Lawrence stood up, looking out the window. "I suppose it's time for me to head down," he said, lifting the stone sword and sliding it into the scabbard on his back. He stood silently for a moment, then vanished, leaving not even a sound behind.

He reappeared just out of sight in a small room at the front of the Grand Hall, walking out calmly. Taking his place behind a long table at the front, he waited for everyone to fall silent before speaking, which didn't take long.

"Welcome," He started, his voice booming across the expansive room, "To Caldwell's Academy. I am Headmaster Caldwell. For some of you this is welcome back, for many it is a first greeting. Regardless, you are all here for one reason. Knowledge." His eyes swept the room and seemed to focus on everybody.

"Some of you seek knowledge for purely academic reasons, as future scholars and teachers yourselves. Some seek knowledge so as to arm yourself in battle, gaining victory through cunning and strategy, rather than brute force. Still more of you seek knowledge to help others, bettering the world through both the arcane and the mundane, wishing to become healers and leaders. None of these paths is wrong by itself, and the knowledge here is free to all, but I warn you that there is a difference between teaching and propaganda, victory and domination, leadership and tyranny. Those of you who follow the path this school lays out for you so swear that you use this knowledge as a force for good, not for oppression. In this world, there is no weapon more dangerous in the wrong hands than knowledge." He waited for his warning to sink in, then continued.

"Now, with such serious matters out of the way, I would like to invite you to mingle, socialize. The people around you now will be your companions for the next year. The teachers will come later to show you around." With these last words he sat down in the chair behind him, taking off his scabbard as he did so and leaning it against the arm rest. He watched the room with an unreadable expression on his face, but his relaxed manner radiated a certain warmth.

-----

Britnia glanced around the room as the headmaster finished his speech. There were a lot of people in the room, all starting to talk again, and she spotted a lone elf. She decided that talking to an elf would be a good first step before she moved directly to humans, so she started moving through the crowd, hovering just above the floor to compensate for her small size. Finally coming up behind him, she hesitated, then landed and opened her mouth to speak.

"Um, hello. My name's Britnia."