Artair and Colla
"Don't you think it's taking us a bit too long to find them?" Colla asks, walking in step behind the professor along the academy's corridors.
"Yeah, it is... I thought this would be a lot simpler." Artair replies, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"Do we even know what's happening with the rest of them? I mean, that nephew... what was his name again?" Colla asks, scratching behind his ear.
"Sylleth." Artair prompts.
"Right... so we know where he might be, but what about the others? The father, mother, and the other brother?" Colla continues, glancing out of the large windows to his right, which offer a view of the vast courtyard below.
Outside, students and teachers were busy preparing for the upcoming festival. They were crafting large wooden effigies, weaving flower crowns, and practicing traditional dances and songs.
Colla stepped closer to the window, clearly intrigued by the lively commotion below.
"Is this your first Feast of Blossoms?" Artair asked, stepping up beside the boy.
"Yes, we didn’t have anything like this in Lunareth." Colla replied, continuing down the hallway.
"I always forget that’s where you're from... Do you have any interesting festivals there?" The professor asked, resting his hands on the windowsill as he looked out.
"Nothing too exciting, really." The young man replied with a shrug. "But since there are more gods in the south, we do end up with more holidays."
"Interesting... and to answer your earlier question..." The professor quickly caught up to him. "I have no idea." Artair said with a smile.
"Figures... I should've expected that." Colla thought to himself.
As the men approached the stairs leading to the lower levels of the university, they spotted Saelwen, engaged in conversation with one of the professors.
"Sael! Astram! How’s it going?" Artair called out cheerfully as he approached the pair.
"Hey, we were just talking about you." Saelwen replied, handing him a folder full of documents.
"And what’s this?" Artair asked, his voice dripping with curiosity.
“It’s a project for the new teleportation circle.” Answered the professor standing next to Saelwen. He had a darker skin tone, hazel eyes, and chestnut-colored hair tied up in a neat bun. He was dressed in the typical dark suit worn by professors, with a white shirt underneath.
“Good afternoon.” Colla greeted them as he approached.
“Good afternoon, Colla.” they responded almost in unison.
Artair opened the folder, flipping through pages filled with various designs, spell descriptions, and types of mana infusion.
“And what am I supposed to do with this? I’m not especially skilled in casting spells.” Artair remarked as he closed the folder.
“That’s not the point.” Astram said with typical for him, precisie manner. “We need a reliable source of mana to power it up...”
“Normally, I’d handle it myself, but I’m swamped with festival preparations.” Saelwen sighed. “...and then there’s the situation with Veste...”
"Alright, I’ll figure something out." Artair said, smiling to himself. "We’ll head to Austeria tonight. Sounds good?"
"We...?" Astram asked, taking an instinctive step back.
"I meant Colla and me." Artair replied, weaving through the other professors as he made his way toward the stairs, with Colla following closely behind.
"Yeah... I'm counting on you!" Astram shouted as he walked in the opposite direction.
Saelwen hurried after Artair and Colla, and the trio stepped out into the bustling courtyard filled with people.
"Artair, I know you had to turn back last time because of the storm... but this time, you’ll find Sylleth, right?" She asked, glancing around the courtyard anxiously.
"Don’t worry! You’ll be seeing him by the end of the day." Artair responded quickly, flashing her a reassuring smile.
"Artair... I can tell you're lying." Saelwen sighed, turning toward the group of students working on the effigies. "We'll talk later."
"She is right, you know. You really shouldn't lie like that." Colla added from behind, his tone slightly reproachful.
"And now you're siding against me?" Artair chuckled softly, shaking his head as he continued walking toward the main gate that led into the heart of the city.
"No, I just think we should focus more on our work." The boy replied, trailing behind the professor.
The pair exited the courtyard, passing through the main gate into the bustling city center.
With only a few days left until the festival, the city had come alive more than ever. The air buzzed with the shouts of merchants hawking their wares in the market, children playing in the streets, the rhythmic clang of a blacksmith's hammer, and the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the nearby bakeries.
The streets were alive with vibrant stalls and colorful banners fluttering in the wind, while bright birds soared overhead, carrying baskets full of flowers and letters.
“Wow…” Colla murmured, his voice barely audible as he took in the sight. The decorated streets and the joyful laughter of people left him breathless.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” the professor said, a grin spreading across his face as he approached one of the stalls.
The stall was brimming with exotic fruits, the kind you wouldn’t normally find in this part of the country. Each one looked more intriguing than the last.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
"What can I get for you?" The elderly vendor asked, his voice raspy but warm, as he eyed the professor and Colla.
"What would you recommend?" the professor inquired, inspecting the fruits one by one with a discerning eye.
"Hmmm... How about these here?" The old man pointed to a round, crimson fruit with a slightly wrinkled skin. "Citrus from the Maevrielle Mountains, just 23 copper bits a piece. A rare treat, I promise."
The professor picked up the fruit, its vibrant color contrasting with the duller, more common produce around it. "Interesting... What makes it so special?" He asked, still examining it.
"Ah, it’s the altitude!" The vendor’s eyes lit up with pride. "These fruits grow on the high cliffs, where the air is thin and the sun is strong. Makes them sweeter, with a hint of something... wild. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else."
"They’re really good. You wouldn’t normally find these outside the South." Colla added, handing Artair another piece.
"Really?" Artair took a bite, savoring the flavor as he handed the coins to the old man. "Mmmm... Delicious!" He exclaimed, his face lighting up with delight.
"Didn’t I tell you?" Colla grinned, grabbing a few more of the fruits.
"I’m glad you like them." The old man said, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "These fruits carry the warmth of the southern sun with them. Makes all the difference."
"We've got a bit of time left... want to browse through some more stalls?" Artair asked, finishing off his fruit.
"If you don't mind, I'd love to." Colla replied, strolling down the bustling street.
The professor followed, his eyes scanning the various displays for anything interesting. As they walked, a familiar face caught his attention.
"Ceana!" Artair called out, waving enthusiastically at a brown-haired woman.
"Artair? What are you doing here?" the woman asked as she approached the pair, holding a basket full of purchases.
"Good afternoon." Colla greeted her, as polite as ever.
"Hey, Colla! No need to be so formal, I’m off duty right now." She replied with a warm smile.
"We're supposed to be finding something for Astram, but we figured we'd do a bit of shopping instead." Artair replied with a sheepish grin, leaning casually on his cane.
"Actually, it’s lucky I ran into you." The woman said, her tone shifting slightly. "Do you happen to know where I might find some coffee stalls? Or maybe wine?" She asked, tilting her head with curiosity.
"No, but they’ve got some delicious fruit back there." The professor said, pointing toward the old man’s stall from earlier.
"Damn it..." Ceana muttered, biting her lip in frustration. "Oh well, if you happen to see Saelwen, could you please let her know I’ll be late?" She asked as she sidestepped the pair, continuing down the street.
"Sure thing." Artair replied, resuming his stroll with Colla.
After a short stroll, a group of people caught Colla’s attention. Their attire was bright and colorful, standing out starkly from the other pedestrians. The garments were adorned with various green crystals, shimmering in the sunlight, and they held bird feathers, arranged like fans, in their hands. Their hair was intricately braided, interwoven with vines and grape leaves, adding an earthy elegance to their appearance.
"What's that?" Colla asked, stepping closer, his curiosity piqued.
"Oh! My dear friend, those are dancers dressed in traditional attire." Artair replied with a wide grin. "They'll be performing the Blooming Waltz during the festival."
The dancers moved gracefully along the wooden stage, which was also adorned with grape leaves and flower petals. The crystals on their costumes jingled softly, catching the light as they clinked together with each rhythmic step. The dancers gently waved their feathers around them, creating an almost hypnotic pattern as they twirled and swayed in unison.
The delicate sound of the crystals and the fluid motion of the feathers added an enchanting layer to the performance, making the entire scene feel like a celebration of nature's beauty and the city's vibrant culture.
"Incredible..." Colla thought as he took slow, deliberate steps closer to the stage. Throughout his life, he had witnessed many celebrations, but nothing as beautiful as what he was seeing now. The sight left him utterly speechless and his ears unconsciously began to twitch in time with the melody created by the tinkling crystals.
"Do you like it? Trust me, this is just a taste! When you see the whole ceremony, you’ll be absolutely blown away!" Artair exclaimed with enthusiastic energy, leaning playfully on his cane.
Colla nodded, still mesmerized by the dancers, his gaze locked on them.
"Shall we move on? I’m telling you, there’s so much more to see." Artair suggested, placing a hand on Colla's shoulder.
The boy finally tore his eyes away from the dancers and followed the professor down the street.
"Where to next?" Colla asked, his excitement evident as he eagerly looked around for more intriguing sights.
"I never thought I'd see you this excited!" The professor said cheerfully, grinning widely.
"It’s... no surprise that I liked it." Colla replied, clearly flustered as he looked away.
"Sure, sure." Artair chuckled. "So, how about we find that thing for Astram first, and then we can wander around the marketplace a bit?" The professor suggested, pointing to the road leading toward the city’s main gate.
"You don’t have any classes today?" Colla asked, his gaze wandering over the various stalls around them.
"All the students are busy with festival preparations, so we’ve got the day off!" Artair exclaimed cheerfully.
"Right... I guess we can head out then." Colla replied with a nod.
As they continued down the bustling streets, the sounds of the festival gradually began to fade into the background. The vibrant colors of the market stalls gave way to the muted greens and browns of the city outskirts. The cobblestone paths turned to dirt, and the air grew cooler and crisper, carrying the fresh scent of pine and earth.
Artair and Colla walked in comfortable silence, the lively chatter of the town now replaced by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant calls of forest creatures. The towering trees formed a natural archway, guiding them deeper into the forest. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the path ahead.
"Do you have any ideas yet? Maybe a magical crystal or something?" Colla suggested, his eyes scanning the surroundings for anything of interest.
"We're still too close to the city, there's nothing worth any attention here." Artair replied, lifting his staff. He unscrewed the bottom, revealing a hidden compartment from which he pulled out a magical scroll. Handing it to Colla.
"We're teleporting deeper again?" Colla asked, laying the scroll down on the grass in front of him.
"Yes! Unless you'd prefer a nice long walk." The professor offered with a grin.
"No, thank you..." Colla muttered, focusing as he began to channel his mana into the scroll. The magical circles inscribed on the parchment began to glow brighter with each passing second, until finally, they formed a swirling vortex of mana that expanded outward.
The vortex expanded beneath the heroes' feet, forming shimmering walls of energy around them.
"Reminds me of that wyvern incident!" Artair exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
The walls of energy faded in an instant, leaving them standing in the middle of a dense forest.
"Yeah, I wonder if the council will investigate that further." Colla remarked, rising from his knees.
"I'm sure we'll beat them to it." the professor chuckled sarcastically.
"As I said earlier, please don't lie—" Before Colla could finish lecturing Artair, a thunderous roar echoed in the distance.
"What was that again?" Artair grinned, glancing sideways at Colla.
The roar grew louder, rustling the leaves around them as it reverberated through the forest.
"That... does not sound like a wyvern..." Colla muttered, his ears drooping slightly in fear.
"Whatever it is..." Artair lifted his staff with a grin. "...it sounds like fun!" He shouted, charging recklessly toward the source of the sound.
"W-Wait, please!" Colla called out, quickly shifting into his animal form before sprinting after the professor.
As the two of them drew closer to the source of the noise, the air around them grew noticeably warmer. The once thunderous roars began to fade, gradually replaced by the crackling sound of sparks and fire.
"What the...?!" Colla shouted in disbelief as the now-visible flames began to reach the treetops. Through the thick cloud of smoke, a massive silhouette of a winged beast loomed, its form tethered to the ground by some sort of chains.
"So I was right after all!" Artair exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement as he looked up. "It was the hunters who got them here!"