Barsburg Military Academy

The Barsburg Military Academy is a military boarding school that trains its students as soldiers to fight for the Barsburg Empire. This academy, and other academies like this one, are where most potential soldiers make the transition between cadet and cadet begleiter. The students live on campus while attending.

The Barsburg Military Academy is one of the most prestigious academies within District 1, and its students include those from the richest and most powerful of noble families. Quite a few main characters in the series have attended, or been hinted to have attended, a military academy, including Teito Klein and Mikage, as well as Black Hawk members: Ayanami, Hyuuga, Konatsu and Haruse. It is possible that Ayanami's deceased begleiter, Yukikaze, also attended.

Student body
Its enormous size suggests it holds around 15000-20000 students. Judging by the amount of students seen in Teito's class, classrooms hold around 50-70 students. There are around 500 zaiphon-using students in a year/grade, which means the full amount of students per year/grade is more than double that amount. The age range in the academy is 14 to 16.

The academy is for those with a zaiphon as well as 'normal' students, though those with zaiphons are separated from the others and put in a "special program" designed to hone their skills. Although Warsfeil are discriminated against, they are not barred from attending academies like this one, though it is likely they too are separated from students that do not have their skills.

Females are allowed to attend the academy but it is possible that they do not participate, or rarely participate, in combat situations.

Lessons and exams
The lessons in the academy appear to be separated into practical and theoretical. Practical lessons include the teaching of how to use weapons, martial arts, acrobatics and zaiphon training (for those that have one). They take place in special training rooms via holograms. Theoretical lessons have not been shown but there are written 'weapon' tests, which could teach anything from the history of weapons to safe use.

There appear to be several minor exams, both written and practical, taken by students throughout the years at the academy and are graded accordingly. The highest mark is an 'A', and it is unknown if the lowest mark is a 'C' or an 'F'. The largest and most important exam is the begleiter exam, which requires students to take down a real combatant in a controlled fight.

Description
The Barsburg Military Academy is a very large and impressive structure made of stone with a myriad of smaller buildings within its grounds. It is possible that the academy is funded by the parents of those attending (tuition fees), unless the person receives a scholarship.

Exterior
The Academy grounds span many acres, boasting several gardens covered with thick grassland and other plant life and trees. Running around the Academy is a large moat, leaving the Academy inaccessible save for a large bridge that leads to the only entrance, the main door. The bridge, and by extension the Academy itself, is supported by a long line of arches that surrounds the entire building.

The front of the Academy is rectangular in design with a small entrance. Several tall pillars border the Academy and two statues that look to be women holding spears stand at each side of the entrance. This may be a tribute to the Barsburg empress and wielder of the Eye of Raphael.

Training grounds
In the centre of the Academy is a large, open area which is regularly used as combat training grounds for the students. In the centre of this open area is a statue of a man holding a staff, it being highly likely that this is either the Barsburg Emperor, or the founder of the school.

Interior
The academy contains all the standard features of an academy, including a cafeteria and a library.

Student dormitories
The student dormitories Mikage and Teito are assigned to are large, unimpressive, plain rooms which hold a dozen or so bunk beds, made of thin, plain metal, each holding two students- each dormitory holding two dozen students. The walls are grey in colour, and the floor is stone. Each student was shown to have their own, single locker where their uniform is hung and little space for personal items.

However, it is noted that Shuri Oak, a boy from one of the richest noble families, was not present in this dormitory, meaning it is possible that these are the dormitories for the lower class students and battle sklaves, and the dormitories for the students from more influential families are much more luxurious.

Study rooms
The study rooms are large, luxurious, and in the shape of a half-cylinder. The ceiling is made of glass, and decorated with ornate metal embroidery. The floor is raised in large steps, the very far end of the room being the highest point, and on each step is a desk where two students sit. At the front of the room, there is a large chalk board, separated into three squares with golden boarding, the middle square being slightly larger than the other two and horizontally split in half with golden boarding. The wall behind the chalkboard is blue at the bottom, but this fades into purple as it reaches the middle. The wall is also embellished with an ornate golden frame and embroidery. Above the board is the Barsburg Military insignia.

Assembly hall
The assembly hall is where assemblies are held. During these assemblies, students are expected to stand instead of sitting down.

The assembly hall is a very large and ornately decorated room. Running down the entire length of the hall are several pillars to each side. Towards the front end of the hall, there is a raised platform and a large, wooden desk where the speaker stands. Behind them is a guilded archway from which a white statue stands in the indent under the archway, holding two swords crossed over each other. The archway itself is decorated with golden mantling. Towards the back of the room, there are three archways, all three having gothic style voussoirs.

Arena


A place used for the Begleiter exam. The arena is a large, virtually empty room in the shape of a dome. Half of the dome is made of an unbreakable glass or other transparent material, possibly plastic, supported with the help of a thick, metal frame. It is transparent so the examiners can clearly see the students' actions during the exam. The other half of the dome is covered with a thick metal casing. There are two entrances, both of them on the metal side of the arena, and they are both plated with thick armor. One entrance is connected to a cell, where the criminal is held, while the other is for the students and examiners to enter.

Cells
The academy has a prison located on the lowest level of the building. Since the academy houses students with Zaiphon ability, something that has been proven capable of killing, it seems this is a precaution for those who pose a threat to the teachers, examiners or other students. They are heavily guarded.

Training rooms
The training rooms are used to prepare the students for real combat situations via the use of holograms. They haven't been shown, so it is unknown what they look like, but were mentioned by a student during the exam.

History
The academy was built sometime after the Raggs War, and it is likely it has been around for more than 5 years.

Manga Synopsis
"As the 315th class of our honourable Barsburg military's academy... We are the elite, chosen to be potential soldiers of Hohburg fort. Let us all endeavour to become superb fighters who will not bring shame to the name of the Empire."

- Shuri's graduation speech in the assembly hall.

The first chapter takes place entirely at the military academy. The students are first seen in the assembly room listening to Shuri Oak's graduation speech. Teito Klein and Mikage Celestine are next seen in one of the academy's classrooms. After class, they spar on the training grounds.

Begleiter exam
The begleiter exam takes place in the arena of the academy. The candidates are expected to defeat a hardened criminal, a troll, in order to pass the graduation exam.

During the exam, Teito saves the life of a panic stricken Shuri Oak, his tormentor, when the troll attacks him as he (Shuri) begins banging on the glass. Teito and Mikage then break the troll's arm and Teito restrains him with his zaiphon. Teito refuses to kill the troll though, even when the examiner explains the exam will not end until the criminal is dead. When Teito refuses again, Ayanami kills the troll, and with that the exam is over and Teito and Mikage have passed.

Assassination attempt
After the exam, Teito wanders around the hallways when returning his documents to an examiner. He then overhears a familiar clinking noise and looks through a slightly open door to where the sound is coming from. He sees the Chief of Staff, Ayanami, holding a golden necklace, and the sight of this triggers a flashback of when he saw his father murdered. Recognising the Chief of Staff as his father's killer, Teito bursts into the room, attempting to assassinate him. However, Teito is easily stopped by Ayanami's bodyguard, Hyuuga, captured and sent to a cell where he is to await interrogation.

Escape
As several guards clear out Teito's locker, Mikage overhears their gossip about Teito's fate, and goes out to find and help him. As Mikage descends the prison stairs, he finds that Teito has already killed all the guards, and the pair flee the prison.

Pursued by the guards, and realising there is no escape for the two of them, Teito pretends to take Mikage hostage, allowing him to escape but ensuring the guards would not harm his friend. Teito escapes on a Hawkzile, but is attacked by Ayanami's Zaiphon, which destroys the vehicle and causes him to crash. Teito's unconscious body is found by three Bishops from the neighbouring District, and he is taken to the Barsburg Church.