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I had found my very self, being pulled apart into countless little beads, that were thrown across a vast distance, and then I was remade, in an entirely different space.

When the last molecule was reattached, I felt nauseous, and feel over on my hands and knees, assuming the ‘orz’ position, then I vomited almost everything inside my stomach, spewing it all over a well-maintained, dragon-shaped bush. It looked like it was done by a master horticulturist, but, sadly, it was now dressed with my puke.

I stood up, wobbling, turning around, and saw the twins lying asleep, on some bags, the dog sleeping, belly-up, just below them, sparks of electricity dancing on his tail. How powerful was Lola Leona? I can’t even conceive how much mana, and precision, and thinking was needed for that teleportation spell.

Oddly enough, this place, which seemed like a courtyard, was empty. It was beautiful, though. The space was surrounded by large redbrick walls that were capped with white stone, and cobblestone paths that led to a central square, where a fountain stood, lined with grass sculptures, made in the shape of magical creatures.

I started patting my pockets – it seemed Lola Leona, gave me new clothes –, and I felt a square bulge – not anything you’re thinking of, mind you. I reached in, and took something out. In my hand: was a Smartphone. Harold, who sold me this, told me it was all the rage, pre-Anabasis, and it didn't need any kind of mana to operate, you just need to charge its battery with electricity, which, luckily for me, was an easy find. I just had to place the phone on top of a custom-built table, and let the dog sleep under it – the dog in question was named Kidlat, and it was a thunderdog that the twins had managed to tame –, and voilà!

I stood on the cobblestone path, while a fiddled with my phone, connecting to the internet, and looking for some noteworthy news:

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All Designates sent to Scholomance, GodbornCouer du Soleil opened for public viewingNew Breed of Dog, createdOdin chooses Einherjar, in place of mythical ValkyriesHercules Program, successGaruda rebel group, annihilatedActor Ulysses Baracelli, found dead in hotel roomUK, to give asylum to members of Ordo FerrusGlamour: A Love Story, disastrous openingZhao Long Online sells 10 million, first weekCrown-Prince Damien de Reveur survives latest assassination attemptGenital enhancement, fake!Dragon-sighting over Rockies, hoaxRevival of Funk?Last-known Null commits suicide

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If I recall, the Godborn were kids my age that were born with a very large mana-cap. I guess everything has an opposite, and isn’t Couer du Soleil, the headquarters of the Ordo Sol? They must be really confident in their secrecy, or something, and a new breed of dog? Isn’t Kidlat, a new breed of dog, too? I don’t even think that this Odin-fellow is the real deal. Wait… what was the Hercules Program, again? Garudamn. Died? Must’ve been drugs or something, and though, I didn’t like his movies, he was a good performer. Ordo Ferrus going to the UK? What happened to them? Glamour… the only thing that movie has going for it, is that it stars Margaret Vulpes. Zhao Long’s monthly subscription fee is too expensive for a poor guy like me. Prince Damien… I remember Lucinda wanting to marry him, or something. Magical enhancements, wouldn’t work on me, anyway. How long has a dragon been last seen flying, anywhere? Funk never died, it just hid. That last bit just sounds depressing.

A big plus of the Anabasis was that the internet became more widespread, according to what Harold told me. If the Anabasis didn't occur, internet in the boonies, deserts, in the middle of jungles would just be a pipe dream, and I'd have died of boredom in the village, a long, long time ago.

I looked back to the twins, and suddenly there was a tall, black-haired person in front of me. I was surprised, almost dropping my phone.

He had pale, white skin and looked to be East Asian, but his eyes were a piercing blue. He looked to be my age, but a head taller. “Shura Polzin-Wakahisa, Reiseführer for the day, or subsequent days, if inclined. Grandmother Lion told me of your arrival,” he said, his hands stretched towards me, “and of the… special circumstances that led to this.” He was wearing a worn-out jacket over a blue v-neck, checkered shorts, and slippers that had x-shaped straps – usually worn by old people in the Philippines.

I blinked my eyes for a moment, unsure of what to do. His voice was very peculiar, it sounded like an instrument played, continuously, in only one note. And Grandmother Lion? Oh, Lola Leona! And he was my what? Rice-pourer? Well it sounded like German, probably meant something like: guide. “I’m Juan Xavier Lee,” I took his hand and shook it, “but please, just call me Xavier.” I released his hand.

His face was blank, and he nodded. “Then, call me Shura. Do you hunger? Lunchtime now, No need for worry, I am privy to your economic situation. School cafeteria is free, but if economic conditions become satisfactory in the unforeseen future: then, some restaurants in the Non-Academic district might prove adequate for your tastes. This time, though, payment will be done by me.”

I stood still, confused. “Wait, wait, wait,” I waved my hands all over the place, “Isn’t there a procedure for my enrolling here, or something?” It’d be great, if there wasn’t, but it would seem too informal for a school like this, to be like that.

“Worry not, questions will be answered. Meal is suitable – mandatory for dialogue between strangers, additionally, child-companions and thunderhound you brought on arrival are starting to wake,” he pointed to the direction of the twins, who were getting off the pile of bags and Kidlat, who was yawning. When the twins’ feet were safely on the ground, he made gestures with his hands, and a flash of light erupted from his hands, forming a circle that passed through the twins and Kidlat, and the bags, but as it did, the bags vanished, and the circle of light dispersed.

The twins and I looked at the spot where our bags was, and back to Shura. “Where the fuck’s our bags?” I shouted, indifferent to the vulgarity of my language, among children. In hindsight, if they picked up on those words, and used them, Lola Leona will kill me.

Shura had a look of mock-shock, before dropping his expression into his default one and raised his hands in surrender. “Worry is needless. Luggage has been transported, directly, to your room.” He looked at the twins. “It is uncivil of me, but might I know the identities of your acquaintances?”

I smiled, and gestured for the twins and Kidlat to come close, and stand beside me, they didn’t, but instead stood behind me, their little heads sticking out at my sides, while Kidlat sat beside Lucas. I placed my hands on top of their heads – seeing as they just reached my waist –, and ruffled their hair, making them giggle. “The dog is Kidlat, a thunderhound they tamed. The one on my right is Lucas, and on my left, is Lucinda. Their parents were traveling merchants, and contracted Blue Pox, and their last stop was the town I lived in.”

Lucinda tugged the hem of my shirt, and looked up to me. “Wat is Bwoo Pohks?” she asked.

I smiled at her. “Nothing you need to worry about,” I looked back at Shura, “They’re gonna be two, soon. Isn’t that right?” At my questioning, the twins bobbed their heads in affirmation, it was very cute.

Shura placed a closed hand on his chest, and did a slight bow, straightened himself and smiled at the twins. “Shura Polzin-Wakahisa. Guide for this day. Meeting you, pleased,” he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. He looked at Kidlat, “as am I with you, thunderhound.”

Kidlat barked in response, his tail wagging. He seemed very happy about the acknowledgment, but then, Lucinda made her way on his back, and was now riding him. I swear I could feel him roll his eyes, resigning himself to the position of mount.

“Um… why do you talk funny?” Lucas asked, now hiding the entirety of his body behind me, seeing as Lucinda was sleeping on the dog’s back, leaving him alone. He was always a shy kid, never really upfront, like Lucinda was, except for this time, though, but what a weird question to be asking someone you’ve met. He must be really intrigued. I was too, but questioning it like that is a bit too rude, I feel.

Shura smiled, briefly. “It is how I grew up, speaking.” His voice actually held another note.

After some questioning between the twins and Shura, we headed towards the Non-Academic District, which Shura told me was the southernmost district of the school. On the way, I asked him questions regarding the school.

Apparently, the school was located somewhere in scenic Transylvania, and was the Scholomance of legend – and here I thought, magic was a recent invention –, and it offered education from elementary all the way up to the university level. The classes for elementary to high school were still as it was, a century ago, except for the added subjects concerning magic. I think, I’m screwed, if they try to measure my aggregate magic – which is non-existent. I feel kind of jealous that the Godborn are here.

As I was about to ask, Shura assured me that the owner of the school – who must be God, or another deity –, knew of my circumstances, and he was even overjoyed to have the twins, and would love it, if I enrolled, too. Shura did tell me of the school rankings, though, which included the mana-cap, so basically, I was on the deepest pit. The rankings were separated: one for the elementary level, one for the high school level, one for those practicing witchcraft, another for wizards, one more for the sorcery students, one for all university students, and, lastly, an overall ranking of all students.

Then, about the school grounds: Scholomance’s layout was made up of five interlocking rings, making it look like a four-petalled flower, each making up a district. We were at the middle district (or Dragon’s Peak as it was called, apparently). The northern district was called the Spawning Grounds (really the elementary and high school district). The Non-Academic District was called the Pleasure Section (a little too on the nose, I feel). The western district was the Forest (just that). The eastern district was named the Field of Battle (on account of the Arena being found there).

The Dragon’s Peak (formally, the University Grounds, but called Dragon’s Peak, because of the rumors of a dragon resting below the grounds, and for the dragon statue that stood on the roof of a specific structure) was slightly elevated, and was centered on the main Academic building, where the administrative offices were found, and where those of the highest tiers in the overall ranking had their classes with the some of the most-talented magi in the world. Surrounding the Dragon’s Peak were the various laboratories – open to all university students –, and beside these buildings were the rooms for the university students’ classes, and between the classrooms and laboratories were six dormitories (two for the boys, two for the girls, and two unisex dorms, which was weird, considering the latent libido of many students, especially in the male psyche).

Buildings of note in Dragon’s Peak (except for the Peak, itself) were: the Rider’s Wait Dormitory (where all the Godborn, and Shura, stayed), the Mermaid Pools (where mermaids… pool?), the Court of Ishtar (a very beautiful garden, I was told), the Viscount’s Trump (one of only two cafés in the University Grounds) and St. George Library, or the Dragon’s Hoard (the largest repository of arcane knowledge, outside of the Vatican and the Library of Congress, and unlike those two, the contents of the Library were open to anyone, who was a student or teacher of the school). There also looked to be a Baroque and Chinese blend in the architecture of the structures

We passed the paifang gate with Corinthian columns that separated the Dragon’s Peak from the, um, Pleasure Section, as it was called, while Shura continued on with his pseudo-tour of the school. By all accounts, it seemed that the only places worth going (if you were a visitor) was Dragon’s Peak, the Forest, and the Field of Battle.

The Pleasure Section was divided into four: the Palatial Grounds (for the fancy restaurants and cafés), the Peasant’s Quarter (for fast food and cheap cafés), the Merchant Square (for groceries, gadgets, clothes, furniture, etc.), and the Arcane Court (for entertainment, and all your magical needs). Allegedly, the names were left from when the school was first founded, during the middle ages. Each division had a certain theme, the Grounds had medieval European fantasy, the Quarter was exactly what a rural village would like during the Feudal Ages, the Merchant Square was a hodgepodge of different eras, and the Arcane Court was the most modern-looking of the four.

We were heading to the Peasant’s Quarters (apparently, Shura was a peasant, too). The restaurant, he led us to, was a typical family restaurant – homely feeling, cheap food, few people –, and it felt comfortable, to say the least, and – oddly enough – it was called Homely.

We sat at a table near the windows with the twins and me on one side of the table, and Shura alone in the other. He started talking about the school regulations, class schedule, etc. (he was avoiding questions about the state of my enrolment) as we waited for a waitress, to come and take our order.

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