Reaching the Library Auditorium

With the help of Court Visor Jan's Squad-7 and Lady Bluesteed, Kairo finally managed to reach the Library Auditorium before sundown.

The auditorium was a circular glass house with cool, refreshing graystone floors, white marble ribbed columns, and smooth stone walls. There were no seats, stage, or other furniture—just one huge space with an orrery at its center. If Kairo had to be honest, it didn't look like an auditorium. Then again, the Mage Library wasn't a library either.

"I can't... believe... I'm alive." He dumped himself against the orrery base, relishing the cool feel of the stone floor.

"Impressive," Genie said as he exited a teleportation array to walk toward him. He waved his hands with a flourish to stir healing magic over Kairo.

"Thank you. " Kairo stretched out his tired legs. "Although, did you really share my training with everyone at Lucky Dork's?"

Genie chuckled as he eased himself down next to Kairo and answered with a flamboyant flair, "Of course! You don't expect me to miss out on all the prime time admission fees to watch our House Wizard leveling up his magic to a destined path!"

Kairo groaned. Was everything about moon-cash to these demons? Well, he guessed they wouldn't be demons if they didn't admire greed. It made him frown with a thought of what he knew to be a demon.

"Say, why don't you guys have horns on your heads if you're called demons?" He blurted candidly.

Genie blinked, unsure of the question then blurted with laughter that rang about the room. "I'm not a porkle. Why would demons have horns?"

Kairo frowned. He didn't think the question was a joke.

Genie stifled his laughter, finding the man's childish frown and pout adorable. If all Earthuns were like him, he couldn't see this alien race as bad people. Especially, when Kairo's body was no different to his on the surface.

"Sorry to say, Kairo-wizard, what you see is what you get. I can always take you on another hunt for a monster with horns, if that's what you're after."

Kairo's frown deepened, clearly not amused.

Genie let out all his chuckles, then helped him stand and waved his hand over Kairo's pendant to draw his spiritual consciousness piece out of it. It drifted into his hand like a tiny gold ball, which he pressed into his forehead.

"I never saw you plant that in my grimoire." Kairo examined his cross pendant.

"You were too busy dodging snakevine attacks to notice."

Kairo nodded. "Thank you."

Genie returned the courtesy with a genuine smile. He was admiring the man's will to live the more he watched him grow. It also made his heart race with a yearning that continued to disturb and compel him. He would be more of Kairo's rock.

"So, I guess being a Rezenens Mage makes me one of you guys now." Kairo toed the floor.

"More or less. Congratulations on qualifying to be a demon, but there's still more trials if you want to be validated as one."

Kairo peered at Genie, unsure on whether to believe him or not. "More trials?"

Genie nodded. "Every demon has to spend one solar-turn, year in your terms, in a dungeon surviving monsters to hone their magic and demonic nature. It's kind of similar to your mage training, minus the crowds. At the end, you get a shiny badge that says demon on it."

Kairo inexpressively noted, "you know, your kind places too much value on validating worth with torturous trials."

"What do you expect? We're demons." Genie roared with laughter, finding the man's naivety endearing.

Lady Bluesteed looked worried when she saw Kairo with Genie, unsure of why their growing bond made her feel uneasy.

Adell-guard noticed the centurion's fawning look at Kairo and chuckled. She approached the girl. "It's good you passed your challenge. It would've been a crying shame to see you sent back to the Pavilion."

Kairo overheard this new piece of information and broke away from his conversation with Genie to make his way to them. It had Lady Bluesteed blushing and shying behind Adell-guard.

"What is the Pavilion?" he innocently asked Adell-guard.

"It's a merchant trade and auction house in the main city," Genie answered when he joined his side.

Adell-guard stepped back to watch the rivalry for Kairo's attention.

Lady Bluesteed frowned and bravely stepped forward to overshadow Genie. She boldly added, "it's where I grew up as a common centurion."

Kairo listened, spellbound, to her tale. 

She was a commoner who had been inducted as one of Court Visor Jan's charges. This was why the Lady's Challenge was important: it proved she was capable of serving, defending, and honoring the Palace Court. Passing this test meant she was now an official member of the palace and was awarded the title of Hanim, which signified her earned nobility.

"I'm also seen as worthy to be a wife to another noble," she coyly said.

Kairo admired her drive. "You're amazing."

"What about me? Ain't I amazing too?" Genie butted in, which had Kairo nodding and agreeing.

He wanted to ask Lady Bluesteed more details about the Pavilion, but shrieking from outside drew his attention to the window's view of the rainforest.

"Damn!" He recoiled with shock when gigantic monster vines struck at the auditorium window, only to be repelled by a magical barrier. As he cautiously approached the glass, his heart raced with fear. The fog had been pushed back toward the edges, revealing a clear sky and moonlight streaking through the forest. Everything was moving: trees, bush, bugs and even the rocks!

"Now you understand why getting here before nightfall was important. No one can survive the ongoing onslaught," Genie soberly said next to him.

"This isn't a library is it?" Kairo looked suspiciously at him.

"What do you mean it's not a library?" Genie stepped back and made a grand hand flourish across the window view. "This is the best place to learn how to survive. The monsters here provide the core foundation for magic and combat application. And you get to choose a mage development path."

"Well, if you put it that way."

"I do, but enough of this. You passed your mage training. It's time to party!" Genie slung an arm around Kairo's shoulder and led him toward an actual door. He directed his passing comment to Lady Bluesteed: "Kids should get to bed. It's past curfew."

"I'm not a kid!" She pouted and stamped her hoof, but Genie continued to lead Kairo out the door.

Kairo sighed as he saw himself in one of the arena's player tunnels. Genie activated a teleportation array and pushed him into it.