Mage And Wolf
Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Chapter 58

As I’m talking with Lelou, the sun starts to set and reflects a rainbow of lights from the direction of the University.

The sight is glorious, the Structure is a semi circle, with 4 evenly spaced towers, shaped like a Dragon curled around a spire. The eyes of the Dragons, set into the heads serving as the top of the towers, are giant crystals, Red, Bronze, Silver and Blue. War, Law, Magic and Knowledge. An interesting choice for a university, but these days maybe including the War God is the only natural thing to do.

In the center of the building, there is a fifth dragon shape made of Stone. A Black Dragon. It’s not as huge as the ones built into the towers, but has a place of honor nonetheless. The way it sits, head hanging over the edge of the building right at the center where it can see everyone coming and going, gives the impression that it’s in charge of this place.

That must be Karl’s new office, as headmaster of the University. Like it or Not, he’s the highest ranking member of the clergy here, so the position was all but forced on him. It’s a bit sad, we haven’t gotten to blow things up together in days.

Set in front of the university is the Temple. A simple black dome upon a large square building of White Granite, much like any of the Mosques that dot the middle east. But Huge. Where the main structure of the University is twenty stories tall, with towers soaring above it, the Temple building is only ten, but that’s more than enough to make the building look gigantic and majestic from ground level.

"How much mana did it take to finish all this in a single day?" I wonder out loud.

"Only 50 of the stones, plus the 10 that we set into the dragon’s eyes to power defensive wards and building functions. The furniture is all installed. The dorms stocked. The biggest hold up was trying to understand just how a refrigerator works. We’ve always just used ice magic, but Karl insisted it was less mana intensive to run them off electricity from the generator built into the basement. He says one of the stones from a category 2 magical beast should run the electricity in the building for a month."

"I’m amazed. This is more than anyone would have hoped for, a fully stocked university, just waiting on staff in a single day."

"You’ll get used to it. Things get done in a hurry when there’s dragons around."

The tour of the building is quick and simple. The 2 west spires are boys dorms. Decorated in blue and white each floor holds 4 pods of 25 rooms. Each pod has a kitchen, with the same runes used in the Safe House, but with a limited and structured menu Lelou assures me. For optimal learning according to Neisa. Plus a communal shower area and toilets. The stall doors go floor to ceiling, and the whole place is done in polished woods and metals, with stone walls, giving it a very luxurious and non public bathroom sort of feeling.

The girls towers are identical, except in Red and White, which makes me chuckle a bit. Women get the War God and Men get the Knowledge God? That’s a bit of a flip from Earth tradition. They’re just as lovely as the boys towers, but with a softer feel to everything. Fewer hard edges, more rounded corners with deeper, softer rugs and an all around more delicate vibe. The training rooms are identical though. Both the physical training and magical practice rooms.

Next up, we’re onto the classrooms and reviewing the public facilities, it’s like a city within the city, with everything the students might need from restaurants to a public pool to a commissary that sells school supplies and uniforms.

That’s when that accursed red alert starts flashing on my phone. I know I technically don’t need to sleep for days at a time, but this is terrible timing to send me somewhere.

"Sorry Lelou, base emergency alert, I’ve got to check what’s happening and put the kids to bed." Lelou just waves me to go and heads back towards where I can hear the other Priestesses talking.

"Okay everyone, follow me, quickly now." The young girls quickly start to fall behind. I’m such a scatter brain, they’re 5, how can they keep up with a jogging pace? So I grab one on each hip and we start running towards the base entrance.

Jurgen and the Ramirez brothers are already in the Dining hall with Narishma when I arrive, and I signal that I’ll be back.

There’s only one bed in the spare room, but the girls are small, and twins, they should be used to sharing a bed, right? They seem more overwhelmed than anything, so I ask Lala to get them bathed and into bed at a reasonable time before running out to get my orders.

"Glad you could join us" Narishma laughs at my huffing and flushed face.

"Very funny Ari, now what’s so important you cut my tour of the university facilities short?"

"We’ve got a major portal incident. 4 new openings at the 4 cardinal points around the city, only 5km out from the city walls. All are stable, all appear to be time locked dungeons."

Oh crap.

"Two already have large teams of base staff sent to survey them. One has been locked with a barrier by Karl for public safety, but the last one we’ll need you to take care of. There have been a few escapes already, what the Priestesses refer to as Tier 2 magical beasts, and they’re more than the general forces can easily handle."

Bonus, we were just running out of Tier 2 mana stones.

"No problem. Is there vehicle access or are we going on foot from the portal in?"

"That one is an underground labyrinth, so you’ll be on foot from the entrance. The other two that Karl left unlocked are open areas with some tree cover. One contains an assortment of monsters inside a ruined castle, the other is a wild area full of weaker magical beasts."

The white robed Dragon Priestess enters and joins our conversation. "None of them should be too terrible. The nature of this world limits the power of anyone that enters it, and worlds significantly more powerful cannot connect to it. That said, the last dungeon looks to be full of monstrous creatures that have reached a cultivation level nearing that of the men on the team, so it won’t be an easy fight should you try it now."

"Well I hope you’re ready for some fun gentlemen. The Dragons burned through the entirety of our Tier 2 mana stone storage building the university and Temple in a day, so we’re going to need some more."

Jurgen looks a bit concerned. "How many more?"

"About 300 more should be enough to finish construction of the city per current design plans. It’s a pretty simple design, without magical embellishment or quarters for royalty, so the efficiency will be very high." The white robed Priestess informs us.

"Thank you Priestess White" I shoot her my best smile and she gives me a polite bow in return.

"By the way, where on Earth are Jake and Mary? They can’t possibly still be locked up in a bedroom together? I know they’re mates but this is ridiculous."

"That’s my fault", Narishma cuts in. We needed someone to lead the lower level teams, and they took one each. During the days we’ve got them on the management team, dealing with mercenaries and farmers bringing in materials from monsters and magical beasts for trade."

"You understand just how hard it is to actually operate a combat team when you keep stealing half my combatants, yes?" I let my authority ring a little and Narishma somehow looks even more pale.

"I’m really sorry, really I am! But there’s nobody else on base qualified to do it."

"Hmm, I really don’t want to bring Hui’Jin with us and traumatize the poor girl more, but she’s on Penance and we need a mage. Especially if it’s a labyrinth."

I send her a summon with a thought and she enters the room with a deep bow. "You summoned me Highness?"

"Yes, grab anything you may need for a short trip to a dungeon. We’ll be clearing until it resets, then clearing the top areas again to ensure the area’s safety."

"Understood Highness, I’ll have Miss Lala educate me on the necessary gear." Such a devoted girl.