Open Chronicles Homecoming

[Selina Della Altas]

It had been years... But she was finally back in Elbion. She had to go away for a while, and during that time this place had been destroyed and rebuilt, so after a long break from her schooling, she decided to come back and finish her education in the college.
Many students were finally coming back, just having to wait for things to die down and blow over so that when everything was done the students could come back and still find an education here.

Selina Altas stepped through the gates, her student badge present on her newly cleaned school uniform. It really had been a while and she had grown in so many ways, and it looked like the college had grown as well.
She walked into the courtyard in front of the school.
Things would be different. She doubted any of her friends she made during her first time would be coming back, so it was like going to school for the first time, with no friends and nobody she knew.

She found a bench next to a fountain and just sat down, looking around at the place and all the new students, searching faces and looking for any student or professor she might recognize.

 

[Severin Bellerose]

»Ah, Madam Altas, I have not seen you on the college grounds for quite some time, how do you fare?«
Spoke out the rusty calligraphy professor. He seemingly appeared is out of nowhere, but so was the professor usually, shadowy and pale as a ghost.
Preferring more to stick to his scriptorium and the college library, it might have even be unusual to expect him out in the open.
Funny enough, he was sober this time around.

 

[Selina Della Altas]

She was more than a little startled and she turned and looked up at him when he appeared. Here was a familiar face, she remembered his classes and she remembered him. An incredibly knowledgeable magic user even if his teaching and social skills weren't up to snuff. She jumped up and ran to hug him.
"Professor Bellerose! It's been so long and so much has happened. I heard there was an attack on the college, is everyone alright? Are you alright?"

The questions tumbled out of her all at once. She had left the college shortly before it was attacked to mourn the death of Maho Sparhawk, but by the time she heard she was too far away to do anything. But in spite of it all she was truly happy to see that someone survived.

 

[Severin Bellerose]

»Oh indeed it was, young Altas. However aside from a few... casualties, the collage only suffered structural damages. Some other inhabitants exaggerate the damage done, however, to me it feels like any other day.«

The mage tapped his shoes against the well.
»Enough of the Collage, where have you been? «

 

[Selina Della Altas]

She brushed a lock of hair behind her left ear and looked away at his question. It wasn't really anything to be ashamed of, but she felt a little ashamed for not being here when everything happened.
"I... I went home to Alliria for a while. After professor Sparhawk died I was depressed and couldn't focus on my studies, so I visited my family and cleared my head."
She had also joined a witches coven and learned a different way of spellcasting, how to enlist the aid of otherworldly beings to perform complex rituals and learn hidden secrets in the magic of nature itself.
But there was no need to go into that, right?
"But I didn't cease my studies, in fact I went out and continued to try and learn the mysteries of the arcane on my own. It wasn't easy, but I've acquired a large repertoire of spells for my spellbook and made a lot of interesting discoveries."

She looked up at him, excitement returning to her face.
"That's why I came back! I wanted to finish my education and explore the new mysteries that have been laid out for me. I never ceased to seek out knowledge no matter where it took me., and in my travels my quest for this knowledge has brought me back here. I can't wait to return to your classes, professor Bellerose!"
The spotted head of a little margay cat poked its head out of her school satchel and blinked at the professor, the familiar yawned and regarded the man with a bored but intelligent gaze.

 

[Severin Bellerose]

»Of course, of course, a young mind like your's is always hungering for more.«
»More knowledge, knowledge is power in this world,« mused Severin Bellerose.
»But too much drive on the eternal search leads us to a path of unnatural achievement. The call of the Herald.«
The wisened graphomancer caressed his beard.


His head tilted towards the mottled feline, however, the disguised kitsune took a step back, crossing over his arms behind his back.
»I assume you are already resettled to your room, despite the ... minor setback, classes resume as normal. Do you have a lot to share of your adventures?«

 

[Selina Della Altas]

She agreed with his sage advice, she'd nearly crossed that line several times in her adventures. Since her last close call she built fail-safes into her spells as a guard against overexerting her power and summoning the Herald.
But in spite of a few setbacks her knowledge has grown by leaps and bounds, her spellbook filled with a wide variety of magical knowledge

She nodded in affirmative at his question, "Yes, I moved back in this morning. I'm ready to rejoin my classes, I just thought I'd walk around and see if I recognize anybody."
She wished she had her staff with her to show it off, one of her greatest accomplishments in her time with the coven aside from her familiar.
"Yes, I have lots of stories and learned much. Though I'm afraid I've also learned many secrets that aren't shared so easily."

 

[Severin Bellerose]

The wisened wizard caressed his stubby beard. »Perhaps it would be best then, to keep such secrets of magics...away from prying magister eyes.« The professor nodded, speaking quietly.

»Though I fear, right now might not be the time to meet old faces. Most are currently taking their classes and it might be another hour or two before the yard is filled to the brim once more.«

 

[Selina Della Altas]

Selina nodded in agreement on both counts. Even though her purpose for learning such secrets was to help make the world a better place, even she had to recognize that much of the world wasn't ready for such power.
She brightened and gave Severin a smile.
"I hope to learn even greater secrets during my studies here, and I'll look forward to your classes as well, professor Bellerose."
She gave him another hug before she picked up her bag containing books and her familiar, who seemed to have fallen asleep again.
"The rebuilt college looks good, almost as if nothing's changed. I hope it stays this way for years to come."

 

[Severin Bellerose]

The mage petted away from the rim of the fountain before sitting down.
Soon enough he already produced a flask of hard liquor from under his cloak.

It wouldn't have been professor Severin of he wasn't drunk off his soles.
One might imagine the day to find him dead in the gutter.
»I will be glad to see you in my classes. I can note you down as a signup.«

He discretely offered Selina a sip. »Oh it's beautiful. « He said dryly. »The magisters finally decided to get the levitation scrolls to good use the scrub off the windows from the outside and renovate some other facades..«