jeans with old but still cool looking sneakers, stares at the guard's shocked face in confusion. Meanwhile, all the guards were thinking about was how a clearly young teen had the all-rounded physique of a highly trained adult soldier.
He awkwardly rubs the long dried scar on his left cheek as the guards continue to stare just before noticing the line for the pass clearance move.
"Shit." He grumbled as he quickly gives the bag to the male guard and goes to take back his spot on the line.
"Something tells me that boy's here to join the knights." The male guard said as he stares at Dom already arguing with someone on the line before turning to look at the motionless thief on the ground. "Seriously. These new recruits are getting more monstrous every year." He sighed before noticing that the female guard had not taken her eyes off of Dom.
He narrows his eyes at her before widening them in realization. "Are you… blushing?" He asked and the guard looks away, embarrassed. "Are you kidding me? He looks even younger than my own kid."
The female guard loudly clears her throat. "Let's just get this guy into custody." She grumbled as she conjures a puff of pink clouds which lifts the thief's body.
"Oh no. We have to talk about this pedophile thing you've got going."
"Shut up." She grumbled as she storms away with the thief while the male guard laughs as he goes to return the bag.
About 15 minutes later, Dom finds himself in the front of the line where a tired looking man looks at him from top to bottom.
"You mean to tell me that your folks let a kid like you travel all the way here on your own?" The man asked.
"Unfortunately." Dom sighed as he recalled a memory just before his three-day journey from home.
< "Listen, Dom. I only had enough saved up for one trip to the Capital so you're just going to have to go alone. Don't worry about it. Just stay away from sketchy looking men or women and you should be fine. Mostly." Pops, now with more gray hair, said with a cocky smile before smoking on his cigarette.>
"Welcome to the Royal Capital, kid." The man said as he holds up the pass and Dom smiles as he takes it before moving on. After searching his body and bags for any suspicious items, Dom was allowed though the gates and into the city.
"Whoa." Dom mumbled in shock as he lays his large arm bag down while gripping his back-pack as he looks around the large beautiful city. "I'm finally here." He said as he removes his hood, revealing his slick temp fade haircut and excited grin.
A couple minutes later, Dom was moving around the city, his eyes scanning between the different people, beasts and spectacles of varying amusement.
"This place is awesome." He chuckled as he reaches into his bag and pulls out the letter of acceptance he got from the Academy. "5th Maiden Street, huh. That shouldn't be hard to find."
With that, Dom sets off to find the street but after spending half an hour being completely lost even the help of guidance from town residents, he finally finds the Academy.
He looks around, once again astonished by the Academy's beautiful design, before noting different kinds of young mages like him roaming around.
Once Dom drops his belongings along with the other new recruits, he finds out that he still has some free time. He goes back to explore the grounds and eventually finds himself at what seems to be a Monumental belonging to the Monarchs.
He looks at the different large sculptures of each Monarch before stopping at that of a familiar fire mage.
Dom grins in memory just as a figure loudly clears his throat behind him. He turns to find a pompous looking mage in expensive formal clothes sneering at him.
"Move aside, commoner." The boy said with an even less intimidating looking lackey by his side.
"Wait." The boy said and Dom stops to look at him. "Didn't your family teach you any manners? You're supposed to bow to a person of higher status than you."
"Bro. I don't even know who you are." Dom said and the boy clenches his fists as if he'd been insulted.
"Have you been living under a rock? He's Roger Reginald, the third son of the Reginald Noble Family." The lackey said with a somewhat grand gesture. "They're one of the highest rated nobles in the entire South-land."
"And I don't care." Dom said and Roger's brow twitches in anger. "Look. I just got here after a long trip and I'm tired. I just want to want to attend this ceremony, get something to eat and sleep. We can deal with… whatever the hell this is, later. Okay? Uh…"
"Roger Reginald." Roger grumbled and Dom snaps his fingers at him with an awkward smile.
"Yeah, that. So… bye." Dom said as he turns to walk away again while Roger glares at him.
"You lowly peasant." Roger grumbled to himself as his green eyes glow while he raises an arm which radiates his mana. Once Dom senses it, he stops walking with his fists clenched as he prepares to defend himself… just as a hand grabs Roger's wrist. "Unhand me."
Dom turns to find a new guy standing beside Roger. He was a year older than Dom and was slightly taller than him with ivory coloured skin and silky black hair in a curtain fringe hairstyle.
He also wore a simple yet formal looking attire with a clean white shirt tucked into his black suit pants with cover shoes. And despite having a lesser built physique than Dom, he was still impressively fit for a 17 year old.
"It's against the rules to fight on unauthorized grounds." The boy said with a commanding yet still young voice.
Roger grunts as he tries to pull away but his eyes widen once he realized that he couldn't escape the boy's grip.
"Do you want to get arrested for attacking a noble? Let him go!" The lackey said and the boy gives him stern look with his violet glowing eyes.
"As long as he understands that rules must be followed." The boy said with a squeeze that makes Roger wince.
"I understand. Now unhand me." Roger grumbled and the boy stares at Roger before eventually letting go. Roger hisses as he rubs his already sore wrist with his lackey flocking around him in concern.
"And you…" The boy with his stern look now pointed at Dom.
"Me?" Dom asked.
"Even though you didn't initiate the fight, you instigated it. So you're just at fault." The boy said with folded arms and Dom continues to stare at him before slapping his forehead in disappointment.
"A stickler for rules. Not fun." Dom mumbled and the stickler mage raises a brow at him in confusion.
"New recruits!" They all turn to find a uniformed soldier pointing at them. "Quit chatting and join the others!"
It was then that the boys realized that the other new recruits were heading towards the allocated area for the Welcome ceremony. With an awkward but still tense glare at each other, they move on to join the others, making sure to stay away from each other as much as possible…