The Lazy Prince

Chapter 2: Can't have a first impression if you're already infamous.

Lottie nods her head then picks up her eCrystal and places it against her ear. "Prince Valdis is here and would like to attend the Academy." She nods then stands. "Yes, I'll bring him right now." She turns to me and gestures down the corridor. "Right this way, the Dean would like to enroll you herself." Lottie leads me and Sir Howin down the gothic corridor and stops at a mahogany door before rapping once then entering the office. "Prince Valdis and his knight Sir Howin." Then she turns and leaves.

Standing behind the desk is the tallest woman I've ever seen in my life. Her glowing blue eyes reveal that she's from the Kingdom of Cures and can use both water and alchemy. She's wearing a severe blue pantsuit under a white lab coat. "Good evening Prince Valdis, I'm Dean Whyriss. It is both a pleasure and a shame to have you here under these circumstances." She places her fists together and gives me my kingdoms traditional greeting. In turn I place my fingers and thumbs together making a triangle in the Kingdom of Cures traditional greeting.

"Thank you for your kind words Dean Whyriss." My expression remains tight. I don't truly understand my feelings about my brother, I know I loved him even though I never got the chance to meet him. When I get a moment later, I'll go through all my feelings. "To what do I owe the pleasure of you taking care of my admittance personally?" I question the severe looking woman. She nods to the chair in front of her carved wooden desk and I take a seat in the soft looking leather. It's hard as a fucking rock. My thoughts jump around my head before I focus back on Dean Whyriss. She gives me a questioning look towards Sir Howin who is posted by the door. "I trust Sir Howin with my life. Anything can be said in his presence."

Dean Whyriss gives a short nod. "Very well then. Lets get started." She pulls out an old tome and slams it on the desk. My whole body tightens to stave off a flinch. "Is it true that Atlas successfully completed the Ritual?" She looks me square in the eyes, daring me to lie to her. At my nod she sighs and continues. "Were there any strange side occurrences when he completed it?"

"A wave of power hit me and burst from my body. I made a sizeable crater in the ground when this happened. Luckily I was taking a stroll when this happened and nobody was hurt." The lie rolls off my tongue easier than I expected it to. Dean Whyriss twitches a little but urges me to continue. "My connection to my quintessence magic also strengthened dramatically, I can now see and touch peoples souls." The Dean looks stunned, the fountain pen dropping to table and rolling slightly before she grabs it.

"We will need to put you through extra lessons until you have a firm grasp on this new level." She mumbles to herself. "Is there anything else that happened?" Dean Whyriss gives me an almost knowing look.

A huge sigh leaves my body and makes my shoulders curl inward. "Atlas also accidentally attached me to his Quint. I can feel all four of them where Atlas used to be." My eyes fall to trace the carving of the wood in the many different swirls of a rising tide. It doesn't feel right to be placed into a bond that belonged to him. They were his family here at the school. "I plan to break the bond." The words fall out of my mouth flat but sure. Silence grasps the whole room as if everyone fears the Gods will come down and smite the whole room. It is Dean Whyriss who breaks the silence first, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Are you absolutely certain about this decision Prince Valdis? Not only is this apparently the will of the Gods but also it is rare for Quints to be formed." She stares at me with saddened eyes and I remember that she is part of one of the most powerful Quint in the world today. "Not to mention that it is apparent that this is what Atlas wanted for you. Why else would he give you his life and his bond?"

A gasp escapes my throat and I shoot forward griping the Dean's desk with all my strength. Plasma sparking across my knuckles and the color of the Dean's soul comes into focus. Blue like the deepest lagoon, and calm ferocity. "It wasn't an accident?" Dean Whyriss shakes her head at me.