Niles

  Niles petted Ruby as he waited for Birgit’s answer. It was not quite like petting a cat, but the little dragon-like creature’s scales were remarkably soft, and her trilling was kind of like purring. The vibrations it sent through the elemental felt strange but comforting against his throat, where she rested. Birgit was making an expression that made Niles think his words had surprised her, but that was understandable. If this was real, then acting like he thought it might be a dream had probably sounded a little weird. This was all so bizarre, but how cool would it be if he actually got to come to a magical world to have adventures every weekend? Hopefully, their weekends lined up. He’d have to ask about that.

  “Yes, I would be happy to give you a tour before you depart,” Birgit said with a polite smile.

  She was still acting nervous. Was she afraid of him? He was quite a bit bigger than her, but he’d been trying to be friendly. Maybe he shouldn't have negotiated so aggressively. No, he had to stand up for himself. He really didn’t want to be taken advantage of again.

  Birgit led Niles out of the small stone room into the larger stone room. He wondered if they were in a cave or a castle of some sort. Neither room had windows, but both were very uniform in shape, so they were definitely not natural. If it was a cave, it had been very carefully shaped, and the layout and furnishings showed a good deal of refinement. The small room had been empty, but the larger room had well-made tables and chairs set up on tiers, something like a lecture hall with a big open space at the front where his summoning had taken place. There was even what Niles thought was a large chalkboard on one wall.

  The multi-armed professor was kneeling over the diagram he’d appeared in, and she rose, turning toward them as they approached. “Have you established a contract?”

  “I have,” Birgit answered, sounding proud.

  The professor smiled. “Wonderful, I will expect a paper on the contract process by the end of next week, but of course, you will not need to disclose any confidential details. However, I would consider any information you can include about the hu as extra credit. I hope you appreciate the unique opportunity you have here."

  Niles thought about correcting her, but what difference did it make if everyone thought he was a hu? He didn’t relish the idea of having to explain the naming convention of his race to everyone he talked to here.

  “I have examined your diagram,” the professor continued. “As always, your spellwork was impeccable, but I believe I have discovered the problem.” The professor held out one of her hands, palm up. In it rested a dark blue crystal about the size of Niles' thumbnail. “Your space crystal had a flaw in it.”

  “But that cannot be,” Birgit objected. “I got all of my crystals from a reputable dealer, and I examined each of them carefully myself. They were all pristine. Someone must have switched it.”

  The professor frowned. “That is a very serious accusation. Do you have any proof?”

  Birgit sighed, visibly deflating. “No.”

  “I am very sorry that this happened,” Professor Spinner said softly, placing a hand on Birgit's shoulder. “But considering you succeeded in the summoning regardless and even managed to forge a contract with an undocumented new race, I think it balances out, and it will not negatively impact your grade.”

  Birgit looked up and smiled. “Thank you, Professor.”

  “Well, do not let me keep you. I am sure you are eager to bond with your new familiar,” the professor said. “But I am very much looking forward to your report and learning more about the hu.”

  “Do you really think someone might have swapped your crystal?” Niles asked once they were out of the classroom. “Do you have enemies here?”

  She had said the campus was pretty safe, but she’d also said there were duels. If Niles was to be her protector, he wanted to know about any potential threats.

  “I do not see any other explanation,” Birgit answered. “I am positive none of my crystals had flaws, but before the summoning, I had to give a presentation explaining my spell preparation, and everyone in the class had the opportunity to examine my spell diagram up close afterward. While I was answering questions, it would not have been easy, but it is possible someone could have switched it then. The crystal was a medium-sized, pristine quality, rare element crystal, so it was very expensive, swapping it for a cheap flawed gem would have been very profitable, and though I get along well with most of my classmates, there are a few who see me as a rival and might do such a thing, hoping of forcing me to drop out. Competition in the academy can be quite fierce.”

  “But what are you competing for, grades?”

  “It is not just that. Earning a high class ranking is a significant mark of honor for both a student and their family. Class rank also opens or closes many opportunities, from positions in high noble courts to noble marriage prospects, particularly in the fifth and final year.”

  “Marriage prospects?”

  “Yes, there are two royal princes who will graduate this year. Both of them are, no doubt, looking for wives and consorts, and they will look among the top ranked students. The scions of several dukes and counts will also be looking. As the fourth child of a baron with a quite modest holding, my marriage and employment prospects will be quite limited if I do not distinguish myself here at the academy.”

  “You make it sound like being a baron’s daughter is no big thing.”

  “I did not mean to sound like I was complaining,” Birgit clarified. “I am fortunate to have been born into a noble family, but here at the academy, well over half the students are of noble blood, and barons are lesser nobles.”

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  “Just how many nobles are there?”

  “In Deca there is one duke, ten counts, and one-hundred barons for each of the ten races. Most of them have large families, and almost all of their children attend at least one year at the academy. The first-year class size is always five-hundred, and usually half to three-fourths of the class is noble-born. The class size usually decreases each year, but more often than not, it is the commoners who drop out, often because they cannot afford to keep up with the cost of the required spell components. Right now, my fifth-year class is down to 286 students, and over 200 of them are noble-born.”

  “Wow, that’s one-thousand-one-hundred-ten nobles. Is there just one king, or do you have a bunch of those, or is there some other person or group in charge?”

  “We have a king, King Gravnar III, a troll.”

  “So, trolls are in charge, then?”

  “We have a troll king now, but as is custom, he has taken a consort from each of the other nine races, and the Council of Dukes will choose one of their children to be our next ruler. So, the next king is always from a different race than the last.”

  “But wouldn’t all his kids still be half-troll?”

  Brigit gave Niles that surprised look again, stopping in her tracks before continuing. “Oh, that is right, you said you only have other hu on your plane. Here, when a mixed-race couple have children, their progeny’s race is always that of the mother. That is why nobles are expected to take a wife from among their own race so they will have an heir of their race to pass their title down to. That is how the balance of the titles is maintained.”

  As they talked, they made their way through halls and down several flights of stairs. Stone was the predominant building material, but there was a good deal of ornamentation worked into the rock, and tapestries covered much of the walls, giving the place a very medieval vibe. It was not dank or musty at all, though. In fact, the air smelled fresher than what Niles remembered from many institutions in his own world. It was also well lit by glowing crystals that provided a soft, warm glow, without smoke. The temperature was comfortably warm, even in his shorts and tank top, making the entire setting ideal with its mix of old-world charm and modern comfort.

  They had, in fact, been in a castle, Niles discovered as they exited, or at least a large, ornate stone building. And it was only one of several massive structures, each several stories tall, many with towers that rose even higher. They were all done in an elaborate Gothic style that really spoke to Niles inner geek. The grounds around the buildings featured cobblestone paths that wound through grassy lawns, lush gardens, hedges, and a few majestic trees. It was an impressive campus, and Niles was only disappointed that it was already dark when they emerged from the building. He had to see everything by moonlight, imagining it would be even more grand in the daylight.

  “So, you take night classes?” Niles asked as they walked through the campus.

  Birgit sighed. “Yes, because my current class rank is rather low, several of my classes are at non-ideal times. The most desired time slots go to higher-ranked students. But the mid-year tournament will shake up the rankings, and new classes will start after that. I am hoping you will help me in the tournament to raise my rank.”

  Niles fought down the urge to volunteer to help. All his damsel-in-distress instincts were urging him to, and competing in a tournament at a magic school just sounded cool, but he needed to be careful. He didn’t want to get trapped in another one-sided relationship.

  Birgit pointed out various practice fields and buildings as they walked along. There was a library and an arena that hosted sporting events, tournaments, and duels. She pointed out the Great Hall, where meals were served and social events were held. Five academic buildings hosted the classes and labs, while twenty dorms housed the students, four for each of the five years. Each year’s dorms were further divided up by gender and social station, with a ladies’ and a gentlemen's dorm for high nobles and another pair of dorms for low nobles and commoners.

  “Well, this is my dorm,” Birgit announced, coming to a stop before one of the large buildings. “I will send you a summons at the beginning of the weekend. I am really looking forward to working with you.”

  “Okay, I’m excited about it, too,” Niles replied with a smile.

  Birgit stepped up to him and held out her hands. “Ruby, come.”

  Niles had forgotten the little elemental was still wrapped around his neck. It didn’t move from its position until Birgit finally reached up and pulled it off.

  “If you could dress a bit more conservatively next time, I would appreciate it,” Birgit added, looking off to the side. “And you should bring your weapons and armor as well, of course.”

  Aside from wands, Niles had seen no weapons, and no one he’d seen had been wearing armor. “What sort of weapons and armor do they use around here?”

  Birgit cocked her head. “Well, swords, spears, maces, and axes are the weapons I remember seeing most. As far as what armor people use, that ranges from boiled leather to chainmail, I think, though I am far from an expert on armor. I’m sure whatever you have will be fine for a simple crystal hunt.”

  “Okay, I’ll see what I can come up with," Nile said, his mind already trying to come up with ideas for what he could use. For armor, maybe a football helmet and pads, motocross protective gear, or even army-surplus body armor. As far as weapons, he could go as simple as a baseball bat, or maybe a hunting bow, or even a gun. He wondered why Birgit hadn’t listed bows among the weapons she was familiar with. Had she just not thought about it, or did they use wands and magic for all their ranged combat?

  “Alright, well, good night," Birgit said, pulling Niles out of his thoughts.

  “Good night," Niles replied.

  Birgit just stood there, looking at him. What was she waiting for? She didn’t look like she was casting a spell to send him back. She looked like she was expecting him to do something. Finally, she shrugged and turned to head toward the dorm.

  “Um, wait,” Niles called after her. “You’re going to send me back now, right?”

  Birgit stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. “What do you mean? I told you that you can go at any time. You do not need my permission.”

  “I know that, but I don’t have any magic, remember,” Niles replied, doing his best to not sound frustrated. “I need you to send me back.”

  Birgit walked quickly back to him and pulled him off the path and behind a big tree. “Are you telling me you really cannot return to your home plane on your own? You got here on your own. You must be able to get back.” Her voice was a quiet but tense hiss.

  “I told you, I don’t know how I got here,” Niles insisted, keeping his voice down as well, though he didn’t know why they were whispering. “It must have been your spell.”

  “My spell just sent an invitation,” Birgit countered. “It should have been up to the recipient to travel here.”

  “But you used a flawed space crystal,” Niles reminded her. “So, you don’t know what it really did, do you?”

  Birgit growled in frustration, staring at Niles with her big eyes. “No, I guess I do not”

  “So, you’ll have to send me back,” Niles concluded.

  They stared at each other for a long moment before Birgit looked away. “I cannot. Even if I had the materials. I do not know what the magic signature of your plane is. Without that, I am not even sure if it is possible.”