Prologue

The morning sun reflected off the water flowing through the river, being covered only by the boat passing by. The boat was fairly big, donned with a scooter wheel filling the sound as it waded the river water. For its size, it had a meager amount of passengers. Six others including the riverboat captain. Early as it was most were tired at this hour, but one passenger was full of spirit. Which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Whats got a youngin like you so excited in the morning?" the boat captain said.

"For me, this is the first time leaving home. Almost like a dream. Even though it's far away, I don't feel stranded. My dad travels for work, so it's like I'm walking in his shoes." the young boy said practically unable to contain himself to the captain.

The captain smiled adjusting the speed of the boat. He nodded up as the boy could see the entrance to the water entrance. His excitement perked up the other passengers, including the one in the black robe holding a mug of steaming liquid.

"Wait no longer, we're here." said the captain, the boat passed through the gate and begun approaching a dock. Coming to a halt, the captain extended the step bridge to the pier. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Triskelion." Beyond the pier were rows of vendors and markets. Through the crowds of people, you could see a castle in the distance.

The young boys' smile grew and he grabbed his luggage, one sizable light brown bag, and swung it over his back. He took a deep breath and nodded to the ship captain as he exited the boat ahead of the other passengers. The black-robed occupant chugged down his beverage before departing.

The boy began moving between a fish and fruit stand.

"HEY!" the boy jumped.

As he looked back and forth, he turned to see the Boat captain point in the opposite direction he was going. In brighter light, he could make out the boy's full appearance. He was donned in a shroud with short sleeves and a diagonal pattern of charcoal and red, with a tan shirt underneath.

His hair was dark caramel brown. The captain took note of his teal eyes. With a quick thanks, the boy waves to the captain heading in the other direction.

"Here goes." he said firmly gripping his bag in anticipation for what lies ahead. On the bag was written Satay.

The last passenger hurried to the pier putting away his mug inside his robe. He propped up a scythe and rung out his shoulders. As he finished he revealed his skeletal face under the hood. The captain walked past him returning to the wheel of the boat.

"Alright." The black-robed skeleton said. "Time to get to work."

He walked into the market streets to begin his workday.

Proceeding through the kingdom and admiring the houses and landmarks along the way. Satay came upon his destination. Before him, a steel fence sectioning the grounds in a perfect square.

He looked up to see the structure five stories high with a center spire peaking from the top. Satay walked along the fence, noting the great distance between him and the corner.

He walked

And kept walking

Walking

walking

and walking...

Satay scowled as he began to finally reach the end. He turned to see down the corner was a gate open with a banner above it. He did a double-take to see the grounds properly. It wasn't fenced in a perfect square, but a large rectangle. The building before was blocking the view of 2 others.

Satay approached the gate taking a quick look at the banner making him smile. He took off to the first building he could see. In cursive red letters, the banner wrote "Royal Grandia."

"It's quiet here, where are the dorm rooms?" he wondered out loud. He could feel no presence in any of the rooms on either side of the hallway. With no hope of a guide, Satay proceeded on, stopping short of turning a corner when he saw a stern glare of a woman staring at him sternly. She was brunette, had a hair-bun, and square lenses to her glasses.

"Excuse me." The woman said harshly eyeing him with a glare from her desk. Satay would've been put off if he wasn't so happy to finally talk to someone. This did nothing to diminish her demeanor. "Why are you out of class, not to mention your uniform, and what's with that bag?" she said pandering him with questions.

With a nervous twitch, Satay affirmed himself and began to explain. The woman looked questioningly at him and told him to wait while she searched the back of her desk. She pulled out a document and her mood lightened as she returned to her chair.

"We weren't expecting you for days, we barely have a room picked for you. I'm afraid we don't have any free staff at this time." Hair-bun lady held out a card for him to see. "I can only direct you to your room. It'll be the next building you see out the exit. Please wait there for a teacher to come to see you."

"Thanks, mam." Satay said as he grabbed the card and gave her a nod. He started towards the exit before being halted by her voice again.

"Hold it!" the woman said firmly, standing up from her desk. Her voice made him choke. "I humbly welcome you to Royal Grandia Academy." She said holding one arm across her chest, revealing her white-collar shirt, and black dress skirt. She didn't smile, but regardless Satay smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said, making his way to the building over.

Satay opened a dorm room door, to see his new dwelling. On his right a pair of mahogany desks standing side by side with assorted pens and utensils on each top. He moved his eyes to the window in the center of the room closed, but it had a good view of the entrance.

Looking to the left he saw two beds stacked above the other. He was more interested however in the sleeping boy buried in a pillow, the only visible part of him his tall brown hair slightly bent back. "I thought classes started?" Satay thought aloud, making the boy toss at his presence. The boy fell off his pillow, bringing it and the covers down with him.

He looks up to see Satay and is shocked awake, staring at him ludicrously. "Who are you!? How long was I out!?" he asked looking around the room frantically for a sign of the time.

"I just got here, it's around ten." Satay said.

The boy's eyes widened. "Oh, crap!!!!!!!!!!" Shouting, he frantically scrambled to get out of bed. In a flurry, he starts moving around the room for clothes. Satay hadn't met anyone other than the receptionist today, so he hadn't seen what the uniform was like up close. The boy put on a dark purple tailcoat, with dress pants to match. Underneath the tailcoat, was a white collared shirt. Fully dressed, the young boy hops to the door putting on a shoe. "I'm in so much trouble." he murmured to himself.

Knock

Knock

Knock

The tall-haired brunette went pale in the face as the knocking only intensified.

"Hello! Is there anyone in?" a man's voice boomed from behind the door.

"I think that's for me, they said they'd send someone to show me around," Satay said to the other boy, noticing his uneasiness.

"I'm not that lucky." he replied.

"MR.THORSTON!" A man's lion-like head burst through the door, adorned with spectacles reflecting his glare towards the tall hair. "Completely missed orientation, combining that on top of missing first session!!!!!!!!!" the man scolded fiercely, leaving the door in debris as he made his way into the room revealing himself. Tall as a mountain the way Satay felt right now. Arms wide as a cinderblock, hair, and skin dark brown as oak. His torso was covered in a shroud similar to Satays except in a dark-purple and black.

The room shook with every step he made towards the one he called Thorston as he zoned in on his target, he took notice of Satay. A moment of silence passed confusing the pair who were frozen place at his presence.

The air of intimidation suddenly disappeared.

"Oh, you're early." The man firmly grabs Andy's head and makes him bow towards Satay. "I'm glad you made it allow me to introduce your roommate, Andy Thorston, Andy have you greeted your classmate?"

"Hi, I'm a first-year too." Andy said, trembling at the crushing grip of the older man.

"Of course where are my manners, I'm Professor Pandesal your homeroom teacher and professor of Mana Theorem. Class is ongoing at the moment as such I have little time. You were scheduled for a tour in a few days. Mr.Thorston!" Andy tenses up at the adult's call.

"Be our guide to the young lad since you already have to re-do orientation." he commanded.

"Yes sir..." Andy said, Pandesal loosened is his grip on Andy and lets him up.

"I'll introduce you to the faculty later. Enjoy your stay at Grandia." With a bow, he leaves the room. Andy sighs in exhaustion.

"Shall we?" he said.

"Uh, sure." Satay said feeling the nervous sweat go down his face.