Chương 10: Baggage Claim

I was tired, so very tired. I wasn't ready for this. I just wasn't in the mood for more of the academy's antics. Yet here I was, facing down the third mini-boss of the night. What followed was an intense stare-down that I just wasn't up for, especially at this hour. I realized however that it was very much a one-sided affair as my opaque, and frankly intimidating lenses, were carrying most of the weight in this impromptu standoff. I could see that the elf in question looked as tired as I was.

Indeed despite her well kept attire, and the sternness that she conveyed in her voice, she exuded as much of an air of exhaustion as she did a domineering stance Yet the fires of authority she carried had all but been doused by my height advantage. With a good two feet head start in the height department, the whole scene would've been rather one sided, if it wasn't for the hulking mass of muscle that was the gargoyle standing behind her. So after a good ten seconds of looking her up and down, I nodded.

"Thanks." I managed out, restraining myself from gesticulating too much so as to keep my intimidation factor in the game.

"I appreciate you bringing it all the way up here. Must have been quite a journey hauling a cart like that up a maze of staircases am I right?" I attempted to defuse the situation with the age-old, tried and true method outlined several times in the SIOP manual: small talk. The elf however, wasn't having any of it as she remained completely silent, refusing to even acknowledge my question.

Even the gargoyle refused to answer as he simply stared blankly into the room, his steely gaze was ever so slightly off, which when combined with his unflinching stature was more than enough to raise a few red flags. I decided to expedite the conversation, now realizing that there was no point in prolonging this unnecessary standoff.

"So… I'm assuming all my stuff arrived in one piece?" This line of questioning was enough to prompt an answer. Although it was one that was far from what I had expected.

"I am afraid it would be disingenuous of me to answer that question, Emma of Earthrealm." The elf spoke cryptically, with a tired air of authority now imbued with an unwarranted addition of dismissiveness and superiority. Something that I was quickly discovering to be a trend amongst the elves and their various subspecies. With the exception of the blue-robed Vanavan, every elf I've met thus far seemed to always find themselves slipping into this very specific brand of cavalier arrogance.

Again, I just wasn't in the mood to be playing games, not with an elf of all people.

"Disingenuous, how?" I snapped back, making sure that my terseness came through loud and clear through my vocoders.

"I wouldn't know if all of your luggage arrived successfully, Emma of Earthrealm. It is the responsibility of your own people to ensure that is the case. However, given the primitive nature of your trans-realm portal methodologies, there is a high likelihood a few of your belongings may be missing somewhere in the ether between our realm and your own. It is to be expected of course, no realm does it well on their first try."

The arrogance began to ooze from this female elf, an arrogance that bordered on outright disrespect as it was clear what she was hinting at, or at least alluding to. Sure, on the surface it was just an off handed rude jab at our portal tech, but on the other hand, it was so clearly coded in such a way that it was referring to our first portal. The same one that led to the untimely death of the first human candidate. This disrespect made my blood simmer, but I held it together all the same.

It was fortunate that I'd released some of my rage on Ilunor just moments prior, because otherwise this elf would've found herself blown through the thick stone and brick mortar behind her.

"This is why it would be disingenuous of me to speak on behalf of your realm's own shortcomings. I simply wish to be as candid and earnest as I can in any discussions with our esteemed first-year peers." The elf continued, which only prompted me to shrug dismissively in response.

"You know, you'd make for a great customer service agent for Trans-United Spacelines. I'm just waiting on when you're going to push the extra baggage and handling insurance that inevitably comes after this spiel." I jabbed back, causing the elf to raise a single brow in confusion as I sighed.

"Fine, alright, let's just get this over with." I moved forward towards the bell cart, only to be stopped by the gargoyle who held a single arm between me and my supply crates.

"It would be rude of me to not have my assistant carry your luggage for you." The elf interjected, a small smile curling up at the sides of her tired face. So this was also a power play thing. I thought to myself. Alright, let's go. I continued moving forward, ignoring the elf's insistence as I pushed the gargoyle's arm out of the way without much effort.

It was only when I had wrapped both arms around one of the large crates did the gargoyle move back in, using one of his oversized hands to wrap around my wrist without warning.

"I insist." The elf spoke again in that indignant tone of voice. Warning: Maximum pain threshold on [RIGHT HAND] exceeded, auto-disconnect of haptic feedback engaged. You're actually willing to hurt your students to satisfy your power fantasies? Really? It was with this sudden transgression that I turned to face the elf with my helmet's expressionless gaze. I made sure my point was known as I allowed the gargoyle to continue pinching down on my wrist.

As the seconds ticked on, I refused to acknowledge the pain or even the discomfort that would have been felt if it wasn't for my suit. This clearly began to bother the elf. Her once gleeful eyes of satisfaction evolved into concern, then into revulsion and abject confusion as I remained there, completely ignoring any and all afflictions that would've at this point caused any other student to be writhing and rolling around in pain.

"Are we done here?" I snapped back, ripping my hand from the gargoyle's grip without any effort. This demonstrated one of two things. One: that I not only ignored the pain, but that I had the strength to make this musclebound bodyguard's efforts at physically restraining me completely moot. Two: that I wasn't about to bend the knee or submit to whatever games this messed up elf was playing at.

With a single flourish I lifted the cargo container up and into my arms; what amounted to a few metric tons of equipment that the elf knew was impossible for most creatures to handle. It was probably the only reason she brought the gargoyle here after all. I made it a point to keep the crate held between my arms without even once flinching, holding completely still for an egregiously long time, all the while staring down at her as I cocked my head slightly.

"I ask again, ma'am, are we done here?" I reiterated, causing the elf to do something she probably wasn't used to.

"Lortal, leave the rest of the Earthrealmer's belongings here and take the cart back, it's getting late." She admitted defeat. Not directly to my face, but still, it was defeat all the same as the gargoyle slowly but surely placed all the crates down on the stone tiled floor in front of the dorm and booked it out of there.

ALERT: LOCALIZED SURGE OF MANA-RADIATION DETECTED, 200% ABOVE BACKGROUND RADIATION LEVELS The pair vanished without a trace, probably using the same teleportation spell Mal'tory used in the Grand Hall. I grinned in satisfaction underneath my helmet, taking a moment to savor yet another small victory before I turned around to face my peers who had been watching the whole scene unfold with bated breath this entire time. Their expressions were mixed.

Thalmin certainly cheered me on with a look of approval, which was confirmed with a single head nod. Thacea on the other hand seemed mildly concerned, probably due to whatever social faux pas I'd just committed. Then again I couldn't bring myself to be bothered about one simple faux pas amidst an entire night of drama. Finally, Ilunor once more looked at me with those terrified slitted reptilian eyes. Perhaps seeing the container held so casually in my arms was even more proof of my perceived strength.

Or perhaps it made his whole theory of me being nothing but a golem even more credible in his eyes. Regardless of what it was, the whole room slowly resumed where we left off before the interruption, with everyone shuffling their possessions into their bedrooms. With both of my arms preoccupied by the oversized crate, I was just about ready to make use of the suit's retractable mechanical arm, if it wasn't for Thacea's swift assistance in holding the door to our bedroom open.

I nodded and thanked her, moving in and dreading the unpacking that awaited me. I should've known however that worrying about space management in a place like this was like worrying about flight path restrictions in unincorporated space. The single door didn't give way to a bedroom, but instead another corridor. A corridor that while shorter than the one leading to the living room, gave way to a space I didn't dare call a bedroom.

Down the 10 or so feet of corridor was an oversized luxury loft within what was already an oversized penthouse. To say that the room was grand was yet again another understatement. Whilst the Academy certainly wasn't the idealized magical school I'd made it out to be, this room definitely resonated more with that fantasy. It almost made me think that perhaps the Academy of old was in some way better than the one I was stuck with. This text was taken from Royal Road.

Help the author by reading the original version there. Because the room that I had just entered was literally the size of the entire living room, and then some. It was an apartment within an apartment. With that small corridor opening up to an expansive space that more resembled the open-plan lofts I'd seen featured in the popular home and life magazines my mom had been obsessed with.

To give a more period-accurate example, I'd say that it resembled those weird open-plan two-story libraries that always found their way into fantasy epics and films, complete with the wrap-around second floor balcony that overlooked the first floor. The first floor in this case was most certainly designated for everything else aside from sleep.

With a space hosting several desks fitted with inkwells and quills, along with couches and a small coffee table, it seemed to comfortably serve as a combined living and study area. The space was certainly more than large enough to fit the furniture that already existed within it, which made it perfect for my space-sensitive needs. In fact, this was probably beyond the best case scenario for the square footage I needed to set up my tent and its various supporting systems.

The second floor was dominated by a space recessed into the wall that had two queen-sized beds positioned side by side, complete with bed posts and a canopy with curtains to boot. Flanking the two beds on either side of the walls were what I assumed to be doors leading further to a wardrobe or a full blown walk-in-closet. It was probably the latter, but I was too preoccupied with moving my cargo inside to really bother checking.

Within the span of a few minutes, I'd successfully transported each container into a relatively empty corner of the room. Each container was slightly different in size and shape, and in a way reminded me of the ancient game of Tetris as I stacked one on top of the other. It honestly felt quite therapeutic. After all that I'd experienced, I felt at least a small semblance of control returning to me as I organized everything into a neat, stackable pile.

I was just about to begin scanning and checking off each container from the manifest list I'd been given during my mission briefing, before my attention was immediately taken by a more pressing issue. My side-view cameras detected a concerning scene, as I saw the princess struggling with some of the larger pieces of luggage she had. The poor avian was tugging, pulling, and practically throwing her back out with each and every step.

This made me spring into action without hesitation as I leaped over, grabbing the oversized piece of luggage that would've honestly been quite at home in the vintage collection of one of those designer bag brands back on Earth.

"Here, let me, princess." I spoke insistently, with both of my hands reaching for either end of her luggage. With a bit of reluctance she finally agreed, giving me that courtly head nod that only a royal could give.

"Thank you, Emma." She replied, which prompted me to give my own, less graceful nod.

"Hey, you're the princess and I'm the knight, remember?" I teased, hearkening back to our first interaction a few hours back.

"You did me a solid, saving me twice already. It's only fair that it's time for your knight to do some of the saving." I snickered, as I felt more and more of myself finally winding down with Ilunor promptly out of the question, and with the world condensing ever further into the privacy of these four walls. This was something I was more than grateful for after a rapid-fire gauntlet of existential panic after existential panic.

I continued moving back and forth between the living room and my new bedroom, picking up the rest of Thacea's luggage with ease. With a single piece of luggage under each arm, and a suitcase in either hand, I turned to face the avian without much fanfare to ask.

"So, where do you want them, princess?"

"The suitcases can be placed next to the dressing room, the luggage containing the royal seal should be placed at the foot of my bed, of which I will take the left, and the other piece of luggage can be placed near the lounge chair-" Thacea stopped in her tracks as her avian eyes blinked rapidly. It was clear something was developing rapidly through her head, as she visibly winced in front of me and placed a single feathered arm against her chest, and another by her side, bowing ever so slightly.

"My sincerest apologies Emma, I answered in a manner that was incredibly unbecoming and disrespectful of your rank and station. Please forgive me." Before I could answer however, the princess stood back up with that immaculate posture of hers, and continued.

"I… am not used to these kinds of questions and offers being asked by someone of equal or comparable rank, birthright, or station, not especially one of my peers. This is a question that is generally reserved for those that serve, and royal etiquette and manners overtook me, as I responded far too eagerly. Again, I do apologize, Emma. It has been quite an eventful night and it is clear that the stresses are starting to take their toll on my social etiquette.

It is unbecoming of me, and disrespectful of you, and it should not have even happened and so-""Hey, you cut that out alright?" I interjected, still holding onto the avian's luggage without breaking a sweat.

"E-excuse me?"

"Yeah, you heard me right, you cut that out right now, princess." I reiterated, with a tone that was caught between caring, concerned, and empathetic, with a hint of exasperation.

"I don't follow-""I get it, apologies accepted. You and I aren't from the same cultural background, and it shows." I started. However, whereas this would've led into a verbal assault if it were Ilunor, the conversation instead veered into a far more constructive and wholesome territory when it came to the princess.

"You're trying, and that's what counts. Listen, I offered to help alright? So you can boss me around all you like. I appreciate that you backtracked on the whole talking-down-to-me aspect of things, and I appreciate that you see me as an equal, but…" Heck, this is way more complicated than I thought.

"... but I'd appreciate it if you'd extend that same olive branch to those that you might not normally perceive as your equals." I spoke with a genuine sense of optimism before I finished off my whole speech by moving up to pat the avian on the shoulder.

"And honestly, don't sweat it. We've both been through the wringer tonight, and you especially had to go through that public dressing down which for the record wasn't okay. I want you to know that, at least within the walls of this room, there will be none of that crap. Here, we're true equals. No taint stuff, no public stigma for those baseless accusations, no nothing."

I gripped the avian's shoulder just a little bit harder, every word uttered through my vocoders emanating a real warmth to it that lacked any social filters as I gave the princess my most complete and sincerest thoughts. The princess didn't seem to respond at all as she stood there, utterly dumbfounded and shocked. Her eyes widened and her pupils dilated the same way an owl would in the middle of the night, where they would look like they were completely flabbergasted or indignant about something.

I released my hand, and took a few steps back before finally the princess snapped out of her haze, and smiled. This time, it was genuine. There was something about it that just wasn't like the polite, or courteous, or formal smiles that she'd put on before. There was something raw about this one, and I could tell by the look in her eyes that practically glistened with something resembling a look of epiphany.

"Thank you, Emma. Thank you." Was all she said. Yet despite those few words, I could hear a difference in her tone and cadence. It was slight, but it was there. With a nod and an imperceptible smile, I began placing the bags as the princess had requested of me, and eventually turned my sights on my own belongings. I made sure to scan each individual container, starting off with the most vital out of all of them, what was affectionately referred to as the tent.

Whilst it bore this rather unassuming, and almost comically simple name, the contents within were anything but simple. Within this cuboid container the size of an oversized lounge chair was the key to my long term survival here in the Nexus. Whilst the suit was technically capable of being used long term if need be, with it being theoretically rated for a full year of complete and continuous use… the prospects of that were more than troubling to say the very least.

Even during the theory section of SERE training I almost always lost the battle with the contents of my stomach anytime the discussion for what was known as suit exclusive survival came up. The tent was the solution to that, a little piece of home forcefully carved out of the fabric of the Nexus' reality. A pocket of safety that defied an otherwise death-filled reality that everyone else here inhabited without a second thought.

The entire contents of the container held the bare minimum of what was necessary to facilitate this goal. Namely: the tent itself, the power supply system, and the mana filtration system that would be vital in establishing that pocket of mana-free environment I needed. It honestly surprised me that everything would even fit in a container of this size, what with the generator and filtration system being crammed in there.

It wasn't a surprise then that the fabric of the tent would be so fragile, given how thin and space-efficient it needed to be to be able to even fit in there. With the most vital container squared away and ticked off my list, I moved on to the rest of the 9 containers on the list in order of their significance to survival and mission integrity. The next container held the highly experimental, yet just as vital Mana-Radiation Extraction and Desaturation Device, or the MREDD for short.

Whilst shelter was already dealt with in the form of the tent and my suit, food and water still needed to be accounted for. The MREDD was the solution to the latter two issues. The device would be theoretically capable of removing every last scrap of mana-radiation from any matter placed within its extraction chamber. With its rate of extraction directly proportional to the density and permeability of whatever matter is placed within it.

The scientists back at home gave me a whole manual on what foodstuffs were more conducive to the extraction process. Wet, airy foods such as whipped cream, souffles, scrambled eggs, and bread were preferable for instance. Whereas harder, denser foods such as pemmican, hardtack, and nuts were contraindicated as they would take not just more time but much more effort and energy to fully drain and purify. The container for this device was just about as large as the tent's.

This was because the filtration unit itself was just about as large, if not larger. The justification for this was simple enough: in order to purify matter and not just air, there needed to be a higher rate of active extraction and energy expended. A continuous and intensive filtration process was needed, which was why the actual extraction chamber was just about the size of a large microwave, and the generator and extraction plus filtration unit was just about half a size larger than the tent's.

What's more, when not in use, the generator for the MREDD would aid in the large suite of devices I had on hand to repair and maintain my suit, as well as to charge its auxiliary batteries. Indeed, the entire manifest that had been prepared for me consisted primarily of redundancies on top of redundancies, as the third and fourth container would prove. The third was yet another generator, again, the same size as the tent's at about 5 by 5 feet.

This would prove vital in case any one of the generators was faulty or having issues which directly hampered its power generation. The fourth container was far longer and more rectangular in nature, just about as long as a dining table. Within it was a furniture assembler's nightmare, but it essentially held the framework for a workshop and workstation that was just small enough to fit in my tent. It was designed to hold up my armor, and allow me to easily perform a decent amount of repairs on any part of my suit.

Whilst not a mechanic myself, both my manual and my on board EVI would be capable of making up for the gaps in my skill and knowledge. Practically entering a zen-like state of therapeutic relaxation from the checking and cross checking of items on my manifest, a sudden realization would soon hit me that shattered what should have been a relaxing end to an otherwise chaotic evening.

The fifth item on my manifest, the container which held the experimental trans-dimensional communication device that I would use to communicate back to Earth with, was missing. And that immediately put me on the clock to retrieve it, or else it and the cargo inside it blew up in my face… or more accurately, someone else's.