Chapter 56: The end of the beginning
The next three weeks pass without any major incidents as the caravan travels through several towns and cities.
Throughout the journey, William remains intensely curious about the places they pass through. He often wants to get down and explore whenever they arrive at a new town, but Mark refuses to let him. According to Mark, they aren't going to stop anywhere unless it's absolutely necessary to rest or resupply.
When William asks why, Mark gives him a rather unusual explanation.
Apparently, something strange happened along their route. A group of bandits suddenly surrendered themselves to the authorities in one of the towns they passed through. They confessed to every crime they had ever committed, revealing the locations of their hidden camps and stolen goods.
When the authorities asked why they had suddenly decided to surrender, every single bandit gave the exact same answer: They felt like they had to do it.
William finds the story bizarre and asks Mark if he knows what really happened. Mark simply gives him a knowing, lazy smile.
“I don't know who did it but I have an idea who could’ve”
William asks him to elaborate, but Mark refuses to say another word.
Despite the strange incident, the journey remains rather boring. Most of their time is spent either traveling inside the carriages or staying at inns. After a while, William even gets used to the comfortable beds and expensive food. At first, the luxury had felt almost unbelievable. Now, he is slowly getting used to it.
The only person who never seems to run out of things to talk about is Edward. Despite being only twelve years old, Edward somehow has enough stories to fill the entire journey. He talks about Bruges, his father's business, merchants he has met, places he has visited, and countless other things William has never even heard of.
Sometimes, William wonders if Edward has somehow managed to live several lives before turning twelve. But at least he keeps the long journey from becoming completely unbearable.
Then, one morning, the caravan finally reaches its destination. The carriages begin slowing down before coming to a complete stop.
“Kids, come out!” Mark's voice calls from outside.
William climbs down from the carriage along with Edward and the other students. The moment his feet touch the ground, he looks ahead—and for a moment, he forgets to breathe.
Basileus.
The capital of the Empire stretches across the horizon like an entirely different world. Massive stone walls surround the city, rising so high that William has to tilt his head back just to take in their full height. The walls stretch farther than he can see, disappearing into the distance on both sides. A long line of people and wagons waits outside the gates, looking almost insignificant beneath the towering stone.
But the walls aren't able to hold William's attention for long. Beyond them lies the city itself.
Buildings rise one after another, packed so densely together that William can't even imagine how many people must live inside. Some structures are taller than anything he has ever seen in Arindale, their upper floors rising well above the city walls.
Yet even those buildings seem insignificant compared to what stands at the very center of Basileus: a massive golden tower. It towers over everything around it, catching the morning sunlight and reflecting it across the skyline. From where William stands, the structure almost seems to pierce the sky.
He stares at it in awe. So this is the capital.
He has heard countless stories about Basileus, but none of them prepared him for seeing it with his own eyes. The city seems impossibly vast. Even from outside its walls, William can feel the overwhelming difference between this place and every town or city he has ever visited. For a moment, he imagines walking through those enormous gates—seeing the bustling streets, the markets, the grand nobles, and everything else hidden beyond those walls.
Then his eyes fall upon the insignia displayed near the gates—the symbol of the Royal Family, a sun radiating over mountains and a river. William has seen that insignia before, pinned on the badge Mark showed his uncle and aunt.
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He looks at it for a few moments before his attention returns to the golden tower. Beside him, Edward is unusually quiet. Even Edward, who always has something to say about everything, has fallen completely silent, staring at the capital with the same expression of wonder as everyone else. The sight is so overwhelming that even he seems to have run out of words.
Mark walks over to the students with his usual lazy expression. “So? Like the capital?”
William nods immediately. “It's... huge.”
Mark chuckles. “Good. Enjoy the view.”
William looks at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Mark points toward the distant city. “Because that's as close as you're getting to Basileus.”
William's expression freezes. “What?”
Edward finally finds his voice. “Wait. We're not entering the capital?”
“Nope.” Mark says it casually, as if he has just told them they aren't stopping for lunch.
Edward looks toward the city again. “Then where are we going?”
Mark points toward the dense woods bordering the road. “We're going into Basilisa Forest. That's where the academy actually is.”
Before anyone can respond, a sharp female voice cuts through the group. “Everyone, move toward the forest!”
William turns. Evelyn stands near the front of the students, issuing orders to the escorts.
“All the carriages and wagons will continue toward the capital along with the security personnel,” Evelyn announces. “The escorts will take the students to the academy.”
The escorts begin directing the students away from the main road.
William looks back toward Basileus one last time, unable to hide a sting of disappointment. After coming all this way, he had expected to finally step inside the capital. Instead, they are leaving it behind.
The carriages begin moving again, rolling toward the enormous city gates, while the students follow a separate dirt path leading into the forest.
One of the children raises a hand hesitantly. “Isn't the magic academy supposed to be inside the capital?”
Mark looks back with a faint, amused smile. “Yeah, sure. Putting a bunch of children who can potentially throw fire out of their hands—and probably can't control it—in the most populated city in the Empire sounds like a brilliant idea.”
The boy immediately lowers his gaze, blushing at the sarcasm. Edward snickers, and William suppresses a smile.
They continue deeper into the forest.
As they move further into the lush vegetation, William notices something strange. The forest becomes increasingly vibrant the farther they travel. The trees grow thicker and taller, the air feels unnaturally clean, and the surrounding plants seem unusually healthy. Even the sunlight filtering through the canopy carries a strange, radiant quality.
William isn't unfamiliar with forests—his old village stood on the edge of one of the largest woodlands in the Western Region. But this forest feels fundamentally different. He can't explain why, but there is something lingering in the air—something he can feel in his chest, even if he can't quite understand it. He looks around, searching for the source, but nothing appears out of place.
Eventually, the escorts lead the group into a large, open clearing and come to a halt.
William looks around. There is nothing here—only grass, wild bushes, and tall trees surrounding them. No buildings, no walls, and certainly no academy.
The other students begin murmuring in confusion.
“Where's the academy?”
“Did we take a wrong turn?”
“Is this really where we're supposed to be?”
William turns toward Mark, who steps forward with his signature lazy grin. “Prepare to be surprised, kids.”
William glances around once more, confirming there isn't even a shed in sight.
Then, one of the escorts steps up to the front of the clearing and raises his hand.
The world before them instantly transforms.
There is no flash of blinding light, no dramatic chant, and no explosion. One moment William is staring at a quiet forest clearing—and the next, the trees are gone.
A vast, hidden city stands in its place.
William's eyes widen in disbelief.
The sprawling city stretches across the horizon, filled with enormous structures unlike anything he could have imagined. Towers rise high into the sky, stone bridges connecting different structures, and strange, multicolored lights shimmer throughout the streets.
For several seconds, absolute silence falls over the students.
William simply stares, unable to comprehend what his eyes are telling him. He looks behind him—the normal forest is still there. He turns back around—the impossible city remains.
Mark's voice echoes softly from beside him.
“Welcome to Mageia... the city of mages, and home to the academy.”