In what would be a first for him since becoming a student of Hardires High, instead of going to his final class of the day, Zeratron made a sullen visit to Principal Epper’s office.

“Zeratron?” Principal Eppers looked up in surprise as the student walked in. “Oh boy… I already had the usual suspect in here yesterday. Would have never expected you to be paying me a visit. I hope it’s not anything too serious.”

Zeratron said nothing. He took a seat in front of the desk and stared off towards the far wall. Principal Eppers took the hint that he wasn’t in a talkative mood; they both waited in silence until Mr. Hammerhawk entered the office a few moments later.

“A rather unfortunate incident occurred during gym class, Miss Eppers,” Mr. Hammerhawk told her the second he entered. “Drayson Bucker got into a heated exchange with Zeratron and the situation quickly got out of hand. Drayson is currently in the nurses’ office recovering from some rather foul magic that Zeratron had inflicted upon him.”

Principal Eppers nodded solemnly as she listened to Mr. Hammerhawk, “This is shocking news to hear,” she turned her attention to Zeratron, “truly, that doesn’t sound like you at all. What possessed you to do such a thing?” she asked, but Zeratron wouldn’t answer. His crimson eyes slowly drifted downwards.

“I should also like to mention, Miss Eppers, that Drayson did make a very physical play against him during the ball game. Not only that, but he directed some rather harsh words toward Zeratron before he attacked him. Though there is no justification for what he did, it wasn’t entirely unprovoked.”

Principal Eppers put everything Mr. Hammerhawk said into account. “Alright, I need time to think about this. Go to your final class, Zeratron, but after school lets out you need to report back to my office immediately. You as well Mr. Hammerhawk.”

Zeratron got up and left the office without a word. The final class period went by while Principal Eppers quietly sifted through some papers at her desk. A couple minutes after the final bell rang, both Zeratron and Mr. Hammerhawk were back in her office as instructed; their adjourned meeting continued.

“How is Drayson doing now?” Principal Eppers asked Mr. Hammerhawk.

“I have received word from the nurse that Drayson is fine and is walking home from school under his own power, Miss Eppers,” Mr. Hammerhawk informed her.

“Well, that’s certainly good to hear,” Principal Eppers said. She then turned to Zeratron and addressed him at length.

“Despite our vast differences in faith, I know that you’re a good kid. There must have been something really bothering you to act out like this. So, considering the fact that you didn’t injure Drayson—and this was the first time you’ve ever gotten into this kind of trouble—I’ll let you off lightly…” Principal Eppers cleared her throat, she looked as if she braced for something that would bring Zeratron or maybe even herself pain.

“Zeratron, you are suspended from the match against Gungannon tomorrow.”

For the first time since entering the principal’s office, Zeratron looked the principal square in the eyes with incredulousness.

“No, you cannot truly mean that!” He jumped out of his chair in a burst of emotion, “You know how important this match is for our school. Suspending me the day before will put our winning streak in serious jeopardy!”

Principal Eppers shook her head slowly. “What you’re saying is true, but I simply can’t let this incident go unaccounted for.”

“Please reconsider, Principal Eppers, just let me fight in the match tomorrow and I promise to serve any other punishment you give me. I beg you.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen,” Principal Eppers sternly told him. “It’s true, the arena has been a very important source of pride and tradition for our school, but I absolutely refuse to put it before the well-being of one of our own students. When something like this happens, there must be discipline. You’re suspended from tomorrow’s match and that’s the end of it.”

It was difficult for Zeratron to fully process what the principal was telling him, and even harder to accept. With an overwhelming sense of bitter frustration, he pounded the top of Principal Eppers’ desk with his fists and slumped his shoulders, emotionally and morally defeated.

“I hope I am not interrupting anything.”

A lone, deep voice emerged from the doorway. Prinicipal Eppers and Mr. Hammerhawk looked to see who it was and let out a simultaneous gasp of surprise. Zeratron slowly exhaled, but didn’t bother to raise his head. He knew who it was just by the person’s powerful, palpable presence that seemed to radiate through the office.

“Chris Christian, sir!” Principal Eppers shot up from her desk and bowed politely to the man standing in the doorway. She instinctively clutched the six-armed cross of Ephyreon that hung bright around her neck.

Chris Christian bowed to the principal. He was a tall man, with a shiny bald head and a well-groomed white goatee. He wore a sleeveless black priest robe which fully exposed his arms, which were as big and round as tree trunks. When he stepped into the office. Mr. Hammerhawk bowed slightly as he walked by. Zeratron finally looked up and stared at the man with somber eyes.

“My how you have grown,” Chris Christian said as he looked the student over. Even with his size and similar broad build, Chris Christian was just a little bit taller and a little bit bigger than Zeratron.

“Hello, father,” Zeratron said in a tone that made it quite apparent that he wasn’t thrilled to see the man.

“I take it that you have gotten into some trouble,” Chris Christian said, “hopefully it was not anything too serious...” He turned to the principal.

“What? Oh no, nothing serious at all!” Principal Eppers said, waving her hands in the air dismissively. “Everything is absolutely fine!”

“Well, I have been suspended from—" Zeratron started to say.

“What! What are you talking about Zeratron? I do believe a warning will suffice as proper punishment. Nope, no suspension necessary!” Principal Eppers gave a forced laugh, looking starstruck and rather uncomfortable with Chris Christian’s presence.

“But… Miss Eppers!” Mr. Hammerhawk blurted, nonplussed by the sudden reversal, “I don’t believe a mere warning is enough for what happened today."

“Oh, keep your beard on, Mr. Hammerhawk. The situation’s all water under the bridge now. You are dismissed, Zeratron. Best go and rest up for the big match tomorrow!”

Upon hearing that, Zeratron promptly exited the office.

“Um, excuse me, High Priest, sir,” Principal Eppers stopped Chris Christian before he had the chance to follow Zeratron out. “I wanted to let you know that I have kept your secret safe. I have looked after Zeratron and assure you that not a single soul in Hardires knows of your son’s true identity,” she then glanced at the third person in the room. “Well, besides Mr. Hammerhawk just now, but I’m certain that he won’t say a peep about it!”

The dwarven PE teacher gulped hard and nodded repeatedly.

“I sincerely thank you for your service watching over him, Angela,” Chris Christian smiled and nodded. “But keeping our secret is no longer necessary. Please, come visit the First Reign Cathedral next time you are in Piercing Light City, we would love to have you,” he said before taking his leave.

Principal Eppers nearly fainted upon hearing the offer. Once the door closed, she collapsed into her chair and longingly dreamt of the day where she could take Chris Christian up on the offer: to go to Piercing Light City and be welcomed to the greatest place of Ephyrean worship ever to be built.

***

Chris Christian stepped out of the office and, to his surprise, found that Zeratron had waited for him. He stood close by, back pressed up against one of the lockers with his arms crossed and eyes glued to the floor. Once he noticed Chris Christian, they started to make their way down the empty hallway. The school day had long ended and all the students (as well as most of the faculty) had left. They walked in silence; not another soul was around. Their footsteps echoed down the hall as Zeratron walked ahead of Chris Christian, not waiting for his father to catch up.

“You do not seem very surprised to see me.” Chris Christian broke the intense silence between the two.

Zeratron finally stopped, but didn’t bother to turn to face Chris Christian.

“I read about your arrival in the headlines yesterday morning. The internet wasn’t going to wait for you to ‘surprise’ me, father,” Zeratron said.

Chris Christian chuckled to himself. “No, I suppose not… I guess I still have yet to fully grasp the wonders of technology in this day and age.”

“Why have you come?” Zeratron demanded. He turned his head to set a crimson eye on his father.

“Is it not obvious? To watch your match tomorrow.”

“You came all the way from Piercing Light City just to watch me fight? I doubt that. Besides, it’s not even here, it’s in Gungannon.”

“Yes, I am well aware. I was hoping we could spend a little time together before heading to Gungannon.”

“Quit the games. Tell me the real reason. Now.” Zeratron said irritably.

“I have already told you the reason. Why is it so hard for you to comprehend?” Chris Christian raised his broad shoulders. “I know we have not seen each other for a very long time, but you should have known that I was going to stop by eventually. You are my son after all.”

“Yeah, the son that you banished from his own homeland. Did you honestly think that dropping by unceremoniously after all this time was going to cheer me up?”

Chris Christian sighed at his son’s response. “This trouble that you were in…it did not have anything to do with your dark magic, did it?”

“So what if it did?”

“It is a dangerous power that you possess; one that may come with grave consequences.”

“There are no consequences. It’s been five years since the day I opened that tome and was exiled. I’ve been able to hold my power in check with no problems.”

“Until today.”

“Maybe it wasn’t that I couldn’t control it, maybe I wanted to unleash it. You ever thought about that?” Zeratron shot back.

“That is what I fear the most.”

Zeratron loudly scoffed and shook his head in frustration before he resumed his march down the hall. He didn’t get very far when his father said something that made him stop in his tracks.

“Since I am here, I was planning on stopping by the Olde Hardires Tavern and try one of their famed Behemoth Burgers for the first time. I was hoping that you would join me.”

Zeratron’s eye twitched. Behemoth Burgers—monstrous, juicy, succulent meat sandwiches with a taste unique to the city—were his favorite things in the world. It was the first thing he tasted when he first arrived in Hardires as a lost and broken boy. Since that first bite, he fell in love with the city. How Chris Christian found out about his fondness for them he did not know, but it was no way just a lucky guess. It was an offer that was impossible for Zeratron to refuse—and his father knew it.

“You paying?” Zeratron tried to ask nonchalantly.

“That should go without saying,” Chris Christian answered with a grin. “Let us go, my driver is waiting.”

With that, Zeratron and Chris Christian walked side by side, father and son, through the exit doors. The early dusk sky greeted them as they walked outside—along with something that took Zeratron by complete surprise.

Without warning, a series of bright flashes began to assault his vision, along with incessant screaming and shouting that pounded at his eardrums relentlessly. It took a second to gather his bearings, but once he found out what it was, it made him angry all over again.

A swarm of paparazzi had been waiting at the bottom of the steps for Chris Christian to come out of the building. The horde of photographers and reporters (which were mostly comprised of humans and gnomes) were taking rapid pictures with their cameras and shouting a hundred things at once.

“High Priest, over here! High Priest!” A human reporter cried, waving for Chris Christian to look in his direction.

“Hold still, ya famous son of a bitch!” A sleazy gnome photographer shouted from behind his flashing camera.

Chris Christian smiled and kindly waved to them all, seemingly amused by all the commotion he caused. Zeratron wasn’t having any of it. On the other side of the paparazzi swarm, he could see the bright white limo that was undoubtedly his father’s. Knowing that the paparazzi were not going to disperse anytime soon, Zeratron stomped down the steps and started pushing and shoving them aside.

More than a few questions were aimed at him, asking of his business with Chris Christian. He ignored them and eventually managed to reach the limo. Once he did, a halfling wearing a white suit of all things got out of the limo, rushed to the other side, and opened the door for Zeratron.

“It’s very nice to meet you, young Christopher. I have heard so much about you!” The limousine driver greeted.

“That’s not my name. Please call me Zeratron,” he told the driver before climbing into the spacey vehicle.

The limousine was the epitome of mobile luxury, but none of it mattered to Zeratron as he sat restlessly on the fine leather seat. He had to wait a while, but eventually, Chris Christian made his way through the swarm of paparazzi that were borderline harassing him and got in with his son. With both of them safely in the limousine, the halfling driver pulled off (nearly running over some gnomes in the process) and headed into the heart of the city.

Zeratron’s day has taken quite a drastic turn. On the very verge of serving the first punishment in his scholastic career, he was saved by suspension by his father, whom he hadn’t seen for five years. Now they are riding to the Olde Hardires Tavern to get a bite of Zeratron’s favorite food. There is no doubt that Zeratron has many questions for Chris Christian, but will they be answered? Find out next time on Clubs and Stubs!