ADAD Chapter 12: Joy

 "You can come to Gorgon?" Anastasios asked. Darius saw that the vampire had bags under his eyes. Anastasios had been pouring over a tome, when they found him in the library. 

"I figured that, if I made the rune work, then you can settle all your people near the oases," Darius said, and then sat across Anastasios. "With me there, they will have to let you go. It must be hard, trying to get everything from here."

"It is a nightmare," Anastasios complained. "I have been delegating tasks, but I need to be there. To speak with my people, and see what it is that they need." 

"Let us go to the headmaster now, and propose to him that we both take time off classes, to go to Gorgon," Darius suggested. 

"Wait, you are in the middle of your mastery," Anastasios said, beginning to shake his head. 

"I can learn new things from Gorgon," Darius suggested, and then stood. He tugged at the vampire, and Anastasios followed him to the headmaster's office. Headmaster Percy Piers allowed them entrance without much waiting, and the two came inside his office.

The office was sparsely decorated, with just the necessities. But the two knew that, behind the door next to the window, there was a dimensional pocket, that led to the elf's private quarters.

"Ah, young mister Loreth. You have become immortal, I see?" Headmaster Piers said, and Darius nodded. 

"I have, headmaster, and I am here to ask you about something important," Darius said, and then took one of the seats opposite the desk. Anastasios took the other free seat, and the demon continued. "I would like to complete my mastery early, by helping Anastasios with his ruling project." 

"And what do you suggest?" the headmaster asked. 

"Gorgon is a desert realm, but there are oases in there as well. If I can make enough dimensional pockets, to accommodate all the inhabitants of the realm, then I think I can prove that I am a capable runesmith," Darius suggested, and watched as a smile blossomed on the elf's face. 

"So few think about helping each other out," headmaster Piers said, and then pulled out some forms. "Fill these up. If you manage to get the project done by the end of your fiftieth year, then I will allow you to begin another mastery," the elf said, and the two soulmates shared a look. 

"We are already twenty-two, headmaster," Anastasios told the elf. How were they going to make Gorgon habitable in only twenty-eight years? So far, the only thing that the vampire prince had managed to do, was to get the refugees to survive out there. He had not gotten them to thrive. 

 "I suggest you pull in a second runesmith, then. Maybe someone who can deal with the magical beasts of Gorgon as well. Someone to deal with the economic rise of the realm won't be something I will frown on. In fact, why don't you make it a group project together with your friends? Them getting another mastery will be beneficial for their careers," the elf said, and the two shared a look. 

"Noah can take care of the beasts, Prisi of the economy, and all that goes with it. Timothy can do diplomacy, and Harvey can be the head of our medical team," Anastasios suggested, and the headmaster nodded. 

"See? You figured it all out. Now, most of them don't have projects yet, as they are normally announced during the fiftieth year of schooling for everyone but the ruling elective, so I don't see a problem with all that," the headmaster gave them a couple of other forms, and smiled at them. "Now, you should get your friends to agree. Go, and do your best." 

"Thank you, headmaster," the two chorused, and left the office with their forms. The first one they found was Prisila. She was ecstatic about getting some hands-on experience with her mastery, and getting to finish it sooner, so she could take up her rapier mastery. Then it was Noah's turn, who only needed to hear that Prisila was going, to decide that he had to go as well. 

Timothy had jumped on the opportunity to get another mastery under his belt, and Harvey. Well, Harvey turned out to be a tough nut to crack. 

"Come on, Harv. You are the only one that still hasn't said yes," Darius said, urging his friend to agree. 

"That is because I have many things I don't know, Dari. Like, for example, how to treat lung cancer," Harvey said, as he pointed at the textbook he was reading. 

"Wait, that has a cure?" Noah asked. In the human realm, the only thing that could be done with lung cancer was to try to kill the cancer cells with therapy, which was dangerous for the patient's health. 

"It is not easy, Noah. It takes a lot of mana, runes, and a couple of other things," Harvey said, and Noah's shoulders slumped. 

 "So, there is no chance that the treatment is ever going to be available for humans?" He asked, and Harvey nodded. 

"If it makes you feel better, it has a slight success rate. If something doesn't work out with the spells, then the patient will die," Harvey pointed at a paragraph on the page he was reading. "Which is why I have to concentrate on learning runes and healing, and not go on an adventure." 

"Come now, Harv, if you get the hands-on experience, you will become the best healer. Just think about it," Darius asked him, and Harvey sighed. 

"There is no way to make you stop bugging me, is there?" The Fey asked, and Darius's tail wagged. Harvey frowned at him. "Annoying little demon." 

"Sugar fairy," Darius said, his grin turning into a shit eating one. 

"Complete and utter rascal," Harvey continued, a grin appearing on his own face. 

"Responsible adult," Darius said, and then his eyes gave out the puppy dog eyes look, that made Harvey stop resisting and go with the flow every time. "Think, Harv. Who is going to wake me up in the morning, if not you?"

"I will wake you up, seeing as we will be sleeping together," Anastasios said with a scrunched-up nose. 

"You have worse oversleeping problems than Dari," Prisila said, and then smiled at Harvey. "Save the project from the two sleepy heads, Harv." 

"Ok, ok. Let us go to the desert," Harvey gave up all resistance, and was soon in the middle of a group hug.