Chương 45: You've Just Activated My Trap Card!

Dragon's Heart Tower, Level 23, Residence 30. Living Room. Local Time: 12: 15 Hours. Thalmin Dread, fear, panic, and anxiety… all of these emotions threatened to rush to the surface with the unbridled ferocity of a berserker out of mana. Dread, for the sudden disappearance of a peer in all but name. Fear, for the consequences that will inevitably follow. Panic, for the abrupt disruption of a straightforward plan.

Anxiety, for the potential of failure, and the ramifications of that failure on those around me; those that I have promised nothing short of a complete victory. A second was all it took for these thoughts and emotions to surface, and a second more was all that was needed for those very thoughts to take root. I couldn't give them that chance. It was just not the Havenbrockian way. The proving dens had taught me better than to succumb to the whims of the runt-born heart.

It taught me the importance of controlling one's emotions, and the difference confidence and stoicism made between life and death. From the battlefield, to the banquet table, and the maprooms of the Great Hall; this rule had kept the Havenbrockian house afloat and slicing through the waves of challenges we faced. This situation was no different.

In fact, if anything, it called for an adherence to the lessons of the proving dens; as I called upon feelings of anger and frustration to temper the encumbering emotions that threatened to plague me. Ultimately though, all this boiled down to one thing: I couldn't fail Thacea or Emma. Not when the issue at hand was barely an issue at all, if it wasn't for the Academy's vague threats of draconian punishment. Alright. I began taking a deep, growl-ridden breath. Action is the ward to indecision. So act.

HUFFFFF HUFFFFF I took a deep breath, this time not out of frustration, but practicality. For I had one final card to play, a gift of the lupinor heritage that would take over from where my eyes and mana-perception had both failed. SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF I still had my keen sense of smell to rely on. The world around me practically lit up in a dizzying array of scents. This was where noble sensibilities born out of the Nexian reformations clashed with the intrinsic nature of Lupinor heritage.

The Nexian Reformations claimed that the measure of one's civility was determined by the distance one placed between the animal and the person. Etiquette and the social decorum that followed was thusly determined by how far one distances themselves from what the Nexians considered as animal-like behaviors. Civilization was, after all, the testament of the triumph of the mind over the desires of the flesh. And to be civilized meant the adherence to that which delineates the person from the animal: culture.

Our keen sense of smell, our ancestral drive for the hunt based on scent alone, was simply incompatible with this worldview. But when the choice was to do or to not, with the latter being arbitrary and the former being innately useful… then there was no choice to be made at all. That was lesson 394 from the proving grounds, courtesy of my uncle. And it would quickly prove to be a valuable lesson for the present.

For within the scents, I was quickly becoming familiarized to within this domicile: the distinct fragrance of the fresh linens, the nutty earthiness of the venerable furniture, and the… lizardness of the blue-scaled lizard, there was something new here that just did not belong. Something new that was incredibly subtle, strangely so, but that hit me hard the moment I started focusing.

It was the smell of acrid pungency, one that tickled my nose with what felt like bits and pieces of coarse dust that was invisible to the naked eye. It was the undeniable smell of smoke, and the distinct sensation of ash. A renewed surge of confidence took over me, as I felt my heart suddenly pumping with a renewed vigor. My pupils dilated, and my whole body felt ready to surge forward at a moment's notice. I was now, well and truly, on the hunt.

Keeping my eyes peeled, and my mana-perception open, I moved swiftly to the source of this foreign smell. This led me to a pile of refuse that was the Vunerian's secondary nest, a mish-mash of soft bed covers, pillows, stuffed caricatures, and other such garbage. I made short work of this, peeling back layer after layer before I was hit with the source of that acrid scent. It was a letter. Or rather, was a letter. One that had been completely incinerated by the Vunerian's breath.

I couldn't make heads or tails of it, not without a restoration spell, which was the kind of subject matter that was taught at the Academy and not common knowledge. So I kept searching for clues. This eventually brought me to one of the room's cabinets, over on the Vunerian's side of the domicile. It was here that I found another burned letter. This one, however, was only partially burned.

"Mandatory… assembly… announcement… attendance is…" I didn't need to see the rest of it to confirm what it was. There was no doubt about it. This was definitely the letter the insipid apprentice blocking the library was talking about. Which meant Ilunor must have seen the letter, before purposefully setting it ablaze. So I continued searching, once more relying on scent alone to trace the origin of all of this acrid smoke. It wasn't hard to do.

The blue thing's little demonstration of nothing but soot-breath at the night of Emma's weapons inspection had given me more than enough to work with. So with that memory fresh in mind, and the very strong reminders of that particular scent still present in the air, I began tracing the room. He must have been close, if not still in the room itself. I could smell the source getting closer and closer. Each step leading to increasingly intensified soot-breath.

This meant the lizard must be here, in spite of my inability to sense the presence of his mana-field. I couldn't say whether or not that was a result of my own inadequacies in mana-field tracking, or the lizard's inherent talents in mana-field masking. Perhaps the truth lay somewhere in the middle. Either way, the sheer lack of anything in the mana-streams wasn't at all normal. Barring Emma, or a wizard of higher standing like one of the professors, mana-field masking such as this was simply unheard of.

And yet here I was, getting closer and closer towards what my nose told me was the source of all of this wanton use of magical fire. The scent eventually took me to the second-floor loft of the domicile, one which circled the entire perimeter of the room. It was here that the ashen sensation tickling my nose dissipated, replaced instead with an increasingly thick acridity that grew and grew until finally… I passed it. I'd passed the point of maximal intensity without seeing anything out of the ordinary.

Backtracking by a good few feet, I began honing in on the specific point of maximal intensity, bringing me to a walk-in closet right across from the Vunerian's bed. One of the two we'd split between us. I began opening up my mana field even more now, pushing, pulling, tugging against the latent currents… and yet… there was nothing. No signs of life. Not even a hint of a soul. And yet, I could smell the pungent smoke, all while being unable to actually smell the Vunerian anywhere.

So with all of these conflicting senses, with only the lupinor in me screaming that we'd finally found him, I gave in. I put faith in my lupinor heritage, and SLAMMED the double-doors to the walk-in-closet open with such force that I could feel the wood buckling under the strain. It was there that I was hit with several things at once. First, my mana-streams were suddenly inundated by the overwhelming presence of another soul.

This, after increasing my sensitivities to the ebbs and flows of the streams, was as close to sensory overload as was possible. Second, my eyes barely caught a glimpse of something blue zipping across my peripheral vision, having literally entered into existence without so much as a footstep. And third, I suddenly felt something impacting against my armored belly, eliciting a loud GONG that resonated loudly across the room, before the inevitable pained high-pitched screams a lizard quickly followed.

"Did you really think that would work?" I shouted with a frustrated growl, before deftly picking the small thing up under both of his arms like an incessant pup. This of course, resulted in what I could only describe as a rabid-response from the Vunerian who began thrashing in place, to little effect.

"Shut up!" I barked out, causing the Vunerian to finally lose his grip on something he had held in his paws up to this point. It was a piece of unassuming cloth, what looked to be a blanket of all things, that floated to the ground unceremoniously prompting the little thing to reach for it with all of his might.

"What in the hell's wrong with you, Ilunor?!" I continued, and unlike the Vunerian who clearly had his priorities mixed up, I began pressing the issue of our time-sensitive predicament.

"Lord Rularia, we have but minutes to spare before you and you alone risk compromising the integrity of our peer group! Do you understand that?!" That warning, perhaps because of its sheer delivery, was enough to get the Vunerian back to his senses as he finally hung limp in my grip.

"Put. Me. Down. Right this instant." Ilunor seemed to finally come to his senses again. His request however, was laden with risk, despite being the most socially acceptable thing to do at this point in time.

"Are you going to scamper away again?" I asked threateningly through a series of growls. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"No."

"Do I have your word, Lord Rularia?"

"Yes." With little way of eye contact, I finally put the blue thing down, who promptly grabbed that piece of fabric before using a spell to simply shrink the thing into one of his many pockets. The minor lord took a few short seconds to brush himself down, deliberately averting his gaze from my own once again, as something within me could tell that something was off with the Vunerian. So many pieces of this puzzle just didn't add up. I didn't know where to begin…

but considering the fact that we were pressed for time, I had little in the way of talk before we needed to depart right then and there.

"Lord Rularia, would you mind telling me just why it is you were purposefully hiding from this mandatory engagement?" I asked simply, biting straight through the fat and into the meat of things. The small thing refused to respond, as he only looked away with sullen, almost resigned eyes. It was an expression I don't think I'd ever recalled seeing from the Vunerian up to this point.

"Well?" I urged.

"What-""I need you to make me a promise, Prince Thalmin Havenbrock." The small thing finally spoke. And this time, there was no grandstanding or measures of pretense. There was no excessively vitriolic response in an attempt to mask or hide another agenda, what I knew was a facade of a front to distract and redirect. There were only the first inklings of a more… dare I say it… earnest Ilunor.

"I am willing to proceed with this unnecessary engagement, I am… willing to do so for the sake of our peer group. However, I require reassurances. Prince Thalmin Havenbrock-" Ilunor paused, taking a moment to actually look me in the eyes with the composure of a true noble.

"-can you promise me that you are likewise willing to protect the integrity of this peer group? By guaranteeing my safety?" The circumstances surrounding Ilunor's hiding suddenly became clear to me, as did a great number of additional questions that entered soon after.

"Ilunor, I can't-""If you do not, then I shall simply dematerialize once more and lay in hiding until your arbitrary time limit runs its course." Ilunor threatened. The little thing knew that time was not on my side. He knew that the hand of negotiation was well and truly on his side. That, or he was bluffing about his capabilities. This whole situation reeked of duplicitous undertones.

And whilst part of me knew I could potentially use violence to press the matter forward, I had a feeling like that wouldn't work out well right now, not if his capabilities were well and truly able to circumvent my efforts.

"Well-?"

"Fine." I admitted with a low, dulcet growl.

"But only for the duration of this meeting." I continued, making sure to set clearly defined boundaries to this otherwise vague agreement.

"And then, you must explain everything to me, and to the rest of the group."

"I can only agree to explain that which necessitates explaining." Ilunor interjected, as I felt a low buzzing in my pocket from my timepiece. It was time to go.

"We'll dictate those terms when we cross that bridge, now let's go." The Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts, En Route to The Grand Assembly Hall. Local Time: 12: 44 Hours. Emma Booker The past hour was a confusing mix of genuinely engaging conversations with Thacea, internal housekeeping with the EVI, and a constant sense of FOMO from having let Thalmin tackle the discount kobold alone.

I was practically at the edge of my seat when the pair finally decided to arrive in the nick of time, averting some highly unnecessary Academy-grade drama by just under a minute, as the doors closed behind them with a resounding CLUNK. As the pair finally sat down, I perked my brow up to see Ilunor wrapping himself in what I could only describe as a blanket.

With the room now sealed off from the outside world, there was a marked improvement in the overall acoustics, which served to enhance the whispers of intrigue and gossip amongst the chatty ranks that made up the student body. The EVI was quick to pick up on them, relaying them to me just like it did right from the very first day.

"Completely unnecessary. I was already making headway towards the town as is!"

"What is this all about? The dragon? Hmmph, where I come from, dragons are a dime a dozen!"

"I heard this is about the explosion earlier this morning. Something about a magical cataclysm."

"Well aren't we lucky to be the year group that ushers in local cataclysm?"

"Shh! It looks like they're starting!" The start to this emergency assembly began in the most fittingly Nexian way possible. It started with music. The curtains blocking the stage were slowly unfurled, revealing a full on ensemble of musicians who began playing what I could only describe as a sudden and forceful tune to gain the crowd's attention, before stopping as abruptly as they'd started. It was only when the whispers had died down that the music began in earnest.

This time, proceeding more traditionally, starting with a slow bowing of string instruments, followed up by a series of heart-thumping drums, before finally finishing off with a resonant clang of what sounded like cymbals. A second pair of curtains behind the musical ensemble opened soon after, revealing a stage dominated by a large podium.

Behind it, was a long uninterrupted table, covered by an equally long cloth, with tapestries and ceremonial shields decorated with ornate crests of wildly different designs; the colors of each crest popping out against the white backdrop that was the tablecloth. Familiar faces populated the stage, with Professors Vanavan, Chiska, Belnor, Articord, and more that I vaguely recalled from orientation standing next to their respective seats. This packed roster however was interrupted by a single, lonely seat.

A seat that looked all the more empty and out of place by the sheer turnout of those on stage, not to mention the 'packed' crowd within the audience. ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 400% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS Another mana radiation alert preempted the arrival of the final element to complete this lineup. As a certain white-robed dean teleported in on a series of ethereal clouds that swirled up in the air above the stage to form a whole person.

The wisps of white quickly materializing into a physical form with arms far outstretched to his sides, hovering slowly onto the ground with a rushing breeze. The whole thing prompted me to question just how far this T-posing elf needed to go to assert his dominance. Since my experiences with teleportation magic so far had shown that clouds and other theatrics weren't a necessary prerequisite to teleportation magic.

"Students, esteemed and respected peers of this great place of learning, I have called upon the Expectant Oath of the Guardian to humbly and respectfully interrupt the proceedings of this grace period for the purposes of preemptively addressing certain unexpected developments of which many of you may already be aware of." The man made an effort to make eye contact with the crowd, but for a split second, he seemed to do what only Thacea, and to a limited extent Thalmin, was capable of doing up to this point.

He made eye contact with me through my opaque lenses, in what felt like the most effortless move imaginable, before promptly moving on.

"For those of you who may be unaware, allow me to elaborate. During the third and fourth hours prior to the morning's dawn, the town of Elaseer was struck by a series of unprovoked and cowardly attacks by the hands of an as-of-yet indeterminable party." A series of whispers threatened to erupt within the audience again, but was promptly shot down by the musicians still on stage, playing a series of sharp tunes that caused them to stop in their tracks. The dean continued on without missing a single beat.

"These attacks resulted in the damage and subsequent partial destruction of an Academy-affiliated life-archive and transportium holding facility; bringing the Academy's full involvement in what would otherwise be an Elaseer-exclusive incident. The sudden and unexpected arrival of an amethyst dragon during the course of these attacks is known to us, and what's more, the reports of unexplained beastly howls preceding the attack, is likewise known to us."

The dean paused, his compassionate yet calculating eyes taking stock of the reactions of the crowd, more specifically, at the students sitting in the front row.

"Those of you within the crowd who may fancy themselves ever-the-analytical sort may already understand the scope of this attack, and the parties that could potentially be involved. Nevertheless, this matter is one that none of you, let alone first-years, should concern yourself about. The Academy and its investigative bodies are already in the process of pursuing these culprits. And rest assured, with the aid of the Academy, Elaseer will quickly find and bring the parties involved to justice." Heh.

Playing those werebeast's noises to scare off those civvies in the area certainly helps with your narrative spin, doesn't it, dean? I shouldn't have been surprised. In fact, that was probably why I wasn't necessarily nervous about this whole assembly in the first place. Implicating me of all people would've been an embarrassing nightmare for the Academy. What's more, there were just so many ways they could've spun this, that my involvement would've actually been the lesser of obvious reasons for this whole debacle.

Ironically, fact would've been stranger and less acceptable than fiction in this situation.

"The reason why I am explaining this to all of you here today is simple. The Academy is nothing if not transparent about its proceedings and the proceedings of its immediate surroundings to those within the ranks of its peerage." The man spoke with a warm, comforting smile. One that I would've trusted if not for knowing the truth behind the lies.

"We are a center of learning, a place of wisdom. To convey and to disseminate information is within our core, and as such, our intent is to enlighten. This is especially true in regards to events that will invariably and directly affect the course of our Academic calendar." The man paused for effect, taking a moment to once more meet everyone's gaze, before exhaling dramatically to cement the severity of the inevitable announcement.

"The Academy has always prioritized the welfare of its peers above all other concerns. The uncertainties we face in light of recent events is yet another test to our commitment to this cause. As such, in accordance with the Expectant Oath of the Guardian, I deem it necessary to invoke the powers of Oversight in order to postpone the scheduled activities previously slated for the fourth and fifth days of this five-day grace period."

More voices started to emerge within the crowd, but similar to what happened before, they were shot down by a series of sharp harmonic trills courtesy of the on-stage musicians.

"These activities include the fourth day's scheduled hours for learning-materials procurement from Elaseer, and the fifth day's much-anticipated House Choosing Ceremony. Both activities will be tentatively rescheduled forward towards the end of the next week. Thus, next week's classes shall begin without the formation of first-year houses." The dean promptly gestured towards an exhausted-looking Chiska, who stood up from her seat on wobbly, bandaged legs.

"My department shall be posting updates on these two activities, on the Grand Community Board, as well as announcement letters to be sent to each of your dorms when the time comes."

"Thank you, Professor." The dean nodded respectfully, before quickly shifting gears.

"Now, to address another matter that most of you are certainly unaware of, except for a few of you more adventurous proactive souls." The dean preempted, before pulling out a piece of paper right out of thin air. ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 300% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS"As all of you are aware, the Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts has been host to The Library from the very inception of our founding.

Indeed, we pride ourselves in being the single, longest, uninterrupted host to the compendium of all that ever was and all that ever will be. This is in no small part a direct result from our discipline in maintaining and respecting the unspoken codes of conduct when accessing its services. It is this ceaseless adherence to our vows of mutual respect that has allowed us to maintain open access to the library throughout the untold eons. These vows, however, have seen their first violation in living memory.

A violation committed at the hands of one of our own peers." The dean paused, as if waiting for some sort of response, almost daring anyone from the audience to whisper or mutter out something. The crowd remained silent all throughout, as if they all collectively realized the severity of the situation.

"Starting tomorrow, in place of the House Choosing Ceremonies, there shall be an investigative council that shall call upon those within reasonable suspicion of this vile, malicious action. Those of you in suspect, shall be called upon as a group, or individually. You are free to roam the grounds, or remain in your dorms, for we will know where you are when the time comes." The man announced ominously, which seemed to shake the whole room to its core.

Heads began turning in every possible direction as a result of this, as I noticed Thacea and Thalmin's expressions shifting to that of a renewed sense of concern. Ilunor, however, seemed to watch on not in boredom, nor even in anxious concern like everyone else… but instead, in what I could only describe as a look of a deer in headlights.

"Are there any questions?" The dean suddenly added, which was surprisingly, answered by a lone reptilian hand belonging to one of the students in the front row.

"Yes, Lord Qiv Ratom, the floor is yours." Qiv stood up, patting down his uniform as he stood tall and with a practiced posture before speaking.

"Thank you, Professor Atalan Rur Astur. I have but one question to bring forth to your attention." The man cleared throat before continuing.

"Does all of this mean that the library is currently off limits pending investigation?" The Dean's face maintained its warm, friendly complexion, as he took a few seconds to ponder Qiv's question.

"Yes." He replied simply.

"The library will be off limits for the duration of this investigation." Qiv took a deep bow at the end of that answer, then promptly spoke before retaking his seat.

"Thank you, Professor Atalan Rur Astur. I defer the floor back to its rightful master." Whilst growing concerns and anxieties over the potential lockdown of the library began rearing its ugly head inside of my mind, a thought suddenly emerged that was the potential answer to this whole unexpected development. I raised my hand, much to Thacea's shock, and to Thalmin's interest, as the Dean narrowed his eyes my way, and nodded.

"Yes, Cadet Emma Booker, the floor is yours." He spoke in that same, reassuring tone of voice that I knew was full of crap. I turned to Qiv for a second, deciding to take a page out of his book of decorum, by standing up and then going through the motions.

"Thank you, Professor Atalan Rur Astur." I paused, bowing slightly.

"I just have one question. Would you be allowed in if you had a library card?" ….. ….. ….. The dean couldn't help but chuckle at that question. It was a warm chuckle, a patronizing chuckle, hiding within it a certain level of condescension. The man actually took the time to pause, before causing another spike in mana radiation- ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 300% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS -in order to materialize his own library card out of thin air as if to demonstrate his next point.

"You mean something like this?" He paused for effect, twirling the small metal card in his hands for good measure, allowing me a chance at getting a good look at his card. Strangely, whilst most details were similar to my own, it was the actual color and material that seemed different. The Dean's being a pearlescent silvery white, as opposed to my card's traditional yellow-gold.

"If you indeed possess a grand artifact such as this, then I do not see any issue in allowing you, or any one else who possesses such a gift, access to the library at this time. This card demonstrates the integrity of one's character. It serves as a mark of honor, and a symbol of virtue. It shows that you have been vetted, scrutinized, and probed by one of the wisest, oldest beings in all of existence, comparable only to His Eternal Majesty in its wisdom and judgment.

It is highly unlikely then, that the holders of this artifact would be in any way responsible for acts in encroachment and in violation of the library's sanctity. I hope this answer has been sufficient, Cadet Emma Booker, despite it clearly being inapplicable to your case. It is however commendable that you broach such curiosities whilst being outside of the circle of the privileged few who can actually utilize it."

He paused for effect, causing a slow but gradual uproar of chuckling within the crowd, which eventually evolved into all out laughter. It was at this point that I knew I had a unique opportunity in my hands. An opportunity to kill so many birds with one stone. I had the attention of the entire room. I'd just been dealt a verbal smackdown that I had the perfect counter for. And what's more, I had the unique opportunity now of setting the record straight in the eyes of all of those present.

It was time to play ball and demonstrate a bit of humanity's soft power here and now. With a look of genuine curiosity from the likes of Thacea, who clearly understood what was going through my head, and Thalmin who seemed overly excited for what was to come, I unclasped one of my pockets. Feeling the cold hard metal of the small rectangular plate, I clasped it between my middle and index fingers, before pulling it out in a single flourish. Not a second later, I felt the entire room going completely silent.

The laughter, chuckling, and dismissive rants all but stopped in a matter of seconds. The silence was deafening, so much so that I could make out a few gasps of shock from far away in the distance. There was no response from anyone, not especially from the dean himself who now stared blankly at the card, focusing on the helmeted portrait that without a doubt confirmed its owner. Earthrealm was here. And Earthrealm meant business.