First Day

I wanted to protest the injustice, but I could not find a good enough reason to escape such a predicament. I could not lie my way out, the kids who know me would swiftly refute me. I was hated in my home village for some reason. And if my parents heard I wasted the opportunity, the disappointed look on their faces would be most uncomfortable.

To further add salt to the wound, the atmosphere around me was too cheery and happy, too bright that it burns my very soul. Jason for instance, couldn't stop yapping about how grateful he was to enter such a prestigious institution. A prestigious institution, my ass. Even a band of thieves would have more requirements for entry.

Like a sheep to the slaughter, I followed everyone towards the main building, giving up on my dreams and my life.

My only consolation was that the place wasn't so bad, it was clean and well maintained. The courtyard was paved with stone, and the building looked like a proper castle.

The giant doors led to a huge hall, and what I saw did impress me... slightly.

Painting and banners adorn the walls. Instead of torches, candles of different flames lit the room. Hundreds of tables were laid out, with a huge one with large weird-looking chairs, facing the rest of the room in the center. Having lived my life inside a cold wooden cabin, it was a foreign world to me.

Cloaked men along with maids and helpers roamed the premises. Some were chatting, some doing their chores, and some doing unbelievable things. I saw someone in a dark green cloak summon a pen out of thin air to scribble something as he listen to a fellow in a maroon cloak summoning different colored flames while he discusses.

My face twitched in amusement, and I turned my head to see if Jason had a stupider reaction. But Jason was no longer by my side and so was the rest of the group. The Archmage had led them through the corridor on the building's left-wing. Silently cursing, I scampered to catch up with the group.

Out of a hurry, I did not see someone coming in my direction. It felt like hitting a wall, and the collision sent me to the ground. The books he was carrying were knocked off his hands, some landing on my head. I almost told him off, had I not raised my gaze. A menacing stare looked back belonging to a bearded old man, wearing a purple cloak.

At first glance, I thought he was the same Archmage who received us at the courtyard. But the one before me was the devil incarnate. He even had the look, with his deep eyes and bony face he looked like a lich.

"Are you blind you rat?! Is your brain so rotten that it affected your eyesight?" he spat in fury. The barrage of words came with a shower of saliva.

Every word poked my ego and if he was another person, I would have hit him. But I attempted to hold my peace, who knows what the magical old man is capable of. I wouldn't want to be turned into a newt this young.

"You're one of the new students, are you? I was wondering why it stinks around here, a new batch of uncultured swine has been let in." he continued.

Son of a bleeding carp. I'd rather be a lizard than allow such ridicule. And so I steeled my resolve, I Avalon the Brave will not be insulted.

"You skelet--"

Phokk!

Ouch! Before I could stand up, he hit me in the head with his metal staff, sending me back to the ground. He hits me again, this time on my shoulder.

"What did you just say you buffoon?" he snarled and flinching I laid there scared crapless. What lich had such quick reflexes?

"You would insult me, you would dare you gangrene?." the staff on his hand suddenly glowed and a grin appeared on his lips."I haven't performed this magic for quite a while, and so if you turn into something worse than a mouse, then please accept my sincere apology."

"Forgive me, sir!" I forced the words into my mouth and they tasted like horse dung. Not that I have eaten horse dung accidentally before when I was a kid thinking it was cake.

Anyway, even those words did not deter him.

"I have parents, sir, they will be sad if all I become is a mouse." I passionately pleaded. I didn't know if my expression matched my words because I'd never begged in my entire life.

"I'll send them a fruit basket, don't be worried."

"I'll do anything, sir!"

The moment he heard the words, he calmed down. The glow on his staff disappeared and he raised his brows. He stroked his beard and stared at me blankly for a moment.

"Well then... pick up the books and follow me."

Out of fright and willingness to atone myself, I hurriedly gathered the books. They were thick and heavy, and I wondered how someone who looks like a corpse could carry such a heavy load.

After making sure I picked up each one, he walked on ahead, assuming I would follow. Which I did. He walked opposite my group, proceeding to the right-wing corridor.

The books weighed like a ton of bricks and the stack hindered my sight. The damn old man walked fast and I struggled to keep up. I saw some of the servants shaking their heads in pity, and I got a feeling that the Archmage was someone notorious. Notorious for what, I was yet to know for sure but my mind had started its wild activity.

We passed by numerous doors, and we had traveled deep into the hallway. The Archmage finally stopped by an important-looking room. It had a large wooden arch door, above it the sign that says "liibrery", something like that.

After briefly glancing at me, the Archmage pulled the silver handle and entered. With my hands aching, and my feet shaking, I followed him, hoping that I would, at last, be set free.

The strong scent of paper and wax entered my nostrils. My footsteps were muffled and looking below I saw red fabric covering the floor. Shelves higher than the door were arrayed in the room, in between were tables placed adjacent to the windows.

In the middle sat even bigger tables, in line with the archmage's desk that was by the room's largest window.

I approached one of the middle tables and unloaded my cargo. I scanned the room and reveled in the grandeur it had.

But I noticed it was not well-kept, and cobwebs have formed and dust have filled the shelves. The tables were messy with unfurled books and scattered open scrolls. It was a somber sight, which was odd for it was a beautiful room.

The door suddenly shut close behind me, rousing me from my daze. I noticed the Archmage started to undress and my thoughts darted towards my mind's darkest corner. Rumors of old men molesting young men had forever been around.

And I was quite good-looking, with women drooling every time I pass by. I had golden curly hair, blue eyes, and a chiseled jaw. With a toned body honed by years of cutting trees in the forest and running away from anti-drug lawmen, perverted old men would indeed find me hard to resist.

Dignity, dignity above all. A man without his honor is worse than a mouse. I will stand my ground, no matter what happens. My brilliant mind immediately went to work and reckoned that I could buy time by running and turning through the array of shelves.

"What are you standing for?" he growled, and I readied to run should he want me to go nearer.

"Do you not see there is a room to clean?" he had undressed his cloak but nothing more.

"Wha-at?"

"Oh I see, you thought your work was done? Do you think so lowly of me, that you'd think my fury would be appeased because you carried some books?" he spatted through gritted teeth.

"You're not gonna-"

"Do you want to be a rodent?" he threateningly waves his staff.

"No sir mage."

"Well start cleaning! Start with the tables."

I was confused, at first because things didn't happen as I thought they would. And then I began to wonder why must I do the cleaning? The place had many servants, and I entered the academy to become a mage, not an errand boy. It had to be illegal, but I doubted the law would apply to him.

I did not dare voice my misgivings. And so I began the chore albeit not so willingly. He sat at his desk and wore his reading glasses. He picked up a book and started reading.

I wasted five hours, inhaling dust and fighting cobwebs. And I could not rest even for a bit. The Archmage would from time to time, cast me glances that could burn.

That's how I spent my first day at the academy. Locked in a room, doing free labor for a shady old dude.