Uxak Elite Academy

Krysdale is a rather large city, given its mountainous location. Buildings are built mainly in the valleys, with buildings getting more and more sparse the higher up you go and the steeper the cliffaces. I notice some buildings built on foundations on slopes of 70 degrees or even more. It’s honestly quite bizarre to me.

My carriage drives through the crowded streets of the city. We’re just in time. The opening ceremony is tomorrow, and I don’t even want to imagine what would happen to me if I missed it. 

I’m not going to bother paying for an inn, since I know that I’ll be receiving dorm accommodations tomorrow and I’m used to sleeping in the carriage at this point. Still though, there is one thing that I want to do before tomorrow

“Hey Galen, we’re already here and we don’t really have anything else to do, so can we head into a shop for a bit? There’s something I want to look for.”

“Alright.”

I’ve been traveling with him for the past two weeks and I’m still not any closer to figuring out how he thinks. Well, I guess that in and of itself is an indicator to how he operates.

I walk through a rather expensive general goods store. Galen follows me through, keeping a close eye on me. He keeps his sword at his hip, which causes people to kind of avoid us. Other people also have weapons as well, so I’m not sure why that’s the case.

Wait, it’s actually probably because of my Gift, isn’t it? Yes they’re incredibly rare and powerful, not to mention if somebody had one out in clear view like this they’d probably know how to use it. I’ll have to keep that in mind in the future. That thought never dawned on me, I’ve just been keeping it on everywhere I went because it helps with my eye issue.

I start looking at various stock at the store. Helmets? No, none of them are small enough for my frame. Besides, that probably wouldn’t be allowed in school unless we were training. Even then, they probably have their own helmets that we’re meant to use.

Scarves? No, it’s probably going to get too hot to use those all year round as well. I’m also not sure if that really would go with the dress code either.

Masks? Yeah, no. Those are definitely out.

Wait… what about a fan? One of those foldable handheld ones? Those could work, and they’d have to be incredibly strict to dress code me for that. Alright, where are they, I know they’re here.

Alright, here they are, let’s see… Paper ones with all sorts of intricate designs. That could work with the whole noble persona I’m planning on maintaining. Hm? There are metal ones too? Silver, gold, one painted in red and gold. They’re prettier than the paper ones, but they look quite heavy. What’s the point of them?

I pick up the red and gold one I liked, and it is definitely heavier than a paper one. Hm? Are the edges of the metal blades? Is this a weapon? Well, I have a lot of money left over, so I can just pay for it if I break it. If that’s the case I’ll do a little test first.

I slowly summon one of the smaller earth golems I have from my Gift onto the floor of the shop. I pick it up with one hand and use earth manipulation to transform it back into a simple rock. I throw it into the air, and prepare to attack it on the way down.

I move rocks around my joints to speed up my attack, and hit the rock with my fan at full force. It explodes into several pieces, and sends chunks of rocks across the room. Hm… that might be able to pierce a human skull. The blades don’t appear to be chipped at all. Is this seriously not custom made?

I shake the pieces of rock off of the fan and use earth manipulation to gather up all the chunks and remake the golem, before sending it back into my Gift. I hold it up to cover my face below my eyes. The original reason I wanted to buy this was to cover my expression, but if it can be used in self defense at a moment’s notice, that’s good too.

“What do you think, Galen?”

“It’s alright.” Is all he says.

Looking around, everyone is looking at us, really afraid. Well I guess I can't blame them. Normal ten year olds wouldn’t be able to shatter whole rocks like that. Given my shorter stature too, they probably think I’m a bit younger than I actually am. There’s walking around using a Gift so casually as well.

This just goes to show how much my outward appearance and actions matter. Everything I do, no matter how minor, will always shape other people’s perceptions of me. I have to keep that in mind moving forward.

“I will buy this, Galen. Let’s go, this is all I want.”

“Yes.”

I gave Galen my money since I believed walking around as a little girl paying for everything with a bodyguard right behind me would draw too much attention. In a perfect world, I would just summon the coins from my Gift as I needed to pay for things, but that would draw far too much suspicion.

I walk into a private hot spring, famous in this area of Nymet. I slowly take the towel off and take a dip into the water.

“Is it… necessary for me to be here?” Galen asks, looking everywhere except me.

“Well, you are my bodyguard, you need to be around me at all times.”

“But, this is…”

“Seriously, don’t worry about it. I’m 10, there’s no reason you should be interested in me at all anyway. If you’re really uncomfortable, just keep an eye on everything else. As a bodyguard, that’s what you should be doing anyway.”

“I suggest changing that attitude as you get older.”

“If I was older that wouldn’t really change my mind. As long as no one’s being overbearingly creepy about it, I don’t really mind. If you were just passing glances, I don’t think that’s a huge offense. Of course, if you were passing glances as my body is now, we’d definitely have more of a problem.”

“Yes…”

Rain really didn’t care about guys looking at her, even if she wasn’t interested in guys at all. She mostly just found it annoying, but not anything worth saying anything about unless they were being super obvious about it. As for Lilith’s opinion… yeah, she’s far too young to have an opinion about that kind of thing, so I’m just going to accept Rain’s perspective as the correct one.

Alright, that’s enough of that. I’m not here to think about that kind of thing, I’m here to get myself cleaned up for coordination tomorrow. It is a rather elite school, and I am a noble, looking the part isn’t exactly a choice for me here.

I’ll have to get lots of rest tonight as well. I have to be there quite early. And getting dressed and doing all my makeup by myself isn’t something I’m really used to. It’s not like I could ask Galen for help with any of that either.

I look in my mirror for the hundredth time as my carriage drives up the surprisingly well paved mountain path. I check to make sure that all my makeup is perfect, not that I could really make any revisions while we’re moving even if the path is smooth.

I practice my facial expressions. I try to keep up my resting face to be one that a prideful noble would make. Sadness, barely show it. Anger, don’t show it in my face, only my face. Happiness, a gentle smile instead of a cheesy one. I practice keeping my fan in front of my face, and moving it around quickly. It’s heavy enough that that isn’t an extremely easy feat.

You know, putting rocks on my fingers and my palms and manipulating those would make moving it around a lot easier. No, I can’t do that, I don’t want to go showing off those tricks. I don’t have any gloves my size lying around here do I? No, of course not. I’ll remember that idea for later.

I feel the carriage around me stop.

“We’re here.” Galen says.

There’s no reason for me to doubt that so I exit the carriage. Around me is an open area that’s been paved over with stone, not dissimilar to a parking lot. We’re on the top of one of the shorter mountains on the outskirts of town, and carriages of various qualities surround me. In front of us is a metal wall that looks quite brutal and behind that several large buildings on various different mountains.

That is Uxak Elite Academy.

Yes, the whole property itself makes up about 5,000 acres total, all surrounded by a 50 foot tall, metal wall with serrated blades on the top. Everything about it just screams brutalist. This is where I’m going to school for the next six years.

Galen and I walk towards the front entrance nonetheless, as soon as Galen locks all the doors to the carriage and ties the horses up. I assume that I’m meant to bring in my things after coordination. There’s a bit of a line to the huge front gate, but it’s nothing that I can’t handle.

After a bit of waiting, it’s finally our turn to be let in. Each of the guards is a rather tall and wide man, definitely over six feet tall, and covered head to toe in red, metal armor.

“Names, purpose of visit?” One of the guards says.

“Lilith Amber, youngest daughter of the Duchess Amber, from the kingdom of Osnye. I’m meant to enroll here as a student for my first year. This is Galen Angeldust, my bodyguard.”

The guards flinch a bit when I say my name, but other than that everything goes swimmingly.

“Right… Gift of Knowledge. Can we see your acceptance letter?” One of the guard asks.

“Here,” Galen says, handing him my letter. 

The guard grabs it and looks over it quickly, before handing it back to Galen. Then he turns down to look at me.

“One more thing. Prove your Gift is real. However you like it is fine, as long as you prove it.”

Prove my Gift is real? Alright, that makes sense but I’m sure they could do it themselves. Is this a test or some other reason? I’m probably just overthinking things. I’ll simply prove my Gift is real, and then go off of how things go from there.

I take off my Gift and toss it onto the ground. Half my vision goes all over the place as I do that, but I’ve long since grown used to that effect. Next, as soon as it lands, I begin summoning my halberd.

As soon as it’s in my hands, I use “Earth Sense” to detect just where I have to strike in order to actually hit it, since I’m operating without depth perception. I use the rocks at my joints to bring down my halberd onto my Gift so hard that the stone underneath it cracks and breaks.

The guards, and everybody around me except for Galen backs up a bit after this. I unsummon my halberd and pick up my Gift before showing it to the guards.

“Not a scratch. Gifts are meant to be indestructible. Is that enough? I’m sure either of you could probably put a whole lot more force into the attack than me, so would you like to confirm it?”

“Um, no ma’am, that won’t be necessary. Um, if you’ve brought any personal items with you, they can be carried in now via a side gate in the valley just east of here.”

“I see. Galen, drive our carriage through there.”

“Lilith, I am your bodyguard.”

“No one would be stupid enough to make an attempt on my life here. Besides, I’m strong enough to be able to handle myself. Now go on.”

“Yes.” He says, before leaving.

“Um… he still has my application letter, do I still need that?” I ask one of the guards.

“Uh, if you were a normal student, yes, but as long as you keep your Gift on you, you won’t need it.”

“Thank you, sir.” I say, before finally walking through the gates.

Alright, now it’s just a matter of walking from the gate, to the actual front entrance of the main building. This is it, I’m here now. There’s no turning back now.

I begin walking. Every last vision I’ve had definitely ended with my death within this school. Whether I’m cut down, or blown to pieces, my death comes to me at some point within this school.

Of course, that isn’t guaranteed. That outcome relies on me actually being able to see the future. The only one of my predictions that have actually come true is having to go to this school. Until more substantial evidence comes up, like recognizing people from those visions I’ll consider them just visions.

Yes, until I get proof, I’m doing nothing but stressing myself out needlessly. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with preparing with the possibility in mind, but I shouldn’t let that cause me to look afraid. Fear appears weak, and given my social standing I can’t afford to look weak.

I stand in front of the front doors to the main building. This is actually it. Just one more step. Swallow all my emotions, maintain a stone cold face, and walk in. OK, I’m ready. I open the doors, which are incredibly large by my standards, and walk inside.

The first thing I see is a blond woman with a bow tied up in her hair. Her face just screamed that she was angry about something, but that isn’t what’s grabbing my attention. She has a Gift too, and it’s wrapped up in her hair in her bow.

I have no doubt about it, this is the woman who is supposed to kill me.