But You're A Boy

          Lyric blinked, his emerald green eyes squinting as the light of the room flushed in on him. He yawned heavily as he stretched out his long, lightly muscled arms and his lanky legs. He pulled the thick quilted blankets of his bed up and over his head, trying to block out the sun. With a sudden realization of what day it was, Lyric threw himself up and out of the bed. His head was spinning with the rush of jumping out of bed so swiftly.

          In a few quick steps he was on the other side of his room, rummaging through an antique dresser. Within moments he had pulled out an earthly colored outfit, a plain green vest with a brownish long sleeved shirt underneath. He scrambled into his almost matching green pants and tied up the zip string in the front. He slipped into his boots and grabbed a small satchel that he slung over his shoulder. Looking in the mirror, he tousled his raven black hair and winked at himself. Leaving his bedroom behind, Lyric ran out into the hallway of his father's Inn.

          The Last Song Inn was one of the most successful inns that the small city of Erikkstown boasted. Lyric always marveled at how his father and the staff kept the place so clean, and modest in appearance. He ran his hand along the freshly painted wall, admiring the clean white coat as he ran down the stairs. His boots echoed a loud thud as the leather met the polished wood of the stairs. After a couple more steps he arrived at the bottom of the stair case.

          With an excited dash he turned the corner of the stairway and ran down the main floor hallway. A maid backed out of one of the guest's rooms just when Lyric took the corner, and before he realized what was happening, they were tumbling to the floor. His hand smashed into the corner of the maid's cart that had tumbled down with them, producing a stab wound on the edge of his palm. His stomach churned as he laid back, his mind thrown off by the rate at which the crash had taken place.

          A small giggle rang through the corridor as a young girl approached the maid and Lyric. Her small lips parted to reveal a bright white smile. Her walk seemed more like a bunny hop, and her thin black curls bounced along with her. She reached Lyric and the maid, however she pretended as if Lyric weren't there. Extending her small hand she helped the maid up and apologized for Lyric's accident. Her forest green eyes darted over and flashed Lyric a mischievous look. Their eyes met, and for a split second Lyric could see his reflection in her's. They looked as if they they could be twins.

          "Aimee! Give me a hand!" he ordered in a mock bossy tone.

          "Okay Mister, up you go" she replied

          Extending her hand one more time she pulled Lyric up to stand with her. Her smile dissipated into a look of worry as she noticed the blood dripping from his hand. A new determined look glazed over her face and she pulled Lyric over into the kitchen of the Inn. Lyric blushed when she took his hand. Aimee and him had been going out for a few weeks now. He had feelings for her, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt like they were together more by the convenience of their relationship. Not too mention everybody expected them to be together.

          Lyric winced as she rinsed his puncture wound with water. The clear liquid washed away the blood to reveal a small cut that was hardly more then a scrape. It made Lyric feel better knowing that the wound was only superficial.

          "By Serenia's light, where were you going in such a hurry Lyric?" asked Aimee while wrapping bandages around Lyric's hand.

          "They're testing to allow people in the University today, and I want to go" answered the young man.

          In the pit of his stomach, he thought he probably shouldn't have told that to Aimee. It wasn't so much that he couldn't trust her, or that she would think poorly of him for pursuing his goals. It was just that Lyric knew Aimee wouldn't lie for him, and if his father asked her where he was, Lyric could get in more trouble then he bargained for.

          "You know Lyric, with everybody testing today, we have a nice workload here at the Inn. Maybe you should stay?" suggested Aimee.

          She was always like this. Lyric loved her for it too. She was like his sister because not only did they look alike, but she was always trying to help him out of trouble. What better way to help him out then to prevent Lyric from getting into trouble in the first place? There was no way Lyric was going to let it work this time.

          "Sorry Aimz, I've got to go!" he laughed, and dashed out of the kitchen.

          It didn't take Lyric long to run out into the plushy grass meadow that sprawled out across the rest of the town. The gentle breeze tickled his nose with the sweet scent of fresh mountain air. Lyric was surprised at how comfortable the temperature was out here, so far above the curse that most of this half of the continent had to deal with.

          Errikstown was a nice town, nestled in the heart of the mountains where Lyric had grown up his entire life. The frost never reached this high, nor did snow touch the plateau that their city was built across. Lyric loved it here, the entire city was perfect. As long as the University stayed where it was, the city would thrive and Lyric would have no reason to leave his beloved home.

          The sun in the sky and his pleasant thoughts lead Lyric to almost skip across the grass while walking to the University. While walking, numerous city folk greeted Lyric. He was a recognizable young man in the city, for his father seemed to be on some kind of board for nearly everything Lyric could think of. As he got closer to the University, the people began to look different.

          The people of the mountain had a very defined look to them. Dark hair, green eyes, and light skin were common characteristics. Many people believed their heritage to be a gentled bloodline from the barbarians and amazons who lived across the mountains. Most people simply knew their way of life in the mountains and that was all they were willing to see or believe.

          So many different appearances around the University was almost unsettling to Lyric. He wasn't racist, or really xenophobic, he enjoyed the diversity. The culture differences just seemed to visually clash with the rest of the community. He saw people with blonde, red, and brown hair. Blue eyes, brown eyes, and hazel were not at all difficult to come by. The majority of the people were of the human race, supposedly there was a school further North that creatures of other races preferred over this one.

          Lyric was here, the Magitech University of the Esoteric Arts. Now he had to get to the assembly as his time had been cut short due to his accident in the hallways of the Inn. Running around the great monarch of a brick building, it took Lyric a few minutes to reach the courtyard on the other side. While turning the corner of the building, Lyric's mouth dropped at the sight of what was before him.

          Thousands of prospective and returning students stood in what could easily have been the largest garden in the entire city. Up ahead, surrounded by a small of army of teachers, was the headmaster. He stood on a raised platform and spoke into some device that was attached to his podium. The device enhanced the headmaster's voice, emitting it at a higher volume so everyone could hear.

          While the school was prominent for accepting nearly any student with talent, or a strong desire to learn, the headmaster was equally renowned for expelling students. Headmaster Gravins was a small pudgy man with a beak like nose who possessed no true talent for anything taught at the school. Most people wondered how this man even became the headmaster of such a big college.

          "The Great Movement began in the year 124 AC, when the illustrious mages of Oracle City lost their home to the powers of the Dark Faerie, Kashyapa. The humans migrated North and built their new school here. The faeries of the city continued North and made their home in Fable Mountain. In the year 201 AC, the mages relinquished ownership of their school to the town of Errikstown and they migrated back to their ancestral home in Oracle City. Now we're here in 251 AC, this school has seen over the turn of a century, and will continue on for years to come. Bare our history with pride, and know that while we will never turn down a student with an eager mind, I will send students home if they cannot fulfill our standards" spoke Gravins.

          A few students chuckled softly when they heard that last part. It seemed almost an understatement. Many students did make it very far in the University with no problems at all, but people knew that Gravins never hesitated to "send students home" as he put it. Even Lyric held this to be true, and he had never even attended the school.

          The headmaster droned on for a few minutes, and then the students began to spread out. Lead by various teachers, they all split up based on what they wanted to study at the school. Lyric wandered from teacher to teacher, trying desperately to find where he wanted to be. Then he saw a small table crowded with a students, and a girl holding up a sign that read "Communication".

          Lyric ran over there and looked the teacher at the table in the eyes and said "I would like to be a communicator".

          Laughter erupted from across the table, and soon even the girl holding the sign couldn't control her giggles. Lyric glanced around, he was the only boy even remotely close to the table. He started to regret his decision. Something inside Lyric's head just clicked when the teacher laughed at him.

          It was like back when he was in primary school and students would accidentally trip while running around the campus. Everyone would stop what they were doing and laugh! As if falling over were funny. Now that's how Lyric felt with the teacher laughing at him. It was immature and flat out rude.

          His eyes narrowed.

          "I'm being serious"

          "I'm sorry child, but you know that males are not capable of channeling their energy to be Communicators"

          "That's not true"

          "Don't be foolish. Just go home, and we'll take this small joke as just that, a small joke" said the teacher, her tone relaxing.

          "Stop! Okay... If the students are here to be tested before they can join, then test me. I know I can do this, if you just give me the chance" argued Lyric.

          In all honesty, he wasn't positive that he could do anything that the test involved. As with many magickal arts, a certain level of Communication could be taught, but then the rest was natural talent. The teacher may have been right because for decades there had never been a male Communicator. Even that didn't mean anything if males weren't given the chance to prove themselves during the testing period. If he failed then Lyric knew he could go home and rest easy, but to let his dream die just because everybody he had ever met told him he couldn't do it, that would have been soul breaking.

          "Leave now, or I'll call security" muttered the teacher.

          Without saying a word Lyric turned around and marched solemnly in the other direction. There had to be something he could do. While he was contemplating what he do to change the situation, Lyric noticed the Headmaster passing by him. If he wasn't a student, what could speaking to the Headmaster possibly hurt?

          Lyric pushed and shoved, weaved and ducked his way through the over crowded courtyard. Headmaster Gravins was already near by and it took Lyric only a few moments to find his way to the principal. Gravins was much shorter and pudgier up close then Lyric would have guessed, but at this point appearances weren't worth a second glance.

          "Mister Gravins!" exclaimed Lyric, trying to get his attention.

          "Headmaster Gravins!" corrected Gravins.

          His tone dripped with attitude that made Lyric think Gravins had to be one of the most uppity old men he had ever met. Talking to him was a mistake.

          "I was hoping to become a Communicator and..." Lyric began.

          SMACK! Gravins hand had found it's way across Lyric's cheek, and in spite of the great height difference, Lyric nearly collapsed from the weight of the blow. His face was red, and his stomach bubbled in anger. He was about ready to punch Gravins back, when he realized that if he did that to the Headmaster then he had a lot more to lose then Gravins did.

          "I don't have time for your tomfoolery. Be gone boy" dismissed Gravins.

          Without another word the Headmaster continued on his route, speaking briefly to various students and staff along his path. Lyric stopped, tears welling up in his eyes as he held his reddened cheek. He wasn't in physical pain. He just couldn't grasp why nobody so much as gave him a chance. His dreams were smashed, and in one of the least preferable situations.

          Even the bright sun didn't seem as cheerful as it had in the morning when Lyric ran home. The green grass seemed like an endless field as he raced as fast as he feet would take him. His heart was pounding, but he reached home before the run became even a mild workout. Most people from the mountain were more fit than their ground dwelling counterparts. Part of it was due to their bodies having to fight for more oxygen at their higher elevation. Although many people believed it had to do with their Eastern ancestry.

          Lyric bolted through the door of the Inn and dashed up to his room. He threw his door opened and slammed it shut. He collapsed inside his room with his back to the door. Lyric turned red with embarrassment as he saw their was another person in his room.

          Sitting at the foot of the bed, trifling through the night table was a young blonde girl. She looked up at him through a set of sapphirine blue eyes. Her pale skin was unblemished under the natural lighting of the room. Lyric's eyes quickly found her biceps, which appeared unnaturally muscled for a girl.

          "Who are you?" he asked.

          "You must be Lyric" she replied.

          "Yeah, who are you?" he repeated, his tone cocky.

          "My name is Len. Your father wanted me to speak to you"