Chapter 20

"Did you do anything exciting during your break?"

Krarshe looked over at Landry. He had been milling about the training room mindlessly as the elderly teacher sat quietly reading a book. While he was still scheduled to come to the training facility, Krarshe wasn't allowed to cast any spells because the stone floor and walls had been repaired in preparation for the exams this afternoon. It was nearly midday when Landry finally broke the silence with his question. "I went to a gala."

"Oh? That sounds fun," Landry said, his mustache raising slightly as his mouth curled into a smile beneath it.

"It was. Or, most of it was." Landry gave Krarshe an inquisitive look. "I'm not particularly good at handling nobles. Too prim and proper for me," Krarshe explained.

Landry nodded. "Speaking truthfully, I'm the same. I'd rather toil away in my office."

"I really hated the clothes I had to wear also. So stuffy. And all of the waitresses at the inn I stay at were making a big fuss about them."

Landry's eyebrows raised. "Oh?"

"Yeah. My regular waitress, a catfolk girl, was obsessed. Her excitement was... Well, it was kind of cute, honestly. Just a bit excessive."

"Catfolk can be like that. Especially if she's your regular server. They tend to get attached to people they spend a lot of time with. At least, that's what I've found in my years of experience," Landry said, his gaze distant as he mused to himself. "It's a remnant of their ancestry."

"Huh. I didn't know that," Krarshe said. He waited to see if Landry would add any more, but he didn't. "Did you partake in any festivities yourself?"

"Oh no, I was quite busy." Landry patted the large, leather-bound book in his lap. "Even without classes to teach, I had to go through my research findings and prepare them to present to the Council later. You students aren't the only ones under pressure this quarter-cycle."

"What is your research on?" Krarshe asked, less out of interest and more just trying to pass the time.

Landry smiled again. Without a word, he raised his thin hand and pointed a bony finger at Krarshe.

"Oh. Right. Maybe the recess was too long," Krarshe said with a laugh. "Do all of the professors do research?"

"All except Owyn. He's busy with the fledgling mages."

"What do they research?"

Landry shook his head. "That's a secret. While I may know generally what they're studying, I'm unaware of the details. Much like my research with you, I haven't shared my findings with any of them." He looked up towards the sun, shading his eyes from it with his hand. "They'll find out when the findings are presented to the Council." He stood up unsteadily, pushing off his knee with his free hand while the other clutched the book. "I'll guess it's just about time for the junior students' exam. You can run along to the store for now. I'll see you tomorrow. No, wait. The following day. I forgot today was our scheduled meeting day. Doesn't seem right without being covered in debris." He laughed his slow, drawn-out laugh.

Krarshe nodded. "I'll see you then." He made his way through the door and into the hall of the academy. On his way to the store, he passed the other teachers making their way to the training room. Each was carrying at least one book, though a couple carried two. Krarshe couldn't make out what they were talking about, but they seemed to talk quieter as they passed him. Owyn leered at him as he walked by. Krarshe still felt his scorn was unwarranted, but he'd just grown accustomed to it.

He decided to check in with his friends as he approached the classroom and maybe offer words of encouragement. It was never his strong suit, but probably better than nothing. As he peeked in, he was met with a room in disarray. Some students were in their seats, poring over their notes while others had their eyes closed and mumbling to themselves. A few were briskly pacing around the room silently, their minds clearly elsewhere. I guess they're more nervous than I thought.

Krarshe entered as quietly as he could and made his way towards Tibault and Bri. Tibault seemed to favor reviewing his notes and reciting the spells to himself. Bri was kneeling on the floor by the window, her palms pressed together similarly to the priest he'd visited after he got hurt. Neither one seemed to notice his entrance as he continued to watch them quietly. After a minute, he spoke up. "Good luck, you two."

Tibault jumped slightly before turning to him. "Curses! Don't startle me like that!" Tibault looked around a bit before returning to his notes. "When did you even get in here?"

"Just a moment ago," he said, looking over at Bri. She still hadn't moved. "You ready?"

"No. No way. I can barely cast spells during our practical training." Tibault rubbed his forehead as though trying to clear his doubts.

"Well, don't get too stressed out about it."

Tibault looked over at Krarshe again. He breathed deeply. "Well, thank you for the support."

"How long has she been like that?" Krarshe asked.

Tibault glanced over at Bri. "I don't know. Maybe since I started studying."

"Hmm..." Krarshe slid next to Bri. She was still as stone, her breathing slow and deliberate. He leaned in next to her ear and said, "Good luck, Bri."

She jumped more than Tibault had, stumbling back towards the bench as she swung her hand up to protect her ear. "Teva's mercy! Krarshe! Curses!"

Krarshe laughed. "Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to wish you good luck on the exam. Not that you'll need it."

Bri groaned. She put her hand on the bench and pulled herself to her feet. "Wish that was true. I honestly feel at this point that only Teva's guidance can get me through this."

"You don't need divine assistance. I said it the other day, and I'll keep saying it until you know it yourself. You're a great mage. Have confidence in yourself."

Bri looked away with sullen eyes and said, "Multiple attempts at this say otherwise..." She gazed across the room, watching the other students study before turning back to Krarshe. "... Thanks," she said with a weak smile.

"Bri. I mean it. If you don't pass, then it's impossible for anyone."

“Krarshe… You truly are awful at encouraging people."

“What? How?”

Bri rolled her eyes. “Think about what you just said, and then think about how long I’ve been here.”

"Do you two mind? I'm trying to study!" Tibault shouted at them.

"Tomas. To the exam area." Krarshe turned to see the heavier professor in the doorway. A boy jumped up from his bench before nervously making his way out of the door, following the teacher.

"What was that?"

"Exams are done in private, remember?" Bri said. "He's up first, I guess. At least he'll be done first too."

"Still unlucky," Tibault muttered, not looking up from his notes.

Krarshe watched Tibault study for a moment. "Well, I should probably leave you two to prepare. Again, best of luck."

"Thanks," Bri and Tibault both said in unison. Bri sat down and stared out the window as Krarshe had so many times, apparently not feeling the need to study.

"Fun, isn't it?" Krarshe said as he headed to the door.

"You know, it kind of is," Bri responded, slightly more cheer in her voice than before.

---

Krarshe wandered around the store, waiting for the end of the day. There was a senior student who had disappeared to the back room the moment he arrived, carrying a stack of books. When Krarshe had looked back there, the student seemed to be working on something feverishly, flipping through the books he'd scattered across the floor. With nothing else to do and no customers, Krarshe spent his idle time amidst the shelves of magical goods.

As he shuffled up and down the aisles, he tripped over a stack of boxes that had been left at the corner of the shelving, nearly falling to the floor. "Ow! Curse these damned boxes. Ugh." He tilted the top-most box and found it was actually light. Lifting the wooden lid, he saw it was empty. "Who leaves a bunch of empty boxes around?" Krarshe asked aloud to no one in particular, more due to embarrassment that he tripped over them than anything else. He crouched down and picked up the stack that was nearly as tall as him and started toward the back room before he was struck by an idea. He put the boxes down quietly and crept over to the side of the store. From there, he could see the senior student was still working on whatever assignment he was trying to finish, completely oblivious to the world around him.

Okay, Krarshe thought. Let's do it.

He grabbed the stack of boxes and headed out the front of the store, opening the door as quietly as he could. As he stepped out into the courtyard, he barely caught the door with his foot as it nearly swung closed. He eased it back into position and made his way around the back of the store.

He could hear the sounds of spell casts from over the wall as he approached. He set down the stack of boxes in the corner of the school building next to the training area wall as gently as possible. Jumping up a bit, he managed to grab on to the top of the box and hoisted himself up onto the stack. The boxes were a lot more narrow than he realized initially, leaving little room to maneuver as he tried to position himself on top of them. He steadied himself against the school's wall as he tried to stand up. The boxes shifted slightly as he reached a crouched position, causing him to brace himself against both walls and stop. He steadied himself and took a breath before slowly bringing himself to a full standing position.

Okay, hard part: done. He looked up. It was still out of reach at full height. Mmm... Maybe not. He wished he had a few more boxes, but that was out of the question at this point. He knew he had to jump but the thought of doing it on this flimsy tower made him nervous. Just one good jump. He crouched slightly before leaping and reaching for the top of the wall. The boxes shifted as he held his breath. Luckily, they stopped before falling over. He relaxed, knowing he avoided outing himself. Bracing himself against both walls with his feet, he inched his way higher, pulling himself up with his arms as he gained height. His feet slipped and scraped against the cold stone walls as he kept scrambling up them, eventually pulling himself up to rest on his elbows. From there, Krarshe pushed himself up as high as he could, swinging a foot onto the ledge before fully getting himself on top of the walls of the enclosure. That was WAY harder than I expected... he thought, taking a moment to catch his breath. He looked back to make sure no one saw him atop the wall before positioning himself so he could watch the exams while staying out of sight of those inside. It seemed he was just above the teachers, with a view of the center of the training area. It really was a perfect spot.

"That'll do," said a familiar voice from the base of the wall. "That concludes your exam. You're free to go home for the day."

Krarshe ducked down as he saw one of his classmates turn and bow in his direction and make his way out of the training area.

After the clang of the door closing sounded, he heard Landry's voice ask, "So, what did you think?"

"Seems promising. He could use a bit more practice, but I have high hopes," said a voice Krarshe had heard before, but couldn't identify.

"I have no doubt he'll perform admirably in time," said Professor Owyn. "For now, let him continue in my class."

"Agreed," said another unfamiliar voice. Krarshe thought it might be the heavier teacher, but wasn't sure. He barely remembered most of the teachers, let alone their voices. "I'll fetch the next student."

The door opened again with a metallic creak before clanging shut again. The other teachers sat quietly, aside from occasional mutterings and scritching of quills. After a couple minutes, the door opened again and another student took his position in the center of the room.

"Let's see..." Owyn commented. "Ah yes, Felix. You can begin when you're ready."

"Oh, that's an interesting one..." commented one of the teachers.

"That spell again? How dull," Landry commented quietly. Krarshe wouldn't have been surprised if the comment was missed by the student.

"S-se E-Esf-"

"You can't cast a spell like that, Felix. Just do it like we've done in class," Owyn said, interrupting the nervous casting.

The boy took a deep breath and started again, "Se Esfiru hinoras, suesoo shu zeraus dzam mea'anom." He took another breath before continuing, "Sem te se yanrum shu hiaso'odum, dun suesoo yanhadis!"

A gust of wind blew past Krarshe and into the center of the training room. Dust and leaves were caught up in a gale that whipped around his classmate. It swirled around him for a moment before exploding outward, throwing a few leaves off in all directions. After the explosion of wind, the air grew still again.

There was some murmuring from just over the wall before Owyn spoke up. "Very good, Felix. That'll do for today. You're free to go home."

The boy bowed nervously and left the room in the same manner as the first boy. "That was good," said Landry.

"He's coming along nicely," said a voice Krarshe hadn't heard yet today. "The spell felt a bit slow, and potency was lacking, but he'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Is it enough for a passing mark?"

"I'd say yes."

"As would I."

"That's a plurality then," Owyn said after a moment. Krarshe could hear his quill scratching away.

"I'll be a moment again," said one of the teachers as he left.

This... seems straight forward. How is Bri having issues with this? Krarshe wondered.

After a minute, Krarshe saw a head of messy brown hair enter the room. "Tibault, yes?" Owyn asked as Tibault took his position. "You may go ahead when ready."

Ooh! I get to watch Tibault so early! Krarshe could see Tibault visibly shaking, clearly nervous. I hope he doesn't vomit...

Tibault took a few breaths before taking his stance. He held out his open palm to the far wall. "Chiian dzam nia'e, Iiasu, se chiian dzam gra zehinga, sem tsaru fanyisn!" A small orb of light began to glow just in front of Tibault's outstretched arm. Krarshe could hear the surprise in the muffled voices of some of the teachers below. After a moment, the orb began to flicker before going out entirely.

"Ah, that's unfortunate. You can give it another attempt," Owyn said, unusually flat for the sympathetic words he spoke.

Tibault took a deep breath before reciting the spell again. This time, nothing happened at all.

"Don't be too disappointed," he heard Landry say. "There is always next time."

Krarshe couldn't quite make out Tibault's expression through the messy brown hair, but he could tell by Tibault's posture that he was distraught. He just nodded slowly.

"You're free to go home for the day. I'll see you in class tomorrow," Owyn said.

Tibault slowly made his way out of the training room. I'll have to go cheer him up later.

"Is that the one who was looking into imbuement?" asked one of the teachers. There was a moment of silence before he continued. "Wonder how long he'll last here." A few of the teachers laughed.

"With his skill level, he'd be better as a researcher. He'd be worthless on the battlefield."

"Can't even conjure up a simple light spell." More laughter followed.

"Maybe he could be used as a shield for a real mage." More laughter.

Krarshe wasn't sure what he was listening to anymore. It seemed so contrary to the words Landry had just uttered a moment ago. What was most unsettling, however, was the laughter. He expected this from the condescending tone from Owyn, but didn't realize the other teachers weren't any better.

A few more students came and went. Their skills varied widely, though most seemed to do fine, based on the teacher's reactions. A small handful struggled like Tibault did, which was met with ridicule after the student left.

Krarshe was shocked at Armand's exam, which was a repeat of the first spell they had cast on the first day. The effect wasn't much better than the first time he'd seen him cast it, but the attitude of the teachers was completely different. They lavished praise upon him, saying that he'd certainly be one of the best mages in the kingdom, or perhaps even find himself a seat on the Council. It made Krarshe sick to see the smug look on Armand's face. Before long, it was Bri's turn.

"Miss Bulliere. Here again, I see," said Landry. "As always, I wish you luck in your exam."

Bri didn't even acknowledge the teachers. She walked solemnly into position and took up her stance. She raised both hands in front of her, palms facing forward.

"Let's see, what spell is it this time?" said one of the teachers. "Oh. Hmm. Very well then. You may begin when ready."

"Ra tso, ra hias, Soujiin, hias shu krangra dzam mea'anom, se me hinoran! Hias, grunda e ja..." A flame appeared just in front of her right hand. "... Krangra, grunda e jacho..." Another flame appeared before her other hand. Krarshe leaned in closer, watching the flames grow in side. This spell was already longer and more complex than the other students'. Bri continued, "Naruen se zadzu meaa hiatsan. Sem tsaru motsa shiim. Naru'a, motsa shiim..." The two flames began to rotate in front of her, slowly at first but then speeding up until they formed a large flaming ring, then quickly becoming a disc. "Hias dzam ze'anarun!"

The spinning disc of fire erupted, shooting a giant pillar of flame forward with a cacophonous roar. The flames spread against the back wall, curling around the edges and along the storage areas on either side. Krarshe could feel the heat of the flames from his perch. Bri held the spell for a good ten or fifteen seconds before the flames slowly subsided. The back wall was blackened, a sight Krarshe recalled from his time in the training area.

There was silence for a minute as Bri tried to catch her breath. She wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her white jacket before finally turning to the teachers. That was INCREDIBLE! Krarshe thought, struggling to stop himself from yelling down to her in congratulations. I told you there was nothing to-

"... Hmm. If you'd like, you can give it another attempt," Owyn said.

WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!?! Krarshe nearly jumped from the wall into the training area. His sensibilities came back to him and he crouched back down. What the fuck is he even talking about?!?! That was unbelievable!!

"I-" Bri took a few more labored breaths, "I don't... think I can..." She was clearly exhausted after that spell, her breathing ragged as though she'd just run across the whole of Remonnet.

"That's disappointing, especially after all that effort you put in. But, very well then. You may return home for the day," Owyn said in his rehearsed way.

Krarshe watched as those words tortured Bri. He could see her purse her lips as she fought back against the sting of them. She gave a small nod of understanding and quickly made her way out of the room.

Wait, they actually failed her? Again?! After THAT?!?!

"That was... quite a spell," said one teacher.

"Yes indeed," said another.

"I'm surprised she managed to cast it, truthfully," added a third.

Exactly!

"How much longer is she going to keep this up?" Owyn asked with a sigh. "It's getting more and more difficult to fail her."

... Huh?

"I thought for sure she'd be unable to cast this one," said Landry. "I found the most complex spell from my evocation class. She's far too exceptional."

Wait... No. No, I can't be hearing what I'm thinking...

"If she'd just withdraw from the school, we could stop having to put up with this farce time after time."

"I just pray she does not realize the breadth of her skills. That would cause problems for us," said Landry, with a bitter tone Krarshe had never heard him utter.

No... No no no no no! Curses, you have to be kidding me... Krarshe slunk down, the reality of the situation was evident now, a reality he had hoped and prayed was false. Lycia was right.

Krarshe could feel his blood begin to boil. He remembered the pain Bri went through, the tears she shed just the other day, the torment she suffered time and again. It was all them, these so-called teachers. All of it. Krarshe lowered himself down to his tower of boxes, no longer interested in the exam. No, not an exam. This was a sham, a mockery. Krarshe grit his teeth, frustrated, uncertain of what he should do. What he could do. He didn't bother returning to the store, he just left for the day, disheartened.