He is a remarkable person. In many different ways.

The black-haired woman walks up a nearby stair and you are alone in the entrance hall. But you don’t have to wait for long until the woman comes back. She has a sly and somewhat mischievous grin on her face that makes you feel uneasy around her.

“The director has taken your letter and will be here in a few minutes,” she informs you short and hides her face behind her book.

You wonder what has happened, when suddenly two men walk down the stairs. One with a sour look and in fancy clothes which only a noble could afford and one with an elegant, blue robe and a strict look. The second one has the symbol of the guild on his robe, so you assume he is the director. The noble gives you a scathing look before disappearing through the main door without a word.

“Greetings, my dear,” the director says short and examines you critic, “I am Professor Eldritch Tiberius of Stormhaven. Director of the magic school and second in command of Archmage Aurelius. And you must be Clare. From the village of Hardwood, if I’m not mistaken. We expected you earlier, but that’s alright. As long as there are no further delays. Let me see … your branch of magic is nature. Wonderful. Your kind is always diligent and caring with our injured and our greenhouse. Maybe you will even have a good influence to some of the dark mages.”

“Yes girl,” the woman at the desk interrupts naughty, “influence me! Make me love flowers and rainbows!”

“Quiet, Raka!” Professor Tiberius says sharp, “what have I done to deserve such a secretary. Your kind always causes trouble. I really hoped this stable work would do you some good. Whatever, you stay here and take care of any guests! Follow me, novice. I show you a bit around.”

Professor Tiberius leads you through several corridors, up and down some stairs and across the campus. You see several classrooms, the training grounds, the basement and even a few special rooms like a ritual room for daemon summoning and a large balcony for astronomy studies. And soon, the director even gets calmer and more relaxed. He asks how your travel was and hopes you settle in good. After a while, the deep sound of a huge bell rushes over the campus. According to the professor, this means it is time for dinner and he wants to introduce you to your future classmates.

The dining hall is as impressive as the rest of the guild. A high room with six tables. One table for each branch of magic and one for the professors and guests. You see around one hundred mages. Most are students between 16 and 25 years while others are much older. The oldest one has a log white beard and a bald head who you consider to be at least 70 years old. You assume there are some mages who decided to join the guild instead of working on their own after their studies ended. One thing almost everyone has in common is the robe in the color of their branch.

“Attention, students,” Professor Tiberius says loud and immediately everyone stops talking and looks at him, “today we got a new student for our venerable institution. Please welcome Clare among our ranks and make her feel welcome. Professor Tuber, I hereby entrust your new student into your capable hands.”

Most students applaud for you. The other nature mages are the loudest. However, a few are not impressed and watch you rather degrading.

“Thank you very much, sir,” a short and chubby man with a bright smile, a green pointy hat and a robe that has been repaired several times answers and stands up from the professors table, “welcome my dear. Just looking at you tell me that you are not shy of hard work. You will fit in perfectly in our rows. And having knowledge about plants is a great help. After dinner I will get you a room, a robe, a book and some writing material. Nothing fancy but everything you need to work. Maybe it is even an improvement for you. Do we have to teach you reading and writing? You need this before you can learn magic.”

“It is alright, Professor,” you answer a little overwhelmed, “I already can read. I know it is … a little strange, for someone like me. But don’t worry about the room. At home I had a shared room with my two brothers.”

“Well, then I hope you got along,” Professor Tuber says laughing, “I have to test your reading, but if you are good enough, we can start your magic education right tomorrow. Take a seat next to your new classmates. I can tell they all want to welcome you and let their affection blossom.”

You quickly find out this was no joke, even if it sounded like one. As soon as you are in reach of your classmates, they literally pull you closer and you get hugged several times before they allow you to sit down. And while hugging, several of them use their magic to create single flowers which they put in your hair until you wear a crown of flowers. Only a few moments later a small group of employees of the Academy enters the dining hall with bowls that contain some noodles and vegetables. And it seems Goren was not entirely wrong when he told you some of the nature mages consider plants to be equal beings. You can see a hand full of students who ask their vegetables for allowance to eat them before doing so, even if the others give them annoyed looks.

While you eat, everyone at your table and even some students from other branches ask you about where you come from and how your magic was discovered. During this, you notice that not all students are human. You meet at least three elves, a halfelf, a orc, a lizardmen and according to another student there is a student from the seapeople who can’t attend dinner because he is unable to stay out of water for long.

After dinner, Professor Tuber and some other students lead you to the dorm rooms. They are divided in five sections. The nature mages have their rooms in the ground floor in an annex to the main building with direct access to the greenhouse. You get a small room with warm, wooden walls and a window. The room is just big enough for a bed, a small chest for your personal stuff and a desk with a chair and an empty flowerpot on top of it. Despite the size it looks cozy and kind of familiar. You wonder if you had an own room in your previous life. You think you had. Some images about a white room and a bed with pink bedsheets appear in your head.

“Well, my dear, this is your room,” the professor tells you happy and encouraging, “the bell informs you when it is time to eat. You have normal classes in the morning and magic studies in the afternoon. The evening is free time but curfew is at midnight. Ask around when you are lost. All students have problems during the first days. **** is limited and not allowed during lessons or work, **** are not allowed too, of course, but if you need to work with a plant that produces addictive stuff, I can write you a permit. Girls and boys stay in separate rooms in the night, as long as you are below 18 years. If you break the rules, I would deeply hurt me and I would have to send you to punishment work. This can be work in the laundry room, washing plates or every other unpleasant work we normally have employees for. If you are in need money just ask me. The guild has always a use for a diligent hand. In the chest are a few robes and a book for you. Let me know if it has the wrong size. If you have questions, just ask. If not, I will let you settle in now.”

“Thank you, professor,” you answer gratefully, “I will make sure the guild will not regret it.”

“I have no doubt in that,” Professor Tuber says smiling and folds his hands in front of his big belly, “welcome to the mage guild little seedling.”

Professor Tuber leaves you alone and you take a few deep breaths. This is all so overwhelming. While you put on your new green robe and place your few belongings either on your desk or in the chest you think a lot about your new family. You wonder how they are now. Especially Theodor, who is likely in a barrack now and has to train fighting. It is not fair. You get noodles and an own room while he has to share hard bread and thin soup with twenty other guys. A sudden knock at your door disturbs your emotional memories.

You open the door and see two other students. One is a halfelf in a red robe, the other one is a human girl in a blue robe. Both are around your age even if you are unsure if halfelves age the same humans do. You can’t help but consider them really pretty. The halfelf is, thanks to his elven heritage, very good looking, while the human girl has an elegant posture, flawless skin and perfectly styled black hair. She is clearly a noble’s daughter. You immediately shame yourself because your hair is probably rather messy after several days on the road.

“Greetings, newbie,” the halfelf says and shakes your hand, “sorry to interrupt you. I know you are still settling in. Don’t worry, we are not here to mess with you. My name is Omboran. As you can see I am from Professor Ashwolf’s pack.”

“Yeah, a pack of stick-fetchers,” the girl replies teasing but you don’t think this was meant to be an insult, “I’m Lunavell by the way. But Luna is fine. Only my parents use ma full name. I was the newest member before you came. Nice to meet you. Clare was your name, right?”

“Yes, that’s right,” you reply and try to hide your blushing, “I … do you want to come in?”

“With pleasure,” Omboran replies and sits down at your desk while you and Luna sit at the bed, “I hope you don’t consider us pushy. We just wanted to get to know the new girl. And offer our help if you need it. In every way you can think about.”