Ancestors of the Lost Heroes: Journey in Another World

Confusion ripples through Alex's mind as he realizes Han's sudden appearance beside him, wondering how he hadn't heard the other student approach during his deep concentration.

"Sorry, was thinking a little too hard. Name's Alex," he says, extending his hand to meet Han's offered greeting.

'Rough,' Alex notes mentally as their hands connect, feeling calluses that speak of countless hours of manual labor, like someone who's spent their life working the fields.

"So I've been seeing you hang around Max and such. You guys know each other before coming here or something?" Han asks, settling comfortably in his seat.

"Something like that," Alex replies cautiously, studying Han's expression. "How do you know Max?"

"I was in the same group as him for the test, and well, it's kind of hard not to notice him since he's so big and throws one hell of a punch." Han chuckles, clearly impressed by Max's physical prowess. "The way he hits is ridiculous."

"Yeah, he's always been a bit of a muscle head," Alex says, glancing around the room where about ten students have now gathered. "But sorry to cut into our conversation—do you know where the professor is? I don't see any adult figures around."

Han joins Alex in scanning the room, his brow furrowing with uncertainty. "No, now that you mention it, I haven't seen the professor. Class was supposed to start like five minutes ago, I think." He turns to his emblem, calling out, "Yo Ashley, wasn't class supposed to start already?"

His OSAI materializes—a feminine, robotic figure whose metallic form shimmers in the ambient light. "Yes, class was scheduled to begin seven minutes ago. The professor should have started by now." Her mechanical voice carries a hint of amusement as she adds, "Though you can ask her yourself."

"What do you mean by that, Ashley?" Han asks, confusion evident in his voice.

Ashley's robotic finger extends toward the solitary student Alex had noticed earlier—the one absorbed in sheet music with earbuds in.

"Huh." Alex can't help but be surprised at Ashley's revelation.

"Wait, you're telling me she's the professor?" Alex says, disbelief coloring his words.

As if sensing their discussion, the supposed professor turns around, pulling out her earbuds. Her youthful appearance makes her title all the more striking.

"Oh my, I must have lost track of time! Look at all these students!" The short, young-looking girl exclaims, gracefully rising from her seat and bouncing onto the stage with natural enthusiasm.

Stepping onto the stage, the professor appears in a delicate yellow dress. She waddles to center stage, surveying the crowd of students gathered before her.

Placing both hands on her hips, she addresses the class with enthusiasm. "Hello students! I am so excited to have you all here today! My name is Miss Donna, or you can call me Professor Donna - whichever you prefer!" Her smile radiates warmth as she speaks.

"I apologize for not noticing you when you walked in - I was listening to a new album by this underground artist called Kendrick. Very interesting stuff, I must say, quite different from what we teach here. Our arts have been refined over eons, while his represents something new and upcoming, adding fresh dimensions to the artistic world! Oh, I just love seeing people venture out and work on new forms of art - it adds so much richness to our world!"

Donna, evidently a passionate soul, continues discussing the album for over five minutes, expounding on its lyrical masterpieces. "And the double entendres - the album is simply filled with them, absolutely brilliant. Oh my, I've gotten rather sidetracked, haven't I? Now, where was I? Ah yes - welcome to Piano 101! I'm your teacher, Donna, and in this class, I'll teach you everything about playing the piano. From reading music sheets to understanding octaves and tempo, you'll learn it all here."

Listening to the professor's enthusiastic rambling, both Alex and Han exchange bewildered glances, clearly confused by the spectacle unfolding before them.

'How can someone this scattered be a professor?' Alex wonders, watching Donna's chaotic yet somehow endearing performance with a mix of disbelief and fascination.

"Now, since this is your first class, we simply must break the ice!" Donna announces with characteristic exuberance. She dashes across the stage, disappearing briefly behind the curtains only to emerge moments later, her arms laden with rolls of parchment.

"On these pages," she explains, holding up the scrolls with theatrical flair, "you'll share various facts about yourself, your knowledge of piano and music in general, and most importantly - why you chose this class!"

With an elegant flourish, Donna tosses the parchments into the air. Then, pursing her lips, she releases a soft, melodious whistle - its gentle tune carrying an unmistakable hint of magic. The papers respond to her musical command, floating down to each student with graceful precision, as if choreographed by an invisible conductor.

'Wow,' Alex thought, marveling at the different applications of magic possible in music. Following Alfred's earlier whispered instructions during the five-minute lecture about class supplies, he retrieved a pen from beneath his seat.

Carefully gripping the parchment, Alex began writing with meticulous attention. He described his longstanding appreciation for music, explaining how his family's frequent moves had prevented him from pursuing formal training. Now, with a decade stretching before him at the Academy, he finally had the chance to learn. With complete honesty, he noted his total lack of musical experience beyond simple appreciation, acknowledging this would be quite the learning journey.

After completing his page, Alex discreetly glanced over at Han's writing, curious to learn more about his new classmate. His transformed eyes caught something intriguing - Han's paper lacked a family name. This discovery eased some of Alex's tension, suggesting Han's friendly overture might be genuine rather than politically motivated.

Reading further, Alex learned that despite Han's apparent vocal talents, he shared Alex's inexperience with musical instruments. According to Han's writing, his parents, recognizing their son's natural singing ability, had encouraged him to expand his musical horizons at the Academy.

"I see you don't have experience with musical instruments either, huh?" Alex ventured, encouraged by the possibility that Han's interest might be genuine.

"Yeah, my mam and pops couldn't afford to send me to classes," Han replied, a warm smile crossing his face as he thought of his parents. "They were too busy making ends meet with the restaurant. But they always said if I got the chance, I should take the opportunity to learn. And well, since I already love music, I don't see the harm."

"How about yourself? What did you write?" Han asked, turning his attention to Alex's parchment.

"Um, well, it's actually pretty similar to your situation," Alex responded, his transformed eyes glancing back at his own writing. "I don't have any prior knowledge when it comes to music, but I've always wanted to learn. So why not here, you know?"

"Oh, I'm so glad someone else is in the same boat!" Han's relief was palpable in his voice. "I was worried I'd be the only one who didn't know how to play."

"Yeah, me too," Alex replied, shifting his attention to the professor to see if any other tasks awaited them.

As if on cue, Miss Donna addressed the class, her melodic voice carrying through the chamber. "Oh, and please bring up your parchments when you've finished writing. I'd like to read them over later to better understand each of you."

Alex and Han then rose in unison hearing Donna. Making their way down the tiered steps toward the front of the classroom. As Alex approached Miss Donna, he extends his parchment, watching as she accepted it with graceful fingers. Her eyes skimmed the contents, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"I've heard a few things about you, Alex," she said warmly. "I hope you'll enjoy my class."

'So either Merlin or Bain has been talking about us,' Alex mused, his transformed eyes noting the hint of recognition in her expression. 'I wonder if all our teachers received similar briefings about our origins.' Despite his internal speculation, he maintained a polite exterior. "I'm sure I will, Miss Donna," he responded with genuine enthusiasm.

Han watched the peculiar exchange with a sideways glance, his expression silently questioning what he'd just witnessed. Alex caught the look but chose to ignore it, making his way back through the rows of seats. As he walked, he noticed the classroom's demographic skewed notably female, an observation that tickled at the edge of his consciousness.

Settling back into his seat, Alex observed the procession of students submitting their parchments. Han soon rejoined him, his curiosity evidently burning.

"So what's this about Donna hearing about you?" Han asked, his tone carrying genuine puzzlement. The unspoken question hung in the air - why would a seemingly ordinary commoner like Alex draw the attention of their instructor?

Alex suppressed a sigh, carefully masking his internal debate. 'I hate lying,' he thought, 'but we agreed on our cover stories back in the dorm. Han obviously can't know the truth.'

"Well," Alex began, choosing his words with deliberate care, "when I awakened my bloodline, there were some... complications. Made quite a mess, actually. Word got around to some of the faculty - though I didn't expect it to reach as far as the music department." He delivered the explanation with casual nonchalance, letting the partial truth mask the deeper reality beneath.

"Oh, that makes sense," Han replied, his curiosity seemingly satisfied.

With all students' papers collected, Miss Donna addressed the class with graceful authority. "Now that I have everyone's introductions, I'd like to demonstrate the level of mastery you might achieve by semester's end."

She glided to the piano, settling onto the bench with practiced ease. "When playing piano, you'll discover that once you master the basics, the possibilities become endless. Music transcends rigid definitions of good or bad - it's subjective, personal." Her eyes sparkled with passion as she continued, "There can be any flair you desire. For example..."

Her fingers struck a high-pitched chord, its sharp clarity piercing the air with almost uncomfortable precision. "That alone might sound jarring, perhaps even unpleasant to the ear. However, when woven into a piece..."

Her hands danced across the keys, transforming the harsh note into something ethereal. A gentle melody emerged, light and calming, painting an auditory picture of freedom. The music lifted the listeners' spirits skyward, like a bird soaring through celestial heights. As the composition reached its apex, the imagery shifted - the bird hovering above cloud-tops, surveying the vast world below, before plunging into an exhilarating dive. The high-pitched notes, once discordant, now perfectly captured a dove's graceful descent through the atmosphere.

The melody resonated through the classroom, each note touching something deep within the students' souls.

"A true musician," Miss Donna concluded, a serene smile gracing her features, "can transform the seemingly unworthy into something magnificent. That's what I hope to instill in each of you - the ability to create beauty that serves a greater purpose."