The boys had grown day by day in that tower. Each of them within their respective enclosure. The falcon's were a large group of pudgier boys. They were all very round in the face and seemed to have slow metabolism's. They all wore identical garbs fashioned out of leather. A stylish jacket, padded pants, gloves, and most had goggles secured to their tiny heads.
The wrens were a smaller group, made up of the skinnier boys. Each of them wore lightweight pale green robes, with dark green vines stretched up their backs. They were very clean boys, and very bright for their age's.
The raven's were a group of twenty. Each of them dressed from shoulder to ankle in black robes. They bore small silver sigil's in the shape of a feather on their backs, and walked in a unified line everywhere they went.
The mornings in the tower were a constant. Each day would start with the call of their dorm bird. Each boy would take fifteen minutes getting put together before making their way to the high perch where breakfast would be served.
Each dorm was sat at a different table, all served different meals. At his own table at the head of the room, the architect sat with an untouched plate of eggs and toast. The loud sounds of hushed whispers mixed with the rapid chewing of various foods made personal thought impossible.
The architect listened to the scattered conversation around him for a moment, not honing in on any specific chatter. Rather, listening to all stories, hopes, fears, and needs. Then, he tapped his large silver ring against the wood of his table.
Thunk…thunk…thunk.
Almost instantly, all of the adolescent heads turned and faced him. The room fell silent almost immediately, causing an odd sort of whiplash effect.
"Good morning, boys," he said in a well projected voice. All of the boys responded in unison, each of their voices distinct and blended at the same time.
"Good morning, architect,"
"Today is a big day. Railen has officially turned six. Does anybody know what that means?" The architect wondered, gesturing in the general direction of one of the pudgy boys dressed in leather.
The boys' tiny voices were hushed once more as they each gazed to each other for the answer. The architect smirked largely and clasped his fingers again.
"Tomorrow is the day you all begin your schooling," the architect announced enthusiastically. The boys' breaths halted in their chests as a rush of quiet voices trickled and faded quickly.
"Oh, don't be nervous boys. You have all been preparing for this moment since I took you in. You will all prosper and soar," the architect ensured, raining his frail hands to the sky. His palms were tattooed, each with different runes, faded grey with blotched ink bursts along the edges.
The boys clapped, now more excited about their schooling endeavors. The architect sat back for a moment, listening to each distinct voice ring out with excitement and nervousness. When the room fell silent again, the architect leaned forward in his throne of a chair.
"Each flock will be subjected to differing trials and lessons. All of you will learn things, I'm sure some of you may think impossible. In the next few years, you will all become so much more," he said, his tone more enthusiastic and his smile warm.
Again the flocks whispered amongst themselves. The falcons' table rumbled with their beefy voices, the wren table emitted a soft melodic whisper, and the ravens were silent.
"That being said. After many years of
being dormant, it is time for the labarynth engine to wake," the architect's hands raised again, this time, the runes glowed on his palms. With a steady creak, and with an odd scraping sound, the ledge they occupied began to rotate.
It halted and above them, they could hear the next section scraping as well. Every few minutes the cycle would start again and they'd be rotated one hundred and eighty degrees in any direction. The boys gripped their tables firmly in their hands as they glanced around frightfully.
"This engine is an Intricate design that runs almost like a clock. Each section of the aviary rotates freely and if its own accord. Every doorway, entrance hall, and bathroom changes location every sixty seconds. This labarynth will protect all of you as it will deny the entry of any intruder," the architect explained as the room spun again.
"W-what about us?" A tiny voice asked from the raven's tower.
"Ahhh, Aldric, while the passage will always change, this tower will lead he who resides within wherever he needs to go," he explained. Aldric smiled thoughtfully before returning to full focus.
"While the aviary doubles as a labarynth and a school of sorts, it's true purpose is far more some day we will take a field trip to see the engine at work," the architect said, returning to his seat.
The boys clapped and jeered before finishing their meals. The falcon's finished first, scarfing down every bite as quickly as they could. Several boys hiccupped as they slammed empty cauldrons or scraped barren plates.
The wrens didn't increase or decrease their eating speed. Each of them elegantly ate their food in its entirety ensuring to keep their areas clean. Then there were the ravens. They didn't eat very much at all. Their plates seemed to all be nearly half full, if they were touched at all.
None of them rushed to finish or even clear their plate. They just continued silently eating and listening.
"That being said, let us discuss your daily schedules," the architect said, waving his hand in front of him. A long rolled scroll appeared in front of him, glided out of the air, and laid flat gently on the table. He took his hand and danced his fingers along the bumps on the page.
"Your first year will build your knowledge and skills within your specific flock. Each flock will have differing classes and schedules, aside from three shared lessons. These lessons will be: ancient runes and how to identify them, internalization and manipulation, and skill based augmentation session one," he read aloud.
The boys watched his moves with intent and waited expectantly as he continued reading the scroll. He fingers glided along the page for a moment longer before stopping at the base. Then he gazed over the room of boys and began again.
"Falcons, this year will be a very interesting one for you. You may have wondered up until this point what your role will be here. This is where you find out. You are my successors, each of you will add rooms to the aviary eventually. I will guide each of you through your studies and work closely with you to ensure your skill set is where it needs to be," he stated as the falcon's table went completely silent for the first time in six years.
"You will have four classes this year to ensure you master all four study groups. Falcons, as well as your primary subjects, you will be studying geomancy and aetheric reinforcement. These studies will break ground for you all to succeed here in the aviary," he finished, as a roar of excitement escaped the falcon's table.
"Wren's, your level of study is far different compared to your brothers at the falcon table, but equally as important. You will all be lifelines for everyone in this tower. If there's an injury, a death, any sort of mutilation, or sickness you will all have the proper knowledge, and training to aid these incidents," he began, shifting his body to face the frail boys who gawked at him shocked at their role.
"You will all attend your primary classes with everyone else as well as restoration and balance studies and nature weaving lessons. This may seem like a small role at first, but I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't find yourselves to be the most useful flock in the aviary. Take this role with pride and know that someday our lives may depend on you," he finished. The frail boys' faces went pale as they gazed at him and then each other.
"Now, don't fret boys, there is still time to enhance your skills and your comfort using them. I will personally ensure each of you enjoys your time here and when you get to the age of graduation, you will be ready to move on," he smiled, and sat back down.
"For the ravens, if you will stay behind a while, your schedules will be a bit different," he asked, as the sounds of boys preparing to leave filled the room. The cloaked boys lowered back to their seats slowly and patiently waited for the other flocks to leave.
When it was only the select twenty boys in the room, it felt much quieter, almost peaceful. They all sat intently watching the architect until the door slammed with the final falcon's exit.
"My ravens, your tasks require a different course of study, and a certain level of… discretion," he began. All of the boys had questions but none of them spoke up, instead, electing to wait for the architect's answers.
"This world is a dangerous place boys. It is filled with evil and wicked people who seek to cause you harm. That is why every one of you is here. The wren's, falcon's, and yourselves. That being said, some of these people have abilities like the ones you will learn here, some even more," he started glumly.
"I don't mean to frighten you boys, but-"
"We aren't afraid," Aldric insisted smugly. The architect smiled largely, pausing his sentence to gleam in the boys direction.
"Good, then when the time comes for you to kill these people, you won't be afraid," he finished. The boys' eyes widened and they glanced at each other fearfully for what felt like the first time.