Everything Is Subjective

"What's everyone's problem with Angaria?"

"It's not something I'm really supposed to discuss, but I guess you will find out eventually.

Angaria technically isn't a city of our nation; it was initially supposed to be used as a research station for magic circuits. In the inner district of the city, there are loads of research labs. These researchers are the only reason the city even still receives resources from the kingdom's capital.

Initially, there was only the inner district as we call it now, It was just a wall around a research station, a castle was built to house some of the royalty who were living there as well. Over time people started camping around the city and conducting trade with the researchers.

The more trade they did, the more time they spent around the city, a few merchants began building houses for themselves and their staff to live in while they were conducting trade with the city.

They even started to build some workshops to process goods onsite rather than bringing them in from somewhere else, that began the industry in the outer district. Over time more and more people moved to the area, that's how the outer district formed.

More and more people began building houses outside the city and over time an entire city was built from it.

Many people don't see Angaria as a real city because of this, so they shun our people, it makes no sense, but people tend to dislike things that are out of the norm I suppose.

While you are here, there is every chance that you will be called certain things; there are a few names used to refer to people from Angaria. One of the most used ones is 'facer' it pretty much means 'fake city liver'.

It's been used as an insult for years now, no one really knows where it started, but it caught on, and now most people in the kingdom use it."

"People really will pick on anything to make themselves feel more superior than others, it's unbelievable. Why do humans have to belittle each other over the pettiest things constantly?"

"That is just how it is I'm afraid; you will have to put up with it while you're here. I'm going to ask you now not to start a ruckus over the use of that name; you don't need to give people any more reason to target you."

"I'm afraid I can't agree to that, while I don't feel much for Angaria I refuse to be insulted merely because I was born somewhere different to them. They can call me any name they want as long as it's deserved, but I refuse to be insulted over something I can't even control."

"That is an admirable stance James, and I understand what you mean; I just ask that you have at least a little bit of tolerance and don't start fights over small things."

"I will try with words before I take any physical action, that's the best I can promise you."

Joshua yet again found himself releasing a sigh after trying to reason with James; he was just too headstrong to be reasoned with.

"Please wait here; an examiner will be around soon to explain the exam to everyone."

"Thank you."

After waiting for a few minutes, James noticed an older man strolling towards the centre of the field they were in. After watching him for a few steps, James realised why he felt so unsettled watching this man move, each of his steps was the same length every time.

It made him look almost robotic when he walked. It also made it difficult to take your eye off him once you noticed him. Once he reached the middle of the field, he stopped and stood perfectly still. After a few seconds of standing there, he fished out a device from his pocket, lifted it to his mouth, and tilted his head back to begin speaking.

"Welcome everyone; you have been given a chance to attend Elanaid Academy, that means you are the best your city has to offer. While I have to congratulate you on being selected there is something else I need to make sure you all understand.

You have come from your city where you are the best, but so has every single person who has come here today. You have left the small pond that was your city, and now you're in the lake.

There is only one thing you should do with this new space, and that is to grow! If you don't improve while you are here then being the best in your city is the most you will achieve I'm afraid.

This academy isn't all there is to life; it is a tool. If you use that tool correctly, then you will be able to achieve things you never imagined of yourself. I have seen it time and time again; there is no limit to what you can achieve as long as you approach it from the right angle.

There is no point coming to a school that places you with all of your peers and then not working with them.

All of you have experienced this world from a different viewpoint, there are thousands of takes on even the smallest things that you may not even realise could differ, but this little difference is what makes every single one of you valuable.

Every single different view you have from someone else makes you valuable. If you can bring together the opinions of thousands of people you can approach things from ways you would have never thought possible.

Only when you all come together can something be considered from every angle. You are governed by what you have experienced; it moulds how you think, It is impossible for one person to approach something from every perspective.

The reason I say all of this is that when the school founder created this Academy he did it with one goal in mind.

'To bring together peers from all walks of life for the betterment of humankind.'

This is what we strive for at Elenaid Academy; we hope you all work together to achieve great things. And we expect most of all that you appreciate everyone's views, just because you may not agree with someone's views doesn't mean that they are wrong.

There is no such thing as a wrong opinion; they are subjective. If you don't agree with someone's opinion then take a look at why they think that way, it may help increase your own understanding to consider someone else's.

With that said, we will now be handing out pieces of paper with numbers on them. The numbers are one through to one-hundred. After you have received yours, we ask you to head towards the area with your number.

Number one starts on the far end of the field, and the numbers increase as you head towards me."