HOME | DD

Description
Once again, her pupil awoke before her, and Palu awoke not only to find breakfast already prepared, but Kestrel had already eaten and was sitting on the steps, practicing a simple ice spell to cool a glass of water in her hand. After eating, Palu walked over to her and was surprised to see that the three blue Quoma which seemed to have taken a liking to Kestrel had disappeared. In addition, the android now seemed to be wearing a bracelet on her right wrist, a simple manacle with the link of a single chain looped through it, with a small portion replaced with a larger section of metal and a small band with a hole in it. Confused at the new addition, she moved closer and saw the link move as Kestrel cast the ice spell once again. Shaking her head, Palu smirked. The girl had managed to tame a few Quoma as pets, and found a practical purpose for keeping them. To act as an early warning system of sorts. Crude, but effective. Palu could only surmise that the three Quoma were kept inside the link, but it seemed quite obvious, and she was right. Kestrel gladly showed her mentor her new accessory, showing that when she rotated the band she was able to feed the three Quoma, and that they actually flew back into the link if she shook them out. It seemed, they preferred to stay somewhere safe. Perhaps they recognized that they were different enough that their cousins might decide to feast on them, or perhaps they merely just found it comforting to remain close to Kestrel. It could be that some primitive part of them remembered being part of the gigantic Quoma and that she had freed them from their hunger. It could be any number of things, all equally inexplicable, and unverifiable, but regardless of their reason, one thing was clear: They would gladly follow the android that tamed them and were even more harmless than their cousins. Certainly they would have to be explained upon Kestrel's admission's test, and in Palu's report, but she was quite certain that she would be allowed to keep them. So long as they remained as peaceful as they currently seemed. One question remained though.
“What have you decided to name them?” Palu asked and Kestrel frowned.
“I had not really thought about that... I do not suppose they could just tell me what they call themselves...” She shook them loose once more and cast the ice spell, letting them lap up her excess magic energy as she looked at them more closely. One, having only five tentacles instead of eight like the other two, she decided to name Zotaca. The other two were almost indistinguishable except for the color of their glow being slightly different. Or at least Kestrel insisted, since her vision was better than Palu's. The one that was the same color as Zotaca she named Thallal, and the one that was a tad more cyan, she named Iral. Palu had no idea why the names were chosen, but she merely shrugged. They were odd names, fitting for odd pets of an odd android that had the odd desire to be a mage. What more needed to be said? She thought watching the Quoma flit back into their new home. Kestrel closed the band around them and smiled lightly. She looks like a woman, but she acts like a child sometimes... Her innocence is touching. Palu and Kestrel picked up their bags, and with their best foot forward, they stepped out of the tower and continued on their journey. The sun had already risen before their breakfast had begun, and now it hung at its precipice, like a great guardian staring down at them, illuminating their path.

A few hours later, they stepped off the main road and walked a few hundred yards before stopping in a small clearing. Sunlight streamed down through the gap in the canopy of trees, lighting up a stone arch. To Kestrel's confusion, it was the only thing in sight that stood out from the rest of the forest. No buildings, walls or student body were there to greet them. Palu grinned and pulled a small key out of her bag. Slowly, watching Kestrel's growing anticipation, she turned and inserted the key into a hole in the arch. Above it, a series of inset circles illuminated, runic inscriptions adorning them. Palu pressed the circles and rotated them, lining up certain symbols with one another in a column. Looking back at her student, she turned the key and removed it from its slot. Suddenly, a shimmering wall of light rippled in the middle of the arch, slowly shifting colors. Palu walked back to her awe-struck student put both hands on her shoulders, slowly walking her forward. The android touched the light and pulled her hand back as it started to dissolve. Palu rolled her eyes and walked the two of them through the light before her pupil could make a protest. Immediately, Kestrel had to shield her eyes from the light pouring down on them as her eyes adjusted. Finally, lowering her arm, her jaw dropped. The forest which had been behind the arch was gone, the sky clearly visible and nearly cloudless. Before her lay a small hill which lead down to a large campus, towers reaching towards the heavens, almost vanishing out of view. Nearly half a mile lay between the the arch and an enormous wall which encircled the campus buildings. A large fountain spewed out water and fire, the sculpture shifting forms regularly. The sound of students talking was sparse, but audible, and a few strolled the lawn beyond them. Palu let go of her pupil's shoulders and whispered in her ear,
“Welcome to Magus Ludus, Academy of the Arcane Arts.”

Together, the two women walked down the hill, Kestrel following close behind, but drifting occasionally to stare at various things going on around the campus as they approached what appeared to be the central administrative building. All around were various parents and students looking just as impressed as she was, as well as teachers who seemed to be merely watching the crowds with amusement. Palu didn't describe what buildings were for what at the time, simply stating that the tour would have to wait for her to report in to the headmaster and get Kestrel started on her application process. At the entrance to the administrative building a small wrinkled man stood, casting a slight fire spell to light up a pipe full of material that burned purple and blue. Palu lowered her head and the man turned away, scoffing slightly. Inside, the halls reached greater heights than even that of the Quoma tower's floors, and detailed etchings and carvings were adorned ornately into all of the wood and stone. Palu explained that most of the markings were actually spells, designed to protect the building and its occupants. Almost every building in the campus had at least a few important protective spells. Following Palu through a maze of corridors, up and down steps, they ended up outside the Headmaster's office, where she politely knocked twice. After a moment of silence, the door opened of it's own accord and a male voice beckoned them to enter, hidden behind a tall chair facing away from them. The man asked,
“Miss Yist, I take it your leave proved fruitful?” Palu nodded and replied,
“Yes, my affairs have been settled. I have also brought a potential applicant to our fine academy who came to my attention.” The man coughed and a familiar puff of smoke emanated from behind the chair. The chair rotated slightly in one direction before turning the other way, repeating the pattern a few times even as its occupant asked,
“Really now? Hmmm... And what is this student's name?”
“Kestrel Alras, sir.” The chair stopped rotating completely.
“Alras? Are you sure?”
“Yes sir, quite. I'm not sure if it matters, but-” The chair turned completely to face them and the man cleared his throat. The short man from outside interrupted, scratching his scraggly gray beard as he emptied the contents of his pipe into a waste receptacle next to his desk.
“Miss Yist, take... Kestrel to the Eastern Tower, first floor. That section is currently unoccupied, and we'll be sure to fit her with an appropriate dorm-mate before the semester begins. I will make sure the proper paperwork gets sent to her, and deal with the room assigners myself.” Palu bowed deeply and the man coughed again, reaching into one of the drawers of his desk, pulling out a single key. Tossing it to her, his eyes sharpened, focusing on Kestrel for a moment, scrutinizing her. Kestrel curiously tilted her head and looked at Palu for a moment. “Give that key to the assistant of that floor, and she will ensure that Kestrel receives one for the appropriate room that she selects. Make sure she settles in, and then return here. I need to speak to you in private.” Palu's eyes widened, then she bowed again, and turned to face the door they had previously entered. The headmaster's eyes remained on Kestrel even as she watched him, then turned to catch up with her mentor. As they left, he spun in his chair for a few moments, his fingers pressed lightly together as the mulled the matter over. This would be an interesting semester to say the least. He smiled lightly, the wrinkles on his face inverting to a more pleasant manner, as they had done in his youth.

Outside the door, Kestrel and Palu walked a short distance in silence before rounding a corner and coming to the entrance of the administrative building. Shocked, Kestrel turned around, and the hallway they had just exited was gone.
“The administrative office has a mind of its own, and you can get lost in here if you don't know where you're going.” Palu explained as she continued out the exit, holding the door open for her pupil. “I have to say, Kestrel, you just had the most unusual application process I've ever seen for Magus Ludus, and I've seen applicants who have had to do some unusual things. Fighting off animated rotting watermelon monsters, for example, but that's a story for another day. I knew that your father's name might provoke some interest in your case, but he didn't even ask if you were related, and there have been several other applicants from families as famous as yours who have been declined.” Kestrel stopped in surprise, then moved to catch up.
“Well, when I told my father I wanted to become a mage, he did mention that he and the headmaster had been close friends when they were younger. He said that the headmaster might be able to help me.” Palu shrugged and they changed the topic to something they found easier to discuss, namely, a brief tour of the campus that lay between them and their destination. Immediately to their left lay a large auditorium, where, as Palu described it, various displays of non-magical skill would be shown off at regular intervals, administrative announcements at the start of each day, and other various activities and events. It was constructed only two decades ago, after the last one had been decimated by a rampaging golem experiment that had thrown a boulder at it. At Kestrel's facial expression changing to one of shock, Palu calmed her by explaining that the previous auditorium had been constructed nearly two centuries ago, and shielded against magic, but not against objects that hadn't been affected by magic directly. No one was inside at the time, but after that little incident all of the various campus buildings' wards were inspected and brought up to date to prevent projectiles at a certain velocity from penetrating them as well. There was some argument against such an update by a small selection of students who were experimenting with motion-related spells, but their concerns were addressed by the fact that said wards would only affect the structural integrity of the building, and objects entering the building, not exiting, or within, unless they tried to strike against part of the building's support structure. All very fascinating to Kestrel, who's eyes sparkled at the very idea that the administration had been balanced enough to protect the students and buildings without hindering the development of particularly more unusual spells. Although she knew only a few small spells currently, she could only imagine that in the process of learning she might be able to experiment at her leisure, testing and making modifications as she saw fit, instead of a more rigid framework in which her full potential would be more limited. Certainly, only a few days ago she would have yearned for a more structured schooling which specifically told her what to do in order to cast magic, but upon finding out how she was inclined towards learning in the ways of magic, she desired something loose with more freedom to better study in a method that would benefit her more. They passed the auditorium and two buildings full of various classrooms, as well as a recreational center designed to assist the students in staying as physical fit as they were intellectually and magically through their classes.

Finally, after forty-five minutes they arrived at the Eastern Tower, the future dormitory Kestrel would reside within during her semesters at Magus Ludus. The tower itself loomed over them, it's top concealed by a low level of cloud that had descended into the valley. Palu stated that the tower itself was nearly four hundred feet tall, and almost entirely made of stone, unlike some taller towers outside of campus, and it had stood there the longest of all of the campus buildings, converted for campus use nearly seven hundred years ago, although it had stood there longer than that, and no single individual has ever claimed to know who originally created it. It seemed, to history, that one day the forested valley had been full of various monstrous creatures and bereft of human settlement, and the next, the valley was eerily quiet, the forest cleared and a tower erected. No witnesses to the construction, nor news of it had been reached any civilization until its completion. Several wizards, sorcerers and mages or the time had been brought to examine the structure, and though magical forces were heavily woven into its construction, none could decipher just exactly how it had been made. It seemed to be a gift from the Pantheon, and so, it became home to those who would later construct the first Magus Ludus campus around it. Nearly a hundred and fifty feet in diameter, the tower had withstood the test of time and needed very little retouching through the years to keep it maintained. A few times various walls and sections of floor had been blown out or in, due to various experiments done by students within their dormitory rooms, but the design of the tower had allowed it to remain upright with little strain even during said incidents. Of course, every time the missing areas were repaired, but all in all, it was definitely the safest structure on campus, even without all the warding spells placed on it.

At the entrance to the tower, a stone gargoyle stood, perched above on a parapet, hidden within the shadow of the building. As they approached it, Kestrel admired the craftsmanship of the statue, but suddenly it's head turned and looked directly at her. A quizzical look came over the fierce face as it studied her, staring deeply into her eyes as if searching her soul, as if remembering her features. It's mouth opened wider, and it spoke,
“Pilu Yast, is this one of your teachers you're inviting to assist in your studies again?” Palu stamped her foot on the ground and scowled at the gargoyle.
“Now listen here, Kurak! I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, my name is Palu Yist, not Pilu Yast, or Yila Pust, or whatever other variation you mangle together. And, I haven't dormed in the Eastern Tower in over five years!” Catching her breath, she put out an arm to point at Kestrel. “This... is Kestrel Alras, a new student here. Hopefully you won't butcher her name as badly as you do the rest who reside in the tower.” The gargoyle's stone features softened, and it stroked the dome of its skull before shrugging and returning to its original position. “Kurak has been here, along with his five brothers for over three centuries, guarding the tower and the students inside. Of course, with age, gargoyle's bodies and brains start to degrade unless they're repaired very frequently. Unfortunately Kurak here doesn't get much repair because the angle of the sun lets him stay in the shadow most of the year, and he can be quite mobile so long as he stays in shadow or it is night. His brothers typically tend to be inspected at least once a month, but Kurak here hasn't let anyone touch him in over a decade. Or so my freshman history teacher had said to me, years ago...” A sort of nostalgic look shone over Palu's eyes for a moment before she came to her senses. "Well, anyways, let's get you settled in, shall we?”

Palu held open the tower door and ushered Kestrel into her new home gently and affirmatively. Several torches were leaning off the walls, illuminating the room with a blue fire. While most structures in the region were lit and powered by electricity, alternating current sent across great distances, the tower itself was so old and structured in such a way that lighting it in such a fashion would be next to impossible. Instead, the torches lasted close to three months before they'd have to be replaced. The fire burned hot, generating a brighter light, and the wood itself had a spell woven into it that caused it to regrow, even as it burned. They walked the long hall, passing several rooms before coming to one with a sign under the number, the floor assistant's room. The door was already ajar, but still Palu rapped lightly, waiting for a response. A cry of surprise emitted from the room, and hushed voices argued before finally a slender frame opened the door and looked out.
“Hello Bel, is that a student in there with you?” Palu asked, scowling. The bronze-skinned woman had black hair, and eyes of amethyst. She also had horns curling out from behind her ears, bony spikes protruding from her attire and two tails.
“Former, actually. What brings you to darken my door once again?” Bel replied, sticking her forked tongue out at her. Then she turned and saw Kestrel. “Oh! And who is this?”
“The reason I'm here. Bel, this is Kestrel Alras, Kestrel, this is Beliona Dufree, floor assistant. The Headmaster saw fit to assign her to your floor.” Palu held out the key gingerly, handing it over to Bel. “Just don't break the guy's heart like all the rest Bel.” Once again, Bel stuck out her tongue, then made her way out of the room, locking it behind her.
“Hey, I don't work my charms on any of them, they all come to me. Now, let's see about getting your friend here a domicile, shall we?” Together the three walked down the halls of the first floor, talking as they were inexorable led by the succubus. “Well, first off Kestrel, you won't want to be roomed by the door or stairs if you can avoid it. Everyone tramples in and out at odd hours, and it could keep you awake.”
“Actually, I can sleep through just about anything.” Kestrel said, substituting her hibernation cycle for the hours a human was meant to rest. The floor assistant just nodded with a sigh.
“Yeah, everyone says that, but then later they complain that their neighbors are too loud. It'll just save me a lot of time and trouble if you aren't placed there.”
“Not to mention you're placing her as far away from your room as possible...” Palu said and the assistant scowled.
“Look, I know we're no longer friends, but you stay out of my business, and I'll stay out of yours. Now, here we are... First floor doesn't have the best of views, but these are probably the best three on the ground floor. Why don't we take a look?”

Together the three entered and examined each room. The rooms themselves seemed to be almost identical except for their views, but the third one they examined instantly made Kestrel tingle upon entering. The room looked the same, but there seemed to be a current in the air almost, something beyond the spectrum of even her senses, but still heavy in the room. Palu frowned slightly upon seeing Kestrel hesitate, and Bel smiled.
“This room here feels different, doesn't it? It tingles, like static electricity almost. This used to be Palu's and my room back when we were first-years like yourself.” Kestrel merely walked around it as if in a daze, examining everything within with further scrutiny than the other two. Nothing seemed to be out of place, except a small marking in one of the bricks. It looked like a 'K' almost, but there was an extra line, making it also look like an angled 'V' above an angled 'A'. “No one knows who made the mark there, but there are several of them throughout the tower. Well, what do you think? Is it satisfactory?” Kestrel spun around in a circle slowly, taking it all in once again, then tilted her head curiously.
“Are there any restrictions on usage of the space allotted?” Bel's brows furrowed for a moment, and then she laughed.
“Well, you'll be assigned at least one more roommate, possibly two if the campus is crowded this year. So, I'd suggest only a quarter of the space for now. You never know how much room you'll need for movement alone, and it'd be best to arrange the particulars of how you'll divvy it up once you meet your roommate. It'll be a female for certain, or a non-gender, but you probably won't have one for at least a day, perhaps up to three. The upcoming fall semester orientation won't begin for two weeks, and classes will start the week after. Should be plenty of time to get to know your roommate, and settle in. Also, you'd better read up on the courses available for first-years, and apply as soon as possible. Quite a lot of the upcoming students have already registered their classes and some slots are filling up. Best bet for this semester is just to take general courses. Any other questions for now?” Kestrel processed the data for a moment, but seeing as she hadn't been in any school setting before, let alone an arcane academy of such prestigious history as Magus Ludus appeared to be. She would merely have to learn as she went along, so the floor assistant's advice did seem to be the best option available at the time. Animosity seemed to be keeping her mentor and Miss Dufree apart, but she would have to deal with her floor assistant on a more regular basis than she would Palu, now that she had been accepted into the academy. She shook her head lightly for a second, then frowned.
“This room will suffice, but where may I locate one of the course guides?” Bel's teeth gleamed as she smiled widely.
“I'll bring one to your room by the end of the night, as well as a student handbook. Well, I suppose I'll leave you and Palu alone for now. I expect you'll probably be wanting to begin moving your things in.” She bowed curtly at Kestrel, nodded at Palu, and left the room with a slight spring in her step. As soon as she was out of the door, Palu shook her head and sighed.
“You're quite certain you'll be fine here?” Kestrel nodded, and Palu sat down on the lower of the two beds. “Is there anything else I can do to help you settle in? I will have to start preparing for my own courses for the school, but my students won't be arriving until the week before your orientation has begun, and the classes themselves won't get underway for another week after that.” Kestrel shook her head and patted her tutor's shoulder lightly.
“I'll manage Palu Yist. I thank you for your assistance thus far, for the book, and for your friendship.” Palu wiped a few tears from her eyes. She had really grown more attached to her pupil than she would have liked to admitted.
“If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me. Just... Leave a note with Bel, and she'll pass it along.” She stood and hugged Kestrel for a moment, then released her and left the android to her unpacking.

Hours later, Kestrel was sitting on the lower bed, reading through the book Palu had left her, practicing spells. Her clothing was neatly organized in stack in the middle drawer of the dresser and to one side of the closet. Though she had only a few outfits packed with her prior to meeting Palu, she had passed the school store while exploring the campus grounds on her own, and had purchased three identical school uniforms. While there, she had also purchased a school journal, but was currently writing in one of her own, making notes on her experimentation with the spells, and minor modifications to them. Currently, a small withered leaf left by one of the previous occupants was healthily green, and floating in the air, spinning slowly. Her bracelet rattled lightly, moving gently in the direction of the leaf. A soft knock on the door sounded, and Kestrel told the visitor to enter. Bel stepped inside, holding two books, which she set down on the bed next to Kestrel, then bid her good night, leaving just as quickly as she had arrived. Eventually, Kestrel decided that she had remained awake long enough, and changed into her night gown. She lay down under the covers, and entered her hibernation mode, letting her memory storage optimize itself.

The next day Kestrel sat on the edge of her bed reading the student handbook and course guide. Neither was particularly heavy or fragile, but she took her time reading them, since she did have plenty of time, and wanted to ensure that she had a fair understanding of the material. It took her near an hour, but she had finished the student guide, having been utterly confused by some of the particular guidelines. For example, all of the course material would be provided provided for by the school, as well as various supplies such as pens, books, and other assorted items. The admission fee, room and board, and fees for infractions, would have to be paid for by the student, the student's family, or other representative, unless a grant or loan were made available to the student in question. Kestrel had tried recalling if she had anything at all that had qualified her for such, and though there were numerous possibilities of grants not listed in the book available as well, she had never once filled out any paperwork or taken any interviews for one. The one possibility that had occurred to her was the one that granted special discounts to individual students who expanded the diversity of the campus. As the only android student enrolled to her knowledge, she certainly qualified, but the Headmaster hadn't made any question of her race, let alone her species. Kestrel looked and seemed to be a human from the Sithen region, where her father had created her. And there were some minor features of her facial structure that did seem as though they were hereditary, coming from him. Regardless, although her fees may have been either an oversight, or known by the Headmaster, she vowed to be able to pay for her own somehow by the start of the next semester. Perhaps one of the various shops on the school grounds would be willing to hire her on as an entry level assistant or something of that nature. Furthermore, it seemed that there was no official school uniform, but merely guidelines to limit certain inappropriate outfits from being shown in public. Kestrel would certainly wear the three uniforms she had purchased, since they were non-refundable, but she would have to purchase more clothes later on so that she would keep up the appearance of being a human girl. From her albeit limited knowledge of human interaction, it seemed as though the appearance of hygiene was extremely requisite. Being an android, internally at least, she was more sterile than any fully organic, but she was a synthesis of artificial tissue, metal and several compounds. Although she could not be affected by many germs or virulent agents, she could certainly store them on or in her person, or her clothing. Washing her clothing regularly would definitely be necessary, as would expanding her wardrobe so she wouldn't have to clean so few as often. There were other guidelines of interest, but after she had finished the handbook she moved onto the book that listed the various courses.

Most classes, of course, made no sense to Kestrel with her limited understanding of the arcane arts. Necromancy, from her father's limited selection of fictional works, had seemed to be a thing of vile evil detested by all the heroes of the tales. Here, however, it was being taught, and evidently its applications debated and discussed. The list went on, and as she read it, she only began to feel more out of sorts. Magic's varied forms and uses seemed so much more vastly spread than she had previously thought, and to learn all she could she would need a firm foundation on which to begin. Something she currently lacked. A knock sounded on her door and she set the book down, determining to decide on her courses as soon as she could. Rising from her bed, she moved towards the door. As she did so, the Quoma in her bracelet pulled the link away from the door softly, as if the link was being pulled by an invisible thread. Curiously, she watched it move, until the knocking repeated again. Finally, she opened the door to see a pair of spectacles reflecting her image back at her, their frame resting against a freckled face cropped by greasy brown hair.
“Sláinte chugat! Uh, ye probably don't speak Gaelic, do ye? Good 'ealth to ye! I'll be yer roommate evidently. Name's Renée S. Finch, first year. Pleased to be making ye acquaintance.”

Description
Once again, her pupil awoke before her, and Palu awoke not only to find breakfast already prepared, but Kestrel had already eaten and was sitting on the steps, practicing a simple ice spell to cool a glass of water in her hand. After eating, Palu walked over to her and was surprised to see that the three blue Quoma which seemed to have taken a liking to Kestrel had disappeared. In addition, the android now seemed to be wearing a bracelet on her right wrist, a simple manacle with the link of a single chain looped through it, with a small portion replaced with a larger section of metal and a small band with a hole in it. Confused at the new addition, she moved closer and saw the link move as Kestrel cast the ice spell once again. Shaking her head, Palu smirked. The girl had managed to tame a few Quoma as pets, and found a practical purpose for keeping them. To act as an early warning system of sorts. Crude, but effective. Palu could only surmise that the three Quoma were kept inside the link, but it seemed quite obvious, and she was right. Kestrel gladly showed her mentor her new accessory, showing that when she rotated the band she was able to feed the three Quoma, and that they actually flew back into the link if she shook them out. It seemed, they preferred to stay somewhere safe. Perhaps they recognized that they were different enough that their cousins might decide to feast on them, or perhaps they merely just found it comforting to remain close to Kestrel. It could be that some primitive part of them remembered being part of the gigantic Quoma and that she had freed them from their hunger. It could be any number of things, all equally inexplicable, and unverifiable, but regardless of their reason, one thing was clear: They would gladly follow the android that tamed them and were even more harmless than their cousins. Certainly they would have to be explained upon Kestrel's admission's test, and in Palu's report, but she was quite certain that she would be allowed to keep them. So long as they remained as peaceful as they currently seemed. One question remained though.
“What have you decided to name them?” Palu asked and Kestrel frowned.
“I had not really thought about that... I do not suppose they could just tell me what they call themselves...” She shook them loose once more and cast the ice spell, letting them lap up her excess magic energy as she looked at them more closely. One, having only five tentacles instead of eight like the other two, she decided to name Zotaca. The other two were almost indistinguishable except for the color of their glow being slightly different. Or at least Kestrel insisted, since her vision was better than Palu's. The one that was the same color as Zotaca she named Thallal, and the one that was a tad more cyan, she named Iral. Palu had no idea why the names were chosen, but she merely shrugged. They were odd names, fitting for odd pets of an odd android that had the odd desire to be a mage. What more needed to be said? She thought watching the Quoma flit back into their new home. Kestrel closed the band around them and smiled lightly. She looks like a woman, but she acts like a child sometimes... Her innocence is touching. Palu and Kestrel picked up their bags, and with their best foot forward, they stepped out of the tower and continued on their journey. The sun had already risen before their breakfast had begun, and now it hung at its precipice, like a great guardian staring down at them, illuminating their path.

A few hours later, they stepped off the main road and walked a few hundred yards before stopping in a small clearing. Sunlight streamed down through the gap in the canopy of trees, lighting up a stone arch. To Kestrel's confusion, it was the only thing in sight that stood out from the rest of the forest. No buildings, walls or student body were there to greet them. Palu grinned and pulled a small key out of her bag. Slowly, watching Kestrel's growing anticipation, she turned and inserted the key into a hole in the arch. Above it, a series of inset circles illuminated, runic inscriptions adorning them. Palu pressed the circles and rotated them, lining up certain symbols with one another in a column. Looking back at her student, she turned the key and removed it from its slot. Suddenly, a shimmering wall of light rippled in the middle of the arch, slowly shifting colors. Palu walked back to her awe-struck student put both hands on her shoulders, slowly walking her forward. The android touched the light and pulled her hand back as it started to dissolve. Palu rolled her eyes and walked the two of them through the light before her pupil could make a protest. Immediately, Kestrel had to shield her eyes from the light pouring down on them as her eyes adjusted. Finally, lowering her arm, her jaw dropped. The forest which had been behind the arch was gone, the sky clearly visible and nearly cloudless. Before her lay a small hill which lead down to a large campus, towers reaching towards the heavens, almost vanishing out of view. Nearly half a mile lay between the the arch and an enormous wall which encircled the campus buildings. A large fountain spewed out water and fire, the sculpture shifting forms regularly. The sound of students talking was sparse, but audible, and a few strolled the lawn beyond them. Palu let go of her pupil's shoulders and whispered in her ear,
“Welcome to Magus Ludus, Academy of the Arcane Arts.”

Together, the two women walked down the hill, Kestrel following close behind, but drifting occasionally to stare at various things going on around the campus as they approached what appeared to be the central administrative building. All around were various parents and students looking just as impressed as she was, as well as teachers who seemed to be merely watching the crowds with amusement. Palu didn't describe what buildings were for what at the time, simply stating that the tour would have to wait for her to report in to the headmaster and get Kestrel started on her application process. At the entrance to the administrative building a small wrinkled man stood, casting a slight fire spell to light up a pipe full of material that burned purple and blue. Palu lowered her head and the man turned away, scoffing slightly. Inside, the halls reached greater heights than even that of the Quoma tower's floors, and detailed etchings and carvings were adorned ornately into all of the wood and stone. Palu explained that most of the markings were actually spells, designed to protect the building and its occupants. Almost every building in the campus had at least a few important protective spells. Following Palu through a maze of corridors, up and down steps, they ended up outside the Headmaster's office, where she politely knocked twice. After a moment of silence, the door opened of it's own accord and a male voice beckoned them to enter, hidden behind a tall chair facing away from them. The man asked,
“Miss Yist, I take it your leave proved fruitful?” Palu nodded and replied,
“Yes, my affairs have been settled. I have also brought a potential applicant to our fine academy who came to my attention.” The man coughed and a familiar puff of smoke emanated from behind the chair. The chair rotated slightly in one direction before turning the other way, repeating the pattern a few times even as its occupant asked,
“Really now? Hmmm... And what is this student's name?”
“Kestrel Alras, sir.” The chair stopped rotating completely.
“Alras? Are you sure?”
“Yes sir, quite. I'm not sure if it matters, but-” The chair turned completely to face them and the man cleared his throat. The short man from outside interrupted, scratching his scraggly gray beard as he emptied the contents of his pipe into a waste receptacle next to his desk.
“Miss Yist, take... Kestrel to the Eastern Tower, first floor. That section is currently unoccupied, and we'll be sure to fit her with an appropriate dorm-mate before the semester begins. I will make sure the proper paperwork gets sent to her, and deal with the room assigners myself.” Palu bowed deeply and the man coughed again, reaching into one of the drawers of his desk, pulling out a single key. Tossing it to her, his eyes sharpened, focusing on Kestrel for a moment, scrutinizing her. Kestrel curiously tilted her head and looked at Palu for a moment. “Give that key to the assistant of that floor, and she will ensure that Kestrel receives one for the appropriate room that she selects. Make sure she settles in, and then return here. I need to speak to you in private.” Palu's eyes widened, then she bowed again, and turned to face the door they had previously entered. The headmaster's eyes remained on Kestrel even as she watched him, then turned to catch up with her mentor. As they left, he spun in his chair for a few moments, his fingers pressed lightly together as the mulled the matter over. This would be an interesting semester to say the least. He smiled lightly, the wrinkles on his face inverting to a more pleasant manner, as they had done in his youth.

Outside the door, Kestrel and Palu walked a short distance in silence before rounding a corner and coming to the entrance of the administrative building. Shocked, Kestrel turned around, and the hallway they had just exited was gone.
“The administrative office has a mind of its own, and you can get lost in here if you don't know where you're going.” Palu explained as she continued out the exit, holding the door open for her pupil. “I have to say, Kestrel, you just had the most unusual application process I've ever seen for Magus Ludus, and I've seen applicants who have had to do some unusual things. Fighting off animated rotting watermelon monsters, for example, but that's a story for another day. I knew that your father's name might provoke some interest in your case, but he didn't even ask if you were related, and there have been several other applicants from families as famous as yours who have been declined.” Kestrel stopped in surprise, then moved to catch up.
“Well, when I told my father I wanted to become a mage, he did mention that he and the headmaster had been close friends when they were younger. He said that the headmaster might be able to help me.” Palu shrugged and they changed the topic to something they found easier to discuss, namely, a brief tour of the campus that lay between them and their destination. Immediately to their left lay a large auditorium, where, as Palu described it, various displays of non-magical skill would be shown off at regular intervals, administrative announcements at the start of each day, and other various activities and events. It was constructed only two decades ago, after the last one had been decimated by a rampaging golem experiment that had thrown a boulder at it. At Kestrel's facial expression changing to one of shock, Palu calmed her by explaining that the previous auditorium had been constructed nearly two centuries ago, and shielded against magic, but not against objects that hadn't been affected by magic directly. No one was inside at the time, but after that little incident all of the various campus buildings' wards were inspected and brought up to date to prevent projectiles at a certain velocity from penetrating them as well. There was some argument against such an update by a small selection of students who were experimenting with motion-related spells, but their concerns were addressed by the fact that said wards would only affect the structural integrity of the building, and objects entering the building, not exiting, or within, unless they tried to strike against part of the building's support structure. All very fascinating to Kestrel, who's eyes sparkled at the very idea that the administration had been balanced enough to protect the students and buildings without hindering the development of particularly more unusual spells. Although she knew only a few small spells currently, she could only imagine that in the process of learning she might be able to experiment at her leisure, testing and making modifications as she saw fit, instead of a more rigid framework in which her full potential would be more limited. Certainly, only a few days ago she would have yearned for a more structured schooling which specifically told her what to do in order to cast magic, but upon finding out how she was inclined towards learning in the ways of magic, she desired something loose with more freedom to better study in a method that would benefit her more. They passed the auditorium and two buildings full of various classrooms, as well as a recreational center designed to assist the students in staying as physical fit as they were intellectually and magically through their classes.

Finally, after forty-five minutes they arrived at the Eastern Tower, the future dormitory Kestrel would reside within during her semesters at Magus Ludus. The tower itself loomed over them, it's top concealed by a low level of cloud that had descended into the valley. Palu stated that the tower itself was nearly four hundred feet tall, and almost entirely made of stone, unlike some taller towers outside of campus, and it had stood there the longest of all of the campus buildings, converted for campus use nearly seven hundred years ago, although it had stood there longer than that, and no single individual has ever claimed to know who originally created it. It seemed, to history, that one day the forested valley had been full of various monstrous creatures and bereft of human settlement, and the next, the valley was eerily quiet, the forest cleared and a tower erected. No witnesses to the construction, nor news of it had been reached any civilization until its completion. Several wizards, sorcerers and mages or the time had been brought to examine the structure, and though magical forces were heavily woven into its construction, none could decipher just exactly how it had been made. It seemed to be a gift from the Pantheon, and so, it became home to those who would later construct the first Magus Ludus campus around it. Nearly a hundred and fifty feet in diameter, the tower had withstood the test of time and needed very little retouching through the years to keep it maintained. A few times various walls and sections of floor had been blown out or in, due to various experiments done by students within their dormitory rooms, but the design of the tower had allowed it to remain upright with little strain even during said incidents. Of course, every time the missing areas were repaired, but all in all, it was definitely the safest structure on campus, even without all the warding spells placed on it.

At the entrance to the tower, a stone gargoyle stood, perched above on a parapet, hidden within the shadow of the building. As they approached it, Kestrel admired the craftsmanship of the statue, but suddenly it's head turned and looked directly at her. A quizzical look came over the fierce face as it studied her, staring deeply into her eyes as if searching her soul, as if remembering her features. It's mouth opened wider, and it spoke,
“Pilu Yast, is this one of your teachers you're inviting to assist in your studies again?” Palu stamped her foot on the ground and scowled at the gargoyle.
“Now listen here, Kurak! I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, my name is Palu Yist, not Pilu Yast, or Yila Pust, or whatever other variation you mangle together. And, I haven't dormed in the Eastern Tower in over five years!” Catching her breath, she put out an arm to point at Kestrel. “This... is Kestrel Alras, a new student here. Hopefully you won't butcher her name as badly as you do the rest who reside in the tower.” The gargoyle's stone features softened, and it stroked the dome of its skull before shrugging and returning to its original position. “Kurak has been here, along with his five brothers for over three centuries, guarding the tower and the students inside. Of course, with age, gargoyle's bodies and brains start to degrade unless they're repaired very frequently. Unfortunately Kurak here doesn't get much repair because the angle of the sun lets him stay in the shadow most of the year, and he can be quite mobile so long as he stays in shadow or it is night. His brothers typically tend to be inspected at least once a month, but Kurak here hasn't let anyone touch him in over a decade. Or so my freshman history teacher had said to me, years ago...” A sort of nostalgic look shone over Palu's eyes for a moment before she came to her senses. "Well, anyways, let's get you settled in, shall we?”

Palu held open the tower door and ushered Kestrel into her new home gently and affirmatively. Several torches were leaning off the walls, illuminating the room with a blue fire. While most structures in the region were lit and powered by electricity, alternating current sent across great distances, the tower itself was so old and structured in such a way that lighting it in such a fashion would be next to impossible. Instead, the torches lasted close to three months before they'd have to be replaced. The fire burned hot, generating a brighter light, and the wood itself had a spell woven into it that caused it to regrow, even as it burned. They walked the long hall, passing several rooms before coming to one with a sign under the number, the floor assistant's room. The door was already ajar, but still Palu rapped lightly, waiting for a response. A cry of surprise emitted from the room, and hushed voices argued before finally a slender frame opened the door and looked out.
“Hello Bel, is that a student in there with you?” Palu asked, scowling. The bronze-skinned woman had black hair, and eyes of amethyst. She also had horns curling out from behind her ears, bony spikes protruding from her attire and two tails.
“Former, actually. What brings you to darken my door once again?” Bel replied, sticking her forked tongue out at her. Then she turned and saw Kestrel. “Oh! And who is this?”
“The reason I'm here. Bel, this is Kestrel Alras, Kestrel, this is Beliona Dufree, floor assistant. The Headmaster saw fit to assign her to your floor.” Palu held out the key gingerly, handing it over to Bel. “Just don't break the guy's heart like all the rest Bel.” Once again, Bel stuck out her tongue, then made her way out of the room, locking it behind her.
“Hey, I don't work my charms on any of them, they all come to me. Now, let's see about getting your friend here a domicile, shall we?” Together the three walked down the halls of the first floor, talking as they were inexorable led by the succubus. “Well, first off Kestrel, you won't want to be roomed by the door or stairs if you can avoid it. Everyone tramples in and out at odd hours, and it could keep you awake.”
“Actually, I can sleep through just about anything.” Kestrel said, substituting her hibernation cycle for the hours a human was meant to rest. The floor assistant just nodded with a sigh.
“Yeah, everyone says that, but then later they complain that their neighbors are too loud. It'll just save me a lot of time and trouble if you aren't placed there.”
“Not to mention you're placing her as far away from your room as possible...” Palu said and the assistant scowled.
“Look, I know we're no longer friends, but you stay out of my business, and I'll stay out of yours. Now, here we are... First floor doesn't have the best of views, but these are probably the best three on the ground floor. Why don't we take a look?”

Together the three entered and examined each room. The rooms themselves seemed to be almost identical except for their views, but the third one they examined instantly made Kestrel tingle upon entering. The room looked the same, but there seemed to be a current in the air almost, something beyond the spectrum of even her senses, but still heavy in the room. Palu frowned slightly upon seeing Kestrel hesitate, and Bel smiled.
“This room here feels different, doesn't it? It tingles, like static electricity almost. This used to be Palu's and my room back when we were first-years like yourself.” Kestrel merely walked around it as if in a daze, examining everything within with further scrutiny than the other two. Nothing seemed to be out of place, except a small marking in one of the bricks. It looked like a 'K' almost, but there was an extra line, making it also look like an angled 'V' above an angled 'A'. “No one knows who made the mark there, but there are several of them throughout the tower. Well, what do you think? Is it satisfactory?” Kestrel spun around in a circle slowly, taking it all in once again, then tilted her head curiously.
“Are there any restrictions on usage of the space allotted?” Bel's brows furrowed for a moment, and then she laughed.
“Well, you'll be assigned at least one more roommate, possibly two if the campus is crowded this year. So, I'd suggest only a quarter of the space for now. You never know how much room you'll need for movement alone, and it'd be best to arrange the particulars of how you'll divvy it up once you meet your roommate. It'll be a female for certain, or a non-gender, but you probably won't have one for at least a day, perhaps up to three. The upcoming fall semester orientation won't begin for two weeks, and classes will start the week after. Should be plenty of time to get to know your roommate, and settle in. Also, you'd better read up on the courses available for first-years, and apply as soon as possible. Quite a lot of the upcoming students have already registered their classes and some slots are filling up. Best bet for this semester is just to take general courses. Any other questions for now?” Kestrel processed the data for a moment, but seeing as she hadn't been in any school setting before, let alone an arcane academy of such prestigious history as Magus Ludus appeared to be. She would merely have to learn as she went along, so the floor assistant's advice did seem to be the best option available at the time. Animosity seemed to be keeping her mentor and Miss Dufree apart, but she would have to deal with her floor assistant on a more regular basis than she would Palu, now that she had been accepted into the academy. She shook her head lightly for a second, then frowned.
“This room will suffice, but where may I locate one of the course guides?” Bel's teeth gleamed as she smiled widely.
“I'll bring one to your room by the end of the night, as well as a student handbook. Well, I suppose I'll leave you and Palu alone for now. I expect you'll probably be wanting to begin moving your things in.” She bowed curtly at Kestrel, nodded at Palu, and left the room with a slight spring in her step. As soon as she was out of the door, Palu shook her head and sighed.
“You're quite certain you'll be fine here?” Kestrel nodded, and Palu sat down on the lower of the two beds. “Is there anything else I can do to help you settle in? I will have to start preparing for my own courses for the school, but my students won't be arriving until the week before your orientation has begun, and the classes themselves won't get underway for another week after that.” Kestrel shook her head and patted her tutor's shoulder lightly.
“I'll manage Palu Yist. I thank you for your assistance thus far, for the book, and for your friendship.” Palu wiped a few tears from her eyes. She had really grown more attached to her pupil than she would have liked to admitted.
“If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me. Just... Leave a note with Bel, and she'll pass it along.” She stood and hugged Kestrel for a moment, then released her and left the android to her unpacking.

Hours later, Kestrel was sitting on the lower bed, reading through the book Palu had left her, practicing spells. Her clothing was neatly organized in stack in the middle drawer of the dresser and to one side of the closet. Though she had only a few outfits packed with her prior to meeting Palu, she had passed the school store while exploring the campus grounds on her own, and had purchased three identical school uniforms. While there, she had also purchased a school journal, but was currently writing in one of her own, making notes on her experimentation with the spells, and minor modifications to them. Currently, a small withered leaf left by one of the previous occupants was healthily green, and floating in the air, spinning slowly. Her bracelet rattled lightly, moving gently in the direction of the leaf. A soft knock on the door sounded, and Kestrel told the visitor to enter. Bel stepped inside, holding two books, which she set down on the bed next to Kestrel, then bid her good night, leaving just as quickly as she had arrived. Eventually, Kestrel decided that she had remained awake long enough, and changed into her night gown. She lay down under the covers, and entered her hibernation mode, letting her memory storage optimize itself.

The next day Kestrel sat on the edge of her bed reading the student handbook and course guide. Neither was particularly heavy or fragile, but she took her time reading them, since she did have plenty of time, and wanted to ensure that she had a fair understanding of the material. It took her near an hour, but she had finished the student guide, having been utterly confused by some of the particular guidelines. For example, all of the course material would be provided provided for by the school, as well as various supplies such as pens, books, and other assorted items. The admission fee, room and board, and fees for infractions, would have to be paid for by the student, the student's family, or other representative, unless a grant or loan were made available to the student in question. Kestrel had tried recalling if she had anything at all that had qualified her for such, and though there were numerous possibilities of grants not listed in the book available as well, she had never once filled out any paperwork or taken any interviews for one. The one possibility that had occurred to her was the one that granted special discounts to individual students who expanded the diversity of the campus. As the only android student enrolled to her knowledge, she certainly qualified, but the Headmaster hadn't made any question of her race, let alone her species. Kestrel looked and seemed to be a human from the Sithen region, where her father had created her. And there were some minor features of her facial structure that did seem as though they were hereditary, coming from him. Regardless, although her fees may have been either an oversight, or known by the Headmaster, she vowed to be able to pay for her own somehow by the start of the next semester. Perhaps one of the various shops on the school grounds would be willing to hire her on as an entry level assistant or something of that nature. Furthermore, it seemed that there was no official school uniform, but merely guidelines to limit certain inappropriate outfits from being shown in public. Kestrel would certainly wear the three uniforms she had purchased, since they were non-refundable, but she would have to purchase more clothes later on so that she would keep up the appearance of being a human girl. From her albeit limited knowledge of human interaction, it seemed as though the appearance of hygiene was extremely requisite. Being an android, internally at least, she was more sterile than any fully organic, but she was a synthesis of artificial tissue, metal and several compounds. Although she could not be affected by many germs or virulent agents, she could certainly store them on or in her person, or her clothing. Washing her clothing regularly would definitely be necessary, as would expanding her wardrobe so she wouldn't have to clean so few as often. There were other guidelines of interest, but after she had finished the handbook she moved onto the book that listed the various courses.

Most classes, of course, made no sense to Kestrel with her limited understanding of the arcane arts. Necromancy, from her father's limited selection of fictional works, had seemed to be a thing of vile evil detested by all the heroes of the tales. Here, however, it was being taught, and evidently its applications debated and discussed. The list went on, and as she read it, she only began to feel more out of sorts. Magic's varied forms and uses seemed so much more vastly spread than she had previously thought, and to learn all she could she would need a firm foundation on which to begin. Something she currently lacked. A knock sounded on her door and she set the book down, determining to decide on her courses as soon as she could. Rising from her bed, she moved towards the door. As she did so, the Quoma in her bracelet pulled the link away from the door softly, as if the link was being pulled by an invisible thread. Curiously, she watched it move, until the knocking repeated again. Finally, she opened the door to see a pair of spectacles reflecting her image back at her, their frame resting against a freckled face cropped by greasy brown hair.
“Sláinte chugat! Uh, ye probably don't speak Gaelic, do ye? Good 'ealth to ye! I'll be yer roommate evidently. Name's Renée S. Finch, first year. Pleased to be making ye acquaintance.”