Arenya Azural, with five chess matches and no victories to her name, sighed in relief when the train stopped. "I never realized just how far the school is."

Her mother, freshly awoken from her nap, nodded. "Time seems to flow strange when you're about to go somewhere new. Are you nervous, Ari?"

"I'm not too worried," Arenya lied as she headed over to the baggage car.

---

Arenya's eyes widened at the size of the city. Large apartments on one side of the street, restaurants and stores on the other, and so many people! The buildings seemed to stretch on forever and tower towards the sky. Wide streets large enough for even Grandmother to land in crossed every which way. "I wonder how hard it is to rebuild after an attack here..." she mused aloud.

"Attacks in a place such as this are rare," came a familar voice from behind her. Arenya turned, as did her parents, to see a familar face with dark blond hair and a terrifying book. Cartalis carried with her a single suitcase and the Principia Mathemagica, which she carried under one arm easily despite its massive size. "Fancy meeting you along the way, though we are indeed moving in the same direction."

Arenya suppressed a pang of irrational nervousness tried to put on a smile. "Hello, Cartalis. Mom, Dad, I met her in the train while I was taking a walk. She's a second year student."

"Making friends already?" Dad chimed in.

Cartalis' eyes grew large as saucepans at the sight of Arenya's father. Arenya could see her resisting the urge to start asking all sorts of questions about his appearance.

"Why don't you show us around?" asked Arenya, less out of thinking Cartalis would be a good tour guide and more to keep her occupied from fawning over them in the middle of town.

"Certainly. You may follow me, and I can remark on interesting sights and destinations."

 ---

As Cartalis led them toward the school, pointing out the best restaurants and stores, Arenya noticed something she hadn't before, too distracted by navigating to realize. People were staring at them. Not openly, thankfully, but people would always give her family a second glance or a double take when passing them. She couldn't figure out why at first, until it hit her as she looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of her wings from the corner of her eye.

There are no part dragons here at all! Or drakes, or anyone like us. I've only seen a couple tails and no wings at all...

 Perhaps Cartalis' interest could be forgiven after all.

The magnitude of the strange new place only then settled on Arenya's shoulders, tight as a prayer shawl and heavier than the year's crops. Or maybe the place isn't what's truly strange, is it...?

Her worries were soon forgotten, as soon as the magnificent school building entered her gaze. Taller than any other building in town, with grand spires for each department, she couldn't help but gape in awe. The bricks were a deep gray, but flashes of color - reds, blues, greens - could be seen on each tower, marking the wing's name. Arenya lost count at a dozen spires. She had read the list, of course, yet even so it hadn't truly dawned on her just how many departments there truly were. Theoretical departments to study the nature of magic and mana, those oriented towards practical spellcasting, the physical arts, the creation of magical weapons and armor, alchemy, even a wing just for the creation of massive war machines that stood thousands of people in height and required dozens to operate.

"It's so massive..." Arenya managed to hold herself back from rushing in to explore. There will be time for that later.

Cartalis grinned. "Most have a response along those lines upon first seeing the school's magnitude. Massive is the proper word, indeed. I have only explored a portion of the grounds myself."

Arenya looked at the spires for housing students, far in the distance. "Do you know where Gryphon Wing is?" She asked Cartalis.

"It borders Serpent Wing, which is where I stay. Our rooms will be but a short walk from each other, it would seem. Follow me and we shall reach it shortly."

---

The scale of Ba'al Cedric's Academy of Adventurers' buildings somehow seemed even greater when Arenya was inside a wing. Room after room after room, both for individual students and group rooms for study, sparring, or simply playing games or reading together. The walls were painted deep and rich colors, and the floors of stone and wood were so clean Arenya could eat off them. The building was gorgeous.

The countless flights of stairs, however, were not. Her room was on the sixth floor, and and ceilings weren't quite high enough to simply fly there and not deal with the stairs at all. Cartalis had left her at the entrance to go up to her own room, which meant some getting turned around as well. At last, though, on the sixth floor Arenya and her parents reached room 540 and began to unpack her things.

It was a small room, and the walls were bare and painted a somewhat dull beige. Even so, there was space for all her things and a comfy looking bed, plus a bath and shower not far from her room. With her things all unpacked and her mezuzah upon the door frame, she found herself standing by the door to her room, waving goodbye to the parents she'd soon be away from for longer than ever in her past.

"You'll do great, Ari," said her mother. "You were made to come here."

Arenya hid her nervousness behind a smile. "Thank you," she said.

Her father gave her a hearty bear hug and wished her well. One more wave, and they vanished into the hallway.

Arenya nearly fell to the floor when they did. She’d thought the full weight of change had already struck her twice that day, but only now did she truly realize it, now that she was alone.

She was alone.