Page 53 of Cerulean Truth
I frowned, wondering what was bothering my best friend.
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.
