Luines - Book 1

Chapter 16: Einsling Dojo

Weeks flew by like days that December was nearing. That would mean the big tests were coming and Hal hadn't any time for that. Her December time was filled for the family, or whatever remained of it. Ever since she told Zee about Ryu, word had gotten to her mom about him, and she asked Hal to invite him over for the holidays. It reached so far that her crazy aunts have been bugging about meeting Ryu. It'll be the talk of all future Decembers that Hal would have a lover that declined their invitation if she didn't ask him at least.

As she was in search of Ryu, Hal stumbled onto Sef's older brother, Gan, in Oskaron and asked about Ryu. Apparently, Neon Requyem accompanied him, and she seemed startled at Hal's sight. They walked together to Einsling Dojo, where Ryu spent most of his classes. Hal couldn't fathom the picture she witnessed: Gan's stubby hands wrapped around Neon's under the trees of Oskaron. Hal never thought that the elf had even the capacity to love.

Gan asked, "Any of you ever been to Einsling before?"

"Nope. My classes revolved around Oskaron and Gamil." Hal Cruz said. "Thank you for accompanying me and it looks like you're a package deal."

Gan scratched his head bashfully, "It's nothing. You might get lost in Einsling, finding Ryu. You know our building is like a maze."

Hal looked up; the Einsling Dojo was one giant Imperial Palace, restored to its historical gold and wonder. Its gigantic doors were red, carved with a silhouette of a sprawling tree. Gan heaved the door open, and allowed them in.

Hal Cruz couldn't believe her eyes. Their hallway was twice the size of the cramped halls of Gamil, but it housed a labyrinth of wooden walls. Instead of the usual stone or a staircase at the end of the hall in Gamil, Einsling Castle had its own zen garden.

"I never thought there was such a thing here."

A white stone garden, enclosed with a red Japanese fence, was neatly tucked away in the corner. In the middle of the garden, a pair of glittering birds sang a sweet lullaby. Hal closed her eyes as she drifted away with the melodies of those long-tailed fluffy scarlet birds.

"Hal, better snap out of it! Those cantowifs tend to lull people to sleep then steal your food or attack. Do you still want to find Ryu, or sleep?" Gan asked.

Before Hal could speak, a loud bang exploded from one of the classrooms. Thick blankets of smoke escaped through the little cracks of a door close by. A reverberating shriek burst afterwards. Hal twisted her hand but the knob would not turn. The fumes around the door grew and a series of yells blasted in the room.

Instantly, Gan charged at the door, and smashed it open. Black cloud of fumes jetted out into the halls, and Hal covered her face with her hands. Fortunately, the odor of the fumes was normal, and not one of Reeg Myrkvi's pungent signature spell cigarettes.

"MS. MAEDA! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

The professor waved her hand then the smoke cleared. Her ruby robes were half eaten by the little embers that crawled on it. The professor brushed her black curly hair, ash fell like little bits of snow. The students quickly filed out and the last to meet Hal, Neon and Gan was the professor.

With the thick layer of smoke gone, the classroom looked like it was hit by a bomb. The wooden floor panels were dark, like logs that had survived the burns from a lightning bolt. The cabinets were all charcoal black with little embers still eating through some half-burnt books. They volunteered to help the professor but she declined nicely.

Again, the professor hollered much louder than before.

"MS. KINOU MAEDA! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"