Moments before entering home, I saw the strange looks directed at me. Did I look so strange? Had I been getting the same looks all along? Why was everyone so strange?
And then, Dia slammed the door shut.
Jerry was practically carrying me up the stairs. He sat me down at the middle of the long table. Passed me my notebook that he just couldn't let go of. The twins helped him grab all the books on Faery runes and piled them around me. And everyone took a seat. Jerry across the table from me. The twins on either side of me.
"Come on then," Jerry squealed in excitement, like a hungry little rat at the sight of the biggest block of the tastiest cheese. "Let's get started."
I laughed, superimposing the picture in my head on the old man in front of me. Jerry didn't care. His eyes were on my notebook.
Dia opened a book for me to begin with.
These were the first discovered Faery runes. At a dig in the Karsworp province. A large hall of what appeared to be a temple was discovered standing almost undamaged. And upon those walls were discovered a whole new family of runes. It was a discovery of particular note because the runes on the walls weren't transcribed in just one set of characters.
This was the first time archaeologists had discovered a civilisation with more than one character set. Just that discovery turned professor Jerry Gerard immortal in runic archaeology. His fame didn't stop there, however.
There were pictures of the walls in the book. The runes transcribed in long arc were highlighted, so I gave my entire attention to just them.
Madam Rosza and professor Bardwaite, as well as several others, claimed that the type of runes was a choice dependent on the nature of the citizens of a civilisation. In some runes more than others, studying the environment where the runes were discovered fastened the process of learning. And that was exactly why I asked for pictures.
As expected, the runes on the walls told the story of a Faery god, Aparthyseion. The son of the sun. He was born with eyes so beautiful, they charmed anyone who looked into them. The weak hearted turned to stone with just a glance. The stronger couldn't get the sight out of their head. Realising the effect he had on people, Aparthyseion walked away into the deep of the forest of Khybayer. Eventually, people spoke of him as wild gossip. One day, the daughter of the god king Cleius, Alambra, went out to play in Khybayer. She came across Aparthyseion and looked into his eyes. She was charmed and gave her heart to him. Since she was already betrothed, Cleius felt it was an assault on his pride. He turned his anger upon Aparthyseion, and blinded the deceitful eyes. In that moment, everyone charmed by the eyes were freed as if from a curse. And Aparthyseion was forgotten.
The sun grieved as much for its son as it did for the light of the world. It was Aparthyseion's father. And by blinding the boy, Cleius turned the boy over to the mother, who was the cosmic darkness. Light departed from Aparthyseion with the loss of his eyes. And the darkness buried deep inside erupted, embracing the hurt Aparthyseion. Cosmic darkness detested Cleius, cursed the god king to suffering because of his pride. Aparthyseion ascended the throne of heavenly darkness. And that was the beginning of the heavenly wars.
I was entranced. This was the reason I loved runes. I didn't care for the worldly knowledge contained within the runes, sometimes old and foolish, but sometimes far more advanced than the knowledge of our civilisation. I only cared for the stories told in the runes. Of gods. Of kings. Of lovers. Of enemies. Of wars. Of death. Of dreams. Of life.
There was no greater joy than reading those stories of old. I wasn't entirely sure if the story was as beautiful in Faery or if it was enriched by the Vikari runes. After translating the long arc runes on the walls of the hall, I looked up from my notebook to see the twins' blazing eyes. They seemed almost drenched in their saliva.
"I'm not tasty," I said.
They looked at each other, confused, and then at me.
"What do you mean?" They asked in unison.
They were undoubtedly twins.
"What do you want?"
They understood this time.
"Translate to common tongue," Dia said.
"Yeah, so we understand too," Pratt added.
"Oh, okay," I nodded.
Grabbing another notebook, I wrote the story again, in common tongue. I wasn't bored. But it certainly wasn't as beautiful or as engrossing as it was in Vikari. The twins were reading as I wrote. The shock on their faces grew as they read. By the end, their open mouths were as wide as their faces. Jerry stood behind me, with the same expression. But he was at least a hundred times funnier. Idiots were incomparable.
"Explain."
Jerry spoke only a word. But I understood. And I wasn't laughing or teasing, because the man I was looking at wasn't the idiot Jerry. It was professor Jerry Gerard.
"You wrote in your notes that Faery runes are elemental runes. The characters are representation of unit ideas. Vikari runes are descriptive. Length isn't a restraint. Absolutely everything can be expressed in Vikari runes. While studying Vikari runes, I theorised that descriptive runes are the foundation of all runes. The simplest and the most complete. Which means all other runes can be expressed in descriptive runes. Faery runes can be expressed in Vikari runes. Vikari actually makes Faery easier to understand. My theory was correct. I'll need to study a few more runes for complete proof, though."
Jerry nodded. He walked out of hearing distance to make a phone call.
The twins looked at me with relish. And I felt like we went back to the first night. Only this time, they were on either side of me.
"So, you like Vikari?"
"Love, more than like."
"What is so special about Vikari?"
"They have the most room for expression. Every detail is expressed clearly, leaving absolutely no doubt."
"So, it takes a long time to learn Vikari?"
"I don't know. It is very enjoyable."
"Can you teach us?"
"Sure, if you want me to."
"So, shall we start now?"
"Umm, okay."
"How about after dinner? Also, Jerry seems to have something to say."
"Okay."
Jerry walked over with a serious looking smile, that made him looked so much like a real idiot.
"I have news," he announced. "You will be a student of the academy, but you will be deregistering from the class. You will be under my special tutelage. And you will be starting on your first assignment tomorrow morning. An exchange student at Fyler institute of archaeology."
Fyler institute was an institute for advanced study. Students graduating from academies like Gawkers academy applied to study at Fyler. They had to first write an essay. Scoring a minimum grade on the essay earned the eligibility to sit for the written test. Clearing the test took them to the final interview. Only those who passed all three rounds could register as students at Fyler institute. The highest ever passing percentage at Fyler institute was four percent.
And I, a first year of Gawkers academy, was heading to Fyler as an exchange student. As if that wasn't bad enough, I was sure everyone would be talking about my special tutelage under Jerry. Absolutely no way I would have my average life after that.
I stared hatefully at Jerry, as I nodded in acceptance.