Lee sat in class listening to Peter Leaf talk about magic. Leaf called upon 2 students to do a demonstration of the earth wall spell. These 2 students weren't particularly skilled with earth magic and only managed create a small, weak wall. Peter Leaf patted both on the back. “That was a good attempt my dear students; but you must get better results then this if you wish to pass my upcoming test. Bad results are among my dislikes!”

River didn't particularly like a lot of the teachers here. He did have a soft spot for Peter though. He heard the story of how Peter almost died in an attempt to give the other students a chance to escape. How he fought on the same level of 'The Shame of the House of Sun'. He chased after him even in his weakened state and for all he knew going towards death in a last ditch effort to try to save his students only to find him defeated.

It was through Mary that Lee and the rest of his friends were able to hear the details of Peter's fight. Peter of course made a full report to the school about the incident. That report, as any report of note in zero province would, made it's way to the Cloud house to be read by the Elders. Mary was informed by her house of the details of the report as they believed it would be to her benefit to know.

It was awkward for the school to have their private reports known to a student. In the end, it was the Cloud house's wish and there was nothing they could do about it. Lee was still unsure how he felt about Mary as a person but he respected that she went to the defense of Peter Leaf. It would be fair to say she was the main reason he still had a job at this school.

Lee imagined most teachers would find that an odd situation to navigate. Teaching a student responsible for you still being a teacher. Peter, to his credit, never let it show and treated her no differently than any other student. Lee thought maybe Mary liked that about him but he couldn't be sure. As far as he knew Mary didn't like anything except her house and growing stronger. In any case, he was glad Peter was still his teacher.

Soon the bell rang letting the students know there would be an hour break for lunch. Just as Lee was getting ready to leave Peter called out “Lee, I'd like you to stay after class. I want to talk to you about your school work.”

Lee found this odd as he always did he work in class at an acceptable level and handed in all his assignments. There was nothing to be done about it but to stay and hear what the problem was. It was such a pity to lose some of his precious lunch time. Many of the students here found the lunches comparatively bland. Lee had rarely eaten half this good. He hoped this meeting would end quickly.

Peter walked to the door of the class “if you don't mind River, I'd like to take a quick walk around the campus while we talk. Staying too long in a stuffy classroom is one of my dislikes after all.” Lee had no objection a he felt the same way. It would work up his appetite more which would allow him to hopefully have a few extra bites of food.

They walked through the hall and out to the court yard silently. Lee again became amazed by the pure size and luxuriousness of this school. Peter intentionally walked further out to be away from other people. “Lee, I want to talk to you more about that wizard you saw fight 'The Shame of the House of Sun'. We still have not found anyone of the description.”

Lee shrugged “well, if a wizard that powerful doesn't want to be found, I doubt he will be.”

Peter smiled “you know Lee, I see a lot of myself in you. I too was not born a noble. When I got into this school I was looked down on and seen as an after thought, even by the teachers. They didn't want to waste too much time on a commoner when they could teacher and train nobles from famous families. I don't fully blame them for that. Those types are more likely to be great wizards. No one wants to see their effort wasted after all.”

Lee was unsure of what to say to this “it's seems it's not as bad anymore compared to what you described. The commoners are almost given as much time as the nobles from what I can see. I guess we have come a long way since you were a student here.”

Peter gave Lee a sideways look “well, if I may be so boastful. I think I am mostly to thank for that. I was the first commoner since the reform, which made sure commoners had equal protections under the law, to graduate top of my class. It changed the way a lot of the teachers here thought. Since I joined the faculty a mere 3 years after graduating, I've tried to instill a more balanced culture. Having a home grown star student come back to teach has given me a lot of sway in my 7 years teaching here.”

Lee paused for a moment. “So what you're telling me is.... you're only 28 year old?”

“That is what you took from that story?”

“Well, I just thought you were older. I mean the scruffy beard and...” Lee thought listing off the things that made Peter look older than he was would be impolite. He didn't have a great knack for social customs but he knew age was often a touchy subject for people.

“How old did you think I was then?” Peter stopped walking and crossed his arms.

“Well, I didn't have any particular age in mind.” Lee of course was lying. He thought Peter was for sure over 40 years old before hearing his real age.

“Don't be like that, I can take it. Just tell me already. Having to ask over and over is among my dislikes.”

“Well, if I had to guess without knowing; I'd say maybe 40?”

Peter Leaf grabbed his head and shrieked to the sky “40?! Do I look that old? I'm still a young man! Looking old is my greatest dislike of all!” He lamented and tried to feel for a bald spot in his hair. He wasn't getting one was he?

Lee was saddened but oddly amused by all this. He then remembered lunch. “Well, I probably misspoke with that 40 comment. I'd say 35 tops! Anyway, I am curious what you wanted to talk about. Lunch waits for no student after all.”

Peter took his hands out of his hair and composed himself. “Yes, we should get down to business.” He sat on a bench near a small pond by the school and motioned Lee to sit next to him. Ducks were in the pond enjoying the summer sun and slight breeze.

Peter looked at them and spoke “as I told you, I was a commoner just like you. A lot of people see that as a disadvantage here. I'm not so sure about that. It's true we tend to have less of a background with magic. But we also possess skills and experiences these nobles don't. For instance before coming to this school I helped my father as a woods guide and trapper. We would help people get their cargo moved to difficult to cross parts of the country and hunt game as needed to keep us all fed.”

Lee looking at Peter could picture that. He seemed like the gruff sort to do such a job. Peter continued on “wizards can do a great many things, but tracking and knowing their way around the forest without getting lost isn't usually one of them. That's why I was confident enough to take you all out by myself. If I didn't know the woods so well I would have never tried to go alone.

Anyway, the point of me telling you all of this is because I want you to know that I’m aware the story you told me and the school is a lie. There was no other wizard there. If there was, I no doubt would see his tracks. When I didn't see them I thought perhaps he traveled through the trees; but after looking in them I saw no evidence. Just to be sure, I checked the ground around where the fight took place. Even going as far out as a mile in any direction. There was no evidence anyone was ever there.”

Lee tried to think quickly “are you saying a wizard can't hide their tracks if they wish?”

Peter smiled “Oh, I'm sure they could if they wanted to. But they never do. Maybe you might think to do that if you are setting up a trap. But most wizards are nobles who wouldn't even think to do something like hide their tracks. Even ones that would try wouldn't be able to fool me. I helped track down people with my father before becoming a wizard. They tried to hide their tracks but always left a trace.”

Lee tried to play dumb “well, then I guess it's a mystery. I don't know how or why a wizard would do that. It seems they were able to. I'm afraid I have nothing more to add.”

Peter ignored this “It was nearly equally unbelievable to believe a first year magic student would have a chance to beat such a wizard, even in a weakened state. I tried to find any reason why I could be wrong and maybe have missed something. After examining the area carefully I am left with only one option to believe. Somehow you beat 'The Shame'. I don't know how, but you did it.”

“Have you told anyone else you're theory?”

“No, and I don't plan to. Believing that we have a first year student who might be near as strong as me would be too much for them to accept. What I named as proof, they are nobles would dismiss because they couldn't understand it. I'm not about to allow myself to be ridiculed all year. That's among my dislikes! I just want you to be aware I know the truth. At least part of it.”

Lee didn't know what else to say “well, don't worry. I don't plan to cause trouble. I'm probably not as strong as you think anyway. He was in a weakened state already and it was mostly luck that I won.”

Peter looked straight ahead at the ducks “I hope that's not true. I've heard a troubling report about the Zero Province Dragon Academy. It seems something very big is going to happen this year if my informant is correct. If the information is true then I believe you might be the only hope our school and perhaps the province has. I'm talking to you now because I absolutely need to be sure you're going to be on our team this year.”

Lee was puzzled “what are you talking about? What did you hear?”

“I heard a rumor that the Star house is going to make a power play to try to gain influence in zero province at this years tournament. They are giving our main rival school a roster of talented youngsters to help them defeat us. The most troublesome report of all is they are actually sending a student by the name of Vladimir Star. Perhaps that name means nothing to you but he is arguably the strongest student currently in any school in the entire continent.

It's being said even at the age of only 18 and a 3rd year student that he may already possesses an A rank. It's believed he is one of the few wizards who is destined to be S class when he fully matures. Truly a talent we likely see only every 5 to 10 years. For him to be our opponent would almost certainly spell our certain defeat.”

Lee thought about this for a moment. He understood why he himself cared so much about winning, but why was it so important to Peter? Was this a matter of pride for him? Finally Lee simply spoke “I understand that you want our school to win the tournament but I don't see why you are so worried about this. You're acting like if we lose it will be a matter of life and death.”

“It will be a matter of life and death young River. I don't think you fully understand what this move means. The Star house is coming into zero province and with this move will be laying claim on it as theirs. The Cloud house will lose influence and be seen as weak. It will fight back vs the Star house. Probably not with blood directly but politics and economics.

When this power struggle happens it will be long and drawn out. No matter who wins the whole province and continent will suffer. The nobles will be fine but the commoners like always will feel the hit the hardest. Money will go from programs to help them to help the houses in their fight. These houses in the end control the politics of this continent after all.

Credit will dry up and unemployment will skyrocket. Crime will go up and it will lead to more violence. people will starve as we head for a depression.

It will almost entirely be felt by the commoners and will go on as long as the houses fight for dominance. Even if it takes 5, 10 or 20 years. We must not let that happen no matter what. In my opinion, the only way to prevent that is for our school with a Cloud heir to beat their Star heir. The Star house would lose some face if that happened but the effects of that would be minor in comparison and are unavoidable at this point.

This is why I'm talking to you young River. What we need now is a student who defies logic. There is probably no 3rd year or 2nd year at this school who can hope to defeat even the minions sent along with Vlad by the Star house. Defeating Vlad is utterly impossible for any of our students. Even I'm not fully sure I would be able to defeat him to be honest. This is why I'm asking you to do so.”

Lee was surprised by this. Yes, he wanted to advance in the tournament but beating this Vlad boy, assuming he even could, it seemed like that would be far too much exposure for him. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. He knew Peter wouldn't drop this and would keep on about it until he got an answer that either gave him hope of crushed it.

Lee stood up and turned towards the school. Before he left he turned to Peter. “I don't want you to ask questions and I don't plan to give you any explanations. I might be able to beat this Vlad but I won't know until I face him. For various reasons, it's also important to me to win this tournament and I plan to do so. If I may be so boastful, if you want our school to win then it would be best do to everything you can to help my plans.”

Peter smiled “you're a devious little snake, I'm happy to see that. I hope it will be of help. Don't steal my phrases though. That is one of my dislikes!” He laughed and stood up. “If I can help you out then I'll be sure to do just that. Any resources you need I'll get them for you so just ask. Like I said, I carry a lot of sway here.” They started to walk back towards the school.

Lee thought of something “if you want to help, then I would ask you give myself, David. Tom, Mary, Amanda and Derrick a few classes off here and there. I'm trying to train them to build a team strong enough to win the tournament. It would be easier if we had a few days without classes each month to just train all day.”

Peter nodded “I can make that work, I don't know where you're training but I can probably get you a better spot and more resources if you want. Even if you want to keep this quiet I should be able to get you anything you need.”

Lee smiled “good, thank you. Every little bit helps of course and I won't turn down any resources I can get. The only issue is I don't know who will be in charge the students who qualify and decide who makes the team. If we get a bad ref or stubborn teacher who doesn't believe first years should be on the team it could ruin everything.”

“You don't need to worry about that. I put in for that spot the instant I heard what was happening at the Dragon academy. I'll be the teacher in charge of the students who qualify and I will be sure the refs in the tournament are fair.”

Lee was surprised “already making moves to put yourself in position before you even had my answer? It seems like your the one whose a devious snake.”

Peter shot Lee a sideways look “I just always like to be in position to make fate be as I want it to be. Events unfolding without them having my express permission to do so is one of my dislikes after all.”