Syra coughed softly, though Neska likened the sound to a small water fountain. "So uh...do you normally accost others with promises of mad arcane science and hugs?"
"Uh...hugs provide emotional support?" she proposed. "It worked for my witch."
Syra let out a burble of laughter. "For real?"
"Neck cuddles were a thing. She spoiled me a bit by letting me hang out while working on my Awakening. I had a...non-standard situation." She suddenly felt like her scales were chafing; surely this was a normal conversation people had, right?
"Did she have anyone else?"
"No. If she did...she kept them close to the heart." Neska let out a soft sigh. Who was I to you, Risha? A friend? A fellow student or professor? A lover?
...A daughter?
"What about you?"
Neska shook her head. "Death robbed me of a lot of memories. At least it didn't rob me of my intellect." Or my drive to find answers.
"And the first person you befriend is a mouse? A roadside snack?" Syra let out a bubbling snicker. "I have seen a lot of wild things, but a Lamia and a Terramouse as friends? Oh, that's gotta be a personal best."
"Roadside snack," Juni grumbled. "You have mud on your uniform still."
"You put it there," Syra scoffed. "Thank goodness these uniforms are enchanted to be self-cleaning and self-repairing." Indeed, true to her word, Neska noted her sliced sleeve had slowly begun stitching together.
"Oh, getting along already?" Harvine mused ahead of them. Neska heard a faint chuckle from the professor, if brief.
“So, how many students are on campus?” Juni asked, ears tilting in all directions to take in the sounds around them. The day had given way to a late morning sun, and Neska basked in the warmth as they made their way.
She was still sore from the earlier exertion, but in good spirits. Risha, I really, hope I can continue to trust Professor Harvine. This woman might be crazy. But, probably the good kind of crazy.
The professor waved them along. “There are on the order of four thousand, one hundred students, plus professors, assistants, and other support staff; essentially, we are a small city here on the Verdant Plateau.
"Now, I just want to introduce you to this class, give you a feel for it. I still have questions for you, Cassia. As will Professor Serkin." Harvine frowned as she reached for her lapel when it began letting off a soft chime. "Melissa here--oh. Tomorrow, then? But I was..."
She let out a grunt, then smacked the lapel forcibly. "Damn. Serkin will catch up with you two tomorrow. Apparently, he's booked solid. Well, at any rate, Juni, Cassia, do you have leftover Essence points?"
"I do," Juni answered. "Cassia, what about you?"
"Evaluating my options. I've narrowed it down to a few prime candidates," she answered. That itch to pick her new evolutions or witch abilities was driving her crazy–power was meant to be used, and the longer she didn’t get to test them out, the more skill ranks she might not have for a moment that mattered!
She kept her frustrations internal. There would be a time for it. Once she finished evaluating her options and her current ability shortfalls, she would spend those points. She still had training ahead of her, mysteries to solve, and monsters to kill.
Or, just two of them: Marikand and whatever entity directed him.
Harvine directed them toward the large building in the center–the crown jewel of teaching. Most of the students were headed there now, with some arcane warbling distantly, as if there were a schedule. Neska presumed there was, given the conduct from the previous day. A few looked at her with awe, as well as the surprised look at the terra mouse strolling next to her.
“We’re getting looks,” Juni murmured.
“New arrivals do,” Syra answered, enthusiasm slowly creeping into her voice. “Guess how many Awakened there are!”
“You mean, guess how many souls have been scooped up and put into monsters? This sounds like one of those things I’m better off not knowing,” Juni replied, whiskers twitching. Then, she tilted her ears. “Okay, how many?”
“Right now? I think it’s like twenty-five hundred or so at any given time; the rest are humanoid students. Many more are on the frontlines or running special missions for the armies of Valos, Juiksen, and what’s left of Arivol.” Syra’s tone turned surly at the mention of the former empire. “Of course, the other two continents have their own problems; whatever happened in Gravost opened up smaller rifts elsewhere.”
“I’m confused about this. What are these rifts?” Neska asked. “My…mentor mentioned this to an extent, but I don’t remember all the details. I think some of it expired with my prior body.”
“Grim. Referring to your old body like it’s clothing?” Juni asked, one brow raised. “I think each one of us is lucky we got a second shot.”
“True.” Neska straightened her upper body as they approached the doorway, where other Awakened and humanoids filtered into the classes along the hall. Many of the doors were oversized, and the sight of what she swore was a boy with elk horns had to duck to avoid clipping into the frame. “I should wait on the rift question. It sounds...complicated."
Great. Lachmir the Damned really did a bang-up job. He didn't just doom our continent, but the entirety of Galwein. The more she thought of it, the more she needed to dig into the origins of the disaster. And soon.
Harvine directed them to one classroom that looked more like a small assembly hall. Juni brushed by her side closely as she led them in. Neska estimated there might have been…thirty, forty students? All shapes and sizes were represented–from squat, goblinoid creatures sitting in one row of seats, snickering about something, to someone who looked like an elk, silently writing notes. Next to them, a large golem-like creature made of stone and metal motioned for them to be silent. The golem’s shell almost reminded her of the construction of Captain Krevan’s artificial arm.
But are all monsters living creatures? There must be some organic component in there. She turned her gaze to more human-like figures, some sporting scales, some with feathers accenting their face, with wings for arms, and they wrote a note using their clawed feet. She had to applaud the difficulty of that, given her own situation.
Another elemental dozed in a seat made of a dark stone material, its hair the consistency of stone with veins of fire running through it. She noted that everyone else edged away from them, as if they might catch fire–which they probably could.
The worst thing that happens to me when I sleep is that I give Juni big hugs–oh, that’s a weird and discomforting thought. She glanced at the mouse, observing the classroom with wide eyes. Almost everyone seemed to be facing forward toward the professor.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
A professor who was not human.
Neska focused her gaze on the presumptive professor, and her anatomy was all wrong. Her skin was rubbery and had a dull olive tone, with large, darker freckles speckled across her limbs and face. Her hands and feet were webbed, though it seemed to prove no hindrance as she traced a small wand across a plain display board, and words winked into existence. When she turned to face the audience, Neska saw large golden eyes with peculiar pupil shapes, and her neck puffed out slightly with each breath.
Almost like a frog. I ate frogs. Oh, this is so awkward. How many more meals will I never look at the same way again?
She didn’t get to ponder her existential dread, as the professor pounced all the way across the classroom in a single, frog-legged leap. She vaulted into the air and landed neatly in front of them. Juni startled backward, but Neska held firm.
She leaned in, eying Neska. “Oh, new students?”
“Yes.” She felt an aura of power around this woman, a slight tingle that danced across her scales. This woman was easily a Tier above her, or more. “Just arrived.”
“Apologies for the drop-in, Professor Gurigea,” Harvine interjected, her tone cordial and professional now. “I ran a bit behind schedule with their onboarding test. This is Cassia and Juni. I’m introducing them to the core classes and will have their first full day tomorrow.”
Neska felt all the eyes, eyestalks, and other strange gazes fall on her. “Hi.” It felt a little awkward being put on the spot like this. This audience would likely be peers alongside her.
People she would learn beside. Fight beside them, against the monsters—people she would need to build trust with, not just with words, but with actions.
She patted the mouse, who let out a protest. “This is Juni. She’s small but immensely brave. We travelled together, defended a village, and were both almost eaten by a giant serpent on the way in. Uh, is this normally how people open?” she asked Harvine in a feigned naivety.
“No.”
“Oh.” She let out a sigh. “Okay, smaller icebreaker, then. I like witch hats, big hugs, and lots of reading about monsters, alchemy, and runic structures.”
This earned a few chuckles, and one girl swooned. She didn’t quite remember what the word was, but a fuzzy memory told her it was a swoon. “Juni, anything to add?”
“Eh. Spoken well enough.” It surprised her how quickly Juni was willing to lean into it. “Also, I am not the snake’s mobile emergency snack. Throwing it out there.”
This earned a few more laughs, with Harvine sighing contentedly. “They did have some trouble on the road, let’s say, and far beyond the normal threats.”
Gurigea chuckled softly, the sacs on her neck expanding ever so slightly. It almost sounded like a frog croak. Frogs were tasty, if slimy–oh my goodness, friends and professors are not food! Old hunting habits are going to die hard! She would curse at her body for betraying her. For right now, she played it cool.
Nope. She couldn’t. All she could picture in her head was the professor making ribbit sounds, and a slithering chuckle left her snout. She clasped it and turned away, ashamed. “S-Sorry, tiny bit anxious,” she mumbled.
“Oh no, you're good.” There was definitely a tinge of amusement in Gurigea’s voice. “I would be surprised if you weren't. Harvine, is this why you borrowed Syra for the day?”
“Indeed,” she responded. “We just wanted to stop briefly, go over the basics. This will serve as a general studies class. I know some will frown upon it,” she added while giving a glance out the window to the barracks on the other side of the campus. “But I do plan for a day when the Awakened can know a time of peace.”
Gurigea nodded softly. “Bright and early, 10 am tomorrow. I suggest you brush up on the basics of monsters and the history of Arivol; they should be standard texts, if you don't know or remember them already.”
“We will.” Juni gave a polite nod. “Any specifics to focus on, such as the history of Arivol, the state of the capital, the downfall of Lachmir the Damned?”
The teacher sighed, yet wore a contented smile. “Whatever you can brush up on over the day.”
I knew it. Juni, you were a studyholic or an academic before you got turned into a mouse! Neska felt a slight amount of pride for her counterpart. Harvine made an outro before they departed the way they came in.
The next stop was the barracks, where drills were ongoing. Neska studied intently as soldiers in training gear sparred with each other. Some performed incredible acrobatics or shoved away three men ganging up on them in two separate instances. She noted each trainee had a designation on their shoulder–not the ominous shoulder patches of the Seekers. These appeared more pragmatic, such as swords, bows, and mage staffs. Others bore veiled figures or what she presumed were depictions of divine beings.
No. Specifically, the Divine Beasts.
She knew Ouroboros was one of them. Kalasir, the god of discipline, was that of a minotaur with a massive shield and an unbreakable will, if the texts were correct. She wasn't surprised to see that shoulder patch on a stout man who absorbed every blow thrown his way, unmoving. Some sigils she did not recognize, but neither had Risha written nor had books of them all.
But no Ouroboros, none that she could say were obvious. She presumed it would be a snake, or a serpent eating its own tail. It did seem strange, though. If the Divines were associated with the monsters, why did people worship them still?
Wait. Where am I going with this thought? What am I looking for?
The solution came almost instinctively: answers. Ouroboros, if he was real, he was tied to her past and the Title in her interface. He either directed Tanileth, or spawned Tanileth for the possible purpose of finding her. Or others like her. Or maybe he didn't like the idea of any snakes being Awakened and took it personally.
She should keep a lookout for more signs. Or people with a working knowledge of Ouroboros. If he were like the other Beasts, there were likely divine practitioners mixed into the classes out there that bore his domains and powers.
Harvine came to a stop by a small sectioning fence, watching two men attempting to attack a blonde soldier bearing a training sword, who used elegant footwork to keep them at bay. His footsteps seemed unnaturally fast–as if there were nothing to keep him from slipping across the ground.
Neska peered closer, watching his footwork.
Ripples. Ripples across the ground, distorting the grass and dirt underneath his boots. It was a subtle detail, but she saw the shimmer of distortion, and maybe, just a touch or a tingle of mana on her snout as she watched closely. Perception, you’re putting in work today. Wait, Vivi, can Attributes grow without level increases?
Attributes can ‘level’ over long periods of intense usage of them, just like abilities. Currently, I would suggest not to focus on it as levels still come relatively quickly for now. Titles have also significantly upgraded your Attributes.
She filed that interesting factoid away for later. Meanwhile, she watched the blonde soldier feint, then withdraw as both attackers came at him, trying to circle to the flank.
The world blurred around him, and he landed a backhand blow with the blunt of his weapon at the base of one's helmet as he overcommitted, ringing it like a bell. The other tried to take advantage of the distraction, but was met with a face full of weapon hilt, and was sent spinning to the ground. He groaned, holding his head, and Neska saw his nose bloodied. She winced sympathetically. That must have hurt.
“Corvin! C’mon, I haven’t got all day for you to show off!” Harvine scolded, though she made little effort to hide a soft chuckle. The blonde one turned, looking surprised at the arrivals. And he stared in awe at Neska.
“Uh…hi.” She found it strange how he tried to fix his hair on the spot, as if he could cleanse sweat, dirt, and grass from his image in a few seconds. “I mean, hello. I’m Sergeant Corvin, part of the Valos military garrison stationed here in Rivilat Academy. Apologies for the lack of preparation; I didn’t know we had new arrivals.”
He gave her a polite handshake, and Neska noted his hands were distinctly warm and sweaty. He then turned to Juni and knelt to shake her hand at a less awkward level, then stood up. "Syra, good seeing you as well. And you two are?”
“I’m Cassia, and this is Juni. A pleasure to meet you,” She introduced themselves. “Not quite sure why we’re here…Professor Harvine, can you elaborate?”
“All the Awakened typically will rotate training with the garrison. The Awakened don’t technically have a reporting chain of command, but they–along with other students on campus–will receive a thorough course load of practical knowledge and practice drills. This includes defense applications, military tactics, and field training exercises. Sometimes we will have excursions to the frontline or other regions where the Varadur are suspected of advancing,” Harvine answered.
Luckily for me, I don't see any of those murder machine soldiers in red fatigues. But are there any nearby? “I have one question. Are the Seekers stationed here? I haven’t seen any.”
Corvin let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods, no. They are barred from here unless there are exceptional circumstances.” His tone and dark scowl were solid indicators of his disgust with the organization. “I know some people sing praise about them, and they are damn good hunters. But me personally? I believe that those who have fallen once before understand the importance of this fight and the need to win it. To protect that which matters most,” he added solemnly.
Good to know I’m not alone in that disposition. And that Marikand hopefully won’t walk through the front gate. “Will we train with you?”
“Correct. Professor Harvine likely has worked out an early class roster for you, unless I’m being too presumptuous?” Corvin inquired.
The professor nodded. “Yes. Cassia has a rather…unique class requirement.”
He raised a brow at that. “What’s that, exactly?"
“A spot in Ritual and Alchemy classes.” Neska turned to her, nodding softly. “Would you like to preview those next, before your formal start date tomorrow?"
“Absolutely,” both she and Juni answered in unison.
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