The College of Elbion – the center of magical knowledge.
A new round of applications to the College has begun! Any being wanting to attain arcane arts could do so there. Those 16 and older were free to apply – provided they could pay for the fee. And those with the pedigree or ability or money will be admitted within a year of trials and tests…
The streets of Elbion grew increasingly crowded over the last weeks. Kara had witnessed this happening once a year forever. Fresh faces appeared – looking for an opportunity to learn of the occult and become a part of a prestigious legacy for mages. More followed this hopeful applicants as they wished to profit on the influx of people – many of them young.
Kara passed by a street merchant yelling, “Magic Orbs of Power! Guaranteed to give you endless mana!”
A scam. The “magic orbs” were merely colorful stone marbles.
No end to this kind of play could be seen.
Despite this, the one thing Kara disliked most about this time of year was bratty nobles wandering the streets of Elbion and…
“How dare you!” someone screamed.
Kara looked up. In one hand she held a basket full of fruit she received as a gift from her family. She was in route to the College after visiting them.
Before her, a boy near her age yelled at one merchant about how he was being scammed. He sported well-kept and colorful clothing fit for one blessed with wealth. A noble for sure.
Kara looked at the apologetic merchant. He was one she recognized. The meek merchant surprisingly helped her family a year ago with a rather strange incident involving two-headed rats in the Port District.
“Is something the matter?” Kara asked as she approached the boy and merchant.
A light appeared in the merchant’s eyes. The boy turned to Kara.
“Don’t interfere, peasant!” the boy ordered.
Kara rolled her eyes and told the boy, “I’m interested in one of his wares.”
On the merchant’s table sat a wooden stick that one might be able to call a wand. It certainly was not ornate or gave any appearance of being meant for practical use. Kara pointed at it. Most of the merchant’s wares could be described in the same way – dirty and ugly. Despite this, Kara knew that the meek merchant sold somehow genuine magical artifacts.
“Are you finished with your purchase? I don't have time to listen to your screeching...” Kara said with a straight face.
“Wha-?!” the boy’s face grew red as he glared at Kara, “How dare you talk that way to me!”
The boy then flung out his arm and chanted, “O' aether, heed my call and bind!”
A golden circle materialized via magic around Kara's torso. It contracted and captured her as if it was a lasso. Kara’s basket dropped to the ground – the fruit it used to carry spilling from it. Her eyes widened at the site of fresh apples rolling in the dirt.
“A girl like you should behave herself!” the boy told the apparently immobilized Kara, “I’ll deal with you once I’m finished with this thieving con man!”
Daimon Viedahl