Jace took a deep breath, still un-moving. He recalled in his younger years all the stories and praise he heard about the academies. "There is no city or structure as marvelous as the academies." the soft tone of his wonder-struck father echoed in his mind. "Oh my son, I pray you are gifted the opportunities to see one. Ah, how I still remember the first time I saw one."

            To his own disappointment, his father never really could describe them. He once yearned to be chosen to attend one himself. To see what it was that had left such an impression on his father. But how could he? No one cared who he was or what he was capable of. Every school here turned away his please to be taught. All they cared for was if you could pay for the lessons.

            Could this be real then? Or was this Jadis just being nice and hoping he fails to arrive at the appointed time? There was only one way to know. Beginning to walk, Jace made his way down the hall towards a stairwell that would take him to the ground floor. There, taking the immediate exit, he came to a stop as his gaze found the curtain wall that divided the Rat Slums from the inner city. "Come on you fool." Jace whispered to himself, forcing himself to walk forward.

            His feet carried him through the empty streets of the city, making his way to the guarded portcullis on the wall. The guards there paid little head to him, opening the gate as he came to let him pass. Jace didn't look back, only ahead. Everything he saw was familiar. Every boarded up window, barricaded door, rotten fence or loose stone. The Rat Slums looked worse than it sounded on a good day. Assuming someone did not start a fire somewhere or get drunk enough to pick a fight with the city guard.

            As familiar as it was though, he could not help but see it in a new light. Home. He lived here on the streets since we was a kid. He remembered the old bakers shop he used to lift a loaf of fresh bread from every morning or the alleys he used to avoid being caught by the guards or worse, thugs. He could leave it all behind. An end to the cold, wet nights. An end to fighting for every scrap of food you could get your hands on.

            Yet, it was the life that shaped him. Taught him how to fight, sneak, and track. He was never good at talking though. Most importantly, its where he learned his magic. He didn't study off some lucky kid who got in at the guilds. No. He learned here, on the street. He remembered the days he would spend laboring over someone else's house chores just to get a glimpse of the knowledge they knew. Some were wasted, but most had fragments of ideas that, over time, he wove together to form the basis of his skill.

            Jace felt a grin form on his face as he recalled the day he tried to sneak into a guild class. He was almost there till one of the students saw him hiding and rated him out. 'Privileged rich kids.' Jace thought as his smile faded. That was what Jadis offered. A life among a bunch of snobby rich kids. Most of whom will most likely want nothing to do with his presence.

            They did not want him at the guilds. Why would they take him at this academy Jadis intended to return to. Sure he seems like a man who might be well connected or have a lot of say in matters like this but really. He would need a mentor to sponsor his training and mentors almost never ever considered kids from street families. It was this simple rule everyone knew.

            "Tis a shame those rich folk don't notice ye. I reckon you would make a fine mage yourself lad.' another familiar voice echoed in his head. The voice of the tavern keeper's daughter echoed in his head. There were several taverns in the Rat Slums, but only one ever got the business. Business drive by the appearance of only one person. Lily.

            Jace let his feet carry him down the steps into the sea of wrecked and warped shelters. Working his way towards the right, his eyes scanned the familiar road for any potential trouble that might be lurking about. With the games going on and all, it was unlikely anyone here would care. Most of the folk would be in the Arena until sundown at least. That would also mean it should be an easy day for Lily.

            Jace turned a corner, immediately coming face to face with the only building in this district that did not look like it was going to fall apart. It did however look like there were more than a hundred patch jobs done to the place. It was nice how that turned out. Lily might draw the customers, but its the slums love for the tavern that has kept it together. There are a few unsavory criminal groups in the slums and they all made a pact to consider the place neutral ground. They had a whole celebration about it the night the pact was made.

            "Hay, Lily, you busy?" Jace called out as he pushed his way through the tavern doors. The room inside was almost deserted. A few elderly folk sat around drinking their day away, but that was all. Lily was leaning on the bar counter, listening to some guy ramble on about his life troubles. It was a good thing he was too drunk to notice the sower expression on Lilies face as she waited for some opportunity at freedom.

            Her head perked up at the sound of Jace's voice echoing in the room. "Jace! Come'on in!" she waved Jace over to the counter, excusing herself from the man's rambling and clearing a space at least five chairs down. "Whaddya doin here? Thought you would be up in that arena for the final show."

            "I was, till the town guards decided to jump me in the stands and corner me in the hallway when I tried to run." Jace admitted, taking a seat and gently waving away the empty glass she offered. Lily was, to say the least, an above average girl. Which was rather uncommon here in the Rat Slums. Most women in these parts chose to look dirty and hide under patched rags to avoid attention. Lily however, embraced her prime youth. Then again, none of the guys here would dare try their hand at forcing her into anything simply out of fear that she might turn them into a frog.

            "Well, we both know how that ends for yea. Give them a good beating again?" Lily grinned, a twinkle of excitement in her eyes as she braced herself for another one of his guard encounter stories.

            Jace scratched his head. "Well, kinda. Actually the captain managed to beat me."

            "What?! You? Naw, your messing with me. Come on now man. How bad did you whip his ass?" Lily jabbed a punch at Jace's shoulder. He hardly flinched, but a jolt of pain from his back where he got whacked with the glaive made him wince. "Don't tell me that hurt?"

            "No, that's not it." Jace looked away from Lily, trying to avoid the pressure of her gaze. "Look I actually lost. A bit of a foolish mistake on my part really. I had an opportunity I failed to take."

            "Jace, why are you wincing?" Lily reached out and forced Jace to look at her. He said nothing, trying to free his head from her grasp. "How bad is it? Let me see."

            "No, Lily it will be fine. Just stings a little." Jace brushed her had away with his, looking away again, shifting in his seat.

            "Pa! Get your ass down here and watch the bar!" Lily called out, unlocking a counter door and pushing it open. She then turned back on Jace as she closed and locked it. "You, come with me."

            Jace considered objecting, but then thought against it. He didn't have to agree. She would drag him by the ear if he didn't comply. She has done it before. Grumbling his protest, Jace got up and followed Lily upstairs. Leading him to the VIP chamber, she unlocked the door and pushed him in. He didn't wait for the order. Just sat down at the edge of the bed.

            Lily took her place behind him. Gently, she slid the tips of her fingers up his back closing her eyes as she did so. Breathing slowly, she focused. Jace could feel the temperature of her fingertips grow. The heat of her fingertips only made her touch feel softer as she worked her way to the middle of his back. Opening her eyes, she surveyed the bruise across his back.

            "Shit boy, he got you good." Lily half whispered. "Sit up as straight as you can."

            Jace obeyed. A few seconds later, the pain from his back started to subside. A soft hum emanated from Lily's lips as she worked. It hardly lasted longer than another moment before she retracted her hands and let his shirt fall back down. "Well, it will take a few days on it's own but that should keep the pain to a minimal."

            "Thank you." Jace repleid, turning to face her.

            "So, why did you walk into my bar looking like a ghost or are you just that ashamed you lost a fight with the captain?" Lily asked, crossing her hands as she leaned against the bedpost.

            "No no, it's not that. It's hard to explain really. See, the guards were not the only ones who found me." Jace proceeded to tell her of his encounter with Jadis. He remained uninterrupted, describing everything down to every word spoken. As he finished, he looked up to see a hint of a tear in Lili's eye. Through, she immideatly rubbed her eye, probably to keep it from showing. "I am not sure if I should go."

           "Are you daff?!" Lily half barked at him. "Well dua you should go! Come'on Jace, you have been wishing for this for most of your life! Why would you not go?!"

            "This is my home Lily. I grew up in this city. Why would I want to leave? Besides, what would I do without you to some talk to after a fun encounter with the guards?" Jace and Lily both cracked a laugh, falling silent a moment later.

            Lily looked down for a moment, and then back up with a more serious face. "Jace, for a moment let us both be practical. Living the rest of your life on the streat is only going to get you killed. And I don't ever want to see hear or see that you died because someone got lucky or you slipped up. Today ought to be proof that it can happen. This gives you a chance to live a life beyond this."

            "Okay, but what of you?" Jace cocked an eye, staring back at her.

            "What do you mean what of me?" Lily asked, a slight giggle escaping her lips.

             "Come with me." Jace said. "I know you only got your father here and all but come with me. You have a sharp mind for all this and your a rather good healer for a Guild Student dropout. Come with me and we can learn together."

            "Jace." Lily's smile faded as she looked away. "I can't. I want to, but you know I can't."

            "Then I guess I don't go." Jace shrugged.

            Lily jumped forward and slapped Jace across the head. Jace groaned in pain, rubbing the spot she struck. "Will you get your head out o your ass and think more seriously about this?!" Lily got up, pacing the room. "Damn you!"

            "Lily, I wasn't joking." Jace protested.

            "Well neither am I! Jace, what about this are you not seeing clearly. Jadis is a well known mage in this city alone and people often talk that he is also the hardest graduate to get as a mentor. He has only mentored one person since he completed his trials. Only one! The fact he singled you out against any other should speak for itself. You don't belong here Jace! You belong out there, learning real magic! Promise me you will go. Promise me!" Lily stormed up to him, her eyes buried into his as she refused to break contact.

            "Okay, okay I promise." Jace surrendered. Lily pulled him up into a hug, her arms tightly locked across her back as she buried her head in his shoulder.

            "You better go. And don't you forget me either." Lily warned him.

            Returning her hug, Jace felt more confident in his words. "I promise."

            "Stay here for the night? I got to finish working downstairs. But I can be back up soon. My place though. Not in here." Lily asked, releasing her grasp from Jace.

            "Yea, yea I can do that." he agreed. Lily politely excused herself, leading Jace from the room and parting ways to go back downstairs. Jace's gaze followed her. 'I promise.' His words echoed in the back of his head. 'I promise.'