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Asmodius Hoseforn sat crossed legged on the floor of his balcony that overlooked Hoseforn's Academy for Gifted Adventurers. His eyes were closed and odd pipe with a blue and green crystal in its bowl sat in his mouth. He mumbled something to himself for a while, though the words were incoherent to anyone who was listening. The warm sun and slight breeze made the day almost picaresque. Who could have asked for a better start to the new semester. Hoseforn stopped mumbling and removed the pipe from his mouth, letting out a stream of rainbow colored smoke. [color=00FF7F]"How goes the ceremony preparations Mari."[/color] He called without turning his head to look behind him. His voice was ragged, but came out strong and far clearer then someone would expect from someone so ancient. 

A stunning woman moved next to him, her long green and black swayed lightly in the wind. She wore silky white blouse that stopped midway down her stomach. Her long green and black body moved almost silently behind her. [color=D8BFD8]"Everything is ready. But you knew that."[/color] She said, her voice silky and pleasant. Mari peered over the balcony, watching as a flood of students poured into the Main Hall. It was easy to tell the new students from the old, as returning students already had their uniforms on. Form's of all shapes and sizes and colors poured into the school. This was, perhaps, one of the few places in all of Ealinata that everyone was welcome. [color=00FF7F]"Of course I knew that, but it's polite to ask."[/color] Hoseforn said, opening one eye slightly before taking another puff from his pipe. 

[color=D8BFD8]"Right. How kind of you. I'm sure you also know you shouldn't be smoking. It'll shorten your life."[/color] Mari said smirking lightly as Hoseforn coughed out a laugh as if she had made some great joke though no one else would understand. [color=00FF7F]"If smoking was going to kill me Id've been dead centuries ago. Ahh Dex, you're back. How did it go?"[/color] 

Mari managed to hold back her surprise as she noticed Dex standing behind Hoseforn. That man was unnaturally quiet. Maya's senses were excellent, and wards she had in place around her should have made it impossible for anyone to sneak up on her. Yet somehow Dex always managed to appear without her noticing. It was, frankly, creepy as hell. 

[color=808080]"They were dead by the time I arrived."[/color] Dex's voice came out in a flat and muffled tone. The mask that hid his face also made his voice echo lightly, although he wasn't hard to understand. [color=808080]"I only found one thing of interest."[/color] Dex said as he pulled out a blackened scroll with a thick dob of black wax sealing it and offered it to Hoseforn. Mari involuntarily recoiled away from the scroll. [color=D8BFD8]"That thing is...Wrong"[/color] She hissed, her voice losing all the pleasantness it had held before. The blackened scroll gave off a grotesque and unnatural feeling, as if touching it would cause you to rot from the inside out. Maya had seen cursed and evil objects before. But had none had felt like that. 

Hoseforn's stared at the scroll for a moment, his face becoming serious as he plucked the scroll from Dex's hands. He studied it for only a moment, his brow furrowed, before pressing the scroll against his left hand. A small hole appeared in Hoseforn's palm and he pushed the scroll into it, the hole disappearing once the scroll was fully inside. [color=00FF7F]"Well done as always Dex. Maurine, please gather the rest of the staff. The welcoming feast will be beginning soon."[/color] Mari nodded her head slowly, trying to erase the horrible feeling that the scroll had left in her stomach. She knew that Hoseforn was only trying to distract her from the scroll, but it was a distraction she was more then happy to indulge in. 

As she turned to leave she spotted a thin, red skinned young man with large goat like horns protruding from his head. His clothes looked filthy and ragged and a lute was strapped securely to his back. He looked more like he belonged in a alleyway somewhere then at an elite school for adventurers. [color=808080]"What is it?"[/color] Asked Dex as he stepped over to the edge of the balcony. [color=D8BFD8]"I believe I just spotted Maya's little project."[/color] Maurine said before slithering off to gather the rest of the staff.

[hr]

Rodrick walked tentatively down the path towards, what he hoped, was Hoseforn's main hall. One hand held that strange scroll he had found some weeks ago, and the other held onto the strap of his lute, as if he would need it to ward off an incoming attack. There was a part of him that felt like this had to be some cruel joke. He had never applied to Hoseforn's. He had never even dreamed to apply to Hoseforn's to be honest. He lacked the money, skill, or influence required to enter, so why would they have reached out to him? It had to be either a prank or a mistake. 

[color=F08080]"I came all this way, might as well see for myself."[/color] He mumbled to himself. 

Rodrick moved apprehensively into the Main Hall, and was met with the strangest sight he had ever seen. In the center of the room was an enormous crystal. The crystal was roughly two stories tall with a giant beam of light flowing into the bottom of it. The crystal was surrounded on all sides by separated booths and students were standing in them, seemingly speaking to the crystal. Hesitantly, Rodrick moved towards the crystal and stepped into an empty booth. A shimmering rainbow of color appeared before. It looked almost like a cloud, and it glowed with each word it spoke. [color=FFC0CB]"Greeting's new student. I am Athena. Welcome to Hoseforn's Academy for Gifted Adventurers. Please present your acceptance scroll now."[/color] 

[color=F08080]"Uhhh.o..kay."[/color] Rodrick said, slightly blindsided by the enormous talking crystal. He held up the scroll, feeling as if this is were any hope he had of a new life would come crashing down on him. A small beam of light flashed over the scroll, and strange glyphs that had not been visible before glowed brightly. [color=FFC0CB]"Letter accepted. Welcome Rodrick Malentine."[/color] The acceptance letter changed suddenly into a, what Rodrick could only assume, was a map of the school. A multi colored line was drawn from the main building to one of the buildings on the outskirts of the school. [color=F08080]"This is a map of the school grounds, your dorm number is 634. A fresh uniform and any supplies you require will be waiting for you. Please change...bathe... and return to the Main Hall within an hour and a half for the welcoming feast. Attendance is mandatory."[/color] 

Rodrick had lots of questions. Was this a dream? Where had the scroll come from? Why did this crystal have a name and why was it speaking to him? But there was one question had bothered him for weeks, but he had been to afraid to ask. [color=F08080]"How am I supposed to pay for all of this? I don't have any money."[/color] The crystal halted for a moment, before flashing again. [color=FFC0CB]"Your time at Hoseforn's has been covered by an anonymous donor. We require no money from you for the foreseeable future."[/color] This only raised more questions in Rodrick's mind, but it would have to wait. With the map held in his hand, he made his way towards his new dorm. The tiniest spark of hope forming in his heart.