Rise of the Nightmare Crestmaster

Aldrich walked out of the bank with a new experience and learned many things. His next stop was the apartment. He waited and boarded a public carriage to 6th Pioneer street.

Aldrich looked at the nice building, still awed by the white and blue colors, the design was also especially impressive even in Voryhrm. He stopped by the gate and found the head guard, the black haired dwarf and a human patrolling the area.

"Oh, you came." The dwarf greeted him with some surprise.

"Sure, I came. I said I was coming to sign the contract today didn't I?"

"I know you did. But there are many people that say that in the way of polite refusal, if you know what I mean."

"People actually do that? How is lying considered the polite thing to do?"

"Hahhaha, I never thought of it like that. Just think of it as people not having it in them to say what they really feel. Come on follow me to the apartment."

Aldrich followed the dwarf to the apartment number twenty one and once again took a close look at the apartment, the hard wood floor was classy and sturdy. The paint-job was mirrored to the exterior of the building being a mix of white and blue.

"Let me get you some beer? Or tea?"

"Actually I'm in a bit of a hurry so maybe next time."

"Shame. The name's Brozas Earthjaw, if you need anything you know where to find me."

"I'm Aldrich of … Oakwood."

He answered as he read the contract details and made sure that everything was in place.

Then he signed the contract. This was a year long contract meaning fifteen months. Three months advance payment with imperial credit notes was fair enough.

After signing the contract Aldrich took out his brand new imperial bank note and filled in his information and the specific amount which was six silvers and fifteen coppers. Finally he singed the note too and gave it to Brozas.

"Good, good, here's your key. Everything is in place, you can move in whenever you feel like it."

"Great I'll bring my things tomorrow."

"Excellent. By the way where were you living up to now? If you don't mind me asking."

Aldrich was confused by the sudden question and didn't know how to answer. So Brozas continued, "eh, don't mean to be rude, it's just that the semester in the Crest Academy is not even over and you had to change your place. Something serious must've happened."

That's right, Aldrich couldn't tell him or anyone that he was just joining the semester. Ayemon was doing this under the table. If he went on babbling his big mouth he'd ruin everything.

"Ah, well some unpleasant things happened, I just don't feel like talking about it now."

"Understandable, it must've been tough. Well hopefully none of that will impact your stay here."

"Yeah, I hope so too."

Aldrich shook hands with Brozas and took the apartment key with him. As he waited for a private carriage he thought about the amount he paid. Three months, each for two silvers and five coppers. This totaled at six silvers and fifteen coppers.

Truly a great amount, probably even Ayemon wouldn't expect him to rent such an apartment. For good reason too. In fact if Aldrich didn't have dozens of coin pouches in the nightmare realm he wouldn't have made this decision either.

A private carriage stopped by and Aldrich boarded. He was going to register in the academy on this very day. A day that Aldrich had dreamed of for a very long time. Only for some reason he wasn't as excited by the prospect anymore.

Of course one of the reasons being that he will very likely reunite with Adera today. Unfortunately it won't be like the reunion that he once imagined it to be. Instead it was a reunion of lies and schemes.

It was only noon but Aldrich already felt tired. What kind of reunion is this? He had to lie and trick the only other survivor of the Wakefield massacre? And it had to be Adera of all people, what kind of sick joke is this.

Aldrich got back to the mansion and took a bath and changed his clothes. This gave him the time to banish all the negative thoughts and focus on the present.

Aldrich found Ayemon waiting for him downstairs, together they boarded one of Ayemon's personal carriages. After seeing the carriage Aldrich could see why they didn't bring a carriage with them and rented one instead.

Yes, it would have definitely made them stand out. Forget about the poor Ado'merin even in Voryhrm itself this was the carriage that all the other carriages made way for in the streets.

The carriage passed by the Crest square and from his seat in the carriage Aldrich could finally have a look at the Crest Academy. The building was grand just like the imperial bank the hill it was built on made it look bigger and grander.

The carriage wasn't going through the main gate, instead it circled around the block and came through a back entrance. The back entrance was hidden by a few alleyways and overgrown trees and bushes.

The carriage came to a stop by one of the many open two meter doors. Aldrich could see many people moving about on campus the image made him think that the academy was like a city within a city.

Ayemon walked briskly towards one of the gates and Aldrich followed, the inside of the academy was no different than the outside, elegant and beautiful.

The carvings on the walls were inspiring and ancient giving the feeling of a mountain that endured endless years.

Soon they got to a section of the building that had many chairs lined up and it was completely empty in contrast to the rest of the academy.

"Give me your identification papers."

Aldrich did as he was told.

"Good, now just sit here and relax. I will take care of the rough work. After I'm done you will go into that room for the test."

Ayemon pointed at a door to the side.

"Yeah sure— wait! What test? You didn't tell me about any test."

"Ah, I don't have the time right now. Don't worry you'll do fine. Anyway I'm going."

This bastard. Aldrich was almost certain that Ayemon didn't forget. He was messing with him. Aldrich wasn't worried, he knew Ayemon liked to cheat and plot his way in life. If the test was something that he had to worry about he would have made sure to help Aldrich.

Aldrich waited in place for what seemed like forever. He got bored the place was dead quite and barely anyone passed by here. When someone did they were fast and quick about it. They didn't seem like they were in the mood for a conversation, sadly.

Suddenly Aldrich saw Ayemon returning with two men and one woman. Aldrich didn't get to say anything before Ayemon instructed, "Aldrich, go into that room someone will be with you soon."

Aldrich did as he was told and entered the room that seemed like it wasn't cleaned for a long time. The room was completely dark, the curtains were closed and very little light entered the room.

In that darkness Aldrich saw that the room was empty of everything save for one wooden chair in the center of the room. Aldrich wasn't sure if the chair was his to sit upon but he did anyway.

After a minute or so he heard loud voices outside then grumbling and finally the door opened and a middle-aged man entered.

He could tell that the man lost the argument, even if he didn't hear the argument one look at his face was enough to tell you he didn't want to be here.

The middle-aged man didn't talk, instead he place his hand on the wall of the room seemingly at random. Without understanding anything else, Aldrich suddenly felt something, a force, a mountain, a deep sea.... something massive and incomprehensible.

Where was he? Where did he go? Just a moment a go he was... wait where was he? What was he doing? Why?

He knew he was... this thing? It was just so big so heavy... how did it suddenly appear? No it was always there.

He was this thing, only one part of a whole. An insignificant part.

No. He was not insignificant. He was Aldrich and he wasn't a part of this... thing. He was himself.

Aldrich suddenly opened his eyes and gasped. He was back in the room, back on the wooden chair.

"Alright get up." Ordered the middle-aged man, who had at some point removed his hand off the wall. Now Aldrich could see, a few strange marks lit up and formed a square around the man's hand on the wall.

Aldrich got up and almost tripped. The door opened and the room lit up with moss lamps. Leading the group that entered was Ayemon who was glaring daggers at the middle-aged man.

"Did you hold your hand a bit longer than necessary, Falcc?" He asked, his voice stoic.

"You must've imagined it." Replied the middle-aged man, named, Falcc with a smirk.