Conrad wears his real wizard student uniform with pride: a red tunic with a black robe, and a sash of red cloth to cinch it all up at the waist. The sash had a single yellow chevron at the end to mark his status as a first-circle wizard. It felt great to wear it and to be able to finally call himself a wizard. He had hung Endure Elements during last semester's final exams, and succeeded. Granted, his structure was absolutely awful and the spell lasted all of five minutes before fizzling out, but he had successfully hung and cast it. There would be time to remedy that soon as the schedule showed. Endure Elements ought to last a whole day, even for a first-circle caster, so there was work to do.

The other perk that came with his formal accession to wizardry was getting his own room. No more dorms. The room was tiny, but it had its own desk and bed and everything. He had had the halfling slaves bring his stuff in yesterday. 

He kneeled and thanked Asmodeus for making Cheliax such a wonderful country where he could study magic okay he really wanted to be a Hellknight instead but magic is fine too.

Beatrix ought to have reached first circle a semester ago. During last year's first semester finals, she had almost hung Endure Elements successfully. If only she had a few more minutes. She could feel the manifold almost stabilize. But almost wasn't good enough, and she was stuck doing zeroth-circle classes for another semester. All students, starting from the second year onward, are all tested on hanging Endure Elements as a component of their final semester exams. No one expects you to hang it after just a year, though. You would have to be a magical prodigy for that. Not that it makes them punish you any less. Some never hang it during their six years of wizard education.

Endure Elements was the test because its spellform is much simpler compared to other first-circle spells, and the fact that it would be immensely useful for wizards posted to the Worldwould (where virtually all successful graduates would end up).

This was the start of her third year in Ostenso Wizard Academy (the same was true for Conrad, Lucia and Damian). Four more years left. If she pushes, she thinks she could be one of the few who manage to reach second-circle in school – less than one in twenty are able to do that. 

She makes sure all of her books are accounted for, and goes to bed early.

Lucia...did not expect to reach first-circle this quickly. She had an INT of 14. That was the minimum for Cheliax to offer you a subsidized wizard education. This was not everything, however, since wizard academies would also consider your schoolwork in deciding whether to let you in. Thankfully for her, her grades were great.

There was a good chance she wouldn't even have made first-circle at all. To have reached it in just two years was amazing. She let herself smile and dance once she got to her room. The room was a huge perk, honestly. It meant that she would be bothered a lot less. She looked out the window and up at the stars...did not cry. She felt like it, but also didn't feel like it, tonight. Things were looking up for her. She had learned to cherish the small victories whenever she could. 

She threw the window wide open to let the evening breeze in and slept under the moonlight.

First-circle at third year was on the quick side. All the better. The robes were much better than the scratchy "wizard" uniforms that 0th-circle students got. And the room was indeed nice! The slaves were very helpful in bringing all his terribly heavy stuff to his room. 

He would have preferred to learn some flashier first-circle spell than Endure Elements. That's so boring. And not profitable either, unless he lived in somewhere really hot like Osirion, or somewhere really cold like Mendev. Couldn't he be taught Mount? Or Charm Person, yes, he was very eager to learn that one. Or Magic Missile. Rather boring too, but it is a classic.

He decided to do some advance reading on the spellform classes they were going to have – he could use it. He was middling at topology, for a wizard. 

3 Abadius, Toilday
0700h

Conrad walks into the dining hall with his chin held high, his back straight, and his expression smug and disdainful. He swishes the hem of his robes in a dramatic gesture. It feels good to be afforded the status he deserves. He watches the line to the breakfast buffet part as he walks. No 0th-circle student would eat before him. He takes an extra serving of bacon and bread with lots of butter. 

Being a 1st-circle student means that he wouldn't be stuck with the leftovers anymore. He takes some oatmeal with a bunch of dried fruit, crepes with jam, and milk. He sits at the same table as Conrad. The two of them were in different classes before this, but they acceded to first-circle at the same time, it seemed.

Lucia does not assert her newfound status against the 0th-circle students. She, however, prevents the other 1st-circle people from cutting in line in front of her. She can do that now. 

She likes to eat a lot for breakfast: sausage and cheese in toast, and a bowl of sweetened oatmeal. Less fruit than Damian – she does not want half the bowl to be fruit. She sits beside Conrad, she's always had. She had seen Damian before, but never really talked to him.

Beatrix takes eggs and toast and sits down. She eats the same thing for breakfast in the morning and prefers not to think about it. She'd rather be thinking about magic. Likewise, she sits at the same table each time. Yes, the one the other three are on. She eats in silence.

"You're Damian, yes? I don't think I've met you before, although I have seen you. Congratulations on making first-circle." She says it with genuine joy.