Thirty-First Day of May, In the Year of the Empire 6777

"Settle down!" One of the teachers shouted.

The dean of the school stepped onto the lecture stage. "Hello, students. Today is the start of your Finals Week. You have the option of turning in a copy of your Finals Spell anytime this week for review. Let me remind you that if you do not turn in the required spell, you will be dismissed and start your four-year mandatory military service as a Minor Mage. So do not fail to get your spells and research notes turned in even if the spell is not working. You may still qualify for your graduation as a Mage based on your efforts."

Many of the students murmured to each other about the status of their spells.

Thankfully, I completed mine over a week ago.

Holding his hand up for attention, the dean addressed us again, "Quiet, please."

Once everyone quieted, he continued, "Those of you wishing to remain for High Mage training, you must submit your Research Request this week as well. Again, if you stay to train to be a High Mage, you will have additional mandatory military service to complete unless you pay back the kingdom's investment in you."

The dean dismissed us, saying, "For those of you that have already paid or will be able to pay off your debt to the kingdom. You still have the mandatory two-year military service to complete. The military representatives will be contacting you this week as well."

Many of the students were anxiously talking about this last week as I made my way to the school's main office. Most of them ignored me because I was much younger.

Nearly all the graduating students were completing their tenth year at the school after starting on their sixth summer. They would be going to do their military service as adults of sixteen summers.

I was able to start school in my fourth summer and finished all graduation requirements in only eight summers. I am the youngest to graduate this year at twelve summers old, and I was thrilled about it.

Closing the main office door behind me, I was happy to see that only one other student was ahead of me. It was Sanders who was a very tall and skinny son of a wealthy merchant. He was one of the few who never ribbed me for my age, but he still had no interest in knowing me in the past.

The receptionist finished filling out some paperwork that she handed to Sanders, "Thank your father for paying your tuition and enjoy your year in the service Mr. Sanders."

He barely looked at me as he was leaving.

"Mr. Perrin, what brings you here today?" Mrs. Reagan asked.

Mrs. Reagon had always been kind and helpful, so I smiled and said, "Hello Mrs. Reagon, I need to turn in my Finals Spell and Research Request for a High Mage training to Mr. Roland please."

Mrs. Reagon laughed a bit, "Well, I am not surprised that you're here to do so."

"Neither am I," Mr. Roland said after entering the office behind me. "Let's go to my office," he said to me with a smile.

Mr. Roland's office was filled with slim books for each student, as he was the records keeper for the school. Sitting down behind his desk, he asked, "Please give me your spell scroll and research notes for the Finals Spell first. What is it called?"

I happily give him the book which I have created for the Finals Spell.

Looking at the book and back at me, he took it to examine it. He read the title aloud, 'Floating Caravan,' and opened the book to see what was in it. He set it down on his desk and looked through its Table of Contents before flipping to several of the indicated pages.

Mr. Roland examined the book for several minutes. "Perrin, you only needed to turn in a scroll copy of your spell and research notes. This entire tome about your spell. A few different versions of the spell, and organized research notes for each version and its purpose. Why did you do all of this?"

Smiling, I tell him, "That is the original, which I hope will make it onto the proper library shelves and not the very cluttered research stacks. Plus, I have a copy I will keep referencing in the future. As to why, well, I think all Finals Spells should be available to other students to reference them in the future easily."

"Do your spells work as intended?" he asked.

Proudly I tell him, "Yes, all three of the different versions do."

Placing the book aside with a smile, he said, "Very well. And you also have a Research Request for High Mage training?"

Pulling a second, thinner book, from my bag, I hand it to him. "Yes sir, I would like to study magical runes and rituals in much more depth. This book details their past and current history and my desire to explore them in new ways. It was creating the different versions of the Finals Spell that settled exploring runes and rituals further."

Mr. Roland did not open it but looked at me intently. "Are you sure you want to add more years of service doing this?"

I smiled until my face hurt. "Yes sir, I want to do the research, but it will not extend my service. I wish to do my two years of service here as a teacher. By the time of my sixteenth summer, I will have paid my service debt to the Kingdom for my schooling and have enough funds to pay for the four years of research."

Frowning, Mr. Roland asked, "It is challenging for senior mages to get a staff position here. So how do you expect to become a teacher here?"

Mr. Roland looked confused as I handed him a sheet of paper and explained it.

"Kingdom law does not allow anyone to enter military service before their sixteenth summer. Students who do graduate early normally return to their families until they begin their service at sixteen summers."

"What I found is that the service law changed years ago, allowing under-aged mages to take non-military positions in service to the Kingdom. The only mage positions that are considered non-military are here at the school teaching."

"That change gives younger mages preference so that they protected and nurtured further. So, not only do I want to research runes and rituals, but I also want to teach students rune and ritual crafting. I'll teach four years completing my initial obligation to the Kingdom and then use my earnings as a teacher to pay for four years of High Mage research as many teachers do."

The document I had handed to Mr. Roland is a copy of the decree, so when he finishes reading it, he just shakes his head. "I've never heard of this before, but I'll take this to the dean, but you might make some enemies doing this. I hope you are prepared."

"I understand, but it's my only option."

As I got up to leave, Mr. Roland reminded me that I must move out of the student dorms and that teachers may live outside the school walls or in the teacher's dorm.

This option excited me. I had only been allowed to go into the city a few times with teachers and groups of students. Once I am a confirmed mage, I can go anywhere, live anywhere.