When he didn't show up to class after lunch, Krishna decided to check on him. After some deliberation on telling Calypso her concerns, the two walked down the hall, noticing its eerie silence but not overthinking it. When they got to Xelqua's door, they noticed there was no light coming from under the door. Which was odd because dorms would have at least one big window to let whatever light there was in the void.
The two exchanged looks before Calypso knocked on the door. Nothing. She knocked again, a bit louder. Still nothing. "!¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷?" She called out. Not so much as rustling. Krishna tried the doorknob, pulling her hand back quickly after a shock of cold electricity washed over it. "!¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷!" She shouted.
"ꖌᒷᒷ!¡ ℸ ̣ ∷||╎リ⊣. ╎'ꖎꖎ ℸ ̣ ∷|| ᔑリ↸ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷ𝙹リᒷ."
Krishna nodded and kept knocking on the door. They shouldn't be this concerned, they knew it, but right now it felt as if something was definitely wrong. Not sure if it was because of the odd silence in the entire hall or what, but everything seems worse than it should. Calypso ran off, shouting for someone. Knocking on other doors to get someone to answer. Anyone.
"∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ 𝙹リ?" The staff member from before asked, nearly being rammed into by her. She grabbed his arm quickly. "ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣'ᓭ ∴∷𝙹リ⊣. 𝙹⚍∷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ ∴𝙹リ'ℸ ̣ ᔑリᓭ∴ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸𝙹𝙹∷, ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ᒷ'ᓭ ᔑʖᓭ𝙹ꖎ⚍ℸ ̣ ᒷꖎ|| リ𝙹 ꖎ╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ ᓵ𝙹ᒲ╎リ⊣ ⎓∷𝙹ᒲ ⍑╎ᓭ ∷𝙹𝙹ᒲ. ||𝙹⚍ ꖌリ𝙹∴ ⍑╎ᒲ ᔑᓭ ∴ᒷꖎꖎ ᔑᓭ ∴ᒷ ↸𝙹. ⍑ᒷ ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸リ'ℸ ̣ ⋮⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑリᓭ∴ᒷ∷ ⚍ᓭ 𝙹∷ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ᓭ⍑𝙹∴ ⚍!¡ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ᓵꖎᔑᓭᓭ ᔑℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᔑ⊣∷ᒷᒷ↸ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ. ∴ᒷ ℸ ̣ ∷╎ᒷ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸𝙹𝙹∷ꖌリ𝙹ʖ, ʖ⚍ℸ ̣ ╎ℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ꖎ𝙹ᓵꖌᒷ↸ ᔑリ↸ ∴ᒷ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ᓭ⍑𝙹ᓵꖌᒷ↸ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ...ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᓵ𝙹ꖎ↸ ᒷꖎᒷᓵℸ ̣ ∷╎ᓵ╎ℸ ̣ ||."
"⍑ᔑリ⊣ 𝙹リ. ᓭꖎ𝙹∴ ↸𝙹∴リ. ∴⍑ᒷ∷ᒷ ╎ᓭ ⍑╎ᓭ ∷𝙹𝙹ᒲ?"
Calypso pulled him to the room and he told them to take a step back. He flicked through keys on a ring before trying to unlock the door. As he went to turn it, the cold shock caused him to jolt back. "∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ╎ᓭ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ...?" He murmured and turned to the girls. "ꖎᒷℸ ̣ ᓭ ⍑𝙹!¡ᒷ ||𝙹⚍∷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ ↸𝙹ᒷᓭリ'ℸ ̣ ᒲ╎リ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ."
"ᒲ╎リ↸ ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ?"
"ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ" He said and turned back to the door, kicking above the door a few times. The third time, the door swung open and finally, the silence broke. "̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ?" The staff member poked his head in, squinting in the darkness. Krishna and Calypso looked in too, before rushing to the bed, seeing a mess of feathers under blankets. "!¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷?" Calypso asked, shaking him. She sighed in relief feeling him shift the slightest bit, looking at the others. "⍑ᒷ'ᓭ 𝙹ꖌ. ⋮⚍ᓭℸ ̣ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ∴ᔑꖌ╎リ⊣ ⚍!¡. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⍑ᔑ!¡!¡ᒷリ╎リ⊣?"
"╎'ᒲ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ᓭ⚍∷ᒷ."
"ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣'ᓭ !¡∷𝙹ʖᔑʖꖎ|| ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ 𝙹リ ╎リ ⍑╎ᓭ ⍑ᒷᔑ↸." Krishna said after a moment. "↸╎↸リ'ℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ᒷꖎꖎ ᒲᒷ 𝙹リᒷ 𝙹⎓ ⍑╎ᓭ 𝙹ꖎ↸ ⎓∷╎ᒷリ↸ᓭ ᓭᔑ╎↸ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ⍑ᔑ!¡!¡ᒷリᒷ↸ ꖎ╎ꖌᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ?" She asked Calypso, who slowly nodded. "∴ᒷ リᒷᒷ↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᒲ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ 𝙹⎓ ╎ℸ ̣ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷ⍑𝙹∴ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷリ. ʖ⚍ℸ ̣ ⍑𝙹∴?"
"⍑ᒷ ⍑ᔑᓭ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 !¡⚍ꖎꖎ ⍑╎ᒲᓭᒷꖎ⎓ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ 𝙹⎓ ╎ℸ ̣." The staff member squatted down looking at the unconscious professor. "╎⎓ ⍑ᒷ ᓵᔑリ ⍑ᒷᔑ∷ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ∴𝙹, ⚍ᓭᒷ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ !¡ᒷ∷ᓭ𝙹リᔑꖎ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⍑╎ᒲ. ╎'ꖎꖎ ꖎ𝙹𝙹ꖌ ᔑ∷𝙹⚍リ↸ ᔑリ↸ ℸ ̣ ∷|| ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⎓╎⊣⚍∷ᒷ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ∴⍑|| ⚍リᓵ𝙹⍊ᒷ∷ᒷ↸ ∴╎リ↸𝙹∴ᓭ ᔑ∷ᒷリ'ℸ ̣ ꖎᒷℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᔑリ|| ꖎ╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ ╎リ."
With that, he stood and went to the windows, touching them. Krishna looked at Calypso. "||𝙹⚍ ꖌリ𝙹∴ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᒲ𝙹ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑʖ𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᒲ."
She was right, and Calypso knew what to say. She leaned forward and whispered, "Grian, if you can hear me...then listen to me. Think about your friends. Here and on that server you took refuge in after you were exiled. Think about your sister, Pearl. The guys you so clearly fancy that fancy you back. About that intimidating Admin who acts like a father to you. Us, other students you helped."
Her voice, distorted and echoed as it was, broke through the other mess of sound that whirled around him in the broken modge-podge that was his mind. He spun around looking frantically for its source. He knew it was Calypso. It had to be her. She was the only one who knew that. He closed his eyes. "I can't stay in this dreamscape." He shook his head and focused on her voice as it echoed, the distortion clearing up. He followed it, ignoring the now angry cries that rushed past him. Something did not want him to leave.
The staff member looked towards them, crumpling something in his hand and light returned through the window. They recoiled at it for a moment, before jumping further back when Xelqua bolted upright, hyperventilating a bit. "ᔑリ⊣∷||...ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ╎ᓭ ᔑリ⊣∷||. ᓭ𝙹 ᔑリ⊣∷||. ᓭ𝙹 ᔑリ⊣∷||. ᓭ𝙹 ᔑリ⊣∷||. ᓭ𝙹 ᔑリ⊣∷||." He murmured, shaking his head.
"∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ? ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ᔑリ⊣∷||?"
"╎ ↸𝙹リℸ ̣ ꖌリ𝙹∴. ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ∴ᔑᓭ....∴ᔑᓭ ∴∷𝙹リ⊣." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and shaking his hands a bit. "̇/ᒷꖎ- ⊣∷╎ᔑリ ╎ℸ ̣ 'ᓭ 𝙹ꖌᔑ||. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ ╎ℸ ̣ ∴ᔑᓭ ||𝙹⚍'∷ᒷ ᔑ∴ᔑꖌᒷ リ𝙹∴ ᔑリ↸ ||𝙹⚍'∷ᒷ ⎓╎リᒷ." Krishna said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder before getting up. "↸╎↸ ||𝙹⚍ ⎓╎リ↸ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ∴⍑|| ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ∴╎リ↸𝙹∴ᓭ ∴ᒷ∷ᒷ ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ꖎ╎ꖌᒷ ∴ᔑꖎꖎᓭ?" She asked the staff member. He held up the item he crumpled between two fingers. "╎ ⎓𝙹⚍リ↸ ᔑ ᓵᔑ∷↸ 𝙹⎓ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷ ꖌ╎リ↸, ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍ᓵꖌ ʖᒷℸ ̣ ∴ᒷᒷリ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ∴╎リ↸𝙹∴ ᔑリ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ⎓∷ᔑᒲᒷ. ╎ ᔑꖎᒲ𝙹ᓭℸ ̣ ↸╎↸リ'ℸ ̣ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ╎ᓵᒷ ╎ℸ ̣."
"ꖎᒷℸ ̣ ᒲᒷ ᓭᒷᒷ ╎ℸ ̣." Xelqua slowly got up and held a hand out for it. Once given to him, he turned it between his fingers and narrowed his eyes. His eyes flickered a golden purple, which caused everyone in the room to fall completely silent. Even Calypso, who forgot his Admin status was just as strong as his Watcher.
He dropped it quickly and held his hand with a small scowl."ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ╎ᓭリ'ℸ ̣ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷, ꖎ╎ᓭℸ ̣ ᒷリᒷ∷ 𝙹∷ ᔑ↸ᒲ╎リ ᒲᔑ↸ᒷ. ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ╎ᓭ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣...ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷ⍑𝙹∴ 𝙹ꖎ↸ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑリ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷᒲ. ᒲ⚍ᓵ⍑ ᒲ⚍ᓵ⍑ 𝙹ꖎ↸ᒷ∷. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑ!¡!¡ᒷリᒷ↸ ∴⍑ᒷリ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ∷╎ᒷ↸ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ╎リᓭ╎↸ᒷ, ʖᒷᓵᔑ⚍ᓭᒷ ᓵꖎᒷᔑ∷ꖎ|| ||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖ∷ᒷᔑꖌ ╎リ." He didn't speak strictly in the Watcher's dialect of Galactic, but the Admin's version as well.
"ᒷꖎᒷᓵℸ ̣ ∷╎ᓵ╎ℸ ̣ || ᓭ⍑𝙹ℸ ̣ ⚍!¡ 𝙹⚍∷ ⍑ᔑリ↸ᓭ, ʖ⚍ℸ ̣ ⚍リꖎ╎ꖌᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ リ𝙹∷ᒲᔑꖎ ⍑𝙹ℸ ̣ 𝙹∷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹𝙹 ⍑𝙹ℸ ̣ ╎ℸ ̣ ⎓ᒷꖎℸ ̣ ᓵ𝙹ꖎ↸ ℸ ̣ ||!¡ᒷ 𝙹⎓ ᒷꖎᒷᓵℸ ̣ ∷╎ᓵ╎ℸ ̣ ||. ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ∴ᔑᓭ ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ⚍ᔑꖎꖎ|| ᓵ𝙹ꖎ↸. ╎ℸ ̣ ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸リ'ℸ ̣ 𝙹!¡ᒷリ, ╎ℸ ̣ ∴ᔑᓭリ'ℸ ̣ ᒷ⍊ᒷリ ꖎ𝙹ᓵꖌᒷ↸ ᔑリ↸ ∴⍑ᒷリ ╎ ∴ᒷリℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ℸ ̣ ∷|| ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ꖎ𝙹ᓵꖌ ╎ℸ ̣ ᔑリ↸ ⚍リꖎ𝙹ᓵꖌ ╎ℸ ̣ , ╎ ᓵ𝙹⚍ꖎ↸リ'ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⚍∷リ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ꖌᒷ|| 𝙹∷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹⚍ᓵ⍑ ╎ℸ ̣ ᔑリ||ᒲ𝙹∷ᒷ."
"ᓭ𝙹 リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ⎓╎ℸ ̣ ᓭ ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ∴ᒷ ꖌリ𝙹∴ 𝙹⎓." Xelqua shifted and looked at the door for a moment. "╎'ᒲ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ. ᓭᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ᒷꖎ|| ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ."
"⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ?"
"ᓵᔑꖎ||!¡ᓭ𝙹...╎'ᒲ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 リᒷᒷ↸ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ↸𝙹 ᒲᒷ ᔑ ⎓ᔑ⍊𝙹⚍∷. ᔑ ʖ╎⊣ ⎓ᔑ⍊𝙹⚍∷. ╎ℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⊣𝙹リリᔑ ʖᒷ ᔑ ℸ ̣ ∷╎!¡."
She looked at him for a long time before realising what he was thinking. It sure came in handy that he was friends with one Admin and Watcher. "ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ᓭ⚍∷ᒷ?"
"⋮⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ᒷꖎꖎ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷᒲ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ᒲᒷᒷℸ ̣ ᒲᒷ ╎リ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸ᒷᔑ↸ ᒲᔑリ ⨅𝙹リᒷ." He nodded and left without another word. The staff member arched a brow before looking at the two girls. "⍑ᒷ'ᓭ ⊣𝙹ℸ ̣ ᔑリ ╎↸ᒷᔑ ⍑ᒷ ↸𝙹ᒷᓭリ'ℸ ̣ ꖎ╎ꖌᒷ. ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ᓭ⚍∷ᒷ ╎ℸ ̣ 'ꖎꖎ ∴𝙹∷ꖌ?"
"╎ℸ ̣ ᓭ ⍑╎ᒲ. ⍑╎ᓭ ⎓∷╎ᒷリ↸ᓭ ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸ ↸𝙹 ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ᓭᒷᒷ ⍑╎ᒲ. ᒷ⍊ᒷリ ᒲ𝙹∷ᒷ ᓭ𝙹 ╎⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷ᓭ, ᔑ↸ᒲ╎リᓭ ᔑリ↸ ꖎ╎ᓭℸ ̣ ᒷリᒷ∷ᓭ ᔑ∷ᒷ ℸ ̣ ∷||╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⎓ᔑᓵᒷ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ʖ╎⊣⊣ᒷ∷." Krishna nodded. Calypso agreed, they said their goodbyes and everyone departed from the room.
Xelqua ran a hand through his hair before going to the archives with the card, muttering something quietly. He was going to double-check some things until the meet-up. Something.
Calypso flattened her robes as she looked around once at the portal. "How am I going to talk to both of them...I can't go to the server anymore. The admin's new firewalls make sure of that, but I can't go to the Institute and the Seminary at the same time..." She murmured tapping her fingers on her arm. "I'll get the Admin. You get the Listener." Krishna jumped down from the frame, causing Calypso to fall back letting out a yelp.
"Krishna, what are you doing here?" She asked quickly getting up. "I thought you went back to the class."
"One of the other professors told us we had to leave since the Professor wasn't feeling well and they didn't want us to be there anymore. So I'll help you out. Why else would you tell me what's going on?"
Calypso sighed and nodded. "Okay, just remember you're looking for XisumaVoid. Someone in some sort of tactical space suit. He's a Jade Admin."
"Got it."
"See you in the Dead Man Zone."
The two rushed through the portal and slid into the respective realms they needed to be in. They raced around their hubs before having the same idea. Library and archives.
They pushed open the doors and looked around before seeing their 'target' and rushed to them grabbing their arms. "He needs to see you. Now. Follow us." They said quietly and quickly before starting to tug at them.
"Hold on. Who? Who even are...." Xisuma murmured and narrowed his eyes looking at her closer. "You're a Watcher..."
"Not just a Watcher. I'm one of Grian's students and he wants to talk to you. You and your Listener friend. Follow me." She said quietly and pulled him with her. He quickly dropped the book he was reading and followed quickly behind.
"Why does he want to see us? I thought he didn't want anything to do with us. How do you even know who we are? As far as we know, only Calypso is aware of...anything."
"Who do you think is getting your Listener friend?" She asked as she kept running. "Also, we're in his class. Calypso told us everything to keep a better eye on our professor."
"Then something happened, didn't it?"
"A few things happened, but the most recent is that he was stuck in a dreamscape or something. His door wasn't locked but we couldn't open it, every time we touched it it would send freezing electricity up our hands. Not to mention the windows weren't letting any light in and when we managed to get him out of it, he was freaked out. Saying something was angry. Really angry. We think it's because we woke him up."
"Why us though?"
"You sure like asking that question don't you?" He sighed. "We found something that blocked the light from the window and when Xelqua looked at it, using both Watcher and Admin sides, he said it belonged to neither but something...far older than anything."
"Weavers..." Xisuma muttered and let her step through the portal first.
"Martyn. We need to go. He wants to see you. One of my fellow classmates is getting the voidwalker now. We're going to meet them in the Dead Man Zone. The only place the three of you can meet without interruptions." Calypso said quickly pulling him out of his chair.
"What? What happened? Why now?"
She explained on the way to the portal, pulling him through. As soon as the four were in their portals, the two Watchers shouted, "↸ᒷᔑ↸ ᒲᔑリ ⨅𝙹リᒷ!!" The purple of the portal flashed black before it warped the group to the island.
"Glad you could find him." Calypso chuckled after stepping on the desolate land. "Did he ask alot of questions?"
"Like a broken record."
"Same here."
Xisuma and Martyn looked at each other before at the girls. "You know we're standing right here...right?" They asked and the two watchers went to say something, before Xelqua landed behind the girls. "They know. They just don't care much. Something we're going to be working on if they didn't do their assignment like I asked them to."He sighed, folding his wings and crossing his arms.
"We did, professor." Calypso nodded as they stepped away. "And it's not that we don't care much..."
"It's simply because they didn't use much of their intelligence to put things together themselves." Krishna finished her sentence and crossed her arms narrowing her eyes. Xelqua put a hand on her head and Calypso's arm. "Okay you two...that's harsh." He chuckled before looking at Xisuma and Martyn.
"You look like you've been through it." Xisuma said hesitantly, looking his friend up and down and putting his hands in his pockets.
"That's what happens when your class is nearly killed by another Professor's class during what was supposed to be a lesson. Only for you to not remember the immediate aftermath, get told the others that taught you in your youth can't be near you anymore without getting a sense something is wrong." Xelqua shrugged.
"Only for the next day getting stuck in a dream and your room suddenly growing dark and locking itself without being locked." Krishna sighed.
"You two look worse." Xelqua chuckled, pointing to their eyes. "None of you are sleeping...aren't you? Any of you."
"...No..." Martyn murmured looking down. Xelqua stepped forward and put a hand on his and Xisuma's shoulders, sighing. "You guys are idiots...." He said softly and put his arms around them. "The lot of you."
"Says the one who left." Xisuma chuckled and they all stepped back. "But why are we all here?"
"Your students told us about the card thing that was found." Martyn shifted. Xelqua held out the item in question and Xisuma took it first.