Lewis walked onto Union Street and stared up at the Underway. The Underway was a landmark that formed under a natural cliff. Years of growth from different buildings had built up the bottom side of the cliff to form a winding passageway that formed a shortcut to the Lorraine Canal and the industrial zone. 

Unfortunately, since the passageway was popularly used, many gangs fought for control over that zone so much so that its labyrinthine-like route was also known by a more popular moniker- “Bloody Lane”.  

Lewis jumped to the side as several seedy-looking men lurched along the road past him. Their shirts were stained with beer and two of the men were bare headed. One of the men stopped and turned around to look at Lewis. The man's eyes were unfocused as he grinned a gap-toothed smile and flashed a previously hidden dagger strapped to his chest. 

I know the police generally avoid this area but there really needs to be something done to address some of these thieves! Lewis pulled his hat further down as he tried to avoid looking at the men in front of him. He clutched his satchel a little tighter when he was in front of the Underway entrance. Besides, I must come back here later to talk to Sam. It will not be easy if I am running from the police again. 

The entrance to the Underway was framed by a brothel on one side and a butcher shop on the other. From the sides of his eyes, he could see several rusted metal pipes that snaked their way into the corridor that led to a brightly lit communal area.  

The echoing shouts of people bargaining their wares reverberated from the side stores along the street.  

“Whale Oil, Whale Oil, just arrived here at the docks from the Gargas Archipelago!” 

“Fresh Herbs, Moonflowers, Sage, and Agrimony. The Evernight Goddess would bless you if you picked them up! 

Get your pastries here! They just came out of the oven this morning! Only ten pence apiece!” 

I really must get back there as soon as possible. Lewis grumbled in his mind. While he preferred shopping in a few more reputable areas than the Underway, he could not deny the novelty of the items sold there as well as the frequently low prices. He walked past a corner store before stopping at the sight that greeted his eyes.  

The Conant Medicinal School occupied much of the space at the top of the cliff. The school was affiliated with Keene University and doubled as the hospital for the city. Its twisted spires and narrow windows made the building seem spider-like. Several students and professors hurried in and out of the bronze gates. 

Is it just me or does that building seem quieter than normal? Lewis squinted up at one of the entrances to the building. “Never mind that I need to head to Professor Soren’s Symposium. If I recall correctly, the lecture takes place in one of the side buildings around Keene. 

Once he got out of Union Street, the first thing that entered his view was a bell tower. Along the sides were slit windows with pinpricks of light shining through. At the very base of the tower, stood a statue of a robed man staring down towards the pedestrians. His gaze was stately and impetuous, with an arrogant dismissal towards anyone looking back.  

WHMP 

Lewis grunted as he felt someone jostle him to the side. He turned his head around in anger before stopping. Three men in dark blue robes embroidered with swirls and lightning patterns walked by him. Each of the men wore pointed helmets and their bulky robes signified them as the enforcers of the building. 

I forgot that the Church of the Lord of Storms supports the university. He smiled apologetically at the neatest man. They walked by him; their gazes still focused on the entrance of the Church. Other people walking along the street quickly moved to the side once they realized that the men were not changing the course of their path. 

The rolling sound of thunder in the distance hastened the pace of the people around him. As one man even started to run while clutching his hat with his coat fluttering behind him. 

Man, I forgot how much the weather storms during spring. Lewis sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. How do people even handle this kind of weather out at sea? He hurried to the sides of the street, under the trees that were planted along the road. Lewis straightened out his coat and aligned his hat when he saw more students beginning to walk from their respective buildings. 

Hopefully, my papers won’t be soaked when I leave class. 

Keene University dominated much of the landscape around Geddes Street. The university was among the three oldest universities in Loen. Its most prestigious fields were the Department of Metallurgy and the Department of Navigation. The former department was responsible for several breakthroughs, especially in new metal alloys, while the latter was heavily sponsored by the Church of the Lord of Storms.   

The three primary orthodox religions in the Loen Kingdom - The Church of the Evernight Goddess, The Church of the Lord of Storms, and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery - continuously tried to assert themselves as the dominant religion in the country. While they still supported each other when it came to external matters regarding the kingdom, there were still    

This situation was not uncommon throughout the Northern Continent considering that other orthodox churches such as the Church of the Earth Mother had completely forced the Church of the God of Knowledge and Religion out of the Feynapotter Kingdom. The ensuing chaos had resulted in the establishment of several new nations. 

One recent form of expansion of church influence had come in the form of placing their theology into the educational system. While the ruling party had yet to make a serious statement about this novel approach, there were already rumors among the general populace about the widespread expansion of government-sponsored public primary schools.  

The single sound of the bell chiming broke through Lewis’ reverie. “Fuck! it's half past 8, class is probably starting now”, he swore as he started to run towards a collection of buildings. He arrived at one particularly ancient-looking building. Its mottled walls and crumbling facade still showed signs of its former image.  

Lewis practically wrenched the wooden door open to reveal a dim hallway with several doors on each side. Oil paintings of well-dressed men and women along the walls stared down at him, their eyes seemingly looked disapprovingly at the tardy student. 

He arrived at one open door with the number 105 engraved on a metal plate located at the top of the frame.  

The room was lit by several lamps along the walls and a row of windows that opened to the neighboring street. Several rows of wooden tables faced a lectern that had a chalkboard hanging behind it.  

Six pairs of eyes looked upon the person who had intruded upon the studious environment of the room.  

“How nice of Mr. Overton to grace us with his presence, “the man who stood behind the lectern rubbed his nose. “Seems like you actually will hear our agenda for today”  

“Please pardon me, Professor Soren” Lewis quickly made up an excuse “The tram car arrived a little later than I expected”   

The professor was a man of medium height with a receding hairline and thick glasses that accentuated his brown beady eyes.  

“I don’t care if the ghost of Emperor Roselle himself was the cause of your tardiness” Professor Soren took off his glasses and wiped them. “You are expected to wake up early from your little hovel and to arrive here in a timely matter” 

“Let me remind you again that the only damn reason why I even took you in as a student was a favor to your father” he continued as he put on his glasses, “Do not do this again or you can find another kind academic willing to impart precious knowledge to the public”  

Lewis bowed in apology while ignoring the thinly veiled insults and threats. He quietly moved to the side of the room closest to the door and sat down. The other students looked back at him, a few of their eyes held a faint look of derision.  

“Now where was I before I was rudely interrupted?” Professor Soren moved to the chalkboard and began writing while he spoke, “Ah yes, please remember the exact pronunciations and the proper conjugations when it comes to ancient Feysac. The worst thing that you could do in a conversation with your peers is to mix up the meaning of your sentence.” 

Lewis took out a small notebook and a pen from his satchel. When he opened it, a few papers with ink stains spilled out from several sections. He rummaged through the scribbled words before arriving at a new page.  

Let's see, it’s the 30th of April and the year is 1325, Lewis bit the tip of his tongue while he wrote down the date and started to jot down the contents of the board. I’m running out of pages to write on, I have to make sure to tell Claire to take a few extra pieces of paper when she comes back from Sunday class.  

“Now let us practice our conversational skills to acclimate ourselves with the language” Professor Soren droned on, “What better way to demonstrate this skill while also reviewing some history as well with your classmates.”  

“The topic of choice today will be the history of Emperor Roselle as well as his lasting legacy,” the bespeckled man began writing down several names, “Please speak with your assigned partners that I have written on the board, Mr. Overton you will be presenting to me”  

What rankled his feathers today. Lewis sighed in his head as he walked to the front of the room towards the professor. It was no wonder to anyone why Professor Soren was still a Junior Associate Professor at Keene even though he had been here for thirty years. 

“Emperor Roselle was born in 1125 as the heir to a fallen noble family in the Intis Kingdom. He demonstrated his intelligence at an early age and was responsible for the development of the steam engine, sailboat, and countless inventions.” Lewis spoke slowly as he tried to remember the proper pronunciations of the words, he wanted to say in ancient Feysac. 

“These revolutionary inventions helped consolidate his power until he was able to declare himself the First Consul of the Intis. After winning multiple battles against the Loen Kingdom, Feynapotter Kingdom, and Feysac Empire, he declared himself the Caesar of the Intis Empire. This success drove the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and fallen aristocrats to assassinate him in 1198.” Lewis finished and looked expectantly at the professor. 

"Your grammar is serviceable and would not be noticeable to the common folk,” Professor Soren critiqued, “Try to sound more refined if you ever speak to real nobles who will notice your errors” 

He’s as dry as usual, Lewis lampooned in his head, I don’t know why I even expected him to give me a compliment! 

“What is worse is your ignorance of the more refined impacts of Emperor Roselle and the focus on his militaristic exploits'', Professor Soren shook his head at Lewis’ apparent naivety, “Roselle Gustav also known as his moniker, Son of Steam, was a cultural innovator who ushered in the exploration of the Southern Continent through his inventions and guidance. This has resulted in an Age of Colonialism in which nations were able to expand beyond their borders into subsidiary lands. He was also a cultural icon, he invented many games such as tarot cards which continue to still dominate the pastime of Loen’s citizens today”  

“My apologies Professor Soren, I would endeavor to remember your lesson for today”, Lewis sarcastically replied. 

“Hmph, of course, you will, I would highly recommend reading “The Inevitability of Steam” by Quentin Cohen, a colleague of mine from Tingen University, to broaden your knowledge,” Professor Soren responded, unaware of Lewis’ sardonic tone.  

Click  

Professor Soren reached into his pockets to take out a silver pocket watch. He snapped the cover of the watch open as he read the time.  

“It is now 9:25, class is dismissed,” he called out. The conversations around the room ceased as the students began to pack up. “Please remember to come in on time next Sunday”

Authors Note: Sorry for the late upload, thermo exams really do suck. Regarding the novel, what's your opinion of the reintroduction of several terms? Do you think the pace of the story is too slow?