Sanae paced along the ship's deck. They were nearing the docks of Akil. The journey had been uneventful, lasting only a few weeks with good weather and favorable winds.

Her fatigue did not improve her mood. She had been having trouble sleeping. In her dreams her mother would accuse her, "You abandoned me!" she would say tearfully, as murky figures surrounded her. "I had no choice!" Sanae would try to explain. It seemed like a weak excuse, even to her.

As she saw the captain approaching from the corner of her eye, Sanae made a futile effort to appear less fidgety. "Don't be worried," Areenya said, "Izzat Fai is a well-respected mage and a brilliant scholar. You're talented, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Sanae sighed.

"I see," Areenya pursed her lips, "Studying hard and returning soon are the best things you can do for your mother."

Sanae nodded glumly.

"Fai has arranged everything," Areenya said, "there will be an escort waiting at the docks. You should be safe with them."

"Thanks." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Sanae," Areenya said, catching her attention.

"What?" Sanae snapped, her voice louder than she intended.

"I stop by Cragmoth on my yearly shipment run. I'll keep tabs on the situation there. Send a bird when you're ready to return."

Sanae nodded as she silently fought tears;

As promised, three figures awaited Sanae at the docks: two men in dark brown leather armor and a middle-aged woman in a resplendent, ribbon-adorned mantle. One of the men tended to four horses, dark as night with richly decorated saddles.

"Greetings, Sanae. I am Chirska, Fai's senior pupil. He has honored you with an escort, so let us not keep him waiting," the woman spoke.

Sanae murmured agreement, and one of the men handed her the reins to her horse. They saddled up and trotted away from the docks, through the bustling city marketplace, and exited from the Eastern gate. After a time, Chirska spoke. "Stay behind me," she ordered. "I will be hastening our travel."

Chirska rode ahead and began to do something that Sanae recognized as magic, but it was too quick and complicated for her to understand. As Chirska finished, a warping appeared in the air around them, as if they now viewed the world through a slightly curved lens.

Chirska nodded to them and took off at a gallop. Sanae and the others quickly followed. She didn't have to guide the horse much; it seemed quite familiar with this routine and wanted to stay with the others. The lush grasslands zipped by at incredible speed.

The mounts didn't seem to tire as the minutes passed, and Sanae, not an expert on horses, was confident that keeping up a gallop should have exhausted them by now. They continued well after dark before making camp.

On the following day in the afternoon, the wall of Kzek came into view. At first, Sanae thought it was an isolated plateau looming over the grassland, but when she saw the crenelations, she gasped. The wall was twenty meters tall with a slightly slanted face tapering upward, constructed from massive slabs of dark gray stone.

When they were a few hundred meters from the wall, Chirska ended the spell, and the horses slowed to a light trot.

As they passed the bustle of traders and travelers at the gates, some needed to quickly make way for the horses to pass. The streets were at least fifteen meters wide, which seemed excessive to her.

Instead of the ramshackle hovels Sanae was expecting, the buildings at the city edges were constructed of the same smooth gray stone as the city wall. Neat rows of identical dwellings lined the street, three stories in height, and containing separate residences on each floor. The people had simple clothing, but they seemed generally healthy. These people are poor, but these are much better conditions than the slums I've seen. What spells are at work here to keep these buildings maintained, and why is there no smell of waste?

They passed thousands of the same buildings, and the elevation gradually increased as they went. How big is this place? Sanae wondered. Eventually, the residences gave way to wide markets, with merchants and vendors clamoring for attention at every side. The center of the street was always kept open for movement.

Fortunate that her horse didn't need her guidance, Sanae was able to take in the sights as they wound their way past the market and deeper into the city. At length, they reached a large building with a surrounding garden and a short cobbled wall, which was more decorative than defensive.

At length, they reached a large building with a surrounding garden and a short cobbled wall, which was more decorative than defensive. A servant emerged from one of the outbuildings to take their horses, and they entered the front doors. The marble floor beneath their feet gleamed flawlessly, intricately patterned with exquisite mosaics depicting scenes of myth and legend. As they stepped forward, their footfalls echoed throughout the hall. In opposite corners of the room, two spiraling staircases twisted their way to the upper floors.

A short, bespectacled middle-aged man hurried down one of the stairways. His clothes were well-made but simple. Sanae assumed he was a servant, but that idea was quickly dismissed when the guards and Chirska politely bowed to him. She quickly did the same, and he nodded in return to all of them. "Hello, my friends! Chirska, thank you for fetching our newest student! And thank you both for guarding them." He nodded to the guards, who bowed again and exited the hall.

"It was my pleasure," Chirska said, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. Sanae had the impression she felt annoyed by the assignment.

"It is always exciting to bring in new talent! Sanae, welcome to my home! I am Izzat of House Fai. You may call me Master Fai. Chirska will show you your accommodations and give you some basic instructions. Tomorrow afternoon we will talk at length to evaluate the state of your education so far."

He nodded to them again, then waved his hand and disappeared with a loud snap. At the edge of her vision, Sanae saw Chirska roll her eyes. "He likes to show off," she sighed. "We might as well get you settled. This way." She sounded bored and led her up one of the stairways.

"So how long have you been—" Sanae began

"I've been studying under Fai for nearly thirty years," she said sharply. Sanae opened her mouth to reply, but Chirska continued, "Yes, I am older than I look, as is Fai. You are the third student at the moment, but Kyron is currently away on research."

"Oh. Uh, thanks for the info," she stammered, surprised by the deluge of answers.

"Sorry," grumbled Chirska, "I'm still tired from the journey, so forgive me if I'm blunt."

"It's alright—" Sanae began.

"Your rooms are down this hall and through your first door on the left. Food will be brought. You are welcome to read any of the books on the shelves, but please refrain from snooping around the building. You can ring the bell for the servants if you need anything." She droned, "Oh, and don't try any magic until your abilities have been evaluated and we give you the go-ahead. I don't want to clean up the mess if you trip the wards."

"Alright, thank—" Sanae started to say, but the other woman was already gone.

How very personable she is... She thought sarcastically. I suppose I might be grumpy too if I had to travel for two days to fetch somebody.

She unpacked her few belongings and collapsed onto the ornate bed. This place is certainly nice. She mused. She quickly fell asleep.