End of the Road

[I must admit, I thought the name for the plains was exaggerated. But as it turned out, it lived up to its reputation.] -The A.I. assistant remarked casually.

'The Great Plains of Death is indeed a place no ordinary person can cross. But I have grown tired of it. My patience is running thin. If we don't get to our destination soon, I'll start poisoning the food supply, so that I can at least distract my mind watching people cough up blood as they die...' -Leylin thought in annoyance.

The boy sat in the carriage, as his body constantly jolted up and down. The tiny window opened as a golden ray of sunshine peeked in, giving the interior of the carriage a trace of liveliness.

[I can't really tell if you're being serious...]

'Of course I'm not being serious. I wouldn't jeopardize myself needlessly like that. I would instead poison the individual rations of random kids so that no clear suspect could be made out, and then enjoy the show.' -He told her matter-of-factly.

[You never change, Doctor.]

'Nor will I ever. I fancy being an evil bastard.' -Leylin nodded in satisfaction.

It had already been over ten days since the attack of the plains direwolves pack. During these ten days, the traveling party had encountered an increasing amount of danger as they ventured deeper into the plains.

Just as Leylin had originally speculated, the direwolves were merely at the bottom of the food chain in this biome. There were still many more cunning and vicious predators above them.

On the way so far, Leylin had seen many animal groups whose numbers were not inferior to that of the direwolf pack from before.

Besides the plains direwolves, there were flocks of huge ravens that were several meters tall. There were even colossal monsters dozens of meters long. Some of them looked like saber-tooth tigers, except their bodies were like tiny mountains. Others had a combined appearance of rhinoceros horns and bodies of lions. Just their aura alone caused one to feel suffocated.

Fortunately, and according to what Aralis foretold, the white-robed Magi had started to proactively guard the acolytes.

Not only did they set up magical defensive arrays on the carriages, but they also stepped forward to disperse the animal groups that attacked the traveling party. Through these measures, the utter annihilation of the students was prevented.

The most dangerous time had been when they confronted the monsters that were dozens of meters long. Thankfully, those small mountain-like monsters seemed to possess some intelligence and knew that the white-robed Magi were not to be trifled with. They quickly left after a short confrontation and did not unleash any attacks, causing everyone in the traveling party to sigh in relief.

Presently, Leylin took out his pocket watch and looked at the clock's hand. It had already reached the 3 o'clock position.

'It's time.' -Leylin concluded.

[You do know I have a clock and alarm function, right? Why use that watch?] -Aralis was intrigued.

'I just like this singular golden pocket watch... It reminds me there is so much more for me out there. That I have too many things left to discover and unravel.' -Leylin shrugged.

[Well, if you don't need anything else, I think I'm gonna hibernate for a while. Call if you need me, Doctor.] -And with a familiar beep, she was out.

Leylin then stood up, walked across the carriage, and opened the front door leading the driver's seat.

A moist breeze blew towards him, bringing a salty smell with it. It smelt very fresh and clean and Leylin could not help but deeply breathe in a few times before seating himself besides Angelo.

"Good afternoon, Lord Angelo."

"Such a courteous noble gentleman." -Angelo did not turn as he directly handed over the horsewhip and reins to Leylin: "Good timing, I needed to rest!"

Leylin chuckled as he received the horsewhip and skilfully urged on the carriage.

Angelo leaned to one side as he unclasped a bottle from his waist. When he opened it, a strong alcohol scent floated out, and as he lowered his head to take a gulp, his eyes narrowed in joy.

"We are nearly at the end of our journey, at last... And based on the fact that you've helped me drive the carriage for a month, I am willing to answer two of your questions before we get there." -The scarred man said in between shots.

Leylin was just enjoying the view on both sides when he heard Angelo's voice sound out.

'Excellent. The sacrifice of being pleasant around others is definitely worth it.' -Leylin thought to himself, as he quietly smiled. He had especially tried to get into Angelo's good books to get something out of him.

Without any delay, the teen asked: "Then my first question is, what is going to be waiting for us at our destination?"

"Some temporary tents set up by the various Magus academies. Over there, all of you can choose an academy to join based on your interests and potential. You'll also undergo an even more accurate aptitude test than the one you previously took, which will help you make that choice."

Angelo looked a little impatient as he answered: "These things will be explained by the great Magi Lords when we arrive, so don't waste your opportunity to ask more about that!"

'Another aptitude test? This one will surely reveal more in-depth aspects of my arcane potential...' -Leylin recalled that they had only managed to identify his talent in magic before his going on this adventure. As for how good his talent was in comparison to others, he did not have the slightest inkling.

'Aralis, did you listen to Scarface just now?'

[Yes; he was talking about tents being set up by the Magus academies, right? That resembles the university recruitment events of our previous world. I wonder what the requirements for entry are...] -Her Master's aggravated way of speaking was enough to bring the A.I. out of her antics.

'We'll know once I get to picking my academy. Right now though, I'm more interested in the Magi themselves. What could this gorilla know about them? I'll better ask.' -Leylin silently decided.

"Alright then, here's my second question. In your heart, what is a Magus?" -Leylin inquired.

"A Magus? They control enormous power and seek the truth of all things; with 'equivalent exchange' as their main doctrine. Brat, don't daydream of obtaining any free benefits from a Magus, or else the flames of desire will gush out from the abyss and punish your soul..."

Angelo's face twitched as if he had thought of an unfortunate event, while his voice became extremely low and he shifted his position in the seat.

[So he went for the safe and boring answer. Afraid of his masters much?] -Aralis ridiculed.

'Well, I can't say I put too much effort into building trust with Scarface here, so this doesn't come as a surprise. Nevertheless, I'll take what I can get. I'm now aware that I get to decide on my academy, which is quite advantageous. And given that Scarface Angelo is like an open book, I have somewhat confirmed my theory on why these black robes protect us acolytes...'

[What is this theory?]

'In a nutshell, I believe them to be slaves to their own weakness as mortals.'

[I can see you're not willing to share it right now, so let's just move along with Scarface's questions.]

"Pursuit of truth, equivalent exchange... I like it!" -The corners of Leylin's mouth formed a pretended eager smile.

After answering, Angelo seemed to have lost all interest in talking. He ferociously chugged down two mouthfuls of the potent alcohol as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Ten minutes later, the sounds of snoring could be heard.

[Do you want me to play another movie on your holo screen? There's still a long way to go.]

'Sure, just put whatever.' -Leylin took a deep whiff of that salty air once more.

The boy's expression gradually turned to stone, as he dully gazed at the scenery in the corner of his eyes through the holographic display.

Although the plains were very beautiful, after a whole month of looking at the same things, he now felt like throwing up at the sight of it.

|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|

A couple of hours had gone by, and Leylin was currently remembering certain things about his many trips to Los Cabos. However, a female voice quickly brought him out of his reverie.

[Doctor, we're here.]

As the carriage continued to advance, the green in the distance became thinner and thinner. In its place was a vast blue expanse.

Wave after wave of strong winds crashed against his face from the speed at which he drove the carriage, but he did not let up.

"We've reached our destination, Lord Angelo!" -He yelled more than said to the black-robed man.

The sleeping Angelo opened his eyes and looked at Leylin: "Aah, this breeze... We're finally in Death Beach!"

[Are they for real? What is up with their naming sense?]

'In a world where magic exists, stupid names shouldn't be the stuff that makes you want to raise an eyebrow.'

[And yet it is.]

'Can't argue with that.'

As the caravan approached the sea, a small town-like place emerged from the horizon.

Numerous tents of various shapes and sizes were close together, and they formed a huge camp. Surrounding them were dozens of carriages similar to the one Leylin was driving.

Nonetheless, what numbered the most were acolytes of similar ages to the Farlier heir. Around thirteen to fourteen years old, each and every one of them was carrying looks of curiosity on their faces.

Leylin did a rough estimate and counted that there were at least hundreds of them, filling up the entire camp. From time to time, some acolytes walked out of the tents with ranging expressions on their faces.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to our final stop: Death Beach! You will decide on your future academy here, and then travel to your respective academies with your teachers to practice magic!" -Angelo informed the whole caravan from his seat next to Leylin.

The horse carriages halted, and the three white robes came out and gathered the acolytes.

Soon enough, the presumed leader Crow began speaking: "Now, follow me into the campgrounds and choose an academy. Remember, you may check on all the various academies, but once you have signed a contract to join one, you must not break faith. Anyone who does will be hung at the gate of the camp as a warning to all." -He said in an aloof tone.

Despite the way he conveyed them, Crow's frosty words made the acolytes' hearts turn cold. All except one.

'Figures; they don't want any spies stealing secrets and then running to sell them to another academy.'

[How do you know that's their reason?]

'They'll put it to you in a way that makes you think it's about 'honor' and whatnot; considering the nobility background of most if not all Magi. But it couldn't be farther from the truth. These people are similar to me. They only care about their knowledge, their power, and their riches... Moreover, this means we'll have to be on guard for anyone once we reach an academy. No blunders are allowed.'

[That's what I'm here for. You'll become a great Magus, Doctor. The best of them all, I'd dare say.]

'I, in fact, strive for such heights. But that shall be a mere step in the ladder of my ascendance. Once I reach the level where I can massacre any white-robed Magus, we'll see where we go from there.' -Leylin's eyes flashed with ambition.

"Hahaha, Crow! You guys are pretty late today!" -A voice sounded, and a fat guy walked out from the camp. He too was wearing a white robe, which denoted his status as a peer of the other Magi.

He then turned to face the youngsters: "Don't scare off these adorable newbies with threats like that... Be welcome to the Death Beach Camp!"

"There were some difficulties along the way..." -Crow explained, ignoring the fat guy's last sentence.

After the latter spoke with Crow and company for a while more, he then turned his head and shouted to Leylin and the rest: "Alright, Newbies. Come with me, I'll take you where you need to be."

"You guys can call me Jevon. I'm from the beautiful Ennea Ivory Ring Tower. Trust me; if you are to choose an academy, Ennea Ivory Ring Tower is definitely your best option!" -Jevon said as he brought the acolytes into the camp.

Bustling conversation sounds were aplenty, reminding Leylin of the marketplaces in his previous world. Crow and the other two white robes seemed to have something else to do, and they had left the group.

The surroundings were rife with activity, mostly due to acolytes throughout the area. Some of them had gathered in a circle, while there were others who were doing rounds from tent to tent.

Jevon brought Leylin and the rest, a total of 40 odd people, into the middle of the campgrounds. There was a large tent of pure white color, and there were strange flower patterns on the outside of it. They seemed like both ornaments and yet somehow resembled a type of rare writing as well.

Leylin could not help but look at it closely: 'Aralis, begin a thorough scan of those patterns.'

[Establishing task. Scanning image... Projecting... Wait, what?!] -The A.I. was bewildered.

'What's wrong?'

[The scan; there's nothing in it but a plain white tent. I've repeated the process with every different spectrum and method I have at my disposal, and there's still nothing. Even an ordinary picture can't capture the patterns.]

Leylin stared at the tent once again with curiosity: 'The patterns are not there for mere decoration. They must be some kind of barrier or rune. Of which type I could not say, but there's definitely magic at work here...'

[This reminds me of when I couldn't analyze common plants at the beginning...] -She was a bit frustrated.

'Then I will remedy the issue in the same manner. As soon as I get to an academy, I will dive into basic reference tomes and encyclopedias. It should help you establish a fundamental magic database.' -Leylin said.

[Yes, thank you.]

The patterns seemed lifelike. With every passing second, they appeared to be constantly twisting and weaving between themselves.

Just then, Leylin's vision got blurry and he started perceiving the environmental sound with some kind of echo. Blood started dripping out of his left nostril in neglectable quantities.

[Doctor! Are you feeling okay?! Your readings, they-- ] -She was immediately concerned about his well-being.

'I-I'm fine. The patterns must've affected me somehow... Fuck this! I hate not knowing what they are or how they work! I need to commence my studies!' -Leylin felt impotent at his deficiency.

[Relax, Doctor. It's okay now... You're recovering fast. Maybe you've adapted to the pattern's influence.] -She tried to comfort him.

'No; that illusion was self-induced. One must not be supposed to stare at the patterns for so long, I think... Anyway, I better catch up with the others.'

In an instant, Leylin was next to the acolyte group once again.

"Leylin! You look sick! Could it be that you have fallen ill?" -George asked from the side regarding his best friend's complexion.

"Thank you for your concern, dear George, but it is nothing... What did Jevon say while I was gone?" -Leylin hurriedly digressed.

"Oh, we just need to fill in a form and then proceed to take the aptitude test! Afterward, we go can out to explore the camp and choose our academy freely!" -The blond answered enthusiastically.

"Because you guys have come a day late, you only have a day's worth of time left to examine the academy tents. In this period, you must choose where you want to practice magic. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until next year!" -Jevon was still speaking loudly ahead of them.

"Now, all of you, line up to take the form from me one by one and enter for the test." -He continued giving instructions.

Jevon sat behind a white table, and took out a stack of papers, and placed it down.

The line moved forward quickly, and in a matter of seconds, it was already Leylin's turn.

"Fill in your particulars in this form, and then enter the tent and follow the instructions of the person inside." -Jevon indicated.

Leylin took the form and realized that it was made of sheepskin paper. A series of faint, red-colored inked flower designs were beautifully printed into it.

The particulars he needed to fill were minimal. Only his name, age, place of birth, as well as a couple of other categories. Picking up the goose feather pen on the table, Leylin filled in the form punctually.

"I never would've thought a brat's handwriting could be so elegant..." -Jevon noted as he saw the Farlier heir go at it.

Leylin scoffed under his breath.

After he had finished writing, he picked up the form and entered the white tent.

"You! Get closer!" -An ancient voice uttered.

It was very spacious inside the tent, and there was only a white-haired old lady sitting on a black chair. There was also a crystal ball resting on a table.

[A witch with a crystal ball? Seriously?] -Aralis rolled her non-existent eyes.

'Let's get this over with...'

"Greetings, venerable lady." -Leylin neared the witch.

"Bring the form here." -Clearly, this witch was not having any of it, and her voice was frigid with disinterest.

"Leylin Farlier. Place your hands on the crystal ball..."