Professor Michael was sitting in his office enjoying the start of his weekend. The wine he was sipping was especially sweet as this would be the last week he would have to deal with that damnable Alexander as a colleague. As he looked into the glass of a fine vintage from the vineyards within Greed’s domain, he heard a knock at the door.

“Enter.”

The door opened, and in stepped a slender hooded figure. Cloaked in a Chimeric-Wool cloak, the figure approached his desk.

“It warms my heart to see you in good health.”

“Indeed, and I shall be in even greater health come the end of next week,” Michael replied with a smug grin, and he swirled the wine some more.

“Can I interest you in a glass?”

“Perhaps in a bit; I have mainly come at the behest of my father to confirm you have made the correct moves?”

“He doubts my judgement?!” Michael replied, arching a brow in annoyance.

“No, no. We only wish to assess the level of which victory shall be claimed, is all,” the figure hastily replied, holding up his hands defensively.

“Oh, that all?” Michael replied, taking a fresh sip from his glass.

“Very well, one moment,” Michael muttered as he rose from his chair and approached the entrance to his office. Opening the door, he poked his head through.

“Shiela, can you gather the chosen few, please.”

“Right away, Master Michael,” a cheery voice replied from the other side of the door.

“I suspected you may want to meet our champions, so I had them gather in a nearby dining room. They should be here momentarily.”

“Many thanks,” the figure replied with a slight nod of his head.

“You sure I can’t interest you in a glass? If it is not to your fancy, I also have a very nice Mead made in the great breweries of Vulcans Forge.”

“Very well, I shall indulge myself… I am, after all, I’m away from my father’s gaze right now,” The figure replied, capitulating as he saw refusing any further may be misconstrued as an insult to his host's honour.

The pair sat down in chairs on the same side of the desk as Michael poured a fresh glass of wine for himself and the figure. They were only a few sips in when they heard a knock at the door.

“May we come in, sir?”

“Yes, please do,” Michael replied to the voice on the other side of the door.

The door smoothly slid open with nary a creak as six young people walked into the room. Amongst their number were what appeared to be a young orc woman, an elf, a titan and a trio of human-looking beings. However, the pair knew that they were unlikely to be such a detestable race as humans.

“Ok, please introduce yourselves in order, starting with the eldest, please.”

“Yessir,” the orc girl stepped forwards. “I am a half-orc projection mage who goes by the pseudonym of ‘Mana Hannah;... But to your lordships, you may simply call me Hannah.” the girl nervously replied.

“A Half-orc?” Michael repeated with an arched brow. “I was under the impression you were pure-blooded?”

“Apologies if you have that impression, m’lord. The reality is my da’s blood was far stronger, so I inherited more orcish traits. But I am still a twinblood.”

“You mean a halfbreed,” Michael corrected.

“Yes, m’lord… apologies, m’lord.”

“Now, now Michael, there is no need to be cruel to the girl,” the hooded figure rebuked.

“Sweet thing, tell me about yourself,” the figure asked, giving a smile that was as warm as a summer day and as sweet as honey.

“Yessir!!” Hannah replied, standing to attention rigid. “I joined this school two years ago as a special entrance student.”

“Special entrance student?”

“She means she is here on a scholarship… most of these kids before you are, in fact…”

“Fascinating; please continue.”

“Yessir… My speciality is projection magic.”

“If you are a scholarship student, are you joining the military, or did you get plucked from the guild?”

“Plucked, sir… I helped bring down a rampaging inferno boar, and my efforts got me here… I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that was-”

“Yes-yes… that is enough. We have got other people far more important than a halfbreed like you. Next, please!” Hannah visibly deflated under Michaels's gaze as she stepped back into the lineup of students as the elf stepped forwards.

“Greetings and salutations, my good friends. I am her magnificence ‘Gentleman Jack Witch Extraordinaire!!!” Michael visibly grimaced at the sight of the free-spirited greeting.

“Please understand whom you are in the presence of you daft girl! My apologies; she is very much a problem child under my direct care.”

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“Another scholarship?”

“No, sadly, this one is one of the blueblooded inheritors of our land. She just derives enjoyment from being above the rules.”

“You make me sound like a scoundrel, sir?” Jack protested.

“If anything, you are worse than one. Now take a more respectful tone; otherwise, I will be sure to have Lincoln provide a beating.” Jack seized up[ at this threat and went very rigid.

“I.APOLOGISE.FOR.MY.DISCOURTEOUS.GREETING.” Jack said in a very forceful tone as she rigidly bowed towards the figure.

“Don’t worry about it; where I come from, free spirits are more accepted. Far more than the Orcish lands, at least.” The figure replied, shooting a brief glance Michael’s way.

“Ok, enough of that back with you… Next one, please come forwards and remember you are in the presence of your betters.”

The next to step forwards was a slender young boy with blotchy blond hair. The boy clicked his heels together and gave a textbook-perfect military salute.

“You are?” the hooded figure asked.

“My name, sir, is Maelsteez. I started in the school last year as part of my mandatory preparation.”

“Mandatory preparation… So you are being scouted by the military?”

“Indeed, sir, though I come from humble beginnings, a colonel visiting Port Staine saw talent in me and offered me to join the officers' course.”

“May I ask this colonel’s name?”

“Indeed, sir, she is Colonel Sangui of the fifth legion.”

“Sangui? Didn’t they become a Brigadier General recently?” the figure asked, turning to Michael.

“Yes, they did. I understand they are even in the city as we speak. I believe they have been sent to oversee the results of our instruction and to see how well our future officers crush the reprobates. I am planning to form a bond when we observe the bouts and expand my connections.”

“Interesting… So what skills do you have, lad?”

“I am an enhancer specialising in fast movement. I am, after all, a werecheetah.”

“A werecheetah? You are a very rare breed,” the figure said with an almost wondrous look.

“Yes, it is my personal recommendation that got him fully accepted into the school. It is good to have the rarer breeds of werebeast in our school. Wouldn’t you agree?” Michael replied as he took a deep drink from his glass. Looking back at Maelsteez, Michael began to frown.

“What are you waiting for, lad return to the line-up. We are done with you!” Maelsteez gave a fresh salute and returned to the line.

“Ok, next,” Michael said, giving a limp gesture with his hand. The next to step forwards was the young titan. Standing a good head's height above the rest of the crowd, his muscles alone told all present he was strong. But most noticeable was his fiery red mane of hair sprouting from his head.

“Greetings, this one is known as ‘THE CRIMSON RIOT!!!’ I also go by Red to my friends,” He loudly declared as he clenched his fists in a victory pose.

“Another adventurer on scholarship?” the figure asked.

“Need you ask?”

“Tell me about yourself?”

“I am the strongest alive. I gained my title because I will rip my enemies limb from limb and am soaked red in their innards!!!”

“Red, we’ve talked about this; use your inside voice when inside!!” Michael roared as he stood up and smacked the titan across the face with his staff, leaving a small cut on his cheek.

“He, as you surmised, is a former adventurer. Personally, if I had my say in things, we would keep the gates of our illustrious institution closed to the riffraff… Sadly Lord Sloth let his human apprentice persuade him to alter the rules during his years as a student. I must say the school has been declining ever since.”

“It is the tragedy we must endure,” the figure replied with a nod.

“Do you wish me to continue?” Red asked.

“No, your introduction was more than enough, and I find your voice grating as is. Step back and let some of the others proceed.” Looking dejected, Red stepped back into line and let a far shorter humanoid stepped forwards.

“Greetings, my name is Simon,” the boy greeted with a deep bow.

“Tell me about yourself, Simon,” the figure asked.

“Well, me and my friend Ironsides,” the boy gestured to the heavily armoured person who was last in line. “We worked as adventurers.”

“So you got a scholarship?”

“Yessir, me and my friend slew a rampaging blue dragon.”

“Blue Dragon? I think I heard about you boys… The East Stop incident, right?”

“Yessir,” Simon replied with a nod.

“I used earthen magic to stun the dragon, and then Ironsides used his enhanced strength to land a final blow. We got a lot of recognition, and my family even got back on their feet.”

“Family?”

“Yes, he is part of a descending noble family. His efforts delayed their drop to commonality to the next generation.”

“Yessir, me and Ironsides will do our best.”

“Ok, then, Ironsides, please step forwards,” Michael ordered before taking another swig.

“Uh… sir, if I may?”

“What is it?” Michael replied, looking thoroughly annoyed.

“Ironsides’ voice was damaged in the fight against the dragon. He effectively is mute, so I speak for him.”

“I see… how unfortunate,” the figure replied. “Very well, I got a good enough idea from you about him anyways… So, Michael, these are you sure things?”

“Indeed, I highly doubt the riffraff Alexander teaches will be able to even best one of these. Ok now begone with you… you have been paraded before my friend here and are now an eyesore.” Obeying his command, the six students left his office, closing the door behind them.

“I feel like a child just before winters gifting,” Michael mused as he refilled his glass. “That anticipation for the joy I know I will be feeling. Seeing Alexander crushed under my heel will be a pleasure I shall joyously covet till my very last days.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” the figure replied as they clinked their glasses together.

“Surely, though, you aren’t only here to see my little victors?”

“Yes, I am setting up things so the moment he loses his job as a teacher, multiple prongs will strike and ruin his reputation beyond repair. If all goes to plan, he will no longer be able to live within Sloth’s borders.”

“Such bliss!!! You truly are spoiling me.”

“This isn’t for you. This is because he stole something from my people that we must regain at all costs. There is nothing my father and I are not willing to do to regain the greatest treasure of my kind,” the figure replied, lowering his hood revealing a pair of elven ears.

“We can only hope we get a good show,” the elf declared as he took a deep sip from his glass and refilled it from a bottle Michael offered him.

“You don't need to worry; I slipped the referee a few silvers to let the bouts go on long after they would normally call it. Nothing like seeing the blood of the unwelcomed and the traitors,” Michael declared, holding up his glass in a toast.

“Here-here. Here’s to our inevitable victory!”

“To Victory!” the elf replied, clinking his glass against Michael’s