Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (6/?) WiP 1 (Patreon)

Hello everyone! This is the first Work in Progress update for Chapter 6 of Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School! I hope you guys enjoy! This is just a work in progress so please keep in mind there's more to come! :D 

Everyone remained completely fixated on me as I marched back toward my seat with loud, unwieldy steps. Each clack of unyielding metal on hardened granite resonated across a room that seemed purposefully made to amplify every sound within it. I could practically hear the micro servos and actuators as they whirred and whizzed accompanying each and every one of my steps. It felt like the entire world had paused just so that everyone could gawk as I retook my seat, and carefully shuffled back into place.

Indeed, it was only after I’d sat back down did Mal’tory continue his announcements, his words however falling on deaf ears as not a single soul wished to remove their piercing gazes from my suited form.

While everyone might’ve seen a stoic, unflinching, unmoving hulk of a being, completely unbothered and unphased by the events that had just transpired, things actually couldn’t be any further from the truth. I was practically melting inside of the suit. Even with the coolant systems on full blast, even with my rear-facing and side-view cameras turned off, I still couldn’t shake that gut churning feeling of being the unwanted center of attention. My whole body shook with the same feeling you’d get after completely making an ass of yourself at some important social function. It was maddening, and all-consuming, my spiral into the pits of utter dread was just about to take another leap… if it wasn’t for a rogue sensation on my hand. It was the unmistakable feeling of another person’s touch being transmitted via my gloves and into the undersuit beneath it. I could feel a reassuring squeeze, and the slightest bit of tickling from the feather covered appendage, which immediately clued me in to just exactly who it was that’d extended this gesture of solidarity. A gesture so sorely needed when the entire world seemed so willing to distance itself from me.

“Emma, don’t focus on anything else, just look at me alright?” Thacea whispered softly, which was more than enough for my audio suite to enhance and isolate, as I dulled out all other sounds around the room to zero in on this one, single, point of focus.

I could only nod in response as my two opaque lenses stared back at the avian unflinchingly.

Yet despite what most would’ve seen as the unfeeling eyes of a suit of armor, as Ilunor had pointed out, it was clear that she saw something else. It almost felt as if she was actually looking at me, making actual eye contact, rather than just seeing me for the helmet and lenses which would’ve been a far easier thing to do.

It was then that I wished I could’ve de-tinted the damned lenses, to actually make eye contact. I knew that it felt like I was doing just that, but I wasn’t, and worse of all… I couldn’t. All Thacea could see right now were two unfeeling lenses, and I hated that.

Despite all the training I received, despite the trial runs they’d put me through, nothing could have prepared me for what was effectively a new life in an entirely alien skin. A skin that had everything I needed to survive, and then some, but one that brought with it unforeseen limitations that was only now being felt.

“It’s over now.” Thacea continued, her hand squeezing my own, as I suddenly felt a strange warmth flooding over me.

LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 120% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS

“And from what I can tell, you… somehow managed to survive the binding ceremony. I… I’m relieved Emma, I really am.” Her voice sounded genuine, and for the briefest of moments I could swear I could see her royal facade yielding even if it was just for those precious few seconds.

A quick glance from Thalmin however seemed to have shifted the mood once more, as the princess slowly pulled her hands away from me, managing to maintain that warm avian smile that slowly but surely transitioned back into the reserved, polite facade from just moments prior. “I’m just… very glad to see you’re alright, Emma.”

“Thank you.” I finally managed out through my vocoder, as the princess tilted her head forward in response, in a way that only a royal could.

“Any time.” She whispered back, before the next roster of names were called up in a group of twenty students, with Ilunor being the last on the list.

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The Grand Reception Hall

Ilunor

There wasn’t much that the diminutive lizard could do now to prepare for what was inevitable. No amount of searching, rummaging, and double-checking could help, not when he knew when and where exactly his amulet had gone missing. Begging wouldn’t do him any favors either, as it was clear that those that weren’t prepared were all unceremoniously processed for the slaughter, regardless of their rank and station.

It was the Earthrealmer’s fault… he knew it. It was because of her that their year had been singled out like this.

Yet despite being new, despite not knowing the ways of the academy, she’d still managed to evade being bound. This fact infuriated him far more than he would ever be willing to admit.

With his fate now uncertain, Ilunor could only look on as his time as a free soul whittled away, as he saw student after student consumed over and over and over again by the book. That damned infernal artifact finally getting its fill, with his soul next in line for the chopping block.

“Lord Ilunor.” An expressionless voice echoed around the Vunerian, causing him to flick his head around in every direction in an attempt to determine its source. “You are to make your way to the coat room immediately. There, you will find what you seek. The faculty will not interfere with your temporary absence for this short duration, but you must make haste, lest you miss this golden opportunity.” The voice warned, prompting the Vunerien to turn around to everyone at the table. Not a single soul present seemed to have reacted to that voice, indicating to him that it was, indeed, some third party behind this. A third party that had some serious sway given the magic involved in direct mental communication.

“I’ll be back. I just need to use the washroom.” Ilunor scooted backwards, promptly excusing himself much to the confused expressions of everyone at the table.

“Can he do that?” Emma inquired, as Thalmin’s only response was a disinterested shrug.