NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 8 - New Friends
Gio spent most of the day, barring meals, in the recliner he had claimed in the Owl’s respite. He determined that he didn’t want to burn himself out so early, so he bargained with himself that he must explore the Green Expanse after dinner.
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Within the Manse, Gio was puzzled for the first time, looking out at the doorway beyond him. Whereas all previous doors were uniformly rectangular and very 2D, this door was a spiky half-circle, with a confusing texture of winding grooves. Uncertainly, he stepped forth. The experience of stepping through the odd texture was akin to being wiped down with several old, room-temperature rags covered in oil- but without any of the oil being able to stick to your skin.
Gio emerged from the side of a bizarre sculpture. A grinning sun made of shining silver in the act of devouring a golden moon. If I’m not overthinking this, is this statue political commentary of some sort? Maybe I’m too far removed from the social scene here to get it.
Looking around, students were coming and going through various other pieces of textured metal, in a high volume of traffic. Laughter and boisterous voices were numerous throughout the area. It’s a giant playground full of mages with nothing to do for the day while they wait for classes to start. It looks like this is largely where the rest of the first-year student body has been hanging out. There are other classes, right? I wonder if we’re being… quarantined?
Gio stepped onto a path made of glassy green stepping stones. The path traveled through a sea of bright green grasses, and off into branching paths. In the distance, Gio could see a shaded meadow, filled with vibrant flowers and picturesque sunbeams peaking through the canopy.
Several students in this area could be seen frolicking while others played instruments nearby. Another path led to a babbling brook, with crystal clear water and high reeds. Several wide-brimmed hats and fishing poles dotted a bridge overlooking a small pond. Gio’s eyes were drawn to the crest of a rather large windswept hill, where some people were sparring.
Bounding into the sky on flaming wings, a young man with a shining spear ascended quickly. A small crowd of cheering bodies ran below, chasing him off. The figure stopped in midair, surveying the landscape below. The man’s eyes flickered with white sun flares, as his black hair twinkled with ephemeral stars.
The spear in the man’s hands blinked out of existence, and his leftwing began shedding flaming feathers as he lost his balance, plummeting to the ground. A chorus of screams could be heard as Gio watched the figure drop three stories in a moment. Putting out his hands and summoning a warcry, the student managed to recover at the last moment, swooping past Gio and off over the meadow, laughing as he went by.
And to think I was concerned with working too hard. One of my classmates can fly already. I won't let this negatively affect my self-image… probably. Others elsewhere struggled with various acts of magic. One student blasted herself in the face with an out-of-control stream of water from the pond, and another student succeeded in making only his shirt, the skin on his face, and his eyes invisible, earning a scream from his companions. Walking towards the meadow, Gio saw the same girl he had noticed in the waiting room yesterday, working on an embroidery hoop, underneath a flowering tree. Gio was walking in her direction, as the boy from earlier emerged from the meadow, and they began talking, drawing a crowd. The conversation didn’t seem very amicable, from the way the young woman wordlessly picked up her belongings and headed toward the Manse. The black-haired, silver-eyed young man had a frown on his face, returning to the large hill on foot.
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Gio didn’t end up talking to anybody at the green expanse. In part, he was worried that his status as the only student from the Copper Ring he knew of would make him a target for less than favorable attention, but he was also just nervous about meeting new people who were on the same path he was. Resolving himself to meet new people in class, Gio finished his night in his new favorite chair in the Owl’s Respite, having finished several chapters by bedtime.
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After a quick breakfast, Gio arrived to class 15 minutes early. The lecture hall was not as luxurious as his favorite recliner in the library, but the half-circle room was certainly not uncomfortable. The room was relatively plain; with a teacher’s podium, a large glassy black surface adorning the wall, and the rows of conical tiered seating. Gio was far from the first to arrive. In the center of the front row, the flying boy was surrounded by other students, chatting amicably with each other. The young man made quick eye contact with Gio, issuing him a diplomatic nod as he turned back to his conversation partners.
Conversely, far to the right of the room and a few rows back was the young woman with the needlepoint. The young woman wore an immaculate silken hooded robe, patterned in hues of gold and green. Deftly working a spiraling design into the hoop in her lap, her hands were covered in geometric red pigments, complementing her golden rings and many bangles. In her long, glossy black hair she wore a piece of golden jewellery, with a glistening red gem in the center of it just between her eyebrows. Gio noted that the space surrounding the young woman was conspicuously empty, as if the other students had cordoned her off. Walking up to the young woman, Gio politely asked; “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
Chandrika Chakraverti
Chandrika’s hands worked as they always did. Her Mother’s craft, her Grandmother’s craft, and the craft of many generations of Chakraverti sages were woven deep into the proud fibers of her soul. She had celebrated this day, in her way.
On one hand, her attendance at the Crystal Ring Academy was commanded by her Queen Mother. She wore the yoke of diplomacy, chained to her back as it were. She longed for the silken embrace of her grandmother’s Grand Loom of Bangla. Ever since she was shipped off to the Ringed City, she visited the tower of the spindle in her dreams, envisioning herself flying through the sky to weave among her sisters, instead of being condescended to by the self-proud children of the nobility here.
I must not forget my manners. I am not a political prisoner, but a humble student. These people have done me no harm, and though they may be unkind, it is my duty as a representative of Ujjbala-Sūrya to be gentle.
But on the other hand, she was truly excited to be a student here, on some level. She had her sisters mark her hands and feet with the Red Atla, to pay respect to the women who had walked before her. She wore her best Tussar Silk Saree to show that she was taking this seriously. She had even worn her Tikli on her head to show that she maintained an open mind, and valued her connection to the spirits. [Sage] activated, letting her know that something auspicious was about to happen.
Sage has been somewhat jumpy these past two days. I feel like every time someone looks my way, the threads of fate shift slightly in this school. I am patient. I am kind. I am understa-
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” Said a tall, silver-haired boy. Chandrika fought with her instincts, feeling defensive after yesterday’s events. She forced herself to smile. “No. Please, take a seat.” She said. She could always move if he started bothering her. “Your embroidery is stunning.” the boy said.
He is either too proud to care about the opinions of the other students, or too stupid to notice that I am clearly being avoided. I wonder which one it is? Or perhaps he is some trader’s son here to try and make business connections. Lovely.
“Thank you for your kind words,” Chandrika said, schooling her voice. Based on the ill-concealed grimace behind the boy’s gentle expression, Chandrika didn’t do a passable job of hiding her defensiveness. She internally shared the grimace of the boy, dreading the awkward small talk. Thankfully, the boy didn’t press her to continue talking. The two sat in somewhat companionable, if not tense, silence for several moments. Chandrika’s highly trained mana sense detected the boy doing some internal mana-shaping exercises. His technique was absurdly clean, and he must have been very practiced, judging by how he was doing full circulation as a nervous tick.
I need to stop assuming that everyone here is out for blood. I am patient. I am kind. I am understanding.
“My name is Chandrika Chakraverti. I hail from the proud nation of Ujjbala-Sūrya. What is your name?” Chandrika offered, taking the initiative for the first time. “My name is Giorgio deGloria! Nice to meet you.” The boy returned, offering his hand. Chandrika shook his hand, internally treading over her grandmother’s treatise on the odd tradition. She gripped forcefully, and looked into Giorgio’s eyes, being dominant as her grandmother would. “I see. It is nice to meet you as well, Giorgio deGloria,” she stated. She was glad that her sisters used staying pigments for her Atla, as the ceremonial pigments would likely not survive handshake culture. “Oh, uh you can call me Gio.” the boy said, rubbing the back of his head. “Gio. very well, you may call me Rika.” Chandrika replied, returning to her needlework. Odd to be on a nickname basis after one conversation, but that’s the city of rings, I suppose. I think I should likely ask him something about himself. Why have I suddenly forgotten how to be a human? How unlike a sage to be floundering at schoolhouse friendships like this.
“What part of the Ringed City are you from?” Rika asked. She noticed several eyes peeking over towards their conversation at her question. The boy tensed up for a moment but recovered quickly. Something in his eyes seemed to firm himself, and she felt her mana sense acknowledge a pulse in his mana circulation. “I am from the Copper Ring.” He said, eyes searching Chanrika’s face for something. Chandrika perked up at this, stopping her needlework.
Not a merchant’s son indeed! “Interesting! I haven’t met anyone from the Copper ring yet!” Chandrika gushed.”Is it true that there’s a whole sector devoted to processing dungeon fibers into linens?” “O-oh, yes there is. The Fiber mill is where my Aunt Dola works, she’s a pretty powerful [Seamstress of the Weave], apparently dungeon fibers provide some interesting challenges. She’s taught me and my cousin Hatra a bit about embroidery and sewing, but I never took to it.” The tension on Gio seemed to lessen slightly, as the two of them shifted into having a more normal conversation about their interests. Chandrika wanted to try some of the interesting foods that Gio was talking about from his days as a chef.
Before they got too far into their conversation, a loud clap resounded from the front of the room, startling everyone, as a tall man with a slicked-back white ponytail and a sharp-looking black vest and ruffled shirt combination stood up from a desk behind the podium. [Sage] let Chandrika know in no uncertain terms that the man had been using a concealment spell, and had been there the whole time, watching the students. As soon as he became visible, whatever magic or technique he was using to prevent her divination skill from functioning had been canceled, allowing minutes' worth of information to slam into her consciousness. She instantly felt a headache begin to form in the middle of her forehead. Thank you, to the oh-so-valuable legacy skill of my ancestors, for letting me know something I wish I didn’t.
“The time is now 7:05. If you are not seated, you are late.” the man announced. A ghostly skeletal claw slammed the door shut. “You may notice that there are two students who have decided to start the semester by reaffirming that they value their time more than they value mine. Don’t be like them. I’ll send my two new friends a lovely written demerit later to inform them of what they missed today. Onto other business. Giorgio deGloria, please step forward to the front of the class.” the man commanded. Gio looked almost as surprised as Chandrika was, and her eyes were glued to her new friend as he carefully, yet quickly, stepped up to the podium.
“Mister deGloria, you don’t have your books with you. If you would be so kind, please demonstrate where it is that your books are to the rest of your peers” the professor said.
Waving a hand, The professor conjured a large mahogany table out of thin air, in a burst of smoky white wisps. Chandrika caught the barest scent of jasmine and myrrh from the wisps.
Gio looked around nervously but faced the table. Chandrika watched, awestruck, as Gio produced a neatly stacked pile of books from thin air on command. Not an idiot.
Gio
Gio’s heart was racing. I’m not being punished for asking for my books early, right? Why hasn’t he said anything, he’s just looking at the room…
Putting his hand on Gio’s shoulder, the professor let out a hearty belly laugh. “Imagine my surprise, putting together a lesson plan for today at the last minute, when I get contacted by a notoriously petty high knowledge elemental, which is a subset of notoriously petty spirits already, to ask if I would allow one of my students to receive his course materials a day early. To which I replied: “Damn right he can get his textbooks. If he can learn how to store them before class tomorrow, I’ll give him a commendation!” and I am a man of my word!” The professor yelled. “Let this be a spectacular lesson to the rest of you that there’s always someone willing to put in the extra effort, even if you aren’t. Giorgio, you may have a seat. Please see me after class so we may discuss your reward. Take your books with you.”
Turning to the board, the man with the ponytail clapped again, and two ghastly apparitions appeared, spreading a silky white banner that read “Welcome Students” in a neat script across the front podium. “Welcome! I am Professor Alexander Anaximenes. You may call me Professor A, Professor Alex, or Professor Anaximenes, but I will correct your pronunciation if you shoot for the A word and miss the mark. I have learned all of your names already, and there are 257 of you. Which brings me to my next point! My time is valuable. If I could split my attention between all of you, I would! As your guidance professor, it’s my job to try, but, inevitably, I will not be able to meet all of your needs all of the time. There are members of the faculty who can be in multiple places at the same time, such as a certain blonde chef who could kill us all without blinking. The closest I can come to such a thing is by employing my friends here, who are called psychopomps by the way, but we will get to my magic at a later date.”
The man motioned to the two grinning horrors next to him. Each one was a bleached white looking skeleton, with downy white wings that spread outwards in an angelic way. They had canine-like skulls that had white and golden motes of light in the place of eyes. The man thrust his hands forward to the psychopomps, hands covered in wispy white and gold magic. The two apparitions melded into a bony white scythe with an imposing black jagged edge. With a lazy flick, Professor A sliced the banner into ribbons without damaging the podium, and the magic evaporated, eliciting cheers from the room.
“Back to the point I'm making, Giorgio here-” he motioned to Gio. “has already completed the lesson I have planned for the room today as part of your syllabus. The rest of us will be spending today catching up, but where does that leave Giorgio? You see, the Crystal Ring Academy is host to an asymmetrical learning style. We are all free to lag or excel at our own pace, but as an organization, we need to look out for our highest performers. Giorgio here- Do you go by Giorgio?” “Gio is fine sir.” “-Gio here will be helping me teach today’s class, and because he is helping me save some of my time by teaching you all, I am going to be spending some of my time tutoring him separately. That’s how this-” he motioned in a sweeping motion around the room. “All works. If you help me, I can help you. This is going to be a recurring concept, so ensure that you are all looking out for each other when possible to ensure that we can succeed as a class.”
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The rest of the class was spent with Professor A summoning a stack of books on each desk, and explaining the basic theory behind the storage that Gio had learned, with Gio and Professor A making laps around the room to help each student. Professor A handed each student a copy of the class syllabus and explained a few details about some features of the course- namely that, while he would be the classes’ only professor for a few weeks, they would shift to being able to attend specialized lectures after a short introductory period.
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“What I usually do is circulate my mana and-” “What do you mean you circulate your mana?” the student asked Gio. Gio blinked at the student. “Oh, it’s a mana-shaping exercise where you-” “Mana-shaping exercise? What does that have to do with this?” the student scoffed. Gio fought to try not to be rude to the student. “It has everything to do with what you are failing to accomplish, mister Robichard.” Professor A interjected. “Gio, please go help mister Castallane at the front. I’ll attempt to remedy this misunderstanding.” Looking over to the front of the class, Gio saw the boy who had the flaming wings the day prior, hand extended over his books, focusing intently.
“Hello, I’m Gio, you were awesome yesterday at the Green Expanse.” Gio offered, walking over to the other student. “Thanks, I’m Jean. You really figured this out on your own yesterday?” Jean returned with a focused smile. Gio looked at Jean, noticing his defined shoulders and striking silver eyes. Nobility, talented, handsome and nice? Life isn’t fair.
“It took me a while. How familiar are you with the layout of your room?” Gio asked.
“Admittedly, I’ve spent most of the past day and a half in the field, trying to get my family’s signature spell down. I’ve been waiting for so long to get the class unlocked that I had to get flying as soon as possible, you know?” Jean contemplated.
Gio thought for a moment. “Well, then maybe you should try imagining what your pillow felt like. It might sound silly, but the thing that made the technique click for me was remembering the weird gel marker on my desk. I spent a long time trying to figure out what it was, so imagining it next to where I wanted my books to go helped. And once you get it down the first time, it gets a lot easier after that.”
With Gio’s advice, Jean was the first in the class to manage to store his books, followed by Chandrika.