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With the beginning of a new year at Stellvallia Academy, the sun was shining bright in the sky as wagons and other transportation travelled down the roads converging at the main gate. The snow from last winter was all but gone, and as always, spring was the birth of new opportunities for the up and coming as well as returning veterans of the school. In the main courtyard, the student council were busy deliberating and organising the new arrivals, getting everything unloaded, registering applications, assigning dorms and rooms to those who needed it, as well as gathering together anyone who needed a formal tour. In the case of the students that remained on campus over the holidays, most all were usually roped into assisting in some form. That was what Fillia found herself involved in, the young knight steadily pacing the courtyard as she eyed over the proceedings, supervising and providing security.

It was always interesting seeing how different the two facets of the academy could be. On the one side, the mages tended to be more fantastical in their unpacking and arrival. Although many kept it simple with traditional carriages, plenty were more than ready to use magic to assist them in the manual labour. Portals, teleportation, golems, levitation… There were so many forms of magic with so much utility, and no doubt that, despite having wildly more elaborate contraptions and items to bring with them, the Mage academy would get through their arrivals far more quickly. Provided it all went to plan, that is. They tended to be a bit more disorganised, and given the majority of new arrivals were still novices-

Some mildly panicked cries filled the air as a golem unintentionally broke another student’s bag, that same student losing their focus on their levitation spell and sending a number of personal affects into the sky. Faintly, she could hear some arguing, but it wasn’t worth getting into. Her job was to look after her fellow knights, and she planned to do just that. Whether a point of pride, or perhaps to prevent micro-disasters like what was occurring on the opposite side of the courtyard, students of the Knight Academy would take their own luggage. It was physically draining, but anyone who couldn’t handle some flights of stairs with their personal baggage probably wasn’t going to last long as a knight.

Although today was formally the start of the educational year, there wouldn’t be any real drills or anything. Students needed time to get settled into their rooms, but there were a few opening speeches and such. Aside from that, people were free to explore the facilities, and some of the clubs would start spruiking for new members all through the afternoon up until the Grand Feast in the evening. Now that was something to be present for. Not only was there great food, but both sides of the school would get more of a chance to intermingle. Typically, that would lead to a few ‘traditions’ at Stellvallia, her personal favourite being the eating contest amongst the newcomers to the Knight Academy. Hazings could be particularly cruel, as anyone foolish enough to go for the trophy would find themselves in awful shape for the drills early tomorrow. Smirking at the thought, Fillia remained at the main gates, welcoming students back and helping make sure that the correct students went to the correct administration.