Karius was pacing back and forth. He suspected he knew what was happening. Kay’rin had broken through to Grand Wizard level just the prior night. She was now the only Grand Wizard humanity had. It’s foremost magician had spent just two weeks at this academy and already reached the pinnacle of magical ability for the human race. Had it just been about power he was sure this meeting this morning would not be happening. However, she also proved to be a prodigy with pretty much everything. No matter how complex the concept, how difficult the topic, how esoteric the magic, she mastered it. At first she learned everything he knew, it took her just a day and a half to question him dry. Then she made her way thought the faculty.

She made the impossible possible. Solved hundred-years-old puzzles about magic with a glance. She was an inhuman prodigy to match up with the judgement of that old stone. He had suspected that Bravre had spent the 5-year journey from the hovel he found her in to this academy teaching her magic. He hadn’t. According to Bravre all he taught her was reading, writing, the glyph, and the breathing.

She was completely different from the ‘other’ prodigy. While she studied magic tirelessly he played around on the ocean and experimented with wood and different rocks. Except for that 2nd day when he went to the depository he never was seen among the other students or going to class. He still was a Channeler too. Or at least he never tested for promotion. When he wasn’t playing on the beach or playing in the water with his slaves, he was back in his tower with that horde of women.

He had learned through a couple of slaves that he wasn’t mistreating those women in the least. It was good to hear he wasn’t keeping them for personal gain of some sort. Though he wondered what the faculty will do when in another week none of those girls are pregnant. He knew that was the only reason why they had turned a blind eye to this that long.

He hated people who wasted their talent. He would kill to have the power and potential that Kay'rin and Jace were born with. He had worked himself half to death to reach his current level of skill. When he saw Kay'rin work equally hard it was validating to him. When he saw Jace lazing about or playing with a sword he felt his teeth grind. How could someone with so much talent squander it away in such a lazy fashion?

He could forgive him if he was actually doing something productive for those women. Every single female student in this academy had went to him. He had made some audacious claims about getting them to test as channelers. Yet he saw no training. By all accounts the women do little more than study the glyph all day, while he plays in the surf or with a sword, or runs around the walls of the keep, or spar with the Kindred woman. At least this ‘Jace’ wasn’t a lay about. He couldn’t say he was doing nothing. Just the stuff he did made little sense, and had nothing to do with magic. Had this Jace been more serious he probably would have been in this meeting right now as well. However, when it was suggested by wizard Bravre of all people that he be included, no one saw the point.

The doors to the hall opened and a number of wizards filed out looking troubled. There were no smiles. He spotted Kay'rin walking out, he was curious how someone born in a hovel, with little to no education could give the impression she was in charge of everything, she was the only one who looked composed exiting the hall. He met up with her and started walking by her side.

“Did it go as you hoped?”

“Not quite.”

“You can’t possibly agree to their suggestion”

“Don’t you mean command?”

“Kay'rin, why are you playing word games?”

“Don’t talk down to me too.” Her usually quiet and timid sounding voice turned cool.

“You know I. Argh. I know why they would suggest it. But command? Its overbearing. That they didn’t even include Jace in this meeting proves they don’t care what either of you think.”

“Humanity is dying.” Her voice was quiet again.

“So tell me how it went.”

“Simple. I told them that I would destroy this island and kill everyone on it if they suggested it again.”

He came to a dead stop and stared at her in disbelief. She came to a stop when she realized he had stopped walking.

“Then I told them that not only would they never speak that ‘command’ again, they would recognize me at their leader and do as I command.”

He almost laughed at that line thinking she was joking. He never heard her tell one but then he never could imagine she’d threaten to kill nearly every last human mage in existence either. She was a quiet, dutiful and honest girl. Not a blood thirsty killer. But there was a look on her face that made him think twice about laughing. He cleared his throat. “I assume that is the part they didn’t agree to?”

She nodded.

“Well then I guess I don’t need to ask Jace for a seat on his boat, since they didn’t renew the command. Though, if they’re stubborn on this one, they’ll probably go to Jace next and try to make him force you.”

She nodded again. “I know.”

“I think you can probably ignore that worry. Something tells me he will object to their idea even more violently then you.”

“Really?” She looked at him curiously. “Why do you think that?”

“I’m starting to get a feel for who he is. I don’t think he’d agree with their idea at all. He doesn’t seem like he’s all that interested in magic. I would be surprised if he had many plans beyond returning to wherever he came from. He looks like an Arc Jumper in a cage. As if he is just pacing back and forth trying to figure out how to get out. He’s not the type who’d be happy being tied down.”

She listened quietly to his opinion. Then spoke, “Then we should meet with him before the old men do. I would rather know if he will be my enemy or not, and not guess it.”

Karius sighed. He never knew a woman as proactive as she was. He wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or bad.