Return of the Emblem Chapter Three: The Show

[Mercakete]

"Dorms? What're dorms?" asked Gytha as she walked over to where Amon was talking to...whoever this was, "Ye mean rooms? Aye, I'd like t'be shown where they are. Never been here after all."

Once it was varified she was a member of the group Weyland was sponsering, she went to where the wagon has been parked, retrieved her dufflebag and followed the guide to where the empty dorms were. Maw followed stealthily and slipped into the room while Gytha excitedly looked around. It was much better than any inn she'd stayed at, after all. After vigorously shaking the man's hand (and practically crushing his bones and tearing the appendage off in the process) in gratitude for the great room and the map of the school she'd found in the dorm, the man left, holding his limp hand and went off to anywhere but where the mariner was. Maw was soon curled up, napping on Gytha's bed.

The mariner herself was looking over the map, wondering where to visit first. The womens' bath sounds nice. I could wash me clothes there, too. After that... Food! Definately food! Now, where's the galley on here...?

[Phoenix]

Which location should I use ...? "There should be an inn close to the eastern suburbs. I think the word "Fluyt" is in the name. Could you ... just leave a message in their mailbox? I'd rather write it myself if that's acceptable." Boris explained to the woman.

[Rothene]

Upon returning to the group, Ranyin wasted no time identifying himself as part of the group...which seemed odd to have ran so smoothly despite him not saying a single word to the merchant. Who was he to question good luck when it comes anyway.

The room he was given was quite spacious. For a the short Kigen Mage at least. The ones in Kigen that Ranyin attended were smaller and more compact. Must be to accomodate these bigger people, mused Ranyin as he thought about how small he was compared to the people of Ursium.

As all his baggage consisted of an extra set of clothing, his traveling cloak, some writing materials, his tome and a loaf of bread, all of which easily fitted into his backpack, he decided to just hold onto most of them. He swung his cloak and hanged it on the chair facing a desk then proceeded to lay the clean set of clothes on the bed. After that, he exited the room to take note of which rooms the others were spending the night in.

That was when he saw Gytha brutally attempting to rip the guide's arm off with a smile on her face. Damn she's scary, decided Ranyin peeking from his door. Then he sat down and wondered what reason she had to assault the guide.

While contemplating, he did not bother closing his door.

[Acacia Sgt]

When John noticed that people from the university had emerged from the building and over to Amon, he first went to the wagon as he figured they wouldn't be allowed to enter beforehand.

''Ah yes, that would be alright.'' He said once the man asked about guiding them to the dorms.

Considering this was the first time he entered a University in general, John was impressed. It looked as fine inside as it did on the outside. 'Shameful that we have to be at war.' He thought as he was guided to a room. Once he was in a room, he thanked the man.

First things first, he left a bag he had brought beforehand on the bed. Considering they were staying only for one night, he had only brought a set of clothing and some food. He then removed his armor and placed it aside. 'I guess it couldn't hurt to take a look around.' He considered, when he then heard a slight yell quite nearby.

Puzzled, he went back to the door and opened it, just in time to see the guide getting away, with one of his arms grabbing the other and a look of... pain? horror? John wasn't sure which. He then closed the door again. 'What just happened...?'

[Zsword]

Shadrak gently stepped off the pegasi and looked around the mansion with a gentle smile. This is indeed the house of a military inventor. I'm amazed I even managed to convince Weyland to come. When Weyland said that the estate was openly public to them, including the library...

"Excuse me Raquel, I'm going to take the time to peruse the library... oh is something troubling you?" He was about to excuse himself, but Raquel definatly looked disturbed about something... I hope she opens about it this time, if my hunch is right, we are dealing with some powerful artifacts, the kind of power that drives kings to become emperor's, power that drives clergy to murder. This can bring on a period of paradise, or hell... If she realises this... it might break her.

[Phoenix]

"Oh, it's nothing, I just ... didn't realize Chip snuck along for the ride until just a second ago." Raquel answered looking to her left at the capuchin on her shoulder. He looked back at her a bit dazed still. Trapped in my pouch with the emblem ... a shiny golden thing, for twenty minutes ... I hope he hasn't gone mad or something. she thought as waved her hand by his face a few times. "I'm sure he'll be fine, I should probably just get him a snack or something. So you said you'll be in the library?"

University

Amon followed along as the group was led to the dorm rooms. Amon took a mere half a second to examine the room he was to stay in and then went back to the book. "I'll be back later I guess. Room 207 ..." he mumbled as he walked out and shut the door with his free hand. He almost blindly made his way down the hall aiming to head out to where the wagon was being kept. He didn't consider it entirely safe but he wanted to check and see if Chip was guarding it.

He didn't make it very far before he had happened upon several boys hanging out in the hall. The three spotted him and spoke to each other quietly until right as Amon began to pass them. "Hey, you." one of them said to him.

"Huh?" a barely attentive Amon uttered back.

"You a nomad or something?" he asked.

"A nomad? No, I don't think so. I've got a home ... sort of." he replied before sticking his head back in the book and beginning to walk off.

"Wait, wait, man, what's your name? I'm Steven, I'm a thunder mage. Top of my classes. Are you a potential student or something?"

"A woman I'm traveling with is having our group stay in some vacant dorms for the night while she handles her business with a Professor Weyland." he shot back nonchalantly. He was at an interesting part and really didn't want to be bothered with conversation at the moment. At this rate he wasn't going to get back to the wagon before the sun set.

"Is she a student?"

"No, she's a merchant ... though to be honest she looks more like a mage with those expensive clothes and that cape." he noted.

"Ohhh, I see." It'd be nice to see some new students around here. Oh well. he thought. Amon began walking off again and Steve quickly got his attention again calling "Hey, wait! I never got your name, man." with a sad smile.

"Amon."

"A-Amon. Oh well ... that's a ... nice ... Rexian name. I guess." he replied not sure how to word it.

Amon shrugged and then continued on down the hall until he was out of sight. "Strange guy ..." Steven muttered, to which the other two students nodded. "He must really dig that dingy old book. ... heh."

[ReformBlade]

Nanahm followed the few who were going in already, eager to actually get a real room for a night as a change of pace. "Thanks" he replied as he was shown the room he was gonna be crashing in for the night. Seems reasonable enough to me! Man, kids got stuff easy these days. Back in my day, you had to... his mind went a rambling as he unpacked what little he had which was a figurine, his axes and his vest for the time being.

[-Cynthia-]

He has been rather cooperative so far, even with no real reason to be, indulging a simple request of a man marked for death seems fair payment. Selene thought to herself. "Very well, I will deliver your message if I have the time though it must be written quickly. This is the only favor I will offer you, you are guilty of attempting murder on one of Ursium's most important public figures. The people will demand retribution and I will not deny it to them." she said, turning back from the door to look at Boris.

[Phoenix]

"Thank you." Boris began. "Could I have a pen and parchment? I'll be quick."

University

Amon finally stopped dwelling so heavily on the book once he reached the place where the wagon had been wheeled over to. It wasn't completely out of open view, but it still looked uninteresting enough to a passerby to detour the need for a closer look. Hopefully that and Chip guarding the merchandise would be enough. The Rexian had a bad feeling though. He wasn't sure what, but he felt he needed to check just to be sure. Heading into the back of the wagon he took a quick look around, it was almost completely dark, but he wasn't looking with his eyes. "Hmm. Last time I came in here like this Chip held me up, but I felt it coming ... I was just too slow to react to the little monkey running noises he makes. This place is dead quiet, so either he's not moving or he's not in here." he speculated aloud. He grabbed a wooden crate and blocked his face and chest with it to minimize the chances of a bullet hitting him dead on at full force. Next he slowly inched toward the back of the wagon, making sure he was making enough noise to get even a sleeping monkey's attention.

Once he made it to the back he realized that he was the only one inside the wagon. "... oh man, that's not good. Where did he go? Is he with Raquel? Then ... then who's guarding the wagon? Ahhhh noooo ... ... I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Well. I know where my night just went." he said putting the crate down and getting out of the wagon. He climbed up onto the roof, and lied down before going back to reading. "It's going to suck to be stuck out here all night but I won't be comfortable anyway if the wagon can get so easily stolen from. I guess I'll see the others in the morning then ..." I suppose I could always ask someone in campus security to watch it for me but ... I don't know, I don't think I can trust anyone I haven't know for at least a few days. Even then I'm not too sure about trusting them with someone ELSE's stuff.

[Zsword]

"uh.. Yeah, I will be, so could you come find me when Weyland's ready?" Shadrak asked with a slight nod, looking at the little monkey. Odd that it came along, it's either far smarter, or far simpler than he thought it was originally either way... he snapped at the monkey as he half waited, cause it most definatly looked out of it.

[roymbrog]

The fire suits seemed like good news and Synthia was glad to know they were safe. It was soon time to depart and she got on pegasi like the others, flew to Weyland’s estate, ect.

Anyway, now there were there, the professor dude gave his little speech and was now walking inside. That left Raquel, Shadrak, and Rodrigo as people she knew here. “So, er, what now?” she asked no one in particular.

------

Stupid contacts, never where they were supposed to be. She’d received a letter a few days ago promising new information on her target, however, when she’d arrived in Europa the sender was not where they were supposed to be. Unable to contact the person the usual way soon enough for her liking she decided to find him herself. Failing to find him at home she tried the next best place: the university.

Getting in hadn’t been much of a problem, especially when she knew about the underground passage some students used to reach a nearby tavern covertly. Finding the damn office was the real problem, and she was sick of searching.

Edited April 6, 2011 by roymbrog

[Rothene]

After while, a full thirty minutes, Ranyin decided that it did not matter to him why Gytha had done such a horrible thing to the guide. He had better things to do such as seeking out the library as well as exploring the university. Taking his backpack, he exited the room and locked the door. First things first, a bath, decided Ranyin.

He had heard wonderful things about how the people of Ursium had constructed indoor public baths where the water was heated underneath by allowing hot air from burning wood to flow under the bottom of the bath. Unlike Kigen that relied on natural hot water springs. Ranyin was eager to get into a bath as soon as he found one.

He approached some students who were still out doing some group discussions and asked,"Excuse me, where are the baths?"

One of the male students looked up at him in annoyance then ignored him and resumed studying his book. Another student sighed and said,"The bath is on the first level far left corner from of the university."

Ranyin thanked the helpful student and continued towards the location told to him.

***

"Told him to go where?" asked the more studious one in the group, while the other students were sniggering. The helpful student replied,"Aww, come on. It was just a simple prank. If he has eyes, he should not get into trouble."

[Mercakete]

One of the students noticed a rather unfamilliar sight as he walked through the halls: someone who looked to be a Kigenese man...or was he a woman? "Are there any Kigenese enroled here...?" he muttered to himself before adressing the person himself, "Excuse me, sir...ma'am...? Um... Are you a student here?" He was carrying a towel, a bundle of extra clothes, a washrag and some soap, clearly making his own way to the mens' bath...though having been going in a different direction than Ranyin.

[Rothene]

When Ranyin saw a male student walking in the opposite direction of him holding onto bath materials, he immediately felt suspicious about the locationb given to him.

"Did you just refered to me as ma'am? I'm a guy, a male of humankind, a MAN" said Ranyin feeling a bit frustrated. First he was mistaken for his age, now he was mistaken for his gender. Were these people clueless?

"I suppose you would be heading to the male baths?" asked Ranyin to the student.

[Mercakete]

"Um...yes. Speaking of which, why were you heading to the womens' baths? Are you trying to sneak a peak at them? Because I'd have to report you, Mr...?" the student began, expecting the Kigenese man to tell him his name.

[Rothene]

The womens bath, students here sure have a lot of free time to prank others, great use of their brilliance, thought Ranyin angrily.

"I am Ranyin, and that would not be neccesary good sir as you have corrected my mistake. Besides have you seen any other Kigenese students here? It should be obvious I'm new around here." said Ranyin.

[Mercakete]

"Oh, I see. I'm Tim; one of the hall monitors around here," he replied, clearly proud of his rank as hall monitor, "Well, welcome to the university. There should have been a map in your dorm... Well, I'll show you the way to the mens' baths if that's where you wanted to go. I was just heading there myself." He smiled at the "newcomer," clearly making an attempt to help him. "Oh and if you know the names of the guys who pulled that joke on you, I'll report them. They shouldn't be harassing new students like that."

[roymbrog]

Ventilation shafts. Lovely. Earlier while sneaking through the halls she’d come across some unfortunate student who asked way too many questions. The poor fool ended up bound unconscious in a janitor’s closet and she was forced to either find another route or run into more idiots. She chose the former. A quick climb up a wall later and she pulled herself into one of the openings for the air circulation system that spread across the school.

The system consisted of tunnels inside the stone walls of the building and metal tubes suspended by wood frames across the walls not made of stone. With openings and branching paths everywhere, this would take a while.

[Rothene]

"Ah, that would be most helpful. Unfortunately I did not ask the names of the guys who pointed me in the wrong direction as I did not wish to further distract them from their studies," said Ranyin and added,"Erm...would I be needing my own bath set? Or are there any provided at some place I can get them?"

[Mercakete]

"Well, they have some but sometimes people like to prank the ones there, so I bring my own. It should be okay, though. Normally it's only the morning towels people sneak itching powder into," Tim replied as he led the "new student" down the halls, "So, what magic are you specializing in?"

[Rothene]

Itching powder? These students really want to their victims to suffer badly, thought Ranyin.

"I specialise in Wind magic. Should come in handy to use wind magic to check the towels for any strange powdery substances. So what magic do you specialise in?" asked Ranyin feeling 'safe' with a hall monitor as his guide.

[Mercakete]

"Well, actually, I'm a bit of a telepath," he replied somewhat shyly, "Most people don't respect water magic, but yeah, that's what I'm practicing."

"Ah, here it is," Tim stated as they reached the mens' bath. There was a zig-zag, short corridor leading to the actual baths to allow for privacy even beyond the door leading to the baths themselves. Several students were already there, soaking in the large, steaming pool, scrubbing and towelling off. Off to the side against a wall was a rack of towels and washcloths and a couple bins were next to it: one for soap and one for used towels and washrags. Along the other wall were lockers. "Have you been assigned one of these yet?" Tim asked as he led Ranyin to his own locker and used his key to open it. Without even waiting for an answer, he began stripping in preparation for his own bath.

[Rothene]

"No I haven't neither would I ever be assigned one," said Ranyin as he took a bath set for himself and continued,"Telepathy, that's an interesting magic, but I fail to see how it relate to water magic. I guess people just don't feel comfortable knowing that someone out there could read their thoughts."

"Oh, and when I said I was new here, I did not mean I was a new permanent student. What I meant was I was only visiting as a guest with special allowence to spend one night here. Want to check my thoughts to confirm the truth of my words?" Ranyin asked Tim smilling. Afterall, he was curious about how good the telepathy is at percieving thoughts.

[Mercakete]

"Oh, nah, I can't read minds, but I can manipulate water somewhat," Tim replied, taking his soap and washrag and getting into the water himself, "I'd have to have my tome with me, though. But with water and earth magic, you have to be a bit psychic for some of the spells. I'm glad you don't think it's silly, though. A lot of people think water magic is rather pointless. If they had a water sage dehydrate them a bit, though, I don't think they'd be of the same opinion...not that I'd do that. I just find it to be my favorite magic. Wind is also one of my favorites, I admit. I see, though. Why don't you enroll in the school? We have some great wind classes."

[Rothene]

"I'll try enrolling sometime in the future. Magic should not be measured in how good it is at hurting people. It should be based on its poten..." said Ranyin as he entered the water. Big mistake.

Ranyin missed the edge and took a plunge straight into the water. Thankfully it was shallow and his light frame prevented him from falling too hard into the water, preventing him from cracking his skull. Ranyin emerged spluttering a bit then when he got his wind back, went towards Tim.

"As I was saying, magic should be measured based on its potential to make work easier for others. Like fir instance, I can use wind magic to lift heavy objects, create a barrier that protects me from the elements and weather, help clean the rooms by blowing away dust and dirt, and some powerful sages from my school can use it to fly as well as control the weather. Although the later is extremely hard and costly to pull off, especially without water magic." continued Ranyin looking at Tim.