It was still daytime by the time they reached the gates of Undying City. It felt unreal to Leox to stand in front of something so large. The stone walls must have been thirty meters high, or even taller.

  There was a lot of commotion by the gates. Hundreds of civilians were travelling to and from the village, carrying a variety of different produce and tools. Most were dressed in clothes that looked much different from Leox's own farmers' rags. It made him feel severely out of place.

  Knights were guarding the entrance to the gate. Not knights in black like those who travelled with the Collectors, but rather simple guards in gray steel armour, a simple swords at their hips. There were also more knights spread across the top of the city wall, these held longbows.

  When the knights by the gate spotted Meruvio's chariot, they hastily bowed their heads; as though their lives depended on it.

  Do the collectors have that much power?

  Collector Meruvio nodded towards the knights, and the horses carried their chariots into the city. Immediately, Leox felt overwhelmed by the vastness of the Undying City. The City was on a constant uphill. The further you travelled towards the centre, the more the elevation rose.

  There were rows and rows of beautifully built buildings for all needs spaced around the city. Houses, stores, stables, taverns. Anything you could think of.

  Civilians of all ages travelled about the streets eagerly. From the looks on their smiling faces, you would never guess that the end of the world was near. Their expressions were much different from the villagers of Everhurst.

  What stood out most in the city, was that at the highest point, there were two buildings. One was a palace. Its design was flat, yet the stonework was beautiful, as if it had been crafted by a master artist.

  However, the building next to it was even greater. It was similar in design, but its structure covered a much wider area. It was made from white stone, with giant pillars surrounding it, and vibrant windows that reflected the starlight.

  There was also one more building that caught Leox's eye too, though smaller than the other two. It was a towering temple, surrounded by an estate of luxurious houses. His guess was that this would be the location that Ivy would arrive at during her journey towards becoming a Holy Angelite.

  As their chariot rode through the streets, Leox's head peered out of the window, gawking at the sights.

  Collector Meruvio laughed.

  "Nothing like your old village, eh?"

  He was right. Life in the city seemed much more eventful. Much more intimidating.

  Leox nodded his head.

  "As you probably know, you're currently too young to enrol in the academy. So instead you'll join our Preparation School. It's a smaller institution where students with talent prepare themselves physically and mentally before awakening and enrolling into the Varadna Academy. Most start at this school at the age of six and stay there for six years. That means you'll be entering straight into the sixth-year student. The final year. Since you're already awakened, this shouldn't be a problem."

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  As Meruvio explained this, Leox couldn't help but be filled with excitement.

  A school where he could not only train physically, but also be given the chance to learn about the world? It was an opportunity that his poor upbringing had always stopped him from achieving.

  "Sounds good sir."

  "Of course, you will be far behind the other students in terms of education, but I think you'll have an edge on them somewhere else."

  The Collector smiled. He was hinting at Leox's awakening.

  Leox should have been the only student there who had awakened. After all, none of them would be teenagers.

  Being behind in terms of education would be frustrating, but he could catch up. He would work hard, just like he had on his parents' farm.

  Meruvio must have seen the determination in Leox's eyes. It was clear that the man liked him. Or at least Leox interested him.

  Eventually, they arrived at a large building located near the centre of the city, but not so close to the palace and Varadna Academy.

  They stepped out of the chariot. The winds of the city blew in Leox's face, followed by fragrances he had never experienced before.

  Leox noticed the eyes of the passerby staring at him. It was rare to see a boy in such dirty clothes inside the capital city, a place where nobles and royalty lived. He felt self-consciousness that he had never experienced before.

  "This is the Varadna Preparation School. Your home for the next year."

  The three-story building was made from red and white stones, with a luxurious look that none of the other buildings on the street had. There was a staircase leading to double doors, and above the doors, there was a golden sign with words etched onto it.

  "Become the future that we need." It read.

  "Classes are over for today, but I'll take you inside and introduce you to the Master Professor. He will give you a room, and fill you in on anything you might need to know. In the meantime, I'll fetch you some clothes... and a sword. You'll need a sword."

  Leox found himself taken aback by Meruvio's kindness. He didn't strike him as the type of man to hand out free favours.

  "Why are you doing so much for me?" Leox asked him, unable to hold back his curiosity.

  The man smirked. "Because I believe you're an investment."

  Leox didn't know what he meant.

  ---

  Meruvio led Leox indoors. They entered and found themselves in a cosy reception area with a desk at the centre, ready to receive visitors.

  There was a woman behind the desk reading a book. She was brown-haired, wore glasses, and had a beauty spot on her cheek.

  She looked up from her book, unbothered. Even when she spotted Meruvio, she didn't seem to show respect like the others did.

  "Madisen. It's good to see you." The collector said, leaning up against the desk cooly.

  "Meruvio." The receptionist said without a care in the world. Her eyes landed on Leox, and her brow raised. "Who's the tall farmer boy?"

  A hand suddenly landed on Leox's shoulder. It belonged to Meruvio.

  "This is Leox Lether. A new student that I'll be enrolling into the academy. Is the Master Professor here? I'd like to introduce him."

  Madisen's eyebrows only rose higher as she looked Leox up at down with her brown eyes.

  "A new student? Isn't he a bit... Old?"

  "Yes, twelve years old to be exact. I would have had him enrolled into the Academy this year, but he isn't old enough just yet."

  "The academy?" Madisen echoed. "Does that mean..."

  Meruvio couldn't help but chuckle.

  "Hehe, yes. Leox has awakened at the age of twelve."

  "..."

  The words stunned the woman into silence. Meanwhile, Leox hadn't said a single word.

  "This will be interesting. The Master Professor is in his office, you can head upstairs now."

  Meruvio tipped his head respectfully towards the young woman. But before he left, he flashed her a wink.

  "So, could I take you out for dinner later, perhaps? For old times sake, eh?"

  "Perhaps not. I'd rather forget about the old times, thank you." Madisen responded, before turning back to her book and paying the man no more attention.

  "Ahh, another time then."

  Afterwards, Meruvio gave up his poor efforts and led Leox up the stairs.

  It seemed that even powerful men could be humbled at times. All it took was a pretty woman.