Ikrei P.O.V.
I settled into my assigned seat of the classroom. Beautifully carved wood furniture with beast skin cushions. Staggered, step by step design with rows of four on each side, twenty-four seats in total. I was seating on the bottom left corner, three steps down.
“Hello, I am Puri.” A gentle looking slightly chubby face sat next to me. We saw each other on the night of the gathering.
“Ikrei, nice to meet you.” We had a friendly handshake.
I had decided to come early to avoid feeling dizzy from crossing the protective wards that gave access to the room by the time the class began. Puri was looking a little lethargic.
“You’ll get used to it. Until then, come early like me, the effect will wear off in about ten minutes.” I gave him a friendly suggestion.
“Say Ikrei, why is everybody around here using names with the letter k?” Small talk, quite sociable.
“Kotar, the Kotari. You’ll see plenty of that in the kingdom too. Like Ikrei, right?” By the look in his eyes, he seemed to realize something.
“So Puri, what do you do?” Small talk courtesy, he asked first, I did likewise.
“Son of a shoemaker, I learned my father’s trade. He took me to Orgis, he invested a hefty sum for it.”
“Oh. You awakened at Orgis? What’s it like?” This was getting interesting.
“Not quite, I only got memories from some of my previous lives. Somehow, I found myself here by invitation of the Andurin. My father would not let the opportunity pass.” He gave me a wry smile.
“Guess that explains why you are sitting next to me.” I returned the sentiment.
Steps were heard around us. The rest of the class arrived. Krigsain and Ciel nooded in my direction. Iru waived his hand, a couple of girls glanced our way. The Dogran guy from the empire was here too, he was too eye catching to miss. Everyone sat in their corresponding places.
By the time I turned around, Lord Sarkan, the long haired blond elder was at the podium. He looked no older than fifty.
“These guys do look good for centurions, don’t they?”
“Hello fellow Sachears. I’ll be your teacher for this special class.”
Everyone nodded, waiting for him to speak.
“We will discuss important and extremely sensitive information that must not be shared with others outside of your masters and the people in this room.” He pointed also to the Kotari guarding the magic warded entrance.
“Let’s get the essentials out of the way first. You are in the middle of the continent of Turgan. As many of you know, this is the territory of the Zunar kingdom led by Queen Abrila. Although we get plenty of latitude, we your leadership, expect you to respect Zunar law.”
He was looking around earnestly.
“Through alliances and astute political and warlike maneuvering, they have created a fruitful kingdom from a warn torn area of the past eras. We control the mines near and within the continental range and have trade agreements with the forces here. To the east is Wanei, the trading zone controlled by the eastern kingdoms and the cultivators. To the west, the other side of the mountain range, the Magi Association. This place is filled with many remnants of the ancient conflicts; they will be very useful for your training. We are guests here, behave accordingly. Understood?”
It didn’t need to be said, everyone agreed naturally.
“There are representatives of all kingdoms, powers and all faiths here bar one.”
“The cursed sons of Malgrun, we threw them out!” A male voice enthusiastically said from behind.
Stolen novel; please report.
The comment brought forth the laughter of some in the class.
“Officially yes, they are still running around like rats. One of the reasons you are all here. Some of you are going out on a hunt as part of your training.”
The elder’s words made some of the audience exited. I could feel some of the awakened energy flowing around me, faintly.
“Now a little overview of the Andurin internal hierarchy. You are Sachears, the lowest rank and pupils in training. Above you are the Kotari, your brothers and sisters that have been officially recognized as part of the enclave. Leading them are the Lords, the executive arm of the Andurin. We direct many aspects divided according to necessity like Alchemy, Healing, Forgemastering, etc. There are fourteen of us, currently. Then there is the Elder Council, the group in charge of making key decisions that pertain to all of us and designate all other positions. Then there are two, the Patriarch, our leader and the Archsage, his right hand. The Patriarch leads the council and the Archsage leads his own group, the sages. Finally, our warmasters and leaders in the frontline, the Claimere.”
“I am Lord Sarkan, I represent the will of the sages. You may address me as Lord or Sage Sarkan from now on.”
With a small gesture a couple of Kotari with their cloaks began placing small metallic boxes in front of all of us who were seated.
“We have taken everything we could into account in preparation for your training. This is the period of final assessment. Please open your boxes.”
I did as I was told, I opened the shiny little box. A folded piece of papyrus and a temporal space ring. A temporal space ring is expensive; it depends on the materials, the maker and the capacity but even a small one costs a fortune, no less than one thousand Ucra. I unfolded the papyrus it read – Puri Horgton, Kuyun Sera –.
I looked over and Puri showed me his papyrus as well, it had my name on it.
“We gave you artifacts evaluating your immediate individual needs, do try not to lose them. The names on the parchment are your selected training partners and the Kotari in charge of both of you for the next days, they will have the details for you all. Please follow the assigned Kotari that will lead you to your new individual lodgings once you step out of this room. You start immediately. We will reconvene here in eleven days. Dismissed.”
“By your order.” The class respectfully responded.
The class began dispersing. I searched for Iru before he had the chance to head out.
“Who you got bookie?” I asked.
“I got sister Kletay, over there.” She was holding a couple of books, impressive assets.
‘No awakened is average physically. At least not any that are considered promising elite. Surely, the blessing of the gods, it must be. I need to see a picture of my former self when I get the chance!’
“I guess the leadership does know what they are doing after all.” I reflected.
We decided to quickly head out after I introduced Puri to Iru. Ciel joined our little lot, she was all smiles.
“That’s strange, she doesn’t have that kind of reaction easily.”
“What happened?” Iru whispered in her ear.
She just pointed where Krigsain was standing. He was literally frozen in place; he was staring at the Dogran guy. In return, the Dogran guy was likewise staring at him.
“That’s Krigs new training mate, my boys.” She was on the verge of laughing.
I instinctively signaled Puri.
“We better leave, we are going to be busy.” He just nodded and swiftly tried to make our exit.
“It is going to be fun around here, isn’t it?” Iru patted me on the back as we left the quarreling duo behind.
“Easy for you to say, you don’t have to spar with a possibly very angry prodigy, you know.” I countered.
“It’s alright cookie. We are here.” Ciel finally broke into laughter as we traversed the magical ward.
The laugh sounded like the gurgle from a fearbeast.
‘That’s got to be painful. Note to self-1: Never talk while walking through a rift.’
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“Security seems pretty strict all through the castle.” I commented.
“It wasn’t always like this. Do not share with anyone outside any of your training methods, secrecy can save your lives further on.” Sister Kuyun explained as she guided us through another ward rift.
“Sera is your last name sister?” Puri threw out a question.
“Yes and no. Sera is a name of one of my previous lives. The Andurin take their names according to their own desires. A representation of the current amalgamation of the self, most of the time. If you are born under the lineage of a great Andurin family that changes things a bit of course.” She patiently detailed.
“That’s a mouthful. Everything here is so complicated.” Puri worded with considerable puzzlement.
“Going from making shoes to a member of an ancient waring faction will do that to you.”
He gave me the customary raised eyebrow.
In all honesty, I was wondering what type of special training we would be starting things off with. Reaching the end of the corridor, sister Kuyun opened a door and had us sit down on some very comfortable yet simple chairs.
“I’ll be back.” She said.
There was a large table in front of us with plenty of parchments, documents and the like. Some of them had a glint, they seemed magical.
“Those parchments look mightily juicy.” Puri was clearly raptured by them.
Noticing my questioning gaze, he said, “I was a writer and a public scribe in another life too.”
“Here brothers.” Sister Kuyun gave us a couple of instruments.
Sensing my bemused look, she elucidated. “These are ketars, seven string musical instruments that you will learn to play proficiently from this point on. I am also a bard brothers and I’ll be your teacher.”
She sat down next to us in another chair forming a triangle with another ketar in her hands.
“Music lessons? What the fuck!?”