"Cultivators are basically Soulgards by the way" - says Christopher, while looking at Gijs - "I've read a lot of novels about them, this should be quite interesting for you. Good luck my dude."
"Thanks, Chris. I don't really think any of us thought about our decision yet... Our groups are a bit awkwardly scattered."
"I mean, I think the groups he mentioned are only for class training, or something like that. He also didn't tell us anything about what we would be doing, and about the world and stuff." - Martin continues.
"Also, what the fuck is his problem with Locks? They sound like pretty chill dudes." - Shade says angrily.
"There are too many things we don't know. Maybe his family got murdered by a Warlock, you know." -Gijs adds.
"True, true."
At this moment, everyone's gazes shift to the same doorway the creature exited. Slowly walking into the room, there is very old-looking human with a long white beard that stretches past his belly, wearing a set of purple robes and holding a magnificent black-metal staff with a white pearl-like orb at the pinnacle. While he holds his posture firmly and tall, one can clearly see his weak physicality.
"Well, well, which ones of you wanted to learn the Arcane?" - the man pridefully scans the room.
"We are." - Mons shouted across the room while pointing at his group.
"Don't you be so disrespectful, child, come closer to me with the rest of you."
As the group of nine people slowly walked over to the man, nobody seemed to hold a conversation with him, as he was busy scanning all of them up and down, while murmuring something beneath his breath.
"Well, I would never take any of you as students in a million years, but if the Lord wishes so, then I have no choice. You lot better be grateful to him later." - the man started walking out of the room while gesturing the group to follow.
"Uhm, is this going to take long?" - Kyrian said.
"That depends on your abilities, boy. Just come with me."
"Well, I guess we'll see each other again, at some point." - the group waved at the rest of the people while walking out of the room and disappearing.
In the moment of casual conversation, a handful of people silently contemplate about their plans and course of action. Some seem to have sinister thoughts, some wish for righteous deeds. At this very moment, some give each other stink-eyes, just to look in another direction shortly after. The tension in the room seemed to have grown higher. But, it was instantly released with the coming of another figure.
Without hearing or noticing the doors opening, a very short, but burly humanoid appeared in the space, not too far away from the inhabitants. A dwarf, wearing a heavy mala around his neck and a set of green bracers on his wrists. His top was naked, revealing a body tempered by many years of physical training, alongside with a set of plain red pants, no shoes.
"Where did this guy come from? I couldn't even see him." - some people silently sigh in surprise.
"Aye, aye, you guessed it right. I'm here to take some of you away, as I've been told. But even so, you're not going to get anything so easily, kids. 19th floor, Pits of Tranquility, if you can't get there within a day, you're gonna know what real pain is." - the small man had a very sinister look across the people present, before disappearing within a blink of an eye.
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"19th floor? What? This guy for real?" - Christopher looked at the other two.
"I mean, I guess we just have to try, right?" - Steph replied.
"Later, my dudes." -Ernesto sprinted out of the room.
"WOAH THERE" - Christopher and Steph quickly followed suit.
The room grew silent once more.
"Yo, you wanna sneak about and see what's around us?" - Andrea proclaimed.
"I've been thinking about that as well actually." - Martin replied as the two of them started slowly walking towards one of the exits.
"Shh, what are you doing? You can't just walk around without permission" - Stheffen urged them to stop.
"Don't worry man, nothing will happen, I just wanna take a quick peek." - they both slowly left the room.
"Sigh..." - Gijs seemed to be disappointed.
A moment passed, as a very pale and tall humanoid walked in the room from where they left. While dressed in a very casual set of black robes, he took a quick glance around the room with his red eyes, and left, only leaving a 'follow' gesture. The rest of the people, even the three that did not make up their mind, followed suit, leaving the room empty behind them.
While walking and inspecting the gorgeous and long wooden hallways, the first group, with the old man in their lead, took about ten or so minutes, weaving around an endless amount of sideways to eventually come up to a dead end. At the end of the space, there was a very strange-looking device: a set of large and thick silver poles, attached and almost melded with each other to reach the tens-of-feet pinpoint at the top. Surrounded by a set of small blue stairs and smaller pedestals, the old man gestured everybody to stand under this structure.
"Listen here, folk, our Lord told me to explain you a big deal of things and teach you whatever there was that you wanted. While I am going to do that eventually, you are going to have to earn my respect and trust. Right now, I can see that none of you are even worth a spec of my attention, but He wants to nurture you, for whatever reason he might have. This right here - is a Transporation Sequence, one of many. It's going to take you to the Ringed City if the combination or 'Sequence' is entered correctly. If not - heh, well, you might see for yourself. When you get there, find your way to the Mjoln-Academy, where you should hand in this letter." - the man extends his weak hand, holding a small envelope.
Joao walked over and took the letter.
"Might we know your name, old man?" - Ville said.
Giving him a side-eye, the man turned around, ignoring his request, and started leaving.
"Wait, wait, how are we supposed to enter this sequence? And how do we find it out in the first place?"
"Can't you see the goddamn tome over there? Fucking hell. I'm going to have to teach you some manners later." - the old man slowly left the hallway.
"Well, great." - Mons opened the tome that was pointed out, just to find out that it is a set of very blurred jibberish that didn't make any sense.
"So much for being mages, I guess. How does he expect us to do this?"
"We're gonna have to figure something out, you know. I'm going to inspect this tome very thoroughly, you check the letter and the rest of you look around this mechanism. Surely there is something" - Nick commanded.
Upon closely inspecting for a few minutes, Mohaned yelled out: "There are eight of these pedestals, they all seem to have sets of 12 buttons with completely different symbols. That might be helpful, maybe there is a code in that book somewhere."
"Maybe we should just go back and find somebody to help us?" - Josh urged.
"No, not yet. This is probably some sort of trial. Unless we are absolutely certain we can't do it, we should keep trying."
"He also said that if we do the code wrong, something might happen, hmm..." - Liam grew a bit uneasy.
"I will look around" - Dima walked off to the hallway.
"This might be hard for that guy..." - Mohaned said.
Upon further closer inspection, the people present gathered and memorized most of the symbols written on the pedestals. As Josh opened the envelope and read out the letter, he did not see to find anything interesting, apart from an appointment from Harnkas to the Mjoln-Academy. They gathered that might grant them passage, so they safely put it into one of their pockets.
About ten minutes passed, as Nick, while reading the book, seemed to notice some change. The blurriness slowly started to fade, as he began to understand small bits and pieces of the written text. Although it seemed to not be in English, he strangely understood the meaning. Another twenty minutes passing, as everybody apart from Nick gave up on looking around and continued discussing the current matters, a strange sound appeared echoing from the hallway behind them.