22nd of Cylus 720
The library of Scalvoris University was impressive if you were the academic type. It would for certain intrigue those who enjoyed books. Book shelves near as high at some points as the vaulted ceiling, full fromow of various tomes. The collection organized and categorized based first on subject matter and then by alphabetical order. This made it easy for one who knew what they were looking for to find it. Anyway, Kalortah was no academic. While he enjoyed books as much as the next person, he was not one to sort through an entire cattoer to find one that suited his purposes. So he had a secret weapon as he walked into that mothball smelling codex.
"So Kal.... Councilor, it's nice of you to bring me along to the University again. It gets a bit stuffy in your family's cupboard in that tower." Ibudo sniffed, breathing in with relish the scent of fresh ink on paper. The other students went about their business of research and scribbling notes. They were writing down information they found vital to their studies. The smell of academic materials seemed to revitalize the tree man.
"You're here to help me, Ibudo, remember? I let you stay at my house, hiding in the eaves and cupboards like the little dormouse you are. You frightened my sister to death when she saw you scurrying into a crevice leading into the eaves." Kalortah sighed, shaking his head at the memory. Still, it was amusing to see Lenuzie on the backfoot. She was far too headstrong and had a growing independent streak that concerned him. So it was a relief to see sometimes that she was still capable of being a jittery little girl. Why had he even invited her from Athart? Her parents needed to marry her off, and do it yesterday. The sooner she was gone, the sooner Kalortah's own social life could improve (begin).
"Oh, I'm so very sorry about that, I am. She scared me too you know! Turned my sap inside out. She has a piercing voice!"
Kalortah yawned, already bored with the subject of his little sister. He glanced from one end of the aisle to the other, shrugging with his arms, "So... this tome you were telling em about, talking about the opera singers shattering glass with their mere voice..."
"Ahh yes! Let me show you... Um, aisle two ways over, then we'll begin looking."
Kalortah rolled his eyes but did as was suggested. He moved to the middle aisle and then down to the right, about two alcoves over. Once there, he rounded the corner into an aisle that was identical to the one he had come from. If he hadn't Ibudo here, he wouldn't have a chance of navigating a library.
Fortunately, he did, so when he got where Ibudo directed him, the tunawa began a clucking noise, trying to get the sense of the air. WIthin trills, he was projecting his voice, and threw it in the peculiar way that tunawa were capable of. It sounded like a chicken, clucking from one of the books three rows up, and two columns from the inner wall of the aisle. Kalortah swiftly moved to snatch up the book, before the memory of where the echo had issued from declined.
He removed the book from the shelf. On it, read The Great Singing Feats of Rynmerish Opera House. Kalortah stared at it a few moments. While he'd never been in Rynmere, he knew it was for good reason. The Rynmerish were notoriously xenophobic, shunning all avriel and many other races besides. But avriel especially! The very idea of being unwelcome and thus unallowed someplace chafed the avriel's sense of importance. Good thing he wouldn't have to go there to learn much. Besides, Rynmere Andaris was said to be a ghost town largely because of the plague.
At any rate, the book from Rynmere was in Kalortah's hands and read it he would. He moved over toward one of the nearby tables, setting the largish tome onto its surface, and taking a seat. He flipped through the pages but swiftly grew impatient. "Ibudo, do you know which page was relevant to that topic of throwing your voice like a weapon?"
"A weapon? You mean the shattering of glass? Oh yes, I think.. Page fifty six. Then, oh I don't know. Why not read the thing entirely? Maybe you'll learn something you didn't expect to."
Kalortah considered that for just a moment, and then promptly stuffed Ibudo in his satchel, then locked it up so he couldn't poke his head out for air. Ibudo complained loudly beneath the fabric for a few moments, before Kalortah chided him loudly, "Shhhh! Ibudo! We're in a library, stop that racket!"
Thus silenced and grounded for the moment, the tunawa ceased its muffled complaints. For a while he rested therechel, rebuked. The next few breaks, Kalortah's eyes strained to read the letters on the pages. As fluent as he'd become in common, he still couldn't fathom how they were able to read from left to right, rather than from up to down as with avrielic script. Avrielic script was so much more sparse with regards to the pages and word economy. If only that one bit of Athartian culture could disseminate out to the world, they'd all be better off for it.
Even so, Kalortah had to read their guttural language, from their chicken scratch letter style. That was the way it was, and the way things would be until avriels ruled Idalos. A future that seemed more uncertain with recent events in that city-state. Kalortah sighed for the fate of his people, then resumed his reading.
He read about how sound could be measured, as one would a table or a chair's dimensions. The same way one might count up the pages of a book, or the elevation of geography. At first, he scoffed at the very idea, but then the book became more interesting and less esoteric. Avriel was far more practical and fact-based than many other creatures. It was no wonder they were great proponents of mathematics and the science of quantifying things. The idea that sound could be measured, though? He had never heard of this. The book went on the detail that certain heights of the vocal register could shatter glass or even move objects. It theorized that lower tones were more intimidating, like the growl of a big cat or a bear. It was no accident that it in nature smaller creatures perceived larger creatures as having a lower vocal register. Meanwhile the smaller ones were a bit higher-pitched in their voices, as perceived by larger creatures. It was a fascinating turn of subject for the book, and one he latched onto. But that subject was only touched upon in the book. A great disappointment.
So as Kalortah shut the book, he glanced about the library and wondered if his voice, powerful and strong as it was, could damage his surroundings. He thought better than to try here, but still, the idea was tempting. He'd try it out later, though.
A rustling from his satchel alerted him to the continued presence of the tunawa being hidden in there. Kalortah's brow lifted in surprise, he'd almost forgotten that Ibudo was in there! He unlocked the satchel and swept the flap open. THere, was Ibudo, looking very frazzled, the lichen and leaves on his head appeared a bit dry. In pity, Kalortah reached for his waterskin and poured out a bit on the table. Ibudo seeing this, jumped up and stepped over the small puddle. His toes and roots began drinking up the water, revitalizing him by the trill.
"Well! I hope you've learned the lesson of your impertinence, Ibudo! Let's be off, will we?"
Ibudo glanced at Kalortah, giving him a look that the avriel hadn't seen on the tunawa before. He'd been too hard on him. Even so, Ibudo climbed up Kalortah's sleeve then up and onto his shoulder. Once they were situated as they were, the two made their way out of the library, and onto the courtyard of the University.
As they arrived at the green, Kalortah thought he spotted or else recognized the vocal signature of his professor. Panicked, he moved behind a nearby pillar and put his back to it. Ibudo hung on as he made the move, and gave him an incredulous look, "Councilor! Why the panic?"
Kalortah breathed, inhaling the panicked breath that threatened to give away his presence as it misted from behind the pillar. He looked to Ibudo, and muttered, "That's my professor... She's horrible. I've taken great pains to avoid her since Vhalar..."
Ibudo regarded his 'friend' for a moment, then a look of mischief crossed his face, and he took a deep breath. Exhaling, he threw his voice across the courtyard, toward where Ilpa was chatting with a group of students.
"Hey! Professor, I saw Kalortah!!! He's hiding behind a pillar!"
Before Kalortah could swipe or otherwise retaliate against this betrayal, Ibudo giggled. The little insect hopping off his shoulder to the ground. Ibudo then slipped behind a gap between a column and the wall, out of reach.
Kalortah saw Ilpa approaching from the side stairway, her face brightening when she saw him.
"I'll teach you Ibudo..." Kal muttered, as his professor cornered him. Yet he put on his best smile, determined not to give her the satisfaction of having him on the backfoot.
