Standing in a line shoulder to shoulder with Flare right behind them, Alvis, Floris, and Kathrina stood with their heads bowed shamefully while Etrix, Elizabeth, and a strange man dressed in some sort of military uniform glared angrily at them.
Rested on Etrix's desk was a small booklet detailing the report Elizabeth had gathered from witnesses of the incident regarding Alvis's fireball. Etrix stared at them with his face hidden behind his hands he had locked together with his fingers, only allowing his very intimidating eyes to be seen.
"Well?! What have you three got to say for yourselves?! You all could be facing multiple years in prison based on everything that's happened!" Etrix shouted in a demanding manner.
Flare looked down at his pupils and could sense the dread coming from them with the threat of facing prison time being a very real possibility. He looked up at Etrix and asked, "Can you tell them the charges they're facing?"
Etrix sighed heavily and flipped the booklet open before he started reading the report out loud, "A total of twenty bookshelves burned, over two hundred books destroyed detailing Fiorra's history and magic control, multiple research projects of several students lost, and the destruction of a priceless stained window of Saint Alessia, our founder, and first Arch-Mage."
"Well, that doesn't sound so bad..." Flare said, his students raising their heads a little in hope after hearing him say that.
Etrix closed the booklet and exhaled with a loud sigh as he leaned back in his chair, "If it were just those charges I could probably turn a blind eye and accept the fact that it was just a freak accident. All that happened with the guild was property damage and no one reported any injuries. However..." He looked at the man standing to his right, then looked at Flare again as he continued, "The fireball Alvis let loose severely damaged a Fiorra Navy Vessel named the Reaper's Judgment - a Second Rate ship of the line. Standing next to me is the Captain of said ship."
The captain, tall and foreboding, and dressed in the proper attire of an 18th-century naval officer, stepped forward and spoke to Flare, "The damage to my ship was extensive. The main mast of the ship was destroyed, cutting its mobility by at least seventy-five percent and the ship was already slow enough without the damage your students did to it."
"So, what exactly do you want from them? I can assign them to swab the decks or serve under you for a time if needed." Said Flare.
The Captain looked at the three young students before him, then returned his gaze to Flare as he said, "As tempting as that may be, I don't see these three being very good sailors. However, I am willing to strike a deal with you."
"And what would that be?" Flare asked.
The Captain pulled a rolled-up map out from his coat pocket and laid it on the table, then motioned his fingers for the mages to step forward. Once they did, he pointed to an island in the Northern Sea off the coast of Fiorra's shores and said, "I had been assigned to take my ship and deal with a group of marauders that has been using this island as a base. They've been preying on small vessels within nearby waters and taking whatever goods they can get their hands on and taking the crew with them. A few days ago, a Sloop disguised as a merchant ship was sent to the island as a reconnaissance vessel so naval command could get an idea of what was happening. At least four ships pursued after them but were unable to match the speed of our scouts. My ship, the Reaper's Judgement, was supposed to destroy those vessels and land a Marine force on the beaches to deal with this pirate threat."
Flare remained silent as he looked at the island on the map, then looked at the Captain and asked, "So... If we deal with your pirate problem, what will you do for us?"
The Captain rolled the map up into a scroll again and slid it into his pocket before giving his answer, "If you deal with these pirates for me while my ship is being repaired, I will drop all charges against you and clear your name of the potential felonies your students face. The destruction of military property is punishable by death, so I'm being very generous by giving you this choice."
Etrix looked at Flare, then turned his gaze to the Captain and said, "Will you be wanting prisoners? Flare will be accompanying them, and he's an Elemental Guard. If you need someone kept alive, you'd better let us know."
The Captain looked at Etrix for a moment, then looked at Flare again as he answered, "If possible, bring us the leader of these pirates so the courses can make an example out of him. However, I leave that decision up to you. In fact, this is a better outcome than I could have hoped for."
Elizabeth looked at the three young mages, then looked at the Captain and asked, "You are aware that these three are just mere Associates, right? While they are technically within the guild, their skills are far from refined. The most talented among them is Kathrina and her focus is not offensive or destructive magic."
The Captain looked at Elizabeth and replied, "It doesn't matter. While I can understand what happened may have just been a freak accident and they did not purposefully cause damage to my vessel, the law must still be upheld. I've offered them a chance to have their names cleared, which is going beyond my call of duty. Typically only an Admiral can do that, but since there isn't one present in the areas surrounding Misty Lake, I will take the responsibility for whatever happens. So long as the mission gets done and my ship gets repaired, I'm sure they'll be willing to overlook what has happened."
Etrix nodded at the Captain, then looked at Elizabeth and said, "It's a fair deal." He then looked at the three students standing before him and continued, "These three show great promise and it would be a shame to see them rotting behind bars from such a young age. If they succeed at this mission I will also not charge them for the damages done to the guildhall. What do you three say to this?"
Kathrina looked at the two boys, then looked at Etrix and nodded with a determined look in her eyes, "I agree to these terms. Thank you for giving us a second chance."
Floris nodded in a agreement, "From what I've heard about prison... I'd rather die fighting than rot inside a cage for the rest of my life."
Alvis looked at Floris and Kathrina, then looked at Etrix and shrugged his shoulders as he stated, "I don't even know what prison is."
There was an awkward silence in the room that lasted for several moments before everyone except for Alvis hung their heads. Kathrina looked at Alvis and said, "Just imagine being locked in a cold, damp, cement room with no way of escaping and the only food you get is whatever is leftover on a ship after a long voyage at sea. Imagine being fed what is little more than sludge and old milk."
Alvis thought for a moment, then made a face of disgust and shook his head to clear the image from his mind, "Uh, yeah, I'll be taking this offer, too."
Etrix nodded and looked at the Captain, "It looks like you've got a deal."
"So it would seem. I will arrange for a small ship to take you to the island in the morning. It will be waiting for you down at the docks whenever you're ready to depart." Said the Captain.
Etrix looked at the Captain for a moment, then looked at the three students before him and stood up from his chair, "Alright. Everyone except for Elizabeth and Flare are dismissed. I suggest you three go get some rest and prepare yourselves for what is to come."
The four unnecessary people nodded and walked out of the room, leaving only Flare, Elizabeth, and Etrix in the office. Etrix glanced at Flare for a quick moment, then walked behind his chair and stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back. He waited for a few moments, then looked at Elizabeth and asked, "What do you think?"
Elizabeth faced Etrix and responded, "It's certainly unexpected. To think he could conjure up such a fireball with little training or guidance... Few students have shown that kind of promise, but the fact he's so dimwitted, and I say that as respectfully as I can, is what makes this even more astonishing to me."
Flare looked at Elizabeth and said, "Dimwitted he may be, but I do sense something within him. They both told me their parents were mages at one point, but they didn't know anything more than that. With the right kind of guidance, I think we can really make something of Alvis."
"And what of Floris? Has he demonstrated anything yet?" Etrix asked.
Flare shook his head and responded, "No. I don't really know what to think of him yet. There's no denying he's a skilled alchemist and may even become one of the greatest Fiorra has ever seen, but I don't sense the same thing I sense with Alvis. Floris, oddly enough as this may sound, may be the weaker student when it comes to magic control. But when it comes to intellect he is without equal."
"And what of Kathrina?" Etrix asked.
Flare looked at Alvis and answered, "As of now, she is the best when it comes to magic control. It was because of her that Alvis was able to cast that fireball. She transferred some of her magical energy from her body to his. You two definitely formed a strong team by putting these three together."
Etrix closed his eyes and lowered his head a little as he exhaled through his nose. He then turned around to look at Flare and said, "There is something about Floris that unnerves. You say you can't sense anything within him... I can sense something, but I don't know what it is."
Elizabeth remained quiet for a moment, then looked at Etrix and said, "Maybe it has to do with the differences of your elements? You're an ice mage and Flare is a fire mage. Maybe that's what you feel?"
"Hmm... Maybe. But I'm not so certain. There is something within him that has been lying dormant for a long time...and is just waiting to be unleashed." Said Etrix.
Elizabeth looked at Flare, who had an unsure look in his eye, then looked at Etrix again and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Etrix walked over to his desk and placed his hands on opposite ends of the desk as he leaned over it and said, "I can't explain it. But that boy..." He lifted his head to look straight ahead of him as he continued, "That boy is dangerous."