The gentle knock on my door surprisingly woke me up. "Hello?" I woke up asking hoping it was a figment of my imagination.
"Emilia, it's Paul." Paul's voice explained from the other side of the door.
Quickly getting up and putting on a long robe to cover myself more, "Yes?...." I questioned still half asleep opening the door.
"Can I come in?" He politely asked sounding a little unsure and uneasy.
"Huh?.. Sure.." I opened the door wider for him to enter and took a seat on the bed. "What time is it?" I questioned finding it impossible to work out the time.
"Sorry to wake you up so early, I know how much you love your sleep especially due to your insomnia" He apologized to me.
"No, it's okay." I groggily answered wiping my tired eyes with a yawn.
"You was kinda annoyed yesterday when you found out that, I'll be spending time with you know who....." Paul began to explain.
"Urghhhh..." I angrily retorted falling back into my bed.
"It's just.... I don't know what I can do to make it better." He questioned sounding very apologetic.
"It's okay. I'm over it." I answered him covering myself with my duvet.
"You say that but....." He hesitantly asked but realised that the conversation was over. "Okay, I'll be going off then, sorry for waking you up." He apologized and quietly exited the room.
"Bye." I replied as he left quietly saying bye back before closing the door.
Being reminded of Calista and my insomnia didn't help at all putting me back to sleep. "Ah f*ck." I cursed sitting up and reached over to my bedside table pulling out the book on Devil's and Demons and began to study a little more.
The most interesting difference from back home was the fact that 'Devils' and 'Demons' are essentially a race of creature, that both have their own form of hierarchy and openly oppose each other. Both can seemingly possess souls and individuals, Devil's resembling the textbook devils with horrifying bat-like wings with serrated spikes claws and weapons. Demons on the other hand look vastly different depending on which demon they are a subordinate to.
Finishing up on the book I stowed it in my bag ready for returning and started getting ready for the day.
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Putting on my iconic classic wizard robes and began making my way outside. "Emilia?" Daisy familiar voice called out to me.
"Ohh, morning Daisy." I smiled back recognising her voice.
"You're up early..." Daisy said joining me at the stairwell.
"What do you mean?" I chuckled acting a little offended.
"Oh sorry, it's still pretty early, you and the others tend to like to sleep in." Daisy chuckled.
"Ahhh, yeah was having an off morning," I answered her.
"Ohhh, then maybe you'd like to join Grace and I on our morning routine." She smiled at me.
"Sure...." I agreed but secretly hoping I can find a way to get out and dodge.
"Ohh Emilia you're up early." Grace greeted us as we arrived at the ground floor.
"Yeah, apparently she's having an off morning." Daisy smiled.
"So you both train in the morning and a second time with Scarlet?" I questioned a little shocked.
"Yup." They both smiled.
"So what do you both do exactly?" I questioned curiously.
"just a light run around the Atlantis, it's a very beautiful institute," Grace answered.
"Yup, I'm always trying to work on my agility and dexterity at the moment, I feel I need to improve on that." Daisy smiled.
As we exited the dorm room's we were met with an absolutely beautiful sunrise, the warmth and sunlight breaking out through the twilight illuminating the whole sky in bright orange cresting over Atlantis.
"How big is Atlantis? by the way.." I questioned in awe.
"Hmmm, I would say the institute grounds itself is no larger than a small city, but there are also some small environments surrounding Atlantis," Grace answered.
"Hmm, I do remember Scarlet telling me Atlantis is very self-sufficient," I answered.
"Yup with the surrounding area as well, I'd say Atlantis is the size of a medium to large city," Grace answered.
"Wow.... and it's the world tree that makes it float and powers everything?" I questioned.
"So from what I understand, Floating cities need an ancient artifact that allows it to float needing an absurd amount of Arcanum to keep it up and the world tree Atlantis somehow has sufficiently given off enough Arcanum to keep the artefact running and everything else, such as the healing properties of the infirmary, the barrier that stops anything going in or out the institute's grounds.
"Woah.... that seems insane," I answered in awe.
"Yes, World Tree only gives off one seed in its lifetime so they are extremely rare. Which is why it's so surprising that somehow Atlantis has one. " Grace answered.
"So the floating cities of Aspa are the same?" I questioned.
"I'm not quite sure what methods Aspa uses to make their cities float, I really doubt they have a World Tree though," Grace answered.
"Wow... I would love to visit other schools." I answered.
"The other two aren't very friendly." Daisy reminded me.
"Yeah I know but it would be great to at least see what life is like down there, and there are other continents!" I said in glee and wonder.
"Other continents would be great to experience and see but they are all very far away. At least days worth of travel to get to the closest, there are also countless races and tribes you can experience as well." Grace answered.
"Have you been to any?" I questioned.
"Nah, only adventures get to travel, but I have read about other continents and things." She answered.
As we exited the building we were met with a pair of older looking students. "Daisy Packwood?" The male and female student questioned looking very serious.
"Yes?" Daisy questioned turning her body ever so slightly like she was preparing for a fight.
"If you don't mind coming with us, the Deputy Head Mistress would like to see you." The two students asked Daisy politely but with a hint of amusement.
"Oh? may I ask what for?" Daisy questioned relaxing her stance.
"The Deputy Head Mistress would like a special request from you." They answered Daisy.
"May my friends come along?" Daisy asked in return.
"Nothing stopping them from coming, but we'd have to ask the Deputy Headmistress if they could follow in the meeting." They answered.
"You guys wanna come?" Daisy asked with a smile.
"Sure." I smiled.
"Follow us." They requested as they began walking towards the main building.
"So are both of you also fellow students of Atlantis?" I questioned trying to make small talk.
"Yes we are, but we're not normal students. The Deputy Head Mistress oversees our teaching personally." They answered.
"Ohhh, that must be amazing to be tutored by the Deputy Headmistress herself," I replied in awe.
"It comes with certain responsibilities but it's great to study under such a famed sorcerer." The female student replied.
"I'm Daisy and this is Emilia and Grace." Daisy introduced all of us.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Rowan and this is my brother Will." The female student introduced herself to us.
"Nice to meet you, what year are you both in?" I politely asked noticing that they both wielded a very ornate looking sword hilt and very beautifully jewel-encrusted scabbard.
"We're both third years, we were given the opportunity to study under the Deputy Headmistress when choosing our speciality." They answered.
"Ohhh.... just out of curiosity what specialities are there?" I questioned curiously.
"Well, there are the more broad divisions that the school has, as well as several other paths but you can choose anything really," Will answered.
"So say if I wanted to study animals, would that be okay?" I shot an absurd question to them.
"Of course, the cataloguing of beasts and monsters are very important, we also have a few members that we call Tamers, they specialise in the use of beasts and monsters in combat that they have formed a bond with." Rowan smiled.
"Wait what?" I questioned again in shock that there was even such a thing.
"Yeah, although not as useful in Atlantis due to out transportation system. Tamers are sort after in many medium and large cities, they offer great entertainment or various services like gryphon riding or even aid in the defence of the city with mighty and strong beasts." She answered me again.
"Wow that does sound amazing," I replied stunned in imagination.
"Right this way," Will gestured towards an area of the building we haven't been before.
"So, if you don't mind me asking what sort of specialisation did you both focus on?... runic magic like the Deputy Head Mistress?" I questioned politely.
"We are using a combination of Runic Magic and Swordsmanship specialising in countering casters." They answered with a smile.
"So you both are Anti-Caster?" Grace questioned.
"Yes, we both are very well versed at dealing with caster threats." They both answered.
"I don't like to be nosy but is it to do with your jewelled swords?" I questioned pointing at their ornate swords.
"Yes, both our longswords are magical, it can absorb spells, dispel magics and also interrupt casters from using spells." They both explained.
"So you also use rune magic as well?" I questioned.
"Of sorts." They smiled walking through a wall effortlessly like it didn't even exist.
"Ummm....." Daisy questioned stopping in her tracks before the wall.
"It's gotta be an illusion..." Grace said holding up her hand but was stopped by a physical wall.
"Are you sure?" I questioned Grace with a look of intrigue.
"Well, that's how it normally should work." She answered looking confused.
Daisy cautiously eeked out her hand and somehow managed to push it through the wall, "Umm what?" Daisy questioned as half her hand effortlessly passed through the wall.
"It must be some form of magic stopping us, since you were called upon personally," I answered.
"After a couple of seconds, Will and Rowan came back out again, the Deputy Head Mistress said you both may come along." They both said emerging from the wall and pull out two very tiny wands, pulling out our hands they proceeded to draw a magical run on our palms, "Follow us." They answered walking into the wall again.
"Yeah, but when did they draw a rune on me?" Daisy questioned looking all over herself.