Kile of Zumada

15. Professor Horee Jecub

The Academy was just as grand as the Firebound Dojo, if not more so. Carved entirely from marble and accented with columns of lapis. The campus itself was also walled, with two gates - one a main gate, ornate and decorated with statues of famous graduates and brilliant golds and blues. Originally, Kile thought the marble was all one massive piece, but he realized that they were actually many smaller pieces perfectly cut to be exactly in line with each other. He wondered how they had managed to do that.

They stabled the longones and cart, and headed for the central building.

The building looked tall, regal, and grand. Unlike the Firebound Dojo, it was also a bit more lively - students dashing about from place to place to get where they were needed. He noticed that they all wore the uniform, but the color of the sashes were different. When asked, Alora told him that each color was a speciality. Her study of history granted her green, while those hoping to become Orderbound wore white. Red was medicine, and blue was architecture, and so on.

Kile found himself grateful that the Academy didn't have steps up to it like the Dojo did. Alora led them inside, through the halls and under a large green arch that indicated the entrance to the history department, where she followed the blue carpeted floor to a wooden door. She gave a knock at it.

"You're sure he'll know something?" Lija asked.

"If anyone in this building does, it will be him."

The door opened and a surprisingly husky man stepped out. White noise patch, blue eyes, and black hair. He wore a uniform as well, but it was slightly different. Instead of a white toga, it was green, and his sash was black, indicating him as a teacher of the History department.

"Ah! Alora! I can't say I was expecting you to come to office hours, you're doing so well."

"Thank you, Professor," she said, "but my friends here actually had a question for you."

The man's attention turned to them, and Kile introduced himself, "hi, I'm Kile of the Djezzi, I hope you're well."

"Professor Horre Jecubs, Head of the History Department at the Imperial Academy. How can I help you?"

Kile took in a breath of preparation. He looked to Lija, who had stepped back a tiny bit to give him the floor. She probably was still freaking out front he events at the market - he certainly wasn't completely over it.

"I was wondering if you could tell us what you know about Wild Magic?"

The man scratched his beard and thought, "Hm...describe it to me, I'm not sure if we're thinking about the same thing."

"It's a new kind of magic that's been popping up here and there," he said. "It's...hard to explain. But it's dangerous. I've done a lot of damage I didn't want to do because of it, and I have been Quested to find the answer."

The man nodded, "okay, so we are talking about the same thing. Yes, I've heard a thing or two. The Prince has seemed very interested in it, come to think of it. Unfortunately, I can't say I know much off the top of my head. If you know it's seemingly random, happening to more people lately, and a source of consternation, you know as much as I do," he said.

Kile's aspirations instantly sunk. How in the world were they supposed to do anything now? If the Academy didn't know it, nobody could. Professor Jecub either recognized the despair on his face or had another thought to occur to him.

"Actually, now that I think about it," he pondered aloud, "there might have been something in the archives..."

He thought deeply, "ah, yes! Something in the ancient history area! I remember skimming through it some time ago when I was researching other matters."

Kile let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness,"

Alora didn't seem nearly as pleased.

"Unfortunately," he continued, causing Kile's suspended heart to drop all the way through the floor, "as Alora is only a first year student, she is not allowed in the archives yet."

"You can't make an exception? He's been Quested, professor!" Alora insisted. "Don't you know what that means for a Djezzi?"

"I do," he assured, "but I told you before. There are a lot of things in the archives, and learning how to read it and how to properly care for it is just as important as whatever information you may be looking for."

"Pleeeeese, Professor?" She begged.

"I'm standing firm on this. But I promise you, when I get a moment, I'll certainly look myself and let you know what I find."

He gave a warm smile and looked around, seeing another professor, "Ah! Professor Hellan!" He turned his attention to the kids again, "you'll excuse me, I actually have some important matters to discuss with her."

"Of course, Professor," Kile said, stepping out of the way.

Professor Jecub walked off to meet with the other Professor, and as soon as he was out of sight, Alora stomped her foot.

"Darn it, damn it, dash it!" She swore, "that was so useless!"

"He said he was going to look," Lija said.

"Of course he said that," she grumbled, "but he's such a forgetful dunce! He's never going to do it unless you walk him into the Archives yourself and even then he won't do a blasted thing! And even then, he'll probably forget the second he walks through!"

"...oh..." Kile hung his head.

Alora swung her arms around in frustration, and let out a sigh.

"Okay. I'm sure we can think of something else," she promised. "Until then, you guys can share my dorm with me."

"Are you sure?" Lija asked, blushing a bit.

"Of course, of course! I'm the youngest student ever accepted into the Academy, and they wanted to protect me, so they gave me a dorm room all to myself and it's pretty big. As long as you're not here for too long, I'll go get things set up for you while you guys turn in your rentals."

"Thank you, very much." Kile said.

"No, thank you for giving me a very interesting day," she said.