Academy - Castle

Talara snorted with laughter and those adorable pink circles formed on her cheeks again.

"So you really threw a ball of zoop at Professor Blackbeard? I thought he was making it up!"

Hex rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah... It was completely an accident though."

They were hopping down the path toward the Academy Castle, Professor Blackbeard still leading the column of slimes. Ornate lamps lined either side of the walkway, lit not with fire, but little luminous orbs. The white light of the lamps caught the glitter in Talara's goo just right to make her sparkle, even in the dark of night.

He tried to think of more things to ask, but was already running out of topics after the short walk. Is it impossible for everyone else to talk to pretty girls, or is it just me?

Luckily, Professor Blackbeard rescued him.

"We're here!" the pirate called back.

The forest ahead opened up, revealing the looming walls of the Academy Castle. As they passed out from under the last line of trees, they were greeted by a clear night sky littered with stars, and the mountain of a castle towering up into it. Two moons hovered above, straddling the tallest tower, one on each side. The orange-tinted Luna shined bright, giving the left side of the castle a reflective reddish hue. The blue-tinted Mun rested lower, just over the battlements, hugging the horizon with a shadow of light. Between them, the castle sat, monstrous and strong, as if drawing power from the twin moons. Its fabled twelve towers cut into the thin mists above like fangs.

No one spoke—the sight to awe-inspiring and anticipated to interrupt.

The troop of slimes crossed a stone bridge over a protective moat and arrived at the massive castle gates.

Hex smiled. What secrets lay hidden within these walls? And beyond the World Gates. Me... Hex. A Gate adventurer. Just like Dracala and I used to pretend. Then he shook his head. That wasn't the end goal. Not anymore. Find Dad. Somehow. That's all that matters.

The oak doors of the castle swung slowly open, with the groan of centuries past creaking from their hinges. 

The entrance hall within was massive and full of commotion. Servers scuttled about carrying trays larger than wagon wheels, balancing a wide assortment of food and drink, miraculously without spilling a drop. The hall contained long tables crowded with new students in conversation—Humanoids forming a half-circle on the left side of the hall and Monsters on the right, segregated from one another like in the field, but at least allowed to intermingle among the other species again. Humans sat with elves and trolls. Wolves sat with bats and skeletons. There was no rhyme or reason to it, a stark difference from the separation and organization while waiting for the entrance exam.

Talara elbowed him. "I'll see you later, Hex."

"You're leaving?" He tried not to sound as disappointed as he felt.

"The feast is only for new students." She waved to her siblings and fluttered off down a side hallway.

Yolo, Rey, and Bleu waved him over to a table with several open seats. 

He tried to glimpse Dracala or Skel as he made his way, but the room was so large and there were so many Monsters he couldn't tell who was who amongst the sea of face.

So Hex sat down with his new friends, despite how curious he was to hear about the skeleton and bat test experiences.

They all dug into the food as if they hadn’t eaten in days. Empty platters were continuously replenished by the servers. Hex even tried a few things he’d never had before.

"Hey, does the fungiribeye taste off you?" Rey asked his siblings.

"I put so much of the spirit pepper sauce on my noodles I honestly think my tongue is broken," Bleu said, giggling.

Hex took another bite of the grey spongy mass on his plate. He didn’t know what it was supposed to taste like, but it definitely wasn’t terrible.

The other slimes chatted and joked around him, but, aside from the occasional direct question from Yolo, he was too lost in his own thoughts to participate—as usual. It was the first time he'd actually had a chance to reflect on the test since it happened. Until now, he'd mostly been in a haze of disbelief that he'd actually been allowed into the Academy.

But now his head was clear and he could think freely.

Obviously, I wasn't expected to win any of those battles. None of us were, at least among the slimes. Maybe it's a way to show us what kind of forces we'll be up against beyond the World Gates? Or maybe it's to make slimes feel even smaller and more insignificant than we already do...

If the latter, it was working.

Part of it is also to ensure new students can see and follow waypoints. That much was clear from Florimell's reaction. And that explains why Uncle Metatarsus failed. He couldn't see them. Yet here I am. A pit formed in his stomach. Less than a day in and already breaking rules. 

Maybe I am a troublemaker after all. Skel would be proud.

A silence swallowed the room. Headmaster Castellas stood in the center of the circled tables with a hand outstretched, just as he'd done at the field, pulling all the sound from the air. The servers stopped and moved to the side of the room.

He waited to speak until all attention focused on him, his brow furrowed into deep set lines on his forehead as he watched over the Monster side of the room. When he shifted to the Humanoid side, his stern demeanor immediately melted away into something kind, almost fatherly.

Hex hadn't been able to see the Headmaster's facial expressions from so far away during his speech on the field, but he had no doubt it was similar to now.

"Welcome, new students," he said. "Those of you here have accomplished something truly incredible today. You have passed your entrance exams and are now fully fledged members of the Academy!"

The Headmaster closed his fist and allowed ambient sound to return to the room, but everyone remained silent.

"Now, we all know the rumors. 'Everyone passes the entrance exam.' I can imagine you're all wondering how that can be considered an incredible accomplishment if that's the case. And while it's true, almost everyone does pass, you had every opportunity to this point to turn back. Instead, you made the choice to dedicate your life to something greater.

"So, I'd like to personally thank every one of you for your dedication to protecting and preserving our world. Without all of you, we would have no Heroic Energy. And without that Energy, none of this would exist." He gestured in a wide arc. "You have committed your lives to making the world a better place. I will not take that commitment for granted. As you learn and grow during your time here, you will find your place in the every-shifting cogs that keep our society flourishing.

"For some of you, it will be as great kings beyond the World Gates. For others, it may be as ordinary townsfolk or heroic companions. And there are those of you who may even find they are better suited here at the Academy as professors or in the great cities as leaders.

"Whatever your path, the journey begins now. The faculty and I are here, a wind to guide your sails, to support you through the crests and valleys of your education." He moved his hands through the air at this, and a light breeze swept through the room. Hushed excitement followed. "I expect great things from each and every one of you, as you should expect from yourselves.

"Now relax and enjoy your feast. Afterwards, you will be escorted to your dormitories through the rotundas on either side of the hall. But until then, celebrate you accomplishments and the future you will create. For tomorrow, the real work begins."

The Headmaster returned to his seat at the head of the hall. The sound of chatter returned as the servers resumed passing out massive plates of food. Some students even cheered at the conclusion of the speech.

Hex didn't cheer. Few Monsters did.

They'd all noticed the same thing he did about the Headmaster's words. They had been directed solely toward the Humanoid students.

After the meal, Hex waited in the eastern rotunda with some of the other Monsters as the remaining crowd of new students filed out of the hall and settled.

A slap on the back nearly knocked him over.

"There you are!" Skel said. Dracala and Brains were at his side. "Interesting speech by the Headmaster, huh?"

"Not quite what I expected," Hex admitted.

"Did you notice how he never once looked at our side of the room?"

Hex nodded.

"I heard some other Monsters saying he's in King Regicast's pocket," Dracala said.

"Oh, 'Cala, my naïve little bat friend." Skel patted her on the head. "That's not news to anyone. All the Regicast kings have been awful from what I've heard, but this one is a particularly evil little devil. Corrupt to the core, hates everything and everyone—especially Monsters."

"Hopefully, the next one will be better," Dracala said.

"Doubtful. They're probably all groomed to be the worst right out of the womb."

"There's always hope," Dracala said.

"True. I did hear ol' kingy is pretty ancient anyways. Maybe he'll crumble to dust soon." Skel slouched and pretended to limp with an imaginary cane, then switched to his best old man voice—which was actually quite good. "I'll keep you whipper-snappers in line. No one is allowed to be happy unless I am." He poked Hex in the stomach with his imaginary stick. "Especially you darn slimes!"

Brains cackled hysterically and everyone joined in, even Hex. He couldn't help himself. I don't know what's funnier... Skel's impression, or the idea that the King would ever be bothered by the thought of a slime.

Ironically, he'd never thought about the King himself before now. He knew there was one, but whatever Humanoid politics went on up here never affected his village. They'd just lived their lives regardless of who ruled or what they did. The Humanoid Territory always felt so far away.

At least until a bunch of Humanoids invaded his village and threw everyone he knew in cages. Professor Darion had said he heard the King was trying to fight back against the Cullings though. So he couldn't be all bad, right?

"Alright. Everyone settle down," a gravelly voice spoke over the commotion in the cramped rotunda. The source turned out to be a golem—far smaller than the one that had almost crushed Hex. Only three times his height. The brownish-grey rocks that made up his body ground against each other audibly as he shifted his weight. "Monsters, with me." He pointed two stoney fingers toward a descending stairwell.

The crowd pushed Hex and his friends toward the front of the cluster that followed down the spiral stairs.

The golem continued as they walked, speaking loud over the sound of his own feet thudding on the stone steps. "Welcome to the Academy, Monsters. My name is Shale. I'll be one of your three mentors for this year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to any of us."

He opened a door at the bottom of the stairwell and they all filed through onto a garden-lined path outside the castle walls, lit with the same orb lamps as before.

"I thought we were headed to the dormitories, "Hex whispered to Dracala.

Skel squeezed between them. "We are. You didn't think they'd allow us to stay in the actual castle with them, did you?"

"I... Well..."

"You're always blowing my mind with your cluelessness about this place, my friend."

"What do you mean?"

Skel shook his head. "You'll see."

"And here are your two other mentors," Shale said. "On my right, the terrifying-looking wolf is Howler. And on my left, the flying slime is Talara."

The excessively muscular wolf greeted them with a howl. His grey fur was scraggly and faded to black over his spine and tail. Several scars slashed across his haunches.

Talara simply floated up on her wings and waved to them all with a gentle smile.

The three mentors led them through the gardens, which became gradually less impressive the farther they travelled from the castle. They crossed a bridge over a small stream, through a glade of trees, until they reached a large field similar to the one they'd waited in before the entrance exam—but much flatter.

Three barn-like structures were equally spaced by the far tree line, and a wooden fence encompassed the entire field around the perimeter. It looked the the livestock yards some of the villagers kept for small animals back home, but scaled up a hundred-fold.

"Welcome," Shale said, "to the Monster dormitories."

<<AUTHOR'S NOTE>>

Not quite the Four Seasons Hotel… 

Actually… If they have seasons here, it might literally be a four season hotel.

…I’ll see myself out.