Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (33/?) WiP 1 (Patreon)

Hey everyone! Here's the Work in Progress for Chapter 33 I hope you guys enjoy! :D 

A staredown soon ensued.

One that neither of us seemed to be willing to let up on.

And to say that I was impressed by the shadowy figure’s endurance and commitment to the bit would’ve been a massive understatement. As he looked straight at me with those two, white, and frankly surreal-looking trapezoidal ‘eyes’ with both a ferocity and a determination that didn’t seem at all phased by the unyielding presence of the power armor.

Though that was probably as far as I was willing to go on the list of good things I had to say about the guy, as he continued to maintain that aura of intimidation that really didn’t seem to work as well as he probably thought it did.

I wasn’t so much intimidated by him as I was completely thrown off by how he looked, and it wasn’t because of his outfit. While I would never claim to be a fashion expert by any means, I could at least tell that he looked more or less par for the course of what I’d expect from a fantastical pseudo-medieval society at the very least. His white shirt, green vest, and smokey grey cloak was what I expected from a typical rogue.

It was what I saw, or more specifically what I couldn’t see in the head and face department that was really not doing it for me.

Because instead of just your typical face draped in a bit of a shadow, courtesy of the cloak, it actually looked as if some sort of unnatural darkness had enveloped his entire head and face. It left a blank, dark void where a face should have been. With the only inkling of life being those two, unnaturally white, trapezoidal eyes, that put me in mind of a cartoon or a comic where reality was bent to the whims of character design and artistic expression.

This would prove exceptionally true as he began speaking, those two vague trapezoidal shapes that took the place of his eyes moved, shifted and contorted far beyond what eyes should’ve been capable of. All in an attempt to make up for the loss of any and all discernable facial expressions due to the lack of a visible face beyond that void-like darkness.

A darkness that not even the night-vision mode of my cameras could penetrate.

ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 140% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS

As a quick localized environmental scan made it clear that this was yet another one of the Nexus’ weird mana-fueled acts of tomfoolery.

“What say you, first years? Are you here for healing, or are you here for a visit?”

“We-”

“We’re here to visit someone.” I announced, accidentally cutting off Thacea’s reply.

“Then you must leave. As I have stated, the medical wing is not accepting visits at this point in time. You must leave the way you came, post-haste.” The hooded figure answered with this strange mix between a sing-song voice and an attempt at sounding gruff and gravely.

“We have an unfulfilled point of personal privilege that requires addressment.” Thacea stepped up to the plate, promptly placing herself by my side, then taking several steps forward. “Along with an unresolved conflict which requires immediate resolution by the party with which the aforementioned point of personal privilege was evoked but halted due to unforeseen circumstances.” The princess began flexing her courtly-talk with the hooded figure, which clearly seemed to have some effect as he reached up a single gloved hand up to where his chin should be, only to have his fingers disappear as soon as they entered the dark shadowy effect currently covering up his face.

“And with whom is this unresolved matter incurred?” The figure inquired plainly, though the way he spoke shifted to something a bit more accommodating, perhaps even a little bit more hospitable than the gruffer tone he’d initially directed towards me.

“An apprentice, good sir. Apprentice Larial to be precise.” Thacea clarified politely, using what I could only describe as this flighty, chirpy, almost haughty tone of voice that she’d used during our first interactions together.

“Hmm…” The hooded figure replied with a concerned grumble. “I was going to waive this particular matter, allowing the fair lady…” He paused, before making a point to stare at both me and Thalmin. “And her two knights through under the points of exceptional circumstances.” He continued in a less restrained, more flighty cadence. “However, you must excuse my inability to do so, my lady. My hands are currently tied via the powers that be, and I cannot evoke the point of exceptional circumstances in use to waive you through in order to address your points of personal privilege.” The man continued, giving Thacea a frankly genuine and polite bow in response. “I must apologize for this discrepancy in expectant decorum.”

This didn’t make things any better for our circumstances though.

And it was clear Thacea understood this as she continued pressing forward.

“May I have your name and title, my good sir?” Thacea chirped lightly.

“Appointed-Deputy Magistrate Sir Arlan Ostoy, Senior Apprentice of the Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts. May I have the honor and the privilege of requesting your name, my fair lady?”

“Princess Thacea Dilani, of the Aetheronrealm, First Year and Scholastic Peer of the Transgracian Academy for the Magical Arts.” Thacea replied with a full bow, and a half-curtsy of her own.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The shadowy figure bowed yet again.

“The pleasure is all mine, Sir-Magistrate.” Followed by yet another bow by Thacea.

There was some serious song and dance going on here, and one that I was observing with bated breath.

“Might I inquire further as to the particular reasoning behind this unfortunate and unseemly inability to respect the rights of expectant decorum?” Thacea quickly shot back.

“As I have alluded to, your highness, the powers that be prevent me from furthering the natural solution to your particular grievances. If this were any other instance in time, at any other location or place, I am sure this matter would have been resolved in an expedient and timely fashion. This situation, as you have alluded to yourself, results from a very particular set of unforeseen circumstances. Circumstances which currently dictate my actions in a manner which just so happens to be in conflict with your points of personal privilege, your highness.” The man’s posture, the way he stood, even the way he talked seemed very particular when addressing Thacea.

It was at that point that something changed. I didn’t know what, and I wasn’t sure why, but Thacea seemed to be shifting towards a tactical retreat, as she clacked her beak several times before addressing the both of us. “This is absolutely preposterous, I will need a moment to clear my mind but when I do return…” Thacea turned towards the magistrate/guard/apprentice person yet again. “There will be words exchanged.”

At Thacea’s prompting, we all left the room, slamming the door behind us similar to how Ilunor always preferred to do as we kept walking away from the medical wing until of course another privacy screen was brought up.

ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 275% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS

“I have a plan.” Thacea began. “And this is entirely relying on you two having actual military experience.” She continued ominously.

“Oh princess, you sully the Havenbrock name if you believe my mercenary heritage is in any way, shape, or form a mere decorative mantlepiece.” Thalmin responded with a sarcastic, yet excitable tone.

“I assure you, Thacea, I think my training has almost every eventuality accounted for.” I added with an affirmative nod.

“So what’s the plan?” Thalmin quickly barked out excitedly as we stopped at what looked to be an exit towards one of the Academy’s many open-air terraces.