[b]Ivalis, Divine Academia[/b]

"And with this, you have graduated from the Academy, thus becoming full fledged citizens of the realm. What you've been taught in the last 4 years the basics to make you good people, great people. You've learned what differentiates us Crayvens from the rest of the rabble. Some of you have succeeded better than others, but such is the nature of life, fundamentally unequal. But keep in mind that these tests only measure some particular set of skills and that with the knowledge you've gained here, even if you do not go on to become Favored Ones, all of you can I am certain, achieve great things that will make even He, smile upon you. You will all be reconducted to your settlements and rejoin your families in the next few weeks. For those who have succeeded the Test, it will be the last time for many more years that you will see your family as your studies will continue and your stay will be that of one standard month for the harvests. Good luck to you all and may He smile upon you."

The Grand Academy of Ivalis was a building of marble entirely, fit for royalty by foreign standards. The Administrator General of the Academy remembered one of his predecessor have written a book about how the buildings that had received the most attention, resources and time to their construction where telling many things about the priorities of the people that built them. The largest buildings of the capital were by a large margin the Central Archive and Library on top, with the academy and the administrative complex next. The academy had been built large afterall, to cover for the growth of the Crayvens as generations passed. Even today, many classrooms had been unused. In front of the main building, in the walled courtyard of a fortress-like building that was the Academy (As were most important buildings of the Crayvens actually), 89,076 Crayvens stood straight, a line of about 400 of them were in front, a wreaths of laurel on their head distinguishing them, those that had passed the test, from the others. These 89 thousands had come from all around the realm to pass it.

As their teachers, gold laurels on their head, looked on them, the students raised their right hands, looked on the skies, pounded their chest with a fist and raised their arm in the air. A salute to him. Soon, these 400 would be part of the elite of the realm and gain the right to wear the divine gold.

It had been a good year, a bountiful year where none in the realm starved, a year without rebellion. The harvest, in the core lands at least, announced itself to be one of the best in a Crayven lifetime, which was also why there was much urge to finish with the ceremony and get all of those people in the fields, to make sure nothing went to waste. Praised may He be, for his gifts.

[b]Somewhere, Suehanian border.[/b]

"Are you okay Silvest?"

The old Crayven turned around on his horse to look at his apprentice, constantly scratching his legs and crotch.

"Yeah? Oh by His name, I'll never get used to this. What manner of barbarian invented these things, pants? Why would anyone wear those things?"

The teacher had a laugh.

"To keep you warm, that's why! Just don't think about it and you'll get used to it... eventually. And anyways, it's not good to be distracted during a mission, you need to concentrate on your surroundings, be aware of what's around you so you don't get caught off-guard. The Suenians may be barbarians, but they are still master ambushers. A Ranger that doesn't report back is almost as bad as a ranger who reports back but didn't see the enemy."

Silvest sighed and let his shoulders down in resignation as they approached a small stream, they guided their horses to cross it without falling down.

"But isn't this place safe? I don't remember any report of Suenian raiders here ever."

The teacher decided to let go of his horse and just lay back on his saddle as it did the job. The old thing was older than he even was, it didn't need a guiding hand to cross a river that was for certain.

"So? Borders still need patrolling to make sure it's still the case or that there are no renegades that would think that since you have no reason to patrol here no one would patrol here. It makes good training for newbies that are too green to patrol a place with actual danger. What, we should have been deployed more north so we could get both killed on the first day by a change encounter? Or maybe you'd want to go south and get a crossbow bolt between your eyes?"

Silvest smiled slyly.

"Oh common, nothing trains someone more than to spend some time in the..."

The man slapped his own forehead with a hand before turning slowly to his student.

"Silvest, I swear to him, you're taking a dip in the water if you finish this sentence."

There was some hesitation as the student looked at his teacher with a smile. As the silence continued, the teacher couldn't help but to have the corner of a smile.

"...Danger Zone!"

Quick as lightning a oatmeal cookie, hard as rock, landed on Silvest's head.