Meistari, Masters, the first teachers of the magi kind, we thank you for enriching our minds, Oh, Meistari, Masters, to you we sing this beloved song, may we forever learn and live long!
The entire assembly held out the last note of the chant until Eldrian cut them off with a wave of his hand. Instantly, the entire auditorium fell into a hush as the principal of the Meistari School of the Magi cleared his throat.
From my spot in the Hiems section, I glanced around the auditorium as I waited for Principal Eldrian to prepare his speech. I front of me, I could see the disciplines of Mentis, cloaked in silver, and Fortem in a deep maroon. Flamma was to my right, dressed in orange. A few of the older magi in that discipline were misbehaving, as occasionally I saw small flames spurt upwards then burn out in a flash: magic wasn't allowed to be used by students during school assemblies. Behing me and the rest of the Hiems, the students of Luxarma were in their golden uniforms, almost all of them laughing and smiling, and next to them, the sole members of mysterious Umbrecreto, dressed in midnight black.
The staff members of the school were sitting in the front row, as they did for all assemblies. Even though I couldn't see their faces, I recognized the strange white hair and blue robes of Professor Freddo, my Hiems magic teacher, and Sir Kemp, the gym teacher, and Miss Arin, the art professor.
And of course, standing at the podium, Principal Eldrian, with his dark hair and neat beard, charming smile and a twinkle in his eyes, still preparing his notes as the entire Meistari School auditorium sat in anticipation.
"My dearest students, both new and old, WELCOME to yet another FANTASIC school year!"
The auditorium roared with the students' thunderous applause, claps and shouts and hoots for their principal. I applauded, but didn't smile. I've sat in this start-of-year assembly too many times for it to be fun.
Eldrian simply quieted them all down with a gesture again, and the roar diminished to a murmer, and the murmer into silence.
"As for our new students, I would like to welcome you all personally into the ranks of the Meistari School for the Magi," Principal Eldrian began his usual speech, "And I'm sure many of our older students from all six disciplines of magical studies will be happy to lend a helping hand to any of you if you ask."
Yeah, if they ask, I though in my head. The Primermagi could be such a pain, they were so small you almost tripped over them in the hallways. It makes me want to freeze them with Hiems magic sometimes.
"Now, let me begin with the origin of our ancient and extraordinary school.... Long ago, the Meistari, known as the first teachers of modern-day magic disciplines and masters of Mentis and Fortem, began teaching native students here in the magi town of Drossagia, now a bustling magical city..."
I had begun to doze off, my mind wandering in it's own little world: no way was I listening to this speech for a fourth time. I'm pretty sure none of the kids in the Flamma discipline were listening anyways, as there were still sparks flying on that side of the auditorium, literally.
I was thinking about two years ago, when I was a Segunmagi, how immediately after I heard Principal Eldrian conclude the welcome speech and the auditorium headed off towards their rooms, the boy Nozimet Speks from the Fortem discipline had tripped me in the hallway, used his magic to enhance his muscles and threw me into the wall as if I was as light as a feather. I hit the wall on my back and got the wind knocked right out of me when I fell to the ground. I tried to get Nozimet back with some of my own magic, but you need to breathe in order to cast a Hiems spell, so I couldn't freeze that annoying Fortem boy with my ice power. Thank goodness my friend Leg had been with me: he practiced Flamma and cast a spark to singe the edges of Nozimet and his cronies' robes. That sure sent them running. But after that moment, I had come to be known as the Meistari School Idiot because everybody in my year seems to be friends with Nozimet. They all had laughed at me for what felt like an hour. Now, I only have Leg to rely on as what I would consider a friend.
That's why I really don't like the Meistari School of the Magi. I mean, sure, I love being able to learn frost magic, and Leg is my best friend in all of Drossagia even though he isn't apart of my discipline. Academically, I'm fine. But nothing good will ever happened to me socially, especially as long as Nozimet Speks is around.
"And so, the long line of Meistaris has come down to me, and I hope to educate you the same way my family before me has done for many years!" Eldrian concluded with a flourish of his hand just as my mind wandered back to earth, "Mentis, Fortem, Hiems, Flamma, Luxarma and Umbrecreto, the six disciplines of magic! May you all learn and grow as students, and as magi!"
The auditorium roared with applause again, and I wanted to cover my ears and run before the floodgates opened. I looked across the auditorium and spotted Leg with the Flamma kids, he was busy shooting celebratory sparks from his fingertips along with all the others. He made eye contact with me and winked, and I sighed. He wouldn't be any help.
Typical start of the school year.