Chapter 152 First Day In Hell
Elena tried suppressing the butterflies in her stomach. It was the first day of class and she wasn't quite sure what to expect. The classroom was already full of chattering first years, but the professor had yet to arrive. She couldn't believe she was actually here, it was like she was living in a fairy tale.
Elena had turned seventeen a few days ago. It was an age when she should have been enjoying her youth, and she was until the Great Wall was breached about two weeks ago.
Elena was from Glan-Haldag, a Rank 3 County south of the Forsaken Lands, of which her family, the Warrens, were the ruling family. It seemed like an enviable status, but it turned out that this county was surrounded by six nations coveting its lands: 3 Marquisates, 2 Duchies and a Rank 1 Kingdom. It was not something that an insignificant county could resist.
Her father loved her dearly, but he was also a pragmatic and ambitious man who would do anything to keep his position. His daughter, Elena, had thus naturally become a tool, a trophy that her father was ready to hand over to the most sincere party, as long as it would allow him to secure an important ally. A marriage by alliance between their two nations was the logical solution.
That was all history. In retrospect, perhaps it would have been better if she had married, but she couldn't help but feel a guilty sense of relief that she had been spared this tragic fate.
Like the majority of people who had immigrated to Tartarus Shade in recent days, her family had arrived at the city in the hopes of avoiding the Glenring horde that had swept north from the Hadrakin breach.
Her father, refusing to lose the county he had fought for to the extent of being willing to sacrifice his daughter, had stayed behind with his army. He had made it possible for Elena, her mother and their retinue to flee. As he told them to leave, he had relocated the Stele, placing it in his daughter's hands with genuine tears in his eyes.
"Everything I have accomplished can be accomplished again as long as you have this Stele. The blood of a Major Saint flows through us and we are not destined to live as ordinary people. Go to the Warring Lands and when you have obtained an invincible army, avenge me."
This was perhaps the only favorable image she would keep of her selfish father despite all his faults. Though, even at the end his act of selflessness was for his daughter to avenge him in the future.
Fortunately, in addition to the Stele, the Warrens had money, and it had been acquired legally. Before they were nobles, they were a merchant family. Their father had obtained his Stele very legally, by making a massive offering to the temple of Seorn.
The one who guarded Tartarus Shade's great Transportation Portal at the time was an influential member of House Goldforged, one of the six Ruling Houses. As the richest clan in the Warring Lands, they had immediately hit it off.
Thus, Elena had joined House Goldforged as an affiliated Lord. She chose a territory from the many available choices and began her new life as a female Lord. With her mother's guidance and her advisors, everything went smoothly or so.
The day before, when she came to register early, several young Lords from the six Ruling Houses had expressed some form of interest in her. Some were just flirtatious or innocent compliments, but a few were much more offensive, even threatening.
A female Lord from abroad, even if she was a Count's daughter, did not carry much weight in Tartarus Shade. She was just an easy prey and beyond her pretty face, these Lords coveted her territory and her Stele.
But now, things would change for the better. Elena felt the comfortable weight of the textbooks in her bag and she couldn't help but smile. Her father had always prevented her from practicing magic the way she wanted to, forcing her to learn spells, but here she could become the Sorcerer she dreamed of being.
The Talent-Probe test had qualified her as a B-Talent and it had changed her life. She was now one of the seed-students of this class. Elena would join the ranks of the heroes in the stories she grew up hearing. She had spent the past few days daydreaming about casting bolts of flame, flying through the sky, and driving off Glenrings from the Forsaken Lands.
The opposite of the weak healing magic and auxiliary spells she had been taught up to now meant only to preserve her youth and beauty for her future husband.
First, she would have to do well in class. Elena had three simple yet clear goals that she was determined to achieve in her time at the magic academy. Number one, she needed to excel in all of her classes. She couldn't afford to fail and be kicked out of the academy, it would be the end of all her dreams. Number two, she would become a powerful Sorcerer. With magic on her side nothing would be impossible. Lastly, she had to make strong connections with the Lords that attended the school. Having friends in high places would open so many doors for her.
Elena wasn't confused about the hierarchy of Tartarus Shade. The city like the rest of the Forsaken Lands was ruled by an oligarchy. Making friends with the powerful named houses that ruled that city was the best option, no, the only option for Elena. She might even find a handsome Sorcerer among them. Someone that would become more than just friends. She had already planned everything. She could go on adventures with him, and they'd fall in love after experiencing difficult trials in the wilds together. They would be by each other's side forever.
Elena glanced around the classroom, trying to gauge her fellow classmates. While they all wore the school issued deep-blue tunics, and black pants or skirts, Elena could still tell who came from a commoner or elite background, but telling who was a Lord or part of her retinue was much less obvious.
The trick was in the small things. Some people wore golden earrings or rings. Others had silver beads interwoven in their hair, a trait of beauty and opulence in many cultures. The biggest clue was how the students carried themselves.
The elites laughed and chatted with their friends, no doubt other rich kids. The few commoners stood quiet in their seats, but the Lords among them often had a coolness, a certain defiance in their eyes that set them apart from the others.
Elena empathized with the commoners, after all, not so long ago her fate was controlled by her father. A loose strand of dark hair drifted to her face, she pulled it back.
The classroom door opened. The chatter died down as a Fae in white mage robes entered. His clothes were plain, but the fabric looked expensive. Although the man wore long silver hair held in place by a golden brooch, his face was ageless, appearing both young and old. A solemn expression shrouded his face.
"Good morning first years. Welcome to your first day in hell." He said.
Whispers of uncertainty ran among the students. Elena realized that it wasn't supposed to be like this. She heard several scions from the Ruling Houses whisper the name "Iannaril. Wasn't that the principal of the academy?
The Fae continued in a grave pitch, "Magic is not something that is learned on a whim. Until now, I and the six Ruling Houses couldn't care less whether you wasted your potential or not, but circumstances have recently changed. Thus, I have been kindly persuaded to come out of seclusion to deal personally with you... the talented ones.
" Many of you will fail and break. Few will achieve a semblance of skill. But, if you devote all of your being to magic and its mysteries, with the proper guidance, and a significant measure of talent, I'll make you Sorcerers yet. You may call me Professor Iannaril or principal Iannaril and this is Magic Fundamentals."
Elena could hardly contain her excitement. Iannaril Maplemoon! This was a genuine Sacred Magus! An impartial being who exuded power. She would learn magic from him.
a�?a�?"If you-" Iannaril began.
The door slammed open. Everyone's eyes turned to stare at the fools who dared to interrupt a legendary Sacred Magus. A handsome youth and five other equally handsome young men and women entered the room.
Ikaris eyed the class and glanced at his curriculum paper. He frowned.
"Has the class started yet?" There was a trace of displeasure in his voice.
'Looks like that Miss Kiwi screwed you more than you thought.' Magnus chuckled in his head.
Everyone was watching him and judging by their stares, not all with good intentions. Ikaris looked at the Fae who stood in the front, and guessed he was the teacher. He and his classmates promptly apologized for their tardiness and made their way to the vacant front seats.
Iannaril presented Ikaris and his companions with a smile that was not a smile throughout the entire walk. Elena watched in awe as the teenager sat next to her. Why did he smell so good? And why was she shivering with fear then? Why be so sexy and scary at the same time?