[Post here first] Southern Valley Pass

Viddik grunts in derision as he takes the sphere from the dragonkins hand.

"You have eyes, ears, and a brain use them. You are going to need to learn how to do so if you want to be a mage."

Viddik sets the sphere down back in the bag he'd taken it from then crosses his arms. He glowers at the dragonkin and says gruffly.

"Let's put you to the test, with a basic exercise in your observation and critical thinking skills. How can you be almost completely certain that asking if what just happened was bad is a stupid question. Furthermore, based on previous events and what I've said tell me what you think the sphere's function is."

Viddik scowls at Drakken and says in his growl.

"D. A pass but barely, yes it is magic and you have correctly intimated that red is indicative of your type of magic. You failed to conclude why asking 'Is this bad?' was a stupid question. The answer to that being if it was bad I would more than likely have shown some kind of reaction. My lack of one indicated that whatever was happening was expected and therefore probably didn't affect your prospects."

Viddik pulls his cigar out and stuffs it in his mouth, the cherry tip turning red as he puffs smoke.

"As to where you will learn that is your choice. Plenty of mages that would take an apprentice, or you could self-train. I can only offer you one option. You've displayed a suitable amount of raw magical potential to be of interest, even if you are an idiot. Gauldin has a school that trains the finest mages in the world, but it is expensive. I can offer you a military scholarship, we pay for your schooling and in exchange, you work for us. You spend double the amount of time in the military that you spent in the school. Though you do get paid for your service so most see that as a blessing. If you are interested meet me outside in thirty minutes. Otherwise you are free to go."

Viddik was surrounded by a group of people he was issuing orders to when Drakken approached. He waited for the dragonkin to finish speaking and then opened his mouth to say something. He is briefly interrupted as a small lizard-like creature crawls out of his pocket and onto his shoulder, chittering excitedly. Once the lizard is settled Viddik puffs on his cigar and says with his usual tone of command.

"First lesson then, anything you say to me should begin and end with sir. Now shut up and follow me."

Viddik makes a few rounds in the base before heading around back where an are skiff is waiting. This he climbs into and once Drakken is aboard they are on their way flying up to return to the small skiffs ship. The massive black hulled Enchrideus drifts silently above the clouds and soon Drakken and Viddik are on board. The dragonkin is instructed to stay away from the railing and out of everyone's way and then the ship is off.

<Exit to the Academie Royale>

There is a great deal of nervous activity surrounding the guard house as Jarkoopi approaches, but when the dragon lands peacefully a tense calm settled. At his words a middle-aged woman with a stern countenance in the robes of a Gauldish military mage speaks up.

"Greetings sir dragon, we were told to expect you. You will be allowed to pass. Please follow the scoutship Valiant, they will escort you to Nireal. They will show you where to go once you arrive at the city."

She points to one of the smaller airships currently anchored near the gatehouse. When the dragon is ready the ship will take off and show him the way to Nireal and from there to Count Blake's house.

As the soft and empty wilderness gave way to what was clearly more well-trodden territory, Adeira knew she must be approaching the border crossing. She paused to take in her surroundings. The small valley seemed familiar, though she had never been there before. She took in a deep breath through her nose, and felt suddenly confident in her decision to return to Gauldin.

"I've been away long enough." She spoke softly to herself before setting back on the path towards the guard house.

As she approached the outpost, Adeira began to wonder how she would gain passage into the kingdom. Having been born within its borders, she was technically still a subject of Gauldin. But having spent almost 20 years in a foreign land, she was unsure what record of her there was. She lost her parents long ago, and with them any traveling papers that had allowed them into Vessia. Will the guards take me at my word?

She sized up the armored men standing beside the guardhouse and chose one to approach, donning an innocent smile.

"Blessings to you, to whom may I speak about gaining entry?" She spoke in heavily accented Gauldish.

She followed the soldier's gesture and surveyed the lines of people moving into the building. He assumed her to be foreigner. That did not bode well for Adeira. She had nothing official that claimed her for Vessia or any other place. That line would be a dead end. She turned back to the soldier. This time she tried to recreate the best impression of a Gauldish accent she was capable of. All she had to go on was childhood memories, a few Gauldish travelers she had encountered over the years, and the ubiquitous stereotype of Gauldish speech that made a popular joke in the taverns of Vessia.

"Désolé, bon officier. Zee mistake eez not yours, baht you speak to a legal subject of heez majestay, zee king. I was born in Travére, twenty five years past."

She was clearly overdoing it with the inflection, but at the moment all she could think of was that she hoped they still had a king...

"I'm returning today for the first time in years... But now I fear I will not be allowed into the land my own mother called home." She simultaneously dialed back the accent, and broke her voice in feigned tears, hoping to appeal the soldier's softer side.

"What can be done for me? I am a loyal subject, I swear it!"

Adeira, who had been steeling herself for a bureaucratic nightmare, was somewhat taken aback at the magical efficiency of the migration process. She had always known that her homeland was steeped in magic, but still she had never seen anything quite like the gate her fellow nationals were now passing under. She wondered what level of sorcery would be needed to fool or circumvent such an enchantment. But now was not the time to ask.

Relieved that she would not have to keep faking an accent, she bowed her head slightly to the guard and uttered a quiet blessing in thanks before turning to set off for the quicker moving line, and then into the kingdom itself.

The thunderous footfalls of many horses could be heard in the distance, growing nearer and nearer through the pass to the guard station.