Chronicles of Efia: Dawn of the Desert King

Chapter Sixteen

"What do those signs say?" Fulbright asked, pointing to the buildings.

Rahnka pointed to the left of them. "That is council hall. Because we do not have a king, each district has a council leader and each province has a council hall. To the right of us is Jarra's Midway School of Magic."

"Why is it called a midway school?" Fulbright asked as they continued to walk toward the center of the courtyard.

"Each province in Peor has a primary school that teaches its strongest art," Rahnka explained. "From those schools, the top one hundred students–twenty from each school–are selected each year to attend the Midway School here in Jarra for two years."

"And where did you rank among the top twenty of your school?" Fulbright asked.

"I was among the top three," Rahnka stated without blinking.

In jest, Fulbright asked, "What were you, third?"

With pursed lips, Rahnka replied, "I was trying to be modesty, Fai-sahl. Shall I continue?"

Fulbright cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Continue."

"Anyway, this is where Nikal and I met. I learned a lot from him," Rahnka continued, her voice a bit distant.

"Why didn't he get picked to go to Ackerley as well?"

"Because he gave up his spot for me," she replied with sadness.

"But why?" asked Fulbright.

"After a two year instatement, only one is selected to continue studying in Ackerley," Rahnka explained. "It came down to either me or Nikal, which meant we had to duel for the spot. He left the school before our match. He would have beaten me, that much I know. But he knew there was nothing for me in Parsha."

"Seems like such a sad ending for the other ninety,-nine" Fulbright replied. "In Ackerley all are allowed the opportunity to get the highest level of education possible."

"Well of course," retorted Rahnka. "You are within riding distance of the school. We have to cross a desert, pay for lodgings in Ackerley, and learn how to live without family or friends. Every province helps pay for us to go to Ackerley, in the hopes that when we return we will help teach the next generation all that we have learned."

"I guess that makes sense," Fulbright conceded, feeling guilty that he had taken school for granted.

Rahnka stopped in front of a two story building mostly held up by columns. The top floor was littered with adults, while the bottom was filled with noisy school-aged children loitering near the entrance and terrace. "This is the cafeteria. Normally, this wouldn't be as crowded, but school is out," she explained.

Fulbright insisted on finding a table on the second floor away from all of the chatter. The cafeteria entrance swelled with incoming traffic. As they made their way toward the stairwell, Fulbright and Rahnka found themselves crammed shoulder to shoulder with hungry customers. They pushed ahead like salmon flowing upstream, when Fulbright heard someone calling Rahnka's name from behind them.

"Rahnka? Is that you?" came an excited shrill from a nicely dressed nymph who shamelessly shoved her way through the line.

Rahnka turned to see who it was and gasped, "Kiva?"

It is you! Dungarati, little one," Kiva replied as she slipped one arm around Rahnka's shoulder. "Although I can barely call you little anymore!"

Rahnka brought her hands together and bowed her head respectfully to Kiva. "Dungarati, Kiva-jesmerash. I see you have risen from being the most sought after girl in Parsha to an official of Jarra."