*scribbling on the patchwork paper, having his last chance to make up something new before he got to the college. The red panda had his work cut out for him. He'd heard some stories from an inn on his way here said that they'd only accept the most promising students. And all night he had been worried about such a problem with the work he already had. The rocking of the wagon he was in as well as the breeze that flowed through the tattered covering wasn't helping him. Eyes focused on the work in front of him, the rune caster had no knowledge of anyone else in the cart. Besides the occasional cough, shuffling of the feet, and groan about the rocking wagon. Though he was doing the most groaning about it* "Blasted road with its blasted rocks!"
*not meaning to be rude though, he'd ignore the other passengers. Even as they came to a stop with what seemed like just a few seconds later to him. He'd jump as he was told he had reached his stop. Gathering his ink well, quill, and poor parchment and the rune on it. He could only hope it would work. Hoping he didn't have to rely on his pitiful work from before. Fumbling with his letter bag, which had become a great way to hold his runes. It had a small hole in the bottom, and was somewhat charred on the inside from a few mistakes with his earlier dealings with the element of fire. Looking up he'd find the other students who had traveled with him. Gulping as he looked to the ground, making his way towards the looming mix of stone and metal that was the college*
Thala had been standing at the gate of the college, having been chosen to greet the students arriving from the carriage. She stood straight and proper with her wings folded close to her back and her head rose to look forward as the sound of the carriage was arriving. Her soft black fur covered an equine looking face and her horn shimmered in the morning light. Her long slender prehensile tail with just a tuft of fur on the end whipped back behind her.
Thala was dressed in purple and silver robes, a top that was little more then a cloth wrap that went around her neck, covered her chest and then down beneath her wings to tie and a skirt that was slit up one side and hung at her knees. It was odd, but the woman was a little nervous standing there. Her soft blue eyes watching as people filed out of the carriage and her long grey hair blowing back from the wind.
Drawing in a light breathe the alicorn brought her hands up. She was channeling forth a little mana for a spell. Drawing in that energy and feeling it light along her arms to pool within her hands, she muttered a few words to give it shape as well. Lightning flared up in an arch, and came down in her other hand, the word WELCOME flashed once or twice over her head as a crack of thunder could be heard. She let the spell drop after a second as her lips smiled at the new comers that were approaching after the display.
"Good morning, and welcome to the college of higher etherial enlightment. My name is Thala Stormwind Greylight. Please just call me Thala. I am here to greet you all in the name of the school." She smiled softly, politely to the students. "This school is a wonderful place to learn, and work at your special talents. It will be my duty today to see you all settled and aware of the rules and the workings of the school."
Her soft eyes trailed along the student body. "First and foremost you need to be aware of your ability. It is not a toy and should be kept in mind the respect of the power you wield. There shall be no unauthorized casting on other students or facility. You must first have the students permission and a teacher needs to over see the process. Magics are classified by their destructive power too. You will get a guide on that and the more destructive spells can only be practiced in special areas of the school." She cleared her throat a little.
"Be polite to all your teachers and students please, that will make the time here much more enjoyable for you and us." Her eyes darted around and she sighed "And finally, something most casters forget. You are part of this world, and you MUST be aware of how your dealings will affect the very world around you for better or worse."
After a pause the alicorn stepped back and moved to push open a door. "With that said lets meet the others and tour the school." She smiled and bowed her head. "Welcome all"
He put a hand on the window as he watched. Amused silently by Lady Thala's display to the first years. The new Students were always amazed by it but the students that had been at the college for their first year already knew how to preform little bits of illusion and lost their mezmerizement for such things. She was good at what she did though, he dreaded having to ever be the one to greet new students, it was not exactly his specialty. He wasn't able to pull off incredible flashy magics. He heard the door behind him creak, the telltale sign that someone was entering the room. By the standards hew as meant to be in his office, waiting for the first class of new students to come into his classroom, he smiled one last time at Thala and the first batch, and then turned, sinking directly into the shadows and disappearing before the students came into the room.
His office had candles lighting it, the classroom it was connected to was huge with skeletons lining the walls and the wonderful smell of elder books so old he was certain a few of them somehow predated written word. The students had not yet entered his classroom, but the school's campus was, to put it lightly . . . HUGE. He was curious how Lady Thala would guide the students on the tour, as there were many places that new students were not allowed to go, even under guidance of a teacher, the Faculty library being one of them, also one of the most often attemptedly broken into. However, he soon heard footsteps outside on the stone, and looked out the window from his office, the group of them had apparently splintered into smaller groups with more teachers than Thala guiding them, it made sense, he could have sworn he saw more than the one wagon taking new students in.
*he fumbling with his scrolls, which he should have put away before exiting the cart. Ignoring the eyes of the others, and getting no helping hand from the people in his cart. He got himself into a manageable state before moving towards the tall and wide structure he had traveled quite a long way to see. And hoped quite a bit that he could call this place a study and a home for a long time. He had his three presentation scrolls ready. As well as a possible demonstration of how to make a rune. Though he was stuck between what he would try to do. The excitiment overwhelming the worry and doubt he had as he smiles, almost dropping one of his scrolls as he marched his way up to the equine. Smiling big as he offered a hand. Though the outstretched hand was a bit awkward to say the least, his palm facing upwards instead of to the side. The custom handshake of his culture looked more like he was asking for something from the one with the rather brilliant display of lightning* "Aedan MacAuthur, rune scribe hailing from the southern continent."
*Another one of his customs coming out, which was a simple greeting with a statement of what you did and where you were from. Unaware of the knowledge or lack of that this place would have of his culture*