Leon breathed in deeply, taking in the rich scent of nature that pervaded through the air. It was completely unlike that which he was used to on Earth. While there were support systems everywhere that made sure the air remained pure and filtered, there was a certain hint of artificiality to it that stood out when compared to what he was breathing in now. The air on this side of the gateway was rich, pure, and earthly.
"It's different, huh?" Zeke's tone was a bit more subdued than usual as he spoke. He looked out at the bright day before him with a wistful expression. Leon turned to look at him for a moment before realizing that Zeke had stepped back into his actual home world after a long time. Of course, he was feeling sentimental.
A few more moments passed in silence before Stewart spoke to the students to get their attention. He could see how excited they were and wanted to get them settled into an inn before any of them ran off.
Leon and Zeke followed the crowd through the streets to an inn that was close by. As they walked, he took in the sights, looking at the stalls that sold fruits, meat, snacks, and many other things.
"It looks like one of those old RPG games that were set in medieval times." Leon noted to himself as they walked.
"Yeah. Technology from Earth does not work all that well in God's Sanctum. At least, that was at the last time I heard about such news. Maybe they have found a way to make stuff work now." Zeke nodded his head, agreeing with Leon.
"If they did, then I'm sure the government would want to keep such news close to their chest." Leon shrugged slightly, tucking his hands into his pockets as he continued to look around curiously.
Before long, the group arrived at a very large inn that was several stories high. If it was measured by Earth's standards, then from what he could see, this inn would be rated at least 4 stars! They entered through the front gates, where they were immediately met by a being that resembled a sheep that stood on its hind legs. White wool peeked out from the collar of the being's fine suit as he greeted Stewart and Avery. After a bit of speaking, he turned to face the students.
"Hello, students of the Imperial Magic Academy. I am Willy. We are happy to host yet another set of talented young mages who will go on to be the pinnacle of what both our worlds have seen. Please enjoy your stay here, and if you need any help, do not hesitate to reach out to any of the attendants that can be found throughout our inn." The man said with a smile that exposed his straight, white teeth.
After that, he called over some of the attendants he had spoken of to help him settle in the students and their two teachers. Like him, the attendants were bipedal sheep people. They were known as the Ovocentaur race. They were very friendly, greeting the group with smiles and polite tones, as they led them into the inn through a private entrance.
Leon looked around at the scenery, taking in the fine, strange, and exotic plants and decorations that he had never seen before. One of the sheep people noticed Leon's curious gaze and turned to him with a wide smile.
"If you want, we can take you on a tour of the place later. I can see how curious you are. This is your first time in God's Sanctum, yes?" The Ovocentaur stepped closer to Leon and asked enthusiastically.
Leon grimaced slightly, but managed to hide his look of distaste. The Ovocentaur race seemed to be a bit too friendly for his tastes, but he managed a reply.
"Err, a tour would be okay, I guess." He scratched the back of his head and turned to look at Zeke, who was nodding his head excitedly. He could not help but sigh in defeat when he saw how eager Zeke was. If he refused to go, then Zeke would probably drag him out kicking and screaming.
The Ovocentaur nodded his head before turning back to face the front. Every once in a while, it would speak up, pointing at an exotic plant or painting and explain a bit about it. The group came to a magic lift, and after a moment, Willy waved his arm, and a golden sphere enveloped the lift. The next moment, the lift shot up without causing any disturbance as it quickly ascended to one of the higher floors of the massive building.
Whoosh.
With a slight breeze, the magic lift stopped at the topmost floor of the building. There, Willy led the group forward until they came across a hall with a long line of doors on either side.
"This is the place that has been arranged for you to stay by the Imperial Academy. I hope you enjoy your stay with us." He nodded slightly before turning around to leave.
The remaining Ovocentaurs stayed a bit and spoke with Stewart and Avery before taking their leave. The two teachers then turned to their students with easy smiles.
"Aright, this is how we are going to split up. Two people per room. Pick your roommate now. You have two minutes to round up. After the rooms are shared, we can go back down to the ground floor to take a tour. Is that fine?"
The students did not need to verbally reply, as they immediately began picking their roommates. There was no need to say that Zeke immediately threw his arm around Leon's shoulder with an excited grin.
"I wonder if they have any training rooms. I want to have a spar with you." He grinned down at Leon, his towering figure completely dwarfing the human.
"Hmm." Leon hummed and eyed his friend with a smile of his own. He was receptive to the idea of a small spar between themselves.