Chapter 85 – Excellence Camp – Outcast XIII

Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 30th of Brightforge, year 315 UC

Octavius Reinhart remained seated behind his desk after Bryan's departure, his fingers drumming a slow rhythm against the surface. The afternoon light streaming through the tall windows caught the amber liquid in his glass.

'Interesting.'

He mused, taking a sip of his drink. The whiskey burned pleasantly as it went down, a familiar comfort after decades of difficult conversations and necessary compromises.

Bryan's psychological fracture had been both more severe and more useful than anticipated. Two dead students could be managed, covered up, transformed into acceptable casualties. A blood mage driven to the edge of sanity by his own power? That was a weapon begging to be wielded.

The sound of approaching footsteps in the corridor drew his attention. Measured, confident strides that could only belong to one person. Octavius straightened in his chair, adjusting the cuffs of his jacket as he prepared for the next phase of damage control.

A knock echoed through the office.

"Enter."

Octavius commanded, setting down his glass and folding his hands before him.

Gloria Reinhart pushed open the door, her long brown hair flowing behind her as she strode into the office.

"Uncle."

She acknowledged with a slight nod, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Octavius studied his niece as she approached the desk. Gloria had always been his most reliable asset—ruthless when necessary, pragmatic in all things, and utterly loyal to the family's interests. She possessed none of the sentimental weaknesses that had plagued her cousin Rashaka, none of the desperate need for approval that had made Emilia so easily manipulated.

'Perfect tool for the task at hand.'

"Speak."

Octavius said simply.

Gloria remained standing, her hands clasped behind her back in a military posture that never quite left her even in private family meetings.

"The scene has been secured and documented. I've had the bodies removed to the academy's medical facility, pending family notification."

Her tone was matter-of-fact.

"The survivors have been stabilized. Ms. Rigof required extensive healing to repair the facial damage—the cut went deep, but avoided major vessels. Ms. Heartland's injuries were more severe. The abdominal wound punctured her stomach and nicked an artery. She lost significant blood before receiving treatment."

Octavius nodded. Both girls would recover. Their survival was crucial for the next phase of his plan.

"What do you plan on doing with the boy?"

Gloria asked.

"Nothing that needs be your concern."

Octavius replied, reaching for a different folder from the collection on his desk. His fingers traced the edge of the leather binding as he considered his options.

"Did you find anything?"

He asked.

Gloria's posture shifted slightly, a tell that indicated she was about to deliver information he wouldn't like.

"No. There are traces, but I believe it has fled."

'So the boy wasn't completely delusional.'

Octavius thought, processing the implications. Gloria's magical sensitivity was exceptional—if she detected traces of something inhuman at the scene, then Bryan's hallucinations had been a genuine encounter.

"So, not all in his head then. That's good."

He said. A completely psychotic break would have been harder to weaponize than one grounded in actual threat.

"Is it?"

Gloria's tone carried subtle challenge, her head tilting slightly as she regarded him.

"Because whatever this thing was, it slipped past everyone, including you, unnoticed. That's not something to take lightly."

'Careful, girl.'

Octavius thought. Gloria's military experience made her prone to viewing every situation through a tactical lens, but she sometimes forgot her place in challenging his judgment.

"Don't loop me in the same category as you all. I wasn't present."

He said, his voice carrying just enough edge to remind her of the hierarchy between them.

Gloria's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly—a flash of irritation quickly suppressed but not quite fast enough to escape his notice.

"Still, the council will have to be made aware of this matter. Write a full report on everything."

Octavius reached for his pen, beginning to make notes on a fresh sheet of paper.

"Including the deaths?"

Gloria asked.

Octavius paused in his writing.

"The king will need the actual events and timeline that they took place. The others in the council..."

He set down the pen, reaching for his glass again.

"Let them simmer."

Political maneuvering within the council was a delicate art. Let the lesser nobles wonder about the gaps in his reports. Their curiosity would keep them focused on court intrigue rather than the larger game being played.

"The Inquisition will bring up the death of their agent we dispatched. Should I prepare a gift to Kayle?"

Gloria's question carried undertones of amusement—she had always enjoyed the chess match aspects of inter-organizational politics.

Octavius waved his hand dismissively.

"He knows how this game goes, just pieces being shuffled around. He'll be more worried about his asset than some Inquisitor dying."

The nurse's death had been necessary—an unfortunate casualty of maintaining security. Kayle would posture and threaten, but ultimately he needed the academy's cooperation more than Octavius needed the Inquisition's approval.

"Besides, there are more pressing matters than the small schemes of what's going on here in this corner of the kingdom. Did you collect the blood sample?"

'The real question.'

Octavius thought. Whatever creature had been present during Bryan's breakdown represented either an opportunity or a threat—possibly both.

"Yes, it's already been sent to our lab. Early reports show that it's not human, not even a creature in our database."

Gloria's confirmation brought a slight smile to Octavius's lips.

"Foreign then."

He concluded, making additional notes on his paper.

"Our best assumption at present."

Gloria agreed.

Octavius set down his pen, steepling his fingers as he considered the implications. Foreign creatures appearing in a controlled environment suggested either a breach in security or intentional introduction. Neither possibility was comforting.

"So, either the deep caverns are producing new creatures or ones we haven't discovered yet. Or, it came from across the sea, from Elthur."

The memory of Rashaka's expedition into those same caverns fifteen years ago surfaced unbidden. She had returned changed, pregnant with something that defied explanation. Her disgrace had been a necessary sacrifice to protect the family name, but the questions raised by her condition had never been fully answered.

'Too many coincidences.'

He thought.

"Keep looking into it. For now I need to have a word with Ms. Rigof and Ms. Heartland."

The surviving witnesses needed to be managed before they could share their version of events. Young minds were impressionable, traumatized minds even more so

"I see."

Gloria's tone suggested she understood the nature of the task ahead.

"I shall see to it that they appear before you."

"No need, they should already be on their way."

Octavius had sent word hours ago, summoning both girls to his office under the pretext of providing counseling after their traumatic experience.

"I need you to send word to Emilia. Her presence is required here, unless... you think you have a hold on the situation."

The mention of his bastard daughter's name caused Gloria's expression to sour slightly. The two women had never gotten along, their mutual antipathy dating back to childhood rivalries and competing claims on family resources.

"I don't do delicate."

Gloria replied, her voice carrying hints of distaste at the prospect of managing emotional survivors.

Her strengths lay in direct confrontation and application of force. The psychological manipulation required to properly handle traumatized teenagers was outside her preferred skill set.

"Right. Then send word to her. I guess this could be considered her reward for reuniting me with my grandson."

Octavius allowed himself a small smile at the irony. Emilia's years of protecting Bryan from a distance had unknowingly delivered him directly into Octavius's hands.

'She'll be devastated when she learns the truth.'

The thought brought him considerable satisfaction.

"Dismissed."

He said, turning his attention back to the papers on his desk.

Gloria departed, leaving Octavius alone with his thoughts and plans.

Octavius reached for a different document, one bearing the seal of the kingdom's medical board. The suppressor's specifications were outlined in precise technical language, describing a device that would limit Bryan's magical output while allowing monitoring of his emotional and psychological state.

'Perfect for our needs.'

The boy's blood magic was too valuable to eliminate entirely. The suppressor would provide the ideal balance—keeping him functional while ensuring absolute compliance.

A soft knock interrupted his planning. Octavius glanced at the clock on his wall, noting the time.

"Enter."

He called.

The door opened to reveal two figures. Sabrina Rigof stood with military bearing despite the white bandages covering half her face. Beside her, Farrah Heartland leaned heavily on a walking stick.

Both girls looked fragile.

'Time to begin the real work.'

Octavius thought.

Dealing with Bryan was the easy part. Now this, this was just him having fun.

He’d wrap them so far around his finger that they wouldn’t even dare to utter the words Veiled Forest without his permission.

He smiled at that.

‘Oh, this is going to be so much fun.’

The game was far from over—in many ways, it was just beginning.