By early January the new magical academy was ready to open its gates. Metaphorically of course. Depending on one’s assigned course, the students would be sent to one of four separate buildings spread around the Noble Quarter.

  The healers and alchemists were taught in a single mansion, together. Though their tasks were different, they’d frequently cooperate in the future. They often needed to learn about the same exact tools, even if they’d use them in different ways.

  High level physicians could heal injuries or get rid of sicknesses using magic alone, but this was highly inefficient. The spells and magical energies needed to be tightly controlled and managed throughout the process. A process that required a ton of aura. Good enough in an emergency, but not ideal for everyday use. Even a high ranking expert could only help a handful of people a day this way.

  It was often much better to employ potions and poultices. They could be made ahead of time and then used in bulk on many patients at once. This was more expensive, as these products needed rare and carefully processed ingredients, but even an apprentice mage could make good use of potions. They worked much slower on their own, but combined with controlled spells to guide the effects, the healing could be greatly sped up. While keeping the aura consumption low.

  The two groups were perfect for each other and frequently cooperated long past their education. Physicians could purchase poultices in bulk, store them in their office, and use them whenever needed. In exchange, the alchemist would have a steady stream of orders throughout the year to keep them busy.

  Collaboration like this was one of the main advantages gained by joining a guild. Their associates could easily match healers together with alchemists, depending on their needs, skill level, and quantity of goods expected. Each could also advertise their services and look for new potential partners. Their organization could match them with other enchanters, adventurers, or any other type of mage that might have need of their services.

  This is why some of their classes were always held together. Both groups worked with the exact same poultices, so they all needed to understand how they worked. They needed to understand the side effects, dosage, storage methods, and application needs. Sometimes the training potions made during one lecture would be sent to the next one, allowing the healers to see it in action.

  The biggest problem of this particular school was the sheer amount of ingredients. Fortunately beginners tended to use simple and cheap components, but sixty new students was a lot. The markets were emptied of the common herbs and mushrooms that grew in the nearby forests, but this minor hiccup would pay off in the end. The kingdom’s herbalists would simply have to collect more next spring.

  The second academy was wholly dedicated to the communication mages. Since they only had a single group, they could all fit inside of a smaller building. Here, the two experts employed by Varre taught meditation techniques and prepared the minds of their students for long range contact.

  This field of sorcery was simple in concept, but it required a lot of dedicated studying and practice to master. This was one of the reasons why many of the guild’s wizards tended to look down on it. It was a safe field, fit for unambitious people.

  Very few nobles chose this path willingly. The skill ceiling was simply much lower than that of other specializations. While the scarcity of communication service raised the prices, no one was going to pay a fortune for a simple message. That’s why most focused on combat, healing, or other scholarly pursuits that could bring them fame and glory. The risk of failure was greater there, but so were the potential rewards,

  As a result, few of the guild’s mages cared about this program. While some curious onlookers investigated the other schools and a few were eventually convinced to become new teachers, not a single person volunteered to join this academy.

  The shield mages however did manage to hire several new lecturers over the next months. It was an important field, well understood by most wizards. Once the initial shock of hiring commoners passed and more people accepted the risk of a new goblin invasion, a few more mages came forward.

  The third building was wholly dedicated to this program. It contained the largest group of students, double the size of any of the others. Thanks to the abundance of teachers, the pupils could be divided into smaller classrooms, helping them advance faster.

  Here, the lectures also focused mostly on meditation. It took a lot of practice to begin to cast one’s own spells and commoners did not have the chance to learn before this point. They needed to get a feel for their own aura first. Then, slowly, over the next few months, the teachers would help them control their power and coalesce it into a tangible field that would block projectiles. A skill that would be tested at the fourth facility.

  The final manor requisitioned by Elvira was located just outside of the capital. Westbridge was surrounded by several villages, many of which belonged to Varre directly. While his relatives lived inside of the city and owned most of their property there, they also owned a couple buildings in the countryside, in case they wanted to get some peace and quiet or have a base from which to go on lengthy horse rides. The king had inherited them all.

  This location was perfect for destructive magic. The combat mages were moved there and settled in inside of the guest rooms. Many did not want to travel through the snowy roads each morning and preferred to live on site.

  Here, the teachers wouldn’t have to worry so much about damage to expensive property and could have the kids cast magical projectiles and controlled explosions at targets outdoors. Beginner students didn’t have the power to seriously harm an enhanced adult, but they could still break windows, or singe wooden furniture. Out in the countryside though, spells wouldn’t cause much damage in the open fields even if some went off target.

  Of course it would be months before fresh commoners were capable of casting anything like that, but this school contained most of the experienced drop outs. These prospective wizards were much further along in their education and were expected to practice by themselves. They would also be able to tutor their fellow students.

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  Eventually the shield users would also be brought out here to practice. Their magic was less destructive in principle, but it still required a lot of free space. They needed to block a rain of rocks after all.

  The commoners continued learning all through the winter. Snows melted briefly and then came back for another strike, but finally, by March, spring was clearly on the way. The trees started to bud and the first snowdrop flowers pierced through the layer of white powder covering the ground.

  The students were steadily growing in their skills. Their magic was beginning to take shape. While they still couldn’t control their powers, they could feel the aura flowing through their bodies. A few prodigies were able to cast simple spells, like creating small light sources or ruffling parchment from a distance.

  Elvira’s curriculum stripped away much of the traditional knowledge that the guild focused on. The students didn’t need to understand the history of magic or the various schools that wizards divided themselves into to fulfill their roles on the battlefield. Such gaps could be fixed later, once the danger posed by the goblins was removed.

  Meanwhile, the Crownlands had fully implemented Varre’s land reform. The fields were distributed to the peasantry and they started to prepare for the sowing. They spent the cold months working on their tools and equipment, or saving up coin to rent these out from the local magistrates. Time would tell whether this program would increase their prosperity, but the king was confident.

  The warming temperatures also brought a visitor from the Western borders of Logres. Lady Esther of Ashbourne arrived at the capital with an urgent message.

  She gave Varre a close hug as soon as she saw him, but after a brief conversation he understood that her news had to be shared with the rest of the Council quickly. Her first evening ended early, as she had to rest after the lengthy road.

  Etty met with the other advisors the following morning. Despite knowing that her childhood friend was the monarch of her kingdom, she was still a little cowed by the presence of so many important people in one place. Ironic considering they all worked for the king, but she simply couldn’t shake the feeling off.

  The noblewoman looked around the room, uncertain. Then, once Varre gave her an encouraging smile, she cleared her throat. “Esteemed councilors. I bring news from the Duchy of Lindridge. A new group of Elven refugees has reached Logres. Fifty desperate people, hungry, wounded, and half frozen to death. Fortunately we were able to find them in the forests and brought them back to the hamlet.”

  “They walked through Gomera in winter?” Steward Marna asked in disbelief, “how did they survive that? There’s no food out there.”

  “They probably had to hunt whatever they stumbled across,” Captain Hakon suggested, “they’re good warriors. I’ve seen it myself.”

  “Many didn’t make it,” Etty looked down, “apparently there were almost a hundred of them when they first left their home. The situation was much worse than the group that we found back during the Fall.”

  “Were they also attacked by wyverns like Sofia’s group?” Elvira asked.

  “No,” the noblewoman shook her head, “it was mostly the cold and starvation. They were aware of the danger and took precautions.”

  “But why leave right now?” Marna insisted, “if they just waited a few more weeks, the temperatures would rise and the first berries would begin to grow. It would be much easier.”

  “The war must be going badly for them,” Varre theorized.

  “Yes,” Etty agreed, “Sofia translated their story for me. Apparently the town they were living in was about to be surrounded by goblins. They knew that if they stayed, they’d be captured. Or killed. They risked everything to run away.”

  “Why not simply flee to the next fortified town?” Treasurer Johan asked.

  “We don’t know the full situation,” Hakon replied, “maybe the goblins cut off the other routes of escape. They fled through the only one left.”

  “Or punched their way through the weakest flank,” Elvira theorized, “like when his majesty defeated Count Clement on those hills South of Banbury.”

  Alderman Nilo frowned slightly at the reminder. Clement may have been a traitor, but he was also Nilo’s father. The battle resulted in the total defeat of the rebel army and the death of their leader. A great victory for Logres, but also a terrible loss for the young nobleman.

  Noticing his friend’s expression Varre decided to move on. “Either way, it sounds like the war is going poorly for the Elves. Very poorly.”

  “It’s strange,” Marna mused, “these refugees left their homes weeks ago. Maybe even months. Back then, the snows must have been heavy. Were the goblins able to continue fighting in those conditions?”

  “True,” Hakon agreed, “during the war with Langogne, when king Mikkel was out on campaign, he always took shelter in some city for winter. Even if the goblins weren’t afraid of the cold, the break was a good opportunity to replenish supplies, receive reinforcements, and repair weapons and carts. We couldn’t keep going for years without rest.”

  The king scratched his chin. “When I spoke to Carlos, that Elven archer, it sounded like the war was going on for months already. They should be under the same limitations as we are,” he gestured with his hands, “I mean goblins do eat, right? They need supplies too.”

  “They certainly do, your majesty,” the steward agreed, “I’ve studied the records from the Goblin Wars carefully and the armies back then always took shelter before winter. There were some small skirmishes here and there, but it was always a pause for both sides.”

  “Perhaps the climate is different there,” Chancellor Anastasia theorized, “maybe the snows cannot get through the thick tree canopy.”

  “No, that’s not it,” Elvira dismissed the idea, “Gomera’s a dense forest, but their trees have leaves just like ours do. They drop in the fall, so the ground gets covered in snow, same as here. At least that’s what I heard from adventurers who travelled there.”

  “From what I heard before it doesn’t sound like they ever got very far,” Varre reminded her, “but I am inclined to agree with you. The Elves suffered a lot on the way due to the weather. They know Gomera like no one else, so I’m sure they were aware of the risk.”

  “They must have been truly desperate,” Marna frowned.

  “We’ll need to talk to their people. Ideally invite them to a war council together with our commanders,” the king proposed, “we need to learn everything we can about this war.”

  “A good idea your majesty,” the Court Mage said, “but I’m worried about the wounded. They barely survived the journey as is. They need some time to rest.”

  “Good point. And our commanders are needed here, training the troops,” Varre conceded, “we can give them some time. In the meantime, we’ll have to solve another issue. If the war is going as badly as we think, then this won’t be the last group fleeing towards us. We’ll need to be ready to receive them.”

  “Your majesty, Sofia was willing to set up a few centers along the border where her people could be brought to and cared for. Perhaps we should proceed with that idea,” Elvira suggested.

  “Let’s do it. We’ve already sent out some heralds informing the locals that strange Elves might be arriving at our borders. They are to be welcomed and treated as guests,” the king replied, “plus I expect that with our shortage of herbs, we’ll have plenty of adventurers patrolling those areas. Let them know about the situation and have them assist with seeking out lost travelers.”

  “Certainly your majesty,” Marna bowed her head, “I’ll take care of it.”

  Esther meanwhile sat quietly in her corner of the table. Her message was delivered. She did her duty as Varre had asked of her, but this conversation seemed far too serious for her. She was too inexperienced and too afraid of the consequences to engage in such political talk.

  She looked towards her childhood friend. Unlike her, he seemed to be in his element. He commanded the respect of his advisors and sparred with their ideas like an equal. Good old Varre, arguing with the most premiere experts in the kingdom. If she wanted to spend more time with him, to join his inner circle of confidants, she’d have a long and windy road ahead of her.