There were 2 boys and a woman standing outside of a carriage, colored a darker gold with lighter golden accents. The boys tattoos were hard edged and deep black, they swirled in different ways, one in a series of squares and the other circles, each swirl leading to the next, starting from a single larger tattoo on the back.
The tattoos only reached the forearms and knees, most of their chest and their faces were untouched. While the woman’s tattoos were in many designs clearly defined, fish scales and bird feathers in every color of the base elements. Her tattoos crept just slightly onto her cheeks but didn’t cover any of her features. They all wore revealing clothing, not yet in the academy robes. Thin cloth shawls covered their shoulders and chest, the boys wore a higher cut and less vibrant colors, showing off more of their chests and arms along with loose pants that cut off just past the knees.
The woman had a band to prevent a breeze from exposing herself, but little was left to the imagination, her arms and stomach were exposed, a white skirt decorated with gold flecks covered only up to her knees and was weighed down with golden spheres to prevent it from moving too much with the wind.
Harlan planned to wait for a lull in the conversation, but as he drew near they all turned and walked towards him.
He felt some connection trying to form, not unlike the feeling when Relly talked to him, but he couldn’t seem to think back, like he lacked the ability to grab the intent behind the move.
The woman made a sour face and spoke.
“Who are you? Can you not at least greet your elders properly? And your skin…”
Harlan didn’t like how offended she seemed, but he rolled with it.
“I am Harlan Fomoria, from the kingdom of Ragne. I am here for my first year, I don’t know where to go so I hoped to make some small talk with others while I waited.”
They didn’t react at all. He was glad they either didn’t know or didn’t care who they were.
‘I am Rosamet of the Golden, these two are my sons, Migal and Delmet. Who are your parents?“
“I never knew my birth parents.”
He felt the shift in her instantly, she went from upset to mournful.
“Do you know what happened to them?”
He didn’t know how to answer, he didn’t want to talk about it.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t need to lie, but I will not force you to talk.”
“Thank you.”
“Where are your tattoos?” The smaller of the two boys, Delmet asked.
“Should I have some? I met one other person like you, but I didn’t get the chance to talk with them.”
“Oh? Do you know their name?”
“Gilly.”
The boys spit on the ground and Rosamet made a sour face.
“The outcast. I do hope you don’t believe she represents who the Golden are.”
“Oh? Is that what your people are called? I think it sounds nicer than Fomorian.”
Rosamet realized she had mistaken what Harlan was, the larger of the boys mumbled something about lessers, earning a glare from his mother.
“I didn’t expect to ever see one of you outside of your cage.”
Harlan narrowed his eyes. It didn’t feel like she was mad at him, but she wasn’t happy either.
“I’m different.”
“I can see.”
She reached her hand out for a shake after an awkward silence set in.
Harlan shook her hand, surprised that such a gesture was universal.
“I want to teach my children to not be so prideful, I will be cordial. But do not expect more than that, your people have done much to mine.”
“They are not my people any more than Gilly is your people. To use your own words.”
She didn’t outwardly sneer, but Harlan could tell she didn’t like having her words thrown back at her.
“I think it would be best if we found someone who could help find their rooms. Boys, say your farewell and we will be off.”
“I don’t like them.” Lugh said.
“Agreed. Let’s find someone nicer.”
“I like nicer people.”
They wandered around, Lugh pointing out groups who looked to just be waiting.
A family of small hunch backed scally people were outwardly nice, but clearly they knew what he was, when the child with them saw Harlan he rolled into a ball, only coming out when Harlan said he didn’t want to bother them while they were moving things and waved goodbye.
He was eventually approached by a woman clad in black with a wide brimmed hat.
With her was a boy only a few years older than Harlan that seemed in a good mood but was sweating like he was made of ice. And wolf-like beastkin around his age who hid behind the woman.
“Blood brother! I heard I would be the only one in the first year. What are you? Wait. let me guess.”
He seemed oblivious to the woman trying to stop him from talking, eventually she pinched the back of his neck when he wasn’t getting her message.
“Greetings Harlan.”
He shook her hand, she was familiar, very very familiar, he didn’t let go of her hand, he was stuck in his head trying as hard as he could to remember if he met her before. She wasn’t the one on the council, but they looked like sisters almost.
Eventually she just outright said it.
“Yes, we have met before. It was a few years back. I am surprised you can tell even without my mask. I am Selen.”
“Oh. Then you are from that night, right?”
“Yes. I must apologize for my conduct. It is best to put on a stoneface while doing such unfortunate work.”
He could feel that she was saddened, but not overly so, over that night.
“I don’t mind. I put on a face for different people all the time.”
The wolf boy started tugging on her sleeve and had a worried face.
Selen could only sigh.
“No, he is not a skinwalker, they aren’t smart enough to act like a normal person without killing people for so long. Harlan, meet Wulrun. Wulrun, shake his hand.”
He refused to move out from behind her.
“He doesn’t speak much. But I hope having some other people around him can get him to open up.”
“I get it. Wulrun, do you want to see a magic trick?”
He hid further behind Selen.
Harlan did it anyway, just a little fine mist and light to make a rainbow. The boy’s eyes lit up a little and Harlan could feel a little bit of fear fade away, but he still didn’t get out from behind her.
He tried as many other little tricks as he could, changing the color of flames, juggling balls of light, he couldn’t make hardlight but he could make it look like they had physicality.
When he ran out of tricks the vampire boy was bored to tears but Selen was glad at his attempts to endear himself to Wulrun.
Eventually someone came to assign Harlan a room, he waved goodbye and Wulrun even waved back.
They made their way in the opposite direction Amber went earlier to a large blocky dorm room, made of giant white bricks with the same gold accents as the main academy building.
The halls of the building were wide, 10 feet across with double doors leading in and out of the dorm building, the ceiling was 15 feet high, having been expanded to accommodate beastkin students.
“Your room number is 221. Please leave your mana signature in the door, this will make it so only yourself or staff with approval may open the room.”
Harlan did as asked, the door opened up into a room to see a reasonably sized room, 20x20 with a normal height ceiling at 10 feet. But he noticed something was wrong.
He stepped in and out, judging by eye the distance between room doors being no more than 5 feet.
“Please step into the room so I can give you a tour, yes the rooms are spatially displaced to be larger on the inside than out.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, I’d say four out of ten students don’t even notice it at first.”
He stepped in, noticing the carpet was soft, the walls were sanded down smooth brick without paint.
For furniture he had a king size canopy bed, a large dark hardwood desk with a comfortable chair sat at it. He had 2 couches sat facing on another with a low table for drinks to be set between them, and in the corner was a proper dining table and chairs to seat 6. A sliding door on the left lead to a closet the length of the wall. While a door on the right led to what Harlan assumed to be the bathroom.
It was a far cry from the rooms at the royal castle but more for sleeping than living in room that Amber talked about.
“I expected it to be smaller.”
“Rooms are sometimes tuned for specific individuals. Yours isn’t the largest or most heavily decorated, though this is far above the average. We furnished this trying to take into account your uses, you may invite friends to speak of classes or research, or even to simply share a meal. The desk has already been filled with papers and pens, you have seen pens before, right?”
“I believe so.”
“Good. This will let you keep notes of research and fill out paperwork for your classes. A cleaning service will come each day while you are in class to clean the room and take your clothes to be washed, replace used writing materials, things like that. The closet is already full of uniforms with your crest and in the kingdom colors. Simply leave them in the hamper which is in the bathroom and they will be cleaned and returned. As we know you very rarely sleep we will issue you a pass allowing you to be out of the dorms at any hour day or night. Generally these are given to more nocturnal students. If you have guests over they are not allowed to sleep, while we understand growing into an adult can be confusing and sometimes you may want to do things with one another. Overnight stays are simply not allowed. Do you have any questions?”
“I heard there would be an assembly later.”
“An announcement will be made when it is time to assemble. In the meanwhile you should get dressed, you will receive demerits if you are not wearing your uniform without good reason such as some injury or the destruction of it. You are free to wander, there is a map on your table, do try to avoid losing it.”
“Thank you.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
The man quickly left the room to find another person to guide.
Harlan looked over the uniform, a golden rope without adornments though clearly it was all made of high quality materials, black pants, black long sleeve shirt, all enchanted though he wasn’t sure with what.
After putting it on and pulling on it he suspected durability and some level of heat regulation, Amber and Zella didn’t seem to mind wearing it all the time even during the hot summer days and they made no mention of a winter uniform.
Harlan decided to go back to the square, hoping to find Amber. He also needed to unload a few things, he brought with his carving kit, a few boxes of already filled cores, a kettle, a hot plate, boxes of vanilla tea just in case, the abomination skull and bones, the books on imbibing and telekinesis, his favorite blanket, his armor, a potted fern for Lugh, and a small potted tree which he planned to grow for all of his wooden needs since it was more efficient than growing from a dead log, lastly on top of the carriage was 4 golems to keep people from trying to take his things and to protect the carriage while it went back home, along with 2 smaller ones with multiple arms meant for carrying things that held onto the back of the carriage..
Instead he ran into Ibery.
Who he could feel was mildly afraid of him.
Sen was also there as her guardian.
“Harlan, it hasn’t been very long. How have you been?” Sen asked.
“I’ve been good, Ibery, how have you been? I do hope you aren’t afraid of me after all that time we spent around each other.”
“I am well, as is my aunt. She has even begun teaching flight to the little ones again thanks to your work. And I hold no fear for you, you were a perfect host.”
He decided not to call her out, it would just lead to questions about how he could really know if she was and he didn’t want to get into it.
“Thank you for your kind words. Have you seen Amber? She went to put her things in her room, I have only just come back after my tour of my room.”
“I haven’t, though I have only arrived less than a quarter of an hour ago myself. I must excuse myself, as we need to take my things to my room.”
“Would you like any help? I have golems to help with it.”
Before Ibery could say no Sen agreed.
It didn’t take long for them to get everything moved, Ibery mostly had boxes of books and writing material, which his golems could carry perfectly. They ran into Amber and Zella on the way there and traded room numbers.
After the unpacking they helped Harlan move his things, complaining that he isn’t going to have much room left, which then turned to complaining that he had way more room than her.
Though Amber had to admit as soft as his carpet was, the abomination rug was softer.
Then he double checked that everything was done and sent his carriage back, almost wishing he had someone who could explain everything, hoping his changes to the false mind and the preset responses would be enough to get it past any trouble.
They all sat in his room and looked over everything, checking for spying spells just in case.
Amber wasn’t worried about it, but it helped Harlan feel safe.
Finally they heard the assembly message, it was broadcast across the entire school, seeming to be spoken from brickwork instead of a large sound spell from a high point as Harlan expected.
They made their way into a courtyard behind the academy, Harlan wondered how much land this place took up as he could see after minutes of walking that there were more buildings out on the horizon.
As they got closer staff started filtering them into groups based on country, though there was a much smaller group that were all filtered to the right side of the kingdoms group where there was an empty space, he expected they would try to keep use the whole courtyard, the empty space was bothering him the longer he looked at it.
After everyone was funneled into their color coded blocks, white for Reino, black for the Confederacy, gold for Ragne, and blue for the Golden.
Then on stage came dozens of people, Harlan saw the woman with white hair who told him to move and Selen among them.
In the center of the stage a man, dark skinned and covered in faintly glowing white tattoos from head to toe, rode down on a platform made of hardlight from the top of the academy.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out he was the headmaster, his robes were white with a golden half cape and black and red tassels, only blue was left out of his colors.
Next to him was a woman and a child, the child was like a sun to his mind sense, he even felt her when she was on top of the academy. He couldn’t get a look at their faces, the woman was in an impractical and clearly ceremonial outfit, shades of gray made up the dress while on her back was a series of 13 blades, all identical, sticking out.
The crowd was silenced and the headmaster spoke.
“My name is Hirum Selvis, I have been headmaster here for 20 years, I am glad to see so many returning students for our 1433 year of operation. As some of you may know, this academy was set up by the woman who led this world into a new era. When the gods died some 1500 years ago humanity was forced to change, her name was Marigold, an outcast of the Golden, she could not sit back as her people watched the world fall into chaos and died, people forced into walled cities to handle the onslaught of magical beasts which they had no hope of defeating. So she contacted the god of the world, Aarde, who told her to follow her path and free humanity from their suffering by teaching magic to those who she believed deserved it.”
Harlan was baffled, he was pretty sure most everything he just said was the things the theocracy killed people over, he looked over to see the Theocratic students were all struggling to move, locked under an array.
“Much of this was hidden to avoid… escalation of war with the Reinoan forces.”
Harlan didn’t like whatever escalation meant, considering both sides have been killing each other for 1000 years already.
“But, in these last few years things have changed, between the ability to make golems through much faster and superior methods to many items now being able to cast spells without taxing their user, along with the refusal of Reino to use such things. We no longer have reason to fear any retaliation. And it is with great honor that I say this, the forever war has ended.”
The students from the theocracy went into a frenzy, barely able to be contained until the headmaster raised his hand and put more mana into the array.
“Ragne and Reino will be leaving only guards at the border, no more skirmishes and large scale war, no more fields of bodies left to rot as both sides use them as traps to kill more of the other. The border of Reino shall be at its true border, which is to say the area in which their unique magics stop working. Travel is not yet permitted, but in just 2 years time any student here, regardless of species, or belief, shall be free to cross their border. Those who do not believe these events, I have brought Grand Saint Fragile Peace, and 1st Princess Magnolia.”
First stepped forward Fragile Peace, her hair was as bright white as her robes, her eyes were purple, without iris or sclera, her skin as pale as Harlan’s without blemish of any kind, she looked maybe 13 years of age.
Those of the theocracy instantly kneeled as they were released from the array.
“My subjects… it is with heavy heart that I give you such news… but fret not over such things… know that this is a simple stopping for a time… when the gods return… we shall inherit this world once more…”
Her voice was quiet, like a whisper on the edge of tears, Harlan felt moved… To kill her, every irrational part of his mind said that she needed to die, Lugh agreed but didn’t act in any way.
He had the sense of mind to not try to.
It was deeply worrying for both of them, they knew what that instinct was telling them.
A cloud of confusion which he had felt over the students of Reino was cleared as soon as she stopped speaking, they believed in her completely and utterly, not questioning a single word from her mouth.
As Fragile Peace stepped back Magnolia stepped forward.
“Citizens of Ragne. Our advance towards the capital city of Reino has been paid in much blood on both sides. It is for this reason that my father, King Yggdra, 15th of his name. Has accepted the peace with Reino. Our war has always been about defense, and so long as this peace holds we do not wish for more bloodshed over ideology. Most of you are surely unaware of what my garb means, this is the symbol of the original 13 walled cities whose expansion and alliance was the start of our great kingdom. The tree of swords as it was called. I wear it now to remember a time before the war, when our greatest threat was not other human beings, but the beasts who wander outside the realm of man, with the end of the war many men can now be used to increase the speed of our frontier clearing, and to better protect the towns and villages which we already have.”
“Thank you, Grand Saint Fragile Peace, 1st Princess Magnolia. Another part of this peaceful time is that Reino will cease hostilities towards false undead and beastkin of any kind. I wish to welcome, for the first time openly, our students and teachers of Aine.”
The ones who had all been filtered to the right side of the Ragne line had their robes turn a blood red and they stepped to the right to form a new block of students. Harlan wondered if they found out how to do color magic from that one kid in the facility. Selen was then waved forward by the headmaster.
“My name is Selen, though professionally I have the title of the White Whip of Aine. and I am a pure vampire. I shall be your teacher of soul defense as well as weapon training, you are all going to see quite a lot of me, as soul defense, the new name of soul work, is now a mandatory class.
In these changing times it has been decided that such defenses already known are outdated, and the breakthroughs in soul work for offense and defense has been a dangerous and unexpected development. Much like how the spread of telekinesis has led to an influx of highly skilled thieves which is still being dealt with by my home of Ragne, the breakthroughs of soul magic means that even those who will never interact with a Fomorian are potentially at risk of heavy soul damage. But it also means that healing such things has never been faster or easier. Do not fear these new changes, nor should you blame the ones behind these advancements. All magic is twisted into shapes which are never expected by those who made it, it is only the dark hearts of those who do these things which should be shunned and fought again. If any of you wish to clear any doubts about my status, or the status of any of us as false undead. I shall be here until curfew to answer your questions.”
At the end of her speech the array silencing the crowd was removed, cheers rang from the students of Aine and from Harlan, which didn’t go unnoticed by those around him, getting odd looks from students of both Ragne and Aine. Zella was a little red from so many people focusing on her for not stepping away from Harlan, but Amber was defiant, placing her arm around Harlan. Though she still thought it was weird that he cheered.
Meanwhile Harlan didn’t care, they could all eat eggshells as far as he was concerned.
He liked the couriers, he liked the Nightwatchers, he was happy they could live openly. He wasn’t so naive to think that they would be accepted immediately, he wasn’t even accepted by people who shouldn’t be superstitious.
But it was a step forward.
As Selen stepped off of the stage and sat at a couch Wulrun rushed to her side from somewhere else.
She was ready to answer questions and her first guest was Harlan.
“I’m happy for you guys.”
“Thank you, though I am going to ask that you not take up time with pleasantries, I am hoping to change the minds of those who don’t like us.”
“Sure. I just wanted to know what you meant by pure vampire. I taught a river vampire and he could turn into mist or water depending on conditions.”
“Well, as a pure vampire I am above average in physical strength and under the right conditions I can enter a bat-like form to increase every aspect of myself. There are other things, but those are kept hidden for my safety and the safety of all like me.”
“Would you be willing to let me study you? Do you know about my other work with the NIghtwatchers? A transformation like that sounds like exactly what I could use.”
“Well. When the time comes, I may be willing to let you, but I will need more time to think on it. Do you have any more questions?”
“How are you going to feed here? I was given bags of blood kept under a cold array, and then anti sleeping elixirs in case I ran out and my student entered a blood frenzy, it was supposed to help him stave off the cravings.”
She made a sour face at the mention of blood frenzy.
“As with all who abide by the NIghtwatchers law, either because they are one of us or they are being helped by us, we will feed on volunteers, and only through their blood being drained due to possible dangers if a vampire were to overfeed on a person and harm them.”
“Thank you, I don’t have any more questions.”
He wanted to ask about Wulrun, because he was clearly not a beastkin.
But he figured that was one of those pitfall questions better left unanswered.
He bowed goodbye to her and went to see if he could catch a glimpse of Fragile Peace. He didn’t expect to talk with her, but he wanted to stare and try to find out why he wanted to kill her so badly.
This didn’t work out as once she locked eyes with him she ordered her guards to block his line of sight.
It was a shame, but he wasn’t broken up over it.
That feeling wasn’t uncontrollable so it wasn’t a huge deal.
He kept wandering around, Zella and Amber were off with their own friend group and he didn’t want to interrupt them.
Suddenly he was picked up from behind, lifting him above their head. He could feel coarse fur and sharp claws had a tight grip on him.
“Hello, whoever is holding me.”
“I am Bojana, a friend of your sister, where did you get that pelt? I want one, I’ll fight you for it if you want.”
“Sorry, might be one of a kind. Did she tell you what it is called?”
“Yes, but I don’t know where to hunt an abomination.”
“Well, I made a rabbit that was a deer also. I might be able to do it again, but it might not be the same.”
“I can get you deer and rabbits. I can also rent an area in the kennels for them to be stored.”
“Deal, but I just need deer meat and a rabbit. Please put me down now.”
“Do not lie to me, or I will break you.”
“Do I look like a liar? It might take a few tries but I think I can do it again, just don’t break me if it doesn’t work out.”
“I can never tell what you humans look like. Other than Amber, she is an honest human.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Are you going to put me down now?”
Bojana walked towards Amber with Harlan in hand.
“Bojana, please put the boy down.”
A bull of a man, or rather a Minos said.
“How about you wrestle me for him?”
“No, I am not doing that again. Amber, you can handle her.”
Tau had made the mistake of once fighting Bojana, he hated fighting, but it was to stop something else. She hadn’t gotten over the loss yet.
Amber sighed and walked beside Bojana, who backed away fearfully to Harlan’s surprise.
Eventually she lost, and Amber made contact, tickling her side.
Harlan never wanted to hear an Ursa giggle again in his life.
“STOP STOP, I WILL SET THE BOY DOWN.”
“Harlan, why did she pick you up? She isn’t normally… Well, sometimes she isn’t like this.”
“All I wanted was a pelt like yours.”
“He will do what he can to try and make one. I wouldn’t expect you to want one though,”
Harlan felt a shift in the attitude of the group, he was stepping into another pitfall without realizing it, his only hope was to keep going and hope it wasn’t the wrong way to ask the question.
“I originally offered it to a Tytoan but he rejected it, claws and delicate pelts don’t mix.”
“All women love a good pelt, it is a sign of a clean kill against a beast.”
The group let out a sigh of relief. He was going to have to ask Amber about that one.
He was finally set down and properly introduced, Tau the Minos apologized on Bojana’s behalf which only seemed to offend her, Ibery didn’t need an introduction, which left a Canis who was hesitant to approach.
“Hello, my name is Harlan.”
He decided the best thing was to not approach and instead introduce from a distance.
“I am Adelwulf.” Then there was an awkward silence, leading to Harlan inviting them to his room for tea and cookies.
Partly he just didn’t want to discuss anything more about his pelt making in the open, partly he hoped that Ibery and Adelwulf were only awkward because they were surrounded by people.
Reluctantly the entire group came along.