Wynn. steepled her fingers as she waited. When that didn't work to alleviate her worries, she bit into one of her favorite cookies from her jar. She had sent a call for that kooky old man a long time ago. What was taking him so long? Wynn let herself a smirk slightly in the shadows. Then again, he was a very unusual person. One of the most powerful Artists on the planet, yet also one of the most eccentric. Makes for an interesting combination.

The door creaked open and Wynn smiled. Finally, he was here. She got up and opened the door all the way but found nothing there. Frowning slightly, she checked both sides of the hallways but didn’t find anyone. She heard chomping behind her and rolled her eyes. She shut the door to find him rummaging through her books.

“Please, Veriy. Can’t you stop?” Wynn asked. Veriy gazed at a particular book.

“This is quite interesting.” Wynn waved her hand carelessly. “You can have it if you wish. However, we are here to discuss the newest participants who wish to attend the Academy.”

Veriy leaned against the bookcase and began reading. “Tea?” he offered, producing Wynn’s cup.

She shook her head. “No, please. However, I am curious. I thought you would be more excited.”

Veriy snorted. “Excited about what? The purple porcupine flying through the air? Yes, that was very interesting. Or maybe you were talking about that kid picking his nose? Truly, top hero material.”

Like she said. Mad. He was a mad genius. “The Fire Artists. There were some very eye-catching ones.”

Veriy grinned and slipped from the cup. “Well, this should be fun. Good to break them in!” He smashes his fists into one another and a puff of flames came out.

“The tea, Veriy.” Wynn admonished at the liquid staining the cloth. He frowned before sweeping it underneath her desk. “Never mind. Still, I do recall you saying you were searching for somebody who used fire as an art, not just a method of fighting. Somebody who lived and breathed fire. You were very clever, Veriy. Using words that didn't detail anything about her look, history, or name, but at the same time, ensuring it could only be one person."

Veriy snorted and crossed his arms. "So what? Am I the only one with the balls to say it? Arcturus is harsher than ever, Xia is depressed even though she hides it, and you. . .well, you're smart enough to know what you're feeling." Veriy prodded at a plant. "I'm not going to apologize for my actions when they're right."

“I think I’ve found the person.” Wynn blurted out.

For the first time since they began talking, Veriy gave her his full undivided attention. “Show me a picture.”

Wynn reached inside her cabinet and withdrew a piece of paper. It was the sheet an attendant had sloppily signed. She slid it over the desk and Veriy took it cautiously. His hands shook as he slowly opened it. He stared at the words and the image for a long while before speaking again, his voice cracking. Wynn understood the feeling; she'd stared at the same picture for so long, her image bouncing back and forth in her mind. Red hair, golden eyes, oh god she still wore Xia's cloak.

“Reina Rachael Romane." Veriy murmured the name almost reverently.

Wynn nodded. “Is it her?” She'd hoped but the doubt had sunken in; it had been 2 years since they last saw her, after all.

He lifted teary eyes. “It’s her. It's her all right. We found Reina.”

Wynn cracked a smile. That was the greatest show of emotion she could do at the moment without bursting out bawling. Wynn furtively glanced at the camera hidden in the corner of the ceiling. The Precept Prime was watching, and Wynn needed to ensure that she didn't know about Reina's presence until she became an official Academy student. If that meant pretending like she didn't know Reina, then so be it.

“From what I’ve seen, she’s undisciplined and hot-headed. She goes to an orphanage starting from the age of 12. When she went into the tent, the examiner had left to take a short bathroom break, leaving a sign that said so. However, our little Reina bypassed the sign completely and began sucking all of the dust.” Wynn said in a stilted manner, reciting facts like a robot.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Veriy had narrowed his eyes the moment she'd begun talking, but quickly caught on. “Using fire?” he continued the charade. Wynn nodded.

“It seemed like breathing to her. Then she tripped and her flames engulfed the tent. Considering how big it was and how young she is, that is an impressive feat.”

Veriy tapped his chin. “Yes, well, I’m more interested in the fact she managed to consume all the dust into her flames. That’s some advanced-level stuff. Very intricate, and very difficult. You need to master the beginners before doing that. Hm.” Veriy scratched his head casually, but Wynn saw the desperation in his eyes. “Show me the clip!”

Wynn obliged and began typing away. Keeping this away from him. . .even for a charade, it was too cruel. She quickly found the tape and turned her computer toward Veriy, who watched with rapt attention. Wynn herself had taken time during the day numerous times to watch this. Her flames were beautiful, mesmerizing. But much more than that, she had grown up so much and so well. Wynn's heart throbbed. They could have seen that growth firsthand.

The two teachers watched as the young girl entered the room and tried to find the examiner. When she couldn’t and then dust was getting to her, she ignited a small flame in the palm of her hand which attracted all the dust to her. She walked further into the tent and tripped. The flames quickly spread, soaring through one item from another, until they finally landed on the camera. It turned black. The video then shifted to another angle, one where they could find the girl and two others, one about 8 and the second around her age, heading toward the orphanage.

The screen turned black and Wynn turned to Veriy. His hands shook and Wynn gently cupped them in her own, steadying them. They couldn't break down now; the illusion must be kept.

“Her flames,” he muttered. “They were full of life!"

Wynn let him stew in the bask of glory before asking the essential question. The double-loaded sentence. “So, what are you going to do?” Will you help Reina, or let the Precept Prime do what she wishes?

Veriy looked at her like she was out of her mind. “What are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? I’m going to take her on as my prodigy!” I'm going to protect her, no matter what!

Wynn smiled before controlling her face. She needed to keep up the appearance. “You can’t just do that.” What's your plan?

Veriy glared. “And why not? Who's going to stop me? You? You’ve gotta respect your elders!” Unclear.

“Oh, believe me, I’m sure all of your students respect you after you beat them up on their first day.”

Veriy cracked and drifted off into memories. “Oh yeah, those were some good times. But why can’t I train Reina?” Do you have any plans?

“You can! You just can’t show any special treatment to her! Which means you can’t go out of your way to train her or pay more attention to her than the others. That’s just not fair to everybody else who’s worked hard to get where they are and it’ll draw attention to that poor girl! Please be reasonable, Veriy!” The Precept Prime controls everything in Neverstien, bar the Underworld. We must be careful of who we can trust.

Veriy grumbled and took a scoop of dirt from the plant. Wynn blinked. What was he planning on doing with that? Veriy flung the clump of dirt straight into Wynn’s face and taken by surprise, she toppled. Immediately, she got back onto her feet, spitting the earth back out and shaking her hair. Wynn flicked her finger and a whip of water formed from the vail she always had. She slapped Veriy’s head with it.

“Ow! Why you-!” he growled and thrust his fist out. A burst of flame came rushing toward Wynn and she formed a barrier of ice. The ice melted under the intense heat and smoke filled the air. Wynn quickly took this moment to strike. She gathered all of the water in the room and lifted it into the air. With a little wiggle of her fingers, they morphed into razor-sharp icicles.

The smoke drifted apart to reveal they were at a standstill. Veriy has formed a large fireball between his hands. They stared down at each other, neither one of them willing to budge. Finally, Wynn sighed and let the water drift back into the vail.

“Fine. You win,” she said stiffly. Go. Tell Arcturus and Xia.

Veriy cackled as the flames dispersed. "Oh, this was so fun!"

“Mind telling me what that was about?” Wynn pressed. That had been completely unnecessary for the ruse.

He snorted. “Oh, I just wanted to have a good training spar against my old pal.”

“In my office?!” A tick mark formed.

Veriy grinned before he became serious again. “Wynn. I will tell you this. Nothing in this world will stop me from training that girl to become the best she can be. I will do everything in my power to make sure she can survive. Only then will I be able to rest.” Nothing will stand in the way of Arcturus and Xia. They will protect Reina, even if that means the Precept Prime will kill them.

Veriy turned around and exited the room.

Wynn groaned and slumped down in her seat. She rolled her temples. Why did that geezer have to be so stubborn? There was no doubt this trait of his stemmed from his previous student. Reina's enrollment was going to cause problems, she was sure. Students would be jealous of her. The UN would be watching her. The Precept Prime. . .Wynn could only hope that she viewed Reina as not worth her time.

“Poor girl. She needs friends if she wishes to make it through the year. And Veriy, that damn idiot. Now I’m worried about the world. We don’t need two of him.”

Wynn heard Veriy honk, and his head popped back through the doorway. “I forgot the book.” he pointed out helpfully. Wynn smacked herself and motioned for him to just take the book. He gratefully obliged, but not before stealing a cookie out of her jar as well.

Could they really protect the students?