Rydia wasn't used to not waking up to a sun lit morning with the rays filtering in through her bedroom curtains. Instead, the soft glow of fire and the nudge of her pet chocobo were her wake up call. Groggy and a tad disoriented, Rydia rubbed her head and began to wake up.
"Oh, good morning. I guess I slept like a rock," said the young green haired sorceress.
"That's fine, everyone expected you to be tired so we let you sleep in. I think lady Asura wants you to begin your studies today, but all that can wait until after you eat breakfast."
"Mmm, I hope it's good, I haven't had a real meal in a long while."
For the past few weeks, Rydia had been too busy to really deal with food, and the only thing available were the rations Cecil procured for their trip to Baron. Rydia found some clothes in her mahogany dresser and got dressed. Her chocobo was waiting outside for her, ready to escort her down to the dining hall. The dining hall was almost as impressive as throne room had been. Rydia wondered why all of the summoned monster architecture was so huge and grand, it made her feel like an ant sometimes. A large table had been prepared with the nicest linen she had ever seen. Two platters with silver lids, a plate with a spread of silver utensils, and a flower sitting in a vase were waiting for the young summoner. A strange looking monster with two leathery wings, wrinkled skin, and a gigantic eye was sitting on the opposite end of the table. Rydia walked up to her chair and seated herself, wondering who the elderly monsters sitting across from her was. To a normal person the old creature would be frightening in appearance, but Rydia learned to look past appearances at an early age.
"Good morning mistress Rydia. Please be seated, we will begin your lessons as soon as we are done with breakfast," said the elderly monster.
"Yes. Umm, excuse me, but who are you?" said Rydia, trying not to be so loud but forced to shout across the table given the distance between them.
"I am Althazal, head of the Archives and headmaster of the school of magic," said Althazal. His voice was stern and forceful, but not hateful. He seemed to carry himself with quite a strict air, but emanated wisdom Rydia could hardly comprehend.
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Rydia of Mist"
"Please finish your meal Mistress Rydia, your food will get cold. We have much to discuss and learn, so you'll need nutrients."
Rydia didn't really liked being called mistress, and the authoritative and distant manner Althazar referred to her did not bring her any comfort. Rydia always loved the way Edward had called her "Little Emerald" because of her bright green hair. She always thought nicknames were more thoughtful and caring then silly distant titles. Rydia didn't have that much of an appetite, and the eggs and meat she was served was not much to her liking. At home, her mother always served a fresh salad with plenty of green vegetables from the garden. There was nothing more delicious than fresh cucumbers with her mother's specialty oil and vinegar sauce. Rydia's thoughts turned to her mother, and the pain she felt started to resurface.
"I understand how you feel Mistress Rydia, and there is little I can say to offer you comfort. The best thing for you right now is to put all your energy in your studies, and make the most of your time here," said Althazar getting up and walking over to Rydia. Looking up, she saw a look of compassion and understanding staring down at her from the one eyed teacher. Rydia instinctively knew he meant no harm, and possibly understood more than anyone else of her ordeal. Rydia took the last bite of her food, hopped out of her chair, and followed her tutor out of the dining hall and into a monstrous library. Worn leather tomes filled with knowledge of bygone millenia were stacked neatly within an endless sea of bookcases.
"Wow, I've never seen a library this big..."
"Every book, manuscript, and spell volume has been kept here since this library's inception. I've maintained the records since then."
"Wow, you must be a really old...oh, I mean wise..." said Rydia catching herself. Her mother always warned her not to call someone old, they might take offense.
"I indeed am ancient Mistress Rydia. As ancient as many of these books here, but that's all the more reason why I will be your instructor in the ways of the arcane arts."
Once more Rydia felt like an ant compared with the sheer magnitude of her surroundings. "Who could read all of this? I don't even know what most of these books say..." thought Rydia.
"We mustn't dilly dally here Rydia. The first part of your training will be for me to see what you know. We will do that outside in the garden. Afterwards we will return here and we'll go over some ideas."
Rydia only half listened to Althazar. She wasn't really the type of child that enjoyed studying or school. In fact, children in Mist never really had any formal education. Most of their learning came from their parents, teaching them in the ways of the summoner. Rydia was more interested in exploring the palace grounds and maybe letting her pet chocobo show her around the underground. She soon followed Althazar out into a open courtyard. The 'garden' was rather exotic and was not the grassy field filled with daisies Rydia had expected. Instead, there were large rust red lotus' the size of small dogs, as well as hundreds of tiny sponge like flowers with multicolored tendrils floating in the air. High above was the ceiling of rock, green and luminescent, probably colored with lichen and moss. Entranced by the scenery, Rydia timidly walked into the center of the garden and sat on a large cushiony green plant.
"From what Asura and Leviathan have told me, you have basic training in both the White and Black magical arts, as well as quite a bit of natural talent. Magic, as you know, comes more from the power of the user, and the studying involved is merely a means of honing your raw magical talent. As the ancient pedagogue of Triathus once said in a speech he delivered to his cabal of mages..."
Rydia totally started to tune the old monster out once he started to ramble, and instead, her attention flittered to a dragonfly-like creature with neon blue wings flying from flower to flower. The insects fast moving wings reminded Rydia of the hummingbirds that would always fly outside of her window, collecting nectar from the flowers growing outside.
"Mistress Rydia are you paying attention?" asked the wizened old instructor.
"Umm, oh yes, you were saying something about a speech Trainman or someone like that was giving."
"How are you going to be the summoner that everyone knows you can be if you don't pay attention mistress Rydia. Oh never mind, a child your age really shouldn't be expected to be able to maintain focus for very long," said Althazar sighing and closing his big eyelid. Rydia snickered quietly to herself.
"What's so funny mistress Rydia?"
"It's just I find the fact you have one eye a little humorous."
"You think my appearance is peculiar?"
"No no, it's not that. In fact I rather think it suits you."
"Well I'm glad you feel that way. Now I'd like for you to show me some of your magical prowess." Althazar waved his hand a hazy looking field began to form at the end of the garden. In seconds, a wooden dummy appeared from the haze.
"Show me all the black magic you know."
Rydia stood up and nodded. Clasping her hands together, she weaved the webs of magic in the air together, combining them in tangible waves of power surrounding her body. Within seconds, waves of cold enveloped the dummy, covering it over in frost.
"Very good, anything else?"
Rydia simply nodded, and in much the same manner, engulfed the dummy in roaring flames of fire. She hated the fire spell but it was the most powerful one in her arsenal.
"Most impressive mistress Rydia. I believe you know a bit of white magic as well?"
"Yes, I can do cure, heal, and peep."
"Well I believe I've seen enough here. We won't have to go over any basics, I believe you have a sufficient grasp of basic magical theory."
"Umm, mister Althazar" said Rydia in her cutest voice, raising her hand as if she were in grade school.
"Yes mistress."
"Can we have recess?"
"Mistress Rydia, if you are going to be a great sorceress..." but try as Althazar might, he could not defend against he pure innocence he saw in the emerald green eyes of Rydia.
"Alright, we'll take one hour of recess, but afterwards I want you to return to the library promptly and resume your studies!"
"Thanks Althy!" said Rydia giving the old monster a great big hug. Althazar had forgotten the joy of little children. Rydia ran off immediately to find her chocobo.
"Remember Mistress Rydia, one hour!"
"I got it! I got it!"
She ran through the silent halls of the castle gleefully laughing. Eventually, Rydia caught sight of her chocobo chatting with other chocobo.
"Oh, Rydia, I thought you were with Althazar studying."
"I was but then recess started. I'll get back to work this afternoon, don't worry. How about we ride around the castle? I haven't really gotten to see this place."
"Sure thing Rydia, hop on."
Rydia hopped onto her chocobo and waved at the other chocobo, who simply nodded. Her pet chocobo took her past the lava moat of the castle and out onto the palace grounds. Strange monsters wrapped up in dark blue cloaks stood sentry by the entrance, holding vicious looking halberds. Rydia looked at the great city of the summoned monsters. The buildings were carved out of the luminescent blue rock and strangely glowing orbs to provide light. Light blue orbs releasing soft blue light entranced Rydia, their movements to and fro seemed almost hypnotic.
"Show me everything there is to see about the town!"
"My my, aren't we inquisitive Rydia. All right, I'm sure we can find plenty to do in the city. Don't be insulted if the monsters seem a little anxious around a human, you're the first one to come here in hundreds of years."
"Let's go!" said Rydia, triumphantly raising her hand in the air and laughing gleefully. It was the first time she had genuinely smiled in a long time.