Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 126: Wiff

While the army led by Grand Marshal Tam amassed on the banks of the Nerid River, a young messenger boy ran through the streets of Trinquile, running amongst the bright and colorful city. 

The boy had worked as a messenger for the King  for only a few months now, and had been elated to learn that he would be delivering a message to Trinquile. 

Many dreamed of visiting the city of Mages, and even the older messenger boys had been jealous of his luck, only a few of them had been given the opportunity to visit the city that, so many spent their whole lives wondering about.

He had thought the tales of the city to be mere rumors, right up until the point where he had seen the first of the Mage Towers peeking above the horizon, it was at that moment that he knew that Trinquile was everything that it was rumored to be, and more.

The Academy itself shone, proudly reflected in the lake, with the rest of the city merely huddled around the majestic Academy.

And behind the Academy, the Mage Towers stretched out, towers of burning flames, bubbling magma, and with water cascading down every side. 

The messenger boy had stood, frozen in awe for a moment, before remembering his duties and running down toward the Academy, there would be time enough after delivering his message to take in the sights of the wonderful city.

Now, the messenger boy ran right up to the gates of Trinquile, and found himself face to face with a serious faced man.

The man wore a leather coat, with steel plates riveted all over and runes visibly swam over the entire coat, disappearing and appearing from the boy's sight. The Man wore a dull black gauntlet on one hand and a soft leather love on the other. He stood in front of the wrought iron gates, an imposing presence.

The boy gawked openly at the man, who simply ignored him, dismissing him as one of many curious tourists that visited Trinquile.

"Ah, I've got this." The messenger boy forgot all of his training in etiquette and barely stammered out to the man, after all the sights he had seen on the way to the city, running into this strange man had been far too much for him.

The man took the scroll case, and looked carefully at the seal that had been stamped on to it, and the tiniest flicker of surprise crossed his face.

"I am the Gatekeeper, and you are?" The Gatekeeper asked gruffly, holding the scroll case with the gloved rather than his gauntleted hand.

"Oh, excuse my indiscretion, Sir! I am Wiff, a messenger of King Rotan, I come bearing a message for the Headmaster of Trinquile Academy." The messenger boy was startled out of his awe and immediately fell into the familiar habits he had learned during his training, and gave the Gatekeeper and elaborate bow, sweeping his floppy hat low, almost sweeping the immaculate cobblestones in front of the Academy with it.

"I see, a message from the King, this is of great importance. Thank you for bringing this to me." The Gatekeeper gave Wiff a kind smile, before tucking the scroll case deep into his coat and nodding at the boy. 

"Enjoy the city, young man, take in the sights." The Gatekeeper gave Wiff an uncharacteristically soft smile, and Wiff bowed and made his way into the mess of streets near the Academy.

Once Wiff had disappeared from his sight, the Gatekeeper waited a short moment, before opening the gates very slightly, and disappearing inside. 

He strode through the gardens, ignoring the groups of frolicking students, all showing of the latest spells that they had learned.

The students also ignored the Gatekeeper, not due to any disinterest on their part, but rather due to the fact that he simply didn't want to be noticed, and the runes that covered his armor exuded a thin gray haze, which obscured him from the eyes of most observers.

He entered the main building, the main door opening and closing imperceptibly, and while the Secretary who sat at the front desk noticed him passing by, she didn't say a word or even recognize the fact that he was walking past.

Then he turned down towards the East Corridor, and made his way up to the second floor. The hallway was lined with many vibrant doors, the mages competing with their office doors just as they competed with their Mage towers, it seemed that it was in the nature of all mages to show off.

However, the final door in the corridor was a faint turquoise color, almost white in its lightness. It seemed that the Headmaster, at least, was not caught up in competing with his fellow Mages.

The Gatekeeper knocked on the door, and after waiting a few moments, pushed the door open, which opened silently. 

The room was as sparsely decorated as the rest of the Academy, with only a large desk, a shelf and a small plant in one corner. In front of the desk were a pair of plain wooden chairs.

The desk itself was made out of a slab of multicolored wood, with dark red, green and blue hues shining through the polished wood. 

Only a few papers lay on the desk, as well as a spinning device, at the center of which was a glowing green Mana Crystal, of such purity that one could go their entire lives without setting their eyes on a similar Crystal.

Behind the desk sat the dignified figure of the Headmaster, who was currently poring intently over a heavy tome, the pages heavy with minute text depicting different runes.

"You have abandoned the Gate, in the middle of the day, even. What is it?" The Headmaster raised his head slowly, like a stately old stag, his bright green eyes gleaming from under his husky eyebrows.

"A message arrived. From the King of Ursten." The Gatekeeper withdrew the scroll from within his cloak, and placed it carefully on the desk.