Chapter 6

Validation

I hopped off the train and took my bags from the conductor. I was most definitely travel lagged. The ride had been an overnight journey that we were informed would be physically taxing since most of the youth on board had never experienced portal jumping before.

Milkweed Academy was located in an other worldly location, one that couldn't be accessed by simple humans. They called it The Realm. I'd materialized before, but that was nothing in comparison to a portal jump and the energy it stripped from you. Outside of the train, there was a man standing in front of a bus stop holding a letter board that read Milkweed Academy. I tugged my bags over to him with an audible groan.

"Hallo, excuse me." I managed. He looked down at me and his eyes grew in surprise.

"Wow! It's you! You're the prodigy, Sigmund!" I raised a brow at him. He knew my name already? That wasn't what shocked me the most though.

"Prodigy?"

"Your hair totally gives you away!" He chuckled. With his thumb, he motioned to the dark colored school bus behind him. "Go ahead and board that bus. Other students should be arriving on the next train in a couple of minutes, so grab a good spot!" I nodded quickly and lifted my cases.

"O-okay, danke!" I don't think he understood German because he gave me a puzzled look when I thanked him.

I tugged my bags to the bus and boarded, immediately taking the seat at the very back. I was the first to arrive, so now it was a waiting game. The waiting gave me too much time to think and panic set in again. The snack my mother had given me before I left came in handy to chew away some stress. Pretzels.

I felt the bus bounce slightly and peeked over the seat. Other children. Students. Shockingly, some weren't human at all. I saw a youth with green scaled skin and another with the beak of a bird. I ducked down in my seat and pulled my knees to my chest. I wasn't used to being around others. Thankfully, the bus didn't fill and when it moved forward, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I could manage to stay hidden, at least to collect myself. For now.

We drove through a forest on the dark side of the town we were in. On the bus, some children spoke and laughed with each other. Most were returning students, from what I gathered, who'd finished their Autumn and Winter semesters and returned for Spring entrance exams. So they spoke about what teachers they hated, complained about the amount of textbooks we'd received this term and though I wasn't part of the conversation, I was starting to understand what Milkweed life would be like.

After about an hour or so, the bus came to a stop at a high, metal gate. Slowly, the gates opened and allowed the bus to enter.

Milkweed Academy, to me, looked like a castle. The roofs peaked to a point and the large bricks made the architecture look ancient. A shadow covered the base of the school and it almost seemed to float over the gloomy cliffs it ultimately sat on. I was nervous. Beyond nervous.

The bus came to a final stop at the front steps of the school and my neck swung with the opening of the bus doors. I don't know why, I just felt like I needed air. I shuffled to grab my cases and followed behind the other students exiting. The same young man from the train station guided us inside. I still couldn't breathe.

"Welcome to Milkweed Academy! If you head down that hall there, it'll lead you to the headmaster's office. You'll get your room numbers and class assignments from him!"

There was a long hall runner, deep maroon and bordered off in gold silk. From the tall ceilings, candelabra chandeliers dangled down above us with candles lit that didn't drip wax. Along the wall were oil paintings that looked to be older than my father, who always seemed old to me! They depicted other wizards, witches and creatures in a portrait fashion. The stained glass windows were framed with heavy maroon curtains. There was a scent of dust and something else I couldn't make out. Musty, in my opinion. When I asked later what the smell was, it turned out to be pixie dust and other similar extracts that students would come in contact with on a day to day basis. I was also told it was an acquired scent.

I walked ahead of the crowd of students, eager to see more, but also to breathe. It was a lot to take in. Around me, I heard whispers and faint gasps. I glanced at some of the students and noticed some of them were staring back at me. Why? Did it have something to do with what was said earlier? I didn't like it. I moved on to make my way towards the headmaster's office. One young boy caught up to me after being pressured by his peers to stop me.

"A-are you Sigmund?" He asked, trying his best to keep my pace. Why did everyone know me here already?

"Ja. Why?"

"I've heard about you." He responded. "You're so cool! Our professor showed us a film of some potential students after Winter term and a lot of us thought you were incredible." I smiled slightly.
Incredible? Really?

Children back home hated me. I couldn't tell if he was being truthful or trying his luck, like the others did in my town. I couldn't process the compliment.

"D-danke." I croaked.

I didn't want to have the conversation anymore, it was overwhelming to me. I turned my nose away from him and continued my pace to the office, watching the student melt away back to his peers into a river of whispers of confirmations. There were squeals of delight and I realized they really did like me. They really were interested in me for me. I couldn't help but smile when the relief washed over again.

I made it to the office and dragged my bags along the wooden floor. There was a man with a long white beard and equally long white hair sitting at a beautifully crafted, oak wood desk in front of a crackling fireplace. A bronze name holder to the right of the desk read Merlin The Magician. He wore a sapphire colored robe and tall, pointed hat that matched perfectly, both velvet in material. When he heard the door open, his attention shifted from the massive book in front of him and up to me. A warm smile graced the elder's face and he leaned over the desk to get a look at me.

"Ah, yes! Sigmund the Sorcerer!" He greeted. "In the flesh, amazing!"

"Hallo, sir." I greeted in return. I reached my hand out over the desk to shake his and he did with great force and excitement. "Thank you, sir, for letting me into this fine school. This is a great honor."

"That is no problem at all!" He responded quickly with a pat to the back of my hand. "I've heard of your power and I wanted a child like you here in our establishment to share it." I smiled as he let my hand go and flipped through yet another book twice my size. He pulled some pamphlets, a couple fliers and a small sticky note with my room number written across. "I know you'll do well with Professor Flan and the curriculum he has planned this term."

There were so many classes listed in the pamphlet. Introduction to Alchemy, Ethics and Magical Law, Herbology, Divinational Studies. I didn't know what half of that even meant! Not to mention the map of the academy itself which was MASSIVE to say the least. I had been home-schooled all my life, so this format of learning was not only new to me, but frightening. I parted with Headmaster Merlin and asked the young guide from earlier for help finding the hall to my room. After his directions, I materialized to it.

Students gasped when I appeared in the hall two floors up. They pointed at me, some whispering my name to their friends. I caught a few rude looks, but I brushed those off. I honestly had enough of the whispering and I was tired from the travel. More than anything, I wanted to rest. In front of me stood a wooden door with brass numbers, my new room. I turned the brass door handle and tugged my bags inside as quickly as I could, closing the door behind me. I almost jumped out of my skin when I looked up. There was another boy in the room who greeted me with a look of pure disgust and utter shock on his pale white face. Did I have the wrong room? No, my numbers were correct.

"Who the devil are you?" He gasped.

"Who are you?" I asked back. He rose up from the bed he had been sitting on and crossed his arms in front of him, his gaze narrowing.

"I asked first!" He growled. His teeth were the first things I noticed after his sickly complexion and freckle ridden skin. They were crooked and terribly large. The braces that bound them together were doing a lousy job.

"Sigmund. Sigmund the Sorcerer." The red headed boy snickered under his breath toward my response.

"Sorcerer?" He taunted. "Says who?"

"Says the Headmaster."

"As if!"

"Excuse me? I asked you a question, answer mine."

"Kyle the Conjurer. Now why have you intruded and broken into my room...Sigmund?"

"Your room? This is my room!"

"No it isn't! This is my room and it's supposed to be PRIVATE!" I flashed the sticky note I was handed in the Headmaster's office. Kyle's eyes shifted from me to the note and his narrowed eyes grew ten times in size. "WHAT? NO! THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SINGLE ROOM!"

"That really isn't my problem."

Kyle pushed past me and stormed off down the hall with a slam of the door behind him, which made me jump. That kid had a temper on him for sure. He didn't seem to recognize me as a few of the other students had. I didn't know I'd be sharing a room with another person, but I would've preferred someone a little friendlier.

I pulled my cases over to the bed opposite to his and opened them to pack my clothing away. In one of my cases, there was a beautifully made leather coat and a folded letter along side it. It was from my father.

Sigmund,

By now, you're probably at the academy. I pray it is everything you hoped it would be. Please, don't forget to write to your mother and I. Your mother will love to hear from you as often as possible. She wanted to surprise you with a new coat.

My son, heed my warning, do not get too close to anyone there. Focusand remain focused. Distance yourself, if you must. Be a good boy, Sigmund and remember your goals.

I nodded to myself and set the letter under my clothing in the drawer I moved them into. I pulled the leather coat from my bag and admired it for a moment. It was a long-line, gorgeously tailored coat. I knew it must've costed more than my family could afford to spend.

Quickly, I tried it on. The inside was smooth and lined with silk and the leather on the outside was rich and smelled newly pulled. I adjusted it in the mirror behind the door and smiled to myself. My father had an overcoat like this and I always wanted one for myself. I felt like I looked just like him this way. I jumped when the door swung open suddenly. In came Kyle, who stood in front of me, face reddened.

"Please, just keep your hands to yourself." He commanded. "Don't touch anything that belongs to me. No touching my toothbrush, hair brush, bath soaps or anything of that kind!" He was too close. I pushed him away with the tip of my index finger.

"Look, Kahl." I started. "I really don't like your attitude. I don't know you and you don't know me. I'll stay on my side of the room if you stay on yours!" He swatted my finger away and readjusted his striped sweater-vest.

"Fine with me!"

He turned to his bed and sat on it, lifting a thick book to his face. The book was interesting in looks. Tattered leather and a belted spine clasp that resembled a skeleton human hand. The wrinkles in the leather gathered in a way that almost made it look like a face was on the cover. I wanted to ask him what the book was about, but after the spat we had, I decided not to.

My stomach rumbled a bit. I hadn't eaten much since I arrived. They had offered us meals while we were on the train ride, but I hadn't had much of an appetite then. I remembered I still had the snack my mother gave me. I hadn't finished it, so I pulled it and ate. A loud groan escaped Kyle.

"Will you STOP?" He nagged. I was confused. What was I doing now?

"What do you mean?"

"Your chewing is breaking my concentration! Stop!"

I was starting to realize how dramatic this kid was. He was overly eccentric in the way he spoke. He was like a grouchy, old man in his demeanor. I wanted to have a little fun with him. Maybe he just needed to loosen up. I couldn't help but giggle to myself.

"No. I don't think I will. I'm hungry." I finally laughed.

Kyle slammed his book closed, set it aside and charged at me. He actually managed to tackle me, which I didn't expect from his dainty frame. Seriously, this kid was thin. Beyond thin. And he wasn't very strong at all. I easily pushed him off and laughed at his attempts to take my snack from my hands.

"GIVE ME THOSE! PRETZELS MAKE CRUMBS AND I DON'T WANT CRUMBS IN MY ROOM!"

"Hahaha! You're crazy!"

He managed to push me down again, but this time, I materialized from under him. He hit the floor pretty hard, but he turned in time to see me reappear in his bed, still eating. His head spun in all directions, clearly in confusion.

"H-how did you—? Wait, GET OFF MY BED WITH THOSE! GET OFF!"

I was so tired, but this was just too entertaining. I laughed as he chased me around the room. The sparkles from me materializing polluted the air in the room and Kyle definitely couldn't handle it. After a while, he collapsed.

"Ugh! PLEASE just keep quiet! Please!"

"But, I wanted to play my recorder..."

"Your, what?"

I ran to my suitcase and pulled the wooden recorder from the pocket of the bag, flashing it into Kyle's view.

"My recorder!" I repeated. As I set it to my lips, Kyle pulled what looked like a twig from his vest pocket and aimed it at me. To my surprise, he managed to pull it from my hands and into his. "W-whoa!"

"Listen, Sigmund. I need to study for the exam tomorrow."

With a couple of waves of the stick, my recorder appeared in a caged box, locked with a massive metal lock. I gasped. Since I'd arrived, I hadn't seen another peer of mine use any magic. Not like that! Even though my recorder had been confiscated, I couldn't help but smile. They really were like me!

Kyle was too grouchy though, I didn't like him very much. The only time I liked him was when he was angry enough to entertain me. I sat back on my bed and crossed my arms in a pout.

"Fine." I mumbled. He smiled down at his book.

"You should be studying yourself." He told me, cracking open the ancient looking book on his lap. "We have an exam that includes conjuring. It's not easy stuff, especially not for noobies like yourself. We've had to conjure all sorts of things for our entrance exams in the past. Between you and I, a peer of ours warns that we'll have to conjure fire for this exam. That's extremely difficult!" Difficult? I just had to laugh at that statement. Kyle raised a brow. "And what exactly is so humorous to you?"

"I can do that already."

"Right, Sigmund, because you're just a wonder boy, aren't you?" Was that sarcasm? I adjusted the gloves on my palms and steadied my hands before allowing the flames to jump before his eyes. Kyle's mouth practically hit the floor.

"I guess you can say, I am."

"You didn't even use a wand!" He gasped, standing from his bed to get a closer look. The book on his lap dropped to the floor with a thud. "B-but, that isn't fair!" I shook my hand to put the flames out. Kyle grabbed my hand and flipped it over, letting his fingers glide over my hand in inspection. He looked up at me, completely puzzled. "It's the gloves, isn't it? S-Sigmund, how? How did you-?"

"Not telling~!"

"Huh?" His face went blank. "W-why not?"

"Why should I? So you can be better than me? You didn't even like me or treat me with decent respect when I entered this room." He slowly let my hand go as his face transformed from puzzled to absolute fury.

"FINE!" He shouted. "I'll figure it out on my own anyway!"

"Then do so.." I mumbled. Kyle marched back to his bed in quite a feminine fashion that made me want to laugh, but I held it in. I was far too exhausted to argue with him again.

—

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE MY HAIR BRUSH!"

"I would never do such a thing, Kahl..."

"Then why do I see SILVER HAIR in the bristles?"

Kyle popped his head out of the bathroom, his face a deep red in his usual angered state. I rushed out of the dorm room when Kyle caught glimpse of me laughing. He chased after me down the hall the best he could, but it was no use, I had magic on my side.

"WHERE DID YOU GO? COWARD!"

I had materialized behind him and did my best to hold in my laughter. Students around us in the hall were having a great laugh watching the whole scene. I tapped Kyle's shoulder and took off again when he turned around. Cat and mouse.

"You're so funny!" I laughed, easily keeping a distance between us. I was just too fast for poor Kyle. His stamina wasn't on his side at all.

"Curse you!" He called back to me. I lead him to our classroom and quickly took a seat at a desk in front. After a little bit, he dragged himself into the classroom, breathing harshly and took a seat beside me. I gave him a smile.

"Finally caught up?" I teased. He glanced at me and said nothing. He didn't need to. The look on his face stung my soul. Honestly, if his magic included looks that could kill, I would've been annihilated. I composed myself and gave my attention to a man who had just walked in.

"Good morning, students." He spoke in a harsh and rugged tone.

The students responded in a tone that was equally dead and faint of amusement. This must've been Professor Flan. He scanned the room and slowly, his eyes fell on me.

"New student?" I felt the eyes of my peers fall on me suddenly. I nodded in response to his question. "Well then, who are you?"

"Sigmund.." I mumbled shyly. Kyle snickered to himself before butting into the conversation.

"The Sorcerer!" He laughed, air quoting his statement. The professor walked over to our desk and stood in front of me.

"Sorcerer?" Professor Flan asked. I felt my stomach drop. My heart was practically beating in my throat. I swallowed it down and nodded.

"Y-yes, sir." I stammered. He placed his wrinkled hands down on the desk and leaned into my face, eyes narrowing.

"Listen here, Sigmund. You aren't a sorcerer until I say you're a sorcerer. Got it?"

Kyle placed his hands over his mouth quickly to keep back a laugh. At this point, I was fed up. What was with everyone in this academy? The attitudes were always sour and unwelcoming. I hadn't left home for this and I knew I could've received the reception I was getting back in the village I came from. I also knew my father would never allow me to sit and take this attitude from anyone. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes back at the professor.

"No."

The classroom seemed to gasp in unison. Silence fell and I felt like I was sweating beneath my coat. Professor Flan smiled a devious, crooked tooth smile.

"Oh, so you call the shots, huh? Walking into my room, out of uniform at that, and you make the rules now?"

I kept my arms crossed and didn't respond. Straightening up and turning away from me, Professor Flan walked over to his desk and opened a drawer. Shuffling through papers, he pulled out a massive packet that was held together with a paper clip. He returned to my desk with it and slammed it down, which made a noise that caused the whole class to wince. Everyone but me.

"What is this?" I asked. He laughed to himself.

"The Sorcerer's exam. When one reaches the enlightened stage of a sorcerer, he must take this exam and PASS with flying colors to be made official. One wrong answer and you FAIL, but since you're already a sorcerer, you should pass this with the greatest of ease."

His sarcastic tone stung my ears. More than anything, I hated people doubting me. I hated the sarcasm that seemed so common with these people. It sickened me to my core. I gritted my teeth to hold in a growl that seemed to escape me anyways. I felt my face heating up. With a loud snap that shook the room, I conjured an ink pen and flipped the test open. Kyle's eyes grew and around me, I heard students fidgeting in their wooden seats.

"You should at the very least, use a pencil..." Kyle whispered to me. I didn't respond to him.

The test was something I'd never seen before. The way the questions were worded made me slow in reading to truly comprehend what was being asked of me. When I finally came to an understanding with most of them, the questions reminded me of sessions in the field with my father. My father. I knew if I failed this test, I'd shame myself and my family. I told my sister, Isis, that failure wasn't an option and I meant that with every nerve in my body.

The day had gone by and while the rest of the class practiced fire magic with their wands, I focused on the test in front of me. Two-hundred questions in all. I managed to finish by night fall, well after classes were over.

My class stood outside in the hall to listen to the punishment I would ultimately be given for challenging an administrative official. No one had faith in me, no one, and that weighed down on me. Honestly, I had little faith in myself. When I had finally finished the exam, I set my ink pen down gently on the desk and stood up slowly. I gathered the packet together again and bound it together with the golden paperclip. Hesitantly, I walked the exam over to Professor Flan.

"I've completed the exam." Looking up from his desk, he snatched the exam from my gloved hands.

"Have a seat." He mumbled.

I turned back to my desk and sat, awaiting my fate. He graded the exam slowly. After turning each page, he would place down a mark against the paper. I noticed him turning slower and slower as the grading went on. From time to time, he flipped back a couple of pages to check again. Over and over again, Professor Flan went through the pages of that exam. Then suddenly, he slammed the test papers down and rushed out of the room.

My peers gasped when the door to the classroom opened and they quickly gave the professor space to exit. I placed a hand over my chest to check for a pulse. I'd been holding my breath for so long and that slam had absolutely restarted my heart rhythm.

"Why hasn't he gotten in trouble already?" I could hear Kyle ask from the hallway. "Professor Flan always gives a punishment! We've waited long enough."

It had been a few minutes of waiting before Professor Flan returned, this time with Headmaster Merlin. The professor scooped the exam from the desk and handed it to the headmaster.

"Look for yourself!" He shouted at him. The headmaster reached into the deep pockets of his robes and pulled a small pair of rounded bifocals out to look over the pages. He too examined the test slowly and repeated pages before finally closing the packet.

"In all the centuries that I've taught at this school, I have NEVER seen anything like this." Headmaster Merlin proclaimed. I could hear Kyle snickering from the opened door. My head lowered, I knew I'd really messed up now. "Sigmund, I must know, did you use crib notes on this exam?" I had no idea what he was referring to. I shook my head.

"N-no, sir." My voice, to my surprise, trembled. Professor Flan held his head in his hand in disbelief.

"Sigmund, y-you passed the exam!"

"I-I WHAT? WHAT?"

"You passed, son! Not one question wrong!"

The class gasped out of complete shock. A ten year old just passed the exam meant for a sorcerer in his senior age. How was that possible?

"W-what does this mean?" I asked. Professor Flan turned to Headmaster Merlin who conjured a large stamp with a clap of thunder. He pressed it down against the paper and handed it to me afterwards. It read the word "VALID".

"Sigmund, you are now an officially licensed sorcerer. Congratulations!" I wanted to stand, but my legs had gone numb. My mouth dropped holding that paper in my hands. I couldn't get my eyes off that stamp. What he had just said didn't sink in. Not in the slightest.

Without thought or response, I finally stood up and caught my balance when my legs buckled. I walked out slowly from the classroom and emerged into the hallway, greeted by a crowd of my peers who all gathered around to catch a glimpse of the stamp. Kyle's mouth dropped when his vision finally got the chance to grace the pages of the exam.

"H-how?" He asked me. My eyes finally left the papers and looked up to Kyle, who I shook my head at.

"Ich weiß nicht..." I didn't even realize that I had responded to him in German. I was out of it in that moment.