41.

It was at that moment that Ostel came into the room, which prompted a fair number of the occupants to look in his direction. The Sage of Light was talking to to the big white wolf who trotted beside him, " ...is the last time I try to make sense of this castle Snow. How about next time you lead us to the food. Deal?" Snow barked and playfully ran around his human companion's legs.

Shaking his head with a sarcastic grin at Snow's antics, he then said absentmindedly, "Sorry I'm late, It's a damned maze in here!" He then realized the amount of people staring at him, which instinctively made him stop in his tracks. Usally when a large number of people were looking at him, it was because of something he did. A brief image of a number of such accounts flashed through his mind.

But before he could dwell on it further Jade Fist waved at him, "Take your time Ostel. I'll eat your food. I'm sure you won't mind." 

Again the human shoke his head and the scenarios in his mind dispersed, followed soon by a wry grin, "No need to get yourself killed so soon my friend." He walking by and softly planting a fist on Jade Fist's shoulders before heading over to grab what looked the most delicious. He settled for what seemed to be a hearty well cooked cut of chicken, steamed ham, buttered bread and he finished by grabbing a flagon of honeyed mead to wash it down.

With a boyish grin the Sage of Light sat took his place and sat in the only available seat left at the circular table, between the Sapiens Terrae and Sapiens Ignis.. He gave his cooked ham to Snow on a separate plate on the ground, which his canine companion gladly dug into. 

He nodded to Damien, "Hope I did not miss much."

The Sage of Fire shoke his head, "Nope, glad you could make it. Was wondering were you went actually."

Ostel shrugged his shoulders, "I was exploring, and figured I'd get a lay of the land. But Gods! This place is really easy to get lost in."

"Maybe you should ask someone for a map then." Jade called out, "I'm sure a handful of students here get lost occasionally."

He shoveled a piece of turkey into his mouth and said with his mouth half-full, "Perhaps another day I might do just that Jade." Ostel then looked across the table and smiled at the fact that Summer was speaking to other people, but then his smile went away as his gaze focused on the cloaked figure the Sapientis Ventus was speaking to.

He did a quick head count around the table. Beside him sat the lycan known as Damien and formidable Jade Fist, each being the Sages of Earth and Fire. Then across the table he counted the innocent Summer and the friendly Calixta as the Sages of Wind and Water.

So then that only left ... Sapiens Tenebrae. Ostel's eyes quickly focused on the one he assumed was the Sage of Darkness.

He was dark-skinned and matched the cloak he wore, though the cowl of the coat was drawn back and his white long hair seemingly shined in the candlelight. From his skull protruded two horns about three or more inches tall, the tell tale signs of the demon race. His eyes narrowed on the suspected demon and his hands begin to form into fists around his utensils, and his teeth began grinding his food as he felt his blood began to boil.

Before Ostel could fume further though, he was interrupted as from across the table someone was waving at him to get his attention. He shoke his head and noticed Calixta was asking him something, to which he asked, "Sorry? I was ... briefly lost in my thoughts. What was your question Calixta?" He said as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

The nymph let out a small giggle, charmed at his protectiveness over the elf-girl. But she didn't comment on what she saw and instead repeated her question. "Are you enjoying your... whatever that is? What does animal taste like?" the girl asked innocently, pointing at the pile of chicken on his plate.

At first Ostel gave her a confused look as he first looked down at his plate and then to her, "Well the chicken is good. But as to what it tastes like ... you are phrasing that rather oddly Calixta. Do your people not hunt in your homeland?" He asked genuinely curious

"Please, call me Calla," she said with a grin that was quickly replaced with a look of surprise. "Oh, gods no! I just explained to Summer that nymphs live on a vegetarian diet, so I wouldn't know what any type of meat tastes like. Well... except fish. I had to eat that twice. It tasted very... fishy?" Calixta laughed then, a bubbly, feminine sound. 

Upon hearing the bubbly laugh Ostel could not help but laugh himself, a hearty laugh that infectously went around the table. Upon coughing to clear his throat he managed to say, "Gods be good! Was not expecting that, sorry Calla." He then breathed deeply to gain control of himself before continuing, "Well, it tastes sort of like stuffed bread with a warm meaty taste. My apologies Calla, it's hard to describe really, we humans have long hunted on our lands. It is hard for me to describe something that is second nature to us, would you like to try a piece?" He asked as he cut a small piece off.

"No, no!" she squeaked out, eyes wide. "I mean, that's okay. I'm accustomed to the sweet taste of vegetation, and I'm sure chicken is a far cry from that. Besides, you know what they say... women who eat meat, even once, are... you know... [i]bad[/i]. They end up dying old and alone and-- [i]ugly[/i]." Her voice had dropped to a hushed tone, and she was leaning forward in her seat, her cheeks tinged a deep pink from embarrassment.

Ostel merely bowed his head and then smiled at his fellow Sage, "No need to explain, I understand Calla. All of our races have different customs I suppose, but that does not mean any single race is right on whatever that custom is. It just means we have our own ways, and indeed I commend you for sticking to it. But just so you know, I don't think you will ever be considered in my eyes [i]bad[/i] or [i]ugly[/i]." He said with genuine sincerity.

Calixta beamed at his words, lips turned up in a wide smile. "You're very kind, Ostel. But I'm sure I'm not the first to have told you that, especially since Summer speaks of how you saved her. You two must be very close... But then, I imagine all romantic relationships are close, are they not?" 

The Sage of Light's smile then faded as he looked to Summer, whose gaze did not meet his as her own eyes looked away. Ostel than half-heartedly grin and said simply, "I would not know Calla, I have never been in one. I would imagine they would have to be if the tales I hear have any truth them. And, Summer and me are not in a relationship Calla. She is free to choose her fate. My only intention was to save her from an unkind and cruel fate. She deserved better ... You deserve better Summer." He said with a sad smile to the elf he freed not too long ago.

Summer smiled at Ostel much like she had when she had told Calla about the Honey Dew, "And I have you to thank for my new chance at life... to even find out what 'better' is."

Calixta nodded along, a troubled look upon her face. "I am happy that Summer was saved. There are many people that deserve better in the world, and yet they couldn't escape a cruel fate... we couldn't escape a cruel fate..." And with that, the nymph looked down at her food, gently cutting up the fruit and slowly eating, the sadness of Acheron on her mind. 

Seeing tha his fellow sages seemingly reflect on Calixta's words, Ostel then solemnly said, "We cannot save everyone my fellow Sages, that fact we sadly will have to face. But what matters is that we do what we can, to ensure that everyone at least has a chance at a better life. Whether it's by defeating our foes, helping the next season's crops grow, or giving some soup to someone who has lost everything." He said ending with smile at the Sage beside him.

Jade raised his head at Ostel's mention of soup. Which, consequently, he'd been helping himself to while everyone else was talking, sipping it through the carved mouth of his mask. The only kind of meal he was capable of eating without taking his mask off, which was preferable in such a public place as this. Surrounded by students. As he raised his head, everyone else at the table gave him a... rather wry, curious look. After a moment of silence, Jade said aloud, "If you thought it was going to be that easy..." He pointed towards his mask and said, "You were mistaken."

And then he continued to eat his soup.

Shaking his head and laughing a bit, Ostel then raised his flagon of honeyed mead, "To giving others a chance. I can drink to that!" He said as he chugged the mead.

-----------------

Soon after Summer and Damien departed, Ostel felt a wave of sleepiness over take him as well. Before he made a move to stand up though he knew that a certain weight sit covered his boots. He then looked down at his feet and saw Snow, who was already fast asleep and curled up in a big white ball of fur. With a simple rub on his companion's ears though he woke up and groggily waited for Ostel to finish up with the group.

With Snow off his feet, Ostel stood himself up and unexpectedly belched, [b]"Damn, Excuse me. That hit the spot, a good end to a fine day."[/b] He then stretched a bit with his gaze falling on the Sage of Earth, [b]"I think I'm gonna turn in Jade. What about you?"[/b] The Sapientis Lux asked as he let his arms drop.

[b]"I'll head back to our room in time."[/b] Jade replied, [b]"I'm more interested in exploring a bit though. Late evenings mean not as many students will be about. I should only be an hour."[/b]

With that Ostel said his goodnights, but not to the Demon among them. Who ever the Sage of Darkness was he merely sat there as the remaining sages departed. Just as Ostel was about to leave the room as well he suddenly felt the Sapiens Tenebrae's gaze upon him. The Sage of Light turned and sure enough the Demon was looking at him, to which Ostel met his gaze with a glare of his own.

[b]"You don't like Demons I take it?"[/b] The Sage of Darkness asked plainly.

[b]"No. And I bet you do not fancy humans either?"[/b] Ostel shot back.

[b]"Depends on the human."[/b] He said as he drew the top of his cloak over his white hair and then stood up. 

He was taller than Ostel by about a head, but not quite as broad as him. But the Sage of Light knew just from the way the Demon stood that he was not a weakling by any stretch of the imagination. 

The Sage of light kept his composure though and said sternly, [b]"I'll work with you since we are both sages. But I got my eye on you."[/b] Ostel said firmly.

The demon merely responded sarcastically [b]"Nice to know I have your permission Ostel Grimward."[/b]

Shaking his head in annoyance he then asked, [b]"So, your name then?"[/b]

The answer could not of been simpler [b]"Aegar."[/b]

Ostel recalled that name once, but the memory was fuzzy at best, [b]"Aegar ... I've heard that name before. What's your last name?"[/b] He demanded.

What the demon said was cold and direct as it could be, [b]"That is my business Ostel. Maybe I'll tell you sometime."[/b] With that the Demon left the main hall and made his way toward his tower.

After Aegar left, Ostel merely turned and went his own way, watching behind him to make sure that the Sage of Darkness was not following him. One thing he learned at the School of Light was that you should never trust a demon. Added on to that warning was seeing the results of demon attacks on Lucerna, and cruel was an understatement of how they acted. Then again, the same School of Light also preached that the elves were lesser then humans.

Perhaps Ostel was wrong to be suspicious of Aegar, but he preferred in this case to be on the side of caution.

The memories of the aftermaths of demon attack plagued Ostel's thoughts till he finally got his and Jade Fist's room. Once there he finally got out of his armor and gear, leaving him only in his leggings and white undershirt. His white wolf friend also welcomed the prospect of sleep as Snow literally collapsed right next to his bunk. The Sage of Light did make sure to keep his keen hunting knife underneath his pillow though.

[i]You never know with a Demon.[/i]