Chapter 9: The Scholar of Irda


And with that Blu has completed training and is ready to start his adventuring across Avalon, almost. First and foremost, our hero insists he sees his family since separating from them for training. Blu bids farewell to his trainer and returns to the main hall of the trainer grounds where he last saw Jewel and his children. It's been days since Blu has seen Jewel or his children and he's eager to see how much they've grown since then. Strength wise of course. But in this realm, Blu worries that it may be possible to alter the ages of everyone. He'll worry about that if those bridges are crossed. Not long after Blu stepped foot into the hall, a young swallow boy approached Blu with a letter in hand. The boy stated the note is from Bia and takes his leave after making his delivery. Curious, Blu opens the letter to hear what Bia has to say.

"Mom and the rest of us went to visit Mimi at the inn. We'll meet at the Northside's shopping district in one hour. Sincerely, Bia Gunderson."

There was nothing else written for him to read. A drawn arrow pointing to the back of the paper did caught Blu's attention to what else Bia left him. Blu turned the letter over to find a rough sketch of the town's layout with a red circle drawn on the north side of the makeshift map. One hour, it gave Blu an idea on what he can do before he meets his family at the shops. Before taking his leave from the Protectors' Training Halls, Rico insisted for him to go see the town's scholar to learn more about his talent art, the Scan Scope. According to Rico, the scholar's vast knowledge of Avalon and its inhabitants can be a real help for adventurers with the Scan Scope ability. Blu didn't see any reason to not visit this scholar as he too is interested in learning more about Avalon. That in mind, Blu gathers his belongings and heads on over to Central Irda where the scholar is said to have his base of operations set up.

It didn't take Blu a long time to find the scholar's location. Right in the heart of Irda, a single large house decorated by a vast variety of different plants and flowers stood out from the rest of the buildings. While the building is beautiful, something felt off about the location in Blu's eyes. The plants surrounding the area seem to grow out of control as several vines and branches choked the building from out of the estate's premises in all sorts of directions. It was as though the place was abandoned and left to wither. Blu pushed aside the idea and went pass the ivy infested gates toward the house in hopes he can meet this scholar and leave as soon as possible. The front door, decorated in the finest trimmings of paint and wood, only to be lost in a vast sea of vegetation slowly opened to Blu's presence, with nobody on the other side to greet minus a ghostly voice shouting "Come inside young adventurer."

Every internal alarm wanted Blu to turn back. The choice was obvious but unfortunately not plausible as one of the vines overlapping the front door's frame came to life. Blu turned to retreat away from the vine and bumped into a solid wall. It dawned to him that the wall he ran into was in fact the living vine, shaping itself into a makeshift barrier to halt Blu, trapping him. Blu couldn't react quick enough to evade the hostile plant and watch his leg get wrapped by the vines before getting dragged into the house. The door slams shut behind Blu, shutting away all light from the outside world. The darkness didn't last as a few candles and torches came to life and illuminated the large house. The candles barely help Blu's poor vision in the dimly lit hall. But the pressing matter above the poor lighting is the fact a plant came to life and pulled Blu inside the derelict house. Monsters and killer plants, a great combination in Avalon.

"Ah I'm terribly sorry for that!" a voice cried out from the darkness. Not to long after the voice called out to Blu, the entire house brightened up, blinding Blu momentarily before he adjusted to his new surroundings. The interior of the house is surprisingly well kept and beautiful compared to the vegetation infesting the outside. Natural light flooded inside the building, revealing to Blu the owner of the voice that called out to him: a male Green Parrot-like anthropomorphic creature garbed in robes of the finest silk and donning an expensive pair of spectacles. The bird-man stood not too far away from Blu with a rather large stack books in his wings as he rushes over to greet his guest. He made his way towards Blu while struggling to keep balance of the numerous books in his wings until he eventually stumbles down and spills all the text across the floor. Blu steps in to aid the strange bird before reaching out to help him with the other books he was carrying. In short time, the strange parrot got his bearings and books in order with the help of Blu.

"I appreciate the help kind stranger!" the parrot replied after setting his stack of books on a nearby coffee table. Blu followed suit and stacked the other pile beside the ones the parrot set down. The new face didn't remind Blu of any of his friends and family. As he recalled, this world has a knack to portray his friends and families in the role of some character in this mystical land. This stranger on the other hand didn't ring any bells to anyone Blu has seen before. That is, when he started talking Blu began piece together who this Parrot reminded him of.

"Don't mention it sir." Blu replied for aiding the robed Parrot. "Forgive my intrusion, but you wouldn't happen to be-" Blu started before the parrot replied:

"Yes, I'm Irda's Scholar and researcher of Avalon Tulio Montiero, at your service."

Tulio. Blu couldn't help but laugh to himself on Avalon's way of portraying each character he comes across. Whether it's a running joke or not, it brings a smile to Blu to be reminded of Tulio's presence. This representation of Tulio is quite spot on to Blu. He recalls his first encounter with the experienced veterinarian being very similar to how he's meeting this parrot, surrounded by books while Tulio clumsily bumps into everything. This time around, Linda isn't nearby which got Blu wondering on how Linda is going to be portrayed in Avalon.

"Pardon me, is there something I can do for you sir?" the parrot representing Tulio asked Blu.

"Oh, yes, sorry about that. Just thinking about something." Blu said, shaking away his current thoughts. "Wait, I was meaning to ask you this sooner, the plants outside! They're alive! The vines pulled me in! Isn't that-"

"Dangerous?" Tulio finished for Blu. "Fear not my friend, the plant is but a friend of mine. In truth, the plants are the house itself, a living organism that I'm created based on my studies from the Yatorl's Ecosystem in the West Region. I once again apologize to Yggra's rudeness. She means you no harm."

A living house. Really that's something out of a fairy tale. And all things considered that Blu finds himself in a fairy tale. But what Tulio says is true as the house started to rumble before calming down. It was as if it trying to speak to him. Not a moment later, a group of vines started to coil into a small mass before shaping into what looked like a small dining room table. The makeshift table held a tray with two cups of hot liquid. The aroma emitting from the cups reminded Blu of the smell of tea. His guess was spot on as Tulio took hold of both cups and offered the other to Blu.

"Thank you for the tea Yggra." Tulio said to the table. The vines dispersed into their original state before coiling away from sight through the crevices of the floor boards.

"Cream and sugar?"

"Yes please, thank you kindly."

"Of course." Tulio replied after handing Blu his beverage. "Anyway, I take it you're here to learn more about your Art, the Scan Scope?"

"How did you-"

"Know?" Tulio interrupted Blu. "Guildmaster Eduardo informed me of your plight while you were training. I have to say, quite a lot to take in my friend?"

"You and me both Mr. Montiero."

"Ah please Tulio is fine. Now to answer your question about your Talent Art. All current adventurers with the Protector title are so to speak linked to me. Whatever your Scan Scope picks up anything regarding to any foe, creature, plant, material. et cetera, all information you see is relayed from my library to your scope. I recently cast a spell to bind my books and research documents to any protector or adventurer with the Scan Scope Art for the following two things, assisting adventurers and continuing to expand my knowledge about Avalon should you chance come across any new creature, resource, and so forth. So in short, I provide intel for your journey while you collect it for me."

"Goodness, that seems quite a difficult task."

"Not at all my friend. You and the other adventurers are doing the grueling part of my research. In fact, it is I who should thank you. Which brings me to another point I would like to share. Should you obtain any new entries on whatever the scan scope can't answer, I'll reward you with either gold or an item from my collection. It is the least I can do."

"Huh, I suppose that covers our troubles for your research. Anyway, I think I got all I need about my Talent Art. Thanks for tea and information Tulio. I'll be on the lookout for entries for your research."

"Always a pleasure Blu. Don't hesitate to return if you have any further questions."

Truth be told, Blu has plenty to ask Tulio about Avalon and its vast mysteries. The questions will have to wait for Blu needs to catch up with his family in North Irda. A farewell later to Tulio later Blu exits the Scholar's home and hurries towards the north side of town. Back in the North Distract, Blu scans the area for the store Bia mentioned in her letter from earlier. After following the directions of the map Bia drew on the note, Blu eventually locates the store his family is in and enters a shop titled: "Wears of War and Lore. Irda's Best Armor Shop."

"Armor, good thinking Bia. We're going to need protection for our journey."

The interior of the shop is far more glamorous than Blu thought for an armor shop. The first thing that caught Blu's attention is a bright and extravagant chandelier that lit the entire store in a comforting hue of yellow and orange. The front desk is trimmed in the finest stone and draped with what looked like fabric made entirely of gems and rubies, expensive to say the least. The shelves on both sides of the store held several manikins wearing all sorts of adventuring clothing and armor sets for purchase. Bordering the shelves, more gems and rubies like the fabric on the front desk.

"Whew." Blu whistled in awe of the store's interior decor. "This shop owner has expensive taste."

"But don't let it fool you my dear customer, for my prices are reasonable, enough." A voice said from the desk of the store. Behind the counter, a creature emerges slowly with its wings wrapped around its body before unveiling himself in a cloud of gold dust, choking Blu momentarily from the flashy entrance. Brushing his eyes and beak from the dust, Blu spots what looks like an employee of the store. Upon a closer look, Blu felt his beak drop further than the earth's core upon recognizing the bird behind the desk.

"Welcome to Wears of War and Lore, Armor and Clothing Extravaganza!" The employee shouted happily. "Are we going to make a purchase today? Or we're doing a return? And please don't let it be the latter. It would KILL me to redo inventory. Oh? You look like a new face around my part of the world? What's your name?"

"Oh Cheese and Sprinkles."

"A rather interesting name Love. Some call me the Guru of Greatness, the Fashionista of Fabulous. But my sweet, I wish to be addressed by my birth name: Nigel."


A/N: And that concludes Chapter 9. Thanks for waiting and I'll try to get 10 underway as soon as possible. With that, take care and stay awesome.- Poshil