It was six o'clock. Leonard put Professor Macky and her class behind him. Literally and figuratively. Cue the long, appreciative breath of air.
"Ha…!"
Fresh air seeped into his lungs. Lecture Town buzzed with students and professors prepared to leave or were already leaving. Out from the west, he entered the Town Square, a busy place with students loitering and civilians selling. Leonard went to buy ice cream from a stall.
"Two cones, double-sundae," Leonard told the ice cream stand owner. In thirty seconds, the transaction was done. "Thank you."
"That will be four silver coins."
'Four silver coins? I thought it was one silver coin per cone. Damn, ice cream is getting expensive.'
He promptly paid and went on his merry way, carrying two cones of ice cream. It was a fat thing and disgustingly sugary. He loved it. One for himself and one for, well, not himself. He enjoyed the walk from the Town Square to the Red Staircase. Lecture Town was beautiful, perfectly symmetrical, divided, and built from the ideals of academics. It was the primary campus of Arcadia Academy, arguably the greatest magic school in all the realms.
He looked up.
Way, way up.
There it was—a floating castle of unparalleled beauty and size. To even call it beautiful seemed lacking. Arcadia Academy was overwhelmingly bright and exalted.
The academy sat atop a vast, floating landmass, suspended in the sky. Gravity had simply given up on it. Waterfalls cascaded at seven points, three spilling into pools who were overflowing and four waterfalls transforming the water into mist. The cathedral itself was white and bright. A majestic beam of white organized into gothic towers. Leo could smell the lush greenhouses and thick scent of water among the countless castle rooms and height.
Bright.
So bright.
So happy and thrilling.
Lecture Town existed beneath the majestic Arcadia Academy. On the ground, it served the academy and its students, hosting classrooms, study booths, training grounds, and even cafes and small libraries. The spires of the academy cast crooked sun-dappled patterns on the symmetrical town below.
Considering classes were over, people were either climbing on brooms and took to the skies or went up the Red Staircase. Magically appearing at the whims of the students, the Red Staircase were long, spiralling stairs that connected to the floating citadel that was Arcadia Academy.
'Bit more of a maroon bridge now that I'm taking a better look at it,' Leonard remarked to himself.
Brooms were damn expensive. Leonard took to the Red Staircase while carrying all his textbooks in a knapsack. Unlike the older students, he was not at the level of wizarding where he could magically carry his books.
'Oh brother.'
His nose picked up something and he kept his head down. A certain Jalaric Dawnfire and his cohorts walked past him. Jalaric was coming from a combat class. Leonard grimaced.
'Jalaric smells like burnt roses.'
"I hate this bloody staircase," a student from Jalaric Dawnfire's party yelled. "Why did they have to make us walk?"
"Because of us, you idiot," another cohort answered. "We can't even use our damn brooms because of that stupid punishment spell they put on us."
The Red Staircase was an inconvenient walk, a minute too long for ordinary people with two legs. Parents complained. Rich people complained. Ordinary people complained. So, there was a single portal set up at the end of Lecture Town that instantly brought them to the floating Academy.
Exceeept the portal wasn't working anymore.
"The portal could not withstand the fire of Dawnfire," Jalaric stated. "Therefore, it is not worthy of being used."
Jalaric Dawnfire was dead serious too. Leonard pretended he didn't hear the stupid comment. A tall, lean boy with fiery red hair, golden eyes, and a constellation of freckles across his face, his robes were always slightly singed at the edges. A powerful fire user, arguably the best of their year.
Like most students of Luminara, Jalaric carried a swagger of arrogance. Technically, it was boldness but Leonard preferred arrogance. And in Leonard's opinion, Jalaric's arrogance went beyond the typical Luminara student.
'I am SO glad we don't share any of the same classes.'
Leonard was in Class 2-C. Jalaric was in 2-A. Same year but different homerooms and different degrees of ability. Arcadia Academy being a competitive magic school ranked their students from A to F. Leonard was right down the middle in 2-C and students were able to pick and choose their courses.
However, those assigned to Class A and B were allowed to apply to special classes. Special classes meant special curriculums, studies, and, to some extent, special privileges. They were the best of the best. So while Jalaric went to the same herbology class as Leonard, for example, he did not go to the same combat classes.
Leonard didn't care too much about the matter. He was happy with where he was. It allowed him to be a student without professors looking too hard at him. He could relax, work hard, look tense, and be a loner without issues.
Was Leonard jealous that Jalaric had a bunch of followers? Pfft, no. Buuuut it would be nice, wouldn't it? His lackeys carried his books for him.
Sigh.
Head down, eyeing the delicious ice cream in his hands, and listening to the laughs and jokes of Jalaric's group, he arrived at the Reception Hall of the floating Arcadia Academy. The Reception Hall was busier than normal without the portal. Statues of the Four Founders lay in the middle, constructed of stone and uncoloured save for one aspect.
Luminara, a warrior woman of long hair and a flaming, coloured red sword stabbed into the ground.
Noctis, a hooded man with a black staff raised to the heavens.
Terranova, a woman in form-fitting robes and her hands clasped together. Her eyes glowed green.
Chelys, a big turtle with a bright blue shell.
For the students, the statues were an everyday sight. For those that witnessed them for the first time, it was complete awe. The statues were five metres tall and the colours on the otherwise grey statues were magical. Rumours say the Beloved Students of the Founders built these statues by sacrificing a piece of themselves.
"Come on, everyone! Come on, everyone! Join the chess club—"
"The wrestling club—"
"We're doing magical cooking here! Get your wands and bake your cakes!"
Dammit. Since the portal was closed, all the older students were camping and gesturing to join their shitty clubs. Okay, shitty was too strong a word. He apologized. Leonard hurriedly brushed past any papers and wands and headed to his dorm.
"Sorry, apologies, I have ice cream in my hands—" He apologized profusely, skillfully brushing past everyone without spilling his ice cream. "Whoop, my bad!"
He brushed shoulders and ultimately got what he wanted and made it out of the Reception Hall.
The Founders of Arcadia Academy led four factions: Luiminara, Noctis, Terranova, and Chelys. In the modern day, they served as dorms.
So, which dorm was Leonard apart of?