Authors Note: Full length chapter, and one of my longest yet!

I am posting this more than a day early in honor of the first time anyone has ever expressed enough appreciation of my writing to think it was worth money. You know who you are, and thank you! Really helped motivate me, and inspire me to try and bring my writing to a new level! I've got a lot of work to do, but I've always dreamed of being a professional novelist.

I know, I know, it's a stupid dream, and I won't quit my day job, don't worry, lol.

Wolfram asked me over the link. It had been nearly a week since my first day at Academy, and things had started to settle into a definite pattern.

I sent back with a mix of annoyance and amusement.

sent Wolfram, mostly with amusement… he found it funny that a prepubescent tween was bossing me around.

I sent, with slightly more irritation than last time.

Wolfram laughed.

It hadn’t been all that bad since the first day. Mei was actually pretty sweet, I think, but she was completely intimidated by Idonea. From what I could tell Mei came from one of the smaller settlements around North Stone Village, so she wasn’t used to interacting with other people, especially people her age. Idonea acted as if she came from a rich family, but since she was here she obviously wasn’t a noble.

I asked. The thought had occurred to me more than once, but right now all I had to do was a bit more laundry and make three beds instead of one… it’s not like it was the end of the world. And while Idonea certainly hadn’t been pleasant to me, she more or less left me alone – Mei, on the other hand, actually helped me with some of the chores when Idonea wasn’t around. Mei was completely under the control of the other girl, which actually bothered me a lot more than the chores themselves.

Wolfram asked. It was a pain not being able to share information about our powers with each other – he still didn’t have any idea how I had defeated Alder.

I had considered everything from putting iron filings in her clothes to simply using my Ion Shield to pretend to be a ‘normal’ but amazingly strong child.

Wolfram laughed again, he asked. Things between the Master of Fire and I hadn’t gotten any better, but I think Kodan must have spoken to the other children on my behalf to explain the situation, because nobody had really started turning against me yet.

It helped that Master Jaduk actually seemed to like me for some reason, which was nice since he was technically the head of the entire Academy. Master Haar was somewhat eccentric but otherwise pleasant to everyone, while Master Ginma was equally distant to all her students (and her staff, for that matter).

I wasn’t comfortable with the idea, but I was even less comfortable with the idea of doing something worse. If my family or I were being directly threatened it would be different – I’m sure that would get me mad enough to commit some good old fashioned violence – but all they were doing was making my life difficult.

But… I did have to admit that if there hadn’t been any laws in place or repercussions, I probably would have zapped both Sylko and Idonea into submission by the end of the first day. No permanent damage, of course, but I didn’t see anything wrong with teaching someone a harsh lesson when they were acting like an idiot.

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I stood just outside Master Jaduk’s study, having been informed by a fellow students by the name of Barrett (a black furred thirteen year old boy) that the Master of Earth had summoned me. The few interactions I had shared with Jaduk had been pleasant so far, but I was still somewhat nervous.

I had finally reached a boiling point with Sylko after she had assigned me the task of cleaning all the toilets on the first floor of the Garrison as a punishment. My crime? Well, I hadn’t been able to climb over a short stone wall that was twice my height. Easy enough for everyone else to jump up and reach the ledge (actually, even some of the twelve year old students had trouble), but I wasn’t nearly tall enough to replicate the feat. So I had finally decided that Sylko needed to be taught a serious lesson, and had been planning to lure her into one of the lesser used hallways of Academy (where there were plenty of sconces) for an ambush. Had I been found out somehow?

“Come in, young man.” Came a call from the other side of the doorway. I thought I recognized the voice as belonging Master Jaduk, but I couldn’t be certain.

I pushed open the heavy wooden door with some effort, revealing the tastefully decorated room within. It looked like a room that should have books in it, so the first thing I noticed was how few there were. Then again, commoners generally weren’t allowed books, so even having these few spoke of Jaduk’s high status as the leader of Academy itself – and even then, most likely they all directly related to his position as Master of Earth.

There was a small desk in the middle of the room next to a reading podium, seemingly made of the same type of wood that was used in the paneling and shelves along the sides of the simple stone room. Master Jaduk himself was standing beside the desk, looking at some of the objects on the shelf, but he turned to face me with a smile as I entered.

“Ah, Heller, so good to see you again!” He said, as if I hadn’t just seen him yesterday in his lesson. “Please,” he continued, gesturing at a plain chair sitting in front of the desk, “feel free to sit.” He turned and moved behind the desk, taking his own advice as he sat fluidly into his own throne like seat (which didn’t look comfortable at all).

It certainly didn’t seem like I was in trouble. “Thank you, Master Jaduk. It is good to see you as well.” I replied.

His eyebrows raised and he let out a chuckle. “I must have seen it a dozen times by now, Heller, but I am still surprised every time you speak.” He smiled gently. “You are quite the rare lad indeed.”

He was silent, as if waiting for me to reply, so I thought about what I could say. “Ahhh… thank you?” I said, regretting it instantly. What a stupid thing to say.

He laughed, nodding his head. “Well, the reason I asked you to come here is to see how you were doing here at Academy. It’s our tradition to interview our students before each Freeday so that we can more closely monitor your progress.”

He hadn’t specifically asked any questions, but he paused again as if expecting me to speak first. Thoughts of what I should tell him, and what I should hold back, flashed through my mind as I hesitated. If I told him about Sylko it would possibly ruin my plan to get revenge on her myself, but I wouldn’t mind some assistance with my roommates. Dealing with a spoiled brat was difficult.

I must have taken too long, because he carried on smoothly after a moment. “All of your instructors have good things to say about you… except for Master Sylko. How are you finding her class?”

Now I had to respond… “Well, it’s pretty difficult, because everyone is so much larger than I am.” I said, pausing as I considered what I wanted to add. “And Master Sylko seems to punish me quite often…”

He nodded slowly, “I had heard as much from the other students. Kodan informs me that you might have some kind of history with Sylko?” He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side.

Ok, now I was stuck… dammit, Kodan! You may have just ruined a totally satisfying beat-down! I was slow to reply again, considering my words as I went. “Ummm, well… how much do you know about why I am here? I mean, why I was enrolled at Academy so early?”

Master Jaduk leaned back in his chair, both eyebrows raised now. “Ah, this does complicate matters, if it has to do with that. Lord Runax was very insistent that you be admitted immediately, against my strong opposition, of course.” He raised a hand, “Not that I mind you being here, Heller my boy, and you are certainly clever enough.” His hand gestured up and down my small frame, “But you clearly need more time to grow… to your full potential.” He finished off with another gentle smile.

I almost laughed at his blunt wordplay, “Did Frogg…. Uhhhh.” I blushed behind my scales, “Sorry, I mean did Lord Runax not explain what had happened?”

Tilting his head to the side, Master Jaduk frowned slightly and replied, ”Ah, well in truth he did not. I was told it was a matter of great importance to House Flameward, and that we were not to question it.”

I hesitated, wondering exactly how much I could trust him… then I remembered what Jaws had said. “Did you hear about the… spar… that happened before last Freeday?” I asked him.

Master Jaduk studied me for a moment, “I heard that one of the soldiers was grievously injured, but we were not told how it happened or who was involved.” He said slowly.

I took a deep breath. “Well, it was Alder, the Hunter, and I injured him… by accident.” I decided to just go all in. “Sylko is his wife, and she seems to be getting revenge.”

All I could do now was hope that my father’s faith in the Master of Earth was not misplaced…