Me, My Spirit, And I [Book 1 Complete]

Before heading to the Academy Lusha had decided, perhaps wisely, to send a magic message ahead of their arrival. Due to the trade agreements with the Imperium, the Shadow Company was able to send a warning to the Eastern Imperial Academy and the city that surrounded it that they would be arriving via a special skyship. Skyships were more common the further East one went due to the Imperium engaging in trade with the Dwarven Confederacy. This meant their arrival wouldn't have been a total surprise, but Lusha felt caution after their surprise welcome in Ahras.

The rolling hills and thick forests gradually thinned as the SCSS Shadow Beast moved East. Lush, grassy plains dotted by tree lined rivers became the predominant scenery. They tried hard to avoid flying directly over settlements, and stayed as high as they could comfortably travel. The weather had mostly been calm, but at one point they ran into a thunderstorm that seemed to span the entire grassland. When this happened, they were forced to land and raise the wards to wait out the storm. The Shadow Beast wasn't quite ready to fly through high winds, hail, and lightning just yet. It could, but the wards would have been drained quickly.

The sun was just peaking over the horizon when the skyship crew spotted Academy City. It was then that the captain sent people to wake Lusha, Westlin, and Mina, who arrived on the bridge to see the five massive towers of the Academy backed by the rising sun.

"I really have to work on some anti-glare tinting or enchantments don't I? Maybe sunglasses?" Lusha mused out loud to themselves as they shaded their eyes against the light; flying directly into the sunrise turned out to be an unpleasant experience.

"Just increase your Body Cultivation," Mina said casually while being completely unbothered by the glare.

Both Lusha and Westlin gave Mina a look that only caused her to smile before turning to look at the city. "It is awfully big for a city that only exists to support the Academy," Westlin remarked.

"The Academy predates not only Academy City, but the entire Imperium. It is technically an independent citystate like Westlin, but it is so deep in Imperial territory that the truth of that is questionable." The relationship between the Academy and the Imperium was more than a bit murky, but at least on the surface it was a neutral area.

"Do you think anyone is going to fire on us this time?" Westlin asked as the skyship slowed and fly lower as they neared the city.

"I should hope not. Look there!" Lusha pointed to a dot in the distance. "That is a Dwarven skyship. The Dwarven Confederacy sends their nobleborn and [Titled Nobles] to the Academy as well. As far as I know, nearly every nation bordering the Imperium does."

"Is there a reason why everyone studies here?" Westlin asked as they squinted to see the Dwarven skyship.

"There are plenty. In addition to being the most prestigious institution of learning on the continent, its neutrality means that it is one of the few places where the young of many nations can meet and mingle." Lusha grimaced. "Yes, that means people come here to find people of similar rank to marry. More than one alliance has been forged between noble houses that way."

"So, Princess, do you think you will find someone you will fancy and settle down with here at the Academy?" Westlin asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Lusha rolled their eyes at Westlin. "No titles, remember? We talked about this."

"You didn't answer my question."

"No, I don't expect to find a partner here." Lusha gave Westlin a smile that could perhaps be described as coy. "I have no need to look for someone."

Westlin's cheeks flushed. The two never really talked about the nature of their relationship or where it might lead, but there were times like now when it was clear that both teens had feelings for one another. Neither felt ready to confront what those feelings meant.

"[Baron], there is someone flying towards us," the captain said suddenly after examining a scrying screen.

"Slow down; I think it might be someone from the skyship docks." It was at that point that Lusha realized that there was no easy way to let someone onboard mid-air. They could open the ship's mouth and lower the ramp, but wind might be a problem.

By the time the flying mage reached the Shadow Beast, the skyship had come as close as they could to a full stop. There were at least a mile from the city walls, and the strange mage circled the ship several times before stopping to engage in charades in front of the eye-like windows of the bridge.

After a series of back and forths, Lusha and Westlin went to meet the mage at the only real entrance the ship had. The fish's mouth. Once the mouth opened, the mage wasted no time flying inside. Lusha, Westlin, Mina, and the captain all had to brace as a strong wind entered the ship before the mouth could be shut.

"Welcome aboard the Shadow Company Skyship, Shadow Beast!" Lusha said cheerfully as the mage looked around curiously after removing a pair of flight goggles from their eyes. The mage was dressed in a mostly skin tight leather outfit that looked like it was designed for aerodynamics. Lusha seriously wondered if they called it a flight suit. They could sense enchantments covering the outfit and noted the Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple banded knot of the Academy on the mage's uniform.

"Thank you," the mage gave a polite bow. "I assume you are [Baron] Aseraelis, correct?" Lusha nodded in confirmation. "I am Teratus Incara; I am the morning Flight Coordinator for Academy City. Flight above the city is strictly regulated. If you will guide me to your marvelous vessel's bridge, I will guide you through the City wards."

Lusha raised their eyebrows in surprise. "Well met, Flight Coordinator Teratus Incara. I wasn't aware that there was enough air traffic here to warrant the need for coordination."

The mage gave them all a winning smile before responding. "Please call me Teratus. You would be surprised at the number of skyships we get, but the regulations are more for individuals than anything else." The mage shrugged non-chalantantly while Lusha guided them through the ship's halls. "Professors and students like to practice a lot; then there are the floating barges, trade ships from the Confederacy, and the rare Imperial skyship. Which, between you and me, are little more than fancy barges."

"I see; I did notice a Dwarven skyship on our approach, but I didn't notice many others in the air," Lusha said non-committedly.

"You wouldn't at this hour. It is barely dawn, after all. There is a lot more traffic during the lunch and dinner rush." Teratus gave them all another toothy smile. "You would think that with the entire sky to choose from things would be fine, but no less than one aerial accident happens nearly daily. My job is basically to prevent those." He laughed. "It is not fun when we miss something and some student has to be pulled from the debris of someone's attic, let me tell you."

Lusha was somewhat non-plussed by the gregarious Flight Coordinator and didn't know quite how to respond. "Ah, I can only imagine." Lusha was glad the trip to the bridge was short. "Here is our bridge."

Teratus stopped just beyond the door and looked around in something between shock and perhaps awe. For a moment they seemed unable to speak. "What, by the Guide, is all this?"

Lusha gave the Flight Coordinator a confused look. "The bridge of the Shadow Beast. Virtually all of the ship's enchantments can be coordinated from here."

Teratus gave Lusha an incredulous look. "You realize, most ships just have a steering column and a single panel showing things like altitude and wind speed, right?"

Realizing what the problem was, Lusha nodded safely. "Of course, I studied with a Dwarven Shipmaster after all; but I, or rather Mr. Shadow, the founder of the Shadow Company, found those designs lacking." Lusha gestured to the scrying screens. "These allow the crew to monitor everything around the ship and a few places inside. Look, you can see the cargo hold on this scry screen."

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What followed was a brief guided tour of the various special features of the Shadow Beast. At least, the ones Lusha was comfortable talking about.

"Are these screens made of glass?" Teratus asked curiously, while leaning over a crewman's shoulder.

Westlin smirked and Lusha laughed. "No, they are diamond panels."

Teratus leaned back quickly then looked around the bridge. "All of these are diamonds? By the Gods, where on Sierrallas did you mine diamonds large enough to make these?" Disbelief was clear in the Flight Coordinator's voice.

"Mr. Shadow makes them, along with several other types of gemstones, out of mundane materials. There are no mines. Just magical craftsmanship," Lusha said this proudly.

"I had heard rumors about the wonders coming from out West, but to think these were all made with magic is amazing!" Teratus shook their head.

"You were to guide us to the skydocks, yes?" Lusha asked gently.

"I am sorry, you have had me so distracted I nearly forgot why I am here." Teratus began giving instructions that Lusha directed the crew to follow.

Lusha felt like the Shadow Beast was being forced to crawl through the sky at the speeds Teratus insisted on. It was a mere fraction of the speed the ship was capable of, and prolonged their approach.

"There is a berth we made sure was ready for your arrival. It is designed for Dwarven skyships, but as far as I can tell, this magnificent Beast should fit the cradle." Teratus said as the approached the dock.

The landing and disembarking were somewhat tricky. Most skyships unloaded from the top, not the front; so a bit of coordination, rope, and magic was required to get everyone and everything off the ship.

Lusha turned to the captain of the Shadow Beast as they prepared to disembark.. "You and the crew may explore the city at your leisure as we have discussed. For now, the ship will remain docked here. Please ensure there is enough staff to maintain security. I will trigger the wards on all the sensitive areas, so warnI the crew, please." Lusha and the captain shook hands. "Oh, and of course, the quartermaster has the chips to pay you. We will head back to Westlin during the first weekend break."

"I appreciate the trust you are showing. Do not worry. I will take good care of the old Beast, and will be ready to take you wherever you will, [Baron] Aseraelis."

Lusha smiled, nodded, and reluctantly left the Shadow Beast behind.

The skydocks had a broad observation deck, and Lusha paused to take in the view. Academy City was an eclectic mixture of architectural styles. Like all of the walled cities of Sierrallas, most buildings were at least 2-3 stories high, while there were many that were 5-10 stories. However, the five main towers of the Academy itself loomed over them all, and stretched several hundred feet into the sky.

"What Tower do you think you will end up in?" Westlin asked as they made their way through the busy morning traffic on foot.

"I am not sure I can qualify for any of the towers, with my restrictions. Each one represents a specific type of Path. Besides, it is a bit too soon to speculate. You have to be Rank 10 to choose a Path and be inducted into a Tower," Lusha reminded their friend.

"Oh I know that, but it is fun to speculate. I will likely end up being placed in the red Martial's Tower." Westlin flexed their bicep. "I am almost guaranteed a Physical Path with these muscles."

Lusha laughed. "Most likely, but you know that with your attunement to Ice you could end up in the purple Mage's Tower as an Ice Elementalist."

"No, not going to happen. I will unlock a Warrior's Path or an Ice Warrior Path. Mages spend far too much time studying, and you know I suck at using the Lingua Arcana." Westlin wasn't lying when he said he sucked with the most common magical language. His pronunciation was atrocious, and his ability to remember the actual words was spotty at best. Magical languages were innately difficult for people to learn, and some just couldn't; Westlin being a good example.

"There are the smaller, hybrid towers, you know. You could get a Battlemage Path," Lusha said teasingly.

"Nope, pure Warrior or Elemental Warrior at worst. I have you for all the spells I will ever need."

Mina walked behind the teens protectively. Despite being amused at their banter, she had a job to do, and that was acting as a bodyguard. Of course, she didn't know that her role was more for show than anything, as four Wyld Elven Shadows followed Lusha invisibly everywhere he went. Unseen, unheard, and deadly when necessary.

The closer they got to the Academy proper, the more diverse the morning crowd became. There, many races were represented that Lusha had only read about. While humans, elves, and dwarves were the most common, there were also various types of demikin. Demikin could all trace their bloodlines back to a Monster or Beast who rose to sapience, gained shapeshift, and finally integrated into regular society. Demikin were easy to spot due to their various animalistic traits. There were even a few demikin from newer bloodlines that looked like anthropomorphic animals rather than humanoids with animal features. Lusha did their best not to stare at the people that looked like something from an anime.

While there were other Wylderfolk like Lusha's disguise, and giantkin like Westlin, they were something of a minority. Among the humans Imperial features dominated, but there was plenty of variety, including people with skin tones that would have been impossible on Earth.

"People are far more diverse here than back home." Westlin noted as he nervously sidestepped a large bull-like man that made even him feel small.

"Westlin is a rather small, provincial city at the edge of civilization. We are nearer the center of the continent here, and Academy City is a melting pot of people," Lusha gently reminded Westlin.

"I know that. I studied the same books you did, but seeing it is different." Westlin looked like he would say more, but their group had finally made it to the Academy's main entrance.

In front of the gates was a table behind which sat what looked like a young teen and an older man. The teen wore light green robes, while the man wore dark green robes. If Lusha's books were accurate, these were members of the Mentalist's Tower for those with Mind Paths. The table they sat behind was draped with a cloth and a poorly painted sign that said 'Student Orientation'.

Lusha and Westlin looked at each other and shrugged before approaching together.

The student looked up with something that looked like curiosity, but the man continued reading a book. "Hello, this is our first time at the Academy."

The teen poked the man to get their attention. "Sir, we have a couple of newbies."

The man in dark green robes sighed and put their book down before looking up at Lusha and Westlin. "Wylderfolk?" he asked with a curious head tilt.

"Yes, we are here to enroll for the new term," Lusha said politely. They didn't know quite what to expect, but being stared at was getting awkward.

"Do you have referrals?" the man asked in a bored tone.

Lusha nodded and pulled out two sets of letters. One set came from grandfather Alexzandrous and the other grandmother Kiera. They handed the four letters over, which the man took without enthusiasium. "Those referrals should cover me and my friend here," Lusha said with a smile.

The man grunted in response. Lusha watched as the man took note of the high quality stationary before breaking the seals and glancing through each letter quickly. After he read them, paused and sat up straighter. He then proceeded to read the letters more carefully. To Lusha's surprise, it wasn't the [Witch Queen's] referrals that had caught the man's attention, but the ones from their grandfather.

"You are Archmage Aseraelis's grandchild?" the man said suddenly, which caused the teen next to them to also perk up upon hearing those words.

"Yes? Do you know my great grandfather?" Lusha was surprised at how strongly the man was reacting.

The teen's eyes bugged out when Lusha called Alexzandrous great grandfather, but the man was suddenly all smiles. "No, not directly, but I know of him. Just about anyone you ask will have heard of Archmage and Headmaster Alexzandrous Aseraelis; he single handedly stopped the last incursion of the Orokai along the northern steppes, revolutionized the study of the Alchemical studies on transmutation, and reigned over the Academy for nearly 100 years. He is famous here."

While Lusha was well aware that Alexzandrous was a powerful Archmage, it was hard for them to think of them as anything other than the doddering old man that mucked around in the cottage's tower doing experiments all day. All Lusha could do was blink at the official turned fan boy in front of them. "Uhmmm, I did not know that. Grandpa doesn't talk much about his past. He spends most days puttering around his tower doing experiments." Even Westlin stared at the man like he had suddenly grown a second head.

While looking for a way out of further interaction with the enthusiastic man, Lusha remembered that there was someone else that needed to hand in their referral letters. They closed their eyes and with a mental twist split their mind before Shada used Spirit Walking to emerge from Luca's body like the silent invisible Spirit they were.

The appearance of Shada's manifestation startled the man in green into silence. "Excuse me, is there a place new Professors are meant to go?" Shada gave his voice a bit of reverb, just to give it that spooky quality that unsettled people.

The man stood up when Shada manifested, and his mouth opened as Shada floated his own referral letter forward. "I also have a referral from Archmage Aseraelis."