"Every year, the Veridian Academy holds an entrance examination," Leander explained patiently, "to recruit prospective Archons from all the neighboring kingdoms."
"There are three tests you'll need to pass. The first is for aptitude, the second for analysis, and the third for combat."
"A combat test?" Alaric asked, his surprise evident.
Leander nodded. "That's right. And if you distinguish yourself during the examination, the academy offers handsome rewards."
"Rewards?" Alaric's eyes lit up. A dozen more questions sprang to mind, but he bit his tongue, not wanting to impose on the Magus any further.
Instead, he offered a sincere bow. "Thank you for sharing all this with me, Sir Magus."
"Think nothing of it." Leander gave a dismissive wave, but then he paused, a new thought crossing his mind. "One more thing. Killing is forbidden on academy grounds. Within Argentis itself, such a crime is punished severely."
Alaric froze. Leander's gaze met his as he added, his voice lowering slightly, "However, what you choose to do to settle a score outside the city walls… that's a different matter."
Leander knew about the bad blood between Alaric and Joric. He'd taken a liking to the boy and felt a word of caution was in order.
The warning settled heavily in the air. "I understand, sir. Thank you," Alaric said, then turned and headed back toward the campsite.
On his way, his eyes found Joric, who was laughing with a few other children. Alaric's gaze hardened, and he walked past the group without a word.
Joric felt his stare and watched him go, a cold glint in his own eyes. He gritted his teeth. You got lucky, he thought. Just wait until I'm a Magus. I'll finish you then.
Magus Leander's veiled warning had been enough to keep Joric at bay for now. A simmering hatred lay between the two boys, a desire to kill that neither could act upon.
Another week on the road dissolved into the past, and at last, their journey neared its end. A silhouette rose against the horizon: Argentis. Traveling from the southeast, their caravan was aimed squarely at the city's South Ward.
"Whoa… is that it? Is that Argentis?"
"Gods, it's massive!"
"Look at the buildings! They're like towers, even from here!"
"And so many trees! It looks like a forest!"
The children crowded the carriage windows, craning their necks for a better view. Their faces were alight with a mixture of awe and excitement that they made no effort to hide.
Before them stood the most famous metropolis in the southern continent, the Jewel of the South. This was to be their home. The air in the carriages crackled with their energy.
Alaric peered out the window himself, a wide smile spreading across his face. Incredible, he thought. Just this one district looks bigger than my entire hometown. How large is the whole city?
An hour later, the caravan drew up before one of the two main gates of the South Ward. Now, the city's defenses were clear to see: a series of immense boundary walls.
Three concentric rings of thick, sturdy stone rose before them, each one taller than the last. Atop the battlements, knights in silver armor patrolled their routes, their polished steel gleaming heroically in the sunlight.
"Halt!" a voice boomed. A knight in silver armor stepped before the lead carriage, blocking their path. "State your purpose for entering Argentis."
The mercenary captain dismounted, retrieving a sealed scroll from within his leather armor. He presented it to the guard with a respectful nod. "We are the Ironwood Company, escorting prospective students for the Veridian Academy entrance examination."
The guard lifted his silver visor, his eyes scanning the scroll's contents. With a curt nod, he gestured to his men. "Check all the carriages."
He recognized the name of the local mercenary company, but duty was duty.
"Can't they just let us through?" Gareth grumbled, peering from his carriage window.
The guard's eyes caught the clover insignia on Gareth's robes. He immediately bowed his head. "My apologies, Lord Magus. City regulations must be followed."
Leander, sitting beside him, placed a calming hand on Gareth's shoulder. "They're only doing their job, Gareth. Let them."
Gareth shot the guard a sour look and harrumphed, but said no more.
After a thorough inspection of each carriage, the guards waved the caravan through. Alaric's wagon was near the rear of the procession, making him one of the last to pass into the city.
As his carriage rolled through the colossal, eighteen-foot-high adamantine gate, Alaric could only stare, wide-eyed. It's the biggest gate I've ever seen, he thought in awe.
The moment they were through the gate, a wave of sound washed over him. The city roared with life. Sidewalks thronged with a dizzying array of people. He saw not just humans, but graceful, fair-skinned elves, stout and hardy dwarves, and gnomes with mischievous grins.
Alaric had only ever heard tales of such people from traveling storytellers. To see them all here, living and breathing in one place, was a revelation.
Their carriage rumbled along a wide thoroughfare called South Argent Avenue, which, Alaric overheard someone say, ran all the way to the Argent Bridge and into the city's North Ward.
Cobblestones paved the streets, and the crowded sidewalks were a vibrant tapestry of market stalls and people from every race, all mingling freely.
What struck Alaric most was the greenery. A fresh, earthy scent hung in the air, a constant refreshment. Vegetation flourished everywhere, weaving itself into the city's fabric. Great trees towered over stone buildings, while other structures were dwarfed by ancient trunks. Some buildings, he realized with a jolt, were trees.
Craning his neck, Alaric saw a bridge woven from living branches arching high above the street. Most houses were a sturdy mix of stone and timber, but in the distance, he spotted a colossal tree dotted with windows, clearly a home for many.
The sheer number of permanent storefronts and makeshift stalls lining the avenue spoke of immense prosperity. Trade was the lifeblood of Argentis, the greatest mercantile hub in the entire Southern Concord.
After another twenty minutes, the caravan came to a halt before a grand archway carved from white marble. Etched into the stone above the entrance was a single, perfect four-leaf clover.
Alaric's breath caught in his throat. He stared at the symbol, his heart pounding with an almost painful excitement. "We're here," he whispered.