Dunscaith Academy

Scotland, a nation that stood tall embracing their heritage. Rich with history, famous heroes, and its beautiful landscapes. Mountains stretched far and wide, green vast plains, rivers flow through them leading up to the sea.

But, don't let the magnificent views fool you. Mutated animals or even monsters roam free in its land. One wrong step will cost you an arm or a leg, on the worst case your life will be the price.

The majority of people in Scotland were hard trained warriors, not just the military even the shopkeeps, fishers, and shepherds was trained to be warriors. They trained their bodies according to their ancestral teaching. Even though the world filled with aether, and magic was the dominant forces, few of them take the path of understanding and controlling it.

Dunscaith Academy, on the other hand, embraces both schools of thoughts, combining the two and ended up creating a brand new class. The Battle Mages. Armed with swords, spears, or even bows and guns, they strike their enemies swift, fast, and calculated.

Combining battle strategies to use the magic by either enhancing their bodies, make their weapons engulfed in a certain element, to make traps, or even straight on hurling a hail of destruction to the opposition. The most famous example of this was the pair of master and disciples. Scáthach and Cú Chulainn, mastering the famous, now lost artifact, the spear Gáe Bolg. The founders of Dunscaith and the first of Battle Mages.

----

Brum Brum Brum

Was the sounds of car traveled through the vast plains towards its destination. The Island of Skye. It tackles the plains like a breeze, the metallic beast keeps rolling no matter the grounds were even or not. Intimidated by the sound, the monsters that once make the plains their home or hunting grounds scurried away. As if their natural predators were making a warning to them.

They passed a small village on their ways, slowing down but showing no sign of stopping. The curious villagers looked at the moving car, either by opening their windows, standing in front of their doors, even the one that was working perked their heads looked at the direction of the metallic beast.

The driver opened up its driver seat window to wave his right arm left and right. Making a sign for the villagers not to block the road.

----

"Wow, I've never been to a vast plain before! Oh, and look at that animals! I've never seen that before, it's called a sheep right Ms. Aileen? Oh and that bird too!"

The group finally arrived at the Island of Skye, the curious Arthur rolled down his window, the wind hits his face and sways his hair. His head was bobbing around left and right, up and down, intending not to miss a single sight.

Aileen barely has any energy left. Not because of the trip, but because of the massive war that happens in her head. She gave up and accepted the fact that she was interested in Arthur, but knowing that nothing will happen between her and Arthur, she assumed her professional attitude.

She took a deep breath and answered, "Yes, that's called a sheep. And, that bird you just saw before is called a Puffins, they looked just like a penguin but smaller in stature."

"Penguin? I think I've read it somewhere...." Arthur tried to remember, "AH! The one in the Antarctic? The birds that can't fly, right? I knew I've read it in one of the books old man have!" Said Arthur, while smiling at Aileen.

Aileen already accepted her situation smiled back. To state the fact, Aileen was quite a beautiful lady. She can become an actress if she so desired, a beautiful one at that, not quite rivaling the beauty of the elves, but surely she will be placed at the top of the current standards, maybe even rivaling the late actress Marilyn Monroe.

Arthur facing directly at Aileen noticed something.

"You're just like aunt Phiria when you smile Ms. Aileen! You're kind too, I think I'm beginning to like you, Ms. Aileen." Arthur said nonchalantly. Not knowing the disastrous consequences of his ignorance. He ended up placing a false hope in the poor woman hearts.

'Wha- wha- wha-' Aileen minds were in chaos.

"Waow! Is that the Academy Ms. Aileen?" Arthur not knowing Aileen mental breakdown asked.

A large black castle stood tall above the cliffs. Dunscaith Castle. The castle of shadows. The former residence of the legendary master Scáthach and her disciple. Once called the school of heroes, now an academy. The Academy did not solely teach the art of battle mages, but also the physical education, science, medical studies, and magic studies.

"I Like you too Arthur but this is too so- Huh! Y-yeah that is Dunscaith Academy!" Aileen almost spoke her thought out loud, thankfully her words were not loud but like a mumble at first, after she realized that Arthur was asking another question, she raised her voice.

'Aileen, you stupid! stupid! stupid!' Aileen berated herself in her mind.

----

The Dunscaith Academy had a strict tradition. Established by Scáthach, the applicants must pass a series of tests, to test whether the applicants have the skills, wit, and bravery before they can study there.

The car approached closer and closer to the Academy. Two guards stand before the gate. Mainly a restricted access area for most people. So the correct measures must be taken.

The car arrived at the gate and stopped by one of the guards. The driver lowers its window and gives out a document. The guard takes the document to check its validity and returned to his guard post, while the other guard replaced him to block the car.

A couple of seconds passed. Finally, the guard gives a thumbs up to the other guard, signaling that the document the driver gave out was real.

The gate slowly opened and revealed a big front yard that can fit lots of people. The front yard was filled with flowers and trees. Paved with a stone tiled road with a big woman statue in the middle of it.

The gate was fully opened. The car drives through the gate and arrived at the castle front door after maneuvering through the front yard.

The castle door was big, as big as a giant, only a master warrior can fully open it with his/her strength. But, finding a master that wants to guard a door was like searching a needle in a haystack or even none at existence right now. And they came up with a solution. The solution was to build a smaller door the size of a normal house door into it. Do mind that this is the thought process of the middle ages, because automated door technologies haven't been invented yet.

The car stopped. The first to come out was Arthur. He marveled at the sight and rotate his body several times.

"Ms. Aileen! We've already arrived, are you not intending to get out of the car?" Asked Arthur.

The dazed Aileen brought down to reality by Arthur's voice. Flustered she rumbled just to get out of the car.

"A-a-ah I'm sorry, I was just...Getting my pencil! Right and here's my pencil! Ha...ha...ha." She said and laugh in an awkward manner.

The driver opened up the car trunk to get Arthur and Aileen baggage. The driver dropped the baggage in front of Aileen and saluted while saying,

"That's it mam! I'll take my leave now." The driver said.

The car leaves the two behind.

Aileen still having the mental breakdown need an affirmation of what Arthur just said before.

Her heartbeat rising. Her blood rushed all the way to her head. If she doesn't say it now, maybe her head will explode by the pressure. 'Deep breath Aileen. Deep breath.' She thought and said, "Do you really like me, Mr. Arthur?" Her eyes twinkled.

Arthur that stands just beside her, smiled at her face and said, "Yes, Ms. Aileen. Didn't I already said that before?" But curious after.

Aileen hearing that, feels like a heavy burden suddenly lifted from her. It's just like she was in a dream. A dream meeting her soulmate, and they just can feel it although they have just only met.

Aileen with her elated feelings said, "Arthur I-"

"Aye! Ye are one stupid girl, aren' ye. Ye are a lost cause, he didn' said he liked ye the way ye imagine. Look at yer age? What are ye? A pedophile?" A woman, thick with her Scottish accent can be heard from the direction of the Academy front door.

The words just like a cold water pouring down at Aileen. She looked at the direction of the voice, Arthur followed after. Flustered and panicked she blurted, "Wha- W-when did you arrive here?"

A woman in her late twenties was standing just above the stairs leading up to the Academy front door. She wears a black suit paired with a mini skirt, a black stocking covered up her long legs. A small cape decorated her shoulder, hiding a little of her perfect figure. She was beautiful like a goddess, or, should I say, a succubus, with her protruding devil horns in her forehead, her long black hair flutters in the wind, perfected by her violet colored eyes equipped with the glasses.

"Aye, girl, ye ruining this boy. He just a kid and ye want his love?" The woman spoke again.

Arthur was confused by the woman words and asked, "Love? Do you love me Ms. Aileen?" Arthur looked at Aileen, and finally, he sees the sparkles in that woman's eyes. In a flash, he remembers what his father said for him.

****

"Arthur, when you grow up and trying to find the one you love."

"Love one? Like you and mom?"

"Yes. Like me and your mom; Anyway always remember that the one that shows interest in you will have sparkles glowing in her eyes. Remember that son! I know my genetics are strong in you. And I already know that lots of girls will fall for you, but remember son! Do not be hasty, choose wisely!"

****

Back to reality. Arthur panicked, subconsciously ran back and hid behind the big female statue, and yelled, "WHOAAA!!! NO!! JUST NO MS.AILEEN!!! IM BARELY 16!!!"

Arthur was overreacting because he thought that to love a woman meant to get married and start a family.

Aileen heard Arthur yelled loud and clear, she was shocked and angry at the same time, it is just like her dream was being shattered to bits and pieces. Aileen looked at the woman and tried to release her anger by questioning her, "You! why are you here! and who are you?" while pointing at the woman.

"Ah, back to reality are ye? Boy back there! Come back here!" The woman said, mockery fills her first word, and yelled after, to call Arthur.

Arthur scurried back to his former place. Wary of the fact that Aileen was glaring at him, he tried to look at other directions.

"I can't believe me eyes! At first, I'm expecting to welcome the newest addition to our academy. But ere I am, looking at the filthy scene. To be onest, I'm disappointed in ye girl, I thought people from Hermes Wing were more dignified people." The woman scolded Aileen.

Aileen lowers his head shamed by her own actions and said, "I-I'm sorry...A-and Mr. Arthur, I...I really am sorry for my previous behavior, I-i only cared about myself." Tears can be seen forming in her eyes.

"Good, now that ye have repented! Let's move on shall we. I'm professor Morgan Scott, vice headmistress of the academy. I reckon ye are Mr. Arthur Godfrey?" Vice Headmistress Morgan asked.

"Yes, that's me vice headmistress." Said Arthur after regaining back his confidence.

Vice Headmistress Morgan looked at Arthur as if studying him.

A couple of seconds passed she finally said, "Okay, now follow me will ye, and don't forget yer baggage."