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Karna had seen many things in her life, but she had to admit that this universe had a handle on magical construction. The aerial view of the Academy was quite beautiful, and she knew from experience that the things found on the Divine Plane were even more so. Still, the Academy was absolutely at the pinnacle of magical construction. The Academy had used to be outside the capital city of the Magocracy Ascalon, but the city had later on grown to accommodate the place of learning, mainly to provide services and other necessities for the students.

The Academy was located on a nexus of elemental energies, and a large ley line ran under the place towards Ascalon. The complex was on an island that formed a perfect triangle, with wide rivers surrounding the island on all three sides. Several large bridges crossed the river at all three corners where the rivers were at their narrowest point, and several docks for both flying and sailing ships could be seen jutting out of the island. The whole place was covered by a large dome of protective energy, which was radiating from the highest point that could be found at the center of the island.

The island itself was very large. Tens of thousands of people could comfortably live on the island, and most of the space was dedicated to other purposes. If the whole island had been filled with residential districts, then a million people could've comfortably lived there. However, there were forest and gardens on the island, and there was even a decent-sized lake dug out near one of the points of the triangular island. There were several arenas and training areas, libraries, and buildings used for learning and various administrative functions. There were also workshops, stores, cantinas, temples, and a hundred various other facilities scattered around the place.

At the center of the island was a large and deep borehole that emanated fire, metal, and of course earth elemental energies. From her vantage point on the flying ship, Karna could see several doors and ramps on the walls of the borehole, and she could see the glow of magma near the bottom as well. Above the borehole floated perhaps the most important part of the Academy. A large crystalline structure levitated about a hundred meters off ground level as if it had been excavated and lifted from the borehole below, held in place by long gold-colored chains. Rings of floating buildings circled the crystal, slowly orbiting around it, while a tall tower had been constructed to the highest point of the crystal. The tower was the source of the protective dome.

All the buildings seemed to be built of marbled stone, and they were all decoratively painted and filigreed to perfection. Karna could sense all the enchantments radiating from the buildings all the way from the ship, and the floating crystal was almost blindingly bright to her eyes as it radiated mana. All the pathways were paved with the same marbled stone, and they were lined with statues, fountains, and trees that seemed to be shaped to perfection. It seemed the entire place was so perfectly maintained that not a single blade of grass was out of place.

"The Academy," Arjuna stated with a bit of pride while holding his hand on the crystal orb that controlled the sleek airship they were riding. Usually he would just teleport where he wanted to go, but you couldn’t teleport inside the Academy for obvious security reasons. He had a certain level of patriotic pride, and the Academy was one of the most important achievements of the Magocracy.

"Fancy," Karna replied simply. She could see a veritable swarm of other flying vessels landing on the platforms outside the island itself. Only some ships were allowed to land on the island itself, which also included Arjuna’s ship as he was a frequent guest lecturer of the Academy. She also suspected that his ties with the institute ran deeper than that, but he had never explained in detail and she hadn’t asked. They had a nice relationship like that. Neither of them asked too many questions and knew when not to push.

“The initial entrance exams are held on the large squares near the bridges. It’s pretty much just a test to see if you have any ability. Those that make the cut and get through the first exam get to actually cross the bridges and see some of the Academy as the other exams are held on the island.” Arjuna explained.

“So we have to actually walk back over the bridges to get to the initial exam? Why did we land on the island exactly?” Karna asked with a raised eyebrow.

Arjuna coughed a bit. “Actually, those that have the authority to land on the island get to bypass the initial exam. That exam only screens out those that have no hope of passing the other exams, as well as those that aren’t really serious about the whole thing. Many people want to take the exams just so they can say they took them. Still, just that alone reduces the number of applicants by more than half.”

Karna smiled a bit. "Nepotism still makes the world go round, I see."

Arjuna couldn’t really refute that. Still, it wasn’t like any applicant would get off easy because of their connections, so he wasn’t too concerned. “I’ll take you to the site of the second set of exams. This is where the Academy narrows the applicants down to those that actually have enough talent to attend the place. The first and the second set of exams take several days to complete, and this should be the last day of testing. The third group of exams will eventually find the best applicants and narrow the field down until only the people who will be accepted remain.”

Karna admired the view as they walked towards the nearest bridge. The promenades and garden paths were really well kept, and she could sense several spells maintaining the place. That made sense. It would take a not-insignificant army of gardeners and groundskeepers to actually keep the place in this condition manually. Not to mention cleaning and other such chores. It also explained the prevalent presence of marble everywhere. The whole walkway was melded together and even entire buildings were built as a single piece, which meant that you didn’t have to enchant every stone separately. Most of the trees and flowers were decorative, but she spotted a few fruit trees and some less often seen magical plants along the way as well. She had an inkling they would be used in some sorts of tests at some point, although it was unlikely they had anything to do with the entrance exams.

"Incidentally, the first-year dorms can be found there," Arjuna stated and pointed at a fairly large group of stone buildings that lined the riverfront and extended towards the center of the island. “As the first-years are the most numerous group of students, their living quarters are also the simplest and take the most space.”

"Is living in the dorms mandatory?" Karna asked. They had actually not discussed whether she'd live on-site or go back to Arjuna's tower every night.

“Strictly speaking no, but it would be a pain in the ass to get here daily if you chose not to. On that note, I expect you home at least every other weekend if you do pass the exams.” Arjuna had apparently given the subject at least some thought.

“If?” She retorted with a grin.

“Well, there’s always the possibility of you somehow mucking up all your exams, but no, I don’t actually expect you to fail.

“Good. You haven’t gone completely senile yet.” Karna couldn’t help but make a small dig at her father.

Their little fun was interrupted as an older magister wearing the official garb of a teacher approached them. He wore a uniform similar to the military of the Magocracy, except his garb was white and silver instead of the black and gold of the army. Nevertheless, the connection between the military and the Academy was quite clear. “Grand Medjai!” He greeted Arjuna with a small bow. “Have you come to oversee this year’s exams? We were not expecting you as you usually don’t attend, but we can easily reserve a spot for you.”

“In a manner of speaking. I'm mostly here because my daughter is going to participate in the exam." Arjuna made a small gesture towards Karna, who was clad in a similarly simple but elegant dress as she had worn during the trek to the Spirit World. She also wore the same veil that hid her features. The effect she had on people around her had grown in strength as she had grown stronger, but she had also gained a bit more control over it, so it was harder to notice. Still, it was likely that some people would have their reaction towards her swing towards the extremes.

“Daughter? Ah yes, I do believe I heard some rumors to that effect. I see. Of course she would attend the Academy. I will make sure that she gets to the exam site. As per the rules, you can't personally oversee an exam she is participating in to avoid any bias in the results. Even if you say nothing, just having you there could cause the examiners to change their standards." The older man explained rather reasonably.

“Of course. I will observe from a distance. Karna, this is Master Rajian. He’s one of the teachers in charge of the first-years. Rajian, this is my daughter Karna.” Arjuna made the introductions and the two others exchanged greetings. “Alright honey, you’ve got this. No need to be excited.” He seemed to be more worried than she was.

“Go on you old coot.” Karna shooed him away with a small gesture, before turning to the older man who had a complicated expression. “Something the matter Master Rajian?”

“My apologies. I’m simply unused to someone treating the Grand Medjai so casually.” The man shook his head while a wry smile bloomed on his face.

“Ah, I think I understand the feeling. I always feel a little off when everyone treats him with such reverence. Shall we?” She gestured down the path they had been traveling.

“Lets. I have to mention though, you will not be allowed to take the exam while hiding your face. We can’t have anyone taking the exam in someone else’s stead. Especially since I can sense that there is some sort of appearance altering spell weaved in as well.” The old man said a little apologetically.

“I see. I don’t really mind as long as my identity as his daughter is not spread around.” Karna nodded.

“Then why bother hiding at all?” The man asked a little confused.

“Well, it’s easier to just show you than explain.” Karna took off the veil and the cloth covering a part of her hair. Immediately the color of her hair changed and the refined and attractive features beneath were revealed. It was also quite obvious that she didn’t look even a bit like Arjuna. To complicate matters, she didn’t really look like a normal child either, as she didn’t have any of the childish features most kids of her age still had.

“Yes. I think I can see the problem. Tell you what. You can keep the veil on while you’re not taking part in the exams themselves, but the examiners will have to be able to see your features. This should be acceptable as most of the tests are held privately, and I can vouch for your identity for the tests where you aren’t in private.” The man suggested. That way her hair color would remain the blue-ish white that it was now, but she could still keep her features hidden most of the time. Veils were not uncommon among the younger generation of the Magocracy, so that would not attract any undue attention. Amusingly, her use of one during the trip to the Spirit World had sparked a small fashion craze towards veils. It often didn’t take more than a small push to start such trends.

“That sounds fine Master Rajian.” Karna nodded and donned the veil just on her face.

“I suppose I could explain a few things while we’re walking together. As the Grand Medjai’s daughter, I’d be surprised if you failed to pass the exams after all. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. Most of this information is something you’d learn during your orientation anyway, but it’s something you’ll need to be aware of nonetheless. All students are expected to wear the Academy’s uniform, although personal additions such as your veil are allowed. The important part is that the badge showing your year and your major has to remain visible. There are more exact rules that you’ll learn later on.

"The Academy divides the students into years, though that doesn't mean that the students actually get promoted yearly. In fact, it's not uncommon to have to spend several years to get promoted from a third-year student to a fourth-year for example. You have to be able to fulfill the criteria set to get promoted and even then you have to go through a rigorous exam. The basic curriculum spans ten of such years, and in the end, many students remain to either do research or specialize further under a chosen master. The naming is a little confusing I admit, but you’ll get used to it. The whole thing is built like this because the age of those passing the exams varies wildly, as do their skills in the beginning, so we can’t divide people based on age or starting level. By the fourth year, everyone should’ve reached a common level of skill and expertise anyway, even if their ages can still vary wildly.” The old man patiently explained. As a teacher, this sort of thing was common to him.

“I assume that’s when you choose the major you mentioned?” Karna asked a more specific question.

“At the latest, although many choose theirs much earlier. You could even say that sometimes the major chooses them. Usually, it's dictated by your talent, and the masters of each major like to poach talented individuals for more personal training. Ah, here we are." They entered one of the buildings that were near the bridges. The buildings were constructed using the same style as all the buildings on the island. The old man guided her through the marbled hallways until they reached a room that was almost full of people of various ages. They were all sitting down on small stools in front of small desks, apparently waiting.

As she had filled the last empty seat in the room, it seemed as if her arrival functioned as the starting signal for this test. A tiny gnomish woman stood on a table in front of the room to speak. “Welcome. You will all be taking part in the first real test of the entrance exams. The one you all went through earlier was just to weed out those with no ability. From now on, every test matters. Some of you might be thinking that your performance won’t matter for as long as you pass all the exams, but you would be sadly mistaken.”

“All the results of your exams from this point forth will be recorded and you will be ranked accordingly. Those that pass the exams will be divided into classes based on your ranking.” Master Rajian continued while walking to the front of the room.

The gnomish woman dressed like another teacher looked a bit surprised that he was taking such an active part but quickly adapted. “We do not select students based on your current knowledge and skills, although they do affect the selection as one of the factors. Mainly though, we choose based on your potential and talent. That said, you all have differing levels of skill and training, so it would be pointless to put you all in the same class as that would serve no one. Those in lower-ranked classes have the opportunity to show their talent and hard work and rise into the higher-ranked classes, while slackers in those higher-ranked classes have ample opportunity to fall down. The ranking you achieve will determine the level of your lessons in the beginning, and being in the higher-ranked classes comes with certain advantages and benefits, such as better accommodations and other perks. This is to foster healthy competition between students.”

Rajian once again took over. “The test you will be taking now will be one of knowledge. The test will cover several different subjects, but as we are part of the Magocracy, most of the questions will be related to magic. If you don’t want to study magic at all, then you really are applying to the wrong school.”

The gnome snapped her fingers and a scroll appeared on every desk, along with quills and ink. “As you answer the questions, you can keep opening the scroll, which will cause more and more questions to appear. They will also keep getting progressively more difficult. You have two hours, and you should answer as many questions as possible. This is the test where prior knowledge and learning will be very useful to you, but I wouldn’t worry too much if I were among those that don’t have much knowledge. This is just a single test among many. You will get the opportunity to prove yourselves in other tests. Now begin!”

As those taking the exam rushed to start, the gnome approached Rajian. A bubble of energy appeared around them that prevented any of the test takers from listening in on their conversation without blocking any of the noises the test-takers would make from being heard by the two teachers. “I assume there’s a reason you’re here. And I also assume you confirmed the identity of the girl you arrived with.” She asked quietly. Otherwise, she'd have to ask the girl to remove the veil.

“Yes. She’s Arjuna’s daughter. And there’s a reason she’s wearing that veil. I gave her the permission to keep it on until the examiners of the other tests need to confirm her identity.” Rajian explained with a nod.

“Oh, she’s the one? No wonder. You’ve always wanted the opportunity to gain his favor.” The gnome nodded in understanding.

“Can you blame me? It’s not like there’s a large number of people from our country close to Ascending.” Rajian pointed out.

“So you want to do him a favor in the hopes of getting one in return? Rajian, be careful. Even I’m not going to overlook it if you actually try to influence the results of these tests. And I don’t think he will be very grateful if you risk his daughter’s future by meddling.” The gnome woman looked at him firmly. They may be friends but she would not compromise the reputation of the Academy for his sake, even if she knew how much it meant to him. That’s exactly how the gradual corruption would start.

“Do not worry. I know. And I’ve been a teacher long enough to know how dimly our Headmistress views even the slightest hint of impropriety when it comes to the entrance exams. I’m not going to risk her ire. I will however make sure the girl has the best possible opportunity to pass the exams and have a good start to her education. Whether she can utilize that opportunity is up to her. If she can get in…well, then I can see if we can arrange something. Assuming her father is amenable.” Rajian explained and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s see how she’s doing.” The gnome woman stated simply while shrugging off his hand. With a slight wave of her hand, a scroll appeared in her hand. This scroll was tied to the scrolls used in the test with a rather complex but handy spell. The scrolls were all tied together in a magical system that was capable of judging the answers of the test takers without any work done by the teachers. Mostly. Sometimes the answers were complicated enough and offered an alternative solution that required a teacher to evaluate.

“Well, well. She seems to be doing quite spectacularly. Some of her answers on current events and near history are a bit thin, although her analysis is spot on. The magical questions she is acing, as expected from Arjuna’s daughter.” The gnome muttered before looking at Rajian. “It seems that your girl will be able to easily handle this test at least. It’s only been fifteen minutes, but she has already passed the average result received from this test among those who pass. I think she might be going for a record if this keeps up.”

“That’s reassuring, although I never thought this would be the place where she’ll stumble. The third set of exams is the real hurdle." Rajian nodded. He noted that the average scores in this group of applicants were not very high. Most likely the result of most of the applicants being from more modest backgrounds. The nobility and the wealthy always had the time and resources to properly tutor and educate their kids, at least when compared to the hoi polloi of the Magocracy, who were relatively well-off as far as standard of living went. Even the poorest in the Higher Planes lived wealthier lives than the poor in the planes below them, and the Magocracy was quite wealthy even by Higher Plane standards.

“Well, I suppose you’ll just have to hope she has what it takes.” The gnome stated with a tinge of sympathy in her voice. Most applicants didn’t pass, but they were talking about Arjuna’s daughter here, so the chances were better than for most.