Blue Archive - An Otherworldly Sensei

Once morning had arrived, the old Dragonborn had quickly woken himself up, gotten himself, and practically flew out the door. A childish excitement sparkling in his eyes as the journey back home loomed overhead. Though, before he got too far, he suddenly remembered that he'd need to message his students and let them know he was on his way to pick them up. First up was Momiji, then Momoi and Midori, then Fuuka, and finally, he'd reach out to Hifumi and Serina. With the messages shot out, Ja'vassa had received a response from Momiji telling him to meet her at the Red Winter Library, as she'd be arriving there shortly. The day quickly fell into a simple pattern and much to his own surprise, he hadn't gotten lost even once on his way to the library. Upon arriving, he and Momiji shared their morning greetings and quickly set out on the road. Over the course of about six hours, Ja'vassa had gone from Red Winter Academy to Millenium, then to Gehenna, and finally arriving at the gates of Trinity to meet with the last of his students. "Alright... I think we've got everyone together. Once we arrive in Skyrim, it'll be at least a week before we return to Kivotos, so if you have any second thoughts, I'd leave them behind now. My companions back in Sjel Blad Castle will have had some guest rooms readied for you." Ja'vassa stated as he'd begin to lead them back towards the station to catch a train to SCHALE. "Given it'll likely be the early afternoon when we arrive there, we'll likely be just in time for supper." At the mention of supper, Fuuka's eyes lit up. "If it's anything like what you gave Juri and I the other day, I'm excited." She said cheerfully, clasping her hands together as she walked beside him. "Should we know anything before we arrive in the Castle, Sensei?" Serina asked, needing a quick rundown of what's expected of them. "You'll be given access to most of the castle, but stay out of the sanctuary and the vault. I trust you, of course, but both rooms are off limits to all except a handful of visitors. After supper, I'll show you around the castle and then to your rooms for the night." Ja'vassa explained as they'd board the train to their coming destination. "In the morning, we'll set off for Raven Rock... we can either take the long way and walk to the Solitude Docks, board a ship, and sail off for Solstheim, or we can take the easy way and use the Waygates." On one hand, they had no idea how long it'd take to walk from the castle to their destination. It could be hours, it could be days, they'd be spending a great deal of time away from their studies, but on the other hand, they wanted to see as much of Skyrim as possible, even if the path might seem a little dangerous. All six of them were silent as they glanced towards each other, seemingly speaking without uttering a single word until Momoi had spoken up for them. "If we're to go on that treasure hunt, then we might as well see all it has to offer, right? We want to see everything, Sensei... everything that made you who you are today." Momoi replied cheerfully, a confident smile on her face. "I'm glad we're of a similar mindset, Momoi. The road to Solitude is generally fairly safe, I usually haven't had to deal with more than the occasional thief; but they typically bolt when you draw iron." Ja'vassa chuckled softly, watching out the window as their station came into view. "Will our weapons be enough to help you, Sensei? I don't want to be a burden to you..." Momiji muttered, glancing down at her rocket launcher for a moment. "They should be fine, Momiji. But, in the event of any real clashes, you need to be quick and decisive. The bandits of Skyrim aren't like the criminals here; they will actively attempt to shatter your halos. Do not show any hesitation and you'll be fine." Ja'vassa replied, giving them a slight smile. "Don't be afraid, I'll be there to keep you safe every step of the way, but don't let your guard down." The thought of their halos being shattered in a world not their own was concerning, but so long as they stuck close to Ja'vassa and each other, they'd be fine. They trusted him to get them home safely after their adventure had been completed. Once the train finally arrived at the station, the group quickly made their way towards Ja'vassa's office where he had set up a second Milestone. The students stared at the shimmering beacon with a mixture of awe and uncertainty; they were excited for the adventure alongside their teacher, but there was the unmistakable nervousness they felt about leaving Kivotos behind, even if it was just for a few days. Placing his hand on the Milestone, Ja'vassa opened the portal to the Council Room of Sjel Blad Castle. "When you're ready, step through the portal. Brace yourself; you might feel a little dizzy upon arriving on the other side. I'll be right behind you." Collectively, the six of them took a deep breath to mentally prepare themselves for whatever awaited them on the other side. One by one, they stepped through it until they had disappeared. With his office devoid of students once again, Ja'vassa would follow behind them; the portal closing once he stepped into Sjel Blad Castle. The Council Room was empty aside from a few guards that walked by on their usual patrol duties. The fire pit that sat in the center of the table clearly hadn't been active for several days, and the lack of Council meetings was usually a good sign. There weren't any problems, any coming conflicts, outsiders causing trouble, or anything that really needed Ja'vassa's attention right then and there. Soon after they had arrived, Relumara had come to greet them, a warm smile on his face. "I thought that was you returning, my Lord, and I see you've brought your students with you." The old Dunmer greeted, bowing slightly towards them. "I hate to be a bother, but I need to speak with your teacher privately for a moment. It's an urgent matter. I can have Serica show you around the castle while I speak with him." Of course there was something urgent; it had been a while since Ja'vassa visited, so it made sense that there would be something, but that doesn't mean he was all that thrilled. "Very well. Enjoy yourselves while you're here, I'll catch up with you and Serica once I'm finished here." He stated, watching as Serica entered the room. Midori's eyes widened slightly as the Imperial woman approached them; a slight blush dusting her cheeks. "Whoa... she's beautiful..." She muttered, feeling slightly nervous as stared at Serica. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing?" Serica laughed softly, smiling as she'd cross her arms. "I guess it's up to me to give you girls a tour while they have their discussion. Come on." Midori's blush deepened at Serica's response, though she quickly nodded in response. "W-We'll see you in a bit, Sensei." With that, the students had followed Serica out of the Council Room. With the room empty again, Relumara approached Ja'vassa. "It's about the Thalmor. We've received numerous reports of increased Aldmeri activity near some small islands off the coasts of Hammerfell. We're not anticipating any real violence, but people are nervous. We've stationed patrol ships around Stros M'Kai, Wayrest, and Daggerfall." He started, crossing his arms as he spoke. "What's stranger; since these reports have begun flooding in, Rianra's been... away from the castle more often than usual. He claims he's taking care of some work for the College of Winterhold, but never mentions what it is. I... I don't want to create a rift within the Council, but I can't shake the weird feeling I have with him. He was a former Thalmor agent, after all." That wasn't at all what Ja'vassa had expected. The Thalmor making a potential return and the possibility of Rianra being involved was concerning. "Why would the Thalmor suddenly make a resurgence after all this time? They've had centuries to return, and I'm sure the wood elves would welcome their return to the mainland. Valenwood's been fairly isolated since the end of the war." Relumara nods in agreement, thinking of a few possibilities. "Perhaps it's because you've been away. No one outside of the castle knows about your time in Kivotos.. it's always possible Rianra has been speaking with some of his former allies." That was always a possibility; if a Third Great War were to happen, it would more than likely occur if Ja'vassa decides to leave Skyrim behind permanently. "Have our patrols noticed any activity near their old Embassy? I know they used Northwatch Keep for some of their activities as well in the past." Shaking his head, Relumara released a soft sigh. "We haven't received any reports of activity in the north, but I have sent a detachment to keep an eye on the area around Northwatch Keep, though some of our men seem nervous about the old castle on that western island. They claim they feel bad omens from it." At the mention of the castle, Ja'vassa chuckled softly. "Oh, that's just Castle Volkihar. I wonder how Serana's been doing recently? I haven't seen her for a while.. Maybe after the trip with my students concludes, I'll pay her a visit." He mused. It shouldn't have been a surprise to him, and yet, Relumara seemed shocked that Ja'vassa was familiar with that creepy castle. "How is it you know that castle... and its inhabitants, my Lord?" In response, Ja'vassa laughed softly. "It's where I became the vampire you see now.. Serana is the daughter of the old vampire that gave me the blood that courses in my veins now, perhaps my oldest friend. After Lord Harkon's defeat, I became Lord of the Volkihar for a time, but gave up the title as I had returned to Copperstead a few months later." Despite the extensive amount of time they had spent together, Relumara knew very little of Ja'vassa's past, and learning of his close connection with that castle surprised him more than it should've. "I sometimes forget how long you've been alive, my Lord. If you're heading towards Solitude at some point, perhaps you can stop by Northwatch Keep and put their fears at ease?" He suggested, "It's just about time for supper. Let's discuss this more another time, we should join Serica and your students." Ja'vassa nodded in agreement, following him into the mess hall where he'd find Serica and his students sitting at the table with Mordan, another member of the Inner Council. It had appeared that they had just arrived from the forge, given the soot that covered the old Orc's face. They seemed to be discussing some of the weapons he had recently forged, given that a recently forged daedric war axe rested on the table. Noticing Ja'vassa, Mordan grinned and set an extra mug of mead on the empty spot next to him. "Ah, Ja'vassa! Come and join us, supper's just about ready!" He called out, patting the empty chair next to him. He neglected the fact that Ja'vassa really doesn't drink much, but he seemed happy as the old Khajiit took a seat beside him. "It's been quite some time since I've spoken with you, Mordan." He mused, glancing towards the students who seemed to have a mixture of excitement and curiosity as they spoke amongst each other. "Indeed. If your students hadn't shown up, I'd still be holed up in the forge." Mordan admits with a hearty laugh, chugging yet another glass of his favorite mead. "Momoi... or Midori.. I can't remember the pink one's name, but, whatever... She seemed to be the most interested in the weapons we were working on. She even helped to forge the axe you see here." Momoi gave off a playful pout. "I'm Momoi... the green one beside me is Midori." She reminded him. "All of the weapons in the forge were so cool.. they'll definitely serve as inspiration for some weapons we use in our game development." She said cheerfully, a proud grin on her face as she gazed upon the axe. "You've hardly even been in Skyrim and you're already contributing to the castle, Momoi. I'm proud of you." Ja'vassa nods his approval, his own smile widening as supper has finally been served. A traditional feast of a freshly made venison stew, fresh baked bread, and some apple juice was set down in front of them along with a tray of sweet rolls and cream treats laid out on a large platter. Fuuka's eyes sparkled as she gazed upon the delicious array of food placed in front of them; picking up her spoon and tentatively took the first bite. At the moment the warm broth hit her tongue, the sparkles in her eyes intensified slightly. "This... this is delicious. The seasoning on the meat and vegetables, the warmth of the broth... I might need to get the recipe for this. I think Juri would love it, too, and maybe it'd keep the Gourmet Research Society from kidnapping me as often.." Fuuka mused, gladly indulging in the warm stew, her smile never fading away. "...people kidnap you? You speak of it so casually..." Serica said, mildly surprised by the revelation. "Oh, yeah. It's a near daily occurrence. It's nothing to worry about, I always returned to Gehenna later without a problem." Fuuka giggled softly, gladly sipping on her apple juice. Relumara looked towards Fuuka with some uncertainty and then towards Ja'vassa. "Just... just what kind of place is Kivotos if one of your students gets kidnapped so often that she just expects it?" Kivotos was a chaotic place; just walking down the street was often accompanied with the sounds of echoing gunshots and explosions, it wasn't all too uncommon that some of those thugs wandering down the streets to try and mug SCHALE's sensei, only to find out that he wasn't as helpless as they assumed. Relumara's question caused Ja'vassa to laugh softly. "It's... it's a strange place, but I can't deny that it hasn't been pleasant. I'm still getting used to all of the equipment they use there, though I'm not sure if I'll ever really learn how to play the games Midori and Momoi showed me, or understand what all this anime stuff is, but it's been enjoyable." Ja'vassa shook his head, looking towards his students with a warm smile. "You'll learn eventually, Sensei. After all, Veritas seemed pretty certain you'd get it down eventually." Midori assured him, a soft giggle escaping her. "I hope you're right.. Kotama and Maki are incredible teachers." Ja'vassa responded, chuckling softly. "Though... since Kotama and Hare left my office, I can't help but feel like someone's been listening to me..." Suddenly, Momoi and Midori fell silent, sharing an awkward glance between each other. "Uh... that's probably because they are. Kotama mentioned wanting to learn about you, so she and Hare set up some wiretapping devices during their last visit." Momoi explained, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. "That... that explains a lot. I just hope they haven't been too bored listening to me." Another soft laugh escaped him as Ja'vassa spoke. Serica had a similar expression as she listened to him. "I'm surprised you're able to keep with them, old man." She said teasingly. "So, Sensei, what's on the agenda? I'm sure you didn't come all this way just for a meal." Ja'vassa rolled his eyes at the teasing tone of his companion. "We're heading to Solstheim tomorrow. What better way to introduce them to Tamriel than by completing a few treasure hunts I wasn't able to?" Serica's playful smirk widened slightly. "Ah, I see. You were unable to finish those quests, and so you'll have your students do it for you." She replied, her tone never changing. "Oh, Serica... What am I to do with you? It's not like I'll have them being the ones to disarm any traps or dispose of the draugr." Ja'vassa shook his head slightly, standing up after he'd finished eating. "I'll bring you to your rooms when you're ready, and during the night, I'll make sure my equipment is in good shape for the coming journey." Shortly after him, the others had stood up as well; satisfied from the warm meal they were served. Hifumi looked towards Ja'vassa with a pleased smile. "Thank you for bringing us here, Sensei. Everyone here is so much more friendly than I had expected." She admits, looking towards the Council at the table. "I'm glad to hear that, Hifumi." Ja'vassa seemed just as pleased, glad that they're enjoying their time in the castle. With supper cooked and eaten, the students would follow behind their teacher to the guest rooms, their smiles never fading away. As they passed through the castle foyer and into another hallway, Serina had suddenly stopped; staring at a strange statue of a demonic looking figure with multiple arms. "Sensei... who is this? He doesn't look very pleasant..." She asked, looking towards him with a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. "That is Mehrunes Dagon; the Daedric Lord of Destruction and Change. He is one of Sjel Blad Castle's patrons, along with Hermaeus Mora." Ja'vassa explained as he gazed upon the statue. "Dagon's sphere of influence revolves around destruction and more importantly, change. Change is an important part of one's life; nothing that grows older stays the same forever. Sjel Blad will continue to evolve and grow so long as it exists, starting out as a military fortress to become the world's premier arcane research institute. Perhaps in a thousand years, Sjel Blad will become something completely different." Serina listened intently, glancing between the statue and towards her teacher once more. "Embracing change... is that why you've embraced Kivotos? I've only been here for a short while, but the differences between our homes is obvious." Ja'vassa nodded in response, a light smile crossing his face. "Aye. The differences between here and Kivotos are innumerable, but adjusting to a new world becomes easier when you're surrounded by the right support group. You and your fellow students have made life there so much easier.. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it, but so long as I have the promise of the warm smiles of my dear students, it'll be worth it." Momoi subtly rolled her eyes, though she'd lightly held onto Ja'vassa's arm. "You're so cheesy, Sensei." She teased. "But... I'm glad we could be of some help to you. We'll continue doing our best to help make Kivotos feel more like home to you." Ja'vassa sighed contently, smiling as he looked towards her. "Thank you, Momoi. I'm glad to know I have such sweet students with me." He'd step towards the guest room, opening up the door for them. "Get some rest, you've had a long day and we've got another long day ahead of us. I'll come wake you up for breakfast in the morning." Nodding at him, the students shuffled into the guest room and got themselves ready to sleep while Ja'vassa headed off towards the castle forge to ensure all of his equipment would be in good shape for their coming adventure. It had been more than a few years since Ja'vassa had visited Solstheim last; he had intended to use Severin Manor as their base of operations while on the ashen island, though he quietly wondered if they had given it to someone else given how rarely he used it, but now, he had an excuse to use it again. The hunt for Haknir Death-Brand's treasure was just one of the various quests he intended to undertake with them; there was the unfinished search for the Resonance Gems that he could complete, perhaps fully exploring through Karstaag's old castle was something else they could do. Of course, their adventure couldn't last too long; the trip here was technically unauthorized and it'd be all too easy for him to land himself into big trouble should they get hurt. It had been a while since he explored Solstheim, but as far he remembered, the worst they often had to deal with were rieklings or ash spawn, neither of them often put up much of a challenge, so they should be safe. Regardless, for the first time, Ja'vassa was genuinely excited to visit Solstheim again.