Page 32 of Cerulean Truth (Sapere #1)

FIFTEEN

EMMA

To my surprise and Stephen's amusement, a path miraculously parted the river's waters like it was auditioning for a reproduction of Moses and the Red Sea—a bit slow on the uptake, though.

“Guess you do have an energy-signature after all, but why it’s undetectable in the Human World remains a mystery to be solved another day," he purred, sounding like a detective in a cheesy mystery novel.

Standing at the edge of Cyclos, I was immediately struck by the architectural masterpieces which encircled us.

The transition was not merely geographical; it was a transcendence of time itself: We had left behind the landscapes of modern day USA and stepped into the heart of Ancient Rome, a cityscape featuring incredible Roman villas, majestic structures built with grand columns and crowned with magnificent domes which seemed to touch the sky.

Walking through the labyrinthine streets, a fascinating pattern emerged where straight streets intersected at the city’s core, creating a checkerboard design. I couldn’t wait to explore the city! Collective, darn it.

"If you follow that path," Stephen pointed ahead, "you'll reach the city's epicenter—the forum. It's an open marketplace surrounded by shops, bars, and the main public buildings."

I had about a billion questions, such as why this Collective was constructed to replicate Ancient Rome. However, I was so overwhelmed by the views, every question evaporated from my mind, slipping away like wet spaghetti through a sieve.

Wandering through the streets of Cyclos, I noticed not a lot of people outside. The ones we encountered stared at Stephen, a bit like people did in New York or LA whenever they spotted a famous person walking by.

But what struck me the most was their appearance. They seemed... normal! I mean, I had seen Stephen and James before, of course, but I had assumed they were dressing the part of "humans" for my benefit. I had imagined that in their natural habitat, they would resemble... wizards or something.

Where were all the people in cloaks? Where was all the pointy headwear, all the colorful robes? I looked up at Stephen in astonishment. He grinned at my expression. “What, you thought anyone with magic must have no fashion sense?”

I smiled apologetically.

“We would be daft not to acknowledge the superior talents of the human fashion designers.” He winked. I had no idea whether he was truthful or laughing at me but I decided to grin back.

"There aren't many people out on the street today," I remarked aloud.

"It's still early, not even ten in the morning. Everyone is probably still at the Universitas," Stephen explained casually, gesturing towards the sprawling campus. "Your new home, by the way."

I mulled over his words for a moment. "I don't understand. Why is everyone at the school?"

"Where else would they be?" he replied matter-of-factly.

"I don't know... at their jobs?" I suggested, a hint of sarcasm creeping into my voice.

"Oh, well, yes. They'll carry out their functions when necessary," Stephen answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"So, every day, the entire city—sorry, Collective—resides in school?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yes," Stephen confirmed simply.

"Why?" I pressed, still struggling to grasp the concept.

"What's more important than education?" He shrugged.

"I don't know... politics? Economics? Medicine?" I suggested, sarcasm now dripping from my words.

"And where do all those intersect?" Stephen asked, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

I blinked, puzzled by his question, unsure of what he was trying to convey.

"...At the beginning," he clarified. "Which is why we all immerse ourselves in the education of our society to the fullest extent."

"So, everyone stays in school?" I reiterated, still trying to wrap my head around it.

"Until they're twenty-five, it's mandatory.

After that, it's by choice, but most choose to stay.

Usually, the first cycle of every maga or magus is spent on education and specialization.

Some become teachers, others specialize, and some simply stick around to witness the evolution of knowledge," Stephen explained patiently.

"And what about day jobs?" I queried.

"We have functions; everyone plays a role. But there's no reason one can't combine the two," he replied calmly.

As he finished speaking, we arrived at the Universitas. Standing before an elegant black gate, flanked by two columns connected to a fence made of finely stacked red bricks, I couldn't help but admire the resemblance to the entrance of "Brown University."

Peeking through the bars of the gate, I gazed in awe at the magnificent building beyond.

"This is the university?" I breathed in disbelief, my voice unrecognizable.

Stephen grinned. "Gorgeous, isn’t it? It even served as a model for Diocletian’s palace in Croatia.”

I had absolutely no idea who Dio-whatever was, but it sure sounded impressive.

The palace, as Stephen called it, which certainly couldn’t be a misnomer, was a gigantic square building, completely enclosed by the beautiful outer wall, connecting the four corner towers, some wall towers and ornate finishings over the entire building.

As far as I could tell, the tallest towers easily reached a height of at least seventy yards and the walls were crowned with a line of columns. I couldn’t see the whole building, but from where I stood, a colonnade led from the black gate to the entrance of the building.

"The Universitas is divided into four quadrants," Stephen explained, gesturing towards the vast campus.

"If you were to walk them clockwise, starting from the top left corner—seen from here—you'd come to the Winter Palace, where the students are housed.

I assume that's where your room will be," he added, pointing in the direction.

"The upper right corner, adjacent to the Winter Palace, is the Spring Palace.

That's where the Scola is located—the school where translation lessons for children are conducted.

It may take some time to get used to the layout of the corridors and floors, but you'll find yourself navigating it with ease before long," Stephen continued, his voice carrying a reassuring tone.

I smiled, still captivated by the grandeur of my prospective residence. Who would have imagined I'd ever live in such a place?

"Moving on, the bottom right corner is the Summer Palace. Those are the training centers of the Academy. You'll become acquainted with that area soon enough," he remarked with a knowing grin.

"And the bottom left corner, I assume, is the Fall Palace?" I inquired, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes at the rather uninspired naming of the quadrants.

Stephen smirked. "Unimpressed by the labeling of our buildings?”

I grinned sheepishly.

"You can see the entrance of the Fall Palace if you look closely," he continued, pointing towards the distance. "That’s your point of entry. You'll find the entrance leading to the common areas and the Grand Hall."

I squinted in the direction he indicated but couldn't discern any entrance amidst the sprawling campus.

"My dear, Emma," Stephen concluded, his tone tinged with a hint of sadness, "this is where our paths diverge.

I'll leave you be, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask James.

He can be a bit... intense, but he means well, and he'll be very protective of you.

I wish I could do more, but I have other obligations. "

As he was the last connection to the world I knew, a wave of anxiety washed over me at the thought of being left alone.

I nodded quietly, attempting to muster a smile while swallowing the lump in my throat.

Without hesitation, I threw myself into his embrace, clinging to him as if trying to anchor myself to my old life.

He returned the hug gently, offering reassurance with a pat on the back. "There, there. We'll see each other sooner than you think," he whispered with a wink, before softly nudging me toward my new home.

Turning away from him, I began to walk slowly in the direction of the entrance, following the arrow on a sign pointing towards the Grand Hall.

Glancing back one last time, I watched as Stephen conjured a portal out of thin air.

In an instant, he was gone, leaving me standing alone in front of my future.

My new beginnings. Plural. Because gods above, there were many of them.

I took a deep breath, smiled to myself, and with a grand almost symbolic gesture, I tried to push open the gate.

And nothing. Huh.

I pushed harder but the gate didn’t budge. Great.

I sighed as I squinted my eyes, trying to study the mechanism. I really hoped I didn’t need to translate it open as I hardly expected this gate to threaten my life.

I took a step back, letting my eyes roam over the whole structure.

This was a place of learning, so the key had to be in some kind of basic test. I tried the same method as for the river and pulled out another hair—I really needed to learn how to translate, or I’d be bald before the summer was over—but again, the gate didn’t budge.

It took me longer than I care to admit before I finally noticed a keyhole.

Suddenly, the memory of the small black box Stephen had given me in the car flooded back into my mind. With a quick motion, I retrieved it from my pocket and opened it, revealing a single key nestled inside. Could it be...? Was the key to unlocking the gate…a key?

I yanked it out and inserted into the keyhole. With a twist and a click, the lock immediately yielded, and the gate swung open effortlessly. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the simplicity of it all. A key—Who would’ve thought.