"What? What are you going to do?" Johan looked at the two women in front of him and stepped back.
The temperature in the room rose dangerously.
"Johan, it's okay." Prof. Dupont touched his arm to calm him down. "Professor Raevers is only going to place a restraining charm on you to keep your fire at bay."
"Why?" Johan looked incredulous. "It's my fire! If you take it from me... what else could I be without it!?"
"We won't be taking it away, we'll just hold it back a bit so it won't come out at full force," explained Professor Morell.
"Johan, it's for your own safety and for those who are around you," said Prof. Dupont.
"What if someone decides to abduct me?!" Johan blurted out. "You said yourself that Dorin was left behind because he was weak! Well, no wonder, when he's covered with wards all over your body!"
"That's why the University is taking measures to double the security in the university."
"Yeah, well, good luck when half of the abductors are already in the campus!" Johan hissed.
The temperature rose again.
The rest of the professors looked at Prof. Dupont.
"Slip of the tongue!" the alchemist said with a grin. "But he does have a point there."
"Okay then, why don't we do it this way," Professor Raevers bargained, "I will give you a release spell so that you can use your full power when you really need it."
"What use is the binding spell then?" said Prof. Althea.
"It's okay, I can vouch for Johan," said Prof. Dupont. "He has been using his fire since he was probably born. He has already mastered it, it's not like he would let it go wild."
"That's true," Pan Phineas seconded, "if it's a binding spell that would pacify you, then it is best to give him a release spell just in case," he explained, "I myself do not trust the security in this university."
"And in Dorin's case," added Prof. Dupont, "as we can all see, he himself can not seem to control his inborn element."
"Yes, his mother has deprived him of an education and suppressed his powers," Althea muttered with a frown. "He would need special training for him to master his latent abilities."
"He is a young thunder god," Pan chuckled. "Another thunder god would have to teach him himself." He reached out a skeletal hand to Dorin and gave a lopsided grin. "Therefore, I, Pan Phineas Heilig, sixth brother of the last Heilig king will be your instructor," he announced.
"Pan Phineas." Professor Morell suddenly spoke out. "You are no longer part of that clan!"
"True," Pan's bulging eye swiveled to look at the dark skinned professor. "I turned my back on my clan when I embraced the life of an oracle," said he, "but that does not make me any less a thunder god."
As he said this, tendrils of electricity rose from his skin and sparked in the air. Professor Morell stepped back involuntarily.
"Well, little thunder god, do you agree?" Pan asked Dorin who took his hand and shook it firmly.
"I do," he replied, his eyes not leaving the other's face.
"Well, with that matter taken care of..." Professor Raevers suddenly stepped closer to an unsuspecting Johan and raised a hand to his chest.
In a quick fluid movement she hit the boy twice on the chest and once on his solar plexus, sending the young fire mage tumbling to the floor.
Johan doubled over.
There was smoke coming up from his body. He then looked up, his eyes full of murderous intent.
"Quite the look you've got there," the head of charms said. "Perhaps I shouldn't give you the release spell after all."
"You filthy whore!" Johan spat out, "Imma guhna slam mah hammer right inside ya stinkin c–"
The words were cut off as Prof. Dupont suddenly appeared behind Johan, a hand raised over his nape.
"Sorry," he said as his protégé fell on the floor, "he picked the language up from the miners." He gave an apologetic smile. "He doesn't mean it, really, doesn't even know what it actually means. He's just not that good at communicating with other people."
"Apology accepted," Professor Raevers replied with a snob. "But I'm keeping my release spell until I see improvement in that boy's manners."
"Sounds fair enough," Prof. Dupont laughed.
"Now, the matter of their safety..." Professor Dimitrio reminded the group, "We were thinking of letting them stay in the special rooms in the dorm..."
"I would like to stay with Sebastian, please," Dorin said with his hand up.
"Actually, the rooms are only for special classes – "
"Can I be a half scholar if I do something bad?"
"Dorin, stop that!" hissed his aunt.
"As I was saying," the professor continued patiently, "there are rooms in the dormitory for special cases. It is located at the topmost floors – at the attics. These rooms are big enough to fit up to five people..."
"Then Sebastian can stay too!" Dorin said happily, looking at Sebastian, and noticed the other holding his slate.
[Piss off Dorin.]
"If you would let me continue?" Professor Dimitrio asked Dorin.
Dorin finally shut his mouth.
"Back in the days when there where more mages in the land, we used to have a separate class rank – the S Class, where very talented students were taught advance skills that are appropriate for their levels."
"Yes, I remember now," Professor Raevers said dreamily, "those rooms are singles too, but they are connected into one living quarter and has its own spacious toilet and bath and even has a kitchen..."
"It was a whole dormitory on its own," said the head of magic fauna. "The separate rooms can only fit a bed and a small table though, the students then, who were usually grouped into 5, can live close together to form a stronger bond with each other."
"That sounds great!" said Dorin excitedly. "Sebastian can stay with Johan and me, right?"
The professors look at each other.
"Well, he was a full scholar before..." said Professor Dimitrio.
"But he's not part of the special class!" snapped Professor Raevers. "There's nothing special about that kid."
"Hey!" Dorin said defensively, "I'll have you know that— OW!"
He looked behind him and saw Sebastian checking his slate for damage.
"If I may suggest," Prof. Althea said, raising a hand. "As I remember, the Special Class was made to strengthen the bonds of certain students," she continued. "In my opinion, the combination of fire, water and air elements are an ideal combination, don't you think so?" she looked at her fellow professors. "It also helps that they are already acquainted with each other. Plus, Sebastian here is well versed in all manners of teachings that these two new mages have long been deprived of. Don't you think that letting the three of them stay close to each other is the best solution for this problem?"
"Well, now that you mention it, Sebastian does teach extra classes sometimes," said Prof. Dupont, "for a profit," she added.
"I agree as well," said Pan. "It is an ideal way for them to bond," he added with a ghastly grin.
"The arrangement would also keep them away from harm since the topmost floors of the dormitory is the most tightly warded," Professor Morell said thoughtfully.
"And in the long run, they can also protect each other," Professor Dimitrio smiled at Dorin. "I guess your wish will be granted then, young Silvius."
Dorin smiled and looked hopefully at Sebastian.
The other's face, as usual, was unreadable.
"Let us see your class cards then," Professor Morell said, his arm extended.
Dorin and Sebastian took out their cards, while Prof. Dupont handed over Johan's golden card. Professor Morell took all three cards and gave them to Professor Dimitrio.
"You do the honors, Professor," he said as the elderly professor took the cards.
"It has been so long since I have done this," replied Dimitrio with a childish smile on her wrinkled face.
She held the three cards in front of her. Slowly, the colors faded and darkened and changed to black.
"Welcome to the Special Class," she said, as she handed the cards back.