Mysteries of Aurora - The Manuscript Part 6

 

Janara and Olivia were looking at the information on the remaining manuscripts. “Most of these are from the same era,” Janara said.

 

Olivia togged the audio function on the catalogue terminal.

 

“…These manuscripts date from a time when Aurora hadn’t yet expanded to the entire island.”

 

“We’re going to need someone who studies the period,” she commented.

 

“They shouldn’t be hard to find,” Talia said.

 

“Then I’ll go and find someone,” Olivia said.

 

 

Freya and Alexia returned after Olivia left.

 

“You found something?” Janara asked.

 

Freya nodded enthusiastically and showed her the rune in the book.

 

“I don’t read Auroric.”

 

“Oops,” Freya said.

 

“This is the Auroran version,” Alexia said as she showed her the page on the other copy.

 

“…Said to provide protection,” she murmured. “It kind of reminds me of some of the lore in some of the RPGs I play.”

 

“Which would those be?” Alexia asked.

 

“There are a few,” Janara said. “Mostly Quests of Alanara. It was developed here in Aurora.”

 

“I might have heard of it,” Freya said.

 

“Same here, put in passing,” Alexia added.

 

“There should be a game book, in one of the more modern sections,” Janara said.

 

“Back to the Information Science Section then,” Freya said.

 

“They may be near the Computer Science Section,” Janara mused.

 

“I’ll go to the Information Science Section,” Freya said.

 

“Aren’t we being distracted?” Talia asked.

 

“Maybe,” Janara admitted.

 

“Not really,” Freya answered. “This is how I work things out; by using tangents.”

 

“I suppose so,” Talia said.

 

“Come on,” Freya said as she twirled around.

 

Talia rolled her eyes.

 

“I’ll go with her this time,” Janara said.

 

 

“So, what does that say?” Janara said as the left the Ancient Section into the Late Roman Section.

 

“It’s the same as the Auroran version,” Freya answered.

 

“I guess so, but sometimes I listen to Auroric songs as I game.”

 

“I’ll read it and translate it.”

 

“And your translation will be different,” Janara said.

 

“That’s obvious.”

 

“I’d like to hear it.”

 

“Sure,” Freya said. She opened the book again as she walked. “The rune was used as protection in the pagan traditions brought by the Viking settlers in northeastern Aurora…”

 

 

They soon came to the Information Science Section.

 

Freya flipped open one of the Library catalogues. “Game Design… In the Post-Modern Section.”

 

“On the other side of the Grand Atrium from here,” Janara commented.

 

“That’s good,” Freya commented as she flipped a page. “Looks like it’s near the back.”

 

“Next to the information on board games. That makes sense.”

 

 

Only several other students were in the Game Design area as they entered.

 

“The games should be listed by genre,” Janara said.

 

“You said it was Real Time Strategy?” Freya asked.

 

“One with RPG elements.”

 

“Then we’ll start with the Real Time Strategy.”

 

 

The RTS books were arranged on a middle shelf between Turn Based Strategy and Platformers

 

“Here it is,” Janara said.

 

“Quests of Alanara game guide, Auroran edition,” Freya said with slight disappointment. She had wanted to find the Auroric edition.

 

Janara grabbed it. “Lore…” she murmured as she turned to the index.

 

Freya continued looking for the Auroric version.

 

“Here it is.”

 

“A rune of protection,” Janara said. “There are many such runes.”

 

“It’ll go quicker with both books.”

 

“Sure.”

 

 

Olivia wandered through the History Department. The faculty offices were all over the place and the signs were often not in a font she could read, so she had to rely on the online directory. “Up on the third floor. Why?” It was one disadvantage of the University being so old.

 

 

She eventually found the office she was looking for. “Professor Hrafsson?” she asked.

 

Professor Harald Hraffson responded. “Who is it?” he asked as he stood from his desk.

 

“Olivia Marcus. I’m a first-year student.”

 

“Why are you here?”

 

 

Oliva finished explaining about the missing manuscript and what Freya had found.

 

“I am not an in expert in the Mid-Ancient Era or the Nordic Era, I’m afraid.”

 

“But you are an expert in the Late Inter Roman-Nordic Era, right?” Olivia asked.

 

“Yes. But what did this Freya find again?”

 

“That the outline of the university buildings from that time match a rune.”

 

“I can’t help you there,” Hraffson responded.

 

“But you were only one person I was looking for.”