Afterlands!”
A series of cheers rang out, the atmosphere was warm and the refectory was awash with a sea of contented faces. Dux felt reassured that as was usual, the ascendants had been welcomed like the old friends that they were and now that many of their questions had been answered, it appeared that they had begun to relax. They were embarking on new relationships and forging bonds. He knew over the next three years, their relationships would strengthen and grow as they helped each other through many trials and challenges that they would have to overcome, in order to graduate the Oratory.
It was soon time for the new novices to be shown to their dormitories before the night bell sounded. Arjan had been summoned over to speak to Lord Dux. When he returned to their table, his face wore a broad grin.
“Lord Dux has asked me to be the Whyte Advocate as there are no senior Whyte novices to appoint to that position.” He said, bursting with pride. He hardly drew a breath as he went on. “That means that I will move into your dormitory, to act as your mentor and guide.”
Apparently feeling very pleased about this, he caught Rose’s eye, his face flushing fleetingly, as she smiled back at him.
“So... If you would all like to follow me, I’ll show you to the Whyte Dorm, Lord Dux tells me that it has been made ready.”
Eagerly they followed Arjan out of the refectory, through a large goldstone archway and into a long stone corridor with arched windows on either side. It was dusk outside. Through the windows on one side, they could see an enclosed cobblestone courtyard containing a circle of seating with a fountain at its centre. On the other side was a similar courtyard, but at its centre were a number of bell-shaped straw domes, which rested on intricately carved stone pedestals.
“Arjan, what are they?” asked Auriel.
“Oh, they are our skeps. They house our apis.”
“Apis?” she said, arching her brows.
“Our messenger bees, they’re one of the first things you’ll learn about tomorrow in Morphology.” He went on enthusiastically, “It is a real challenge to interpret their dances when you first start, but you’ll soon learn. It’s Ash that will have the biggest problem, as a Morphology major. It will be his task to transfer the messages to the apis and that’s a tiny bit more difficult.” he shot an amused look at Ash.
“Right, I get it!” said Ash “I suppose I have to magically turn myself into a bee and then talk to them in bee talk… bzzzzzzzz”
Arjan gave a series of exaggerated nods. “Pretty much spot on, only you don’t talk… you dance.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” said Ash
“I am perfectly serious.” said Arjan straight-faced “Don’t worry you should ace it being a Mud.”
At the end of the corridor was a pentagonal shaped hall, with a large arched doorway on each of the four facing walls. Over each doorway was an Aurum goldstone carved with the emblem of one of the Afterlands. Arjan opened the door to their right, which was directly below the stone carving of a Rhodium snow rose.
The Rhodium dormitory’s central chamber was hexagonal. Its walls were lined with soft white marble. White rose scented candles lit the room with a soft glow. At the centre of the room, there was an enormous open fireplace where a wood fire leapt and crackled welcomingly. The scent of from the candles mingled with that of the sandalwood and citrus oak burning on the fire, giving the room a warming rich and spicy aroma. The fireplace was surrounded by a circular stone seat, piled high with soft velvet, indigo coloured cushions. On each of the walls there were ornate arched doorways, each covered by thick, indigo velvet curtains appliquéd with white satin Rhodium snow roses. The room felt safe, welcoming, and warm.
Ash pulled open one of the curtains, revealing a small antechamber. It was cooler than the central chamber and smelled of freshly laundered linen. Along one of the walls was a white marble bed supporting a large comfortably made up mattress. To the left of this was an alcove containing a hanging rail supporting five black robes. On a shelf below were three pairs of black pumps and a red scaled leather belt. Against the other wall was a pedestal on which there rested a marble bowl. An ornately carved marble rose hung out from the wall above it and next to this was a small silver pump handle. Ash looked at it quizzically for a second and then gave it a slight push, jumping away as icy water gushed out of the marble rose and splashed into the bowl next to him.
“I think that this must be your room Lee,” he said pointing to the black robes.
“A logical assumption,” said Lee raising his brows.
He inspected the room briefly. Then he turned the hangers around so that they hung the same way as each other. He straightened the robes, making sure that the pumps and belts were equally spaced and lined up perfectly parallel to each other.
“I believe this will be adequate and quite serviceable for my needs,” he said.
After they had each located their rooms, they sat together on the giant cushions, warming themselves by the fire.
“What an absolutely fabulous day,” said Auriel, as she stretched out on an especially plump cushion. “It’s strange though, I don’t think that any of this has really sunk in yet. I keep thinking that I’ll go to bed and then wake up somewhere else…. somewhere where I’ll have some sort of memory, somewhere where I'll know who I really am. To me, this place and everything that’s happened just feels like an amazingly weird and wonderful dream.”
“I feel a little like that too,” said Rose warming her hands next to the flames “but I think I’d feel sad if I woke up and you were all gone. You are all that seems real to me now. You’re all I have. We’re all each other have. This is all such an incredible adventure and despite all this prophecy stuff, I don’t know why but I feel quite calm, and wonderfully free. It’s like we could be anyone, do anything, it’s so exciting. I can’t wait to start classes tomorrow.”
Ignoring this emotional disclosure, Lee turned to Arjan “What is the procedure in the morning?”
“Oh yes, procedures” he put on a mock serious expression, “ I guess that is my job now isn’t it? Well, first, I suppose I should tell you what you should know about tonight. The night bell will sound shortly. Once the night bell sounds novices are not allowed to leave their dorms unless it is an absolute emergency. The morning bell sounds at dawn, and then we dress and go to the refectory for breakfast before we go to our classes. First-year Novices start lessons with Morphology, then Cognito and then Alchemy. On the midday bell we break for a long lunch, it gets hot in the middle of the day this time of year. After lunch you return to lessons, first with Magica, and then you each goes to the subject in which you are to major, which will be, of course, whatever is your potentia.”
As he finished speaking, the clear chiming of the night bell rang out. The candlelight flickered, all of the flames simultaneously dimming to a soft glow on the first chime.
“I hadn’t realised it was that late,” said Arjan “The candles will go out on the next chime.” As he said this, the second chime rang out and the candles were extinguished. “Now we must sleep,” he said.
As the third chime sounded, the small candles in their antechambers sparked into life, beckoning them to their beds.
Rose settled herself in between her crisp white sheets and within a few minutes, the excitement and stresses of the day were forgotten as the candles finally dimmed and she slipped into a deep sleep.
The trees stood, seemingly without support, as the mist swirled around the ground on which they were rooted. Everything was grey, the branches of the trees, the mist, and even the dark beyond. Out of the haze, she heard voices calling to her.
“Rose, Rose the Whyte” the voices both male and female, were soft and melodic, they sounded far away, echoing in the distance.
The mist billowed out and then at its centre began to clear, revealing a tall white-haired man, his features mostly obscured by an enormous pair of eyebrows, and a long silver white beard. He wore a lon
g white robe which flowed around his feet, spilling onto the ground. To his side came three others, similarly attired. The four of them, three men, and one silver-haired woman seemed to float gently on the mist as they reached out their arms towards her.
“Come Rose the Whyte; it is time. Be one with us...”
Slowly she moved towards them, her arms outstretched, a feeling of great contentment growing inside her, like finally arriving home after a long journey.
Suddenly, there was fyre all around. Great billowing flames that leapt up from the ground barring her way. Out from the centre of the inferno, emerged a red-skinned man, with eyes as black as the night and hair and limbs of fyre. A terrifying cry emanated from his open jaws as he hurtled towards her.
Rose awoke, her heart pounding like a thunderstorm in her chest.
FIRST MORN
After breakfast in the refectory, Arjan took the four Whytes to the Oratory’s classrooms. Like the dormitories, all of the classrooms led off from a central pentagonal hall. Each of them, like the dorms, was identified by a distinctive carved stone emblem above the door. Over the first was a simple open book. A large winged bee hung over the second, over the third was a serpent whose body was formed into a ring as it appeared to be attempting to swallow its own tail. Over the final door was an intricately carved symbol