Chapter One: The Nascence of Power

4. Those who count themselves among the faithful, and are cursed with this awful but beautiful gift, shall forever hence use their powers for the betterment and protection of my Holy Empire.

5. Those witches who forsake this sacred duty are to forever be shunned; hunted to the end of their days. Without rest, without mercy, and without knowing the light of Elysium.

Eruditions 1: 4-5

The bindings they placed on him were beginning to chafe. A lone white furred fox teen sits in a corner of a grand room with a soft bed and filigree covered walls. His eyes are cast downward as he considers his life up until now.

A cool breeze blows in from the open balcony window causing the fox to shiver. While both his hunger and thirst are sated, and his inner reserves of mana are full, he couldn't produce a spark of magic to save his life. The mere thought of using magic causes the runes that were drawn on his arms to glow and punish him with a burning sensation. While it was indeed painful at first, it devolved into a mere nuisance more than anything; nothing compared to the horrible torture the meridian shackles had caused. The burn marks around his wrists from still stingeven after days of being free. By Eroth it was so painful! He tips his head back as tears run down his face, cutting ravines through the white of his fur. No matter how many tears he shed, this was not a nightmare he would find himself waking up from. He was here in this room-might as well have been a cell what with the witch hunter stationed outside his door-and had no idea where they took his mother.

With his voice barely above a strained whisper he spoke, "Maman," he sniffed, "Where are you?"

He hugs his legs once more, and thinks back to where he was before this whole ordeal started. He had lived for years with his mother in their cottage nestled deep within the Vilcahm Wilds; a dense and lush temperate rainforest that sits between two mountain ranges; the forest acts as a natural barrier that separates the western Empire from the eastern. When Annalise went there, she used her magic to build the cottage in a clearing with a pond. All around in the clearing grew beautiful flowers of blue buddleia, blue delphiniums, primrose and periwinkle. Sitting within the middle of the pond was a small island with a large gnarled willow tree growing from its soil. It blossomed with catkins every spring.

Their cottage was nothing special; small with just enough room for two beds, a table, and a fireplace. In the corner however, tucked beneath a rug, was a trap door that led to a wide open basement. It had been carved out of the dirt using magic and was filled with all sorts of arcane paraphernalia. This was where they practiced magic and alchemy; training Derek's considerable power to a razor's edge so that he could better control it and keep it hidden. It was far enough underground that the noises of thunderbolts and fireballs exploding wouldn't draw attention to anyone out in the forest, and it was enchanted so that no stray magic could be able to escape and wreak havoc on the surrounding area.

Magic. The Arathian Empire's reasoning for imprisoning them. The Empire's stance on magic comes from the holy writ of their prophetic god, Saint-King Eroth. It says that magi born within the Empire's borders are to serve and use their magic in whatever way the Empire sees fit. This led to the formation of the Magisterium, a faction of the Imperial Government that is tasked with the enforcement of laws concerning magic, the education of magi, and establishment lyceums: Gilded prisons where most magi are never allowed to leave. Annalise had once been a high ranking magistrix--a female magister--within the Magisterium; however, she never shared much about her past with her son save for the information that he needed to know in order to avoid getting caught.

Any mage that is not part of the Magisterium is labeled a witch and are relentlessly hunted down by witch hunters; either to be captured or, in the event they are too dangerous, killed. The Empire's many vassal kingdoms' stances on magic and the treatment of magi varied greatly. They are all of the same mind that magic must be contained and strictly controlled. This, of course, meant tearing young children from their families and taking them half a continent away and expecting them to enjoy it.

What the Empire did had little concern to Derek as he grew up. He had very little knowledge of the outside world, and what contact he did have came from the village Grossvergwendel. Having been a five hour walk from his cottage he had only gone there on occasion with his mother to sell some herbs and other alchemy reagents she grew for money; which was then used to purchase preserved meats and other necessities. As a way to further their income, Annalise would sell her alchemical knowledge to the people of Grossvergwendel. Such an intimate level of contact was most likely the reasons that they were discovered to be magi.

Derek thinks back to when his magic first surfaced. He was helping his mother in the garden by digging out and moving stones from the bed. They were going to use this area to expand their garden for more food and herbs. He was no more than six or seven at the time and the stones were quite heavy. Derek had always been a frail boy, even now at the age of fourteen. The stone he had chosen to move proved to big for him to carry, and he dropped the weighty rock on his foot. Two things came out of his body; a shrill cry and a large bolt of lightning shot from his fingertips. The thunder boomed loudly and sent all manner of animals scurrying to seek shelter. His mother then came out of their home with her hands ablaze; thinking that an enemy mage had found them out and decided to attack them. When she saw the smoking ground of the lightning blast and Derek's smoking fingertips: She new instantly what had happened. She carried him into the hut and healed his wounded foot using the magic school of Abjuration; the magic school of protective and restorative magics.

Drawing her wand-a beautiful piece of ebony wood with silver filigree and a sapphire jewel serving as a pommel-she ran the tip along the afflicted area while muttering a few nondescript words in Ancient Elvish; the language of all arcane magic. The bones snapped back into place; fused where they had broken. This proved to be just as painful as getting his foot hurt. The blood that leaked from his claws receded back into his body, and what was left was a slightly bruised foot that was pulsing with a dull pain. Annalise then concocted a foul tasting potion made of an alcoholic base mixed with smashed blue mushroom and dried butterfly wings; it was a minor healing potion that would prevent any infection from setting in.

How beautiful she was, he thinks. She wore a form fitting blue robe with a cowl made of cotton yarn. There wasn't an aspect about his mother that wasn't beautiful. From the color of her fur and hair, white as the first snow which he inherited from her, to the cornflower blue of her narrow eyes. Her shoulders were pretty when she let them be seen, her neck, shapely, and around it was a black velvet choker with a star-shaped jewel with glittering diamonds and sparkly sapphire. She never let anyone from the village see it. For the star was a symbol associated with magic and the Magisterium. It would immediately oust them as magi. Her cheekbones were pronounced, emphasizing a wrinkle, which her smile created besides her mouth; it and her muzzle were narrow and exquisitely long. Her eyebrows were irregular when she washed off the kohl that outlined them during the day. Her nose was like a button, and her delicate hands were nervous and restless. Her waist was willowy and slender; made even more so by the excessively tight belt she wore. He legs, slim, setting into motion the shapes of her blue skirt.

"What was that?" Derek asked his mother. She looked at him. "What you did with my foot? W-what did I do with my fingers?!"

"That was magic my sweet papillon," answered she. That's what he was. Her little _papillon-_Her little butterfly.

Derek asked dumbly, "What is magic?"

She had laughed at his question; simply shaking her head. He thought she was laughing at him, but now that he was older and far more experienced as a mage, he knew the true reason. Such a deceptively simple question it is. _"_What is magic?" had many different answers; answers that were sometimes inconsistent-even downright contradictory-to one another.

"That question has been asked for millennia, papillon," she laughed as she gently rubbed his hurt foot. Her hands felt cold touching his foot as she invoked the power of ice to sooth the pain that the abjuration missed. "And over said millennia there have been countless answers... I could site them all to you, but that would be a waste of time for both you and I. Instead, I will share with you the words my master shared with me when I asked a similar question when I was a young and inexperienced sorceress." She paused to look him in the eye before beginning again. "Magic is oft referred to as "the Art" and it is no coincidence. Magic requires artistry and talent, and very few people-even among mages-have the innate ability to grasp magic to its fullest potential. It takes years of study to become good at it, the oldest mages are the most powerful because they have studied for so long. With magic you can create and do such wondrously good things, and it is because of this people call magic a beautiful blessing. In a sense they are correct, but magic is the manipulation of Arcane energy, which is by its own nature extremely chaotic and unstable. It is primal, ancient, unstable; mercilessly destructive to both friend and foe alike." She paused to look over her son's face and see the fear in his eyes. Derek looked down at his hands that still coursed with mana from casting the lightning spell.

"In the hands of the untrained, Derek, magic can be the key to doors that are better left shut for the safety of all worlds; not just our own. Behind these doors are secrets that cause nothing but ruin and sickness; death and famine. You must never use your power to manipulate or force others into doing what you want. You must always protect others with your power."

There was another surge of mana through Derek's hands; this time he didn't jump at the electricity that jumped between his fingers. He stared at the sparks with new found curiosity and wonder.

"The power to unmake the world is in your hands." She said as she cupped his hands into hers. The flow of mana stopped and he then felt her hand on his muzzle before she kissed his head.

"Do you understand, mon fils?"

Derek kept his mother's words with him since that day, but now as he sat alone in a frigid, dank cell he found it hard to stand by them. She taught him much over the years. Not only from her own experience and knowledge, but also from books that she had taken from the Magisterium. The training wasn't easy; Annalise was a firm and hard teacher when she needed to be, but gentle when explaining everything in vivid detail. She always made sure Derek understood the subject before moving onto the next one. There was nothing left to be desired about her training, and in the rare case that he didn't understand something Annalise would spend extra time on it.

Derek moves from his corner and walks passed the bed to the balcony window. He stands at the doorway and gazes upon the magi below him. He could sense their power. Everyone of them were just like him. Magi of all species, shapes, and sizes conversing, laughing, and enjoying the day. He sees children his own age and younger run around the gardens of the palace playing their child games. They wanted for nothing here it seemed. He was not deign to admit it, but he was indeed envious of them. Their lives have been easy, and they never needed to live in fear of discovery.

As he gazes down at the completely unaware magi he recites another portion of the scripture that Annalise frequently recited to him, "'Greater love have I not for the ones who sacrifices of themselves as I have. For the good of others, they stand before corruption and darkness to tear it asunder to bring forth my light.' Eruditions, Chapter One: Verses one and two."

That which once gave him comfort in difficult times now gives him nothing; dread grips his entire body and breathing is sometimes difficult without breaking into tears. He is so scared. That part of scripture did not apply to witches who defend their mothers from dangerous men. That defending the happiness and peace he loved so dearly was a sin in the eyes of Eroth; the event that led up to the present still festers in his mind like a maggot-infested wound.

A sun shower happened that day; as the rain poured from the heavens the sun shone brightly and caused rainbows to fill the sky. It happened fairly often in the Vilcahm Wilds and for Derek it usually meant it was going to be a good day. The beauty however beguiled him. That day would not be a good one at all.

It had started out normally like any other until about midday when_they_ came. A ram, boar, and wolf from the nearby village of Grossvergwendel came to their cottage in order for the wolf to propose marriage to Annalise. He and many other men-at least those who were canines-came every so often to their cottage in the woods to profess their love for the beautiful 'White Rose of Vilcahm' as they took to calling her. She would turn them all away of course; rather coldly as well. The wolf however was adamant about becoming the man who would take care of Annalise and her son. The other two were there to give their moral support or, far more likely, laugh at the failed attempts to court the cunning woman. To show his undying love he started to recite poetry. It might had even been sweet; if he wasn't slurring his words and stumbling about drunk as he spoke.

"Oh White Rose of Vilcahm," he slurred out to Annalise from outside their cottage, "let yer roots dig deep into the soil that is me body! From our union shall spring a love that would turn the 'ead of even Erot' 'imself!"

The wolf gurgled before promptly spewing out the putrid contents of his stomach onto the grass. The other two men howled with laughter as Annalise grumbled as she latched the door.

She called out of the window before slamming it shut, "Leave! I have no need for small boys pretending to be men!"

"Pretending?!" The wolf among them was clearly offended. He scoffed out, "Darlin' I'm more of a man than you'll ever find! I am many things, but I promise you 'little' is not one of them! Come out o' yer shack and I'll show ye!" He grabbed his crotch in an obscene manor at the cottage and the three of them howled with laughter as Annalise turned her lip up in disgust. She bade Derek to pay them no mind and that they would go away after a while.

They came back in the dead of night. The three men burst through the door of their cottage; catching both of them in a state of grogginess. Before they could shout they were both seized and pinned down. The boar held him without much effort and stank of mead, as the other two wrestled his mother onto the bed. Derek watched them hike her sleeping robes up, and the wolf began to unbuckle his trousers.

"Said I'd show ya just 'ow big I was... I always keep me promises!" He cackled as he forced Annalise's legs apart. He then added darkly, "Maybe I'll give 'at girl o' yer's a taste too..."

"Oi mate, this here's a boy," the boar snorted.

"No shit? Beau'y like 'ats wasted on a cock and balls."

All the dread and anger that Derek had felt boiled somewhere deep inside him. Derek yelled then his vision went white; there was an intense heat and the smell of burnt flesh and hair.

White faded to black, and he awoke several hours later. It was the twilight of dawn when he awoke and found himself bundled up next to a fire. Annalise sat beside him, her beautiful white fur covered in soot with several patches of fur missing and only a shawl was wrapped around her naked form. Wrapped around her hands were wet bandages that were covered in a sort of salve.

He sat there unmoving as he looked over to his mother who was sobbing and clasping her hands together in prayer. Hanging from her hands was a rosary with the Eternal Sun; a star polygonal decagram that was carved to look like a sun. It was the symbol of the Holy Church of Saint-King Eroth. She was chanting in a language he did not understand.

She continued to chant her prayer as many times as she saw fit until Derek shuffled loudly enough to break her chanting. She looked at him and let out a shrill wail as she gathered him into her arms and held him tightly.

"MERCI DOUCE SEIGNEUR! MERCI!" She cried out to the heavens as she pressed her snout against Derek's head and kissed him.

"Maman!" He softly asked, "Maman... What happened?"

Derek's power manifested itself into a raging inferno that fed off his more negative emotions. Hatred, wrath, and woe: All these emotions are dangerous for a mage to harbor because magic is linked to their feelings and emotions. Rage fueled the fire that consumed two of the men-the ram and the boar-while the wolf managed to flee.

Annalise managed to shield herself and him in the nick of time before the flames overtook them. She teleported them a few yards away; the wolf had taken off running as soon as they landed without even bothering to put on his trousers.

"The sight was terrifying, Derek." She said as they sat next to each other by the fire. "I don't blame him for being afraid for I was as well."

He was long gone by the time Derek had awoken.

Annalise described the inferno as a great pillar of sanguine colored flame that pierced the very heavens. Derek stood up on wobbly knees to look upon the destruction his anger had wrought. For yards in either direction the ground was scorched and the trees were nothing more than matchsticks in cinders; their lush and vibrant green leaves and the underbrush were gone. The small pond that he had swam in not days before this incident was now empty, the fish in it incinerated, and the pond bead cracked and dry. In the air hung an acrid smell that he couldn't quite place.

Derek, in shock and awe, muttered, "I-I did all this?"

Annalise made an affirmative noise, "Yes papillon, you lost control of your power."

"I didn't mean to!!" Derek all but wailed and dropped to his knees. "I didn't want to! It... It just happened!"

"I know, papillon, I know," she cooed as she went to Derek's side. She took him into an embrace and held him as he cried. A few of her own tears were shed as she did her best to console him. All was not lost, as they both soon found out. The inferno had only destroyed the top portion of the house, leaving the basement and its contents safe from harm. Annalise went over everything and sighed in content as she found nothing truly important was lost in the blaze. All the reagents, books, scrolls, and crystals she used were all there and accounted for. Derek had garnered the courage to ask here what their next move was, and to his surprise Annalise said that they weren't going to do anything. They weren't going to run and flee. They were known now, and they would be hunted relentlessly till the end of their days by witch hunters.

He'd only heard stories of them from Annalise. They were men and women of any race dedicated to the control and subjugation of magic. They served as the Magisterial enforcers of magical laws of the Inquisition; which was the enforcer of the Emperor's will. They were ruthless, cunning, and relentless in their pursuit of dangerous magi who had escaped from their lyceums or were never cloistered within one to begin with. If the witch hunters found their quarry to dangerous to bring back. They would kill them. Annalise however assured him that everything would be fine. Derek's fears were not easily placated, but he trusted his mother enough to believe her words. She explained that not all witch hunters desired the death of magi. There were some to be sure, but there were plenty of mages that had friends within the ranks of the witch hunters.

After three agonizing days of waiting they finally came, and Derek saw that the stories were not exaggerated in the slightest about their appearance. They were tall, dark, and portentous individuals that were clad in dark cloaks of leather and tall wide brim hats. Their armor was a mixture of leather and plate; needing both mobility to dodge spells and protection from the physicality of them. The famed instruments of their trade, the rapier and flintlock pistols, were sheathed at their side. When they arrived Derek felt that the ambient magic in the air seemed to dissipate around them, and his own mana felt stunted by their presence. This was due, as his mother explained before they came, that the witch hunters carried with them charms and glyphs that negated magic, and they would use magical foci to utilize defensive magic. Among the group of witch hunters was their leader. He approached the two of them cautiously, hand never leaving his sheathed weapon. He was wiry and sylphlike, and had a surly disposition toward the two of them.

"Make no sudden moves," he called to them. His eyes were unreadable beneath the hat that cast his face in shadow. He appeared to be some sort of canine by the smell of him. Derek hugged his mother from behind as the hunter called out to them again, "You witches are in direct violation of Magisterial Code. Submit yourselves to binding, or be killed where you stand. "

"We shall come quietly, monsieur hunter," Annalise offered, "But I would ask you your name first. It is only polite."

The witch hunter seemed amused and chuckled, "Donovan Haynes," his amusement seemed to be at an end and sneered, "and you, witch?"

She seemed unfazed by his attitude and she replied in a cool tone, "I have gone by many names, monsieur Donovan. The White Frost of Vindictus is one I particularly like, but I once held the title of Magistrix. I am Annalise du Rhône, dear Donovan. I trust you remember that name."

The disposition of the hunters seemed to change in an instant as Annalise continued, "...and that you remember what respect I should be afforded despite my current circumstance?"

Derek watched in awe as Donovan took of his hat in respect-revealing the scarred face of a grizzled waterside terrier dog. Donovan then knelt before the witch he was to hunt and the others followed suit,"Madame, je regrette, I did not recognize you."

Annalise chuckled, "Nor should you in these rags... Though I suppose my former titles and deeds mean little now; don't they Donovan?"

The terrier stood and spoke, "No madame, I am afraid not. I would ask that you and your... son?" There was a nod from Annalise to confirm his suspicions. He continued, "You will need to come with us. Protocol demands we shackle you in meridian cuffs."

"Do what you must, monsieur Donovan. We shall not fight you," said Annalise. Derek watched as the hunters approached carefully; pulling metal shackles covered in glowing runes from their coats. When placed upon his wrists he felt the mana within his body build up and stagnate. It was barely noticeable at first, but as time passed as they were led away in chains the feeling became painful; by the time they reached the village of Grossvergwendel he could barely walk. Mana is meant to flow freely in and out of mage's body. It is an intrinsic part of their being; to cut off their supply leaves them weak and defenseless. The pain first started out like having a full bladder. It was uncomfortable but manageable; however, one could always empty their bladder. This feeling was permanent until the bindings were taken off. The irritable feeling soon developed into a pain that Derek had never felt in his entire life. After an hour it evolved to hot burning sensations all over his body, and finally it felt as if he was walking on glass and his blood was on fire. Sweat dripped off every strand of his fur, and his mother was in no better shape.

The agonizing long five hour walk ended when they and the hunters were greeted by the angry townsfolk of Grossvergwendel. They jeered and cursed at the two magi-especially the wives of the two slain men. They called for their deaths, and the hunters did everything they could to keep them at bay, but they couldn't stop the townsfolk from throwing rotten vegetables and refuse at the two foxes as they made their way through the town. A tomato came from the side and hit Derek across the snout turning his once white fur red. As Derek began to openly weep, the two of them were quickly led into the town hall that had a prison in its basement that had been requisitioned by the witch hunters.

The iron bars and walls had the same glowing runes drawn upon them as their meridian shackles, but when they took the bindings off the pain all but dissipated in an instant. He felt relief, but still found he could not cast spells. They took their seats on the floor of the cell; with Derek instinctively huddling for his mother's comfort.

Donovan closed the cell door and stood before it, "I regret that you have to stay in there Madame, but it is for your own good until we can sort this entire mess out."

Annalise gently pet her son's head as he held onto her. She responded to Donovan, "I understand."

"It is clear," Donovan began, "That someone of your previous status cannot simply be tried in a place such as this. I will send word to the Hague of what has transpired here, interview those that witnessed the event, and the Magisterium will send magisters to provide teleportation to the capital."

"There was only one survivor... A wolf. I do not know his name," Annalise told him as she held Derek in her arms. Her son was clearly more terrified at that particular moment than in his previous years. She comforted him as best she could, but this fear would never go away with just a few kind words of assurance. She looked to Donovan and smiled. "Of course I will tell you everything that transpired... All that I request is a blanket for my son in the meantime."

The terrier bowed, "I will try my best, madame but the mayor of this town is less than pleased that we've requisitioned his jail for your incarceration. Asking anything more of him would cause unnecessary tension." Upon seeing Annalise's displeased look he added with a slight smile. "But of course I can always remind the good mayor of his obligations to the Imperial Crown and the Inquisition." Donovan turned and as he was walking away said, "Au revoir, Madame Annalise."

Donovan left without saying much else. The blanket she requested came, along with food that wasn't mere slop usually given to prisoners. It was by means glamorous, but they were actually given cooked meat, mashed turnips, but it was what Derek was used to eating back at their cottage. They spent three days in the cell, in the cell before Donovan came back in the company of a regal looking stag dressed in a mixture of leather armor and mage robes cut at the thigh to give his hoofed legs proper movement. Annalise and he shared a few short words before they clasped the magi in in the meridian irons in order to depart.

"We were wondering what happened to you... You have a lot to answer for."

"Meric Kendwin," Annalise responded with a chuckle, "finally crawled out of that hellhole you call a city?"

The stag snorted at her then sneers, "Say what you will about Bad Hersfeld, but at least we remain loyal to the Empire." He then barked orders to the two other magi to get the portal ready. When they were led outside, Derek saw two hooded magi channeling white energy that snaked up from the ground and around their bodies. The energy pooled into their hands which were raised above their heads and appeared to be clawing at the air. The white strands coalesced into streams that shot towards the opposite one and grew into a large oval of pure white energy. The people of Grossvergwendel stood in awe of the display of power; The stag gave them non-descriptive orders such as to keep focused and not to let anything distract them. The milky white began to disappear from the center in a circle and spread outwards towards the edge. It was like looking through a window to an extravagant room with polished floors a vaulted ceiling. Blue walls with silver colored filigree snaked along the walls in magnificent shapes and styles.

"You two follow behind me and don't even think of wandering off," the stag spoke in an authoritative tone as he lead the two of them through the portal with Donovan Haynes and his hunters trailing behind them. The portal closed behind them as soon as the last of the hunters came through, and Derek stood in awe of the extravagance of the room he was in. There were people-magi as he could sense their power through their aura-all around him. They murmured among themselves as they watched the newly arrived foxes.

The two mages that opened the portal appeared behind them; having teleported themselves from Grossvergwendel to wherever it was that Derek and his mother were. They were then approached by a man, a fruit bat, in a coat similar to Donovan, but he had several insignias upon it that denoted his seniority over Donovan. They shared a few quiet words before he stepped behind his superior.

"So you were hiding under our noses the entire time, eh? Quite brave of you." He seemed to greet Annalise with familiarity that was somehow different than Donovan or the other hunters. Derek hugged close to his mother as the fruit bat witch hunter continued to speak in an amused tone. "You know when I received that raven from Haynes I wasn't expecting to see you again. Not like this."

Annalise responded with a chuckle, "This isn't how I wanted to return, but here I am Heinrich."

Heinrich clicked his tongue and looked over the two of them with an inquiring eye. "I'm certain that once Donovan's report on this investigation is delivered to the Magna Tor this entire thing will be put to rest..." He paused and looked at Annalise. "In the meantime, you will be kept under house arrest here in Lindenheim until the date of the trial. You will have meridian runes drawn on your skin, and you will not be permitted to leave the grounds. Do you understand?"

Annalise nodded. "Completely."

"Alright then..." Heinrich trailed off as he locked eyes with Derek who buried his face into his mother's dress in an attempt to hide from him, but looked at him with a violet eye. His tone seemed uneasy. "I had no idea that you were pregnant when you left... I can't imagine a woman like you settling down." Heinrich asked, "Is this boy is his son?"

Annalise only offered a curt nod and a weak yes as she held Derek's neck to her; offering him a reassuring and gentle hug. There seemed to be a chill in the air that followed as every mage in the room was staring at them with unease. Derek couldn't understand what had happened to change the air around them, but the disposition towards him and Annalise changed after that. Heinrich's face was unreadable as he rested his hand precariously close to the sheathed rapier. Derek felt himself panic and let out a small whine.

"Don't be afraid," He said; his voice was gentle and kind. Heinrich held up his hands in that instant and knelt down to eye level with Derek. "I'm not going to hurt you... My name is Heinrich Hoenheim, Grand Duke of Ehrenberg, and High Inquisitor of the Hague. Do you know what that means?" Derek shook his head. Heinrich chuckled lightly. "It means that there are only a few people in this place that can challenge my authority. For all intents and purposes... My word is law. And I say that you and your mother are to be given a proper bath and some decent food. How does that sound?"

Derek didn't know how to respond, but after he felt his mother lovingly rub his ear he knew that he wasn't making an empty promise. If his mother trusted this man, then why shouldn't he?

"That sounds good..." Derek trailed off as Heinrich smiled at him warmly with glistening emerald green eyes. He took off his hat. Black, pomade waxed hair was pulled into a tight ponytail that flowed down his back, thus revealing a strong face that would normally be menacing in any other circumstance. His eyes were deductive, set evenly apart, and watched Derek rapidly and carefully; despite his warm demeanor, Derek had no doubt that he was currently devising a hundred and one ways to kill him should he ever need too. A long scar ran from the side of his thin muzzle and over his left eye. Derek found himself wondering what sort of monster gave him that scar. While Heinrich was of similar stature to most others, he stood taller among them He was intimidating, but also appealing. There was no doubt a hidden kindness to his hard and gruff exterior. Nonetheless, the people of this place respect-if not outright fear-him.

"What is your name?" he asked tilting his head curiously.

Derek stammered out his name; his violet eyes locking with Heinrich's emerald ones. "D-Derek..."

"Well Derek," Heinrich smiled at him, "Let me be the first to welcome you to the Lindenheim Institute of the Arcane Sciences. I'm sure you'll learn a lot here." He stood and turned to one of the magi in the hall and snapped at her to get her attention. "Take them to the guest wing in the southern pavilion and get them situated with a hot bath and fresh clothes; They'll be staying here from now on, so there is no reason to make them feel unwelcome."

It is only a day after, and Derek feels like he has been a prisoner here for years. Heinrich seemed like a nice man, and his mother showed no hostility towards him like she did with that Meric fellow. He has to trust that she knows what to do. He just hopes that she will be here with him soon.