Interviews were so much more annoying than what Matthew had thought of. His group and even Aziroth were bombarded with so many questions that they didn't know. And was unsure on how to answer. Even some students pestered them so often that Elyssia had a vexed expression on her face for a long time.
Finally, it was mostly over. Everyone is getting some sleep. While there were a few teachers watching over the area. Alongside a few security guards and animals. The five strolled through the street, they passed by a few emergency tents to house the injured. Most of them went silent now.
"Good lord...Those reporters arrived fast. Just one word and they come flocking towards the school..." Rovanne rubbed her eyes, already tired from today, "Gee...I might need to learn how to do so many interviews at a time."
"You can count me out." Madhav said, "I'm never going in front of them ever again."
Aziroth looked around warily, almost like he was checking for something. But luckily, he finds nothing out of the ordinary, "Hey Aziroth." Matthew spoke.
"Hm? What?"
"Headmaster said that you might join us. Become part of the security force. Are you still up for it?"
Right. They would have known because his ancestor told them that he might join. After today, they had gained most of his respect already. Especially the trio. Now that he saw what they were capable of.
After a second of thought that felt like forever, he sighed and made his decision, "Sure. I guess it can be beneficial for both of us."
"Hooray! We're gonna get you your ring and new shabby uniform tomorrow or after tomorrow!" Rovanne cheered upon hearing the news of Aziroth joining their team.
"Hold your horses Rovanne." Elyssia said, "We still need to register him and everything."
Deep down, Elyssia was happy that Aziroth joined. It's been some time since they started to get new members to join their dwindled numbers. Now they have eight members onboard. But that's still not enough to keep things stable. Elyssia wished her brother was here. With these numbers, he would have made them sharper and sturdier than the finest blade forged by a blacksmith.
As they continued walking aimlessly before Elyssia spotted a peculiar person walking towards the post office silently. It was like finding a camouflaged animal hiding in their home terrain. You couldn't see them with the naked eye. Or if you're lucky enough and focus hard enough, spot them lurking around.
That was the case of the oddly hollow boy. If Elyssia remembered correctly, Sultan was his name. What is he doing now? Elyssia quickly jogged towards Sultan. Her members unknowingly followed her from behind.
"Hey! Excuse me!" Elyssia called out to him.
Sultan turned to her quickly, Acknowledging and analyzing her movement to search for any ill intent, but he found none, "Well hello there. May I help you?"
Matthew seemed to snap out of his trance upon seeing Sultan, "Well will you look at that! Hello again Sultan."
"Ah, Matthew. Good to see you." Sultan bowed slightly.
"Where are you heading to?" Elyssia asked him.
"I'm trying to find the post office to send a letter to my family. Do you know where it is?"
"I'll lead the way."
They led Sultan towards a building with rectangular roof tiles. And accompanied by a circular tower that reached three stories tall. A singular sign by the door reads 'Henry's Postal Office' . Stepping inside, a bell rang which woke up a boy who was sleeping by the counter.
He slapped himself awake before greeting them, "W-Well...hello there-!" he stammered, "Welcome to Henry's postal office! We guarantee your letter to be transported across the world in-"
"-Two days. And receive a letter back just the same. Yeah, we know. Good to see you again Henry." Aziroth greeted.
"Well hey, there Aziroth! Brought your security force members with you? Did you join them?"
"Yes. I did. But right now..." Aziroth shook his head towards Sultan, "He wants to send a letter out."
"Ah yes. Do you have it ready or do you want to write it now? I have an open desk for you."
Sultan shrugged, "I'll write it now."
"Alrighty then! There's a desk by the corner with a ballpoint pen, ink, and quill, or whatever you need." Henry said.
"I'll take the ink and quill."
They all headed towards the desk. Passing by some cabinets and display tables littered with potions and books. Sultan pulled a chair and sat on it as Henry placed a sheaf of paper in front of him. It was odd that all of the security force members were just waiting around Sultan as he wrote the letter. Seemingly in arabic. But Elyssia had a reason. And she's trying to find her opportunity.
"Mind if I ask who you're writing to? I'll need the info for sending the birds out."
"I'm writing to my family in Jordan. They're wondering what I'm doing in Dalsinor. My wife especially. She's worried about me." Sultan answered nonchalantly.
"Yes, that's- wait a second..." The others seemed to take a second process of that information, "You have a wife?"
"Yes...And?"
"Huh?!"
Sultan sighed as palmed his face, "Why is it so surprising to you all?"
"Dude! You're like...sixteen!" Matthew exclaimed.
"Seventeen."
"Doesn't matter! You have a wife out of everything! Most of us haven't even had our first kiss yet!" Madhav added.
Rovanne elbowed him on the arm, "You sound like you're projecting."
Madhav tried to say something, but couldn't seem to find his comeback. Sultan continued writing slightly louder. Hoping to take the attention off of him, "Back in the days, people got married at younger ages."
"Time's different now. It's still a surprise you're married. Now what? Do you have kids or something?" Henry jokes.
Sultan just kept on writing, "Oh god...don't tell me you have kids."
"I didn't say I did-"
"You are a father?!" Madhav shouted. Prompting Aziroth and Elyssia to hit him simultaneously. Shutting him up after he screamed in the night.
"Can you stop being so loud please?" Sultan folded the paper when he was done and handed it to Henry, "Here. Send it to Amman. Jordan post."
"Rightyo boss." Henry grabbed an envelope from a shelf and stuffed the letter inside. Writing down a few words and enchantments on the envelope before whistling gently to call something.
From the pitch-black room, an owl peered its head out before quickly flapping towards Henry. Grabbing the letter and flying off towards the pitch-black room again. Ascending up the long cylinder-shaped stone tower and out the window. Before disappearing into the night.
"Delivered in two days. Message received back in two days." Henry said, "That's the slogan of our family's postal office."
"Do you work here alone?"
"No. Not really. My father, Henry the fifth. He just put me in charge for today. And look at how that turned out. Yeesh."
Sultan was about to leave, but something caught his attention, "Wait your father is Henry the fifth. So you're...Henry the sixth?"
"Yep. My father, and the father before him who inherited the business, were always named Henry. It's just how it is and it's weird as hell." Henry chuckled, "But, I suppose you all have duties elsewhere?"
"You just want to sleep, don't you?" Elyssia asked.
"Yes. Please leave right now. I can barely keep myself awake right now."
Without much complaint, everyone left quietly and quickly out of the postal office. Henry waved them goodbye before closing the door and falling asleep on the counter again. The six continued onwards. With Elyssia trying to pry out more information from this odd student.
"So you're seventeen, but you're with the first years?"
"I'm not answering that." Sultan answered bluntly. And Matthew promptly backed off.
"Sorry for this, but you're an odd one." Elyssia said, "You're just..."
Sultan slowed his pace down, slowly turning towards the five with a certain malice that can only be described as a Fangwyrm dragon staring you down. Inches away from your body. Everyone felt it. Even Aziroth.
"Just. What?"
Even under the pressure, Elyssia still tried to stand her ground, and keep her body still, "Empty." The words felt like venom. Even though she didn't mean to.
"I made a deal with two of you. But I feel like it was a mistake. Just know that you won't see me often. I'll be out of your hair. And I won't bother you." Sultan quickly walked off into the darkness. They tried to catch up to him. But before they knew it, his presence and body just disappeared from sight. And they were unable to find him.
"Shit..." Elyssia cursed.
"Maybe you were a bit too pushy with him." Rovanne commented.
"Argh...damnit..."
Sultan wouldn't see them any time soon. As he will keep to his words. They won't see him. And he won't bother them. Not for a long time anyways. He was always a peculiar one.
He stood by a corner near an alley. Watching the group argue for a bit. The security force was smaller than he expected. Last time he heard, the Greek girl's brother was the leader and there were over fifteen members. But now, the younger sister was the leader.
Sultan turned around and faced the alley. To his shock, The headmaster stood in front of him, beaming with a bright smile, "Hello Sultan."
"Ya rab...You scared me..." Sultan breathed a sigh of relief, "What is it...?"
"My apologies, son. But I have something for you." Headmaster Avshino searched through his pockets, before holding out a key, "Here you go."
"What's this?" Sultan took it from Avshino.
"The keys to my observatory. I know that people wouldn't take so kindly towards you. So I'll give you this free space to live in."
Sultan bowed towards the headmaster in thanks, "My gratitude headmaster."
Avshino watched Sultan for a second, taking in his expressions and previous actions he saw him do, "Is something wrong?"
"No no. Nothing is wrong"
"Son, I have lived for thousands of years. I can tell that something is. Please tell me."
Sultan peered his head out the alley again. Watching as the security force members take their leave, "It's them. I'm confident that sooner or later, they will be pulled into this...danger that you brought us in for. I don't want to see any of the young people their age die a horrible death. I've seen it multiple times. And it wasn't something I like to remember."
"I can understand that son. But my descendant is already on this mission."
"The pale one?'
"Yes. The pale one. Aziroth Avshino. He's a grumpy and quiet one. But trust me, he can prove to be a valuable asset." Headmaster Avshino patted Sultan on the shoulder, "He reminds me of small bits of my younger self."
"And how was that?"
"Bad. I was a different man back then. But he inherited my battle and magic genes alright." The headmaster chuckled, "Come, I'll lead you to my observatory."
The two of them walked through the empty alleyway. The headmaster specifically took Sultan through the more empty and less populated area where the only sound that chirped through the night were the crickets.
Taking some interest in what headmaster Avshino said, Sultan inquired further, "I heard you and Hanlerk were friends before."
"That's true son. Met him in the outskirts of some forgotten ruins. Looking for an artifact. That was a memorable time." Avshino smiled while recounting his first meeting.
"And what happened?"
"Oh, we tried to kill each other!" The headmaster couldn't contain himself and laughed a bit too loud for the night, "We had the same goal, but believed each other to be working against it! Ha! The amount of times we gave each other a good beating was a spectacle! You could barely recognize us after! So imagine our shock when we found out what both of us wanted to do with the artifact!"
Sultan nodded quietly. Still in a small bit of disbelief that Hanlerk had ever met Avshino. Two different sides of the same coin in the viewpoint of the magic world. One is a teacher, the other something completely different. Avhsino continued to ramble on as he held up a finger trying to remember his past thousands of years that he lived on earth, "We had alot of people trying to hunt us down! You wouldn't believe the list I have."
"Let me guess, Genghis khan? Hannibal? Alexander the great?"
"Yes to all three!" Avshino promptly confirmed.
"Wait really?"
"Absolutely! I can still remember their vivid insults, declaration, and feeble attempts to fight us. Genghis khan was by far the most ruthless. I'm glad he didn't get a spec of magical knowledge. That would have turned out bad if it did happen." Avshino quickly led Sultan through the gates of the S-class and into the main building, "And they tried to hide his grave. And I will admit, I got carried away and slightly desecrated his remains. I regret my younger self."
"Interesting..." Sultan nodded. They soon come face to face the the headmaster's office door. But to the right, there was a second door. Locked away with a single lock. Sultan walked towards it as Avshino took a step back. Letting him unlock it and take a step inside.
Immediately, the air quality of the area struck Sultan immediately. The raw purity of such treasure was unfathomable to the human nose. But not Sultan. He can smell the fresh aroma of nature from an area where they should be peering beyond it.
Before him stood a circular platform with stairs accompanied by handrails. Leading up to a massive telescope that can observe deep into the universe's secrets and constellations through a clear glass dome.. All around it, multiple bookshelves circled the area, occupied with thousands of different books about a specific topic. To the corner of the room, a single bed and shelf awaited its owner, Sultan.
"Woah..." Sultan couldn't help but stare in awe at the beauty that the observatory room presented before him.
"Beautiful rights? I made sure that everything was dust-free and clean every day. It's yours now for the time being. If you worry about communication between your friends, I have implemented a communication line using a few magic stones near the bed. You should be able to communicate with them whenever you want."
Sultan took a few steps towards the platform before jumping all the way to the top of the platform. Coming face to face with the behemoth of a telescope. Ready to peer into the ever-pulsing universe.
"I'll leave you to it." Avhsino said, "Good night."
"Good night..."
Sultan stood in his place. Just gazing through the small details of the contraption. Each intricate marking and decoration. It truly is a sight to behold. As much as he tried to focus on what the mission is and what his body needs right now, he grabbed onto the eyepiece and stared through the lenses. Quickly losing himself in the beauty of the universe. God's creation.