1 Enrollment

Part 1 - Dock

The bright rays of the sun shone all over the small island, everyone's attention would be focused on the large building centred in the middle of the huge floating dump of land, sitting on the top of Mt. Alympeii. It was a bright sunny day, birds flew all over every corner of the island, even reaching the infinite parts of the sky, chirping and flapping their wings. The island's trade was ongoing and its economy was going sturdy, there were a lot of people walking the corners of the island. Visiting its ancient landmarks such as the statues of great warriors who once walked the earth and fought off barbarians and defended their great empire – Athartos. The small island was once the learning region of the warriors of Athartos such as Leonei and Julstanius; both who became emperors of the empire. Their statues stood strong in the port of the island, the first landmarks people would focus their attention to.

From the horizon of the seas, a Nemus was arriving at a normal rate; a huge ship built by the Atharian emperor Calus a century ago, also known as the emperor of innovation, he brought a lot of change to the empire, eventually turning it into one of the most powerful, and one of the most advanced empires of its age. The ship was carrying thousands of passengers headed for the island,

The island of Rhopolis, much known as the cradle of legends, where the huge building, an academy of warriors; Exaimistís stood atop the mountain.

From the deck of the ships stood a young man dressed in woollen toga as it was the normal clothing for any citizen of the empire. The only difference was some modifications such as an emblem structured on his shoulder, called the Tevlim; a multi-purpose device, but commonly used as an instrument for contacting acquaintances and such.

His joy of at last encountering a huge step of his journey was seen through the smile of his face. The wind felt the same as it blew his hair back and forth, freely swinging on his head,

Suddenly his Tevlim blipped and sent off a beep signifying an attempt of someone contacting, he stopped what he was doing and stood still, then pressed the device which triggered something that was located on his ear to bring about a glass that would cover his eyes with glass. A face then projected on the glass:

" Hey, Drakios!"

" Oh, it's you mater (mother)…"

" Did you missed me?"

" Well, a bit I guess. The capital was a great place, it was like a hill of ants, there were a lot of people walking about the place, and for me being someone from the countryside, I felt out of place, and now I'm literally 'out of place'."

" The Capital is really big right!? But anyways, good luck on your enrollment at the academy, tell me if you're in or out, but I would hope you're in cause you know-"

The conversation cut off in an instant he pressed a button on the emblem that would cease the contact.

" Sorry mom, let's talk later"

The moment he pressed the button, the glass slid off away from his eyes and back to the device on his ears. As of now, the ship was already a kilometre away from the port. He held onto a scabbard that was hanging on his waist.

The ship docked on the side of the port, afterwards, the passengers began to emerge outside the ship as well as the boy with the woollen toga – Drakios. He stood at the bridge situated at the end of the port where a lot of people where passing him by. As he stood, he moved his head and looked at the highest point of the island; Mt. Alympeii and the building that stood upon it, Exaimistís – the school of warriors.

As his vision focused on the huge building, he lost balance when someone suddenly bumped onto him, he started to fell but was then gripped on the hand by the one that caused the incident.

" Sorry about that"

It was a young man, wearing also a woollen toga and had an emblem structured on his shoulder. He smiled as their eyes met, he then pulled up Drakios up and sooner they were both standing on their feet.

As they both stood facing one another, the other young man reached out his hand to Drakios, he replied by reaching out his hand as well and both men shook their hands.

" My name is Laurentius, I'm sorry for bumping on you earlier."

" Drakios. It was my fault in the first place for focusing my mind on Mt. Alympeii"

" Mt. Alympeii?"

Laurentius lifted his head and looked at the building structured at Mt. Alympeii:

" Oh, Exaimistís? That structure is really huge, isn't it?... Wait let me guess, you're enrolling at Exaimistís as well?"

" Yeah, there aren't that many reasons for someone as young as me to be here right?"

" Well then, see you there Drakios, it was a pleasure meeting you."

Laurentius waved goodbye and went off with the swarm of crowds. Drakios didn't stand there for long either, as Laurentius faded off from his vision and entered into an alley, he then started moving. The trip he took was an hour and by the time he reached the point of Mt. Alympeii, he saw the huge academy which was now much bigger from the distance he stood. He gasped for air as he stood there, he signified his victory by punching the air above him and continued gasping. He looked around him just to see large numbers who were gasping for air as well. All their attention were then focused on a specific location after hearing a voice.

Part 2 – Confrontation

" Congratulations!" said a voice in front of them, they looked straight in front of them to see a man in much more formal dress, the way he looked. It was if he had a rank surpassing everyone in the academy.

" I am Alexios Caesar, and I am the headmaster of this academy." The moment he said those words, everyone's eyes widened and were shocked as if they just felt enlightenment. Drakios eyes joined the 'length', and began wondering just as others were.

" Caesar? Then does that mean, he's part of the royal family?"

Just as he was about to raise his hand and ask a question, the headmaster announced to all of them, " Yes I am part of the royal family, and more precisely, I am the prime minister of Athartos, and that makes me a really busy smile" he replied as if he just read their minds, but he does not have that kind of power whatsoever. Alexios Caesar; one of the greatest generals during the great war against the barbarians – The Great Barbaric War, and known to have a strategic mind just answers all their wondering.

Another student raised her hand and asked a question:

" What did you meant by saying 'congratulations' earlier?"

The headmaster replied,

" Its what it meant, congratulations! You are now officially a student of Exaimistís!"

" Huh? What does that mean?"

" As you can see, you are the only ones who 'survived' that walk of hades from the bottom of the mountain and to reach this place. That, makes you already qualified as a warrior of the Athartian empire."

The students were shocked and happy at the same time, hearing that they stood straight and began cheering in victory. Drakios stood up and wore a smile on his face. Afterwards that announcement, and inauguration they were then allowed to enter the premises of the school. The moment they took the first step, they entered a huge area without a roof, it was like a park in the capital, it was big and was beautiful.

The headmaster turned and looked at them and made another speech:

" Tomorrow will be the beginning of your classes, so take this day as a day to free yourself and do anything you want, and I will dismiss myself for now, and please make yourselves at home."

After saying that, the headmaster walked straight and headed inside the school's main building, meanwhile the other students did what they wanted to do, some went and followed the headmaster inside the main building, some played. Drakios, however, sat on a bench and clicked his emblem. Suddenly, the glass slid again back to his field of vision and projected the face of his mother.

" Hey Drakios! What's up?"

" Hello mater..."

" What? Why do you look so down? Did you fail? Well, in that case, I won't be sending you my delicious Brizola (steak)"

" Ochi (no), I was just kidding mater"

" I knew it! So how's Exaimistís?"

" It's great, and it's much bigger from here"

" I see… well talk to you later my son, I'm busy cooking dinner for your pater (father)"

" Oh in that case, please tell pater I said hi"

" Of course."

The call disconnected immediately, and then Drakios stood up, and walked about the campus, eventually headed for a specific location – the school dormitory.

He reached the foot of the dorm which was also big and looked more of a xenodocheion (hotel) than of a dormitory. Just as he was about to enter the building, he realized that he didn't know his room number. He pressed his emblem and from the glass on his vision, his school information was then projected on the screen.

" Let's see, room number… 436? Then I guess it's on the fourth floor"

He opened the door and entered a room with a chandelier floating atop it, nonetheless, the place was a luxurious place indeed. It was very bright and majestic, as if it was a hotel's reception area, like those standing in the capital. He walked and looked around the room with amusement.

" Enjoying yourself?" a soft voice asked.

Drakios stopped looking around and looked at the front of the dorm lounge, where the receptionist was standing; a maiden in a woollen outfit.

" It's just this place is too-"

"- beautiful? I get that answer all the time"

" Ah, yeah beautiful."

" So can I help you?"

" Yes please, umm, how can I get to room number 436? I don't see any elevators around or any staircase, so I'm wondering-"

Before he could continue his question, the receptionist snapped her fingers and suddenly he was sent into a hallway that had a lot of doors, one being room number 436.

" The receptionist was a magos (mage)? Amazing!" he inspected the door and found a keyhole on it. That moment he realized that he was not given a key by the receptionist. He tried to turn the doorknob, and fortunately, it opened up.

As the door slowly creaked open, he entered a room which was as beautiful as the dorm lounge. He placed his scabbard on the table and sat on the sofa beside it. He sighed as he laid down the sofa:

" I never expected, I would be entering such a great academy, was it just luck? I or Maybe it was the gods' will, nevertheless, I never expected for me to be laying down here inside a dorm of the greatest academy of the empire – Exaimistís." He slowly closed his eyes and thought of sleeping, but decided to take a bath instead, his body was so dirty that he needed a bath. He took off all his clothing and his devices and entered the shower room. Suddenly, he heard that the shower was on, based on his mindset, he would easily think that someone infiltrated his room while he was laying, so he prepared himself for the worse. He slowly sneaked in the shower room, and suddenly pulled the shower curtains. Upon opening it, he saw a young woman's naked body, all wet…

Drakios realized what he did, and looked at the girl whose face suddenly turned red, Drakios' body was stiff, not long he received a gift:

" Pervert!"