Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (134/?) WiP 1

Author’s Note: Hey everyone! Here is the Work in Progress for Chapter 134 I hope you guys enjoy! :D

The Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts. Eastern Gate. Local Time 1240 Hours.

Emma

I should’ve known Chiska’s grand proclamation wouldn’t be the end of it.

If anything, it was only the beginning.

This was The Nexus, after all, and what that meant for a planned adventure of such a scale was the presence of conflicting interests and a desire for something so incredibly ironic — fairness.

Which, in this case, meant the start of the adventure on everybody’s terms.

This would’ve been relatively easy if everyone had just lined up their ‘conveyances’ in front of the Academy as instructed.

This would’ve been so much simpler if everyone had gone with traditionally fantastical conveyances that one would expect from your typical Dungeons and Wyverns session.

But alas, simple just wasn’t in the vocabulary of anyone here — not student, faculty, nor staff. 

They had to go ahead and rule-bend, homebrew, and customize every possible nook and cranny of this adventure — the students, mainly. 

Though that meant that faculty and staff would have to follow, if only to facilitate what Ilunor foreshadowed days earlier.

Because what awaited us down at the town-facing gates of the Academy wasn’t your expected lineup of horses, mounts, or even enchanted vehicles like those eponymous ‘monotreaders’. 

No.

Instead, we were thrust into what could only be described as a scene straight out of Mrowl’s Traveling Castle. With five towering behemoths, each the size of one of the Academy’s guard towers, sitting high and proud above at the starting line; their sheer scale casted a shadow over our two modest-by-comparison conveyances. 

A total of four such ‘vehicles’ sat idly by on their impossible chassis. Some wooden, others steel, while others were assembled from what I could only describe as anomalous atypical materials with visual similarities to unrendered aerogel.

The sensors couldn’t make sense of it, almost as if it was some form of—

“Ahoy ahoy!” A familiar voice beckoned my attention as both Thalmin and I quickly turned to face a familiar, somewhat amicable gaggle of faces.

“I see both of you are packin’ light!” The green and orange-yellow Gumigo spoke enthusiastically, his voice brimming with excitement. “Quite a refreshing sight indeed! Ain’t that right, boys?” He turned to the trio of smaller gators and crocodiles, all of whom nodded brightly. 

“The sentiment goes both ways, Lord Gumigo.” I offered with a friendly dip of my head. “Given the stark disparity between that—” I pointed over towards the towering behemoths. “—and our own modes of transportation—” I then quickly turned towards Gumigo’s stagecoach. “—I’d say we share more reasonable tastes.” 

“Aye! I empathize with the desire to bring the comforts of home along with ya. But there’s a fine line between compromising for the sake of noble comforts… and outright disconnecting yer’selves from the point of it all!” Gumigo grinned widely. “But I digress, I should’ve known you two of all people would be roughing it the hardest.” He continued as he turned towards Thalmin. “The mercenary prince and the newrealmer, a match made in the fires of adversity. A story for the ages, no doubt! I hope the two of you’ll make Academy history and actually spice things up for a change, aye?” 

“It’ll be so much fun!” The smallest gator spoke, his eyes lighting up with excitement. 

“Yes, yes! Especially you, newrealmer! Your spectacles make for quite a topic over tea!” The mid-sized croc beamed.

“Perhaps it does… for the uncouth and poor-of-taste, that is.” Another voice suddenly made itself known. An often overlooked voice, one that the EVI was quick to highlight.

[Vicini Lorsi]

“But for those of a more refined palate, there exists a near infinite number of topics through which tea would most certainly be enhanced… not despoiled.” He managed out through a forced chuckle, before turning to the much larger, more imposing figure behind him with an expectant and wary gaze.

However, instead of any exchange of words, the bull in question merely hmphed loudly, letting out a sharp steamy exhale from both of his nostrils, before wordlessly entering his carriage.

“Hey, Lord Lorsi.” I hollered, just before the fabulously frilly dressed deer entered the carriage proper. “I’m surprised your team didn’t go for one of those towers.”

“Hmmph. You mistake our modesty for our station. A superficial insult that tarnishes not our ego nor decorum. You will do well to note that our aim for this quest is to actually accomplish its goals, not to treat it like some holiday—” 

“That’s not what I’m saying.” I interjected, causing the deer to narrow his eyes in annoyance. “I’m just surprised you think that you can fit in that carriage with Lord Ping’s ego taking up most of the space already.” I offered through a sly chuckle.

That one jab caused the charismatic deer’s eye to twitch in place, refusing to say anything else as the carriage’s attendant closed the door shut. 

That was, until he rolled down his window, staring at us from high up. 

“Childish.” Was all he said, before rolling the window back up. 

No sooner was that awkward exchange over did the second class sovereign candidate arrive. Though unlike Lorsi’s pugnacious jabs, Qiv’s chosen partner — Uven Kroven — remained his usual silent and stoic self. 

If anything, the gorn-esque lizard merely regarded me with a simple stare, his eyes narrowing not at me nor Thalmin. Nor even the rest of the crocodile gang, but instead, the motorcycle.

He even stopped just short of his own carriage to ponder it properly, cradling his snout in his hand as he did so. 

“Is that your conveyance, newrealmer?” He inquired politely.

“Yup!” 

“A… bi-treader, of sorts?” 

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” I shrugged in response.

The noble quickly summoned a book from one of his pouches — one far too large for the pouch itself — as he began flipping through the pages hands-free.

His eyes darted left and right, rising and falling before stopping just as the final few pages were bookended with a satisfying thud.

“From where did you procure it?” 

I quickly turned to Thalmin, the both of us locking eyes for a moment, before turning back towards Qiv.

“I built it.” 

“She built it.” 

We spoke simultaneously, Thalmin going so far as to back me up by gesturing towards me with a thumb.

Qiv’s expressions grew even more quizzical, critical, and most of all… skeptical. A thousand and one words clearly buzzed behind those blue and orange eyes, until finally… he landed on a response.

“Doubtful.” Was all he said. 

“I mean, if you want to see, I can show you how I—”

“Perhaps another time, newrealmer.” He shut me down just as an attendant finished loading the last of his belongings into the carriage.