Chapter 65: You Kids Want a Tour?

Chapter 65: You Kids Want a Tour?

Tori froze. She looked up from her drink and stared at JP. How much money?

I dont know, JP said. But it was enough for her and her father to get into a very intense argument at the inn. Our neighbor works there and said they had to paste a silence charm on their door and around the floor because they were so loud.

I heard she ran out of the inn afterwards, Sonia said. But that could just be a rumor to make things more dramatic.

Tori let out a low breath and looked down at her drink. She aimlessly poked it with a small spoon.

It was likely that with Gideon playing in the final match of the tournament, everyone thought the central district would win. Even Piers had confidence in his brothers ability. The odds had the central district set to win and Alessa mustve been certain that they would. Thus, she took whatever money she could find to make a bet.

But the central district lost the tournament because of her brother. The only reason Sebastian was able to play was because he happened to be there. Because of her and the crystals in the delta.

Of all of my actions to affect this stupid game, it has to do with gambling. It just needs to use me to somehow put Alessa in a shitty situation where she can get help, doesnt it?

I cant believe shed bet her fathers money. Everyone knows that she comes from an impoverished barony. Where would they get more money? Sonia asked aloud as she shook her head and then took a sip.

Selling a carriage and horses, apparently, Henrik said. But thats not our problem.

Whats not your problem? Axton came down from the stairs and raised a brow as he saw them all seated around the unused hearth. Piers did say you can go to the private room upstairs. Tori and her friends looked around the cafe and then back at Axton with knowing looks. They were the only customers there.

Master, my parents would like to know if I can accompany you to the delta when you go with Tori, Ewan said, sitting up straight.

It will be good for you to train, and I will allow you to train with any knights that are willing to give their time, Piers said as he appeared behind Axton. Aside from Tori, the others rose to their feet and bowed to greet him. Piers gave them a small nod. Will Mr. Skuldsen and Lady Agafonova also be joining?

Yes, Your Highness, Henrik said. Perhaps not as often, but we will need to go for our projects.

There has been substantial construction in the foundational work, so I think youll be surprised. Tori sat up straighter and puffed out her chest.

By the way, do you plan on naming it? Weve all just been calling it the delta, Sonia said as she sat back down and leaned against the chair. Thats more a region and a landmark than a village or a city name.

I was going to let the villagers vote on a name after winter break, Tori said. Well start taking suggestions and then Ill narrow it down to the top five.

Ewan perked up and looked excited. Are you accepting suggestions from non-villagers?

No.

Oh....

Youre putting all your money into this, JP said as he lowered his cup. Shouldnt you get a say in what you want to name it?

Im going to throw in a suggestion, but if they dont agree, Im not going to complain. There will be guidelines on the name to limit anything that may be difficult, pose an issue, or confuse us with another location.

That sounds fair, Axton said as he stood behind them. He crossed his arms over his chest. So...what do you want to suggest?

Tori gave him a wide, cheesy smile. Its a secret!

Her friends groaned and Tori finished off the rest of her iced coffee. When they were done, they left the cafe. The small group walked Tori and Ilyana back to the gates of Lyce, chatting about the olive oil from Karap Tori had sent to their homes and how difficult its been trying to get the food to taste the same.

Okay, Tori said as they reached the gate and turned around. Well see you all in a few days-

Piers! An excited voice sounded, and the group turned towards a carriage that was stopped a few paces away.

Fabian was standing by the door as Gideon finished helping Alessa out of the carriage. Dimitri got out after her, but Gideon was already walking towards them, or rather, to his brother.

Gideon. Piers gave him a nod of his head in greeting.

Tori and the others gave quiet mutters and small bows to Gideon, as they were not in school yet nor were they close to him. Even Tori gave him a small, quick curtsy.

Your Highness, are you also scheduled to move in today? Axton asked.

Gideon gave him a shake of his head. No, I am here to see off our friends, Lady Hart and Mr. Guthry. He stepped to the side and motioned to the two students already in their uniforms.

Were here to see off Tori and Miss Agafonova, Axton said, smiling. Piers nodded and looked at the two.

Dont worry about your lunches tomorrow. They will be ready for you both. Work hard, he told the two of them.

Thank you, Your Highness! Ilyana gave him a curtsy and Tori nodded.

Have a safe trip back.

Axton then ushered the two of them through the gates, as if trying to steer them away from Gideon and his friends. As soon as they were through the gate, Ilyana looped arms with Tori and the two of them began to walk swiftly to the east dorm.

Once assigned a dorm in their first year, students would have that room until they graduated or left, providing there were no issues that required a room change. Many continuing students left behind anything they wouldnt need during their break. Tori and Ilyana had left the majority of their school supplies and trinkets, only bringing with them things they really needed or had to be washed, such as sheets and clothing.

Dont forget that there is a meeting this evening to discuss tomorrows placements, schedule, and distribute the student guide sashes, a voice said behind them.

Tori felt Ilyanas grip on her arm tighten and glanced over at her friend. Ilyana had a dark look on her face.

Thank you, Mr. Guthry, she replied behind gritted teeth. We are aware. As soon as they were out of hearing range, she lowered her voice. Does he think were stupid? All of that was on the letter informing us that wed be guides.

Dont worry about him. Just focus on being number one.

Ilyana let out a little hmph. Not only will I be number one, but I will also make sure others improve just to lower his rank!

Tori snort-laughed. Didnt he go to your review session last time?

That was the last time. Now, hes banned as long as he sides with Hart.

Sides with Hart?

Ilyana nodded. Sonia and I discussed it, and since she made that remark at your cousins succession ceremony, as with everything shes done so far, she cant be good and therefore, the boys who follow her around are also questionable. I am banning them from my review sessions.

I appreciate the gesture, but-

Solidarity, Tori!

Okay. She didnt want to argue. They went back to their dorm and Tori handed her the gift from Karap. Ilyana shook out the folded shawl and swept it over her shoulders immediately before going to admire it in the mirror.

As she inspected the embroidery and compared it aloud to what she had seen so far, Tori opened the trunk shed had sent to her room and began to take out assorted items. She took out her uniform, which was on a wooden hanger and in a garment bag. She laid the folded garment bag on her bed and took out the picture frame shed carefully packed in it.

Whats that? Ilyana asked as she looked over.

Tori held out the picture of a childs drawing and smiled. My little cousin, Ava, drew it for my birthday. She brought it to her desk and placed it on the bookshelf, between the sheet of cork she used to pin up notes and a few of her textbooks.

She then fished out her wooden warlock and put it on the small shelves that made up her headboard. It was where she kept her dagger at night, along with several crystals, and a broken rose quartz lion she found in her room during winter break.

It had been buried in one of her drawers and, though it was broken, the engraving at the bottom hadnt been completely cut off: From your loving bro-, Sebasti-. When Tori held the crystal in her hand, she felt a gentle warmth and comfort, and decided to bring it with her.

About two hours before sunset, the duo headed to the main courtyard to meet with instructors and the other student guides. The top ten students of each returning year were asked to be prime examples of Lyce students and help guide the first-years, who were scheduled to arrive the next day. The older students got the busiest areas and so Tori and Ilyana were certain theyd be relegated to a field at the far end of the campus.

Lady Guevera, Miss Agafonova, welcome back! I hope youre going to have your review sessions again, a student in their year greeted them.

Whats your name? Ilyana asked. They helped the young student check in her bag, and they brought her to the check in desk.

Hold on, hold on, one instructor said as they looked over the papers. Youre early. The materials are not yet ready.

The student and three other first years who were waiting looked disappointed and didnt seem to know what to do other than stand around and wait.

Tori glanced at the clock tower; they had over an hour left until it was time to officially start welcoming in students and they were to report to their posts.

You kids want a tour? she asked, casually. Ilyana gave her a confused look. Tours werent a planned thing.

The girl theyd helped perked up and nodded. Yes! Can we?

Why not? We have some time, Tori said. She looked at Ilyana. Coming? Ilyana nodded. Instructor, Im going to take these students around and bring them back in a bit to check in.

Thats fine.

All right, Tori said as she turned to face the students. First of all, welcome to Lyce du Soleil. My name is Tori de Guevera, and this is my friend and first-ranked second year student, Ilyana Agafonova. We are starting off here, in the entry plaza just before Lyces main gates. If you follow me, well walk directly into the main central courtyard, surrounded by our administration building, library, and the largest of our auditoriums.

When Tori was eighteen and touring colleges in her original world, all her tour guides walked backwards, and Tori decided it would be fun to do that, too. Though careful and walking slower than normal, she spoke about the school as she did so. She took her four underclassmen and Ilyana clockwise around the main portion of the school before making a turn and going counterclockwise in order to pass and point out the facilities away from the main campus.

Every so often, they would stop, and Tori would point out important buildings, useful locations, and sprinkle some tips shed learned, such as how to secure a study room and to get maps of their excursion location as soon as it is announced.

She and Ilyana also took questions for the students and after about thirty-five minutes, they returned to the plaza with the check in tables appearing ready.

...and weve returned to where we started! Tori said, smiling. Do you have any final questions before we conclude our tour?

She heard someone behind her ask there was a tour?

Senior Tori, what do we do if all the study rooms are taken and we want to do a group study session? one young man asked, appearing concerned after they were told that the rooms filled up almost immediately during exams.

You can always arrange to meet with your study group elsewhere, or speak to your instructor to see if they would be willing to open a room for you to study, Ilyana answered. Anything else?

No, thank you, seniors!

All right, good luck! Tori gave them all a smile and sent them off. She hoped they were a bit more confident now.

Excuse me, senior, when is the next tour? Tori looked over her shoulder and saw over a half dozen students looking at her expectantly. Toris brows rose and her mouth parted a bit as she looked at Ilyana. Ilyana looked back at her, also at a loss.

I would also like to join your tour, Headmaster said as he appeared.

Oh, Headmaster, were not really doing a tour.... Tori said, trailing off as she looked at the hopeful students.

We have time for one more.... Ilyana said, softly. Tori drew in her lips.

Okay. One more.

Following the same path as last time and pointing out and saying the same things, Tori, who continued to walk backwards, and Ilyana led the students and an interested and amused Headmaster around the campus.

They reached the plaza once more, finding it much busier than when they left. There were more students around wearing white sashes and a few instructors had lined up outside the gate to greet students and answer any questions from their guardians.

Toris tour group was energetic and seemed to have already made friends amongst each other after their little journey.

Any questions? Ilyana asked as she clapped her hands together and looked over the first years that had followed them around.

No, thank you, seniors! Several voices repeated their thanks.

Great! Remember, if youre lost the next three days before orientation week, ask another student with a white sash. We will be around in case you have questions or lose your way.

Yes, feel free to ask us anything. Tori looked towards the main courtyard and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes as Dimitri and Alessa arrived. She looked at Ilyana and the two exchanged wordless nods before slipping away to go to their respective positions.

Tori arrived at the entrance to the training grounds on time and settled under one of the large trees just outside the gate. She carefully untied her canvas bag and unraveled the cloth to spread out her picnic blanket. It was just enough material for two people.

She set aside her paper wrapped sandwich and folded cones of various snacks Mama J and her sons prepared for her. She also took out her water jug and placed it beside her.

After stretching out on her blanket, Tori looked around and eyed the old garden she and Sonia weeded last year. It looked to be in need of some weeding, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been when the punishment started. In addition, she had managed to get the gardener to fix the dilapidated fence around it, so any trash that the wind blew into that specific corner didnt get into the actual garden.

Since they had put in so much work, she wanted to utilize it somehow. Uncle Maurizo heard about it from Ewan over the summer, while they were in the delta, and, as she shouldve expected, offered to donate some seedlings of hearty medicinal plants.

Uncle Maurizo made a good point: the medicinal plants for small cuts, bruises, and swelling, as well as for dehydration and headaches, would be good to be grown right next to the training grounds. Ewan thought it was a good idea, as well, and agreed that they should ask permission to grow them.

Tori planned to bring it up to Master McDouglass and have him ask on their behalf. If they were clever about it, they could get some help from the agricultural niche students.

Tori reached into her pocket and took out a small shard of a pale green crystal dotted with brown splotches. Shed seen it while in a marketplace in Mezzaluna. She hadnt been looking for crystals, but Master Ramos had told her to keep an eye out, as she never knew when shed stumble upon a crystal that called to her.

The piece of terrastone, as Sebastian identified for her, called out to her at first glance. He said it was a stone good for conducting earth energy, but this particular one wasnt charged. That wasnt a problem, considering they were going to the delta.

Master Ramos showed her how to charge the small piece to connect with her. Connection to the user wasnt something they learned in metacrystals class yet; Instructor Ignatius said it would be learned in their second year.

A good crystal user should be able to connect to a crystal they charged. At the very least, at close distances. As long as the crystal is somehow tethered to the earth, a crystal master can feel their energy within it, Master Ramos had told her. It sounded amazing, but Tori had to quickly lower her expectations.

While she felt she had improved a bit with some help from Master Ramos, she was nowhere near her brothers ability. When she was having lunch on Anahata Island, shed take time to try to feel out energy in crystals shed charged. Admittedly, it was cheating since she was on an energy vein and as soon as she grounded, she could sense her crystal like a beacon in the dark.

Now would be a suitable time to test this in a more realistic setting. Tori played with the shard in her hand before opening the gate to the garden. She picked a spot in a corner and looked around, unsure why she was nervous about getting caught when she wasnt doing anything wrong.

She dug a small hole with the tip of her boot and dropped in the crystal before covering it with dirt. She took a step back and knelt down, taking a deep breath before placing her hands on the ground.

Instructor Ignatius had once described visualizing energy as a smokey light in the dark. Any energy they gathered and passed through the user would have a distinct feeling to it that was familiar to the user. As Tori closed her eyes, she tried to visualize a hazy lavender-colored smoke she saw her energy as. She sent it out into the ground, like tendrils combing through the dirt.

It didnt take her as long as shed thought for one of those tendrils to connect with a faint, matching energy coming from the terrastone.

Now that they were connected, Tori sent more of her energy into the stone to have it used as a medium to put energy into the soil. Energy seemed to wrap around the terrastone, and it began to appear brighter to her. It pushed against the soil, but seemed to have trouble coming out of the terrastone.

Tori furrowed her brows. Why is it collecting in there? Am I doing it wrong? Im collecting the energy and forcing it up when its full, but its like its blocked. She forced more energy into the crystal and suddenly, the visual in her mind burst and she heard a poof sound in front of her.

Pieces of dirt flew off the top of the buried crystal and splattered against her face.

Tori opened her eyes and narrowed them.

She looked around as she wiped the dirt off her face. Luckily, no one was around to see her little experiment literally explode in her face. She dug out the crystal and brushed off the dirt. There was still some energy within it.

One more try.... Tori dug another hole and dropped the crystal in. She stepped back, dusting any remaining traces of dirt off her uniform, and knelt down. She put her hands back on the ground and closed her eyes.

Attempt number two would work with the visualization technique Master Ramos taught her. There were no wrong or right techniques, he had assured her; some just worked better than others for specific purposes. In this case, if an explosion of energy didnt work to gently overturn the earth, shed try to flood it.

Imagine energy like water being pulled from the energy source in the earth, collecting inside you as a vessel. Then pour that water into a crystal. The crystal can now release that water and you control the speed and pressure, Master Ramos had said.

The water was lavender and Tori imagined it once more reaching out to find the crystal. Instead of wrapping around the crystal, Tori imagined the energy filling it up like a cup, then released it as if it were overflowing. It spread out further as it pushed up and Tori peeked to see if the dirt over the crystal moved.

Her eyes widened as the soil moved up and separated, as if lifted up by a trowel. She snatched her hands off the ground and stared at the displaced dirt.

Holy shit.... Tori looked ahead of her and closed her eyes, slamming her hands back on the ground and repeating the procedure, only this time, having the energy move like an underground river in a line before working its way up. She opened her eyes and there was a single row of upturned earth two paces long in front of her. Fucking a...Im bending earth-wait no. The hell is this called...terrakinesis...is that a thing? She shook her head and reached into her pocket to get her comcry as her heart slammed against her chest. Call Benedict Ignatius!