Chapter 6: Pristine Dormitory

***

Congratulations, you’re in!

All of your hard work and perseverance got you to where you are today. But this isn’t the end. It’s just getting started. Classes are different for each tier, and every instructor is there to draw the most out of its students. Your studies will be devised according to the professor’s curriculum. Please report to them according to your path:

Mystic Path

Professor Zeke

Room #324 of Main Building

Class begins at 8:00 A.M.

Martial Path

Professor Kaiser

Room #212 of Main Building

Class begins at 8:00 A.M.

Shinewood College wishes the best for all of its students. Each tier is tailored to the benefits of the students, and yours can be found below:

Tier One:

Room #410 in Pristine Dormitory (Kelberoth)

One special class voucher*

One host class voucher**

Full exemption from core tuition

Full exemption from recreation facility fees

If you flip to the back of me, there’s a map! Don’t forget to take the card on the inside before you throw me away! It’ll give you access to the benefits mentioned above. On behalf of Shinewood College, we hope your hard work and perseverance continues!

*Special classes are those provided by the school’s honorary guests. All are optional and operate differently from standard classes. Tuition and fees of special classes must be handled by the attending student.

**Provides the student with the ability to hold a class of their own. Class fee will be set by the hosting student, and any class equipment desired must be provided by themselves. All school rules must be upheld and regulations must be followed. See an advisor for more info.

***

“Hard work and perseverance?” Sigrios snickered. “How I got here couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Yawning and stretching his arms high into the air, nothing sounded better than sleeping on a comfy bed. But before doing so, something more important lingered on his mind.

“Lord Marnox… I should warn Hohenheim.”

Opening up the foldable pamphlet revealed the card that was mentioned: a sturdy plastic card dyed in a peachy white. After pocketing it within his robe he flipped to the back of the pamphlet. Lines of red, blue, yellow, and green portrayed an overview of the campus. Dotted lines, solid lines, and dashes of a legend at the top-left corner helped decipher the meaning of the map.

According to the map Pristine Dormitory can be found behind two other dormitories. All that was left was to form a route. Tracing his finger down from the twentieth floor of the middle tower it lingered on a peculiar room that stirred his heart.

“Martial Training Grounds…”

Just thinking about it curved his lips in bittersweet fondness. Times of gritted teeth and aching joints. Muscle burns and empty diets. All for the sake of body control and perfection. He shook his head of past thoughts and moved those legs of his towards a set of stairs at the end of the hallway.

Staring down the flight of steps tickled his stomach. Going up was easy. Going down was another story. One wrong move and he’d be down there faster than he wanted. He nervously lifted his cane and shifted all weight onto his legs. Still slightly shaky, but somewhat supportable; they were less wobbly than before, but still not as firm as he wanted. His cane pressed the ground, then his left foot, then his right.

One step at a time.

People passing by gravitated towards the opposite side. He paid no mind to their pitiful eyes. Carefully shifting balance from thigh-to-thigh, progress came slowly but surely. Thankfully, the stairways were wide enough to support him and his troubling self from inconveniencing the other students traversing up and down.

On his long journey down the steps that seemingly never ends, sweet words of reminisce slipped into his ears.

Students with energy and vigor spoke of creatures that dwell in the ordinary; of the hunts and adventures just outside these walls; of the glories and treasures hidden deep within ruins, dungeons, and castles of ill-inhabitants.

They spoke with thrill and excitement despite the dangers lurking within. Quests by lords and ladies sought knowledge within these dungeons and ruins. Adventurers formed parties to submerge themselves in a world of unimaginable threats and treasures. Artifacts sung to shake the world supposedly exist in the hands of the rulers of archaic dungeons. All anyone had to do was kill them and take it for themselves. These were all just rumors. And they couldn’t get enough of it.

Outside the opened doors of the castle, night was still a struggle away. Streetlights of the glossy walkway sparked with an orange ember. Down another set of stairs students ran back and forth, hauling dismantled components of tents, stalls, and banners while merrily praising the food and performance of this morning’s festivities.

Northwest from the castle’s welcoming doors armored warriors dawdled about. As opposed to the silver-plated armor seen on patrolling guards, these men and women wore armor fitted for the opposite. Elbow pads, pauldrons, and protective leggings were seemingly left off, in favor of bare skin.

A scantily-armored woman held a sign that read “Warrior, here. Looking for a party to hunt with.” A man--obvious by his muscular pecs and biceps--held a sign in his undergarments that read “Knight. Willing to aid in any quest. No charge.” With only a steel shield, steel sword, and a full-steel helmet protecting him, Sigrios wondered if this was the style of this age:

Bold. Expressive. Careless.

Further northwest Sigrios traveled along the eastern path as directed by his map. Wizards in robes and squiggly hats crowded together on green grasses, pointing their sticks to the sky. Whatever topic they were discussing went right over his head with their odd jargon.

A party of leather-cladded archers with scarves around their necks aimed their bows at a row of straw dummies. Hit or miss, they readied another arrow and released it at the command of a harsh voice.

No matter how many guards passed by them, none seemed bothered by their weapons or activities. As if this was just another day. School life was never like this from what Sigrios remembered. But this wasn’t such a bad thing. Fitting in won’t be so hard if this was how he had to act.

Behind the vast emptiness of nothing but grassy fields, street lights, road signs, and wooden benches, three buildings formed a triangle at the end of the road.

On his left was a dormitory with a large symbol of a drake flying above the clouds. Those waiting in line to enter were rich and ragged; fashionable and plain; young and old.

“Classes start tomorrow… it still doesn’t feel real.”

“How many classes are you taking?”

“I don’t think I can handle more than three.”

On his right was a dormitory with a large symbol of a two-headed griffon. Those entering and exiting its door wore ties and stilettos; silk and suitcases; parasols and briefcases. They sat on crafted benches, checking their watches and idly chatting.

“Who do you think will win next week?”

“At Little Summit? Hard to say.”

“I’ve already all-in on Joonbae’s team.”

“Uh… you don’t have money.”

At the end of the road was an even smaller building depleted of the human traffic seen just outside the entrances of the other dormitories. With a symbol of Kelberoth at the top, Sigrios knew that he was finally here.

Unlike the rectangular shapes of the other dormitories, this one had a unique triangular foundation. Square blocks occupied every floor after the first. Structure of the inside can be seen from where he stood, thanks to its exterior glass walls. Every room seen from the outside had large curtains shielding its privacy, except for the few with residents looking down and out to enjoy the view. Horses and carriages were parked out front with their coachmen by their sides, patiently waiting for the arrival of their special somebody.

“Room 410…”

Entering through its sliding glass doors Sigrios immediately knew that his room had to be on the higher floors. Only bakeries, restaurants, bars, and cafes occupied the graciously wide area with… Sigrios gulped. His legs trembled at the sight of two grand stairways.

More steps. More care. More time.

Trudging up the right grand stairway and down the hall, room numbers on golden plaques turned him back around and up the stairs again. Rooms from two-hundred to three-hundred occupied the second floor, three-hundred to four-hundred occupied the third floor, and four-hundred to five-hundred occupied the fourth floor.

On the fifth floor, surprisingly, he saw someone he didn’t wish to see so soon. Priscilla and her small group of rich and fancy occupied a round table in the hall lounge. Lord Marnox stood by a golden plaque that led towards the rooms of the fifth floor.

Great…

“Sigrios!” Priscilla waved to him. “Didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

“Oh, Priscilla.” Sigrios returned a smile and waved back. “Likewise.”

“Who’s this little runt?” a cheeky girl asked. With the hair of a lion’s mane it was hard to not notice her--especially her small stature. How frail and little she appeared couldn’t compare to how confident she held herself, obvious by the way she looked at him.

Sigrios looked down to meet her eyes. He could already sense trouble from the restlessness brewing within. What little he had to say he held it within his mouth. “Well, I should be going--”

“--Did he just look down on me? He did, didn’t he?”

“Joonbae, look at this robe.” A slender man dressed fashionably plain walked up to Sigrios and rubbed Sigrios’ robe between his fingers. “Exquisite quality. And this hairpin… what an interesting aesthetic.”

“Excuse me.” Sigrios jerked his robe back and walked off towards the next hall, where Marnox stood alone. He only managed a couple of steps before that familiar voice narrowed his eyes.

“Kilgore,” Lord Marnox called. “Wait a moment.”

Sigrios paused, but he didn’t turn around.

“The letter from earlier today was a letter of recommendation from Hohenheim, was it not?”

Sigrios didn’t reply.

“There’s no point in hiding it,” Lord Marnox said. “There’s no other reason why he’d send a letter to Babalin. I know many sought him for his tutorship. I know many that died from it as well. You’ll mysteriously disappear just like the rest of them if you don’t stop following him. It’s naivety at its worst.”

“That is none of your concern,” Sigrios merely replied.

“Don’t be so short-sighted. Do your ears fail you at such a young age? Or do you enjoy being dumb? Listen before you walk, boy.”

“You’ve misjudged me, but it matters not.” Sigrios continued down the hall. “Farewell.”

“What a fool.” Lord Marnox sighed.

***

“...and while I was doing the Nubbling quest, this huge beast…” Joonbae was in the middle of retelling one of her recent adventures when she noticed Priscilla absent-mindedly nodding along. “Uh… Princess? What’s wrong?”

“Huh--Oh, right! The thingy with the wolf! That was crazy, wasn’t it?”

“Uh-huh...” Joonbae squinted. “Repeat what I said. All of it, word by word.”

“Hehehe... Joonbae…” Priscilla nervously smiled; her insides were churning and connecting various trivia to what could possibly lead to a convincing response. But nothing came up. She looked to Ash for assistance, but he whistled and pretended that their eyes never met. She cursed him under her breath while struggling to think of something pleasant to say. “Well… Let’s see… Um...”

Lord Marnox walked towards Priscilla and announced, “I’ll be leaving to Hainim now, little one.”

“Oh, Marnox!” Priscilla exclaimed. “Did you apologize for what happened at the office?”

“I said my part. That’s all.”

“Lord Marnox, apologizing?” Ash laughed. “Something is definitely wrong with this world.”

“Ash, Joonbae, please don’t let the little one slack off,” Lord Marnox teased. “I’ll be eagerly awaiting news of your victory at Little Summit. I’m sure your families are as well.”

“Of course!” Joonbae smirked. “And I’m waiting for these two lazy pants to be serious for once.”

“Safe journeys, Lord Marnox,” Ash said. “I’ve already sent out invitations for our dinner celebration. Please look forward to it.”

“Marnox,” Priscilla called. “Remember to not cause trouble when you get there. Those people don’t see you as a person. They only see you as a Monster.”

“Understood,” Lord Marnox said. “The same to you, too, little one. Be careful of the students here. I don’t think they’ll give you much trouble if trouble arises, but you can never be too safe. Don’t give Ash and Joonbae such a hard time either. You should be grateful that they’ve stuck with you all these years. And--”

“--Duh,” Priscilla smirked. “Get going already! I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine!”

“Okay, okay!” Lord Marnox laughed whole-heartedly. “I know you’ll be fine without me. But heed caution while you’re here; you’re not at the palace anymore. That means no servants, no excuses. Be diligent… and.. Be careful of that boy..”

For a second, her precious smile flickered to a solemn stare.

***

Paying no more than a second at each door, he continued deeper into the halls.

“407… 408… 409… 410.”

In front of him was a square-like apparatus embedded into the door. Sigrios wondered how to open it until he saw a thin slit. Inserting the card from the pamphlet, a startling sound beeped and a green light flashed from the metal apparatus. The brown door parted itself open. A peep inside, and he lost his breath.

Fancy, the least anyone could say about the room. Modernistic taste of this age, he assumed. Black porcelain-marble tiles with strands of white rested beneath his feet. An enormous mirror hung on the wall across from two twin-sized beds. A lovely bedside table was between it, and coal-colored dressers on their flanks. Just beneath the mirror were two desks with books, pens, and papers. Neat, tidy, and spacious, too. The thought of this as his next home grew more and more alluring.

“Hohenheim was right. I would fit in.”

Sigrios retrieved his card from the inside of the room and closed the door.

Both beds were so alluringly comfy, he swore he heard his body begging to smother himself in its heavenly pillows. Before retiring for the day he dropped off his briefcase onto the bed closer to the wall. Once he made sure the curtains blocked all light from passing through, he pressed the bottom of his cane into the large mirror and twisted it.

A blue light shimmered from his cane.

No matter how many times he stared at his own reflection, it was still hard to believe in reality. This wasn’t his face. It wasn’t his body. Pulling his mouth wide open and pinching his cheeks until he yelped reassured that he wasn’t in a dream.

“It’s always weird, isn’t it?”

Looking down at his arms and legs all the exercise from today made him seem slightly tighter and firmer than before. Whether it really was the case or not was hard to tell with how thin this vessel of his began with. Undressing himself revealed more of the same, but wishful thinking hoped for the better. Eventually, in due time, he'd be able to move like he once remembered. At least, he hoped he would.

As he stared deeply into the reflection of his less-bruised eyes, it suddenly bowed to him. When it heard the voice of its physical self, only then did it assume an upright posture.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” Doppel said with utmost respect. “Always a pleasure to see you.”

“Where’s Hohenheim?” Sigrios asked.

“Master is slumbering,” Doppel answered. “Shall I wake him?”

“No. Let him be. Pass on that I’ve been accepted into Shinewood College. I decided to study magic here, and I hope that he can give me pointers when I need them.”

“I certainly will. But… magic? I for sure thought you’d resume the path of a martial practitioner.”

Sigrios chuckled. “That was the intention before I woke. But you know more than I how old that senile geezer has gotten. That body of his has been withering. No amount of martial meditation or self-improvement can help me help him.”

“Hm...” Doppel crossed its arms. “Somehow he’s always living no matter the situation. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d live for another two-hundred years.”

“I doubt it,” Sigrios said. “He is still human. Also… There’s a man by the name of Marnox looking for him. Does the name sound familiar to you?”

“Nope,” Doppel said carefreely. “Should it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” Sigrios shrugged. “Anyway, warn Hohenheim of him. Try to keep him alive until I learn how to perform the same ritual he did for me. He’ll have a new body, but he’ll still be him.”

“What?!” Doppel’s head flung back. “Really? Shall I pass this onto him as well?”

“No. This one is just between you and me.” Sigrios winked. “Keep it a surprise. I’m sure he hasn’t had one in a long, long time.”

“As you wish, Your Highness. By the way… how is your quest coming along?”

“You mean the search for paradise?” Sigrios rhetorically asked. “No progress so far, but I do have leads. When I used to walk the world there were lands that fit the description of what my father spoke of. I do want to visit them as soon as possible, but I have to take it slow with how clunky this body is.”

“If you ever need my assistance, simply say the word.”

“Actually...” Sigrios opened his briefcase and laid all of his attire onto his bed. “I’m never good at dressing myself the way Hohenheim wanted. I’ll be walking around those who are annoying and petty, and I’m sure their taste will be demanding. I don’t know what’s best to fit in, so help me out here.”

“My pleasure.”

One after another, he picked different combinations and held them in front of his body. First of his choice was one he thought presentable: the plainest white long-sleeve shirt, though there were still some abstract patterns of black lines; and a pair of the simplest and comfortablest baggy tan pants.

“Too common, like a commoner. Master would definitely burn that if he saw you in it. Probably you with it, too.” Doppel shook its head and quickly snapped its sassy fingers. “Next.”

How he looked couldn’t be seen from the mirror. His reflection, Doppel, remained naked despite hovering different apparels in front of the mirror. He placed his trust within Doppel’s judgement and moved onto the next selection.

Second of his choice was one more aligned to the taste of the old geezer: a charcoal cutaway tailcoat with a white dress-shirt underneath, and black dress-pants with vertical white lines.

“Too formal. This is a school, right? You want to impress them, but not the wrong way. Oh! How about…” Doppel instructed Sigrios to wear the charcoal-grey cutaway tailcoat, the white plain long-sleeve shirt underneath it, and a long pair of black-and-white striped trousers. Once done, Doppel asked him to rotate. “Not too expensive, but not too poor. Not bad, Your Highness. Your cane provides an extra oomph of I-don’t-need-you-to-look-at-me-but-you-better-look-at-me.”

“Thank you, Doppel.” Sigrios swung his arms and kicked his legs. “It’s a bit too restrictive on movement, but I guess this isn’t such a bad compromise.”

“Also, the Kilgore’s heirloom gives you that I’m-all-too-important-for-you-basic--”

“Doppel, I get it.” Sigrios couldn’t help but chuckled at its sassy tone. “...I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Doppel gratefully bowed. “Wherever you go I’ll be there when you need me.”

“Please, spare me the reminder.” Sigrios unbuttoned his tailcoat, pulled his white shirt through his head, and freed his legs from the grip of the tight trousers. Completely stripped and liberated, he shouted, “Ahhh! I don’t know how all these people could walk around like this. Everything is just so clingy, uncomfortable, and--”

Sigrios yawned and sunk into his bed of puffy cotton. “Doppel, let Hohenheim know that I want to speak with him next time. He’d be pleased to find out that someone out there is still thinking of him. That’ll be all.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.” Doppel bowed, and the mirror grew hazy and distorted. “Good night.”

Once Doppel disappeared and the mirror reverted to its norm, Sigrios freed himself from the clutches of his bed and collected Hohenheim’s documents from his briefcase. Pulling back the chair of the desk and turning the desk light on, he spread the contents of the reports out and stretched his arms high in the air.

A heavy sigh escaped from his lips as he rubbed his eyes.“Where do I even begin?” Sigrios picked the closest report, which also happened to be somewhat thin compared to the others. “Nobility and the Throne…”