After deciding to take the walk from their Manor by the Lake to the Main Lecture Hall at the University, Dom, Kai and Andrew arrived panting and out of breath. The morning sun was hot and there didn't seem to be a cloud in sight today.
"We either need to not stop for ice cream on the way in future, or set off earlier." Andrew complained at the bottom of the large stone steps that took them to the aged building ahead of them. The Main Lecture Hall had been constructed with the remains from the sunken city beneath them, and it was designated a historical location in the Campus Guide that they had all been provided with. Dom had skimmed over it, but knew that the small City that was Central University had a lot of history that had been injected in to itself.
"It's your fault for having to change your shoes. Twice." Kai argued back as Dom shook his head, feeling that whilst he was out of breath and his shoulder still ached, he was definitely more fit now than he was before playing World Conquest Online. Andrew had changed his shoes twice, once from his slippers to some smart shoes, which after walking for a couple of minutes had began to rub, so he had hobbled back and changed them again.
"Come, we want to get good seats and not be late." Dom interrupted them both, as he took a deep breath and began walking up the stairs.
"Who are you and what have you done with Dom?" Andrew asked him in fake surprise at Dom's one time of attempting to be earlier. Dom always attempted to be early, but it seemed that his thoughts and actions rarely matched up when it came to time keeping.
As they walked up the stairs, which must have been at least fifty steps high and split in to three minor levels with some seating and plants on each of the levels, Dom noticed Steven Knight from the corner of his eye, seemingly waiting for their approach.
"You know there is a ramp other there." Andrew stated, aggressively pointing at the zig zagging ramp that was at the side of the steps and lead to the top level that they were also walking to.
"It would take longer to use the ramp than the stairs." Kai countered, as he kept pace with the two of them. Dom realised that Kai had also seemed to have lost some of his weight and that the clothes he usually wore were just slightly oversized compared to usual.
"It's also good for your leg muscles to use the stairs, if you take these every day, your muscles will get stronger and you will be able to lift more and travel further." Stephen said from above them as they reached the last run of steps. Andrew looked up and smiled at him, having only met him the other day at the out of hours class that they had joined.
"Hey Stephen, are you waiting for us?" Andrew asked jokingly, not knowing that it was the actual case.
"Well I wasn't, but then I heard someone complaining and noticed it was you three so I thought I would wait." Stephen replied, causing Dom and Kai to laugh and Andrew to roll his eyes.
"It's this guy and his ice cream!" Andrew defended himself, before turning serious. "Was we that loud?"
"I think I just have good hearing." Stephen explained evenly, but Dom, Kai and Andrew knew that he was just trying to cover Andrew's dignity. They looked around and saw that others were also walking up the steps, tens of people and all seemingly noticing the four young men stood together.
"Then let's head inside and get some good seats!" Andrew commanded, causing the three to laugh as they entered the giant double doors that dwarfed them in to a large wide open entrance hall. The Hall felt like a museum, with a giant long necked dinosaur on a plinth in the middle, with alcoves to the side where other displays were; such as old Knights Armour and Weapons, Ancient Taxidermy Animals, Strange Stones and Jewels, as well as Old Paintings that were behind glass screens.
"Wow." Kai muttered, impressed by everything he could see. At the back of the room was a double staircase that led to the floors above, whilst to each side at the rear were long corridors that led to the different Lecture Theatres.
"Upstairs is where the main offices are and smaller class rooms, where as the Left is one of the main Lecture Theatre's and the right is also one, there a few others in the other main buildings, but these are the biggest two." Stephen explained to the three of them as Dom looked up at the long necked Dinosaur Skeleton, something he had never seen before but had only read about.
"How do you know this?" Andrew asked as he was similarly amazed. He was mainly looking at the old wooden floor that seemed to feel older than the building itself and the huge dangling lights that he felt could fall on them at any point.
"I read the pamphlet?" Stephen replied with a raised eyebrow, as he looked at the three of them expecting them to have read it, especially Dom who his role was to protect.
"Good point, so which one is where we need to go to?" Kai asked, which surprised Dom as he was normally the one who knew things and Andrew and Dom would trust his guidance.
"The one on the left." Stephen replied, shaking his head as the four of them walked down the left corridor where some of the University Staff were waiting for them to scan their ID's. Thankfully they had all brought them and after waiting in a queue for a few moments, they were invited in.
The Lecture Hall towered over them, easily able to seat a couple thousand people if not more. It reminded Dom of part of a sports stadium, but the benches were cushioned and each had a desk space in front of them. The room seemed to be filling up fast, but for once they weren't on the back foot.
"Let's sit over there!" Andrew offered, pointing to a small section about a third of the way up and slightly to the right facing the raised stage in the centre.
They soon sat down, the seats not feeling as comfortable as they looked, most likely intentional so those sitting on them didn't feel the need to fall asleep, whilst comfortable enough that you wouldn't need to wiggle constantly to find more comfort. The room continued to fill up and Dom cast his eyes around the room to see if he recognised anyone. A section was left empty to the bottom left facing the stage, with signs saying that it was reserved.
The first person he recognised was Jessica Moon, who was sat with the other person sent to guard him, Rosie Cole. They were both in the middle section and slightly lower than Dom so hadn't recognised him. He continued looking and soon saw Claire Thompson and Florence Chan who went to the same Academy as them, they both were in deep conversation with some other Girls and Dom decided he would continue looking so they didn't think he was staring at them.
The next eyes he saw were green however and were looking back at him, a teasing smile on the face of Elizabeth Medici who was sat with another Girl. The two of them seemed to have space around them as if no one dared sit with her. Dom couldn't see her brother but knew that he would be nearby. He was going to continue looking when a side door opened and a tall aged man walked out.
Flanking the man was two people, Dr Pellistri who had interviewed Dom when he was at the Military Academy, Dom only remembered that he was a History Teacher and that was about it. The second was an older lady who wore a grey dress and had died black hair that was tall and curly.
Everyone went silent as the three entered and walked towards a plinth that was waiting for them in the middle of the stage. The Tall Aged Man walked forwards first, with the other two standing behind each of his shoulders at a respectable distance. Dom looked at him and could see that even though he was clearly in his late sixties, he was still an attractive man. He had black hair with grey streaks in it's sides, whilst his eyes seemed to also match his hair colour.
"My name is Prince Phillip Medici, the young Uncle of the current King of one of the Main Kingdoms within the Western Kingdoms, and the Chancellor of this University." Phillip introduced himself. Dom had heard of Phillip in his youth; a successful General, an award winning Academic and one that they said if he had been born first would have been one of the best King's in modern History. Dom wasn't aware he was the Chancellor, and looking at Stephen and Kai who seemed to have the most knowledge in the group, one because he was Kai and the other because he had read a Pamphlet, it seemed that neither of them were aware either. "Beside me is Dr Pellistri who is the Dean of our History faculty which is currently going through a large investment and growth which we shall discuss further shortly. On the other side of me is Dr De La Cruz, our Dean of Engineering."
Dom looked at the two of them beside the famous Prince, wondering what the three of them would have to say. He was impressed that they were investing in the History Faculty as that was definitely a subject that he had intended to follow, mainly due to a new found love for the subject after playing World Conquest Online. Dom also noticed that Kai seemed to sit up at the mention of Dr De La Cruz and the Engineering Faculty.
"We also have a special guest who will provide a small opening Lecture, but I will let her introduce herself when we get to that. Firstly however, I want to welcome you to our prestigious University, the heart of education in not only the Western Kingdom's but the wider world as well. Not only do we have students from here, but we have many who have travelled as foreign students to learn and develop here." He continued, "You will also note that a part of the Auditorium Seating has been left blank, this is for some Transfer Students who will be joining us from some of our sub Universities and Sects that are based in the Western Kingdoms. They will hopefully join us shortly before I continue in to the key parts of my address."
As if on cue, another side door opened and around one hundred people emerged, following another elderly man with light fluffy brown hair. He walked with a slight hunch and directed the students that followed him to their seats. Dom could see that some of them did not look impressed, as they most likely had chosen their Universities for a reason and coming to Central University in their first Semester wasn't part of their plan. Dom was even more surprised when he saw the recognisable pigtails of Alice who walked in, a large grin on her face as if knowing that her friends that had Chosen Central would see her right now joining them.
"She knows!" Dom heard Andrew whisper, a slight moment of fear in his voice.
"She knows our user names." Kai seemed to agree, whilst Stephen looked at the two confused.
"She is going to beat us." Andrew replied, and Dom didn't disagree with his comment, "we should have used different user names!"
"I might get away with it." Dom replied, but the other two shook their heads in response.
"Nope, she is going to be furious that we all did well and she didn't." Kai disagreed as Dom closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them and looking in Alice's direction, her eyes looking back at him with the evil grin she often had on her face before she did something mischievous.