Evren was descending the third stairwell by himself.
The morning air was clear and warm. He watched as a flock of birds flew out from some bushes far below and rode the draft up out of the Nexus. The whole scene was so calm and serene, clashing with the thoughts in his head, which were a tumultuous mess. As he slowly progressed downward, he played the events of the past hour back again and again.
He was a freshman again. He could feel that his body was less developed, probably the same size he’d been a year ago. But there was something else going on. He had recognized a few of the girls in his tour group, and they had looked younger too. But the rest of them, he was certain he didn’t know them at all. Was this even the same Nexus he’d been at all year?
This didn’t feel the same as his first day at school, one year ago. The place looked the same, but there was something different about the people. And, as he examined the students moving across the distant walkways like busy ants, he didn’t see any boys among them. Where had they gone? Was this just an academy full of girls?
Maybe he was asleep and dreaming.
Or maybe he had died and this is his afterlife.
He wished he could get another clarity spell. He should’ve stuck around the Ferry landing longer and asked that magister for help.
Just thinking back to the sweet Magister Florent, he felt his temperature rising. He had run away when his body had started reacting, but the truth was that he’d never felt anything like that woman’s gentle touch before. He was kind of hoping that he’d see her again in the near future.
But for now, he needed to seek out help. It was that thought that drove him forward. His feet continued to plod downwards one step at a time. He couldn’t be the only one who’s going through this, could he?
He would seek out the Stratega Grudin, a man who represented all the power and knowledge of the Caster class. He was the Head Caster and Administrator for the entire Nexus. If anyone could help him, he could. And since today was apparently Admissions Day again, he knew just where to find the Stratega.
Down on Level J at the Crystal Field.
The Crystal Field was more than just the center and lowest level of the Nexus, it was also a powerful artifact in the administration of the entire Academy. From here, he could already catch an occasional glint of sunlight refracting through the magical crystals.
All students were taught about the crystals. They filled a 30 by 30 foot square on Level J and they were made out of rare ‘living quartz.’ The artifact used light from the sun and the shifting angles of the crystals to predict the future. Under the right circumstances, and at the right times of day, they could answer any questions regarding the future with 100% accuracy.
“The story goes that no important decision is made at the Academy without first consulting the Crystal Field,” one magister had taught them. “And each of your fates have already been guided by them, as well. You see, each year in the days leading up to Admissions, the Stratega uses the crystals to match freshmen with their trial partners.”
Evren's head spun with vertigo as he found himself stepping too fast, and he had to pause and regain his balance. He hadn’t been to Level J since his first day at the Academy, and now here he was, back on his first day once again.
* * * * * * * * *
When he arrived at the bottom, Evren was already breathing hard and sweating in the rising heat of the day. Along the west wall of the field, a large open-faced tent with a table set under it had been erected. There, three representatives from the Royal Eryndor Casting Brigade sat, observing his arrival. He looked around and, though there were plenty of magisters and members of the admissions board bustling about, observing crystals and the marked walls surrounding the field, he didn’t see Stratega Grudin.
The representatives were still watching him catch his breath, so he decided to talk with them first.
“Please do not step on the crystals,” one of the RECB reps called to him, just as Evren’s foot was about to come down on one. “Walk around the field.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Evren sheepishly circled around, following the five foot wide stone path that ran along the edge of Level J, until he reached the table. Sitting languidly, the three officers observed him closely. He felt like he was being weighed and dissected.
All three of them were officers of the Caster Brigade, probably around 30 years of age. One, a woman with sharp almond-shaped eyes and olive-colored skin, wore a Chrysanthemum pin on her casting robe, a beautiful flower with 100 petals. It marked her as a Marshal in the Casters Brigade. The marshal was a mature beauty, with square shoulders and a huge bosom, and Evren felt his face flushing as she leaned towards him with interest.
The man and woman who sat on either side of her, had matching dark hair and dark complexions. They resembled each other to the point that they could’ve been twins. Each wore a and a rose pin over their hearts, marking them as Wardens, also a high rank.
“Name and birthplace?” the first woman asked, not wasting any time. Evren paused just a moment before answering.
“… My name is Evren Veylor, and I am from Kiltervale. That’s a small town about 3 hours from Eryndor City.”
“I’m aware of Kiltervale, freshman Evren. There is a school of magic there," she replied lightly.
Ugh. This conversation was not starting off well. But these casters were all experienced magic users, having graduated from the Academy themselves. Perhaps they would know what happened to him.
“Yes, about that. I am not actually a freshman,” he said before launching into an explanation that he hoped would not make him sound crazy.
“Something magical happened to me, and now I look like a freshman caster, but I am actually a junior caster.”
“Is that so?” the woman asked, raising an eyebrow. She flicked a finger at the woman sitting next to her. “Warden Tilo, take a statement.”
“Yes, Marshal Yulia,” the woman responded curtly, pulling out a roll of paper and uncorking a bottle of ink, she dipped her quill with a practiced hand and was poised to write.
“When and where did this magical occurrence happen?” the woman with sharp eyes asked. Her voice was brisk, and she spoke in a way that demanded quick answers. Evren’s heart was pounding. Quick answers were not his forte.
“A couple of hours ago, in a deep chamber on level F. It was called the Hall of Records.”
“Can you describe the occurrence?”
Evren summarized as best he could, what happened to him after Mae had left. Wait a minute. Maybe Mae knew something about what happened to him! Evren snapped back to attention, because the woman, Marshal Yulia, was asking another question.
“So you remember nothing between the light in the eyes and awakening at the Ferry landing. Why do you believe you are a junior, when your name is right here in front of me, under the freshman admissions?”
The words felt more of an accusation than a question.
“Uhh… Because I’ve already been studying at the Academy for a year. This is my second year here.”
“Hmm… Warden Hugo, do you have any record of freshman Evren attending courses in previous years.”
The man, sitting to her left, sighed, as though he’d been asked an impossible task, before shuffling through a pile of papers in front of him and speaking in a bland voice.
“I have records for Winifred Veylor, who entered the Brigade last year, Molly Veylor, who is a fifth year senior caster, and Dia Veylor who is enrolled in her junior year, however they are all females.”
He turned to observe Evren directly and said, “There are no previous records of Evren Veylor.”
“Very well,” the Marshal replied, ignoring the obvious attitude Warden Hugo was giving. “Freshman Evren, I am going to test your skills, which will determine if you have been casting for a year here at the Academy, or if you’re lying to us.”
“You two,” she said, turning to Tilo and Hugo, who both looked at her quizzically. She shot them a grin that didn’t reach her eyes.
“We are going to have a magic duel. Both of you, versus me and Evren.”