Total Word Count: 3940
Amanita was heading to what could be an interesting meeting with a professor of archeology. She was wearing casual clothes that were still fashionable with a green cropped jacket over a sleek dress. A pair of stylish caligae adorned her feet.
She headed into the Sapientia Coetus, the world-renowned university located within the city of Terminus. The massive tower stood seventy four floors high, reaching even above the clouds. The massive stone that bricks made up the structure was taller than the woman.
Surrounding it was the campus. Anything the students needed could be found within the walking distance of the front doors. Businesses sold supplies, books, energy supplements and more. Parks, cafés and restaurants provided a calming, comforting atmosphere. Large dormitory blocks were available for students that needed a place to live.
All was located within the Sapientia Coetus District. That was not the actual name. Since the university took up more than half the space and was what the district was known for, the nickname stuck.
It was early in the afternoon, and the university was bustling. Students hurried in small groups while discussing the latest work they were assigned to do. Janitors kept up their unending war in keeping the school tidy. A few professors could be seen walking about, distinguished by their neat and professional attire.
Amanita headed for the ring of elevators in the center of the tower. Her meeting was on the forty-sixth floor. With waiting for the lift to arrive and people getting on and off, the trip upwards took over twenty minutes. Commuting within the university was a challenge that took patience and knowledge to overcome.
Amanita was ten minutes late as she knocked on the professor's office. A plaque next to the door read, "Professor Orrum Donphan."
"Come in!" an excited voice called out.
Before Amanita even fully entered, Professor Donphan said, "Please don't mind the mess."
Her first steps knocked into a book on the ground. There was a shelf full of disorganized books in one corner. Another held piles of papers that had fallen over. A corkboard filled with diagrams was squished into the available free space. Amanita's gaze narrowed.
"I know, I know, Lady Agaricales," the professor said from behind his desk. He was an older gentleman with a more casual style compared to the other professors around. His grey beard was tied at the end to keep it tamed. When he stood, he bumped into a box that was sticking out from an overhead shelf. "With no students and no office hours, I may have let the room go a bit."
"Right."
"Anyway, is there anything you need before we begin?" Professor Donphan cleared a book off the guest chair.
A light scoff escaped Amanita. "No. Let's proceed."
"Yes!" the man exclaimed with a pump of his fist. "First off, these are for you." He handed over three books, each one written by him, about old civilizations and lost cities. "My topic of research is all about what has been lost to time, especially the cataclysm. We know little about the world before, and there is much to discover."
The professor moved over to the corkboard where a map of Araevis was pinned. "There are more ruins being found all the time." He pointed to a few. Strings connected marked locations to photographs and notes. "Some sites are simple to reach, but often, they have already been looted or explored. There is still value in researching them, of course, but the real answers can only be uncovered through risk and exploration.
"That requires funding. I need local guides, security, supplies. And the length of these expeditions can vary greatly depending on what we find. Just think of all that is waiting out there to be uncovered." Professor Donphan tried to make a grand gesture, but they were in a small office with no window. The most he could do was point back at the map.
"Surely, you can appreciate learning more about our world, right? Knowledge is power, after all."
Amanita was leaning back on the chair with her legs crossed. Her lips were pursed and expression unreadable. The books in her hand were barely touched, though she had glanced at the blurbs on the back.
"I do," Amanita said. "There is a lot to uncover about the world, a lot we don't know, and I'm sure it's all quite fascinating. However!" The woman glanced up from the books. "I'm not the person to do that. This entire presentation feels dry and did little to inspire me. Perhaps there are others more suitable to this. When I look at these expeditions, I wonder how I could see a return?"
"Um, well." Professor Donphan glanced around, "I'm sure there are quite a few ways to earn back your investments. This would all depend on what we find, of course."
"Yes, I'm thinking ancient artifacts could be put on display. Or, assuming the ruins are safe, there could be tours and learning experiences for locations." The woman waved her hands at the map. "I'm sure there are interesting things at those locations, but they are all too far out of the way. It would be prohibitively expensive to send any expedition there. I assume that's why they have not been explored yet?"
The professor nodded.
"A lot of these do look like a lot of risk for little reward."
"Don't you have an adventurous spirit, Lady Agaricales? Sometimes, the cost is worth it just to know more."
"It doesn't grab me," Amanita stated. "I think it isn't essential to what people need to do now."
The professor rubbed his chin. "Why don't I show you? Maybe you'll change your mind if you experience one of these ancient places for yourself. You have heard of all the ruins below Terminus, correct? I have access to a lot of areas that the public usually doesn't get to see."
"Aren't all of those places already explored?"
"We are not sure. We have been through a large amount of the ruins beneath the city, but there are always more. That isn't the point of the visit, anyway. You have to see these ancient ruins for yourself to truly understand the power they have." Professor Donphan leaned over with bright eyes.
"Alright. I will go on an expedition, even if it is to someplace already explored. Let's go."
The professor was taken aback. "Right now?"
Amanita nodded. "Or do you have something else to do?"
"Now is perfect," Professor Donphan said with a forced smile. He hurried around the room grabbing things including a coat. "Please follow me."
Though Amanita had lived in Terminus for several years now, and she had visited some unsavory parts of the city, the ruins hidden underneath was not a place she had been to. She knew a bit of their history. The chambers and hallways were where the demvir were discovered after the cataclysm five hundred plus years ago.
The trip was starting to interest the businesswoman. She found a smile on her face while riding through the streets of Terminus, but her expression turned to confusion when they stopped at a department store.
"What are we doing here?" Amanita asked.
Professor Donphan stepped out of the carriage. With a wave of his hands, he proclaimed, "This is where the entrance to the ruins are."
He led the way and showed several documents to the manager of one of the stores on the ground floor. The manager gave an exasperated sigh and tilt of their head, but Amanita and Professor Donphan were allowed access to the staff only areas.
Compared to the bright, welcoming store, the back hallways were cold and gray. Mops, boxes, rags and all sorts of junk were strewn about. Pipes and wires ran along the walls.
"They used to do lectures in the ruins here because of its easy access and spaciousness," Professor Donphan explained. "I attended one when I was young, and that brought about my love for the hidden secrets of the world."
"Why did they stop?"
"Because the store opened. They didn't want to accommodate people going in and out for the lectures. I think it's a real shame."
They made their way to a storage room deep within the back area. Being older, Professor Donphan struggled to move the crates of merchandise out of the way, and there was no one else around to help.
Amanita sighed. "Step back." There was enough empty space outside of the room. Her fingers coursed with magical energy as she scratched a circular symbol onto the stone walls. With the loop completed, a portal opened. "Come here, Memerosia. I need you."
A deep red creature stepped out from the gate. She was seven feet tall with the top half of a person and the bottom half of a crustacean. A jagged carapace covered her body. Stringy, tendril-like hair fell across her face. A pair of shackles locked her arms, though they were symbolic more than anything since her eight stabbing legs were still free.
"Waddup?" the summoned demon said. Her voice grated like rocks pushed into a crusher. An echoing screech remained after she had finished speaking.
Amanita pointed to the far wall. "Please move those boxes."
"Yes, m'lady." Despite having the body build of a sapling tree, Memerosia flexed a pose. Her actual attempt at moving the boxes was pushing them out of the way using her bulky lower half. Loud scraping noises filled the room.
Professor Donphan was pressed up against the wall, barely moving. His eyes were wide and unblinking.
Amanita patted him on the shoulder. "She won't bite. But she can hurt you in other ways."
"Archeologists are nothing but a nuisance to people trying to live their lives," Memerosia said.
"Wait, how does she know what we're doing now?" the professor asked.
Amanita shrugged.
A door was revealed behind the crates. It stood out in the dark storeroom being made of a single slab of stone with a mechanical lock built in. The years of dust didn't diminish its wonder. An ancient language was etched over the surface and filled with gold. The brass frame glinted in the low light.
The door strained and groaned as it was pushed open. Light from the storeroom couldn't reach the ruins beyond. Only darkness greeted them.
I
Amanita was heading to what could be an interesting meeting with a professor of archeology. She was wearing casual clothes that were still fashionable with a green cropped jacket over a sleek dress. A pair of stylish caligae adorned her feet.
She headed into the Sapientia Coetus, the world-renowned university located within the city of Terminus. The massive tower stood seventy four floors high, reaching even above the clouds. The massive stone that bricks made up the structure was taller than the woman.
Surrounding it was the campus. Anything the students needed could be found within the walking distance of the front doors. Businesses sold supplies, books, energy supplements and more. Parks, cafés and restaurants provided a calming, comforting atmosphere. Large dormitory blocks were available for students that needed a place to live.
All was located within the Sapientia Coetus District. That was not the actual name. Since the university took up more than half the space and was what the district was known for, the nickname stuck.
It was early in the afternoon, and the university was bustling. Students hurried in small groups while discussing the latest work they were assigned to do. Janitors kept up their unending war in keeping the school tidy. A few professors could be seen walking about, distinguished by their neat and professional attire.
Amanita headed for the ring of elevators in the center of the tower. Her meeting was on the forty-sixth floor. With waiting for the lift to arrive and people getting on and off, the trip upwards took over twenty minutes. Commuting within the university was a challenge that took patience and knowledge to overcome.
Amanita was ten minutes late as she knocked on the professor's office. A plaque next to the door read, "Professor Orrum Donphan."
"Come in!" an excited voice called out.
Before Amanita even fully entered, Professor Donphan said, "Please don't mind the mess."
Her first steps knocked into a book on the ground. There was a shelf full of disorganized books in one corner. Another held piles of papers that had fallen over. A corkboard filled with diagrams was squished into the available free space. Amanita's gaze narrowed.
"I know, I know, Lady Agaricales," the professor said from behind his desk. He was an older gentleman with a more casual style compared to the other professors around. His grey beard was tied at the end to keep it tamed. When he stood, he bumped into a box that was sticking out from an overhead shelf. "With no students and no office hours, I may have let the room go a bit."
"Right."
"Anyway, is there anything you need before we begin?" Professor Donphan cleared a book off the guest chair.
A light scoff escaped Amanita. "No. Let's proceed."
"Yes!" the man exclaimed with a pump of his fist. "First off, these are for you." He handed over three books, each one written by him, about old civilizations and lost cities. "My topic of research is all about what has been lost to time, especially the cataclysm. We know little about the world before, and there is much to discover."
The professor moved over to the corkboard where a map of Araevis was pinned. "There are more ruins being found all the time." He pointed to a few. Strings connected marked locations to photographs and notes. "Some sites are simple to reach, but often, they have already been looted or explored. There is still value in researching them, of course, but the real answers can only be uncovered through risk and exploration.
"That requires funding. I need local guides, security, supplies. And the length of these expeditions can vary greatly depending on what we find. Just think of all that is waiting out there to be uncovered." Professor Donphan tried to make a grand gesture, but they were in a small office with no window. The most he could do was point back at the map.
"Surely, you can appreciate learning more about our world, right? Knowledge is power, after all."
Amanita was leaning back on the chair with her legs crossed. Her lips were pursed and expression unreadable. The books in her hand were barely touched, though she had glanced at the blurbs on the back.
"I do," Amanita said. "There is a lot to uncover about the world, a lot we don't know, and I'm sure it's all quite fascinating. However!" The woman glanced up from the books. "I'm not the person to do that. This entire presentation feels dry and did little to inspire me. Perhaps there are others more suitable to this. When I look at these expeditions, I wonder how I could see a return?"
"Um, well." Professor Donphan glanced around, "I'm sure there are quite a few ways to earn back your investments. This would all depend on what we find, of course."
"Yes, I'm thinking ancient artifacts could be put on display. Or, assuming the ruins are safe, there could be tours and learning experiences for locations." The woman waved her hands at the map. "I'm sure there are interesting things at those locations, but they are all too far out of the way. It would be prohibitively expensive to send any expedition there. I assume that's why they have not been explored yet?"
The professor nodded.
"A lot of these do look like a lot of risk for little reward."
"Don't you have an adventurous spirit, Lady Agaricales? Sometimes, the cost is worth it just to know more."
"It doesn't grab me," Amanita stated. "I think it isn't essential to what people need to do now."
The professor rubbed his chin. "Why don't I show you? Maybe you'll change your mind if you experience one of these ancient places for yourself. You have heard of all the ruins below Terminus, correct? I have access to a lot of areas that the public usually doesn't get to see."
"Aren't all of those places already explored?"
"We are not sure. We have been through a large amount of the ruins beneath the city, but there are always more. That isn't the point of the visit, anyway. You have to see these ancient ruins for yourself to truly understand the power they have." Professor Donphan leaned over with bright eyes.
"Alright. I will go on an expedition, even if it is to someplace already explored. Let's go."
The professor was taken aback. "Right now?"
Amanita nodded. "Or do you have something else to do?"
"Now is perfect," Professor Donphan said with a forced smile. He hurried around the room grabbing things including a coat. "Please follow me."
Though Amanita had lived in Terminus for several years now, and she had visited some unsavory parts of the city, the ruins hidden underneath was not a place she had been to. She knew a bit of their history. The chambers and hallways were where the demvir were discovered after the cataclysm five hundred plus years ago.
The trip was starting to interest the businesswoman. She found a smile on her face while riding through the streets of Terminus, but her expression turned to confusion when they stopped at a department store.
"What are we doing here?" Amanita asked.
Professor Donphan stepped out of the carriage. With a wave of his hands, he proclaimed, "This is where the entrance to the ruins are."
He led the way and showed several documents to the manager of one of the stores on the ground floor. The manager gave an exasperated sigh and tilt of their head, but Amanita and Professor Donphan were allowed access to the staff only areas.
Compared to the bright, welcoming store, the back hallways were cold and gray. Mops, boxes, rags and all sorts of junk were strewn about. Pipes and wires ran along the walls.
"They used to do lectures in the ruins here because of its easy access and spaciousness," Professor Donphan explained. "I attended one when I was young, and that brought about my love for the hidden secrets of the world."
"Why did they stop?"
"Because the store opened. They didn't want to accommodate people going in and out for the lectures. I think it's a real shame."
They made their way to a storage room deep within the back area. Being older, Professor Donphan struggled to move the crates of merchandise out of the way, and there was no one else around to help.
Amanita sighed. "Step back." There was enough empty space outside of the room. Her fingers coursed with magical energy as she scratched a circular symbol onto the stone walls. With the loop completed, a portal opened. "Come here, Memerosia. I need you."
A deep red creature stepped out from the gate. She was seven feet tall with the top half of a person and the bottom half of a crustacean. A jagged carapace covered her body. Stringy, tendril-like hair fell across her face. A pair of shackles locked her arms, though they were symbolic more than anything since her eight stabbing legs were still free.
"Waddup?" the summoned demon said. Her voice grated like rocks pushed into a crusher. An echoing screech remained after she had finished speaking.
Amanita pointed to the far wall. "Please move those boxes."
"Yes, m'lady." Despite having the body build of a sapling tree, Memerosia flexed a pose. Her actual attempt at moving the boxes was pushing them out of the way using her bulky lower half. Loud scraping noises filled the room.
Professor Donphan was pressed up against the wall, barely moving. His eyes were wide and unblinking.
Amanita patted him on the shoulder. "She won't bite. But she can hurt you in other ways."
"Archeologists are nothing but a nuisance to people trying to live their lives," Memerosia said.
"Wait, how does she know what we're doing now?" the professor asked.
Amanita shrugged.
A door was revealed behind the crates. It stood out in the dark storeroom being made of a single slab of stone with a mechanical lock built in. The years of dust didn't diminish its wonder. An ancient language was etched over the surface and filled with gold. The brass frame glinted in the low light.
The door strained and groaned as it was pushed open. Light from the storeroom couldn't reach the ruins beyond. Only darkness greeted them.