City of Sapphire Light

Though the train was quite empty, the street outside was bustling. It is almost like seeing my entire town times—I don’t know—a lot, walking the street all at once. But that paled in comparison to the towering buildings that almost get lost in the clouds. Some parts of the city even appear to be on floating islands! Floating islands! It mesmerized me. The streets were alight, not just with the sun, but with glowing blue lines traveling along the building walls and the street edge. “Are those sapphire lines?” I almost yell in excitement as I walk up to closest building. Stretching my arm out I place a finger on one of the blue lines. It sent a gentle buzz of energy through me—they were sapphire lines! Following the line with my eyes, I see it stopping at every light on the walls and street. “It is magic powered!” I exclaim. Realizing how loud my words were, I pull my body into my core shrinking as I dart my eyes around the crowded street. But not many people seem to have noticed—a few turned their eyes, but most just kept on their way. Looking back over at my finger only a fraction of a fraction of any inch away from the sapphire line itself. I can feel the wave and flow of it’s energy. If I just quiet myself I should be able to. . . ‘No Ravly, you came here to attend the academy. You will learn how to do this there.’ I remind myself bringing my back to the task at hand, Locating the Dalten City School of High Magic.

Setting my bag down, I begin rummaging through the slim front pocket. “aw, ah, there you are” Pulling out a large, opened envelope. Well, open isn’t the best word—more like barely hanging together. I was so excited when I got the letter I pretty much ripped it open, the contents almost scattering all over the floor. Carefully reaching into the barely staying together envlope I pull out a disk. It is about the size of a small book but round in shape and as thin as a small stack of papers. It’s center is decorated with what appears to be a wax seal with an intricate circle pattern surrounding it. With a simple tapping of the seal an image appears. It appears to be on the disk, but with further inspection you would notice it floating barely a millimeter above the disk itself. The image a map, showing about a 50ft radius of me. At the furthest point directly opposite of me sits an arrow pointing the way, the map turning to keep the arrow on top.

Looking up from the map back to the street, I suddenly felt small. The direction of my destination travels right through a mass of bodies, moving machines, and street decorations—all going in different directions. How so many people seemed to move past each other without touching in that mess was absolutely baffling. I need to walk through that? Taking a deep breath, I take my first step forward, into the carnage. It felt, so, good. So I take another step, then another. With every step, I could feel the anxiousness and fear slowly wash away, and soon I find myself in the thick of the crowd. But I didn’t move with the crowd at all, more like the crowd moved me.

“Sorry.” “Oh. I’m sorry.” “Excuse me.” “Sorry.” I apologize as I bump into every single person on the street. Most just continue past as if I didn’t even exist; others would push me out of the way. But no matter the interaction, I felt like a pinball bouncing off everything I hit.

It all suddenly came to a stop as I feel my arm pulling me away before whoosh! Right where I was about to step, a Sapphire Buggy travels. My head worling and confuseds, pulling myself back into the moment I found myself in the chest of an older man. “You need to watch where you’re going, young lady.” Looking up, my words get trapped in my throat. The man may have been more than twice my age, but he was still stunning. His beautiful strawberry red hair flowed around his head perectly framing his bearded face. The beard also holding that rich red color was perfectly sculpted to a medium-length. And those eyes such a rich mesmerizing hazel. Noticing he was looking at something I follow his gaze to the disk in my hand. “You must be heading to the academy?”

“Uh, yes, sir.” The words come out stuttering and choppy. Not a very good first impression—but then again, I did almost get run over by a magic-powered vehicle, so I guess I’m not doing too bad.

He let me go, my body moving away from his. “I was coming to meet someone, but they must have just left. Typical.” The last word a bitter whisper, barely audible. “I can help you get to the academy?”

“Oh no, you don’t need to go out of your way.” I wave my arms in front of me in protest my head shaking from side to side.

“It would be no bother. I’m heading there anyway.” He looked from me to the direction the map was pointing, his body turning a bit following his gaze. Looking back at the crowd I could feel myself being pinballed around. Yeah I really didn’t want to get lost in there again.

“Ya. I would appreciate that.” My voice low and timid as I pull my body in, feeling small. ‘I can’t even get to the school how could I even pass the exam’. I shake my head forcing the thought away.

“Don’t feel bad, most newcomers get lost, heck I know many locals that get lost in the crowd.” I look up from the ground meeting his eyes. “Shall we head out.” He asks proffering me his hand. Smiling I grab hold and we begin walking back into the crowd this time I didn’t feel like it’s swallowing me up.

“So what brings you to the Academy?”

“I work there.”

“Really are your a professor?” I look up at him wonder in my eyes.

“No, I work in administration. It’s boring stuff.” He added the last making it hard to continue the converation from that angle.

“You said you were going to meet someone at the train station, Mr. .” I paused relizing that I haven’t even asked him his name.

“Mayfeil” He replies not skipping a beat.

“Mr. Mayfeil.” There was something about that name it seemed familiar."

But before I could think about it much longer he pulled me back into the conversation, “Ya, Just someone I haven’t seen in quite sometime.” His hand travels through his hair almost like he was upset about something. “But leaving that aside do you have any questions about the Academy or Dalten?”

Instantly I perk up and the questions flying out. I wasn’t even really thinking about then, they just flowed out without abandon.

“Ha-ha. Slow down there young lady Let’s go at them one at a time.”