Chapter 23 - Leaving the Order

Four months have passed since the conversation Pan had with her butler. And after much thought, he concluded that his butler was right, focusing on so many things in such a short period of time was indeed foolish.

 However, much to Edward's helplessness, instead of Pan focusing on battle lessons he decided to abandon the forge and focus solely on botany, which of course nearly drove Edward insane.

 'And today, I finally have everything I need.' Thought Pan, sitting in a waiting chair in the academic administration room.

 "Green apprentice, Pan," "called from behind a desk what appeared to be a secretary.

 "Here," Pan replied and walked over to her.

 "What matters do you have with academic administration?"  Asked the lady in a robotic voice, as if she had already said that same sentence thousands of times.

 "I want to get out of the walls to hunt a mandrake," Pan declared with a hint of excitement in his voice.

 "Are you aware you won't have support?" Asked the lady.

 "Yes," replied Pan.

 "Are you aware that any infraction committed by you tarnishes the Order's image and is soon subject to punishment?" Asked the lady.

 "Yes," stated Pan.

 "Are you aware that the apprentice cloak is a piece of forge and alchemy, which cannot simply be repaired, and if it breaks, you won't get another?" Asked the lady.

 "Yes!"  Said Pan starting to lose patience with all the bureaucracy.

 "Well, sign these documents, here, here is here and you can go," the lady finally instructed in the same monotonous voice.

 Pan then hastened to sign the documents. After signing he told Edward he would spend a few days outside the walls, which almost made the poor butler die of anguish.

 Pan already knew the academic district like the back of his hand, but seeing the architecture still filled him with admiration, for being surrounded and separated by large artificial cliffs, the districts looked more like five floating islands.

 'It's always quite a sight.' Pan thought as he walked across the bridge that led out of the Order.

 When Pan stepped outside the walls, he felt vulnerable, but not as vulnerable as the first time he left Lazark. There was more confidence and maturity in him now, plus many people were forced to live in villages outside the walls.

 Living in the city required a fee, a fee not everyone could afford.

 'If men and women without essence can survive a few fallen ones with traps and training, how could I not do the same?' Thought Pan more to build up courage than to establish a fact.

 Pan then headed south on foot, as he still couldn't afford a horse. His destination was a meadow a few miles away from the Order, he estimated it would take him a day to arrive. But luckily for him, a carriage saw him pass and decided to offer a ride.

 "It is always a pleasure to help the warriors of light, veil and salt," declared a man who looked very rich full of flattery.

 "It doesn't need so much praise. The strong protect the weak and the weak provide for the strong", Pan recited a sentence from one of the botany books he read, it was great to recite in moments like this, when he didn't know how to act.

 Pan had never ridden in such a luxurious carriage, the interior was flavored and ornate, the seats were soft and smooth, the door didn't even creak when it opened and closed.

 'Rich people, hm.' Thought Pan with a soft smile on his face, knowing it was only a matter of time before he was richer than the man himself.

 "Ohoho, I see that you are a very wise apprentice. I also see that you have green marks on your robe, this is my first time meeting one of the very rare green ones in person", half praised and half said the rich man.

 "Of course we didn't see any greens, they're weak and die early, they're a waste of taxes," a young woman next to the man pointed out contemptuously.

 "Forgive my daughter's actions, she is young and doesn't know what she says," apologized the man with sweat running down his face.

 "Don't worry, it doesn't bother me," Pan said as he looked at his robe.

 The apprentices did not have armor, as it was too expensive.  The order only gave them a robe enchanted with essence.  Pan's was matte silver with green accents, there was an oak tree drawn in the middle, with a white five-pointed star on the back.

 "If it's not rude of me to ask, could the noble apprentice tell us why he left the walls?"  Asked the man curiously after a few minutes of conversation.

 "Grass mandrakes," was all Pan said, for he had no more glamorous quotes to give, nor the patience for them.