and
if they had records of him, under that name was where they would find them.
“Ah yes.” The seneschal flipped
through his ledger. He peered over the top of his register at Pancras. “Two
days early. That is good for you. Who are you?” He pointed a bony finger at
Delilah.
“Delilah.” The drak straightened
her back and stood on tiptoe. “Of Drak-Anor. Those old guys that showed up in
Drak-Anor said I had to come because I never went to the Arcane University,
and, for some reason, learning magic is illegal without your say so.”
Pancras pulled Delilah toward
him. She shook him off and snapped at his hand.
“Ah, you wish to be a student.”
“I could blast half of these
students before they’d put down their books!” Delilah tapped the podium with
her staff. The eyes of her lizard skull glowed blue.
“Oh. I see.” The seneschal closed
his ledger and pointed at a nearby bench. “Have a seat. A slayer has already
been assigned to you, so the court will want to wait until she arrives before
hearing your case.”
Before Pancras and Delilah took
the seat offered them, the outer doors opened, and a woman entered. It was the
slayer they had passed earlier in the courtyard. She adjusted her helm, tucking
the stray wisps of golden hair back underneath its rim.
“Ah, there she is now.” The
seneschal gestured toward Pancras and Delilah. “Your quarry showed up early.
You may take them into the court at your leisure.”
“Thank you, Lyov.” The woman
approached Pancras and Delilah. She cocked her head as she regarded them. “I’m
called the Golden Slayer. The archmage wanted me to hunt you down as renegades.
How fortunate that you came to us. Are you prepared to answer for your crimes?”
Delilah huffed and poked the
Golden Slayer in the thigh. “I haven’t committed any crime. We lived for years
without you people sticking your noses in our business, and we’re only here to
deal with this extortion.”
Pancras cleared his throat. “We
are prepared to clear up any misunderstandings.” He pulled Delilah away from
the slayer.
The Golden Slayer rubbed a mark
Delilah’s claw made on her polished armor. The hint of a smirk appeared on her
lips, and she gestured toward the doors. “Very well, then. Let us proceed.”
For the first time in his life,
Pancras stepped hoof into the Court of Wizardry. Most students, if they
behaved, had no need to enter these halls. He was disappointed that it was
little more than a rectangular room. Opposite the entry doors was a wide dais,
upon which stood the high-backed chairs of the Court of Wizardry. There were
thirteen total, and apart from the center chair upon which sat the archmage,
only two others were occupied. The wizards flanking the archmage kept their
faces covered, according to tradition. Students were always on their best
behavior, partially, by never knowing if their instructors sat upon the Court
of Wizardry.
“A minotaur.” The archmage stood.
“This must be Pancras, lately of Drak-Anor.”
The wizard to the archmage’s
right, presumably a man, wore head-to-toe orange robes and looked at his
counterpart, who wore violet robes not unlike those Pancras often wore. “And
the drak we were told about.”
The violet-robed wizard nodded.
“You are expected. You are early. Good.”
The archmage slashed the air with
his hand. “Silence. I am Vilkan Icebreaker, Archmage of the Arcane University,
highest of the high wizards.” He returned to his seat, tossing back his head
before clutching the arms of his chair. “I am surprised you answered the
summons.”
Pancras placed his hand on his
chest and bowed. He warned Delilah with a glance to remain silent. “It was
never my intention to dishonor the university.”
“Yet you practice a forbidden
art.”
Pancras blinked. “Forbidden?”
“Necromancy was declared a
forbidden art five years ago. Had you maintained a proper relationship with the
Arcane University, you would know this.”
Pancras
if they had records of him, under that name was where they would find them.
“Ah yes.” The seneschal flipped
through his ledger. He peered over the top of his register at Pancras. “Two
days early. That is good for you. Who are you?” He pointed a bony finger at
Delilah.
“Delilah.” The drak straightened
her back and stood on tiptoe. “Of Drak-Anor. Those old guys that showed up in
Drak-Anor said I had to come because I never went to the Arcane University,
and, for some reason, learning magic is illegal without your say so.”
Pancras pulled Delilah toward
him. She shook him off and snapped at his hand.
“Ah, you wish to be a student.”
“I could blast half of these
students before they’d put down their books!” Delilah tapped the podium with
her staff. The eyes of her lizard skull glowed blue.
“Oh. I see.” The seneschal closed
his ledger and pointed at a nearby bench. “Have a seat. A slayer has already
been assigned to you, so the court will want to wait until she arrives before
hearing your case.”
Before Pancras and Delilah took
the seat offered them, the outer doors opened, and a woman entered. It was the
slayer they had passed earlier in the courtyard. She adjusted her helm, tucking
the stray wisps of golden hair back underneath its rim.
“Ah, there she is now.” The
seneschal gestured toward Pancras and Delilah. “Your quarry showed up early.
You may take them into the court at your leisure.”
“Thank you, Lyov.” The woman
approached Pancras and Delilah. She cocked her head as she regarded them. “I’m
called the Golden Slayer. The archmage wanted me to hunt you down as renegades.
How fortunate that you came to us. Are you prepared to answer for your crimes?”
Delilah huffed and poked the
Golden Slayer in the thigh. “I haven’t committed any crime. We lived for years
without you people sticking your noses in our business, and we’re only here to
deal with this extortion.”
Pancras cleared his throat. “We
are prepared to clear up any misunderstandings.” He pulled Delilah away from
the slayer.
The Golden Slayer rubbed a mark
Delilah’s claw made on her polished armor. The hint of a smirk appeared on her
lips, and she gestured toward the doors. “Very well, then. Let us proceed.”
For the first time in his life,
Pancras stepped hoof into the Court of Wizardry. Most students, if they
behaved, had no need to enter these halls. He was disappointed that it was
little more than a rectangular room. Opposite the entry doors was a wide dais,
upon which stood the high-backed chairs of the Court of Wizardry. There were
thirteen total, and apart from the center chair upon which sat the archmage,
only two others were occupied. The wizards flanking the archmage kept their
faces covered, according to tradition. Students were always on their best
behavior, partially, by never knowing if their instructors sat upon the Court
of Wizardry.
“A minotaur.” The archmage stood.
“This must be Pancras, lately of Drak-Anor.”
The wizard to the archmage’s
right, presumably a man, wore head-to-toe orange robes and looked at his
counterpart, who wore violet robes not unlike those Pancras often wore. “And
the drak we were told about.”
The violet-robed wizard nodded.
“You are expected. You are early. Good.”
The archmage slashed the air with
his hand. “Silence. I am Vilkan Icebreaker, Archmage of the Arcane University,
highest of the high wizards.” He returned to his seat, tossing back his head
before clutching the arms of his chair. “I am surprised you answered the
summons.”
Pancras placed his hand on his
chest and bowed. He warned Delilah with a glance to remain silent. “It was
never my intention to dishonor the university.”
“Yet you practice a forbidden
art.”
Pancras blinked. “Forbidden?”
“Necromancy was declared a
forbidden art five years ago. Had you maintained a proper relationship with the
Arcane University, you would know this.”
Pancras
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