The Beginning of Something (2)

"... and so I'd like to extend my welcome to all the new students that will be attending this great institute. Let us continue to excel."

Azra breathed a sigh of relief as the absurdly long welcome speech finally came to a close. The entire ceremony had been far less fun than he originally hoped. The atmosphere was stiff and formal.

For some reason it felt as if everyone was watching him and it was not because his white hair was out for all to see. Well at least not entirely.

There was an undercurrent of hostility that was being aimed at all the new students. Azra could see it in the way the seniors gazed at them as though assessing their ability.

It shouldn't come as a shock really. Competition was fierce to be among the small number of graduating students. Many of the rules enforced at Yelrine were simply there to stroke the flames of competition.

If Cal were here he'd long given the glaring eyes a piece of his mind.

The small smile on his face dropped. He hadn't seen Callum since the incident at the Entrance Exams. Azra couldn't even make out his pink hair in the crowds now.

Is he ignoring me? Is he mad? Still, I'd like to apologize at the very least. Where could he be?

"Excuse me, Your Highness?"

Blinking the thoughts away Azra turns to see a familiar looking woman with glasses perched on her face.

Glancing around he noticed that everyone was milling about the cool afternoon. Some clustering under the shade of large trees that decorated the large grass covered open area; while others disappeared into buildings. It seemed the technical part of the ceremony was over and everyone was allowed to roam and socialize.

"Oh, you were Professor Nile's assistant. Please, call me Azra. Royalty and tittle hold no value here."

"Thank you I will keep that in mind. My name is Clara. If you wouldn't mind following me, Professor Nile wishes to speak privately with you."

"Alright..."

Clara proceeds to lead him into the large stone building that looked more like a castle, walking through wide gloss dark wood hallways and up a set of stairs.

They eventually came to a room and entered after the allowance of a muffled voice from beyond the thick wood.

Azra's eyes went wide with curiosity as he entered what could only be described as a magical research study. Books and papers covered desks and even the floor haphazardly. On various boards, difficult mathematical equations and diagrams were written messily with chalk. There were funny looking whimsical instruments that he was itching to touch. Some of them he recognized, others looked foreign.

Nile was sitting behind a bare desk, his orange hair looking more tamed than Azra had ever seen it.

"Ah you found your way here quickly. Thank you, Clara."

She nodded, taking that as his way of asking her to leave, the soft dull sound of the door closing felt as if it had restricted Azra's breathing along with it.

"Why am I here Professor Nile?"

"I'd like to make you my apprentice."

"What?"

"Like Clara, under a professor these apprentices get specialized classes and are exempted from general classes, of course this means their graduation depends on said professor. It is the highest honor given to a gifted individual."

"You don't expect me to believe that you're doing this out of the kindness of your heart do you?"

"Of course not."

"Then why?"

"Your abnormal existence and ability is something I find incredibly curious."

Azra stiffened, this all sounded far too familiar.

"But rest assured, I would never plan to do anything as idiotic as Nicholas."

"How did you know?"

"It wasn't hard to put the pieces together. It was common sense after the staff was told that he would be fired without a meeting or prior notice, only someone with immense political power could do that. It wasn't until a bit later that I heard he was tutoring the Crowned Prince before all of this happened. While I don't have any specifics, I can take a guess as to what he might have been up to."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because you hold all the power here."

"While I am Royalty, this is Yelrine and you are a professor. I hold only the power given to an average student."

"Yes you are correct, while this is Yelrine where outside status does not apply, at it's core it is still a business. A business that the Crown of Alfonsi invests heavily in. As such you hold certain privileges that others do not."

Azra narrowed his eyes.

"Such as?"

"One word to your father and I will lose my job and depending on the severity even my life. Trust me when I say if anyone's neck is in a noose, it's mine. The King made that perfectly clear."

Azra turned to glance at a shelf.

"I am not a patient person Azra, I asked because I would like an answer now. I am giving you the best possible option. Surely you came here to learn... about magic and yourself."

"Where would you start?"

"With magic."

"But I can't perform magic at all."

Nile blinked at Azra as if he was stupid.

"Exactly."

- - -

"You knew this whole time?"

"Yes."

"And you never said anything?"

"Yes."

"Why not?!"

Quentin hums at the pages sprawled out on his desk.

"It wasn't my secret to tell."

Callum shuts his mouth from a retort at that. Indeed, it was stupid to blame Quentin for not spilling something he witnessed on accident.

Not looking up from his work as he scribbled something on a page, Quentin spoke.

"You're angry with him."

Instantly feeling as if he needed to protect himself Cal fired back a question in retaliation.

"Yeah so, why are you here hiding instead of out there?"

At the sight of the black hired male tensing with no answer Callum let out a deep breath as he dragged a hand down his face.

"Please don't tell me you're getting punished for doing something stupid again."

"No."

"Then what?"

"Filling out forms for expeditions."

Callum's eyebrows scrunched together. He might get along with Quentin like oil with water but that didn't mean he wanted to see the bastard get hurt. Azra wouldn't like it either.

"Already?"

"Yes, I was promoted to the senior Knight division."

A silence hung between the two, heavy with the serious undertone that carried over in Quentin's voice.

Expeditions were an important part of a student's goal to graduate. They were field trips where aspiring mages would apply theory to real world scenarios and gain absurd amounts of points put towards graduating.

But of course where there was great reward, there was great risk.

It was dangerous, and only students above an age range were allowed to participate. They understood the risk to at least some degree. Professors do their best to make sure students are protected but there are rare cases of students dying and more common cases of varying degrees of injury.

"You're too young."

Quentin gave a non-committal grunt.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm aiming to become a knight, danger is inevitable."

"That doesn't mean you should go jumping into the actual fire so early."

Callum pursed his lips, first he finds out Azra has been lying to him since... the beginning probably and now this? This was shaping up to be a shitty week.

"Azra won't like it."

Quentin's eyebrows drew together as his tight grip on a particular page caused it to crinkle sharply.

"This has nothing to do with him, or you or anyone else for that matter."

Callum ran a hand through his hair. He could never really understand what was moving through Quentin's mind and he wasn't sure the big oaf had a complete idea himself.

"Ah fuck it, I'm leaving."

When he was safely out the door Quentin looked down at the papers of caution that needed his signature before he could officially join any expeditions.

The senior knights have been spreading strange rumors lately after their latest expedition. They were far too specific and strange to be entirely lies.

Something was going on, and Quentin would never miss an opportunity to possibly earn points getting him closer to graduation.

He inked his signature once again on a thick stack of documents.

"Yeah, fuck it."