XVII.1

After he cast Fire successfully, Merlin’s lessons were expanded upon for the rest of the session. He learned the rest of the basic elemental magic he needed to know: water, ice, earth, and wind. His excitement caused him to fail a couple of spell castings. When he calmed down, the other elemental spells were a walk-in-a-park. Just as the tutor session ended, a few guards came up to them, reporting that the Head Maester wanted to see him. He reluctantly agreed and asked Aren to come along. As the guards were escorting him up to the Maester’s office, Merlin was thinking of ways to bring the good news to her. Would he cast the spell in front of her? Would he try to lie and say he had given up, only to disapprove of the claim by casting the spell? Well, no matter what he thought, he was going to show he could become the mage he always wanted!

“Yip, yip, yip!” Merlin said. “I’m going to be a mage. Mage, mage, mage!”

“Look at you skipping and infecting me with happy vibes. She probably called you in because she saw you,” Aren said. “Hoo-boy, can’t wait to see her roast those old geezers.”

Merlin lowered his head, tapping his pointer fingers together. “Really? If that’s the case, then I suppose a surprise is out of order…”

“Aw come on, you’re her son, right? Surprise, no surprise, I’m sure she’s gonna applaud your achievement.”

“How would you know, Mr. Aren?”

“Well, actually, I had two daugh—” Aren let out an unnecessarily loud cough.

“Mr. Aren, are you okay?! Are you choking?!”

“Ahem, no worries I’m good… (That was close.)”

“You said you had two daugh? Do you mean dough? What does it have to do with surprising the Head Maester?”

“I, um, let’s just leave it at that, okay?”

The guards led them to an elevator and activating it once everyone was settled. The mechanism ground their gears and made its way to the higher floors. Silence befell within the elevator cabin. Aren noticed the guards had their hands on their swords. A speck of sweat formed on their cheeks and foreheads. Instinctively, he knew something was wrong. He met the danger head on by speaking through the silence.

“This elevator is different compared to the one I’ve taken before. Less spacious and a bit tight. At least it looks nice with all the gold plating around.”

One guard nodded. “Aye. This is the only one leading to the Head Maester’s office. Only authorized personnel may enter.”

“I see, I see… What’s, uh, the situation looking like?”

“The captain ordered an escort for Merlin Ambrosius, as per the Head Maester’s demands. Your attendance to this matter is very questionable.”

“It’s okay. I asked him to come along. I’m sure the Head Maester would allow it.” Merlin tugged Aren’s shirt and whispered. “Is everything all right, Mr. Aren?”

“Yeah, yeah, totally fine. Just wanted to make sure of something.” Aren faced the two men again. “You uh, this Maester’s demands. Any ideas?”

The guard grumbled. “She will debrief you on them once we reach there. By the captain’s orders, we are tasked to escort you to the Head Maester’s room.”

“Ah yes, orders are orders. For an escort, you guys aren’t making us feel any safer, especially when your hands are on your weapons. How about it you can skedaddle somewhere else?”

The guards gripping their sword handles tighter, not saying another word.

“Hmm… I see.”

It was silent once again. Merlin could hear the sound of an unsheathing blade. Before he could say anything about it, a powerful force pushed him back to the corner of the elevator cabin. He looked up, seeing the escorts pointing their blades at Aren. Even though they couldn’t swing their swords freely, they used thrusting maneuvers to incapacitate him. Aren dodged their lunges and went in close for hand-to-hand combat. Their metal armor was useless as they bent inward with every strike. Merlin heard bones cracking and one guard yelling in pain. Aren continued his assault, disarming and knocking out the two guards. There was a loud thud, and Merlin saw his teacher dust off his hands.

“Phew, guess that’ll do it.”

“Mr. Aren, why did you hurt these men? What did they do wrong?”

“It’s a hunch. Something’s not right. We have to get out of here and fast.”

“What do you mean something is not right?”

The two heard a ringing sound, and the elevator doors opened. Aren assumed his fighting stance, expecting reinforcements to arrive. Instead, there were two people standing there in a formal matter. One of them was a woman with short blonde hair and the other was a half-wolf, half-human breed. They clapped their hands and bowed.

“Welcome, Merlin Ambrosius. We are Lord Dickus’ servants, tasked to bring you rest of the way to the office,” they said in sync. “It is an utmost importance to not keep the Executive Board waiting.”

The blonde hair woman realized the two escorts behind them to be incapacitated. It was subtle, but she arranged several knives under her hand. “Why are those two men not responsive?”

“Oh, uh… They fell down the stairs and we had to drag them back here,” Aren said, looking at the two guards, then back at the servants. “Very bothersome, right? Since you guys are servants, you can take them and we’ll be on our way.”

The wolf human came close and sniffed intensively. “Really now, kid? I be smellin’ bullshit in this one, Aigis. Wait, ain’t this the kid Lord Dickus was talkin’ about?”

“Language, Makyu. Yes, it is him.” Aigis spoke in a serious, deep tone. “Even then, the truth, please. There will be an unnecessary confrontation between us if you lie.”

Aren sighed. “All right, fine. I beat them down to a pulp cause’ I thought they were gonna kill Merlin. They had hands on their weapons, and that gave me enough reason to go for it. What are you gonna do about it?”

“Lord Dickus predicted such circumstances. Makyu, please take these men down to the infirmary and report the situation. I will lead the guests.”

“Gods, what a borin’ job. Fine. Come on, you idiots, out of the elevator. We don’t have all day.”

Merlin quickly stepped out of the elevator cabin, displaying a dumbfounded expression. Makyu stepped in and carried the two escorts with a single arm. He pressed a button and doors closed.

Aren turned to Aigis with a raised brow. “What do you mean ‘just as he predicted?’ Dickus saw this coming?”

“My lord caught wind of the Maester’s call to gather the Executive Board. He sent us to guarantee the boy’s safety. Please forgive the Academy for those men were newly trained recruits.” Aigis turned around, her head facing to the side. “Please, follow me.”

Merlin and Aren followed suit. The corridor was decorated with beautiful potted flowers, various magical weapons, and a long, luxurious carpet leading to a singular door at the end of the hall. Sunlight shined through the tall, arch-shaped windows on their right. There were many paintings of battles, previous Head Maesters, and the gradual construction of the Academy buildings. One caught Aren’s eye: it was a painting of a gray-haired man with a book on his hand. Aigis turned around, seeing him eyeing down the painting, and approached him.

“Is something the matter?” she asked. “There are people waiting for us.”

“Yeah, got it, but… Huh, this guy’s familiar. Any tips?”

“This is Kallus Nightingale, the founder of the ‘Educational Arts of Magic.’ He was an advocate for teaching a diverse of people the ways of the mystic arts for the sake of enlightenment. Though he wasn’t a Head Maester, he is very well respected for his values. His principles laid a foundation for the creation of the Academy.”

“This is little ol’ Kallus?! Haha, well, you look at that. Transforming from a wimp to a great outstanding figure. Proud of you man.”

“You speak as if you were acquainted with this man.”

Aren laughed nervously. “I, uh… I can be very delusional. Pretty sure Dickus told you that?”

“No, not Lord Dickus. A close friend. Please, this way.”

When they reached at the end of the hall, in front of the Head Maester’s office, the entrance doors opened wide. Head Maester Gloria was sitting behind her desk with several important-looking individuals surrounding her. She snapped of her fingers upon their entry. The room shifted and deformed, transforming itself into a circular compass. Particles of yellow and red formed together, manifesting red velvet armchairs for the important-looking individuals to sit on. The brick walls turned into glass-paned windows, showing the view of the entire campus of the Academy below. Aren, Merlin, and Aigis were standing in between the circular arrangement, watching all this unfold. Once the preparations were complete, Gloria clapped her hands twice, and everyone in the room stood up.

“We can now begin the session. I, Gloria Ambrosius, and the Executive Council, shall impose a rule upon Merlin Ambrosius. Aigis, please lead our extra guest out from the hearing.”

“As you wish, milady.” Aigis turned around. “Follow me, please.”

“Hey, uh, Miss Maester-lady. Mind letting me watch this trial thingy you have going on here?”

One Executive Council member spoke up. “You must be the one High Lord Dickus and Professor Frankenstein praises. To earn their respect is a feat of itself. Especially Mr. Frankenstein… My, that man worries me sometimes. You look too young and cute to be a teacher, little one.”

“Even then, we only requested young Merlin to appear before us,” said another. “Is it appropriate that—”

Gloria raised her hand. “Enough. You have my permission to stay, but not without a word. Your efforts in teaching and high appraisal from Lord Dickus have given me adequate reason. Now, let us begin.”

She introduced every Executive Council member within the room. All were all deans in their respective fields: Arcane Magics, Combative Arts, General Education, and Student Affairs. The dean of Arcane Magics was Tiberius Graymane, Merlin’s Arcane Theory Studies teacher. He lived up to his surname, having gray eyes and a long graybeard, and was the oldest in the Council. He liked to be called Professor rather than being recognized as a dean since he enjoyed teaching. His attire was a long white wizard coat, pointy wizard hat, and a cape with the Academy’s insignia on it.

The next was Inigo Lasfred, who was the dean of Combative Arts. He was the youngest in the Council, being at a young age of 23. He often cared more about the “looks” of his bright blue hair and eyes. Despite his somewhat narcissistic personality, his prodigal skill of being an expert in all weapons and ability to teach anyone with great proficiency made him a dean in no time. He also cared about his students, which made him one of the most liked staff on campus. His attire was a sleeveless navy-blue gambeson, long leather gloves, armored boots, and a brown feathered hat.

The dean of General Education was the one who called Aren cute: Elena Squires. She was a lupine with a thick white coat with a dark black undercoat. She had a long mane which reached to her elbows, a pair of bright yellow eyes, and a fluffy tail that wagged back and forth. Her triangle ears twitched and the nose on her broad snout wiggled as she sniffed the air. In her younger years, she had access to higher education with her family’s fortune. Now, she taught others so they too can be provided with the same tier of education without the need of being nobility. Her attire was a red-white noble corset dress, white velvet gloves, and a golden headband.

Last, the dean of Student Affairs was Polly Primrose. She was an elf with silver hair and droopy blue eyes. Elves retain their youthfulness of their teenage years for centuries, though Polly looked as if she aged comparable to a human in their mid-30’s. She kept fixing her glasses since her head bobbing up and down to sleepiness. It was as if her work drained all energy from her body. Her attire was an Equestrian black coat, white pants, and tall black boots.

Gloria explained there was one more member from the Executive Council, but he rarely appears when called. After the introductions, she and the other members sat back down in their seats. Aigis bowed, exiting out and closing the door behind her. There was silence for some time, everyone glancing at the center. A drip of cold sweat fell from Merlin’s forehead as he stuttered out some words to break the tension.

“S-S-So, u-um, w-why a-a-am I-I here?” he brought out.

“Great question. I wonder why you’re…” said Polly. She fell asleep for a second, then snapped back up. “H-Huh? Oh right, I remember now. Yes, it’s about you, Merlin.”

“About me?”

“That’s right! Even though I’m a busy man, game-changing news like this is something I must attend to!” Inigo said.

“Game-changing news?”

“Yes, Mr. Ambrosius. Who knew that you were half-demon! My, such news must be devastating for you, dearie!” Elena came in.

Merlin nodded. “I figured out recently too. Mr. Aren told me about it and helped me control it. It’s how I was able to cast magic!”

Aren glanced at the Council, seeing a dark shadow cast upon their faces. They do not display the same enthusiasm as Merlin. Except for Polly, who was taking a quick nap. Merlin’s happy-going smile faded away.

“W-What’s wrong? Is that a bad thing?”

“Merlin, you are aware of what demons have done during the history of Dunia?” Tiberius asked.

“Yes, they did horrendous things. Killing anything that lives, burning villages down—wait, do you think I would do those things?”

Elena waved her hand, laughing nervously. “O-Of course not! We, the Executive Council believe… how can I say this? Please, Gloria, you stayed quiet this entire time (he’s your son, say something!).”

He stared at Gloria, who was eyeing at him the entire time without a word. He wondered what was she thinking during all of this. So far, only Aren had told him about his demon heritage. Could it be that she knew he was half-demon all this time? Before he could let a word out, she raised her hand and spoke in a sincere, commanding voice. “Merlin Ambrosius, you have approved your stay as a student in the Academy. However, we do not grant you the right to learn in the Armaments and Mystic departments.”

His eyes widened. “…What? How can you do this?! This is outrageous and unfair! How can you be a student in the Academy and not be able to take part in the Armaments and Mystic departments?!”

“Keep your tone on watch, young man.” Gloria stood up. “It is a decision we—”

“Did you know?” Merlin said, tightening his hands into a fist. “Did you know I was a half-demon?” The Executive Council members looked at Gloria and she looked down and away. After taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with him, nodding. Air escaped from Merlin’s lungs.

“Oh look, you hurt the boy’s pride.” Inigo shook his head. “Listen, we discussed this earlier but there has to be some leeway for the kid.”

“What leeway can be provided? History has shown us these demon-half breeds become a menace to mortal-kind one way or another!” Tiberius said. “To house him here is already a risk to our faculty and students alike!”

“That may be true. However, if we can learn the mistake of our ancestors, perhaps the boy can be different,” said Elena.

Polly was too busy napping to provide her input. An argument arose between Inigo and Tiberius with Elena trying to make them agree on some sort of middle ground. Merlin’s eyes watered up as he tried his best to control his anger. Gloria couldn’t do anything but watch the chaos unfold. Eventually, he yelled as loud as he could, getting the attention of everyone in the room.

“S-Shut up…!” Merlin threw his arms down. “I-I thought you would be proud of me! I worked so hard so I can show you I can be mage like everyone else! T-Then, then you come in and tell me to stop?! After all that hard work, after everyone telling me I was a failure, you still won’t acknowledge me?!”

Gloria shook her head. “No, Merlin, that’s not—Listen, please. This is to protect you. The reason—”

“I hate you! I wish you never were my mother! As a matter of fact, you aren’t anyways! You’re just fake, just like everyone here!”

Aren covered his mouth in astonishment. Oh. My. Gods. He went that far to express his frustration. Everyone was staring at him in awe of what happened. Unable to bear the sight of her face, Merlin stormed out of the office, heading to the elevators. Aigis, who was guarding the entrance, watched the young boy take the elevator and go to the lower floors. She was very confused, though did not have the authority to ask nor the emotion to express it.

“Merlin, wait!” Gloria said, reaching her hand out. She covered her face, tears coming down from her face. “Oh Gods, what have I done?”