Rowan and Seres had no guide as they made their way to the bureaucratic heart of the Azure University. Alena wanted to help but she was busy with lectures and seminars she couldn't reasonably afford to miss. The others were in a similar predicament, with the exception of Ashlin and Reia, who were too new to the university to serve as a proper guide for the day. They were still given adequate directions, however, so they didn't have too many issues with finding the building in question.
That isn’t to say it was close by, as while the Gallery of Scribes had been described as the bureaucratic heart of the university, the building itself was actually situated towards the southern part of the island as opposed to the centre. From their starting point of the Eversong Mansion, it was a distance of three miles — a factor Rowan hadn’t yet considered. She was still getting used to the sheer size of the Azure City, so she chose to walk. Seres joined her as she was too excited to say otherwise and there wasn’t really an advantage to going on ahead without her.
There was no shortage of distractions as they made their way to the Gallery. Despite Alena priming Rowan for what the university was like, the truth of it all was so much more than the fantasy she had been expecting. The entire campus was a showcase of everything the university and her students had ever achieved. Every single building had a purpose that was indicated by whichever feat it was highlighting.
Some buildings did it better than others, and some were limited by the subject they were expressing. For example, the buildings that were most likely tied to the Engineering department typically featured working prototypes in their design, whereas any buildings associated with Philosophy were more enigmatic. There were also a number of buildings that were affiliated with multiple departments or the university in general that pointed to nothing in particular or certain extra-disciplinary feats, with either option muddying the waters.
With that said, the added uncertainty made for a fun challenge as Rowan and Seres made their way to the Gallery of Scribes. While they had no real way of scoring themselves on how accurate their guesses were, the game had a secondary purpose of helping them navigate the campus further downstream.
It wasn't long before they had their first major landmark — the Flower of Wisdom. The elegant spire at the heart of the island was visible from every angle. Alena had described it as the ethereal little sister to the Jewel of Heaven. Rowan could see why; the similarities were clear as day. It wasn’t until they got closer that she was able to appreciate the differences. She also wasn't sure how to describe it other than as a flower budding with potential.
Either way, she and Seres had to be careful as they made their way past the Flower. Not only were people using it as a place to socialise between lectures and seminars, but it was also a nexus for all the major thoroughfares on the island. While the students were able to adapt to the chaotic flow, Rowan and Seres were lacking the necessary experience.
Conversely, the confluence of students and scholars hinted at one of the university’s greatest achievements; there were countless individuals from all over Talras in attendance. While it was apparent the majority were fairly local, Rowan could see the reddish undertones that were indicative of the Ru'eni, or the blinding complexions of the Miriel. In all her years, Rowan had never seen so many different cultures together. That there was no visible hostility between them was a treat to the eyes.
*****
All in all, it took them the better part of two hours to reach the Gallery of Scribes. Like the vast majority of buildings on campus, it was designed in a way that hinted at its primary focus and reason for being. At the same time, there were only so many ways to indicate bureaucracy and record keeping, so the designers had to be creative if they wanted it to stand out.
“Do you think they considered the practicality of modelling the roof after the flowing waves of an open scroll?” Seres asked.
“I'm going to say no,” Rowan answered. “Then again, it does look rather aesthetic, so they might have considered it worthy of the added risk.”
“Fair point.”
Whatever their reasoning, the rest of the building was nothing special. It was as if they gave up on the design while they were still working on it. The interior was equally depressing.
Rowan and Seres had to wait in a line before they could be seen by a clerk; their status meant little in the face of egalitarian bureaucracy. There were nine students in line before them and only a handful of clerks on duty.
The wait was agonising. It was as if they were being punished for their tardiness. The large clock on the back wall of the reception hall said otherwise. In truth, it was her boredom and anticipation that had taken umbrage with her. The two emotions were humming to a slither of eternity.
There was no helping it. Despite knowing the reason for her distorted perception of time, Rowan felt compelled to challenge rational thought by counting the seconds. She and Seres were waiting for seventeen minutes and thirty-two seconds, give or take, by the time they were eventually called over.
“Next. What do you need?”
Rowan smiled warmly.
“Hi! We're here for our orientation. My name is Rowan'efrii Naliir, and this is Seres Lanafae of Llen Færa.”
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“Okay, let me see. Do you have any paperwork?”
“Sure thing. Here is our letter of recommendation from His Majesty and our acceptance letter from the dean and the board of ascendant thinking.”
“And here is the letter that told us to come here for our orientation,” Seres added.
The clerk read over each letter and double-checked the stamps against a record of known seals before asking Rowan and Seres for some identification. In Llen Færa, the thought of someone in a noteworthy position questioning Seres’ identity after seeing her eyes was unthinkable, but this was Særis, and a clerk was on the lower end of noteworthy. Fortunately, Seres had her signet ring, whereas Rowan had the Seal of the Ardent Flame. The signet ring was accepted almost immediately as the seal of House Lanafae was front and centre on the record for Midiran nobility. When it came to Rowan's seal, however, the clerk was forced to dig a little deeper.
They were three records in when they finally found it. Rowan saw them sketch a memo for the scribes requesting an up-to-date record for future reference before handing the seal back.
“That should do it. I am puzzled as to why you were sent here for orientation as we don’t have any scheduled for the foreseeable future. Would it be okay if I ask my supervisor? They should know more.”
Seres offered the clerk a warm smile. “Go ahead. We don’t mind waiting.”
Rowan wasn’t sure if she agreed, but she wasn't about to gainsay her sister in Resonance, especially when waiting was inevitable. It helped that she didn't have an easy view of the clock this time round.
When the clerk returned, they were accompanied by an older woman with a wiry frame and a reading monocle ready for immediate use. The woman nodded at Rowan and Seres as she approached.
“Our sincerest apologies, Princess Seres and Lady Rowan'efrii. We thought you would be spending the rest of this week familiarising yourselves with life in the city. Fortunately, we do have a scribe ready to ensure you are registered, and Master Vas has kindly agreed to supervise the rest of your orientation. He's on his way now. If you follow me, I'll take you to Scribe Dia.”
*****
With the exception of Scribe Dia giving Rowan and Seres a basic rundown of the different faculties at the university and Resonance being used to preserve their likenesses, nothing really happened as they finished their registration. Seres was registered with the Department of Resonance, whereas Rowan was assigned to the College of Harmonies and the Awakened Lounge. They could register with other departments as well, but only if they passed the relevant aptitude test.
Alas, while it was true they were now technically registered, they were still limited in what they could do while they waited on their enrolment details. They also wouldn't be officially starting until the new year; there wasn’t enough time to get them in sooner.
*****
When they were done with Scribe Dia, Rowan and Seres made their way back to the main lobby; Master Vas was waiting for them. They just had to hope someone would be able to identify him as they were lacking his description. Before they could ask anyone, however, they were approached by a man they had never seen before.
Rowan shifted slightly to help ready herself for combat if the need arose. She could see how strong he was from the way he carried himself. Not only that, but the robe he was wearing did little to hide the statuesque muscles of his torso. It was as if he had been knapped from obsidian by an expert craftsman where he was the sculptor.
“Fire and bloom. Steady your arm, Rowan Pa'tia. I am Vas Min'Suul. You are expecting me.”
He spoke with the latent resonance of a sleeping volcano. He was Kairosi; the first Rowan had ever seen. They rarely travelled so far north, especially during winter months. It was too cold for them. Yet here he was, practically shirtless. Rowan had to ask.
“You're a Fire Monk, aren't you?”
“I am. Do you have any other questions?”
“What brings you this far north?”
Rowan knew the question was lacking in tact, but she had to know.
“I am here to teach. You will be my student. You must learn.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know of your plight.”
Rowan's hand flashed to the hilt of her sword.
“How?”
“Follow me outside, and I shall tell you. These people need not know.”
There was no hostility in his eyes, but he was a Stoic, and his Gift was a mystery. Fortuitously, he probably wasn't a Cryptic as Seres hadn't said anything; the likelihood of him being able to hide the Resonance of his Gift was akin to finding a friendly Vhoraks. With that in mind, Rowan eased her grip on Elan Fiir. She had to know.
“Okay. Lead the way.”
*****
While they were still fairly close to the Gallery of Scribes when Vas started speaking again, he made it seem like they had been travelling for miles.
“It is unlikely we are being followed by anyone other than your bodyguards or the security detail assigned by King Dreigan. Let me tell you how I know of your plight.
“There is a village in Ferran that is no more. It was one of several that offered me shelter as I made my way north. In exchange, I offered them my wisdom. There was little I could teach them, but there was one who listened. There was one who survived.”
Rowan's eyes flared as Seres whispered a name.
“Amran.”
“I believe he is saying his last goodbye,” Vas confirmed. “When he and your companions arrived in Særis, he discovered I was a teacher at the university. It was only a matter of time before he went looking for me. While he is no longer the boy he once was, I remembered him still. Everything I know is from him. There is a fire building that threatens to consume this nation. You have the potential to be the fire that robs them of their kindling.”
Rowan offered the monk a frown and asked, “What's stopping me from being the all-consuming flame?”
“She's standing right there, and she isn't alone. If you do eventually fall and they are unable to bring you back, I will end your flame personally. Such is the price of helping you shine.”
Seres locked eyes with Vas.
“Why would you go to such lengths to help a nation that has hardly any ties to your own?”
“Serendipity. The echoes of war and strife are felt the world over. Such is the way of Resonance. The reverse is also true. If we work together, we will find harmony, for we are the musicians of the world.”