“It is with great sorrow that we bury Mike today,” Theo began, standing in front of Mike’s body. “He died to protect this city, our city, and died by reaching for power that he did not possess. It was a foolish thing to do, but sometimes heroism calls for a healthy amount of foolhardiness.”

Theo looked around, and a few of the disciples openly wept. Florian could understand why; Mike seemed so calm and peaceful, but the death he died was entirely unfair, and had he known the man more, he might have cried himself. Instead, he held his sorrow close, wishing the man the best on the journey after life.

“Mike Tawney was a hero. Future wizards will learn to regard him as the epitome of what it means to be a wizard. You must not be afraid to practice your magic. No, you must instead come to terms that this might happen to all of us one day,” Theo said, raising his hands as he addressed the gathered audience. That said, Florian felt that something was off about the older wizard. Maybe it was in his expression or something, but Florian felt that Theo was hiding some information. “But for now, I wish to give Mike the hero’s funeral he deserves. I’ve been told that now is the appropriate time for any of you to offer words, if you have them.”

Theo stepped aside magnanimously, and one by one the three disciples that had come with Mike moved to occupy the space in front of them. They spoke of memories of Mike when they were in school together, or when they worked for Jones’ store. It drove home just how well the occupants of Leeds really knew one another, something that Florian hadn’t quite understood until just then.

When no one else wanted to say anything, Theo returned to Mike’s side. “Come, Florian, Mack, and Kayla. We will bury him together.”

Surprised, Florian walked up to Mike with the other disciples, taking a shovel from the ground. The ground was soft and easy to dig through, and before long, the hole in which they’d place Mike was dug. There was no coffin: a product of a lack of wood and resources from outside the walls in recent days. Instead, they wrapped Mike in a blanket, covering his face before slowly filling the hole back up. Florian was a little surprised that they were burying Mike so close to residential tents, but he didn’t know nearly enough about health to make a fuss. Especially not when this was his chance.

Ceremony over, Theo made to leave. Florian intercepted him, dancing out of Mack’s range when the other disciple tried to grab him and prevent him from seeing the wizard. “Master!” he yelled. Theo turned and regarded him with a frown.

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“What is it, Disciple Cale? I am very busy trying to create a plan to repair that gate.”

“I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain, Master. I’ve overseen your disciples as they learned to cast fireballs.”

Theo’s frown deepened. He crossed his arms right under his chest, staring Florian dead in the eyes. “You would selfishly ask for your leg to be healed when my magic can be used to save the lives of our friends? Our neighbors?” Theo approached him with measured steps, each footfall increasing the tension in the air. By the time Theo stopped, he was within arms reach of Florian and the tension in the air was so thick that Florian could hardly breathe. All of the disciples around him, especially those that were friends with Mike, glared at him. “No, Disciple Cale. I will not fix your leg.”

Florian scowled. “When, then? Do you intend on pushing this out forever?”

“Yes,” Theo hissed. “You have been nothing but a disrespectful and unruly child, ungrateful for everything and everyone around you. It shames me to even regard you as my disciple, and doubly so to call you my first disciple in this world.”

“You owe-“ Florian paused as his mind caught up to his frustration. “In this world?”

“Some of you already know this,” Theo turned to the audience around them, speaking more to them than to Florian. “But I am not of this world. In fact, I am a prince from a faraway land, one that has been sent to save this world. This is the reason I have the magical abilities I do, and also the reason why I can bestow them on others.”

Theo smiled as his disciples nodded along. “While I must admit, this world has surprised me with the danger we face every single day, I fully intend on accomplishing the mission I set out to do before I return home.” Now Theo turned to Florian, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“And you, Disciple Cale, represent a risk to my mission. Not once have you trusted in me, your master. In fact, I hear that you have even conspired with the late Lord Jones against me. How do you think that means that you’ve been faithful and honest in our negotiations?”

Florian started, shocked. While it was true that he had been approached by Jones, he had been sent to Tonbridge before he could even decide if he wanted to get in the middle of their conflict, much less actually get involved. “I have not betrayed you, Master. It is true that he approached me, but I did not support him.”

“But the fact remains that you hid that conversation from me.”

Gripping his spear hard, Florian watched as the faces of the disciples around him turned to masks of stone. Gulping, he noticed that Anna and Hornbeck had picked up their spears, ready to help him. Against Theo, however, Florian doubted that their help would amount to much. He’d be lucky to not get immolated immediately. And if Florian tried to cast the first spell, he’d be trapped in a circle of what amounted to flamethrowers. He was trapped.

But then Theo saw where Florian was looking – at Anna and Hornbeck – and smiled. “In light of your recent service, Florian, I offer you a chance. Leave this place now and leave it forever. Do not return, for you are no longer welcome in our city. We have no room for traitors.”