"Johan, I think you need to open that tap..."
"Which one?"
"The one with the red dot?"
"Okay... there... did the water get hot?"
"Not yet... Maybe we still need to heat it?"
"I'll try closing the blue tap... there? Any better?"
"I think... yeah, that's it! It's getting warmer..."
"Good, I'll just heat it a bit more!"
"Wait Johan, what if you blow the tub up?"
"Don't worry, I'll go slow, besides, that blasted professor blocked most of my heat, I could hardly make a fireball now..."
The door to the bathroom opened, and in came a sleepy looking Sebastian.
"Oh, Sebastian! We're taking a bath, wanna join us?"
Sebastian had difficulty keeping his eyes open. He didn't even have his glasses on. He stared at the image of Dorin and Johan inside the bath tub, both their bodies showing their wards. They were squatting at opposite ends and were inviting him to sit in the middle.
"Hey, I think he's sleep walking," Johan stared at Sebastian.
"He's not a morning person, you see," Dorin nudged the fire mage.
He stood up in his trunks and led Sebastian to the separate toilet. When he came back, Johan was lying stretched out in the tub.
"This feels so~ good~" the other moaned with his eyes closed. "Back in the mines, water was so scarce that I could only bath once every other week at most..."
"Ah, back in the mountains I could swim in the river all day while catching my dinner."
"River, huh," said Johan as Dorin took a shower. "I've seen some on my way here... and a big water that Jacob called a lake..."
"Jacob?" asked Dorin.
"Prof. Jacob Dupont." Johan sat up and stared at Dorin with a frown. "How could you take a bath in such cold water!" he asked.
"Wakes me up!" Dorin answered back. "You should try glacial water during spring, even your eyebrows will stand on end!"
Sebastian entered the bath again, this time, mostly awake and carrying his slate. [Have any of you seen my glasses?] he asked.
"I think I saw them on the kitchen counter."
Johan left the tub in his white briefs. His body is lean and scarred, probably from all the work he used to do in the mines. There was steam rising from the scalding hot water on the tub he just left.
"You gonna take a dip?" he asked Dorin as Sebastian left the room.
"Nah, I'm good." Dorin turned off the shower and followed Johan out the bathroom. They saw Sebastian coming back from the living room.
"Did you find your glasses?" Dorin asked.
Sebastian shook his head, frowning. He seems to have lost his slate too.
"Well, you can look for it later, we need to get ready for kitchen duty," Johan reminded his companions as he entered his room with a towel on.
Dorin did the same, closing the door behind him and shivering a bit from a draft from his open window. He pulled his towel tight around his body and closed the shutters. He likes to sleep with the window open, much to Sebastian's protests. At least now, he has his own room and can do so without Sebastian nagging him about the heat escaping.
He was about to leave the room after donning some clothes on when he noticed something white on the floor.
"A feather?" he asked himself. "Must be from some bird..." he looked up at the attic window. The sun haven't risen yet and the sky was still as dark as night. Dorin shrugged and opened his door when he heard a sharp yelp.
"Sebastian?!" Dorin rushed out of his room and almost collided with Johan. He was wearing his faded jeans and looked at him wide eyed. The two ran towards the spare room at the end of the hall.
Johan kicked the door. In front of them stood Sebastian, his short black hair still uncombed, falling around his face.
"What happened?! Are you hurt?!" Dorin asked.
Sebastian shook his head, then pointed to a dark corner in the room. Dorin followed with his eyes and saw something white floating down.
"What's going on?" Asked a confused Johan.
"There's something in the room..." murmured Dorin. Johan stood in attention and went between Sebastian and the dark corner. "Who's there?" Dorin called out, but there was no reply.
"Shall I blast it?" Johan asked in a low voice.
Sebastian pulled at his sleeve, shaking his head vigorously.
"Is there someone there?" Dorin asked the shadows. "We won't hurt you if you come out now." He stepped forward, extending a hand. "It's okay, you can come out..." he whispered.
From the dark, something moved. It chirped as it stepped out of the shadows, showing a ring of golden feathers on top of a sleek white neck.
"Azra!" Dorin called the caladrius. "I should have known by the feathers!"
"What, a bird?" Johan sounded disappointed.
Sebastian stepped forward and reached a hand out to the bird. It crooned and playfully pecked the palm of his hand.
"How did you get here?" Dorin asked the bird with a smile, "Good thing you found us!"
"Is it edible?" Johan asked.
The white bird ruffled its feathers.
Sebastian looked angrily at Johan and took Azra in his arms. The bird stretched out its wings and seem to put them around his neck.
"Don't be rude, Johan," Dorin told the fire mage. "This is Azra, she's one of the people who helped us when we were attacked by those Imperial mages!"
The white bird suddenly jumped at Dorin who caught it in his arms. Suddenly, the wings stretched out and turned pink. Johan stepped back, wide-eyed as the white bird turned into a small girl in a white satin dress.
"Master Dorin!" said Azra, pale pink eyes looking up. "Thank you for your help." she then jumped down and went to Sebastian's side. "I have come, as promised, my liege," said the pale child.
"It's a kid!" Johan was finally able to say. "Where did the bird go?"
"She is the bird," Dorin tried to explain. "She's a caladrius – a bird with healing powers." He turned back to Azra. "Have you seen Sebastian's glasses?" he asked the child.
Azra took Sebastian's hand and pulled him to the corner where she had been hiding. Looking closer, Sebastian and his 2 roommates noticed a small pile of things placed on top of some clothes. Sebastian could see his glasses in the pile, as well as his slate, and recognized his clothes as well.
"It is the same scent," said Azra as she stared at Sebastian. "The room with the most scent was locked."
[It's okay] wrote Sebastian, putting his glasses on. [But next time, you should knock]
"Does Damien know you're here?" Dorin asked. Azra nodded twice.
"Is it okay for her to stay here?" Johan asked Sebastian with a frown. "Aren't women forbidden to step foot in the male Dormitory?"
Dorin and Sebastian looked at each other.
[Yes, I was thinking about that as well.] wrote Sebastian.
"I don't really get it, why do they keep men and women separated anyway?" Dorin asked.
"But of course! You wouldn't want the women to get raped, right?" Johan answered as a matter of fact.
"Women getting raped?" Dorin looked genuinely confused, "Who could possibly pull a stunt like that?!"
[He was raised by a very strong woman] Sebastian showed Johan who was starting to look pissed. [Dorin, it's a matter of ethics, you wouldn't want other men to see your mother naked would you?] he wrote.
Dorin's eyes widened. "Of course not!"
[Then, it would be wise for different genders to stay at different dormitories, since a lot of women prefer to walk in their undies when they are alone in their rooms.]
"Well, you do have a point there..." Dorin said thoughtfully.
"They do?!" Johan asked, looking surprised.
[Anyway, do you know what time it is?] he wrote instead.
"Oh, no! We're gonna be late!" Johan rushed out of the room. They heard his bedroom door open and slam shut behind him.
"What about Azra?" Dorin asked Sebastian.
[I'm thinking of a plan.] replied Sebastian. [For now, can you stay here in the room and wait for us to return?] he asked Azra.
"Gladly, my liege," replied the child.
[Sebastian. Call me Sebastian.]
"Yes... Sebastian," said Azra. "I shall eagerly wait for your return."