First Impressions

Tyd prepared well for the first day, wearing the violet uniform. The first lesson is to be to assess individual skills. He had to go to Runeweaver’s square again. Tests will be done to determine their class and assign the best tutors for his level. There was Manaspark again, with some other tutors. Other students with him looked nervous.

When most of them arrived, Manapark stood up to speak. “Okay, seeing most of you are here, I should start explaining.” She started. “You will be assessed by shooting at the target. We ask for the type of magic, you shoot. You will be evaluated by damage, and the execution. We will assess it, and assign your tutors based on your results and background.”

Tyd watched at how everyone casted their spells while waiting for hi turn. He knows his execution is unrefined, but can see how others vary by level.

Manaspark read from the list. “Lightbringer?” She called.

Tyd walked to the target. He looked at it, and waited for the spells to be called.

“Arcane!”

He fired the first shot, hitting the target.

“Fire!”

The second shot was fired, hitting the bullseye, and pushing it afar.

“Frost!”

The third attempt missed, ending at the wall behind.

“Okay, next is Bolaris!”

The Half-Elf walked back as he let the new students try. He worried on the assessment. Accuracy was best with fire, but frost was his weakest. His stance was also not at best, and he focused on raw firepower.

He thought about how he would be assessed during lunch. He was at the Filthy Animal this time. He had a steak pie and some ships in front of him in a nice porcelain plate. Besides him was the local ‘Dalaran Times’. Some articles on domestic news were quietly skimmed through. A highlight was Prince Ake’s coming first birthday and a brief rundown of his father’s lineage. Lastly was the Golden Horde given less aid by the Union for ‘unspecified tresspasses’. He gulped, knowing what it meant.

He heard a sound of something taking a seat next to him. He turned to see it was his favourite socially awkward elf, Ari. “Oh, hi?” He greeted, taken a bit aback.

She gave him a sheepish smile. “Um, uh hi. Thought I’d just um, come around and talk to um, someone.” She just said.

He nodded. “We weren’t able to speak much last night.” He remembered. “Anyway, how do you think you’ll be assessed?” He asked.

She looked around. “Hm, I think I did, uh, pretty good. My strong suit is uh, Arcane, but that’s what my parents uh, always taught me. They uh, want me to become a teacher here.” she admitted.

He looked with interest. “Actually, my sister is going towards teaching too.” He added.

She just looked at him. “A sister? Hm, how uh, old is she?”

He thought for a minute. “Since three-years apart, would be 25.” He calculated. “Although kind of a foreigner here, I think she would do well.”

She just nodded. “Oh, uh My sister is about eleven years older than me.” she explained. “She is a bit of a uh, strange one in my family. She uh, went fully into uh, military service. My uh father was a teacher and still is a teacher before he went into uh, the military.”

He listened to the family history with interest. “My mother was military too.” He added. “My father was a priest. You don’t normally expect a Human and an elf from Silvermoon to intermingle, but they did.”

She just nodded. “Yeah, but it uh, does happen… What church was your father from? From my memory there aren’t uh, any human priests in uh Silvermoon.”

He thought for a moment. “Chingghis Khagan’s policy was to move skilled personnel around the planet in order to spread knowledge.” He explained. “It brought him to Silvermoon as a result, and met my mother. It even moved some Draenei to Orgrimmar with that policy.”

She just looked at him in shock. “That's… that that’s a terrible idea!” She voiced rather loudly. “I once saw, um the results of some uh, brawls. The uh, disagreements between the uh, two races is pretty uh deep. With the uhh…. Yanno, attempted genocide.”

He looked around, making sure nobody else heard. “His policy was to promote cultural tolerance in his empire.” He added. “Several shock therapies were made, and if needed his swords and the Keshiks enforced it.” He hoped the explanation calmed her. He remembered some scars would exist even here.

She just stared at him, taking in the information. “Um, uh his Empire?” She asked. “That’s a bit kinda, um. Strange for someone who lives there to uh, call it his empire. Like uh, strange choice of words. Does everyone uh, talk like you do over there?” she asked.

Tyd shrugged. “It is unofficially an empire on paper.” He explained. “He was declared an Emperor by the Centaurs and went along with it. Even then, it’s a loose confederation with his daughter inheriting it. Some are worried that with the person that brought them together gone, it may start to crumble.” Seeing recent news, it would be tough for Ilithdora to maintain peace in coming days.

She looked a bit disgusting at the mention of centaurs. “Centaurs… Are um, are uh, very interesting… if you uh, like their uh… ways.” She said rather frankly. “Though, they are uh, no longer around the Union, uh, I think birthrates fell and uh, lots of them tried to fight in Mulgore and were all uh, yanno, killed.”

He nodded. “Apparently, killing all their chieftains in one night was impressive to them.” He shrugged. “At his command, they made terrifying troops that eventually brought the planet together. During and after his conquests, he started selectively breeding them to be loyal only to himself and his own children.”

It was rather obvious she was uncomfortable about talking about centaur. “Uh yes, terrifying... very uh, terrifying. So uh, what books do you uh, like to read?” She quickly changed the subject.

He felt bad, realising that the mention of centaurs got her frightened. “I read mostly on history and politics, actually.” He answered. “Books on Earth are very interesting to read. I’m looking for good books here on the Kaldorei Empire.”

She nodded. “Oh, Uh, I’m more into uh, fiction.” She said looking off into the distance. “It’s just something about adventures larger than life…” She looked back at him. “Oh, uh. Not that uh, history is boring. It’s just like, not my thing.

He nodded back. “I can understand that.” He agreed. “It’s been a form of comfort for people back home too. We are still recovering from a war after all.”

She nodded. “Uh, yes. I uh, read about that. Looked like a rather… nasty time to be around. I’m uh, glad we in the uh, Union haven’t had to uh, deal with that. But then again, we uh, developed a lot faster than uh, you guys…” She covered her mouth. “Oh! I’m uh, sorry! Sorry, that was very rude, forgive me please for being so rude!” Several people just looked at her, she was on the verge of tears.

He patted her shoulders in panic. “It’s fine, it’s fine.” He replied. “The Khagan wasn’t really the ruling type, leaving others like the Grand Magistrix to govern in his name. I think that with Union support, we can catch up too, and make advancements on our own too.”

She took several deep breaths. “O-okay, I’m fine, have to keep calm. Have to keep calm.” She sighed. “I’m uh, not very uh, good at this. It’s uh, a bit hard. I never uh, really talked to people when I, uh was a kid. Only really my uh, sister and uh… you’ve met her.”

He calmed her. “I suggest getting a nice drink.” He advised. “Maybe have some sleep later. I know my father had to go through it too, so I think it’s something can be overcome.” He finished his pie.

She Sighed and looked at him. “I think I will be fine.” She stated. “I think I will be fine.” She massaged her collar bone. “I think I will be fine.”

He patted her back. “You’ll be fine.” He assured. “Get some good rest, we will need to check our assessment results in a few more hours.”

She just nodded. “Yeah… I should do that. Uh… you have a nice day…” she said as she got up and walked away. If her entire family is like this… well, he can obviously see why they aren’t people persons.

The Half-Elf saw her go, slightly worried for her. He finished his last chips and left to return to his own quarters while waiting. Back there, he opened his weapons case and looked at his swords briefly before placing it back.

He found the other students back at the square again. There was a board this time, showing the students being assigned to tutors. It looks like each tutor will take up to twenty. He noted the names for each tutor he will be under. There was also portal-making added. The remaining two subjects will have to be selected under an Extra-Curricular. Looks like he can view them each tomorrow, before declaring his selections. Greizzlik and Jea’zeal were also here, looking at their results. He walked to them. “Hi, you found your tutors?” He asked.

The troll just looked at him. “Ya mon, how bout you?” She asked.

Tyd nodded. “I got Joe Heartman as fire, Elina Bluewater as ice, and Khralia Manaspark as arcane.” “And Grizil for portals.”

The goblin laughed. “Woah, you got Drill Sarge Heartman! Man, you ain’t going to have a fun time around him I hear.” The goblin stated. “My brother had him, suppose to be a real hard ass. Ex-Maroon Army.”

He gulped slightly. “Suppose I will need to work as hard.” He replied. “Anything on Bluewater?”

The troll shrugged. “Don’t know, mon. She be new here.” she said

The Goblin nodded. “Yeah man, she’s a recent transfer. Pretty good with frost from what I heard.”

The Half-Elf scratched his head. “Guess it won’t be easy anyway.” He concluded. “I suppose it’s tea for us before calling a day. We find another place to eat, yeah?” They seemed to agreed, and followed him. Dinner was little to note, but lessons will start tomorrow.