"They will. After all, they say we look for those who think, so proudly before the blink of an eye. For those who put their hopes in themselves, will always stand on top of ourselves..." The boy sang the last part as his eyes glimmered with hope. He seemed confident that he'd be selected despite his low grades.

"Oh, Airella. Look. That boy with the golden hair!"

Ermand pivoted to the direction of a chilling, girlish voice. He found two girls staring at him.

"He looks so different!" The other girl giggled. Both of their fingers were entangled in each other's.

Ermand's cheek turned crimson in response to their comment. He immediately turned back, sighing. Ermand always caught people's attention when it came to his looks. The thought of this reminded him of his relatives during short gatherings. None of the Chisels' family ever maintained a close relationship with him. They'd always eyed him in an eerie way, and he knew why. He was not a true Chisel. If he wasn't one of them, what was he? He didn't know, and didn't want to know.

He ambled to a large painting about the size of a huge bookshelf hanging on the polished wall.

It was a landscape of two hills. The colours used to paint the hills sparkled in different colours as Ermand gazed at the painting from each angle. He could even hear the sound of the smooth water currents of the river in it. A sentence in italics at the bottom of the painting caught his attention. The brave will live, the cunning will kill.

The phrase was partially clear to him. He sensed someone approaching him.

"You enjoy paintings?" Timothy asked.

"I don't fancy paintings. It's just that this painting looks somewhat familiar."

"Of Course! It's the famous painting, Darker hills by the notable artist, Gideon Qorder, five hundred years back. It's everywhere, we have one at home too. But this... must be the original."

The original, Ermand chanted in his mind, gazing at the painting before him.

"How did you come to know about Agledon?" Ermand asked.

"Well. It's like the tales of the bards, only that the story is completely true."

Ermand frowned.

"You don't know the story behind this university?"

"I didn't know it was-"

"For goodness' sake, you're a Tawarnian and you don't know about the tale of the building situated in your country?" Timothy brought his palm to his forehead.

Ermand shrugged, shaking his head.

"We'll pass the time until our interview with the story then. I live to narrate because I was fascinated about the story since childhood."

"Go on, then."

"Do you know, Professor Zaugustus Lewcent?"

"Zaugustus Lewcent?"

"You'll know him soon. He's the High Professor here."

The High Professor!

"The one who has power and authority with everything in this university?" Ermand leaned toward him.

"Yeah. So you know him, but not his name."

"Actually, Jack talks about him at home. He calls him the High Professor, not his name."

Amusingly, the only Professor he gives soul-deep respect.

"He's the seventh great grandson of Demiganus Lewcent, the true founder of this prestigious building. You know how Agledon got its name?"

Ermand shook his head.

"This place was known as Agledon before it was named as Hazelfield back then. Demiganus was a descendant from a wealthy and educated noble family, who was also kind and noble. He always had a vision of building a university where youths are educated to a greater level of spellcasting, despite the clan they belong to. It was a hard struggle for him to make it a reality. Gideon Qorder, his best friend, and a famous artist who helped him through the creation of Agledon Magic University.

He had the same visions of his best friend and has equal contribution in Agledon. If you search every wall of this building, you will only find pictures of him or his family and none else. Cool right?"

"Very. You know a lot about Agledon."

"There's more information. Gideon died as an unmarried man with no children. This was the reason why Agledon was handed over to the Lewcent family. According to the line of descent of the Lewcents, Professor Lewcent is the only child for his father hence, inheriting the university as his own. However, problems arose ever since his wife died from Dragon fever when she was pregnant with his baby. Now, there is no pure descendant from him."

"He can marry someone, right?"

"It seems, he never got over her death thirty-five-years ago. From this, it is evident about the reason why people respect him. He gives importance to love more than power and authority. The press speculate that it'll be his distant relatives who will inherit Agledon after his retirement."

"This is a great story you told me."

"It's not just a story, it is the truth."

As they were talking, an Instructor entered the hall with a small scroll in his hand. He cleared his throat, demanding the attention of the people in the hall.

"Here, I'm announcing the departments provided by Agledon so that you could think of where you want to go."

"First, the Defense department, where almost forty percent of the total students go. A graduate from the Defense department, known as the Defender will have job opportunities such as a soldier, a city guard, detective, spy, weapon instructor, weapon maker, and many other professions. The second most chosen department is the Healing department. A graduate from this department is called a Healer. They will have job opportunities such as the main Healer, the secondary Healer, nurse, and many more professions. Next is the Department for Magical Inventions and Discoveries. The Innovators have job opportunities mainly as a Researcher, potioneer and other professions.

"Magical literature is the next department. The graduates from this department are called Magiterates and the job opportunities are writers in premier institutions and companies if they have great potency, lawyers, mapmakers, and other such. The department called Magical philosophy and Ancient studies give opportunities such as painters, potioneers, scholars and others to the graduates called Prediscipules. The Artistic and Aesthetic studies produce those Artuirs and provide opportunities as painters, sculptors, jeweler, many kinds of smiths and such. The last and the hardest department, Department of Protector Training provides a single job opportunity, the Protector job other than being the Professor for it. I hope no one needs clarification," his eyes scanned the hall.

Everybody was deeply sunk in choosing the department they should go for.

"There are fascinating stories like I told you, behind the departments provided here, and I found the story of the Defenders as the most thrilling. So, which department are you going to?"

"Uhm... I've no idea," Ermand replied, shrugging.

"I'll tell you. You should go for the Defenders department. It's worth the six years."

"My brothers are both Defenders. I want to choose something different..."

"You sure? Defense is cool, plus, I like your company. We could spend six years in the same class, maybe."

"Strange. My relatives tell me that I'm not an interesting person that'd make anyone want to befriend me. I'm happy you found my company affable," Ermand smiled.

"Yeah. Are you joining Defenders?"

"I'll be joining some other..."

Timothy wrinkled his eyebrows as his lips curled down.

"Uh... I'll let you know for sure!" Ermand added, placing a hand on Timothy's shoulder.

"It's great, actually. Boys usually go for Defenders."

"Defense never inspired me."

Should I join Defense or maybe some other department?

Ermand used to assume that being a Defender was never meant for him. To be a Defender, one should be dauntless and spirited, which he never found in himself. Despite all of this, he thought of joining Timothy in Defense. He seemed to be the first friend he ever had.

"I will," Ermand replied as he pulled his lips into a forced smile.

Timothy's face shone, reflecting his sudden jovial mood. He grinned at Ermand.

"My nephews told me that being an original Defender is a proud moment during your graduation day. You'll feel goosebumps all over your body," his eyes glimmered with excitement. "My parents also want me to join Defense." He turned in the direction where his parents were busy completing the selection admission procedures.

"They expect a lot from you?"

"A lot. Hey, I'm the only child, remember?" He gave a wry smile. "You're nervous too, aren't you?" Timothy added.

Ermand nodded. His concern was not about him, but about his parents, and Jack. If he fails in the selection, it'll be their faces that'll be looking sad, not his. He was never interested in education since he hated crowds. Colleges are full of crowds. Somehow, he didn't seem to mind Timothy's company, it was the only reason Ermand considered Defense.

"Here, have some chocolate."

Timothy produced a chocolate bar from his pocket and gave it to Ermand.

"Uh, no."

"Don't be shy and take it," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Thank you. You're too kind, Timothy," Ermand thanked him as he tore open the wrapper.

"I love chocolates. They're good," he said, taking a bite.

Before Timothy got the chance to savor the sweet taste of the chocolate, he was interrupted by Ermand.

"So, how are you able to build friendship with boys like me?"

"What do you mean? The clanship again?"

"Yes."

"I don't hold prejudices about the clanship and all that," Timothy answered, shrugging.

"You know, this is unexpected to hear from a high clanship-ranked guy."

"My father has secret bonds with a lot of people from different clans. It even includes Lapels, the lowest clan."

Clanship was a system not just in the big country of Tawarn, but all over Iyerth. People were sorted into different clans from high to low based on their wealth and profession and can only be gained by birth.

"That's true. We don't abide by the rules our parents set for us, rather we choose to emulate what they do. Your parents are the real Spellcasters I would call. I wish there were many like your parents," he sighed.

"The interview had already started a short while ago," Timothy mentioned after turning back at the end of the hall upon hearing a man calling names.

"Do you know what they ask?" Ermand enquired.

"I don't, but I've heard they change the method of evaluation every year."

"Timothy Chestnut, Glaze Block, New Tawarn," an instructor called.

Timothy gasped. He glanced at Ermand at the mention of his name.

"That's me."

************

Editing credits ~ sticklady2015