(Yes, I'm bored enough to try to write a story

Don't laugh too much, I'm REALLY bored

Also, I know I don't know how the crap to write a story...I'm just gonna wing it

Uhh...how to start it?

Once upon a time...

A long long time ago...in a galaxy far away...even though it's the future?

Duhh, uhh, deerrr...)

Chapter 1, The Gates

It all started with the commander calling me from class, she doesn't call you to him directly
unless it's something important, I was excused for the class I was currently doing and I headed to
his office. As I passed by the others they seemed to be staring, knowing that something was
going to happen, what could it possibly be? It was only my 6th year, I hadn't done anything
wrong... just a simple student, learning at average speed, I've always had a knack for the
physical arts, never so good with mental arts, but that's generally how it goes, most people are
never equally good at one or the other, but skill in both are absolutely needed no matter how
good you are in one practice. Why be the master of swords when an enemy can crush your mind
from miles away? Why be a master magician when a simple cloaking spell can get an assassin
close enough to kill you before you can defend yourself? The only problem was that most people
have at least some skill in both arts, I have a very limited talent for it, barely able to conjure
destructive spells, but basic understanding of mending with the Flow, but still very limited.

(I think I'm not making a terrible story so far...)

I finally arrive at the door to her office, I've always said this place is too big for its own good, I
knock, I hear someone inside say, "Come in, it's open." I opened the door and entered. I've only
seen the commander once before, when I entered into the Gates maybe 15 or 16 years ago, and
she still looks the exact same as she did that day. This plain woman sitting behind a plain desk
was easily the second most powerful being in existence, if you don't believe that the Beast
Deities were around. Rumors say they're in hiding, where even the Creator can't find them, or
that they actually died on the assault on the Core a few thousand years ago.

Although she looked like a plain woman, if you looked at her you wouldn't just see a plain
woman, you'd see one of the two Valkyries of the Gates, what you'd see is almost limitless
power, not visible, but the feel of the air and the ground around you, vibrating with the energy
that streams through her. Although the power is soothing, even heals through the sheer amount
of power that flows about, you still cannot ignore how terrifying raw power is to be near. It's
almost hard to keep yourself steady when talking to her. It's bad enough that unless she wears
special armbands that restrict flow of power most people she talks to in meetings and speeches
and all those things that important people like she does, they simply pass out or sometimes go
mad, by her recommendation the first thing that you learn in the academy is how to make the
energy around you flow around, and not enter the body, which is how the side effects happen.

She simply stares into nothing, heavy in thoughts I guess, then comes to and looks me in the
eyes, the amount of force that I'm used to is by teachers, powerful but in pale comparison to
who's just simply looking in my general direction, I try using what I've learned, but there's simply
just too much of it, I almost fall over before she notices and eases the pressure. "Sorry, I forget
sometimes, I'm lost in thought, it's not every day I get a letter saying what this one that I have
for you says."

Don't worry, it's nothing bad, in case you're wondering, just orders from higher-ups, I've been
told to tell you where to go and who to talk to, that's all, it won't take long at all, have a seat."
she points to my right, I could have sworn the room was empty before I looked over, but there's
a chair that seems to have been there the entire time, thinking about it for a second I simply
remember who I'm in the presence of. I sit down and the commander raises a letter in her hand,
"Hrist, it's simple, you're wanted by Him,"

By the word Him my heart sank a little, not only being called upon by the commander himself,
but then to be sent to see the Creator, the ruler and maker of the Gates, the most powerful being
in existence, something has to be wrong. Although He is always with us, talking to us often,
giving help and advice when in need, always watching, he is a kind ruler, but to be personally
summoned by Him to meet in person is beyond rare. Two times in a beings life you will see him
in person, when you enter the Gates for the first time and when you graduate the Academy.

"I can take a guess why, but that's not my place to say, you're to be sent to him right away."

"You have been in this academy for 6 years, you're the top student in the physical tests, both
endurance and mental endurance, but you're severely lacking in controlling the Flow," I know
I've always had it bad in that area, and I've always admitted it, but the truth really hurts
sometimes... "Either way, although a few years early, this situation calls for it. Congratulations,
you've officially passed the Academy, you're a Aesir, but in name only, you lack the powers to be
one, but again, this situation calls for it."

"I know you have questions, but time is short, if He wants you then He can answer them,
because He has told me nothing other than to send you to him, make you a Valkyrie and to
collect your armor and weapon of choice, say good-bye to friends, because it's most likely you
won't be seeing them for a very, very long time." This was all coming a bit fast, I've never been
one to care for much, always quiet, thinking I have a good idea of what life is.. But this? Leaving?
Good-byes? Graduating when I'm absolutely not ready for the tests..will I even have to do the
tests? "My assistant will escort you to your rooms, let you gather your things, say whatever you
need to say to whomever you want to say it to, then guide you to where you need to go. Know
that this day your life changes, Hrist, and when I see you next I have no doubt I'll have to worry
about you stumbling from my powers, which is a good thing, I never do get to have long
conversations." she chuckled, while I'm sitting here receiving the news of my life as I know it is
going to be completely changed and most likely never to be returned to what it is, she's
chuckling....

(Story is building up, oooo)

(I have to find the hot key for italics because typing He and Him are really slowing me down)

His assistant takes me to my own room... says to gather my things... what things? Clothes?
Food? Money? My notes? What? I look around my room, no one else is here right now, most likely
still in class where I should be right about now, but I'm stuck here confused out of my mind and
being told to gather "Things" when I don't know what he means by "Things"!
Then I think of it, the only "Thing" of "Things" that's worth taking, the only "Thing" in my entire
life that I would never leave without, my necklace, given to me by what people tell me was my
mother before I entered the Gates, a simple wooden symbol of one of the Beast Deities, the
dragon deity. I look under my bed and find the chest, simple wooden thing with no lock that
anyone can stumble upon and take the dearest thing I have in my life, not exactly the safest
place to keep it..but it all ended up well I guess. I figure I might as well wait outside for the
assistant to come back to take me wherever the crap they need me to go, but he was already
out there waiting for me. "Got it?" he says, I took note that he didn't say "Got your things?" or
"Did you get everything?" He simply says "Got it?" like he knew what I was going to get..

If that's the case why didn't he just tell me "Hey go get your necklace, hurry it up!" or
something?

"Do you need to make any good-byes to friends or family?" I almost laugh, friends...family...
something I've never been blessed with here in the Gates. "No, I do not, we can leave." after that
he nods and we move on our way outside of the Academy, from the way it sounds I might never
see it again.

(Btw the hotkey is ctrl+i)

"The next place we shall go is the forge, where the smith will make your Valkyrie armor for you,
it shall be finished after you have already left and sent after you directly, but he needs
measurements for both the size and limits, and he needs to read the Flow." the assistant tells
me. By "Reading the Flow" I'll have to explain, every single living thing in this existence has the
power of the Flow, which is the life energy that is leaking off the Core, which was damaged in the
great war with the Deities, ever since then it has been leaking and flowing around into every
living thing, which grants not only the ability for people to bend the Flow to their will, but bend
the very matter of creation to do what they want. Remember that chair that popped out of
nowhere? It can easily do things like that if you know how. Not only creation you can use the flow
for, but the raw energy can be used for destruction too. Back to the point, Valkyrian armor is
special, it's made with enchantments so that the flow of power is increased through certain key
points in your body, some people have many of these points, throughout the entire body, some
have a few key ones, it is a very advanced but amazingly powerful technique to know how to find
these key points in both crafting and fighting, some people can find the key points in someone's
body and use their power to block these holes, restricting the power of their enemies severely,
even just wounding these points directly with a blade can cause the same problem. For opposite
reasons it's also important, with the enchantments you can increase this flow making you even
more powerful, but there is a limit to increasing, the raw power of the flow again isn't just
creation, but is harmful if the flow is too strong, burning away skin and nerves and losing limbs is
very easy if enchantments go wrong. The smith has to be a master of enchantments, and needs
to read the body to make for changes in the flow, key points are usually fully set by maturity, but
some can appear as you age even more, and as you grow in age these points get more spread
out, increasing the flow, the smith must also take that into account.

(In case you're wondering I TOTALLY just made all of that Flow stuff up, my own unique set of
rules, ha-ha!)

The Gates is a pretty big place, so big it's actually supposed to be its own kingdom but the
Creator doesn't care for details but his advisors finally nagged him enough to at least divide it
into sections, there's the Military section, the Soul section and the Creator's Tree. Military section
is simple, where people train their bending of the flow, train for war, and grow up and learn, it's
actually where most people live, since most families have at least one person in school. Soul
section is where most of the spirits of things that have passed in existence choose to go,
although it is not restricted to only spirits, it is a very, very large plain of beautiful flowers and
grass and trees, it's absolutely the place you want to go when you're stressed out, and most of
the time the Creator himself is wondering in those fields, helping those who are in need and
guiding souls to their loved ones, it's also where for an unexplained reason is where most of the
Flow is located, just floating around. The Creator's Tree is a seed of a tree that was planted
directly above the Core, which the Creator planted himself just seconds of ridding the world of
the last Deity, finally giving peace to those few still alive, it grew into an enormous great tree,
that you can see always in the Creator's Kingdom, no matter where you are, the Creator's room
is in this tree, so are most of the Elders, people who have done enough contributing in the world
to finally retire, living in peace with the Creator in the tree, giving wisdom to those in need, that's
where I am supposed to be heading after the forge.

The forge was a short stroll from the academy, you can already feel the Flow being constantly
bent before you even enter the forge, can feel the rumble in the ground as the Smith smashes
down the hammer, imbuing armor with power. The forge was a simple yet complicated place,
looking just like a simple forge but knowing that inside each tool is no doubt a power to be
messed with. The assistant moves on ahead and tells me to wait, a few moments later he returns
with a grizzly looking man with the look of a man who has been a smith his entire life. "Ah, I've
been expecting you, come, let us begin, time is short. " Time is always short isn't it? Yet they go
through the trouble of not rushing.. "This shouldn't take long since He has already sent the limits
of your power, just need measurements and to see the key points." How'd He know about my
limits? "You can stay behind Dylan, I'll send the newborn out afterwards." He leads me through
to the back of the forge to a simple room with nothing in it but a stand in the middle of the room.
"Go ahead and strip down, I'll be back in a moment with the measurer and Glass."

Before he could step out the door I asked him in a desperate sounding way, "Wait, strip down?
All of it?"

"Yes, all of it." he says it like it's nothing... "Unless you want your armor that you're going to be
using for the rest of your life to not fit correctly, and I'm sure you don't have the money for new
armor, and when you do want to get armor, if you can afford it, you'll still have to strip, it'll just
take a few minutes, and I've done it before a thousand times, don't be embarrassed." I had to
agree with him on his point... After an awkward five minutes of me feeling awkward and him
laughing at my awkwardness he leaves again telling me he'll be back with the Glass, but to keep
the clothes off. He returns a few seconds later with the Glass, which is an item that an expert can
use to quickly find the key points of a person, the Smith's expertise is imbuing the points, not
finding them, so he uses the Glass for it. He lifts the Glass up and looks directly at me through it,
and tells me to stop fidgeting. After a minute he simply says "That's interesting..."

"What do you mean by 'Interesting'?"

"I've seen people with low amount of key points, maybe 3 or 4, but yours...you only have one
entirely."

"One? Is that bad?"

"It would be if it wasn't so huge.. it spreads almost through your entire body, I knew the limits
that the Creator had sent were odd but now I know why."
"So, it's good?"

"Well, it's going to be hard to craft the armor for maximum effect, but I think what it is you have
many spread throughout your body and a few small ones that are large enough to connect all of
them, so it ends up being one big chain of points, I'll have to find each one of these links, it could
take awhile."

"So it's bad... " I whisper to myself

This could take awhile, I'm going to be standing here, naked, with a person staring at me for
"awhile".

"How long is 'awhile'?"

"Not long at all."

Oh, well good.

"Only a few hours, at most"

Not so good.

"But, the good news is you don't have to do it all in one sitting, we'll do an hour here than an
hour there and we'll be done before you know it."

Oh, I'm sure it will be. I sigh, what can you do?

He leaves the room and comes back in with a piece of black coal "I usually don't need to do this
but since there's so many of them I'll use this to mark the spots of the main ones, so I don't
forget anything."

Oh, so I'm going to be standing here for a few hours, with a person staring at me and drawing on
me. Goody.

First hour passes, then on the second hour of "Ah's" and "Ah-hah's!" and "Found you!" comments
followed by drawing on me he finally gives me a break to go eat lunch, it's about mid afternoon
now, and he tells me to try not to smear the coal markings too much, and lets me out to eat,
which the assistant named Dylan provides, after a simple lunch of no conversation we begin
again.

Another hour passes and then the Smith looks through the Glass, and says we're finally done, I
put my clothes back on, step out, and we're already on our way to the final destination, the
Creator's Tree.

As said before there are three sections, Military, Soul, and the Tree. From the Military section it's
a straight walk through the Soul section to get to the Tree, which isn't bad because after
standing for nearly three hours I'm ready for some rest, but walking through the Soul is probably
even better. We enter the Soul and immediately feel the heavy power of the Flow flowing
around, not heavy enough to be uncomfortable but just heavy enough to feel absolutely soothing
and relaxing, the few hour long walk will most likely feel like a nap back at my room. Dylan has
been quiet for a long time, not saying anything and just walking straight in his simple brown
robe, I think of something to say to pass the time and eventually remember something the
Commander said, that I needed to choose my weapon of choice, which I figured we would have
gotten done back at the Forge. "Weren't we supposed to get my weapon crafting done back at
the forge also? Did we forget?" He stops walking for a second, then goes into thought...then says
"Ah, I remember, I forgot to tell you, the Creator has fixed that problem for us and has your
weapon with him, and he'll be sending it after you when you leave."

"Has he chosen my weapon type for me then?"

"I'm sure you won't be disappointed, this is the Creator we're talking about." He has a good
point, and we continue walking...

Another few hours pass, we pass by spirits, starting up little conversations while they follow us to
the tree, asking questions about how things are and if we've heard anything about people they
know that still live. One knew Dylan very well, they talked about life and being in a big battle and
growing up for hours, finally his friend has to leave and soon after I ask him, "You knew each
other growing up?"

"He was my brother, he died a few years ago in a terrible raid on one of our front line camps."

"Ah, did you know he was here?"

"I did not, it is good to know his spirit found rest, and it was good to talk, I've missed him."

It got quiet after that, another few hours passed by quickly and by midnight we finally reach the
Tree. I expected to feel huge surges of power, because through this tree's branches and leaves
and roots is the exact points where the Flow flows through. Pure raw energy flowed around this
tree, but it was quiet, more of just floating than flowing, you could visibly see the smearing of the
air from the power, but it wasn't violent, in fact, it was beautiful, the colors, the tree, the grass,
the feel of the power, all of it combined was the ultimate feeling of relaxation. Dylan notices this
and instead of explaining it or saying something he simply smiles and waits, letting me
experience this thing that I will most likely never experience again. After a few minutes I finally
come to, and he says "Let us be off, he waits.".

Although this tree was thousands of feet tall, it felt as if we blinked around it, passing through a
simple passage to find a small town or village of Elders, all greeting me with respect and saying
their blessings, then turning another corner and being somewhere entirely different, finally we
came to a simple house carved out of the tree itself, no bigger than any other house I've seen in
the tree, and Dylan says "He waits inside, blessing be with you, farewell." And that was it, I go up
to the door, about to see the Creator himself in person, I open the door and peer inside...

And see nothing... No one's here, it's empty, a desk, some papers, a simple table...that's it..

Then I feel it, not power, not the Flow, just a presence, a huge weight that's upon the world,
directly behind me, I turn, and what I see is..well, nothing

It's a cloud of smoke, barely visible, that's moving through the air like it's a living thing, I hear in
my head "Excuse me, I was just getting back from the Soul section, paying visits and all that
good stuff." The voice was sweet, calm, but powerful, almost terrifying. The smoke floats past
me, there's no mistake, a smoke cloud just talked to me, I'm crazy.

"You're not crazy, it's convenient to be smoke to get around, no need for doors and things of the
liking, I'll change into something you can relate to." The smoke floats over to the table and
shimmers for just a second and after that second a simple old man with a long white beard sits
down in the chair. He says aloud "I am the Creator, and you, Hrist, have been chosen by me
personally to leave the Gates and enter the realm of where you use to live, Midgard, and tutor a
very important person."

"Wait, what?"

"You are to descend to Midgard, the place where humans live simple lives, not knowing anything
about us here in the Gates, and you are to tutor a very important person so he has the means to
protect himself against dangers that are to come."

Again with the coming of the fast, today has been an entire mess... I thought it was just a simple
assignment, protect the Elders, go to the front lines, send an important message...something... I
didn't know what to expect.. But this, to descend to the realm of mortals to tutor someone?

"I...but...how... how do I?"

"I will send you there, you will know where to go and I will always send instructions on what you
need to do, I myself will get you lessons on how to tutor and while not teaching you shall be
learning from me personally, to complete your training"

"To learn? From you? Why me? Someone else...the commander... anyone, why me?"

"Simply because it was supposed to be you, Hrist. The Flow works in mysterious ways, but I know
it was supposed to be you."

"How will I get there? How will... When...How long...?"

"I will send you there through a method I have found recently, you are to be sent immediately
and you shall stay however long you think is enough for the student to be on his own."

Know that it is fate that has chosen you, for the Flow is very limited on Midgard, but the energy
that shall be stored in your armor shall be great, your limits are higher than anyone else that has
ever been, and shall last you ages because your ability of bending the Flow is very limited, but
your physical power is strong. Any questions?"

After standing there thinking for a minute or two, I didn't find it that strange, it made sense why I
was being sent, although I still think there were better options, it was like being sent on a
undercover mission I guess, maybe someone with less power would be more fitted for it? Who
knows.

"Do you have everything you need? Said goodbye to everyone? This will most likely take a few
years, he doesn't know much about what he needs to learn, but will grasp the concept quickly,
even so it still takes time."

"I've never been a social person, Creator, and I have everything I need, if need be, I guess I can
depart right now."

"No regrets, then?"

"None that I can think of right now. I'd rather leave before I can think of anything."

"Very well then, I shall start preparing the spell, it will take a few minutes, and it will take you a
few hours for you to fully travel to the other realm." He offers me a chair, a drink, some food,
simple things that he conjures with a wave of a hand, and begins chanting.

Few minutes pass, then he raises his head and says "It is done, be warned, it does not transport
you as a whole, your body shall be transported slower your spiritual self, basically, your spirit
shall be transported much faster, when you arrive you will not have a body and be but a simple
spirit for a few hours, you will be able to move around and think and do everything you normally
can except interact with physical objects. Unlike in the Gates no one will be able to see you, so
you are safe to roam, and remember, no one there has seen magic outside of their Tower in
hundreds of years, it is forbidden and you may be hunted for public acts of it, be discreet, and if
you need to contact me just think my name and I will be there. My blessings are with you."

A surge of power flows through the room, and hits me dead in the chest, suddenly I'm pushed
out of my body, my conscious suddenly entering a giant blue tunnel of dull colors and whirling
powers, I see my body suddenly enter the tunnel but quickly vanish out of view, traveling much
slower than my conscious. I hear the Creator's voice in my mind again "I will not be able to
contact you while transporting between worlds, please try to keep yourself sane by talking to
yourself constantly, your surroundings and the pure quietness is something you do not want to
dwell on. I will contact you when you arrive."

Then it was quiet, really...really...really quiet... Minutes feel like hours, hours feel like minutes,
time has no meaning here, no way to tell, I try thinking of what I'm seeing in this tunnel that I'm
flying through at un recordable speeds, but every time I try to concentrate on what's surrounding
me I only notice more and more that there's nothing there... then I remember that thinking to
myself sounds like a good idea, so I start talking to myself about how things played out in the
past day, not so good I fear, I change subject, growing up...don't remember anything before the
Gates... I try thinking of growing up in the Academy... how quiet I was I actually regret it now,
maybe if I talked I could have had a conversation to think about right now to make myself sane
for a little bit longer, but there was no need for it, before I knew it I smack in the middle of a
forest. "Welcome to Midgard, Hrist."

(You may notice I'm skipping a lot of detail, it's not that I'm not good at it, I just don't feel like
making the 7 pages I've written into 40 with stupid filler, I can always come back if I want to)

Chapter 2, Midgard

Instructions were simple for now, scout around the area and find out where I am, He told me that
if I clear this forest I should be able to see the tower, apparently this teleportation spell isn't as
accurate as I had hoped and I might have ended up somewhere entirely different from where I
was supposed to be. He told me it is very important that we not try to communicate because I
could have ended up right next to the Tower, which is where all the humans with abilities to bend
the Flow come to, so He tells me. Roaming around as a spirit isn't as bad or hard as I thought it
would be, it's just the simple task of getting used to not walking and more of leaning yourself to
move around, and the speed is much faster than walking, and does not tire you, after moving in
a straight line I finally make my way out of the forest, in this clearing is a quiet village, it looks
poor, but people are about everywhere, trading, running about, doing whatever they need to do,
I honestly expected something different, they always said that dealing with humans in the Tower
was an annoying business, that they were so different and worried about everything. I could tell
no difference between a human and a being in the Gates, looked the same, talked to the others
the same, worried about the same things, money, family, the business with the couple across the
street...

The village wasn't big, which was different, because the Gates was what I expected human
society was going to look like, but I was wrong, it's all spread out in villages here and there with
different rules and laws in almost each one. I literally hung around the village for a few hours,
trying to get used to how things worked, not much difference between how they traded too,
currency, bargaining, same things we did back at the Gates. The only problem with this place
that no matter what direction I looked around I could not see the Tower, which means I most
likely have a long walk ahead of me.

After I figured I've seen enough.... or...not seen enough of... I ventured back into the forest in the
direction where I came, found the point where I had arrived at and waited, waiting seemed
rather easy as a spirit, no constant reminder of "You need to eat" or being uncomfortable and
moving around, just...waiting... no burden of anything...

I think I fell asleep at some point, if spirits can do that, and woke up to the Creator's voice
saying something about a body, I probably should have asked him to repeat what he said, but I
didn't really care... I felt so detached to the world, nothing seemed to matter, then I see a body
falling from the sky that for some reason looked familiar. The body continues to fall and fall until
finally meeting the ground with a slight rumble of the ground, something in the back of my mind
is trying to tell me something , something important, I have the urge to go get a closer look at
the body, having some sort of voice echoing in the back of my mind, I can't make out the words,
I finally reach the body. Why does it look so familiar? Like a lost loved one or a twin, I reach out
to touch the body...

Everything suddenly became very bright and very, very loud, a voice yelling in my mind "Hrist,
touch the body, transfer your conscious into it before it's too late! Hrist!" over and over, echoing,
memories rushing in my mind of waiting, a whispering voice telling me something important,
then a calm voice finally rings in my mind, "Hrist, I'm so sorry, I didn't know if that would happen,
but in Midgard spirits without a strong will to be there, be it through hatred or love of something
so strong that their spirit is bound to a spot, but as a free roaming spirit with no will to cling to
something and no longing to go to the Soul, you were literally going to stop existing."

"Well, that was a close one then wasn't it? Was it you that I could hear in the back of my head?"

"I can only guess so, I was yelling for you to get to your body before you became nothing, I
must've gotten through to you, just in time it seems."

Taking a few minutes to get used to having a body again, the first thing I notice is how...alien this
place feels, not the constant presence of vast amounts of power flowing about, I felt...alone, I
could feel it, but only if I called it to me, not always flowing through, but more of hiding in the
shade of the world. I push the thoughts of the Flow aside, realizing only now that it's terribly cold
and I have no clothes. Just great.

"So, Oh Great Creator, do you have any clue where I am? Maybe something good will go right
today."
"I told you I was sorry, transporting things between worlds is a new method that even I have
problems with. You couldn't have strayed too far from where I intended you to land, which was a
few miles away from the Tower.

Maybe that's why the supplies I sent after you didn't show up, maybe they're scattered around
that entire forest? Or in entirely different areas?"

"You would have more of a clue of that than me, Creator... But if that's the case why would my
body have landed but a few yards from my spirit at the time?"

"Maybe it was lured to you, your presence, could have been absolute luck, or the supplies I sent
were simply lost in the tunnel between the worlds? We may never know, but the thing we do
know is that you need supplies."

"Yes, I really do, it's almost nighttime, maybe I can steal a few things from the village I was
visiting? There were certainly a lot of stands for such things that I saw of."

"Although I don't support stealing, this is a situation that I can look past, do what you must, if
you have any problems contact me, for now I must rest."

I felt the contact of the Creator failing away, and then suddenly vanish. In all my life I had never
felt so alone before, always there was a connection to the Creator, but now... absolutely
nothing...

After getting over the new feeling of isolation, I got focused, I was very cold and hungry, I made
up my mind and decided to try to steal a few things from the nearby village, but I needed to wait
a few hours, at least, a bit longer for everyone to settle down and not likely to spot me, I decided
to make a fire, yes, don't be surprised, I know how to do that, what was the Academy for if I
didn't know how to make a simple fire?

I almost surprised myself when I was able to kill a rabbit with the power of the Flow, I detected it
by feeling the movement of the Flow, which was much easier here on Midgard rather than in the
Gates where the Flow is constantly moving around, making it restricted only to masters to locate
living things through the technique. I picked up on how to cook at least a rabbit just through
having to live alone in the Academy. Having a small meal most likely did more than just making
me realize how hungry I really was, in the Gates something like this would have filled me for
days, but again I underestimate how much effect the Flow had on every aspect of life back in the
Gates. Looking on the bright side always helped though, I saw many amazing things in the
market earlier today, foods I had never seen, no one in the Gates really cared about exploring in
the ways of food, eating was more of an annoyance than an entire part of life.

Hours pass by, and I ready myself, which... really didn't take long considering... which I don't find
a very good thing... I find the village again quite easily, but decide to find a better angle to come
in at. Finding a better spot to enter only takes a minute of circling the tree line, and it was luckily
located right next to a house near the markets, I sneak my way next to the house and figure I
might as well try out trying to locate the Flow for people inside, which comes to me very easily,
no one in the house seems to be moving, and the Flow seems to be moving slowly, most likely
meaning they're asleep, which must've been lucking time I thought, in the Gates you only had to
sleep a night every week or so, I figured I'd have more time later to think about such things.
After completing the scan by reading the Flow I smile at the fact that I might actually have a
knack for something related to the Flow and silently entered the house.
I figured I was around the age of 17 or 18 when I entered the Gates and was exposed to the vast
amounts of Flow, which not only apparently make the body require amazingly low amounts of
food, water and rest, but also keep the body young, even after spending 16 years in the Gates I
might not have aged maybe 1 or 2 years physically for humans here on Midgard. This house
must have housed a person around my physical age because I found clothes that fit well enough
to wear in an empty room, maybe I was lucky today and this person was out of town tonight,
although that seems unlikely because I don't feel very lucky at all in the recent days.

The clothes I found was a simple gown, which I hoped I will actually get lucky and find a jerkin or
something more liking to fit a mercenary or bodyguard, my plan was to find some things to make
me look like enough of one to be hired and might learn a few things about where the Tower is
located with some bonuses. I thought for moment that "Now that I have some clothing I won't
need to sneak around anymore" but quickly thought that a woman that no one has most likely
seen in this small village in nothing but a gown, no shoes, in the middle of the night, roaming
around looking for things to steal would be a very good disguise. Still keeping to the shadows,
which was both hard to do and awkward to do in this gown, I finally make it to the market, make
a quick note of people in house and confirm that they're all asleep, I make my way to silently
raid traders stores. Wasn't long at all before I found plenty of food and quickly helped myself to
cheeses and few foods that I recognized, after eating enough food I quickly moved on looking for
things to help with a disguise, this took longer but I finally found simple leather outfits and
moved on to find some sort of weapon. What I found was a poorly made sword that at least fit
my needs, though this thing may not be so poorly made for humans, I might have just been
spoiled to angelic wears that were made in the Gates. Before I left I thought of the great idea of
bringing some food along with me, I went back to the wears house and found myself some hip
packs and a simple bag that I could carry on my shoulders, went to the food stores and stuffed
them full of food and moved on.

I started heading back to the campfire, moving quickly out of the village and back into the forest.
On the way to the campfire I found another rabbit and quickly disposed of it, and carried it back
with me to my campfire, I figured this food will not last forever so I might as well still have at a
chance for food. Arriving at my campfire came with a relieving sight that my fire was still going.

(I was going to add a part where some sort of creature like a Dryad or Wight would track her
through the forest, with great action scenes and possibly EROTIC scenes! But then I realized I'm
way too lazy.)

Surprised once again by the effects of the Flow, I felt tired after just 2 days of being awake, I
suddenly felt as if I hadn't slept in over a month. After about half an hour of fidgeting around I
finally got enough fallen leaves to make a somewhat comfortable place to lay down, and after
about thirty seconds of being attacked by bugs of the night I figured I might as well try to
manage some sort of basic ward. What came out of my attempts at wards worked very well, and
kept out the small bugs and I was finally able to fall asleep.

No covers and being too tired to get up to warm up the fire was a price I didn't want to pay for in
the morning, but I did nonetheless. Cold mornings are something I can certainly mark as
something to not spend time doing on my visit here to Midgard. After rousing myself from a
heavy sleep I began the fire again and held out some of my fruits and cheese to warm up from
the cold night, discovering that rabbit doesn't last nights in the forest very well, they were the
only things I had, and scanning the area around me was the most I was willing to do for some
bonus food. After a somewhat nice meal I checked if the Creator had recovered, and sadly that
wasn't the case. I needed a plan, and I figured I had one, find a road leading away from the
village, get to a new village and look for some information of my whereabouts, and try to do
what I came here to do.

Packing of my things were simple, since I had so little, and I made my way to the village for
hopefully the final time. After staying out of obvious sight from the town, since I thought I might
be recognized wearing stolen clothes and an unfamiliar face in a small village, I made it to the
road and was finally through with the disguising act. Walking along the road, passing by travelers
and farmers on the road wasn't rare, and I rather enjoyed the company and information.
Although I was overly cautious and didn't try to act like I was completely alien to this place I was
able to find out I was leaving a place called Jirard Village and I was now heading towards a large
town everyone simply calls the Monastery, which I can guess is a town named so because of a
heavy influence of religion or a great Monastery built there. From what the various people told
me on my trip it would take would take around 2 weeks on foot, which I silently complained
about on my walks. Sleeping a good distance away from the road at night seemed to be working
fine, although still not at all comfortable, I managed.

It was another quiet night when I realized something may have been following me as I made my
way to make a campfire for the night, but after a quick scan of the area I found that it was just
my imagination, and I started making my fire. Then something touched my shoulder, before I
could even think about what it was I drew my sword and flashed it through the air before
whatever it was could react and I lopped off a limb,. I flung myself out of my sitting position and
looked at my foe, with a frown of regret I realize it was a simple bandit, that was now screaming
in pain on the ground from just being maimed for life. Holding his now half missing arm the man
nearly screams at me, "Wh...what the hell are you?!" with my bloodied sword still drawn I
approach the man that is slowly crawling backwards as I approach. What was this feeling?
Holding a life of a mortal in one's bloody hands? Should I finish this weeping man before me? No,
my head tells me, you're not a murderer, although a bandit I could feel the energy around him,
somehow telling me he had no harmful intentions other than to try to save a family in need. Or
should I leave this man to fend for his own with a severed arm? Will he even make it out of this
forest alive? I had no bandages, nothing to save this weeping man from the embrace of death I
have forced upon him. The man crawls against a tree, when I raised my blade and made my
choice. I slammed down the back of my blade against the man's head knocking him out cold and
silencing his cries for mercy.

With the man's life still in my hands I had a feeling of what to do, fuse the man's arm to stop the
bleeding. It's simple really, with the Flow create a slightly heated area to bind the severed hand
with the arm and trying to use the Flow at the same time to heal the wounds. If I couldn't restore
blood flow and maybe a little bit of feeling to the hand I would simply instantly fuse the opened
wound and he would be handless man forever more, which is better than bleeding to death I
thought. The best that could happen is that it stops the bleeding and may actually return some
feeling and may actually have the ability to use the hand in the future, either way, it was a
gamble I was going to take. I gathered up the severed hand and started the work with the now
unconscious man, figuring time was short I made sure to line up the all of the veins enough for
the Flow to take over the precision work, and began fusing. After 20 minutes of attempts and
failures, thinking the hand was successfully fused when I tried to move it it simply fell off again,
but eventually it stayed on tight enough, then I tried restoring blood flow and feeling, after
another 20 minutes I had nothing, at that point the bleeding had stopped and I had all the time I
needed, then finally from what I thought was a silent urge of power I restored his hand, I left the
man alone in that campfire and moved on.
I didn't sleep this night, I stayed awake all night walking down the road while thinking of the
man's pleading, crying face. It was a slow but hazy day, almost sleeping while I was walking
down this road, passing no one on the road may have been a good thing this day, as soon as it
was night again I ate something simple and fell asleep, without a campfire.

A week flashed by quickly, and I recovered to my normal self after but a few days, returning to
my daily routine of waking up, eating, walking most of the day, eating about mid day then
setting up camp and hoping to find some sort of bonus food on my treks into the woods to make
fire for the night. One day suddenly things started getting more crowded on the road and started
seeing farms and hearing gossip about Monastery, I must be near I thought, and that thought
was quickly confirmed by the sight of a giant hill with a giant Monastery resting on top, and with
a stroke of luck I also saw something not far from here, the Tower.

(I don't know how to start this part....)

(No handlebars song is stuck in my head...can't think about the story....rrrggr...)

(no handlebars....no handlebars...)

(no metronome...no metronome...)

(Hey! Kill Bill volume 2 is on!)

(Ending credits of volume one, playing a Japanese song, is it good that I can understand half of
what the person is saying?)

(Something about hating a stupid foolish monster, but still loving him, sad romance!)

(ha-ha...BONJOURNO!)

(Silly Brad Pitt)

(ok finally thought of something...)

Chapter 3, Ze Tower.

Picking up pace with a burst of motivation I make it to the town gate within an hour, safely
entering the gates without any questions surprised me, but I didn't care to investigate why, and
made my way to the nearest... Well, I was going to head to an inn to get a warm meal but I
forgot I still had no money... What to do about that? I needed something now, I couldn't try my
guard idea because I needed information in this town, and really I didn't even need to since the
tower was so close... I just needed money to get there... I could resort to stealing again but in a
town like this I don't think it would be easy to do, I can't risk it. Maybe... I thought... Maybe, just
maybe, the church gives hand-outs? Certainly a town named "Monastery" for having a giant
church in the middle of the town, they must be known for kindness? I can only hope. I start
heading for the church when I realize something... this place smells... really bad... rotten food,
mostly vegetables, it seems, but I have no idea where it's coming from...this place has dirt roads
and mostly poor houses in this part but it's still clean... I pass the terrible smell a few minutes
later and take a sigh of relief, it really did smell awful.
After making my way through the market and it seemed like some sort of festival was going on
and I had to weave my way through that too, which served me well by letting me slip some free
food that had out, it was sweet and sugary and filled my stomach quickly, after trying to find out
what this festival was about and failing I made my way up the hill to the Church. After an
annoying climb uphill I finally approach the door and I'm about to open it when a force hit me
dead in my tracks, like hitting a giant invisible brick wall, another curious thing was when I hit
this "wall" I heard some sort of bell sound in my head. I reach my hand out trying to open the
door and sure enough my hand stops on an invisible wall, and I hear the bell sound in my head
again... Then another feeling comes through, a feeling of absolute fear in the back of my mind,
yelling for me to run, run far, far away from where I am standing right now, this feeling is not
ignored for a slightest second, and I burst into full speed running the moment before the door of
the church blast open followed by the scream of nearby civilians, I don't dare to look what causes
it and keep running, but then the feeling of absolute fear just fades away...

It doesn't seem that anyone was harmed, but what was that? It wasn't cast by someone, no, not
enough Flow in the area to even cause something that big... was it a booby trap? But why would
someone booby trap a church? People entered before me, yet they didn't set it off... was it
meant for me? Or maybe... Someone of my power? A defense against spell users? Yes, that's
most likely it. Moments later priests from inside the church come out and start yelling things I'm
too far to understand, but what I did understand was all of them were pointing and yelling at me.
I suppose if they set a trap to kill someone like me and know it was me, then my stay is over
welcomed and it's time to get out of here as fast as possible. Guess I was going to have to steal
something after all, I noticed a stable as I was coming into the gates and figured I might as well
steal a horse and make a straight run to the Tower, from up on this hill I could see that it was no
more than a day's ride on a horse.

Guards emerged from the church and nearby streets to answer the call of the screaming people
and were soon after me, if they knew I was a Flow user why hide my power anymore? Sucking in
the Flow around me I was able to speed up enough to flee the scene before they knew where I
was going and made my way down the streets, once I was out of sight of the nearby guards I
slowed down and melded with the crowd, soon I was down the hill and past the festival area and
then through the markets, then at the area that smelled like rot and found the stables at the
gates. I didn't have to wait long, someone just coming in to put their horse in the stable, a quick
shove and punch here and there and I had my horse... and the attention of all the guards. Again
using the Flow I was able to calm the horse and control it enough to make it dash through the
oncoming guards and through the crowd and made it out of the gate before anyone really knew
what was happening, and started my quick journey to the Tower, where I might find out a few
things about what happened at the church, and this person I'm seeking.

The pursuers were left to wonder what trickery I used to get away so quickly, and I guess their
conclusion was probably quickly realized when they noticed that I was heading straight for the
Tower, and they stopped following. While I was riding my way straight to the Tower, I thought of
something....Am I just going to barge in? What should I do? I don't doubt that there's someone in
there that wouldn't notice I'm different, or at least I think I'm different... What would be different?
I am human, originally, but the Flow in the Gates change people who stay there... I'm not human
anymore, I've been changed by living in the Flow for so long. After a few minutes of thinking, I
realize I have nothing, so I'll disguise as a new student and enter the place, that's the best I can
do, if I'm found out, we'll deal with that, I'm sure they won't be openly hostile, they may bow
down to me for all I know...
When I get close enough to the Tower, just out of sight, let the horse go and change into the
gown that I stole awhile back, I figured my story would be something like the people in my town
found I was a sorcerer and tried to kill me at night and since then I have been running for my life
to reach the tower, I was from Jirard and my name was Alicia.

(I'm so original with the names)

I roll in some dirt to make it look like I've been on the road for awhile, take off my boots, take off
my gloves, take my sword and cut my finger and put some blood around my feet, as if I've been
walking the entire time with no shoes, and put on a sad face and make my way to the wall
surrounding the Tower. Unsurprisingly as I was walking up to the gates I broke a few barriers just
by walking, when I reached the Gates there was a much stronger barrier guarding it, not strong
enough for me to break, but enough that I would attract some attention, I figure since the first
few were so weak anyone with any amount of powers could just simply walk through them,
maybe that's the way they know if you're worthy, but this one wasn't meant to be broken by
someone who already knew they had powers, and the powers to even break it, so I started
knocking. In a weak voice saying "Please help me..." over and over, forcing myself to cry and
knocking on the door seemed to do the trick, and the gates opened up, I guess I was expected to
walk in, since no one came to get me, I made my way into the Tower.

(I totally don't feel like it but this is where the story actually STARTS. If I'm serious about this it
could be curing my nightly boredom for quite awhile.)

The place was huge, at least a hundred stories tall, hundreds of feet wide, a white tower with
windows, balconies, pipes, everything surrounding the outside, this could hold thousands of
people, and it most likely does. As I approached the main door, maybe a dozen feet tall and wide
with runes and carving all over, opened up before me, still, no one operating any of these things
personally. I enter into a main hall lamps and torches spread around everywhere, but plenty of
light entering by the grand windows lined around the room, the smell of food filling the room, but
it was from somewhere else, then I hear a voice from nearby, "Welcome to the Tower... I am
Kael, and you're in safe hands now, I'm sure you're hungry... if you will follow me we will get you
some food and begin your stay here." I look from where it was coming and it was a sideway to
my right, a simple young but tall man with a lean face is standing there in a robe, pointing his
hand down the hall he was standing next to, I nod and follow him. Still with my sad face on he
leads me into a smaller but in no way less awe striking hall, with 2 extremely long tables, filled
with food and people sitting at the tables, discussing, reading, eating, spanning from the age of 8
to 80, I actually felt home here. Kael smiles at my reaction and tells me "Sit down wherever you
want, have your fill, don't be shy, I will be back with someone to arrange you new clothes and a
bath before we find you a room." I nod again and he makes his way down another hall, and
leaves me to eat.

(10,000 words!)

I was quite hungry, actually, so I made haste to find a seat, a part of the table that wasn't near
anyone, and started eating the food that was already placed nearby. While I was eating I could
hear whispers of "We have a new recruit it seems" and "Looks like she had a rough time..." and
ones I blushed at like "She's rather cute!" and the sort... I suddenly felt embarrassed, I had
nothing but this gown on, I felt rather... under dressed... but pushed the thoughts aside, I
shouldn't be feeling them, I'm not one of them, I shouldn't interact... shouldn't get attached... a
girl approached me, maybe the age of 16, short black hair with glasses, with a cup of what it
seemed hot milk, and handed it to me. I guess it couldn't be avoided, at least some contact must
be forced, "Thank you" is all I say before I drink it, after a moment the girl says to me, "I-I'm Aika,
nice to meet you, I'm new too so I was thinking we could... you know, be friends? It's rather quiet
when you're new... and you look like you'd be a good friend..." the absolute innocence was most
likely the thing that made me nod, causing her to smile and sit down next to me, at least maybe
I can learn a few things from her, too.

Aika was the silent type, it took nearly 10 minutes for her to ask the question I could tell she
wanted to ask since she sat down, she wanted to know where I had come from. I told her about
my story I made up, "I came from a small town called Jirard, I started feeling weird one day and
had an accident with a townsperson, he died in the accident and I was hunted out of the town, I
ran from Jirard with few supplies, made my way to Monastery and was found out again while I
was trying to enter the church, then I ran here."

"My story is nearly the same, it happened one day and someone witnessed it, it was when I was
in a fight with a friend, I... I figured the people in my town would help me, you know? I lived
there...but as soon as it happened, people started staying away from me, even my family that
treated me so dearly...few would even attack me, my best friend is what saved me, she said for
our childhood she wanted me to just get away, and gave me a horse to ride here, haven't looked
back since.

"It's not bad here, at least, the headmaster is nice and so are most of the people who work here,
it's...different from normal life, but after being here a few weeks I feel like I belong, and the
powers are quite fun." That's when the servant came back, Kael, "Sorry to interrupt, but your
room and bath are ready...?"

"I'm... Alicia, thank you"

"Alicia, then, whenever you're ready, follow me and we'll start the welcoming." I could see Aika
frown at the news of me leaving, "Aika, I will see you soon hopefully, I'll need you to show me
around soon, I guess." She smiles and nods, and I follow Kael down a hallway. It took only a
moment to arrive at a door in a non populated area, it seemed most of the living quarters were
located back near the dining room, it turned out this door Kael led me to was a bathing room, he
stopped in front of it and said, "By the time you're done clothes will be waiting by the door,
Alicia, no one will disturb you, take your time, you can stay here as long as you wish, and I will
come and collect you when you are done."

"Thank you, Kael"

"You will find all you need in the middle of the bath, good bye for now"

I step into the room and awe at the sight, whoever made this bath somehow found the ability to
imbue water with Flow, it was everywhere, in the mist coming off the warm water, in the water
itself, the entire room was overflowing with it, I must find out how to do this, maybe I can learn a
few things from here, and not just teach... I strip down, all for my necklace, I haven't taken it off
since I put it on back in the Gates weeks ago. I made my way into the water, the effect was
astounding, it wasn't a bath it was a cleansing, a massage, absolute relaxation by Flow, the
energy flowing into the body, healing and strengthening, there was so much Flow but it was so
calm... Made me think of the Gates, the air above the Creator's Tree, so much but so calm... the
bath was an open bath, low ceiling, the floor around the bath was marble, but inside the bath it
was real rock, in the middle of the bath was a stand of smooth rocks, with shampoos and soaps, I
pick up the shampoo and spread it in my now shoulder length black hair, then take some soap
and spread it around, then submerge myself and wash it all away. I figured I was done and ready
to leave, but I didn't want to... I wanted to lay back and relax, and that's what I did, I find a part
of the bath that is perfectly angled for me to lay down and do so, letting the Flow embrace me, I
feel myself slipping away into sleep and fight against it only to find that it's impossible, and that
I'm not one bit angry at that.

I had a strange dream, a dark, low voice warning me, something about getting too close to
something, that he'll be watching. I awake in the bath, feeling better than I had even back in the
Gates, but hurry myself out and change into the clothes that were waiting, it was a simple gray
robe that opened in the bottom part of the pants area, for easy walking I figured. I almost
hesitated to leave the bath room, but I'm sure I'll return to it often, which I looked forward to
quite a bit. Kael was waiting for me outside, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long... I fell
asleep..."

"No problems at all, I anticipated such things and took care of a few things before coming back,
I've been here just a few minutes."

"Well, good."

"Indeed, now, I'm to take you to the headmaster and he will examine your powers and assign
you to classes, I'm sure you're eager to start life here, follow me, if you will."

The part "examine your powers" made me worry, they taught techniques on how to conceal
power easily, but if a person is sitting there examining you directly they're going to get a guess
of what your limits are. My best hopes is I conceal most of it and he only guesses that I'm
special, or something like that, and doesn't seek to investigate thoroughly. I start following Kael,
we make our way up a huge tunnel leading all the way through the middle of the tower, lined
with pictures, windows, all accessible by a spiraling staircase

(THINK HOGWARTS, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT WELL.)

We start making our way up the stairs, the paintings kept me distracted while climbing them,
some were simple paintings of people, loved ones, scenes of towns, nature, animals, but some
depicted wars and the Deities, some told stories, before long we were where we needed to be,
and entered a grand door, inside was an old looking man, but not the kind you would want to
exactly pick a fight with, sitting behind a great wooden desk, behind him is a window looking
over the land, and next to the window was bookshelves with ancient looking books. As soon as I
entered the door I started concealing my full Power, to about as far as I could without having to
put forth all my effort, which would be easily noticed by someone like this. "Alicia, I hear your
name is, welcome to the Tower, I'm sure you'll find it to your liking, I am the Headmaster, owner
of this Tower."

"Pleased to meet you Headmaster, thank you for taking me in."

"It is my duty, Alicia, I am sorry to make things short but grave news has arrived of an execution
of a new mage have arrived, I am to make a nightly trip to a nearby town and give a speech in
the morning, what I will do may feel strange, but it is a necessity to gauge your powers and find
out what class levels are needed for maximum effect, this will only take a moment, stay calm."

Here it was, I could feel his mind covering mine, trying not to concentrate too much on
concealing my real identity and powers, and after a moment he is done, and I think I succeeded.
he sits there behind his wooden desk and thinks for a moment, then opens his eyes, "Your
powers are very strong, Alicia, strongest starting powers I've seen in a very long time, but you
lack the means to control them, I will help you on that part, go rest for now, I will have the
classes and schedule set up by the morning and you will begin your training, if you need any
help at all Kael is just a call away, pleased to me you again and welcome to the tower." Well, I
can only hope I got away with it, the visit really was luckily short visited, I can only give a prayer
to that poor person who was executed, because he probably helped me more than he could
possibly imagine, I was about to crack.

Kael led me back down the stairs, seeming to be detached from what he was doing and snapped
out of it as we got to the bottom of the stairs, surprisingly they don't take long to go up and
down, I figure most of the tower is just for show or future expansion but the stairs don't lead all
the way to the top. We head back the way we came, pass the bathroom and head to the area
that I thought was the living quarters, guess I was right. Kael leads me to a new looking wing of
the living quarters and stops at the front of one of the doors marked Ninety-One, "This is your
room Alicia, I'm sure your room mate will be loving to escort you around the place so you won't
get lost, I will see you in the morning to tell you of your classes and answer any questions you
may have to offer, I must dismiss myself as I will accompany the Headmaster along his trip, good
night Alicia." he bows and make his way down the hallway where we came, I've had a very long
day so I figure I'll head in for an early night, I open the door and see a young girl sitting on the
floor reading a book, she looks at me and thou shall lo and behold, the face looking at me was
Aika.

(What, you WEREN'T expecting it to be Aika?)

At least one of us was happy to the see the other, but then I figured, "If I don't want to get
attached, at least my room-mate is someone I already met here, and not someone else" and let
my discomfort die down. The part of my mind trying to do this mission and not get attached was
screaming, but the deep part of my mind begging for contact with others was jumping with joy,
and I was stuck in-between. Aika smiles, saying "You look cute when you're in deep thought."
and turns back to her book. Sigh, one friend, I told myself, one friend is all I'll make, and this one
friend will be my guide to this tower.

The room was nothing special, quite spacey for one person but quite packed for 2 people, beds
on both side of the simple rectangle shape room with a window in the bath overlooking part of
the inside wall of the Tower, a small table in between the beds, it was low enough to sit down on
the floor like Aika was doing, the floor was wooden but was mostly covered by mats which one
Aika was sitting on, they were quite comfortable I thought, after walking over one to get to my
bed, it's quite homey here, I had to admit. Aika looks up and tells me "This is my bed behind me,
you can have that one," she puts to the one in front of her, like I needed the help... "if you
wanted to go to bed I can put out the candle and finish reading tomorrow, if you want."

"No, that's fine, finish as fast as you wish, it won't bother me, good night, Aika."

"Good night Alicia, I'll get you up in the morning before I go to class and show you around, ok?" I
nod and take off my clothes and put on the new clothes they laid out for me to sleep in, I look
over to Aika while doing this and I forget where I am, she blushes and I feel like an idiot...
"Sorry... I'm so use to being alone... you know?" I laugh at my own awkwardness... I lay down,
the bed covers are heavy and comfortable, I feared it would get hot under covers such as these
but the heat never came, trickery, no doubt. Soon enough Aika put out the candle and takes off
her robe and changes into pajamas and lays down in her bed. It's quiet... I start thinking to
myself, when will I find this person I'm supposed to tutor? It isn't Aika is it? Why hasn't the
Creator contacted me in so long? All things that won't be resolved tonight¸ I wagered, so I push
them out of my mind and enjoy the comfort of finally not being alone.

Another dream, this time completely clear, it was the Creator, in the same form I last saw him in,
old man, long white robe and beard, "Hrist, sorry it has taken so long! Something was blocking
me, something strong, who knows what it is? But I found a way through it! Your dreams, or at
least, the dreams I want you to see. Any who, two bad things and one good. First bad is I'm sorry
to tell you but I don't know who it is you're supposed to tutor, but I know you will find the person,
the one is nearby and you will become fast friends, it's fated, you will know who it is when you
see the one. Second bad is that I will not be able to tutor you for a long time until I find a way
around this....problem. Ah, but the good news! Your armor is finished, I have already sent them a
few days ago, along with your weapon that I think you shall enjoy, I have been doing some
research in this portal workings and found out how to measure the time it takes depending on
the size of the object or person you're transporting. They will both arrive in two days time in the
forest outside the tower walls, around midnight, you'll be able to positively feel the exact
location because of the large displacement of Flow.

Ah yes, and one more thing¸ since the armor carries so much power inside anyone inside the
tower would easily be able to detect it, so I ordered the great blacksmith that made your armor
to enchant his strongest Flow concealing spell he possibly could, and he did! What a good chap.
The gem inside the breastplate should conceal it as long as no one is really close, and by really
close I mean really close, they have to practically be staring at it, and remember, this is the
same man that made your armor, eh? You'll be happy, I'm sure. I'll contact you frequently from
now on, I will try to establish a contact where you can actually talk back as fast as I can. Sleep
well, Hrist."

I woke up with Aika next to my bed, shaking me awake, "Wake up Alicia, Kael is here with your
classes and I need to take you on a quick tour before we go to our classes! Get ready!" Ugh.
Mornings. I hop out of bed feeling surprisingly rested, jump out of my clothes... Aika looks away
in time... and get into the gray robes. "Aika, what did you mean by our classes?"

"Kael told me we have the same 3 classes together, but he'll explain that, let's go!" Aika runs out
of the room. So excited... enough for the both of us it seems. I finish getting dressed and head
outside the room, where Aika and Kael are waiting. Kael starts walking in the direction of the
dining room, "First, Alicia, is the optional breakfast time from about seven A.M. to 8 A.M., it's
recommended of course because lunch is later in the day, around twelve-thirty A.M., it's in the
dining room and all you need to do is simply go to the dining room which is the way I'm leading
too, sure you've already memorized it since it's a straight walk." After just a few moments of
weaving past the few waking up people in the hall-way we arrive at the dining room, Kael
continues; "Now, it's not breakfast yet, but if you wish to by the time I'm done explaining things
it should be ready, just a few minutes

Your first class is at 8:15, down the hallway marked 1, then down the hallway to your left marked
with a wall shape, it will lead you outside the Tower to the physical training area, where you will
practice your combat, at first it will be a simple all around, most people here are not adept at
fighting with weapons and more of casting spells, and they will be assigned to physical courses
of more of evading and defending, but people who show more promise in the fields will be taught
sword-play along with the necessary defenses.

Your second class it at 9:45, and will be on the second floor down the hallway marked 2-A, which
will lead you to a door marked with a staff, this is generic casting class, teaching how to use
spells and small enchantments, at 11:30 you will go magical defense class located on the second
floor, down the hallway marked 2-B and enter the door with the representation of a person's
mind, this class will be entirely about the defense of mind assaults by skilled casters, which is
necessary for every person, but due to the strain on the mind the class will last only 25 minutes,
at 11:45 you will be released for the day until we find out more about your specialties, when we
do you will be assigned more or less classes, remember, 12:30 is lunch time, it lasts until 2 PM.
Now, after lunch you have the day entirely to yourself, you can talk with your teachers if you
grow bored and to set up extra assignments and training, there are no grades in this Tower, only
how fast you progress, if you are found to have no absolute talents as a magician we will give
you a certificate showing that you are a known non-lethal mage and you will not be harmed
under penalty of law. On that note until you are here for a few years and are awarded a small
certificate saying you are a magician of the Tower you will not be allowed to leave the tower
alone, under no circumstances, if you are found doing so you will be punished, I'm sure you know
why I need not explain why this can be dangerous. Aika will show your classes as she has the
same ones too, any questions?"

"No, thank you Kael."

"It is my job, Alicia, if you need me I will be found on the third floor during the day in the room
marked with my name, and at lunch at the head table, during the mornings I am busy teaching
alchemy and don't have much time to talk. I hope to hear good things from you, good day." Kael
bows and walks away, towards the staircase if I remember correctly, Aika tugs at my arm,
"C'mon, let's get some breakfast, it's quite delicious if you ask me, you have to at least try it
once!" I smile and nod, following Aika to a table, not many people are here and are mostly
spread out, but as I think the food is being conjured onto the tables, "Where does the food come
from, exactly?"

"The Headmaster conjures it, he has quite a talent for it, especially treats, here, try a cinnamon
roll." she hands a piece of bread that's rolled up and covered in some sort of silvery glossing, I
try it... "It's delicious!, what was it called again?"

"A cinnamon roll, silly, haven't you ever had one?"

"Ah- no, I'm quite poor from where I came from, no treats and the sort..."

"Well then you'll enjoy yourself here quite a lot, here, try a chocolate pancake..."

So stuffed, I thought to myself, Aika force feeding me all sorts of delicious treats I never even
knew existed... cinnamon rolls, chocolate pancakes, yogurt, muffins, cupcakes, jelly, bacon...
Why don't they make any of this in the Gates? I'll have to ask how to make these eventually, and
bring them back with me. After breakfast Aika leads me down a hallway marked 1, we pass many
doors on the way to the hallway marked with a Wall, a shield, a mystic hammer smashing onto
armor, a sword, all but the hammer smashing onto armor seemed to lead to a different field
outside the Tower, must be different specialized classes, I think to myself. Finally we reach the
one marked with a Wall, and we head down through it. While we're walking Aika asks me, "Have
you ever done any combat training before?" Ah... that's not good... I could most likely easily beat
any human combat teacher here... "Ah... I've had training with my father, rest his soul, for years,
to defend myself against the outside world, he always told me, but it's been nearly a year since
his passing..." Aika frowned at that, silently saying "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad
memories... "
"No, no, it's fine, he...died peacefully, we all knew it was coming, a terrible disease that had
taken him recently, he was in his sleep when it took him..." The people at the Gates told me I had
a father that died by a disease, same with my mother, before I came to the Gates. "Well...
anyways, if you need any help getting caught up with your training, I was always spoiled with the
best, books, training, combat training especially, so I know a few things!" I smiled at her, "Must
have started at a young age then! how old are you? you look no more than 14."

"I'm almost 16 just so you know, I've always been shorter but I'm definitely not stupid or helpless
either!" We both laugh a small laugh... first laugh I've had in a long time...Too close, my back of
my mind tells me, too close.

We exit the hallway and see a group of people, maybe 20 or 25, sitting around a standing battle
hardened looking man with messy shoulder length orange hair, "That's Kor, the battle trainer,
although he looks like a man that will beat you to death with his fists, which he will if you make
him angry, he's quite nice, and good at teaching, let's sit down, class is about to start." Aika and I
sit down on the ground next to the other students sitting around waiting for class to start, "Ah,
the new recruit, Kael informs me that the young lady sitting next to you is in charge of you, since
she knows what to do I'm sure she'll inform you, I'm Kor, nice to meet you."

"Ah, Hello, Kor, sir, nice to meet you, I'm Alicia, I look forward to the class."

"She has manners I see, that's good, always annoying getting people use to that." He smiles and
laughs, and few people in the class laugh too. A few moments of idle chattering later and an
enormous bell rings, "Alright, class has started, pair up and begin your training exercises that
you were doing yesterday, Alicia, follow me first, Aika, pair with Laurie for now, her partner is
sick." Aika nods and runs off with a nearby girl, both grabbing wooden swords from a nearby pile
that I failed to notice. "Alicia, go ahead and grab one too, do you have any training at all in sword
play?"

"Very limited but good training I believe, sir."

"Good then, come at me with what you have then, we'll see what we need to work on." Oh this
was going to be hard, luckily I've never liked the sword, always off balance and always leaving
openings, I've always embraced the practice with the Spear, and that's what I specialized at,
completely forgetting practice with a sword, I'll probably even learn things here about sword-
play. I pick up a wooden sword from nearby, take a decent stance, and prepare to attack. I go for
a simple lunge at what seems to be an opening, knowing full well it's an easy block, he pushes
the blow aside as expected and I return with a simple overhead strike, parry, strike, parry, strike,
parry, strike, dodge, this continues for about 10 minutes, then ends it with a strong parry and
says "Good, good, you leave openings and your stance is off but your offense is surprisingly
good, who did you say you trained with?"

"My father, sir, he's a year gone now but he trained me since I was able to hold a sword."

"A good thing he did, teaching an entirely new student to the art of sword-play is quite annoying
if you ask me, takes too long to find out if they have a knack for it or not, it seems you do, Aika is
your superior still but she's had more training than you, so you're a perfect pair. But since she's
busy with Laurie I'll be giving you some tips for today."

After what seemed hours of bruising, stance corrections and pointers, he finally calls to sit,
everyone throws down their wooden swords and I follow, we sit back where we were at the start
and he starts telling the others what he saw during the class, So and so name here needs to
work on offense, so and so name here needs to work on defense, so and so over here needs to
work on this and that, he calls end class, and assigns after class training for a few people that
seem advanced in this class, and dismisses us.

Onto "Magic" class, as they call it, rubbing a painful bump on my rib I ask Aika, "So, do you know
much about casting at all?"

"Nope, never been introduced to it before I came here, pretty much anyone who comes here is
brand new, do you know any?"

"I'm not really any good... I mean, Ah...no, not really, I'm quite anxious to start."Aika gives me a
strange look. Crap, I don't want her to know!

"Ah, well, she starts slow, but I've only been here a few weeks, so I'll catch you up fast, that's
probably how it's going to be for all of our classes for awhile, since we've started so close
together."

"Yes, yes, I think that's fine with me, you seem to be quite a good guide Aika." She smiles and
leads me back through the dining room and up to the second floor to down the hallway marked
2-A, after just a moment we find the door marked with a staff and we enter. The first thing I
notice is chairs and small tables set up, at least we won't have to sit on the floor. At the far end
of the large, spread out classroom is a simple wooden desk with all sorts of gadgets and devices
on it, flasks, tubes, small cages, piles of books here and there, and a young looking woman
around the age of 30 I'd wager, writing on what seems to be a black board with a small white
stick, the black board seems to have white markings on it, with a big named underlined, "Misses
Crarie" it reads, along with assignments assigned to different groups of people marked by a
name, like 1B 2B and the sort, she stops for a second and turns around and looks directly at me.
Shit! I forgot to keep up my barrier to limit people from reading my powers, I sloppily put it back
up hopefully before she notices it, "Oh, I could have sworn I felt the Headmaster walk in, but that
doesn't seem to be the case. You must be the new student, Alicia, was it? I'm Miss Crarie, the
magic teacher here at the Tower, welcome, welcome, Aika, show her to her seat will you? I have
to finish writing this before class starts."

"Yes, ma'am." Aika leads me to a nearby table that is only occupied with the two of us, Ms. Crarie
goes back to riding on the board as Aika says, "We're a bit early, so we'll just wait a minute or
two." After about 2 minutes the huge bell rings again, and Ms. Crarie turns around saying,
"Welcome our new student, Alicia, let's not be too mean to her, shall we? Now, onto assignments
today, Table 1A will work on the basic bolt spell from yesterday on target dummies -" she waves
her hand and a wooden doll appears in one of the corners of the room, "and the rest will work on
the test that's coming up in the next week, except for you table 4B, I'll be helping you for awhile
until you can work with others." I guess we're 4B.

Ms Crarie comes over to our table and starts explaining to me after sending Aika to work on
controlling the Flow while she explains "Magic" to me, their concept of it is nearly the same as
ours, energy is flying around Midgard and magicians use it to shape their will, they go about it
the same way as we did back in the Gates except instead of bending it and using it like a Flow
they use it more of shocks, bursts, quakes, not fluid movements of contained power, but quick
unstable bursts. Although this is a good technique, it can be hard to learn, because most people
kill themselves without proper training, I guess that's what she's here for. She starts explaining
to me the concept of feeling the power around you, basic training stuff, honestly, I wasn't that
bored, she was explaining something that I haven't heard of, I may actually be perfectly suited
for their style of usage, so I start paying attention, after about half an hour she asks me to try to
call forth the Power, which is what they call the Flow.

This isn't good, I think to myself, what skill level should I be at? Should I be able to conjure up
the power on will immediately? No, no, if that's the case the story Aika told me of not being able
to control her powers and harming people with them on accident wouldn't make sense, but how
long should it take to conjure it? Aika said she had been here for just a few weeks, and she is
already working on basic spells... A few days I wager, no, I can't act like a complete moron to the
arts, I may actually be able to learn a few things from here, I want to start as soon as I can, I'll
give it a day and conjure the Power up. But I have to try something, I start acting like I'm
focusing hard and start slowly gaining the Flow around me, but stop seconds in, "Good, Alicia,
good, but keep focused! You've got a good start. I'll be back in a few minutes to check on
progress, keep it up." Good, not too fast, I repeat this multiple times, getting just barely any
farther along in the summoning each time. Ms Crarie stops by a few more times for about
another half hour each time noticing I'm farther along, nodding in approval each time. Finally the
bell rings and Ms Crarie yells out assignments for different people, then at Aika to continue
practicing the spell, she seems to be struggling... maybe I should? No, no I yell at myself, you
can't! I'm getting too close...

Next class, I follow Aika out of the hallway and to the left, to another hallway marked 2-B, and
soon find the door marked with a person's head in a heavy thinking position, and we enter the
class. The classroom was had much less light in it than the other classes, just a few windows
here and there, very creepy if you ask me, vials with liquids in them scattered about, skeletons
of strange animals and objects scattered about the room. The room itself was a small rectangle
shape with 2 seat desks set up in a row, all pointing towards the teacher's desk. The teacher
himself was a skinny man, with a lean face. The class was quite empty, early again, I suppose.

Cringing, I ask, "Aika, what's this class again? It's spooky in here..."

"It's the mental defense class, the teacher is Mr. Fauhs, the reason it's creepy is because he
teaches exotic and mythical creature class after lunch, and alchemy after that, so there's lots of
creepy stuff!"

"This class is only 25 minutes, right? Because it's so tiring or something or rather?"

"Yeah, and trust me, that's too long the way he pushes you, but the fatigue fades quickly, at
least. But it's worse! The teacher always jokes around and has the creepiest laugh ever! It only
adds to the pain of the class."

"Hah, is he the only one that laughs?"

"That's the worst part, he is the only one." Aika sighs, I have a feeling I'm going to like this class.

We take a seat in the 2nd row back and the teacher raises his head from the book he's reading
at his desk and says "Hello, Alicia, nice to meet you, I'm Mr. Fauhs, welcome to... my class, I'm
sure you'll love it here, just like everyone else." He laughs, jeesh, that is an evil laugh! The
teacher returns to his book and Aika starts explaining the class more thoroughly. Apparently, the
teacher force pressure on your mind and you have to defend yourself against it, he tells you the
ways of how to do this but does it this roughly because there's nothing better than the real thing,
Aika pauses for a moment and adds loudly, "So he says!" and gives the teacher a mean look, he
laughs that evil laugh, and continues reading. After just a few minutes more people arrive and
the bell rings again, and it begins. "Good morning, class, lovely day for some hard teaching, isn't
it? Ha-ha, anyways, welcome our new class mate, Alicia, let's all treat her nicely and such, today
will be an easy day for you because I'll have to teach Alicia from scratch, but we will be making
up for it! Alicia, bring a chair over here and we'll begin."

I take the chair I was sitting in and head over to Fauhs' desk. "Give me one moment and I'll start
explaining," He raises his voice for the class "I'm going to start now, barriers up." A slight
pressure, heavy and light in different places across the room, and everyone in the class goes
silent with concentration. "Now, it's a simple concept, one that you can make yourself, what
you're going to want to do is think of a wall, a barrier, something un-crossable, anything that
would stop anything you could think of from invading. Think of it like this, this wall you think of is
guarding your mind, as soon as someone has access to it, they win the fight over you, almost
instantly. You want to do everything possible to stop that from happening. But, the invader can
take any form he wishes, as well, if you think of just a wall, he can sprout wings and fly over it, if
you think of a cave, he can bury through it. Everything must be thought of to prevent the invader
from entering, or else you shall be vanquished.

Your training is simple, instead of acting like an invader I simply put a pressure on your mind that
will enter through every way possible, if it gets through it causes a sort of an itch in your head.
Nothing harmful, but definitely enough to cause annoyance. Your task is to block it, so what I
need you to do is think as hard as you can of something impenetrable, something that has no
flaws in it, and I want you to keep that image in your mind as well defined as you can, and that's
all. Sounds simple, I bet, but I can assure you, you will be sorely mistaken. Any questions?"

I shake my head, and he nods. "I want you to try it now, I'll start light but as you progress I will
increase it more and more and increase the directions it comes from more and more, until it's
absolute pressure on every inch of your mind. So, think... think." Easy, I've never been good at
the bending, but the defense I've always almost had mastered, but, sigh, of course, I can't show
my full limit here. I think faintly about a cave, a big gap in the middle that falls into a endless pit,
at the other side is a steel cage, inside is my mind. "Good, good, you've got the concept, let's put
a little pressure on it, shall we?" An almost un noticeable pressure starts pounding its way onto
the cage, I make myself look like I'm in deep concentration, but really I'm thinking about what I
had for lunch yesterday, the tasty pastries, Aika's sweet smile after a joke, and barely
concentrate on the pressure. Then it starts increasing, and I start to scatter my thoughts. This is
a test, he's finding my limits, the cage starts cracking as planned and eventually breaks, opening
up to my mind. I almost slam down the gate in a panic, if he even touched my mind he would
have seen everything... But he stops. "Don't worry, I was testing your limits, you did good, and I
think you'll progress well in this class, I think. Go ahead and go back to your seat with Aika and
we'll finish the class. I'll give you an important hint that everyone needs to know, when
everything starts crumbing down, don't panic, if you control it you'll come out of the fight the
winner." I nod, take my chair and sit next to Aika. After a few moments of putting on my barrier I
nod and the pressure starts again, this is a good time to think about what I'm going to do when I
get my armor and this special weapon, but first I need to find out how to get them. They're
outside the grounds and they keep a tight watch on you, I'll need to figure something out. Guess
I'll have to do the same idea to practice during the night, too, so this is quite important. I keep
the barrier just a little above the pressure of what he's sending at me, fluxing around the power
of it randomly to keep him guessing, it seems to be working fine. Almost near the end of class he
puts a lot more pressure on the cage, and I make it about to shatter when he stops, must have
been to keep me on my toes or something, I suspect he does this with other people in the class
as well. The teacher looks up from his book and starts listing names that need improvement, one
of them being Aika, then he stands up and announces, "Good class for today, everyone, you're
dismissed, I guess I'll see you all at lunch.". I stand up all full of energy, but then I realize the
condition everyone else is in, I forgot how tired you get after classes like this. In the Gates they
did the same thing, short classes with basically the same doings going on, and after every class I
would feel like I'm about to pass out or die. I put a frown on my face and slouch over just a little
and help Aika out of her chair, she seems to have a terrible time with this, "Thanks, Alicia, he
was particularly mean today." she smiles a weak smile, and we exit the classroom. Just a minute
passes before Aika picks up her pace a little, and we slowly make our way back to our rooms.
Once we arrive at our rooms Aika lays down on the bed, I didn't want to disturb her so I lay down
too, I guess a nap after classes wouldn't be bad. Lunch is still almost an hour away, enough time
for a quick one. I close the window blinds silently lay down and close my eyes, I hear Aika's
voice, "Sorry Alicia, I would show you around but I'm always so tired after that class, it's for the
better, I guess, but I'm no good at it. I always need a nap afterwards, but I'm always up by lunch
is over but if you want to go before me you can, I wouldn't mind."

"No, Aika, it's fine, a nap is always good for the body, it's still so early in the day though, what do
we do all afternoon?"

"Mostly studying and reading, but soon after lunch I go and have an extra lesson with Kor,
practice a little magic and then we I go to dinner, come back and read and study until night. Until
we get more classes honestly it's quite dull around here, you're welcome to join me on the lesson
with Kor, it'll do you some good to get his class over with quickly."

"That sounds pretty good Aika, I think I will." She smiles and lays her head down on her pillow,
and it becomes quiet, I would love to take a nap honestly, but I need to find out this armor
ordeal, so I think of ways, simply being sneaky doesn't beat the Arts, I could put up a barrier to
avoid detection, but that itself might cause someone to notice me, no, I thought, that wouldn't
work, I'd have to get past the wall anyways, and there is no other entrance other than over or
through the main gate. I'd have to jump over it, opening the gate would cause instant detection.
I'd have to jump... No, I'd have to fly.

Chapter 4, Flight

I awoke to the shaking of Aika, telling me it's almost lunch time. I groan, I hate having to sleep so
often and require so much of it. "Don't grumble, we have to get there before the big rush
happens or else we'll have to eat with 1000 other people, which is very loud and crowded." I
make my way out of the bed, feeling a little refreshed, and then we make our way out of the
room to head to lunch. When we get there there's no food on the table, and just a few people
sitting around, "It'll show up in just a minute, let's find a good seat.". We head over to the edge
of the far off table, and sit down. While waiting I think of ways to do what I'm planning to do, but
am cut short a moment later when the food comes. The food varied from everything, from
cheese, fruits, sandviches, to yogurts and other sweets. It was all quite good, to add on me and
Aika started a nice conversation about training today. I liked Aika, the silent type, not pursuing
issues when I expose them, and a good guide, and a good friend, the back of my mind says...
After we'd have our fill we head back to the room. "The class doesn't start until 1:30, it's only
1:00, so we have some time to kill. I have some books if you want to read a few, mostly silly
romances or war stories, but they'll past the time, at least."

"That'd be good, but I'd like some time to simply think about something right now, maybe in a
few days." She gives me a questioning look but doesn't dig deep, and pulls a book and begins
reading quietly. I have an idea, shape shifting is not uncommon where I come from, but is
restricted to only near masters. No, I think I have something simpler, shape shifting is completely
changing the body to something else, but I'm thinking, why not just add a part to yourself? It
would be as easy as conjuring it and aligning it with your nerves. Only problem is I have no clue
how to even conjure things, I need help from the Creator. I send my thoughts out to the Creator,
making them sound like a prayer to a god in case anyone over hears it, and actually pray he
visits me at night.

Soon it's time to go to the extra class with Kor, and we head out. There were just a handful of
others, and Kor was busy most of the time with more advanced students, so me and Aika were
just sparring basically. I found that Aika was rather tricky, leaving false openings almost every
turn, I would always see through them of course but I wasn't supposed to be able to, and
generally made myself fall for it. After about half an hour of sparring Kor comes over and adds
some tips, techniques, and all that good stuff and moves on to more students. Just a little while
longer and Aika and I leave the class, having our fill of bruises and fatigue, we make our way
back to the rooms to get some studying and reading done. Aika had quite a collection of books,
and she said if I didn't want anything that there's a very large library on the 3rd floor, in fact, the
3rd floor is the library. I felt like humoring myself, "Aika, do you have an religious type books?"

"You're religious, Alicia?"

"No, no, I'm just curious of what people think about such things." Aika has learned to expect
weird questions from me, it seems.

"Oh, well, I have one, but you might not like it. They say it was written by an insane man that
was taken over by a demon, or something. But I like it, for some reason it feels... right."

"Oh? And what is it about?"

"Just silly things like a city in heaven, people who actually live there, an entire race of greater
beings on another world or existence, always watching over us. But it's just silly fantasy, more of
a good story than an idea for religion." Hah, this could be interesting.

"What's this book called?"

"The Prose Edda, here, I'll get it for you." She goes over to her desk and looks through it,
shuffling through small amounts of books. Finally she pulls one out, a small plain book, and
hands it to me, "Be careful though, it's pretty fragile, not a very special book you know? Feel free
to keep it, I've read it all I want." I took the book, thanked her and sat down next to the table in
the middle of the room. I read the book for a few hours, almost laughing at how precise this book
was of how it worked in the Gates. I had to think to myself if this babbling crazy person that
wrote it wasn't meant to be a babbling crazy person that makes this book. Might have to ask the
Creator if he had anything to do with it. Aika stands up from her book and tells me, "It's time for
dinner, let's get there before the people rush in again.". I put down my book and stand up, then
head out the door with Aika.

It was already dark outside, but it was only around 5:00, must be longer nights here on Midgard.
Adults and older seem to just be returning from their classes, tired and ready to eat some food.
We take the same seat we had at lunch, the food that came was amazing. Large chicken things
called "Turkeys" and rolls of bread and "potatoes" that have been mashed together, soups and
stews filled with all sorts of vegetables and seasoning. I could definitely get used to eating often,
in this case anyways. Aika was silent the entire dinner, other than answering the numerous
questions of "What's this?" and "What's that called?". It actually made me worry, she was so
happy earlier... Whatever it was it didn't last long, once we got back with full stomachs she was
back to her normal self, It was around 6:00 now and most everyone was inside, no more classes
for today. I figured this would be a great time to be alone and try to figure out how to get this
flying dilemma sorted out. Without the Creator I won't be able to do it but at least I can figure out
what to do if I get the ability to fly.

"Aika, I'm going to go outside for some alone time to practice, alright?" She gave me another
questioning look.

"Ah, sure, do you need me to show you the way outside?"

"No, I remember, but thanks. I'll be back in just a few hours, most likely."

"Ok, see you then." I head out the room and go back to the dining room. People are still here
eating, but way less than what was here earlier, diner time was almost over now. I go down the
hallway and find my way to the outside, where Kor was teaching us earlier, and make my way to
an area that has absolutely no one, around the back of the tower, it seems only one part is really
populated and used for training, or at least from what I saw. I find a lone tree a few feet from the
wall, and lean against it, entering my mind for all training I've had and education I've had on the
subject of shape-shifting.

What I find wasn't surprising, not much at all, it seems, but enough to start something. What I
remember is a teacher of mine having a conversation with a student about how he wasn't
picturing the bear he was trying to transform into correctly. You need to picture the creature in
your mind, hold it there, and compress the air around you into this form. That's conjuring, at
least, what shape shifting is compressing yourself into energy and shaping that, which is a
masterful art. All I have to do is conjure the wings inside me, which I would think is different than
fully shape shifting, guess I'll find out soon enough. I practice for hours, conjuring small thinks
like paper, pencils, rocks, after awhile I move myself to bigger things, spoons, forks, plates,
knives, after that, I start to tire. It's about 7:00, by my guess, I figure I'll be able to take a small
nap until I have enough energy to begin again. I fall asleep quickly under this tree, feeling
slightly forced to sleep for some reason, it just washes over me before I even realize it.

Taking a nap was clearly a good idea, I thought to myself. In front of me stood the Creator, it
seems we were in a giant field of grass, and nothing else. "Hrist, your thoughts reached me and I
immediately tried a connection, seemed it worked, which is good!

Onto business, what you seek to do is as you think, not shape-shifting itself but advanced
conjuring, you will not be able to complete it by the time of the arrival of the armor, even if you
work all through the night and day, that's why I am here. What I am going to do is teach you how
to do it, it will be hard to do since you can't talk, but since you can still move around we can at
least have some sort of communication. We will be here a few weeks, but time passes as I will it
here, so it is not an issue. Now, let us begin your training."

It took me 3 weeks inside the dream to master the technique, with the Creator's guidance. It
wasn't much of a problem not being able to speak, he could basically read everything I needed
just by the way the Flow was moving around inside and around my body, so that wasn't a
problem. I felt insanely good about myself when I started finally being able to do at least
something worthwhile when it comes to the Flow, and being under the Creator was amazing, so
much power yet so kind and...welcoming. When it finally came to join the wings with my back,
the Creator seemed nervous, almost wondering if it would work himself. When it finally joined he
had the biggest smile I had ever seen on his face, and when they started moving he almost leapt
with joy. I wonder why? But I passed it off, and dealt with trying to actually fly.

"It will come naturally for you, Hrist, you can trust me on this, it just will, instinct and all that. But
what you must understand when it's coming to flying like this, is that the wings are not strong
enough or fast enough to sustain you, what you will need to do is bend the Flow around you in
the air and push it up against the wings, this will help with both control and power. Your wings
are pure energy, remember that. You can use them as batteries, storing up Flow inside of them
and using it to propel yourself in quick bursts or sustained flight, either or. If you master this
technique you'll be able to move faster than anything you've seen, in fact, this was quite a
brilliant idea of yours, I will have to teach it to others, as well." Praise from the Creator...after
training under him, and then I get to fly... literally the best dream I've ever had.

Doing as he said and moving the Flow with the wings was quite easy, but would take time to get
anywhere near a bird's speed, but I was able to hover and move around just a little. The hardest
part of it all was getting used to flying itself, not having anything under your feet, feeling so
unstable during all of it. The wings themselves were thick, and heavy, 10 feet across on each
wing was almost twice as tall as my height, put sideways and attached to my back, the height
themselves of the wings were just about a foot taller than me, this these were huge, but
absolutely needed. Once I got used to using the Flow to maneuver, I figured I'd quickly get over
the weight, since the Flow would be doing most of the work. A week, he gave me a week of
training with flight and I barely got over the feeling of flying itself, but it was enough to do what I
needed to do. "I hope your insane experiment works Hrist, you'll have to tell me all about it when
you're done with it, and don't just forget about it. You've learned an amazing thing here, and will
come in handy in your life, I can tell you that. Farewell for now, if you need me, you know what to
do. Oh, and you'll be a little dazed when you awaken, your mind has taken a lot of stress in such
a little amount of time in the real world."

Then the blurry dream finally disperses, and I'm back at the tree on the same night I first felt
asleep at. An amazing thing, this dream communication, could be used for many a things. Then it
hits me, this "little amount of daze" more like "the worst headache you'll ever have, ha-ha, sucks
for you!" I almost screamed, the pain quickly subsided though, and I was able to shrug it off after
a minute. I have no clue what time it is so as quickly as I can I make my way back to my room.
The dining hall is completely empty, no people are about, and it's almost pitch black. It has to be
late, I think, After my eyes adjust more to the darkness I make my way slowly back to my room.
After getting lost a dozen times in the darkness I finally make it, I slowly open the door and Aika
is already asleep, who knows what time it is? I silently take off my robe and lay down in my bed.
Sleep overcame me like a wave overcomes a small pebble within seconds.

(You're still reading this?)

(I think I made a name for my style of writing, I call it the "fill in the blank" method, where I just
write what happens, not in great detail, and let you fill in the blanks of what YOU want the world
to look like, n'stuff!)

(Also known as the "IM TOO LAZY PISS OFF IM DRUUNNHHNKK" method)

I wake up in the morning to the shaking of Aika, again, telling me to wake up if I wanted to go to
breakfast, again. I quickly get up and put on the gray robe head out as soon as Aika is ready. We
make our way to the dining room once again and sit down in the same spot, Aika soon asks me
"Where were you last night?" to which I responded, "I was out training like I said but then I fell
asleep, I came back in the middle of the night, it seems." She gave me that same questioning
look, of waiting for an answer but never retrieving one. Breakfast goes by quickly, Aika not
talking again.

The lesson with Kor was the same as yesterday, just sparring for an hour, I seemed to be getting
a good sync on Aika's skill, and neither of us were receiving as many bruises or painful bumps as
yesterday. After combat training it was onto casting, I almost went off the handle since I actually
had some abilities now, but I was able to keep it under control. Then onto mental defense class,
same case as yesterday, scattering thoughts while he slowly pounds on the cage. Again, Aika
needed my help moving around afterwards, but quickly picked up speed. We go back to our
room, I continue reading the Prose Edda, but didn't get too far before lunch. Aika was silent
again... but about half way into it she snapped out of it and was back to her happy talkative
mood. Once we returned I decided to go over what I learned "last night" until the afternoon
lesson with Kor. After the lesson I started reading the book again, and eventually finished it a few
hours later. Aika notices that I just finished and asks, "Did you like it?"

(20,000 words!)

"Yes, I did, it was a different point of view of things and it was backed up by a lot of facts from
events that have happened, I think it's believable."

"Well that's good, I think so too! It's always nice to have someone who believes in the same
thing."

"Indeed, now, what time is it?"

"It's about 4:30, should be dark soon, did you want anything else to read?"

"Sure, anything else? Anything will do."

"Well, I have a simple story of a person that starts out in a village..."

Hours pass by filled with reading and "Studying" and finally it's late enough and Aika falls asleep,
I pretend to sleep for a few hours, just sitting there going over the plan in my head over and over
until I think it's late enough to sneak out without anyone seeing me. I sneak out of the room,
navigate the dark hallways and finally make it outside, after fumbling around, and find that it's a
full moon out, and there's enough light to do what I was planning to do without any assistance.
My plan was to go around to the back of the Tower where I was last night and climb up, and then
glide down, hopefully over any barrier that has been placed to protect the tower walls, hopefully
there isn't a full around force-field to protect all around the Tower, if there is then there might be
some problems, but I suspect there isn't since it's so large.

I make my way around the back of the tower and start climbing, it's a slow process, but not
tiring, there's so many pipes, windows, balconies, all empty from un used parts of the Tower , it
takes about a full hour to climb up, though, I was almost caught twice by moving past windows
with people inside that were not asleep, but I was not discovered. I had to move around them,
which took a little bit of extra time. I figured to myself that once I get better control over my
wings I'll be able to make this climb in minutes, maybe seconds, but all in good time. I finally
reach the top, then sprout my wings, but I didn't glide off right away. Something was strange up
here, so high up in the air, not only did I feel at home up here so high, there was an intense
amount of Flow up in the air, just floating above the clouds, whatever it was it reminds me of
something important. I wouldn't be able to enter the Tower barrier from the outside, so I'd need
to fly up to where I glided from, so what I needed to do was sit here for awhile and build up
energy in the wings so I could fly myself up here. That's what I did, after sprouting my wings I sat
there for about 10 minutes before I felt like I had enough energy, and build up my courage... and
leapt. The feeling of absolute helplessness was cut short as soon as the large amounts of wind
this high up caught my wings and set me aloft, slowly floating down towards Midgard once
again... the feeling was lovely, the wind passing by my face, being so high up felt so natural for
some reason... I would have to come out here every night to practice flying... the Creator was
right, it came naturally, I instantly knew how to bank left and right and control my speed. I was
right about the barrier, there wasn't one up here, and as soon as I could I made my way out of
the wall around the Tower and started spiraling down slowly. Right on time I felt a giant
distortion of energy in a part of the woods only a few miles away from the Tower. I plenty of
height so I slowly glided towards that way, enjoying every moment of my time going down.

After about half an hour of slowly descending I finally make it way to the ground, just a few
hundred feet from the location of the distortion. In the middle of the distortion is a large chest, I
eagerly move forward to open it. As I'm approaching it an immense barrier shatters around me,
must have been so no one could just come along and pick it up, I figured. I couldn't help but
smile as I kneel down and slowly open the chest, laughing with joy as I look through it, I pick out
the glorious items. First thing I notice is the chest piece, in the middle of the chest, it's a light
cuirass, planted with runes of power and in the middle of the chest is a giant white gemstone,
and above near the collar is 2 small blue stones. The bottom of the chest piece is a long white
skirt, below that is the leg pieces, also light looking plate armor with enchantments laid all across
them, same with the boots. The gloves were very open, exposing the everything but the palm
and the wrists, most likely for flexibility, each one had a smaller white gemstone on the top of it.
At the top of the chest, above the armor of the race of gods, was the halberd named Gungnir,
used to fell the beast Deities by the first Valkyrie. It's shaft was carved from the world tree, the
decorations of leaves on the handle came from the tree of life, too. The metal re-forged from the
fangs of the dragon deity, holding ancient spells of power. Why had the Creator granted me with
this weapon? It was said to be a living weapon itself, choosing who is to use it, only 2 people
have in the history of its existence, the first Valkyrie, and the Creator when he forged it.

I couldn’t grasp the spear, it wasn’t right. I was just a simple person on a mission,
with special company, basically, I wasn’t a person worthy of wielding it, the Creator
must have been wrong about me, or it’s just a joke. Either way, I wasn’t comfortable
about it, and I left it where it was. The armor, however, was soon put to use. I strip
down out of my robe and don the armor. It was an easy fit, sliding right onto my
figure, it was literally made for me, and the awkward hours in the forge were worth
it, absolutely. It felt so light, but I knew this armor could withstand a mountain
collapsing on it. I didn’t feel much different until I put on the last piece, the winged
helmet, as I put it on the power rushed in full force, and felt a connection, as if the
armor was naming me as its owner, forever. I felt amazing, I myself felt so light,
ready to take on anything, I just had to test it out. I ran around at first, just testing
the feel of it, running faster than I had ever run before, even in the Gates. I lifted
nearby rocks, threw them dozens of feet, leapt into the air, testing limits of every
aspect… Except my swiftness with a weapon… I was having too much fun, I had to.
I creep my way back over to the chest… slowly open it and look upon the spear.
Should I really? Am I worthy? No, I should wait. .”No, you won’t wait.” I jump up,
“Who’s there?” I feel a surge coming from the chest, “It is I, Gungnir, the spear that
was wielded by the first Valkyrie to slay the enemy of all, the Deities. I have been
bestowed upon you by my creator, and it humors me that you are so un-willing to
wield the most powerful blade that has ever been forged. Why do you hesitate to
use my power?” Great, it actually does talk. “I… I’m just a simple Aesir, I have no
right to use you as my weapon. I hesitate because your power alone could
annihilate me. What I ask is why me? This is a simple mission, although confusing in
purpose, but I do not need something as strong as you… in fact, I am afraid of such
power, I do not know what will happen to me if I am to be exposed to it.” I hear a
low rumble in the air, as if the Flow itself is laughing at me, “Silly girl, has your
Creator not told you of who you are yet? He offers me to you because you once
wielded me, when I first created. The reason I’m sent here is because the first
Valkyrie has finally been found, and that is you, Hrist. That is why you must wield
me, and that is why you must not fear what you will become.” An overpower surge
came over me, yes, it told me, yes, the world around me told me. You are a
Valkyrie, and you always were. “Take me now Hrist, take the blade you wielded
against the enemy of all and you will be complete in body form.” I reach out and the
world itself seemed to stand still as I was reaching for the spear Gungnir. My hand
and the spear touch, and it seems as if the world itself leapt with joy, a shockwave
of power immediately rings throughout the earth, yelling, “Let it be known that the
Valkyrie has been found.” The world speaks through the wind, the rumbling of the
ground, the clouds gathering in the sky. “Wield me now, Hrist, and let us show
people our might, let us sunder the sky with our power, guide me and thy will be
done.”
I pick up my spear Gungnir, having flashes of a past life, but unable to even
comprehend any of them. “Test me if you want, Hrist, although you wielded me in a
past life none of that will come to you fully now, you will have to learn again. But I
will be here to teach you the craft of wielding a spear, and the Creator will teach
you the craft of bending the Flow, you will learn quicker than anyone. Now, test me,
I can feel your body aching to. Just be careful to not destroy a part of the world.”
again, that low rumble that feels like a laugh. I fully grasp the spear, Gungnir, and
feel that this has been missing from my life for far too long. I flash the spear around,
sundering trees and the ground as I tested its power. Hours pass by in an instant
before I remember who I was, I’m Hrist right now, but the sun is coming up and I
need to be Alicia. “Gungnir, what am I to do with you? Your power is insane, I can’t
hide it.” The low rumble of a laugh, “Have no fear, Hrist, I am a part of your soul,
and when you need me I am but a simple thought away.” The spear sparkles in my
hand and in an instant burst of light, disappearing into thin air, and I feel a welcome
presence in my mind, “I will always be with you in your soul, Hrist, and whenever
you need me you just need to think it and I will hear. We are one once again, the
way it was meant to be.”

I figure that I’ll keep my armor on and use some of its power to blast myself to the
Tower before the sun comes up. The flight back took just minutes, flying at speeds
that made things blur as I flew past, but the wind wasn’t a problem. I was a knife
through the air, and nothing could sway me from my course, not even nature. As I
approach the tower I send myself upward, find the hole in the barrier and fly in. I
risk it all and fly down to the ground where no one seems to be, instead of climbing
all the way down on foot, and I was lucky that not a single soul saw me. I didn’t
want to lug around my armor so I simply put on the robe over it, and it covered
most of the vitals, someone would have to be looking fairly close for them to notice
the few exposed pieces of armor. I make my way into the Tower, but as soon as I
enter the dining room the entire place was in an uproar, hundreds of students are in
here, and so are all the teachers, including the Headmaster.

I hid myself by the entrance to the dining room, and could hear the conversations.
The headmaster sitting at the table in the back of the room stands up and says
calmly, but it somehow carries through the entire room, “Quiet, students, quiet!
What was heard just a few hours ago is not the end of the world, it is not the end of
man, it is not the end of anything. It has been identified as a cry from the earth, but
that of one of joy, not pain or suffering. We do not know what has happened here
today, but it is not something to worry about.” Apparently I wasn’t the only one that
felt the shockwave and screams of the earth when Gungnir and I joined.

“Few of you have reported that they heard a great yell when the shockwave came,
but one that you did not understand. I have consulted with the earth and it seems
that it was the earth itself that let loose this cry. I will investigate this for today and
so will your teachers, as such all school will be off for a few days to investigate, this
is not something that happens every day, we will try to find the source to see if this
will unlock any new intelligence of the world. Dismissed “. I wait a few moments for
the coast to clear and soon enough no one is looking in my general direction, and I
sneak out of the hallway and stroll straight to my room, hoping no one noticed the
armor. I step inside the room, Aika isn’t here, it seems, so I start to think where I
can hide this armor. It needs to be nearby, but out of sight. Under the bed? No, too
easy to stumble upon. But after a moment of thought it’s my only way to hide it for
now, I conjure up a slightly large chest with slots for the armor. I open it up and
start to take off my robe; I throw my robe on the floor and start to take off my boots
when Aika comes in the room.

It seems my luck has finally run out, “Alicia, I already saw you in the armor, so
there’s no need to hide it. And I also know that you just cast a high level spell, and
that you’ve been faking your abilities in classes. It’s only been two days since you
came here, and you’ve done well to hide it but your guard drops while you sleep,
Alicia, I have troubles sleeping in the same room with so much power. What are
you, Alicia? Do you have anything to do with the shockwave earlier? And what is
that armor?” This isn’t good… there’s no real reason for me to conceal myself other
than I just don’t want people to know what I am, too much attention!

Gungnir’s voice echoed in my mind, “Just tell her, Hrist, if she goes along with it
you’ll have no need to worry, she said the teachers haven’t found out about you yet
so you aren’t completely ruined.”

“You’re right, should I tell her the entire truth?” after a slight pause, “Might as well,
no point hiding any of it anymore.” I sigh, “Alright, Aika, as long as you promise not
to tell anybody, if you did I would be very troubled. I’m not here for any bad reason,
I’m on a mission from my master to find someone and tutor that person to be able
to defend himself against ‘troubles to come’ so he says. And that’s all.” She relaxes
a little… “You’re stronger than any person here, including the headmaster, where
are you from?”

“You know that book you and I read? I’m from there, another world that is inhabited
by the races of god. My master found a way to travel between these worlds and
that’s when I was sent here.” A face of amazement and happiness donned on her
face, realizing that what she believed in was real and that she was talking to one of
them right here was mind blowing for her, it seems. “The…the armor?” I give a
small sigh, “Forged by the smith back in the Gates, which is the main city of the
other world, it’s made to fit for every person uniquely. The armor was finished after
I came here, so I had to go and pick it up tonight, which is why I was gone.” She
looks the armor over, who knows what she’s looking for? After a minute she snaps
back to her questioning look, “And the shockwave?” I roll my eyes, “I was granted a
very strong weapon when I gained my armor, the joining with me and my weapon
caused that.” She almost laughed, “A weapon? Just touching it?” I think in my head,
“Will it be harmful to tell her who you are?” After a moment, “No, I don’t think it will
matter, she has no knowledge of what I am exactly.” I nod, which Aika boggles at,
“My weapon is a great weapon, one used to save the world I come from once
before, I was granted it for…reasons… The weapon isn’t chosen, though, the
weapon chose me, and when that happened it was sort of…bound to me, which
caused the shockwave.” After Aika looks as if she absorbed enough of it I ask, “Is
that enough? No more questions? Are you going to tell everyone or let me be?” she
gives me a look of thought..then after a minute she looks down and says, “I…won’t
tell anyone, Alicia, but only because I have no gain and… I really like your
company… and… I would be sad if you left…” I smiled, she was embarrassed to say
it, I could tell.

Few quiet hours passed by.

I was thinking of sneaking out again and practicing some more alone but I figured
the teachers would be on a look out for awhile, since the shockwave happened. I
decided to do it anyways, since no one will be outside the coast should be clear to
do so. “Aika, I’m going to go out again, it’s too boring around here. I’ll probably be
back pretty soon.” Honestly, since Aika found out the truth she hasn’t been so uneasy
around me, she had been for the past few days. I guess when she was quiet
around me for certain periods of time it was because she was afraid of what I really
was. Can’t underestimate how smart she is. “Alright, but how do you sneak around?
And why now? Everyone is on top of their toes trying to find out what happened.”
“Exactly, all the teachers are in their rooms and so are the students, they’re all
studying what happened, not looking for who caused it, they don’t even know it was
a person that did.” She thinks for a moment…

“I guess you’re right, but how do you get around?”

“Well, I can tell you that I can fly, but I’ll show you how some other time, maybe
tonight. I’m really itching to go train with Gungnir some more. I’ll be back soonish.”
She nods and I head out.

I was right, there was not a soul in the place except for the few walking around
going to friend’s rooms and such. Lunch was in a few hours, I’ll return then and
hopefully not get spotted, I won’t be bringing my armor, it’s in the chest under my
bed. Again, I make my way out to Kor’s training ground and make my way around to
the back of the tower, I felt liking going the fast way this time. I sprout my wings
again and slowly lift myself up to the top of the tower, using the power of sensing
Flow I was able to pin point people inside a room and avoid them, causing no
problems. I started to feel a powerful presence inside the tower nearby, so I stopped
using the Flow to lift myself up by wings, but starting climbing instead. The
presence soon passed by but I passed the barrier and jumped off the side of the
tower and made my way down to a far off clearing.

I land in the clearing and get down to business…but I don’t know how to… “Gungnir,
how am I supposed to summon you? Help me out here…” He laughs, “It’s simple
enough, child, just ask me.” A second later a bright shimmer appears in front of me,
bursts and Gungnir is suddenly in my hands, “Well, that’s simple enough, now, let’s
begin this training of yours.”

Chapter 5, A bit of freedom

Nothing much had happened for the past 9 months, Aika and I have been doing our new classes
we got a few months ago with no problems, and the training Gungnir had been giving me had
made me into something... different. Aika had nightmares at first, and then people around us
started having them, that was when I had to ask the Creator for a way to solve this problem. The
answer was another one of his dreams, but it didn't take as long, he taught me to basically keep
my mind working while I was asleep, so I didn't stop suppressing my powers when I went to bed.
Other than that, though, there hasn't been much happenings. However, Aika and I are getting
our passes today, which will allow us to leave the Tower on certain days, and at night, as long as
you're back by curfew.

After my advanced mental defense class with Aika we head over to Kael's office, where we are to
receive our passes. Unlike us Kael had had a busy 9 months, going on errands for the
Headmaster to many towns for the reason of trying to stop this little rebellion of people that
have been executing mages at will. The little group of people have gotten the nick-name of
Mage-Hunters, but they've officially pissed off the Headmaster recently, so they're most likely
going to feel his wrath soon. Kael had the passes ready for us and we're out of his office before
we know it, "So, Alicia, does this mean that you're not going to have to sneak out every night
now?" I chuckle, "I guess not, and I guess you'll be able to come along if you want now, too." She
widens her eyes in excitement, "I guess I will, won't I?" and we happily make our way back to our
rooms.

Aika had been locked up in this tower for nearly a year now, and she was ready to get out.
Tomorrow was one of the days that we're aloud to take the entire day off and go to the nearby
town, Monastery, so we made plans to go there. At bed time, after Aika had finally settled, I
thought of what to do about Monastery, I hadn't told her about what happened at the Church, in
fact, I hadn't told anyone. "Gungnir, when I was at Monastery when I was coming here I went to
the church to try to get some hand outs, but when I tried to enter some sort of barrier stopped
me, and then the door exploded and they were chasing after me. Why is that exactly?"

"Hmm, I don't think it was because they knew where you were from, but more because they
knew you were a mage. It was probably set up to react to the power of one, and try to protect
the Church, they most likely have their reasons. Aika should know more about it, ask her
tomorrow."

The next day quickly arrives, we head to Kael's office to sign out, which you need to do so they
can keep track of you, and head out the front gates. We were required to wear the badge of the
Tower, which is a simple round pendant that goes on the front of your robe that tells people that
you're an authorized mage, and that there's no trouble to be made. Just a few moments on the
road before I ask, "Aika, what do we plan to do, anyways?"

"Well, I was thinking we could just roam around, get some clothes maybe? I know you don't need
one but I might try finding a weapon or 2 to use, since we'll be going out more I need protection
against those Mage-Hunter guys, just in case."