The sun had begun its descent for the horizon by the time I stopped for dinner. My channels had started to throb with a dull but almost pleasant pain, and my stomach grumbled angrily, twin signs that it was time for a break. At this point, my channels had never experienced mana pouring down them in any significant amount. I had to gradually work up to higher volumes or risk strain and injury. Done often enough, this could cripple me, permanently stunting growth.

Before running out the door for dinner, I decided to clean myself up and get changed. The events of the day had left me filthy, and presenting the image of an unwashed fool was a terrible idea. That, and I was eager to test my bathroom's accommodations.

The bathroom was massive, with tiled floors and a large window at the far wall. Next to the window was a bathtub large enough to fit four people comfortably, with towels stacked on a nearby shelf. On the other side, I spotted a toilet and sink, both made of marble. A long mirror hung nearby, as tall as my body and with silver decorations along the edges.

I stripped off my clothes, placing them into a small basket on the ground before slipping into the water. It was remarkably comfortable, hovering at the perfect temperature the entire time I was inside. By the time I finished, every bit of tightness in my body seemed to have seeped away.

My new bed three times as large as the old one, cloud-soft with thick, comfortable sheets. A massive dresser sat in the corner, filled with a dozen uniforms near-identical to Graces, but with one bar on each arm. The shirt was royal blue, with dark pants, polished boots, and bronze trimming along the edges.

The material felt light, flexible, and comfortable beyond belief. However, there were two issues I found. The first was that it was entirely too large, hanging loose on my shoulders, low on my waist, and bunching at the wrists and ankles. '

I was in the middle of wondering what to do when the cloth began to twist and squirm. Something told me I would rarely feel something as unsettling as clothing twisting like snakes around my body, but within seconds, the entire ensemble had changed. Now, the uniform felt like a well-tailored suit, snug but not uncomfortably.

"Self-fitting clothes? I could get used to this." I muttered, re-checking the fit with a critical eye. Any good tailor could do the same thing and cheaper, but convenience and speed seemed worth the price. I would still prefer something darker in gray or black rather than blue, but overall, it was a nice enough outfit.

That was not helped much by my second issue: the emblem stamped onto me like property. The Estton sigil, an oak tree encircled with roots, sat proudly on my chest in silver thread. Earlier this week, I would have worn the marking with a proud smile, but now?

Now, the emblem was ash in my mouth or an itch I could not scratch. It felt off in ways I could not name but remained regardless. Maybe it was my arrogance, but I could not deny that I wanted it gone, and knowing that was impossible only made it prick worse.

I shook my head, making my way to the dining hall and putting those concerns aside. The Academy seemed to use the same interior design for most rooms, and this was no different. Like my quarters, the floor was polished wood, with towering crystalline windows at the far end. However, the view outside was far more impressive here.

A white expanse of clouds stretched out as far as I could see, broken up by snow-capped mountains. The sun shone brightly on the horizon in the distance, turning the sky a mix of reds, oranges, and yellows. It looked almost impossibly beautiful, and after a moment, I realized it had to be created by magic.

There were no mountains near Volaris, and the sun would not set for another hour at least. Either they used magic to create beautiful illusions, or somehow they conjured an image from some far-off vantage point. While striking and impressive, it seemed unnecessary, though I did appreciate the view.

But then again, could that same magic be repurposed? Information was power, after all, and spying was one of the best ways to gain it. And maybe that spell directed westward over the ocean might help against those invaders. It was unlikely, or the crown would have done so already, but worth considering regardless.

I sat by the windows, turning my attention to the sheet of paper on top of the table. One side had a list of foods, including fruits, grains, meats, cheeses, and vegetables. On the other, dozens of drink options crowded the page, listing more wineries and flavors than seemed possible.

My tastes trended towards simple, fast, and filling. No use wasting time on eating when there was studying to get done, in my mind. However, when I looked around to speak to a servant, I noticed the room was near-empty. Every noble, no matter their standing, used servants for menial tasks. For the Academy to buck this trend was unusual, to put it lightly.

The only other person in the room was another apprentice, one with four bars on his sleeves and he was too engrossed in his reading to notice me. I looked down at the paper again before glancing at my bracelet. I was so focused on learning about magic I almost forgot about the Academy bylaws book.

My bracelet functioned with all the embedded enchantments in the building. In this case, presumably, it would send any food orders to serving staff, as long as I focused properly. I closed my eyes, thinking about what I wanted for food, and felt a brief flare of heat from my wrist that faded a second later.

As I waited for a servant to bring my food, I examined the bracelet again, turning my wrist over; So many functions in such a small object, and I knew few of them.

After a few minutes, I caught movement in the corner of my eye and looked up to see a platter floating several feet away, with my food piled on top. It slid through the air, hovering next to me, and I glanced around the empty room before shrugging and moving everything to my table. The moment I finished, the platform reversed course, approaching a wall and vanishing right into the wood and stone.

It was a tossup in my mind if these enchantments were practical and intelligent or lazy. Both seemed equally likely, though I could not deny the novelty of it. And maybe there were applications for servitors that could prove helpful in the future. Would a combination of their strange far-seeing magic and these creations allow for tiny, automated spies?

I flipped open my notebook, jotting down the beginnings of my idea before digging into my food. Although just a few sandwiches with water, the taste was impressive enough, fresh and filling. I finished off the meal in only a handful of minutes, and after finishing, another platter approached for the empty plates and cup.

"Alright. I have practiced enough with magic for today, but there are still hours left. Might as well grab those books before turning in for the night." I muttered, blushing and glancing around after a second. I had a habit of occasionally talking to myself, a way to bounce ideas off of "someone." Maybe I should try to work socializing into my schedule to break that off-putting tendency.

Five minutes later, I walked through an arching doorway and froze, my jaw dropping open. The Archives looked even more extensive than the central atrium, only five floors high but twice as wide. Bookshelves towered seventy feet tall, with floating platforms and crisscrossing walkways above my head. For a second, I thought that birds filled the air, only to realize they were books, thousands of them darting to shelves.

On the ground floor were rectangular desks, and several older apprentices moved around, browsing the selection. I spotted a few dozen podiums with books propped open along the rows and pens floating in the air silently.

As I walked towards one, an older man dressed in the Academy uniform but with the dragon on each sleeve stepped towards me with a polite smile. Judging by the lack of a familial crest and his respectful attitude, this man was a servant.

"Good afternoon, young apprentice. May I help you with anything?" he said courteously.

"Yes, thank you. Could you give me an idea of how to use this place? As you might imagine, it is on the overwhelming side." I said, smiling at him as I gestured around.

He chuckled, replying, "Not the first person to feel that way, I can assure you. It's quite simple, though. We arrange the Archives by subject, with simpler works on lower levels and more advanced selections higher up. Each podium contains guidance enchantments. Write key phrases, such as author, subject, or title, and your bracelet will take care of the rest."

"I see. And how long can I borrow books?"

He raised an eyebrow at that, responding, "Forever. When you find a book you want to take, place your hand on it and focus on noting the title. The enchantment in your bracelet will active, and we will send a copy to your quarters. These copies will vanish if taken off Academy grounds, however."

"Excellent. Thank you for your assistance."

"My pleasure, my lord," he responded, and it occurred to me I technically outranked him, at least socially. I was only an apprentice mage, but Ferren culture meant even that low rank carried some status. I was not sure whether to be happy about that or uncomfortable. In the end, I was both at once. Respect given so freely was no respect at all, but sycophantic mewling, something Girem and I despised equally.

I pushed these mixed feelings aside, though, and retrieved Master Julian's list. Most of his recommendations sat on the first floor, with several for each class. While easy to locate, for the most part, the final book was not quite so simple. This one, "A Study on Aether," was a dizzying five stories up on a floating platform.

Before today, I did not consider myself a coward. I had healthy caution towards dangers, but never in excess. But climbing over a thin, wooden bridge to a floating platform fifty feet above the ground was an excellent way to find out a new fear, and as it turned out, I was not fond of heights.

The book in question was massive, nearly a thousand pages long with a heavy leatherbound cover. I flipped through it and found that the writing inside was strange, a mixture of differing styles. One page was a flowing curved script while another was a hasty, cramped scrawl. A chapter near the beginning used antiquated phrasing, with awkward, stilted grammar not used in centuries.

By the time I returned to my room, a stack of new books now sat on my bookshelf. They appeared identical to the ones downstairs, something that set my mind racing. If a mage could create perfect copies of an object with magic, what sort of applications did that open up? I was practically foaming at the mouth, eager to start exploring these ideas.

A massive yawn hit me just as I went to grab the first book, so loud it caught me off guard. I glanced at the window again, realizing it was night already, and decided my readings could wait until tomorrow. My mind still felt sluggish and would retain nothing valuable at this point.

When I finally laid down for my first night in the Academy, it felt as if I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. And like with the previous night, nightmares of blades and invaders and death filled my dreams, an unwelcome companion unlikely to leave anytime soon.