The camel set off again, but this time, its destination was the final stop.
About ten days later, Sylutia and her classmates saw sunlight again for the first time in ages and emerged from the towering, enclosed building.
They came down on a hillside, with the roughly three-hundred-meter-tall camel standing at its foot.
Then, guided by a group of cavalrymen wearing dark green cloaks, everyone followed a path through the hillsides to the valley below. Several hidden lakes were scattered around here.
The water's surface was as clear as a mirror, reflecting the mountains and sky in shades of black and silver. Several Moon Boats were moored along the shore.
Not far from the lakeshore stood several wizards in black robes, their faces hidden from view. Their Aspect Power was one of the Moon-Attribute Three Aspects, and their ranks ranged from Second to Third Order. There were about five Third-Order wizards and seventeen Second-Order wizard apprentices.
"Board in turn and head to the lake when I call your number and name." A black-robed wizard stood on a rocky outcrop to one side, addressing the group of students below.
When they arrived, Sylutia had to part ways with Florella, as the routes to the lakes they were headed for were different.
Beneath the tall trees' shade by the shore, Sylutia sat waiting on a two-meter-tall black wooden crate. Beneath the hem of her black silk skirt, her shapely calves and ankles, clad in stockings, swung gently back and forth like a swing.
The other students waited in the open area by the lake with their luggage, some chatting in little groups.
"Are we going to the Woodland soon?"
"So this is how they do it." Someone watched what was happening on the lake, surprised and astonished.
On the lake, several Crescent