6 Chapter 4: Academy changes

When the male finished his speech, students hurried to the main square to see what was happening. Some had curious expressions, while few were dissatisfied. Theo and Leonardo followed their classmates to the main square.

Several minutes later, they finally reached the main square, to where new students were coming with each passing moment. There were already hundreds of them, but the main square still had empty places.

Arriving early, Theo, Leonardo, and others looked around and saw a 2-meter platform made of marble in front of them and many 2-floored buildings around the main square. They also noticed several teachers and groups of elder students that were helping them inside those buildings.

Many got curious about what they were doing in there, but right before an old man appeared near the platform.

The old man had gray hair, had a shorter height that was considered as a norm, but he was dressed in the Great mage's robe with academy insignia on it. Though he looked old, his movements were energetic and playful flames were visible in his eyes.

After he reached the highest point on the platform, he stopped and looked down on students with a smile on his lips.

It was the first time for most of the students when they met that old man, but most of them heard something about the headmaster, so it didn't take long for them to realize who was standing on the platform.

"Greetings, my students. I am the headmaster of the academy, the Great mage Urick. First, I would like to congratulate you on your enrollment in our academy, I have high expectations from your generation and expect many talented and strong mages and knights after your graduation," said Urick with a smile on his lips while his voice traveled to every corner of the main square, "Well, I know that you have a similar question inside your heads right now. Since most of you are here, I will say only once and hope that your parents won't come to me regarding this topic in the future. Beginning from this year, all 1st-year students from any department, be it Magic or Battle energy department, will have a basic compulsory course from the opposite department. I mean, all prospect mages will learn the basics about battle energy and swordsmanship, while all prospect knights will learn about mana and magical spells. Your teachers must have already explained everything, so I will just say that any student that will try to cheat will be kicked out of the academy, be it the noblest or poorest one. Here in the walls of the academy, you are equal before the rules and policies of the academy. " Said Urick with a stern gaze and serious expression.

His glance moved through the students below before he didn't notice a group of dissatisfied rich-looking students.

"Of course you can always try to change that with the help of your families or money, but I doubt you will succeed."

He let the students think about his words for several seconds before he didn't notice the appearance of many teachers from the side buildings.

"Well, since we have finished with the worst part, let's move on to the good one," said Urick, nodding to professors with a smile on his lips.

Moments later, all the side buildings lit up with different enchanting while many names appeared on the signboard of the buildings.

Theo, Leonardo, and other students began looking to the sides in the direction of the side buildings.

"Well, some of you have already realized what is happening, but let me explain to those who do not know about what is happening right now. Besides, the change regarding your compulsory courses, the academy got an increase in budget, so all 1st-year students can choose a minor for themselves for the period of studies. There would be more minor classes and more spheres for you. There is alchemy, enchanting, scouting, geology, magic research, taming, blacksmithing, and other spheres of study. You can walk and enter those buildings to see and talk with professors and elder students from those minors. I hope, you will make your decisions carefully and would choose what you need and want to study. Since I am done here, you can proceed, have fun." said Urick, leaving from the platform.

Just as the headmaster finished talking, hundreds of students rushed to different sides of the main square.

They made each building on the sides of the main square of marble and they had huge free space, so it didn't create traffic jams, and students could easily enter and leave them at the same time.

Theo had some ideas about what he would see in those buildings, but he followed together with Leonardo and his classmates to the nearest building to him that had "Alchemy" written on the signboard.

Passing through the entrance, where several elder students carefully looked at the leaving students, Theo and Leonardo entered the big room that was divided into several sections.

Looking around, they saw a small crowd of "Battle energy" department students that were listening to an elder student.

"This is an alchemy pavilion, it's divided into several zones to help you see and get acquainted with Alchemy. The left side is dedicated to a non-combatant way of using alchemy, there you would see alchemic pills made by elder students and teachers and other alchemic resources, if anyone is good in alchemy he can try his luck in the small test there regarding medical herbs and their properties for a small prize. The right side is dedicated to a combatant way of using alchemy. There you would see alchemy puppets created by the teachers and elder students. Several will even fight against each other in the mini arenas. You can also try your luck in a brief battle with such a puppet to see their battle prowess yourselves. The center side where most of the visitors are currently in is a room where our alchemy headmaster is telling general information regarding the alchemy. So if it's your 1st time with alchemy or you know little, I suggest you going there. Regardless of the department you study, be it the "Battle energy" or Magic one, it would be useful for you. By the way, if you decide to take Alchemy as your minor, you just need to approach elder students in green uniforms and register for classes." Said the elder student, looking at the slowly increasing crowd before him.

"Since, you already know where you can go, please proceed, and let the next bunch of visitors gets acquainted with the pavilion's structure." said the elder student in a green uniform.

As the student finished his speech, some visitors moved in different directions, while a part of them stayed near the entrance, thinking about where to go.

Theo and Leonardo were among such students.

"Where will we go first?" asked Leonardo, looking at Theo.

Even in his previous life when Theo was an archmage, he knew only general information regarding alchemy, magic was his passion, and he didn't want to waste his time on other spheres that could prolong him from getting revenge for his family, so when he had to spend a huge portion of his wealth for alchemic and enchanted materials made him cry with blood.

Thinking a bit about the answer, Theo quickly remembered all that moment when he spent his money on alchemists and enchanters, and a resolute flame appeared in his eyes.

'Since this is a new start, let's do new things from the start. Magic won't be the sole thing I learn this time.'

"Let's go to listen to the alchemy headmaster, I am curious to hear what he can tell us," said Theo, moving to the center zone.

Passing through several rooms together with other students, Theo and Leonardo entered the big room with many seats and a platform in front of them.

The room was already half fulled, and visitors continued to come in, so it didn't take long to fill the room. Theo and Leonardo found places in the middle sections, but some visitors came late and had to stand and listen from the sides.

When the room was already filled, one of the elder students ran to the ladder in the room's corner, and several moments later he returned with an old man dressed in the green outfit.

His outfit looked different from the outfits of the elder students, it was made from better materials, looked better, and had several alchemic badges on it that attracted attention.

The old man looked a bit tired, had red eyes, and he didn't sleep for a long time. Besides, the moment he appeared on the 1st floor, a thick medical scent filled the room.

He threw several glances across the room before moving to the platform dedicated for him.

Moments later, when he was standing on the platform with his red eyes, he took a pill and swallowed it before the audience. Soon, any signs of exhaustion and lack of sleep disappeared of the students, but a smiling man with a passionate glance full of energy appeared before them.

"Greetings, 1st-year students, I am the headmaster of the Alchemy department in this academy, Great alchemist Davos, I know that most of you came here to hear about alchemy or see some pills made by alchemists, well you will see both the pills and puppets in different zones, but here I would like to tell you a bit about the Alchemy itself and share some information about its history," said Davos, pausing for a moment to look at the students before clearing his throat and beginning his speech, "Today, you all heard about alchemy, and know that it's respected craftsmanship, and all alchemists are respected and valued because they play role in many spheres like medicine with their knowledge and pills, blacksmithing with their flame techniques, war with their puppet legions, and battle energy training with their cultivating pills. You all should have a relative picture in mind regarding the price of the alchemy products. It may even be the reason why some of you came to this pavilion."

"But, it wasn't always like this, today when one wants to become an alchemist he should take an exam in the Alchemy guild or its branch and if one is successful, he would get the badge," said Davos, showing on one of his badges, "This badge will easily protect a young alchemist from most of the problems, few powers on the Continent would risk, offending the "Alchemy guild", alchemists today have become a power on a par with Mage's guild, Enchanting association, Mercenary Union, and other powers. But, it wasn't always like this, as some of you might know alchemy is a relatively young craftmanship that appeared several thousand years ago when a group of battle energy users began looking for a way to use their battle energy in a non-combatant way as mages did with their mana in form of enchanting. Those men and women were mostly lone warriors without a strong background, but at a certain period some of them created alchemy flame, and shared about it with others." explained Davos, moving from one side of the platform to another. "Soon, those 1st alchemists found a way how to use their flame for medical purposes. They began creating alchemy pills with unique properties while some began working with metals. In such a way, alchemy was born, and soon many warriors across the Continent became alchemists or were related to it. Those people gave us 1st cultivation pills, useful for battle energy users, and 1st alchemy flame techniques to work with metals."

Davos approached the audience, raising his hand, and moments later many small pills began flying to the 1st-year students in the hall.

"This is a basic cultivation pill. It will be useful for anyone that wishes to improve their battle energy source. It can help increase your battle energy reserve or can help you evoke your battle energy source fast and without minor problems. This is a gift from me and all the alchemists for the 1st-year students." said Davos, looking and the students that were rejoicing all over the room.

He waited for some time, drank a glass of water, before moving his glance back at the already calm audience.

"Well, I guess, you like them, so then it won't be a problem for you to imagine what happened with alchemists in the past. With the increase of alchemy's popularity, the number of alchemists increased significantly. Many bright ideas appeared with each day. It was the "Golden age of alchemy"." said Davos with a dreaming expression on his face as if he himself wanted to get at that period, "Though alchemists were quickly becoming famous for their skills in medicine and blacksmithing, they immersed into their researches too much and didn't pay attention to slowly changing attitude towards them, it's natural for people to get jealous and greedy, especially for opponents in the same spheres, problems were inevitable," said Davos, releasing a regretful sigh, "Soon, a king from a small kingdom caught a group of alchemists that specialized in medicine and made them his prisoners or slaves that would concoct pills only for him and his royal family," said Davos, tightly gripping his arms, "As a result, soon many people realized that most alchemists didn't like war and battles, were weaker than ordinary knights and warriors, most of them also didn't have a strong background that could protect them from serious organizations and kingdoms. So, following the example of that king, more and more alchemists all over the Continent were being hunted and captured," said Davos, gritting his teeth and releasing an angry and aggressive vibe that all the students felt on themselves.

"Many alchemists died, but soon, thanks to the pressure we were getting, a method for puppet creation was invented, and soon all the alchemists that escaped and hid got it from a mysterious source. That was the start of "Alchemy Wars". "

"With the help of that method, alchemists created 1st puppet legions, found a weapon for themselves, and united, creating an Alchemy guild in process. The rest of the story is the story of blood and fire, Alchemy guild eventually won the war and protected the freedom of all alchemists, but more than half of the alchemists all over the Continent died, many prodigies and geniuses perished in battles without leaving their successors, the effect of their deaths was so big that even today after several thousand years have already passed, we still can't fully understand their works or copy certain techniques or methods they were using in the past," said Davos with a regretting sigh, looking at the audience, he looked at many expressions on the faces of the students before smiling again.

"This was a small lesson about the history of Alchemy craftsmanship, it's needed for any future alchemists to know about the sacrifice of your predecessors, and as a warning for all future generations of alchemists. Today, if you want to become an alchemist, you can learn how to concoct pills or create weapons, but you will be obliged to learn basic puppet creation," said Davos, pausing for some time with a serious expression on his face.

"Well, I hope my small story was interesting and useful for you, and I hope that many prospect alchemists will join today, you can visit the left and right sides of the pavilion and see the alchemy pills, weapons made with alchemy flame and puppets we use on the battlefields. If you have questions, you can approach any elder student and ask him. I hope you will use our pills wisely, and wouldn't try to sell it." said Davos, leaving from the platform, and disappearing behind the ladder together with one of the elder students.

As soon as Davos finished his speech, many students began leaving the hall, moving into the different sides of the pavilion, while a portion of them began approaching the elder students.

"What do you think?" asked Leonardo, looking at his thinking friend.

Theo was interrupted from his thoughts, but he already knew the answer to his inner question.

"I will register for the alchemy classes. What about you?" asked Theo.

"I don't know, though I plan to develop my battle energy talent in the same way as magic talent, I always wanted to learn Blacksmithing as my minor since I was a child. Now I have serious doubts regarding my choice."

"Well, don't worry, we still have time, and can visit the Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Taming, and other pavilions to see them ourselves," said Theo, patting Leonardo on his shoulder.

Several hours later when Theo and Leonardo visited each pavilion, saw enchanted golems, tamed beasts, Leonardo tried to make a basic sword in the blacksmithing pavilion, it was already the beginning of the evening and students had to make choices. So Theo registered to Alchemy while Leonardo enlisted for Blacksmithing lessons. Theo even met his small sister Lucia at a certain period at Taming pavilion, watching after fluffy animals.

After an announcement of the events ending, Theo found an ordinary-looking carriage with his guardian knights near it, so he and Lucia boarded the carriage and left the academy.