by L. Itram and Ben Yackley Main * Story * Setting * Cast * Illustrations * About * Comment

Chapter 23: New Beginnings: Commencement (Posted on 3/14/04 )

The moonlight streamed through the windows of the Dean's office, and on the four mages within. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder in formal outfits: one in a white gown beneath a four-sleeved burgundy jacket; one in a tight-fitting green and brown suit with his long hair pulled back into a ponytail; one in a polished suit of copper-colored armor with a round shield on his back; and one in an indigo toga patterned in waves and fastened at the shoulder by a clasp set with a green crystal. In front of them was a desk that was wide enough to serve as a bed. Although it was usually covered with papers, multicolored ink bottles, small collections of chroma-crystals, and the occasional board game, tonight the black surface was completely clear apart from four scrolls, each tied by a single ribbon and bearing a wax seal with the Dean's personal mark stamped into it - a set of concentric circles overlapping a feathery triangular shape. Besides the mages, there were three other figures in the room. There was, of course, the Dean himself, whose current incarnation was vaguely Vadhan in that it was based on an eel-like form, but with four pairs of arms evenly spaced down his body -- the latter two serving as legs at the moment -- and a ridged fin running down his back from head to tail. He crouched behind his desk like an amphibious dragon, deep blue eyes glowing. Behind him was the Custodian, still wearing his customary forest-green overalls and rune-covered white gloves but carrying a crystal-studded staff in place of his usual mop. And, finally, the Librarian, whose scales had been polished to a deep fiery red and who wore a contented smile as he hovered at a far corner of the room - the first expression any of the mages had seen on that great face that lacked even a hint of sadism.

It had been three days since the events at the museum and Auli's arrival at Featherglass Academy's own infirmary. The mages had used that time to find their old friends and acquaintances - even Kinto's old roommate Johan, who Kinto and Viola still thought of as something of a nuisance, but a harmless -- and therefore tolerable -- one.

The Dean began to speak, his voice low and fluid, addressing each of the mages in turn. "Jane Viola Longdawning, transpositioner. Kinto of the Rofo, lightning elementalist. Kaibotzik Hallidi, herbalist. Luen Mazarien, summoner and hunter. The four of you have, together, accomplished your goal -- but you have done much more." One of the Dean's lower hands set a bluish crystalline blade on the table. "Not only did you bring back a Shard of Heaven as requested, you foiled the plans of a ruthless and greedy individual who is undergoing trial at the Council Hall as we speak." He sighed. "I will be appointing a new curator to our museum - hopefully one who can be trusted not to employ misuse the artifacts. However," he continued, "this is not all you have done."

The mages shuffled, worried -- they knew very well what else they had done.

"Mister Holliday, step forward. Your assignment, as I understand it from your professor, was to prepare a report on the flora of the western forests of Aezo. You encountered the others completely by chance. However, you followed them in their adventure, not giving a second thought to your assigned work. Is this not true?"

Kai said nothing for a few moments, before he realized that the Dean was expecting him to answer. "Y-yes, Sir. I mean, no, Sir, it is true. I mean yes, it -- "

"That will be enough, thank you. Tell me -- do you think, in retrospect, it was the correct decision to make?"

Kai shuffled his hooves nervously. "...Yes, I do. I think I learned a lot more -- you know, saw more people and things and places -- than I would've if I'd stayed on Aezo. Besides, I got to test out a few new recipes, and I've already submitted my findings to Professor Vassa."

The Dean nodded slowly. "Yes, so she said ... Thank you, Kai. Miss Longdawning, step forward."

Viola took a cautious step forward, nearly tripping on the edge of her gown. "Aye, sir."

"As the others now know, you have never been one to follow the expected path. You are a woman who will stop at nothing to see her heart's desire fulfilled. You do know to what I refer, yes?"

"Ye mean me Instillment?"

"Not only that. I'm referring to your separation from your colleagues while on Aezo. Rather than dealing with their idiosyncrasies, you chose to continue the quest on your own." He paused.

"Sir, b'fore ye ask if I felt I did tha correct thing, I'd like ta point out that we made up our differences in Estevas." She quickly added, And we wouldnae ha' found Kai otherwise."

"Indeed. Perhaps I should be thanking you for that. However, that's not what I was about to ask you."

"Tisn't?"

"No. When you left Luen and Kinto, it was to seek the Shard on your own. To succeed in a fashion that best fit the image you keep in your heart of who you feel you are. Powerful, independent, aloof. Tell me - do you think, knowing what you do now about being Instilled, this is truly who you are meant to be?"

Viola thought about this for a short while. Powerful, independent, aloof... Words that could describe not only herself, but also Auli after her own Instillment. What was the difference between her and Auli, really?

"...aye," she said finally. "I still do, even knowin' what I do now. I ha' seen other Instilled who could na' handle th' power, nor th' mental strain o' th' process. But I know meself well enough after seein' meself in action that I can trust meself wi' th' powers I ha' been granted."

The Dean nodded again. "Thank you, Jane." He smiled, "And thank you, Viola ... Kinto Rofo, step forward."

Viola took a cautious step back as Kinto approached the desk. "...I know what I did. This's 'bout Tenthys, innit?"

"Yes, but more than that. In Tenthys, you saw for yourself what can happen to power - your own power - without control. But you've no doubt heard enough about yourself and your own path from the shamans. The shield and armor you wear are symbols of what you've learned. So tell me, Kinto - what next?"

"Next? Fer me? Well - uh - I dunno. I'll prob'ly first go back ta my tribe an' show 'em what -- show 'em I finally made somethin' o' myself. After that ... mebbe join th' guard here? I like Featherglass."

The Dean paused for a moment making a noise that could have been the precursor to another transformation, but was more likely a stifled chuckle. "Yes, very good answer. Thank you, Kinto. And now ... Luen Mazarien."

"So what's my question?"

"Luen... I assigned you to watch over Kinto and Viola, reporting everything back to me, a task which you carried out faithfully. Being a summoner, you also brought your chalice along and trapped a maginaria for your own use, but that was expected. What I could not have foreseen, however, was how strong your attachment to that maginaria became. So strong that you were willing to forcibly rip her away from the one within whom she had been Instilled regardless of the consequences to either. Tell me, Luen, was I wrong to have trusted you?"

The change in the Dean's tone of voice did not go unnoticed. Luen was speechless, staring down at the desk with his fists clenched and the end of his tail swatting at the air.

"Silence does not suit you, Luen."

"Look, I'm sorry! I already know what I did. I know what happened to Auli."

"Have you gone to see her yet?"

Luen sighed heavily. "They won't let me in. Said I'd be the last person she'd want to see."

"Don't make excuses, Luen. They would have let you in if you had asked."

"Fine," Luen hmphed. "I'll go."

"I trust you will." The Dean turned to the others. "Now, with that out of the way ... Would the four of you please take your scrolls? Open and read them here."

The mages did as instructed. They were not diplomas, as they had expected, but official letters. Three contained small pins fastened to the bottom. Each pin was silver, and in the shape of Featherglass's seal - a bottle with a feathery tree-like structure plugging the top in front of a seven-pointed star - but with a crossed sword, wand, and pen behind it.

Kinto squinted at his. "What're these? Soov'nirs?"

The Dean smiled slightly. "It's all explained in the letter. You are not merely graduating; because of your uniquely suited natures I have promoted you to become the first members of the Featherglass Expeditionary Force. This is a new organization, based here on the campus, which will send members off to various parts of the world to conduct investigations and research in places and situations too dangerous for a mere researcher to go. Your position will be at the same level as the campus staff - such as the Custodian and Librarian here, who tonight have come to these proceedings as official witnesses. This is not simply field work; the Academy's researchers are well-trained in research, but I feel that you three are the right choice to send anywhere in Delyria."

The mages looked at each other, trying to figure out what the Dean meant by "you three".

The odd one out was Luen. His pin was bronze instead of silver, and his letter was slightly different...

"Provisional License? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Luen, that you're not graduating with the others. Like them, you have accomplished enough to fulfill or at least make up for your remaining graduation requirements. However, in light of recent events, I'm afraid you'll need to repeat Magic Safety one more time before I can judge you completely worthy of the honor I am according the others. You will still go out on expeditions, of course, but under their supervision... Is this all clear?"

Luen sighed. "...Yeah... I mean, yes, Sir."

"Good. Now, the four of you may go - congratulations to you all. You have performed beyond my expectations, and I very much look forward to seeing what you may accomplish in the future..."

(continued...)