^^ Uruk Island ⬆️ Four Corners⬇️ ^^

--- Wren's POV ---

After Menai finished his report to his master, we carried the prisoners to a boat, and then took them to the dragon island, and left them on the shore.

We were then escorted towards a building that we were informed was the permanent Dorms, and that it was Two to a room, as with all dorm rooms. We were to choose wisely, because unless there were extenuating circumstances, these rooms we chose and our roommates were the same for the next four years at the least. If we failed a year, then five, and so on.

There was no expulsion policy from the Uruk Academy, in any situation short of capital murder, which would then lead to life imprisonment on the Troll Island, which was as close to expulsion as this school got. You passed, or you tried again.

I grinned and asked if we could choose any room.

The guide blinked slowly. "Well... yes...-"

"Any room?" I pressed.

"Any that is not occupied, yes-"

I grinned. "Is there an attic? Or an aviary?"

He smiled. "Ahhh. Yes. We do have a few of those. The Air Sigil Initiates always want those. There are four Attic rooms, and six Aviaries, of which two aviaries are not fully occupied and one attic. Also, the roof is empty, but not really recommended, as it's exposed to the elements."

"The wind and rain don't really bother me." I shrugged.

"Yes... However, if you do choose it, and you have a willing partner to share it, you have free reign on decoration and architecture. We get a new person up there every few years, and they build a lean-to or something of that nature. Very quaint, and a very nice view." He nodded.

I laughed. "Perfect. Now. Rules and regulations? Anything that's normal anywhere else, illicit here?"

He hummed. "Not that I can think of... let's see... there isn't a curfew, but we do recommend you get at least six hours of sleep when you can... oh! One of the only things I can think of. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited for underage users. The punishment is rather harsh." He nodded.

"I see... and food? When is food made available, and where? A shop on the island somewhere?" I asked.

He laughed again. "There's a few different places for food, but the main one is the Main Hall. Three meals a day are posted there, 5 Days a week."

I hummed. "What about weekends?"

"You'll have to eat at one of the shops, or you can hunt on the Islands, if you're foolish." He smiled.

I nodded. "Yes... thank you, sir. Much appreciated."

He bowed and walked away, whistling a harsh tune. I winced and turned away. "Alright... hey, Ninja Girl. Want to be my roomie on the roof? I know you, and you're less likely to annoy me than most." I nodded.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why thank you, but I'd prefer to bunk with someone... female."

"You seriously want to bunk with another girl? Girls fight all the time, over everything imaginable. I don't think that girls get along very well in general. So..." I shrugged.

She hummed. "That's true... fine. But if you try anything weird, I'll kick you off the roof."

I shrugged. "You're underage, and I'm not a pedophile. No worries."

---

I climbed the steep stairs to the roof, and whistled. "Wow... decent space..." the roof was flat, with four towers that stuck up a few stories more in the center. The conical structures had layers of shingles every ten feet, that extended like an awning, creating four alleys between them, about twenty feet by twenty feet, covered and protected from two directions each, while the center was an open Square.

I grinned. "There we go." I asked the wind to gently pull down the useless layers of shingles, and she complained, but did it, leaving only the lumber that held them up. I grinned and asked her to pull out their nails, allowing the gigantic pieces of wooden timber (rare material indeed, ever since most trees became extinct) to fall.

The ninja squeaked when they started falling, but dodged skillfully as they slammed down hard enough to scratch the stone, but not harm the wood. I picked them up, one by one, and began setting them between the towers, as they were the perfect length to create beams between the walls.

I wedged them between the towers, using my sigil to push with the force of the wind, and they wedged firm, perfectly snug with the stone pillars that made up the towers supports.

Then I laid one from one side to the other, across the corner, and kept going around, creating a Square. Once I'd reached my first position, I laid a piece over the two diagonal pieces ends, coming closer to the center, and created another square.

As I got closer to the center, and higher, I started cutting pieces off that were too long, and the Ninja-Girl used those to start the walls. Once I had completely finished, and the hole was perfectly sized for a single beam, I left it open for a chimney, and climbed down.
Thus, we succeeded in creating one giant area, almost twenty or twenty-five times the size of a normal dorm room.

We picked the shingles up and placed them over the opening in the new timber walls, encircling the area, and then used some of the giant pile of leftovers to fill in the gaps, making it wind-proof.

"I'm Shinzo Mei-Fan, by the way. Not Ninja-Girl." She said as she helped.

I stopped, and looked at her. "I am Wren Polisavich. It is very nice to meet you, Miss Shinzo Mei-Fan." I responded, respectfully bowing my head, and returning to the work.

Soon, we had a massive, waterproof enclosure, with enough room for an entire Dojo, if we wanted. I laid a thick web of Thin Tunnels, made from bent shingles, the edges melted with my Rukh Rune, tightly controlled. I piped them all into four exhaust vents, which let out their smoke into the hole in the roof.

Mei watched me with something akin to admiration, as I built a small smoke cap about two inches over the hole, high enough to let the smoke out, but not let rain in.

The center of the web was empty, so I chipped the stone slowly, carefully, and emptied a pit about 5 feet by 5 feet, which I covered with a plate of rubber, melted into a sort of manhole-cover look. Inside the pit would be our heat source.

I created a carpet with the Shingles on the rest of the floor, covering everything in a level layer of melted rubber. "Perfect for a Dojo. We just need softer floor." I said, looking at the hard rubber carpet from the corner I had walled in as 'my room'.

She hummed and nodded. "Yes. I will handle that." She took the opposite corner of the room, and made that her room.

I set all my belongings in a small bowl, except my books. My books sat in a shelf created with a piece of lumber, hollowed in four places, creating four square cubbies, like a tiny bookshelf. "Sounds great." I commented slowly, looking for something to improve.

I went to the central heating unit, and used some timber shards and pieces to start a fire slowly, while the larger parts were stacked on one wall like firewood, even though they were as thick as my chest. I warmed my hands, and nodded. "Perfect."

Mei-Fan smiled and waved a hand over the wooden walls, and they sprouted small branches with white leaves. "That will cleanse the air so we may breath well." She said simply. The air got noticeably cleaner, immediately, and I felt the Sky sigh in happiness.

'Huh. Well then.'

Mei-Fan sat down and looked at me for a while, and finally asked what was on her mind. "Why me? Why not one of the other guys? I believe that you don't have any ulterior motives, but..."

"I don't like men living in the same space as me." I said simply, and collapsed on my pile of leftover rubber shingles laid over the rubble I'd pulled out. It was in a perfect Nest shape, and I relaxed quickly.

She raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Seriously? A Testosterone problem?"

"I'm used to punching people when I have a problem with them. I won't have a problem with you, so it's better. I don't want to get sent to Hel Island because my roommate stepped into my room at the wrong moment. So yes. Also, It's common tactics when entering hostile territory for an extended period of time to maintain a hidden base of operations. If I get into a fight, the teachers will come up here and see this place. Therefore, no men equals no fights, which equals win-win-win." I nodded.

She laughed. "Alright. Fine. Now for the problems of bathrooms..."

"That corner next to yours can be yours, if you like. I don't have the right connections yet, but it's possible I might be able to get you a mirror and a Sink, maybe a Bathtub." I shrugged.

She laughed. "That's much appreciated... but I meant..."

"Ooh... I was planning on... never mind that. I'm sure there's a bathroom right below us, for emergencies, but I'll see what can be done about an actual bathroom. Maybe even a real Bathhouse. There's enough room, or if not, we can always conquer the rest of the roof." I nodded.

She laughed again. "You're very odd, you know that? You act like a delinquent, talk like a criminal, act like an ass, but then you build an entire building in a few hours with your bare hands, and then talk about getting a person you barely know a vanity and a sink, on a whim. Very odd. In a good way, though." She said.

I smiled. "I am all of those things. I am a Criminal, and a delinquent, but that doesn't make me a bad person. And besides. I happen to like giving people things." I shrugged.

She raised an eyebrow, feeling the half-truth.

"Fine. In the spirit of honesty, I also want to know if I can actually get you those things. Were we on Council Island, I could get you an entire bathroom, wardrobe, and a freaking fondue fountain within a few hours if I put my mind to it, but we're not there anymore. I told my best suppliers that I was going to Uruk, though... in a few days, I should be back up and running." I shrugged.

She frowned. "You're not talking about anything illegal, are you?"

"No. My aunt, the woman who raised me after my parents died, is the Captain of the Police Precinct on Council Island Tier Five. I wouldn't be here if I did anything criminal. But I am good at getting things for people." I nodded.

"So... Smuggling." She said dryly.

"That's such an ugly word!! I'm more of a... Trader." I smiled.

She laughed. "Okay, so you means that you don't break the law, you just tip-toe on the edge?" She asked.

"Precisely! Also, Menai said it wasn't illegal to ship goods, only to give certain ones to underage people. So, if I don't do that, all's well." I nodded.

She sighed. "Alright... but if you do anything illegal, don't think I won't be angry at you."

"Oh I'm quite aware. Now get some sleep, hmm?"

"On what?" She asked, huffing. "My futon is still on its way in the second ship, along with my belongings."

I blinked slowly. "I see. Well then. You're free to use this, I think I'll work on the Aviary." I gestured to the pile of relatively soft shingles, standing up. I left through the flap of shingles that served as a door, and climbed up onto the roof.

I marked out where stuff would go for now. The roof was built like steps, so I carved out little perches on the edge of each beam. I also hadn't cut the final level of beams, so four beams stretched out around 8 feet in all four directions.

I carved perches all along the extra length, and then dug out deep trenches around the Chimney Cap. I poured the mulched wood back in, filling the four troughs halfway, and spread the rest across the roof.

Then I called down. "Hey, Mei? Do you happen to have any plants that eat smoke? Like... volcano plants? That are edible to birds?" I asked.

She hummed. "A few, why?"

"Come up here, and tell me if these troughs would be good enough to grow them in." I replied.

She sighed, and climbed up easily, not even putting effort into climbing. She examined my troughs, and smiled. "With good dirt, yes. They could grow well... I have a few fruit plants that grow well in this environment. Birds eat them all the time."

"Perfect. I'll get you the soil, and you'll plant the plants?" I asked.

She smiled again. "Sure... but why? There are no birds here. The dragons would have eaten them all, right?"

"Why would there be aviaries, but no birds?" I shrugged.

She blinked. "Oh... true. Okay, I'll build the seeds tonight. I don't really have anything better to do, and it's always good to practice."

"So... that's your Niche? Growing things?" I asked.

She nodded. "Well, plants of all kinds, and tree magic. My Runes allow me to control all plants, no matter the size, or complexity, if I can give them enough energy. Which I can. I also breed new plants, and create new poisons, venoms, and anti-venoms, as well as medicines. All earth magic. Fire and ice and air aren't my... Niche, as you say." She smiled sweetly.

"Interesting... earth... to my Air. You're my opposite. Good. You can offer a refreshing, new point of view to situations. Perfect." I grinned. "I'll go get that dirt for you."

I leapt off the roof, cheering loudly, and the Sky giggled, carrying me to the ground gently. I didn't really activate my sigil, the air just loved to take care of me.

Once on the ground, I asked her to be kind to my new Nest, and it's inhabitants, and bring birds there as soon as I had food for them.

I boarded a boat to the Dragon Island, and grinned at the conductor, a wizened woman wearing metal armor and a large spear. "Hmph." She huffed, and pushed off.

I helped row, and we reached the other island in a few minutes. She entered a short code into a box in the side of the dock, and a door opened in the Dome. "You got ten minutes, then it closes until the next trip." She said simply.

I bowed my head, and stepped in, looking around. I found a small patch of dirt, filled with rows of plants, like a garden. The soil was beautiful and black, mulchy... I knelt next to it, and began filling my satchel to the very brim with the nutrient-rich dirt, packing it in, making sure not to disturb the plants.

Once I had all I could carry, I ran out, and hopped into the boat. "Tadah! I'm back... and one minute early, I believe. Eh?" I grinned.

The lady smirked. "Ooh. Yay." She said in a bored, sarcastic tone, and steered the boat towards Uruk, as I rowed.

---

"And here. Black dirt from a garden. Will this work?" I asked, handing Mei-Fan the Satchel, huffing from my trip up the stairs. "We gotta get an elevator." I wheezed.

She smiled, then hummed, rubbing a bit of the dirt in her fingers, and then sniffed it. "Ah! Yes, that's decent. But it's laced with magic, so I'll have to decontaminate it before planting anything. Thank you... I enjoy this work. I'll get it done."

I hummed as she walked away with my satchel. "Uhm, can I get the satchel back? It's very precious to me..."

She smiled and nodded. "Sure. Just a few moments."

She dumped all of the dirt into a large bowl, and I blinked. Her side of the building was now decorated, with privacy screens and such covering much of it. I noticed a beaten copper bath-tub, and tsk'ed.

She handed me back my satchel after shaking it out, and smiled. "My stuff arrived after you left. There's a futon for you in your room, but I'm not sure you'll use it..."

She appeared uncertain her gift was welcome, so I assured her it was. "It will be good padding for my bed, yes. Thank you very much... And the birds mean a lot to me, so thanks for that, as well." I pointed above us, at the chimney.

She smiled. "I understand."

"Uhm... question. Do you like... Marble? Like... marble Sinks, Tubs, Bathhouses?" I asked.

She raised both eyebrows. "Only Royalty uses Marble for an entire Bathhouse."

"Is that a yes?" I asked.

She hummed. "Well... I suppose?"

"Good." I nodded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked suspiciously.

"Nothing much. You'll see. It'll be great, I promise." I grinned, and jumped off the roof again.

She grabbed me, and I halted in midair, and bounced back onto the stone roof. "What? You want to come with me?" I asked.

She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's... just reflex to grab people who are jumping off of tall places."

I smiled. "I understand. But curb that tendency. The Sky likes taking care of me, but she's a jealous mistress. She won't catch you as well."

She grinned. "I will try not to stop you from jumping off of things, then."

I nodded. "Good. мира!" I giggled and leapt off of the building, backflipping into the freedom of the Sky, then gliding towards the Docks. (Peace!)