While all people of Temberlon have the potential to use magic, only about 0.2% of the population tap into that potential and become mages.

“We finally have a man-only meal without Selena or my sister and you bring another girl?”

So maybe Chad had been wrong. It appeared that Quartz did mind Mallory joining them.

“Mallory, this is Quartz.” Chad said, introducing a slightly scared Mallory to an annoyed Quartz. “Quartz, this is Mallory. I met her at the initiation. Please be nice.”

“I-i-it's a pleasure to meet you,” Mallory stammered. Still looking slightly wary of Quartz, she took a seat on the bench next to Chad. The only answer she got back was a “humph” from Quartz.

Their meal continued in silence until Quartz got up to get more food. Mallory immediately turned to Chad and started ranting in a loud whisper. “Chad, that is Quartz Miller. We need to get out of here before he comes back. You're new here so you probably don't know, but he and his sister are notorious trouble makers. Unless you want to end up expelled, or worse, you should have nothing to do with them. Quick, let's get out of here; we can eat later.” As she was finishing her rant, Selena walked up.

“Good afternoon, Chad! I got out early so I thought I would come see if I could join you.” Turning to Mallory with a smile she added, “and who is this young lady?”

Mallory's previous expression of fright turned to one of awe. “I'm Mallory, Mallory Ferdinandson. And you, you're.. you're Selena Yellowborn!”

“Yes, I am.” Selena's expression became more distant and somber as she sat down, as if she was withdrawing into herself.

“Oh Selena, you're here too, grand!” Jet said, as she walked up with an irritated Quartz and took a seat next to Selena. “Hi, I am Jet, and you are?” she said, turning to Mallory.

Mallory glanced back and forth between Jet, Quartz, and Selena. “Wait! You're the Millers, the notorious trouble makers.” The siblings nodded, Jet sheepishly and Quartz proudly. “And you're Selena Yellowborn, the great Render prodigy.” Selena also nodded. “Then why are you all eating together, and how did I end up in the middle of this?!”

“Jet,” cut in Chad, “this is Mallory. We met at the initiation. Mallory, these are my friends: Jet, Quartz, and Selena. They have been helping me settle in over the last couple of weeks.”

Mallory sat there staring at him like he had just grown horns. After a moment of awkward silence, the conversation started up again, but Mallory spent the rest of the meal in silence gawking at the group of people around her.

“And now it is time for chaos,” Quartz said once everybody was done. “Chad, let's go figure out our classes. Mallory, I guess you can come too. Now that you are an apprentice, you have to choose all of your own classes.”

“Okay,” said Chad, wondering what Quartz meant by chaos. “Jet, Selena, will you be joining us?”

“I can't,” replied Selena, “I have to prepare for the class that I will be teaching this quarter.” She got up to leave. “Have fun!”

“I'll be coming with you,” said Jet as Selena left. “I am also an apprentice, after all.”

The four of them made their way to a small hall in the back of the central tower. When they entered, Chad discovered why Quartz had said chaos. The room was filled with apprentices and abecedarians. One wall was completely covered in papers and most of the activity was happening on that side of the room.

“Those are the class descriptions,” Jet said over the noise of the crowd while indicating the paper covered wall. “You can learn what classes cover as well as when and where they meet from their descriptions. Once you have decided what you want to learn, you just show up at the class. Just make sure that you meet all of the requirements.”

“I like to think of the class selection process as controlled chaos without the control,” added Quartz. “Also, keep your eye out for individual classes with abecedarians, masters, and wizards. You probably couldn't get one of those yet, but most people consider those 'real' apprenticeships. So, shall we get this party started?”

“Meet out front in 30 minutes?” Jet asked the group.

“Sounds good.” replied Chad.

“Actually,” said Mallory, “I am meeting up with some of my friends later. It was good to meet you, Chad.”

30 minutes later, Chad met up with Jet and Quartz in front of the tower.

“Dude, you look terrible,” Quartz remarked as Chad walked up.

“That... was overwhelming.” Chad didn't know how else to put it. He still wasn't sure which classes he needed to take, much less what classes he should take. “And you two weren't much help, throwing me in there like a chicken to wolves.”

“We aren't known as troublemakers for nothing.” Quartz winked at him.

“There isn't that much we could have done to prepare you anyways,” added Jet. “Don't worry about it too much. You said you have to take some of the novice classes, right? Those should help you figure things out. Also, most of the masters that are teaching do it because they enjoy it. So, they are good resources to talk to after you get to know some of them.”

“For now, why don't you take the classes you know you need and join us for the rest of the time when you can?” said Quartz.

Chad was a little hesitant to go along with this because it seemed like a haphazard method of learning. He would have preferred to start with the basics in every subject and work his way up. The problem was that he didn't know what the basics were. “Well, I guess that will have to do seeing as it is the only plan I have.”

They met up with Selena later that evening for dinner. While they were eating, they discussed their schedules only to find that the classes Chad had to take overlapped with a lot of the classes the siblings were taking. So, he still had some free time during the day he should find classes for.

“I know,” Jet addressed his dilemma, “why don't you go to Selena's class. It's during our special weapons lessons, so we can't go. But, that shouldn't stop you.”

“That sounds good. I didn't realize when Selena's class was.” said Chad.

“That's because I didn't tell you and Jet said she wouldn't tell you either.” Selena gave Jet an accusatory glare.

“Why didn't you want us to know when your class was?” Quartz said, getting defensive for his sister.

“Because it is going to be my first class and I am nervous and I want to be able to hang out with you guys to get away from teaching, not to be reminded of it.”

“So, would you rather I didn't come?” asked Chad. “I can find another class.”

“No, that is all right. If it is just you, it will be okay, as long as Quartz won't be joining you. Just please avoid talking about the class outside of class,” Selena replied.

“Why me? Why is it always me!” Quartz shouted.

“Now that I know when I am going to be in class, I should let Master Sanders know so that he can work out my kitchen schedule,” Chad said, completely ignoring Quartz's outburst.

“I admire your ability to work in the kitchen of your own free will. I could never do that,” Jet commented, ignoring Quartz's face pleading for acknowledgement.

“I should get going then. I will see you guys later.”

As Chad left for the kitchen, he could hear Quartz still muttering, “why me, why is it always me?”

Master Sanders was not in the kitchen. However, Master Baldy, Master Sanders' right hand woman, was there and she arranged for Chad to help prepare breakfast the next day and said that he could nail things down with Master Sanders then. Chad went from there back to the dormitories to sleep. After all, starting tomorrow his life as a normal apprentice would begin, or so he thought.