Fantasy Ww: Iuncta Iuvant

[Esme]

After minutes of walking around, Shawnee finally let out a sigh of relief as she stood in front of the door to Post Mortem Communications. She didn't understand the name, but then, she didn't really understand half the names on her scheduled. Modular Transporta Fashions? Like, what was that? With a soft sigh she turned the doorknob and entered a classroom of flickering light.


She glanced at the teacher, and swallowed hard. It was the man who had the deadly chicken. Shooting her eyes away, she took a seat silently on the right side of the classroom, next to a rather grim looking female. Without taking anything out, she sat there, hands folded in her lap, glancing around the room at the lights.

 

[ErisianDialects]

Corbin finally turned, looking at the few students. His face twisted into a sneer behind the makeup as Fear crowed from his spot atop the skull.


"Seriously, this is the quality of students? I really should go retire."


Two completely full sentences from the man, and when he didn't have the complete bass rumble of his one or two word commands, it was still loud enough to match his nearly seven foot frame.


"I am Corbin StClair, welcome to Necromancy. First lesson is correct use of a shovel. Go grab one and meet me outside."


He walked to where they instruments of torture were piled and grabbed one of his own, leaving the students under the baleful eyes of his rooster.

 

[Fus ro dah]

They had to learn how to dig? Nikolas looked across at his classmates briefly before rising from his chair, that rooster gave him the creeps. He kept his gaze on the fowl as he walked over to where the teacher had plucked his own shovel from. He grabbed one from the rack and made his way from the classroom, following Corbin. As cool as his jacket was, this man was somewhat scary. The height and facepaint were probably the main culprits... followed by the rooster.

 

[Esme]

Correct use of a shovel, hmm?


Shawnee grinned, earning an odd look for the student next to her, before she laughed lightly. Standing up, she looped her bag bac over her shoulder and moved towards the shovels. Grabbing one she gripped it hard, setting it against the ground before putting her boot on top of it. Putting it back, she grabbed another, tested it the same way, before shouldering it.


Glancing at the bird, she nodded her head, before heading out the door. Shouldn't this be an interesting class if this was there first lesson.

 

[bettsyboy]

Merideth wasn't alone in gulping and his eyes going wide when he saw the tools of torture Mr StClair showed them. He almost raised a hand to ask if he was serious, and what kind of school this was, but his hand was already up "Umm... Mr StClaire?..." he asked as he stood up and began walking slowly towards the shovels "no offence but isn't Necromancy illegal? because no-one should have that kind of unlimited control over the dead?" he asked as he grabbed a shovel, a long jet-black one with a pointed end and jagged sides. He held the shovel to his chest, his heart beating hard, he clenched the handle so hard the whites of his knuckles showed and his knees began to bend. Now seeing Mr Corbin with a clear head after a good night's sleep, he realized how terrifying this man was.

 

[ErisianDialects]

Corbin was waiting near an area he had spaced out. A hundred strides a side, the four corners had a strange scarecrow in it, each individual one was dressed differently. One was dressed almost identically to him, one was wearing a priest's cassock, a third was wearing a long, flowing dress of many colours. The last was wearing what appeared to be a bear skin.


The teacher was resting his elbow on the shovel, talking to three older students who were each thumping out a heartbeat on a pair of bongos.


"Alright. Buried behind me somewhere is a skull. It has a spirit attached to it. Your task is to find it. If you can, it's an automatic pass for the rest of the year. Might want to watch out for the other surprises I buried, though."


He hadn't buried the skull, but there were more than enough zombies in the field to make up for it to scare the newbies. A lesson that would also answer the question about how much power there is over the dead.


"One hand in the handle, the other on the shaft, you'll want to put your foot down with a lot of pressure. Begin."


Fear would come out after the last straggler, climbing Corbin with awkward hops, standing on his head and crowing.


"You have until the next rooster call."

 

[Kagura]

Pandora pouted slightly, shaking her hair much like a dog would shake off water before nodding curtly at Tim. "Okay!" she saluted him, "and my rooooooom is not pink" but he already poked her belly and moved off down the hall. Pandora still wasn't very pleased, so when she got into her bed she had a hard time getting to sleep.


In fact, when the girl shot awake in the morning, she didn't even remember when she had fallen asleep but she must have if she had just woken up. It was lucky she was free for the first period, but the person she was more worried about now was Tim. So after Pandora got dressed and slipped on her boots, she took off to where she thought the forest was.


"Timmmmm!" she called, realizing that the whole school ground was surrounded in forestry. Spinning around a couple of times, she made an impromptu decision to head west.

 

[Fus ro dah]

This should be... interesting.





Nikolas hefted the shovel into his hands and headed to the east, it felt like the right way to go. He stopped and looked around at the ground, trying to decide where exactly where to dig. A place a few paces ahead seemed good, so he wandered forward and began to dig, wondering just how deep this skull could be.

 

[Esme]

Shawnee tilted her head for a moment, before looking out at the field behind Corbin. So they had to dig up earth, with all it's tiny seedinglings and grass roots and plantlife, and find something underneath it. With a shake of the head, she shouldered her shovel and headed for the scarecrow with the dress on. When she was about five feet from it, she stuck her shovel in the earth and crouched down low.


Spacing her fingers into the grass she tried to get herself into their minds, feel where their roots were going or if they had been disturbed. A few moments later, and a lot of frustration on her part, because grass had far too many voices, she determined that the spot was untouched outside of her shovel. Moving down towards another scarecrow, she repeated her process. Oh how she loathed the chittering.

 

[ErisianDialects]

Tim had spent the night in the forest. Of course he'd mostly ignored the rules, he was more comfortable outdoors sometimes, especially after so long being locked up. He'd set a couple of snares made from woven threads, which he'd set near what looked to be rabbit warrens. He'd gotten a small fire started, for light, and had spent a few hours making a decent sized stick into a serviceable short staff. It was almost the size of a walking stick. It was obvious, of course, that the school didn't want him, that the headmaster was afraid of him. Today he was going to make himself a bow and a few arrows, just in case, if he could find the right woods. He didn't regret the night in the slightest, but he was missing his chest.


He needed more of his tools. Of course he was planning a raid of the school for some better building materials as well.


~~~~~~~~~~


Corbin would smile as the students started to dig. About three feet down were the first of the landmines. He could feel the energy below Nikolas, and while Shawnee seemed to be going from spot to spot, she would find that it seemed there was something packed in below almost the entire surface of this training exercise.


He flashed a smile, moving into the area, the older students beating their rhythm in a continuous beat, almost like a heartbeat. When he entered there was a surge of energy under the ground. He walked to Nikolas, standing in front of him, one hand gripping the handle of his shovel, the other wrapping around the shaft.


"Like this, Boy."


He would smile and shove the shovel in, his foot pushing it in deeper, then overturning a large chunk of the ground. Apparently he was serious about the first lesson.

 

[Fus ro dah]

"Oh, uh thanks."


He wasn't aware that he wasn't digging correctly... then again he didn't know there was a correct way to dig. Nikolas had always assumed it was just, shovel in the ground, pick up the dirt, toss it aside. Well, he paid attention nonetheless and followed suit, digging the blade of the shovel deeper into the ground than he had been before and overturning a larger chunk of earth. Content that this would get him to whatever was below the ground faster, he continued to dig.

 

[Kagura]

The western forest was giving Pandora the creeps- despite the early morning light, the forest was very dark. There were some very strange noises in the background, and she wasn't sure what sort of animals made them. It would all be fine, she had to remind herself. The only thing she was looking for in the forest was Tim.


"Tim?" her voice is more quiet now, a shaky breath as she breaks the foliage and she continues through the creepy forest. The foreboding feeling gets to her, and she draws her wand in preparation for whatever might pop up.

 

[Esme]

As her head flooded with voices, Shawnee noticed a change. Though they were there, they were quieter, whispers almost. Most importantly, all were whispering about it. But the it was too big for what they were looking for it seemed, it disturbed too many. But what was it? With a set brow, she stood back up. Forcing her shovel out of the earth, she set the tip to where her hand at been. Alright, Stien, let's see what's underneath.


Gripping it, she stomped her boot against it, sinking it low into the earth. Using her weight as a lever, she started to disturb the ground one shovelful at a time.


--------------------------------------------------------


The question of the name brought the knight's head to a turn. A child was getting close to the danger zone. With stiff legs, the statue moved himself from his pedestal and walked quietly. When she was in his view, he aligned himself with her path of movement and went still. Rarely did they react well to a massive man of pure stone coming out of no where at them.

 

[ErisianDialects]

Tim had gone south, deciding it was a better way. No reason behind it, just that when he had stomped out, it felt more right than any other direction. Not safer, but stronger. More of a challenge for what he needed. It called to him, a siren sound. So it was where he went. He was happier there than in the main school, and honestly, he didn't feel he was missing much. He put out the fire with soil, moving through the brush to check his snares. No food as of yet, but then, he didn't expect it really.


He moved through the forest, his hands on his staff, working on getting himself back into at least competency with it, old moves his father taught him coming back. He moved as well as he could, his time away from the commune hurting his skills of hunting, trying to touch the forest, to become one with it again. It was a lot quieter than he remembered as well, of course, that could be him as well. He kept his eyes open for the right king of sapling, the purpose of this part of the jaunt. It appeared the school had broken what little bit of sense he had, really.


~~~~~~~~~~


Corbin nodded after watching Nikolas dig a few shovelfuls, moving to the other students before he felt a touch of energy flare up, moving to the scarecrow in the long dress, his face as passive as it had been the night before.


"Good technique."


Two words as he watched Shawnee dig, then her shovel would get stuck in something. Then begin to shake and rumble as something in the ground began to tug on her shovel.

 

[Esme]

Shawnee looked up at Corbin as he spoke, before her eyes shot back to the ground. It shifted beneath her and she stepped back leaving the shovel in it's place. Her eyes grew wider as she stepped back. A hand shot from the earth, gripping around her ankle tightly. With a weak scream she hit the ground. A body dragged itself up from the earth, her shovel in it's rib cage and a good bit of flesh missing.


Swallowing hard she kicked down with her other boot until it released her, before turning herself. Grabbing the handle of the shovel she pulled out and up, taking it out as she stood. Gripping it like a weapon she stared back at the very pissed dead thing.

 

[Kagura]

Pandora screamed.


A statue she had not seen before was moving in front of her, in fact he stopped right in front of her before plopping down. Immediately she had her wand pointed at the statue "Did you just move?" maybe it was ludicrous of her to be talking to a statue, maybe he was enchanted to patrol the border or something.


"Wait" she put a deliberate pause as she lowered her wand slightly, still pointed at the statue, "Are you magical?" she wonders. Then she leans forward slightly, still wary of the moving stoneware but interested enough she had to take a closer inspection. For Pandora, curiosity always won out.

 

[Esme]

"Yes, my lady, I did just move." The knight nodded. Tipping himself into a bow he removed his stone helm, tucking it up under his arm. Looking down at her he offered what he considered to be a smile. As she asked another question he gave out a hearty laugh, "Of course I am, my dear child, I'm as magical as this whole place is. "

 

[Coro]

Walking around the halls on his free period, Rick took in the sights. It was so different than his hometown, his parent's farm. It was full of people, and the magic even just present in the air filling Rick's lungs felt stronger, more mystic and inviting than the even the clear and pure air he'd grown up knowing. Eyeing a student who floated down the hallway, reading a book as he wove in and out of crowds, Rick swallowed. Such mastery of magic... It made him feel rather inadequate, literally not knowing how to do anything. The one time he'd used magic thus far in his life, it had been an emotional outburst, no control whatsoever.


Running his hand through his short hair, he sighed, a slight pout on his face. He wanted to learn how to use the new skill, something inside of him that had turned his entire life upside down. Rubbing his chin, Rick thought of something.

~~~~



​

Showing up at the library, students seemed to be milling in and out at a good pace.


Standing in front of the building, out on the road, the library looked majestic. Plenty of the buildings were of varying ages, but the library was easily the oldest and most aesthetically pleasing building to look at. Proceeding up the steps and into the door, the library opened up to him and the shelves of books spread through his field of vision.


Walking past the front desk and through a turnstile, Rick didn't even really know where to begin. As he continued walking forward, his head on a swivel, he bumped into someone quite roughly. Taking a step back, he blinked a few times, he lifted his arm and rubbed the back of his neck.


"... Sorry there, eh. I wasn't payin' too much attention." He offered in apology to the person in front of him.

 

[Esme]

As their body was jostled hard, the book they had been pulling from the shelf hit the floor. They shut their eyes tightly, Please don't open, please don't open, they cracked the left eye open, looking down at the silent book. Just as a sigh was about to come forth, it started shaking, smoke spilling from the pages.


"Fuck."


A loud whistling started emitting, followed by cracking noises before they were cut off by a boot being stamped hard on the book. "You should pay more, this isn't a playground." Reaching down, they picked up the book, keeping the spine pinched tight so it wouldn't open, dark green eyes shot Rick a sharp look.

 

[Coro]

Rick eyed the person, walking around them as he got a look from every angle. He couldn't really tell if they were a boy or a girl. Back home, it was usually pretty obvious.


Blinking a few times, he glanced down at the book. His curiosity of not only the book, but the person in front of him getting the better of him, Rick raised an eyebrow.


".... What was that?" He asked, pointing at the book in the person's hands. Reaching out for it, Rick wanted to open it and see the smoke again.

 

[Esme]

Pulling the book closer to their chest, Michele eyes the boy's hand. He wanted their book? After seeing how it reacted to mishandling? What a joke. Rather than just turning away, they felt the need to answer him, though they couldn't place a why.


"It's what happens when books have personalities and don't' appreciate being dropped. "

 

[Coro]

Rick blinked a few times. This was a hard concept to grasp, but he felt like it should come naturally. Even the person in front of him seemed to think was stupid. A bit of a country bumpkin maybe...


".... Personalities? Books?" Rick echoed, his eyes narrowing a little in confusion as his gaze bounced between the person and the book in their hand. "But it's a book. It's got.... Words and stuff. Not a personality..." He tried to note, his non-magical upbringing betraying him in this situation.

 

[Esme]

That was when it clicked. This kid was new, fresh out of the box, never seen one of these before in his life. Which explained everything, really. Rubbing their forehead, Michele tapped the book before gesturing towards the bookshelves around.


"All of them are books, yes. They have words and 'stuff' inside them, they wouldn't be a book if they didn't. However, we have a very unique breed of book, ones that have what we like to call personalities. Some like to be held a certain way, some try and make sure you don't read past midnight so you at least get sleep, some, like this one here, really really hate to be dropped."

 

[Coro]

Placing his hand on the book, Rick gripped it firmly.


"I wanna see this thing's personality." He said, looking the person in the eye. Rick had always been someone to see and learn things by doing, case and point, how he ever found out he had magical ability in the first place. It was time he delved a little deeper, tried a little harder. He couldn't be intimidated by this new world any longer. It was time to jump in. Head first.

 

[Esme]

Michele cocked his eyebrow, "Excuse you?"


Holding it tighter to his chest with one hand, he set the other on his hip. Unfortunately for the new kid, he needed this book and he wasn't about to let him take it when there were thousands of other books to learn from. Eyeing him down, he straightened up, trying to look, well, intimidating.


"Alright. Firstly, this isn't your book. I've been on the wait list for this thing since last year. Secondly, you are surrounded by books that have personalities you can try and mess around with, go pick one of them."