I approached the estate sale with some trepidation.  The neighbourhood looked very far out of my budget.  However, a friendly looking man with greying hair approached me with a smile.  “You’re from the Academy, yes?”

I nodded uncertainly.  “Instructor Osgiliath said we should come here.  But I’m just a first year student, and barely scraping by at that.  My girlfriend’s a year away from finishing a nursing degree, and we’re hoping our finances will improve once she has a job.”

He chuckled at me warmly.  “Eating Ramen more often than not?  I went through the Academy myself, I remember the first few years were rough on those without family connections.  How is your power channeling going?”

“Instructor Osgiliath says I’m improving, but it’s hard to feel the difference, you know?”

“Hah, yeah.  They still have the old training orbs?”

I nodded.  “There are twelve of us in the class, and only three orbs, so it’s slow going.”

“Hence old Ozzie sending you here.  I think I have just the