The Unearthing (Book I of the Tebel Chronicles)

Chapter 16

'There,' said Xai, as Cyan stepped out in the blue garments she had been given when finally allowed to leave her bed, two days after waking up. The trousers were really large squares of fabric that had to be wrapped loosely around her legs, giving an elegant flowing effect. A long sleeveless tunic was tied over a tighter-fitting sweater by a thick scarf at the waist. Once Cyan had worked out how to put on these complicated new garments she found them very comfortable and warm. Xai explained that the first year students at Noring wore shades of yellow, second-year's shades of green and third-years wore blue. The Junior Masters wore shades of purple and the Grand Masters wore cream and white robes. Cyan wondered why she should be promoted straight to third year but didn't ask. She thought it would be better to go along with what happened until someone asked her a question. She felt very graceful as she crossed the infirmary with Xai. At the door, the healer explained that Cyan should come back if her wound started giving her any trouble. She also said that the Head Master, Rustley, would talk to Cyan soon, but until then she should say she was an exchange student from Airlia completing her third year. Cyan had no idea what all that meant. But before she could ask, a pretty young woman with thick, strawberry-blonde clipped-back hair, entered the infirmary. She was taller than Cyan and also wearing blue robes. The young woman smiled at Cyan and introduced herself as Liz, a third-year at Noring, learning water manipulation.

'Liz will be your guide today.' said Xai.

'Ah. Um, where're Kael?' asked Cyan, feeling awkward.

'He's in class,' Liz told her merrily. 'I had a free. I'm under strict orders from Master Gerjo not to tire you out and to let you rest if you look like you're taking strain.'

Cyan grimaced at this, retorting that after being an infirmary prisoner for so long she doubted she'd ever need to sleep again. This brought a tinkling laugh from Liz, as she wove her arm through Cyan's and led her outside.

Cyan gasped in wonder as she left the infirmary and saw Noring properly for the first time. They were standing on the outskirts of a small town in a deep valley. All around the valley were mountains draped in trees and waterfalls that gave a magical sheen to the air.

Liz led her down a street between elegant red-roofed buildings. All the buildings in the town had been built around a great marble building that Cyan had seen when she entered Noring.

'That's the Main Venue, where we have our lectures and where the students live. It's also where the Masters' offices are,' explained Liz, seeing Cyan looking at the great structure. 'We'll go in there later for lunch.'

Liz led Cyan around the small town dedicated to students, Masters and some tradesmen, showing her the stables, the outdoor training fields, the indoor gym. There were swimming pools that lay towards the outskirts of the town just before the Forests of Yim scattered up the mountains between the many waterfalls.

The cobbled streets were fairly busy with people who were rushing along their days. They were mostly students judging by the colorful tunics, but purple flashes indicated Masters dashing from one side of campus to the other. Liz explained that they lectured classes in the Main Venue, but then had to get to the various training sites around the town.

'It means everyone is always rushing,' declared Liz. 'If the town was better planned, the gyms would all be closer to our lectures so we wouldn't have to walk so far to get to them.'

'I guess the residential buildings would be too far away then,' said Cyan, looking at the smaller houses where the Masters and their families lived. These houses were wooden and had a log-cabin feel. Most of them had porches and chimneys and looked very cozy. 'Also, if they were much closer to the waterfalls they'd struggle with damp.'