The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

Ep. 3.6 (R) - Who Let The Gryphon Out?

Chief Qa'watil sits at the head of a large table in the center of the community longhouse, the place where the tribe gathers for important events. The table--dressed with autumn flowers in handcrafted pots, warm candles, and polished wooden bowls filled with pears, apples, and persimmons--signified the honored stature of their guests.

Minuk sits two seats to the right of the Chief with a woman--who by her elaborately stitched, brocade dress is clearly the Chief's wife--sitting in between them. Patrick sits to the left of the Chief, with Farid and Aidan sitting next to him, in that order. The additional six guests sit across from each other, lining both sides of the table, down to the farthest end.

Chief Qa'watil stands. He holds a glass of Kitá wine high for a toast.

"I would like to take a moment to welcome our guests to our home and to our table. Three representatives from the Otherworlder Integrated Academy, one from each of the major races--Shifter, Vampyr, and Enchanted--have joined us tonight to enlighten us on ways in which we, as a people, can work together to put a painful and difficult past behind us. We look forward to learning more about what they have to teach us and what they've managed to achieve so far."

He raises his glass higher and all seated at the table follow suit. The guests murmur cheers and greetings and then settle in for their meal, several of them not so subtly craning their necks to get a better look at the honored guests.

The minute the Chief leans comfortably back in his chair, servers hustle out from the kitchen, carrying steaming plates of food, the first of a lavish four-course meal prepared for the occasion. Pockets of conversation overtake the table, with the guests making small talk with whomever is seated nearest to them.

Minuk peers over his wine glass and studies Patrick and Farid for a long time. Eventually, his lips purse into a disappointed frown. They both look like competent young men which means they'll be far too difficult to crack. No, no they're not the ones he needs to connect with tonight. It's the Enchanted boy who will be most helpful to him in the end, and with that decision made, he hones in on Aidan with the goal of starting a conversation.

He leans across the table, ensuring that he can be heard and says, "So tell me, Aidan," he inquires, "is it true that Enchanteds are endowed with different powers, even within the same family?"

Aidan, surprised that anyone so important would deign to speak to him, coughs, choking on his wine. He pulls the linen napkin from his lap and wipes his mouth, giving himself a moment to regain his composure.

"Uh, yes," he says. "Magic amongst our people is quite varied from Seers to Mages to Elementals to Healers. Although the same type of magic tends to run within families, it's not unheard of for two Enchanteds to get together and pop out a Ginger." He chuckles.

Minuk's eyes narrow in confusion and Aidan realizes his cultural misstep.

"Oh, sorry, sorry," he adds apologetically. "It's a reference to an Enchanted child who has very different powers than either of their parents. "You see," he leans back in his chair confidently and kicks his legs out underneath the table, "usually your powers are some variation of whatever your folks' have got. Like your sister's ability to move water comes from your mother's ability to freeze it and make ice. But then your brother turns out to be a necromancer, which is odd, given that your father's power is telekinesis. Does that make sense?" Aidan tilts his head and looks at Minuk, but plows on anyway, not waiting for his answer.

"So, in those cases, the children are as rare as red-headed children within a family of blondes and brunettes. It's fascinating really because in both situations--the red hair and the type of magic your children exhibit--results from a recessive gene." Aidan sucks in a deep breath, winded by his own extensive explanation. As he looks to Minuk to see if he has any questions, he instead registers the blank look on Minuk's face.