The boy slept quietly, his mother fearfully sitting at his side. The stranger continued his whispered conversation with the father once he had settled by the fire. "Well?" inquired the father, nervousness scrawled on his face, "where do his skills lie?"
"That's just it. The apptitude tests are inconclusive," replied the man.
"So he isn't skilled at anything?"
"No. He's skilled at everything."
"My God!" The man glanced at his wife, and continued in a whisper, "what does that mean?"
"It means he could be the one. He could be... the Arbiter."

I looked up at the huge stone building, stoic and overbearing. I approached the front gate, glancing at the latin motto: Sis Vivo, Instrou Morior.
If you want to live, prepare to die.
I entered the cold, stone courtyard, passing the loitering upperclassmen as I made my way to the front door. Etched in the arch above was the name of the school I was to begin my education at. Academy of Veneficus. The Academy of Magic.
The front hall, while brightly lit, appeared old and worn, like this castle had existed even before the Romans. Flesh mages like me, masters of the human body, walked quickly through the hall, their fit, muscular bodies exuding power form every pore. Spirit mages, masters of the mind and of the Aether, the nothingness between worlds, glided gracefully, some not hiding their disdain for me. Even though I had only been in this building a few seconds, I began to feel like I knew where everything was. I went through the second set of doors and into the Mess Hall.
Two huge tables ran down the length of the room, flesh mages sat at one, spirit mages at the other. At the far end of the tables was a much smaller table where a handful of runewriters sat. Using runes written on their bodies, runewriters wove many types of strange spells.
I sat down next to the friendliest Fleshies I could find which was more difficult than you might think.
"Hello."
"Hi there. I don't recognize you. Did you transfer here?"
"No, I'm a freshman. But the headmaster's letter asked me to come today and skip the orientation tomorrow."
"Ugh. Don't remind me. A whole pack of freshies all in one spot."
"I wish I could still learn about some of my teachers before class starts."
The upperclassmen grinned at me. "I'm Dvarek."
I replied, "I'm Bellerophon. Strange name, I know."
Dvarek laughed. "Well, Bellerophon, why don't I take a look at your schedule?"
And so I handed it to him.