The season turned to winter, but after surviving Northern winters, the cold of the South didn’t bother him at all. He set up camp every day and practiced talking to himself as he gazed at the starry sky.

Soon enough, Almark entered his eleventh spring. Norkh Island was a stone’s throw, or rather a boat’s voyage away, and so he worked for a month at the docks to earn the fare. He eventually boarded a ship using the money he’d earned, and after a two-year delay, Almark fulfilled his promise to Eurog—he arrived at the Norkh Institute for Magic.

Chapter 1

The Norkh Institute for Magic

The Norkh Institute for Magic was bigger than Almark ever imagined.

Norkh Island was by no means small, but according to the townsfolk he asked for directions, the institute grounds took up a third of the island’s territory. Almark was shocked. He had seen large castles and mansions in his travels, but the idea of one facility taking up this much space was unheard of to him.

Quieting his racing heart, he asked for the way to the front gate. The islanders cheerfully told him to walk down the main road, and that he couldn’t miss it. Almark breathed a sigh of relief.

He quickly realized why the islanders had said he couldn’t miss it. Walking down the path, he soon found himself in what appeared to be a large temple. Believing it was the institute’s schoolhouse, he looked around for a main gate, but couldn’t find anything that looked right.

Approaching it, Almark realized that what he thought was a giant temple was in fact the front gate of the Norkh Institute for Magic. Standing in front of the gate, Almark called out for someone, and a young guard emerged. Almark told the guard he was there to see the headmaster, but the guard didn’t pay him any attention and tried to shoo him away. Almark insisted that the headmaster, Eurog, had invited him to become a student there.

Seeing how adamant Almark was, the guard paused, surprised the boy knew the headmaster’s name. He looked Almark up and down, noting his ragged clothes, and eventually agreed to take him to Eurog—albeit reluctantly.

Upon crossing the gate, Almark found himself in a well-maintained garden that landscapers were busily tending to. After walking through the lawn for what felt like quite a while, the trees finally cleared, revealing a large building.

“This is the Norkh Institute’s main campus,” the guard said. “Elementary students study here for three years.”

Had the guard not given this explanation, Almark would have been inclined to believe this fancy building was a noble’s mansion or a royal villa. It was without a doubt the kind of place Almark had never set foot in before.

“It’s amazing,” Almark said sincerely.

“Indeed. I hope you end up studying here.” The guard climbed up the steps to the building. “The main campus building doubles as the elementary division’s classroom building. The headmaster’s office is here, as well.”

The guard crossed the large, opens doors, and Almark followed him inside. The building’s interior was much more plain and practical-looking than the exterior, save for the red rug spread halfway across the hall. The guard stopped before a large door at the end of the corridor.

“This is the headmaster’s office.” He reached out to Almark, who eyed him dubiously. “Your sword,” the guard added. “Apologies, but I’ll have to take it while you’re inside.”

“Oh. Yes, sir.” Almark took the sword off his back before giving it, with one hand, to the guard.

The guard picked it up with both hands, his eyes round with surprise at its weight. He then knocked on the door, the sword still in his grasp.

“Excuse me, Headmaster, there’s a boy here who wishes to enroll.”

“Come in,” said a voice on the other side of the door.

“Thank you, sir.”

The guard entered first, and Almark followed. Much like the corridor, the room had a fluffy red rug and a large desk that must have required several adults to carry inside. The walls were covered in bookshelves, lined with many thick books and all sorts of objects the likes of which Almark had never seen before.

“This is the boy in question,” the guard said to the headmaster.

Almark faced the desk. On the other side was an old man with a serene countenance and white hair—the headmaster, Eurog. Almark tried to match the face to the one he remembered, but he’d met Eurog years ago, when he didn’t know what to make of the man. He searched his memories of the North but had trouble recalling what Eurog had looked like.

Almark gave up on remembering the details and carefully examined the old man. His beard was long and white, much like his hair. Almark had heard from a traveling mage about encountering a spirit of wisdom; he figured this must have been what that felt like.

“I am Eurog, headmaster of this institute… And you are?”

The old man’s voice carried deep warmth. Almark’s intuition told him Eurog was trustworthy.

“Yes, he was, uh, waiting by the front gate,” the guard stammered, probably regretting having brought a boy in rags into the headmaster’s office.

“My name is Almark, Headmaster,” Almark said, ignoring the guard.

He looked closely at Eurog’s face. The headmaster’s eyes were a beautiful blue, like the color of the southern sea.

“Almark…,” Eurog said, ruminating on the name.

“I am Almark, son of Reiz the Shadow Fang, the vice-captain of a mercenary band from the North called the Black Wolf Riders,” Almark added.

The guard stared at him, surprised.

“The Black Wolves… Reiz…,” Eurog muttered, and then his eyes widened in realization. “You’re Sir Reiz’s son, Almark?!”

“Yes. My father told me he once saved your life.”

Eurog leaned forward, excited. “Zeid, stand down,” he told the guard, who hurriedly moved back. “Almark, come closer and let me get a better look at you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Almark stood before the desk, and Eurog examined his face.

“Hmm.” Eventually, the old man leaned back into his chair and exhaled. “Indeed, the son of the Black Wolf Riders’ Reiz is named Almark! But you must be eleven years old already, no? Why were you two years late coming here? And why are you dressed like that? What of Sir Reiz? Is he not with you?”

“Headmaster.” Almark grinned at Eurog. “I can’t answer that many questions at once.”

“Oh… Yes, you’re right. My apologies.” Eurog shook his head.

Almark answered the headmaster’s questions one by one, and once Eurog heard everything, he let out a big sigh.

“Goodness,” he said. “So the Black Wolf Riders are in Bastia… The fighting in the North isn’t calming down, I take it?”

“It isn’t. In fact, Father says that it’s only going to get worse.”

“Saddening news, to be sure. We’ll need the brave people of the North on our side if we’re to oppose the coming of the Abyssal Lord.”

“Abyssal Lord?” Almark parroted the unfamiliar words, but Eurog waved a hand with a strained smile.

“Ah, never mind me. I was simply thinking aloud. In any case, I can see that you really are the Almark I met years ago.” Eurog looked at the boy with kind eyes. “You’ve truly grown into a fine young man.”

“Thank you, Headmaster.”

“May I ask you one more thing?”

“Yes, anything.”

Eurog slowly rested his hands on the table. “Since you have combat experience in the North, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Gilfin Mercenary Magi.”

“I have. They’re quite unique among the many Northern mercenary groups.”

Eurog nodded gravely. “Following the success of Guruda, Magus of Deathly Ashes, Southern mages flocked to the North to test their mettle in live combat. Alas, I’m ashamed to admit that a number of our alumni were among them. Many were lost to the harsh northern winter and the war, but some, like Gilfin, were triumphant. And nearly all of those people were Northerners. They’d come to this institute to learn magic and wield it in battle. But we will never again allow our advanced Southern magic to be used for nefarious purposes.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Headmaster?” Almark looked at Eurog, attempting to understand what he meant.

“Think of it as a sort of entrance exam. Over the last few years, we’ve strictly prohibited any prospective students from the North. So let me ask you: When you’ve finished your studies here, what do you intend to do with your life?” Eurog peered into Almark’s eyes. “Will you go back to the North and wield your powers, like Gilfin did?”

Almark could tell that the old man’s blue eyes could easily see through any frivolous answer. And so, he took a deep breath.

“I will return north,” Almark replied.