The Spider Queen

Chapter 127: The Sanctuary

(Hydra Star System- Planet Eleron – Zrudread Main Campus)

“Now as you can see on your left-hand side are the practice arenas where students can fight the different beasts raised by the school.”

A Mendolesa boy wearing a white battle suit continued to point out the different facilities on the campus while a group of students followed him with great enthusiasm. 

Sophie and Cleo were currently attending a freshman orientation session where senior students would guide the newcomers and show them around.

The training camp had ended, and the students were given a night to relax before a spaceship sent them down to the planet below the next morning.

They were then separated into groups of five and would familiarise themselves with the layout of the campus and some of the important facilities. 

This would be an all-day affair which allowed the cleaning staff to sanitise the new dorm rooms for the incoming students.

Sophie held Cleo’s hand as she struggled not to show the excitement on her face. 

Everything was just so thrilling!

Planet Eleron was a beautiful planet entirely terraformed to the specifications of the Zrudread University’s esteemed founders.

Various climates, biomes, and environments from dense tropical jungles to a frozen arctic tundra were created to give students combat experience in different situations. 

First years were restricted from traveling outside of the central city, but it was still a huge area that encompassed over five thousand square kilometers. 

“Cleo, I heard that elite students are given their own mansion,” Sophie whispered quietly.

“Yeah but I’ll just live with you,” was the immediate reply from her girlfriend.

“Excuse me! Stop talking you two in the back!” came the irritated voice of their guide.

“Sorry senior,” Sophie apologised sincerely as she resumed listening with a guilty expression.

The air was unusually fresh and pure as the Mendolesa race had a distinct trait that set them apart from other interstellar races.

They rarely used advanced technology when constructing their settlements.

Sophie noticed that the buildings were constructed out of simple materials and the city more resembled a village than a major metropolis.

Houses were spaced far apart from one another with each having a small garden where fruit trees and flowers were grown.

In addition, there were numerous special zones such as a magic tower, zoo, mech repair shop and star hanger where classes would be held. 

The residents of the central city were the relatives of students, facility members and other workers who helped with the day to day operations of the university.

Astrid was staying with her three younger siblings in a family unit, so she decided to not go on the orientation tour and just spend some time with them. 

Qiana had also volunteered to keep her company and Sophie had accidently seen her frantically searching on the virtual net for gifts to give to young kids.

She really wanted to leave Astrid’s family with a good impression of her.

Bleep! Bleep!

The senior guiding them suddenly stopped and checked his communicator as an incoming notification arrived.

Sophie noticed that his eyes widened in shock and his hands trembled slightly while he read the line of text.

“Alright that is it for today. I have an emergency that just came up so I will send the map to your wristbands and you can go explore for yourselves,” the senior hurriedly spoke and then left.

A few minutes passed before a detailed map of the central city was sent to the wristbands of the students along with some personal notes that added some extra detail.

“Hmmm where do you want to go next?” Cleo asked. 

There was still quite some time before the dorms opened up, so she was still eager to explore.

“I think we can pick up Moon at the Sanctuary and then get some lunch at one of the restaurants nearby,” Sophie replied.

Her original plan was to pick up her little frostwing bat in the afternoon, but it looks like she would be seeing him much earlier.

The duo left the rest of the group who were also now going in separate directions as they headed for the Sanctuary.

Sophie still could not get over how weird it was to be walking through a city of mostly Mendolesa warriors.

Sure, you could see the odd Servie flying around or a small group of humans talking cheerfully to each other, but tall muscular wolf-like humanoids made up the crowd.

“Young lady would you like to buy a charm?” came a mature sounding voice.

Sophie slowed down as she spotted a kind looking Mendolesa elder setting up a stall with one type of product.

It was a simple wooden stall with the merchandise placed on top of silky sheets to display to potential customers.

Cleo noticed that her girlfriend seemed fascinated by the goods on display, so with a doting sigh she followed Sophie to the stall.

“I have the finest paper charms that will bring you young folk great wealth, prosperity, love and happiness!” the merchant boasted as she gestured at the rows of talismans.

Each talisman was made from a greenish paper and various symbols that signified different qualities were drawn on their backs. 

“Can I get one charm for luck for myself and one charm for happiness,” Sophie smiled as she talked to the elderly lady.

“No problem. That will be four hundred Enas,” said the lady as she handed Sophie two paper charms.

Sophie was not a firm believer in fate or luck, and it was pretty unlikely that these charms would change her life.

But they were a great souvenir.

“Here you go,” Sophie placed the talisman of happiness in Cleo’s hands and waved goodbye to the Mendolesa elder.

“Thank you,” Cleo blushed slightly as she received the gift.

Sophie sent the money to the seller’s communicator device as the pair walked away. 

In a good mood, the girls strolled casually around for about thirty more minutes as they took in the sights and sounds of the city.

They finally arrived at one of the special zones of the city nicknamed ‘The Zoo.’

This was where the beast companion cultivators would do most of their training and where the larger pets were kept. 

There were battle arenas, veterinary clinics, hatcheries, and a large expanse of land with different environments where students could drop off their combat pets.

This large area was covered by an enormous force field to make sure that the flying pets were unable to escape and there was only one entry and exit leading out of the Sanctuary.

Surprisingly for an environment where a lot of animals were kept, the air was still relatively pleasant smelling.

Air freshener and filtering devices were placed at numerous locations at regular intervals to make sure that the stench was bearable. 

Sophie and Cleo scanned their student ID cards on a scanner nearby and a small ripple appeared in the forcefield just wide enough to allow them entry.

“Wow,” Sophie exclaimed in surprise as she wandered inside. 

She thought that the Emperios Interstellar Beasts pet store had a variety of animals, but it was clear that their animals were just a small drop in the ocean of different combat pets.

Tall green giants with small mouths, large noses and horned feet were lazily taking naps on the ground while their handlers gave them massages. 

Aquatic type combat beasts were merrily swimming in a large pool of water and jumping into the air to catch the food thrown into their enclosure.

Swoop!

A dark shadow passed over Sophie’s head and she glanced upwards to see what appeared to be an enormous dragon-like reptile majestically soaring through the air.

The workers in the Sanctuary seemed to be very professional and each went about their tasks with meticulous care.

The quiet peace and tranquility was shattered by some loud voices coming from the distance.

“How is it possible for him to have escaped his cage twenty times?!”

“Someone catch him before he makes another mess!”

“He broke into the storeroom and somehow ate two months worth of food!”

“Seems like a naughty beast is misbehaving,” Cleo smirked as she listened carefully.

“Hmm I blame the owner for that type of behaviour,” Sophie said self righteously.

“It is the responsibility of the cultivator to make sure that their pet is fully trained and learns the right behaviour.” 

“Whoever is the owner of that troublesome pet should be ashamed of themselves!”

The voices gradually got louder and louder as Sophie noticed that they appeared to be getting closer.

She was just about to tell Cleo that they should move when she heard an oddly familiar sound.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

Mommy! Mommy! 

I smell Mommy!

A small light blue bundle of fur crashed into Sophie’s arms with a joyfully squeak. 

Sophie looked down to discover that the troublemaking pet she was berating….

Was her own.

“Why am I not surprised?” Sophie smiled indulgently as she gently nuzzled Moon against her cheek.

“Um… what was that about poor behaviour being the owner’s fault?” Cleo teased.

She made a mental note to never let Sophie be in charge of discipling their future child.