The Time Mage

Chapter 38: Professor Kinora

Kason awaited the next society meeting with mild curiosity. Ms Hargreve had ended their previous session without introducing the new teacher who would be taking the sessions in her stead after she stopped. Since the only thing Kason, or any of the students, knew about the new teacher was that they were called professor Kinora, there was little he could do apart from asking around to see if anyone else knew who they were. Kason and Harper put this question to Nixon, the next time they saw him. Luckily for them, it turned out that Nixon did know who this teacher was and proceeded to tell them about him.

"Professor Kinora, well..." Nixon began, "He's a relatively new teacher, from what I know. Started about half-way through this year I think. I've never even met him personally, but from I've heard he's a bit like old Alivor in the library; dislikes the students and, unlike Alivor, seems to equally dislike his job. I don't know if that description has been exaggerated or not, but if it hasn't, then I'm not sure how he even managed to get hired here in the first place."

Kason and Harper listened to Nixon ramble on for a few more minutes before extricating themselves and evacuating to the safety of their dorm floor's common room.

"He doesn't sound very pleasant, does he," Harper said once they had sat down.

Harper nodded in agreement, voicing his concerns about how the society would be with that kind of teacher leading it. They sat down, talking about how bad this professor Kinora might actually be and eventually got back onto what had happened at the last society meeting.

"What are you going to do about Roan's challenge?" Kason asked.

Harper snorted, "Ignore it obviously. If I don't do anything, neither can he. It takes two to compete, after all. Anyway, I doubt he was really serious..."

The next society meeting came quickly and Kason made his way with the usual group over to the Training Ground. They arrived there slightly early, hoping to arrive earlier than the new teacher. They achieved this objective and when they arrived, there were only a few others present.

The teacher did not turn up until exactly the moment when the session was supposed to start. Kason had been looking around absently, wondering where the teacher was when suddenly he noticed a man in a swathed in a green cloak standing where Ms Hargreve usually stood when she started the session. He had no idea when the man had appeared and many it seemed, hadn't noticed him at all.

The man took off his cloak and laid it on the ground by his feet before lifting his head to survey the group of students before him, many of whom were still talking, unaware of his presence. Kason took in his features as the man stood there, he had hair so pale it was almost white, a long, pointed nose and eyes that seemed as if they had never smiled in their life.

"Silence."

The single word was spoken quietly but was heard by every member of the group. It sounded cold and indifferent - uncaring, even - and the lively chatter of the crowd died away the instant it was spoken. The man, presumably professor Kinora, continued to survey them, his face impassive.

"I am professor Kinora," he said in the same apathetic voice, "I will be overseeing the running of this society from now on. Other teachers may have given you permission to call them 'Mr Kinora' or 'Sir', but not me. If you require my assistance, you will address me as I tell you to. Either by 'Professor' or 'Professor Kinora'."

Kason glanced at Harper and caught his eye. Harper made a worried face before looking back as professor Kinora started to speak again. "I have been told that you have all achieved some level of competence with the telekinesis spell, but I would like to see it for myself." He looked around at the students and pointed at five of them in turn, including Kason. "You five, show me what you can do."