“Here we are” Josh spread his wing eager to fly up to the building in front of them.
The main building of the school, the white tower.
Three of them didn’t exactly think of where they want to go but as soon as Josh see a sign point to direction of the library, he just takes the lead while Bill and Calamity follow quietly until they reach the south entrance of the white tower.
The building has a rectangle shape with around 10 floors with the white tower pierce out at the top. This building is a center of this city where all the main road meet and circles the white tower.
From here in the open Bill can see his dorm in the south on right side of the road and near by the west is a giant stadium that stand above the rest of the city.
As Bill look inside the building, he noticed many city residents walk among the student even in school building “So many people here”
“Normally the university or school ground would restrict access to outsider for student safety but this school purpose is to make all race learn how to live with one another so they share it for public use in some area.” Josh explains.
“Can’t even imagine this in my country, if a lone herbivore randomly wanders around in predator city even with the treaty on hunting and killing other races, a missing person report still happen all the time.”
Hearing the missing part Bill can’t help but ask “No student have been missing before, right?”
“Yes, Alana is quite famous for never have a missing person or murder.” Calamity points up with his paw “There’re rumor that the chief of this city never sleeps and always be a watching eye that see everyone below.”
“And do you guy know that area near the top of white tower is a no-fly zone?” Josh adds “I received a warning as soon as reach the gate they seem to take this rule very seriously”
“Sound pretty ominous for a building that we’re going to study in,” said Bill.
“Well, the top of tower is quite far from the top floor of this building so we should be fine. Beside no way anyone is going to walk up all those steps if they won’t allow anyone to fly,” said Josh
The library is on the third to fifth floor, Josh seems eager to go but he only flies to the top stair of the next floor as he waits for his companion to catch up.
On their way up Bill sees that a first and second floor is a canteen which is properly why there’re so many people. As they reach the third floor a magpies come out of a door and fly off from the balcony in front of them.
This door is the entrance to the library which bears the symbol of Princess Alana, an A alphabet with wing in a circle and instead of straight line in A there was an eye there, at the top sign read
Library of Alana
Where understanding bring us closer together
Josh eagerly opens the door and head inside. Bill and Calamity follow.
Inside they found a hall of bookshelf line all around filled with colorful book and in the middle is a wide spiral stairway that connects all 3 floors together with a vast area for reading on all side. In the front, there is a round counter with a falcon, a male merlin, standing behind a pile of papers looking at a paper on his desk.
Seeing all those book fill Josh with excitement of which he can no longer contain himself.
“See you guy later, I might sleep here tonight though” Bill watches as Josh casually fly off and vanish into the bookshelf, leave Bill and Calamity standing at the entrance like a lost child.
Two of them glance at each other don’t know what to do. It was Josh idea to come here and now he just dumps both of them and leaves like that.
For Calamity this kind of situation is not in his training at all, therefor he only has one course of action left to deal with this.
“Um, can I help you guy?” a blue-grey back falcon with yellow beak looks up from his desk.
“Yes, we are new student...” Bill who still try to take everything in turns to Calamity for help only to catch the sight of his tail leaving the door “I mean...I’m looking for a book?”
‘Both of my new friends abandon me, great, just great’
“Of course, which book are you looking for?”
‘Which book indeed’
Bill who got caught in the moment said the name of the only book he knew of “MAM theory of magic”
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“That would be in Class 003 Magic Amass Manipulator system and function on this floor on our right side, would you like me to get that for you?” a grey falcon asks.
“Yes please” Bill just keeps answering yes by instinct from work in the factory. Saying no was never really an option if you want food on a table by the end of the day.
The falcon Librarian then look to the right before utter “Evenio” and a gust of wind gently push one book to fall off shelf and float toward them before it stop on the counter in front of Bill.
Looking down at the book he read so many times he can recite word by word Bill look back up with crude smile “thank you...Mr.?”
“You can call me Doran” a falcon introduce himself “So you are a new student huh.”
Bill nod his head ‘he’s even taller than Josh but maybe because he is older?’
“From my experience with my human friend I said you must be pretty scare right?”
“Scare? I don’t scare at all” Bill stand tall acting confident because he know if he show weakness other people will just be taking advantage of him and his mother.
Doran tilt his head while smiling “I once a student of this school too, you can say that I am your senior, just recently graduate really. So if you have any question don’t be afraid to ask me.”
‘A senior?’ Bill look at Doran and after consider his position he must admit that he really could use other people... and animal help.
“Yeah, I admit I am quite intimidated by...well all this”
“By us Carnivorous right” Doran lift up his yellow feet showing a black sharp claw.
“That too” but for Bill it is more than that. Other human student at least have a wealth and power of their family to back them up. He has nothing. He could just vanish and nobody would be looking for him.
“You already get the bag from dorm staff right? You should check what they prepare for you first”
Bill remember that school staff have put his student ID card in there along with other stuff he would need but he didn’t check them yet.
“Next is get to know your roommate, I already see that you try touring school with someone but he seem to left you hanging haha”
Doran quick to stop chuckling “but don’t take it personal I bet he properly scare too or just being shy, most of us are. It the first time we get to be outside our tribe and home after all”
‘Calamity Scare? SHY?! No way...’
“Just give him a chance, many of our culture are very different and you’ll get to learn all about it in a class soon. And if you need a peace of mind, know that any attempt to eat or kill other student have never been success before”
“Someone try to eat their roommate?!”
“Well...yes some races is still hate each other to gut. The great war is not that long ago after all but don’t worry our school staff is really good at keeping peace”
Bill is now pale white.
Doran seeing his juniors losing hope before his very eyes starting to panic. He never advice a juniors before and he’s already failing hard for his first time.
For years he spent learning how to live together with other race and helping each other he won’t let it just fail like this.
“How about I let you borrow this luck charm for a while?” Doran took a necklaces that was hiding under his white feather off and offer it to Bill.
Bill snap back and look at a green small four leaf clovers necklaces in Doran’s wing.
“Is it ok for me to have this?” Bill afraid it might be valuable.
“Sure, my girlfriend give this to me for good luck. Don’t worry she won’t noticed, even I forget that I was wearing this from time to time I am very fluffy after all.” Doran Fluff his chest and wing up just to show off “Just don’t forget to return it to me once you settle in and feel safe around here” Doran let the necklaces slide down and slip into Bill hand.
“Thank you” Bill wear the necklaces and already feel better from his new friend kindness.
“Maybe there is something I help you with? Any errand at all?” Bill asks for a chance to return a favor.
Just when Doran is about to decline, his radio make a buzzing sound and shut off “Argh not again...wait Bill, you are here to study MAM so you do know a basic of electronic right?”
“YUP” Bill answer proudly.
“Then maybe you can try fixing this radio for me? It been acting up for a month now but I never got time to take it to the workshop and submit paper work.” Doran lift the small radio up with his beak and place it on the counter.
“Let me see” Bill happy with a chance to help immediately open up a radio panel and start tinkering.
It doesn’t take long before Bill see what wrong with this radio, a lose wired that connect amplifier with a speaker breaking outer circle shape that form a sigil which converting a magic to power up this radio “Did you drop this radio before?”
“I might have push it too hard with espiro onetime” Doran answer remembering a dozen of way this radio have been flown around the library and hit his boss head.
If he was in a factory back home Bill would just use his company’s tools to fix this but now he can only try moving the wire and hold it in place with a scotch Tape.
As Bill was closing the side he realize that he can’t power up magical equipment without power he ask for Doran help “Can you try open it?”
Doran then hold his wing out to touch the radio and utter “Naas” which Bill doesn’t know it meaning.
It took a few second before a music come out of a radio, a sound of instrument Bill never heard before. Its soothing vibrance radiance out and echo down the rows of stainless bookshelf.
“Thank you Bill, usually I have to smack it a few time before it work. You are quite good at this.” said Doran.
“Well, try not throw it around too much now” Bill smile he already like it here more than New Terra.
He then decide to return the book since he won’t be able to borrow one without his student ID anyway and head back to his room.
When Bill arrive it is already dinner time but since he can’t afford any food, he will just spent time checking what inside his bag instead.
Looking around Calamity still not return Bill pick out an item.
A Student ID card with his dirty face wearing factory outfit on the day he went to applied for test, no one can see this.
A notebook with pen and pencil, saving more money for him.
A pamphlet detail about the city rule and regulation, most of the detail is just the basic stuff along with a city map but there are some quote that interested Bill.
All races are welcome
We ask you to treat everyone with respect
No meat of Human, Amiel and Goat are allowed
Do not attempt to climb White Tower
Sales of any Object of power or MAM must have a permits
A Numenus must be submit in queue for battle at stadium on the end of a month and No, you cannot go battle outside a city wall unless both sides agree to clean up afterward with city guard as a witness.
All Murder is punishable by death
Headmaster word are law and it is Final
May the word of Princess Alana guide your days
Bill didn’t understand some of the word written in here. He can’t help but wonder if his school in New Terra just didn’t think that these words are important enough to teach them or the city of Alana is just that foreign with all these many races.
Still Bill stay hopeful and went to sleep.