The rest of the trip to Faebrook was indeed short, the forest and mountains passing by in a blur as Darm spurred the carriage forward. Tethis was silent as usual, and Rowan felt no need to press her into conversation, content to simply enjoy their last moments together. Alright, maybe that’s being a little hyperbolic. I’m sure we’ll see each other again eventually. After I become a man worthy of standing alongside them. Like a dashing knight, or a heroic paladin, or a… Losing himself in his daydreams, Rowan would have missed the sight entirely had Darm not alerted him.

“That’s Faebrook, up ahead!”

Sticking his head out of the carriage, Rowan sucked in a breath. Ahead of them, an enormous castle jutted out of the side of the mountain, towering over a large river that flowed past, almost serpentine-like as it curved around the castle and disappeared. Around the castle, the forest grew wildly, the trees far larger than those they had passed on the way from Karsolnia.

“Faebrook is built ontop of a collection of ancient dungeons, a nexus of sorts where the magical power from the dungeons meet,” Darm explained, taking on the role of a lecturer as Rowan listened attentively. “Because of that, the magical power here is far greater than in most other areas. While it makes for an amazing location to train, the local ecosystem has evolved to reflect this abundance of mana, making Faebrook one of the most interesting and dangerous areas in the entire region.”

“Don’t wander outside the academy,” Rowan quipped. “Got it.”

“Pretty much,” Darm said with a laugh. “Assuming you get in, then they’ll tell you more about it in the welcoming ceremony. If you don’t get in, make sure you find a caravan or a carriage that’s headed back to Karsolnia. Don’t try to go back on foot. That’s just asking for death.”

As they spoke, the carriage turned off the road, following a narrow forest path forward towards the academy.

“So they built the academy here because of the dungeons?”

“Yup,” Darm replied. “The abundance of mana they produce makes it the perfect place to train both in magic and in combat. The founders of the school loved this place as an area to train the members of their respective clans and built a training facility here. Over the years, it transformed from a training facility into an academy. Of course, there’s still a heavy focus on adventuring, hence its well known moniker of ‘Adventurer’s Academy’, but it’s a proper school these days.”

“What came first, the mana or the dungeons?” Rowan asked.

Darm laughed at this. “Boy, you might as well be asking me what came first, the dwarf or the mountain. That’s a question that has perplexed magical historians for centuries, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to try and make sense of it in the ten minutes between here and Faebrook.” Seeing that Rowan had a slightly crestfallen look on his face, Darm cleared his throat. “Suffice it to say, the current theories state that dungeons seem to naturally appear in places where the concentration of mana is high. However, dungeons can also increase the concentration of mana in areas they are found in, so it’s hard to say if Faebrook owes its mana density to the dungeons, or if the dungeons are here due to the mana density. All I know is that both are here and that makes it a fantastic training ground for you. So you’d better make it in.”

“I’ll do my best,” Rowan replied, feeling far less sure than he sounded.

“That’s the spirit. Now then, let’s hurry, we went a little longer than I’d planned for lunch, and woe betide us if you’re late.”

With that said, Darm cracked the reins, causing the carriage to lurch forward along the bumpy forest path. Holding on tight, Rowan absorbed the surrounding sights, doing his best to ignore the glimpses of what looked like rather large beasts lurking just off the path, staring hungrily at the carriage as it rocketed by.

Eight minutes later, the carriage burst out of the forest, Faebrook looming tall just ahead of them. A long meadow expanded in front of them, going from the forest to the edge of the academy, where a large wall separated the school from the forest, presumably to keep the beasts out and the students in.

Feeling slightly more reassured upon seeing the walls, Rowan relaxed, enjoying the ride as the carriage slowed down, the wall rising high above them as they arrived at a gate on the south side of the academy. Bringing the carriage to a halt behind several other carts and carriages, Darm grabbed some papers from a pouch on his belt, sitting back as he awaited their turn at the gate.

“Purpose for your visit?” a bored looking elf asked, his violet uniform adorned with a crest that bore the image of a small serpentine figure coiled around itself with four wings emerging from its back.

“My protege here wishes to take the enrolment test,” Darm replied, handing the papers and a large purse of gold to the man before indicating Rowan to come forward.

“Very well,” the elf responded as he looked over the papers, the purse having been quickly weighed before disappearing into his jacket. “Name?”

“Rowan,” Rowan responded.

“Any family name?”

“No, sir.”

“Birthplace?”

“Taureen.”

Several questions later, the elf nodded, apparently satisfied with Rowan’s answers. “Very well, the entrance exam will be held in an hour’s time in the great hall. You are allowed to bring your own equipment. Parents, guardians, mentors, and contractor demons can find refreshments offered on the west lawn.”

“Much appreciated,” Darm responded, tipping his hat to the elf as the carriage slowly began to move, passing under the thick stone wall as the gate opened to allow them entry into the academy proper.

“Contractor demons?” Rowan asked in a low voice as they left the gate behind, the tunnel under the wall illuminated by glowing crystals in sconces that jutted from the wall around them.

“Faebrook was founded in an area predominantly governed by the Fae,” Darm explained. “They’re a lot more liberal on their views about demons than other races are. So long as it can provide the contractor with the power necessary to stand out as an adventurer, mercenary, or whatever, Faebrook doesn’t discriminate against the method. Here, power is virtue.”

“Except for sacrificial contracts,” Tethis corrected from the back.

“Ah yes, except for those. Faebrook does take a rather dim view on those who require the lifeblood or lives of others in order to fuel their powers,” Darm amended. “Too much potential to destroy both themselves and those around them. History has certainly proven that.”

Mentally making a note to avoid sacrificing anyone, Rowan went silent as they emerged from the tunnel into Faebrook Academy proper. The castle in front of them was enormous, far larger than it had appeared from afar. Spires jutted from towers that seemed to pierce the clouds, disappearing into the low hanging fog that rolled off the mountain above. Windows and balconies adorned the lower towers, connected to each other by battlements upon which large ballistae and other siege weapons could be seen, pointed upward at some unseen threat.

In awe of the sights in front of him, Rowan's jaw hung open. Taureen was a flat city, with most buildings having only one floor above ground, and the rest below in order to escape from the heat. None of that was visible here. Instead, the castle seemed to soar continuously upwards, the clouds providing no barrier for its towering majesty.

Beside him, Darm wore a knowing smile, the halfling silent as the carriage slowly traverersed the gardens towards the castle proper.