A Change in Scenery

[Ladd Russo of the Russo Family]

Kuzuku thought nothing of the rope. Mistakes were easily made, and it was even somewhat impressed on how hard Kyr worked to compensate for its perceived failing. A willingness to accept mistakes and the spirit to burn them away were the ideal traits of a student, and not often found. And even then, a boat was a strange thing. Though it understand the general theory of floating, it could not get over how chancey the vehicles were. Just a split log or a fierce wave, and one was left to the mercy of the water. At least a Yensa would come back to save its rider.

The teacher executed another unnatural nod, this time some of its face becoming briefly visible. The face was a pale thing with the likeness of a skull, no skin and separated almost like a close helmet. Those deep red eyes gazed out under the pale bone-like substance, lost in the blackness between the two plates of it, and the shadowed crack continued down where the human nose would be before separating again to form the frowning mouth and jaw parts. The cowl then hid it in shadow once again.

"Yes," it said. "You must choose your classes, all. You have Magic, Weaponry, Beastry, and Master. This is true. You choose the other classes. Decide between Music, Potionry, and History. Decide between Holy, Flare, and Summoning. Decide between Dragoon, Samurai, and Thievery. Decide between Survival and Puppetmaster." Kuzuku realized this was a lot to take in, so it spoke slowly and clearly, making sure that Kyr understood.

[Kyr Asaq]

Kyr listened to all of his choices intently while his rowing slowed down to a more consistent pace. All of these choices would impact his future once he had graduated from the school, and so each choice had to be carefully calculated.

The first three: Music, History, and Potionry. Kyr understood that this was a Magic School, and so it would probably be best if he chose a magic class. History could be taught around a campfire through the mouths of weary travelers. Music was something that could be taught through the caravan by an experienced hand during a slow point in the shipping season. Potionry, however, was different. Many of the apothecaries often charged fees for apprenticeship in the cities, and that apprenticeship would take up valuable time that could be used in moving goods. His choice for the first was obvious: "Potionry."

The next three were not so easy to choose between as the previous trio were. Summoning was very straightforward. Holy, he assumed, was going to be some sort of light magic instruction, whereas Flare would have to be on the opposite end of the spectrum: dark magic. From what he had learned on his travels toward the school, their names did not imply any alignment of good or evil. Usually light magic had to do with healing and defensive magic, whereas dark magic was used in a more offensive manner. In the tribe, each woman was taught how to heal with the scarce herbs and items of the desert. Healing was an element well handled. However, he knew that many Asaq men were rusty in their battling abilities, and it never hurt to have a stronger warrior and protector. Summoning, he had no interest in pursuing, for what reason, Kyr did not know. It did not seem to agree with him, and so he felt that he had debated enough to make an informed decision: "Flare."

The next three had a particular choice that appealed to Kyr. He heard the word dragoon, and remembered the grand spectacles of dragons flying in the air with their riders in the Eastern Empires. While on the majestic beasts, the riders possessed a deified air that stripped them of worldly constraints, and Kyr longed for the same feeling of unrestrained, uncompromising freedom from the problems on the ground. Theivery: already taught to him to be an immoral act that strips a man's honor as surely as his conscience is guilted. That option was quickly dismissed. Then, Kyr was left with Samurai. He had no idea what Samurai was, but he assumed it probably reinforced some miscellanous skill. Nevertheless, his mind had been made up as soon as he had heard the first option: "Dragoon."

Finally, Kyr was left with his final two decisions: Puppetmaster and Survival. His mind quickly grabbed onto the familar concept of survival and pushed away the foreign idea of Puppetmaster with animalistic-speed in the speed his instincts reacted. "Survival."

"My classes will be Potionry, Flare, Dragoon, and Survival, Kuzuku," he repeated, so the Teacher could correctly remember them.

[Señor Sunday Friday]

"Kuzukuzuku..." the imps chimed, then pausing, looking towards Kyar, "Marvin." they decided, looking him over with a satisfied nod, the boat continuing on at a steady pace. "Maaaaarvin." the sounded off in glee, "Marvin." they pointed to Kyr, "Kuzukuzuku" and the pointed to the Kuzuku thing, "And-" the sat there in silence, pointing to themselves with broad smiles. Calling themselves nothing and definining themselves as nothing, though quite certainly they were indeed something, for everything was something and not some strange paradoxial existance of everything in an undefinable nothing.

"And Twilight Moon, yes?" they asked, looking out over the water towards the direction their heading was set to, peering out into the mist in excitement over the sight of the massive school complex who's spires would be looming in the distance at any moment in the drawing future, like giants looking down through the fog.

[Ladd Russo of the Russo Family]

The Master Teacher took note of the choices. They did not reveal overmuch of Kyr. Potionry could indicate an interest in anything from poison to curiosity. Flare could mean he was a practicer of dark, evil magics, or simply was interested in a more offensive defense. Dragoon and Survival never said much anyway.

It saw the lights of ten thousand candles stain the fog before them, making it glow a faintly yellow white when behind them was just a misty gray. The windows of the school, even from here, appeared to be an army of welcoming lanterns above the swells.

"Why did you come here?" Kuzuku asked Kyr, not bothering the correct the deeply magical young things. Their naming was close enough, and few even bothered with its name at all. They had correctly identified the academy that seemed to be growing ever larger. Like a mountain range, it took up the entire shrouded horizen before them. Kuzuku had questioned its student not only from personal wondering. If it knew, it would be able to better teach Kyr.

[Kyr Asaq]

'Marvin?' Kyr thought to himself in disbelief. He could understand something mistaking his name and said something like Syr or Kyt or even Syt, but Marvin was certainly a step in a new, strange direction. Refusal to call himself Marvin was painted over his face as he looked at the two imps. "My name is Kyr--" he cut himself off. He could attempt to straighten out this mix up and waste years of his life before he would make any headroom with the mentally ill imps. That, and who's to say if he didn't follow their insane game that the next organs they serve up to a student would not be his own? "Never mind," he acquiesced with a sigh.

With the teacher's spoken (albeit hissed and clicked) words, Kyr's one track mind focused intently on each syllable. At first, the question had taken Kyr by surprise. He had supposed he had come here because he was the only Asaq tribesman in history to have developed a magical ability. So, like any other family, the tribe had saved up enough money in order for him to go to the illustrious Twilight Moon Academy and further enhance the art of controlling the sand. And of course, Kyr did not want to let the tribe down, so he was here, learning how to manipulate the earth and its sand.

But there was something else.

There was a feeling deep inside that that cause was not his only reason for coming to Twilight Moon Academy. There was some other emotion buried beneath the rest, one that he could not put his hands on. And so, he let it go as nonchalantly and mysteriously as it had arrived in his conscience.

"I'm here to further my magical abilities, the only ones in Asaq history," Kyr said plainly to Kuzuku as they neared the behemoth school that had been shrouded in the mist.

[Señor Sunday Friday]

The imps nodded, though it seemed they were shrinking, either that or dissapearing in layers, coming into new colors like jawbreakers as they focused were presumably leaving for some other location, “Bye Marvin! Bye Kuzukuzukuzuku!” they squealed with delight till they were gone altogether, disappeared from where they once were and off to bother some other unfortunate being in the Twilight Moon grounds, whatever it was that had brought them here was a mystery but it seemed like they had decided they liked it enough to stay for quite some time, no real intent to leave in the near future. Twilight Moon Academy had become their world and they were very pleased with that.

[Ladd Russo of the Russo Family]

Kuzuku directed its gaze to the imps, and their shrinkery. When they at last disappeared, the boat made a soft 'pluh' as its bottom met wet, silky sand, refusing to be rowed further. The teacher very gladly hopped out of the boat, making a splash as it landed into the shallow but turgid lake water.

"I am happy they left," it said, some emotion loosening its words. Perhaps relief? "I had fear, though they were young things." But Kyr's words had troubled it, though it could not voice the problem just yet.

On this side, however, the lake was the only dismal thing, unless Kyr's teacher counted. The school itself was magnificent, as was the lush green turf leading up to it, dewy in the wet air, and as was the white sand, much purer here than the gray stuff of the other side. Finally, the teacher spoke.

"...They rejected you?" it asked quietly, an odd ululation to the clicking part of its speech, almost like an echo, the equivalent to sorrow in its voice.

[Kyr Asaq]

Kyr sighed as the imps faded out of reality and left his presence. He followed his teacher's suit by grabbing his items, slinging the two bags over his back, and jumping out of the boat. He landed in the shallow water with a 'plop' and sloshed his way up to the dry grass.

The school was a majestic sight. The thousands of candles cut through the darkness like thousands of miniature knives. Even through the haze, Kyr could still see the entire school as it seemed to pierce the sky. The bricks and stones were worn just enough to give the place a dignified look, like gray hairs on a man. He had imagined a much more modest place, but the august academy would do just fine. It seemed like crossing the lake not only brought Kyr to a new place, but also into another world where the grass was green, and (hopefully) the sandstorms were scarce.

Kyr could do nothing but agree that he was happy the strange imps left. A smirk brewed across his face as he mentally agreed with his teacher, hoping that a slight smile might be more than enough of a response.

...They rejected you? The question rang through his head. No, of course they didn't reject him, he had been the child to end the cycle of the magic-less clan. He was the one who survived an arrowhead's snake bite and returned to the camp to tell the story. He was the first born of his family. The tribe couldn't have rejected him, could they? Regardless, Kyr's expression drastically reversed to more of an annoyed look. "Is there anything else we need to do?" he asked with a vexed tone as he uneasily shifted around the bags of sand and key items on his back.

[Ladd Russo of the Russo Family]

Now moving again in the soft sand, Kuzuku realized it had said something offensive. Red eyes flashed their gaze to the ground, glow oddly muted. Was it wrong? Was that why the student Kyr had gained upset? From what it knew of Kyr's personality, this was unlikely. No, Kyr had anger because it was right, most likely. Kuzuku felt regret in its mind. Correct or no, memories of that were not friends.

"I have dislike for betraying your expectations of me and will accept punishment," Kuzuku said, now very soft. It said it in a very precise tone, as if the long sentence were a common formula. It then remembered that this language had a much shorter phrase for the sentiment, and one Kyr would more readily recognize. "I am sorry."

The teacher found a brown velvet pouch and offered it, still not making eye contact. An orb and Kyr's schedule rested within it.

"If you are in a fight, the orb will give you help, some."




***Kyr received schedule***
Where and when...
1: Magic
2: Weaponry
3: Beastry
4: Masters
5: Break
6: Potionry
7: Flare
8: Dragoon
9: Survival

***Kyr received Desert Orb***
It looks like there's a sandstorm inside, and it's warm to the touch...
This orb can summon up a Lydisn Ryi, known as the Cactus Cat to the uneducated. This familiar has the shape of a feline, but its 'fur' is really thousands and thousands of fine, needle-like spines, which it can puff out at will. While those it accepts can touch and pet it without harm, all others will find it as pleasant as petting a cactus, thus its namesake. The Lydisn Ryi will protect the owner of its orb in battle, being speedy and agile in combat.
Warning: Summoning can be tiring. Beginners should not attempt to summon without at least one practice, or the following exhaustion may lead to the loss of a fight.