Manifest Fantasy

Chapter 23: Back to School

Author's Note:

I am planning an upgrade to Tier 4 Patrons by September 24. Tier 4 Patrons will be able to read 2 chapters ahead instead of just 1.

READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD

Chapter 24: Settling In is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/drdoritosmd

Discord: https://discord.gg/wr2xexGJaD

 – –

Eldralore Academy, Eldralore

The MRAPs came to a stop outside Kelmithus' mansion – yes, mansion – adjacent to the academy itself. Apparently, this was the best place they could park their MRAPs, unless they wanted to travel from Armstrong by carriage. The Archmage had also offered some rooms, but Ryan argued it'd be better if the school didn't come to see them as 'the fancy guests who stayed at Professor ad Helis' home.'

Yeah, it was a fair point not trying to attract too much attention to themselves. Something told him, though, that this wasn't just a reflection of the man's experience in clandestine ops. Judging from the smile on the guy's face as they stepped outside, Henry could almost swear Ryan just wanted to feel like a college kid.

Maybe he could, though he reckoned it'd be more like Harvard study sessions instead of ASU ragers. The academy itself wasn't too far from the mansion; it was uphill, completely visible from his position and looked more like a castle than a school. Well, when teaching kids to throw fireballs, he supposed the serious architecture was more than necessary.

"Everyone good?" he asked, popping the door open and hopping down.

Arran stumbled out of the back seat, leaning over the grass. "Oh, I believe I am a bit... nauseous..."

Ron patted the man on the back. Hands on knees – not great, but Ron definitely wasn't gonna tell him that. "You're good bro; think of it like uh, like riding a carriage!"

"But I hate riding carriages."

"Well..." Henry scratched his shoulder, adjusting his robe. "Uh, anyway, Arran, we're not gonna be doing that again any time soon. We'll give ya a couple minutes to catch your breath."

He glanced back at his team. Looked a bit weird seeing them all decked out like adventurers, but they seemed to clean up okay in Gaerran duds. At least it'd help them fit in a bit more. Of course, they still had all their things in their Holding Bags or under their cloaks.

Henry pulled out his helmet, bringing the IVAS HUD to life. An entire magic school stood before them. No way he was gonna walk in without at least checking what it looked like on the EMF meter. The overlay popped up, aligning with what he'd expected out of the place – 500 milligauss. Not quite on the level of the various ruins they'd been through, but it made sense for one of the most magically dense areas in the city. Past that, there was nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual background ambience that seemed to permeate everything else in the world.

Arran walked up to them, still looking like shit. "I'm ready," he said.

The kid's appearance suggested otherwise, but if the kid wanted to push through despite that, then Henry wouldn't argue. He wanted to see the place as much as everyone else, probably not for the cat girls – as Ron did – but for the general curiosities he might find within.

"Alright, let's get moving then," Henry declared, hiding the helmet away.

They started on the path leading to the main gate out front. The walk to the academy was short, but it gave them a lot to chew on. This part of Eldralore was a weird mix of the market district's medieval fantasy and something almost modern – if one squinted and ignored the lack of power lines. The cobblestone streets were clean, way cleaner than any medieval-era city had a right to be. Odd modernizations, just like the aethergraph system and the amenities in the Duke's guest house.