Chapter 15

  After the shock of reading American English again faded, I shook my head and began walking towards the front entrance. Sadly, I couldn't remember who won the Daytona 500 in '86. I was almost 50 already when the Challenger explosion happened. If they ended up here afterwards, thousands of years before I did, then I must have been inside the abyss for a very long time. I glanced back to verify something that I read, and noticed that the English that was on there had vanished. I did a double take, as I know it was just there, but there was little I could do about it. It must have been enchanted to be read once, or something.

  I walked up to the door, and swung it open. Entering into the building was like entering yet a third world. The noise from the city just stopped and was replaced by murmurs and whispering. The sounds of people walking on polished marble floors. The smells changed from city smells to smells you would find in a library. In front of me, the room opened up into a gigantic library. Ten stories high, at least, shelves lining every wall I could see. Directly in the center was a circular desk with multiple student aged people behind it. Each was seated, but the seat was elevated so they were eye level with the average person who walked up to the desk. Looking over at them, I would occasionally see a Pattern flash, and a glowing ball appear and lead a student into the shelves. It seemed hectic.

  I approached the desk, as it seemed to be the only place I could get information. After some time, it was finally my turn. I took out my letter and said, "I need to see the Headmaster."

  Silence fell across the entire floor, and I felt everyone's eyes land on me. "Did he say..." "What" "Who is that". Questions began being whispered back and forth, everyone still glancing over at me. I began to feel unnerved, when I heard from the stairs "Jorth, come with me." I looked over to see an Elderly gentleman sitting there. Around me I heard several students questioning what he just said, and it took me a minute to realize he spoke in English.

  Walking over to him, I asked, "Are you the Headmaster?" I chose not to speak English until I knew more about him.

  "I am," he said, "Come with me." He didn't say another word, turning around and walking. I followed without another word. He led me up the stairs. Once we reached the top, he walked down a small hallway, until we reached a door. He opened it up and motioned me inside. I entered a room dominated by a desk you would see in a movie. It looked to be cherry oak, though I'd not seen any cherry wood here, and was enormous. Behind it was a giant backed chair. Covered a black leather-like material.

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  "Impressive," was all I said. Headmaster Alluci walked around the desk and sat down in the chair. The chair dwarfed him, standing easily another half a meter over his head. He looked at me, then gestured for me to stand before him.

  "What's impressive is you. Your Teacher came to me and informed me of your, shall we say, ability. I've never heard of anyone who can see Threads, but apparently you can." I opened my mouth to deny it, but he immediately said, "Don't try to deny it, while he couldn't prove it beyond reasonable doubt, he did give me enough information to satisfy burden of proof."

  "What does it mean, sir?" I asked.

  "I wish I knew. Maybe something, maybe nothing. Could just be a mutation in the ability, or it could be something specific to you. I do know that you most likely share a common history with several of us. I understand why you're hesitant in stating it, or even answering me in English, but I must tell you that text on the sign was meant to disappear if anyone besides those of us who came here together understood it. It's gone, and it was there this morning. Meaning someone understood it." I looked at him, trying to appear nonchalant. I wasn't sure if I was succeeded or not, but I wasn't about to confirm nor deny his accusation.

  "I don't know enough about this situation to show my hand, yet, so if you'll forgive me, sir, I refuse to comment on such allegations."

  "Fair enough. Now, onto your schooling. Show me the Pattern you used to graduate Threads with."

  I went on to demonstrate everything that I had learned up until this point. He didn't show any emotion one way or the other. Once I finished, he said, "Good. Let's have you take Theory, Advanced Threads, Faster Weaving, and Patterns. You may know the flight Pattern, but there are plenty that your Teacher skipped over to get you that Pattern. You will have a room in the tower, with the rest of the first years. Go down to reception, and someone will bring you to your room and get your schedule. You'll also be given a tour so you know where everything is. Don't worry about memorizing it all at first, just get the basic areas down. The rest will come in time. Now, please excuse me, I have plenty to do to get ready for the start of the new year. Good day, Jorth, when you're ready to talk, come find me. There's much more to discuss there."

  As that was a clear dismissal, I returned to the main reception desk. The whispers about me hadn't stopped, but soon they would. After all, teens and young adults rarely stayed on a topic for long before something new came along. I just hoped something new came along sooner rather than later.