[h2]Julian Westri[/h2]


He watched, somewhat anxiously, as the glint of brass appeared on the distant horizon like a gleaming daytime star. The newer model airships were faster than the early ones he had known during the war, and he had no doubt the new arrivals would be landing within the hour. He had been Headmaster for over a decade, but he still hadn’t managed a way to resist the peculiar anxiety that always came upon him when newcomers arrived. Perhaps it was some remnant of the nervousness he had felt on his first day as a student. He smirked, waxing nostalgic as he watched the distant brass “star” grow brighter and brighter. It felt so long ago now, almost like another life.

Julian Westri’s gaze left the incoming airship for a moment, drifting lazily over a number of small picture frames adorning his bookcase. Most of them were relatively recent, but a few dated back to his early years at the academy. In one picture a much younger version of himself stood grinning between two girls, one smiling, one glaring. He chuckled, rising to his feet and taking the picture in his hand. They had all been so different then. Well, Miria still glared frequently, so maybe not quite so different. 

The headmaster smiled, gently returning the photo to its place. For a moment, he looked over the other photos, his eyes lingering on an image of himself and a girl with light blonde hair. He sighed, returning to his seat. He eyed the pipe on his desk, a complicated looking device constructed of glass and gold. He tapped a rune that had been engraved into its side, and a flame sparked to life within. He took one of the long black hoses from the pipe, placing the brass mouthpiece between his lips and inhaling deeply. It was considered an odd habit in Cresia to smoke moonflower, but then, he was considered an odd man by most.

Blowing out a cloud of smoke, Julian turned his eyes back toward the skyline. The “star” had now gained shape. He could make out the shapes of churning propellers and flapping banners now. Down the hall, he heard an all-too-familiar voice belting out some painfully cheery tune. [i]”La la la la”[/i] He smiled and turned back toward the door, where the doorknob was already turning.

Linxi burst through the door, twirling as she entered. “Goooooood morning Headmaster!” The young woman’s enthusiasm was electric and, as Julian had learned long ago, endless. Linxi’s enthusiasm was typically a bit of a shock to newcomers. She was ghostly pale in hair and complexion, and her eyes were pitch black, as if her pupils had grown to eclipse the whole eye. Few could place Faeblood straight away. Still, it usually didn’t take long for her to overcome these difficulties.

She placed a cup of fragrant tea on the desk and smiled, her shiny black eyes dancing with light. “The new students should be here soon, y’know. You should be getting ready instead of sitting around smoking.” A faux-judgemental smirk crossed her lips as she looked out the window toward the incoming airship.

Julian let out an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll be ready when they get here.” He turned his chair toward the window as well. “I’ve been watching them for a while. It shouldn’t be much longer now.” His assistant nodded, bringing a finger to her chin.

“What do you think they’ll be like? I heard we have a lot of students from the other nations this time around.”

Julian nodded, taking a sip of tea. “I’ve heard the same. I’m sure they’ll be an interesting class…” He had read through the reports on the new students over the course of the past week. “Interesting” did not begin to describe some of them. “I’m excited.”

Linxi stood in silence for a moment, finger still at her chin. “I’m going to go meet them.” Julian’s eyes slowly cut toward her.

“What do you mean? Of course you will, they’ll be here in a few minu-” Linxi shook her head, cutting the Headmaster off.

“No I mean I’m going to go up there [i]now[/i].” She pointed at the great monster of machinery that was growing larger by the moment. “I think I can make it, don’t you?”

Julian raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Yeah, probably. You’ve really got to work on that patience though, Linxi.”

The young woman shrugged. “I’m… probably not going to do that.”

The Headmaster laughed. “That’s what I figured. Don’t miss and hit a turbine.”

He didn’t need to look to know that Linxi was already gone.

[hr]

[h2]Kellin Caen[/h2]

Kellin sighed, tapping his staff impatiently against the marbled floor of the observation deck. Most of the other students had made their way to the deck as well, anxious to catch sight of their new home. Truth be told they made him a little nervous. He hadn’t expected there to be so many other students… but then, what [i]had[/i] he expected about any of this? Out of all the surprises, the luxury airship had been the most welcome. He had no idea how airships worked, but he was certain this one was an incredible specimen… though the catering on the flight might have influenced his evaluation. He wasn’t used to such opulence, and for the first few hours he had been entirely taken with it. But now they were nearing their destination. He had read plenty about the academy. He knew its layout and had even dabbled in its history over the past few weeks, trying to become familiar with what would be his home for the coming years. Still, he had no idea what to expect. There was a sense of mystery about Arkus, and that quietly terrified him as he stared out at the sea of trees beneath them.

The observation deck where Kellin stood was a beautiful piece of work. It was situated toward the bottom of the ship, and consisted of an extended deck surrounded by a glass sphere. The window itself, though, was actually made up of hundreds of tiny, hexagonal pieces of glass interlocked. They had been thoroughly enchanted to produce a high level of magnification, allowing passengers to view the landscape around them in great detail. To Kellin’s great irritation, however, the only things they’d been able to see for the past thirty minutes were the endless trees of Blackglade Forest and the still, deep water of Lake Lyan. 

The boy huffed, still tapping the end of his staff nervously against the deck. He glanced around and the others. He hadn’t spoken with many of them yet. He was usually cautious around strangers… but here he was standing in a crowd of them. He pulled his jacket around him, suddenly cold. His fingers found their way to his tie, and began absent-mindedly adjusting it. He still wasn’t comfortable in these clothes, they had been given to him shortly before he left for the academy, and though they were of much better quality than anything he had worn back home he still hadn’t gotten used to them. 

Suddenly, a collective gasp cut through the air around him, sending the boy’s eyes darting back to the window. It was then that he first saw it. The forest and the lake gave way to a wide clearing in the distance. The Tower of Lights stood tall, glittering in the morning sun. The many-spired administrative building came into view next, ancient and imposing. The Hall of Instruction, the Dormitory Towers, everything was just as Kellin had read. Still, for a moment it was overwhelming, and he couldn’t help but join in the general excitement of the crowd. They were really here.