The next day dawned brighter than Ian expected, the sun pouring through the small circular window of his shared dorm. He woke up before the bells rang, still feeling the faint ache in his arms from the training Piper had put him through days before. He sat on the edge of the bed for a while, staring at the wall as he gathered his thoughts, then finally dressed in the academy's red and gold initiate robes. They were lighter than the royal ones he had worn before, and for that he was grateful.
After a quick breakfast in the bustling dining hall, he was guided by one of the attendants toward the Fire Hall. The academy itself was enormous, a massive structure of ancient stone and floating runes that gleamed faintly under the sunlight. Students filled the pathways, laughing, chattering, or arguing about spell forms and mana channels. Ian noticed the variety of colors in their robes...each representing a different element. His was red, the color of fire.
